Tag: Southern Gospel Radio

Faith and Promise over Law and Works

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ANDY ANDERSON

In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he warned believers about turning away from the message of grace. The early Christians in Galatia were being influenced by a group some today call the Judaizers. These men taught that faith in Christ was not enough for salvation. They said Gentile believers must also follow the laws given to Moses, such as circumcision and the ceremonial commands. Paul firmly rejected this teaching, explaining that salvation does not come through human effort but through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

Paul reminded the Galatians that the law was never meant to save anyone. Its purpose was to show people their sin and point them toward Christ, the only one who could fulfill the law perfectly. Relying on the law for salvation only leads to guilt and bondage because no one can keep it completely. Only faith in the finished work of Christ brings freedom and peace with God.

To help the Galatians understand, Paul used an example from the Old Testament: the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar. God had promised Abraham that he would have many descendants, as countless as the stars in the sky. Yet years passed and no child was born to Abraham and Sarah. Doubting that God would still act, Sarah told Abraham to have a child with her servant, Hagar. Hagar gave birth to Ishmael, but this was not the child of promise. Later, God fulfilled His word, and Sarah gave birth to Isaac, even though she was very old.

Paul explained that this story shows two ways people try to relate to God. Ishmael, born through human planning, represents trying to reach God through human effort and the law. Isaac, born through God’s promise, represents salvation through faith and the power of God. Just as Isaac was born because of God’s promise, so Christians are saved by grace, not by works.

Believers should not try to “help” God or take control of His promises. This often leads to difficulty. Abraham and Sarah acted out of impatience, and it caused pain within their family. From Paul’s writing we learn that God’s timing is perfect, even when His promises seem delayed. Waiting on God shows trust, while acting out of fear or frustration can lead to regret.

Paul also reminded the Galatians that when they first believed, they received the Holy Spirit. This didn’t happen through keeping the law but through faith. The Spirit’s presence proved that salvation was by grace. Seeking salvation through the law would undo the freedom they had found in Christ. He asked them to think carefully: why go back to rules that had never saved anyone? In Galatians 5:4 he writes, “You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the Law; you have fallen from grace.”

The same truth applies today. Many still believe that good works or religious traditions can earn favour with God. But the message of the gospel remains unchanged. No amount of effort, ritual, or rule-keeping can remove sin or bring eternal life. Salvation is a gift of grace received by faith in Christ alone.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Galatians 5:1

A New Movement of Faith Among the Young

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NELSON NOLAND

As I write this in 2025, something is stirring among young people. For many years, those who worked in youth ministry felt that faith was difficult to plant in the hearts of teenagers. The message of Jesus often fell on hard ground. When a young person chose to follow Christ, it was rare. The world offered many distractions that seemed more exciting than faith. But over the past few years, there has been a noticeable change. Since around 2020, after the global pandemic, a growing number of youth and young adults have begun to seek what is real and lasting. During that time, many lost things they deeply valued, graduations, sports seasons, friendships, and normal routines. When everything stopped, many started asking deeper questions: What is life about? What is true? What can I trust?

This search has opened hearts to God. In colleges and universities across the country, students are choosing to be baptized and to live according to the teachings of Jesus. Many now believe that the way of Jesus is better than any other path. Those who work with youth are witnessing lives being changed more often than ever before. Conversations that once felt heavy and fruitless are now bearing fruit, as young people respond with soft hearts and sincere faith.

The story in Acts chapter 3 offers a clear picture of how the message of Jesus changes lives. Two of Jesus’s first followers, Peter and John, were going to the temple to pray. At the gate, they met a man who had never walked. Each day, people carried him there to ask for help from those entering the temple. When the man asked Peter and John for money, Peter replied that he had no silver or gold, but he did have something greater. In the name of Jesus Christ, he told the man to stand and walk. At that moment, the man’s legs became strong. He stood, walked, and even began to jump and praise God. Everyone around recognized him as the same man who used to beg at the gate. His life had changed completely. He was no longer defined by his weakness but by his worship.

