April 2015, Vol. 34, No. 4 Archives

Are You at a Loss?

[559 words] Paul said, “We are perplexed, but not in despair” (2 Cor. 4:8). The word perplexed means more than just being puzzled. It comes from aporeo which means “to be at loss with one’s self, be in doubt; not to know how to decide or what to do, to be perplexed” (Thayer, 66). We…

Rally to Us There

[273 words] “And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, ‘The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there…'” (Neh. 4:19-20). Nehemiah,…

Planting Time

[246 words] It has been a difficult winter with much snow and sub-freezing temperatures, but the warm windy days of spring are just a short time away. It will be “planting time” for farmers and those who have gardens. Some have already planted peas and lettuce seed. Onions and other vegetables will soon be going…

You’re Crazy

[130 words] This is the phrase that is directed toward someone that is acting (or speaking) in a way that does not make much sense. We have all been called (or called someone else) crazy at least once. As Christians, we are called to be just that. No, not “crazy” in the literal sense. Crazy…

Your Obituary Has Not Been Written Yet

[382 words] Toward the end of the nineteenth century, Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel awoke one morning to read his own obituary in the local newspaper: “Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, who died yesterday, devised a way for more people to be killed in a war than ever before, and he died a very rich…

All the Ways

[195 words] Some have referred to the “God of the Old Testament” as a God of anger and the “God of the New Testament” as a God of love, as if there are (or have been) two Gods. If we have read through the Old Testament without getting any glimpses of God’s great patience, love,…

To What Length Would You Go?

[130 words] “This obscure family of ours was early in the Reformation, and continued Protestants through the resign of Queen Mary, when they were sometimes in danger of trouble on account of their zeal against popery. They had got an English Bible, and to conceal and secure it, it was fastened open with tapes under…

What Would You Expect?

[344 words] If you got in your car and drove in the direction given by a sign that said “Paducah, KY–20 miles,” what would you expect to find after driving twenty miles? If you passed a sign that said the are you were driving in an area patrolled by policemen with radar, and you drove…

What Kind of Heart Do You Have?

[217 words] We get shots (flu, encephalitis, etc), which sometimes makes us sick. We get a little bit of the flu so it can help us to not get the real thing. That’s good in the physical sense, but disastrous in the spiritual sense. Some people get a little bit of religion, just enough !o…

What is the Bible?

[358 words] The Bible is first and foremost the inspired, inerrant word of God. It is the message delivered from Heaven through the spirit-breathed words of inspired men. It is historically, scientifically, and geographically as perfect as its original author. It contains no errors or contradictions as it has been protected by the very hand…

Vessels of Honor

[222 words] “I’ll never attend that church again,” some people say. “There are too many hypocrites in it.” If we think about this for a moment, we may come to understand that since the church is composed of human beings, there will always be imperfection. Should we, then, condemn the church and refuse to attend…

God Supplies the Raw Materials!

[81 words] A woman went into the grocery store to complain to the manager. “Something’s wrong with this flour you sold me,” she said. “It’s too tough. This morning I made biscuits with it and my husband could hardly eat them!” Sometimes folks get into this sort of position with God’s word. He has provided…

I Am God’s Project

[415 words] “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). There are benefits to an extended, do-it-yourself project, like painting a house, building a model or even assembling a 1,000 piece puzzle. For one thing, it teaches patience. Large projects are…

Appreciating Grace

[237 words] “What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” (Psalm 8:4, NKJV). When we take an honest look at ourselves, it is not difficult to identify with the Psalmist’s question. Weakness is a discouraging reality of our human nature. We are all abundantly aware…

If You Wake Up in the Morning

[112 words] A life insurance salesman was unable to persuade a couple to purchase a policy. “I certainly don’t want to frighten you into a decision,” he said as he got up to leave. “Please sleep on it tonight, and if you wake up in the morning, let me know what you think.” Is this…

Bear With One Another

[449 words] In Scripture, the word “bear” means to tolerate one another, to bear with them, to patiently endure their personal tendencies/idiosyncrasies and weaknesses. That is a lot easier to talk about than to practice. I like the old saying that goes like this: “To live above, with saints we love, that will be glory.…

Who Are These People?

[261 words] You hear about them on the news, you read about them in magazines. But who are the Kardashians? They must be someone important, perhaps like Lady Gaga. Really, who has a name Gaga? I must be out of touch, too old to be up with the newest fad. But should I really even…

‘A Man in Whom is the Spirit’

[385 words] What will be said of us when we die? How will our eulogy go? If there ever was a funeral that I would have liked to be present for, it would have been Joshua’s. In Numbers 27:18, the description above is given to Joshua. We find much written about him in the Old…

Got Faith?

