Posts by courtnut02 (Page 28)
Representing Jesus (1)
In Gregory Koukl’s book, Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions, he suggests three things we must have to represent Jesus in today’s world. First, we need the basic knowledge necessary for the task. We must definitely know the Gospel message and then know a little about how to respond to obstacles we will encounter. Sometimes this comes through practice in sharing with others. Second, we must have wisdom. We must present the Gospel message clearly and in…
Fall Festival
The weather is changing. Nights are cooler the mornings have a crispness and the sky seems bluer. Thanks to a wet summer our autumn is feeling wonderful and looking beautiful. It is good to be alive and experience the joys of this world. As beautiful and wonderful as this world is we must remember that it pales in comparison to our eternal home. If you think about it, it can put your imagination into overdrive! Thinking about heaven doesn’t diminish…
A Hospital For Sinners
Someone once said… “Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.” I like that saying. It is so true! None of us is perfect. We all have sinned. Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We all have hurts, flaws, faults and weaknesses. Many scriptures remind us we are sinners. Psalm 51:3 says “I know my transgressions and my sin is always before me.” First John 1:8 says “If…
Notes From Mark
Do you get tired? Have you ever felt you can’t give one more ounce of effort? Don’t give up! Hang in there. These are not just simplistic words you have heard or that are said in passing, they are a paraphrase of what God has said to us in His word. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let…
Missing the Point
Orville and Wilbur Wright made history by keeping their flying invention in the air for a total of fifty-nine seconds. After the flight, they rushed to the telegraph office and wired their sister in Dayton, Ohio. They messaged her… “First sustained flight today for fifty-nine seconds, hope to be home by Christmas.” Their sister was thrilled and hurried to the local newspaper with the great news and the telegram. The next day an article about the Wrights appeared in the…
Notes From Mark
God hears us when we call. Those are incredibly great words to hear. To truly know that our wonderful God listens not just to us but also listens for us, is a blessing in and of itself. But the last part of that statement “when we call,” is what I am talking about. When we make the effort to call upon God and seek Him, means we have come to the place where our pride no longer gets in the…
Expository Preaching (2)
Last week, I shared from an article titled “9 Benefits of Expository Preaching” based upon the book Faithful Preaching by Tony Merida. According to Wikipedia, “expository preaching is a form of preaching that details the meaning of a particular text or passage of Scripture. It explains what the Bible means by what it says. Exegesis is technical and grammatical exposition, a careful drawing out of the exact meaning of a passage in its original context.” The counterpart to expository preaching…
Notes From Mark
Sunday was a good day in God’s house and with our church family. Not only were there people joining our church but also at our baptismal service where there were 12 that were baptized including brother and sister and a family mom, dad, and child being baptized together. It is truly heart-warming to see God move in the lives of people and knowing the love of Christ that is in each one. Last Wednesday there were 96 children attending our…
Expository Preaching (1)
According to Wikipedia, “expository preaching is a form of preaching that details the meaning of a particular text or passage of Scripture. It explains what the Bible means by what it says. Exegesis is technical and grammatical exposition, a careful drawing out of the exact meaning of a passage in its original context.” The counterpart to expository preaching is topical preaching which concentrates on a specific topic and references texts covering the topic. In our recent past, I have preached…
Notes From Mark
The Singing Churchmen retreat was this week and I was blessed with the fellowship of my brothers from around the state as well as the music that we are singing. Any opportunity to lift praise to God through music is a blessing to me personally. Amidst the singing, eating (we are Baptists), and sharing was the testimony of Keron Jackson. This man has a great voice and a beautiful testimony. As a late teen early twenty something he was homeless…