Accepted by God; Rejected by the World
“Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”Acts 7:58-60 ESV As believers and followers of Jesus we can expect resistance and persecution. The spirit of anti-Christ is vehemently opposed to… Read More
How Prayer is Like a Key
Our church is beginning 2017 with 21 days of prayer and fasting. It’s something that was actually initiated by our denomination, The Foursquare Church, which has provided an app to help guide us through the 21 days. (Search “Foursquare prayer” in the App Store.) In my devotion times I have been especially sensitive to passages of Scripture that mention prayer or fasting. Today, when I read Luke’s account of Jesus’ baptism by John in the Jordan River, I noticed this phrase: “…when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens… Read More
Why Jesus’ Divinity is as Important as His Humanity
Almost no one denies that Jesus existed as a man. Even those who stand in opposition to His teachings and His church acknowledge that He lived. Jesus was a man. What sets believers apart is that we recognize Jesus’ humanity, as well as His divinity. Jesus is both the Son of Man and the Son of God. In his letter to the church in Colossae, Paul reiterated the truth of Jesus’ divinity. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” Colossians 1:15 ESV “For in him the… Read More
Why Does Jesus Confront Me With Sin and Make Me Feel Guilty?
The persecutor had become the persecuted. Saul, a vehement enemy of the “Way” (as early believers in Christ were called), was defending the very cause he once opposed. Saul had changed – his life, his words, even his name! What prompted such a turnaround? Paul’s conversion story is told more than once in Luke’s detailed, historical account of the early church (the book of Acts). Back then, he was known as Saul. He was a respected, educated, and cultured man, whose zealous desire to defend the Law of God compelled him to… Read More
Baby Names, Name Changes, and the Names of God
My wife and I recently had lunch with some good friends, who are expecting their third child. I asked, “Have you thought about names yet?” The conversation meandered around various suggestions in search of the perfect name. Names are significant for many reasons: some names are passed down from family members, or in honor/memory of loved ones; some are meaningful because of the inherent meaning of the name; and some names just sound good to the parents. (And sometimes you wonder, “What were the parents thinking??”) Through Scripture, names are revealed to… Read More
Pastor Dale Jenkins 