Fillers Archives - Page 3 of 5

New Year Reminder

[101 words] The New Year always brings to mind new goals, new expectations, new plans, and fresh starts. As we enter into this year, remember the greatest of these never change! Our greatest goal is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:29-30). Our greatest expectation is…

The Maid of the Mist

[108 words] A cartoon from the past shows a boy standing in the very front of the boat called The Maid of the Mist. This boat carries sightseers so close to Niagara Falls that they must wear rain gear to keep from being drenched by the spray. Wearing his raincoat and hat, the boy stood…

Top Traits of Successful Families

[53 words] According to a study of more than 500 family counselors, the following are the top traits of successful families: • Communicating and listening• Affirming and supporting family members• Respecting one another• Developing a sense of trust• Sharing time and responsibility• Knowing right from wrong• Having rituals and traditions• Sharing a religious core• Respecting…

Alcohol in the USA

[86 words] Alcohol costs $239 billion dollars more a year than its taxes bring in. Each year, it is involved in the following:40 percent of the homicides.25 percent of suicides. Suicide is 120 times more prevalent in alcoholics.28 percent of all traffic-related deaths.50 percent of all liver-related deaths.5.9 percent of all global deaths.35 percent of…

Because of Sin

[78 words] Our Lord arrived at the Garden with darkness in full array, He poured out His heart to the Father, as He fell on His face to pray.He was carrying a heavy burden, And from it He must not run. With love He promised faithfullynot My will, but Yours be done.The cup of the…

To Die is Gain

[61 words] If for me to live is money — then to die is loss.If for me to live is self — then to die is loss.If for me to live is ambition — then to die is loss.If for me to live is sin — then to die is loss.But if for me to…

He Had No Servants

[63 words] Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master.He had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher.He had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer.He had no army, yet kings feared Him.He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world.He committed no crime, but they crucified Him.He was buried in a tomb,…

What is Sin?

[38 words] • Sin is a violation of the conscience (Romans 14:23).• Sin is knowing to do good, and not doing it (James 4:17).• Sin is breaking God’s law (1 John 3:4).• Sin is unrighteousness (failing to keep God’s commands) (1 John 5:17). House to House, Heart to HeartVol. 26, No. 3…

History in Genesis

[39 words] Out of the 4,100 years of recorded history in the Bible, over one-half of it (2,286 years) is recorded in the book of Genesis. About 2,000 years of that is covered in the first 11 chapters of Genesis. BulletinDigest.com…

Teach Me to Obey

[48 words] I do not ask to understandThe way Thou leadest me,But this I ask: Teach me to doThe thing that pleases Thee.I want to know Thy guiding voice,To walk with Thee each day.Dear Master make me swift to hearAnd ready to obey.…

God Cares

[73 words] God cares!How sweet the strain!My aching heart and weary brainAre rested by the sweet refrain,—He cares, our Father cares! God cares!Oh, sing the songIn lonely spot, amid the throng;’Twill make the way less hard and long,—He cares, our Father cares! God cares!The words so sweetMy lips and life shall e’er repeat,My burdens all…

Not I

[36 words] Not I, but ChristBe honored, loved, exalted;Not I, but ChristBe seen, be known, be heard;Not I, but ChristIn every look and action;Not I, but ChristIn every thought and word. Anonymous…

Everything We Need

[52 words] God doesn’t give us everything we want, but every good thing we need He provides. And so it alway will be. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17). BulletinDigest.com…

Truth About Character

[81 words] It has been said that a man’s character is like a fence. It cannot be strengthened by whitewash. That is why Jesus told the religious elite of His day that they were like “whitewashed tombs” (Matt. 23:27). They looked good on the outside, but were full of death and decay on the inside.…

Preach the Word, Church!

[66 words] Jesus tells us that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father but by Him (John 14:6). How does the world learn about Jesus? Through the truth of God’s word (John 8:32; 17:17). Who is going to take it to the world? The church (Ephesians…

Purity of Heart

[45 words] Blest are the pure in heart,For they shall see our God;The secret of the Lord is theirs;Their soul is His abode.Still to the lowly soulHe doth Himself impart,And for His service and His throneSelects the pure in heart. John Keble1792-1866…

Never Too Old!

