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Willie Cato’s book, “His Hand and His Heart,” is about the wit and wisdom, dedication and sacrifice of the beloved Marshall Keeble. “Brother Keeble,” as he was affectionately known, was one of the greatest preachers of the 20th century. I highly recommend that you read about this great servant of God, listen to his sermons, and learn from his life. In life this giant of a little man touched thousands and, although gone from us for many years, still touches lives today. Like Abel, “he being dead still speaks” (Hebrews 11:4).
Keeble’s preaching was simply, sincere, powerful, and practical. He believed in God. He lived a devoted life. He sacrificed and endured much. He loved the truth, and he loved the souls of men. He preached from the heart and thousands responded to the gospel! Keeble would often say, “The Bible is right! You can leave this meeting and go home, but the Bible is right! You can fuss at Keeble all night, but the Bible is right! All men can die and go to hell, but the Bible is still right!”
Is it not strange how people react to the Word of God? When Paul preached at Athens, his message drew different responses. “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, ‘We will hear you again on this matter.’ So Paul departed from among them. However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them” (Acts 17:32-34).
People react differently to the truth today. Some become angry. Some shrug off the saving message of the gospel. Some rejoice and receive it. One man might say, “I didn’t get a thing out of that message.” Another might say, “That message really helped me.”
Keeble was right! Regardless of how people react to it, “the Bible is right!” It is the inspired message of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It will be the standard by which we are judged (1 John 12:48). We can reject it, neglect it or interpret it (a fancy way of saying that we can change God’s Word to fit our lives instead of changing our lives to fit it), but as Keeble said, “the Bible is right!”
We must hear the Word! We must believe the Word! We must obey the Word! We must proclaim the Word! We must defend the Word! Why? Because “the Bible is right!” Keeble knew it and so do we!
Dwight Fuqua
Findlay church of Christ
Sparta, TN