Author Archives: kenbarnes

The Tamarisk Tree

Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. (Genesis 21:33 NLT) The Shade of a Tamarisk Tree Abraham planted a tree, but not just any tree.  It was a tamarisk tree.  Abraham was making a statement of faith.  He would never sit under the shade of this tree, but future generations […]

Character and Reputation

He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. (Psalms 37:6 NLT) We often worry about our reputation more than we should, rather than being concerned with a clean conscience that produces godly character.   It is effortless in this sinful world to invert our […]

Dross

You have tested us, O God; you have purified us like silver. (Psalms 66:10 NLT) The Refiners Fire For every Christian, there is a testing process. Similar to the purification of silver the process involves fire, expressed in our lives as trials.  Though the process is never pleasant, in the end, it produces the “peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Hebrews […]

God Is Still on the Throne

 The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples.  The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation. (Psalms 33:10-11 NASB) Many things happen in this life that seems to be incomprehensible. Christian die seemingly too young in what appears to be in the midst of their usefulness. Occurrences […]

The Chief of All Sinners

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15 NKJV) The Apostle Paul The great evangelist, the Apostle Paul, viewed himself as the chief of all sinners.  Identification with the transgressor will lead many to Christ. In my days as a […]