January 2022, Vol. 41, No. 1

We Need a Light!

[404 words] Recent destructive tornadoes in our country have caused me to think about how dangerous such storms are when they come in the dark of night. You can’t look outside and see them coming! When I was a kid, radar technology wasn’t anywhere near the quality we have today. White blobs on a black…

What is the World Coming To?

[254 words] These days, any number of issues that play across our television screens and newsfeeds may cause us to exclaim, “What is the world coming to!” Murders, violence, thefts, and perversions of all sorts are shocking, to say the least, but even more disgraceful is the lack of concern many in today’s world have…

Living with Dragons

[244 words] One day, in England, a “gentleman of the road” (we’d call him a hobo) stopped by a restaurant named “St. George and the Dragon.” He knocked at the back door and asked if he might have some leftovers to eat. A very stern lady looked the fellow in the eye and said: “I’ll…

Picking Up the Pieces

[261 words] When Asa was about five years old, we bought him a bicycle for his birthday. Given that his birthday is in December, the weather did not permit him to ride it outside for a while. One morning, he decided to ride down our hallway. He did not know how to use the breaks…

Are You Missing Ingredients?

[373 words] Recently we had a lot of bananas get really ripe, so I started to make a big batch of banana muffins. I took them out of the oven, gave them a taste, and realized right away that something was wrong. I had forgotten to add the butter. I had put the amount of…

The Lord’s Supper: Save It From COVID-19

[340 words] One of the most disruptive things to me about COVID-19 has been the Lord’s Supper. For more than forty years, I’ve had a structured meditation for the Lord’s Supper. There are reflections while I’m eating the bread and another series of thoughts for the fruit of the vine.  During the year, we’ve visited…

Amazing to Think About!

[218 words] “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance…

Heavy Burdens to Bear

[263 words] Anger, resentment, and bitterness are heavy burdens to be borne. Such qualities cause you to be miserable and to miss the joys of life. Sadly these negative qualities could easily cost a person their soul! An understanding of harm done by these negative qualities helps us appreciate what God said in Romans 12:17-21.…

What a Name!

[127 words] Albert Brooks, an actor and comedian, has starred in many live action films, as well as doing voices in such movies as Finding Nemo and The Secret Life of Pets. He is somewhat of a famous name in show business, but he couldn’t enter into the entertainment field by his birth name, which…

Courageous Women

[476 words] Dennis Prager, in his commentary on Exodus, wrote about the few in this world’s history that can be truly called evil. In writing this, he wrote from the perspective of a moral society. But he made an interesting point that, I think, needs some additional attention. He said for evil to take root,…

You Have What It Takes!

[241 words] Figure it out for yourself, my lad,You’ve all that the greatest men have had;Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes,And a brain to use if you would be wise,With this equipment they all began–So start from the top and say, “I can!” Look them over, the wise and great,They take their food…

When It Seems All Is Lost

[73 words] When it seems all is lost…remember that the Creator sees us (Job 34:21; Psalm 33:13-15; Heb. 4:13). When it seems all is lost…remember that this world is not all that there is (Job 1:6; 2:1; 16:19; Rev. 21:3-4;  Matt. 25:46). When it seems all is lost…remember that our Redeemer lives (Job 19:25; Heb.…

A New Year: Time to Take Inventory

[294 words] As we begin a new year, may we “take inventory” of our spiritual lives. Most businesses or organizations (the ones that are successful) will ask three questions in terms of their direction: “Where have we been? Where are we? Where are we going?” Our spiritual lives are of far greater importance than any…

God Isn’t Finished with You Yet

[423 words] For the conscientious Christian, weaknesses and failures can be particularly vexing. To put it bluntly and personally, I hate it when I fail to live up to God’s standard. It irritates me. I know that when it comes to sinners, the apostle Paul staked a claim to the moniker, “chief” (1 Tim. 1:15).…

The Year Ahead

[544 words] “For who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?” (Ecclesiastes 6:12). An issue of Time magazine almost thirty years ago gave examples of men who tried to do what man cannot do—predict the future. Here are some of these predictions made in the 1900’s as listed in Time,…

The Devil’s Asset

[577 words] Samson was an incredibly strong man. The Lord gave him his strength, and as long as he kept his vow secret he was safe. No man or band of men could defeat him, but a woman named Delilah did. The Bible says, “And it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with…

All Things New

[298 words] Happy New Year!  How many times have you heard that phrase in the last few days? Most likely, the person saying it to you sincerely desires for you to have a great 2022.  Of course, it could also mean that they are just thankful 2021 is gone and a fresh new year has…

Do You Have the Grace of Giving?

[417 words] In many of the letters in the New Testament we find examples of people being corrected and encouraged to repent of their sinful behavior. This even includes entire churches like those found in the book of Revelation chapter two and three. Very rarely do we see a person or church that is held…

The Good Word

[385 words] We are to hear and obey the word of God! The Master said, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it” (Luke 11:28). We are often admonished from the pulpit and in Bible class to study and apply the Bible daily. This is good advice for the Bible is…

Contentment, Not Accomplishment

[51 words] “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). This has to do with our ability to be content in all things, regardless of circumstances, not about our ability to accomplish all the things we set out to do. The verse is about contentment, not about accomplishment. Dwight FuquaFindlay church…

Bible Quiz: Jude 1-4

[112 words] This letter was written by Jude, a __ of Jesus Christ, and brother of __.Jude is writing to “those who are __, __ by God the Father, and __ in Jesus Christ:”“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common __, I found it necessary to write to you…

Bible Quiz: Jude 5-11

[120 words] In verses 5-7 Jude uses three examples of unfaithful people who received God’s judgment. Who were they?“But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of __, afterward __ those who did not believe.”The cities in verse 7 were destroyed…

Bible Quiz: Jude 12-15

[66 words] “These are __ in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only __.”Jude calls these false teachers to whom he is referring “__ without water” and “late autumn trees without __.”Who does Jude say prophesied about the coming of the Lord?The Lord is coming to “execute judgment on __.”Verse…

Bible Quiz: Jude 16-19

[58 words] The grumblers and complainers that Jude talks about walk according to their own __.“and they mouth great swelling words, __ people to gain __.”Whose words did Jude say to remember?“how they told you that there would be __ in the last time who would walk according to their own __ lusts.”“These are __…

Bible Quiz: Jude 20-25

[93 words] Upon what did Jude tell the reader to build themselves up on?“…keep yourselves in the __ of God, looking for the __ of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”“And on some have __, making a __;”“…but others save with __, pulling them out of the __, hating even the __ defiled by…

Quotes and Sayings (January 2022)

“To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold.” — Aristotle “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” — John Steinbeck “Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand…

On the Lighter Side (January 2022)

Winter Q&A’sQ: What did one snowman say to the other snowman?A: “Why does everything smell like carrots?” Q: Who is Frosty’s favorite Aunt?A: Aunt Artica! Q: What happened when the snowgirl had a fight with the snowboy?A: She gave him the cold shoulder. New England HomeMy husband and I purchased an old home in Northern…