Daily Devotional

Pilgrim's Progress, A Review of Men and Boy's Discipleship Group Part 1 On Sunday nights, several men and boys are meeting in a gracious saint's home to discuss John Bunyan's monumental book, Pilgrim's Progress.  Anyway, we spent two and three Sundays ago watching the film version released in 1978 (One of Liam Neeson's first movie credits, if not the first! Check it out at this link ). Then yesterday we began slowly reading through the book, including Scripture references.  The main character (thus far unnamed) begins reading the Bible, and becomes convicted that his city--the City of Destruction--is soon to be (you guessed it) destroyed. He chooses to warn his wife and children to "flee from the wrath to come" (Matthew 3:7), but they believe he's gone mad; then they eventually grow angry with him for what he and the Bible are saying about them (most likely they are sinners in need of a Savior - Romans 3:10-18).  One day walking through a field, he...

  Sermon from August 17 Morning Worship service "The Unbound Four" - Daniel 3:19-30 First Baptist Church, Carney, OK Pastor Dan Calkins Here's the link:  August 17, 2025 Sermon Link  

  The Prayer of Azariah This Prayer and other info are in the Apocrypha, and is meant to be an addendum to the book of Daniel, to be placed between Daniel chapter 3, verses 23 & 24. The first 22 verses contain the information that Hananiah, Mischel, and Azariah (renamed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Babylon) sang hymns while they were walking around the burning fiery furnace, as well as a beautiful prayer of praise by Azariah. Verses 23-27 helps to inform Daniel 3:19-23. To me, the main highlight of this further info has to do with the furnace overheating (Dan. 3:22), with oil, tar, and a bunch of kindling hurriedly added to it, and the flames bursting out of it more than 70 feet! No wonder the soldiers burned to a crisp. From verse 28 to the end, the three Hebrews sang this repetitive praise hymn in unison. Most of these verses are read and/or sung in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, a hymn know as the Benedicite. To God be the Glory! If we are to believe this trul...

   Sermon from August 10 Morning Worship service "To Bow or Not to Bow" - Daniel 3:1-18 First Baptist Church, Carney, OK Pastor Dan Calkins Here's the link:  August 10, 2025 Sermon Link  

Did Daniel Bow Down? Ideas about where Daniel may have been in Daniel chapter 3 Why was Daniel not the fourth man in the fire? Clearly, he would have been summoned there, being both a satrap and a prefect in Babylonia (Daniel 3:2). Unless he wasn't (Isubmitting two reasons):     1.      Nebuchadnezzar sent him on a diplomatic mission to a foreign nation. Nebuchadnezzar clearly trusted Daniel, particularly his discernment (a highly valuable trait of ambassadors). As the most powerful leader in the world, the king had every reason to maintain equitable relationships with foreign nations (particularly neighboring ones like Media and Persia) for trade purposes, mutual protection, and other important reasons. Daniel would have made an excellent ambassador for Nebuchadnezzar. -- Some Biblical evidence to this: (Daniel 2:48-49 -  Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Baby...

Original pic: " ark encounter " by  scott1346  is licensed under  CC BY 2.0 .   Why the Flood, and Who Are the Offenders? Post #7 of the “Eleven Toes” Series   Genesis 6:3 – “Then the LORD said, ‘My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.’” That is, 120 years until the global flood hits. But why? à à The offense happening in v. 2 – “The sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took their wives any they chose.”   The theories as to who the “sons of God” and the “daughters of man” may be are immense; from angels, demons, aliens, and the creation of the Nephilim from Gen. 6:4. One of the two prevailing issues (at least from my point of view) considers the sons of God to be fallen angels (demons) either mating with women or possessing men to do so. The other prevailing view considers the “sons of God” to be from the God-fearing line of Seth, while the “daughters of men” are ungod...

    Sermon from August 3 Morning Worship service "On Christ the Solid Rock" - Daniel 2:31-49 First Baptist Church, Carney, OK Pastor Dan Calkins Here's the link:  August 3, 2025 Sermon Link  

   Original pic: " LNOF Royalty Free Harry and Meghan Sage " by  LNOF_  is licensed under  CC BY 2.0 .   Cousin Marriages, What’s the Issue? – An Exercise in Consanguinity Post #6 of the “Eleven Toes” Series Did you know every member of the British Royal family are married to cousins? Doesn’t that just sound nasty? From Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s 1 st -cousin marriage all the way to the Ginger’s attempted escape from bloodline hitching to marry the American “commoner” actress, self-proclaimed social influencer, and whatever the devil else, Meghan Markle. According to this website , Harry and Meghan are cousins in more than 200 ways; from being a direct descendent of England’s long-ago King Edward III to being able to trace her ancestry to some common ancestors of Princess Diana and the 20 th -century’s favorite Queen Mother (well, odds are she had to be SOMEONE’S favorite). No wonder little Archie is hardly seen in public; he probably has elev...