How Important Are Your Intentions?

Whenever a person speaks, there is meaning in what is spoken. The speaker has an intended message he is trying to convey. It is frustrating when the listener misunderstands, misinterprets, ignores, or intentionally twists your intended meaning. Your frustration answers the title question: How important are intentions?

In the Bible there are several instances in which intentions are of great significance.

God’s word: 

God’s message to mankind has meaning that originated in His mind. He expects mankind to understand and respond based on the meaning He intended, not ‘what it means to me.’ 

Consider 2 Peter 1:20-21…

But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Sacrifice: 

In the Old Testament people would bring an animal to a priest to slay it and offered it as a sacrifice. However, there were different purposes of the sacrifices. A sin offering was for the forgiveness of one’s sin. A peace offering was for maintaining fellowship with God. An offering of thanks was a sacrifice of simple gratitude. The person’s intent in offering the sacrifice was the first element in determining its purpose and benefit.

Carried a step further, consider the hunter who kills an animal for food or the person who takes from his livestock to host a feast for friends. Would the slaying of either of those animals forgive sins, secure fellowship with God, or be considered thanksgiving to God. Intent determines the purpose of the death of the animal and the expected benefit.

Baptism: 

As kids we loved to go to the creek near my grandmother’s house. While playing, someone would always be dunked. Technically speaking, that was a baptism. (The literal meaning of baptism is immersion, presumably in water). However, because the creek dunking was done with only playful intent, it had no religious significance. However, when a person is baptized into Christ according to Scripture intending to receive the promises that God has declared, then baptism is full of meaning. It has a spiritual effect because of what God has declared and promised.

Furthermore, what if your intent at your baptism was not the same as God’s intent? What if you were baptized so you could have your name placed on the membership role at a local church group or to show your parents that you were a responsible kid? Those are not God’s intent in baptism. Baptism has value only if your intent matches God’s intent!

Worship: 

When you sing a hymn do you intend to worship? Or is it merely words dribbling off your lips like dog slobbers? The Apostle Paul, in stressing the importance of accurate communication in our assembly, wrote, “I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” (1 Corinthians 14:15) His simple point was that if there was no understanding of the mind, then the singing was of no value. (That’s why it is of no value to sing songs in a foreign language unless the meaning is understood.)

When the bread and cup are taken during the Lord’s Supper, how can it be worship if your mind is wandering aimlessly or thinking about lunch or distracted by the toddler sitting in front of you? What is your intent?

Intent is not important; it is critical! 

If you lack intent when you are following God’s instruction in Scripture, or if your intent is different from God’s intent, then you will cheat yourself out of God’s intended blessings.

Mark Stinnett

August 9, 2026

All Joked Up!

Made with hotpot.ai/art-generator

His lessons were uplifting, a rich sustaining spiritual feast from God’s word. That was the first time I heard him preach. Then, a few years later, something had changed. He didn’t preach, he just entertained. We opened our Bibles, but the ‘lessons’ were filled with jokes and amusing stories.

• "Well, that’s like the man who…” (one liner) LOL
• “And that reminds me of the little girl who…” (joke) LOL
• “On one occasion when my boys were little….” (Illustration or just another funny? Hard to tell.) LOL

A friend’s daughter tallied 15 ‘funnies’ during the first half of the ‘sermon’ and then lost count. (Compare that to a late night talk show host who begins with a 4-5 minute monologue of humor.)

Jesus: jokester??

John: personal anecdotes??

Peter: one-liners??

Where was Paul’s amusing introduction to draw the crowd’s attention!?

“Jesus taught by telling stories,” we have been told. Yet how do the ‘stories’ that Jesus told compare to the stories told by preachers today? I have never once heard a preacher tell anything like the parables of Jesus that contain inexhaustible spiritual riches.

Almost 2,000 years ago Paul described our times:

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires. 

--2 Timothy 4:3

Too many times I have heard people remember the jokes and stories that preachers tell, yet forget the sermon content. Illustrations can be meaningful and might be amusing. However, when the humor distracts from God’s word, divine truth becomes secondary and is rendered ineffective.

Consider Peter’s words in 2 Peter 1:12-15

I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. (v. 12)

Read through the first 11 verses to identify “these things.” He was not interested in new or clever or funny. Rather, he was always ready to remind them of things they already knew to establish them in the truth.

I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder. (v. 13)

What did Peter use to stir the people up?

He remind them of what they already knew. It was the right thing to do.

And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind. (v. 15)

Peter was not interested in his audience getting all joked up. His goal was that they would remember, remember, remember the divine truth of God’s word after he was gone.

Given the choice of what to remember, choose the truth being taught instead of the illustration. Remember the Bible class lesson better than you remember the teacher’s personal anecdotes. Remember the content of the sermon rooted in God’s word instead of the name of the preacher.

What is your preference: God’s word preached or man’s entertainment?

Mark Stinnett

April 5, 2026

A Different 'Slant' on the Bible

There’s a Bible out there to suit everyone’s taste! That’s right! You can select from dozens of Bibles where one is sure to suit your style! 

Here are some of today’s offerings!