[55 words] When the famous French painter Henri Matisse was in his 80’s, he could no longer sit up to paint on a canvas, so he attached a brush to a long stick and painted while lying in bed. Christians, we should never let age nor challenges stop us from serving the Lord (Gal. 6:9)!…

My Prayer

[49 words] My life must touch a million lives in some way ere I goFrom this dear world of struggle to the land I do not know.So this wish I always wish, the prayer I ever pray:Let my life help the other lives it touches by the way! Author UnknownBulletinDigest.com…

What is Love?

[33 words] It is silence when your words would hurt,Patience when your neighbor is curt,Deafness when the scandal flows,Thoughtfulness for another’s woes,Promptness when stern duty calls, and,Courage when misfortune falls. Selected…

Life

[42 words] Forenoon and afternoon and night,—And day is gone,—So short a span of time there is‘Twixt dawn and evensong. Youth,—Middle life,—Old age,—And life is past,—So live each day that God shall say,“Well done!” at last. Edward Rowland Sill1841-1887…

Enough

[69 words] He that is down needs fear no fall,He that is low, no pride;He that is humble ever shallHave God to be his guide. I am content with that I have,Little be it or much;And Lord, contentment still I crave,Because thou safest such. Fullness to such a burden isThat go on pilgrimage;Here little, and…

It’s All About the Lord

[49 words] The Lord’s people,having been baptized with the Lord’s baptism,cleansed with the Lord’s blood,and added to the Lord’s body,gather around the Lord’s table,in the Lord’s name,upon the Lord’s day,to remember the Lord’s death and resurrection,until the Lord comes. Are you the Lord’s? Edd SterchiBroadway church of ChristCampbellsville, KY…

All Needs Met

[46 words] Grace that never can be toldFlows for Jesus’ sake;No good thing does He withhold,Have we faith to take.Rise, my soul, begin to liveFree to ask as He to give.Why so poor?A boundless storeWaits the asking;—want no more. J.H. Sammis1846-1919…

Bible Study is Hard Work

[74 words] Most of us want our Bibles to give us simple black-and-white bumper sticker quotes, often because we don’t want to do the hard work of living with the Bible and letting God shape us in an ongoing engagement with these powerful words. Study the Bible! “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God,…

Trying to Spell God

[86 words] Poet Edwin Anderson Robinson once wrote, “The world is not a prison house but a kind of kindergarten, where millions of bewildered infants are trying to spell God with the wrong blocks.” That may be true of people who don’t look to the Bible for the “right blocks,” but those who trust God’s…

What the Lord is to Me (from the Psalms)

[120 words] The LORD is my rock and my fortress (Psa. 18:2). He is my solid foundation and will never let me down. The LORD is my shepherd (Psa. 23:1). He is my provider and guide through life. The LORD is my light (Psa. 27:1). He is my revealer of all truth. The LORD is…

Love the Unknown?

[111 words] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. These are exhortations from Proverbs. In addition to that, he who loves instructions loves knowledge (Prov. 12:1). What this translates to is this: he who loves the Lord will take time to know the Lord, learn from His will and apply…

A Christian Pledge of Allegiance

[33 words] I pledge allegiance to the Fatherof the united saints of the kingdom,and to the Redeemerby Whom we stand,one Body, unified in Spirit,indivisible,with liberty and charity for all Author Unknown…

The Time to Trust

[27 words] When nothing whereon to lean remains,When strongholds crumble to dust;When nothing is sure but that God still reigns,That is just the time to trust.…

Special Times

[72 words] There are times when we let favors go unmentioned.When we leave a warm and loving word unsaid,There are times when we forget our kind intentions,When we’re wrapped up in our private world instead– But though we often fail to show our feelings,We hope the ones we love will somehow know–And that’s why there…

Take Time

[100 words] Take time to laughIt is the music of the soul.Take time to thinkIt is the source of power.Take time to playIt is the source of perpetual youth.Take time to readIt is the fountain of wisdom.Take time to prayIt is the greatest power on earth.Take time to love and be lovedIt is a God-given…

The Unerring Guide

[71 words] I have a proved, unerring Guide,Whose love I’m loth to grieve;He brings me golden promisesMy heart can scare receive;He leaders me, and hope and cheerDoth for my path provide,For dreary nights and days of drought:Have you not so sure a Guide?Quench not the faintest whisperThat the heavenly dove may bring;He seeks with holy…

Teach Me to Obey

Consider

[90 words] ConsiderThe lilies of the field whose bloom is brief:— We are as they; Like them we fade away,As doth a leaf. ConsiderThe sparrows of the air of small account: Our God doth viewWhether they fall or mount,— He guards us too. ConsiderThe lilies that do neither spin nor toil, Yet are most fair:— What profits all this careAnd all…

Beauty and Substance

[87 words] Beauty is skin deep, but it does not even exist at skin level when a woman of beauty fails to understand her role in the Lord’s eyes. She is like a ring of gold in the snout of a pig because she lacks discretion (cf. Prov. 11:22). What does “discretion” mean in this…

Have You Stumbled?

