by Garris Elkins | Sep 15, 2017 | Courage, Discipleship, Fear, Honor, Humility, Identity, Leadership, Relationships, Revelation, Teaching
There are times when our opinion on a matter of faith is found on the opposite side of the coin from the opinions held by fellow believers. Depending on the season in which we find ourselves, the coin of faith can land on either the head or the tail of an opinion. In...
by Garris Elkins | Aug 28, 2017 | Apostle, Church, Courage, Discipleship, Fathers, Five-Fold Ministry, Gifts, Humility, Kingdom of God, Obedience, Peace, Revelation, Word
I read a sad social media interchange between a church leader and the people responding to something he posted. The comment he made appeared flippant and out of tune with God’s heart. I assume it is a comment he now regrets making, maybe not in content but in his...
by Garris Elkins | Aug 27, 2017 | Discipleship, Evangelism, Five-Fold Ministry, Forgiveenss, Freedom, Holy Spirit, Identity, Kingdom of God, Marriage, Redemption, Teaching
One of the most beautiful things about love is choice. If you remove choice from either side of a relationship it is no longer love. I remember the day I asked Jan to marry me. I asked and she said yes. I offered love and she accepted. I did not take Jan by force...
by Garris Elkins | Aug 16, 2017 | Death, Deliverance, Discipleship, Discipline, Eternity, Forgivness, Freedom, Gifts, Holy Spirit, Power, Redemption
In my very distant past, I carried a gun and a badge. The streets were mean then but meaner now. I have had men try to kill me. These were life and death struggles. To survive, I needed to respond with superior tactics to each threat. Those responses allowed me to go...
by Garris Elkins | Aug 13, 2017 | Creativity, Discipleship, Father, Giving, Honor, Hope, Identity, Mercy, Obedience, Redemption
My father was a contractor. He built houses. Most of my summers were filled with manual labor on his job sites. My brother and I were my father’s backhoe. I spent many a hot summer day down in a ditch with a pick and shovel. Our crew was a constantly changing group...
by Garris Elkins | Aug 10, 2017 | Church, Courage, Discipleship, Five-Fold Ministry, Freedom, Gifts, Kingdom of God, Obedience, Power, Prayer, Revelation, Revival, Spiritual Warfare, Teaching, Truth
John Wimber once said, “If you’re not aware of the Presence you will never be aware of the Power.” The greatest thing a pastor can do when a congregation gathers is to help the people acknowledge the presence of God in the assembly. Without this acknowledgment and a...
