By Joe McKeever “…so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world” (Philippians 2:15). Preachers used to say ours was a “cut flower generation.”  The bloom was still there, all the blessings of our godly heritage, in the same way the floral arrangement on the dining room table carried the colors and delights of the garden.  However, preachers would point out, this generation has cut itself off from the faith of our fathers and while we enjoy the blessings of their faith and their labors, we are doing nothing to keep the faith. The next generation would pay for our failure. We’re there now. For most of the decades of my life–I arrived in 1940–Christians were in a majority in this country and it was pretty much agreed that ours was a Christian nation.  If anyone countered that, we never heard it. We sang hymns in school and decorated for Christmas and even dismissed classes so those who wished could attend a local church service or see a religious film. As a young pastor, I was invited to preach Christian messages to student bodies of public high schools.  No one mentioned a limitation of any kind. Those days … [Read more...]

By Jack Graham There’s something in our human spirit that never wants to give up. Each of us is like that little train engine in the children’s book, bravely chanting, “I think I can!” to conquer the mountains in our lives. But most of us will eventually meet a set of circumstances that seems hell-bent on taking us down. And that’s when we can begin to think, “Can I really get over this hill?” If ever there was a “Can I?” sort of person, Gideon was that guy. We read in Judges chapter 6 that Gideon was hiding away from his enemies… threshing wheat in a winepress… when an angel sent from God turned up and called Gideon a “mighty man of valor” (v. 12). He also said Gideon was going to spearhead God’s plan to free Israel from Midianite oppression. Looking at the odds against him, Gideon replied, “How can I save Israel?” (v. 15). What he didn’t know was that the Spirit of the Lord was about to clothe him. This forlorn farmer was going to wear God like a suit. Judges 6:33-34 says: “Now all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East came together…. But the Spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites [Gideon’s family] were called out to follow him.” Just when things … [Read more...]

By Waylon Bailey It’s time for America to weep and wail. Anyone who watched the Sunday night second presidential debate knows that something is terribly wrong in America. We have two terribly unpopular and unsatisfying candidates to be the president of the United States. Many people have become disgusted with the whole process and are vowing to vote for neither one. This is especially common among Christians. While that sounds like a satisfying decision, one of these two will be elected president of the United States. As I have often stated, Christians not voting means that people who don’t pray will elect the next president of the United States. One of the things we can be sure of is this: it is time for believers to grieve, weep, and wail. This is what the apostle James told us to do. It is not a time of laughter or levity; it is a time for weeping and wailing in America as we confess ours sins and ask for His forgiveness (James 4:8-10). James meant that we should exhibit a godly sorrow over what has happened in our nation. As we saw from the two candidates Sunday night, we have become a people who are drowning in sexual immorality. It feels very much like we have been given over to a reprobate mind (a mind … [Read more...]

By Steve Horn I am not sure there is anything better we can do for another person than to pray. In Colossians 1:9-14, we have a record of Paul’s specific prayer that he prayed for the believers of Colossae. Here is a specific prayer for Christians. You can pray it for yourself, for others, or for your children. I see at least these four specific requests. We should pray that each person… • Be Filled with the knowledge of His will. Is anything more important than knowing the will of God? But, the goal of knowledge is not to be puffed up with knowledge. The knowledge has a goal so we continue to request. • Fulfill the Calling of a Disciple. Follow the logic. The knowledge leads to a “so that” clause. The “so that” is each person would walk worthy of Him. When a person does that he will be fully pleasing to God, bear fruit, and be increasing in the knowledge of Him. Do you see the cycle? • Be Strengthened with His power. Colossians and Ephesians have similar content. Paul wrote to both churches while in prison. In a similar prayer section that he wrote to the Ephesians, about God’s power, Paul wrote: “He demonstrated this power in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in … [Read more...]

