fisher of men

Check out this video intro to “Letters to Our Grandchildren,” our brand-new Advent devotional series. You can order it from Amazon. The series begins on December 1. Join us for this Advent celebration! PS Click here sign up for the free email sermons.

November 21 Grace to Keep Going Acts 15:7-11 As believers, we readily attribute our salvation to God’s grace, but what does “this grace in which we stand” mean to us now (Rom. 5:2)? How does it work out in everyday life, especially when we’re going through periods of trial or suffering? The Lord’s grace releases His supernatural power within us so we can endure life’s hardships with a godly attitude. In fact, we’ll even be able to rejoice in what He is doing in us through the adversity. Grace builds our confidence in the sovereign Lord. Nothing looks hopeless when we focus on Him instead of on our problems. We discover the assurance of God’s sustaining presence as He walks with us every step of the way. Because we’ve experienced His care for us, we are able to show empathy and love to othe...

The word epistle comes from the Greek word epistole, meaning letter or message. Epistles were primarily written communications during the time of the New Testament. For example, Paul, Peter, and John wrote epistles or letters to churches or individuals (Timothy, Titus, Philemon). Epistles Were Written on Scrolls An epistle was a letter written on a scroll most often dictated by an author to a scribe and then reviewed by the author before being delivered by a trustworthy messenger. 1 Peter, for example, mentions Silvanus or Silas (1 Peter 5:12) as transcribing Peter’s letter. Timothy, Paul’s close associate, was also involved in transcribing and delivering Paul’s letters (Colossians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; Philemon 1:1). Even so, Paul verifies in each letter he writes that he is the ...

In the final season of the NBC comedy series Parks and Recreation, set in the then-future of 2017, the characters remarked at how Chick-fil-A’s stock had soared since being purchased by entertainer Elton John. The writers of that show were not nearly creative enough. They would not have imagined a 2019 in which Donald Trump is president, Kanye West is a Christian icon, and Chick-fil-A is blasted online by some Christians as “politically correct” and in opposition to those with biblical beliefs about marriage.  Chik-fil-A announced a new funding initiative. The controversy comes, of course, because of Chick-fil-A’s announcement that it will reorient funding around two or three key initiatives, ending longstanding charity work with the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Chri...

  Where Are You Dwelling? By: Maggie Meadows Cooper “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” – Psalm 91:1 A few days ago, my five-year-old and I were taking a walk around our neighborhood. As we climbed a huge hill, she began to talk about cars and the gas that gives them energy. She lamented the fact that that wouldn’t work for her, too. Amused and curious to see what she would say, I asked her how people get their energy. I expected her to say Coke (she may have seen her mama drink a few), or maybe sugar, but her answer stopped me in my tracks. She confidently said, “Resting.” Energy from resting. I found myself convicted and honestly dumbfounded by what my sweet baby had just told me. Because, y’all, I was so very tir...

Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States, and Thanksgiving 2019 occurs on Thursday, November 28. However, Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving on a different date. In 1957, the Canadian Parliament proclaimed Thanksgiving to be the second Monday in October, which is called Columbus Day in the United States. For Christians, Thanksgiving not only has patriotic history, but it also has spiritual roots that go back to the Old Testament. In the United States, Thanksgiving is historically a day to praise and thank God the Father for blessings and to ask Him to heal the wounds of the nation. It was also a national day of penitence to humbly repent for our sinfulness and disobedience.   Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1863. During the Civil War, President Abraham Linco...

Here’s the cover of our brand-new Advent devotional series. The ebook will be available next week. Marlene and I recorded a brief video that explains why we chose to write “Letters to Our Grandchildren.” Check it out! PS Click here sign up for the free email sermons.

“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him — and he was a Samaritan.” Luke 17:15-16 (NIV) It was a typical scene at a kids’ birthday party. Boys and girls lined up for food and brought their plates to the table to eat. There was nothing really wrong with that. One child looked up from his full plate and said, “Thank you” to the adult serving the meal. Thank you. I challenge you to think of two more beautiful words. That was one well-mannered, grateful and considerate child. It’s easy to breeze through life without stopping to say thank you. Whether you’re facing a clerk at the store, a bus driver, restaurant employee or family member, we can move on quickly instead of pausing to give thanks. Ap...

Here are 10 things that ANY church – no matter its size or budget, worship style or denomination – can do to help ensure it will grow numerically. I honestly can’t envision a scenario where any of these 10 could not be pursued and, if they haven’t yet been pursued, wouldn’t result in increased growth. 1. Prioritize Children. Your children’s ministry is arguably the greatest growth engine you can invest in to reach families. Period. 2. Get a Website. There is no excuse for a church to not have a website. They are so easy to create, so cheap to sustain and absolutely the way people will first explore your church. 3. Be Friendly. I don’t mean friendly to people you know, or friendly to people you like, or friendly to people who are like you. I mean friendly to all people. 4. Pursue Excellence...

November 18 The Power of a Discerning Spirit Hebrews 5:11-14 In a world filled with endless sources of information and opinions, believers need to develop a discerning spirit. Otherwise, how will we know what is true? Much of what we see and hear is based on a worldly perspective that is influenced by Satan, the Father of Lies. Deception is found even in the religious realm: cults mix lies with enough truth to make some people consider them legitimate Christian institutions. The only way believers can guard against deception is to ground themselves in God’s Word. The more time you spend filling your mind with the Lord’s thoughts, the more discerning you will be. However, just knowing biblical truth isn’t enough. You must put what you learn into practice so that it becomes...

What Does God Love? by Debbie Holloway I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave (Psalms 86:12). There is a very famous passage in Proverbs detailing what God hates. Indeed, throughout the Bible God never shows reluctance to speak against behaviors he finds detestable. This should come as no surprise to us, being that he is holy and man has amassed a large amount of sinful tendencies since he first came into the world. But what does God love? While avoiding the “bad” list – is there a “good” list toward which we can be working? Let’s dissect Proverbs 6:16 to discern the things which God loves. God hates “haughty eyes....

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “But you, when you pray, go into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” – Matthew 6:6 3 Reasons to Meet with God in Secret by Shane Heilman, The Psalms Project Jesus is clear that we are to set aside time for God to privately communicate with him. Here are 3 reasons from Shane Heilman to have a secret place to spend time with God: 1. Intentionality We go places with specific purposes in mind. When we go to work, we’re there to work. When we go to the gym, we’re there to work out. When we go to our secret place with God, we should be there to spend time with him, and for no other reason. Going to a specific place for a specific purpose produces th...