A Blessing from 1853

Never Enough?

Never Alone

In 1897, a lady named Ludie Pickett wrote a song entitled “Never Alone.” The lyrics include:..… read more

The Power of Benediction

If you grew up (as I did) in a mainline, denominational church, you likely heard a benediction every Sunday as the service was dismissed. What I heard frequently was the Aaronic blessing from Numbers 6:24-26….… read more

Where is the Fire?

I seem to write and work best if I have something going on in the background, and even if the volume is very low, this often means I have a news channel playing on the television…… read more

No Throw-Aways

Over Christmas break of 2024, I spent some time going through a classic work entitled The Bruised Reed and Smoking Flax by Richard Sibbes (1577-1635)…… read more

We’ve Got Work to do!

I often question how accurate certain surveys are, but if the responses cited below even closely reflect reality, it is a reminder that we have a lot to do to make sure that those who hear us have a strong doctrinal foundation…… read more

In Search of the Real St. Nicholas

In February of this year (2024), I had the privilege of speaking for four days to pastors at the annual convention at the Association of Protestant Churches in Antalya, Turkey (described as Attalia in Acts 14:25)…… read more

The Life of Fred Francis Bosworth (1877-1958)

This week (February 18-21, 2025) I’ve been teaching a second-year course on “Church History” at Charis Bible College in Woodland Park, Colorado..… read more

Visiting Helen Keller’s Home

This past Saturday (January 25, 2025), I had the great pleasure of visiting the birthplace and childhood home of Helen Keller with Pastor Tony and Tara Collins..… read more

The Power of a Visit

Yesterday, Lisa and I went to Cedar Point Church in Claremore and I’d like to highlight something we heard Pastor Rick Burke share..… read more

Moving Beyond Disillusionment and Disappointment

When Lisa and I were in Australia in August (2024), a story was related to us by a believer from the Pacific southeast.Some years back, a Christian group was wanting to hold a celebration on a particular beach but were denied a permit based on their faith..… read more

Making Each Other Better

I was recently privileged to visit the Lawrence County Historical Center in New Castle, Pennsylvania, the hometown of Ira D Sankey. Sankey was the song leader for D. L. Moody, the great evangelist…… read more

The Significance of One

One of my favorite subjects to teach is teamwork, and while that is a tremendously important topic, we should never forget the power and significance of “one” and of individual effort. .… read more

What About That “Hard-to-Understand” Scripture?

In this article, I’m going to address “hard-to-understand” verses in the Bible. Maybe you’re not aware of any, and you believe you have perfect clarity and understanding regarding every spiritual matter. If that’s you, you probably won’t benefit from this article. But for everyone else — those who sometimes scratch their heads because they don’t fully understand something they read in the Bible — I think this article will be beneficial. .… read more

The Snare of Success

Abraham Lincoln once remarked, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” He had probably seen people who were motivated positively by challenges and setbacks, and others who were corrupted by success. Don’t get me wrong. .… read more

God’s Amazing Plan for Non-Preachers

When a person is called to preach, the urgency of that call (especially in the early years) can be all-consuming and all-important. If a person lacks maturity and perspective, the call to preach can seem so important that all other aspects of life seem to pale by comparison. Hopefully the young preacher will grasp the idea that other issues are vital as well — such areas as character development, building healthy relationships, and giving proper attention to the practical areas of life.… read more

A Question of Authority

Something believers need to strongly consider these days is the issue of authority, and more specifically, God’s authority. A fundamental question every human being must answer has to do with whether or not they will submit their lives to God’s rule and reign.… read more

Living in the Right Time Zone

When people travel, even domestically, they’ve got to be aware of the time zone they are in. If you travel from New York to California, you will experience a three-hour time difference. If a person hasn’t adjusted, they might be hungry for lunch when it’s really time for breakfast.… read more