Barnabas Powell's Blog, page 177
July 11, 2017
How Much Do You Love Me?
My daughters and I have this little game we play. I ask them “How much do you love me?” And they, giggling and smiling, try to stretch their little arms as wide as they can and say “This much, daddy!” Of course then they ask me how much I love them and I make as big a show as I can to stretch my arms as wide as I can and say…
The post How Much Do You Love Me? appeared first on Faith Encouraged.
July 10, 2017
Willing to Learn! Willing to be Taught!
You know the old saying “God works in mysterious ways.” Well, that may be true, but that doesn’t make my confusion over why things happen in my life any better! In fact, I have to confess to you that most of the short and cute little theological phrases we use to “comfort” others during hard times are simply not helpful. Life can be frustrating, confusing, and scary, and the whole message that…
The post Willing to Learn! Willing to be Taught! appeared first on Faith Encouraged.
July 7, 2017
Slave or Son? Which Are You?
The young man bristled under his father’s rules and regulations. He hated knowing that, while he was under age and under his dad’s roof, he had to buckle down and do what he was told. He daydreamed of one day being free of this harsh regiment. As he grew older, his impatience to be “free” grew stronger. And then the day arrived. He was “of age” and his father met him after…
The post Slave or Son? Which Are You? appeared first on Faith Encouraged.
July 6, 2017
It Is More Blessed to Give!
It’s a bit of a paradox, but the truth is Faith and Joy are gifts that can only be possessed by giving them away! Strange, isn’t it? But think about it. joy and faith are always the casualties of inattentiveness. When I stop prioritizing Faith and Joy, they diminish their presence in my life. When I focus on Faith and Joy, they grow and spread to others around me. It’s kind of…
The post It Is More Blessed to Give! appeared first on Faith Encouraged.
July 5, 2017
Crucify Your Flesh!
Folks, there’s just one use for a cross. No ambiguity. No “shades of meaning.” The only use for a cross is to kill someone. Sorry for the stark language right off the bat, but there’s just no way to dress this up to make it more palatable. Crucifixion means somebody is going to die! No wonder we avoid the idea so much. But should we? After all, the famous saying on Mt.…
The post Crucify Your Flesh! appeared first on Faith Encouraged.
July 4, 2017
Unclean! Unclean!
The preacher was telling the story of the plight of those in biblical times who suffered from leprosy. They were social outcasts and had to live in leper colonies and if they ventured out, they had to call before them to warn all around the “Unclean! Unclean!” You see leprosy was highly contagious, even to the point that the clothes lepers worn was burned instead of recycled or given away. The leper…
The post Unclean! Unclean! appeared first on Faith Encouraged.
July 3, 2017
Do Not Be Overcome By Evil!
Sometimes, I hate Facebook! OK, what I really hate is being misunderstood and then I have to scramble to be understood and end up making things worse! Ugh! It seems the harder I try the worse it gets. Do you know what I mean? Have you ever, with the best of intentions, tried to make a clear and cogent comment only to have it taken out of context or misunderstood in a…
The post Do Not Be Overcome By Evil! appeared first on Faith Encouraged.
July 1, 2017
A Time Of Refreshing and Learning
Recently I was blessed to be able to attend the 2nd Annual Ancient Faith Writing and Podcasting conference at Antiochian Village in Bolivar, PA. As I reflect on these few days with some old friends and many new friends, I’m reminded of a saying: “To be inspired is great, but to be an inspiration is an honor.” From June 15th to June 17th we gathered at the Antiochian Village to hear inspiring…
The post A Time Of Refreshing and Learning appeared first on Faith Encouraged.
June 30, 2017
Like Sheep Without A Shepherd
OK, I’m a bit of an Eagles fan, and when they released their first CD after years of being apart, I jumped at it! The CD was called “Hell Freezes over” and was named that because one of the guys said that would be the time the Eagles all got back together again to do another project. Well, guess what… There’s a song on that album that I have loved since the…
The post Like Sheep Without A Shepherd appeared first on Faith Encouraged.
June 29, 2017
First Principles – A Firm Foundation
We were talking in Bible study recently about “First Principles.” It seems this is something we so rarely consider, but if we miss fundamental truths, we always end up in places we never intended to go. For instance, if you don’t build your life on the fundamental truth that when you say “God” you mean the Holy Trinity, you mean the Father, and you mean the UNCREATED, you will wind up with…
The post First Principles – A Firm Foundation appeared first on Faith Encouraged.
