Hands-on Faith
From Unthinkable To Unimpeachable
By Barry Newton (July 1, 2009)
"Doctors ... don't decide what's ethical and then do it; rather, if enough of them start doing it, eventually they decide its ethical." Such cynical thoughts no longer shock me. ... the naiveté of assuming the best has since evaporated.
Spirituality - Its Missing Dimension
By Barry Newton (June 24, 2009)
Sitting in the dimly lit municipal auditorium, I listened to Eugene Peterson describe our materialistically and consumeristically saturated society erupt with a prevalent hunger for spirituality.
Starting To Trust In Jesus Is More Than Just Symbolic
By Barry Newton (June 17, 2009)
Luke's quill scurried across the surface of some parchment leaving a trail of black markings. Do we take his message for granted because we have become so accustomed to it? What is unfurled recounts an incredible and ...
Swept Up Into His Story
By Barry Newton (June 10, 2009)
God's unrelenting story continues today. But among his first dramatic, but somewhat shrouded, rumblings were those heard by Abraham more than a millennia before Christ. "Through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed" (Genesis 22:18; Acts 3:25).
They Gathered Together To Break Bread
By Barry Newton (June 3, 2009)
By the time that Luke wrote Acts, he knew that his choice of words, "we gathered together to break bread" would clearly communicate to Theophilus. Yet, this was a phrase which had undergone a significant change.
Godly Peace From Conflict
By Barry Newton (May 27, 2009)
Voices. Too many voices. Those who value the direction the church goes can find their ire rising when conflicting voices emerge.
Teachable Moments
By Barry Newton (May 20, 2009)
Have you ever known a person who, regardless of the discussion, somehow manages to get back to his or her favorite subject? In my opinion, Acts 16 reveals just such a situation.
Misunderstood
By Barry Newton (May 13, 2009)
Simply living for Christ is not enough. Even the apostle Paul and Barnabas experienced this firsthand. Upon entering Lystra, their actions had dramatically honored God. A local resident had been healed. Did the townsfolk understand? Had Paul's and Barnabas' Christian lives communicated God's message? Absolutely not.
Parthians, Medes and Ethiopians
By Barry Newton (April 29, 2009)
Familiarity with Acts 2 could stimulate some subtle dissonance with this title, "Parthians, Medes and Ethiopians." After all, the third nationality Luke recorded should be Elamites, not Ethiopians. So why the switch?
Reversal of Fortunes
By Barry Newton (April 22, 2009)
The events of Acts 12 should not surprise us. After all, Luke has already prepared us to expect such things in the opening of his Gospel account. After meeting Elizabeth, the young pregnant virgin Mary exclaimed about the Mighty One, "He has taken down rulers from their thrones and exalted the humble." (Luke 1:52)
Let There Be No Doubt
By Barry Newton (April 15, 2009)
Twice mentioned, that's all. Only two events are identified in Acts with the language "baptized with the Holy Spirit." The message God sent has left no doubt about the hues of skin color God desires in the pew and around the table.
Transforming Encounters
By Barry Newton (April 8, 2009)
When Jesus arranges a meeting you know something important will happen. Through two meetings Jesus orchestrated, Acts 9 recounts how a seeing blind man became a blind seeing man before becoming someone who perceived everything clearly.
The Early Church's Family Album
By Barry Newton (April 1, 2009)
While pictures can reveal any moment frozen in time, family albums tend to preserve only the momentous milestones, beautiful moments, and perhaps an occasional humorous event. In some ways, Acts is like a family album of the early church. However, unlike the typical family pictorial history, this story reveals a realistic portrayal of both the church's highs and lows.
Naiveté, Cynicism & The Mission
By Barry Newton (March 25, 2009)
Stephen's preaching at the Synagogue of the Freedmen could easily provide a case study. Not only had Jesus been raised, but now the miracles Stephen performed only further served to confirm his Christian message which even by itself they were powerless to refute.
Pursuing God's Purposes ... Experiencing God's Grace
By Barry Newton (March 18, 2009)
Pouring out their hearts before God that they might fulfill their mission, the young Jerusalem congregation had prayed: "grant your servants to speak your message with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal ... through the name of your holy servant Jesus." (Acts 4:29,30)
Free From Accusation - A Parable For Our Time
By Barry Newton (March 11, 2009)
A father had two sons, both of whom had brought disgrace upon the family. Tension plagued their familial relationship. One day the father privately called each son to join him at the kitchen table because he wanted to share with them a wonderful gift.
The God Created Community
By Barry Newton (March 4, 2009)
Thinking they had seen it all before, curious Israelites gathered to investigate an unusual sound. At the center of the commotion a group of men were speaking loudly and boldly. Certain individuals from the crowd suddenly became surprised as they recognized the wonders of God being proclaimed in languages from their own distant homelands.
Three Of History's Greatest Days
By Barry Newton (February 25, 2009)
Neither camera nor pen was present on three of humanity's greatest days, one of which holds the potential to utterly transform our lives. Instead, on those days long ago the air we breathe was filled with blood and death as promises were extended.
The Fish Posters: Are Adults Listening?
By Barry Newton (February 4, 2009)
Posters depicting a school of fish swimming downstream while one lonely fish swims against the descending torrent adorns the halls of my son's Middle School. These placards display a printed message as part of a values campaign. A series of posters decorate the school proclaiming the message in two forms:
To Tell The Truth Bible Challenge
By Barry Newton (January 28, 2009)
While watching dated reruns filled with wide lapels and orange polyester suit jackets would be painful today, the challenge of the To Tell The Truth game show remains intriguing. Do you have the sophistication to separate impostors from the real McCoy? How about when it comes to biblical words and phrases? Take the To Tell The Truth Bible Challenge below and see how well you can identify the genuine definitions.
Who's in Charge Around Here?
By Stan Mitchell (January 21, 2009)
You can't control what happens to you, but if you let him, God can control you! "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).
The Burden of Hope
By Barry Newton (December 31, 2008)
Especially when innocent lives could be impacted, does government bear the burden for bailing out failing entities, whether they be economically unviable businesses or individuals? Or should individuals and corporations reap the natural consequences for their own actions and policies?
Summum Bonum's Impact
By Barry Newton (December 17, 2008)
While many might not be familiar with the term "summum bonum" [greatest good], nor regularly contemplate which values should rule others from the top of a hierarchical pyramid, the practical everyday impact of these principles explains the various currents shaping our diverse life stories.
Raising Boys 101
By Barry Newton (December 10, 2008)
As my oldest son climbed out of our Saturn to enter his middle school in the crisp early morning, my eyes drifted upward to the rearview mirror where I saw a black SUV parking some thirty yards behind me. Strung out behind that car was a long line of vehicles waiting to drop off their kids. Immediately, the words of a non-Christian visitor on the previous Sunday night flashed into my mind. "I want to have a son like that."
