We intuitively think success comes before happiness. We success is the center of the universe and the ultimate goal. Why? So that we can be happy. Ironically, we sacrifice happiness for success. This is a broken equation.
Read More
"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done." is the central theme of the Lord's Prayer. It was the central theme of Christ's earthly ministry. When we pray this prayer, we are praying that God would be Lord and Ruler in our hearts. We know His kingdom has come in our hearts when His will is done in our lives.
Read More
Gideon experienced spectacular victory, not because of his might, not because of his power, not because of anything in himself, chance or developed, but because of his repeated humble obedience to God’s simple commands. The product of victory comes through the process of obedience. We can only expect the product of victory if we are willing to submit ourselves to the process of obedience. Daily obedience. Hourly obedience. Over the course of a lifetime.
Read More
In our efforts to make a good living, we need to check ourselves and ensure we are making a good life.
Read More
Christ's first instruction concerning prayer involves how we address God. We're to address Him as Father, which is both a privilege and responsibility.
Read More
Every single believer is loved unconditionally and has a very specific place they fit in God's church. Every member is unique. Every person in the body has abilities that should be used.
Read More
Prayer is essential to the believer's ability to properly function in the world and is essential to the health of the Soul.
Read More
The reality for Gideon and for Israel was that they could not have victory and freedom from their bondage until they actually started demonstrating faith in what God had clearly said. And we are no different. We so often find ourselves experiencing the simple consequences of our own idolatry, of what we choose to believe. Belief affects behavior. And we cannot experience the freedom and victory God wants to give until we start demonstrating real faith in His Word by our obedience.
Read More
If we don't guard our hearts, we can easily become discontented with the things and people that we are most familiar with. This is no less true when it comes to the things of God. We must not be guilty of offering mindless sacrifice.
Read More
There's something behind us worth celebrating, but we must look to the future. Eastland Baptist Church has a legacy and an impact we can be proud of. This should compel us to look to the future with hope.
Read More
Most all of us have strong opinions. However, we’re not necessarily thoroughly persuaded, which is the Scriptural command. Opinions often come from and are constructed by social cues and culture. Persuasion comes from Scripture.
Read More
Life is full of vulnerabilities, and one of life's greatest vulnerabilities is loneliness.
Read More
Salvation is by grace through faith alone. It is in our nature to try to merit God's favor, but we can't. We have liberty. However, we should not become evangelists for our liberty. Liberty understands freedom, but doesn't use it for selfish indulgence.
Read More
Bless the Lord
Read More
There is so much injustice in the world, but we are in no place to judge God because we don't have all of the facts. He has His own plans and His own timetable. He makes all things beautiful in His time.
Read More
Paul and Barnabas demonstrated incredible courage and resilience through rigorous missionary work and even returning repeatedly to dangerous locals. Such ruggedness is languishing in modern culture, but it must be part of Christian character.
Read More
Paul's efforts in taking the gospel to the known world were truly extraordinary. However, in kind and type, they should not be unique. To cause trouble in the body of Christ is incredibly dangerous and ignorant because we do not know the extraordinary lengths God is going to, through people, to accomplish His plans and purposes.
Read More
Time is a resource one cannot acquire more of. It cannot be saved. There's no such thing as a time account. If you waste enough time, you end up wasting seasons. Waste enough seasons and you end up with a wasted life.
Read More
In Acts 13, Paul preaches his first significant sermon recorded in the book. 400 miles from the start of their missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas began preaching the gospel in Antioch of Pisidia. Paul's message was calling people to a point of decision so that they might be saved. God is calling His people to truth, and He's asking us not to forsake it. Certain truths we reject to our peril. To marginalize any truth is to diminish our lives. Knowing truth helps and saves no one. That truth must move one to a point of decision.
Read More
It is vital that, as Christians, our orthodoxy be followed with a lived out doctrine that can be observed. Visibility gives us viability.
Read More