“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “that I will punish all who are circumcised and yet uncircumcised— (Jeremiah 9:25 NLT) The Lord’s greatest condemnation is for people who have an outward façade of religion but lack an inward heart transformation. I made a profession of faith, as you were supposed to do as […]
Author Archives: kenbarnes
12
Oct
Oct
John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’” ( John 1:23 NLT) Keys to the preaching of John the Baptist may have been humility of character and the simplicity of his message. Billy Graham, at one of his crusades, had […]
06
Oct
Oct
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28 NLT) Jesus’ disciples were a needy bunch who the Lord pointed to a life of service epitomized by the Cross as the solution for their needs. The Mother of […]
29
Sep
Sep
Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. (Psalms 126:5 NASB 1995) Our tears are like seeds we plant that will lead to joyful shouting. The commentator Matthew Henry said, “Weeping should never stop our sowing; when we suffer ill, we must continue to do good.” The tears we sow might be for a […]
26
Sep
Sep
Cletus Hull Serving as a pastor with a church in Pennsylvania, someone once called me with a personal concern. As the conversation ended, I asked if I could pray with him. Sounding surprised, he asked, “Can we do that over the phone?” Praying over the phone was new for him. Maybe it doesn’t sound strange […]
22
Sep
Sep
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:8 NASB 1995) Just as there are two types of sowing, there are two kinds of reaping. One sort of sowing leads to death, […]
13
Sep
Sep
For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. (1 Samuel 1:27 ESV) Hannah, the mother of Samuel, the Prophet of God, never gave up a desire for a child. Is your desire part of God’s plan for your life? When my wife and I were […]
05
Sep
Sep
“You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3 ESV) Much has been said recently about the canceling of student loan debt. Many feel that it is unfair for one group of people to pay the debt for another. Yet, I believe there is a more profound underlying factor here: the idolizing of higher […]
24
Aug
Aug
You have made me act like a fool. You ought to be writing commendations for me, for I am not at all inferior to these “super apostles,” even though I am nothing at all. (2 Corinthians 12:11 NLT). There is a type of pride that masquerades as humility. If God has given you a gift, […]
20
Aug
Aug
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (Proverbs 4:3 NLT) In the Old Testament, the Bible speaks a lot about gatekeepers who guarded the entrances to the city and particularly to the Temple. Today, we need gatekeepers over the entrances to our hearts to keep evil from entering. […]