• Outreach Bible 
• Here’s Hope New Testament
• Life Application Bible 
• Life Recovery Bible
• ESV Student Study Bible
• CSB Military Bible 
• American Patriot’s Bible
• Adventure Bible (with cartoon illustrations for kids)
• NKJV Matthew Henry Daily Devotional Bible (Infused with commentary by Matthew Henry)
• NLT DaySpiring Daily Devotional Bible for Moms
• CSB She Reads Truth Bible 
• Flourish: The NIV Bible for Women
• Rooted: The NIV Bible for Men 
• Every Man’s Bible NLT
• CSB Pastor’s Bible 
• NKJV Minister’s Bible 
• ESV Preaching Bible
• NIV Compact Girls’ Ultimate Backpack Bible, Faithgirlz Edition (A portable Bible for tweens.) (There’s one for boys too!)
• The NIV Artisan Collection Bible for Girls (with lots of artistic features)
• The Voice Bible (Uses compelling narratives, poetry and teaching that enables the reader to hear God and experience His presence.)
• Flourish: The NIV Bible for Women
• The Bride’s Bible
• CSB Coach’s Bible
• NIV Outdoorsman Bible
• Spiritual Warfare Bible
• Catholic Bible
• Jewish Bible
• NKJV Prayer Bible
• NLT Spiritual Growth Bible, 

...and there are dozens more…

Yes, some of these are simply Bibles with ‘cool’ packaging. Yet many contain the Scripture intermingled with commentary intended to give a predefined focus to the text, a particular slant to the word. Without judging those who have compiled and published these specialty Bibles, one cannot help but wonder: “Is God’s word different for each person?”

Publishers market Bibles to make a profit, but what was God’s purpose in revealing his Word?

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…. 

--Romans 12:2

I fear that man has been transforming the Bible into his own image. For many, God’s word has lost its appeal, so the words of popular writers, speakers, and commentators are added. This appeals to the individual tastes of people, yet God has appealed to man through the cross. 

Jesus said in John 12:32...

And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.

There are difficult passages in the Bible. YOU need to wrestle with the difficult passages, not simply hand your mind over to someone else. How many times did Jesus end a parable with, “He who has ears, let him hear”?

Understanding is for those who desire it, who spend time in the word, and who use spiritual discernment. Understanding is not an academic pursuit and it is seldom accidental, easy or convenient. You must apply yourself to the reading of the scriptures and the practice of God’s word.

But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. 

--Hebrews 5:14

At some point it is time to simply read the word...

     ...no notes...

          ...no commentary...

               ...no helps...

                    ...no slant. 

Just listen.

Mark Stinnett

June 22, 2025

"The End Is Near!"...Again

A respected medical journal reported...
A respected scientific publication claimed...
A team of respected psychologists discovered...

There are many claims made by many people with well-deserved credentials. Yet, sometimes their reports, claims, and discoveries contradict.

Some modern-day ‘seers’ claim to know the future, claiming their source to be the dead. (Do the dead really know the future??)

We read about astounding claims, miracle cures, health scares, economic disaster, our nation’s future, cataclysmic world events, and even the end of the world or the universe.

Does anyone know anything for sure!?

Questions about the future have interested mankind for centuries? Old Testament prophets relayed God’s message to man, but there were also posers, those who claimed to be prophets but had received no revelation from God. The false prophets often spoke of peace while the prophets of God warned of His impending judgment due to sin and unfaithfulness. People wondered who was telling the truth.

God gave the Israelites a simple way to determine whether a prophet spoke from God or from his own mind: If the prophesy occurred as the prophet predicted, then he could be trusted. If the prophesy failed, the prophet was a false prophet. (Deuteronomy 18:15-22)

Our society has, in general, followed God’s strategy as an intuitive way of dealing with seemingly unbelievable claims. Many doom and gloom prognosticators have been revealed as false prophets by the passage of time. Yet, many in our society still line up neatly and follow any 'pied piper’ who plays the music of scientific research.

Science and research are excellent resources. Yet, not all science/research has revealed truth. One study predicts another economic depression; another predicts a catastrophic earthquake; yet another, a pandemic disease. Time passes and life goes on as it always has. New research sometimes reveals the flaws of earlier predictions.

Although the Bible is not a science book or a guide for economic planning, it often reveals truths that apply to the many claims made in our world. The key is to begin with God and allow him to reveal truths about mankind and his world. (Our human tendency is to begin with man’s thinking and then see if God’s word fits what we think we already know.)

As an example, consider ‘climate change.’ One theory concludes that the earth will become uninhabitable due to excessive heat. Another theory predicts a global freeze brought on by a change in ocean currents due to the melting of polar icecaps. These and other theories fly in the face of God’s promise to Noah:

While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter and day and night, shall not cease. 

—Genesis 8:22

So, it’s great to be responsible by putting out the trash, recycling, conserving energy and even hugging a tree if you wish. But don’t be upset by “the end is near” environmental alarmists.

Not every claim made by people will have a clear and direct answer in Scripture. However the Bible will guide us so that we do not have live in fear of modern-day false prophets...even if research seems to be on their side.

Mark Stinnett

September 1, 2024

Are You Ready?

The title question, “Are you ready?” is often asked in reference to time. Of course, it could also be a question about one’s preparation, and that’s what I want you to think about.

The question, “Are you ready?” is to ask, “Are you fully equipped?” Even then, ambiguity remains, “Fully equipped for what?”

We go to school (or are home schooled) and that is supposed to prepare us...for something. Some high school grads go to trade school, while others go to college. Those are also supposed to prepare us...for something. The work place, from blue collar to white collar, is filled with every kind of training opportunity.