The Gift - A Divine Idea
By Barry Newton (December 3, 2008)
When humanity launches out to resolve issues of spirituality, the afterlife, soul hunger or fellowship with the divine, a predictable pattern repeatedly emerges. Hope is pieced together with a glue of human goodness.
Amidst People and Pie
By Barry Newton (November 26, 2008)
Yesterday evening as I sat on my son's bed preparing to tuck him in for the night, life without TiVo meant that if I wanted to see the last thirty minutes of my TV program, the nightly routine would have to be quick. My goal was clear: one, two, three, move on to my older son and then back downstairs. I could do this.
The Reaction Against Being Right
By Barry Newton (November 19, 2008)
Today, eyes can dart furtively whenever someone confidently claims to have accurately described a particular doctrine. Believing you are right can lead to self-righteous arrogance. However, correctly understanding truth and being certain of what is right is not the problem.
Misquoting Paul - All Things To All Men
By Barry Newton (October 1, 2008)
His quotation of Paul had flowed flawlessly word for word. "I have become all things to all men so that by all means I might save some." So how audacious for anyone to disagree with his proposal to alter worship services in order to attract those outside the community of Christ.
Of Tickets and Spelunkers - Grasping the Two Sides of Works
By Barry Newton (September 24, 2008)
No one would confuse the activities of climbing, crawling, squeezing or rappelling as how to obtain an entry ticket to a cave. Nor would anyone be so silly as to think that simply tightly holding a ticket exemplifies a person as a thrill-seeking spelunker. Yet, when it comes to salvation and service, how often do people confuse being saved with their purpose?
Deep Soul Healing
By Barry Newton (September 3, 2008)
The ongoing cost in quality of life continues to be staggering. Some situations so powerfully gnaw at the human spirit that seeking reprieve can dominate and distort all of life. Although someone may appear normal on the outside, the person in the mirror, at the end of a bottle, standing before the cash register, sitting at a computer screen or holding a fork may feel justifiably unforgiven.
Religious Political Correctness Again
By Barry Newton (August 27, 2008)
To complete for him his worn out politically correct sentences would have been easy. "Doctrinal differences don't matter. What matters is whether we are serving people in love." Fed up with religious infighting, he viewed himself as striving for higher ground above the fray. But apparently there was a perspective and a trajectory he had not considered.
Shattering His Pigeonholes
By Barry Newton (August 20, 2008)
With half-truths in hand, humanity has sought to stuff him into convenient pigeonholes, sometimes deliberately, on other occasions unwittingly. Consider the Jewish Messianic expectations which permeated the first century.
Don't Tell Anyone Who I Am
By Barry Newton (August 13, 2008)
Peter had accurately piped up, "You are the Messiah." Jesus' response shocks us. He forbade him from divulging this good news. Might Jesus also forbid us from telling others that he is the Savior?
Romans 1:17 - The Righteousness of God
By Barry Newton (July 23, 2008)
Successfully solving puzzles often entails breaking an apparent enigma down into smaller more manageable units. Typically the perception is Romans 1:17 contains two significant points of disagreement: What does "from faith unto faith" mean and what is being referred to by "righteousness of God?" This week we tackle "righteousness of God."
Moving Forward
By Barry Newton (July 16, 2008)
It takes a lot of energy for a freight train to begin to chug forward along the rails. In a similar way, although the author of Hebrews would claim he only composed a short letter, he spilt a lot of ink to restoke the enthusiasm of his Christian readers that they might zealously persist in serving Christ.
Romans 1:17 - A Reasonable Suggestion
By Barry Newton (July 9, 2008)
At first glance it might appear there is little hope of piercing through the murkiness to glean an accurate understanding of Romans 1:17's "from faith to faith." Many readers merely gloss over difficult phrases armed with the dismissive attitude, "what difference does this make?"
Your Life Story
By Barry Newton (July 2, 2008)
Their lives are set in concrete. The stories about how Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Joseph and Moses lived are unchangeable. In spite of adversity and the grind of time, they remained faithful. Meanwhile our spiritual marathon continues. Our conclusion has not yet been written. The trajectory of our lives can still be bent.
Commodore 64 Or Latest Technology?
By Barry Newton (June 25, 2008)
The question was a simple one. Which one would you prefer? Because the desirable answer was so obvious, instinct warned, "somehow this must be a trick question." Sitting on the table side by side were two computers in pristine form, albeit the Commodore 64 belonged more appropriately in a museum. When it comes to worship, the author of Hebrews confronts us with a similar choice.
Strong Medicine
By Barry Newton (June 18, 2008)
At first blush, the idea might sound attractive. Why not ensure that every message presented in the worship assembly be positive and upbeat? If God's people need to be motivated, why not solely appeal to why disciples should love the Lord and how their love should direct their lives?
The High Priest, His Tabernacle & You
By Barry Newton (June 11, 2008)
What husband would present an expensive piece of fine jewelry in a brown paper bag to his wife? It is just not going to happen. That would not be appropriate.
The Impact of Knowing The Future
By Barry Newton (June 4, 2008)
Viktor Frankl, a Nazi concentration camp survivor, acutely analyzed a fundamental difference between his fellow inmates. "The prisoner who had lost faith in the future-his future-was doomed. With his loss of belief in the future, he also lost his spiritual hold; he let himself decline. He simply gave up."
A Million Billion Times
By Barry Newton (May 28, 2008)
A mom looked down at her junior high son with an all too familiar facial expression. Words tumbled down he had so often heard before. Words he did not really wish to hear again. "If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times to pick up your room on Saturday morning."
A Mile In Our Shoes
By Barry Newton (May 21, 2008)
"You don't know what they are going through until you walk a mile in their moccasins." In my family, this version of a familiar refrain frequently curtailed critical attitudes.
To Darwin Or Not To Darwin?
By Barry Newton (May 17, 2008)
by Barry Newton Will Ben Stein's film, "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed," succeed in raising questions of angst among the entrenched voices of "Big Science?" From the spigot of Wikipedia gush sources revealing the standard ironic reaction by dissenters to Intelligent Design.
Faithful Living In A Broken World
By Barry Newton (May 7, 2008)
Regal words ignite our imaginations as our minds race through the landscape of the society being portrayed. It is beautiful. God enthrones his powerful, righteous and benevolent Son saying, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a...
Freedom from LWI
By Barry Newton (April 10, 2008)
Suddenly bright red and blue flashing lights lit up the rearview mirror startling the driver with a mild state of panic. Sure the reaction was slightly delayed due to the elevated influence of alcohol, but this was just another symptom of the driver's altered perception. ...
First Impressions
By Barry Newton (April 2, 2008)
by Barry Newton So much at stake in so little time! His pen scribbled across parchment articulating God's message to his half-hearted recipients. Those first utterances would either captivate their imaginations, fully engaging their minds, or boredom would quickly settle...
Mission Impossible?
By Barry Newton (March 21, 2008)
by Barry Newton Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to fan the flame in the hearts of God's people so that their faith and service to God burns brightly. Although the target group of Christians are not...
