In the I Samuel chapter seventeen, we read the all-too-familiar story of David and Goliath. However, because it is so familiar, we have a tendence to somewhat glaze over the account and miss some very significant points, assuming that we already know what the...
One last concept that I’d like to explore before we leave the story of the Apostle Paul is the fact that he was a survivor. We have already seen in II Corinthians 11:23-28 that he lived through tremendous difficulties that could have crushed even the strongest of men...
Paul’s Prison “P”s One of Paul’s impactful ministries occurred in the city of Philippi – the first city that he visited in Europe. His initial visit may have been as short as just a couple weeks in that the account in Acts chapter sixteen says that he was there over...
Up to this point, our study has focused mainly on what the Apostle Paul did and how he was able to accomplish such significant things; however, the real key to why he was able to make such an impact is who he was. Although Paul was one of the most prolific writers...
The Church at Thessalonica Out of all the congregations that felt the impact of Paul’s life, I’d like for us to consider one specific church as an example of maximum impact because this particular congregation was birthed out of just three weeks of the apostle’s...
Obviously, the task of exploring the impact that Paul had on the lives of the individuals he touched during his lifetime would take us far beyond the limits of just one volume; therefore, I’d like to look at just two examples – one individual and one congregation. ...
Since everything that Paul did was an outward manifestation of the internal mission that was birthed in him on the road to Damascus, our journey through the apostle’s life has helped us isolate a number of the things that caused his life to be one of maximum impact:...
Paul’s Life Story Our first introduction to Paul is as Saul of Tarsus, a persecutor of the early Christians. But it is possible for us to piece together a bit of the history that led up to this chapter in his life. Saul grew up as a freeborn Roman citizen (Acts...
It was my first “real” job – with an office, a desk, and a plaque proudly announcing my name. But before we go there, I should tell you that I’ve always worked. Even before I was old enough to count out the change, I pulled a little wagon around my neighborhood...
He wasn’t “born with a silver spoon in his mouth.” In fact, he was actually born with “a knife against his throat.” Yet, in divine irony, the man who was holding the knife top his throat wound up feeding him with his silver spoon. This is the beginning of the story...
The story of how Paul selected Timothy is recorded in the sixteenth chapter of Acts – which, as we have already observed, immediately followed the council in Jerusalem in which Paul played a major role in helping the early church leaders come to the conclusion that it...
A number of years ago, I ran across an article that is now probably safely filed away in an extinct cabinet at the university where I no longer teach. Although I can’t get my hands on the original document today, I distinctly remember that it listed the conversion of...
Chapter Twenty-threeThe Violent Take The Kingdom by Force In Matthew 11:12‑15, Jesus said, And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until...
Chapter Twenty-twoDestroying the Works of the Devil He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (I John 3:8) The purpose of our being...
Chapter Twenty-one Christians and Demons When asked if a Christian could have a demon, one great Christian leader answered, "A Christian can have anything he has faith for!" Although his answer might seem to be a bit humorous, it really seems to "hit the nail on the...
Chapter NineteenWhere Did the Devil Come From? Before we get into the discussion about how we are to confront these alien demonic forces, perhaps it is appropriate to understand where they came from and where they are going. With this knowledge, we get a bit better...
Chapter Fourteen Knowing Our Enemy Paul said that he didn’t shadow box or box against the wind. (I Corinthians 9:26) We know the story of little Peter who cried “Wolf!” and all the men of the town would come out prepared to fight the wolf. After he cried “Wolf!” so...
Chapter Eleven Standing Against the Enemy After Having Eaten the Baby At the end of a morning service, I told the congregation that I was going to minister to them in the evening service on “After Having Eaten the Baby.” After meditating all afternoon about what...
General Douglas McArthur said, “It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win.” Our stance in this spiritual conflict is that we intend – no, we expect – to win. We are aggressively pursuing the gates of hell, knowing that they will not be able to withstand...
We have to realize that we are new creatures in Christ – not just a more recent version of the old creature but an entirely different creation. We cannot keep the bond of peace and come into unity in the Body as long as we are old creatures trying to be patched up. ...