Blog Articles
Cultural Church and Essential Church
As the early church grew, we are explicitly told the assembly in Jerusalem continued in doctrine (preaching/teaching), fellowship, the Lord's Supper, and prayer meetings (Acts 2:42). These priorities comprise what I’m calling essential church. Church was simple....
Reckoning and Dying Daily
Romans 6:11 says, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” My paraphrase of this text is:Allow yourselves to be convinced by the Spirit that through being identified in Christ you did in fact...
New Design and Format for Friendship with the Holy Spirit
Years ago, I went through a time when my relationship with Jesus seemed anything but close. I had been saved for quite some time and was actively serving in full-time ministry, but still, I did not sense a closeness with the Lord. In the providence of God, I began a...
The Real Plague
As COVID-19 seems to diminish, many are looking forward to getting back to normal. Practically speaking, I understand this desire. We all do. But for God's people, is it the best course to excitedly anticipate a return to former norms? The question must be asked...
If From There
The Word of God specifically states that if you backslide (with whatever manifestations that may bring), you can seek the Lord and find Him. Deuteronomy 4:29 states it so clearly: But if from thence [from there, the place of unbelief and backsliding] thou shalt seek...
Abiding and Prayer
In John 15:7 Jesus says, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” We abide in Christ through God-dependence and Christ abides in us through Spirit-enabling (John 15:4-5). Jesus says if we abide in Him...
Abiding in Christ
In John 15:4-5, Jesus says, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much...
Understanding Repentance and Faith
Recently, someone asked me a series of questions regarding the supposed salvation of a friend. Obviously, there was confusion as to whether this person had truly trusted in Christ. Though there was a supposed “decision,” there was little to no life change accompanying...
The Witness of the Spirit
There was a time when a young girl doubting her salvation unburdened her heart to me. Together we looked at the truth of John 6:47 that when you believe on Jesus, you have eternal life. I asked if she had ever depended on Jesus to save her. Looking up with sincere...
Walk by Faith, Grow in Grace
Believers are challenged to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Through Jesus, we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand (Romans 5:2). And faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans...
New Beginnings
A new year. New years often impress upon us the possibility of a new beginning. You may identify a deep yearning for a new beginning with other occasions too or even with life’s pressure-filled circumstances demanding your entrance into the fray, ready or not. The...
Evangelist Matthew Barber
Evangelists specialize in the gospel. Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone—and so is sanctification and service. The gospel exalts Jesus as the Savior from sin and judgment and lifts up the Spirit of Jesus as the leader and power source for new life in...
God’s Two Greatest Gifts
Do you remember the first gift you received?. My earliest memory of receiving a gift reaches back to a Christmas when our family lived in Chicago. Christmas can be a wondrous time of giving and receiving. God, the greatest of givers, has given two gifts that must be...
Ideas for Christmas Gifts and Stocking Stuffers
With Christmas just around the corner, consider books and music from Revival Focus Ministries. Books from Revival Focus Experiencing Jesus A study of the joint provision of God's nature implanted in you (the real you) and God's Spirit indwelling you (the real leader)...
The Irreversibility of the New Birth and Union with Christ
The truth of regeneration is rarely mentioned regarding assurance, but along with our union with Christ, it is greatly assuring. At salvation, the human spirit labeled the “old man” is crucified with Christ (Rom. 6:6: Gal. 2:20). Obviously, the soul and body do not...
Time to Order Christmas Tracts
Once again, stores are focusing on the holidays. Decorations and a variety of gifts already occupy the shelves. As December 25 draws closer, there is also reason to hope that the focus of this special time will open hearts to the true meaning of Christmas. With a...
From Fear to Faith
Fear is that unpleasant emotion arising from a belief that something, whether real or imagined, poses a threat. Initially, fear appears as an involuntary reaction to the perceived danger, but after the initial shock has passed, each of us can and will choose how we...
New Book: Repentance and Faith – Two Sides to One Decision
The phone conversation lasted about two hours. The primary topic was repentance, and the distraught soul on the other end of the line was rehearsing some previous teaching that made repentance akin to works salvation. For this individual, the erroneous teaching was...
The Sin of Provoking
“Provoke not…to wrath” (Eph. 6:4). Many books have been written on forgiveness. They are definitely needed. But for all of those, it seems there ought to be a least a few written on “provoke-ness”! Bitterness is wrong, but so is provoking. Instead of focusing on...
The Red Flag of Lose-Lose Scenarios
The Holy Spirit is real. Complimenting clear guidance from the Word of God, the Spirit of God is your personal guide in matters not as clear. Others can offer advice which may or may not be helpful, but the Spirit will bear witness to what is truly helpful. As a child...
“I Know How” – Jesus Our Guide
About a decade ago, I became burdened to study the dangers of legalistic and relativistic thinking. Both are deadening because they are expressions of the flesh. The letter of the law without the Spirit kills (2 Cor. 3:6). Also, the mind of the flesh is death (Rom....
The God Who Stays
Imperfection and instability abound in a world of sin. Seemingly solid promises are sometimes broken, sought-after security is too often found to be anything but secure, and relationships of refuge can prove to be relationships of subterfuge. But for those who know...
Convictions and Comfort Zone
Convict means to convince. So, conviction is being convinced, and a biblical conviction comes from being convinced of what we believe the Bible teaches regarding a particular matter. Some convictions are more important than others because the Bible distinguishes...
The Ministry of the Evangelist
Some of my fondest memories involve hearing evangelists who came to our church for revival and evangelistic meetings when I was a youth. I remember well hearing evangelists John R. Rice, Bill Rice, Bill Rice III, Pete Rice, Glen Schunk, Monroe Parker, Ron Comfort,...
The Liberating Life of Jesus | Audio Book
Positive and Negative
It’s taken me years, but I love being positive. I wish I had learned the value and importance of being positive sooner in life. I love being around positive people. It’s encouraging and refreshing. In the spiritual realm, being positive is connected to faith in God....
Summer Reading
Think about your family, your friends and neighbors in your community. How many need Christ? The lost certainly have a glaring need, but likewise, the saved undoubtedly need Him if they will be at all effective in service and genuine in their displays of love....
What Do the “Shall Not Inherit” Passages Teach?
First Corinthians 6:9-10, Galatians 5:19-21 and Ephesians 5:5 are three passages that employ the phrase “shall not inherit” or a similar terminology after cataloguing various sins. There are those who teach that the listed works of the flesh being in your life...
Will Geiseman – The Forever Lockdown
I am pleased to introduce an evangelist entering the field who understands and preaches both justification by grace through faith in Christ alone and sanctification by grace through faith in the same Jesus. Will Geiseman has previously served as an assistant pastor at...
The Liberating Life of Jesus – now on Audible
Have you ever felt trapped in a box of someone else's making, perhaps a modern fundamentalist-style box, and yet, down deep, you know the Christian life is neither that nor an up-for-grabs version of your own making? In my early years of ministry, I was sincerely...
