Repentance

No Cheap Repentance

[423 words] Sin has a cost. That’s a concept we should be careful not to forget. If we do committing sin becomes much less of a big deal. (At least in our own minds). I think this is a reason why Israel’s law commanded a thief to give back more than he stole. Think about…

A Walk Down Memory Lane

[303 words] Bill drove into his hometown for one more chore. His mother’s funeral had been a month earlier. His dad had passed away two years ago. Today, he had to sign final papers to sell his childhood home. He arrived in town a little early, so he decided to take one last look at…

You Are Not Fooling Anyone

[198 words] Little Johnny’s teacher asked him to stay after class. She confronted him, “Johnny, I know that you cheated off Suzie on yesterday test.” Johnny snapped back, “What makes you think I cheated!” She remarked, “Well, one the first question who was the first president, Suzie put George Washington and so did you.” Johnny…

What Should We Do About Sin?

[485 words] If you, as a Christian, know for a fact that your brother or sister is living in sin, what are you to do? Depending on the sin, you might say. If it is a private matter, Matthew 18:15 and following give the prescription for the matter. If the brother or sister refuse to…

Dialogue

[116 words] Skeptic: “If there is a good, all-powerful God, why doesn’t he end all the evil, violence, wickedness and suffering in the world?” Christian: “He will. When Christ comes again he will judge the world in righteousness, punish all evil doers and bless and reward the faithful.” Skeptic: “What is he waiting for? Why…

That’s Disgusting!

[317 words] Stephen doesn’t feel disgust. Ever. After years of attempting to find a reason for his lack of ability to feel emotions, Stephen’s doctors finally diagnosed him with a little-known condition called alexithymia. People who fit into this category are unable to feel excitement, shame, disgust, anticipation, or even love. One might think that…

Lessons From The Lost Coin

[309 words] Luke 15:1-2 sets up the three parables Jesus is using to teach His lessons. The “tax collectors and sinners” were drawn to the uplifting message of Jesus! These groups wanted an alternative to the ugliness found in their lives while having no sense of hope and direction. Luke 15:8-10 says, “Or what woman,…

Let’s Not ‘Agent 86’ It

[351 words] If any of the younger generation is reading this, they are probably thinking, “Has Bill David lost what little mind he has?” while those of my generation are thinking, “Maxwell Smart?” One of Maxwell Smart’s favorite lines was, “I missed it by that much.” Whenever he would utter those words, all of us…

When Band-Aids Are Not Enough

[231 words] Every medicine cabinet should have a supply of Band-Aids of various sizes. They are excellent for keeping small cuts and scrapes clean and making “boo-boo’s” feel better. However, Band-Aids are inadequate treatments for cancerous tumors, broken femurs, or blocked arteries. This insight is true in our personal lives as well. A smile and…

The Lure of Egypt’s Leeks

[228 words] “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son” (Hosea 11:1). It was in Egypt that the Israelites groaned in their slavery. It was to Egypt that many of the rescued Israelites wanted to return while tired of wandering in the desert. It was to Egypt…

Will You Open the Door?

[529 words] William Holman Hunt was an English painter from the late 19th century. He was a very religious man and spent much of his talent for painting directed toward religious subjects. In 1854, he completed another religious work. The painting was titled “Light of the World.” The title for the painting comes from the…

Have I Waited Too Long?

[368 words] Tuesday morning I went to get the oil changed in my car because it was long past due. So I finally woke up early one morning and drove to Wal-Mart to have them take care of it. As I sat and watched the men prepare to work I noticed one of them shaking…

Sackcloth and Ashes

  [513 words] Did you ever wear a starchy feedsack shirt? (I mean a real one, not the store-bought kind you see now-a-days.) Scratchy, ain’t they? Can’t you just imagine one made out of towsack? (Grass-sack, for some of us.) Well, wearing sackcloth had a special meaning at one time.  King Ahab, stirred by Jezebel,…

The Hardest Words to Say

  [187 words] I must have been sick on the day they taught phonics in school. If I don’t recognize a word by sight, I can find some amazing ways to mispronounce it. I cringe when I have to use certain words because no matter how much I practice, I’m not sure how it will…

Sin

  [454 words] We’ve all heard the story of the preacher who was asked, “What are you preaching on Sunday?” He responded, “Sin.” The querist retorted, “Well are you fer or agin it?” It seems sin is a taboo topic in our world today. The politically correct movement wants us to use words like “illness,”…

‘Hot Wheels’ and a Burning Conscience

  [237 words] Just down the street from where I grew up was a drug store that sold “Hot Wheels” cars. That was great news to a little boy who loved to play with and collect “Hot Wheels.” One day I saw a car that I just had to have. It was on a shelf…

The Hardest Words to Say

  [179 words] I must have been sick on the day they taught phonics in school. If I don’t recognize a word by sight, I can find some amazing ways to mispronounce it. I cringe when I have to use certain words because no matter how much I practice, I’m not sure how it will…

Crucified with Christ

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” Galatians 2:20. If we replay the gospel backwards from the religious confusion we have today,…

Cause for Celebration

“It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found” (Luke 15:32). Following both World Wars our nation celebrated! We did not necessarily celebrate the battles won, but the return of those brave men and women who went off to foreign lands…

Rejoicing Angels

[372 words] Ever wonder what causes the angels in heaven to shout for joy? There are several instances of angels proclaiming joy, and they all seem to have a common thread. The first instance of the heavenly host expressing joy is during the creation of the heavens and the earth. Recounting the incident, God tells…

Chain Up

[304 words] Imagine being caught up in a rip current and being helplessly swept away into the sea. Imagine nobody being around to help bring you to safety. That’s not what happened a few days ago on a Florida beach. While several members of a family were caught up in a very strong rip current…

The Wicked Never Learn

[364 words] Anyone who is willing can learn the Truth and be saved. Jesus said, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine” (John 7:17). John wrote, “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely’ (Rev. 22:17). Anyone with a truly good and honest heart will accept and…

Moving the Line

[266 words] In 1999 a number of Turkish villages were destroyed by a massive earthquake. Sadly, this could have been avoided. Thirty years prior, the villagers had been warned by scientists that certain towns were situated on top of a major fault line. They were instructed to relocate as soon as possible. An earthquake could…

People Can Change

It is sometimes said of those in sin, “They will never change.” While it is true that sin can have a death grip on men, yet it is possible if man’s heart be willing, to make a change in his way of living. Jesus Christ introduced into the world the greatest power to change men…

Repent and Believe the Good News!

“After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galillee, proclaiming the good news of God.  ‘The time has come,’ he said.  ‘The kingdom of God is near.  Repent and believe the good news’” (Mark 1:14-15). Mark’s gospel, written to a Roman audience that valued efficiency, is the shortest and most stripped down to the…