Transforming Churches
By Barry Newton (March 6, 2008)
by Barry Newton From fiction to the church, history exudes examples of those who have sought to impose their own will by transforming what exists into how their own imagination thought it should be. In Mark Twain's "The Man That...
In Job's Footsteps
By Barry Newton (February 21, 2008)
by Barry Newton Devastated by Satan's shock and awe salvo, Job sat silently, poverty stricken, childless and disease afflicted upon the ashes of a garbage heap feeling as though he, too, had become rejected rubbish. The nature of his initial...
Failing Our Kids
By Barry Newton (February 14, 2008)
by Barry Newton Anemic is sometimes the first word that springs to my mind as I interact with Christian young people. To be sure they often understand that we need to rely upon Christ for salvation. They also comprehend that...
Grace: Now You See It. Now You Don't!
By Barry Newton (February 7, 2008)
by Barry Newton Scandalous almost seems too timid of a description if you have been a victim. That any person, even those possessing a pre-meditated, calloused, self-centered intent to maliciously destroy others, can be transformed in one moment into a...
Avoiding Both Fear and Failure: Living Faithfully Everywhere
By Barry Newton (January 16, 2008)
by Barry Newton Destructive extremes have always been easier to achieve. Living as a Christian is no exception. The twin ditches of fear and failure all too readily seek to pull God's people from the road of healthy Christian living....
Faith By The Book
By Barry Newton (December 12, 2007)
by Barry Newton Dictionaries typically reflect a particular culture's usage of words. In contradistinction to modern nuances and meanings, what if a dictionary were to roll back time to reveal Biblical usages? What light might such a manual of words...
Cruciform Worship
By Barry Newton (December 5, 2007)
by Barry Newton The sun had set when the wheels of the Mercedes Benz crunched small clumps of dirt as it slowly created a parking space alongside the dirt road. Other less financially endowed individuals along with occupants from other...
If We Know "What," Is "How" Significant?
By Barry Newton (November 22, 2007)
Their faces are kind and time worn. Often beneath the aged brows eyes still sparkle. On this autumn day they have come to sit on leather padded chairs around scattered tables in a sitting room for another weekly Bible study...
Better Than Improved
By Barry Newton (November 15, 2007)
Contemporary colors, spacious layouts and promises of insight into the latest beckons another guest-to-become-customer to enter. Strategic placement of topics and sales items, scattered reading spots and an in-house coffee shop ensure that your stay in today's bookstore will be...
Survivor! This Is No Game
By Barry Newton (October 31, 2007)
What is the statistically best strategy for firing at your opponent in Battleship? How could you transform the rotating principle of the ubiquitous Rubik’s Cube into a board game? How do you create an intelligent computer program to play the...
Sheep, Grace & The Cross
By Barry Newton (October 5, 2007)
by Barry Newton As pastures go, the one hundred or so sheep who grazed peacefully on the lush green slopes above the loch had thrived under Radock's leadership until that eventful autumn. Since it was not uncommon for a few...
Culture and the Cross
By Barry Newton (July 25, 2007)
On January 27th in a graduate class entitled Ethnotheology, a professor explained the relationship of the church to its surrounding cultural influences. Echoing Paul's sentiments that Christians are to be in the world but not of the world, his steady...
Liberating the Cross
By Barry Newton (July 4, 2007)
Biblical preaching proclaims Christ crucified. But how often does that proclamation acknowledge that the cross is embedded within a larger context? Unfortunately, failure to comprehend how the gospel fits into an overall framework can result in an impoverished understanding of...
Love Personified
By Barry Newton (June 27, 2007)
Frankly real love is not only inconvenient; it is relentlessly demanding. Just ask any couple caring for their newborn baby. A newly minted dad might very well remind us that love's sacrificial demands began long before birth. Concern for his...
Forgiven Forever
By Barry Newton (June 6, 2007)
For people who know them, the details remain obscured within the shadows of history. Decades ago a passionate scene had vividly unfolded as anger spew forth. Words and actions understood as a personal attack had cut deeply. Today, just mentioning...
We Want To Erect No Barriers To Christ - The Failure of Pragmatic Theology
By Barry Newton (May 16, 2007)
Seldom have I witnessed a more succinct and poignantly phrased reason obscuring a hairpin turn down a disturbing path. "We do not want to raise any barriers to accessing Christ."
Adoption
By Barry Newton (April 25, 2007)
Shortly after the decade of 1960 had begun, a woman in a New York City hospital took a breath for one last time. While it is common for someone’s death to change family dynamics, the impact of her funeral was...
Peace
By Barry Newton (April 12, 2007)
The man walking through my front door was squat and sturdy. We had just moved to town and he was delivering some new furniture. Determined to start a spiritual conversation, I had asked a question which I no longer remember. What I do recall is the gist of his answer.
"The way I figure it," he said, "I'm trying to do good things. ...
Hope
By Barry Newton (April 4, 2007)
Yesterday as she painted her story with somber colors, it was clear that whatever bright dreams for a future Camelot she might have clung to at one time had long ago melted away into dark oblivion. The hopelessly dark colors...
Promises
By Barry Newton (February 21, 2007)
We need promises. Promises come in many shapes and sizes. On their wedding day, making their marriage vows a couple exchange promises of love and care. In a business meeting an agreement is forged; a binding contract promises what services...
Where The Heart Relies - A Contemporary Parable
By Barry Newton (February 14, 2007)
Two mothers within blocks of each other on a Sunday morning helped their kids through the morning routine in preparation for a worship service. Perhaps it is ironic that these families would be headed toward the same building, for although...
Label Magic
By Barry Newton (January 25, 2007)
Imagine being able to wield tremendous power by just speaking the right word. One aspect of ancient magic involved the belief that knowing the name of a spiritual power could be used to gain control over it in order to...
Winter Reflections
By Barry Newton (January 17, 2007)
With long icicle whiskers dangling from the grill and a smooth icy glaze cocoon reflecting mottled colors, my car resembled a giant catfish more than my trusty set of wheels. Two days of drizzling freezing rain combined with pellets of...
Sharpening Exegetical Perception
By Barry Newton (January 3, 2007)
At first it appeared to be just another TV crime drama. Walking around a corner, a businessman was confronted by a victim lying in a puddle of blood. Hovering near the body, a youth was fixated upon the body while...
Neither Good Nor Bad: Insight on Judging
By Barry Newton (December 28, 2006)
The ensuing blanket of silence following his assertion, not only seemed to cause his words to hang indefinitely in the air, but also appeared to confirm the wisdom of their content. "You are judging when you insist that something is...
"Why" is the Wrong Question
By Barry Newton (December 20, 2006)
We have heard the emotionally intense language of frantic frustration and hopelessness. "My life is unraveling at the seams." "I am being crushed." "It feels like my life is in a ruthless meat grinder!" More often than not, the next...
