“Leadership is influence,” wrote J. Oswald Sanders, “the ability of one person to influence others. One man can lead others only to the extent that he can influence them.” Continue reading
Tag Archives: #PassageToPonder
More Than a Song: The Heart of Psalm 146
The late R. J. Stevens and his son Tim have done more to elevate the praise of God’s people than any two men I’ve ever known.
But their greatest contribution wasn’t just teaching music, how to beat time, or how to pitch a song. They reminded us of the why and the Who behind our praise. Continue reading
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Psalm 116:12-19– How Can I Repay the Lord?
How would you feel if you were seconds from death—and someone pulled you back to life?
A man caught in a riptide was certain he was about to drown. Panicked and exhausted, he fought the current in vain.
An alert lifeguard spotted him, plunged into the surf, and battled the waves to bring him safely to shore. Continue reading
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Psalm 19:14–Watching the Words of Your Heart
I remember as a kid, during summer vacation, going down to the country, as we say in Indiana. That meant Kentucky. It meant staying with my Papaw and Granny Key in Grayson County.
They didn’t have indoor plumbing or air-conditioning, but we never minded. We had a ball. One of the unique experiences for a kid was seeing how they drew water from a well. They lowered a bucket down into the well, which drew its water from an underground spring. That water was cold, pure, and better tasting than city water. Continue reading
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Ps 119:71– When Affliction is Good
There are many apocryphal stories and quotes floating around about C. S. Lewis. This may be one of them.
I read where a man who was dealing with doubts once questioned the British author asking, “Why do the righteous suffer?” Continue reading
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Matthew 26:36-46–When The Flesh is Weak
It was the beginning of 3 days that these 3 men would never forget. Never.
The hour was late. Much had happened. The last supper. Prideful posturing. Washing feet. Judas’ departure. And the ensuing walk across the Kedron valley with Jesus teaching. Encouraging. Comforting. Promising. Continue reading
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1 Corinthians 1:18
The famed Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, who died in 1950, made this request regarding his funeral and burial. Continue reading
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Psalm 119:18–Open My Eyes
Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
Place in my hand the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.
The words of this hymn, written by Midwesterner, Clara H. Scott, have been sung by Christians for over 125 years.
Each stanza speaks to an increasing awareness and receptivity to God’s Word. Open eyes. Open ears. Open mouth. Open heart. Continue reading
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Daniel 3–Unbending Commitment
Yesterday’s lesson at the Temple Terrace VBS was instructive, exciting, challenging, and inspiring. And not just for the kids
My good friend and preaching colleague, Ralph Walker, presented an engaging lesson that paralleled the children study of the three Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who along with Daniel were in Babylonian captivity.
While there is no way we can capture the power of Ralph’s lesson in this short blog post, take a minute to read the text and consider these thoughts. Continue reading
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Romans 12:17-21
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
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