200-299 words

God’s Promise

[284 words] Over the centuries, the enemies of God’s people have sought to harm the Lord’s family. Today, we are fighting a virus instead of soldiers. Our weapons are good sanitation and medical practices. But our greatest munition is our faith in God. Jesus Christ is the Great Physician (Luke 5:17-32). The most dreaded disease…

Bless You!

[271 words] Blessed are you when you come to worship, even when you are not feeling the best in the world – your dedication is helping to inspire many in this congregation. Blessed are you when you leave your contribution, even when you cannot physically be here – you have helped this church to meet…

What the Bible Says About Lent

[249 words] “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:5-6). Do not add or subtract commands to the Bible! This teaching is found throughout the Old and New…

How To Make Sermons Last

[272 words] A preacher posted recently that someone had commented to him, “sermons are ineffective because they are forgotten by the time people get to the restaurant after church.” This statement concerned me because I feel the person who suggested this idea to the preacher put preachers in a negative light (probably not intentionally). I,…

How a Christian Should Walk

[221 words]  • “Walk while you have the light” (John 12:35)  • “Walk in the steps of faith” (Rom. 4:12)  • “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4)  • “walk…according to the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1)  • “walk properly” (Rom. 13:13)  • “as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk” (1 Cor. 7:17)…

Masquerade

[268 words] Some years ago, the singer George Benson had a hit song called “This Masquerade” (1976). I always thought the song was okay, but never smitten by it. The other day I heard it again for the first time. “Are we really happy here with this lonely game we play?” These are the words…

Were You Praying for Us?

[255 words] It has always been difficult for this writer to understand why half the membership of the body of Christ finds no Christian joy or spiritual satisfaction in mid-week Bible Study. During this period, we sing, pray, and study the Lord’s Book. We enjoy the spiritual presence of our heavenly Master and add another…

Fill the Year with the Fruits of Righteousness

[207 words] In Philippians 1:11 Paul records that Christians are to be filled with the “fruits of righteousness.” Of course the fruit of the Spirit come to mind with a statement like that. The fruit of the Spirit are mentioned in two passages in the New Testament: Galatians 5:22-23, “the fruit of the Spirit is…

You’re Going To Fake It After All

[239 words] In his youth, the grandson of John Philip Sousa made large sums of money as a guest bandleader. He knew it wasn’t because of his talent. Since he shared the same name as the great American composer and conductor, he knew that is what impressed the crowds. His invites were about his name…

Will You Withstand God’s Refining?

[205 words] “And the people of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until the evening. And they inquired of the Lord, ‘Shall we again draw near to fight against our brothers, the people of Benjamin?’ And the Lord said, ‘Go up against them’” (Judges 20:23). It had come to this. When God’s people…

What Would You Be Remembered For?

[222 words] “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). God would be a terrible obituary writer. You know, no matter how the person lived his or her life, the blurb in the newspaper always says glowing things about the person … but…

Perseverance and Hope for the Future

[234 words] “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). In so many ways, the very end of the Bible is a mirror-image of its beginning. Because of sin, man in Genesis is separated from God’s presence and…

Bible Blindness

[283 words] Several videos have been published online depicting colorblind individuals seeing color for the first time, with the help of a pair of special glasses. Valspar Paint partnered with scientists and ophthalmologists from a company called Enchroma to make the seemingly impossible become a reality for the colorblind.  “Oh, look at that!” one man…

What Does Humility Look Like?

[220 words] If you were to encounter a truly humble person (at work, school, on the street, etc.), what would they look like?  C.S. Le wis wrote, “Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him” (Mere Christianity,…

The Christian’s Priorities

[240 words] Perhaps certain ones of us need to get our priorities straight. It may seem somewhat naive to some to say that if more professed Christians would “seek first the Kingdom of God,” fewer problems would exist in the Lord’s Church, but the statement is nevertheless true! The reason that early Christians were so…

We Will Talk Face to Face

[261 words] A line like this can make us curious: “I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face” (3 John 13-14). We can’t know for sure what else John needed to say, but…

What Percentage is Enough?

