300-399 words Archives - Page 6 of 7

What Kind of Preacher Are You?

[393 words] The question proposed in the title of this article is not aimed primarily at the gospel preacher but at every member! Have you ever considered how many times you “preach” a message? Let me offer a few examples. You preach a message of good cheer every time you speak to a stranger who…

We Still Play in the Rain

[371 words] Last night I saw a commercial from an insurance company that showed people playing in the rain. In the commercial, a little girl is talking and says, “Every second somewhere in the world lightning strikes; but we still play in the rain.” The point of the commercial is that even though there are…

Watch!

[303 words] To “watch” is to be on the lookout, to be alert and vigilant. “Watch” is a constant admonition in Scripture. In addition to other words translated “watch,” the Greek word “gregoreo” appears 22 times in the New Testament. God wants us to watch, but for what? Many of the admonitions to “watch” have…

The Wolf Of Wall Street

[344 words] On December 25, 2013, The Wolf of Wall Street hit the big screens. As soon as it came out it set a record. This movie sets the mark for the most uses of the “f-word” ever in a U.S. feature film (USA Today). This movie uses this word a sickening 506 times! Seeing…

God’s Desire to Bless All Men

[316 words] Psalm 67 is a beautiful passage that summarizes several powerful promises concerning God’s relationship with man. The chapter reads as follows: “God be merciful to us and bless us. And cause His face to shine upon us. That Your way may be known on earth. Your salvation among all nations. Let the peoples…

The Life of Moses

[307 words] Moses was God’s man! He delivered the Law of God, the first five books of the Bible (John 1:17), wrote a number of Psalms, and led God’s people out of bondage and through their wanderings in the desert (Ex. 3:10). Many over the years have brought to our attention that Moses’ life is…

Time is of the Essence

[374 words] Time. We all have a limited amount of it. We all know this, but we ignore it and waste time anyway. We are so selfish with time, not willing to share it or give it others. Time is of the essence is a legal term used in contracts to emphasize the necessity of…

What Money Can Buy

[311 words] “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof saving the beholding of them with their eyes? The sleep of a labouring man…

When 900 Million People Are Watching

[307 words] Ninety-percent of all people deal with some level of stage fright. How do you feel when all eyes are on you? Do your palms get cold and clammy? Do you become nervous and anxious? Do you blush, tremble, shake, or feel nauseated? There is at least one stage where the vast majority of…

Veneer

[313 words] A preacher tells the following story and makes a good point for all of us: “Recently,” he says, “while visiting the hospital, I parked in the section marked ‘Doctors Only’ (thanks to the courtesy of the parking attendant). Most of us try not to impose on these parking areas when doctors need the…

Drop-Outs

[370 words] “Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.” (Luke 8:14). Frequently members of the church, apparently for no reason at all, quit attending the services. This is usually preceded…

Don’t Save it for the Funeral

[315 words] An elderly man lay dying in his bed. In death’s agony, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his favorite chocolate chip cookies wafting up the stairs. He gathered his remaining strength and lifted himself from the bed. Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom and with even…

Toxic Masculinity

[357 words] “Toxic masculinity” is a term that is thrown out by the media a lot these days. The term means that masculinity is filled with poison. In other words, to be a man is evil. In our society, men are under attack. • Men should play with dolls, not soldier or action figures. •…

The Spiritually Elite

[349 words] Paul gave some sage advice, yes a divine commandment, when he said, “Do not think more highly of yourself than you ought to think” (see Romans 12:3). There are two things to keep in mind here: (1) one should not think more lowly of himself than he should-this is a false humility that…

God’s Faithful Children

[308 words] “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116:15). This verse from the Psalms causes our minds to reflect on the many Christians who have passed from this life. We know that, in spite of the great strides in the world of medicine, death comes to everyone.…

You Lied, Didn’t You?

[377 words] Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, two Christians in the first century, got caught telling a lie (Acts 5:1-11). They lied to men and to God. You can often hide your lies from men but never from God. “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Deut. 32:23). The apostle Peter confronted the couple…

Jump Start!

