By: Zach Collins If you were to stand on a street corner and poll any number of people by asking them the question, “What is your favorite Psalm?”, or “What is your favorite passage of scripture?”, I believe the answer of many would be Psalm 23. Not only is this psalm one of the most well-known scriptures, but it is also one of the most requested scriptures at funerals for its comforting aspects. The words of Psalm 23 have comforted more griefs to rest and remanded more thieving sorrows to the dungeon than the stars of the universe.   This psalm was written by David, probably when he was King. Before he was chosen to shepherd God’s people, he remembered the days he spent in the field shepherding sheep and was not ashamed of his former occupation. It was his former occupation that prepared him to fulfill his mission as a servant of the Lord. While many of the Psalms of David are full of complaints, this psalm is full of comfort. As David reflected upon the comfort of being in God’s presence and benefitting from God’s providential ways, his heart was filled with joy unspeakable, and he communicated the grace God had shown him through these words.   In Psalm 23, David is speaking of God, but what if we applied the picture of the Lord as a “shepherd” to our lives, in Psalm 23? For a moment, let us notice five comforting promises that we can derive from Psalm 23 if we, as sheep, are willing to …

By: Zach Collins What can the church learn from Noah?   1.     Never miss the boat. Noah and his great-grandfather, Enoch, preached righteousness. God gave the people time, the message, the boat, and the hope. Many still missed the boat.  2.     Always prepare for the storm. Noah built the ark before it rained. It might not be raining today, but the storm is coming. Have you prepared for the storm?   3.     Always stay fit. At the age of 500, Noah was given a new work. Stay healthy and fit in your old age. God might just give you a new work.  4.     Never listen to destructive critics. Noah was ridiculed, insulted, and mocked for his faith in God. Yet, Noah never listened and, by faith, continued until his work was done.  5.     Always remember the Ark was built by an amateur, not a professional. While the Titanic sank after incurring a small obstacle, the Ark floated on the waves of faith and navigated the greatest storm in the history of the world.  6.     There is always a rainbow. No matter what storm you navigate in life, if God is in your boat, a rainbow awaits as a reminder that there are brighter days ahead.  In many ways, the ark is an antitype of His church. If not for the storm occurring outside, the stench inside would be unbearable. As imperfect people on this side of Heaven, God has given us warning, and by working through our weaknesses, He is able to bring about His purposes.  The Door …

By: Zach Collins The Holy Spirit recorded, in Judges 2:8-10, “Now Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died when he was one hundred and ten years old. And they buried him within the border of his inheritance at Timnath Heres, in the mountains of Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gaash. When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel.”  This passage is often quoted or read from the pulpit but let us pause and contemplate this declaration. Let me, first, establish some perspective. In this verse, we are speaking of the same generation that had been led into the promised land by the hand of God. This is the same generation of Israelites that made the declaration, at the end of Joshua’s life, that they will serve God and God alone! Now, what does it mean that the next generation, after Joshua and the elders, “did not know the Lord?” There is a difference between knowing who the Lord is and knowing the Lord. The saving acts of the Lord were not central or precious to this generation. Now, let us ask this question. Are we the generation that does not know the Lord? Are we the generation that knows about the Lord but does not hold the mighty works of Jesus as central or precious in our lives? We must be concerned for …

By: Zach Collins A wise Christian once told me, “One day, they will want you to take them with you wherever you go and, if you do, one day, they will take you with them wherever they go.”  I’ll take you with me. That seems to be the adage that is becoming the embodiment of the time I spend with my son, Asher. You see, he is reaching the age where he desires to go wherever I go or do whatever I am doing. I suppose it’s the love that any little boy feels for his daddy. Believe me, when I say wherever or whatever, I mean wherever or whatever. He likes to stand in my lap and put his little hands on the wheel of my truck and act like he is driving. Oh, and please do not get him started on his new best friend, the Craftsman 20V Cordless Blower! You see, I have a system. I cut my grass, weed eat, and then blow the grass off the sidewalks. He has my routine down pat. He watches from the window or the back porch, knowing exactly when the time has come to use the leaf blower. If I am using the leaf blower, he wants to be in my arms helping and holding the leaf blower. It makes the job much more difficult, but if I am being honest, I don’t mind making my life a little more difficult if I can keep that memory alive in my heart during …

By: Zach Collins Both of the following statements are true statements. One of the best athletes, thus far, in the 21st century is Tim Tebow. One of the most controversial athletes, thus far, in the 21st century is Tim Tebow.  Let me be clear. I was never a fan of the Florida Gators, the Denver Broncos, the New York Jets, or the Jacksonville Jaguars. But, when I was growing up, I was always a Tim Tebow fan. He just happened to play for each of these teams. He was, perhaps, the greatest quarterback to play college football. He was a two-time BCS National Champion, Heisman Trophy winner, two-time Maxwell Award winner, and the AP College Football Player of the Year. However, Tim Tebow became more well-known for something outside of his football career, his faith. While I do not endorse some of his religious views, many of which have no biblical foundation, I always admired and appreciated that he was not ashamed of his faith and how it defined his life. In some of the most popular games, on the largest platforms, he would write bible verses on the eye-black under his eyes. He was also known for taking a knee on the football field and praying. It was an action that, later, would become known as a verb, “Tebowing”, and would be attached to any player who would follow suit and openly express their religious right of prayer before crowds of people.  Do you remember how the media responded to the …

