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…

The Importance of the Bible Class Teacher

It is impossible to overstate the importance of the Bible class teacher. There are those who can teach and impart certain skills, trades and knowledge. There are those who run large corporations, and those who rule countries. Yet, if a list were somehow composed of all positions of the world being arranged in order of…

5 First Steps to Success

GIVE GOD: 1 — the FIRST HOUR of the day. 2 — the FIRST DAY of the week. 3 — the FIRST PORTION of your pay. 4 — the FIRST CONSIDERATION in every decision. 5 — the FIRST PLACE in your heart. via Church of Christ Benton, KY… We are sorry, but this content is…

Mastering Our Moods

There are some things which no one can do for us–things which we must, with God’s help, do for ourselves. Mastering our moods is one of them. Each one must work at this. Perhaps a moment or two in which one ceases his routine and talks to God will be helpful. I heard of a…

Life Is What You Make It!

— A blacksmith makes five dollars worth of iron into horseshoes and gets ten dollars for them. — A cutler makes the same iron into knives and gets two hundred dollars. — A machinist makes the same iron into sixty-eight hundred dollars’ worth of needles. — A watchmaker makes it into two hundred thousand dollar’s…

If It Weren’t For Baptism…

Not one sinner could be saved (Mark 16:16). There would be no remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Our sins could not be washed away (AcTS 22:16). It would be impossible to enter into Christ (Rom. 6:3). No one could be born again (John 3:5). We could not put on Christ (Gal. 3:27). We could not…

Cheap Religion

Flea markets are increasing in number by the week. Sales at the mall attract thousands who would not shop without them. Negotiating before buying is smart shopping. “The cheaper the better” is the philosophy by which many live daily. But cheap is not always the best, whether it be furniture, cars, or medical care. Very…

Abhoring Evil

One sure lesson history teaches us: the more association we have with evil the less evil it appears. The commonness of vice makes it seem harmless and respectable. But neither ugliness gets pretty nor wrong gets right by association, we just get more accustomed to it. We change, not the evil influencing us. Thus, through…

The Value of Being a Christian

Since the founding of our nation, people from all over the world have looked longingly to America, the land of freedom and opportunity. They realize the value of being an American. While there are some who now dispute this, by and large, we are still overwhelmed with the numbers of immigrants who come to these…

A Mishmash Theology

Have you noticed that there is tremendous apathy and lack of knowledge concerning the Bible and theology? Many have what I call a “mishmash” of convoluted, contrived, circuitous convictions of what the Bible says. It is a combination of the Ten Commandments, a few Psalms, a handful of Parables, several of the Beatitudes of Jesus…

A Busybody Dog

A man was driving along a road when he overtook a farmer with his dog walking beside him. The man offered them a ride. The farmer got into the front seat and put the dog in the back. After glancing at the dog, who seemed too tired to even wag his tail, the driver remarked,…

Caring for People: A Most Important Job!

“No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” Good proverb and good practice! We are often long on knowledge and short on compassion; correct on doctrine, offensive in nature! We would do well to remember Jesus did not die for buses, budgets, and buildings; not for carpets, cooling, and…

A Solid Foundation

Earthquakes capture the interest of the world. The tragedy is indescribable. Homes, office buildings, and highways were built and people were assured they were safe. Yet the buildings and roadways have proven to be extremely unsafe. Great damage was done and lives were lost as a result. Almost 2,000 years ago Jesus said we are…

My Dad Knows God!

  [282 words] A small boy was playing with his buddies in the back yard. The father overheard them talking. The conversation was, amusingly, one of those “My Dad can whip your Dad” routines. One boy proudly says, “My Dad knows the mayor of our town.” Another said, “That’s nothing, my Dad knows the governor…

“Our Father in Heaven”

  [448 words] In giving the “model” prayer Jesus said, “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name” (Matthew 6:9). God is called Father by Jesus no fewer than one-hundred and sixty times. The expression “Our Father in Heaven” is one of the greatest Bible statements. Jehovah is truly our…

Take Care of Your Treasure

A young Arizona college student left his backpack in a public place and walked off. A homeless man found the backpack and rummaged through it, finding a laptop and an envelope. The envelope contained $3,300 in cash! The homeless man, to his credit, turned the backpack in to the police who located the rightful owner.…

The Purpose of Prayer in the Christian Life

God tells us to pray (Phil. 4:6; Col. 4:22; 1Thess. 5:17), and Jesus makes a promise, “Ask and it shall he given you…” He promises that He will hear, and answer, the prayers of His people (Matt. 7:7; James 5:16; 1 Peter 3:12). All genuine believers believe in the power of prayer, but prayer will…

Be Ye Doers

Many members of the church feel that they are pressed for time. Their lives are filled with so many things, such as their jobs, school activities, sports, plays, and television. It seems that there is just not enough time to do all the things we want to do. We don’t have time for meditation. Everything…

Live It and Tell It!

Evangelism begins with the way we live. The message of Christ which brings salvation should be evident in the lives of the ones doing the “telling” (Tit. 2:11; Phil. 1:27). Set up a Bible study and help save a soul!… We are sorry, but this content is for Trial, Annual, and Lifetime members only. You…

You Cannot Out-€Give God

Our attitude will improve toward giving when we realize you cannot out-give God (Mark 10:28-30). Here Christ is talking about an investment that yields a return of 10,000%. We give and God blesses (Prov. 11:25). We need to understand that God owns it all (Hag. 2:8; Deut. 8:18; Psa. 50:10; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; Eze. 18:4)…

“Will Your Children Go to Heaven?”

