April/May 1997 -- Our English word "poem" comes directly from the Greek poema which means "a piece of work," whether an act, deed or -- as in this instance -- a literary product. Paul uses this Greek word twice in the New Testament to describe God's workmanship. God's first "poem" is Creation itself (Rom. 1:20). His second "poem" is the redeemed life of women and men who constitute God's new creation in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:10). These past eight days Sara Faye and I have thrilled to both of God's "poems." First at the Pepperdine University Annual Bible Lectures in Malibu, California, then … [Read more...]
MINISTRY IN FLORENCE/TUSCUMBIA, ALABAMA
March 1997 -- With praise and thanksgiving to God, I report on a full and fruitful weekend of ministry in North Alabama during Saturday-Sunday just past. Saturday morning the preachers and elders of the three sponsoring congregations in the Florence/Tuscumbia area met at 7 a.m. at an area restaurant for breakfast, fellowship and a time of prayer. I was privileged to join that meeting. Then, for four hours on Saturday, we examined many Scriptures from both Old and New Testaments regarding five truths. (1) God saved us once for all, in the perfect and finished atonement wrought by Jesus … [Read more...]
PRAISE GOD WHO GIVES ALL BLESSINGS
August 1996 -- We returned safely about 11 pm Sunday night from ministry in Athens, Alabama, my hometown, where God moved mightily through his Spirit at "Seven Mile Post Road Church (a church of Christ)." By his provision, I spoke seven times (Friday p.m. through Sunday) through most of the Book of Romans to assemblies who came ready to receive from God. Also preached 30 minutes via radio from Hebrews 10, and we had a men's prayer breakfast and a booksigning as guests of a Methodist brother and sister who own a local Christian bookstore. The worship times were mighty and God's presence was … [Read more...]
CHURCH HISTORY JIGSAW PUZZLE
Part 1 One of many blessings that come from reading church history is a perspective sufficiently distant to see the larger picture with all its harmony and its diversity. Blessed with such perspective, we see God continually at work among his people: now turning, then correcting, sometimes simply allowing, the course of his church through the centuries. No believer and no Christian group can afford to believe or think or live in isolation. We all -- individuals and groups -- can and need to learn from each other. The undivided church of the first several centuries gave us the "rule of faith" … [Read more...]
