A Deeper Read · subject
Collected Essays
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Faith
4 posts- Post 4098Bill Perkins
Jesus Taught With Riddles
Jesus often spoke in riddles. For instance, what did He mean when He asked the following two questions intended to free us from worry: “Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (Matthew 6:25). Now remember, Jesus…
FaithJesusLife and DeathPersonal Growth - Post 4079Bill Perkins
The God of the Gap
The desperate father brought his son to the disciples of Jesus. He pleaded with them to cast out the demon that had tormented his son from childhood. Because the disciples had seen Jesus cast out demons and had done so themselves, I…
DemonsFaithHealingJesus - Post 4073Bill Perkins
His Temptations
In the Old Testament, Israel, the son of God (Exodus 4:22) passed through the Red Sea and into the wilderness where they wandered for forty years before entering Canaan to reestablish God's kingdom. Why the wandering? Because the…
FaithGodJesus - Post 4059Bill Perkins
“Beloved Son” Means More Than You Think
While compiling The One, a chronological blending of the four Gospels, I had to decide which of the words from the Father at the baptism of Jesus should be included. Mark 1:11 says, “ You’re my beloved Son , in You I’m well pleased.”…
FaithGodJesus
Jesus
59 posts- Post 51211Bill Perkins
The Master’s Way of Deliverance
The only model we have is Jesus. When we return to the Master’s way, we rediscover a deliverance ministry marked not by complexity, but by clarity; not by secret knowledge, but by the authority of Christ; not by fear, but by faith.
- Post 4105Bill Perkins
Jesus Lacked Awareness
Was Jesus aware at all times of all things? In other words, since He was fully God and fully man, was He exercising the divine attribute of omniscience? If not, how could He claim to be God? If you said He was fully aware at all…
GodJesusTough Questions - Post 4089Bill Perkins
He Values When We Do This
Recently while entering Safeway to pick up some grocery items, I held the door for a couple entering behind me. As they walked in the store, they failed to acknowledge my courteous act with a head nod or a “Thank you.” I considered…
GodJesusPersonal Growth - Post 4047Bill Perkins
The Sea and Sky Opened
Since March 2012 I've read the gospels monthly. Plus, I've compiled two blended gospels, The Jesus Story and The One . Editing those two chronological accounts of the life of Christ involved many more readings. I'm unable to put into…
GodJesusPersonal Growth - Post 4042Bill Perkins
Lead Through Failure
A lot of people think the best leaders seldom fail. That’s why they desperately work to hide each failure and expose success. And yet, nothing inspires others more than seeing someone overcome failure. We must dispel the idea that…
LeadershipPersonal Growth - Post 4035Bill Perkins
Do This To Show Someone Their Worth
As Jesus entered the Upper Room for a final meal with His disciples, He remained silent. No need to speak. His actions would soon say more than words: “You want to see greatness? You want to see power? Look here. I’ve been telling you…
JesusLeadershipPersonal GrowthRelationships - Post 4016Bill Perkins
Lesson From A Man With 2,000 Demons
Two thousand demons had turned the man into a horror-movie monster. To protect themselves locals had shackled his hands and feet and secured him with chains. But "he snapped the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. Night and…
EvangelismSpiritual Warfare - Post 3864Bill Perkins
A Lesson Learned From Billows of Black Smoke
You wouldn’t think something as insignificant as a gear-shift indicator could spell disaster for a car. But it could. I used to own an Oldsmobile Cutlass that worked great except for the gear-shift indicator. When the indicator was on…
- Post 3852Bill Perkins
Change Your Spiritual Expectation for the New Year
Will your expectations of what Jesus can do limit or release his power in your life this year? A Hometown Visit When Jesus visited his hometown, Nazareth, his childhood friends and neighbors were initially impressed. But then they…
- Post 3846Bill Perkins
Rebuke With Wisdom
Sometimes an exhortation works like a chisel that chips off a rough edge. While the process is painful, it may be necessary. That’s why the Apostle Paul urged Timothy to not only “correct” and “encourage” but to “rebuke” as well. Even…
- Post 3807Bill Perkins
Take the Leap . . . Be Spontaneous
