fisher of men

Dwell on What’s Good By: Britnee Bradshaw “Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable – if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy – dwell on these things.” – Philippians 4:8 There’s a funny thing that happens when we get married. We start to see how the spoken and unspoken expectations we had of our spouses begin to weigh down. These expectations can be messy and take a lot of patience, kindness, and the rest of the fruit of the Spirit for us to navigate. My husband Christopher and I have been married for four years. In that period, I’ve seen the true benefit of dwelling on the good things. We’ve made our fair share of mistakes. We’ve had to deal wi...

Lots’ wife is an unnamed woman mentioned in the Bible very few times. First in Genesis 19:15-16, her husband is told to take her and her daughters out of the city of Sodom. Then while they were running, in Genesis 19:26, Lot’s wife looked back as the city burned. Last, Jesus referenced her in Luke 17:32 saying, “Remember Lot’s wife!” We know more about the story surrounding the death of Lot’s wife than anything else about her. The Story of Lot and Lot’s Wife in Sodom and Gomorrah Abram, Sarai, and Lot Flee Egypt The story begins in Genesis 13 when Abram, Sarai, (later to be renamed Abraham and Sarah by God) and Lot flee Egypt with all their possessions. Most of the possession belonged to Abram as in Genesis 13:2, we are told he “was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.” They travel...

On Tuesday morning I start teaching Galatians at Word of Life Bible Institute in Hudson, Florida. If you would like to take the course, you can sign up for the online version. The online course was taped several years ago, but it includes the same lectures I’m giving this week plus course notes and quizzes. Best of all, it’s free! Click here sign up for the free email sermons.

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.  We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. ( 2 Corinthians 4:7-10) Perplexed but Not Driven to Despair By Mark Altrogge There is a word in the Bible that I’m so glad is there. I’ve come back to it again and again over the years. I have said many times, “Yeah! That’s the word for it. That’s what I’m feeling right now.” What is the word? “Perplexed.” Perplexed, but not driven to despair! Paul, the author of most of the New Testament, ...

This article is adapted from the eBook, Thinking Biblically about Immigrants and Immigration Reform from the Evangelical Immigration Table. Click here for your free copy. One of the most foundational biblical passages for thinking about public policy is the truth that every human being is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Christians have long understood this to mean that every human person — regardless of age or stage of development, gender, ethnicity, country of origin, religion or any other qualifier — possesses inherent human dignity. Every Life Is Sacred “Human dignity,” writes pastor and author Daniel Darling, “is not just a political buzzword or theological concept… It is — or should be — at the heart of what we think and how we act as the people of God...

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” – Jeremiah 10:23 You Are Not Your Own  By Lynette Kittle When Adam rebelled against God in the garden, he didn’t understand it meant he would be giving up his power and authority over the earth to the devil (Genesis 3). His sin against God caused the whole world to come under the evil one’s dominion (1 John 5:19). From that point on Adam became a sinner and passed his fallen legacy on to all future generations, placing mankind in opposition to God. Romans 5:12 explains what happened stating, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.” However in to...

“Preach the gospel; If necessary, use words.” Perhaps you’ve heard a preacher say something like, “Preach the Gospel; use words if necessary.” The quote is attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi (1181-1226). With the best intentions, pastors, missionaries, Sunday School teachers, and even some evangelists employ the line to support the (very biblical idea) that Christians should not merely announce the Gospel of Jesus Christ but live the ethics of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. This is true enough. In the more extreme examples, some say the quote supports a view that good deeds, e.g., social justice, is morally superior to preaching. Such an attitude, such action is not Biblical and, thus, untrue. Yet many continue to use the quote. What did Saint Francis really say? It does...

What is True Spirituality? by Alex Crain “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.”  – Genesis 3:6 NASB It seems clear to me that the root of all human sin is unbelief. Doubt. I’ve heard people argue that the most basic sin is pride, and well, I suppose that’s somewhere lurking on the other side of the coin. But if we start at the beginning of the Bible, the Genesis 3 account shows that Eve first doubted God. That was her sin. After her unbelief came the outward act of disobedience. Francis Schaeffer, commenting on this, said: “By...

“You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.” (Nehemiah 9:6) What Is Creation? God spoke the earth and heavens into existence from nothing. Earth. God created and separated the land and the seas. Heavens.God made the three areas of heaven: the area directly above the earth’s surface, the area encompassing the stars, sun and moon, and the realm of heaven unreachable by man. Species.God created all the living creatures that crawl and walk among the earth and those that swim and abide in the seas. Origins from seed. God created the grasses, fruits, vegetables and herbs upon the earth. Each was devised t...

Here’s a video update called What’s New? with news about how Marlene is doing after her recent surgery, a big surprise about how God is using An Anchor for the Soul to touch the lives of prisoners, and an update on our upcoming busy fall travel schedule. Thanks for taking the time to watch the video. Thanks even more for praying for us! Click here sign up for the free email sermons.

A Prayer to Thank God for His Sovereign Control By Meg Bucher He set the earth on its foundations,   never to be moved.You covered it with the deep like a garment;  the waters stood above the mountains.At Your rebuke the waters fled;  at the sound of Your thunder they hurried away—the mountains rose and the valleys sank  to the place You appointed for them—You set a boundary they cannot cross;  they will never again cover the earth. – Psalm 104:5-9 When my kids were still little, I longed for a magical solution to cure all aches and boo-boos. The constant clamoring for Band-Aids, boo-boo bunnies, and mommy hugs was everyday life for a long time. Long after the initial hurt had passed, that little Band-Aid on their finger or on their knee would ...

If you’ve heard of Hanukah, you might’ve heard of the Maccabees. This group of Jewish people revolted against the Seleucids, when Antiochus IV Epiphanes attempted to obliterate all Jewish culture. If you have a Roman Catholic or Greek Orthodox background you may also recognize the books 1 and 2 Maccabees as part of Scripture canon, but if you hail from any other denomination, you likely do not. This article will cover who the Maccabees where, a breakdown of the two Maccabees books, and what the Scriptural canon outside of 1 and 2 Maccabees has to say about these people. Who were the Maccabees? After Alexander the Great’s life cut off short, four generals divided his land into four territories. The Seleucids, one of the four spawning empires, took over the portion in which Israel resided as...