|
How to Delight in the LORD
|
| Written by Rick Blalock |
| The Bible emphasizes much on "Delighting your self in the LORD", but how do you get there? How do you get to the point where God is the person in life that makes you happy? There is a very clear answer to this question in a most overlooked passage: Isaiah 58:13-14 " If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the hol... (441 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Intimacy with Christ: Our number one priority
|
| Written by Ja Henline |
|
Our number one priority as a Christian is to have intimacy with Christ. Intimacy with Christ is not something that comes easy and requires a lot of work. The word intimacy means, “to belong to or characterizing one's deepest nature.” Intimacy takes spending time with someone to know them better than anyone else. When you are intimate with someone you will love them, trust them,... (4261 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Discipling Syncretism
|
| Written by Rick Blalock |
|
Syncretism silently damns its victims to Hell while giving them assured Salvation. The Bible is plain on Syncretism and every believer must be aware of its passages or will soon find themselves discipling syncretism.
II Kings 17.24-41
“So these nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images.”
A Biblical phenomenon, often dubbed &ldqu... (3838 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
God's Message
|
| Written by Ja Henline |
| During a missions conference in Ardmore, Alabama, Brent Logan preached a series of messages from the book of Jonah. Those messages stirred my heart greatly and has given me a desire to study the book of Jonah even more. Today the Lord gave me a thought out of this book that I would like to share. It is interesting that the book of Jonah starts out with the phrase, "Now the word of the Lord." Th... (1732 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
I Corinthians 8 - 12
|
| Written by Rick Blalock |
| When knowledge is applied successfully in life, it becomes that person’s worldview. Paul’s remark, “we know that we have knowledge…” (cf - Ro 14.14) is a crucial part of the passage. All have knowledge, some from experience, some from conviction, some from teaching, but knowledge’s inherit action is to puff up at someone who does not have that knowledge. Kno... (6215 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
A Personal God
|
| Written by Rick E Blalock |
| The very proofs that point to a Supreme Being, proofs deists and the like ascribe to; also point out that God is personal and knowable. History and Scripture also prove that God has continued to reveal Himself to man, making His unveiling progressive. These truths are important for three reasons: It shows that God is an independent Being who is engaged in His own relationship with man, it validat... (2899 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
I Corithians 1 - 6
|
| Written by Rick E Blalock |
| Paul eliminated any and all type of distraction from the gospel. It was his desire for these Christians to believe and follow Christ, not because of how he preached to them (so not to lead them into following him), not because of how he reasoned with him (so not to think they came to Christ on an intellectual basis), but because the Power of God changed them through the Spirit. I Corinthians 1... (5211 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Romans 16 – The NT Hall of Faith
|
| Written by Rick E Blalock |
| It is said that Hebrews 11 is the “Hall of Faith” but of the Old Testament. Romans 16 is the New Testament Hall of Faith, showcasing many of the Christians who perpetuated the gospel across the world. Notice this is the Hall of Faith in the Gentile world. The names are primarily Greek! Also notice that he is saluting saints in Rome, of which Peter is not named. One would think, as the... (1651 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Precepts of Men and Lip Service - Isaiah 29.13
|
| Written by Rick E Blalock |
| Saying, "I am a Christian", "I love God", "He is love", or any other sheek, culturally correct lip service does not suffice the Savior. There has been many false pretences on God and the result is no fear of Him. No one can please Him without first fearing Him. Fearing God is taught by experience, first. Read the LORD's diagnosis of Israel, during Isaiah's time: "Wherefore the Lord said, Fo... (190 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Integrity
|
| Written by Ja Henline |
| The book of Proverbs provides an abundance of verses on integrity. I heard a quote one time that said, “Integrity begins with how I live when no one is watching.” This statement is true and the flip side to that would be how I live when no one is watching will affect the way I live when people are watching. It is easy in the generation we live in to be dishonest, and many times ev... (2042 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Work Where God is - Thoughts on Peru
|
| Written by Rick E Blalock |
|
I prayed, for several years now, that God would lead me to a place where
He was going to work and I had envisioned a place where there were no
missionaries.
Peru was an unlikely place for my prayer, yet God has us laboring there
for a little while. When we arrived in Lima and started meeting people
and hearing their burden and test... (537 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Romans 9 - 13
|
| Written by Rick E Blalock |
| (Romans 9) – The Sovereignty of God in Human Affairs In this chapter, Paul is using Israel as an illustration of God’s sovereignty. Vs. 6-11: God chose His blessing and promise not according to the deeds of Abraham but according to His plan (He chose Jacob over Esau, even though Jacob was the deceiver). Cf- vs. 12, 13 Vs. 16: What a sobering thought! That I can do nothing to earn ... (6483 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
The Purpose Driven Salvation - I Peter 2.9
|
| Written by Rick E Blalock |
|
Salvation is not simply an
antidote for man's sin. Salvation is an antidote for lack of praise. He
saves the sinner from his sin and He saves the sinner for His own praise.
"But ye are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that
ye should shew forth the praises of him which hath called
... (238 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Much More Precious than Gold - I Pe 1
|
| Written by Rick E Blalock |
|
There is one person more
effective than any pulpit ministry. He reaches farther than any
missionary. He transforms nations and tears down spiritual
fortresses. He touches the heart more than a song.
He magnifies Jesus Christ more
than any other earthly action can do. He is successful in stopping
Satan. He brings sinners... (311 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Stewards of Grace - I Pe 4
|
| Written by Rick E Blalock |
|
Every Christian has received a
spiritual gift from God. It is not a 'gift' as most Americans would
think of a gift, rather it is more the Jewish idea of a 'gift' or
'blessing': stewardship in God's body.
