Category Archives: Jesus Christ

Why The Resurrection?

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(From a sermon I gave at Beatty Baptist Church on April 12, 2020.) For those of you who don’t know me, I’m the curious type. Always have been. When something interests me, I try to find out as much about it as possible. When I was young, I would satisfy my curiosity by reading National Geographic magazines and encyclopedia articles. In fact, I preferred reading to socializing. I’m still somewhat like that. Social distancing is not a problem for me. When I find something worthy of my interest, I want to know as much about it as I can. Satisfying my curiosity begins with asking the right questions. And my favorite question to ask is “Why?” During this coronavirus pandemic, … Continue reading →

Guilt: What To Do With It

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Are you struggling with feelings of guilt? Are you ashamed of something you have done recently? Perhaps your whole life has been one failure after another. You’re powerless to do what is right. You can’t stop doing the things you do. While you may have given up a long time ago, there is hope. You just have to look beyond yourself and look to God who already has provided a solution to your problem! The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. – Luke 18:27 When it comes to guilt, you’re not alone. Everyone has done wrong. Some people pride themselves in being ‘law-abiding citizens’, however there is not one person who has not broken God’s law … Continue reading →

Identifying True Christians

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Once upon a time there was a great, big wolf, and he hadn’t eaten in days. His last meal was only a couple of small mice… not even enough for an appetizer. You can be sure he was on the lookout for some serious grub! Suddenly, a flock of sheep caught his eye. As he looked at them grazing peacefully in the distance, immediately his mouth started watering uncontrollably, and his stomach growled expectantly at the thought of fresh mutton. But he was so famished and weak from hunger, he didn’t have the strength to chase down even one small lamb. What was he to do? Then it came to him. “I know how I can get a plump, juicy … Continue reading →

What The Good Shepherd Doesn’t Do

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The Good Shepherd (Jesus) doesn’t… … Leave me hungry, … “Feed” himself at my expense, … Leave me unprotected from predators and robbers, … Leave me where I was driven to, … Abandon me when I stray away, … Let me stay “weak” or “sick”, … Consider me just a business burden (as the hired shepherd). (Ezekiel 34, John 10)

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How To Gain Victory Over Sin – Additional Notes

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Here are some additional notes that didn’t make it into the book, but may appear in a second edition. How To Gain Victory Over Sin was intended to draw attention to the most neglected, yet essential part of resisting temptation, but it isn’t the only important part. You should also spend time with other like-minded believers where you can share each other’s struggles and burdens, pray for, and encourage one another. Each member of the Body of Christ needs the others to grow. Book location Notes Page 4“He begins with our need for salvation…” Our need can be seen in Romans 2:1-6, our inability to save ourselves in Romans 3:9-20, and God’s solution to our problem in Romans 3:21-26. Page … Continue reading →

The Blessing of Leaving All

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And Jesus again answering says to them, “Children, how difficult it is that those who trust in riches should enter into the kingdom of God! … Verily I say to you, There is no one who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, that shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time: houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions, and in the coming age life eternal. But many first shall be last, and the last first.” – Mark 10:24,29-31 JND How rich is too rich to enter the kingdom of God? It’s easy … Continue reading →

Praying For Patience

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Take thy share in suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. – 2 Timothy 2:3 (JND) It is not our purpose to seek out suffering, but neither is it to avoid it. It is jokingly said that one thing you should not pray for is patience, because if you do, God is going to send all sorts of calamity to try what little patience you do have. However, patience is a virtue that we need to have. It is a fruit of the Spirit. Patience is a good, godly thing, and the only way to acquire it is to have it tried. To say, even jokingly, that you should not pray for patience focuses on the suffering rather than … Continue reading →

Thoughts On Running The Race

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Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. – 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (ESV) The way a runner runs depends on the kind of race he’s in. When the distance is small, an all-out sprint to the finish line is probably best. But when the distance is great, more self-control must be exercised. For the best possible chance of making it to the finish line first, a runner must control his expenditure of energy such that he has just enough strength to make it across … Continue reading →

Is Jesus an honored Guest?

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Today’s Christians, myself included, tend to think of God wrongly. We think of Him as the honored guest in our lives. My wife and I like to have people over for dinner at times. Wanda likes to cook, and whenever we have guests, she’ll cook up something special – and maybe go overboard with it. And that is a good thing. It’s part of being hospitable. We also spend time talking with our guests, and maybe we’ll watch a movie together. But eventually, it’s time for the guests to leave. We then clean up and retire for the evening. That’s the nice thing about guests: you can enjoy the fellowship, and then enjoy getting back to your own lives when … Continue reading →

“Have this mind in you…”

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“Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus…” – Philippians 2:5 This phrase begins the best known hymn of the early church, a hymn of praise to Jesus who humbled Himself to the level of a slave, and died a slave’s death, to reconcile us to God. But we tend to overlook this command for all the good doctrine about our Savior that follows it. And when we consider obeying it, we think only in generalities. Next time you spend time in the gospels reading about Jesus, frequently recall this phrase: “Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Every time you see Jesus heal the sick, instruct His disciples, speak of the kingdom … Continue reading →