[361 words] Recently I was shopping at our local dollar store and there was a young woman and her two very young daughters in the store. They were traveling and their car had broken down in the parking lot. It was very cold and I went out to have a look. It seemed her battery…

Hiding It All Away

[359 words] A couple of weeks ago, my family and I went to see the new movie called Frozen. It’s a Disney movie that centers around two sisters named Elsa and Anna. Elsa was born with magical powers that allow her to make snow and ice. One night, she accidentally hurts her sister with her…

The Steadfast Love of the Lord

[391 words] We all have times where the circumstances of our lives seem overwhelming. It is just the nature of life among sinners upon a cursed earth. If you have some trouble believing it to be true, then you should know that though Jesus lived in absolute moral perfection (Heb 4:15), yet He was at…

Remember Me?

[344 words] The other day as I was waiting for my car to be tuned, a framed message entitled “Remember Me?” caught my attention. “I’m the fellow who goes into a restaurant, sits down and patiently waits while the waitresses do everything but take my order; I’m the fellow who goes into the department store…

Don’t Lose Sight of the Mission!

[332 words] King David, not long after establishing Jerusalem as Israel’s military, political and religious center, desired to build the Lord a house. His home of cedar was now complete, but the Ark of the Covenant still remained within a tent (2 Sam. 7:1-2). But the word of the Lord came to Nathan, and that…

Masculinity: Toxic, or Beneficial?

[317 words] There is a tendency in our current society to throw the baby out with the bathwater. In an effort to fight against immoral acts such as sexual harassment, physical abuse, and bullying perpetrated by a small minority of bad apples, mainstream media and social justice warriors have decided to coin the phrase “toxic…

What is Your Response?

[393 words] What characterizes your response to Jesus? All of us will respond to him in one way or another. Will our response indicate our rejection of his word, or will it indicate our desire to trust and obey him? Several different responses are seen in Luke 13:11-17. In what was one of the last…

Down in the Dumps?

[326 words] Are you feeling alone? Forgotten? Neglected? No one seems to come around anymore? Well, then quit wasting your time brooding and do something about it! Get up and call someone on the phone. Inquire about their health, offer a word of encouragement or just chat for a while. If you can drive, get…

Yesterday’s Prayers

[387 words] In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, we are admonished to “pray without ceasing” to accurately depict a constant prayerful attitude, or having begun a life of prayer to continue, or both. The Bible is replete with examples of the wicked suffering punishment, but it also describes what would appear to be “good folk” just as…

A Fool (According to Proverbs)

[307 words] No one wants to be known as a fool. No one relishes the idea of being seen as someone who lacks judgment or prudence and is easily duped or swindled. Mankind has a strong desire to be seen as capable, intelligent and strong in the eyes of their peers. However, what should be…

Standing With Jesus

[340 words] Certainly you have heard about the shooting that took place this past week at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. Nine people were killed. Several more were injured. There are conflicting reports about this, but some outlets are reporting that the shooter asked his victims if they were religious or not (if…

Going to Church

[345 words] Many reasonably good people seldom, if ever, “go to church.” Meeting with others to study the Bible, God’s word, and to publicly worship Him is something easily ignored in our busy world. To these, church is where you go for a wedding or a funeral, but little more. The early Christians didn’t…

Living

[398 words] Most days, “ living” is a challenge. We have many responsibilities and challenges that compete with our relationship with God. We are raising a generation that has no real religious concern or eternal focus. As a society, our current generation continues to drift from the Creator! The world around us seems put…

Paul Was…Are You?

[377 words] Paul was the man Jesus chose to go to the Gentiles and preach the gospel (Acts 9:15; Rom. 11:13). Once fully converted and committed, Paul accomplished the Lord’s will admirably (2 Tim. 4:7). In three successive verses in the first chapter of Romans, Paul records the formula for preparing ourselves to follow…

By the Root

[313 words] Growing season for most things in gardens and flower beds is winding down. That means less weed pulling! This preacher remembers a weed in Georgia that we nicknamed “Monster Weed” because it grew very quickly, developed thorns and had a root system that made it nearly impossible to pull up by the…

What We Can Know and Be Sure Of

[316 words] Throughout life there are many things that we can know and be certain of. “The only things certain in life is death and taxes” is a phrase you have probably heard many times. There are things we can know with 100 percent certainty and we can be sure of in regards to…

The Christian and Sacrifice

[311 words] The religion of Jesus Christ is rooted in sacrifice. Recall the words of John 3:16 and take note of the sacrifice that God made for us. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” In…

What Will They Say About Me?

