May 2017, Vol. 36, No. 5 Archives

Rich or Poor?

[193 words] A father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live. They spent two days on the farm of what he considered a very poor family. On their return from the trip, the father asked his son,…

A Mother’s Love

[94 words] There are times when only a mother’s love Can understand our tears, Can soothe our disappointments And calm all of our fears. There are times when only a mother’s love Can share the joy we feel When something we’ve dreamed about Quite suddenly is real. There are times when only a mother’s faith…

Paying For Your Child’s Choice

[390 words] According to an investigative article by Eli Hager published in the Washington Post, March 2, 2017, entitled “Your child’s been sent to jail. And then comes the bill,” many states bill parents when their juvenile children are in the legal system. One woman in California was charged $30 a day, while her son…

The Wicked Never Learn

[364 words] Anyone who is willing can learn the Truth and be saved. Jesus said, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine” (John 7:17). John wrote, “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely’ (Rev. 22:17). Anyone with a truly good and honest heart will accept and…

Courage or Foolishness

[45 words] It takes a lot of courage To put things in God’s hands, To give ourselves completely, Our live, our hopes, our plans, To follow where He leads us And make His will our own, But all it takes is foolishness To go the way alone! via Findlay church of Christ BulletinDigest.com… We are…

A Mirror For The Soul

[412 words] A mirror is probably one of the most honest things there is. It doesn’t lie. Every time one looks into a mirror there is an accurate reflection of exactly what we are. About the only way to make a mirror lie is to distort it. Even then, the reflection is not flattering. James…

At the End of the Day

[373 words] For about a month or so, recently, news reports were marked with frequent mentions about an ongoing kidnapping case. It involved a fifty-year-old-man (who was a public school teacher) and a fifteen-year-old girl (a student at the school) from Tennessee. The media reported how the teacher persuaded the young girl to go with…

The Usefulness of Sermons

[198 words] Several years ago a reader of the British Weekly wrote a letter to the editor as follows: “Dear Sir! I notice that ministers seem to set a great deal of importance on their sermons and spend a great deal of time in preparing them. I have been attending services quite regularly for the…

God’s Wings

[207 words] An article in National Geographic several years ago provided a penetrating picture of God’s wings. After a forest ﬁre in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to access the inferno’s damage. One ranger found a bird literally petriﬁed in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base…

By Nature Children of Wrath

[293 words] A few days ago some of us were discussing Paul’s statement in Ephesians 3:3 where he says “among whom also we all once conducted ourselves, in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath, just as the others.”…

A Tribute to our Mothers

[161 words] There is simply no way we can ever really thank mother for all she has done for us. She is the one who will be awake all night when we are sick. Praying to God to make us well and be ever ready to bear the pain that we may be experiencing. She…

Glory For God Alone

[276 words] In everything the child of God does, God’s glory is always first and last on his mind. Paul said, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). According to Vines, “glory” (Gr. doxa) “primarily signifies an opinion, estimate, and hence, the…

Daddy, Can I Come Home?

[201 words] Several years ago, I met a life-long friend walking down the road. We stopped for a couple moments and exchanged greetings. I asked her how she and her husband were doing (they had married three months earlier). Her response startled me. She said, “Steve, we’re not together any more. I wasn’t happy, so…

Thank You Mom

[334 words] “Honor your father and mother–which is the first commandment with a promise–that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth” (Eph 6:2-3). In a little town in Taylor County West Virginia Anna Jarvis in 1907 began a campaign to establish a national Mother’s Day. The…

A Few Lessons I Learned in Africa

[364 words] Christians share a common bond in Jesus that transcends locations and cultures. Although I was on the other side of the world, there was instant friendship and fellowship each time I met another member of the body of Christ. Though we spoke different languages, we could still communicate Christian love very easily. It’s…

A Caring Church

[290 words] The title phrase is one commonly heard when describing particular congregations. But what does it mean to be a caring church? Is this church a caring church? Let’s find out. A Caring Church is a Sharing Church. A caring church is thankful Christ has shared with them and thus is willing to share…

Natural Disasters

[221 words] A few days ago, the USA Today headlines read: “Worst flooding since Hurricane Matthew swamps N. Carolina.” Several people lost their lives in this weather event. I followed the news because my wife’s sister and brother-in-law live in that state. The flooding also brought to mind, two massive floods from 2005. That’s when…

Moving the Line

[266 words] In 1999 a number of Turkish villages were destroyed by a massive earthquake. Sadly, this could have been avoided. Thirty years prior, the villagers had been warned by scientists that certain towns were situated on top of a major fault line. They were instructed to relocate as soon as possible. An earthquake could…

Well, That’s Your Opinion!

[266 words] Do you use the rule book when you play Monopoly? I have never read the rules for Monopoly. Why? Getting to do something while making up my rules just seems easier. Playing the game with a skeleton set of guidelines takes the pressure off of trying to examine, prepare, and do what I…

No Title, Please

Some folks may view the Church of Christ as trying to be different just for the sake of being different. The reason for being different is that the Church of Christ is trying to follow the Bible. We even desire to follow the Bible by calling Bible things by Bible names. There is not a…

The Facial Anatomy of a Soul Winner

I was thinking the other day about all the sayings I used to hear concerning parts of our heads that were meant to keep us alert and going in life. We have all heard them from time to time in our lives: from parents, teachers, and coaches. But I was also thinking of how they…

Is the Church Broken?

You hear comments in Bible classes that amount to what’s wrong with the church, what we’re doing wrong, what we’re not doing, and what it’s doing to us, our children, and the world. You read people’s minds through their social media rants, raves, and ramblings, and the bottom line message is that the church is…

Those That Are Sick Of Our Church

You hear people make the statements; “I want Jesus but not the church,” “Jesus is my personal savior but I’m not into organized religion,” and “I find my spirituality in nature, not in a pew with other people.” It’s an emphasis that while Jesus is desirable, his church is not. Can you have one without…

A Mother’s Steadfast Love

[218 words] The love of a mother is one of the most powerful forces known to man. A beautiful Bible picture of motherhood is found in the woman named Hannah. In 1 Samuel 1, we read of her faithful prayer asking God to bless her with a child. She promised God that she would dedicate…

This is a Very Good Time

[224 words] The famous American thinker and writer Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “This time, like all times, is a very good one if we but know what to do with it.” Thankfully, the Bible gives us all the instruction we need to know what to do with our time. “Let us hear the conclusion…

On the Lighter Side (May 2017)

Can’t Teach an Old Dog to Fly A woman called our airline customer-service desk asking if she could take her dog on board. “Sure,” I said, “as long as you provide your own kennel.” I further explained that the kennel needed to be large enough for the dog to stand up, sit down, turn around,…