All of that tells us that we put quite a lot of time and energy and money into training. But for what purpose?

We might think of resumes, job interviews and work references as part of the process for finding out how well equipped a person is for a job.

Parents provide training that spans areas such as language and communication, good manners, personal hygiene, moral behavior, getting along with others, how to thrive in one’s surroundings (home, neighborhood, town, world). Additional training might include personal organization and planning, finances, yard/car/house maintenance, long-term planning, gardening, animal/pet care, and the list goes on. That training partly equips us for life on earth.

Have you ever thought about God’s training?

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NASB95)

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Scripture is beneficial in getting you ready! Specifically, it is beneficial in fully equipping you “for every good work.”

High school is inadequate; college is inadequate; trade school is inadequate. Even the best parents are inadequate. All of the training designed and carried out by people is inadequate to fully equip a person “for every good work.”

It is not that educational institutions or parents or anyone else has failed. Rather, it is God’s intention to prepare people for something different than our usual focus. Our training programs focus on what we (humans) think is important. God has focused on what He knows is important because He designed us. In fact…

We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. 

—Ephesians 2:10 (NASB95)

God did not create us for building cars, entertainment, forestry, accounting, selling furniture, cooking, managing a business, archaeology, or a world full of other areas of work. He created us for good works. His revealed word, Scripture, is capable of making us “adequate, equipped for every good work.”

God is not a big fan of the separation of church and state. He expects us to take our Christianity into our homes, into our places of work, into our schools, into stores and entertainment venues. His expectation is that we walk in good works every day in every place.

We often misunderstand God’s will because our focus is on ourselves, our jobs, our ideas of what is important. So, let’s realign our focus and embrace God's training. And then, let's get out there and walk in good works.

Mark Stinnett

September 10, 2023

Superstition and Ancestors

Someone gave me a lucky rabbit’s foot when I was a kid. I lost it, but it was no great loss. After all, the bone that I could feel through the fur kind of grossed me out. I don’t have a lucky penny, or a lucky horseshoe over my doorway. I don’t even know how to make lucky things work. Do you?

I guess people usually think that lucky items simply bring good luck. But I saw someone in a movie rubbing her lucky charm when she was afraid. (It didn’t turn out good.)

Just for fun I jumped onto the Internet to solve my quandary. I read things about the lucky horseshoe that were amazing, confusing, and mysterious. Ha! The website I had found was about a video game!

Now, doesn’t that sum it all up? Superstition is made up. It comes from the minds of people, like a video game; nothing real, no substance.

Is it really bad luck if a black cat runs in front of you? If you step on a crack, will it really break your mother’s back? While some superstitions are simply ridiculous, others have grown out of religious beliefs, yet with no basis in Scripture.

Superstition has been used to frighten children (and adults) into obedience. Superstition has been used to promise good things. But how? Where does superstition get its power?? Is it unharnessed power that you can possess with the right charm or potion or words? Why is the horseshoe lucky instead of bringing a curse?

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy:

Instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.

—1 Timothy 1:3-4

Myths. Superstitions are myths.

“The administration of God” that Paul referred to is God’s management of His divine will. So, putting faith in empty, speculative superstition, works against the will of God. Superstition is a matter of misplaced faith. Avoid it!

_____________________

Perhaps you’re heard of those eastern religions that have ancestor worship. It’s a good thing we don’t do that kind of thing! It was a problem in ancient times. God warned the Israelites to avoid the occult practices of the pagan nations. One of their practices was attempting to call up the dead. (Deuteronomy 18:11)

In the New Testament Jesus told about a man who died and ended up in Hades, the place of the unrighteous dead. In torment he cried out for relief but received none. Only then did he cry out with concern for his living relatives. He asked that someone be sent back from the dead to his living brothers to warn them.

The response he received: “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.”

God wants His people to listen to Him, not dead ancestors. I can assure you that your dead ancestors have no concern about their pets or your pets, your love life, or your career. They have no desire to send you warm, fuzzy messages from beyond, or status reports on other deceased loved ones. If they have any message at all would be a single unified message:

     If they are in the Paradise of God, they would tell you, “Follow Jesus.”

     If they are in the torment of Hades, they would tell you, “Follow Jesus.”

Anything else is superstition, just another idol.


Mark Stinnett

July 2, 2023

Idols and the Occult

Have you ever heard a friend refer to someone as their idol? We generally translate that to mean someone who is greatly admired. Your friend does not fall to the ground and actually worship the person they admire. Perhaps you are familiar with the TV series “American Idol.” The word idol is used in a figurative way. We don’t have a problem with idolatry. Right?

Idolatry was a real problem in Old Testament times. Even in the New Testament we read how the apostles had to deal with the problem. Of course, it wasn’t the Christians with a Jewish background, it was all those pagans. See for yourself; idolatry is not mentioned in the gospel accounts. It is not an issue until the gospel started going into the Gentile world. Right?

Have you ever thought about idolatry? Have you ever wondered why God was sooooo firmly set against it?

Ultimately, it is a matter of truth and trust.

In the Ten Commandments God instructed the Israelites NOT to make idols, saying specifically that they should not make images that bore the likeness “of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.” Heaven is literally, heavens, plural, and refers to the two heavens above the earth: sky and space. So, God’s instruction included idols bearing the image of humans, animals, plants, inanimate objects including celestial bodies in space. Add to that anything that man creates.

