How are you living your life on mission? How are you reaching into your community to spread the gospel? Watch as Mary White shares her experiences as she allows God to use her. ...
What does it look like to live Life on Mission? Watch as the Lafollettes describe their experiences after a diagnosis that no one wants to hear. ...
Ephesians 3:1-13 | God certainly could have chosen to simply annihilate Satan. He had taken all that had been created in beauty and made it ugly and marred. He had taken those intended for intimate relationship with God and turned them into enemies of the very One who had so created them. He had led a rebellion in the very presence of the Eternal Father and caused those beings created to serve as worshipping agents to become instead hostile opponents of the glorious One. Yes, God certainly COULD have chosen to simply annihilate Satan....
Ephesians 2:13-18 | A simple glance at current headlines indicates that our world is in desperate need of a peace-maker!...
Ephesians 2:18-22 | “In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:22 It’s not about the building! “Being ‘the church’ is our passion. Understanding from the Bible that Christ loves His church, died for His church, nurtures His church, and offers hope to a hopeless world through His church, we deeply desire to be a biblical church...to be a Christ-centered, Spirit-enabled, God-honoring body of believers devoted to growing as a Biblical church.”...
It is the sermon every Bible preaching pastor wishes he had delivered. For 40 years Pastor S.M. Lockridge faithfully shepherded the Calvary Baptist Church of San Diego, California. There were many memorable sermons delivered from that pulpit in those more than 2,000 Sundays. But the most noted of all was entitled, Sunday Is A Comin’!...
Ephesians 2:8-10 | Legends. That would be the best word to describe us. The Class of ’68 was the MOST talented, the MOST accomplished, the MOST memorable, the GREATEST athletes, the most BRILLIANT scholars, trendsetters long before #trending was added to Webster’s treasury of frequently used words and freshly coined phrases. We were “All-Class” performers! Well…at least that’s how we remember it....
She was helping us with a major decision and we began a conversation… I asked, “Where are you from?” “I’m from Africa,” she replied. “I was in Kenya and Rwanda last month. Is that anywhere close to your home?” “I’m from Uganda. It’s a smaller nation in Africa. I usually just say ‘I’m from Africa’ because most Americans think it is just one big country. But there are over fifty nations in Africa. I’m from Uganda in Africa!”...
Ephesians 1:15-23 | We were not alone when we laughed out loud at what the preacher was saying. “Why is it,” he asked, “that we think that in order to appear ‘Christian’ in our decaying culture we have to be marked by our symbols? We have ‘Christian coffee shops’ and ‘Christian jewelry’ and ‘Christian bookstores’ and ‘Christian t-shirts’ and we even want our underwear to have the ‘Jesus fish’ label on them! Hey, this pastor is giving all you Christians permission to wear Fruit of the Loom!” And at that we, along with the 100s of others worshipping with us, could not help but laugh out loud. ☺...
Ephesians 1:3-14 | It was not a day of joy. It was an annual event both dreaded and anticipated. It was dreaded in that the day would begin with the painful reminder of all the many, many ways that you had failed....
Acts 2:1-36 | The “normal” Christian life is simply making much of Jesus. We’ve made it a “mystical” sort of thing. We know it’s important, but we aren’t quite sure what it really is. We are pretty certain that we should “ask for it” but we don’t know exactly how to ask. Bottom line, the “filling of the Spirit” is a nice theological expression that finds literal practical application in most of our daily lives. But things ought NOT to be this way!...
Luke 24:44-53 & Acts 1:1-14 | “I love my church!” You’ve obviously seen those signs along the curbs of our city. You’ve seen it printed on t-shirts and read it on the bumper-sticker while waiting for the light to change. I have to admit, I have been very tempted to order a bunch of those signs for FBC! “I LOVE my church…FAITHBIBLECHURCH of Lincoln!”...
Ephesians 3:20-21 | Perhaps it is time for our church to do a “Tebow”! “We are so excited about what God is doing here. In fact, the whole world of evangelical churches is looking to us, contacting us, learning from us. Incredible things are happening here and you are all a part of it. This morning I want to just tell the story again and let you know of the great things that we can anticipate in the days ahead!” Linda and I just looked at each other. It was one of those moments when you knew that you were witnessing the beginning of a season of humbling. ...
Ephesians 4:1-16 | Here’s to all who feel used, overlooked, unnoticed, under-appreciated...
Colossians 1:24-29 | At Faith Bible Church we are radically committed to “bringing all to maturity in Christ Jesus” which means we are radically devoted to the ministry of the Word in age/stage appropriate delivery and with the personal touch of one who cares!...
Acts 13:48 | Adoption is the decision to make room in one’s heart and home for another and to place that child into the position of total equality with all the “natural born” children of the home. A son or daughter for life!...
