January 2014, Vol. 33, No. 1

Remind Them!

[175 words] Peter wrote, “Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling to stir you up by way of reminder”…

The Steadfast Love of the Lord

[391 words] We all have times where the circumstances of our lives seem overwhelming. It is just the nature of life among sinners upon a cursed earth. If you have some trouble believing it to be true, then you should know that though Jesus lived in absolute moral perfection (Heb 4:15), yet He was at…

The Lord’s Day

[269 words] The Lord’s day is my tower of strength. It is the day of days for soul refreshment. In my moments of quiet meditation I have often asked myself, “How long would strength remain in me and God’s reality remain in my heart, if it were not for the soul-renewing worship of the Lord’s…

Remember Me?

[344 words] The other day as I was waiting for my car to be tuned, a framed message entitled “Remember Me?” caught my attention. “I’m the fellow who goes into a restaurant, sits down and patiently waits while the waitresses do everything but take my order; I’m the fellow who goes into the department store…

There is Another Way!

[213 words] We all like to play the game “what if.” What if cell phones no longer worked, what if TV didn’t come on anymore, what if all of our laptops, iPads, etc., failed? If all that were to happen what could we do? Would all be lost? Now I enjoy all the above mentioned…

Six Reasons to Attend Bible Class

[414 words] Every Sunday morning Bible classes for every age are conducted in our Bible classes. Lamentably, some of our people do not take advantage of these fine classes. Many children are prevented from attending their class each week because their parents fail to bring them. Some are prevented by illness or other factors beyond…

Einstein, God, and the Bible

[290 words] Deep down, most of us have at one time or another questioned the existence of God. That should not be surprising, as even the greatest minds in history have also struggled with that question. Consider Albert Einstein, for example. While Einstein did not believe in the God of the Bible, he did believe…

The Importance of Character

[581 words] Webster tells us that character is “moral excellence” and “firmness.” I tried to find the word in the Bible, and could not in the KJV. However, the word from which we get “character” is there, and thus other translations including NASV, RSV, and NIV use that very word. The text of which I…

Your Final Sermon?

[100 words] Sadly, some people will decline the precious invitation,To follow Jesus Christ and obtain the gift of salvation.Few chances may be left for the Gospel to be heard,Or opportunities to repent and to obey God’s Word.There may be some that will walk out the church door,That won’t get to hear the Gospel preached anymore.Your…

Don’t Lose Sight of the Mission!

[332 words] King David, not long after establishing Jerusalem as Israel’s military, political and religious center, desired to build the Lord a house. His home of cedar was now complete, but the Ark of the Covenant still remained within a tent (2 Sam. 7:1-2). But the word of the Lord came to Nathan, and that…

‘I Counsel Thee’

[275 words] When a marriage is “on the rocks” and about to be broken, we urge that couple to get marriage counseling. Those with money problems can go to a financial adviser/planner for counseling. In fact, there are people and institutions that do nothing all day but debt-relief counseling. (Talk about specialization!) To Christians who…

What is Your Response?

[393 words] What characterizes your response to Jesus? All of us will respond to him in one way or another. Will our response indicate our rejection of his word, or will it indicate our desire to trust and obey him? Several different responses are seen in Luke 13:11-17. In what was one of the last…

I Never Intended to Quit!

[290 words] A man who had not attended one service of the church in four years told me he had never thought of quitting the church. I reminded him that he had: (1) Withdrawn his presence from the service; (2) Refused to give his moral support to the activities of the congregation; (3) Withdrawn his…

How Could They?

[404 words] One of the sins of the dark world of the Gentiles in the first century was being “without natural affection” (Rom. 1:31). This is the natural love we have for our kin, especially for our parents and our children. It is not just being “unloving” as the New King James translates this verse.…

Encourage Someone Today!

[179 words] You know that feeling when you get something in the mail? It’s so exciting! I can remember getting things in the mail when I was growing up and not even being able to wait until I got inside to open it because I was so excited! My mom is probably the best mail…

Debtors

[129 words] Years ago, King Charles V was loaned a large sum of money by a merchant. The note came due, but the King was bankrupt and unable to pay. The merchant gave a great banquet for the King. When all the guests were seated and before the food was brought in, the merchant had…

How Great Thou Art

[246 words] “O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,Consider all the worlds thy hands have made;I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,Thy power throughout the universe displayed.” This wonderful song came from a Swedish Folk melody written in 1885. It was called “O Mighty God.” It was mostly forgotten until Stuart…

Finding Something To Be Thankful For

[191 words] A minister was known for always thanking God in his public prayers. One Sunday morning was particularly terrible and gloomy. A church member thought to himself, “Certainly the preacher won’t thank God for such a terrible day.” When the preacher got up and began to pray, he said, “We thank Thee, O God,…

The Missing Lamps

[210 words] In a certain mountain village in Europe several centuries ago, a nobleman wondered what legacy he should leave to his townspeople. At last he decided to build them a church building. No one saw the complete plans for the church building until it was finished. When people gathered they marveled at its beauty…

Down in the Dumps?

