Since the beginning of this world, it is unlikely that anyone, except Jesus Christ, has ever lived a life without some kind of fear. Whether it comes from a wasp attempting to sting, a stumble that nearly sends us over the edge of a cliff, a massive wildfire quickly closing in, a collection agency waiting…
Author: Pangburn Pulpit
Loving This Present World
“For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia” (2 Timothy 4:10 emphasis added). Demas quite possibly did not want all the trials that would come from association with Paul’s criminal status. He preferred to return either to Judaism or to a life…
Living in the Wilderness or Just Passing Through?
Thousands of years ago, God delivered the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt. At first this seemed wonderful to them. They were no longer subject to cruel slave drivers and taskmasters. Their time of forced labor making bricks out of almost nothing was now over. In fact, the Egyptians, after having to endure all…
Satisfied in Believing in the Unseen
At any given moment, there are people all over the world reacting to unseen situations. Even though there is nothing visible, they still believe—based on just a warning—that something life-threatening is about to occur. Having faith in God and His Son and believing in the unseen is much like these scenarios people encounter every day….
Half a Heart = No Heart at All
As Christians we tend to yield only a part of ourselves to Christ many times, while we reserve the rest for our own selfish and worldly pursuits. We may willfully give Him ‘half a heart’ but He says, “…ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart”…
When Making It Fit is a Lost Cause
If you have ever tried to force something to fit, like a puzzle piece, where it was never intended to be or designed you will admit that, while it may initially work fine, in the long run it was a mistake. Many times new problems may result from the forced mismatch. All throughout history people…
Hope in the Furnace of Affliction
The Israelites were put under the rule of the Egyptian taskmasters because God wanted them to see how much they needed His help. It was His hope that they would remember how He had delivered them before from the plagues of Egypt, and from the furnace of affliction when they were forced to make bricks…
Sin is as Powerful as a Little Sediment That Blocks a Whole River
The accumulation of a little bit of silt is all it takes to hinder or even halt traffic moving along a river. In a similar manner, God’s blessings in the life of His children can also be restricted or blocked. The difference is that, instead of silt, it is sin that does the work. When…
A Promising Means to Face Tomorrow
A line in a song says, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.” But how can we face tomorrow with all of the burdens that are continually landing on our doorstep? For some, these burdens are the thought of their employer threatening to fire them, or of an eviction notice served recently. Others may be…
Forget Your Past Pain — Focus on Jesus
God wants you to eagerly desire to be with Him and like Him, and to yearn for Heaven, the ultimate place of rest. But, as long as you don’t forget your past and continue focusing on the problems and circumstances associated with it which you should have already surrendered to Christ, you are going to…
Jesus Is Here — Abandon the Safety Net
Many of us have at least one item in our possession that we hold onto for security. It might be a particular article of clothing, a piece of jewelry, an official document, some kind of correspondence or a card, or it could even be just a toy, book, or stuffed animal. For some, it is…
Looking to Yourself or Jesus Brings Failure or Hope
How many times in your life do you run into problems and trouble, ending up with no way out. You try all kinds of things to alleviate the situation but to no real avail. Yet in reality you can’t be free the state you are in as long as you keep looking to yourself. As…
