I Am The Way

A man wishing to travel across a certain desert hired a local guide to take him across. When the two men arrived at the edge of the desert, the traveler, looking ahead, saw only trackless sands without a trace of a footprint, nor a path and certainly no road. Turning to his guide he asked,…

Rules For Growing Christians

Don’t neglect your prayer time. It is the breath of the soul (Luke 18:1). Don’t neglect your Bible. It is your sword for conquest, your hammer for construction, your guiding light for dreary days (Rev. 1:3). Don’t neglect your body. It is the capital on which you are to do business for the rest of…

How Quickly The Gate Opens

An old farmer from the country went to the big city hospital to visit a dear friend. He was told he would have to park in the parking lot. He was so surprised when he drove up to the entrance and the little gate lifted immediately. He drove right in and parked his car in…

Understanding Others

“Make sure you see what you are looking at.” This was a recommendation handed out to all drivers at Federal Express one morning. The new safety division had decided that this bit of advice would help us avoid an accident. The common thought among all the drivers, though, was that we were paying somebody a…

One at a Time

The story is told of a business man who was overworked and decided to take some time off. While vacationing on the coast, a terrible storm hit. When it died down, he decided to take a walk down the cost to see what damage had been done. As he walked along the shore, he noticed…

Authentic Freedom!

[342 words] “Freedom” is a powerful word, full of all sorts of meaning to different people. Some people think freedom refers to political liberty, such as we have in the United States under the constitution. Others think freedom means being able to do whatever one wants morally. Some even think freedom means doing whatever one…

Independence

[234 words] This week we will celebrate another “Fourth of July.” I enjoy the hot dogs and the fireworks and especially the arrival of family. Yet, l always contemplate the history of what happened back in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 courageous men. They, and many others of their generation,…

Nearsighted People

An eye doctor once said that there are more nearsighted people in New York City than any other city. He thought the reason was because people were hemmed in by skyscrapers, and their vision was restricted in such a way that the only opportunity they had for long-range vision was to look straight up, which…

Using All Your Strength

[135 words] A father was watching his young son struggle to lift a heavy rock. The little fellow grunted and strained, but couldn’t move it. The father said, “Son, are you sure you are using all your strength?” The exhausted boy said, “Yes, I am!” The father replied, “No, you are not. You haven’t asked me…

Removing Ancient Landmarks

In various places throughout the world today ancient landmarks are still recognizable and in force. Many of those ancient landmarks were built to establish boundaries, without which confusion would have ensued. Unfortunately, many ancient landmarks have been removed or destroyed, leaving no identifiable traits of any past existence. Tragically, the same can be said spiritually.…

How Do You Spell Love?

A class of little children was learning to spell. They spelled a number of words such as cat, dog and cow. After each word they were asked to imitate the sound that the animal makes. When Mary was asked to spell love, she didn’t stop to spell the word but ran and threw her arms…

The Judgment Seat of Christ: Looking For Loopholes

One of the most popular entertainers of the Vaudeville era was W.C. Fields (1880-1946). While Fields could make audiences roar with laughter, he was certainly not a Christian and made no pretense of his disdain for the Bible. Thus, it came as a great shock when one of Fields’ friends, visiting him in the hospital…

A Fable of Complaint

A fable is told of a rabbit, a mouse and a chicken who all took up residence together. They worked out a very good plan wherein all of them shared the workload. The rabbit cooked the meals, the chicken brought in the firewood and the mouse brought in the water from a nearby brook. They…

Parents Have To Live It

At one point during a game, the coach said to one of his young players, “Do you understand what cooperation is and what teamwork is all about?” The little boy nodded in the affirmative. “Do you understand that what really matters is not whether we win or lose, but that we play together as a…

What Did You Think Of Church, Daddy?

Every Sunday, just about noon, families walk out of church, get in the car and begin the drive home. Crucial religious instruction takes place then. Here are some of the positions a parent can take as these minutes tick away. Act like you have never been to worship services. Do not mention anything that happened.…

Little Things

The story is told of a giant tree in Colorado which fell to the ground after having stood majestically on a hill for over 400 years. A mere sapling when Columbus landed in San Salvador, over the centuries it had been struck by lightning 14 times, braved great windstorms, and even defied an earthquake. ln…

You Never Asked Me

When Henry Ford purchased a large insurance policy, the newspapers carried a story about it, since the amount was so large and the man so prominent. An old friend of Ford’s who was in the insurance business was surprised by the report since he had not heard that Ford was in the market for insurance.…

Be All You Can Be!

