Posts by Troy Spradlin
What Your Attendance Says About Your Faith
Worship is a beautiful, sacred, spiritual discipline that God expects all of His people to exercise and fulfill. It is God’s will that we worship Him (Matt 4:10; John 4:23-24; Rev 22:9). Worship, in reality, is a precious privilege that is given to Christians (Heb 4:14-16). It is an opportunity to come before the Creator of the universe, Yahweh Almighty, and render adoration and praise to Him for what He has done for us (Ps 45:11, 138:2). It is what…
Can You Be Taught Wrong and Baptized Right?
I have had the blessed privilege of studying the Bible with many precious souls over the years. I can tell you that it is nothing short of amazing to see the Word of God working in someone’s life (it’s one of the things I love most about ministry)! Whenever a seeker begins to make the connections and realize the status of their soul, it puts them on the precipice of the most important decision of their life – to obey…
How Can I Fortify the Faith of My Children?
My heart hurts deeply for Christian parents whose children have left the church. Many have shared their heartaches with me and I can’t even begin to imagine how much that truly pains them. I’ve also had the privilege to help many parents concerned about the faith of their children. Thanks be to God, most of them have gone on to be strong disciples of the Lord. It is, indeed, a difficult challenge to raise godly children in a social environment…
What does God Expect from Me as a Parent?
When it comes to general advice on parenting, there are far more experienced and knowledgeable people in that regard than me. However, when it comes to counsel for parents concerning spiritual matters, there is a singular, divine standard that applies universally and supersedes any human knowledge. It is the Word of God. The Bible should be – and is – the best source of guidance for parents on how to raise children. Since “Children are a heritage from the Lord,…
The Power of God to Salvation
In the beginning of his letter to the church at Rome, Paul stated, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed … ” (Romans 1:16-17) That’s a great passage that we often quote to emphasize boldness in evangelizing. But, what does Paul mean by the “power of…
The Purpose of the Church
In the years I have been in ministry, I have learned that people have a vast number of ideas about what the purpose of the church is. Some of our religious friends have a concept in mind that is more akin to a country club or a social organization. They go to church primarily to mingle and fraternize. To others, the church is a family identity. Phrases like, “Our family has always been, and will always be (fill in the…
God is a God of Patterns
I will be the first to admit that I am a creature of habit. I typically do the same things, eat the same kinds of foods, and wear the same kinds of clothes on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. One could easily identify a consistent pattern in my lifestyle. Although I have made a few adjustments over the years depending on certain factors, like getting married, job changes, moving, or health reasons, I continue to have a distinguishable routine…
Where Two or Three Are Gathered
There are many verses in the Bible that people like to quote that are actually a misuse of the verse, completely misunderstood, or simply do not exist. One such verse is Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” This verse is frequently cited to validate small gatherings of disciples, suggesting that even if only a few people are present, the Lord is still among them and it is therefore a…
Chapters and Verses in the Bible
What is your favorite verse in the Bible? Can you cite the verse or easily find it among the more than 770,000 words of the text? 2 If someone were to reference the phrase, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” where would you find it in all those pages? 3 You can find it by using all the chapter and verse numbers placed throughout the…
Colossians 1:15 – A Misused Verse
There is a big difference between “Let’s eat Grandma” and “Let’s eat, Grandma!” One little comma alters what’s to be eaten and can, ultimately, save Grandma’s life! Sometimes, a comma or just one little word can completely change what is meant by a statement. That is the also case with the Bible. For example, most Bibles say, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). But one particular Bible version deliberately adds a…
Do “ALL” Things Work for Good?
The promise of “all things work together for good” in Romans 8:28 is an often misquoted, misused, and abused verse of the New Testament. It certainly does not mean what many have erroneously concluded, that God will make every bad thing that happens in your life turn out to be something good in the end. So, if that isn’t what the verse is teaching, then what is Paul saying here? What is the truth? Let’s begin by considering what Paul does not say in…
Where Do You Draw the Line?
On the eve of March 5, 1836, a letter was read aloud to a rag-tag group of men made up of soldiers, European immigrants, colonists, “Tejanos” (local Mexican natives), politicians, and many other volunteers who had gathered at an old mission site outside of San Antonio to defend Texas liberty. The Mexican government had labeled them “rebels.” Thus, the letter demanded their surrender or expect execution in an inevitable victory by the overwhelmingly large Mexican army surrounding them. Legend says that in…
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