Last week, I had the delight to spend a few days away with the love of my life, and drive down to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in Tennessee. We chose to drive through Cades Cove, which is an ideal setting in the Park, although originally was privately owned. There were many families who settled around 1820, and two churches, until the split came, then there were three.1 Continue reading
There is a danger to grace giving. Grace giving is a response from a grateful heart to the Lord for all He is and all He has done. It is a person who recognizes the things on earth do not matter compared to the spiritual issues of life and gives the first portion of what he earns not because he has to, because he wants to with a cheerful heart. Continue reading
There is a danger of believing the Rapture. Are you one of the ones who are in danger? Continue reading
These answers are for the Message Based Discussion Questions from the message presented on October 20, 2013. The suggested answers are designed to stimulate thought, not to replace it.
There is a danger of using 1 John 1:9 as a “Get out of Jail Free” card. The danger is seen in many people who use 1 John 1:9 like a credit card because they believe God the Father will pay, just like some young people expect their parents to pay for all their wants and desires. Continue reading
The book “Happy, Happy, Happy” by Phil Robertson is a quick read on the life of a real guy who is transparent about his faith, failures and foundation. He grew up with very little in the 1950s living like it was the 1850s in Northwest Louisiana. Continue reading
When I was training as an infantry officer at Fort Benning, Georgia in 1979, one of the exercises we often practiced was platoon tactics. They were training us to lead a platoon of 120 men into combat. Often they sent us on reconnaissance patrols. Depending on whether it was day or night, what kind of terrain, and situational awareness of enemy intelligence, we were trained on what formation we should use. During daytime, we used a wedge formation, but during the night in dense forest, we’d go single file. I remember one night exercise we were in black conditions. Continue reading
There is a danger of believing “Once saved, always saved.” Some teach that it is not a biblical doctrine. They believe a person is only guaranteed eternal life if they persevere after salvation. There are others who do believe in “Once saved, always saved,” yet there are dangers to believing that. Continue reading
By the time a Christian grows spiritually to be a spiritual parent, he (or she) sees prayer as his life. Prayer is not something he has to schedule. He is constantly talking to God in his quiet time, getting ready for the day, or driving to work. He is praying for work projects and people in his periphery, kids at home in their spiritual growth and school projects and discipleship relationships of other men (or women), who are hungry and hunting in God’s adventure for spiritual victories. Continue reading
When I was sixteen, I had a job and was driving my parent’s car. I was pretty important stuff, I thought. I felt pretty confident and decided I had grown up enough, so I asked my mother, “Is it okay if I start calling you Phyllis?” I’ll never forget her response. She said, “Bryan, you will always call me mom or mother, nothing else.” It was pretty clear I had crossed the line. I got the picture. She was still my authority. I still call her mom, although out of respect and honor, not as my authority.
Sometimes spiritual young adults get full of themselves and begin to think they have spirituality by the tail. Continue reading
Shepherding Truth 