Growing In Jesus

The Party of the Gospel

May 22, 2012 by pastorbaumann 0 Comments

Not often will the words “party” and “Gospel” be used in the same sentence, yet they should be naturally together. Both are positive terms. “Party” reminds us of the good times we have had and the fantastic gatherings we have with friends and family. “Gospel” points our hearts at the good news of Jesus the [...]

Have Godly Goals

May 9, 2012 by pastorbaumann 0 Comments

God has very high goals for people’s love, character, and spiritual maturity. That is why in a number of places in the Bible God’s people are encouraged to be godly. Scripture does not encourage us to be little gods for there is only one God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God’s people are encouraged [...]

Powerful Trust

April 25, 2012 by pastorbaumann 0 Comments

Christians can have a powerful trust in God- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yet do we live and trust as if God is big or as if God is small or at the most average? Consider your heart in this. Our LORD is powerful. He created the world. There may be other so-called gods or [...]

Do Angels Molt?

December 23, 2011 by pastorbaumann 0 Comments

The angels may have lost some feathers because of the excitement of that first Christmas. At Christmas we have a good chance of seeing real excitement. An excellent example was shown on “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” A little boy was so excited for his birthday that he was physically shaking. His arms were shaking. His [...]

Dry Bones’ Valley of Hopelessness

December 6, 2011 by pastorbaumann 0 Comments

Israel was spiritually living in the country of hopelessness. That sounds too similar to people in our day – different points of hopelessness, but still hopelessness. The people of Israel had been deported. The city walls of Jerusalem had been destroyed. The temple had been razed. The feeling of the majority was that God had [...]

Is There any Mongoose in You?

October 5, 2011 by pastorbaumann 0 Comments

Mongooses are the natural predators of the cobra. The cobra may look more intimidating, sinister and lethal, but the mongoose can triumph. Take a look at the facial expressions in the picture from the movie Rikki Tikki Tavi when Rikki faces off with Nag, the King Cobra. Rikki is determined to win and Nag looks [...]

God Restores Old Cars

September 22, 2011 by pastorbaumann 0 Comments

One of my favorite classic cars is the Pontiac GTO. Not the body style that some called the “Judge” with its swept back roof, but the classic, all be it, boxy, so as the restored car pictured here. Great car! The GTOs I like are now antiques. Of old cars we see two types – [...]

Remember the Enemy

September 14, 2011 by pastorbaumann 0 Comments

Shown with this post is one of the best renditions of Satan. The individual slide is from Disney’s Fantasia, first shown in 1940. The artist for Disney was Vladimir Tytla. While the depiction was spoken of as Satan by many people, it was conceived as a Slavic Chernabog, or black god. The picture is negatively inspiring because [...]

Passion – Dying or Comatose

September 12, 2011 by pastorbaumann 0 Comments

Is the passion for our spouse, especially when younger, a product of the animal nature to procreate or is it part of our need for intimacy with someone special? Passion is energetic love that shows itself in excitement ABOUT our spouse, excitement FOR our spouse, excitement IN our spouse, and a willingness to be intimate [...]

Three Points for Spiritual Growth

August 26, 2011 by pastorbaumann 0 Comments

Martin Luther, the great reformer, presented three points for spiritual growth (see AE Vol 34:285-287, The Career of the Reformer IV). The first two are expected. The third is a surprise, but makes total sense as we look at our lives or the lives of other Christians who well reflect the love of Jesus. Biblical [...]