“Be all that you can be!” “Aim high!” “You can be anything you set your mind to be! These are but a few examples of nice-sounding slogans intended to build up our self-esteem, or self-concept. While it is true that we live in a nation of vast opportunities, it is not factual to say we…

Echoes of Love

[120 words] The other day a boy refused to obey his mother. Angrily he ran to a ravine and cried, “I hate you!” Suddenly the words came echoing back, “I hate you!” Frightened, the boy ran to his mother and said, “There’s a bad man in the woods. I heard him say, “I hate you.”…

Power vs. Power

Have you ever considered how the Bible views where Christians were before they were Christians? Notice Colossians 1:13: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” Those outside of Christ are under the “power” of darkness. The word “power” here is the same…

Parenting

One Sunday a preacher was entertained in a farm home of a family of a rural church. The preacher was impressed by the intelligence and unusually good behavior of their only child, a little four-year-old boy. Then the preacher discovered one reason for the child’s charm. The mother was at the kitchen sink, washing the…

A Clean Heart

How does a worm get inside an apple? Perhaps you think the worm burrows in from the outside. No, the worm comes from the inside. But how does he get in there? Simple! An insect lays an egg in the apple blossom. Sometime later, the worm hatches in the heart of the apple, then eats…

In The NAME of the Lord Jesus

[309 words] “And whatever you do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Col. 3:17). Paul plainly states that what we say (word) and what we do (deed) should be done in “the name of the Lord Jesus.” But what does…

It Will Die

Take a leaf from a branch, lay it carefully aside and watch. Slowly the color fades, the leaf goes limp, curls up and dies. Take a fish out of water, lay it carefully on the ground and watch. Frantically it twists, struggles, gradually weakens, quivers and dies. Take a Christian away from the fellowship and…

The Heart Of A Fighter

[185 words] Sometimes it’s so easy to feel as if you’re down for the count. Alone. Face on the mat…you’ve been dealt one of life’s toughest blows. I’ve felt this way more than once. And in a daze I’ve heard the count, four, five, six. And something in me says, “Get up. This is no…

Did You Remember To Light Your Candle?

A circus owner walked into a restaurant to see everyone crowded around a table watching a little show. On the table was an upside down pot and a duck tap dancing on it. The circus owner was so impressed that he offered to buy the duck from its owner. After some wheeling and dealing, they…

Living Expectantly

Have you ever heard the tale of old Shep? Near where our daughter and family live in Montana, overlooking the Missouri River and the Great Northern Railroad, is a monument erected to pay tribute to old Shep, a collie dog that had belonged to an old shepherd. Wherever the man went Shep was always at…

Are You Hitting the Mark?

An old evangelist was telling another man how he might improve his lifestyle. “You know,” answered the fellow, “I’ve been aiming to do that.” “Well,” said the preacher, “quit aiming and start shooting.” The Bible says, “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). This literally means to miss the…

Bring Those Babies to Church

My heart goes out to the parents of small children. l know first hand the kind of problems they face (and my wife knows even better). Training up a toddler in the way he should go is a constant job, a continuous battle, a seven-day-a-week task, not to mention an awesome responsibility. After six days…

The Blessings Never End

Sir Walter Raleigh was continually submitting requests to Queen Elizabeth on behalf of convicts. Once the Queen said to him, “Sir Walter, when will you stop being a beggar?” “When Your Majesty ceases to be a giver,” was the wise answer. Oh, how wonderful it is to know that God is the inexhaustible source of…

In a World Gone Mad

Little Ana Rosa Rodriguez was born into a world gone mad. In 1991, her mother, then 7 1/2 months pregnant, decided to have an abortion. Dr. Abu Hay, a reputed New York abortionist, agreed to perform the abortion. However, Dr. Hay failed. A few days later Ana was born missing her right arm. It had…

None of Self, All of Thee

An old preacher once said he could always tell when a Christian was growing because a growing Christian would always talk more about Christ and less about himself. When a Christian matures, he sees himself getting smaller and smaller until, like the morning star, he gives way to the rising sun. “He must increase, but…

Our Greatest Need

If our greatest need was entertainment, God would have sent a performer. If our greatest need was technology, God would have sent a scientist. If our greatest need was money, God would have sent an economist. But since our greatest need is forgiveness, God sent us a Savior. “For God so loved the world that…

