Welcome to “That’s Still Sin” Week on the blog. This week’s posts are meant to take five issues that are called sinful in the Bible, but that rarely get discussed as such anymore. ——————————— If there is any sin that is more marginalized among Christians than gossip, I’m not sure what it is. As we have done with a couple of other sins this week, though, we need to be sure we understand what the Bible means when it talks about gossip. In the King James Version, it was often called being a “whisperer,” and that brings out the real definition of the original Greek term. It is interesting that the…

Welcome to “That’s Still Sin” Week on the blog. This week’s posts are meant to take five issues that are called sinful in the Bible, but that rarely get discussed as such anymore. —————————— Laughter is wonderful. I love to laugh, and very few things are more wonderful than sharing stories and jokes with brothers and sisters in Christ and sharing a good laugh. In fact, in Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful spirit is like good medicine.” Part of that “joy” can come at times from healthy laughter. However, what we laugh at is so important. Christians cannot find their humor in the same things as the world. In Ephesians 5,…

Welcome to “That’s Still Sin” Week on the blog. This week’s posts are meant to take five issues that are called sinful in the Bible, but that rarely get discussed as such anymore. —————————— Yep, we’re going there. Gluttony is one of the most misunderstood concepts in Scripture, but that is partially to blame on a simple lack of teaching on it. First of all, gluttony is not just eating a big meal. We kid ourselves around Thanksgiving–or after the church picnic–that we had better be careful to avoid gluttony simply because there is a large spread of food in front of us. That is true in part, but just…

Our blog is usually reserved for articles of encouragement, but every so often we tackle a doctrinal issue. Since this is a family blog, I’m going to let my son tackle this one today. Recently, he and I were talking, and he asked about someone who had been baptized. We talked for a minute and then he–at the age of five–said something. He said it to be funny, but in my mind I couldn’t help but think that he knew more than many adults. He said, “I can be baptized, because I know how to hold my breath.” Now, is he old enough? No, and he knows that. He was…

One of the struggles when I preach is making sure that my emotions are as “in check” as possible. No matter the subject, we are sharing not only information, but also emotional  material. After all, eternity with God or away from Him hangs in the balance of every lesson. I have cried in the pulpit a few times. Not often, but sometimes. What is strange is that I am not a tearful person by nature. There is something about preaching in public, though, that causes me to tear up a little easier. I have been mad in the pulpit. I try not to come across as yelling at people, but…