The people watching were filled with wonder. They saw with their own eyes that the name of Jesus brought healing and power. Peter used that moment to explain that the same Jesus who had been crucified had risen from the dead and was still at work changing lives. Because of that truth, many believed. In this we see that following Jesus brings both a new direction and a new purpose. When Jesus called Peter and John years earlier, He told them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” They left their fishing nets behind to follow Him, and in Acts 3, we see that calling fulfilled. They were no longer catching fish, they were helping others find life in God.

To follow Jesus means to change course. It requires turning from one way of living to another. It also gives clear meaning to life. Many young people today are drawn to causes that matter, and the cause of Christ gives the greatest reason to live. It is to help others find hope and reconciliation with God.

Parents have an important part in this movement. Churches and ministries can teach and encourage, but no one has more influence on a child’s faith than a parent. When parents live out their faith with sincerity and love, their children notice. A parent’s passion for Jesus often lights the same fire in the hearts of their sons and daughters.

I believe the book of Acts reminds believers that making disciples is not the job of a few but the mission of all. To do that well, followers of Jesus are called to four things. First, be with Jesus, a person cannot lead others where they have not gone. Second, be bold, faith grows when it is shared, not hidden. Third, be ready for opportunities, God often opens doors in everyday moments. And finally, be humble, it is not our power but God’s grace that changes lives.

Just as the man at the gate was lifted to his feet, many today are finding new life through faith in Jesus.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

Exciting changes in Legacy Five’s lineup

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DAVID INGRAM

Legacy Five announced Monday it has hired a new tenor vocalist and pianist as the group enters what founder Scott Fowler called “an exciting new chapter.”

Caleb Ozee, 22, will take over tenor duties while Philip Kolb joins as pianist, the group said in a statement.

Ozee acknowledged the legacy of previous tenors who have sung with the quartet. “There have been many wonderful tenors to sing in this group, and I am thankful to be a small part of that legacy,” he said.

Kolb said joining Legacy Five fulfills a longtime aspiration. He cited Roger Bennett, who helped establish the group’s piano style, as a major influence.

“To occupy the position that my piano hero, Roger Bennett, created is a gift that only God could give,” Kolb said.

Fowler, who founded the group, said the personnel changes represent an opportunity for growth. “I used to say, I hate change. Because change can be challenging and expensive,” Fowler said. “But I have come to embrace change.”

He said he and current members Jon and Jake are optimistic about the quartet’s future with the new additions.

The group has not yet announced tour dates featuring the new lineup.

Hope in the Living God

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ALEKSANDR IVANOV

The words of Psalm 42 describe a heart that longs deeply for God. The writer compares his soul to a thirsty deer searching for water, not in a green forest or by a calm stream, but in a dry desert where no water can be found. His soul is restless, troubled, and sad. He remembers joyful days when he worshiped with others in God’s house, but now those days are gone. This loss leaves him grieving and confused.

The psalm teaches that the soul can become heavy for many reasons. One reason is loss. The writer recalls better times and feels pain because those moments are over. He can no longer go where he once felt close to God. For anyone who has moved away from home, lost familiar surroundings, or been separated from loved ones, this feeling is easy to understand. We may love the places where we were loved, but we cannot live in the past. Life changes, and clinging to what was can keep us from living fully in the present.

Another reason for a downcast soul is hostility. The psalmist is mocked by others who ask him, “Where is your God?” Their cruelty adds to his suffering. Constant judgment or rejection, whether at work, in society, or even among fellow believers, can wear a person down. It can make one feel helpless and distant from God.

The third reason for a troubled heart is the feeling that God is far away. Even faithful people can go through what some have called “the dark night of the soul.” It is the season when prayers seem unanswered, when one feels alone, and when God seems silent. The psalmist thirsts for the “living God” and wonders when he will again feel His presence.

These struggles are not only the psalmist’s; even Jesus knew them. He faced rejection, mockery, and suffering. On the cross, He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Yet even in sorrow, Jesus remained obedient and trusting. His journey shows that faith does not remove pain but helps us endure it.

