I am working to make it a simple and easy task to download my sermon notes and/or audio. Previously, the only way you could download a file was when I published an article providing the links. (Those links are temporarily broken.)

As of today, there is a DOWNLOAD PAGE (see the menu at the top of each page of this site) where most of my recent files are available for direct download. There is no description – just a filename. Click on the filename to download the file. I hope to get the descriptions online soon.

I also plan to make my Bible Study outlines available soon. However, I plan to release the studies in sequence – allowing an individual to study them from the first to the last in a series. If you are a minister and you wish to get an entire set, you will need to register on this site and perhaps request them. Post your ideas or concerns in the comments section below.

Check back every few days to see what becomes available. Or (better) sign up for the RSS feed/subscription. Just hit the big orange “Subscribe” button on the left side of this page and follow the instructions.

(Last update: August 21, 2008)

CNN is reporting that a preacher, Anthony Hopkins, was arrested near Mobile, Alabama immediately after delivering a sermon at a local church last Monday night (July 28, 2008). Pastor Jerry Porter said he used to preach with Hopkins at his church, the Williams Street Holiness Church, and knew the family. He said of Hopkins, “he was a bulls-eye prophet. If he told you something, you could pretty much bank on it.”

According to the Wordnet (from Princeton University), a prophet is…

an authoritative person who divines the future

someone who speaks by divine inspiration;

someone who is an interpreter of the will of God

wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Now I believe that there are prophets today – people who speak forth the will of God. But I do NOT believe that God uses just anyone in such an important office. I do not believe that God would use a common murderer as a prophet – do you? Nor would He use a serial rapist or one who sodomized his children, or repeatedly committed incest with his daughters. But that is what Anthony Hopkins is accused of.

The CNN article (Preacher killed wife, stuffed body in freezer, police say – CNN.com) says that Hopkins is charged with murdering his wife in 2004 and stuffing her body in a freezer where she was kept since that time. Hopkin’s oldest daughter recently moved out of the house. After she moved out, she told the police that he had raped and sodomized her for the past eight years. And that Hopkins killed her mother because she had found out about his abuse.

Wow! Which story should we believe? The the man that was a real prophet of God – or a rapist? Read the rest of this entry »

Recently, I read an article about a pastor who walked out on the stage of a large church and announced, “God knows your secret!” After a short pause (and likely, some gasps from his listeners), he continued, “And He loves you anyway!” Now *THAT* I like!!!

This past Sunday was Father’s Day and I wanted to show the “proper respect”

to the guys <grin>. I asked all of the “Perfect Dads” to stand up and be recognized. No one stood up! (Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!) That is the situation that we all find ourselves in – imperfect people in a world calling for perfection. Well, I followed that with some last-minute shopping suggestions for those imperfect dads.

My favorite is the “Men’s Underwear Repair Kit” available from fredflare.com (only $9.95). Here is the description of the kit:

Is your favorite pair of undies about to give up? Save its life with this repair kit! You get iron-on patches, white out, duct tape, elastic waistband, needle & thread, safety pins and a hilarious 32 pg manual. Say “no” to holes! Measures about 6″x8″.

Since none of us is perfect in the eyes of those around us, we sometimes assume that we can never be perfect in God’s eyes either. Well, we could be mistaken!

You can download the outline here

When reading the story of the widow and the oil in 2 Kings 4:1-7, I observed some very powerful principles. I used those principles in a sermon titled, “What do you have?”

Here are the key points:

1. I have something
2. I must anticipate blessing
3. I must commit everything
4. I have more than enough

1. The widow felt that she had nothing. When Elisha asked her, she said, “Your servant has nothing there at all.” Then she added “except a little oil.” Some people tend to keep a “victim” mentality and feel that they are abused and short-changed in everything. But the reality is that we do have SOMETHING! It may be small and insignificant, but we have something.

• God never asks for more than we have
• If we only have a little, then God does not require much
• The question is not “What can you GET?” Rather, it is “What do you HAVE?”

God wants us to count our blessings instead of our battles. He does not call those who are equipped, He equips those He calls! Moses felt that he was incapable of facing pharaoh & the children of Israel. But God said, “What is that in your hand?” and it miraculously was changed into a snake which later became a sign to everyone that God was directing the events.

The “little oil” that seemed so improbable as a means of saving her sons, became the instrument of their salvation. Likewise, God wants to take the insignificant things in our lives and transform them into the solution to our problems. Read the rest of this entry »

I recently saw a church sign that said, “Sinners welcome!” I like that! Is it true in your church? Too often, the church becomes a social club – not necessarily for the upper crust but anyone who is not a member will recognize that they are not exactly welcome.

At our church (Agape’ Fellowship) we determined that our major goal for 2008 was to live up to our name – to live God’s Agape’ love. The practical definition of Agape’ love is captured in the phrase, “I love you too much to allow you to die and go to hell.”

However, many times people who wish to be used of God ask the same question that the repentant people asked John the Baptist, “What should we do?” (Lu 3:10,12,14). In that case, the issue is not whether I love the sinner and want to see him (or her) be saved, the question is HOW do I go about it. In Colossians 4:5 Paul advised the church that if they showed Agape’ love to others, there WOULD be opportunities to share the gospel, “Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” Read the rest of this entry »

In Colossians 3:12-14 Paul calls upon us (as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved) to clothe [ourselves] with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. The word “clothe” is used to require that we “put on” some things that may not “fit” properly at first. We may need to go on a diet & restrict the things that we allow to enter our bodies. We may need to “exercise” some in order to fit into these new “garments.”

But since we are God’s CHOSEN people & since we are “dearly loved,” the sacrifice should not be too great. The purpose is to get us into shape so that we can LIVE a life of LOVE. If you would like to see the outline for a message that I preached today on this subject, you can download it after the break. Read the rest of this entry »