With the coming of Christmas, we’re all getting our lists together of what we will give to our friends and family. Most of what we will buy will have no eternal value; it will (a) wear out, (b) become boring, or (c) break. Some gifts will be out of style before we get the credit card bill. Much of it will be nice but not necessary. Continue reading “Christmas Is Coming…Buy Books!”
Author: Michael Catt
No Time for a Divided Mind
If you will allow me, I want to get in your face for the next few minutes. I’m not trying to offend you. On the contrary, I’m trying to save you from yourself and possibly a wasted life. The times are too serious for such a mediocre brand of Christianity. The needs of our world are too great for a casual, carnal, half-hearted church. Continue reading “No Time for a Divided Mind”
Three Tests
In this pilgrimage called life, we often face tests. Usually we think of tests as something we took in school. They were something we crammed for the night before and then prayed hard we would pass them. We take driver’s tests, blood tests before we get married, and the doctors often tell us they need to run some tests. In God’s economy our tests can be divided into three categories. Continue reading “Three Tests”
Preaching
The following is an excerpt from Oswald Chambers about preaching from his book Disciples Indeed (1958, 2002; Marshall, Morgan & Scott). His words are penetrating and insightful. “For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.” (2 Corinthians 4:5)
A personal testimony feeds you from hand to mouth; you must have more equipment than that if you are to preach the Gospel.
The preacher must be part of his message, he must be incorporated in it. That is what the baptism of the Holy Ghost did for the disciples. When the Holy Ghost came at Pentecost He made these men living epistles of the teaching of Jesus, not human gramophones recording the facts of His life. Continue reading “Preaching”
I Don’t Like Labels (Part 2)
When there was conflict in the church at Jerusalem, the pastor of the church, James, stood up and spoke. It settled the issue and the church moved on. Today we are more likely to create a small group to discuss the shortcomings of the pastor and see if we can fire him. The main thing quits being the main thing if we think we see all and know all. Continue reading “I Don’t Like Labels (Part 2)”