God Is Faithful To His Promise

God said in the long ago, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22). The changing seasons are proof of God’s faithfulness to His Word. Even in the bleak deadness of winter, we can be sure that the spring will…

Buzzards, Bats, and Bumblebees

If you put a buzzard in a pen six or eight feet square and entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of his ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of ten or twelve feet. Without…

The Hottest Spice

The hottest spice is believed to be the Red Savina Habanero pepper developed by GNS Spices of Walnut, California. A single grain will produce detectable heat in 1,272 pounds of bland sauce. Is your good influence detectable in a crowd? Jesus spoke of influence in the Sermon on the Mount: “Ye are the salt of…

Written in Sand and Stone

Two friends were walking through the desert and got into an argument. One friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: “Today my best friend slapped me in the face.” They kept walking until they found an oasis. Thirsty, they…

When You Fail

Failure! What a haunting word. No one deliberately sets out to experience it. As Bulwer-Lytton has said, “In the lexicon of youth, which Fate reserves for a bright manhood, There is no such word As—fail!” But somewhere between youth and old age we discover not only the word, but its full meaning. “How are the…

Your Bible: On Top of TV Guide, or Under It?

A young child watched her mother reading from the Bible for a few minutes each morning. Finally one day she asked, “Aren’t you ever going to get finished reading that book?” The mother replied, “No honey, we never get finished with this Book. It always has something that helps encourage, challenge, and make me into…

What is the Difference?

Between the atheist who would not dream of financially supporting the church and the Christian who will not financially support the Lord’s Church? Between the skeptic who does not believe the Bible and the negligent Christian who never reads it? Between those who do not believe in Bible classes and those who choose never to…

The Conductor

My wife and I recently attended a concert by the Morehead University Symphony Orchestra of which our grandson is a member. Before the concert got underway, the players began “warming up,” each individually testing his/her horn or instrument. No two were on the same key and the “noise” was almost deafening. When the conductor came…

Does Jesus Live At Your House?

The continued knock brought the mother to the door. A child stood there with a Bible in his hand. Without a word of introduction he asked, “Does Jesus live here?” The woman, although a member of the church, was so taken aback by the unexpected question that she did not answer. She didn’t even remember…

Is God Showing Through Your Life?

A little girl, on the way home from church, turned to her mother and said, “Mommy, the preacher’s sermon this morning confused me.” The mother said, “Oh! Why is that?” The girl replied, “Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true?” “Yes, that’s true,” the mother replied. “He also said…

The Vase

There was once a rather rough, uncultured man who for some reason fell in love with a beautiful vase he found in an antique shop. He purchased the vase and put it on the mantel in his living room. The piece became a kind of judgment on his surroundings. The curtains looked dingy beside it.…

16 Things That Cannot be Done

It is helpful to know our boundaries, so that we do not spend our efforts in attempting things that cannot be accomplished. 1. God’s eternal purpose cannot be overthrown (Acts 5:39). 2. One cannot bear good fruit without Christ (John 15:5). 3. No person can keep his sins hidden forever (1 Timothy 5:24). 4. No…

The Wooden Bowl

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law and four-year-old grandson. The old man’s hand trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather’s shaky  hands and failing eyesight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When…

Compromise: Some Things Aren’t Negotiable

A hunter raised his rifle and took careful aim at a large bear. When the man was about to pull the trigger, the bear spoke in a soothing voice, “Isn’t it better to talk than to shoot? What do you want? Let’s negotiate the matter.” Lowering his rifle, the hunter replied, “I want a fur…

Can We Really Live For Jesus?

There are those who teach that it is not possible for human beings to live up to the standard of godliness that Christianity demands. The devil would like for us to accept that heresy so as to discourage us from even trying to live for God. Do we have certain propensities within us that prohibit…

Your Choice

In the Canadian Rockies is a stream called Divide Creek. At a point in its course the creek divides around a large boulder. Waters which flow to the left of the boulder rush on into Kicking Horse River and finally into the Pacific Ocean. Waters which travel to the right flow into the Bow River…

The Tree

[Jesus] bore our sins in His own body on the tree… (1 Peter 2:24). The corkscrew willow tree stood vigil over our backyard for more than 20 years. It shaded all four of our children as they played in the yard, and it provided shelter for the neighborhood squirrels. But when springtime came and the…

There’s a Purpose. Have You Looked for It?