The Real Issues
By Barry Newton (December 13, 2006)
Gaze with me, if you dare, at a future religious landscape within the proverbial crystal ball. Not unsurprisingly, the topics of discussion have morphed beyond those of our own experiences. Just as people today reject that the earth is flat...
The Misnamed Parable
By Barry Newton (December 6, 2006)
We first knew it as The Parable of the Prodigal Son. More recently, probably in an effort to broaden understanding, we have heard it called The Parable of the Lost Son. While it is true this story is in a...
From Consumers to Community
By Barry Newton (July 26, 2006)
"Welcome to Buffet America." Immigrants to the USA never see such a sign, but our general culture suggests such sentiments would not be misplaced. From dawn to dusk, from billboards to television, residents are educated to believe, "I need this."...
Danger for Long-Term Christians
By Barry Newton (July 19, 2006)
Having served Christ for decades, she felt a strange disorientation in reading "Danger for Long-Term Christians." What? Defensively a long list of benefits from serving Christ immediately flooded her mind. "More time provides greater opportunity to learn of Christ, grow...
Biblical Unity for Dummies (3): Mystical Unity Imposed by Grace or Tools of Maintenance Required?
By Barry Newton (July 12, 2006)
Will the one body of Christ be always mystically united despite apparent division on earth or are God's people responsible for employing tools to maintain the body's unity? This question brings to the forefront our understanding of the nature of...
The Forbidden Files: Case #15 "Pro-Choice Vs. Pro-Life"
By Barry Newton (June 28, 2006)
The Forbidden Files are buried from view somewhere deep beneath stacks of "to do items," "worthy projects" and "topics of immediate pressing concerns." The F Files are a listing of topics which, at best, are inconvenient to address. If tension...
Biblical Unity for Dummies (2): A Trip to the Zoo
By Barry Newton (June 21, 2006)
As the school bus slowly pulled into the zoo's parking lot, all doubt evaporated whether or not the students were excited. Their educational task for the day: to biologically classify the animals according to large family groupings. Although we are...
Biblical Unity for Dummies (1)
By Barry Newton (June 7, 2006)
Many people have recognized the value of Christian unity, whether this comes from their own intuition or from Scripture such as Jesus' prayer, "that all of them may be one ... so that the world may believe you sent me."/1...
Reaching Beyond the Choir With Baptism
By Barry Newton (May 17, 2006)
Almost in unison, heads were nodding in agreement as affirming smiles gently broke over the congregation. And why shouldn't they? He was preaching to the choir. But drop that same message upon informed detractors and you may have a whole...
A Phantom Guidepost
By Barry Newton (April 26, 2006)
Sometimes epiphanies can strike at the oddest of moments. Streams of people were still filing in hoping to find a seat when, from the podium, the keynote speaker was introduced. Beginning with his outstanding academic record, the speaker's impeccable intelligence...
Not Caught Red-Handed - Caught Empty-Handed
By Barry Newton (April 19, 2006)
Standing before congregations, well-intentioned individuals have sometimes served up cruel kindness prior to the collection being taken. In the attempt to be loving, a hurtful prescription may go something like this: "The Lord loves a cheerful giver who freely gives...
Raised With Christ
By Barry Newton (April 12, 2006)
Consider that typical solid citizen of the neighborhood driving into her garage after a long day. Her marriage of twenty-some years has ebbed as well as scraped bottom, but she and her husband have worked through the rough times. Although...
Christendom’s Blind Spot - The Nature of Faith
By Barry Newton (March 22, 2006)
by Barry Newton All I could see dangling over the edge of our shed’s roof were his feet. My words ascended up to a boy obscured from view, “Son, slowly let yourself down. I will support you.” The response was...
Seeing Through God's Eyes
By Barry Newton (March 15, 2006)
Apparently my perspective about my Brazilian permanent resident status is distinctively my own. In an unceremonious moment this summer, my Brazilian resident ID card is scheduled to expire. My viewpoint is that not only is it in Brazil's economic interest...
The Need To Redirect The Discussion
By Barry Newton (March 8, 2006)
Years ago, my wife selected a mobile to hang in our newborn's bedroom above the crib. I remember attaching that mobile to a ceiling which I presumed would be stared at for hours by our newborn. Funny thing about mobiles....
What I Want My Boys To Know
By Barry Newton (March 1, 2006)
That you are a gift from God to your mother and myself ... so expect us to love you and to take our responsibility to raise you to love God very seriously. That the God who created this universe will...
Signet Rings & Jesus' Name
By Barry Newton (February 15, 2006)
Was Joseph able to keep his cool as he watched Pharaoh take off his royal signet ring and place it upon his own finger? Pharaoh then told Joseph, "I am Pharaoh." Pharaoh did not relinquish his authority, but Joseph was...
The Battle For the Heart
By Barry Newton (February 8, 2006)
His world consisted of plastered walls, glass windows with security bars, broken asphalt, and the continual buzz of a large metropolitan city. He was unaware of the unseen forces around him. As far as he knew, life as a kid...
The Badge of Discipleship & Barriers Against Love
By Barry Newton (January 25, 2006)
When Jesus commanded those who would follow him to love their enemies/1, Jesus revealed that we have the ability to choose to love anyone. Jesus is telling us that love is a decision. We are in control whether or not...
After the Cancer
By Barry Newton (January 18, 2006)
She had suffered and struggled against the insidious attack upon her body. But finally the disease had claimed her life. Friends and loved ones came to console and offer their deepest sympathy. With hearts filled with feelings of compassion, loved...
Cross-Shaped Lives
By Barry Newton (January 11, 2006)
Sitting in an all-too-quiet and empty room by himself after his wife stormed out of the house, a husband asked himself, "Why is she so upset?" Perhaps the answer lies in her hormones or it might be his cloddishness. Although...
Citizenship in Nahnia
By Barry Newton (January 4, 2006)
Twitching nervously, squire mouse felt quite perplexed. Although he had expected difficulties, he had not anticipated encountering what was unfolding before his large brown eyes. His mind flashed back to when standing before the king's presence, he had heard with...
Why Do Some Believe? Why Don't Others?
By Barry Newton (December 14, 2005)
While driving back from the San Francisco airport through natural beauty along a gently winding interstate, a well-known televised preacher once asked me, "why do you think some people respond to the gospel and others don't?" Perhaps many insightful answers...
Who's Your SRP?
By Barry Newton (November 23, 2005)
Gawking at himself in a large restaurant mirror in a men's restroom, a teenager adjusted his pants so that his underwear would show. Two other young men saw him. One immediately proceeded to alter how he wore his pants. The...
Does This Divide the Body? (Thoughts on 1 Cor. 12:25 & Gal. 3:28-29)
By Barry Newton (October 26, 2005)
Sitting comfortably in a living room, a few Christians cordially but earnestly discussed their differing views. Normally you could characterize them as being of one mind, but today a logjam threatened. If you find the following details of the initial...
Jesus Rejected Making Life All About Himself
By Barry Newton (October 12, 2005)
Satan's experience in exploiting fleshly desires and weaknesses had been honed over thousands of years. All of this dark cunning would be focused and unleashed against Jesus in the wilderness. As would soon be clear, to destroy Jesus under the...
