New Hope Baptist Church, Chongwe, Zambia
On April 16 Kathryn and I were invited to speak at a Baptist church in Zambia. We had spoken there last year, and this year the pastor wanted us to address rewards and end times. Kathryn taught the Sunday school class and spoke on rewards. She used 2 Tim 2:11-13. She pointed out the difference […]
Is There a Difference Between Being Saved and Being Born Again?
DM asks two great questions: “Is there a difference between salvation and born again? Can salvation and born again be used interchangeably?” In my book, The Ten Most Misunderstood Words in the Bible, I have a chapter on the words save and salvation. I show that in the Bible those words typically refer to deliverance […]
What If He Simply Believed?
Free Grace people sometimes find themselves conflicted. When they visit a church or participate in a Bible study, should they give their opinion when someone gives an unclear presentation of the gospel? Oftentimes, nobody asks for your opinion, and there is a good chance that giving it will not be appreciated. Decorum often dictates that […]
They Are Believers, but Are They Saved?
Frank says, The more I read the Bible and then read comments by those who write commentaries, the more confusion results. It is no wonder there are cults. I think the church starts cults because one day, you are saved by believing. The next day, you are saved by believing and working. I know many […]
Did Daniel Try to Impress with His Praying (Daniel 6:10-12)?
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. Then these men assembled and found Daniel […]
Taking the Message of Grace to Zambia
Kathryn and I arrived in Zambia this week. This is the seventh year we have come to this country to teach at a Bible college in the town of Chongwe, which is about an hour and a half from the capital, Lusaka. The worst part of coming here is the hours we spend on airplanes […]
Taking the Message of Grace to Milan
This past week, Kathryn and I were in Milan, Italy. We spent time with some of our translators for GES. They were Manuela (Italian), Kristina (Russian), and Jan (German and Polish). They are all interested in getting the message of grace to the countries where they live. There are very few free grace churches in […]
Bless Your Heart
In the United States, we have a phrase that is used a lot, especially in the South. It’s common to hear a southerner say, “Bless your heart.” On the surface, the phrase seems pretty straightforward. If taken at face value, it means that the person wishes to bless you. However, the phrase has more than […]
If Christian Leaders Aren’t Sure, How Can Regular Peeps Be Sure?
For years I’ve watched Newsmax for a few minutes each morning before leaving for work. Suddenly, it’s off our cable provider. This morning I was watching Fox News. Brian Kilmeade was interviewing Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York. It was a Good Friday interview. The ending of the interview struck me. Kilmeade asked Cardinal Dolan […]
When a Drought Is a Good Thing (1 Kings 17:1-7)
In 1 Kings 17, the prophet Elijah suddenly appears in the Nation of Israel. He has some bad news. There is going to be a severe drought that will impact the land. It will last for over three years. In a country dependent upon agriculture, this would be devastating. In the verses that follow (1 […]