Jesus said we’d have problems (John 16:33). Nobody gets a free pass. Solve one problem and another’s waiting to take its place. They’re not all big, but they’re all necessary to your spiritual growth. How do you measure the strength of anything? By testing it! Listen: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful…

10 Rules for Happy Living

1. Give something away (no strings attached). 2. Do a kindness (and forget it). 3. Spend a few minutes with the aged (their experience is priceless guidance). 4. Look intently into the face of a baby (and marvel). 5. Laugh often (it’s life’s lubricant). 6. Give thanks (a thousand time a day is not enough).…

Satan’s Plan

A story is told of how Satan asked his demons to design a plan to keep people from becoming Christians. One demon said, “I’ll tell people that there is no God!” Satan replied, “No! Only fools deny God’s existence.” Another demon spoke up, saying, “I’ll go and tell the world that religion is a farce!”…

Needs of a Newcomer

What Are the Needs of a Newcomer? In the early church, we see that Christians were concerned with supplying each other’s needs (Acts 2:44-45, 4:34-35). Paul reminded the church at Rome of their obligation to care for “the needs of the saints” (Rom. 12:13). Elsewhere, we are reminded of specific needs like monetary support (2…

Sight or Vision?

There’s a church in our area that enjoys putting thought-provoking sayings on their sign, and they have some pretty good ones, too. They are located on a busy comer where lots of people will notice what they say. Not long ago, as I drove by, I read on their sign: To some God gives sight;…

What About Your Faith?

“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith” (Hebrews 11:7). No one had ever seen such a flood as the one that would come–one that would…

Softer Stances on Doctrine

Recently, I was contacted by a retiring minister. He said he had become an elder with the congregation and was given the job of seeking his replacement. We spoke for nearly an hour and things seemed fine until he asked me about certain doctrines. He was specific about a few and I quoted the scripture…

God Is With You

Joshua was taking over the leadership of the people of God, and knew that Moses “left some big shoes to fill.” But, God gave him the assurance he needed to lead the people into the promised land. He told him to “be strong…do not be afraid…for the Lord your God is with you wherever you…

Right in the Middle of Forgiveness

What is right in the middle of the word “forgiveness?” You have “for” and you have “ness,” but right in the middle of“forgiveness” is the word “give.” To “give” is to provide someone with something. To “forgive” is to provide someone with pardon. “Forgiving” is one of the greatest ways of “giving.” The New Testament…

10 Reasons Not To Take A Bath

If the same excuses that people use for not going to church are applied to other important areas of life, it’s easy to see how inconsistent our logic can be. For example, 10 reasons not to take a bath: 1. I was forced to bathe as a child. 2. People who make soap are only…

Just Suppose

Just suppose the Lord should begin tomorrow to make people as sick as they say they are on Sunday. Just suppose the Lord should take away the children whom parents use as an excuse for staying away from church. Just suppose the Lord should make some people as poor as they say they are when…

When the Church Works Together

When the church works together… – There will be less bickering and more forgiveness (Philippians 4:2). – There will be less criticism and more encouragement (Hebrews 10:24). – There will be less excuses and more evangelism (Acts 2:46, 47). – There will be less selfishness and more selflessness (Philippians 2:3,4). – There will be less…

A Good Word

Mark Twain once said, “I can live for two months on one good compliment.” We all know what he meant by that. It lifts your spirits to have someone say something genuinely nice to you or about you. Solomon noted this human truth: “Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good…

Running Out of Time

  [345 words] The clock is ticking. The calendar is winding down. I’m running out of time. I made myself some promises about some important things in my life that I would accomplish by the end of this year. It’s going to require me to buckle down, be incredibly disciplined, and live like every day…

Doing Good

The New Testament tells us that Jesus “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). Jesus spent His life in service to others and helping others. Have you ever heard of a “complainer” doing good for others with his complaining? Have you ever heard of a “gossip” who helped others with his/her gossip? How much good has…

The Flyer and the Catcher

Both the Old and New Testaments are filled with the admonition to “be still, be patient, and wait on the Lord. ” We are given a beautiful picture of patient trust in our Lord during our seasons of trials and searching for direction. There is a very special relationship between the trapeze artists known as…

You Finish The Story…

Once there was a congregation in which every member was just like you. Each one cooperated and supported every program just like you have been doing. Everyone worked as hard and attended the same services and gospel meetings that you did. The elders, deacons, and preacher were all interested in the church to the same…

How Are You?