[342 words] Just as you, I have attended several funerals recently of friends & family, as well as, brothers and sisters in Christ. Leading up to the memorial, we often read a snippet of our loved one’s life in the local newspaper. The last several weeks has lead me to this question, “What will…

Reaching Others

[362 words] One of the major components of being a Christian is to evangelize and spread God’s Word to others. Jesus taught and spoke of this many times throughout His life and ministry. He taught the 12 apostles to go out into the world and teach others about Him. Jesus lived His life reaching…

Choose A Chair

[316 words] The world famous tenor, Luciano Pavarotti, related a story about his upbringing and success. “When I was a boy, my father, a baker, introduced me to the wonders of song. He urged me to work very hard to develop my voice. Arrigo Pola, a professional tenor in my hometown of Modena, Italy,…

The Perfect Day

[385 words] Most of us have some idea of what it would take to make a perfect day for us. Solomon gave us a key consideration that leads to the perfect day. As he invites his readers to pursue wisdom, he warns against walking in the path of the wicked. In contrast to that…

Prevention

[337 words] Scenes from the past stroll across my memory as l hear the words “fire prevention.” Fire Prevention Week at school brought lessons about fire and its destructive force. Really neat, plastic helmets, “just like the ones firemen wear” adorned the heads of school children. Plastic badges and the title “Jr. Fire Marshall”…

But Joshua Spent That Night Among the People

[316 words] “So Joshua sent them out. And they went to the place of ambush and lay between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai, but Joshua spent that night among the people. Joshua arose early in the morning and mustered the people and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before…

Is the Young Man, Absalom, Safe?

[368 words] The question above comes from 2 Samuel 18:32. Absalom, David’s son, had tried to wrest the kingdom from his father. He had slept with the ten concubines (wives) of his father. David had to flee his home when he heard Absalom was staging a coup and left these women to tend the…

How to Know What God Wants Me to Do

[321 words] We all face important decisions. These decisions will often have a great impact on us and our families. It may be a question about what job to take, or where to live, or what school to attend, etc. What should we do? Does God offer any help or guidance in making such…

In Opposition to Abortion

[368 words] Christians have always stood opposed to abortion. Abortion was common in the Roman Empire in which Christianity was born. Though there is no explicit New Testament reference to it, abortion was clearly condemned in the Christian literature immediately following the New Testament. For instance, in about AD 100 the Didache instructed, “And…

Unemployment

[332 words] Unemployed is living without a job or without work to be completed. The national unemployment rate as of July 2, 2015 was 5.3% according to a study released by the U.S. Department of Labor. That 5.3% is roughly 8.3 million people in the United States currently living without a job or without work.…

True Idol Worship…Here!

[369 words] It would be foolish to believe that there hasn’t been any worship of graven images, statues, etc. in this country. It has usually been kept very private. We’ve always preached that in this country, our idol worship is material things; activities; money; etc. But now, true idol worshipers have become very public in…

Doing it Right

[374 words] From the book of Exodus comes a great example of doing things right. In chapters 25-29, God gives Moses instructions concerning how the tabernacle is to be built. Many specific directions are given, and God emphasized the importance of following them exactly: “According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern…

Perils to the Soul

[322 words] Have you noticed the growing fascination that some have with other people’s perils? They pay good money to watch stunt drivers jump a string of cars, or a tightrope walker make his way across a tiny rope 200 feet above the pavement. We marvel when someone unnecessarily puts himself at risk. The greatest…

What About Our Reach?

[394 words] The Impala is an amazing creature that has a vertical leap of more than 10 feet and can jump an amazing 30 feet. With such abilities, one would think zoos would have to take extraordinary measures to build enclosures to keep these nearly airborne creatures inside the zoo, but they don’t. It seems…

Goals with No Nets

[386 words] Back in the day, friends would invite me to meet them somewhere to play a pick-up game of basketball, and few things are more disappointing than showing up to play a game of basketball and seeing a goal with no net. While I might have verbalized my disappointment, it didn’t prevent me from…

Foul Language Is Foul

[312 words] I recently watched a nationally televised athletic event where literally millions of people viewed the same game. During the game, the main camera showed one of the coaches being very upset and using verbally abusive foul language regarding calls made by the officials! What I observed disturbed me. Then I realized how…

They Just Won’t Listen

[388 words] “Then He said to me: ‘Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house of Israel, not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard…

What Will You Do With The New?

