Posts by Bryant Perkins (Page 12)

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph 4:1-3). Note that last phrase especially: the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Paul’s exhortation to the church in Ephesus is one that we need to hear again and again. As long as Christians remain united,…

On this Father’s Day, let’s consider an important statement made by God’s man Joshua, one that he makes as a father. In Joshua 24, he is giving his farewell address to the nation. He was an old man who could already feel the hand of death upon him; so it was important that he give the people guidance on how to continue on without him. He recounts the history of Israel, attributing their prosperity to God. If the people forget…

My brother emailed me this little article earlier this week. It is courtesy of Dr. H. Wayne Shamblin, who authors a brief weekly devotional thought. Dr. Shamblin is evidently an interesting character in his own right: he wrote the music for the hymn “Rejoice in the Lord” which appears in several of our songbooks, and played basketball at Abilene Christian University, where he still holds some records. He is a retired basketball coach who is a member of the Bullard…

I Thank My God I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me…Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. (Philippians…

Monday is Memorial Day, a time that our nation has set aside to commemorate those military personnel who died in the performance of their duties. That concept of memorial is one that is worth deeper consideration. The ability to remember is a wonderful gift that God has given to us. Over the years, I have talked often about this at funeral services —memorial services— that I have officiated. But God is also aware of the fact that, sometimes, we forget.…

This week the CDC announced that there is no longer a need for masks or social distancing in most cases for those who are 2 weeks past completing their course of vaccination. Closer to home, the Primetimers had an outing together for the first time in over a year. At the end of the month, we are honoring the graduating Seniors with activities that include a congregational meal. And our attendance in our Sunday morning assembly is steadily growing closer…

On the first day of the last week of his life, Jesus made his “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem. He was greeted by crowds of people shouting Hosanna to the son of David— “God, save!” —and waving palm branches, welcoming him like a king. That did not sit well with the Jewish elites, who questioned his authority in series of confrontations. At one point in this clash, Jesus told them a story: A man had two sons. And he went to…

Walking through Wal-Mart earlier this week, I noted all of the King Cakes on display. Originally, these were baked in celebration of Epiphany, the commemoration of the Magi visiting the baby Jesus, observed on January 6th (if you have ever wondered about the origin of the Twelve Days of Christmas, they run until the Eve of Epiphany on January 5th). Over time, they became associated with the entire Pre-Lenten season, known variously as Shrovetide, Carnival, or, most prominently in this…

We just celebrated Valentine’s Day a couple of days ago, and last night was our annual Valentine’s Banquet here. The way the story is usually told, the holiday traces its origins to a Roman priest who was imprisoned during an outbreak of persecution under the Emperor Claudius II in the 3rd century. He ran afoul of the law for performing clandestine weddings for Christians in the army who were forbidden to marry and was consequently sentenced to death. While awaiting…

From time to time, I think it is beneficial to compare what we find in Scripture to historical sources outside the New Testament. Since we talked about John the Baptist in our sermon last week, it might be interesting to note what the Jewish historian Josephus has to say about him. About this time Aretas, the king of Petra, and Herod the Tetrarch had a quarrel on account of the following. Herod the tetrarch had married the daughter of Aretas…

One of the greatest traditions that is specific to this congregation is what takes place after a person has been baptized into Christ. Everyone present forms a circle around the auditorium (well, ideally it’s a circle—usually it’s more of an irregular polygon, we’re not too good at this part), joins hands, and sings, “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus.” This serves as an impressive reminder of the life-changing significance of faith in Christ expressed in baptism. It is even more…

In 1988, Dan Quayle was selected as the running mate for the Republican Presidential candidate, George H. W. Bush. Within just a few hours of that announcement, he faced the most intense scrutiny of his life. One of the questions revolved around his enlistment in the National Guard during the Vietnam War: did he use personal connections to do that, and did he do it to avoid going overseas? In a news conference the day after his selection, he answered…