I served as pastor of Southern Baptist churches in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana for almost 30 years before taking a medical leave from the pastorate in February 2013 due to dysautonomia (POTS) and moving to Norman, Oklahoma. Blessed with renewed health, I was called as Senior Pastor of Pleasant Ridge Baptist in Morganton, NC in February 2015.
In this blog I share daily devotions from my own personal Bible readings, as well as sermons, book reviews, illustrations -- and occasional humorous "peeks" at life inside this pastor's home!
Tag Archives: Samuel Rutherford
“His Marvelous Love In A Besieged City”
“Blessed be the LORD, for He has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city.” (Psalm 31:21) Here David praises God for ministering to him, even in an extremely difficult time in his life. He said he was … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged chesed, circumstances, grace, joy, love, lovingkindness, Psalm 31:21, Psalm 4:7, Samuel Rutherford, trials, worship
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“Eternal Life” (John 3:16 sermon)
Qin Shi Huang was the first emperor of the Chinese Qin Dynasty — and he wanted to be the last. He wanted to live forever. In Imperial China at that time, they believed in certain “elixirs of life” which might … Continue reading
“How To Build A Life Of Joy” (Philippians 1:3-5 sermon)
Samuel Rutherford was a pastor in Anwoth, Scotland in the 1600’s, when the English government changed, and demanded that all ministers use the government prescribed prayer book, and submit to the rites and ordinances of the Anglican church, instead of … Continue reading
Sunday Afternoon Gleanings (7-26-15)
Samuel Rutherford was a 17th-century Scottish Puritan pastor who was exiled for his faith. He spent much time writing others at home or in prison who struggled with their faith due to their circumstances. Below are some gleanings from this … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged doubt, faith, prayer, Samuel Rutherford, The Valley of Vision, trials
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“The Gospel of Glory” (II Thessalonians 2:14)
Years ago, when our older kids were very small, I took our son David to Falls Creek with me for the week — he was 3 or 4 years old. We had a great week, as we got to hang … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged C.S. Lewis and pleasure, cathedral of Milan, Dante, doxa, eternal torment, Exodus 33:18-20, Exodus 34:7-8, Falls Creek, glory, glory of God, heaven, hell, II Thessalonians 2:14, John Sailhamer, kabod, Mark Twain, no hope, radiance, Romans 3:23, Samuel Rutherford, shekinah glory, The Innocents Abroad
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Fairest Lord Jesus
The hymn “Fairest Lord Jesus” has an uncertain origin. It was first published in a German Roman Catholic publication in 1677, without attribution to an author. It is interesting that Samuel Rutherford, the Scottish Puritan pastor who was exiled in … Continue reading
Posted in Music, Sermon Illustrations
Tagged fairest, Fairest Lord Jesus, glorious Lord Jesus Christ, hymn story, James 2:1, music, Samuel Rutherford, worship
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“What Tested Faith Looks Like” (James 1:2-4)
We have a lot of people here at First Baptist Church who are going through different “storms” in their lives right now. My own current battle with dysautonomia is well-known to most of you. But I know that I … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Sermons
Tagged "I Walked A Mile With Pleasure", cocoon butterfly story, drunk driver, endurance, faith, genuine faith, hupomene, James 1:2-4, Joe McKeever, maturity, purpose of trials, Robert Browning Hamilton, Samuel Rutherford, sermon, Sirach, suffering, teleios, tested faith, testing, trials, tried faith
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