In the closing verses of John, Jesus foretold the nature of the death of Peter. He reminded Peter of that time when he was young and could dress himself and was free to go wherever he wanted. He then said, “But when you are old another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” The Holy Spirit then adds these…

In every facet of your life, it is essential to recognize and respect authority. (By the way, the downfall of our society has much to do with the failure to accept and apply this principle.  But, that’s another article.)  Authority.  It’s the thing that everybody loves to hate, but it’s the thing that when it’s absent leads to utter chaos. Consider authority…

“A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other” (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities). We don’t know how people will respond to information. We speak and share what is needed and pray for the best possible outcome. However, that is not always the case. One could take the…

There is an amazing truth which can so easily be overlooked. Jesus said, “For everyone to whom much is given, from Him much will be required” (Matt. 12:48) We understand the fairness and the logic behind these words but can so easily fail to see the application in our spiritual lives. In Matthew chapter eleven, we read of that time when Jesus…

Paul finished his masterful dissertation on the church of the Christ, and he began to close the “doctrinal” section of his letter to the Ephesians before beginning the “practical section.”  In this transition, he penned a prayer on behalf of his brethren, in which he made at least five distinct requests.  The fourth desire in his list is that God “would grant”…

It was the best response and the worst response. It was a time for picking up stones and a time for casting off sin. Those that heard the message of the gospel in Jerusalem were divided on how they responded to what they would do with Jesus. Peter, on the day of Pentecost, preaches to the multitudes. The apostles had been filled…

Where there are no elders to provide leadership, congregations are often directed simply by having the men of the church to “oversee” the church. The problem is that in such meetings there are many men who have not reached spiritual maturity and often do not have the church foremost in their lives. As matters are discussed, these men can speak and keep…

Some preachers think they are “all that.”  They think the church revolves around them.  They think they are the master of the sermon preparation and delivery.  They think they should be invited to speak in other congregations and on lectureships.  They arrive at those places as if they are a celebrity and expect wonderful accolades and royal treatment.  Perhaps (again, perhaps) if…