February 2021, Vol. 40, No. 2

No Value in Profanity

[310 words] Horace Porter, a lieutenant colonel and personal secretary to General Ulysses Grant during the American Civil War, wrote about a conversation he had with the famous general one evening while they were sitting by a campfire. Porter commented, “General, it seems singular that you should have gone through all the rough and tumble…

Unshakeable Faith in the Immoveable Kingdom

[489 words] In the heat of the Civil War, Moses Lard penned this “Note to the Brotherhood” to encourage Christians: “More now than ever before in this country; do even Christians need to be placed completely under the influence of Christianity. In mind and heart they are deeply and painfully agitated. Christianity alone can tranquillize…

A Worthy Woman

[210 words] “A worthy woman who can find? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband trusteth in her, And he shall have no lack of gain.” (Pro 31:10-11). A worthy woman, similar to a worthy man, is not one with an outward appearance that is so attractive a man says,…

Talk with Your Spouse

[206 words] Over the years, I have been approached by several couples who were having marital problems. Here are two people who have promised to honor and sacrifice for each other for the rest of their lives. And now, their marriage is on the rocks. Often, the major complaint that comes from the wife is,…

Carry the Weight

[238 words] It might seem Paul contradicts himself in just a few verses. In Galatians 6:2 He tells us to “Bear ye one another’s burdens”, then just three verses later he tells us to “every man shall bear his own burden” What gives? Well, a bit of understanding of the original text is in order.…

In Times of Trouble

[404 words] The days seem filled with trouble. Job said, “Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). We have seen COVID-19 take the lives and good health away from loved ones and friends. Many homes and much property were destroyed by wildfires. We have seen…

Christians And Earthly Governments

[321 words] Sometimes, it seems that during my daily Bible reading, scriptures come along that speaks to the moment. Politically, the United States has had a volatile year. We have been exposed to political unrest through TV and social media in vivid and sometimes, overwhelming detail. We now have a change through the election of…

The Best is Yet to Come!

[259 words] We know we need some good news. In fact, we need as much good news as we can get! With 2020 behind us, we are desperate now to be told that something good, something better and brighter is on the way. Well…it is! “But the path of the righteous is like the light…

Influence

[370 words] Influence is the force by which we have an effect upon the life of another person. We each have influence. The power of your influence is staggering. You want to be a good influence for Christ! Attempts are made to minimize the power of individual influence. We hear statements like, “I don’t have…

What Great Things God’s People Can Do!

[275 words] The Baseball Hall of Fame is in Cooperstown, New York. A player must be voted for by 75 percent of the voters for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. If you go to Titus, Alabama where my wife Janice grew up, you will see a sign that reads, “Welcome to Titus,…

Words Of Truth

[306 words] The people of God desire and strive to honor Him above all else. We wake each morning with the call to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). We understand the need to “love…

‘Do Right’ or ‘Waste Good’

[580 words] Former Arkansas Razorbacks coach Lou Holtz was a strong proponent of the “do right” rule for athletes and inspired his athletes to follow the rule as they interacted with others on and off the athletic field. I agree with Coach Holtz’s “do right” concept as regards Christianity. We can look to God’s word…

Made for Another World

[160 words] C.S. Lewis once wrote, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” We know that we were made for another world. Scripture teaches it. Our own experience testifies to it. The Psalmist wrote, “As a…

Check Your Flight Pattern

[416 words] Ornithologists (those who study birds) tell us that birds navigate in the air one of three ways: 1) By flapping. This is very labor intensive. It requires that the birds continuously beat their wings against the air so as to create lift. But if the bird stops flapping, then it will very quickly…

Just Trust

[30 words] To help your hopesFrom turning to dust,To aid your plansFrom gathering rust,To keep your dreams, From going bust,The simple plan is:You just must trust. Edd SterchiBroadway church of ChristCampbellsville, KY… This content is for Annual and Lifetime Members only! Please log in or register to use our free church bulletin resources, or start…

False Signs

[304 words] “Need be bear monster.” With hurricane Irma bearing down on Florida in September of 2017, officials in Manatee County held a press conference aimed at warning residents of the impending danger. Being “in a pinch” to have a sign language interpreter at the news conference, officials brought in a member of the county…

Teach Your Children Well

[437 words] Last March when the pandemic reached our country, churches were instructed to limit gatherings to no more than 10 individuals. At the time, I was concerned that perhaps our government had overstepped their authority. My father-in-law and I had several conversations at that time discussing how this was all going to play out…

United Again

[566 words] Ten months. That’s how long Dr. Anne Hampton was unable to see her father, Chris, age 87, face-to-face. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, The Steppes care home in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, England where Chris resides, went on lockdown in March, 2020. Since then, Dr. Hampton has only been able to see her father through…

Lessons in the Long Winter

[536 words] This winter seems like it’s stretched out extra long this year, doesn’t it! Winter is a very tough season as summer fun is long past, the pretty leaves of fall are gone, the trees are bare, and the days are colder. It can be a dreary, drawn-out, difficult time for many. Is there…

Creation of the Master Artist

[304 words] I came across this article in the book, Grandma Says by Chrissy Lynn. “As a child, I watched my grandmother create magnificent quilts out of scraps. She was from a different time – almost a different culture. The Great Depression taught her to use what she had and to not waste anything. Her…

Are We A Denomination?

[356 words] Q: Has the term “church of Christ” become a denomination in the minds of people? A: Obviously, yes. Many people outside the church call us “church of Christer’s.” They do not understand what we mean by the phrase “the church.” In some people’s minds, a Christian has to be either a member of…

Bible Quiz: 1 Peter 3:13-17

[88 words] “And who is he who will __ you if you become __ of what is good?”Peter says that even if one suffers for __ sake, you are __.“But __ the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a __ to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope…

Bible Quiz: 1 Peter 3:18-22

[50 words] “For Christ also suffered __ for __, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God…”Where were the spirits to whom Christ preached?How many souls were saved in the ark?“There is also an __ which now saves us—__…”Where was Christ positioned after He ascended into heaven? Solution: once, sins; prison;…

Bible Quiz: 1 Peter 4:1-6

[70 words] “Therefore, since Christ __ for us in the __, arm yourselves also with the same mind…”“For we have spent enough of our past __ in doing the will of the __…”True of False: The world thinks it strange that you follow them in sinful behavior.“They will give an __ to Him who is…

Bible Quiz: 1 Peter 4:7-11

[52 words] “But the __ of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your __.”What sort of love does Peter say Christians should have for one another?“Be __ to one another without __.”“If anyone speaks, let him speak as the __ of __.”To whom does glory and dominion belong, forever and…

Quotes and Sayings (February 2021)

“There’s no bad consequence to loving fully, with all your heart. You always gain by giving love.” — Reese Witherspoon “Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.” — William Shakespeare “Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone, it has to be made, like bread;…

On the Lighter Side (February 2021)

My Punny Valentine Q: What did one light bulb say to the other light bulb on Valentine’s Day?A: I wuv you watts and watts! Q: What did the farmer give his wife for Valentine’s Day?A: Hogs and kisses. Q: Why do skunks love Valentine’s Day?A: They are very scent-imental creatures. Q: What did the painter…