Author Archives: kenbarnes

so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 3:10 NASB) The church is God’s theatre to heaven and earth.  Without embracing God’s full expression on this earth, the church with all its varied expressions, we will never understand God’s multifaceted wisdom. The […]

All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the Lord weighs the motives. Proverbs 16:2 NASB) We can feel pretty good about the things that we do, but we often do not understand why we do what we do.  It is possible to give with your hand but not your heart.   In […]

Let me relate to you a somewhat embarrassing little story. Yesterday morning I was in the drive-thru lane at a local Chic-fil-A.  On Saturday morning, I sometimes pick up a couple of breakfast sandwiches for my wife and myself.  As I approached the young lady who was taking orders that morning, I reached for my […]

For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy,“I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite. Samuel Brengle  (Isaiah 57:15 NASB) Isaiah describes what has always been and always will be […]

“And rend your heart and not your garments.” (Joel 2:13a NASB) Joel was grieved over the religious hypocrisy of his day.  He saw the need for repentance that just did not tear their outer garments but broke their hearts over their sin. One of the greatest enemies of true faith has always been a false religion.  False […]

So, when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; Acts 1:6-7 (NASB)   Jesus’ disciples were looking for […]

But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Because it was [a]in your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was [b]in your heart.  Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son who [c]will be born to you, he will build the house for My name.’ (I Kings 8: 18-19 NASB) Just like […]

He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan.  (2 Kings 18:4 NASB) Hezekiah was a righteous King.  He instituted many reforms, one […]

Hear a just cause, O Lord, give heed to my cry;Give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips. (Psalm 17:1 NASB). How do you know whether your prayers are from deceitful lips?  Only through the testing of your heart will you know if your mouth is speaking deceit. Many believe that this prayer came at a […]