Barnabas File

First published in 1967 and reprinted in 1992, Bishop J.C. Ryle (1816-1900) published a work that should be read by every pastor and member of a Bible-believing local church. Entitled “Warnings to the Churches,” Ryle’s burden was to encourage strong and serious Christian living. Ryle lamented in his day that, “I fear much for many professing Christians. I see no sign of fighting in them, much less of victory. They never strike one stroke on the side of Christ. They are at peace with His enemies. They have no quarrel with sin. I often fear much for those who hear the Gospel regularly. I fear lest you become so familiar with the sound of its doctrines, that insensibly you become dead to its power. I fear lest your religion should sink down into vague talk about your own weakness and corruption, and a few sentimental expressions about Christ, while real, practical fighting on Christ’s side is altogether neglected. Oh! Beware of this state of mind. This is not Christianity. This is not the way to heaven.” [Read more…] about The Church’s Call to Strong and Serious Christian Living!

“When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, ‘Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?'” Mark 8:34-36

When you read this familiar text from Scripture, among those who may have responded over the years, who comes to mind first? Do we not usually think first of those who may have been called into missionary service, pastoral ministry, or some other means of full time vocational ministry? Is it not usually the known disciples that stand in our pulpits, fly across the seas to foreign lands, lead our Christian organizations, rather than the unknown faces that often sit in the pews of our churches? [Read more…] about Praise God For Those Who Have Set Their Faces To The Coal!

Let’s confess! Change bothers all of us! Just try sitting in a different seat around the dinner table and watch the response! Just take another member’s seat at church! Just try taking another route home from work! Just try telling the dog he can’t sleep at the foot of the bed anymore! Change has been around since Adam and Eve and sin in the garden. I don’t recall which translation, but Adam said to Eve, “My dear, we are living in a period of transition.” [Read more…] about Change In The Church Is Of The Devil!

Over the years I have come to enjoy the poetry of Christina Rossetti (1830-1894).  Born the daughter of Gabriele Rossetti, an Italian poet and political refugee from Naples, her older brother, Gabriel Charles Dante, was also a known poet.  Christina lived all of her life in London, never married though asked twice, and became afflicted with Graves’ Disease while still quite young.  She devoted herself to caring for her mother and to religious writings.
  [Read more…] about Heaven Could Not Hold Him!

Life under the sun! Doesn’t this sound like a sermon title for those who live in Florida or Arizona? Every winter here in Michigan we say goodbye to our “snowbirds” who fly South or West for warmer climates. If I were to ask what book of the Bible comes to mind when you hear this little phrase, “Life under the sun,” I am sure that you would say, “Ecclesiastes.” How long has it been since you have either preached from this Old Testament book or studied it in your personal Bible study? I would like to encourage you to do so. [Read more…] about Life Under The Sun!

“And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” -Luke 14:27

Look around you!  How often do you see others bearing the cross in some form or another?  It may be a cross on a ring, necklace, earring, ankle bracelet, bumper sticker on a car, or a tattoo placed visibly on some part of the body’s anatomy.   Usually this is just one of several tattooed images so I wonder what it really means to them.  While on vacation a few years ago I was picking up some deli items when I looked up and next to me in line was a scantily clad lady with tattoos from her neck to her feet.  She caught me gawking and the only thing that came to my mind to say was, “Did that hurt!”  As I uncomfortably continued our conversation she indicated that sometimes she can make up to $200.00 a weekend at “Tattoo Shows.”  Without trying to be too conspicuous I did find the “cross” but when Jesus said we are to bear our “cross” I am sure this is not what he had in mind. Occasionally I will ask a person wearing a cross what it means to them.  Often the answers are mind-boggling but I have found it an interesting way to witness. [Read more…] about Bearing the Cross!