My hat is off to all the remarkable pastors and church leaders across the state who have done a masterful job of helping to contain COVID-19 while carrying on with ministry. Most of them have struggled intensely with decisions to cancel or change worship service arrangements. Many of our churches have altered their services to [...]
Romans 6:1-14 The first chapter of Romans says that the power of the Gospel can save everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). Previous lessons have shown the power of God in the Gospel to justify the sinner and establish peace between God and man. Furthermore, the power of the Gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus [...]
Revelation 21:1-8; Revelation 22:1-5 The necklace-of-choice for most believers displays a cross. I have wondered if we should wear an empty tomb instead. Three men died on crosses on Golgotha the day Jesus gave His life.The cross stands as critically vital to our salvation. Praise God, the rolled-away stone literally finds its place as the [...]
One of the most underappreciated aspects of the Bible is its sense of humor. Some would take issue with the suggestion that the Bible is filled with humor, but an honest reading bears that out. How can anyone, for instance, read the book of Jonah without chuckling. It’s hard not to smile when you read [...]
Romans 5:1-11 “Grace and peace” is the common greeting used by the Apostles Paul, Peter, and John in their epistles to believers. We understand amazing grace and sing about it with reverential awe. Peace with God is no less amazing when we see it as they did. The good, good, good Gospel of salvation continues [...]
1 Corinthians 6:9-20 So far, our titles for this quarter have been straightforward: Holy, Lost, Salvation, and Faith. This week’s word has been a jawbreaker for me. Maybe it’s the current coronavirus quarantine. Maybe it’s cabin fever. Maybe it’s concern for all of our churches that must forsake the assembling of themselves together for the [...]
The devil is the biggest bully who ever lived, and his most-used bully tactic is fear. We’ve been in the midst of a medical pandemic with the outbreak of coronavirus, but we’ve also been in the middle of a spiritual pandemic with an outbreak of fear. Many people are filled with fear that they’ll come [...]
Romans 3:21-4:3 Amid affliction and despair, Job asked how a person can be justified before God (Job 9:2). The book of Romans responds that the just shall live by faith (1:17). Building upon that glorious premise, the verses in the lesson today show us that (1) by grace through faith (2) in Christ (3) the [...]
Hebrews 11:1-6 “…and all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:39-40). Working backward from these verses through this eleventh chapter of The Book of Hebrews, we discover the [...]
Made in Mississippi I grew up in a little community called Acton, which is located in Tennessee just north of the Mississippi state line. Though I spent all my formative years in Tennessee, I feel like I owe my life to Mississippi Baptists. For starters, I was born in Booneville, having been delivered by the [...]
