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The Pastor’s Pen: Make your reservation
Is your name written in the Book of Life? Ruthanna Metzgar, a professional singer, tells a story that illustrates the importance of having our names written in the Book of Life. Several years ago, she was asked to sing at the wedding of a very wealthy man. According to the invitation, the reception would be…
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Telling the Story: Calm the chaos
Never before has life been more chaotic. More stressful. More intense. More expensive. We need some calm in the chaos. Of course, the Bible speaks to that. In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus told the disciples, “Let’s go to the other side of the lake.” They did. A storm came. They were terrified. Just because the disciples…
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Notes from Calvary: The Price of Our Redemption and Our Worth to God Part 2
BY GREG CRUM “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” I Peter 1:18-19 What is the most valuable commodity in…
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The Pastor’s Pen: When to save a drowning man
Watchman Nee tells the story of his stay in China with 20 other Christians. The bathing accommodations were inadequate in the home where they were lodging, so they went for a daily dip in the river. On one occasion, one of the men got a cramp in his leg and began sinking fast. Mr. Nee…
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Telling the Story: Baptisms at the jail
The portable baptismal pool had been brought out of storage, filled with water, and placed in the sun. We were on the ballcourt at the jail, an enclosed space with wire overhead. This was our sanctuary for the afternoon. Dark clouds threatened to interrupt. Five female inmates had asked to be baptized. Two of them…
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Notes from Calvary: The Price of Our Redemption and Our Worth to God
BY GREG CRUM “Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:” Exodus 2:6 If you’ll allow…
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The Pastor’s Pen: Do you want to be famous?
English evangelist George Whitefield (1714-1770) learned that it was more important to please God than to please men. Knowing that he was doing what was honoring to the Lord kept him from discouragement when his enemies falsely accused him. At one point in his ministry, Whitefield received a vicious letter accusing him of wrongdoing. His…
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Telling the Story: Iron sharpening iron
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17) Dr. Gerry Samson was in our dental office last week. That might not seem like a big deal to you, but it certainly was to us. Dr. Samson is a rock star in the orthodontic community. An orthodontist for over 40 years in Georgia,…
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Notes from Calvary: When ‘Not Enough’ is ‘Just Right’
BY GREG CRUM “For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. Be ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the…
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The Pastor’s Pen: True Disciples
When I was a teenager we had a revival in 1971 at Inez First Baptist Church. There were so many people saved that it seemed like the whole town had turned to Christ. The revival lasted for almost three weeks. Over 100 people made decisions. It seemed that just about every young person at Inez…