Church Life
-
[Quote] Mark Twain on the Beauty of Forgiveness
-
Why Christianity is More Than “Just As I Am”
I love the song, “Just As I Am.” The words–especially the opening lyrics–are some of the most soul-stirring that we sing. Just as I am without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me, And that Thou bidst me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come; I come. The concept is simple, but so moving. When we come to Jesus, we are not already “cleaned up” from our sin. Instead, we realize that only His blood can cleanse us, so we come just as we are. If I am one who has a problem with alcohol, I admit it and let the blood of Jesus forgive…
-
Overcoming Seasonal Depression
Depression is real, and its effects are not only felt by those who have some type of mental health disorder. According to The Journal of Biological & Medical Rhythm Research, “Seasonal Affective Disorder is a mood disorder subset in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms at the same time each year, most commonly in the winter.” Winter can be a very difficult time of the year. The weather is harsh, the sun is rarely seen, and those who are elderly, alone, bereft, handicapped – really just anyone dealing with a difficult circumstance – are likely to be affected by this seasonal…
-
Episode 70: One Spiritual Improvement You Can Make in 2017 [Podcast]
https://media.blubrry.com/faughnfamily/content.blubrry.com/faughnfamily/Legacy_Podcast_070.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS(Player not displaying or working? Click here.) 2017 is upon us. Many of us will set various resolutions, but are we thinking about our spiritual growth as we make those resolutions? On this very special episode of the podcast, the entire A Legacy of Faith family (Jim & Donna Faughn, Adam & Leah Faughn, and Jeremiah & Amber Tatum) sit around the microphone. Each of them shares one spiritual improvement they are hoping to make in 2017, and that we pray encourages you to think about your spiritual growth in the coming year, too. Each suggestion is listed below. The Improvements Amber Tatum:…
-
3 Ways to Make Every Christmas Unforgettable
With two kids in the house, the excitement in the air can almost be felt. We are just days away from Christmas, and we have done all sorts of things to build the excitement to this day. But for a lot of people, Christmas comes and Christmas goes and there’s not much worth remembering. Being too focused on the presents under the tree, we put our heart in things and not in the relationships that can be built and cherished on a wonderful day like Christmas. With that in mind, here are three things you can do this (and every) Christmas to make it one that is not soon forgotten. Spend…
-
A Timely Comment on a Timeless Passage
Brother James Burton Coffman was–among other things–a preacher for local congregations, an educator, a lecturer, and an author. Many have in their libraries his commentaries on both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Recently, while doing some work on a sermon, I came across an interesting statement in brother Coffman’s commentary on Matthew. In reality, it was not directly related to the particular lesson on which what I was working. At the same time, it is directly related to everything I need to be as a Christian. The passage under consideration was this portion of what has come to be known as The Sermon on the Mount: You have heard that it…
-
7 Reasons Why We’ll be in Worship on Christmas Day
It happens every few years. Christmas day falls on a Sunday. Amazingly (and tragically) there are churches that cancel all services on that day or move services to a weeknight. Other congregations decide to only have one worship service or to move the time of services, but they are still meeting on the Lord’s Day to worship the Lord. Still, a lot of families decide that “since it’s Christmas” they do not have to attend services on that day. After all, it’s a day for family and traditions and it only comes once each year. So, many people will stay at home while the church meets. However, barring illness or some other…
-
Dobermans for the Lord
Jesus once told a parable about wheat and tares (Matthew 13:24-30). In a certain field, there were those who were sowing wheat while others sowed tares. Wheat is a desired crop and tares are basically just weeds. The kingdom of heaven is the field. The differing seeds represent good and bad doctrine. The harvest is judgment. The reapers are the angels of heaven who will be with Christ at His coming and will help to separate the saved and the lost. The question of the parable is should the laborers (faithful Christians today who are sowing good seed) pull out the tares that have been sown among the wheat? Jesus…
-
The Problem with “Sending Prayers Your Way”
I see it virtually every day, and each time I see it, I cringe. It goes this way: someone puts a post on Facebook, seeking prayers for some situation in life. Maybe a relative is facing surgery, or maybe it is because of a job loss. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with that. It is good to ask for others to carry our burdens, including in prayer. Then, once the request is posted, people begin to put comments. You might see the following: “Praying for you.” “I’m praying for your family.” “We will be praying.” “Sending prayers your way.” Wait, what? Did you read that last one? “Sending prayers your way.”…
-
According to Jesus, You are Richer than You Think
When Jesus told the parable of the talents he expressed something most people overlook. While the main teaching of the parable likely pertains to stewardship, accountability, or our need to be prepared for the judgment, we have probably never thought about one subtle truth that I believe he also implied. There were three servants. The first was given 5 talents, the second was given 2 talents, and the third was given 1 talent. They were entrusted with these talents and their master expected them to do something with them. We have all been given something by God, some blessing, some responsibility for which we must give account. I think most…