[78 words] Stumbling is considered a bad omen in many countries. When Napoleon’s horse stumbled as he led his army to attack Russia in 1812 many of the French soldiers thought they should immediately turn back. Napoleon continued the advance, but it turned out his soldiers were right. When it comes to faith, stumbling is…

Thieves of Time

[28 words] Dwelling on past mistakes…Failing to make decisions…Failing to follow through on plans…Procrastinating…Laziness…Not sticking to the task at hand…Doubting God’s ability to help……

It’s All About the Lord

Self Improvement Requires a Better Model

[45 words] Regarding improvement, Oliver Goldsmith once said, “People seldom improve when they have no other model but themselves to copy after.” How true! That’s why God gave us the perfect model to follow (Rom. 8:29) instead of the example of the world (Rom. 12:2). BulletinDigest.com…

HEAVEN is a place of…

[6 words] HealingEternityAbundanceVictoryExcellenceNewness Edd Sterchi…

That’s a Lot of Veins

[41 words] If the human circulatory system of veins, arteries, and capillaries were laid out flat it would stretch over 100,000 miles. That would circle the earth four times! Indeed, we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) by God the Creator! BulletinDigest.com…

Eating Poison

[57 words] Late in the 19th century, some people who were worried about freckles, blackheads, and other maladies ate Dr. James P. Campbell’s Safe Arsenic Complexion Wafers. Imagine eating poison to cure some ailment! Yet many people consume false doctrines every day that claim to “cure,” such as the so-called “sinner’s prayer,” which is nowhere…

Followers of Christ

[42 words] First Thessalonians 1:6-8 demonstrates three qualities of the Thessalonian Christians as they “became followers of Christ.” They EMBRACED the word of God (1:6), they became EXAMPLES to other believers (1:7), and they were active in EVANGELISM (1:8). BulletinDigest.com…

A Congregation Grows When…

[98 words] Each member has a deep concern for the lost.Each member enters into the worship service with much feeling and enthusiasm.Each member is interested in an aggressive Bible School program.Each teacher is interested in improving his or her teaching ability.Each elder and deacon is dedicated to the work.Each member is personally involved in the…

What Is Love?

[41 words] It is silence—when your words would hurt.It is patience—when your neighbor’s curt.It is deafness—when a scandal flows.It is thoughtfulness—for other’s woes.It is promptness—when stern duty calls.It is courage—when misfortune falls. BulletinDigest.com…

Peace from Pain

[53 words] When days are rough, and times seem tough,And we’re ‘neath much stress and strain;Just trust the Lord, and heed His WordAnd He’ll bring peace from the pain. Peace from pain we will gain,He has promised, and will bring;He will employ eternal joyAnd peace from pain will spring. Edd SterchiBroadway church of Christ…

A Grain of Wheat

[80 words] Except a grain of wheat should die,It remains alone, a single grain,Except we put our Self to death,We cannot our Lord’s harvest gain. He lived, He loved, Gave All for us,So planted He His “Grain of Corn,”For Him, for us the harvest comes,For death has died and Life is born. Jesus urges us…

How Gentle God’s Commands

[82 words] How gentle God’s commands!How kind his precepts are!Come, cast your burdens on the LordAnd trust his constant care. Beneath his watchful eye,His Saints securely dwell;That hand which bears all nature upShall guard his children well. Why should this anxious loadPress down your weary mind?Haste to your Heav’nly Father’s throneAnd sweet refreshment find. His…

Ten Ways to Love

[70 words] 1. Listen without interrupting (Proverbs 18).2. Speak without accusing (James 1:19).3. Give without sparing (Proverbs 21:26).4. Pray without ceasing (Colossians 1:9).5. Answer without arguing (Proverbs 17:1).6. Share without pretending (Ephesians 4:15).7. Enjoy without complaining (Philippians 2:14).8. Trust without wavering (1 Corinthians 13:7).9. Forgive without punishing (Colossians 3:13).10. Promise without forgetting (Proverbs 13:12). BulletinDigest.com…

A Step Too Late

[43 words] Elisha Gray was almost known as the father of the telephone, but Alexander Graham Bell beat him to the patent office by just a few hours! As Christians, what a reminder to run our race to obtain the prize (1 Cor. 9:24)! BulletinDigest.com…

Longest Book in the Bible?

