400-499 words

Conduct Worthy of the Calling

[429 words] The fabled “Pony Express” was short lived. It lasted only about a year and a half (April 1860—October 1861). The transcontinental telegraph put an end to the need for the horses and their riders. However, in the brief time it existed, the service made a lasting impact on American history. Before the creation…

Proceed!

[412 words] Earnest Shackleton and his men sailed for Antarctica on the very day that England declared war on Germany in World War One. At their first port of call the party sent word they would abandon their expedition and offered themselves and the ship to their country. But Shackleton received a cable from a…

The ‘Art’ of Singing

[423 words] As a preacher I often sit and look around at the people who are singing. We are singing songs of praise to the God of the universe. We stand in awe at the power and majesty of God. We know this is the same God who created the universe and who will bring…

Not the Same

[494 words] I drive an SUV. It is called a “crossover.” I noticed many of the “crossovers” that are made by different companies in the same year as mine look very similar. If you were to put them all side by side, it would be difficult to tell what company made which vehicle. If you…

An Easier Way?

[496 words] The journey to the promised land was a long, hard road. I am not just talking about the forty years in the wilderness. Long before that trial when Abraham didn’t even have a son, God told him that his descendants would suffer many years in another country. “Know certainly that your descendants will…

Encouragement for Fathers

[401 words] Being a Dad is one of the greatest honors in life, but it’s also one of the most difficult jobs out there. Culture’s skewed expectations and diminishing view of fatherhood haven’t made our work as dads any easier. We know the importance of providing, protecting and leading; but, how do we do that…

The Treasure Stores of Our Hearts

[412 words] After Mary’s scary episode where she and Joseph “lost” the Son of God, when they found and heard Jesus in the temple give His reason why He did what He did, the Bible says, “they did not understand…but His mother kept all these things in her heart” (Luke 2:51-52). We treasure things and…

Homefront Crumbling

[498 words] Douglas MacArthur II (the general’s nephew) worked for the government. The Secretary of State once called his home and asked to speak with him. His wife replied, “He’s not here. He’s where he always is—weekends, nights, Saturdays, Sundays—at the office. You can reach him there.” She had not recognized the Secretary of State’s…

‘ASLSP’

[410 words] Let me start off by saying that 20th century classical music is, by and large, “weird.” John Cage, a late 20th century composer, wrote an 8-page organ piece called “Organ2/ASLSP.” The “ASLSP” means “play it as slow as possible.” Usually this organ piece takes more than an hour to complete. Yet, in 2009,…

Putting God Before You

[426 words] “I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved” (Psalms 16:8). A powerful lesson we learn from this text is if we put God before us we will not be moved or shaken. If God is first in our decisions, thoughts, and…

What Kind of Church Should We Be?

[446 words] Play a word game with me. What comes to your mind when you see or hear the word church? Do you picture a steepled building, dark wooden pews, crosses, offering plates? Do you hear hearty singing? Or does church trigger childhood memories of wiggling through sermons, playing tag on the parking lot, and…

The Ermine’s Example

[465 words] There is a unique little animal found in the forests of northern Europe and Asia. It is called the ermine. In the wintertime, the ermine’s fur turns snow-white. It instinctively protects its coat against anything that would soil it, going to great lengths to keep its fur spotless. Fur hunters deviously take advantage…

Your Worst Sin

[442 words] In no way would I ever claim to be a prophet, psychic, or prognosticator. But I can tell you what your worst sin is. Now, I know you’re wondering how I know. Has someone told me that they saw you doing it? No. Have I been looking in your windows at night or…

My Social Media Pledge

[427 words] • I keep a low profile on social media, but I am present there. Below is the pledge I have taken to govern my use of it. I invite you to take it, too. • I will post, comment, and otherwise utilize social media with complete awareness that the all-seeing eye of God…

Go Into All the World

[424 words] “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all nations” (Mark 16:16). So Jesus commissioned His disciples following His resurrection. He sent His men into the world to preach good news to everyone. By application, we are to take the good news of our Savior into the world. If we don’t,…

Pastor Who?

[498 words] Lately, I have been disturbed by the number of preachers and youth directors who have started to refer to themselves as “Pastor so-in-so.”  The latest one was a young man who had just graduated from a university associated with churches of Christ. He introduced himself to me as “Pastor Bull”* from XYZ* Church…

Who or What is Shaping Us?

[435 words] “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). This time of year emphasizes just how special it is to be with family. Gathering around…

Santa’s Reindeer: Propulsion or Navigation?

[451 words] This true “Ask an Engineer” question appeared in 2013 on an MIT website and was also answered by a graduate student. This student deconstructs the poem, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” to analyze the navigation, guidance system, and control of Santa’s sleigh. It is a truly bizarre read, but nevertheless, with scholarly efficiency,…

When Was Jesus Born?

