Contending for the faith | Making Disciples | Equipping the Saints for Ministry

WHERE TO LOOK By Rayola Kelley

To me one of the hardest things to do is to know where to look for things that are lost and obscured in the midst of darkness, uncertainty, and what seems to be utterly ridiculous. I can’t count the times I have lost something and looked for it to only fail to see it or […]

Q: What does it mean to count the cost for a believer?

A: Counting the cost was in relationship to Jesus counting the cost when it came to the cross. The disciples told Him that they were willing to partake of the cup He was about to drink when it came to Him drinking of that great cup of sorrow during His trek up Calvary. In essence […]

THE MAZE By Rayola Kelley

The Book of Ephesians is what I have been intensely studying for our Friday night fellowship. It is a favorite book of many believers because it speaks of our glorious inheritance. In the world, those who are heirs to great wealth hold their breath as they wait for the death of the benefactor, but for […]

WHAT IS YOUR EXCUSE? By Rayola Kelley

Last month I talked about what are we expecting when Jesus comes for us. Much of our expectation today does not rest with Jesus coming for us but what we will be supposedly spared from experiencing in these dark times. Are we watching for Jesus because we want to avoid having our faith tested, our […]

Q: “Can you please explain how to know if a person is truly born again? I have a couple of close friends who always go to church and say that they’ve “always believed,’ but they don’t have a testimony of ever being broken over sin, or repenting, or making Jesus Lord of their lives. Nor do they have any desire to share Christ with the lost. Thank you.”

A: Hebrews 6:9 tells us there will be things that will accompany salvation, mainly a changed life (Ephesians 4:17-23). Jesus was clear that we must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven. This points to the presence of His Spirit in us and a new heart that is inclined towards Him, producing a […]

WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING? By Rayola Kelley

We clearly live in precarious times. It appears as if the world has gone mad as never before, but the truth is the world has always been mad. It has been mad due to wickedness, injustice, despair, sorrow, and death. It has been insane because man often does not want to face the truth about […]

Q: In last month’s Q & A you made reference to the temple in Jesus’ day and how the veil was rent. According to Acts 17:24-25 God no longer dwells in temples made with hands for now the believer serves as His temple (1 Corinthians 3:15-17; 6:19). My question is how do the matters surrounding the temple of Jesus’ day have any application when it comes to the temples of today?

A: This is a good question. Keep in mind, the Old Testament holds valuable examples for us to glean from (1 Corinthians 10:1-6). If I am going to have a deeper understanding as to what it means to be the temple of God, I have to consider the design and ministry that went on in […]

THE SKY IS FALLING! By Rayola Kelley

Since my salvation in 1976, the continual theme through the initial years of my Christian walk was preparation. When I first became a Christian, the main call was to be prepared because Jesus could come at any time. I was teethed on the rapture and Jesus’ second coming. I don’t know how many times we […]