Sermons and Biblical Studies

Coach’s In 1988, I was playing for the Seahawks against my old team, the 49ers, when I learned first-hand that there are two competing value systems. Now, I wasn’t bitter that my old team had traded me, but I wanted to beat it, all the same. Dave Krieg had been injured, and I was to … Continue reading “Rejection”

Scamarama The March 1984 issue of Psychology Today published the winner of an interesting contest called “Scamarama.” Readers were to send in the most creative scams. This was the winner: Wish you were born rich? Now you can be! If you are one of the growing millions who are convinced of the reality of reincarnation, … Continue reading “Reincarnation”

President John F. Kennedy In his autobiography, Just as I Am, Billy Graham tells about a conversation he had with John F. Kennedy shortly after his election: On the way back to the Kennedy house, the president-elect stopped the car and turned to me. “Do you believe in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?’ he … Continue reading “Regret”

Resources •      Integrity of Heart, Skillfulness of Hands, Charles H. Dyer & Roy B. Zuck, editors. •      Max Anders, Jesus, Knowing Our Savior, (Nashville, Thomas Nelson Publ., 1995), p. 76. •      Baker Books; Grand Rapids, MI, 1994, pp. 238ff Regeneration •      Its necessity John 3:7, Gal. 6:15 Eph. 2:2 •      Its nature John 3:5; 2 … Continue reading “Reformed Theology”

Drive Straight Living without Christ is like driving a car with its front end out of line. You can stay on the road IF you grip the steering wheel with both hands and hang on tightly. Any lapse of attention, however, and you head straight for the ditch. Society in general—educators, political leaders, parents—exhorts us … Continue reading “Reformation”

Andrei Sakharov Elena Bonner, wife of Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, says that as he wrote his memoirs she typed, edited, and nursed the work, doing everything she could to make sure it survived seizure by the government. Sakharov worked on his memoirs in Gorky, rewriting sections because they kept vanishing. Then one day he met … Continue reading “Refine”

Redemption Defined The word means to buy back by paying a price, and set free 1. Man’s ruin Isaiah 52:3; John 8:34; Rom. 6:20 2. Man’s helplessness Psalm 49:7; Micah 6:7 3. A redeemer provided Job 33:24; Psalm 111:9 4. Redemption by blood Eph. 1:7; Acts 20:28; Heb. 9:12 5. Redemption by power Eph. 1:13–14; … Continue reading “Redemption”

Resource •      Leadership, Vol X, #3 (Summer, 1989), p. 23 How to Recruit People How you enlist a person will determine how that person serves. Therefore eliminate three things: 1. Public announcements saying we need workers 2. Last minute appointments 3. Pressure tactics Establish a personnel committee: 1. The Plan: Match people with jobs. 2. … Continue reading “Recruitment”

We Are Reconciled To God Reconciliation is changing for the better a relationship between two or more persons. Theologically it refers to the change of relationship between God and man. We are naturally children of wrath (Eph. 2:3), and are at enmity with God (Eph. 2:11–15); but, “…we were reconciled to God through the death … Continue reading “Reconcile, Reconciliation”

Letter of Have you ever been in a position where someone asks you for a reference to get a job and you find yourself in an awkward position? You don’t want to lie, but you really can’t tell the truth because it will hurt. Robert Thornton, professor of economics at Lehigh University, once composed the … Continue reading “Recommendation”