How Bad Does It Have to Get?
Written By: Bill Elliff It is tragic that we often do not cry out in prayer until we have exhausted all other possibilities. Mature believers advance beyond that in their love for intimacy with Christ, passion for people without Him, and faith that God can change things in their lives and others through prayer. But
The Discipline
“Discipline your son while there is hope.” Proverbs 19:18 One of the joys of living closer to my parents is the opportunity that often can come my way to take them to the doctor when they need help with transportation. Mom is 91 and Dad is 90, and they have just renewed their driving permits.
On the Lack of Personal Responsibility
We are residents of a world that refuses to take any responsibility. “The devil made me do it. My spouse made me do it. It’s my boss’s fault.” On and on it goes; where it stops, no one knows. One of the funniest movies I’ve seen in recent years is a movie called Rocketman. The
You’re Not Out of Debt Yet!
Read Romans 15:1-3, 25-27 Consider two more spiritual debts. What about your debt to your weaker brethren? All of Romans 14 deals with this problem. One Christian does this, another Christian condemns him and does something else. Some Christians are strong in their faith and enjoy the spiritual liberty in Christ, while other Christians are
What Happens When We Don’t Lead
Written By: Bill Elliff Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?” (1 Kings 1:5-6) I don’t
The Gap
“I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but found no one.” Ezekiel 22:30 “The Gap” commonly refers to a contemporary clothing store. It is rarely considered to be a perilous place to
Lessons from a Dog
Just a few days before Christmas, I laid to rest our family dog of nearly eighteen years. While no one would ever classify me as an animal lover with the likes of Steve Irwin, Saydee certainly held a special place in my heart. She came into our lives at a time when Jeanne and I
The #3 Pencil Principle
“Make something hard enough for people and they usually won’t do it” A great story is told in industry circles about the 1950’s controller bent on saving money for his accounting firm. This was back before computers when accountants “kept books” with pencils. The penny pinching controller commanded all pencils purchased by the firm must
October Baby and a December Baby
I’ve just returned from the local movie theater, where Terri and I watched October Baby the new movie by Jon and Andrew Erwin. Jon and many of the others who worked behind the scenes on the movie have also been a part of Sherwood Pictures. Provident Films made a wise decision in being behind this
Any Unpaid Debts?
Romans 1:1-16; 8:1-14 No man likes to live under the burden of unpaid debts. Of course, an honest debt is often a stimulus to harder work and greater thrift! But most of us are happy when the debt is finally paid. Christians have some spiritual debts that, in one sense, can never fully be paid.
No More Chocolate Soldiers
Written By: C. T. Studd Every true Christian is a soldier of Christ, a here par excellence. They are braver than the bravest, scorning the soft seductions of peace and her oft-repeated warnings against hardship, disease, danger and death, which Christians count among their bosom friends. The otherwise Christian is a chocolate Christian, dissolving in
An Amazing Insight on Your Poverty or Abundance
Written By: Bill Elliff As always, God is in the perfect position to see all of our life and make sense of it. We have various opinions of people, including ourselves, who have or do not have wealth–whether their (or our) monetary situation is voluntary or involuntary. 2 Corinthians 8 is one of the greatest