Go therefore and make disciples of all nations… -Matthew 28:19 The passage above from Matthew’s Gospel has come down to us as “The Great Commission.” It is the final command of Jesus recorded from his earthly ministry. We are called to be a people who take the name of...
And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. -1 Corinthians 6:11 The passage above is Paul's finishing touch on his statement that "the unrighteous will not inherit...
…maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. –Ephesians 4:3 I recently completed another outstanding biography of a Christian from the past that has not only been an enjoyable read, but a source of conviction for me as well. I have read much about the life of George...
The “traditional” summer is winding down, and with it, our summer preaching series is drawing to a close as well. We have three more weeks in our “Summer of Psalms” series. Over these three Sundays we will consider Psalm 19 and the “two books” of God’s...
Please take a few moments to read this update from Dr. Wayne Ellis. Wayne and his wife Anna continue to take six months each year to do medical and other missions work in Kenya, East Africa. Their daughter Aliya attends the Rift Academy as a student, and their son Michael, although a...
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will...
“I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.” -Psalm 78:2 and Matthew 13:35 As I continue my Bible reading plan of reading through the New Testament and the Psalms multiple times this year, I have found myself...
And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their...
Good afternoon (or, at least it’s afternoon as I write these words), Beloved! I hope that this e-newsletter finds you all doing well. Over the last week or so I have been preparing for the next book that we will be tackling in Plan and Promise: Nehemiah. As I’ve been reading through...
Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. – Philippians 3:15-16 We are now officially at the halfway mark of 2018. In light of that fact, I...