The "gifts" given unto man are
God-given responsibility and He demands every Christan use them as He as
ordered.
... (617 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
God's Sorrow - Ezekiel 22:30
|
| Written by Ja Henline |
|
The Bible says he sought for a
man, but he found none. I cannot help but wonder the pain God feels
because he is looking for someone to serve Him, but people are too
interested in their earthly possessions to serve God.
I am sure it brings God great
sorrow to know that he died for every soul that is living in the world,
but cannot find people ... (689 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Us or God? - Jeremiah 1:5
|
| Written by Ja Henline |
|
God knew each and every one of
us before we were ever born, and He also had a plan and a purpose for
our lives. It was His desire before we were ever born that we would tell
the world about His son.
God knew what abilities we would
have and also our short comings. Many of us think we have to be an
eloquent speaker, or have a... (716 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
How Deep is Your Surrender? - Isaiah 20
|
| Written by Rick E Blalock |
| The purpose for Isaiah and his family is stated clearly in chapter 8: "To be a sign and wonder unto Israel." But just how far was he willing to go? Oh yes, he said, "Here am I LORD, send me." But did he mean it? "At the same time spake the LORD unto Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking nake... (1249 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Joy in Temptation - James 1
|
| Written by Rick E Blalock |
| Temptation is a reality for all but they all react different to it. Some deny their temptation, which inevitably causes them to succomb to it. Others despise temptation and thus feel guilty when it arrives. The Bible answer gives us something different: "My bretheren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations: Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience." Joy... (364 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
God's Seminary - Psalm 105:16-23
|
| Written by David Parker |
| Ministry training is necessary and important. God's people ought to serve with excellence. We should resolve to be life-long learners who "get all we can, and 'can' all we get." But we must also recognize that God also has a school that He puts His servants through. God's Seminary is not restricted to semesters, schedules, and classrooms. His curriculum is ordained from the womb (Jeremia... (3643 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Without the Camp - Hebrews 13
|
| Written by Rick E Blalock |
| It is difficult to think outside the box when you are in it. Going against tradition and culture has always been the fight of the Christian; even the LORD Jesus Christ fought hard against the Jews strong tradition. Think on this: "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearin... (460 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Root of Contentment - Hebrews 13
|
| Written by Rick E Blalock |
| Contentment is not a gift that falls into someone's life. It also is not an attribute the should be demanded for pious, Christian living. Contentment is merely a bi-product of a necessary condition: Faith. Consider these verses: "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we... (626 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Are you doing? - James 4:17
|
| Written by Ja Henline |
| Every Day the majority of Christians live their life in sin that will cause them to be embarrassed and ashamed when standing before God one day. It amazes me that most people you meet will think they are great people because they do everything the normal Christian is expected to do. The Bible says, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” The ... (543 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Enduring Opposition - Hebrews 12.3
|
| Written by Rick E Blalock |
| Reflect on the Lord Jesus often, in fact, do it constantly. Consider how He suffered in an earthly body: yes on the cross, yes through lashings, yes through blows to the face, but consider His patience through persecution of words and will. Everything He said and did was opposed by the sinner on earth. Even Peter He called "Satan" because Peter opposed the will of God. A perfect God walked in fil... (640 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Are you better dead or alive? (Jonah 4:3)
|
| Written by Ja Henline |
| Jonah 4:3 Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to do than to live. So many times when we hear the Great Commission and we are reminded to go, we automatically think that means go to a place where people are hearing the word of God every day. When Christ said, “Go into all the World and preach the gospel to every creature”, I ... (1178 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Let God's Glory Return (Haggai 2:1-9)
|
| Written by Ja Henline |
| Haggai 2:1-9 In this passage God speaks through Haggai and wants him to talk to the people and remind them of the first glory of the house of God. Then he encourages them to be strong and the Lord tells them, “…work, for I am with you…” In verse 7 God says that he will shake all nations and that the glory the house of God had experienced in the past would return... (1135 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
To the Reached or Unreached? (Galatians 2:7-9)
|
| Written by Ja Henline |
| Gal. 2:7-9 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peterto the apostleship of the circumsion, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles;) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave to m... (723 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
The Self-Industry of the Early Christians (Part I)
|
| Written by Rick E Blalock |
| Americans oft look with fascination at places like Madagascar, Christmas Island, and Thailand and for their exotic difference alone Americans remark, “they are so strange.” The same is true of the Thai who look at America and for its exotic difference alone remark, “they are so strange.” It is usually forgivable and for that matter, acceptable, to be “strange” ... (1792 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Parable of the Vineyard - Isaiah 5
|
| Written by Rick E Blalock |
| The LORD prepared a vineyard, protected it, took care of it, used the best choice of vine, and prepared a winepress expecting to reap bountifully. What came out is not what He wanted: "...when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes ?" Therefore, His judgement was equal to what He gave: took away His protection, He would no longer care for its well being, an... (504 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Servant Leadership (Philippians 2:5-8)
|
| Written by Ja Henline |
| Phi. 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. If we are going ... (887 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|
Various Passages
|
| Written by Rick E Blalock |
| (Romans 4)- The OT Saint were justified through faith vs. 2, 4: Works is only rewarded because of necessity (debt). i.e. Someone is paid because they worked, that employer owes him money. These two verses are foundational for the proof of the necessity of grace that Paul speaks about in the next two chapters (cf – 6.23). vs. 5: Proof and commentary of vs. 3. (and vs. 6-8 are his cross r... (5305 more chars) |
| [ Back ] |
|
|
|