[293 words] The Communications Division of Syncrude Canada Ltd. once did research on the danger of completing only 99.9% of some task. Of the many things they studied, their findings on money and the medical world will resonate with us the most (these are but a sample). If only 99.9% of the job is done……

Wickedness

[245 words] There are over 200 verses in the Bible which contain the words “the wicked.” The wicked, of course, practice “wickedness” and there are 121 occurrences of this word. Synonyms for wickedness are also numerous in scripture: “evil” (533 times), “iniquity” (229), “sin” (1467), and “malice” (6). In addition to these words we read…

The Twig

[257 words] “Just as the twig is bent, the tree’s inclined.” — Alexander Pope, 1734. With all the education, all the psychoanalysis experts, and other so-called advancements in child raising, most of us parents still haven’t grasped what Alexander Pope was saying. If we want a straight growing tree, we make sure the tree is…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Turn It Around

[268 words] “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country!” This challenge, made famous during the Kennedy presidency, suggests a like principle which should guide every Christian’s attitude toward the church. We should be less concerned about what is being done for US and more attentive…

Riches and Poverty in Proverbs

[273 words] The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: The destruction of the poor is their poverty (Proverbs 10:15, ASV). Surely, as one can see, this proverb teaches that wealth is a strength and poverty is a weakness. As one makes use of his strength, he weathers battles much easier. On the other hand,…

Someone to Listen

[245 words] How often do you pray? Do you ever let a day go by without talking to God? When you pray is it out of habit, or is it the fulfillment of a need? Ours is an age of loneliness where millions are starving for someone to talk to. Many feel tense because they…

Some See Less as Better

[293 words] There are some times when less is better. Sometime the less words we speak the better. The less fat intake, the better. The less sin, the better. Sadly, some see less as better in their Christian lives: Less time for worshipLess time for Bible studyLess time for gospel meetingsFewer verses sung in worshipShorter…

Parents, Get Involved!

[261 words] Parents get deeply excited and involved with what their children are doing in school. They make sure the children prepare for classes. They make sure the children never miss a class, a practice or an event. They are even there with them. They send their children to all kinds on clinics and training…

We Can Always Do Our Best

[205 words] Are you putting forth effort to make your life the best that it can be? We say we want to accomplish things, yet we choose to be less than we can be. People die much younger than they have to, many times because of bad habits. People go to work and do a…

Thoughts and Prayers

[281 words] There has been a backlash in recent times against those who offer prayers during a tragedy. To some, the phrase has come to be an empty gesture, which acknowledges an issue but refuses to do anything about it. I’m sure that some of this is because of a growing atheistic mindset in our…

What Do You Do With His Gift?

[230 words] “And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father’s house” (Judges 14:19). Samson is known…

Don’t Wage War as the World Does

[236 words] “Then 3000 men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, ‘Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?’ And he said to them, ‘As they did to me, so have I…

Do You Evangelize and Edify?

[220 words] “But Peter and John answered them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard’” (Acts 4:19-20). On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on those…

Motivation for the Christian

[222 words] “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that … we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11). I recently saw a picture labeled “motivation.”…

B.U.I.L.D. Your School!

[298 words] Just like any other organization, schools need God’s wisdom to reach full potential. If you are a student who is a Christian, consider some of these ways you can use your influence to B.U.I.L.D. your school this year. Break Out of Cliques. It is easy to get attached to a certain group of…

Anger: The Great Destroyer

[204 words] In 1894, the Baltimore Orioles came to Boston to play a baseball game. Boston had one of the finest stadiums ever built in the 19th century. During the game, a fight broke out between two players at third base. The fight be-came a “brou-ha-ha” as both teams left their dugouts to join in…

Finishing Well

[227 words] Wouldn’t you love to face eternity with confidence? You can! “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the…

Faith Moves

[271 words] J.W. McGarvey said, “If our faith is to save us, our faith in Christ, it will be by causing us to act in harmony with that faith” (emp. added, rek). McGarvey continued, “If He is Christ, the Son of the living God, ruling over heaven and earth, and we believe that, and act…

The Proverbs of Solomon

[222 words] “The wise in heart will receive commandments; But a prating fool shall fall” (Proverbs 10:8, ASV). Wisdom, by most, is measured by what a person accumulates in experiences. If you live to be 75 then, presumably, you will be wiser than a 55 years old person because you have experienced much more. This…

Whatcha Gonna Do Brother?

[289 words] It all came down to a missed phone call. Hulk Hogan, the famous wrestling star, missed a call from his agent about a possible endorsement deal. Now the story has shifted over the years, but basically, his agent had set up some potential sponsorship on some kitchen items. These companies felt a celebrity…

Do You Edify?

[217 words] “…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:20). Known as the Great Commission, this passage at the end of Matthew is often used, and rightly so, to speak about our core value of evangelism. We understand that the implication to seek and to save the lost is for us…

Who Are You Trusting to Save You?

[230 words] “And when I saw that you would not save me, I took my life in my hand and crossed over against the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?” (Judges 12:3). Jephthah had tried explaining to the…

We Have the Manual

[232 words] “Then Manoah prayed to the Lord and said, ‘O Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us and teach us what we are to do with the child who will be born’” (Judges 13:8). I still remember the feeling when the hospital let us leave to take…

What Great Works Will He Do Through You?