“I’m better than I was yesterday because I am one day closer to being with my Lord. ” Too often, the pain, grief, loss and disappointments of this world fill our heart with the wrong things. To prevent this we need to follow the biblical examples of Godly responses to worldly afflictions. David was devastated…

10 Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Was 21

1. That being a Christian is really, really important. 2. That my life’s career would be what it is now. 3. That my health in my later years will depend to a great degree on what I ate before I was 21. 4. That I am really a manager of my money and my possessions.…

The Day The Sun Didn’t Rise

There is an old story told of the day when the sun did not rise. Six o’clock came and there was no sign of dawn. Seven o’clock there was still no ray of light. At noon it was black as midnight. No birds sang, and only the hoot of the owl broke the silence. Then…

The Devil’s Favorite Tool

It was advertised that the Devil was going to put some of his tools up for sale. After all, he had a huge assortment, with various models of each, and he figured others might get some use out of them. On the date of the sale, the tools were placed for public inspection, each being…

Never Give Up!

Sometimes in this old world, we may begin to sense that we are being overwhelmed and that  we are helpless in our attempt to call men back  to God and to his etemal will. Let me encourage all of us to remember some basic truths that  should motivate us: God is still God! He has…

Twenty-Five Years Later

One day as a wife and her husband quarreled, harsh words were spoken. Each was too proud to ask the other’s forgiveness and the bitter feelings finally led to divorce. Neither found a new mate during the intervening years. And now 25 years later, with one son already dead and the whereabouts of the other…

Out of Sight

A rich fisherman with tons of expensive fishing gear was not catching any trout. A little boy nearby with primitive equipment filled a stringer.  In desperation the rich fellow asked the little boy, “How do you do it?” The boy answered, “I just stay out of sight better than you do.” “Staying out of sight”…

God is STILL Love

A man traveling through the country noticed that the weather vane on the roof of a farm building bore the phrase, “God Is Love.” He was troubled about it and asked the farmer, “Do you think God’s love is as changeable as that weather vane?” “You miss the point, sir,” replied the farmer. “It is…

Where is Your Joy?

I recently witnessed a discussion on Facebook regarding when it is appropriate to put up Christmas decorations. Personally I love Christmas. My mother one year began listening to Christmas music in October. That was torture. Why? Because by the time Christmas actually rolled around I was so sick of hearing those same songs over and…

Quote on Love and Obedience

“Love compels humble obedience to God, and service to fellowman. Without love, our good works are empty and vain. Let love be the greatest motivation in your Christian life!” Darwin Hunter Shreveport, LA… We are sorry, but this content is for Trial, Annual, and Lifetime members only. You either are not yet a member (Register),…

Quote on Teaching in the Church

“The strength of any local church depends upon the effectiveness of its teaching (Acts 20:32). When faithful, effective teaching is not present, a congregation can never be strong.” Terry Broome Scottsboro, AL… We are sorry, but this content is for Trial, Annual, and Lifetime members only. You either are not yet a member (Register), have…

Quote on Loyalty to Jesus

“From baptism by John to death on a cross, Jesus didn’t balk at anything God asked and/or directed Him to do. How about you? Just how expensive is your loyalty to Jesus? Have you followed Him in baptism and the new life that follows it (Romans 6:1-4)?” Dan Gulley Smithville, TN… We are sorry, but…

Quote on Living for God

“One who only lives for God in certain places or in front of certain people is not living for God at all.” Darrell Powell Greenville, AL… We are sorry, but this content is for Trial, Annual, and Lifetime members only. You either are not yet a member (Register), have yet to confirm your email address…

God’s All-Seeing Eye

During World War II, Germany had devised a plan to force the British fighter force to be spread thin in “standing patrols,” which would require planes in the air flying ready at all times. This process would have caused the hard-pressed British to waste precious high-octane fuel. But the Brits had a secret that monitored…

Inconsistent Attendance is a Sign of Heart Trouble

Some members of the church willfully absent themselves from the assembly of the local church. Many reason within their own minds, the Sunday evening or midweek services are simply not important. Furthermore, they excuse themselves from Bible class because they feel it too is simply not important. However, church attendance is a good indication of…

Don’t Have Anything to Do in the Church?