Think with me… If we made an idol, what would be the purpose? Isn’t it true that the idol only represents something believed to be real? In pagan religions idols represented a god or goddess believed to have power. For example, the Egyptian god Horus was generally depicted with a human body and a head of a hawk or falcon. This image/idol represented a god believed to provide protection over the Pharaoh. In truth, this god of protection was made up. So was the image representing it. So, whenever a Pharaoh turned to this god for help, he was turning to nothing. He was searching for help apart from the one true God and Creator of the universe.

The same could be said of all the gods of all pagan religions and mythologies.

God instructed his people NOT to use divination, NOT to consult mediums or witches or sorcerers, NOT to consult those who interpret omens or cast spells or call up the dead. (These practices are referred to as the occult.) He told His people that He would speak to them through prophets (Deuteronomy 18:10-15).

In the New Testament we are told that God spoke to people in various ways in the past, but has now spoken to mankind in His Son, Jesus, who is the “exact representation of His nature” (Hebrews 1:1-4). Listen to Him!

It is God’s intention for every Christian to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18). His purpose is not so people will bow and worship the likeness, but that people will be drawn to Jesus and listen to Him.

You’ll need to decide what to do with your jewelry and key rings with crosses, doves and the sign of the fish. You’ll have to decide whether to ornament your yard or Christmas tree with images of God and Jesus. Just don’t pass these things off as mere symbols. Remember the Israelites at Mount Sinai; the golden calf was supposed to symbolize the God of Heaven! However, it was an image, forbidden then and now!

Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

—1 John 5:21

Mark Stinnett

June 25, 2023

Evaluating God

Does the title of this blog bother you?

It should. Unfortunately, there is quite a lot of questioning going on these days when it comes to God and His word. Even some of today’s biblical scholars presume to question God and evaluate His word. Some give Him no more respect than mythological gods, and assign His word no more value than other ancient writings.

When a person questions God, he is calling God into account as if God must answer to him.

When a person scoffs at God’s word, he stands in judgment of God’s declaration. Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, scoffed at God’s words delivered by an angel. In contrast, Mary accepted God’s word, even though she found it extraordinary and difficult to understand.

Job listened and responded to his friends when they came to console him. Over and over they concluded that Job’s misfortune was evidence of his sin. After all, in their thinking, good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people. Job maintained his innocence, but he went too far. He kept telling them that if he could have an audience with God, then God would defend him; God would vindicate him.

On the one hand Job was correct. His suffering was not a result of sin. (Sometimes bad things happen to good people.) However, it was not his place to call God to the witness stand to vindicate him. When God spoke to Job he started:

Who is this that darkens counsel

By words without knowledge?

Now gird up your loins like a man,

And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!

—Job 38:2-3 (NASB95)

Job had been stating his case, and in doing so, demanding an answer from God. He presumed to have God answer to him.

God answered Job with more than fifty questions (as well as numerous statements) relating to creation. Then He said to Job:

Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it. 

—Job 40:2 (NKJV)

God is not subject to our scrutiny. We may question whether the Hebrew and Greek documents that contain God’s word are authentic, but we must not question what God said. We must evaluate ourselves and even our own congregation of the Lord’s church, but not God.

The Bereans studied the Scriptures to evaluate Paul’s words. Note well, however, that the Scriptures were the standard by which Paul’s words were evaluated. (Acts 17:10)

We might wonder when God will fulfill a promise, yet not question the promise. We might ask for God’s help and then ponder His ways and inquire about His will. And yet, we should never question His character, His justice, His love.

Moses and the Apostle Paul wrote of God:

The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He. 

—Deuteronomy 32:4

Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 

—Romans 11:33

God identified Himself to Israel: I am who I am. He does not exist to be evaluated by man, but to be revered and obeyed.

In the end, it is God who will be evaluating mankind. And His judgment will be carried out according to the words of Jesus (John 12:48).

Mark Stinnett

March 27, 2022

An Exceptional Case

I’ve always liked being an exception. And yet, I think always is too strong a word. It was nice when mom or dad or a teacher would single me out and give me special attention. I would feel like an exception compared to everyone else. Yet, sometimes that special attention was embarrassing, because I was in trouble!

You surely understand how I am using the word exception. It is not just being singled out, but being different from the usual. It is the reason why the words always and never should be used sparingly. They leave no room for exceptions.

Jesus said that Judas was an exception. He had lost none of his twelve apostles, except Judas, the son of perdition. (Check it out in John 17:12.)

I have discovered that there are some people who read the Bible with an exception attitude, not an exceptional attitude. What I mean by an exception attitude is that they read with the attitude that there are many exceptions to the instruction and revelation of God. Do you think that is a wise approach?

Here are a couple of examples:

Solomon wrote: “A gentle answer turns away wrath.” (Proverbs 15:1) But someone responds saying, “I remember one instance when the angry person became angrier even though he was answered with a gentle response.” (Exception.)

The Apostle Paul wrote: “Honor your father and mother...so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:2-3) But someone observes, “That was written to the Israelites and it was about them living long in the land of Israel, not about us living a long life today.” (Exception.)

By God’s power Moses parted the Red Sea so that the Israelites crossed on dry land to escape from Pharaoh and his army. (Exodus 14) But someone explained that “occasionally strong northwest winds drive the water at the northern extremity of the Gulf back so far that it is possible to wade across.” (Werner Keller, "The Bible as History," 2nd Revised Ed., p. 126.) (Exception.)

