Linked in life Four key passages paint for us the portrait of the church as the mystical body of Christ: Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 10-12; Ephesians 1-4; and Colossians 1-3. Taken together, they present to us four great principles. Unity without unanimity The one body has many members (1 Cor. 12:12, 20, 27; Eph. 4:4; […]
The removal of a lampstand Some proclaim that all is well in Christendom by pointing to the growth of mega churches. But the truth is that mega churches often grow by pulling people away from smaller churches. People might be attracted to a larger church by the professional musical program, the elaborate facilities, or the […]
For any who aspire to maturity Only one life, ’twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last. Those three terse statements are strung together, but each on its own is worth hours of thought. In unison, they pack a powerful punch. Sadly, many who profess His name are not living with eternity’s […]
One hallmark of a true servant is disdain for notoriety. According to the website www.city-data.com, the population of Needham, Alabama at the last census was 87. Southeast of Needham is Toxey (pop. 135) and a little farther south is Gilbertown (locally pronounced Gibbertown) with 167 inhabitants. The big city near Needham is Butler, 16 miles […]
Western culture has the emphasis backwards It has been my immense privilege to officiate at the weddings of several couples, to be right there with them at the moment a miracle happens—when God takes the two individuals and makes them one in His sight “as long as they both shall live.” The joy and anticipation […]
That which we hold out must also be lived out. But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). First Timothy is written in part so […]
Exceeding. Abundant. Above. Betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, and wrongfully imprisoned, Joseph’s story is enough to drive one to a therapist. And his suffering was made worse by its contrast to earlier days. Once a loved and favored son from a prestigious and wealthy family, Joseph had even had dreams of a bright […]
The Lord Jesus has priority in time, in dignity, and in power. The term firstborn is used three times of the Lord Jesus Christ in relation to others: the Firstborn of every creature (Col. 1:15); the Firstborn from the dead (Col. 1:18); the Firstborn among many brethren (Rom. 8:29). An excellent definition of firstborn is […]
Christ meets both the requirements of God and the needs of man. I find it remarkable that, although 1 John was one of the last epistles to be written, John had not lost his sense of awe and wonder at the truth he records in the opening verse. John was now an old man. It […]