[326 words] Are you feeling alone? Forgotten? Neglected? No one seems to come around anymore? Well, then quit wasting your time brooding and do something about it! Get up and call someone on the phone. Inquire about their health, offer a word of encouragement or just chat for a while. If you can drive, get…

Why Do You Love the Bible?

[129 words] I was asked this question at one time. How would you answer it? Of course there are a variety of reasons to love the Word of God, but what would be on your list? Here are a few reasons that I love the Bible: 1. It teaches me how to be saved. 2.…

The Church of the Lord

[160 words] So many misunderstandings abound concerning the church Jesus built (Mat. 16:18). A few mistakes people make in thinking about the church are: The church is a building. It is not, it is a body of saved people (Acts 2:47; Eph. 5:23). The church is an after-thought, or second plan of Jesus, after He…

The Bible and the Television

[174 words] Oh, Lord, I like to read the Bible;Its teachings fill me with delight.But now I’m watching television;My favorite program’s on tonight! I read it for my own up-building;I need it to lead my steps aright.Tomorrow night I’ll read a chapter,But television’s good tonight! No other book is like the Bible,So free from sin’s…

A Half-Baked Pancake

[168 words] If you went out to eat and ordered pancakes, how would you react if they were done on one side, but were uncooked on the other side? Doesn’t sound too tasty, does it? This is how God described Israel in the days of Hosea the prophet. In Hosea 7:8, the prophet said, “Ephraim…

We Ought to Know How to Answer Every Man!

[148 words] Children of God should know what they believe and why they believe it. Further more, they should be able to relate their convictions to others. In Colossians 4:6 are these thought provoking words from Paul, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to…

Watch the Ledger

[407 words] One of the hardest classes that I had when I started college was accounting. My teacher was a stickler, there was plenty of homework, and class was a fast-paced frenzy of new ideas. It should have been an easy subject, but I didn’t quite get the knack of it at first. It was…

Yesterday’s Prayers

[387 words] In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, we are admonished to “pray without ceasing” to accurately depict a constant prayerful attitude, or having begun a life of prayer to continue, or both. The Bible is replete with examples of the wicked suffering punishment, but it also describes what would appear to be “good folk” just as…

A Fool (According to Proverbs)

[307 words] No one wants to be known as a fool. No one relishes the idea of being seen as someone who lacks judgment or prudence and is easily duped or swindled. Mankind has a strong desire to be seen as capable, intelligent and strong in the eyes of their peers. However, what should be…

Did The Water Earn It For Them?

[112 words] Read Exodus 14. Now, did the use of water earn the children of Israel their freedom from Egyptian slavery? Read Exodus 30:17-21. Now, did the use of water earn the priests the right to serve within the Tabernacle? Read 2 Kings 5:1-14. Now, did the use of water earn Naaman his cleansing from…

Ten Rules for Improving Attitudes in the Church

[236 words] 1. Tell yourself over and over that since you are not perfect, you would not fit into a “perfect” congregation if one existed. 2. Instead of picking out the worldly members to point to, select the sincere, dedicated, spiritual members, and thank God for them. 3. If you are old, treat the young…

On the Lighter Side (January 2014)

One afternoon a man came home from work to find total mayhem in his house. His three children were outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard. The door of his wife’s car was open, as was the front door to the…

Mirror Moments

[495 words] Recently I was asked why God repeated his question to Elijah during the incident recorded for us in 1 Kings 19. Before I give you my answer (opinion), let me briefly set the context for you. Elijah had just achieved great victories. He had confronted the prophets of Baal and challenged them to…

Bait and Switch

[628 words] Back when gas prices began to be so outrageously high, the news media spent a lot of time on stories related to the issue. One story I saw on television at the time was that customers in some locations were being tricked into purchasing gas at one price, only to find when they…