Whenever someone voices an exception to the things written in the Bible, what are they really saying? Think about the three examples:

• If there is a legitimate exception to Solomon’s proverb, then maybe it is not true that a gentle answer turns away wrath.
• If it is true that Paul quoted from the Old Testament, maybe the promise did only apply to the Israelites and not to us today.
• If the author was right about the winds of Egypt blowing the waters back, maybe there wasn’t a miraculous event at all.

The exception attitude has the effect of discrediting the word of God. It views truths expressed in the Proverbs and suggests that they may not necessarily be true. It challenges the validity of promises made by God. And it casts doubt on miraculous events recorded in Scripture.

If you have developed an exception attitude you will place your reasoning over God’s revelation. You will define the standard by which God and the truth of His word are assessed. You will elevate yourself to the position of ‘god,’ or bring the God of heaven down to earth as your equal.

One of the most profound examples of an exception attitude was that of the Pharisees. They were so sure they were correct in their assessment of God’s word that they ended up rejecting the Son of God!

Jesus spoke about God’s revelation: “Your word is truth.” (John 17:17) He had an exceptional attitude toward God’s word. What about you!?

Mark Stinnett

October 17, 2021

Don't Be Caught Off Guard!

Where Is the Church Heading?

I hear preachers and church growth experts say that the church is in trouble.

I suppose you could look at things that way. But there are some things written in Scripture that tell me that the church, the kingdom of God is here to stay.

When the kingdom of God was prophesied in the book of Daniel, it was described as “a kingdom which will never be destroyed.” (Daniel 2:44)

When Jesus responded to Peter’s bold confession of faith, He said, “upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades* will not overpower it.” (Matthew 16:18)

The book of Acts records the beginning of the church and its spread during much of the first century A.D. Whether one considers the opposition and obstacles described in Scripture or secular history, it is clear that Christianity continued to spread during difficult circumstances.

It is evident that there has been and always will be opposition to God’s church. However, God is more powerful than man and His church will not die out or disappear.

Where Is the Bible Heading?

That’s a silly question, right? Not really.

How can the head of a church organization affiliated with Christ make religious decrees regarding doctrine and morality that conflict with the Bible? It is truly baffling that some churches that claim to be of the Christian faith have denied the Bible or, at least, parts of the Bible. After all, the church was not the product of a man or a religious organization. The church was of divine design and came about through fulfilled prophecy. The church was established by God in spite of the confusion of man. It is mystifying how churches deny God’s word.

How can individuals claim to be devoted to Christ yet crave the personal testimony (stories) of average people over the saving message of the gospel of Christ in the Bible? Surprisingly, this man-centered, emotion-driven thinking is rooted in a philosophical shift in thinking from only a few centuries ago; a departure from God’s word. It is mystifying how man has become the centerpiece in many Christian groups.

It would seem that churches and individuals have overlooked that Jesus relied on the Scriptures as did his apostles. Jesus never denied the written word of God. Jesus depended on the Scriptures, quoted the Scriptures and explained the Scriptures. The apostles did the same.

The Apostle Paul wrote that “all Scripture is inspired by God….” (2 Timothy 3:16)

The Psalmist wrote, “The sum of Your word is truth….” (Psalm 119:160) Jesus echoed those very words in John 17:17.

Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” (Matt. 24:35)

The Bible is not heading anywhere; it is here to stay. The real question is about faith in God’s word. There are many voices speaking against God and His word. Some are subtle and inviting. Others are bold. We are sure to be caught off guard when we listen to those voices.

Jesus spoke of the return of the Son of Man and asked, “will He find faith on the earth?” The question remains. Your answer is dependent on the voice(s) to whom you are listening.

Don’t be caught off guard.


Mark Stinnett

October 10, 2021

* The “gates of Hades” was a metaphor for death.

'Caught Off Guard' Concerning Spirituality

In whatever way you may think of spirituality, it clearly contrasts the physical. Interestingly, sometimes there are direct parallels between the physical and spiritual. At other times the contrast is striking. For example...

The Apostle Paul used a farming/gardening illustration to teach a spiritual truth. Consider:

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

—Galatians 6:7 (NASB95)

You really do not have to be a farmer or gardener to know that sowing apple seeds produces apple trees and ultimately, apples. Corn seeds produce corn. Daisy seeds produce daisies.

Yet, Paul drew a spiritual parallel:

The one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. (verse 8)

Sowing to one’s flesh is the idea of satisfying one’s evil fleshly cravings. Sowing to the Spirit is the idea of living godly according to the Spirit of God. So, the physical principle of sowing and reaping applies the same way spiritually.

Consider a teaching of Jesus.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

—Matthew 13:45–46 (NASB95)

Apply this literally to the physical world? Absurd! To literally sell all of one’s belongings for the pearl makes no sense. That person would have no food, clothing, shelter, etc.; just a pearl. So, possessing only his valued pearl, he would soon die. However, it makes perfect sense if the part about selling out applies to one’s earthly possessions while the pearl applies to spiritual things, such as, the kingdom of heaven.

Next, consider Solomon’s advise to the young:

Follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes.

—Ecclesiastes 11:9 (NASB95)

Whether physical or spiritual advice, does that sound wise? Wisdom, however, IS found in the remainder of the verse:

Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things.

