November 2019, Vol. 38, No. 11

Thanksgiving All Year Long?

[345 words] On November 11, 1620, about 102 settlers aboard the Mayflower arrived in the New World, and there was nothing to greet them except the harsh reality of a New England winter. Within five months, over half their number had died of starvation, cold, and disease. How amazing, then, that these “pilgrims” could still…

What Should We Really Be Thankful For?

[171 words] The Apostle Paul encourages us with these words: “Everything you do or say, then, should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to Him through God the Father” (Colossians 3:17). As we examine this text, we see that prayer is a constant event in the life of…

Thankful, Even in Chains

[149 words] Many hearts turn toward the concept of thankfulness during this time of year, and rightly so! God has provided an abundance not only of the physical things we need (Acts 14:17; 17:25; Matt. 5:45; 6:25-33), but also all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3; 2 Peter 1:3), which we need more. He is indeed a…

‘My’ Religion

[565 words] A famous country singer told how she got religion. When she was a child, her mother said the Holy Spirit told her that her daughter had a special gift. When she grew up and started singing, she said the gift had to come from God because she didn’t get it from her mother…

Healing A Broken Heart

[310 words] “We spend the first half of our life making friends, we spend the second half of our life burying them.” — Unknown How many of us have said “goodbye” to a friend or family member at the funeral home? I find myself attempting to provide comfort to others and watch people I care…

Mimicking a Viper

[384 words] What looks like a Gaboon viper, sounds like a Gaboon viper, and acts like a Gaboon viper? A Gaboon viper, of course. Also, the Congolese giant toad. With its two-inch fangs, the Gaboon viper is one of the largest vipers in Africa. The Congolese giant toad can be found only in the same…

Be Dependable!

[465 words] One of the hamstrings of most every church is a lack of dependable Christians. When Christians do show themselves undependable, they contribute so much to a church: much frustration, disappointment, and friction. We should all be dependable. You probably know little about Shelemiah, Zadok, Pedaiah and Hanon. Little is said about them. But…

Use Me, Lord

[235 words] Most of us will live on the earth between 70 to 90 years. Why are we here? To fear God and keep His commandments according to Ecclesiastes 12:13. Why should be care? Because He will bring every work into judgment along with every secret things (Eccl. 12:14). With this in mind, we should…

He Came

[435 words] It was toward the end of March in 2006. A tragedy took place in a small west Tennessee town. The news of the tragedy quickly spread through the town, across the state, and then throughout the nation. The various news networks in our nation reported the news of this unreal event near the…

Why Do You Give?

[497 words] “Isn’t it enough to give? As long as I’m giving, does it matter why? Does it really matter what my motivation is?” Think about this for a moment and consider what Scripture has to teach us. Much of the giving in the early church was done to help brethren who were in need…

The Church is What You Are!

[220 words] The church is built of men and women, not bricks and mortar. As such, it can never be any more faithful or effective than the individual members that comprise it. The Lord’s church in any community will reflect the sins and attitudes of its members. • If it is a growing church, it…

Do You Really Show Compassion?

[402 words] Many times, I will hear a person say, “I really feel sorry for them” when hearing about someone else’s difficult situation. We may label such feelings as compassionate, because many dictionaries define compassion something along the line of “Sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings and misfortunes of others” (Oxford English Dictionary). But…

You Are Not Fooling Anyone

[198 words] Little Johnny’s teacher asked him to stay after class. She confronted him, “Johnny, I know that you cheated off Suzie on yesterday test.” Johnny snapped back, “What makes you think I cheated!” She remarked, “Well, one the first question who was the first president, Suzie put George Washington and so did you.” Johnny…

This is Not Heaven!

[193 words] Why do bad things happen to Good People? This is a most perplexing question, even for many religious scholars. Possibly the best answer that could ever be given came from the mouth of a little child, David Jones, son of Blake and Rebekah Jones. David said bad things happen to good people because,…

Better Things

[202 words] Hebrews is the book of “better things.” We find that phrase introduced in Hebrews 6:9, and throughout the rest of the book, the author reveals what those better things are: · Better hope (7:19) · Better covenant (7:22; 8:6) · Better promises (8:6) · Better sacrifices (9:23) · Better possession (10:34) · Better…

By Bringing My Kids to Bible Study, I Am Saying to Them…

[173 words] …that there is nothing on earth more important than the Bible. …that a proper understanding of the Bible is essential. …that getting to know other Christians’ children is vital. …that some habits are good, and this is a good habit to get into. …that some things are worth sacrificing other things for. …that…

Have You Decided Who You Are?

[373 words] What would you do to be at the birth of your child? Would you miss work? Skip an important meeting? Risk disappointing customers and co-workers? That’s the decision Daniel Hudson faced recently. Only Daniel isn’t in the corporate world; he’s a relief pitcher for the Washington Nationals. And, despite it being the first…

Vintage Gospel Advocate: A Call for Spurgeon to Preach Only the Truth

[353 words] Editor’s Note: Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) was a famous denominational preacher. Spurgeon collected a great following during his day, and his influence is still felt among the denominations today. The following comments regarding Spurgeon’s work and influence are from James A. Butler, a member of the Lord’s church, and were printed in the Gospel…

The Great Challenge

[166 words] The great challenge for those of us who are Christians is to become like Jesus. Those who honor God must become “Conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). We must behold the glory of the Lord and be changed into His image. “But we all, with open face beholding as in…

Love Those Long Sermons

[290 words] The youth minister and I were discussing sermons, specifically how long they should be. We were both curious at how two different preachers could preach a lesson of the same quality for the same amount of time but one would be well received and the other criticized. As we talked, I remarked that…

Bible Quiz: Hebrews 7:11-19

[48 words] “Therefore, if __ were through the Levitical priesthood…”“For the priesthood being __, of necessity there is also a change of the __.”Jesus arose from the tribe of __.“You are a priest __ According to the order of Melchizedek.”“For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former __…” Solution: perfection, changed…

Bible Quiz: Hebrews 7:20-28

[52 words] “…He was not made priest without an __…”“But He, because He continue forever, has an __ priesthood.”“Therefore He is also able to __ to the uttermost those who come to God through Him…”True or false: Jesus offers up a daily sacrifice for our sins.True or false: Jesus has been perfected forever. Solution: oath,…

Bible Quiz: Hebrews 8:1-6

[66 words] True or false: Jesus is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.Jesus is a Minister of the __ and true tabernacle which the Lord erected, not man.True or false: Priests under the Law of Moses serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things.Moses was divinely __ when he was…

Bible Quiz: Hebrews 8:7-13

[73 words] “For if that first covenant had been ___, then no place would have been sought for a second.”True or false: God said He would make a new covenant with Israel and Judah that was just the same as the old one.“…and their sins and their lawless deed I will __ no more.”True or…

Quotes and Sayings (November 2019)

[239 words] “Reflect upon your present blessings — of which every man has many — not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” — Charles Dickens “There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.” — Charles Dickens “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but…

On the Lighter Side (November 2019)

[110 words] Jokes on Ice Q: What did one snowman say to the other?A: Do you smell carrots? Q: How does Frosty the Snowman get around the neighborhood?A: On his ice-icle. Q: What do snowmen eat for breakfast?A: Frosted Flakes or Ice Crispies. Q: What do you call a snowman that can walk?A: Snow-mobile. Q:…