[32 words] Psalms is often said to be the longest book in the Bible due to having the largest number of verses. But when Hebrew words are counted, Jeremiah comes in as the lengthiest! BulletinDigest.com…

The Yielded Life

[87 words] What is a Yielded Life?’Tis one at God’s command,For Him to mold, to form, to use,Or to do with it as He may choose,Resistless in His hand. What is a Yielded Life?A life whose only will,When into blest subjection brought—In every deed and aim and thought,Seeks just to do His will. What is…

Get Going!!!

[79 words] “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matt. 28:18)“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Go – with any means that you’ve gotGo – by any way that you canGo – with any medium you oughtGo – to every woman and man Go…

God the Omniscient

[70 words] There is an Eye that never sleepsBeneath the wing of night;There is an Ear that never shutsWhen sink the beams of light. There is an Arm that never tiresWhen human strength gives way;There is a Love that never failsWhen earthly loves decay. That Eye unseen o’erwatcheth all;That Arm upholds the sky;That Ear doth…

Through the Maze

[46 words] He leads us onThrough all the unquiet years;Past all our dreamland hopes, and doubts, and fearsHe guides our steps. Through all the tangled mazeOf sin, of sorrow, and o’erclouded daysWe know His will is done,And still He leads us on. Anonymous…

Mother’s Day is Remembrance Day

[92 words] We pause on the path of the yearTo pay honor and worshipful tributeTo the Mother our heart holds dear…For, whether here or in heaven,Her love is our haven and guide,For always the memory of MotherIs a beacon light shining inside…Time cannot destroy her memoryAnd years can never eraseThe tenderness and the beautyOf the…

Appreciating Mother

[66 words] Not until I became a mother did I understand how much my mother had sacrificed for me. Not until I became a mother did I feel how hurt my mother was when I disobeyed. Not until I became a mother did I know how proud my mother was when I achieved.Not until I…

A Proverb to Ponder

[136 words] Now, not all our attenders are members, and not all our members are attenders, but if all our attenders were members, and all our members were attenders… THEN…we’d have more trouble menders, more gospel defenders and more true soul winners! BUT…we’d have fewer people offenders, fewer spiritual hinderers and fewer religious…

Marriage Means Being In Love for Life

[96 words] Marriage is love walking hand in hand together. It’s laughing with each other about silly little things, and learning to discuss big things with care and tenderness. In marriage, love is trusting each other when you’re apart. It’s getting over disappointments and hurts, knowing that these are present in all relationships. It’s the…

Tell Me Again How Great I Am

[72 words] Movie star Joan Crawford is said to have hired an assistant to stay by her side on movie sets to whisper compliments in her ear between takes. It is clear that the human desire for self-glorification is never-ending! However, by both word and deed, Jesus the Christ encourages us to deny ourselves, take…

Never Too Late

[59 words] American folk artist Anna Mary Robertson Moses (better known as Grandma Moses) began painting at the age of 78. She completed more than one thousand oil paintings depicting farm life and the rural countryside she knew so well. What a great lesson! It is never too late to start a new venture, especially…

The World is Hard to Please

[45 words] Once while traveling, movie star Charlie Chaplin came across a Chaplin look-a-like competition. On a whim he decided to enter, and came in third. Just goes to show you that even when you are doing everything right, the world is hard to please! BulletinDigest.com…

Going Down with the Ship

[95 words] One of the most extraordinary acts of heroism occurred on February 3, 1943. The U.S.S. Dorchester was hit by a German torpedo and began to sink in the frigid waters off Greenland. When it became clear that there were not enough life jackets to go around, four United States Army chaplains on board…

How Fragile is Life!

[58 words] Newly-elected U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt almost lost his life on February 15, 1933. Fortunately for Roosevelt a spectator altered the gunman’s aim. However, the by-standing Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak, the bullet struck and killed him instead. the Bible’s reminder that life is like a vapor ever proves true (James 4:14; Psa. 39:5).…

When It Seems All Is Lost

[73 words] When it seems all is lost…remember that the Creator sees us (Job 34:21; Psalm 33:13-15; Heb. 4:13). When it seems all is lost…remember that this world is not all that there is (Job 1:6; 2:1; 16:19; Rev. 21:3-4; Matt. 25:46). When it seems all is lost…remember that our Redeemer lives (Job 19:25; Heb.…

Contentment, Not Accomplishment

[51 words] “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). This has to do with our ability to be content in all things, regardless of circumstances, not about our ability to accomplish all the things we set out to do. The verse is about contentment, not about accomplishment. Dwight FuquaFindlay …

What Can We Do to Prevent Apostasy?

