[408 words] What New Year’s resolutions have you made? Most will have made ones that were designed to make their lives or the lives around them better. Such resolutions may include: losing weight, stopping a bad habit, exercising more, becoming more organized, or...
[92 words] When I lay my head at the end of the dayHaving pursued self and selfish playMy mind is restless and preoccupiedAnd my heart’s uneasy and ungratified. When I rest my head at the end of the dayHaving helped another push burdens awayMy mind is content and...
[370 words] In John 4, Jesus makes the decision to go from Judea to Galilee (v.3). Samaria lay between the two. John 4:4 states, “But He needed to go through Samaria” (v.4). Most of us well know that the Jews and the Samaritans were bitter enemies. In fact, many Jews...
[394 words] In Rom. 5:21, Paul states that eternal life is through “Jesus Christ our Lord.” That threefold name of our Savior is an interesting progression that we must go through to truly have salvation in Him. Jesus. Jesus was His given name. Although it means...
[126 words] When Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica, he opened his letter with these words: “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in...
[381 words] Webster’s dictionary defines calamity as: “a disastrous event marked by great loss and lasting distress and suffering.” Without a doubt 2020 could be deemed the year of calamities. When pandemics, hurricanes, or wildfires hit, the question is asked by...
[185 words] If a Christian were a tree, what should it look like? It would have roots that grow downward. Roots help with strength and stability. Roots also bring nutrients to the tree. Deeply rooted in the Scriptures the Christian can stand strong. It would be...
[309 words] I have given a lot of thought on how to describe God’s grace, and I have come up with the following: Grace is like a tree. Now, stay with me on this: Only God can make a tree. As we know from the famous poem, only God can make a tree and only God can give...
[444 words] “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). I was reading this passage the other day, and a...
[52 words] • Hate evil (Rom. 12:9) • Pray that evil not overtake you (Matt. 6:13) • Keep your heart from evil (Heb. 3:12) • Resist evil (1 Thess. 5:22) • Do not walk in the way of evil (Pro . 4:14) • Depart from evil (Psa. 34:14) • Overcome evil with good (Rom. 12:21)...
[213 words] Roots are a very important part of plants - they bring up nutrients from the soil and help to support the plant. In the Bible we can see human lives compared to roots (both bad and good). Some are… ...Dried up roots because of wickedness and evil deeds...
[38 words] I cannot change othersBut I can change meI must learn to focusBeing the best I can be When I change my outlookAnd improve through and throughAmazingly I findThat others get better too Edd SterchiBroadway church of ChristCampbellsville, KY
[148 words] I recently found an interesting quote from Robert Byrne. It is this: “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” Many people live their lives without purpose and most of them are quite frustrated and dissatisfied. But for those who find a life purpose that...
[388 words] We just love getting gifts, don’t we? How wonderful it is having someone think of us and spend time and resources to get us something special. It lets us know that we are loved. And, of course, we should be most thankful for the love and gift God has given...
[405 words] Of all the seasons, I think I enjoy watching springtime come more than any of the others. After the long slumber of gloomy winter, it’s so wonderful seeing the earth awaken with the grass greening, trees budding, flowers blooming, busy birds flitting...
[115 words] As I progress through my life,more clearly do I see,it is not what I gather, Lord,but what I give to Thee. I give to Thee by pouring out,my body, heart, and soul,in glory and devotion,trusting Thee to make me whole. I give to Thee by kindly helping,all...
[310 words] In part of John’s glimpse of heaven, he saw four living creatures who did not rest from praising God saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come” (Rev. 4:8). In this saying of honor, three great attributes of God are given....
[169 words] In Rom. 1:14-16, Paul not only gives the importance of the gospel, but what our relationship should be with it. It is seen in the three “I am” statements. Concerning the Gospel… We Need to Realize Our Obligation (“I am a debtor both to Greeks and to...
[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...
[115 words] The road is long, the rocks are large,But we needn’t go ‘round them all,For if we muscle, and keep on moving,We’ll gain more strength for the haul. The road is tough, the rocks are many,But they needn’t cause us to slip,For if we’re careful where we...
[97 words] You may have the best of doctorsWho can treat the best of menBut there’s an ill he cannot cureIt’s the ravages of sin For sickness and diseasesCan take a mighty tollBut their dark and gloomy fingersCannot reach or touch the soul But sin, with its ugly...
[458 words] A very interesting word occurs in a familiar Bible passage that helps us to understand something of our Christian lives upon the earth. The passage is Heb. 12:1-2 and the word translated “race.” “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a...
[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...
[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:...
[302 words] The kingdom of Christ has the following positions available for immediate employment: Ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20) - Must be willing to represent Christ honestly, honorably, and faithfully. Bakers (Matt. 13:33) - Must be able to add leavening properly....