[233 words] “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12). Wait! Greater works than what Jesus did while He was here on this earth? There’s no doubt that…

Can You Keep A Secret?

[219 words] In some instances, a secret must be kept! Spouses have conversations that only take place inside their relationship. Lawyers maintain client confidentiality. Bankers cannot share customer loan agreements. Medical Professionals cannot divulge patient information. Preachers cannot share details of meetings when he is assisting someone in the congregation with a problem or spiritual…

Don’t Be a Dud!

[249 words] July was a favorite time of the year during my youth, because that was when we could shoot fireworks. It was a great experience to go down to the fireworks stand with my dad, look over all the multi-colored packages and imagine what each explosive would do. We usually ended up with a…

To Receive Forgiveness, Love

[244 words] “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart” (Matthew 18:35).  In this age of tolerance, it is so easy for us to define biblical terms in our own ways, ways that perhaps suit or justify what we’re already doing. But God is…

A Basic Consideration

[284 words] Our answer to this question determines our approach to, and attitude toward those around us. It will either give us a sense of urgency or of complacency. The question is, “Who is lost?” During His days on earth, Jesus believed that some were lost, because He came to “Seek and to save that…

God Encourages

[259 words] 2 CORINTHIANS 7:6 “But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus.” God usually works through people. The encouragement and love you receive through others, actually has its source in God. So as we show love and offer encouragement, we can be God’s mouth and hands extended to those…

Prepare to Meet Thy God

[290 words] Knowles Shaw was born October 13, 1834 in Ohio to Alban and Huldah Griffeth Shaw. At the age of 13 his father passed away. His dying words to his son, “Prepare to meet thy God.” Around the age of 18, Knowles began to consider his father’s dying words. He met two men, Gabriel…

Have You Ever Noticed…

[232 words] …when the other fellow acts that way, he is ugly; when you do, it is nerves. …when others are set in their ways, they’re obstinate; when you are, it is firmness. …when your neighbor doesn’t like your friend, he is prejudiced; when you don’t like his, you are a good judge of human…

Did Jesus Condemn Homosexuality?

[202 words] Many times you will hear the argument given that Jesus never condemned homosexuality. That lack of condemnation is then skewed as acceptance. However, a closer look at scripture leads to a different conclusion.  In Luke 10:12, Jesus is denouncing those that refused to believe the message about the kingdom of God when He…

Baptism and the Forgiveness of Sins

[215 words] In the context of our congregation, the biblical teaching of baptism for the remission of sins is not a teaching that troubles any of us (at least, with regard to what I am aware). The other day I was talking to a Baptist preacher, a man with whom I am very impressed; he…

Quotes and Sayings (May 2019)

[271 words] “Life began with waking up and loving my mother’s face.” – George Eliot “The sweetest sounds to mortals given, Are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven.” – William Goldsmith Brown “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” – Abraham Lincoln “When you look into your mother’s…

The Kid Who Changed The World

[286 words] The book The Kid Who Changed The World by Andy Andrews is based on the Butterfly Effect. The idea is that every time something happens, something else happens. When a butterfly flaps its wings, it moves tiny pieces of air, which then moves other tiny pieces of air. Essentially, every little thing you…

The Cracked Pot

[262 words] An elderly woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole that she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walks from the…

What Do You See?

[236 words] “For whoever lacks these qualities (faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love) is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins” (2 Peter 1:9). Too many of us do not see what we need to see (cf. Jer. 5:21). While we might…

What We Can Learn from the Recent University Scandal

[238 words] On March 12, 2019, federal prosecutors disclosed a conspiracy to influence admissions decisions at several American research universities. A number of parents of college applicants are accused of paying large sums to misrepresent student test scores and bribe college officials to get their children into top tier universities. Accused of this crime are…

Sharing Christianity

[241 words] “All the believers were one in heart and mind No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had“ (Acts 4:32). I have about fifty cards for various stores and clubs, so many that I keep them in an organizer m my car because they don’t…

Is Sincerity Enough to Please God?

[271 words] On October 16, 2007, one of the two remaining survivors of the Titanic sinking, died. Barbara West Dainton died at a nursing home in Camborne, England, at age 96. She was only a year old when the Titanic sank on April 15, 1912, after striking an iceberg, and taking about 1500 souls to…

Trials

[244 words] “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name…

An Old Farmer’s Advice

[243 words] • Life is simpler when you plow around the stump. • Words that soak into your ears are whispered, not yelled. • Meanness don’t jes’ happen overnight. • Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads. • It don’t take a very big person to carry a grudge. • You cannot unsay a…

Does Attending Make A Difference?