By Waylon Bailey Do you ever hear people saying, “I love that verse of Scripture”? That’s the kind of remark I hear all the time. In fact, I hear myself saying that very often. Yesterday morning I heard myself saying that about Isaiah 26:3: “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” What do people mean when they say “I love that verse”? Well, here’s what I meant yesterday morning. First, I love that verse because it is true. And it’s not just the truth, it is God’s truth. He really keeps us in beautiful, wonderful peace when we place Him where He truly belongs– – on the throne of our lives. Second, I love that verse because it comes from God Himself. Therefore, I know I can trust that these words are true and trustworthy. When I put my trust in Him, I can enjoy His perfect peace. Third, I love this verse because it speaks to the needs of my life. I truly want to live at peace within myself, at peace with others, and above all else at peace with God. This verse speaks to that desire and for that reason I love this. There’s another verse I love: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). I thank God for His … [Read more...]

By Steve Gaines Matthew 22:9-10 – “‘Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’  Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.”  We are all to invite all men to Christ. All Christians are commanded by Christ to invite all non-Christians to become Christians. Whether they are “good” or “bad” is not an issue, for we are all lumped within that less than admirable category called “sinners.” All people have broken God’s laws and fallen short of the glory of God. And the text says that we are to go to them instead of expecting them to come to us. We are to be proactive in our evangelism. We are to join Deacon Philip and go to the road upon which the eunuch is traveling. We are to approach the eunuch and open our mouths using Scripture to proclaim Jesus Christ to the lost. We are to bring precious souls to Jesus. We are to lift Jesus up before them in such a way that will cause them to desire Him for themselves. We are to invite them to receive Jesus. Jesus is all we have to offer them, and Jesus is all they will ever need. As we go out into the streets and gather … [Read more...]

By Trent Baker, Breitbart.com Ravens tight end Benjamin Watson appeared on Fox News Channel’s “The Kelly File” Thursday to discuss the recent police shootings of black men in Tulsa and Charlotte. Watson, who is on injured reserve this year, said people need to learn how to correctly handle conflict and look at themselves in order for the country to move forward. “One of the biggest things that we have to be able to do is handle conflict and handle it correctly,” Watson told host Megyn Kelly. “[When] we’re able to look at our biases, look at our frustrations, look at our sin in this area, our pride and our selfishness, it allows us to move forward.” To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]

By Mac Brunson September 11 has become a significant date in American history. That date did not become noteworthy just in 2001, because it actually has a deeper history for Americans. On September 11, 1814, America was under attack. No one ever imagined that 17,000 British troops would be on the outskirts of the city of Baltimore. Off the coast were nearly 30 British ships of war. The British navy maneuvered 16 of those ships to within striking distance of Fort McHenry. Those naval vessels began a 24-hour barrage on the American forces stationed in Fort McHenry. The plan was to send the British navy up the western branch of the Patapsco River, bomb the city, and make it possible for British troops to take Baltimore. To read the rest of the editorial, please click here. … [Read more...]

By Lane Corley I enjoy gardening. Even though I’m not very good at it. Why? I don’t always have the time to do what’s necessary to grow and multiply plants to their fullest extent. The best gardeners know how and put in the time to create the right conditions for growth and multiplication. The very best gardeners will start with a greenhouse to nurse the plants in early stages before they are ever put in the ground. A greenhouse is a tool where you can create the perfect conditions for multiplication & growth of plants at all different stages and with various needs. I enjoy gardening in part because of the many parallels it has to church planting and ministry. I’ve began to see church as a greenhouse – a tool to create the right conditions for multiplication & growth OF DISCIPLES. Here are five truths I’m learning on church as a GREENHOUSE: Disciples must be nurtured. Like plants, like a garden, like a greenhouse, disciples need time and attention. One of the greatest books on discipleship has in its title a reminder we constantly need – Disciples Are Made, Not Born. While we are not completely responsible for the growth of a disciple, part of our commission from Jesus requires time and attention and energy … [Read more...]