2 Timothy 4.7 - I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. One of the best ways to finish well is to start right! Once on the path, it's easier to live with the end in mind. We often consider Paul's words as an admonition to finish...
Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868. It was not a “Hallmark Holiday” nor was it designed as an excuse for a day off work and a chance to BBQ. It was designed for a country that had been splintered through the Civil War to remember the roughly 620,000...
Friday night, May 24, the Lester family had another daughter graduating from high school! Katie has been enrolled at Lancaster Baptist School since her K-5 year. We are grateful for what God has done in her life. Teachers make a difference Somewhere I read that...
During the summer, schedules change and sometimes passion wanes. Yet, the God we serve is able to revive His people regardless of the season! Psalm 85 reveals the heart-felt cry of a psalmist wanting to see God work. He has looked back to past victories. He remembers...
The Turners and Lesters This weekend we honor mothers. Happy Mother's Day to moms today! Proverbs 31 mentions how her children will rise up and call her blessed. Solomon's mom fades into the background - and yet, Proverbs 31 shows some of the influence she had upon...
A Praying Soldier That Paul loved Timothy is obvious from reading the Pastoral Epistles. He considered him as his own son in the ministry. He mentored him. He modeled ministry before him. And then one day - Paul left him. He left Timothy at Ephesus to assume the role...
West Coast Baptist Class - 2019 Graduation season is upon us. On Wednesday, May 8, the 24th graduating class crossed the platform at West Coast Baptist College. My wife and I have had the privilege to be there for each of those graduations. After all the celebration...
So many choices... Do you ever think about how many choices you make in a given day? What to wear? What to eat? Which route to take for work? Our days are the sum total of hundreds of seemingly insignificant choices. Left or Right? It matters! In the Rocky Mountains...
The next generation - tomorrow's Christian leaders John's Perspective John, the aged and elder apostle, in perhaps the last letter he wrote, provided an invaluable perspective. At the end of his ministry, after walking with Jesus for over three years, after being...
Megan and Matthew A New Stage of Life For those who have known us for a long time, you may remember Jen and I without any children. Some of the early generation of graduates from West Coast Baptist College will remember when our first of five daughters was born....
It's time for what is commonly referred to as Easter. This season holds one of the most sacred days for all Christendom. In this post, we want to remember the reason for the celebration. I've boiled this down into three choices. My gut instinct tells me my readers...
Study to shew thyself approved unto God... (2 Timothy 2:15) 2 Timothy 2:15, Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Bible Study can be a complicated subject. There are so many different...
Easter is one of the holiest days of the year for Christians. Even for those who rarely go to church, Easter is one time when they at least are considering. So, how do we plan to have a great Easter? Invite Everyone; Bring Someone This has been the prayer at Lancaster...
What does the text mean? In a recent post entitled Hermeneutics Matters I made a statement: "It [the context was a biblical passage] cannot mean what it never meant." Future generations cannot reinterpret and give the ancient text a contemporary meaning. That is a...
Studying the Bible is the task of a workman (2 Tim 2.15). Yet, one doesn't need a terminal degree in Biblical Exposition to be able to study the Bible personally. For those just starting out - or for those who need a reminder - here are three simple steps to jumpstart...
Probably all of us have had that awkward moment when the cliche "I stuck my foot in my mouth" described us perfectly! Most, if not all of us, have been on the receiving end of hurtful words. David found himself in this situation in Psalm 12. The words of the enemy...
Many Christians today know the names of Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield. They are familiar with Charles Finney, DL Moody, and Charles Spurgeon. Yet most have not heard the name of Jeremiah Lanphier, a business merchant in NYC who became burdened for revival....
I grew up in the Bible Belt, down in the West Georgia region. From Kindergarten through tenth grade, I attended Georgia's public school system. Within that environment, I had many Christian teachers who did what they could to have an impact on my character...
Growing up in Sunday school, most boys and girls will recognize the names of Moses and David. If you have sat in church for any length of time, you know the names of Peter, James, and John. What Christian hasn't heard of the Apostle Paul?! These "famous" characters...
As a new year starts, many people think through some resolutions, some goals - a mark to press toward in a new year. Unfortunately, many of those resolutions fizzle quickly in the new year. Consider: the Bible reading goal that struggles once Leviticus comesthat gym...
My Aunt Debbie with her husband, Ricky, of 39 years...She went to be with the Lord on Sunday, 12/30/18. In the epistle of James, the half-brother of Jesus shares a painful reminder - life is short. Intellectually, we all know this already when we compare “life” to...
Psalm 85.6 reveals the heart-felt cry of a psalmist wanting to see God work. He has looked back to past victories. In verse 1, he remembers the favor of God. In verse 2, he remembers the forgiveness of God. In the midst of this, the psalmist is grateful as he...
America is enjoying her "Black Friday" and getting geared up for "Cyber Monday." Once again, a national holiday is more commercialized than celebrated. If we are not careful - and not intentional - we can get caught up in the busyness of the season and forget its...
Paul often used every day occurrences to teach spiritual truth. In writing to the church at Ephesus, he reminded them of the importance of having on their armor. To the pastor at Ephesus (Timothy), he reminded him to "endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ....
Most of us have heard the phrase, "Christian education doesn't cost; it pays!" This is not entirely true...there is a cost. Yet, the statement is true in the sense that Christian education pays...it's worth it - it is an investment. From Kindergarten through the tenth...