Spontaneity is crucial to emotional well being. A spontaneous person responds quickly to what he or she is feeling and to what's happening around him. Some people flee spontaneity. At times they feel like letting go. They want to…
- Post 3697Bill Perkins
Be Thankful For This
In my lifetime I remember no other occasion when I questioned the veracity of so many people and organizations. Who can we trust? Politicians? The media? Scientists? Military leaders? Medical professionals? I don’t completely trust any…
- Post 3690Bill Perkins
This Danger Lurks Nearby
In a scene from the television show, Animal Planet , a compelling image shows a herd of gazelles grazing in the middle of a meadow. The golden grass is two, maybe three-feet high. The sky is heavy and gray, with hot clouds hanging…
- Post 3682Bill Perkins
How the Humble Handle Power
Humility is measured by how we handle losses. Humble people avoid excuses and finger pointing. They accept that even a valiant effort may fail. Humility is also measured by how we handle victory—or potential victory. Humble men and…
- Post 3675Bill Perkins
Hard . . . But Not Impossible
As God has forgiven you, so must you forgive others. “But I can’t,” you might say. “You don’t understand what they did to me.” You’re right. I don’t. Ultimately, only your heavenly Father understands because he watched as the Romans…
- Post 3665Bill Perkins
Getting Past Spiritual Barriers
Here’s the situation: You want to talk with someone about the Lord, but you’re not sure how. For years I shared Christ in the same way while adapting the illustrations. And then I discovered three spiritual barriers that prevent people…
- Post 3654Bill Perkins
A Thought: On My Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary
Saturday, my wife Cindy and I will celebrate 50 years of marriage. Prior to our wedding we dated a year-and-a-half. On our second date, a day after our first date, a day after we first met--although she says we met a year earlier at…
- Post 3647Bill Perkins
Overcoming Your Greatest Fear
Had you sat beside Jesus in Gethsemane, and known what he would face, you might have questioned his resiliency. If the thought of crucifixion affected him so dramatically, would he cower before the Cross? Those closest to him that…
Prayer - Post 3636Bill Perkins
To Avoid Comparisons Do This
Compare yourself to someone with more feel small. Compare yourself to someone with less feel big. For awhile. Comparisons are odious. The tiny pebbles and white shells of the Galilean beach crunched under the feet of the two men as…
- Post 3628Bill Perkins
Spontaneous Jesus
Spontaneous: Coming or resulting from a natural impulse or tendency; without effort or premeditation; natural and unconstrained; unplanned. Spontaneity is crucial to emotional well being? Why? Because spontaneous people respond to…
- Post 3613Bill Perkins
Completely Ruined!
Did Jesus teach that people who build their life on the foundation of his teaching would be spiritually impregnable? I've taught that many times. And it makes sense. But as I've been examining these verses more closely I've changed my mind.
- Post 3606Bill Perkins
God Gave You The Gift of Anger
Where does such a powerful emotion as anger come from? It may surprise you to know it’s a gift from God. In his excellent book, The Other Side of Love, Gary Chapman notes that, while anger is not an essential part of God’s nature—it…
- Post 3598Bill Perkins
Jesus Placed This Above Mission
Confused and afraid, the disciples left the upper room and stepped onto the narrow Jerusalem street. The frigid air—like their growing fear—surrounded them, nipping at their faces and cutting through their robes. Holding their…
- Post 3551Bill Perkins
This Makes a Winning Team
Meism says “Me first.” It stands in opposition to weism that says “Team first.” The threat of meism prompted Jesus to remove it from his team. When the mother of Zebedee’s sons, James and John, asked Jesus if he would grant her sons…
- Post 3539Bill Perkins
Who's Playing You?
The great composer Mendelssohn visited a cathedral in Europe that housed the most magnificent organ in the world. The German composer quietly sat in a pew and listened as the cathedral organist prepared for the Sunday mass. When he…
Holy Spirit - Post 3519Bill Perkins
Need Hope? Read This
Nobody invites discouragement for dinner. But he needs no invitation. He slips past the door with the silence of a cat. Or, he knocks down the door with the rage of a bull. Once inside our head, like a squatter, he refuses to leave.…
- Post 3504Bill Perkins
Why did Jesus First Appear to a Woman?
