Scharf: That the world may know

Have you ever heard someone pray for you?

The wind is blowing!

When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

Just a thought: your work matters

Do you know your work matters to God? Yes, and it matters to your employer and your co-workers.

Holy Spirit transforms

Do you show evidence of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in your daily life? A look back at the disciples before and after photos gives us some things to look for in our own personal lives.

Thanks again, Mom!

How can I describe the emotions of parents who love their children? We stamp a remarkable similarity in heart and in appearance on the character of small children. This is especially true of mothers, who have even more sympathy than fathers toward the feelings of their children because they gave birth to them in great pain.

An ounce of mother

There's an old Spanish proverb: "An ounce of mother is worth a ton of priest." So, on this Mother's Day weekend, let's thank God for many ounces of godly mothers.

McCoy: Always follow the true leader

Do you remember playing games when you were younger? I love to watch children play Simon Says or Follow the Leader.

Scharf: Listen to the shepherd’s voice

McCOY: Don't get tired of doing good

I pray that your love will keep on growing and that you will fully know and understand how to make the right choices. Then you will still be pure and innocent when Christ returns. And until that day, Jesus Christ will keep you busy doing good deeds that bring glory and praise to God.

Scharf: Peace in everything

Peace be with you. That's one of those things churchgoers hear all the time. So how is it working for you? Is there peace in your world?

Burnham: All in your head

You have heard it said, "It's all in your head." Well, it is true. Every battle is first fought in the mind.

McCoy: Come on home

After this, I saw a large crowd with more people than could be counted. They were from every race, tribe, nation, and language, and they stood before the throne and before the Lamb.

Scharf: I love to tell the story

"I love to tell the story of unseen things above, of Jesus and his glory, of Jesus and his love. I love to tell the story because I know it's true; it satisfies my longings as nothing else can do."

Burnham: We do have something to do

It is wonderful God saves us from the penalty of sin and by his victory at Calvary, he frees us from sin's power.

McCoy: Share the good news

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.

"Just a Thought"

Just a Thought: Who will experience eternity? Some think this is a topic only for Christians, but it is not. All of us will experience eternal life. Life is like a hand in a glove. The glove is the outer shell (a temporary dwelling) and takes on the form and functions of the hand inside. The hand is like our soul and spirit - and one day it will withdraw from the outer shell leaving ...

Scharf: Love speaks precisely

With today's column, I'm starting a series of columns that play off of our church body's theme this year: "Christ's Love, Our Calling." It's all about how Christ's love for you gives you purpose - a calling. And this series looks at what God said about our calling to speak his truth in love. In 2 Corinthians, Paul writes: "It is written: 'I believed; therefore I have spoken.' With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak."

McCoy: Remember the times

Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Isaiah 46:9

Dees: How greed can overcome you

Jesus once said to his disciples, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15 NIV). This is an interesting warning to be aware of, or to watch out for greed. It is as if Jesus is saying that greed can overcome you without you even being aware. The interesting thing about greed is that it is a sin ...

Scharf: The Door of Humility

In Luke 13, Jesus said that the door to heaven is narrow. At another place Jesus said, "I am the Gate" (John 10:9). The Greek word is the same. And the picture is the same, isn't it? The only way to heaven is through Jesus. Now, as we are in this series discussing how love speaks, last week we learned from Jesus how important it is to speak precisely because the door is narrow and ...

Dees: A legacy of Christians

A couple of months ago, my wife Paige and I left my (at that time) five-month-old daughter with my parents as we went on a short trip with some friends of ours. While most couples may be a little nervous to leave their infant child with parents or in-laws, both Paige's mother and my mother are in the category called "Super Mom." Thus, Paige and I are both comfortable with and grateful for God's greatest ...

McCoy: Living on the mountain

Who can live in your tent, Lord? Who can dwell on your holy mountain? The person who lives free of blame, does what is right, and speaks the truth sincerely; who does no damage with their talk, does no harm to a friend, doesn't insult a neighbor; someone who despises those who act wickedly, but who honors those who honor the Lord; someone who keeps their promise even when it hurts. Psalm 15:1-4

McCoy: Happy Anniversary

This day will be a day of remembering for you. You will observe it as a festival to the Lord. You will observe it in every generation as a regulation for all time.

Dees: Running away from home

Becoming an atheist is a lot like running away from home. I have talked to many atheists who have left the church or belief in God and the idea of running away from home is what they communicate. Now they may not say this overtly, but in every atheist I know, there is a certain fear or lack of peace similar to the fear in every runaway child. When I was a child, I tried ...

Love speaks confidently

Reading my cousin's emails was sometimes kind of like cracking a code. It was pretty straightforward when she spoke of side trips she was taking and different sites she was seeing. But you had to pay attention to when she spoke of "friends" that she got to talk about "her Best Friend" with.

Directing Discouragement

Many begin their Christian walk with great confidence and a boldness that believes we can do anything through Christ. But then it happens.

More than just a meal ticket

"Alright, let's eat!" When you hear those words, what thoughts come to your mind? "Let's eat!" I hear that and I'm starting to sniff the air for what's on the menu. I'm thinking about that meal we had in here last week. And sure, I had breakfast this morning, but that was already a long time ago. And even if I have eaten recently, who cares? The thought of good food like that gets my ...

Burnham: Just a Thought

How do we trust God when a trial seems to swallow us whole? Some turn to clichés: "Oh, it will all work out..." or, "Remember God works all things together for good." But deep inside we feel like we are drowning. First, there are no easy answers or one verse quick fixes. Many have turned to Job to see how to deal with difficulties and suffering. But, as Philip Yance points out, "The point of ...

McCoy: Back to school

Make an effort to present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker, who doesn't need to be ashamed but is one who interprets the message of truth correctly.

Dees: Meaning behind church names

It doesn't take too many clues to know a lot about a church. I can usually tell you when a church was founded, where it is located in the town, and its demographic just by hearing the church name. In Baptist life, if the church is a First church it is usually very old, dating back to the 19th or even 18th century depending on the region. First Churches are usually downtown and usually have ...