By Joe McKeever “God is Watching.” –sign over the door of Gwen Williams’ home in Picayune, Mississippi. John Ed Mathiston told his congregation in Montgomery, Alabama a story about kindness. “Not long ago, a man from the Middle East walked into a new car showroom and asked to speak with a particular salesperson. The receptionist called for him, the fellow walked to the front, and they greeted each other. The foreigner said, “I’d like to buy some trucks.” Some trucks. That caught the sales guy’s attention. “What did you have in mind, sir?” “I want to buy 750 heavy duty trucks and 250 pickups.” The salesman is stunned. Surely someone is pulling a prank. This cannot be happening. The Middle Easterner pulls out a letter of credit with a huge American bank. It is legitimate. This is the real deal. The salesman says, “Sir, you know you can go to Detroit and buy those trucks at a huge discount.” The customer said,”Sir, ten years ago I was a college student in your city. Being from the Middle East made it hard for Americans to befriend me. I soon discovered you have to have a car in America, so I came to you. I picked out a car. You said to me, ‘I can sell you that car and I’ll make a nice … [Read more...]
Does God have a place in America?
By Waylon Bailey John Adams, our second president, was a man of deep belief. This is what he said about the Word of God and the power of the Gospel: “Suppose a nation in some distant Region should take the Bible for their only law Book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited! Every member would be obliged in conscience, to temperance, frugality, and industry; to justice, kindness, and charity towards fellow men; and to piety, love, and reverence toward Almighty God. . .What a Eutopia, what a Paradise would this region be.” Samuel Adams, signer of the Declaration of Independence and father of the American revolution looked forward to the coming of God’s Kingdom: “I conceive that we cannot better express ourselves than by humbly supplicating the Supreme Ruler of the world that the end of tyrants may be broken to pieces, and the oppressed made free again; that wars may cease in all the earth, and that the confusions that are and have been among nations may be overruled by promoting and speedily bringing on that holy and happy period when the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ may be everywhere established, and all people everywhere willingly bow to the sceptre of Him who is … [Read more...]
Do you know the Koranic code?
By Ron F. Hale “This is for Allah!” shouted the assailants as seven people were killed on London Bridge and the Borough Market with 48 other people injured. Three attackers were shot dead during their rampage of indiscriminately stabbing people. This deadly incident follows on the heels of the May 22nd act of Islamic terrorism at Manchester Arena. Today, key leaders around the world exhibit emotionally disjointed thinking in dealing with the threat of ISIS and radical Islamic terrorism. Without clear objectives by national leaders, their subordinates find it difficult to organize priorities in the war on terror. WHAT WOULD WINSTON DO? Winston Churchill would have never allowed Nazi soldiers to casually fly in and out of London’s Croydon, Gatwick, and Heathrow airports in the throes of WWII. Yet, the recent suicide bomber in Manchester, England, was free as a feral pigeon flying back-and-forth from the Middle East despite being on a terror watch list. This lack of strategic action is criminal and 22 Brits, many of them children, are dead. After their deaths, grieving families were subjected to the dead bodies of their loved ones being warehoused for examination. Yet, who is examining the minds and hearts of government … [Read more...]
The love of a father
By Judy A. Bates, GuideStone Financial Resources A father’s love will shape a man’s life—even if it doesn’t come from his own dad. Just ask Elvis Durrill. Elvis was born in 1933 in the midst of the Great Depression. One of nine children born to Otha Earl and Minnie Durrill, his young life on the farm was hard and filled with manual labor. His father was not a religious man, but taught his children not to lie, steal or cheat. It was from his mother that Elvis learned of God’s loving care. However, it was the pretty blond girl sitting a few pews ahead of him that had drawn him to church that day. By the time the preacher finished the sermon, Elvis forgot about the girl because God had gotten ahold of his heart. He made a profession of faith and 12-year-old Elvis ran home to tell his mom about his salvation experience. His excitement was short-lived. As Elvis burst through the door shouting with exhilaration, he heard his dad in the backroom laughing at him. “I told you he was simple-minded,” Elvis remembers his dad saying to his mom. The joy in his heart was immediately doused and it would be many years before Elvis would be open to God’s tug on his heart. A short year later, Elvis found himself living on the … [Read more...]
The clock is ticking, America!
By Martha Bailey Demented. Deranged. Unhinged. Hatred. These were the type words used in the news I heard the day after an attempted assassin brutally wounded Congressman Steve Scalise and three others. Sadly, it seems he intended to leave much more carnage. It was premeditated and deliberate. Had it not been for two valiant police officers on the scene, he would have succeeded. How sad. How evil. What has happened to America? When did we forget that there are lines over which we dare not step? What happened to good manners and common decency? When did everything become gray where we don’t know what is right and what is wrong? When did truth mean whatever we want it to mean? Our country crossed the line when it compromised its values many decades ago and has been on a slippery slope ever since. Morality went out the window as did respect for other Christian principles. In his instructions to Timothy, a young minister, the apostle Paul warned him about what would happen to men’s hearts as the time grew closer to the Second Coming. Look at Paul’s description in his letter to Timothy (2 Timothy 3:1-5): ~There will be terrible times in the last days. ~People will be lovers of themselves. ~People will … [Read more...]
