Years ago, a neighbor lady told me she was a “member” of the church down the street and that she “…hadn’t attended for nine years.” Her idea of membership seemed similar to a magazine subscription that could be renewed year after year without leaving the house! Later, while visiting a friend, I was invited to […]
The One who commanded the light to shine out of darkness Himself has shined in our hearts. Such light is ours to share with an ever-darkening world. Dark times. Sooner or later, everyone faces them. Isaiah prophesied over a period of sixty years. There were moments of light in those decades, but, on the whole, […]
What do a trumpet, hand puppets, and a U-Haul-type trailer have to do with evangelism? Well, for 40 years—involving children in more than ten states—that’s how my dad and mom pioneered a children’s ministry that touched thousands of lives. Many knew Bill King as “Mr. Bill,” “Uncle Bill,” “Mr. King” or even “the man with […]
Like Isaiah, we need a renewed vision of Christ’s majesty and holiness. I[dropcap] I [/dropcap]n Isaiah 6, the reader is provided with a breathtaking vision of the very throne room of heaven. It is a passage most of us are so familiar with that we can easily lose sight of the privileged glimpse we are […]
The last year has seen a significant sea change in American public discourse regarding God and the Christian message. If you are not already aware of this new wind blowing across our bow, everyone serious about the Great Commission would do well to batten down for the gale-force storm that is brewing. It is no […]
Isaiah, speaking of a future time, declares “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose” (Isa. 35:1). A preview of those blossoms can be found in Isaiah’s fourth Servant Song, where the Father calls “Behold, My Servant” (Isa. 52:13). A rose garden […]
Is there a man in your assembly who meets all of the requirements of Titus 1:6-9 except that he is not married? If so, you are blessed indeed. He is free to serve in the fellowship without the distraction of caring for a wife and family (1 Cor. 7:33-35). The godly qualities he possesses mean […]
“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots: And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” […]
In this clear Messianic passage, we find a rapid-fire description of the coming Christ. While all Scripture has significant meaning, it seems that, every so often, we run across a passage where every word is bursting with insights about our Lord. Isaiah chapter 9 contains one of those passages. This chapter seems an unlikely passage […]