Years ago, a popular Gospel song had these words: "Let's just praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let's just lift our hearts toward heaven and praise the Lord!"
The psalmist put it this way: "I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth" (Psalm 34:1).
Praise is a choice! "I will...."
We can choose to offer praise to God or we can choose to complain, mumble, … Continue Reading ››
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
After Saul met the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, three consuming desires took hold of him and dominated him the rest of his days on this earth. … Continue Reading ››
If the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is to be given to the world, the Christian church, which is the base of the missionary enterprise, must go about its divine mission in a systematic and orderly manner. The Faith Promise Plan for Missionary Giving has worked wonders virtually everywhere it has been adopted because it is founded upon solid biblical principles. It allows us to...
1. Express our love for the Lord "to prove the sincerity of your love" (II Corinthians 8:8).
2. Evaluate our priorities: … Continue Reading ››
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (I John 4:10).
The New Testament was originally written in the Greek language which has various words for "love." Eros (from which we get the word "erotic") was used for physical love and became associated with "passion." Although the Bible refers to lust, eros is not used anywhere in the Greek New Testament.
Another word used in the common Greek of the first … Continue Reading ››
"And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:32).
This verse gives us the extent, the experience, the expression, and the greatest example of Christian character.
1. THE EXTENT OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER - "Be ye kind"
When a person is born again by the Spirit of God, he or she becomes a new creation in Christ. The inherent nature of this new life will then become gentle, gracious, good, and kind. Such characteristics ought to … Continue Reading ››
A new year comes with many “resolutions.” Most of those include either stopping a bad habit or beginning a good one. As we look forward to another year, a familiar verse stands out. Hebrews 10:25 says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” With the passing of every year, we get closer and closer to the Lord’s return, and in the meantime, God has … Continue Reading ››
"And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth" (Luke 1:14).
"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you great tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11).
Rejoicing is a big part of … Continue Reading ››
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James 1:17).
One of my wife's favorite Christmas traditions is wrapping gifts, and she is very good at it. She loves picking the appropriate wrapping paper and adding a complimentary bow, gift tag or other decorations. She enjoys trying to pick patterns and colors of gift wrap that match the person receiving the gift. In some cases, she finds … Continue Reading ››
"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us" (Matthew 1:23).
There is a crucial element of the holiday season (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's) that is often missed. It is not joy or goodwill toward men or togetherness, at least not from the perspective of some in this world. While statistics may not back my opinion 100%, I would venture to say that the most overlooked element of … Continue Reading ››
It's that time of year again. December has come and with it all the joys of the Christmas season. But what is the real meaning of Christmas? As Charlie Brown might ask, "Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?"
Suppose you were to take someone who had no knowledge whatsoever of the real meaning of Christmas and had them walk through a local mall. What might they think Christmas was all about? As they walked through the mall, … Continue Reading ››
A Bible-believing, Independent Baptist Church with a heart for people! Located in Fruitland Park in close proximity to the Villages, Lady Lake, Wildwood and the Tri-County Area!