Church leaders all over the nation are concerned about the drop-out rate of young people. And well they should be. It is a tragic thing to see these precious boys and girls, who are so thrilled with Bible study as little people, grow cold and uninterested in the Lord’s work as they grow older. Lately,…

Do Not Tell Your Kids About Abstinence

Do not tell your kids about abstinence, because if you do they will be curious about it and will go out and have sex. Ridiculous! We don’t use this irrational logic in reference to other things. For example, we don’t tell our kids about not murdering or not stealing, because if we do, they will…

Narrow Minded?

Often the Christian may be accused of being narrow-minded because he insists that we MUST completely obey Christ. Yet, all of life is narrow. There is no room for broad-mindedness in the chemical laboratory. Water is composed of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. Deviation is forbidden. There is no room for broad-mindedness in…

Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me

When a person looks down at the ocean, they see the wild waves of the sea. These waves are pushed around by the winds with no self-control. Paul compares this kind of wandering to a person who is not mature in the word of God. Ephesians 4:14 says, “We will no longer be infants, tossed…

Pleasing God

Our highest aim in life should be that of “pleasing God.” How do we do this? The answer is by FAITH. Read carefully Hebrews 11:6, “And without FAITH it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must BELIEVE that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” Faith…

Ground Breaking: “Spadework”

Daddy was a gravedigger so my brothers and I knew a lot about ‘ground breaking’. When we were big enough, we became daddy’s back hoe! Early on we learned that a hole begins with the first shovel full of dirt. I’ll never forget the first ground breaking ceremony I witnessed. When a new business is…

A Church is Almost Certain to Grow…

– When each member has a deep concern for the lost. – When each member enters into worship with enthusiasm. – When each member is interested in aggressive Bible School. – When each teacher is interested in improving his teaching ability. – When each elder and deacon is dedicated to the work. – When the…

Jesus Said a Lot in Few Words

In John 19, Jesus was brought before Pilate and Pilate asked the Lord, “Whence art thou?” Jesus was silent which prompted Pilate to say, “Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I hove power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?” Jesus then broke his silence and said.”Thou couldest have no…

The Missing Sword

Henry VIII is the most well-known of the British kings. When he died on January 28, 1547, his nine-year-old son Edward took the throne. At Edward’s coronation, three swords were presented to him as symbols of the three kingdoms that he would rule over. Upon their presentation, the boy king cried out, “There is a…

How Things Have Changed!

Thinking on the blessings of our freedom in America has brought to mind that many things are not the same in our fair land anymore. We need to be reminded often of Psalm 33:12 and Proverbs 14:34. The first says: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom He hath…

Self Destruction

Once there was an eagle soaring high in the sky and as it flew, almost out of sight, it became unsteady and finally began to fall. It plunged to the earth in a pasture near two men. When the men went to the eagle, they found him shaking and trembling. In its claw was a…

Twenty Dollar Bill

A well known speaker started his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, “Who would like this $20 bill?” Hands started going up. He said, “I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.” He proceeded to crumple up the…

Butterflies

I have noticed a lot of butterflies lately. I saw one soaring high in the sky. I saw another sitting almost motionless on a flower. Another was struggling on the asphalt after an encounter with a car. It is an amazing thing about butterflies. They spend the beginning of their days crawling upon the earth…

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 by…

These Enemies of Mine

It’s easier than you think to be an enemy of Christ. 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).…

None the Worse for Success

Joseph was faithful in all his successes. 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 a member?…

Choose Jesus

Jesus urged his followers to choose wisely. 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 a member?…

Churches in Decline

Whether in decline or not, the church’s mission must not change. 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).…

Living Under the Influence

It’s a difference of perspective. 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 a member? Log in …

Some Kind of Ghost

Kippy Myers tells a story about G. K. Wallace. 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…

Abundance

We have more than we need, more than we know what to do with, more than we realize. 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…

Tarzan on the Vine

A gospel preachers tells how he started. 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 a member?…

Because I Don’t Want To

People deny truths merely because they don’t want to accept them. 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).…

Sharing God’s Word

A story from Africa reminds us to believe in the treasure of God’s word and to share it with everyone. 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…

Why does the church of Christ Exist?

Some churches exist for wrong reasons. The church of Christ exists to do one thing. 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…

Wrong Mom

Bringing up kids can sometimes be trying. 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 a member?…

Souvenir from Heaven

From the mouth of a child, sometimes embarrassing. 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 a…

Two Billion Heard the Bible Read

John Gaines observed the Bible being read during the royal wedding. 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).…

Two Sides of the Coin

A true illustration of a boyhood memory about eating out on Sundays. 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…

If I Had Married Him

A CEO learns a bit of humility from his wife. 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…

God is watching

A true story to illustrate the omnipresence of God. 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 Mosquito Truck

When the clouds of immorality and doctrinal departures waft our way, would to God our response was as prompt and energetic as our closing the windows when the mosquito truck drives up the street. We are sorry, but this content is for Trial, Annual, and Lifetime members only. You either are not yet a member…

Forgive Me for Keeping Your Bible

A Hungarian gospel preacher was riding a train on his way to his hometown. He had a sack of Bibles with him that he intended to distribute. 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…

What Gets You Going in the Morning?

Here’s the big question: what is it that gets you going in the morning? Not physically, but mentally. What’s the motivation that makes you sharp, that puts an edge to your activities? We are sorry, but this content is for Trial, Annual, and Lifetime members only. You either are not yet a member (Register), have…

How to Keep People in the Church

What can be done to stop the churning? Well, it may be tempting for a congregation to compromise their convictions to attract people. But, this is certainly not the answer. 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…
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