Too often we react rather than respond. It is tempting to think of these two words synonymous, but they are not actually the same. A reaction is an immediate type of response. In many cases, it is a bad type of response because it is instantaneous. For example, if we receive bad news, we may… Continue reading The Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12)
Author: First Baptist Church of Scott City, MO
Do not Judge! (Matthew 7:1-6)
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addressed the issue of judgment. He said to His disciples: “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged.” We must be extra cautious in how we understand this verse because it has been greatly misused over the years. Let us consider: Stop Judging One Another Jesus told… Continue reading Do not Judge! (Matthew 7:1-6)
The Cure for Anxiety (Matthew 6:25-34)
God hasn’t told you that you have nothing to worry about; He told you that you shouldn’t worry about anything (John 14:1). Let me explain. There are a lot of things in this world that you can worry about. You can worry about your job, family, marriage, taxes, etc. Nowhere in the Bible does God… Continue reading The Cure for Anxiety (Matthew 6:25-34)
A Biblical Perspective of our Possessions: Saving Wisely and Living Appropriately (Matthew 6:19-24)
Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, teaches His disciples about how they should live in the kingdom of God. In our current section of this sermon, Jesus speaks of the importance of having a biblical perspective of possessions. If your perspective is not biblical, it is worldly. A worldly… Continue reading A Biblical Perspective of our Possessions: Saving Wisely and Living Appropriately (Matthew 6:19-24)
A Biblical Perspective of Possessions: Give Generously (6:19-24)
While the vast majority of born-again Christians want to give generously, very few actually do. According to a recent study , only 10–25 % of Church members regularly give. Religious giving is down 50% since 1990 and Christians are giving around 2.5% of income. Compare this to 3.3% given during the Great Depression. One statistic… Continue reading A Biblical Perspective of Possessions: Give Generously (6:19-24)
A Biblical Perspective of our Possessions: Part 1 (Matthew 6:19-24)
It is one thing for you to own possessions, but possessions should not own you. When that happens, they’re no longer possessions; they’re idols. We must repent of and fight against a lifestyle of self-indulgence which is contrary to the Gospel. Self-indulgence breeds a hard heart towards God and others. Over the next five weeks… Continue reading A Biblical Perspective of our Possessions: Part 1 (Matthew 6:19-24)
Fasting that is Pleasing to God (6:16-18)
Cornelius Plantinga once said, “Self-indulgence is the enemy of gratitude and self-discipline is usually its friend and generator.”1 This is because the more you indulge in something, the more likely you are to take it for granted; but, the more you discipline yourself with something, the more likely you are to appreciate it. This brings… Continue reading Fasting that is Pleasing to God (6:16-18)
New Year’s Resolutions
I usually do not make New Year’s Resolutions. It seemed to me that I would resolve to do good things (lose weight/spend less) only to quickly devolve back into my old habits. But, I discovered that the problem was not with the resolutions, but with my resolve. Marina Milyavskaya, a psychologist at Carleton University, explains… Continue reading New Year’s Resolutions
Advent: The Shepherds (Luke 2:8-20)
Written within a year of his conversion, Charles Wesley penned my favorite Christmas Hymn "Hark the Herald Angels Sing". The song begins with the story of the angels proclaiming Christ’s birth to the shepherds in Luke 2, then Wesley filled the song with the reasons the angels sang out in joy. One of my favorite… Continue reading Advent: The Shepherds (Luke 2:8-20)
Advent: The Announcement (Matt 1 & Luke 1)
Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year “with those kids jingle-belling and everyone telling you be of good cheer”. Its music is joyful and triumphant! It’s a time for adding events to your calendar and for checking your Christmas gift list. As you are preparing your calendar and wallet/purse for Christmas, make sure… Continue reading Advent: The Announcement (Matt 1 & Luke 1)
