Trust is the root of faith and the basis of our religion and life. We must learn to trust Him. We strive not just to trust him more, but to trust him completely. Mark 9 records a wonderful illustration of growing trust in Jesus. When they came back to the disciples, they saw a large … Continue reading Lord, Help Me to Trust You–Salvation by Faith
On Christian Love
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all … Continue reading On Christian Love
What Does it Mean to Be a Believer?
Leon Morris described Romans 3:21-22 this way, "In what is possibly the most important single paragraph ever written, Paul brings out something of the grandeur of Christ’s saving work. He speaks of the righteousness of God, the sin of man, and the salvation of Christ. He views this salvation in three ways: as justification (imagery from … Continue reading What Does it Mean to Be a Believer?
A Biblical Theology of Singing
(Speical thanks to Everett Ferguson's The Church of Christ: A Biblical Ecclesiology for Today) D. L. DeBord, M.Div What does a life look like when it is filled with God? It overflows with Godliness. We sing praises to God because we are filled to overflowing with his word and thankfulness to him. Our text in Ephesians … Continue reading A Biblical Theology of Singing
Seasoned with Salt
Words matter. "Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will never hurt me" the old saying goes. That is not true at all. Our bodies seem to heal much faster and easier than our feelings and relationships. Complaining, murmuring, gossip, slander, and divisiveness have no place in the character of God's people. Professor Dumbledore … Continue reading Seasoned with Salt
Holy, Holy, Holy
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee. Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty, God in three persons, blessed Trinity! God is holy, but what does it mean to be holy? Holiness is a "chief attribute of God and a quality to be developed in his people. … Continue reading Holy, Holy, Holy
Back to School Bible Study
With school back in full swing, it is a good time to remember how to read our Bibles. The Bible is 66 books long and contains several different types of literature. Some of the Bible is very devotional, some is instructive, some is narrative, and some is apocalyptic (those strange images in Revelation). So, what … Continue reading Back to School Bible Study
Make Me a Servant
"Make me a servant. Lord, make me like you." It's a great song and an even better prayer. Jesus himself said, "I came not to serve, but to serve." We should all pray to be more like Jesus by becoming servants of the church. Jesus has designed his church in such a way that, while … Continue reading Make Me a Servant
The Ministry of the Word
Professor Dumbledore said, “Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.” Words used powerfully and beautifully made J.K. Rowling a best selling author. But God's words are infinitely more important. Remember what the Bible says about God's word. In the beginning was the Word--John … Continue reading The Ministry of the Word
Grace and Christian Ministry
Grace is “God’s unmerited favor”. However, this Bible word is used to describe two things. The word “grace” is used to describe God’s unmerited favor in the salvation of the lost, and Paul used to describe the ministry of God’s saved people. Grace “is effectively displayed in particular divine activities—supremely in the redemptive death of … Continue reading Grace and Christian Ministry
Donnie's Dogmatics 