October 2017, Vol. 36, No. 10

Christianity Vs. Patriotism

[421 words] Racism. Patriotism. Football. Protests. Christianity. Maybe by now, you’re all tired of the rhetoric. Some of it has been unkind, some unreasonable, and some just coarse (as heard from our President). But I hope that you will find the brief thoughts below to be none of those things, and actually helpful. Please consider:…

Truth Makes No Retreat

[48 words] When right is wrong and wrong is right, With truth turned upside down; When night is day and day is night, And candor can’t be found; Has come the time to turn and run? Should saints admit defeat? Remember, friend, we’ve just begun, And truth makes no retreat! Dalton Key Broken Arrow, OK……

The Need for Mercy

[153 words] A mother of one of Napoleon’s men was pleading for the life of her son who had deserted his post. It was a heartfelt plea. “Please spare my son,” she begged. Napoleon replied, “If justice is to be met, he must hang!” “But sir,” she pleaded, “I’m not asking for justice, I’m begging…

GPS Signal Lost!

[316 words] This is all I heard when I had Laura’s broken cell phone thinking I had just cured what was ailing it. Thankfully, though, I was made aware of the recurring problem. How do we know when we’ve lost our ‘signal’ with God? When our relationship is not in-sync with His will? First things…

Have You Heard The Good News?

[239 words] The “Good News” is the saving Gospel message of Jesus Christ. We must understand and share the story of our Lord and Savior. Acts 2 teaches us the confidence we have in the One who saves us. Acts 2:22 – He was a man. Acts 2:22 – God showed us who He was…

Whosoever Will

[135 words] In Matthew 8:2, a leper knelt before Jesus and said, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” Jesus responded by saying, “I will; be clean” (Matt. 8:3). Indeed, Jesus was willing to do a great deal. He was willing to leave the glory of Heaven (Phil. 2:6-8). He was willing to…

Because God is Light

[232 words] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” 1 John 1:7. Because God is light, we cannot have fellowship with Him if there is any darkness in us at all.…

Being Secure in an Unsafe World – A Study of Psalms 46

[408 words] How can we be secure living in an unsafe world? The Psalmists tells us through their own experiences: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalms 46). That’s where we can find true security and peace. In Psalms 46, we are reminded of three things: Our Security is in…

The Anatomy of Proverbs

[218 words] Recently, as I was reading in the book of Proverbs, I noticed several references to parts of the body. Here are just a few: Hair. Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life (Proverbs 16:31). Head. Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth…

How Long Do You Want This Church To Be Here?

[219 words] When we build our church buildings how long do we want them to last? Would we be OK with a contractor that only made a structure good for fifteen years? Would we be satisfied if need to do it all over again in thirty years? If the place is crumbling a few years…

There’s No Comparison!

[123 words] Man-made Religion Says: “One way is as good as another.” The New Testament Says: “There is only one way.” (John 14:6) Man-made Religion Says: “One faith is as good as another.” The New Testament Says: “There is only one faith.” (Eph. 4:5) Man-made Religion Says: “One church is as good as another.” The…

Peace from Pain

[55 words] When days are rough, and times seem tough, And we’re ‘neath much stress and strain; Just trust the Lord, and heed His Word And He will bring peace from the pain. Peace from pain we will gain, He has promised, and He will bring; He will employ eternal joy And peace from pain…

To Whom Does the Law Speak?

[233 words] Paul answers the above question in Romans 3:19. The law speaks to those who are under the law. It is obvious that the citizens of America are not subject to the laws of Russia. Paul had just quoted extensively from the Law of Moses (3:10-18) and the law said something to the Jews…

What Do We See?

[278 words] There are so many different doctrines on how to get to heaven, it makes one wonder what people actually see when they read the Bible. …What do you see when you read Peter’s answer to those on the Day of Pentecost who asked what to do to be saved, and he told them…

Four Thieves of the Crucifixion

[391 words] In the following article, Gary Puryear, talks about the thieves that were crucified with Jesus. We know that only two different men were crucified at the same time as Jesus was, but Gary discusses four different angles for us to consider. THE THIEF WHO REGRETTED (John 12:6). Oh the advantages Judas had! He…

Consider Yourself

[219 words] I am often asked my opinion about someone else’s standing with God. “They did so-and-so. If they refuse to repent, will they be lost?” Jesus was asked similar questions. Someone said, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many,…

How to Learn

[90 words] Some never listen to any speaker or read any book not already known to agree with most of his or her preferences and prejudices. Minds already made up seek no new or differing facts. However, we grow and learn by being exposed to new thoughts and different thinkers. Truth adequately understood has nothing…

On The Lighter Side (October 2017)

[230 words] How to Get to Heaven? A teacher asked the children in her Sunday School class, “If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money to the church, would I get into heaven?” “NO!” the children all answered. “If I cleaned the church every day,…