[217 words] How many times have you attended a worship service? How many times have you attended when you felt like staying home? Have you ever wondered if there might be a different way to approach worship than to file into the church building three times a week, week after week after week? A lot…

How Deep the Father’s Love

[263 words] (Lyrics By: Stuart Townsend) How deep the Father’s love for us,How vast beyond all measureThat He should give His only SonTo make a wretch His treasure. How great the pain of searing loss;The Father turns His face awayAs wounds which mar the chosen One,Bring many sons to glory. Behold the Man upon a…

Sin Has Created the Need

[260 words] Sin Has Created the Need “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.”…

How the Romans Won the War and Lost the Peace

[294 words] William Barclay, in his commentary on Thessalonians, states that during the period of the Roman Republic, the Romans had not a single divorce for a 520-year period. However, as they moved away from the Republic into more of a socialistic empire, things began to change. Although they had previously conquered the Greeks militarily,…

Israel’s Superman

[249 words] Samson was a real-life superhero, an ancient Israelite Superman. Many people are familiar with his superhuman exploits, about how Samson killed a lion with his bare hands, single-handedly destroyed a thousand-man Philistine army with no weapon other than the jawbone of a donkey, and about how he was a one-man wrecking crew that…

How Great Thou Art!

[202 words] Humpback whales are about 40 feet long at maturity and weigh about one ton per foot. They carry a thousand pounds of barnacles, and when they jump, or breach, they extend themselves totally in the air, and then free-fall back into the ocean. You can see the splash five miles away. Humpback whales…

The End of the World

[275 words] It seems that as mankind has achieved greater levels of technological sophistication, the more he has worried about the end of the world. This is almost certainly because we have achieved the ability to completely wipe out life on earth. If war ever broke out, even a limited exchange consisting of a tiny…

There Are Only Two Ways

[295 words] Many times we hear people today say, “We are all headed for the same place, we are just going in different ways.” In a sense this is true in that we are all headed first to the Judgment. The Bible says, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after…

Seven Wonders of the Word

[272 words] Psalm 119:161 I am impressed with the following seven wonders of the Word. The wonder of its INSPIRATION! Not just part of it, not just the thoughts of it, but “all scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Tim. 3:16). To the very jot (tiniest letter) and tittle (tiniest projection which distinguishes…

Are You Secure?

[269 words] What spells security for you? A substantial bank account? Good insurance? Tenure? An alarm system? A strong military? Reliable leadership? A storm shelter? Obviously the idea of security has many applications in a variety of circumstances. Have you ever associated security with a peg? Probably not. But that is precisely what Ezra does.…

Having a Righteous Character

[277 words] “The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, And have not wickedly departed from my God. For all His ordinances were before me, And I did not put away His statutes from…

Whatever It Takes

[232 words] Someone once noted that there are two kinds of people in this world: those who say “whatever” and those who say, “whatever it takes.” “Whatever” is the response of the shrug. It is a “who cares?” attitude, one of indifference and apathy. “Whatever it takes” is the response of the committed. It is…

The Church is Praying

[215 words] “On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God” (Acts 4:23-24). Prayer is in everything that the people of God do. We are commanded…

Don’t Forget the One Who Allows Us to Make the Memories

[202 words] We strive to avoid forgetting to make memories with family vacations, with having over friends, with watching our children grow older by going to their school and extra-curricular activities and seeing them graduate and succeed on various levels. But while we strive to avoid forgetting to make these memories, are we forgetting the…

Watchful Eye of God

[262 words] David sings and prays to the Lord. The book of Psalms is full of how to praise God and how God looks upon His children. “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him” (Psalm 33:8). The Lord expects awe and fear, but…

Election: Free to Choose!

[289 words] In November our country had its mid-term elections. This article was written on election day. In our great representative republic, every legal citizen is free to participate in the process of choosing who will represent them in our government and what issues will pass or fail. The place for voting is set by…

The Frayed Rope

[228 words] A tourist wanted to visit a beautiful monastery. The problem was, it was located 3,000 feet up a cliff. The only way to reach it was by a terrifying ride in a basket with several men pulling it up with a single rope. Reluctantly, the tourist and a monk climbed into the basket.…

What If You Were the Only One!

