“For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens.” Hebrews 7:26

I don’t think that the writer of Hebrews intends that we understand these three words – holy, harmless, undefiled – to simply be different ways of saying the same thing. I believe that what we have here are the three different stages in the development of personal purity in the life of the Christian. Continue Reading…

I believe the primary responsibility that we have as parents is that of passing on our faith, values and positive character qualities to our children. We are responsible to make sure they not only know about Jesus, but know Him personally as Savior and Lord. We are responsible for teaching them what is right, what is wrong and why. We are responsible for teaching them traits and qualities that will equip them be a help, not a hindrance to society. Continue Reading…

“Esau…found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.” Heb.12:16-17

The writer of Hebrews isn’t saying what you might think at first glance. He’s not saying that Esau found no repentance. He says that Esau found no place of repentance. His repentance was evident, and as a result so was his forgiveness. What this verse teaches us is that his repentance did not restore the position he lost in his community. Continue Reading…

“However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” Matt. 17:21

There are temptations in the heart of man that are not easily removed, those that are only able to be extinguished through a very painful process. Now, to be sure, there are some sins which disappear in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye. Think of Saul of Tarsus. One minute he’s walking in darkness, the next he’s prostrate in the blinding glory of the Lord and when he rises to his feet the old life is left in the dust of that Damascus Road. Instantly he is a brand new man. Continue Reading…

Fall is in the air. At least it is today here in the Upstate of South Carolina. Who knows what tomorrow – or next week - will bring? It may warm back up a bit or even turn off hot again, but today my senses tell me that Fall is not too far away.

I don’t know if you’re like me, but I think that there is something really fantastic about Fall.  Maybe it is the cooler temperatures after a long, hot summer. Maybe it’s the beautiful color of the leaves as they begin to turn from green to red to orange to yellow. Maybe it’s Saturday in front of the TV, or at the stadium, watching your favorite football team battle it out on the gridiron. Maybe it’s all of the great opportunities to spend time outdoors with the family. Whatever the reason, I have to admit that I love this season. Continue Reading…

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2

It is only an inward law that has the power to set me free from an outward law. Many times I am as much a descendant of Mt. Sinai as the Jew. I go through this world like a school boy walking through the classroom, remembering  that there are lessons that must be learned and answered that will be recorded. I talk about my accountability and my responsibility and the judgment that is to come. Continue Reading…

“Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.” John 8:9

What a picture of the day of judgment. A single, sinful soul has a face to face encounter with Jesus as her judge. The ones who had condemned slowly left one by one until she is left all alone with the Lord.

I believe that is a type of Jesus’ judgment of all souls. I think that after death there will be a meeting, a moment of solitude where the spirit of man will stand face to face with Jesus. I believe that it will be a moment of simple reflection and solemn review in which the past will be as present. I will see myself as I really am in the light of the Son of Man. Continue Reading…

Last weekend our family took a couple of days and drove 11+ hours (in a mini-van, with a pregnant woman and two preschoolers) to our home town of Milan, TN for a little vacation time. I guess “vacation time” is as good of a description as any. Family reunions are not necessarily restful or relaxing, but we enjoyed our time and trip nonetheless.

My parents moved back to the Milan area several years ago after serving churches in Alabama, Ohio and South Carolina. Since her high school graduation Kim’s folks have move from Tennessee to Kentucky, from Kentucky to Missouri, from Missouri to Florida and have spent the past 5 or so years in the suburbs of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. So, it was good for our two children – Laura Kate and Jack – to have the opportunity to see both sets of grandparents on this short Labor Day weekend trip.

Watching my two kids thoroughly enjoy being with their “Grandmother and Grandaddy Robinson” and “Nanna and PeePaw” brought back a lot of wonderful memories that I have of my time spent at my “Nanny and Big Pa’s” House. I loved spending time there on Lonas Road in Knoxville with them.

My Big Pa taught me a lot, and bailed me out of trouble on more than one occasion. I learned a lot from him about life and death. (He was a marine who had fought at Iwo Jima and in Korea.) He has had a greater impact on my life than I probably even have the ability to realize. As a matter of fact he even let me work with him on his construction crew a couple of summers during my teenage years. Those hard, long, hot days hammering and sawing and sweeping up instilled in me a work ethic and a great appreciation for those who work hard physically to provide for their family.

While nobody is perfect, my Nanny was just about the closest to perfection of anybody in my life as a young boy. There was nothing that she couldn’t do – in my young mind. I loved her and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that she loved me. She showed it in so many ways.

* Whenever we showed up from traveling to see them – no matter what time of day or night it was – there was a fresh banana pudding and homemade chicken and dumplings waiting in the kitchen for me.

* She knew how to read to me and tell me stories.

*Whenver I was with her I felt like she was totally, completely focused on and paying attention to me.

* She was always interested in and encouraging of my creative side – the stuff that I made or the wild outfits I would put on.

* She would help me with hard jobs.

* She sent me cards by snail mail for birthdays and holidays – and ever for no special days.

* She would always slip me money when my Big Pa wasn’t looking and tell me to get something that I wanted.

* She had simple rules and enforced them without fear or favor.

* She took me to meet family members that I had not really heard about or met before. (This has given me a greater sense of who I am and where I’ve come from.)

* She saw in me things that I didn’t even know were there – and encouraged me in them.

* Again, she loved me and I knew it. I loved her, and she knew it.

* Most of all, she loved Jesus and it showed.

Well, the vacation is over and we’re back home in South Carolina, but LK and Jack are still talking about their time and experiences with their grandparents. Laura Kate can quit talking about fishing with her Grandaddy and Jack wants to go back to PeePa’s house everytime we get in the car. Just further proof that grandparents are great!