Posts by Darrell Powell
The Difference that Love Makes
The parable of the Prodigal son in Luke 15 is special partly because it is one of the passages that gives us a direct glimpse into the kind of Father God is. The son decided he would rather have the riches that he would one day have inherited from his father than to live in his father’s presence. So, he took his things and left. But somewhere along the way, he realized the difference that love makes. When in the…
God’s Pandemic Response
If you’ve lived on Earth for the past 6 months, you know the world has experienced a tumultuous year. And during this year, some have wondered what exactly God has been doing. Does He care? Does He even notice? These aren’t simple questions, but I’m going to use my space today to give one simple answer. What is God’s answer to the problems our world is facing? Answer: you. God came to earth to become the perfect sacrificial lamb for…
Learning to Empathize
Are you journaling? Maybe you’re keeping a log somewhere of your feelings and activities during the quarantine. I will admit, I haven’t been keeping any regular record of this year’s events. But I thought I would at least use this space to write about a few things I hope I don’t forget after things go back to “normal.” We open up our church bulletins and read the words (usually at the end of our prayer list) “shut-ins.” I’m ashamed that…
Braggin’ Rights
I thought about beginning this article by discussing football in the state of Alabama. Every year at this time, fans wearing either crimson and white or orange and blue claim bragging rights for the next 364 days. But I’ll turn in a different direction here. People enjoy being able to boast about things. Whether it’s football, some other sport, or even the time we rang the garbage can with a wad of paper from 20 feet away, many of us…
False Gospels and God’s Wrath
In the Bible book of Galatians, Paul writes bluntly to the church that met in Galatia. In the letter’s introduction and greeting, Paul points to the eternal hope that we have through the resurrection of Jesus. He reminds the readers about the grace that we all need and enjoy. I love the line in the song “How He Loves,” that says “if grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.” It is endlessly deep and is literally available to all people everywhere. Then,…
Expectations
In Luke chapter 9, we read that Jesus sent His disciples into the towns and villages to teach the gospel and to heal. Followers of Jesus should expect to be sent. We don’t become Christians to be served or catered to. So, in our youth ministry, we are hoping to help equip our children for their mission to reach out to the lost and dying world and show them Jesus. But when Jesus sent his disciples out to work, he…
Brothers
I was heading toward the checkout at Walmart the other day and a man in his early thirties approached me holding a loaf of bread, some bologna, and some potato chips. I could tell he was going to ask for help because I guess we all have a personal radar that pings in those situations. He said that he didn’t want money, he just needed the food to eat because he’d been sleeping in his car for the past week…
Doubt…I Get it Now
From time to time, when an idea occurs to me…or I hear something that I want to explore further, I start typing and then title it and save it for a rainy day. Recently I was looking for something to work on and noticed a file entitled “Doubt.” I thought, “We’ve been studying doubt in the teen class, so I’m sure I can add to that one.” I opened it and saw these words: “Doubt…I get it now.” I looked at the date…
Hezekiah
Hezekiah was a breath of fresh air among the kings of Judah during the divided kingdom of Israel. He “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.” He tore down idols in the land and reinstated the worship practices that God had instituted. He “trusted in God so that there was none like him among the kings of Judah after him nor before him. (2 Kings 18:3-5) He didn’t get his goodness from his dad. Hezekiah, a son…
He Knows Just What I Need
It is interesting that we don’t really recognize any of the prophets, who lived during the divided kingdom of Israel, up until Elijah, who served as a prophet during the reigns of Zimri, Omri, and Ahab. About Omri, it was said that he “did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did more evil than all who were before him” I Kings 16:25). That sounds really bad, but Omri’s son, Ahab who succeeded him “did more to…
Consecration Ceremonies
The idea of formally setting apart certain things, people, days, and times was an important part of Old Testament worship. Take a look at Exodus chapter 29 where we see a detailed process by which priests were to be consecrated so that they could serve. It involved a special anointing oil, ceremonially laying hands on the animal to be sacrificed, sprinkling the animal’s blood, and a number of other steps. Similar processes were followed for consecrating the temple’s contents. Among…
The Sword
The sword is often used as a symbol of death or destruction in God’s word. Paul wrote, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?” (Romans 8:35). Then we see a sword listed as part of our spiritual “equipment” in (Ephesians 6:17), and maybe we feel a sense of power. But, what is the purpose of the “sword of the Spirit” (Word of God)? “Therefore…
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