[203 words] What if by some happenstance you were the only member of the Church left in your town? Does that seem farfetched? In some places in some cities you might be in that circumstance. If you were to find yourself in this situation, what would you do? Would you simply give up and stay…

The Omnipresence of God

[236 words] Even the most influential and powerful person in the world can only be in one place at one time. But that ‘is not true of God. Jehovah is an omnipresent being, i.e., His presence is in all places at all times. In Jeremiah 23:24, we read, ‘”Can anyone hide himself in secret places,…

Then

[228 words] Reading God ‘s word is exciting. It seems that every time I read it I notice something I had missed in earlier readings. In the past I had noticed the oft repeated phrase (about 56 times), “Then they shall know that I am the Lord (Jehovah) God.” This time I noticed the tragedy…

The Fish Net

[224 words] When Jesus began His ministry, He began with a fish story (of sorts). Not really a fish story, but an occasion where experienced fishermen worked all night and were preparing to return, having caught nothing. Jesus sees the men returning and they were somewhat downcast as a result of an empty night. The…

Remember Who We Are

[291 words] At the beginning, the church’s foremost focus was upon God, not man (Acts 5:29; Galatians 1:10); upon heaven, not earth (Colossians 3:1,2); upon the spirit, not the flesh. (Romans 8:6; 1 Timothy 4:8.) And in spite of severe persecution and constant privations, the church thrived, turning the ancient world “upside down” with the…

My People

[243 words] Joshua, the great leader of Israel, said, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15). It has always been up to man to choose his own path. Truth and error is ever present. The sad part is that men often choose to follow the wrong way. The tendency is to…

I Beseech You as Strangers and Pilgrim

[249 words] “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against your soul” (1 Pet. 2:11). I’m often amazed at just how many people there are, both within and without the church, who live as though this life is all there is and will ever be. Their affections…

The Prayer List

[260 words] I’ve read it in several bulletins from many churches. It’s called “The Prayer List” and consists of the names of people who have either requested that we mention them in our prayers or who have had a request given by someone in their behalf. Of course, there is biblical precedence for this practice…

His Strength, or Your Safety?

[222 words] “But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lions mouth” (2 Tim. 4:17). We sing the song: “…though none go with me, I still will follow.” But…

Which Road Will You Take?

[269 words] “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). This was written…

Looking Ahead

[279 words] “Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores His captive people, Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad” (Psalm 14:7). What is ahead? We may be surrounded by ridicule, by persecution, by a distressing picture of mankind’s irreverence toward God, and by man’s inhumanity toward others,…

Christ Stands Alone

[286 words] There had been other great teachers before Jesus. There had even been miracle workers before Jesus. However, even with all the powerful prophets who had come before Him, none of the other’s teachings were understood as inaugurating God’s long-awaited and promised kingdom. A new age dawned with the coming and teaching ofJesus. The…

God Hurts When You Hurt

[221 words] One of the most striking passages in the Old Testament is Isaiah 63:7-9. “I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which He is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us—yes, the many good things He has done for the house of Israel, according…

Long to Look

[269 words] Speaking of Old Testament prophets’ predictions about Jesus Christ’s “sufferings” and “glories,” Peter wrote, “It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven,…

Passover Compared to Lord’s Supper

[263 words] Let’s look at ti!e resemblance of the feast of the Passover to that of the observance of the Lord’s Supper. Just as the shed blood of the Pascal lamb was in reality the salvation of the Israelites, if applied as directed, so is the blood of Jesus as seen in the observance of…

Will You Step Out of the Boat?

[216 words] “But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don t be afraid ” (Matthew 14:27). After feeding the 5,000, Jesus “made” the disciples go on ahead of Him in the boat while He dismissed the crowd and prayed. When the wind and the waves get fierce in the fourth watch…

Confusing Good and Evil

[220 words] In pronouncing judgment on the sins of ancient Israel, the prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah 5:20: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Have you ever stopped to think how applicable that…

Not One More

[251 words] June 28, 2014 marked the 100-year anniversary of the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Their deaths led directly to World War I, which would begin exactly one month later on July 28. The Archduke and his wife were shot as they rode in an open-air…

Pig With a Wooden Leg

[269 words] A lady from the city was visiting members of her family who owned a farm. As she talked to the farmer, she noticed a pig in the backyard with a wooden leg. “What happened to that pig!” the woman asked. “Oh, that’s Betsy,” the farmer said. “She’s a fine pig! One night while…

Would You Eat One?

[231 words] I don’t know how many of you have seen nutria. But if you fish in Louisiana you have seen them. They live near the water, and look like rats. They are not native to Louisiana and can and do destroy our wetlands. There is a move to convince people to hunt, kill, and…

Our Greatest Concern

[286 words] Paul was a world traveler. He was a terrific pen pal. He was a teacher. Paul practiced the craft of tent making. He enjoyed reading. He had some health problems. He seemed to enjoy athletics. He was a fund raiser for the hungry of Judah. He had a healing ministry. He worked hard,…
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