Matthew 28:18-20 & Acts 1:8 | I have learned to read a book with much more skill than before. I used to begin by flipping it over to see who “endorsed” the work, then taking time for the “Forward” before moving to the “Introduction” as the prelude to dipping into the first chapter. I would read thoughtfully, snagging and seeking to retain the details as the narrative unfolded....
Hebrews 10:23-25 | At lunch with several other pastor friends yesterday, a repeated theme of concern was heard: “I’m sorry that we haven’t been in church more consistently of late, Pastor, but we have kind of decided to move our membership to a place where we just feel a little bit more comfortable. We just haven’t felt ‘connected’ so much of late and thought this was probably the Lord telling us to go someplace else. We are just looking for someplace that fits us a little bit better.”...
John 5:39 | It is far too easy to read the Bible in the wrong way. I was a classic mid-20th century Pharisee. Ouch! I hate to even type that—but the truth is the truth. My family tree was a legacy of Jesus-followers. Our expressions of faith varied from generation to generation and, depending on which side of the family line you were looking, there were certainly some rather distinctive “beliefs” and practices. But in reality, I was the recipient of a long line of believing....
Nehemiah 12:43 | It opens with a hi-ranking dignitary sliding deeper and deeper into a pit of despair. It closes with an irrepressible celebration that echoes internationally. But in between were great valleys, mountains of discouragement, blood, sweat, tears, conflicts, and all other manner of trials....
2 Chronicles 26/Isaiah 6 | Prosperity not poverty may be the greatest challenge to your faith! As we rise from “no-thing” and “no-body” to begin accumulating stuff and receiving awards and accolades, it becomes a great challenge to maintain a genuine spirit of humility. Pride is both the first and the final expression of the depravity of our hearts....
1 Kings 3 | It's not so much how you start, but how you finish that really matters! Be honest…you HAVE thought, “What if I could have ANYthing I wished for? What would I request if that proverbial "genie" suddenly appeared before me and granted me one wish?” (Hint: Don’t wish for a million bucks—they don’t do nice things to lawns!)...
Galatians 5 | "It is for FREEDOM that Christ has set you FREE!" Freedom is a luxury that is highly under-rated. The privilege of coming and going, planning and practicing, choosing and changing the mind, doing whatever is on your heart to do, and to execute your own plans with liberty—a luxury that is regrettably highly under-rated. Unless, of course, you have lived life without such blessing....
1 Samuel 19-23 | It sounds really good, in theory. “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” Sounds good—that is until......
1 Samuel | One of the great marks of a Godly leader is the ability to “truth in love.” Ephesians 4:15 Her heart was so heavy with longing as she poured out her sorrows to the Lord that, though her lips would move, no words could be heard. And the watchful priest totally misread what he saw....
Ruth 1-4 | She was only saying what everyone else was thinking. Nana asked her, “What are you doing?” She replied, “I don’t like this song, so I’m sitting down.”...
Judges 6-8 | Many start well. Few finish well. Simply repeating the closing line brought immediate recognition for two decades at the end of the past century. His broadcast hit the public airwaves in 1976 and Paul Harvey became a household name. Major names or events would be masterfully highlighted in engaging dramatic fashion....
Judges 4-5 | The proper question would have been: “How did we get into this mess?” The repeated question, however, became: “Who will get us out of this mess?!”...
Numbers 14 & Joshua 14 | “A man has joy in an appropriate answer, and how delightful is a timely word!” Proverbs 15:23 The sounds of silence must sometimes be broken. Knowing how to hold one’s tongue and having the wisdom to know when to speak is a mark of maturity and a testimony to wisdom....
Deuteronomy 34:9 | It has been said that the most difficult instrument to learn to play well is “second fiddle." The art of assuming a subsidiary role to another is a great test of one’s pride, flexibility, strengths, will, and humility....
Deuteronomy 34 | Great leaders dedicate themselves to the practice of certain disciplines. They do not commit to these simply to expand their influence but rather for personal strength. When they devote themselves to these practices, those they lead cannot escape the evidence....
Don't Waste Your Work Colossians 3:23-4:1 Three indicators that I am spending my time at work rather than investing my work. 1. When getting more stuff is what motivates me to get up and go.2. When I can't wait for closing time so I can get away from my associates.3. When my mental calendar reflexively calculates the days till I am free to just play more rounds or gathe...
Keep ReadingNo Free Lunches! "There are no free lunches!" These pointed words of life-preparatory advice have echoed down through many generations as parents seek to motivate youngsters, employers seek to stimulate employees, and professors seek to educate learners. "There are no free lunches!" Butthat has not ALWAYS been the case. I'll bet that after a while, even the simple task o...
Keep ReadingGreat News for Great Sinners "On one end you walk in a quiet and undisturbed glorious garden, fresh as life with its pure and endless stream flowing through its center. At the other end, you revel in an alive and energized city with an impeccable river-sustained garden around which it is built. But in between, you struggle to stay focused as you slug your way through a ...
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