Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a…
Author: Tim Deatrick
11 Lessons for Graduates and You by Jon Gordon
From Jon Gordon’s new book, titled “The Seed,” in time for Graduation season. 1. You are here for a reason and the most important thing you can do in life is to find, live and share your purpose. It’s the one thing in life that truly matters and if you don’t pursue it, everything else is…
Five Principles to Guide Decisions When Scripture Isn’t Clear
Sometimes we can open the Bible and find clear direction regarding the day to day decisions we face. But what about those decisions that Scripture doesn’t directly address? In 1 Corinthians, Paul shares five guiding principles that will help us discern the rightness or wrongness of a particular behavior. Thanks to Dr. John Marshall for…
The Confidence and Consequences of Hope (2 Corinthians 5:1-10)
For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to…
Are You a Generous Person?
When I was serving as a local church Pastor, I often used the words giving and generous as though they were synonyms. In fact, I would often thank people for their generosity when I should have thanked them for their giving. Here’s what I’ve since decided about generosity. Suppose I was to ask you for…
How to Persevere (2 Corinthians 4:13-18)
But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. All of this is for your benefit. And…
Are You a “Digital Giver?”
Online giving was a novelty in the American Church prior to COVID. But the closure of churches during the pandemic caused churches to scramble to maintain their offering revenue in the absence of giving in person. COVID normalized the practice of online giving. Almost every church, regardless of size, offers it to their members. Website…
Jars of Clay (2 Corinthians 4:7-12)
We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to…
He Gets Us
You’ve probably seen the television advertising campaign that is captioned with the phrase, “He Gets Us.” This has been a nationwide campaign led by David Green, CEO of Hobby Lobby. The commercials take basic principles of the gospel and overlay it with the contemporary human experience. Reportedly, the target audience of these commercials are Millennials…
5 Characteristics of Authentic Ministry (2 Corinthians 4:1-6)
Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this. If the Good News we preach is…
