Greetings from Beverly Hills, FL
We welcome our new readers to ThePreachersWord. Thanks for following our little blog. We trust you will be encouraged, edified, and maybe even inspired by our daily posts.
We also appreciate very much those who have been with us on this journey for a long time who comment and offer kind words of encouragement, as well as those who click “like” on social media. You all add fuel to our tank that provides the energy to keep writing and posting. Continue reading
Filed under Weekly Recap
My preaching colleague and fellow Hoosier, Max Dawson, posted a piece on facebook a few months ago from his column “Pontiacs, Points, and Proverbs.”
Max is a “car guy” and loves to share various stories about cars and use them as a springboard to make a spiritual application. This one teaches a lesson that parallels one of Jesus’ parables. Continue reading
Filed under facebook friday
Through the years famous quotes, pious platitudes, or proverbial idioms have been attributed to either Jesus or Bible writers that are just plain false.
For instance neither Jesus nor Bible writers ever said…
…Cleanliness is next to godliness.
…Money is the root of all evil.
…This, too, shall pass.
…God works in mysterious ways.
…God will not give you more than you can handle.
…God helps those who help themselves.
Filed under Bible, Discipleship, Jesus
Missouri minister William Hooper tells a story about a mother working in the kitchen and hearing her 7 year-old son screaming at the top of lungs.
When she ran into the next room to see what was wrong, she discovered her 2 year-old daughter was pulling her brother’s hair.
After unclenching the baby’s hand she says to her son who’s very angry, “You have to overlook this. Your sister doesn’t know what it feels like to have her hair pulled.” Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
“Preacher, I want to be a better Christian.”
This is a common refrain I’ve heard through the years from good people, God’s people, people seemingly sincere in desiring to improve their lives.
Yet, when I ask the question, “What would make you a better Christian?” Most people look dumbfounded. They’re not really sure what being a better Christian means in specific terms. Continue reading
Filed under Discipleship
In his book Kingdoms in Conflict, Chuck Colson relates a time in the 1980’s when Polish Prime Minister Jaruzelski had ordered crucifixes removed from all public buildings.
The government had banned the display of the cross in hospitals, factories, and other public institutions. Following the Jaruzelski’s lead one zealous Communist school administrator removed all the crosses from a school’s lecture halls where they had hung since its founding in the 1920’s. Continue reading
Filed under Fundaments of Faith
Greeting from Beverly Hills, FL
Six years ago this month Norma Jean and I turned an important page in our lives and ministry as we ventured into new and unchartered territory. Stepping away from full time local church work after spending 48 years in that endeavor which included 9 congregations in 6 states, we began traveling full time, combining our travel with ministry opportunities.
Over the next 33 months we traveled to 36 states, 10 countries and visited 48 congregations. It was an exciting and rewarding adventure. Hopefully it was also edifying for the churches where we preached. In come cases, it was a single Sunday sermon. Or a weekend or week long Gospel Meeting, In other places, we stayed from 1-3 months where we preached and taught classes. We made new friends, Embraced new opportunities. And were encouraged by brethren from churches both large and small. Continue reading
Filed under Weekly Recap
The Secret of Soul facebook page recently posted this story about a Kenyan runner Abel Mutai who was competing in a cross-country race in Burlada, Navarre, Spain, in 2012.
Mutai was just a few feet from the finish line, but became confused with the signage and stopped, thinking he had completed the race. Continue reading
Filed under facebook friday
“I have everything I need for joy!” exclaimed Robert Reed.
“Amazing!,” thought Max Lucado as he relates Reed’s story in his book The Applause of Heaven.
“His hands are twisted and his feet are useless. He can’t bathe himself. He can’t feed himself. He can’t brush his teeth, comb his hair, or put on his underwear. His shirts are held together by strips of Velcro’. His speech drags like an {outdated}worn-out audio cassette.” Continue reading
Filed under Joy
The late Erskine “Erk” Russell was an American football, basketball, track and baseball player and coach.
For 17 years Russell served as the defensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs (1964-1981). As the first head coach of the Georgia Southern Eagles (1981-1989), he revived the program from a “40 year dormancy” and “established a standard of excellent during his tenure.”
Known for his creative but unorthodox methods Russell once pulled this stunt at Georgia Southern to discourage his players from getting involved in drugs. Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
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