tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53922763974770145752024-03-18T14:11:30.627-05:00Fear and Trembling“...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling...” Philippians 2:12-13, ESVJ. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.comBlogger539125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-57610544873098007512024-03-18T14:11:00.004-05:002024-03-18T14:11:00.128-05:00Answers to Sunday School Questions, Part 10 Last Summer, we took up
questions from our Adult Sunday School Class at First Presbyterian Dyersburg,
Tennessee. I have adapted the answers I
gave in articles in the church newsletter, and I wanted to share them
here. I hope you find the short essays helpful.
There
are many religions. Why is Christianity
right? Why is it the one?
 J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-91901507667595007842024-03-11T14:10:00.005-05:002024-03-11T14:10:00.131-05:00Answers to Sunday School Questions, Part 9 Last Summer, we took up
questions from our Adult Sunday School Class at First Presbyterian Dyersburg,
Tennessee. I have adapted the answers I
gave in articles in the church newsletter, and I wanted to share them
here. I hope you find the short essays helpful.
What
do you say to someone who tells you that you don’t need to worry about her
soul? She doesn’t J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-75165349734060026872024-03-04T14:09:00.004-06:002024-03-04T14:09:00.140-06:00Answers to Sunday School Questions, Part 8 Last Summer, we took up
questions from our Adult Sunday School Class at First Presbyterian Dyersburg,
Tennessee. I have adapted the answers I
gave in articles in the church newsletter, and I wanted to share them
here. I hope you find the short essays helpful.
Why
do Presbyterians believe in “predestination?”
All Bible-believing Christians
believe in J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-74666909146520326432024-02-26T14:08:00.003-06:002024-02-26T14:08:00.130-06:00Answers to Sunday School Questions, Part 7 Last Summer, we took up
questions from our Adult Sunday School Class at First Presbyterian Dyersburg,
Tennessee. I have adapted the answers I
gave in articles in the church newsletter, and I wanted to share them
here. I hope you find the short essays helpful.
Why
would I want to be part of a system that has done so much harm? Regarding people who have left the
J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-31277052867810730232024-02-19T14:07:00.005-06:002024-02-19T14:07:00.138-06:00Answers to Sunday School Questions, Part 6 Last Summer, we took up
questions from our Adult Sunday School Class at First Presbyterian Dyersburg,
Tennessee. I have adapted the answers I
gave in articles in the church newsletter, and I wanted to share them
here. I hope you find the short essays helpful.
What
do I say when a person says they believe in many gods?
 J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-48009371820579250382024-02-12T14:06:00.005-06:002024-02-12T14:06:00.135-06:00Answers to Sunday School Questions, Part 5 Last Summer, we took up
questions from our Adult Sunday School Class at First Presbyterian Dyersburg,
Tennessee. I have adapted the answers I
gave in articles in the church newsletter, and I wanted to share them
here. I hope you find the short essays helpful.
That’s
your truth, not mine.
There is only one truth. Truth is the way J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-32307614540630697562024-02-05T14:05:00.004-06:002024-02-05T14:05:00.137-06:00Answers to Sunday School Questions, Part 4 Last Summer, we took up
questions from our Adult Sunday School Class at First Presbyterian Dyersburg,
Tennessee. I have adapted the answers I
gave in articles in the church newsletter, and I wanted to share them
here. I hope you find the short essays helpful.
Do
you truly love LGBTQIA+ if you bar them from being their true selves? Are you supposed to accept people J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-53591670591449942142024-01-29T14:04:00.005-06:002024-01-29T14:04:00.130-06:00Answers to Sunday School Questions, Part 3Last Summer, we took up
questions from our Adult Sunday School Class at First Presbyterian Dyersburg,
Tennessee. I have adapted the answers I
gave in articles in the church newsletter, and I wanted to share them
here. I hope you find the short essays helpful. What happens to children who die before the age
of accountability? Do they go to hell
just for the sins of J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-19585387866978908132024-01-22T14:03:00.004-06:002024-01-22T14:03:00.253-06:00Answers to Sunday School Questions, Part 2 Last Summer, we took up
questions from our Adult Sunday School Class at First Presbyterian Dyersburg,
Tennessee. I have adapted the answers I
gave in articles in the church newsletter, and I wanted to share them
here. I hope you find the short essays helpful.
Is
God merciful if he sends someone to hell who has never heard about Jesus
Christ?
&J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-24247679163494213142024-01-15T14:02:00.002-06:002024-01-15T14:02:58.988-06:00Answers to Sunday School Questions, Part 1Last Summer, we took up
questions from our Adult Sunday School Class at First Presbyterian Dyersburg,
Tennessee. I have adapted the answers I
gave in articles in the church newsletter, and I wanted to share them
here. I hope you find the short essays helpful.
If God is all-good and all-powerful, why is
there evil?
Why would God allow ________ if he is real?
&J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-18402736237069731522022-09-23T21:53:00.002-05:002022-09-23T21:53:24.877-05:00So Things are Not Going So Well, What Next? A recent article from Pew Research starts off:Since the 1990s, large numbers of Americans have left Christianity to join the growing ranks of U.S. adults who describe their religious identity as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular.” This accelerating trend is reshaping the U.S. religious landscape, leading many people to wonder what the future of religion in America might look J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-7663908647535450862022-06-01T12:36:00.002-05:002022-09-03T12:09:15.606-05:00Christ Followers and PoliticsI am publishing this long overdue post on the subject of Christians in politics. This is a timely, divisive topic; and I hope to treat it briefly but well. This post will justify a certain type of Christian political involvement based on the prevalence of moral issues in politics, the necessity to preach and teach concerning all moral issues, and the example of Christians in the Old J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-63745930719559100852021-10-19T18:00:00.014-05:002021-10-19T18:00:00.176-05:00Politics and the Christian FaithI have avoided politics like the plague since my first post on this blog, but I am starting to reconsider that approach. This brief post will begin to wrestle with those ideas.Some say that Christians should avoid all political issues and just focus on preaching the gospel in order to make disciples. Where political issues touch on moral issues addressed by the Bible, Christians J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-66510824432762638982020-04-06T12:13:00.001-05:002020-04-06T12:13:37.154-05:00A Prayer for the COVID 19 CrisisAlmighty and Everlasting God,
You are our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Therefore, we will not fear.