[458 words] There’s always a great debate about when Jesus was born, specifically what time of the year (although there is also debate about the year itself). It is at this time of the year that many celebrate His birth, but it is unlikely that He was born during the winter months. Our first clue…

The Home of Jesus

[435 words] The headline reads, “Archaeologists Believe They’ve Unearthed Jesus’s Childhood Home” (Popular Mechanics, December 1, 2020). Professor Ken Dark has been credited with making what has been described as “an astonishing find.” It seems that after 14 years of examining a particular dwelling in modern-day Nazareth, Professor Dark has become convinced that it is…

I Learned Something Today

[456 words] In a Bible study with a man recently, in looking at the Scripture, he told me he learned something he didn’t know. This man is in his eighties, maybe close to ninety. It made me realize again that a person is never too old or too young to learn something from the Bible.…

Three Biblical New Year’s Resolutions

[440 words] It is time again to make New Year’s resolutions. Our lives will be blessed in the coming year as we keep these three biblical resolutions. Lose weight. After eating all those holiday season meals, many people resolve to start the New Year off by losing a few pounds. While losing weight may improve…

Black Friday

[444 words] I have been seeing ads recently for “Black Friday.” This used to be the day after Thanksgiving when retailers lure customers with all kinds of special incentives. Now “Black Friday” comes earlier and lasts longer. People line up to get the special “door buster” savings. They will flock to stores and spend large…

Love or Like?

[449 words] The two words above are confusing to many people. I can love someone but not like certain practices. I can love someone because of the soul which God put in him; but, I may not like their life style or habits. God is a God of love (1 John 4:18), but God does…

Life After Death

[412 words] Job asked, “If a man die, shall he live again” (Job 14:14)? Jesus answered that question when he said, “But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the…

Do You Think About the Roman Empire?

[437 words] I am amused and baffled by what amuses and baffles our culture. Trends rise and fall and what is new today is despised and forgotten tomorrow. A video trend today is to ask men how often they think about the Roman Empire. Apparently, it’s a thing now to be amused at (particularly men)…

A Suggestion for More Effective Prayer

[409 words] I hope the title got your attention. Hopefully, every Christian is concerned about not only having a continual habit of prayer, but also that their prayers be effective. Too many times, we start our prayers “Dear God“ and then start our wish list. But I think it’s important to get the proper perspective…

Don’t Believe Everything You Think

[411 words] I admit a curiosity for bumper stickers. On occasion, one succinctly states a great truth or at least provokes reasonable thought. Once I stopped at a light, and the car in front of mine had the sticker, “Don’t believe everything you think!” The more I thought about it, that statement struck me as…

Now It’s Personal

[432 words] Deion Sanders has worn numerous monikers. Neon Deion. Prime Time. These days he is referred to as Coach Prime. Sanders was undisputedly one of the greatest athletes of his generation as he was a two-sport star in both professional baseball and football. These days he is the head football coach for the University…

There’s Just One More Thing

[405 words] “Oh, there’s just one more thing…” There are few things more frustrating than thinking that everything is understood and then there is an addition to the instructions. In the book of Colossians, Paul is addressing a people who have been told, “you have Christ and that’s great…oh yeah, but there’s one more thing…

Call Upon Him

[464 words] For the longest time people had no opportunity to hear the Word of God like we have opportunity today. Not only did this apply to those not trained in the Scriptures, but this applied to those who were supposed to lead and teach the people in matters pertaining to God. However, in a…

Don’t Kill the Zeal!

[439 words] An older preacher once said to a very energetic and zealous younger preacher, “Slow down boy! You act like you are trying to set the world on fire!” The younger preacher said to the older preacher, “Well, if Jesus returned today, I want to be striking matches!” Of course, the context of the…

The Value of Work

[432 words] Working is a part of God’s plan for man’s fulfillment and happiness. After creating the world and making man of the dust, “the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it” (Gen. 2:15). Paradise was not then nor is now a place of…

What Can You Do to Help?

[443 words] Church growth is not an accident—it’s deliberate. Churches that do not have plans or goals for growth usually do not grow. Having goals are nice, but every member must do their part to achieve these goals. Here are some suggestions for helping the church achieve its goals in attendance and conversions. Identify people.…

We Don’t Study the Bible

[472 words] In a Bible study a few years ago at an assisted living facility, a lady made a startling revelation. She mentioned the name of the group she was associated with; then she said, “We don’t study the Bible.” She then admitted they needed to study it more. When another lady in the class…

A Godly Conduit

[420 words] An electrical conduit is a pathway that delivers electricity safely to an outlet. When electrical wires are not properly passed through a conduit, they carry the potential of being extremely dangerous. The wires need to be protected from fraying and grounding and likewise, we need to be protected from the potential threat of…

I Love the Mountains

[418 words] Although I was born and bred in central Illinois, I love the mountains. I love the thought of them, I love their grandeur, and I love the way they majestically and seemingly endlessly march in procession as far as the eye can see. Maybe there is something about mountains and their connection to…

What is Growing in Your Garden?

[452 words] Change takes time. Peter’s life displays a man who developed spiritually over years with ups and downs. Yet time was not the only factor in Peter’s development. Left to time without proper care and nourishment, stagnation comes, and life that once was present will die out. Peter grew because his lifetime was spent…

Long Enough Arms

[453 words] A group of students from Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee, traveled to the Dominican Republic for a Spring Break mission trip. The group conducted a Vacation Bible School program at a children’s home in Bobita. After their final day of work at the children’s home, team members went to see the ocean. Tragedy…

Expectations of a King

[414 words] On May 6, 2023, the United Kingdom had their first coronation ceremony for a monarch in 70 years. By all accounts, this was an elaborate and fascinating ordeal. Whether you consider yourself to be an Anglophile or not, there is much here to ponder in this special event. • It was estimated that…
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