Choices have consequences. That makes sense in the physical world, but, according to Solomon it is also a sobering spiritual truth.

When Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount He reminded the people of the moral law about murder, “You shall not commit murder.” He then said:

But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court. 

—Matthew 5:22 (NASB95)

Jesus was not saying, “Murder used to be morally wrong but now things are stricter; anger is morally wrong.” He was actually trying to get the people to see that murder is rooted in anger. So, instead of focusing on the behavior, first deal with its cause. Address the attitude.

Finally...

A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 

—1 Corinthians 2:14 (NASB95)

God expects His people to understand spiritual truths and to use spiritual discernment. He expects us to walk by the Spirit. There is only one source for spiritual truth and instruction. God’s word alone is the key to spirituality.

Mark Stinnett

September 12, 2021

'Caught Off Guard' Concerning Discipline

When you see the word discipline in a religious context, what comes to mind?

You might think about how the Bible can be used to correct a fellow believer. You might think about how the Bible instructs parents in the discipline of children. You might think about self-discipline. My starting point is the verse:

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness….

2 Timothy 3:16 (NASB95)

The word discipline does not appear in this verse, but that is exactly what the Apostle Paul described. His description mirrors the meaning of an Old Testament Hebrew word, musar. It was used for the full breadth of discipline, including instruction, training, correction, rebuke (strong verbal correction), as well as physical discipline. So, Paul wrote that the inspired word of God is beneficial for musar.

Now, was Paul addressing parents, church leaders or Christians in general? The next verse tells us the purpose of the discipline that God’s word provides, even though the application may be broader.

...so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:17 (NASB95)

The overall idea is that of a finished work. God’s word is able to make you a finished work. I might be behind the times, but I think one of the buzz words of our day is spiritual formation.

The point is this: God’s word is able to transform you into a finished product that He will be satisfied with. His expectation is that you will be capable of doing good works. And how does He bring about a finished work in you?

God’s word provides instruction (doctrine) which tells us about God, His identity, His values, and His character. Biblical doctrine also tells us about ourselves in relation to God. Where else will you find instruction about salvation, the afterlife, moral conduct, and the soul?

And don’t overlook the mind of man. God’s word has been dealing with emotional and mental issues for centuries while modern research is only now catching up.

Even with the best instruction, we sometimes misunderstand. We try to implement God’s word in our lives, but sometimes fail. We need correction. We need someone to tell us where we went wrong and to point us in the right direction. Correction, reproof, and training all present varying levels of corrective discipline. God’s word is the best source.

We might find correction on our own as we read the Scriptures. At other times a friend or family member may love us enough to help us back on the right path by applying God’s word.

The Scriptures discipline us…

• To live righteous lives;
• To love sacrificially;
• To control our tongue (and typing fingers);
• To mature from childhood into adulthood with dignity.

The Scriptures instruct and discipline us in our different roles and circumstances:

• How to be husbands and wives;
• How to be parents & children;
• How to be bosses & employees;
• How to be Christian leaders & servants.

Don’t be caught off guard regarding discipline. God’s word is the key. God’s word is sufficient.


Mark Stinnett

September 5, 2021

Who Is a Reliable Witness for Truth?

I was recommended a book a few of years ago in which the author praised his new-found resource that had given him a deeper understanding of the Bible. He went on to talk about his time spent conversing about the Scriptures with Jewish acquaintances.

I have noticed several biblical resources that approach the Scriptures, even the New Testament, from a Jewish point of view. Does that seem odd, a Jewish perspective on the New Testament?

This is not a criticism, but I wonder what kind of biblical understanding I should expect from a person who has rejected Jesus as the Christ, and who embraces interpretations of the Old Testament handed down over the centuries.

Those of the Jewish faith can say truthful things. Yet, Jesus rejected the traditions of the Jewish elders of His day. At the same time, the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day rejected Him and demanded His death. I don’t think the best teacher for a believer in Christ is someone who rejects Jesus as the Christ.

A while back I purchased a new Study Bible that boasted an abundance of ‘cultural background’ material. I asked a friend of mine to look it over and give me his opinion. He alerted me to the fact that the primary author of the notes on the Old Testament regarded the Bible as just another collection of ancient literature. The author of the notes believed the message of the Old Testament to be mere metaphor, not composed of genuine historical content. I would not count that scholar to be a reliable teacher.

Yet, does it really matter?

Emphatically, "YES!"
Your source of information has always mattered to God!

Do you know why Jesus rebuked and silenced the demons who openly identified Him as the Holy one of God (Luke 4:34-35)?

Do you know why Paul rebuked the girl with a spirit of divination who identified him and his missionary companions as bond-servants of the Most High God (Acts 16:16-18)?

Those spirits were described as unclean, evil and demonic. They were not considered to be reliable teachers. They may have been able to say something truthful, but would they be reliable witnesses in all matters pertaining to God? Were they in pursuit of the will of God?

• Will a believer of the Jewish faith lead you to Jesus Christ?
• Will an expert in ancient literature point you to the resurrected Jesus?
• Will a proclaimed believer who openly rebels against God’s word give you enlightenment regarding God and His word?
• Will a sincerely religious person who denies that Jesus is the Son of God be able to take you into the depths of God?
• Will a non-believer strengthen your faith in God and encourage your heart toward your eternal hope?

Is truth important to you? Do you desire a strong faith and a fulfilled hope (expectation)?