You are our fortress, our God, in whom we trust. For you will deliver us from the deadly pestilence. Your faithfulness is a shield and buckler. Help us not to fear the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the destruction that wastes J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-83765164544247923112020-03-29T10:39:00.000-05:002020-03-29T10:39:24.911-05:00Good Answers to Good QuestionsThe Barna Group’s latest research is of great interest to me. This research firm, working with World Vision, put together a study titled “The Connected Generation.” With a sample size of 15,369 from a young adult population (ages 18 to 35) from twenty-five countries speaking nine languages. The stated aim of the survey is to equip pastors and church leaders to better understand J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-86318721644907804352019-09-08T21:43:00.001-05:002019-09-08T21:43:56.510-05:00Advice on Finding a Woman to Marry(This post is written in response to a conscientious and intelligent young man who asked my advice on how to find a woman to marry. Other readers, what would you add?)
You are asking me a good question, one that I wanted to take the time to put together a thoughtful, written response to address. Please keep in mind that I am neither seminary educated nor am I a licensed professional J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-56024257434037428922018-07-20T12:04:00.001-05:002018-07-24T13:17:46.216-05:00Ink and Debt FreeA post over at The Transformed Wife entitled “Men Prefer Debt Free Virgins without Tattoos” has inspired quite the reaction on the internet. It has inspired discussion at Doctrine and Devotion, and thoughtful posts at The White Horse Inn and Christ Hold Fast. I want to add some thoughts.
The original post traces to a particular source: “Most of this debt comes from college.” I J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-69761144622102761482018-06-26T15:31:00.001-05:002018-06-26T15:31:11.212-05:00Steadfast Love - A Sermon Delivered by J. K. Jones on June 17, 2018 at The First Presbyterian Church of Dyersburg
Sermon Text:
Bless the Lord, O My Soul
Of David.
Psalm 103
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,who satisfies you with good so that your youth is J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-60464626312779207792017-10-03T15:06:00.002-05:002017-10-03T15:06:28.530-05:00Oh, What a World
The entire territory of Puerto Rico is without power, and
the power may be down for months. Houston,
Texas, has only begun the cleanup efforts after their hurricane. Not to mention other islands in The Caribbean
and our own Florida Keys. Hurricane
season is far from over.
An earthquake in Mexico has killed over 200 people, with the
body count still rising. This while
J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-40268508711069849352017-08-31T17:55:00.000-05:002017-08-31T17:55:07.088-05:00Affirming the Nashville Statement
The Nashville Statement, a
statement of Christian belief on LGBT matters published by The Center for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW), has caused many electrons to be arranged across internet
pathways recently. The Major of Nashville condemned the statement, tweeting: “The @CBMWorg's so-called
"Nashville Statement" is poorly named and does not represent the
inclusive values of the J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-2594816471610979762017-06-16T17:48:00.000-05:002017-06-16T17:48:14.711-05:00A Sermon: Our Great Shepard is Always With Us
What follows is a sermon that I had the privilege of
preaching at my home church a few weeks ago.
Some associated parts of the liturgy are included.
New Testament Reading: John 10:1-18
Epistle Reading: Revelation 7:8-17
Sermon Text: Psalm 23
The Lord Is My Shepherd
A Psalm of David.
1
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2
He makes me J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-61015240314465888482017-01-05T07:57:00.002-06:002017-01-05T07:57:33.097-06:00Quote for the Day from Luther“So when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: "I admit that I deserve death and hell, what of it? For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and where He is there I shall be also!” —Martin LutherJ. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-43809974437092253562016-12-27T11:43:00.001-06:002016-12-27T11:43:25.313-06:00Read the Bible in 2017I was going to put together a solid post linking to Bible reading plans for 2017, but Tim Challies beat me to it. This is a link to his post. Please note links to Ligonier Ministries' plans as well.
Personally, I am going to use the Legacy Plan located at this link.
Read through the Bible. I dare you.J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-75327429807041148922016-11-01T17:00:00.000-05:002016-11-03T07:56:54.823-05:00November 14-21, 2016, Local Area Volunteers Collect Shoebox Gifts
The week before Thanksgiving,
thousands of people from across seven countries are turning empty shoeboxes into gifts—filled
with toys, school supplies and hygiene items—for children living in poverty
overseas.
Through Operation Christmas
Child, a project of international relief organization Samaritan’s Purse, volunteers
are rallying with hopes of contributing shoebox gifts toward the 2016 J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392276397477014575.post-85466757419412154012016-10-10T18:30:00.000-05:002016-10-10T18:30:16.225-05:00A Prayer for the USA and Its Upcoming Election Almighty
and Most-merciful God,
You
have given us the United States of America as our heritage. Make us always remember your generosity
toward us. Bless us with honest
industry, sound learning, and an honorable way of life.
We
come from many nations with many different languages. Make us a people united under a culture that
honors you above all else. When times
are J. K. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02329537522697826005noreply@blogger.com2