-
Be the Weird Husband
Men, this post is for you, and it comes from the heart of a man who is not afraid to say: “I’m weird.” (Many of you just audibly said, “Amen.”) What’s more is that I’m proud to be weird, but I also know I need to be weirder. You see, “normal” for husbands is a man who works hard on the job but not at home. Normal is a husband who expects sex without romance. A normal husband can’t keep his eyes and desires always on his wife. A normal husband spends more time on the couch with the remote than with the Bible. It’s no wonder women are tired…
-
Judges and Philippians…Is There a Connection?
On Wednesday nights, I am teaching the book of Philippians. My class moves slowly, but that’s okay, because we truly study. I love the discussions in our classes. I am working on some materials on the book of Judges for another project (and some sermons, too), and have been immersed in a couple of books helping me with that study. In the past few days, I have been working through some materials on Deborah and then Gideon, and have caught myself stopping and saying, “I never noticed that before.” Few of the things have been “deep.” I have just missed them. I wish I could say that they were all…
-
Don’t Fear!
Many Christians have the mindset that they can just be baptized, then sit and wait for either their own death or for the Lord’s return, and that’s all there is to it. Others think that they should never take a risk, because God wants them to be healthy and happy and that’s how they are going to win people to Christ. But how many times do we see people in Scripture considered faithful for being fearful? God requires us to get in the battle and fight for him. And what should happen if we get hurt in that battle? It’s okay, because we are doing what He requires. Stonewall Jackson…
-
…But They Aren’t Running
Though young, he could have been running for reelection, and she could have been his youthful, dynamic running mate. Barely old enough to qualify, he could have squeezed out a small victory in 2008 and now could have united the nation around both his policies and charisma. She could have been identified as the one to ride her wave of popularity through the next four years and right into the White House in 2016. He might have been the perfect combination of intelligence and personality. He might have been so popular that the other party wondered if it was even worth it to run someone against him. He might have…
-
Lebanon Road Reading for August 12-18
Months: August-November Theme: Through the Bible in 122 Biographies These four months will walk through the Bible with short readings about people, from well-known to unfamiliar. Sunday, August 12: Joseph : Genesis 39, 41, 43, 45 Monday, August 13: Moses’ Parents : Exodus 1:1-2:10 Tuesday, August 14: Moses : Exodus 5:1-6:13; 14:5-31 Wednesday, August 15: Miriam : Exodus 15:1-21 Thursday, August 16: Aaron : Exodus 32 Friday, August 17: Rahab : Joshua 2, 6 Saturday, August 18: Caleb : Joshua 14:6-15:19 Note: This series has been adapted from Zondervan, as published at http://alextran.org/2007/11/25/23-bible-reading-plans-that-will-satisfy-anyone/.
-
Why I Read So Much
I’ll be honest: when I was in school, I hated to read. I guess it was because so much of our reading was what we were required (forced) to read, and I didn’t find much of it all that interesting. Rarely did I find time to read anything that I really enjoyed (except for Beckett Baseball Card Magazine when I was a kid). Now, though, I read constantly. From books to blogs, from websites to bulletins, I am constantly reading. Also, I have started trying to encourage others to read, and to read things of different lengths. It’s fine to read blogs (especially this one!), but you also need to…
-
A Total Transformation
Last night, I was preaching in Benton, Kentucky, on their annual Summer series. It was my second time to be there for the series, and I have also led singing there before. I have been there, and in the area, enough times that I do not remember a lot of names, but several faces ring a bell. After services, I was talking with a man who just recently became a Christian. I do not know how old he was, but I would venture to say he was in his 50s. He was speaking with one of the members there and they were talking about his conversion. Of course, they didn’t…
-
What Leads to Apostasy?
It happens slowly, almost too slowly to even be noticed. It has reduced nations to footnotes of history, church buildings to museums, and souls to eternal destruction. It is apostasy, and it is a word that has become rarely used in our modern world. However, even a cursory reading of Scripture will show that any group, when they have left the ways of God, has suffered terribly for it. But what causes apostasy? There are dozens of specific things we could list, but I came across this quote recently from Gary Inrig that puts it better than I ever could have worded it: Spiritual amnesia inevitably produces spiritual apostasy. When…
-
Mini-Post: What Fills the Parenting “Vacuum”
There is a critical need for leadership in our homes and families. Too many homes, even Christian homes, are simply drifting because there is no decisive leadership. The power vacuum is filled quickly by the children or by the values of the culture, and, as a result, a kind of anarchy pervades our school system and society. When parents abdicate their God-given responsibilities, disaster is inevitable. One experienced teacher and school administrator recently conveyed to me the increasing problem his school district faces from a phenomenon he calls the “omnipotent child.” –Gary Ingrig Hearts of Iron, Feet of Clay (page 63)
-
Why I Am Hopeful about Our Young People
“These kids today just don’t care about religion.” “This group of young people is so self-centered.” “These high schoolers don’t know anything about the Bible.” Maybe you’ve heard (or even said) some of these things recently. We look at the generation of teenagers that are around us and we worry about them. We worry about their lack of effort. We are concerned about their lack of devotion to Bible study. And we are concerned about the regular temptations that are so strong in their lives. I’m here today to tell you that I have hope for these young people. Why? Because I remember hearing many of the same things about…
