Mitchell Landress

Savoring The Easy Yoke of Salvation In Christ I have this chair in my living room. The chair and its matching couch were given to me by my parents. In fact, all of the furniture in our apartment was given to us by some relative or another. Nothing really matches, it’s a hodge-podge of sorts – kind of like a garage sale. A well organized garage sale, but a garage sale nonetheless. Anyway, back to this chair. I love to sit in this chair. You can sit in it very comfortably in the normal "seated" position, but that is rarely how I sit in it. You see, the chair is oversized. It has a low back and low arm rests and the cushions are really soft. So the best way for me to sit in this chair is to tuck myself back in one of its corners and then pull my feet up into the chair with me. I can then sling one arm over the back of the chair and nestle one elbow into the cushiony arm, completely ready for any task that is given to me. As long as those tasks include: TV watching, thinking, tal...

Letter To A Friend Concerning Ephesians 4:8 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says, "WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN." Ephesians 4:7-8 (NASB) The context of this passage concerns the unity of the church. Paul states in verse three that the Ephesians are to "preserve the unity of the church and in verse thirteen he states "until we all attain to the unity of the faith." That much is settled, God wants Christians to be united. The remarkable thing is that this unity comes to the church through the diversity of its people. Verse seven states that "But each one of us grace was given…" Verse 11 follows by saying "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers." This grace from God is the gifts that God gives to His children so that the church of the lord Jesus Christ ...

4 Reasons I Believe Jesus Did Not Descend Into Hell Easter is a good time to contemplate Christ in the grave and throughout history many have debated as to just what happen during those three days. One view is that Christ descended into hell. Here are four reasons why I believe that this is not so. 1. Lack of Biblical Evidence Those who hold that Jesus descended into hell after His death on Friday of the Passion Week typically point to four passages of Scripture: Acts 2:27, Romans 10:6-7, Ephesians 4:8-9, and 1 Peter 3:18-20. Vague would be the best description of these passages. Save the reference from 1 Peter, you would have to read a preconceived notion on top of these text in order to “see” a reference to Christ’s descending into hell. But what of the reference from 1 Peter 3:18-20. The verse in question reads: “in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison.” (NASB). If Christ did not descend into hell, what could this possibly mean? In the context of suf...

Congregations Are Dying To Hear God's Word It didn't take long to get sick of the media coverage of Anna Nicole Smith's death. One fact was amazing however. The autopsy revealed that she had eleven different drugs in her system at the time of her death. Eleven different pills. This can only mean one thing. Desperation. I think the church is desperate too. A desperation born in thirst and hunger for what is real. But reality is not present. A child starving to death does not need cotton candy and a man suffering dehydration does not need Swiss mocha cappuccinos. Solid food and pure water will produce health. But we in church have settled for less. Our desperation has driven us to the same place that it drove Ms. Smith. We, in frantic desperation, have swallowed the wrong pill. And not just one. Before one is digested we swallow another and another and another until our stomach is packed and we are at the point of death. Only one thing satisfies and that is Jesus Christ. All ...