By: Zach Collins Eliam was the father of a beautiful girl. Like any loving father, he nurtured and loved his daughter, watching her grow into a beautiful young lady. She married a good and honorable man who served in the King’s army. What else could Eliam have hoped for? He could have never seen the tragedy that would befall his life. As Eliam’s daughter and son-in-law were making a life together, the unexpected happened. One day, as her husband was serving at the pleasure of the King, men came into his home, took his wife, and brought her to the King which he served. Her honor was taken, in part of our own decision, and adultery was committed. Yet, the tragedy had only begun. The news that began a spiral of regrettable actions came to the King in the form of four words, “I am with child.” If the people, who once sang his praises, found out about his transgressions, they would turn their faces from him! So, the King who sat in the palace connived and strived to conceal his sin. He summoned her husband and made casual conversation with the man whom he had betrayed. He even sent her husband with a gift basket of food! Believing the King was an honorable man, the husband was none the wiser. One day, the King’s spiral of sin reached a pinnacle of mythical proportions. The King sat her husband in the forefront of the hottest battle, so he might be …

By: Zach Collins Will you do an experiment with me, for just a moment? In this experiment, I ask you to be completely honest with yourself. Literally, no one will ever know the answer you provide.  Are you ready?  Let me supplant a setting in your mind. You arrive at the grocery store, grab a shopping cart, and aisle by aisle you mark red lines through each item that you have put on your grocery list. You pay for your groceries, head to your vehicle, and load the groceries into your vehicle.  Now, here’s the real question: Do you return your shopping cart to the “Shopping Cart Corral?” By the way, yes that is a real thing. I worked at a grocery store. Or do you hesitate and leave your shopping cart in your parking spot? Whatever your choice, it was between you and this article. Recently, I ran across a new theory called, “The Shopping Cart Theory”, which claims to be at the center of a moral question for the ages, “Am I a good or bad person?” In some ways, many have employed “The Shopping Cart Theory” as a new litmus test for citizenship, that is, whether someone is a good or bad citizen. That’s interesting.  Just to sum up this theory, so you will get the gist of this article and the spiritual application from this illustration, returning the shopping cart is an easy and convenient task. Outside of a dire emergency, there are no circumstances that would prevent …

By: Zach Collins School is back in session! It is a day of mixed emotions. Some children are filled with apprehension, others mention anticipation, and for some, it is a matter of convention. As we start the beginning of this school year, we wish our children a successful year. We hope they succeed in the classroom and in their extracurricular activities! However, let us never neglect to remember that secular education is not the top priority for Christians. Primarily, our priority is recognizing the authority of Christ and the supremacy of spiritual matters (c.f., Matthew 6:33). Secular education and ambitions ought to be tempered by established spiritual priorities. It was Paul who said, in Romans 16:29, “For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.”   Let us never become so consumed with our educational ambitions that we do not consider that this world and everything in it belongs to God (c.f., Psalm 24:1). Whether your child’s heart is filled with angst or honest anticipation, let us first fill the hearts of our children with prayer as they prepare for this upcoming school year. Many are focused on the school supplies list to help their children prepare academically, but I want to give you our spiritual supplies list of prayers to your children to prepare spiritually.  1.     Pray for Boldness (Psalm 27:1) 2.     Pray for Courage (Ephesians 6:10) 3.     Pray for Compassion (Ephesians 4:32) 4.     Pray …

The calendar reads “Easter Sunday.” Thus, a few cultural mainstays appear in the religious world. People will attend “the church of their choice” for special “sunrise services.” There will be skits, plays, and dramas to be played out. Throughout the week, it will be common for many to perform a cross-carrying in the community to reenact moments leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Many people with sincere hearts believe they are commemorating the resurrection of Christ and celebrating a “holy day.” Is this true? In the pages of the New Testament, you will never see the words “Easter Sunday,” nor will you find first-century Christians celebrating or emphasizing any Sunday above the rest. One might say, “But, preacher, isn’t the word Easter in the Bible?” It is true that the word “Easter” is found in Acts 12:4, only in the King James Version of the New Testament. In the text under consideration, James’s death and Peter’s imprisonment at Herod’s hand are discussed. The text reads that, after Peter had been imprisoned, they intended to bring him before the people after “Easter.” In this text, the Greek word pascha is translated by the word “Easter.” This is a mistranslation. The same word is properly translated into other passages of the Bible as Passover. Though mistranslated, many have taken the appearance of this one word and created a popular religious holiday. The word Easter might be in the Bible, but the absence of the holiday is deafening in the scriptures. …

As a flower comes forth and fades away, time has taught me that this life is short of days and full of trouble (Job 14:1), and trouble comes not without heartache. Within the last couple of years, my heart has ached more than ever. I have preached the funerals and stood by the gravesides of individuals I once viewed as permanent fixtures that would never disappear. Time has taught me differently, and my longing for Heaven grows daily. This is common ground that we share with all of God’s creation. I remember the words of Paul, to the brethren in Thessalonica, in 1 Thessalonians 4:13, “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.” At the core of his admonition, Paul encouraged the brethren to grieve with hope still in their hearts, contrasting with those without hope. Grief is one of the most powerful emotions humans can experience. Grief holds the power to sway our souls and redefine our purpose. For some, grief leads to a renewed sense of purpose; for others, it leaves more questions than answers. In John 11, we find a helpful reminder of how Christians should move through grief. While the five stages of grief do not describe most people’s emotions adequately during immense loss and were never meant to apply to the bereaved, these five stages can describe the emotions of those who knew and loved a friend of …