[143 words] We need to appoint and support faithful elders who will properly oversee the flock (Acts 20:28-32). We need to be busy now training other leaders to take their place. Consider Joshua’s training and the influence it wielded (Joshua 24:31). We need to learn again proper respect for the Word of God (Psalm 119:9-16).…

Delight

[127 words] To “delight” in something is to experience great pleasure. It is to be pleased by someone or something. Scripture tells us that God delights in His Son (cf. Isa. 42:1; Matt. 3:17). In like fashion, we should too! Knowing and following the Son of God, Jesus the Christ, should delight those of us…

Please Pass the Bread

[85 words] According to the Bible: • Consuming bread is for nourishment (2 Cor. 9:10) • Receiving bread with the right attitude brings satisfaction (Pro. 20:13) • Enjoying bread lifts one’s spirit (Psa. 104:15) • Dealing with bread is a daily endeavor (Matt. 6:11) • Breaking bread indicates fellowship (Acts 2:42, 46) • Sharing bread…

Without

[121 words] Without Jesus as the FOUNDATION, the structure of righteousness is built on sand. Without the TEACHINGS of the NEW TESTAMENT, the body of Christ has no guide to direct in a dark world. Without BIBLICAL LEADERSHIP properly in place, the body of Christ is no longer, each member going his own way, doing…

That Little Extra

[143 words] At 211 degrees water is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils. And with boiling comes steam. Steam when channeled correctly can re-move stains, kill weeds, disinfects, and can even power an engine. One degree makes all the difference. In the Bible Jesus states, (Mat 5:40-41), “If someone wants to sue you in order…

The Endurance Test

[68 words] 1. “He that endureth to the end shall be saved.” (Matthew 10:22) 2. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9) 3. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that…

“Listen” to the Sky

[64 words] Each and every shining starTestifies from vast afarAll the planets do agreeThe moon joins in with unityThe marching clouds e’er proclaimAs does the sun with heat and flameThe brilliant sky and all beyondShouts “it’s through God that we spawned” “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork”…

Home Without A Bible

[68 words] What is home without a Bible?Tis a home where day is night.Starless night, for over life’s pathwayHeaven can shed no kindly light. What is home without a Bible?Tis a home where daily breadFor the body is provided,But the soul is never fed. What is home without a Bible?Tis a family out at sea,Compass…

I Miss You Mom

[66 words] I thought of you with love today,but that is nothing new.I thought about you yesterday,and days before that too.I think of you in silence,I often speak your name.All I have are memories,and your picture in a frame.Your memory is my keepsake,with which I’ll never part.God has you in his keeping,I have you in…

Seven Negative Effects of Missing Worship Services

[58 words] 1. Worship becomes less edifying for everyone. 2. Church leaders become discouraged. 3. You lose touch with congregational life. 4. The church is robbed of the resources it needs. 5. Another learning and growth opportunity is wasted. 6. Your conscience becomes more calloused with each missed service. 7. You teach by your example…

Nothing Can Stop Jesus

[56 words] • History could not forget Him.• Temptation could not distract Him.• Circumstances could not deter Him.• His enemies could not prevent Him.• Death could not contain Him.• Satan could not defeat Him.• Modern thinking cannot cancel Him.• And when it comes time for Jesus to come again, nothing will be able to stop…

Just Trust

[30 words] To help your hopesFrom turning to dust,To aid your plansFrom gathering rust,To keep your dreams, From going bust,The simple plan is:You just must trust. Edd SterchiBroadway church of ChristCampbellsville, KY…

The Preacher’s Wife

[140 words] She heard all his stories andlaughed at all his jokes. She listened to every sermonWhich he ever spoke. She took care of their children All alone in the pew.As she listened to her husband Proclaim the good news. She saw him in tears as on his knees he did pray,For those that were…

The Pursuit of Happiness

[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 satisfiedAnd my heart is happy and fortified.…

Be Strong!