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
--Romans 10:17 

The Apostle Paul wrote of the hidden wisdom of God: 

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
--1 Corinthians 2:10

We don’t need a Jewish perspective or a scholarly point of view. 
We have the Spirit of God.

Mark Stinnett

January 19, 2020 (Revised)

I Sold an Old Lady a Bible

I signed up with a company to sell books door-to-door one college summer, but I was a horrible salesman. Still, the memory of one old lady lingers.

Since I had my own car I was assigned an entire county about an hour’s drive from the central Tennessee town where four of us college guys stayed. I don’t remember the town where I was selling or the old lady’s name, but she lived on the ‘wrong side of the tracks.’

Her house needed paint and repair; her yard was mostly dirt with a few sprigs of grass. She sat practically motionless on her weathered-gray front porch overseeing her neighborhood. Eyes watched from a distance as I whipped out a shiny new Bible and my polished sales pitch.

The Bible had a special leather binding, special pages, special features...special everything. It cost twice what you would pay in a store, expensive for anyone and completely out of range for this lady. (Going through my sales spiel I remembered how we were taught to avoid poor folks; a waste of time. But I was there. Ugh.)

Then she said, “Yes.”

I was supposed to take a 50% deposit with the balance due upon delivery at the end of summer, but I accepted all that she had, $5.00.

The long summer passed and I received the books for delivery. As I drove to the old lady’s house, I decided that I would just give her the Bible. She had been so excited to place the order, but I KNEW that she wouldn’t be able to pay full price. I just could not disappoint her.

I drove up to her house and reasoned that there had been a lookout--word had spread quickly and a small crowd gathered at her front porch almost immediately. I approached with the new Bible while receiving kind greetings from both young and old. She was ready with the exact amount owed for the Bible, so I filled out a receipt and delivered the Bible. I have never seen anyone more grateful to receive a Bible.

As I got into my car and drove away the crowd continued to grow...all eyes fixed on that old lady and her new Bible. I don’t know how the story ended, but I quite imagine that it is unfinished still. I can see her in my mind pouring over the pages of God’s word. Perhaps she read it aloud to her grandchildren or to friends in her neighborhood. I would like to think that her Bible was handed down and gratefully received when she passed away, but I can only imagine. Yet, I am certain of her love for that book. I’m sure she appreciated all the special features, but she loved its content. She loved God’s word.

I wonder if my children will love God’s word like that. 

I wonder if my grandchildren will.

There was a time when virtually everybody wanted a copy of the Bible. Translations were few and copies expensive, yet printers could not keep up with the demand. Nowadays publishers use all sorts of marketing gimmicks to entice people to buy a Bible. Is it that Bibles are so cheap and so common that there is a loss of interest or is it rather that people have lost regard for the word of our eternal Creator?

What if I told you I made up this story?
Do you prefer my story or God’s word???

The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of God stands forever.
—Isaiah 40:8

Are you eager to read God’s message?
Or, have you outgrown God’s word and prefer stories by clever writers?

Mark Stinnett

Why Did I Become a Preacher?

After having preached full-time for only a few years a good friend exclaimed excitedly at the end of a worship service, “Now, that is what I call preaching.” A visiting preacher spoke that day. My friend was not intentionally unkind, and I did not take it personally, but it did sting.

I know that I’m not a great orator, but I don’t hang my head low feeling sorry for myself. I have a job to do: Present the word of God.

When I stand to teach or preach I am often hit with an overwhelming sense of responsibility. I wonder, “How can I possibly communicate a relevant message to all of these people?” In the audience I see kids who are old enough to listen. There are adults of differing generations; people with different backgrounds, interests, circumstances, needs. “Is my sermon relevant?”

Paul said, “I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.” Yet, how can that be done this Sunday? To this audience with all their differences???
-----------------------
I don’t joke around when I preach. In my experience, the things that ‘you’ find funny may puzzle or offend others. (Some folks love a dose of sarcasm; others disapprove strongly, others miss the humor entirely.)

What about a good story? All too often, whether humorous or enlightening or emotionally charged, stories overshadow the biblical truth they are meant to illustrate. So, what good is a story remembered when truth is not?

There is a place and a time to share the riches of the original languages of the Bible, the Greek and Hebrew. Yet, if I am simply blinding you with my brilliance, “I” block out God’s glory!

I was taught that a preacher should start a sermon with a joke or humorous story. I don’t believe that. (Check out Paul’s sermon in Athens.)

I was taught that every sermon should have three points and, at the end, a poem. I don’t believe that either. (Sermon on the Mount???)

I’ve been told that the preaching style of the orators of the 1800’s was real preaching. Then again, others say the fire-and-brimstone preaching of the 1940’s and 50’s was real preaching. Then again, the preaching style of ‘the preacher that you loved when you were growing up’ was real preaching. Real preaching???

Again, we are so different from one another that rarely does a single lesson pierce the heart of every person. Yet, I know that…

The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 
—Hebrews 4:12

The power is in the word of God...not me.

God wanted His prophet Ezekiel to sound an alarm:

Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. 
—Ezekiel 3:17

A preacher’s job is to relay God’s message. He has no control over the way people respond.

When the preacher Philip approached the man from Ethiopia asking if he understood the Scriptures, the man said, “How can I unless someone guides me?” —Acts 8:31

That is also my role, to guide through teaching.

I answered my title question years ago. So, based on the God-given task of a preacher, what is your role when God’s word is spoken?