The God Who Comforts the Downcast
By Barry Newton (September 28, 2005)
Filled with feelings of discouragement and helplessness, weary souls plod through dismal and shadowy valleys. We are human. We know what fear and discouragement are. Even the apostle Paul admitted to being downcast. Although the details of his situation were...
Interpreting Revelation: Suggested Keys To Build A Framework
By Barry Newton (September 21, 2005)
1) Revelation Involves A Prophecy Which Would Soon Take Place From When It Was Written. Revelation 1:1, 3; 22:7, 10, 18 Repeatedly and very clearly, John tells us this is a prophecy which would be fulfilled soon. But what about...
Interpreting Revelation: Knowing the Goal
By Barry Newton (September 14, 2005)
Standing before his class of hungry young minds eager to analyze, absorb, and critique his presentation on Revelation, the professor produced an unusually shaped ink blot. The first thought for many students was, "What's this?" Their teacher continued, "five theories...
A Lesson From A Law Professor
By Barry Newton (August 31, 2005)
Several years ago, I invited Phillip Johnson, a staunch adversary of macro-evolution and a law professor at the University of Berkeley for over thirty years, to be a guest speaker for a regional preachers’ meeting. On the appointed day in...
The Most Important Member
By Barry Newton (August 10, 2005)
While our spinning planet careens through space, the Almighty patiently pursues his objectives. Through Christ, God is joining diverse peoples together into one community, one body. God's will for his people involves them being characterized by love, joy, and peace...
A Canon Within the Canon?
By Barry Newton (August 3, 2005)
What idea jumps to mind when you hear, "a wolf in sheep's clothing"? For most Biblically literate people, the mental image snaps to view of someone incorrectly teaching God's message. Perhaps this type of four-footed trouble is the easiest to...
More Than Just From A Distance
By Barry Newton (July 27, 2005)
From a distance, how do people appear to you? Bette Midler sings, "from a distance you look like my friend." Meeting someone who has a new SUV, designer sunglasses, a sun tan with a knockout hairstyle, gold jewelry or flashy...
Got Trust?
By Barry Newton (July 20, 2005)
A mouthful of dry chocolate cookie followed by the slogan "Got Milk?" is nowhere near the power of "Got Trust?" Trust can be harder than steel but more fragile than glass. While trust can grow slowly to the point where...
Life In A Puddle (Do Numbers Count?)
By Barry Newton (June 15, 2005)
Relentlessly day and night thundering waves crash against our coast reshaping shoals and occasionally even pulling down a section of a cliff. Each day tons of water barrel over Niagara Falls forcefully eroding back the location of the falls' descent....
If It Is True, Is It Still Gossip?
By Barry Newton (June 1, 2005)
"A gossip betrays a confidence, but he who is trustworthy keeps a secret" (Proverbs 11:13). "A perverse man spreads strife, and a gossip separates intimate friends" (Proverbs 16:28). "He who conceals an offense promotes love, but he who repeats the...
Behold, The Lamb of God
By Barry Newton (May 25, 2005)
Neither of the Johns could contain themselves. People find it hard to keep good news to themselves. With quill in hand, the apostle John recounted another John’s words. As John the Baptizer saw Jesus walking down the road his voice...
Yuk! We're Wearing The Same Clothes!
By Barry Newton (May 18, 2005)
A woman selects a nice looking dress from a clothes rack in a store. Simultaneously she becomes aware that a second lady wearing the same dress has just walked out of the dressing room while a third lady stands in...
Questions, Questions and ... The Question!
By Barry Newton (April 13, 2005)
There are many questions, and then there is "the question." Where will you vacation this year? Where will technology lead us in ten years? How many angels can stand on the head of a pin? Will you marry me? No,...
Balm for the Faithful
By Barry Newton (April 6, 2005)
"God is not unfair; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown because of his name, as you have served his people and continue to serve them" (Hebrews 6:10). Because you are trying to serve God...
But I Thought It Was A Joke
By Barry Newton (March 30, 2005)
A long time ago a couple of young men were engaged to marry Lot's daughters. One night their future father-in-law showed up unexpectedly at their home with a story that seemed so incredible to them they thought it was a...
Life-Transforming Hope
By Barry Newton (March 23, 2005)
Even though she was still single, she deliberately abandoned the adrenaline rush of navigating through the nightclub social chaos of chance encounters with potential sleep-over suitors. Even though the authorities had put some of his friends in jail for embracing...
After The Water Bottle Was Empty
By Barry Newton (March 16, 2005)
Under a pitilessly hot sun, a slave woman called Hagar and her son Ishmael slowly walked away from the life they had known into the harsh reality of a wilderness. With each step, a son was being ripped further from...
Similar Stories. Different Messages.
By Barry Newton (March 9, 2005)
Had they been through too much? Would the weight of history filled with its destructive words and actions prove to be too excessive for the relationship? Had the bridge of a loving rapport been forever destroyed? Apparently not. Deep concern...
For the Same Reason: Thoughts on Being A Restorationistic People
By Barry Newton (February 23, 2005)
Why do we immerse in water those who wish to rely upon Jesus for salvation? Because the early church baptized respondents to the gospel? Or do we practice this for the same reason the early church baptized - namely, the...
Grace on Wooden Beams
By Barry Newton (February 9, 2005)
Passing through a conduit involving airport security checkpoints, stale re-circulated air, hours of travel and a bumpy, dusty ride in a four-wheel drive vehicle had taken the missionary from a world of wealth, incredible conveniences, electricity and running water into...
The Sign
By Barry Newton (February 2, 2005)
A few minutes earlier, the crowd inside the house had marveled and wondered at a man called Jesus.\1 A blind and mute man had been brought before Jesus. Now they too had witnessed what so many others had claimed. Jesus...
A Lost Verse of the Bible?
By Barry Newton (January 26, 2005)
It has been said that the best place to hide something is in plain sight. If those who teach the Bible were to selectively tip toe through Scripture to avoid offending current values, Lamentations 2:14 could very well be a...
She Must Make The First Move: When Everybody is Right, But Relationships Are Still Broken
By Barry Newton (January 12, 2005)
To listen to their self-testimony, neither of them had done anything wrong. Yet the atmosphere in the room was as cold as a blizzard in January. As far as he was concerned, their strained relationship was all her fault. Similarly,...
Entrusted
By Barry Newton (December 22, 2004)
As Paul's pen scurried across parchment and papyrus, repeated glimpses of an amazing story have emerged. No, I am not writing about God's love toward us in sending his Son to forgive our guilt. We have much more than mere...
Blessed Are the Peacemakers During the Holiday Season
By Barry Newton (December 8, 2004)
by Barry Newton Sometimes between planning who will prepare the turkey gravy and singing "Auld Lang Syne," being a peacemaker can seem like an insurmountable mountain. To scale the cliffs of conflict during this holiday season, here are a few...
