Tony Walker – Anderson, SC
Think of the things a father and mother will do so that their sons or daughters can get a gift that will be enjoyed for a relatively short time, then eventually forgotten… Now, imagine a giving Father and the sacrificial pains his Son would go through so that their sons and daughters could enjoy a … Continue reading Black Friday Fun
Sunday, November 19, 2023 Adult SS Class Impact This week Jimbo Fisher was fired and will get paid almost $27,000 a day to not coach. Over 70 million dollars. A while back, he and Nick Saban got into a spat regarding recruiting ethics. With all of that turmoil, it was surprising this week to read … Continue reading Introduction to Corinthians
Christian, Since God sustained you last night and woke you this morning, he has a plan for you today. You might get to the end of the day and be able to see some dramatic way he used you. And then with gratitude, mingled with a hint of pride, you'll thank him. Better, he might … Continue reading Is God using our lives?
”I think the wall we’ve made between the physical world and the spiritual world is a lot thinner than we realize.” In November 2021, I had another lunch with someone who knows the Bible as well as anyone I have ever met personally (Dr. Channing Crisler at Anderson University). During our conversation, he said one … Continue reading The Birthday Gift that Keeps on Giving
The grass ain't greener on the other side Whatever you do don't believe his lies Cause he’ll only show what pleases the eyes So remember the grass ain't greener on the other side
Amen. Romans 8:28 is better experienced than explained. Only God can do that. And since we live by faith, he might not even explain it to us. Believing Christians have a hard time believing God is good when they are experiencing so many bad things. Physical illness, family p 83 dysfunction, emotional distress, natural disaster, … Continue reading “The Care of Souls: Cultivating a Pastor’s Heart” by Harold L. Senkbeil
Christian, don’t only associate, read, learn from, and listen to those you completely agree with. Doing so, you miss out on God helping you (a crooked stick) see straight lines drawn with other crooked sticks. Two decades ago, I had to agree with nearly everything in a book before I would read it (which is … Continue reading “The Beauty of the Mystery”
I have thought about this date, October 5, for a little while— our second set of twins are ready to be born any day now. There are two reasons I would be happy if it were today: my favorite theologian Jonathan Edwards was born, and though more somber than a birthday, Steve Jobs passed away. … Continue reading October 5: Jonathan Edwards’s Birth and Steve Jobs’s Passing
There’s no middle ground. Christianity is either the greatest lie ever told in the history of the world, or Christ’s resurrection and the Christian’s hope of resurrection are the greatest hope in, and beyond, this world. Standing at the tent of a graveside funeral today, I thought about the comfort that can be given to … Continue reading Lies or Truth?
Some Christian debates are black-and-white and have serious consequences. Other arguments are like a group of people debating if something is maroon, dark red, crimson, or garnet—the average person sees people making a big deal over relatively minor differences. A graphics printer might need to know if a Carolina logo is PMS 201, but that’s … Continue reading Molehills or Doctrine
Jonathan Edwards imagesPictures taken at Yale University at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. November 3, 2017 and October 2, 2019 The true christian’s life a journal to heaven. “To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is the highest good of the reasonable creature… God is the ocean.” 1890 letter from Tryon Edwards … Continue reading JE Pics for Matt
If your mind wanders when you pray, the problem is not that you can’t pray long enough. The problem may be that you’re trying to pray for too long. When Jesus prayed in John 17, it was a fairly lengthy prayer. When Jesus taught others how they can pray in Matthew 6 and Luke 11, … Continue reading Corner Bagel with Dr. Crisler
I wonder if the righteous desires in a Christian’s heart, no matter how obsessively he dreams about them and hopes for them, which seem to human eyes wouldn’t happen in a million years, I wonder if God puts those desires in our hearts, not so that we might see them happen in our lifetime but … Continue reading Practice for Heaven
On March 22, 1994, my mother was murdered. It began as a typical Tuesday. I went to my 4th-grade class at Nevitt Forest Elementary, and after school, I stayed outside with the YMCA program. When we got home, I played video games in my room with a childhood friend. My stepfather came in the front … Continue reading Who Chose Who?
1 Peter 3:18–4:6 tells suffering people that the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ declare his victory over every inch of the cosmos—even the darkest corners that we don't see or fully understand.Dr. Channing Crisler In October 2022 (or maybe it was 2021, I’m getting old), Dr. Crisler from Anderson University graciously spoke to … Continue reading Dr. Channing Crisler and 1 Peter 3
It’s not every day that Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple replies to your email, but he did today If you're curious, the opening song to Tuesday night's Apple Event played behind the story of people who lived to celebrate another birthday when they thought they wouldn't have is one of the best specific examples … Continue reading Common Grace at Apple’s September Event
“… I’m glad I didn’t end up as an abortion.”Steve Jobs I’ll never forget sitting at the Mexican restaurant on Highway 24 in May 2020, reading this section of the book while eating lunch. It’s one of those life moments etched into my mind. At birth, my name was Marquez Antonio Bowen. My father was … Continue reading Steve Jobs and Abortion
The cool weather has hit… and around this time of year (during October 2005), on a Friday night on 3rd shift at Ryobi/TTi, another person and I saw something that seemed normal… but within the next few minutes, I realized it was anything but normal. About an hour later, I called and woke Rachael up … Continue reading An 18-Wheeler 18 Years Ago
Normally, a QB doesn’t block, a running back doesn’t pass, and a kicker doesn’t run. There might be times when a play falls apart and the players have to do what they have to do, but that isn’t the ideal situation. And, the QB shouldn’t feel guilty because he isn’t 300 lbs, the running back … Continue reading X’s and O’s
What kind of young child would dare interrupt their busy father who is trying to balance a schedule of deadlines, burdens, and projects with a request as trivial as a popsicle and a game of I spy with my little eye? The kind of young child who has child-like love for the father they enjoy … Continue reading Small Prayers
Without sounding like a used car salesman or pyramid scheme, Logos Bible Software really is worth every penny I've spent. But, the pennies it takes to get it is sticker shock to people sometimes. I don't know if I have been a user for so long or spent so much, but they recently sent me … Continue reading $100 off Logos Bible Software
The Bible and Technology: I finally got around to converting my school paper on technology to something that can be read online. I hope that you’ll take a little time to read it… Even so, click ‘upgrade,’ Lord Jesus!
Christian, Matthew 5:48 your Father in heaven is perfect Matthew 6:4 your Father sees what you’ve given Matthew 6:6 your Father sees when you’ve prayed Matthew 6:8 your Father knows what you need Matthew 6:18 your Father sees when you’ve sought him Matthew 6:32 your Father knows, in case you missed it the first time, … Continue reading Father’s Day Thought
Jonathan Edwards on the fact that ministers in an area should spend time together praying and discussing spiritual matters… It seems to me it would be becoming the circumstances of the present day, if ministers in a neighborhood would often meet together and spend days in fasting and fervent prayer among themselves, earnestly seeking for … Continue reading The Fellowship of Neighboring Pastors
Our context may be different today, but taking the slow and prayerful approach always seems best—and contrary to human nature. This is from page 500 in the WJE4… We can’t expect that after a long time of degeneracy and depravity in the state of things in the church, things should all come to rights at … Continue reading Jonathan Edwards: There’s No Quick Fixes
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