the Pangburn Pulpit

Made Your New Year’s Resolutions?

Another year rolls around, and we hear people making all kinds of New Year’s resolutions or vows.* Are you one of them? A resolution means reaching a firm decision about something. Is it a good idea to make these promises that we don’t get around to keeping, or keep only for a short time? The…

We Need to Hear the Voice of the Shepherd

Sheep know which flock they belong to, and which shepherd is their shepherd. Over time, they link the sound of the voice of their shepherd with the benefits he provides for them. Whenever they hear that voice, they’ll respond at once, knowing that he’s their own master. They aren’t content until they recognize their master’s…

The Greatest Gift of All

When a gift-giving occasion arises, we want to give the ones we really love a gift to express our feelings for them. The Bible tells that, “We love [God], because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19), but love like this is not the kind of love we would have on our own. We’re only…

Prayer That Pleases God

The one place where we can fight our battles and gain our victories is in the secret place of prayer. If we‘re devoted to the Lord from the heart, if we’re obedient to Him and what He says, and if we don’t stop praying—then we’ve found what He’s looking for in us. The Lord doesn’t passively…

Our Strength and Ultimate Refuge

When we encounter setbacks and difficulties, we often make an effort to keep pushing on in an attempt to improve our situation by relying on our own strength, ideas and abilities. But how much progress do we think we can make if we depend on these alone? In our own strength, we cannot overcome any…

Minding Your Own Business

The Apostle Paul had the right to expect support from those he ministered to. But he worked with his own hands to supply his own needs instead, as an example for others. He was trying to get across to them that the world is watching us as children of God and will judge us by…

The Love of God in Our Heart

The Spirit of the love of God—God’s Holy Spirit—lives within the heart of the believer. But do we live in a way that’s appropriate for His Spirit to live in? Take the time to look within your own heart—do you see any bitterness or resentment there? How about in your mind or soul? It’s foolish for…

Is Your Trust in God or in Yourself?

Christ died for us, and those who follow Him place their trust in Him. He paid the entire price so that we could go free, and we‘ll be able to go to heaven someday because of this. For all those who trust God the way Christ trusted Him, He’s willing to be to them what…

The Time of the Evildoers Will End Suddenly but the Righteous Will Prevail

The Lord has set the times and the seasons on Earth, which He maintains in His own power. Man doesn’t know what distress or calamity might come on him, or even when he’ll die. He doesn’t even know what the right season and opportunity is to escape from evil and to do good for himself….

We Need Faith and Obedience to Truly Love God

The Spirit of God Who lives within the heart of anyone who truly believes in Him is also the Spirit of the love of God. In the New Testament, the Bible tells us that love is a gift. “…the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given…

The Dead Arose and Came Forth

Our human nature is composed of two basic elements: the physical body—made of a visible, material substance, and the soul—an invisible substance that is immaterial. Our body can’t be disconnected from the soul, so they are therefore associated with each other. God gave us life when He breathed the first breath of life into our…