Results of Redemption – Acts 16:30-31

My recreational reading lately has included material on the history of Baptists in Kentucky. Included in these books have been dozens of short biographies of the earliest missionaries to the area. Despite the fact that God used them for His glory, many were as...

December 18

John Courtney was born in 1744. His family was Virginian and Episcopalian, but through a Separate Baptist preacher the Lord saved him, and in time called him into the ministry, after which he became the first pastor of the Rehoboth Baptist Church in King William...

Mysterious Marvel – Luke 7:1-10

There is a great deal about which I marvel when I look at the Lord Jesus. There are things for which I have no explanation, because of their complexity. He is God. On the other hand, there are things about which I am confused because of their simplicity. For example,...

What if They Knew? – John 4:1-14

Among other things, John 4 is one of the great missionary texts in the Bible. You could say that Judea and Galilee had already received the gospel. They had missionaries and visiting preachers – they had been evangelized. They had a traveling church and even had the...

Prepare to Meet Thy God – Amos 4:12-13

It is downtown Manhattan – the streets of New York City, or perhaps San Francisco, or Los Angeles. Here comes a man with an unkempt beard, long scraggly hair, army surplus boots & old ragged clothes. But there is a fire in his eyes which could be from passion – or...

December 11

The Jeffersonton Baptist Church began its life on this day in 1773. It is the second oldest Baptist church in Culpepper County, Virginia. The first members were members of the Carter’s Run Baptist Church, but they lived too far from the meeting house and...

The Tender Exhortation – Philippians 4:1

Paul loved the church in Philippi. He seemed to be closer to this group people than to most other churches. We can see his affection beginning in the first chapter and extending throughout. “I thank by God upon every remembrance of you.” “I have you...

How to Pray for the President Elect – Ezra 1

I don’t know how closely you listen to current religious thought, but there has been an interesting theme echoing around Christendom. It began before the elections last month, but it has picked up steam since then. There are preachers comparing our President-elect...

The Unchangeable God – I Timothy 1:12-17

There are many ways to contrast the things of God and things of the world. Their USEFULNESS and their vanity might be one means. For example, the things of the world are useable only in this universe – sometimes only immediately. Perhaps that could be a part in our...

December 4

Nathaniel Chambles was born on this day in 1762. The place was Sussex, Virginia. His parents were godly Baptists, but Nathaniel was not converted until sometime during his 26th year. He was baptized and received into the High Hills Baptist Church. Nearly twenty years...