Author Archives: ThePreachersWord

IT’S FRIDAY. BUT SUNDAY’S COMING! The Incomparable Christ

JesusChrist

Billy Sunday, who was a popular National League baseball player in the 1880’s became a celebrated and influential evangelist in the first two decades of the 20th century.

Sunday’s preaching style was often described as colloquial and homespun. His frenetic delivery attracted large crowds to his campaigns in some of America’s largest cities. He was a conservative who espoused fundamental beliefs about the inerrancy of Scripture, the virgin birth of Jesus and the bodily resurrection.

In one of his famous sermons exalting the all sufficiency of Jesus Christ, Billy Sunday paid tribute to the Savior with these words. Continue reading

2 Comments

Filed under It's Friday. But Sunday's Coming!

3 Powerful Words We Rarely Hear From Preachers

Preacher.bible

The subject line, with the above title, in my email inbox begged to be opened. No, it actually it screamed!   “Open this email”

I wondered if I was guilty of neglecting three words that could improve my preaching. After all, it was a newsletter I receive weekly from “Better preaching.”

When I opened it and read the first two sentences, I had to chuckle. What were the three words? Continue reading

4 Comments

Filed under Preaching

GREAT VERSES OF THE BIBLE: 1Corinthians 10:13

MarshmallowTest 

“I’m the marshmallow man,” says Columbia University Professor Walter Mischel.

Over the past 50 years his “Marshmallow Test” has become synonymous with the concepts of self-control, temptation, and delayed gratification. The test is simple. A child is given a single marshmallow and this choice:   Eat this one now. Or wait for 15 minutes and you can eat two! As you can imagine the results are a bit comical as kids twist and turn trying to control themselves from eating!  Continue reading

4 Comments

Filed under Great Bible Verses

CityBacksOff

In a recent post, “Will I Be Put in Prison for Preaching?” I related the story of Donald and Evelyn Knapp who were threatened with fines and imprisonment for refusing to perform same sex marriages.

Yesterday, The Alliance for Defending Freedom, who was legally representing the Knapps posted this update to their blog that I’m reposting in its entirety.

To be clear, our concern is not so much political or social, but religious and spiritual. Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under America, Homosexuality

Word of the Week: Grow

Cousins

Pablo Casals was a Spanish composer, conductor and cellist. He was regarded by many as the greatest cellist of all time.

In the final years of his life, a young reporter asked him, “Mr. Casals, you are 95 yrs old and the greatest cellist that ever lived. Why do you still practice 6 hours a day?”  Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under Word of the Week

IT’S FRIDAY. BUT SUNDAY’S COMING! When the Rocks Gave Witness

RocksSplit

Recently Norma Jean and I were in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where Don Patton preaches. His wife, Zynda, gave us a brief “tour” of his in home museum of archaeological discoveries in his journeys to Biblical lands.

Looking at the various rocks, fossils and artifacts that are 2000-4000 years old is fascinating. They each have a story to tell. A record to relate. And a testimony to the accuracy of Scripture.

What if those rocks could literally talk! What an incredible chronicle of history that would be! However, I am reminded of a time when Jesus advanced this idea, if not in reality, at least in hyperbole. Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under It's Friday. But Sunday's Coming!

Are You Checking Up On Yourself?

Bible.CheckUP

I love the 1950’s story that comes out of a small, southern Mississippi town of a 13 yr old boy who walked into the drug store and asked to use the telephone.

The druggist handed him the phone. And he heard the boy say, “Is this you, Dr. Anderson?”

“Well I was wondering if you would like to hire a boy to mow your lawn and run errands?

“Oh you already have a boy?”

“Does he do a good job? He does?”

“So, you’re satisfied with him? You are. Ok, thank you.”

He hung up the phone. Thanked the druggist and started to walk out. When the druggist stopped him. “Son I believe I could use an ambitious boy like yourself to work for me.” Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Self-Examination

GREAT VERSES OF THE BIBLE Jeremiah 29:11

Male silhouette on sunrise

Thomas Turner writes in Relevant Magazine that Jeremiah 29:11 is “possibly one of our most beloved, yet most misunderstood verses in the entire Bible.”

BibleGateway.com lists it as the second most accessed and read verse on their website, just behind John 3:16!

This verse is popular in various books about your purpose in life, the purpose of the church, and God’s purpose for your marriage and family.

Jeremiah 29:11 even has its own facebook page!

So what does it say? Why is it misunderstood? And what is it’s meaning?  Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Great Bible Verses

5 Ways To Improve Communication

Talking

Richard and Robert were brothers and neither had ever married. Richard lived with their 88-year-old mother. Robert’s whole life was Annabelle his cat. He never went anywhere without her.

One day Robert was faced with a tough decision. He had to go to London, England on business for his company and he couldn’t take the cat. He didn’t want to leave her at a kennel. Finally he decided to trust his brother with the cat while he was away. He gave Richard detailed instructions, schedules, food. Everything he needed to care for Annabelle. Robert flew to London and called Richard every day to make sure Annabelle was OK. Continue reading

5 Comments

Filed under Communication

Word of the Week: Heart

Heart.Book

Sir Walter Raleigh, the English aristocrat, was a writer, poet, soldier, politician, spy and explorer. His life was filled with adventure, intrigue, fortune and controversy.

In 1603 he was arrested and charged with treason in a plot to assassinate King James of England.  On October 29, 1618, Raleigh was taken to the Old Place Yard at the Palace of Westminster where he was beheaded.  When he was led to the block, his executioner asked him if his head lay right. Continue reading

5 Comments

Filed under Word of the Week