“Your sons will take the place of your fathers…” (Psalm 45:16 NIV). “He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?” (1 Timothy 3:4-5 NLT). I sat out on my deck one evening this
Author: Gary Combs
The mystery of marriage
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she
Family Feud
“Eli’s sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:12 NIV). Eli was the High Priest of Israel. He was also a judge in the days before they had a king. Born into the line of Aaron, by all accounts he was a good priest and judge. Yet, as a father, he
You then, my son
“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:1-2 NIV). My son, Jonathan David Combs graduated from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary today with a Masters of
A mother’s sacrificial love
“O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life” (1 Samuel 1:11 NIV). “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born
Facing East
“Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you
Love in our hands
“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love
A family resemblance
“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). Who do you resemble? Is it your mom or dad? Perhaps another family member? Has anyone ever
Why we had an Easter egg hunt in our front yard
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35 ESV). We have well-meaning Christians question our Easter EGGstravaganza event
Looking for real
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was