The risen Lord first appeared to Mary Magdalene (Mk.16:9, Jn. 20:15-17). He next appeared to: “Joanna and Mary, the mother of James, and the other women with them” (Mt. 28:9-10). Have you ever wondered why Jesus didn’t first appear to…
- Post 3491Bill Perkins
How to Choose an Ally
Sometimes the appeal of a bad alliance leads us down the wrong path. Maybe Bonnie and Clyde should have dated someone else. Erick and Lyle Menendez were brothers but should have parted company when they first started talking about…
- Post 3410Bill Perkins
Is God Approachable?
Many people have gotten the idea that getting to God demands jumping through religious hoops. Such misconceptions are laid to rest in a manger, in a stable, in Bethlehem some 2,000 years ago. Author Philip Yancey once asked, who could…
- Post 3407Bill Perkins
Write a Review for The Jesus Story
If you've read The Jesus Story and liked it, please write a five star review for Amazon.com. There's still time for people to buy one for Christmas and your review might prompt them to make a purchase. I've now read it over 100 times…
- Post 3396Bill Perkins
What if an Angel Appeared to You?
Three scenes in the Christmas story plea for a closer look. In Matthew’s gospel, attention is fixed on: Mary and Jesus The star The shepherds The magi and their gifts of frankincense, myrrh and gold. But we should also consider a man…
- Post 3357Bill Perkins
With Jesus in the Boat You're Safe
In 2020 we've seen cities burn, stores looted, cops killed, random shootings, a worldwide pandemic, lockdowns, masks, job losses, political corruption and media disinformation. All of this signals an uncertain and dangerous future. But…
- Post 3339Bill Perkins
The Fallacy of Christian Tithing
I've had the privilege of attending churches across the United States and internationally. Often when the plate is passed attenders are urged to "give their tithes and offerings." The word “tithe” means "a tenth part" and is not…
- Post 3313Bill Perkins
Control Your Thoughts, Control Your Life
I was eight years old and riding a quarter horse across some land my family owned outside of Roswell, New Mexico. As I rode away from the stables he repeatedly resisted and tried to reverse direction. After we had gone a couple hundred…
- Post 3304Bill Perkins
I do it all the time? Do you?
Several years ago I loaned my heavy duty top-of- the-line foosball table to a friend. I had tired of the game and my friend wanted the table, so I let him keep it with the assurance he’d return it when asked. A few years later I felt…
- Post 3295Bill Perkins
Turn Your Back on God and This Happens
How does God deal with us when we choose to live as though he doesn’t exist? It might surprise you that God steps aside and turns us over to our base appetites (Romans 1:24-32). Maybe that doesn’t sound so bad. But is it? An episode…
- Post 3275Bill Perkins
What Do You Do When Life Stops?
We’re taught to travel fast and light. On the freeway we drive in the fast lane. If we want something we’re told to, “Go for it!” Immediate gratification often drives our life. We expect pain to vanish fast and success to arrive faster.
- Post 3266Bill Perkins
Seize the Opportunity
Webster tells us an opportunity is a “favorable juncture of circumstances.” A moment when the elements for progress merge. The English playwright and poet William Shakespeare described such moments: There is a tide in the affairs of…
- Post 3257Bill Perkins
Why Was Jesus Baptized?
