Christmas Flash Mob
I wonder….
I wonder…..”Mary, Did You Know?” [Originally written by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene] Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water? Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters? Did you know that your Baby Boy has come to make you new? ... [Read more]
A Love Song
Your Throne, O God, Is Forever A love song of the believer to the Savior My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe. You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore, God has blessed you forever. Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty... [Read more]
The Wrath of God in the Church
In Romans 1:18-23, the Apostle Paul is writing to believers about the guaranteed wrath of God. Why would he feel it is important to discuss this wrath with folk who have been excused from wrath?? These believers had escaped God’s wrath against unrighteousness; they had escaped by the blood of Jesus Christ. So why does Paul spend 3 whole chapters... [Read more]
Ethiopia Trip Report
The 2011 Ethiopia Team was composed of 7 individuals from 2 churches here in North Carolina. Four individuals from Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church joined with three Hillions for a 16-day trip to central Ethiopia. Last Sunday, Jason Hatley and cindi Jacobs gave their report to the congregation. Such reports are biblical. When we read in the book... [Read more]
Family News, Dec, 2011
One of the highlights of this past quarter has been the active outreach by folk on the Hill. Family Ministry was launched, spearheaded by Stevie Melton. About 70 folk came out on a Sunday afternoon to serve 4 families. The work involved mostly outside winter-izing stuff like racking leaves, cleaning out gutters, cutting away dead trees, repairing... [Read more]
Zechariah & Mary
Lately I’ve been reading a book called “Life of Christ in Stereo” by Johnston Cheney. It’s the life of Christ that reads like a novel. Cheney has taken all of the gospels and molded them into one account…a sort of comprehensive biography of Jesus Christ. Anyway, as I was reading the first part something struck me. There... [Read more]
“Bait is worthless without a Fisherman”
This is such a simple statement, yet how often have we used the “bait” of humanitarian work without a fisherman to reel in the catch? There are different kinds of bait. And a good fisherman will use the bait that suits the fish he wants to catch. In the area of catching “fish” for the Kingdom, we must tailor our bait to our... [Read more]
How do you Know….?
….you are going? When Jesus said “go”, what did He mean? So often we limit our thinking on this to mean only the actual physical process of moving from one place to another place. But let me suggest to you different ways of going, as I see them demonstrated in Scripture. We use these ways in other aspects of life….why not... [Read more]
How do you Know…..?
….that you are obeying His commands, if you place restrictions on the command? You don’t. You can’t. This week I was talking with someone about the joy of the Team in Ethiopia. God has blessed them and their ministries beyond imagination. My report fell on deaf ears and a cold heart. “But people here need the Gospel. We need... [Read more]
God’s Idea of Black Friday
The day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. It is the largest shopping day in the marketplace of the USA. This day is characterized by stores competing with stores for the shopping dollars. “70% off!” “80% off!” “98% off!” Each stores knows that their economic future rests in the amount of shopping dollars... [Read more]
The Nature of Thankfulness
When my grandmother was celebrating her 100th birthday, I sat in her living room and asked, “Grandmommee, what is the biggest change you’ve seen in your lifetime?” Now, mind you, she was born before zippers were invented, before cars were introduced, before street traffic was divided between right & left sides. “We have forgotten... [Read more]
The Wrath of God before Thanksgiving?
Our national day of Thanksgiving is in just a few days. And here we are in Romans 1:18-23. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes,... [Read more]
Did you Know?
Sharks are always on the move. If they stop swimming, they sink. It’s the same for Christians. If we are not “on the move” with God, we will sink….fall into oblivion, end up in waters too deep for comfort, come under pressure that we were not designed to handle, find ourselves in company with others for whom we are unfit. So,... [Read more]
Ethiopia Team 2011
It’s that Time Again! Ethiopia Team Number Nine is headed across the Atlantic on Wednesday, November 16th. They check into RDU Airport at 12 noon, and arrive at the guesthouse in Addis Ababa 27 hours later. During that journey, they will span the Atlantic Ocean, the European continent, the Mediterranean Sea, and North Africa (Sahara Desert). The... [Read more]
What is Faith?
What does Paul mean by saying “from faith to faith?” In Romans 1:17 he writes “For in it (the Gospel) is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith.“ What did he mean? This small phrase is somewhat ambiguous. Simply put, Paul is highlighting the importance of faith. Faith is necessary if a person is to be right with God. Because... [Read more]
What makes the Gospel Relevant?
Our ultimate problem is that we need to be saved from the wrath of God. There is coming a day when we will stand before the Holy and Righteous God and our status or our standing with Him will either bring unspeakable joy or unbearable trembling. As we begin, I want you to know that some people think Romans 1:17 is one of the most important verses... [Read more]
What is the Gospel?
For in it (the Gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17) The gospel reveals God’s righteousness. Romans 1:17 has been described as a crucial passage to understand. It hinges on a good understanding of the Gospel. Having talked with some... [Read more]
Some Lessons about Storms in Life
Four biographies were written about the life of Jesus. They were written within a few years of His death & resurrection. Three of these biographies were written by men who lived with Him….Matthew, John & Mark (written by Peter’s secretary John Mark). One was written by a very educated medical doctor who wrote his biography... [Read more]
The 4 D’s of the Evil One
You know, the Evil One isn’t very creative! He does his wickedness of destroying us in the same old, same old way! Generation after generation, century after century, it’s always the same tricks. His wiles have been recorded since the beginning of time. But we keep getting tripped up by him. Why don’t we learn from history? In... [Read more]