[336 words] Toward the end of the year, we begin to focus on the “new.” We enjoy giving and receiving “new” presents, and we look forward to the hope of a “new” year. A blank calendar page represents fresh opportunity, but what will we do with it? Hezekiah was known as a man who received…

The Big Buyout

[320 words] The line starts to form around 4:30 in the morning. The goal of the people in line is to buy up the stock of doughnuts at Donut City, a small, family-owned shop in Seal Beach, California. By 7:30 the doughnuts have all been purchased. The motivation of the buyouts: to allow the shop…

Upward Mobility

[300 words] In a tiny coastal Mexican village, a boat comes into port. An American who is nearby compliments the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his catch and asks how long it took him to catch them. “Not very long,” answers the Mexican. “But why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asks…

Take Advantage of What the Church Offers

[330 words] Recently, I dropped my son off at the building for an activity that will enhance his ability to develop a budget and be a better provider both financially and spiritually when he starts his family one day. I know our schedules create barriers from time to time and we can’t attend everything. However,…

The Biblical Way of Dealing with a Brother Who Has Sinned Against You

[338 words] “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be…

Thoughts About the Grace of Giving

[350 words] This time of year, many don’t think twice about volunteering in a food bank, in a soup kitchen, or in taking a neighbor some extra peanut brittle made for an office party. This time of year, it doesn’t take much prompting for someone to drop some pocket change into the rounded-metal canisters sitting…

On Being Thankful

[348 words] Thankfulness is an attitude of heart and mind that expresses itself in speech and action. Most of us have experienced ingratitude from another at some time in our lives, and such an experience is less than satisfying. Have you ever done something for someone, only to be received with little or no…

A Total Loss

[329 words] A few weeks ago, my oldest daughter was hit from behind by another driver. No one was hurt, and the damage to the rear bumper appeared minimal. The insurance company instructed me to take the car in for a closer inspection and repair estimate. During that inspection, they discovered that the damage…

Sinkholes

[354 words] A giant sinkhole opened up in Schmalkalden, Germany about 98 feet across and about 65 feet deep that swallowed a car, part of a garage and house. Yet, it was small compared to the sinkhole that opened up in Guatemala City in 2007. Reportedly, residents heard rumblings for weeks but no one…

Prejudice

[393 words] The world teaches hate. Turn on the news or any social media and you will be flooded with stories and opinions that drive fear, distrust, and anger. If you are honest with yourself, you know we have all seen prejudice. We are all guilty of prejudice at one time or another, it…

What Defines You?

[306 words] Are you known for your knowledge of the great outdoors, your keen political awareness, the expertise in your profession or your ability to understand what it takes to build a superb athletic team? I enjoy hearing good hunting stories, listening to whether or not we are on the right track in our…

Why Love?

[369 words] “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:13). Have you ever wondered why it is that love is the greatest? I mean, faith and hope are two powerful elements of our Christian lives. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Heb.…

Looking in the Wrong Place for Jesus

[331 words] Periodically, we read or hear of “sightings” that unbelievers have a field day with. I refer to “Jesus sightings,” people are claiming in such things as clouds, Cheetos, dental X-rays, cooking utensils, windows, walls, and trees. Wikipedia even has an entry for it (“Perceptions of religious imagery in natural phenomena”). People vehemently…

What is the Standard for Our Morality?

[376 words] “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! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:20-21). It seems since the beginning of…

No Stone Unturned

[303 words] In Mark 13:1-2 we read, “As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be…

Biblical Meditation: The Cure for What Ails You

[392 words] “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and…

I Know There is a God!