Are you listening?

Mark Stinnett

Do You Know God's Mind?

The creation narrative in the Bible might seem impersonal, even for believers...then again...

God actually spoke to His created beings.

And God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Then God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food"; and it was so.
--Genesis 1:28-30

In this blog I am not as concerned with the content of what was spoken, but rather the fact that God spoke to man. Not only does his speech demonstrate intelligence and purpose as well as authority and power (see last week's blog, "He Has Spoken!"), His spoken word is personal.

By comparison, I have built a few things out of wood in my lifetime. Yet, I have never spoken to the things I've made. They are mere objects, impersonal; inanimate objects created for my purposes.

Again, the Creator spoke to His created beings which He made in His own image.

The Old Testament prophet Amos wrote something meaningful about what God has spoken.

For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind
And declares to man what are His thoughts,
He who makes dawn into darkness
And treads on the high places of the earth,
The LORD God of hosts is His name. 
--Amos 4:13

The Bible does not 'contain' God's word, it IS God's word; his thoughts written for created man.

Why do you speak to people?
Why do you reveal your thoughts to others?

God has revealed his thoughts to mankind. In dong so He has revealed Himself to us. God is not silent; He has not hidden Himself. He has opened His heart while reaching out to man.

We must remember that the Scriptures are not just any words. The source of these words is our Creator. We can know the mind of God.

To this one I will look,
To him who is humble and contrite of spirit,
And who trembles at my word.
--Isaiah 66:2

Mark Stinnett

He Has Spoken!

The creation narrative in the Bible gives us answers, but also makes us curious. As with the magician's sleight of hand, we might find ourselves asking, "How did God do that?"

Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.
--Genesis 1:3

God made no wild movements to wield a powerful external force; no flourishing movement of a magical wand drawing from other-worldly powers; no electrical discharge erupting from outstretched hands.

Read it again.

Stop...think...

The Creator spoke.

God spoke understandably and rationally: Intelligence and purpose.
God spoke, and it came about by His spoken word: Authority and power.

I may be curious about things that I cannot grasp, but I cannot help but stand in awe of what has been revealed as true.

The 29th Psalm follows below. Give careful attention to the 'voice' of God.

Give unto the Lord,
    O you mighty ones,
    Give unto the LORD glory and strength.
Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name;
    Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
    The God of glory thunders;
    The LORD is over many waters.
The voice of the LORD is powerful;
    The voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars,
    Yes, the LORD splinters the cedars of Lebanon*.
He makes them also skip like a calf,
    Lebanon and Sirion** like a young wild ox.
The voice of the LORD divides the flames of fire.
The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
    The LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.***
The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth,
    And strips the forests bare;
    And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”
The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood,
    And the LORD sits as King forever.
The LORD will give strength to His people;
    The LORD will bless His people with peace.

How extensive is the LORD's authority?

How great is His power? 

What does He accomplish with His voice?

It is only in the final verse that attention is directed toward God's people. 

How do you think He will 'give strength' to His people?

How will He 'bless' His people?

God IS, and He has spoken!

By His voice He created.
By His voice...

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
--Proverbs 9:10

Mark Stinnett

*Lebanon: A region north of Israel, well-known for cedar trees.

** Lebanon and Sirion: Refers to the mountains of Lebanon; and Mount Hermon, another name for Sirion, both north of Israel. The meaning is that God gives life to these mountains.

*** Kadesh: A wilderness region south of Israel toward Egypt.

Invaluable Thoughts

Have you ever read Homer, as in The Iliad or The Odyssey? What is their value?

Perhaps ancient epic poems are not your interest.

Did you get that? . . . Interest.

Some folks are 'interested' in Homer's writings, most are not.
Some folks love to read Shakespeare, most do not.
Some folks enjoy modern literature.
Some folks prefer the newspaper or online gossip.

For some folks, the Bible is not much different. Or you might say that some people are interested in the Bible; others are not. It is all just a matter of taste. Pickles, corn on the cob, fried chicken...taste. The Bible...just a matter of taste.

Enough said?

May be not...

What did Homer claim about his writings? What about Shakespeare and others? What was their purpose in writing? The value of their writings?

Some writings are intended to help, influence, change, or direct people. Some writings merely document personal experiences. Others are for simple enjoyment.

God expressed his thoughts with intent and expectation. He was not merely recording ideas and events that would be added to a narrowly defined category of interest. Think about this claim...

All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
--2 Timothy 3:16-17

The Creator of mankind has the intention that His creation will possess a certain quality of character that involves doing good things. His expectation defines the purpose of a Christian and His word equips us to carry out his expectation.

Do we understand? Do we believe? 
The thoughts of God which He has revealed are able to equip us to do the very thing that God created us to do.

Yet...*sigh*...It seems unlikely that such an old writing is still relevant today. After all, things change over time, and things have really changed since ancient times. But wait...

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
--Hebrews 4:12

From a purely human point of view the Bible is old and outdated. It stands as one volume among a vast library of literature, ancient and modern. Yet, it holds a unique position because it is living and active...still today. It changes lives...still today. It gives the ability to discern things in life without a college degree and endless research.

Do we recognize what has been given to us?
How does that affect your view of God?

God has not given mankind the 'silent treatment' but has revealed His mind! And his thoughts are invaluable!

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
--Proverbs 9:10

Mark Stinnett