[192 words] “This righteousness from God comes through faith inJesus Christ to all who believe … ” Romans 3:22. Having already established that there is an obedience that comes faith, that faith is something we do, and that we must not rest in what we’ve done or who we think we are in God’s sight,…

Every Spiritual Blessing

[155 words] It’s very common for people to ask this question: “Why do good people suffer?” Why do good people get sick, have money problems, and simply struggle with difficult times? The basic answer to these questions is that we live in a physical world and along with being physical beings we both enjoy physical…

Have a Plan

[419 words] Sometimes it is fun to just “pick up and go.” It can be exciting to “play things by ear” and to “fly by the seat of our pants” when it comes to things like down- time and recreation. But overall you and I recognize the value and necessity of having a plan when…

When ‘Magor-Missabib’s’ Disguise Themselves as ‘Pashur’s’

[172 words] In Jeremiah 19, God’s prophet was instructed to warn the people of Judah and Jerusalem that, because of their unrestrained sin and stubbornness, a harsh, but just, judgment was coming. Despite the clarity of the message which spelled doom for the unrepentant people there were leaders who promised peace, and who also treated…

If You Had Died for the Sins of the World How would You Feel?

[152 words] When men took your name in vain? When men damaged their bodies dabbling in sin instead of glorifying you as their savior in their bodies? When men fussed and got angry among themselves in the church which you had established and thus brought reproach upon you? When men chose to go somewhere else…

I Need You and You Need Me

[293 words] Have you ever felt alone? If so, you understand how this one emotion can create a roller coaster of negative thoughts and feelings in one’s life. We hate being alone. Sure, there are times we probably prefer to be alone; after all, sometimes you just need to get away. However, at its very…

Classify Yourself

[202 words] Dead Members: Their activities for the Lord have ceased. They no longer attend services, do not worship the Lord together with the saints, do not partake of the Lord ‘s Supper. Stopped studying the word of God. Do not give to further the Lord’s cause. They are in danger of being overcome again…

Which Came First?

[192 words] A young skeptic said to an elderly lady, “I once believed in God, but since studying science I am convinced that God is but an empty word.” The lady replied, “Well, I have not studied science, but since you have, maybe you can tell me from whence came the egg.” “Why, of course,…

In Giving, You Lose Nothing

[274 words] The Christian faith has always placed a great emphasis on giving. This is due in part because we serve a giving God. He is a God of abundance (John 10:10; James 1:5; Psalm 103:8; Isaiah 55:1-7; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Romans 5:20), and He loves to give. He sacrificed willingly on the cross and…

Judgment Day Excuses That Won’t Work

[287 words] We can imagine that on “the judgment of the great day” (Jude 6), there will be many excuses. Let’s consider some. “But, Lord, what about all of the good that I have done?” This sounds like Matthew 7:22, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord Lord have we not…done many wonderful…

Proclaiming His Death

[236 words] “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). The word “proclaim” means to preach. Let us preach the Lord’s death. The proclamation of the death of Jesus is one reason for taking the Lord’s Supper. Not only should…

Promises, Promises

[147 words] The world is full of promises, some broken, some kept. God keeps His. The greatest promise of the Bible is salvation. It’s the greatest promise because it can remove the greatest curse, sin. Jesus came to take away sin: “he was manifested to take away our sins” (1 John 3:5). Through obedience to…

Your Speech

[204 words] It was said of Peter, “Your speech betrays you.” James said, “No one can tame the tongue.” And Jesus said, “Out of the heart the mouth speaks.” We talk about the things that are dearest to us. A UK fan will not keep quiet! His speech will surely tell whose side he is…

Can’t Stop Now

[165 words] The famous engineer and inventor, Robert Fulton, returned to America from Paris in 1805 to test his invention of the steamship. In 1807, he was ready to take the steamship Claremont on a trial run up the Hudson River between New YorkCity and Albany. In the excited crowd watching the proceedings, there was…

A Lesson on How to Treat People

[142 words] During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: “What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?” Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the…

5 Reasons You Must Preach the Scriptures: 2 Timothy 3:1 – 4:4

[109 words] Because of Perilous Times (Periods) (3:1) ‘This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come…” Because of Godly Christian Examples (3:14) “…continue in the things which you have learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them…” Because of the Power of the Scriptures (3:15) “…the…

In Christ

[102 words] The “in Christ ” expression says it all. The truth is, all spiritual blessing are found “in Christ” (Eph. 1:3); every last one of them. These tremendous spiritual blessings are found no where else: Salvation (2 Tim. 2:10; Acts 4:12); no condemnation (Rom. 8:1); forgiveness (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14); becoming a new creature…

Power Outage

[260 words] One of the worst things about winter weather is the power outages that come along with ice storms. Power outages put us in a difficult position these days because so much depends on that electricity. There are so many things we cannot accomplish without it. Although the plant that generates the electricity for…

Somebody Else

[112 words] There’s a clever young guy named Somebody Else, There’s nothing this guy can’t do. He is busy from morning till way late at night, Just substituting for you. You’re asked to do this or you’re asked to do that, And what is your ready reply? “Get Somebody Else to do that job, He’ll…

On the Lighter Side (April 2015)

A minister selected a fifty-cent item in a discount store, but he suddenly realized he had no money with him. He said to the clerk, “I could invite you to come hear me preach, but I don’t have any fifty-cent sermons.” The clerk said, “Maybe I could come hear you twice.” — “Now how many…