Posts from 2022

God in his eternal kindness has granted us another year of life to serve him and one another. While no one knows for sure what this year will bring we can still be prepared to make the most of it. There will be opportunities for each of us to serve God and to glorify him. We should make up our minds ahead of time that we are going to do everything within our power to grow spiritually and to be…

You’ve seen the spoof, right? On my right shoulder stands the diminutive angel in white, encouraging me to do the right thing. On my left shoulder sits the little red demon with his pitchfork and tail, taunting me to do evil. Choose and receive the consequences, it usually goes. Choosing good means smooth sailing. Choosing evil brings a new companion. His name is Guilt. When one is burdened with guilt, its weight can be debilitating and feel as heavy as…

Have you ever had a spirited disagreement with anyone? Have you been filled with indignation over what you were convinced was their wrong view? If you have lived for any length of time, you have been incensed over the views and philosophies of others. But, you have not carried it as far as the Shammaites did around 66 AD. There were two great teachers in the time right before the incarnation of Christ, Hillel and Shammai. They frequently found themselves…

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday season is typically a time of joy and excitement in our country. I hope you enjoy the holidays while maximizing your service to God. We should all do our best to capitalize on this time of the year and do everything during the holiday season to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). Here are four ways to glorify God during the holiday season. 1. Give More than You Receive…

Ruth Duccini was the last female “munchkin” from the iconic movie, The Wizard Of Oz, to die. She passed away in January, 2014, at the age of 95. She was four feet, four inches tall, and lived in Santa Monica, California. She was associated with that movie for all of her life and likely was reminded of her celebrity past every day. But do you know what she was most proud of? She always told people it was her role…

This month, our nation sets aside a special day to give thanks to God. While it is great to feel grateful for our many material blessings, the Christian also understands how much more of a debt of gratitude we owe to Him for the spiritual ones (Eph. 1:3). As you sit down to enjoy food, family, and fellowship next week, remember the most important gifts God has given. T ruth and time, the thunderous triumph o’er the tomb H eaven…

Near the end of Acts 18, we are introduced to a skilled and scholarly speaker named Apollos. However, when we first read about him in Acts 18:24-28 he is in need of correction because his knowledge about Jesus is incomplete. A Christian couple, Priscilla and Aquila, help to point him in the right direction. We all have friends and neighbors who are in a similar situation to Apollos. We can adopt some best practices from Priscilla and Aquila that will…

In recent years, the idea of dependency has gained a lot of negative connotation in our society. This is no surprise, since we see so much negative dependency all around us. The general American population has several different types of dependencies. Look at us with our smart phones, mindlessly scrolling and typing away for hours on end. What about our relationship with our TVs? Whether it be streaming movies and shows or catching sporting events, a lot of our culture…

Each of us lead very busy lives: church, church functions, school, work, family lives and the list could go on and on. Do we include God in our daily plans? James 4:13-14 says, “Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor…

There are occasions like family reunions, class reunions, church seminars, lectureships, and forums, and the like which allow us to see friends and loved ones sometimes for the first time in years. There is a joy and rejuvenation of spirit which comes along with such being brought together again. The reunion may seem to come at just the time we feel we needed it, to aid us in coping with trouble, temptation, or trials. A kind word or warm greeting…

I hope you always feel like praying, but here are five things to remember in the times when you would rather not pray. The Holy Spirit Helps (Rom. 8:26-27). While I wish I knew more about exactly how this happens I am content to know that it takes place. The Holy Spirit helps us to pray when we struggle with groanings that are too deep for words. We may bow our heads and believe we are on our own talking…

Concerning the relationship between truth and change, Tolstoy wrote, “I know that most men — not only those considered clever, but even those who are very clever and capable of understanding the most difficult scientific, mathematical, or philosophic problems — can seldom discern even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be that such as obliges them to admit the falsity of conclusions they have formed, perhaps with much difficulty — conclusions of which they are proud, which they…

What are spiritual disciplines? These are practices found in Scripture that help us with our spiritual development and growth. Bible intake, prayer, and meditation are some examples. Ideally, Christians who desire spiritual growth would engage in these disciplines on a regular basis. There is, however, one particular spiritual discipline that we often overlook. In fact, it might not even strike us initially as being a discipline. The most interesting part is that this is something that Jesus did often in…

