Your Final Sermon?

[100 words] Sadly, some people will decline the precious invitation,To follow Jesus Christ and obtain the gift of salvation.Few chances may be left for the Gospel to be heard,Or opportunities to repent and to obey God’s Word.There may be some that will walk out the church door,That won’t get to hear the Gospel preached anymore.Your…

Debtors

[129 words] Years ago, King Charles V was loaned a large sum of money by a merchant. The note came due, but the King was bankrupt and unable to pay. The merchant gave a great banquet for the King. When all the guests were seated and before the food was brought in, the merchant had…

The Gospel in Five Seconds

  [174 words] The gospel is the good news that Christ died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:1-5). It is the total message of God’s power to save all who will hear, believe, and obey it (Romans 1:16). The gospel is contained in the second law God gave. “If the first covenant had been faultless,…

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…

Forever Means Forever

  [164 words] “All flesh is as grass, and the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the Word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Peter 1:24). God’s Word will endure forever. Many ignore God’s Word, but Peter quotes the prophet Isaiah who said His…

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…

Deserving Salvation?

  [220 words] Some seem to act as though they deserve salvation on the grounds that they argue so strongly against earning salvation. Some seem to think they are right because they argue so strongly against those who think they are right. Some seem to talk as though grace is reserved only for those who…

No Other Way

  [251 words] The words are unbending. Most people would even call them dogmatic. But they are truth and come from the very lips of the Lord Jesus: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6). Jesus allows for no possibility of misunderstanding.…

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…

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…

Are You Sick Enough to Be Saved?

  [150 words] “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I come not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17). Jesus did not mean there were people in the world so righteous they would not need Him. Rather, only those who realize how sick they are…

The Loneliest Man in the World

  [292 words] He’s the last known survivor. It is believed that the rest of his Amazonian tribe was murdered two decades ago by land-hungry ranchers, and ever since, he has been living a solitary life in the remote state of Rondonia, Brazil. Authorities say he spends his days hunting pigs, monkeys, and birds with…

Joy in Salvation

  [204 words] Christians should be known as people of joy—filled with the type of joy that is derived from a certain eternal destiny, not from temporary circumstances (Phil. 4:4). The Ethiopian eunuch helps us to understand how and why this can be the case (Acts 8:39).  As a eunuch, he knew what it was…

21 ‘Steps’ to Salvation?

  [130 words] This list may surprise many people, especially those who believe we are saved only by faith. The Bible specifically states that there are 21 parts to our salvation from sin. Here is the list, along with the passages that prove the statements. (These are in no particular order.) 1. God (1 Timothy…

Worthless No More

[258 words] I read a story recently about an amazing dog. He’s been trained to sniff out the unique chemical compounds found in electronic items like memory cards, flash drives, and other storage media that might have criminal evidence on them. He’s only 18 months old, but this was the second time he’d been adopted…

Why Do You Talk So Much About Jesus?

[216 words] An old Indian chief constantly spoke of the Lord Jesus and what He meant to him. “Why do you talk so much about Jesus?” asked a friend. The chief did not reply, but slowly, gathered some sticks and bits of grass. He made a circle of them and in the circle he placed…

The ABC’s of Becoming a Follower of Jesus

[387 words] Acknowledge that God not only exists, but that He is eager to bless people whose hearts are hungry for His presence (Hebrews 11:6; Acts 17:24-28; Matthew 5:8). Admit your own unworthiness when compared to such a holy and righteous God. After our ancestor Adam, all of us have chosen the path of sin…

Are You Prepared–or Confused?

[201 words] Some years ago I knew a man who was always critical of preachers, the church and Christians. He was a man who had been what was once called a “rounder.” He had delved in the pleasures of the world most, if not all, of his life. But, alas, in his old age he…

Sorry Kanye, But You Aren’t God

[516 words] To say that Kanye West has an ego is quite an understatement. He believes one would have to go back to Beethoven to find his equal; he has compared himself to Picasso; and he has claimed, “I am Steve Jobs,” and “I am Walt Disney.” But his claims to be on par with…

Man’s Greatest Journey

[191 words] Man loves to travel. The journeys of man have taken him from pole to pole, and from ocean’s bottom to the top of the skies…and beyond! Wherever man goes (and for whatever the reason) man cannot escape what he is. Our character sticks closer than a shadow. Spiritually, man is a traveler also.…

Hesitation Will Keep Many Out of Heaven

[220 words] “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (Acts 26:28). Far too many find themselves in the position of Agrippa. They know what they should do, but they hesitate. Hesitation will keep many out of heaven. Paul’s response to the king was reasonable and passionate, “I would to…

God Brings Big Things from Little Seeds

[449 words] I read an article not long ago about a team of scientists that attempted to construct a kernel of corn. They had analyzed an actual kernel of corn and broken it down to its molecular makeup and had determined exactly what it was made of. Then, using the same “materials” they constructed an…

10 Reasons to Take Our Salvation Seriously

[46 words] Ten virgins (Matthew 25:1). Nine lepers (Luke 17:17). Eight survivors (2 Peter 2:5). Seven wicked spirits (Luke 11:26). Sixth seal (Revelation 6:12). Five yoke of oxen (Luke 14:19). Four winds (Matthew 24:1). Three barren years (Luke 13:7). Two masters (Matthew 6:24). One talent man (Matthew 25:28-30). May the Lord help us to count…

Are You Sick Enough to Be Saved?

