“Waiting”

by Jim Gustafson | Oct 1, 2020

“But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” – Romans 8:25

Hope is the unseen benefit we long for. It drives us. We walk by faith because of it. Hope is powerful—it defines our realities. They may be unrealistic, indescribable and unobtainable. But nevertheless, our actions in faith are a function of our hope. Most of us likely eat, work, exercise, spend our money, worship, love and rest because of it. You define a man’s hope, you can predict his actions. And conversely, you can see a man’s hope by his behaviors.

Life in Neutral

by Nigel Pink | Sep 17, 2020

One of the great spiritual deceptions is that there is a neutral position or state in which the disciple of Christ can idle. When back-sliding Israel became idolatrous, they swung from worshiping God to bowing to idols. Many in the Church today, think this example no longer applies; apostates do not erect a statue to Baal or Molech, yet think that ‘time away from the Lord’ is not an evil; however, Jesus’ teaching is crystal and warns that a person cannot serve two masters:

‘Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money…’ (Matthew 6:24)

Why?

by Ron Hocutt | Sep 3, 2020

Psalms 77:19 “Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.”
One of the first questions a young child learns to ask is “Why?” They ask it repeatedly and relentlessly, eager to learn about the world around them. Even as adults, it is the question we all want to know. About everything. Always. Why did this happen? Why did you say that? Why am I being taxed like this? And on and on and on until we die. But even then, we ask it – why am I dying now? And we reserve special questions for when we’re actually dead. “When I get to see God, I’m going to ask him why….”

Seeking Praise and Glory

by Jim Gustafson | Aug 20, 2020

Romans 2:7 “…to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life…” This is not a condemnation of desiring glory, affirmation, approval and credit—this is natural–all men do it. The bible actually affirms seeking glory—but only from God, not from men. The scripture teaches the hope of receiving glory from God, on His terms, is a legitimate biblical motive.

The Tongue-Tied Evangelist

by Nigel Pink | Jul 15, 2020

From the earthly and temporal perspective then, the cross is an offense as Billy Graham once remarked; hence, for every rational man or woman only God can bring about the repentance that reverses this view. There is no humanly power, whether that of oratory, argument or persuasion, let alone intimidation or threat that can bring people to faith. It is God that reveals the truth of the Gospel through his Spirit; therefore, the Gospel is not only sufficient, it is the only message the evangelist should bring lest arguments or confusion ensues.