I learned and believed, and still believe, Jesus was baptized to identify with the ministry of John the Baptist. John came to prepare the nation of Israel for the arrival of their King. Before a king visited roads had to be cleared…
Holy Spirit - Post 3238Bill Perkins
Withstand the Attack
Jesus said we are sheep before wolves--vulnerable victors. We won't win by dominating. Or protecting self-interest. In the domain of The King, we win when we lose. In Matthew 10:39 Jesus said, “Whoever finds their life will lose it…
- Post 3234Bill Perkins
If We Could See This
While reflecting on the subject of a blinding bias, the Holy Spirit drew me to the story of two sisters, Martha and Mary, who sent a message to Jesus informing him their brother, Lazarus, was sick (John 11:3). Like the twelve…
Holy Spirit - Post 3123Bill Perkins
Generosity Replaces Fear With Faith
I had a Zoom meeting today with three pastors. They're talking with people who are have lost their job, or may lose it soon. People fear they won't be able to pay their bills. While the disciples of Jesus never faced a pandemic, there…
- Post 3065Bill Perkins
A Key to Spiritual Growth
Hypocrisy is a sin most of us spot in others without seeing it in ourselves. It’s like bad breath. If somebody else has it you want to keep your distance. But nobody can tell if their own breath is sweet or sour. We’ve all got areas of…
- Post 3037Bill Perkins
A Thought for the New Year
As you enter the New Year and New Decade—the roaring twenties—what kind of life do you want to live? Consider the words of John Rohn: Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let…
- Post 2998Bill Perkins
Read This to Your Family on Thanksgiving
Let's thank God for a wonder we take for granted. In Psalm 139:14-15 David wrote: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are…
- Post 2908Bill Perkins
I Rode a Runaway Horse
I was eight years old and riding a quarter horse across some land my family owned outside of Roswell, New Mexico. As I headed the horse away from the stables he repeatedly resisted my lead and tried to reverse direction. After we had…
- Post 2694Bill Perkins
Don't Download This Virus
We've all had it happen. In just a moment we unwittingly open an email or click on a link that downloads a virus onto our computer. Once downloaded it quickly takes over the circuitry and we lose control of the machine. Even worse, it…
- Post 2660Bill Perkins
" O Holy Night"
Over the last few days I've been listening to many versions of O Holy Night. As I listen to the words I consider all they represent and find myself drawn to the infant Jesus on that holy night long ago. I hope you'll be able to take a…
- Post 2643Bill Perkins
Demons and Healing
Some of the most dramatic healing I've seen occurred after evicting demons. It's stunning to me how many illnesses like headaches, digestive issues, panic, depression and back pain--to name a few--result from afflicting spirits. One…
- Post 2500Bill Perkins
How to rebuke like Jesus
Sometimes an exhortation may take the form of a chisel that chips off a rough edge. While the process is painful, it may be necessary. That's why the Apostle Paul urged Timothy to not only "correct" and "encourage" but to "rebuke" as well.
- Post 2443Bill Perkins
A Different View of Christmas
The Christmas Story we celebrate every year centers around a promised birth, a star, shepherds, magi, a manger and a baby. What most people don't realize is that the story is more than a night in a manger. For instance, did you know…
- Post 2428Bill Perkins
Something we seldom say "Thanks" for
Like a fly on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, we often fail to recognize the wonder that surrounds us. This Thanksgiving, join me in thanking God for something we often take for granted. In Psalm 139:14-15 David wrote: “For you…
- Post 2423Bill Perkins
The Church Has Been Deceived Part 2
Without repentance, it's impossible to overpower compulsive lust. Can't be done. Nor can we harness explosive rage, bitterness, fear, self-hatred, jealousy, addiction, fear, suicidal thoughts and other controlling sins. We can pray…
- Post 2375Bill Perkins
Don't Pray for More Power. Pray for This.
When Paul prayed for the Ephesians he didn’t ask God to give them more power. Instead, he prayed they would comprehend the power available to them. Specifically, he asked God to enable them to understand that they have access to the…
Prayer - Post 2217Bill Perkins
The lie about forgiveness
Has anyone ever asked if you’ve done something nobody knows about? Or, asked if you’ve had something done to you no-one knows about? It’s not like everyone has a dark secret. At least, not that dark or deeply hidden. But lots of us do.
- Post 2172Bill Perkins
How I hope to face hardship
On December 17, 1850, Captain Allen Gardiner and six companions landed at Patagonia on the southern tip of South America. They made that long journey to bring the gospel to a people so primitive that evolutionist Charles Darwin said…
- Post 1929Bill Perkins
Something to ponder
Jesus said, “My words are both Spirit and life” (John 6:63). He didn’t say my words point to Spirit and life. Nor did he say, my words teach about Spirit and life. Jesus said, “My words are Spirit and life.” Profound statement.…
- Post 1553Bill Perkins
Jesus and Women
Most women have been hurt by a man. According to an Internet survey of almost 250 women across the United States, 60% said they had been hurt by their dad and 83% said they had been hurt by a man other than their dad. The knife dug…
- Post 1512Thomas Wells
Searching for a Simplified Faith
It might not come as a surprise to learn that I’m fairly driven. I set goals and relentlessly pursue them until they’re accomplished. It’s how I’ve always been—even as a kid, I took…
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