Travis L. Quertermous

What is True Love?

[299 words] “Love” is one of the most loosely-used words in the English language. This creates a lot of confusion about what true love really is. In 1 Corinthians 13:8, the apostle Paul said, “Love never fails.” Yet many times couples will say they have fallen out of love with one another. Such an attitude…

Planting a Red Flag

[375 words] A red flag is a warning signal. Thus, “to plant a red flag,” has become a figure of speech meaning to give a warning. In this article, I would like to “plant a red flag” in all our minds on the subject of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. I realize that this is one…

Is Sincerity Enough to Please God?

[271 words] On October 16, 2007, one of the two remaining survivors of the Titanic sinking, died. Barbara West Dainton died at a nursing home in Camborne, England, at age 96. She was only a year old when the Titanic sank on April 15, 1912, after striking an iceberg, and taking about 1500 souls to…

Israel’s Superman

[249 words] Samson was a real-life superhero, an ancient Israelite Superman. Many people are familiar with his superhuman exploits, about how Samson killed a lion with his bare hands, single-handedly destroyed a thousand-man Philistine army with no weapon other than the jawbone of a donkey, and about how he was a one-man wrecking crew that…

Am I My Brother’s Keeper?

[327 words] We all know the story of Cain and Abel. From childhood, we learned the awful story of how Cain out of anger and jealousy killed his own brother. Cain was the world’s first murderer. He is one of most infamous villains in the history of the world. Yet there may be more of…

The Omnipresence of God

[236 words] Even the most influential and powerful person in the world can only be in one place at one time. But that ‘is not true of God. Jehovah is an omnipresent being, i.e., His presence is in all places at all times. In Jeremiah 23:24, we read, ‘”Can anyone hide himself in secret places,…

Confusing Good and Evil

[220 words] In pronouncing judgment on the sins of ancient Israel, the prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah 5:20: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Have you ever stopped to think how applicable that…

The Fruit of the Spirit

[263 words] In Galatians 5:22-23 the apostle Paul wrote, “Now the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Using the analogy of fruit, Paul here describes the sweet qualities that the Holy Spirit will produce in the lives of faithful Christians. But…

The ‘Syndrome’ Syndrome

[725 words] The concept of sin has all but disappeared from modem society. We have become quite skilled in justifying our sins. It seems we can always find an excuse or a scapegoat to blame for, and excuse, our bad behavior. One of the most popular ways to do this nowadays is by dismissing our…

Forgiving and Forgetting

[228 words] Henry Ward Beecher once said, “I can forgive, but I cannot forget.” Isn’t it wonderful that God both forgives and forgets when he forgives our sins? Hebrews 10:17 says of God, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” God expects us to do the same when it comes to…

Like a Thief in the Night

[324 words] Have you ever been robbed? In December of 1989, just before Christmas, I returned home from college one afternoon to find our back door standing wide open. It had been kicked in by thieves who had robbed our home and the home of my aunt and uncle down the road. All of our…

The Truth Shall Set You Free

[231 words] Have you ever heard of postmodernism? Many sociologists and philosophers speak of America today as a “postmodern” society. By that they mean we as a people have more or less rejected the concept that there is such a thing as absolute, objective, “capital-T “ Truth. There was a time when most Americans believed…

Is Cremation Biblical?

[227 words] One of my sad duties as a minister is preaching funerals. One trend I have observed in recent years is the increasing number of cremations. Cremation is a subject I have often been asked about in 21 years of ministry. Many people are concerned if it is Scriptural to practice cremation. I believe…

Einstein, God, and the Bible

[290 words] Deep down, most of us have at one time or another questioned the existence of God. That should not be surprising, as even the greatest minds in history have also struggled with that question. Consider Albert Einstein, for example. While Einstein did not believe in the God of the Bible, he did believe…

What is a Miracle?

  [243 words] On August 28, 2007, just before 11 a.m., surfer Todd Endris’ worst nightmare came true: he was attacked by a great white shark, not once, but three times! Just as all hope seemed lost, Endris was saved by a pod of bottlenose dolphins that formed a protective ring around the surfer, kept…

Lessons from the Ant

  [229 words] The Book of Proverbs has so many wonderful lessons for us today. One of my favorite passages is Proverbs 6:6-11 wherein King Solomon said: “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her…