Steve Horn: What are you watching?
By Steve Horn If you live in my part of the world (South Louisiana) you likely have seen a headline in recent days that indicated, “All Eyes on Gulf” or something similar. We are waiting to see how much rain we get with a Tropical System. After a similar system last August which flooded us to point that some still have not been able to return to their homes, we tend to get a little jittery with such headlines. Maybe the headline is not “All Eyes on Gulf.” It might be “All Eyes on Trump” or “Russia” or “North Korea.” The truth is we wait for the next news. Some wait for the next episode of their favorite show. Some watch their online bank account for the next automatic payroll “drop.” We live in a day when we “watch” Facebook or Twitter for our “friend’s” (or “enemy’s”) next post. The point is we live “to watch.” The writer of Proverbs gave us a wise word about watching. As wisdom is personified, the writer of Proverbs said, “Anyone who listens to me is happy, watching at my doors every day, waiting by the posts of my doorway.” (Proverbs 8:34) I heard the weatherman say that the next advisory on the storm comes at 10 a.m. I need to make a decision about something so I am waiting for that advisory. As I … [Read more...]
HORN: My prayers for VBS
By Steve Horn Manuel Noriega, former dictator of Panama who became a Christian in prison, once said as he pointed to the Bible, “There’s the book that tells me what His will is for my life. It has changed me.” Dr. Rick Byargeon, Old Testament scholar, teacher, preacher, and my friend, asked his wife for his Bible hours before he died, held it up, and said, “I gave my life to the study of this book.” The Apostle Paul in writing to Timothy said, “When you come . . . bring the scrolls, especially the parchments.” (2 Timothy 4:13) Our church, as well as countless others, is having Vacation Bible School this week. I am praying for lives to be changed, children to fall in love with Jesus, and begin a life-long study of the Bible. Last Sunday, in preparation for our week of Bible School, I preached from Joshua 1. I love this text. In verses 7-8, we read these instructions and a promise about the Word of God. Above all, be strong and very courageous to carefully observe the whole instruction My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. 8 This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night so that you … [Read more...]
This Train Is Bound for Glory …. This Train!
By Michael Evans It profoundly saddens me to hear that the Cooperative Program is down. I realize our great state has suffered major catastrophes and has an economy that is underperforming expectations. I get that -- but I believe I will borrow from Maya Angelou who once said, “Ignorance is a terrible thing. It causes families to lose their center and causes people to lose control. Ignorance knows no bounds. Old and young people, middle-aged, black white can all be ignorant.” I heartily agree. I know I once was young and ignorant, and now I am old and ignorant -- except now I know wisdom comes from dependence upon the leadership of the Holy Spirit. I believe those of us who know the value of the Cooperative Program have a biblical duty to enlighten those who may not be aware of the blessings that await any church that will give and support our cooperative ministries through the CP. Elwood Baptist Church is a country church in Forest Hill, and may I tell you we always have more than enough money and then some -- to borrow from Louisiana College President Rick Brewer -- for anything we are led to do in the service of the Lord. Our church has dedicated itself to giving 16% of its tithes and offerings to the … [Read more...]
Kathy Griffin represents the left’s visceral hatred of President Trump & ‘deplorables’
By Todd Starnes Like many Americans, Barron Trump has seen the image of his father's decapitated head. And as you might imagine -- the 11-year-old boy was traumatized by what he saw. D-List comedian Kathy Griffin holding a bloody replica of President Trump's severed head. It was gruesome, gory and despicable. “Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself,” President Trump wrote in a Twitter message. “My children, especially my 11-year-old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!” Controversial photographer Tyler Shields said he and Miss Griffin were hoping to create a bold message. “That’s what art is meant to do,” he told Fox News. “Some people look at it and they love it. Some people look at it and they hate it… I understand there are going to be people that hate this. It’s a very touchy subject…but this is not real. We didn’t kill anybody nor do I feel anybody should be killed.” Cable Newsers seemed to shrug it off. MSNBC's Morning Joe said it was not a story worth covering. I wonder if they would've said the same if Miss Griffin had been holding President Obama's severed head? It’s cliché, I know. But it needed to be said. The hypocrisy of the Left needs to be exposed – it must be … [Read more...]
Deuteronomy 2 — God is Faithful
By Michael Luce, pastor Amite Baptist Church Even in Disobedience God is Good Moses recalls God’s dealings with Israel and the ways that He showed His love and care for His people. Just because God banned the exodus generation from entering the Promised Land does not mean He wasn’t gracious to their needs. Israel lacked nothing during its travels in the desert. The emphasis in chapter 2 is on God’s unfailing, even miraculous, provision for Israel on their journey. The people were not to take even a sip of water from the Edomites without paying for it. And under no conditions were they to provoke the people into a fight. They were His people, and He was responsible for their care. They did not need to look elsewhere or try to make it on their own. God’s provision did not mean the Israelites never became hungry or thirsty, but God was there to supply what was needed. God is Faithful to His Word The psalmist said God’s Word is “eternal,” and that it “stands firm in the heavens” (Psalm 119:89). When we take God at His Word and obey Him, blessing follows. And He is also faithful to execute the warnings and judgments contained in His Word. We rejoice when obedience brings blessing, but too many times we expect God to … [Read more...]
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