If you feel this way, then… l. Mail a card to the sick members. 2. Read and study your Bible diligently every day. 3.Visit all the aged, ill and shut-ins, and bereaved of the congregation. 4. Tell your neighbors about Christ and invite them to church services. 5. Visit new members and newcomers and welcome…

Poverty or Riches

Linda was on vacation playing the slot machines. It was her first time in a casino and she wasn’t sure how the machines operated. “Excuse me,” she said to a casino employee. “How does this work?” The worker showed her how to insert a bill, hit the spin button, and operate the release handle. “And…

Two Ways to Grow

God expects us to grow: to become more like Jesus, to increase in faith, to develop the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) and the Christian graces (2 Peter l:5-11), etc. How can this be accomplished? The New Testament mentions at least two factors that are essential to spiritual growth. One is Bible study. “…like…

Boat Potatoes

“So Peter got out of the boat, and started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus.” (Matt. 14:29) Wow, what a walk! What courage it must have taken to get out of the boat? Peter chose to get out of the boat. He did not ask for a promise from the Lord to keep…

I’ve learned…

“…that when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.”… We are sorry, but this content is for Trial, Annual, and Lifetime members only. You either are not yet a member (Register), have yet to confirm your email address (Check your email), or we have not received your payment yet (if paying by check). Register Already…

The Old Farmer’s Wisdom

A newspaper reporter was interviewing an old farmer and asked him to what he would attribute his success as a farmer. With a twinkle in his eye the man replied, “It’s been about 50 percent weather, 50 percent good luck, and the rest is brains.”… We are sorry, but this content is for Trial, Annual,…

Sin By Any Other Name…Still Stinks!

“We need to call sin by its right name and expose it before the world for what it is…We might label a bottle of strychnine some soft drink but doing so would not change its nature…We can’t sugar-coat sin, Underneath the surface it is still sin and that is all one can make of it.…

Everybody Gets a Mulligan

For those of you who are not golfing fans, you may not understand fully the title of this article. A mulligan is a do-over. It is an opportunity to take another shot because the first one was no good. I have used many mulligans in my time, especially in the early years. Mulligans also work…

To Read or Not To Read

Author Louis L’Amour once wrote a short story about a man caught stealing a book from a library. The attendant noticed that the man was acting strangely while looking at the books. He would take books from the shelf and run his hands over them before putting them back. When he took down a copy…

10 Ways to Find Time to Read the Bible

1. Wake up ten minutes earlier each morning to read the bible. 2. Put a Bible portion under your pillow to read each night before sleep. 3. Talk less and you will have a few more minutes to read. 4. Keep a copy on hand in the kitchen or at the telephone to read while…

Five Things To Forget

What are some of the things we need to forget in order to make a success of the Christian life? “Forgetting those things which are behind…I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:13-14). Our Setbacks. We are too prone to brood over our losses–especially…

Consecration for a Crossing (Joshua 3:1-17)

“When we walk with the Lord, In the light of His Word, What a glory He sheds on our way, While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey.” So begins one of the most loved and theologically sound songs ever penned. In beautiful imagery…

Bible Class Can Be Destructive

As shocking as this statement is, we must admit its truthfulness. Consider the following: Bible classes can destroy ignorance. If this does not occur, we ourselves are in danger of being destroyed as were the people of old (Hosea 4:6) Studying together can eliminate this malady. Bible classes can destroy loneliness. Some of the strongest…

Attachment to “Stuff”

I must make a confession: I enjoy watching American Pickers on the History Channel. The adventures of Mike Wolf and Frank Fritz have captured my attention numerous times in the past three or four years. Even though I turn away from most “reality shows,” and even though I know some of the show’s elements are…

God Values People–All of Them

What do we do with something that is broken, battered or bruised? Normally, we throw it away. The thing has become flawed or cracked, so why bother? It’s not worth it. It’s useless. Sadly, we do the same with people. Jesus was different. He saw the value of people–all people. A few examples: — A…

This Makes Me Sick

When you have to be separated from your loved ones for an extended period of time, you begin to miss their presence. Being together is an essential part of building meaningful and deep relationships. Because of this, the Hebrew law required soldiers who marry to stay home with their new wives for a year after…

If the Shoe Fits…

Are you a person who wears LOAFERS? Do you want to get by with doing as little as possible? Consider the rebuke to the one talent man of Matthew 25:26. Perhaps the SLIPPER is your choice of shoe. This fits the person who slips in and out of service. He hopes he can slip by…

What I Could Do If I Wanted To

If I wanted to, I could help make the church the most wide awake and working church in all the world. If I wanted to, I could visit members who are sick or home-bound and find other ways of helping them. If I wanted to, I could attend Bible classes regularly and encourage others to…
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