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The Discipline of God is Strong

The discipline of the believer provides one of our greatest assurances of God’s love. Please read and think deeply about “The Discipline of God is Strong.”

The Unrepenting Repenter

The believer in Christ is a lifelong repenter.  He begins with repentance and continues in repentance. (Rom. 8:12-13) David sinned giant sins but fell without a stone at the mere finger of the prophet because he was a repenter at heart (2 Sam. 12:7-13). Peter denied Christ three times but suffered three times the remorse until he repented with bitter tears (Mt. 26:75). Every Christian is called a repenter, but he must be a repenting repenter. The Bible assumes the…

Say What You Love About God

May I suggest something of value for you to do that has great returns. It is so simple, yet profound and effective. We all can do it. Here it is: DESCRIBE SOMETHING YOU VALUE ABOUT GOD TO OTHERS. I mean by this to thoughtfully tell somebody what God is like. Portray as colorfully as possible a characteristic of the Father, Son, or Spirit that you value and think is worth being known. A believer who could learn to do this…

Until We Die

Poem written for Jeannie Elliff just before her death on 7/20/15 UNTIL WE DIE Jim Elliff We don’t know how to live until we die– die to trust in living as that which keeps a life, die to fear of dying as that which ends a life. And if we die to living, And live by dying, We live the truest life by Him whose life we’re given, Who came as life And lived to die And rose to life…

It Isn’t Alarming – A Letter From Jim

Dear CCW family, Think about this dialogue between Mr. Brockton and James . . . _____ The older, wiser Mr. Brockton: When scores of people lose their lives at one time, it isn’t alarming, but it is tragic. The younger disciple, James: How is it possible not to be alarmed if 5,000 die in an earthquake or 10,000 in a Tsunami or 300 in a sinking boat? Mr. Brockton: The size of the group whose lives are taken is of…

Robert Chapman’s Great Aim

I recently spent time with the man who was my pastor my final year in seminary. My wife and I had one of the best year’s of our lives as members of the little church where he was serving as a pastor for the first time. By his own admission, he wasn’t a very good communicator yet — he shook his head reflecting back on his poor public speaking skills — but biblical content was always there, and we all…

God Doesn’t Need You

“He is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.” Acts 17 Paul on Mars Hill in Athens proclaimed the entire self-sufficiency of God. We are his body, it is true, which is the fullness or completion of the Head. He uses us. But he needs nothing from us. Let that sink in. We do not add to him in any way, but rather, he gives…

From Here to There: How We Obtain the Inheritance

The inheritance for the Christian begins with eternal life, a transformed body, new heavens and a new earth, and extends literally to all there is. We are co-heirs with Christ, meaning all that Christ has received in his ascension and final victory over evil, we will receive. The realization of all that won’t come until later, yet it is ours. We will reign under him over all the universe! Jesus told his disciples to not be afraid of provisional lack…

The Value of Hanging Out

I have just spoken to a lady from Germany about her kids in college while my Lebanese friend was standing by. Both work at the local coffee shop where I am writing this piece. Just prior to that I spoke with other acquaintances from South Korea who own a T-shirt business at the city market downtown. Business is not so good for them right now, but they smile and talk with me most mornings I’m there. I met yet another…

Ten Correctable Mistakes We Make When Preaching and Teaching

I’ve been teaching the Bible regularly and often since 2001, and I’m still surprising myself, sometimes in the worst ways. I went back to listen to a message on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace, a story that everyone should find riveting. The first half or so seemed engaging, but about 60% of the way through, my tone and word choices communicated a major reduction of awe and wonder. This led me to reflect on this question: “What…

Give to Me, Bright Sovereign

The Sovereign King of the Universe has welcomed us, and invited us to ask him for all that we need. He not only invites us to ask, but is the very one who can accomplish what we request.

Paul and Prayer: Colossians 4:12-13

Colossians 4:12-13 “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.” Epaphras was, according to the Apostle Paul, the person who started the church at Colossae. This was his hometown, situated about 100 miles…

When Your Pastor Thinks He’s Brother Molehill

It might surprise you to know that many pastors who have generous smiles on their faces each Sunday are, deep down, very disheartened. Pastoring a church is difficult work. For one thing, it is usually thankless. I know there are some churches that seem to remember their pastors with much fanfare, but most churches do not ever esteem them. They don’t work for just the members ultimately, so they can get over it, but never hearing those words, “Thanks for…

Responding to Admonitions

I knew I was going to miss my connecting flight. Still, I sprinted through one of the world’s largest airports to get to my departure gate. As predicted, I was too late and put on the stand-by list for a flight three hours later. As I sat at my new gate, tired from a weekend of ministry, I noticed an unfriendly ticket agent who never quite made eye contact with anyone, even people speaking directly to her. The wrinkles on…

What a Man Knows in Hades

It is almost alarming to consider the difference between a man or woman in hell and a man or woman in heaven. In that amazing story from Jesus about Lazarus the poor man who ate the crumbs from the rich man’s table we learn, after the death of both of them, something which we might not know otherwise. The rich man is in Hades, the first dimension of hell. He is in torment, and asks for mercy from Abraham, the…

No Sin

How blind to say,”No sin”Or think it soAs if he died for sinless menOr cleanses just the clean. The sick man sees a doctor,The sinful sees a Savior. And he is both. And I was both. ______________ Copyright © Jim Elliff 2017

The Surprising Story of Bill Beery

My brother pastored an unconverted man on the rolls of the church. When it was discovered, some of the men in the church began to share Christ with him and soon he became a true believer in Christ. His name was Bill Beery, a direct relative of the famous deceased actor Wallace Beery. Bill was a physically imposing mechanic at 6’ 6”. But Lou Gehrig’s disease, the illness that physicist Stephen Hawkins endured, soon wilted him into a shadow of…

Seriousness In Children and Teens

It is increasingly obvious that children and young people in many evangelical churches are anything but serious about Christ. There are notable exceptions, but in many churches a cursory look at the behavioral signals put out by the young people reveal a profound disinterest. On the one hand there is a sort of giddiness and silliness by some who believe that church is there only to provide them a place for enjoying friends and impressing the opposite sex. On the…

A 12 Point Cure for Complaining

Complaining is unbecoming of the true Christian and yet we are proficient at it. The cure is found in these verses. In Christ we are never hopeless or forsaken. Every trial has meaning. Meditate on this cure in order to change both your language and your heart. 1. God commands me never to complain. Do all things without complaining and disputing. (Philippians 2:14) 2. God commands me to give thanks in every circumstance. In everything give thanks, for this is…