When Good Turns Sour
By Barry Newton (November 24, 2004)
At one time or another, while happily chatting with someone, many of us probably have opened the refrigerator and poured ourselves a nice, tall, cool glass of milk. Without giving it much attention, we took a large mouthful. Then the...
Old School Or New School Husbands?
By Barry Newton (November 10, 2004)
From sitting at a table while enjoying some coffee to casually chatting in a small group, I have heard several wives describe their husbands as being from the old school. How would you describe the husband and father in your...
Does Anybody Understand Me?
By Barry Newton (November 3, 2004)
"You just do not understand me," lamented the young wife. Her feelings of alienation and frustration felt as though she was on a lonely raft in the midst of the sea. Her husband was confident he knew exactly what was...
A Haunting Question
By Barry Newton (October 27, 2004)
by Barry Newton Tis the season for scary movies to fill the box office marquees. Looking for a good fright? Unless our spiritual compasses are completely out of whack, Jesus can be downright disturbing. Unlike a movie whose situation you...
Why Is My Little Johnny Like That?
By Barry Newton (September 22, 2004)
"Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4, NIV). If there was something you could do as a parent to reduce the possibility of someday asking the question,...
Where Does The Bible Say I Have To Attend Worship Services That Often?
By Barry Newton (September 15, 2004)
Rule #12 in the Newton household: Homework must be completed every day before you can play. My boys may not always enjoy this rule, but the self-discipline and education gained through doing homework is good for them. Accordingly, if I...
To Be Known, Yet Loved - Barry Newton
By Barry Newton (September 8, 2004)
Could these be some video clips from your neighborhood? Surrounded by her shopping treasures, she could not take her eyes off of her new picture perfect manicure and pedicure. She was feeling great for the moment. Buried deep beneath a...
Not By Works - Some May Need A Paradigm Shift (part 6)
By Barry Newton (September 1, 2004)
He chose his words carefully. Standing next to me, the university professor made his case. It went something like this. If the Bible teaches that we can not be saved by works and if works involve doing something, then baptism...
Saved by Faith - Some May Need A Paradigm Shift (Part 5)
By Barry Newton (August 25, 2004)
Although she held a postgraduate degree from one of the most prestigious American universities, viewed herself as a prayer warrior and had faithfully attended her church for years, she was at a loss to understand how the New Testament could...
The Criminal on the Cross (Part 4)
By Barry Newton (August 11, 2004)
The wood felt rough upon his back. The beam had not been crafted for comfort. It's purpose was grisly, to slowly cause his life to ebb away through much suffering. One thing was certain now, death would start closing in...
Looking Through God's Eyes At Salvation (part 3)
By Barry Newton (August 3, 2004)
I can hardly be justified in calling them clues because the framework was never intended to be a puzzle to be solved. Nevertheless, the following "clues" provide the necessary pieces for discovering the consistent principle of grace by which God...
Have Faith in Me (part 2)
By Barry Newton (July 14, 2004)
Sitting on a large branch seven feet in the air, a small boy looked down at his father's raised arms. Calmly his father said, "Have faith in me." For the lad to have faith in his dad, he would need...
Is Baptism Essential to Salvation? (Part 1)
By Barry Newton (July 7, 2004)
When sitting across the modern round table of discussion with those who may disagree about the essentiality of immersion for salvation, it has been my experience that, typically, a fruitful dialogue will be elusive if baptism is studied. Instead, clarity...
Whose Message Is That?
By Barry Newton (June 30, 2004)
Imagine going to a Bible class or listening to a sermon where the Scriptures are never consulted. Instead, a story like Little Red Riding Hood or perhaps a current event is used to illustrate a principle such as: telling the...
Spiritually Healthy
By Barry Newton (June 23, 2004)
Don't you just hate it when Jesus takes away a perfectly good excuse? After all, is it not much more convenient and comforting just to blame others than to face your own responsibility? If you dare ingest straight medicine, consider...
The Bonfire
By Barry Newton (June 16, 2004)
Had the ancient city of Ephesus ever seen a fire quite like this one? The year was probably about 52 A.D. Neither the intense heat nor the rising column of smoke would have been unusual. What may have been a...
More Than A Second Chance - God's Grace
By Barry Newton (June 9, 2004)
Perhaps you have read a book or heard a sermon about the God who gives second chances. Scripture is filled with stories about lives which had been ruined in one way or another only to be picked up out of...
Do People Change? People Do!
By Barry Newton (May 26, 2004)
Confident? Reality? Fatalistic? Lazy? An excuse? How would you describe the claims: "They will never change" or "I can not change"? Whether the words trickle forth as a seemingly despairing self-confession or a mumbled pessimistic comment labeling others, some people...
They Do Not Deserve It
By Barry Newton (May 5, 2004)
I suspect at one time or another we have all been tempted to think: "they do not deserve my time," "she does not deserve my forgiveness," "he does not deserve the effort," or "they do not deserve another chance." Perhaps...
Homoveritasphobia
By Barry Newton (April 28, 2004)
I have heard about a tribe of Indians in the Amazon whose language only contains numbers for counting up to 15. Anything beyond 15 is simply "many". Of course this is not particularly helpful in a number of scenarios. "How...
A Clear & Future Hope
By Barry Newton (April 21, 2004)
In the 8th century B.C. a prophetic message rang out filled with hope about the future coming of God's Servant./1 Centuries later, Matthew's pen pointed out how Jesus had fulfilled this prophecy of Isaiah 42:1-4./2 However, one aspect of that...
The Way of the Cross In Your Life
By Barry Newton (April 7, 2004)
Although each Sunday Christians gather in worship to remember Jesus' death, it is at this time of the year that Jesus was actually nailed to a cross and raised up to die. As Paul wrote his letters to real congregations...
Can I Be Sure of My Salvation?
By Barry Newton (March 24, 2004)
If you listen to enough people I will suggest that you will stumble upon both a human answer to this question as well as one from Scripture. While both appear to offer comfort, one answer is misleading and involves playing...
That Old Grape Vine of Gossip
By Barry Newton (March 10, 2004)
Admittedly, the tongue is difficult to control; and we have all made mistakes in one way or another. But like every form of sin, malicious gossip is something the Lord takes very seriously. Praise God for forgiveness. However, this does...
You Can Start With The Passion of The Christ
By Barry Newton (February 25, 2004)
A few weeks ago I was talking with someone who has embraced an American Indian philosophy. He told me all about sweat lodges and the symbolism involved in them. He excitedly claimed that the trees and the animals are our...
Inbreeding, Butterflies and Responsible Discipleship
By Barry Newton (February 5, 2004)
It was not because there was a lack of conviction or a deep passion for the message that a problem existed. The crisis Jeremiah encountered involved a simple but fatal activity which boiled down to inbreeding. An amazing story unfolds...
After Divorce, Then What?