[330 words] There are so many people in the world today claiming that there is no God. Well I am here to state that I know there is a God and I can prove it. You may ask how I can be so confident. I know for one hundred percent certainty that God exists…

Marks of the Maker

[397 words] As I was laying on the floor of the parking garage at the Fort Bend County Justice Center (for those of you concerned—it was for exercise), I noticed that on the huge slab of concrete above me, it had arrows and notes drawn in chalk on it. Being that it was too…

We Don’t Belong Here!

[311 words] “Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things” (Philippians 3:19 ESV). The apostle Paul tells us that we are to seek thing that are above (Col. 3 :1-2) so that we will focus on things that are to he…

Calling It What It Is

[343 words] The past several years have produced an uneasy, unfounded shift in brotherhood terminology. Much has been written in various journals and papers, and even more has been said in countless lectures and sermons concerning “our movement” and “our fellowship,” with less and less being said about the Lord’s church. Not so long…

Buying Back the Past

[305 words] Oscar Wilde once put forth this thought-provoking observation: “No man is rich enough to buy back his past.” To a large degree, Wilde was right. Even Paul, that matchless apostle of New Testament days, was haunted by acrid memories of a wasted and misdirected youth, a time when he had worked feverishly…

No Thank You

[327 words] Media advice columnists offer counsel to readers with all kinds of relationship problems. One woman described a situation in which she had offered an acquaintance a ride to church. He usually walked, but the weather was miserable and she said she was happy to help. But when he didn’t respond according to…

Planting a Forest

[338 words] He’s known as the “Forest Man of India.” Over the last 70 years, the Brahmaputra River has eroded over half of the world’s largest river island of Majuli in Assam, India. The mighty river has also claimed over 35 villages. Nearly 40 years ago, Jadav Payeng, then 16, in an effort to…

Don’t Quit

[321 words] Many times, we encounter challenges that make us rethink our commitment to Christ and the church. When we consider quitting or lessening our relationship with Christ and the church let’s: Remember why we started (cf. Revelation 2:5). The church at Ephesus left their first love. Go back and remember why we chose…

Elders Need to Lead With Compassion

[322 words] Elders face problems of all shapes, sizes, and colors. A few years of putting out fires can leave them burned out. They can come to rule with an iron fist rather than a velvet touch–more of the shepherd’s rod than his crook. Early Roman philosopher Publilius Syrus said, “You can accomplish by…

A Toothbrush and the Bible

[302 words] What do a toothbrush, a scrub brush, and a toilet brush have in common? Each one of these items is a brushing tool that does a particular job. They are all used to clean. Even my two year old knows that a toothbrush is used to clean teeth, a scrub brush is…

Four Commands We Must Live By

[367 words] “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by…

Hide and Seek With a Spider

[368 words] As I made my coffee one morning, I noticed the movement of a brown object down on the floor. It was big enough to catch my eye and big enough to make me jump. It was a large (silver dollar-sized) spider that quickly ran and took refuge under a chair. While I…

Answer Their Call

[313 words] Earlier this week, my wife received a call from an unfamiliar toll free number. I answered it for her and it happened to be a computerized message stating that an inmate from the Weld County jail in Colorado has called this number and asked if we would accept the charges for the…

It Makes the World Go ‘Round

[301 words] We’re told that love is “what makes the world go ‘round.” An old song suggests, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love.” And the Bible has been promoting the same message for centuries now: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself . . . let us love one another.” (Leviticus…

Back to School Challenges

[327 words] Most parents will agree that when it is back to school time, there are challenges to be faced. We will be concerned about making sure they have the right school supplies, maybe some new clothing. Perhaps we’ll be worried about our child’s new teacher, or a different mix of kids in the…

Let Us Pray

[373 words] How many times have we heard this expression as a prelude to a collective journey of the brethren into the presence of God? I wonder, is it used so much that we forget its importance? Here are some instances of corporate prayers found in the New Testament. In Matthew 26 and its…

That the World May Believe

[320 words] Perhaps the Bible’s greatest enemy is preaching; preaching that makes the Bible appear to be a book of conflicting, contradictory doctrines. Robert Owen, the notorious atheist said in controversy with Alexander Campbell that the reason he was an atheist was because he had read so many conflicting doctrines all of which claimed…

I Don’t Know and I Don’t Care!