[363 words] Christianity is all about our relationship with Jesus. He died for us and we are to live for Him. Upon obeying the gospel, we gain a lot of “prepositional aspects” having to do with ourselves and Jesus: we are in Him, with Him, and for Him. But there is...
[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...
[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...
[142 words] The word “gospel” means “good news.” It has well been said that the gospel is the good news about Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1-4). And while that is true, the gospel is so much more. Because of the resurrection of Jesus, His triumph...
[519 words] In the account of the crossing of the Red Sea in the Exodus of the Israelites, we can learn some important things about God and His people. As the Egyptians were in hot pursuit and the Israelites’ fears are growing, God said to Moses, “Why do you cry to...
[172 words] In the first 5 verses of Psalm 63, David gives some great advice on how to make worship meaningful: “O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water” (v.1) -...
[105 words] He Gave Up Heaven’s Glory.He Gave Up Earthly Riches.He Gave Up His Human Will.He Gave Up His Life. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of...
[543 words] There are weeds dying at my house (in fact, many are already dead). I know because I had a big part in killing them. As I was in the process of spraying them with a certain herbicide, an interesting analogy came to mind--I was actually playing Satan....
[137 words] Godly zeal utilizes talents and builds up the church (1 Corinthians 14:12, “...since you are zealous for...gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.”) Godly zeal gets others excited for the Lord (2 Corinthians 9:2, “...your...
[63 words] Always making today my best day - Psa. 118:24 Taking pride in a job well done - Phil. 1:27 Treating others with respect - Eph. 4:32 Implementing positive thoughts - Phil. 4:8 Turning tasks into opportunities - Eph. 5:15-16 Utilizing my talents always -...
[192 words] It was Paul’s wish for all Christians “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Eph. 3:17). The word “dwell” in this verse brings forth a powerful concept concerning our relationship with Christ. According to Robertson’s New Testament Word...
[179 words] Seed planting time is upon us. The gardener/farmer knows the importance of planting the right seeds at the right time. For the Christian, planting the right seeds makes all the difference, as well. I found a list of what we reap if we plant certain things...
[112 words] ...Exalts God (Eph. 3:21). The church is a place of heartfelt praise of its Architect. ...Evangelizes the Lost (Matt 28:19-20). The church is a place where the truth of the gospel is presented to all. ...Edifies its Members (Eph. 4:16). The church is a...
[381 words] During a time of David’s kingship, Absalom, his son, plotted a revolt against the throne. In a short time, Absalom gathered quite a force, and David decided to flee Jerusalem. Absalom and his army hotly pursued him. No doubt this was a distressing time for...
[352 words] I went home for lunch the other day and had a sandwich and leftover potato soup, and let me tell you that soup tasted really good! Now, normally I do not mind leftovers, but it is rare for me to rave about them. I'm sure you’re wondering what it was that...
[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...
[182 words] What would happen if you consumed meals that consisted only of candy? While it might be very tasty, it would not be nutritious at all. And while you might make it fine for a while, eventually your body would fail you because it did not receive the...
[442 words] When we think of the great apostle Paul, we think of a rugged warrior for Christ – a courageous, daring, fearless man who laughed in the face of danger. After all, he was the man who got up and walked back into the town where folks had stoned him, drug him...
[422 words] I recently read a Bible Q&A article written by a denominational preacher. In it he was asked, "Can you go to heaven if you 'trust' Jesus as your Lord and Savior but you are not yet baptized?" He began his answer by saying: "Yes. Baptism has nothing to...
[423 words] If you have ever went to the doctor for a checkup and had a blood test done, likely you received a report that showed many results. Now, I remember from science class many moons ago that the blood delivers nutrients and oxygen to the body's cells. But our...
[513 words] June is definitely the month for weddings, and this past June I presided over two weddings and attended another one. Weddings are stressful, but exciting times. It’s very moving to witness the joining of the lives of a man and a woman in holy matrimony. It...
[95 words] Please check your closet for a pair of shoes that a person I know needs. They are not that picky, so any old pair will do. This person has a heart for the Lord and wants to use these shoes to spread the good news about Jesus Christ. What a wonderful thing...
[59 words] Barnabas - “he was glad and encouraged them all” (Acts 11:23) Silas - “encouraged and strengthened the brothers” (Acts 15:32) Paul - “encouraged them with many words” (Acts 20:2) Tychicus - “that he may encourage your hearts” (Col. 4:8) Timothy -...
[376 words] Thirty years ago, on a Sunday morning, I was in a 15-passenger van with a deacon of the local congregation picking up kids to bring them to Bible study. I remember it as if it were yesterday. The van was packed to the gills with children, and my job was...
[311 words] When young Samuel was with Eli training to be the Lord's servant, the famous inc ident of the Lord speaking to him occurred in 1 Samuel 3:1-18. Immediately after that, these words are in the holy text, "So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let...