By Barry Newton (January 29, 2004)
When making plans for the future, everybody likes to receive approval. And the stakes become even more intense when it is not just someone else's opinion but God's commendation which is desired. The more important our plans are to us,...
Getting A Grip on Tolerance, Acceptance and Inclusion
By Barry Newton (January 21, 2004)
This was not the first time the question had plagued his mind. Since Christians are supposed to be loving, is not a gracious broad-mindedness which accepts, tolerates and validates other's perspectives the loving approach? Sometimes it is easy to discern...
Getting Past the Blame Game
By Barry Newton (January 14, 2004)
I walked into the living room and dropped down onto the couch after a long day. From across the room a popular psychologist was busily chattering away through my tv set. My wife seemed to be engaged in listening to...
Wisdom From a Hospital Bed
By Barry Newton (December 31, 2003)
I suspect that when most people go to visit someone in a hospital bed, they anticipate trying to minister to the ailing one through their presence, words, and prayer. They probably do not expect to walk away having received words...
When He Talks
By Barry Newton (December 24, 2003)
Several years ago on tv a commercial would begin with a group of people happily and noisily chatting. But as a certain man began to speak, suddenly the crowd would go silent and strain to hear every word which would...
Saved by Faith: Everyone Tells You to Do Something
By Barry Newton (December 17, 2003)
For me, sometimes the irony gets real thick. I remember watching a television evangelist spend fifteen minutes emphasizing "you are saved by faith not by works." He correctly pointed out that we are not capable of being good enough to...
Surviving the Holidays
By Barry Newton (December 3, 2003)
It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. These words could well have been written about life during the holiday season. It can seem like the holiday season is made up of a wreath of special...
Junk DNA? God Does Not Make Junk!
By Barry Newton (November 19, 2003)
Perhaps you will remember several years ago a lot of talk about "junk DNA." At that time it was common to hear that a large part of human DNA was simply worthless genetic material which had been accumulated over a...
Why A Cappella Music
By Barry Newton (November 13, 2003)
A fairly common question asked by those first encountering our worship services is: Why do you sing without instruments? Perhaps a more interesting question would be, why did early Christians insist on going against the prevailing pagan culture and Jewish...
Danger: Hedging One's Bets
By Barry Newton (October 15, 2003)
I do not remember exactly how long ago it was that for the first time I just sat and shuddered at the implications of verses like Zephaniah 1:5 and 1 Kings 11:4. "... those who bow down and swear to...
Where Does Jesus Want To Be?
By Barry Newton (October 8, 2003)
You would expect to see those who wear white coats and a stethoscope in a hospital. You would expect to see those donning yellow hard hats to be driving heavy equipment or working at a construction site. Bright and smart...
Abusive Relationships & Living For God
By Barry Newton (October 1, 2003)
How should a Christian wife respond to an abusive husband? Does “turning the other cheek” mean that a disciple should quietly accept abusive situations? For those who seek to do God's will, questions like these deserve a reliable compass from...
A Rude Awakening About Being Spiritual
By Barry Newton (September 24, 2003)
It must be a rude awakening when members of a congregation who were probably celebrating their freedom that “all things are permissible for me” and who seemingly were confident of their own spirituality suddenly discover their flight feathers being clipped...
Resisting the Tide
By Barry Newton (September 10, 2003)
(When Tolerance, Affirmation and Inclusion Become Everything) "How could those who were claiming to follow God do such a thing?" Such musings have often been associated with reflections on the history of the Crusades or how the majority of Christendom...
Lessons From 580 B.C. For The Second Millenium A.D.
By Barry Newton (September 3, 2003)
Does it frustrate you when the word of God falls on deaf ears? Have you ever been exasperated that someone was refusing to obey God because that individual had embraced a false interpretation of history? None of this is new....
He Chose Crucifixion
By Barry Newton (August 27, 2003)
Within those early years of the church Paul wrote, "We preach Christ crucified" (1 Cor. 1:23). But there is so much more to this story then just the historical fact that Jesus was crucified. It is one thing for whirlwind...
Pay It Forward
By Barry Newton (August 6, 2003)
No, I have not seen the movie. But if the previews on television are any faithful indication of the movie, we probably all have a fairly good guess of at least part of the story line. A small boy does...
A Matter of Perception
By Barry Newton (July 30, 2003)
In recent years various authors have correctly understood that our perceptions govern how we understand ourselves and our world, and that the way we see governs how we behave. Consider Eve. When the serpent first asked Eve about the forbidden...
A High Speed Motor, But No Compass
By Barry Newton (July 23, 2003)
Summer is upon us and many will have enjoyed cruising across a lake or a river. If you have ever been in a high-powered speed boat, imagine the absurdity of opening wide throttle a powerful motor at night while lacking...
The One Thing We Have Control Over
By Barry Newton (July 11, 2003)
"The race is not to the swift nor the battle to the warriors, neither is the bread to the wise, nor wealth to the discerning, nor favor to men of ability for time and chance happen to them all" (Ecclesiastes...
The Crisis of Decision
By Barry Newton (July 2, 2003)
Can the clarity of resolve become foggy in the crisis of decision? Conflicts of interest and the clash of values have always muddied the eyes of those who would otherwise see clearly. We know this to be true. Those who...
What's The Use?
By Barry Newton (June 18, 2003)
Huddled in the darkness of a cave all alone, Elijah continued to beat his drum of depression. How had God's prophet ended up here after the powerful victory over the false prophets on Mt. Carmel? The fire of the Lord...
Freedom from the Bootstrap
By Barry Newton (June 11, 2003)
With a bit of unconcealable pride, his rugged time-worn face lit up with a smile as his resonant voice announced, "I did not have anything when I started. Today, I have all this. I’m a self-made man!" While such a...
Keeper of the Temple
By Barry Newton (May 22, 2003)
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, ABC television network recently plowed through a mountain of video clips. Among those unearthed from their vaults were some scenes from the old “Laverne and Shirley” show. In one of these the character of Shirley...
Sims, Animals & Biblical Teaching: Wielding the Power to Shape
By Barry Newton (May 15, 2003)
The computer game industry caters well to testosterone. Want to command the power of an army, fly the world’s most devastating airplane, build a city, manage a world or expand an empire throughout the galaxy? There is a computer simulation...
Faulty Feelings
By Barry Newton (May 7, 2003)
They are real. They are so convincing. We cannot ignore them. They often influence how we respond to others. We express them with words such as: “I’m on top of the world,” “I just don’t see any solution,” “everything is...
Living Without Debt
By Barry Newton (April 30, 2003)
The Lord’s perspective Long before financial advisors like Suze Orman were toting the virtues of living credit card debt free, the light from Jesus’ teachings was evaporating the reasons for going into debt. * Why should you whip out your...
Mystery Theater: Where Do These Clues Lead?
By Barry Newton (March 28, 2003)
Like a good mystery novel, this is probably best read wearing a pair of slippers and sitting in your favorite chair with a cup of hot tea. I would also suggest a Bible and perhaps a pencil. Ready? Clue #1...