[147 words] “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17). Jesus did not mean there were people in the world so righteous they would not need Him. Rather, only those who realize how sick they are will…

What Would You Expect?

[344 words] If you got in your car and drove in the direction given by a sign that said “Paducah, KY–20 miles,” what would you expect to find after driving twenty miles? If you passed a sign that said the are you were driving in an area patrolled by policemen with radar, and you drove…

If You Wake Up in the Morning

[112 words] A life insurance salesman was unable to persuade a couple to purchase a policy. “I certainly don’t want to frighten you into a decision,” he said as he got up to leave. “Please sleep on it tonight, and if you wake up in the morning, let me know what you think.” Is this…

Mother of Hope

[309 words] Recently, I wrote an article that was centered around a newborn baby named Hope Holets. Hope was born addicted to drugs and was adopted by the Albuquerque police officer who found her mother in the act of shooting up heroin. Since her adoption, Hope has gone through the agonizing, month-long process of drug…

Promises, Promises

[147 words] The world is full of promises, some broken, some kept. God keeps His. The greatest promise of the Bible is salvation. It’s the greatest promise because it can remove the greatest curse, sin. Jesus came to take away sin: “he was manifested to take away our sins” (1 John 3:5). Through obedience to…

In Christ

[102 words] The “in Christ ” expression says it all. The truth is, all spiritual blessing are found “in Christ” (Eph. 1:3); every last one of them. These tremendous spiritual blessings are found no where else: Salvation (2 Tim. 2:10; Acts 4:12); no condemnation (Rom. 8:1); forgiveness (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14); becoming a new creature…

Home

[294 words] Over the past several weeks many people have traveled because of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. During those trips many people either went home or came home. Home is an important place for many people. It is the place where either you grew up or where your parents or grandparents live now…

A People Eager to Do Good

[309 words] We are God’s people, His holy people, the church of God, the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15). We want to do what pleases Him; it is our new nature (2 Cor. 5:17) and our identity as His children (1 John 3:22). However, we do fail, we sin! If we…

The Real Danger

  [223 words] We live in a dangerous world. It is beyond heartbreaking and sad to see and read about what has happened in Paris at the hands of terrorists. At the time of this writing, we are told that there are 129 dead. The Islamic terrorist group, ISIS, is taking credit. Their holy book,…

Don’t Let Shortcuts Cut You Short of Salvation

  [307 words] Sometimes when traveling, drivers will take “shortcuts” that actually result in much longer trips. Even when doing school work or being on the job, we sometimes think taking a shortcut will make our load easier, only to find out that, when all is said and done, we end up exerting more energy…

Momentous Decisions

  [226 words] Not every decision you make will be a major one. It matters not which type of car you buy, as long as it is not a lemon! It does not matter whether you wear a suit and tie or some other modest outfit to worship. But some decisions are life changing. Some…

Don’t Wait!

A number of years ago while in the study I received a call from a lady at the hospital. She said her husband wanted to see a Church of Christ preacher. I left the study and went to the hospital to see a man I had never seen before. He was near death and wanted…

Not Far

The distance to some destinations may make us anxious, such as the distance from our thirteenth birthday to being “on our own.” Jesus spoke of another distance that evidently was intended to instill focus and determination in the man receiving it. When the man, a scribe, commented favorably on Jesus’ answer to his question about…

How Much Are You Worth?

A few years ago, Anne Marie Helmenstine was asked what was the actual value of a human body. Utilizing her chemistry background (PhD), she listed the elements in the body and researched their 2011 market values. She concluded that the average human was worth about a dollar, and if you could tan the skin (hide),…

‘In Him’

Ephesians is a book every Christian should lay up in his heart. It is about the tremendous privilege we have as Christians. It is about the great blessings we enjoy as a result of being Christians. It is about the huge challenges we face because we are Christians. And it is about the eager anticipation…

Baptism

A man is stumbling through the woods totally drunk when he comes upon a preacher baptizing people in the river. He proceeds to walk into the water and subsequently bumps into the preacher. The preacher turns around and is almost overcome by the smell of alcohol, whereupon he asks the drunk, “Are you ready to…

Live Now to Secure Forever

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow…” (Matthew 6:34). A person’s life can be divided up into four chunks of time: the past, the present, the future and eternity. The devil draws attention to the past and the future; God draws attention to the present and eternity. Therefore, the devil wants to take our focus off…