Paul speaks of the most remarkable gift to the believer having reminded his audience that the world by its own wisdom could not find out God. To those who have believed the gospel, he assures them “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that weContinue reading “We Have Received of His Spirit”
Author Archives: randylivingston
Walk Before Me…
“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me and be thou perfect” (Genesis 17:1). In this brief statement by God, we find important truth that provides fundamental insight into God’s dealing with each of us. First, theContinue reading “Walk Before Me…”
Prophecy or Tongues?
The gift of “tongues” was an important gift found in the early church and necessary for advancing the gospel among different ethnic groups. Tongues in the New Testament has reference to foreign languages unknown or unlearned by the speaker. It would be as if I were able to speak French or German without any instructionContinue reading “Prophecy or Tongues?”
The Working Clothes of Love (Part 3)
We continue to examine Paul’s working definition of love as revealed to him by the Spirit of God and so come to a phrase that should genuinely give us pause. Perhaps, it is because this phrase strike very close to home. He writes that love “seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh noContinue reading “The Working Clothes of Love (Part 3)”
The Working Clothes of Love (Part 2)
In his letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul was constrained to speak on the gifts of the Holy Spirit and how they are to be ministered under the operation of love. That being so, it became necessary for him to spend some time showing what love looked like in its “working clothes.” He continuedContinue reading “The Working Clothes of Love (Part 2)”
The Working Clothes of Love
The concept of love in our modern American society is so very distorted from the truth. It ranges somewhere between the Hollywood version that is nothing more than fleshly lust to the smarmy Kodak version of love we see in television commercials, e.g., a man and a woman walking their dog on the beach inContinue reading “The Working Clothes of Love”
The Path to Unity
Unity is a much desired and, consequently, much sought after commodity. It is difficult to achieve, hard to keep, seemingly impossible to recapture, but ever worth the effort. David had this to say about unity. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the preciousContinue reading “The Path to Unity”
The Only Way
Paul reminded the church at Corinth of the Israelites’ repeated disobedience to God in their journey through the wilderness. He warned them that they could easily fall into such careless living if they were not careful because these temptations are common to all men. While it is true that such temptations are common, it isContinue reading “The Only Way”
The Need for Preparation and Training
In Acts 4, Peter and the other Apostles are threatened by the high priest and the Sadducees as well as the rulers and elders of the people for healing a lame man and daring to preach that his healing came through faith in the name of Jesus. As the Apostles answered the charges against them,Continue reading “The Need for Preparation and Training”
The Nature of the Resurrected Body
In his first epistle to the Corinthians, Paul instructed his audience in the reality of the resurrection. Having done that, he follow up with insight as to the nature of the resurrected body. In doing so, he makes several inspired observations that merit sharing for our encouragement. First, he appeals to the Corinthians’ understanding ofContinue reading “The Nature of the Resurrected Body”
From the Chaplain 