I Have To
By Barry Newton (March 20, 2003)
Angry eyes glared at the financial counselor. Her words sought to cut him down to size so that he would realize she was just a victim of circumstance. “You just don’t understand. I have to spend this much money on...
Ideas Have Consequences
By Barry Newton (March 12, 2003)
In the playground, a child might start to believe, "since I cannot run as fast as other kids, I am not as good as them." Through school or watching television, a young person could begin to accept, "I have evolved...
A Widow Prayed
By Barry Newton (March 4, 2003)
Each day as the sun would rise, its light would be cast upon Jerusalem where an elderly godly widow would spend time in prayer. As she would walk into the temple court of the women, without a doubt there were...
Pay Attention to How You Listen
By Barry Newton (February 19, 2003)
Hardly any physical movement occurred, yet the attacks and countermovements were worthy of a Jujitsu championship. Each combatant scrutinized the other’s every word looking for something to exploit toward their own verbal advantage. At times people listen, not for the...
Eliminating the Distance
By Barry Newton (February 14, 2003)
How much do you enjoy being with your children? For me, to play with my two boys, read them stories, give them a hug, tell them how much I love them or teach them how to live and make decisions...
I Appreciate Honesty by Evolutionists
By Barry Newton (February 5, 2003)
In preparing for yet another multimedia seminar on evolution, I stumbled upon a book in the San Jose public library which amazed me. The following six quotes are from Franklin Harold’s, The Way of the Cell published by Oxford University...
God Is Fair ... Good News! Bad News & Great News!
By Barry Newton (January 16, 2003)
If you have ever suffered prejudice, you can really appreciate just how wonderful the truth is that God is fair. That's right. When we come before God, nobody gets special treatment ahead of (or behind) you because of their connections,...
Examine Everything
By Barry Newton (January 8, 2003)
As you read scripture, I hope that various scenes spring to life for you. For me, one of these is Jeremiah's description of the religious world in which he was engulfed. It is sobering to fathom the dynamic in which...
A Wonderful Gift
By Barry Newton (December 17, 2002)
In the midst of making pleasant chit chat while she sat across from me at her desk, the bank clerk mused, “wouldn’t it be wonderful if we knew the future? Then we would know what to do with our money!”...
God's People Need Great Leaders / God's Leaders Need Great Sheep
By Barry Newton (December 5, 2002)
Why would an ancient Israelite break God’s commandments by making an idol and by installing his own son (who may have been an Ephraimite), as his household priest? Scripture provides us with the reason. “In those days Israel had no...
Be Thankful that with God’s Help, You Can Make It
By Barry Newton (November 19, 2002)
Joblessness. Illnesses. Broken relationships. A victim of abuse. Various types of temptations and trials. Satan is at work in our world as a roaring lion to destroy us. As the father of lies who appears as an angel of light,...
A Heart Ready to Worship
By Barry Newton (October 25, 2002)
Although this gentle and loving lady normally took pleasure in helping the downtrodden with a meal or some warm clothing, today would be different. Standing before her was a woman whose defiant eyes matched the demanding tone in her voice....
Christian Living - No Ostriches Here
By Barry Newton (October 16, 2002)
Unlike imitating the proverbial ostrich, the life of a Christian involves squarely facing the facts, responding to them responsibly and then being released from our greatest weight and fear! Wow, now this is the way to live! To go back...
We Call Them Shepherds
By Barry Newton (September 27, 2002)
We see them whenever we gather for worship. They may drop by to see you at home or in the hospital. They are the ones who have been charged with watching over us and caring for our well-being.1 God's Word...
The Fear Factor
By Barry Newton (September 13, 2002)
Fear of something in creation Because the intelligence report of twelve spies revealed that the enemy was well-fortified and ten of those spies counseled that it would be futile to attack, the seeds of fear gripped the heart of a...
Part of the Journey Toward Maturity
By Barry Newton (September 5, 2002)
Adversity is a fact of life. There is no mystery here. What is interesting though is the question, “How are our trials shaping us?” When various types of troubles insist on crowding into our lives it can be easy to...
The Watershed for the Same Message
By Barry Newton (August 23, 2002)
We have grown up with the analogy that if someone plants a grape seed, it will produce a grapevine not a watermelon vine. Accordingly, we have argued that if we will just preach the original message, it will produce only...
Forgiving Yourself
By Barry Newton (August 16, 2002)
What do all of the following have in common? Chocolate, video tapes, cookies, alcohol, over eating and starving oneself. These can all become compulsive avenues for how someone attempts to handle their guilty feelings. When Jesus died on the cross,...
Standing in the Gap
By Barry Newton (August 7, 2002)
Just as Ezekiel would not have readily understood Starbucks coffee and baseball, so too we are likely to fail in fully appreciating walled cities. After all, I have never lived in a walled city seeking refuge from marauding armies. Have...
A Real Message for Today
By Barry Newton (July 31, 2002)
Doubt was written all over her face. Speaking with a pierced tongue, her question was blunt but honest. “Is the Bible relevant for my life? After all, the Bible is ancient!” Such questions might reflect the thinking of a lot...
A Chunk of the Rock
By Barry Newton (July 3, 2002)
Standing as a near timeless sentinel, the Rock of Gibraltar has become a symbol of permanence and stability and therefore an icon of security. People need security and Jesus knew that. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offered to...
Because of Who You Have Become
By Barry Newton (June 19, 2002)
Does it appear to you that the lives of some people resemble a stainless steel pinball reacting to its environment? Consider the who wife responds to her husband’s inconsiderate actions with a stinging terse remark. Or the employee’s heart brimming...
Where's the Treasure?
By Barry Newton (June 13, 2002)
Although many people might nod a glassy-eyed acknowledgment that we need to comply with Jesus’ teaching to lay up treasure in heaven as the self-vindicating rationalization of “yeah, I’m doing some of that” passes through their mind, Jesus’ subsequent teachings...
Why Did This Happen to Me?
By Barry Newton (June 5, 2002)
Sitting around the ash heap in the wake of disaster and suffering, Job and his friends struggled with a fundamental question which has continued to plague humanity. The question seems inevitable whenever people suffer. “Why did this happen to me?”...
Rocks in the Pond
By Barry Newton (May 29, 2002)
A Typical Pond Ponds are interesting places. As a young boy growing up in New Jersey, sometimes I would wander down through our small orchard on hot muggy summer days to a wooded area with two small ponds. This was...
I Know My Redeemer Lives
By Barry Newton (May 8, 2002)
(Note: While Barry gets hooked up, here's a recent article of his I had up my sleeve. —Randal) Long before Jesus hung on the cross, Job revealed through the assertion, "I know that my Redeemer lives," that he tenaciously clung...
A Short Handbook on Love
By Barry Newton (May 3, 2002)
Regardless of economics, race or status, people value love and recognize that love will shape what is good and true. It should not be surprising to anybody that love permeates and lies at the heart of our Biblical message. Since...