[366 words] Many years ago, I heard Leroy Brownlow (author of “Why I am a Member of the Church of Christ”) use this illustration. “What are the two main problems in the church?” The question was answered with, “I don’t know and I don’t care.” He hit the nail on the head. Indifference is…

Honor and Obey Shepherds

[315 words] Shepherds are a gracious gift from God. God has always known the need for His people to remain faithful to Him, and how difficult, in the face of temptations, it can be for them to do so. Moses, a faithful servant-leader in all God’s house (Heb. 3:2), knew first hand the importance…

A Prayer for Parents

[361 words] Each of us know that prayer is very important. In our own lives we will pray at different times and for different reasons. We pray at meal times, when someone is having troubles in their lives (such as sickness, death or making difficult decisions). We also know that our Lord and Savior,…

Tell the Story of True Suffering

[319 words] A sports news network reported an NFL’s investigation showed an offensive lineman for one of the teams was harassed by one of his teammates last year. An investigation ordered by the league said it found evidence that a player had been the subject of racial slurs and bullying during his time with…

‘This Woman was Taken in Adultery, in the Very Act’

[320 words] “And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act” (John 8:3-4). I’m not sure why I chose the story of the adulterous woman brought…

What Does it Mean to Be Loved by a Father?

[368 words] What does it mean to be loved by a father? Let the apostle John answer. “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1 NKJV). “Behold” See, behold, and understand. God wants us to understand how he loves us.…

Behold, the Lamb of God

[320 words] Sin has a way of demanding our attention. Whether it is a sin someone has committed against us or our falling prey to our own evil desires (James 1:14), sin has a way of becoming our focus. All sin is against God and carries with it the spiritual death sentence demanded by…

F.E.A.R.

[370 words] Fear–a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc. One of the things that causes many in the world today to fear is the “What if…” What if our worst fear were to come true? What if I lose everything? What if my friends leave me? What if my parents divorce?…

When Baptism is Meaningless

[358 words] It was Sunday afternoon. The phone rang. The voice on the line was that of a man who had been a member of this church in times past. He now lives in another city, but had returned to Little Rock for a visit. “I want to talk to you about my baptism,”…

What We Win Them With, We Win Them To

[352 words] Years ago, as a youth minister, I had a gentleman from a denominational organization call me and want our group to come to a denominational youth rally. He promised games, prizes, entertainment, a great concert with the latest bands, and that our youth group would be “stoked” to “be on fire for…

Feeling Defensive?

[302 words] Have you ever caught yourself being defensive? I know I have on more than one occasion. Defensiveness is a product of our desire for justice. We want others to treat us fairly, and when we perceive that isn’t happening, we get defensive. Defensiveness is also a mechanism for self-preservation. We assume that…

Don’t Give Up!

[310 words] Today, some of us somewhere are receiving bad news, having to deal with unexpected challenges, existing in the darkness of being alone, having our feelings hurt, aren’t sure where our next meal is coming from, wandering how are we going to make that payment or going through excruciating physical pain. During times…

A Father’s Toolbox

[356 words] Back on the farm, I remember that when something broke down, my father would get out his toolbox and make the repairs. As a child, I was always fascinated by his toolbox and its contents. It seemed my father could fix almost anything with the tools inside. From the very beginning, God has…

Growing in Prayer

[325 words] Most of us would like to be “better” at prayer. We’d like to do it more often and with more power. Just like the disciples of Jesus who came to Him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1), we long for divine guidance in this area. One of the great pertinent…

The Time is Now

[313 words] Most of us “know” better than we “do.” And most of us intend better than we perform. But we feel as if time is on our side. We’ll get to it eventually. We’ll begin tomorrow. Sadly, many of us never “get to it” and tomorrow never comes. Procrastination is still the thief of…

We Can Win The Battle

[332 words] As I type, Monday is knocking at the door! Challenges lay ahead, temptation is on both sides of the road, and Satan is waiting for me to step off the path I walk with Jesus. You and I will battle sin every hour and every day this week. The Good News is Jesus…

The ABC’s of the Church

[398 words] It is good from time to time to do some introspection and see where we are in life. Sometimes we do not like what we find and then make efforts to get “back to the basics.” This is something that we should do periodically as a church, as well. A congregation can get…

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