The psalm also teaches how to find hope in such times. First, speak honestly with God. The writer does not hide his pain but brings it to God in prayer: “Why have you forgotten me?” Even when he feels distant from God, he keeps talking to Him. We can come to God as we are, with all our doubts and fears.

Second, we must speak to ourselves as well. Instead of only listening to our worries, we need to answer them. The psalmist asks his own soul, “Why are you downcast? Why so disturbed?” He challenges his despair and reminds himself to hope in God. When we let our fears speak without reply, they take control. But when we speak truth to our hearts, we begin to find strength.

Third, the psalmist affirms what he knows is true: “I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.” His confidence is not in himself but in the living and mighty God. Feelings can change, but truth remains. We may feel alone, yet we know that God is with us. We may feel weak, yet we know that God is our strength.

Hope in God is not a one-time decision but a daily practice. The psalmist repeats his struggle and his faith several times, showing that spiritual growth often moves in circles. Sometimes it’s doubt followed by trust, darkness followed by light. Each time we return to hope, we rise a little higher, just as a road winds around a mountain, lifting us slowly toward the top. Some journeys take longer than others, but progress continues when we keep moving forward.

Even the lips that whisper, “God has forgotten me,” can one day declare, “I will yet praise Him.” Hope is not the absence of struggle but the courage to look beyond it. To wait on God is to trust that His help will come, even when we cannot see how or when.

rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,

Romans 12:12

Faithful Workers in the Early Church

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ANDY ANDERSON

Romans 16 gives a description of life among the first Christians. The chapter is more than a list of names; it is a record of ordinary believers who served God faithfully in their time. Through these greetings, we learn how the early church grew, how men and women worked together for Christ, and how Paul valued those who stood beside him in the gospel.

Paul begins by commending Phoebe, a woman from the church in Cenchrea. She is described as a servant and helper of many, including Paul himself. Her role shows that women had an important part in supporting the ministry. Some believe she carried the letter to the Romans, which would have been a great responsibility. While Paul taught that church leadership should be held by men, he also recognized how much women contributed through service, care, and generosity.

The next names Paul mentions are Priscilla and Aquila, a married couple who risked their lives for him. They worked with Paul as tentmakers and hosted a church in their home. When they met a preacher named Apollos, they quietly taught him more about Christ. In this we see that teaching and encouragement can happen privately and faithfully, without public recognition. House churches like theirs were common because most believers did not have special buildings to meet in. The early church grew through homes, families, and personal connections.

Paul then greets many others. He speaks of Epaenetus, his first convert in Asia, and Mary, who worked hard to help others. He mentions Andronicus and Junia, fellow prisoners for Christ, and others like Ampliatus, Urbanus, and Stachys, who laboured with him. Many of these names were common among slaves. In this we see that the church welcomed people from every part of society. In a city like Rome, with hundreds of thousands of people, there were likely many small gatherings meeting in houses throughout the city.

Later in the chapter, Paul’s companions also send their greetings. Timothy, Lucius, Jason, and others are mentioned. We even hear from Tertius, the man who wrote down Paul’s words as he dictated the letter. Paul believed that all Scripture came from God’s inspiration. The Holy Spirit guided each writer so that the message was true and complete. This is why the Bible remains the final authority for Christian faith.

The chapter ends with a few more names, Gaius, who hosted Paul’s church in his home, Erastus, who served as a city treasurer, and Quartus, described simply as a brother. The church was built by many unseen hands. These early believers, men and women, free and slave, rich and poor, all shared a common faith in Jesus Christ. Their names live on because they served with love and faithfulness. Though most Christians will never be famous, their service to God still matters. What counts most is that our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

What is your role in the church? Consider, the strength of the church does not come from power or status but from humble people who love God and one another. Every act of service, every prayer, every quiet work done for Christ continues the story of faithful believers that began in those early days.

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people, 24 knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

Colossians 3:23