[86 words] Be strong! We are not here to play, to dream, to drift: We have hard work to do and loads to lift; Shun not the struggle: face it ‘tis God’s gift. Be strong! Say not the days are evil who’s to blame? And fold the hands and acquiesce O shame! Stand up, speak…

I Long to Meet My Father

[74 words] As I gaze up to the skiesMy mind begins to wanderTo live with Him and dear onesI long to meet My Father Through blessings or trialsThat shall come my wayI long to meet My FatherMy love for Him will stay When I see the woe of the worldAnd all the pain it does…

With All Your Mind

[125 words] Jesus said, “The great and first commandment:” “you shall love the Lord your God with all your…mind” (Matthew 22:37). The current spiritual battle is not fought with carnal weapons (swords, guns, bombs), but with ideas from the word of God. “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have…

A Teacher Come from God

[132 words] Scripture pictures Jesus as a Teacher come from God. Scripture says, “There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these…

Racism is a Sin

[111 words] Racism is a terrible sin. The KJV calls it “respect of persons.” Every translation calls it “sin” (James 2:9). We are no to distinguish by race or nationality (Acts 10:24) or by dress or wealth (James 2:1-9) or by social or economic status (Ephesians 6:9). Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed of a time…

Are You a Hero of Patience?

[150 words] Everyone loves a hero! We marvel at the mighty deeds of brave folks around us, and we wonder what it would take to be just like them. Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “A man is a hero, not because he is braver than anyone else, but because he is brave for ten minutes…

Our Spiritual Beauty

[144 words] A city dweller was being driven by a rancher over a blistering and almost barren stretch of desert when a large brightly-colored bird scurried across the road in front of them. The visitor asked what it was. “That’s a bird of paradise,” said the rancher. “Pretty long way from home, isn’t he!” remarked…

Heart Changes

[129 words] If people are to become like Jesus there must be heart changes. The result of these changes of heart will be changes in our behavior. The heart change is what gives room for God to work in our life. Realizing certain truths helps us to change our heart. We must learn from our…

The Danger of Desensitization

[117 words] It’s a real danger for Christians to become so desensitized by the entertainment we consume or the causes we support that we revert back to talking as if we never were born again. Maybe some rationalize their crude language, saying, “I only say these words when I’m really upset;” “But the cause is…

Singular or Plural?

[96 words] We often sing about “the golden streets” in heaven, but the Bible only mentions one street, “The street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass” (Rev. 21:21). The last book of the Bible is not “Revelations.” There is one “Revelation,” “the Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:1). The Bible says, “But…

It’s Not All Summer

[145 words] At the time of the hottest, most humid part of the summer months, the ancient Greeks and Romans saw the appearance of the “Dog Star” Sirius, the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (Large Dog). Thus, they called them the “Dog Days of Summer” and knew that summer’s time was limited and…

What to Do with Evil

[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)…

God, Time, and Promises

[136 words] God dwells in eternity and time means nothing to Him (2 Peter 3:8). However, His word and His promises mean everything to Him. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to…

It’s All Up to Me

[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…

Begone, Unbelief

[32 words] Begone, unbelief,My Savior is near,And for my reliefWill surely appear;By prayer let me wrestle,And He will perform;With Christ in the vessel,I smile at the storm. John Newton1725-1807…

Lockdown Lament

[60 words] Alone and then, lonely – two different words,So alike and yet standing apart;One speaks of location, of not “being there,”The other, of bruising the heart. We may be at distance while we are confined,Unable to share the same space;Though love remains still and our hearts remain joined,How we ache for that sweet face…

The Cure for All Ills

[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 natureHarms body, mind, and spiritAnd no man…

Say It Now!

[100 words] I would rather have one little roseFrom the garden of a friend,Than to have the choicest flowersWhen my stay on earth must end. I would rather have a pleasant wordIn kindness said to me,Than flattery when my heart is still,And life has ceased to be. I would rather have a loving smileFrom friends…

Without Restraint

[90 words] Near the end of the book of Hosea, the prophet delivers a message from God that relates to the time of the Messiah’s kingdom. That means it is a message for members of the church of the Lord. That’s you and me. Here’s the message: “I will heal their apostasy. I will love…

How Should One Read The Bible?

[95 words] We should read carefully, remembering that it is the inspired Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).To read candidly with an open mind, free from prejudice (Acts 17:11) is essential to understanding the Bible.Constant readers we must be. Plan our time with the “book” and do not let other things interfere…

+ More