I make the notation “GM” along with the date and place on my sermons to indicate that I preached that sermon in a gospel meeting. It is one of my homemade preacher shorthand notations. Growing up a “PK” (“preacher’s kid,” of course), I’ve got a lot of GM memories. I would not trade anything for them, especially the indelible imprint they made on me in shaping the adult I have become. Let me encourage you to bring your children and…

“Hypertrophy” refers to the enlargement of organs or tissues due to the increase in the size of its cells. This phenomenon is undesirable in certain contexts (e.g. hypertrophic cardiomyopathy—the condition in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick and obstructs the pumping of blood), but it is an important concept in the case of general muscle growth. Our body repairs/replaces damaged muscle fibers by fusing fibers together to form new ones. This process increases the number of fibers as well…

As I think about the goals and desires of Cumberland Trace as it relates to the Great Commission, the words unqualified, inadequate, and incompetent come to mind when I think about my part in obeying that command. The work of a Christian can certainly seem overwhelming if we let it (2 Cor. 2:16). I am reminded of what Moses experienced when God called to him from the burning bush (Exod. 3:1-12). God had a great task for Moses. God was…

In 2011, I visited Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the town demolished by the great flood of 1889. David McCullough has written a compelling book chronicling that catastrophe caused, in great part, by careless men. In the visitor information center, I met an 85-year-old volunteer named Duane. He was a talker. After telling about the three floods that have struck the beleaguered city, he proceeded to tell me his life’s story. He said much, much more than I can include here, including how…

Psychologists and therapists have spent years researching birth order personality traits and coming up with birth order theories. They’ve concluded that firstborn children tend to be reliable, controlling, and conscientious. Middle children have been described as people-pleasers, those who thrive on friendships, and have a large social circle. The youngest child personality traits include being fun-loving, uncomplicated, self-centered, and attention-seeking. The only child has typically been described as mature for their age, perfectionists, diligent, and a leader. Whether or not…

Let’s say you begin contributing $5,000 annually to an empty Roth IRA when you are 20 years old, and the expected rate of return is 7%, with marginal tax rate of 25%. At 65 years old, your IRA would have a balance of $1,528,759. A million and a half. Use the money wisely, and you will have nothing to worry about for the rest of your life. But what if you waited five years? At retirement you would have $1,068,048.…

It is one of the greatest engineering marvels ever. NASA’s new James Webb Infrared Telescope could be worthy of the adjective “awesome.” It is an instrument with 18 mirrors working in concert, each adjustable to less than the thickness of a human hair. The mirrors combine to create a 21 foot. diameter mirror, covered with a layer of polished gold only 800 atoms thick. It has an orbit 930,000 miles beyond Earth. Once in position, over 600 operations had to…

A man is about to be put to death for preaching Christ. He is composing the last known words he left to history, and it is addressed to another, younger preacher. The entire letter is less than 2,000 words, making each sentence all the more meaningful. In the middle of describing “an unashamed workman,” Paul makes this statement, “But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife” (2 Tim. 2:23). Paul has just discussed the vitality and value…

From July 1-19, 1903, 60 bicyclists were willing pawns of one Henri Desgrange, editor of L’Auto sports newspaper, trying to win a circulation war with Le Velo. The Tour de France, suggested as a sales promotion, was such an instant hit that L’Auto ran Le Velo out of business. A race day could take as much as 17 hours to complete, and it is not surprising that only 21 of the 60 finished the entire inaugural bike race. The finishers…

Though we live in the information age there are still questions that come up that Google and Alexa cannot answer for us. As the religious landscape of our country shifts the types of questions that our friends and neighbors have about faith are changing too. There was a time when most Americans believed in God, accepted the Bible as the Word of God, and attended church services somewhere with regularity. In those times most discussions surrounded getting to the truth…

Everyone has favorite phrases, idioms, and colloquialisms they like to use in casual conversation or writing. When I first became friends with Bobby Gilbert, he used such a phrase when describing a large family – “They had a sackful of kids.” How many that was, I don’t know…but it was certainly more than most! This summer, there is a sackful of opportunity to be with church family, spend time in His Word, and get involved in the work here. Just…

Feeding schedules, diaper changes, and runaway toddlers seem to consume a mother’s world for what seems like forever. It may seem like an eternal duty, but those days very quickly pass. What you learn in each new stage of your children’s development is that God gives you grace and strength to meet the challenges that accompany it. Sleepless nights, drained energy, and unfinished housework discourage you. Unappreciative, uncooperative children at times confront you. Unsympathetic, clueless husbands may (though surely only…