Posts from 2024 (Page 3)

Because it happens every week, it is easy for the partaking of the Lord’s Supper to become somewhat of a religious ritual and we fail to understand the part it plays in our spiritual growth. The abuse of this feast in Corinth brought dire consequences. “For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep” (1 Cor. 11:30). If one does not remember Jesus and discern His body as he partakes of the bread and cup, he…

King Nebuchadnezzar was filled with pride because of the massive image he had made of gold. That image stood nine stories high and was nine feet wide at its base. Imagine how much gold it would have taken to make this image. His arrogance caused him to demand the gathering of all the government officials, even from the most distant reaches of the Babylonian kingdom. They were ordered to be present at the dedication of the image. At that dedication,…

Evangelism is more than a summertime trip, more than door knocking, more than special mail outs, more than an international move, more than an invite to a friend, more than any act. Evangelism is part of something eternal and powerful. Evangelism is how the church spreads the divine message. “To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration…

Everyone understands the practical importance of preparation. Before taking a long vacation we first take time to secure lodging, map the route, and pack every item necessary for a successful trip. We prepare for major decisions like marriage and childbirth. We prepare for major expenditures and investments like houses and retirement funds. Benjamin Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” By and large everyone understands the truth of that statement as it pertains to major life…

“Debt” is something that many people prefer not to think about. One recent study showed that the average American household with debt owes more than $104,000. Most who are in financial debt desire to be debt free, and understandably so. But there is a certain kind of debt that God’s people owe which we will never be able to fully repay. Paul spoke of it in Romans 1:14 when he said, “I am a debtor both to Greeks, and to…

Every wonderful deed that was ever done was first conceived in the mind. There is a clear and obvious connection between the way we think and the way we act. In Proverbs 23:7 the wise man wrote, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he,” so we might ask, what should we be thinking about? Colossians 3:1-2 admonishes, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand…

The book of Psalms expresses the deep emotions that servants of God have. There is something about poetry and singing which touch the souls of His people. Each of the psalms is different and has a special place in the various stages of our lives as we serve our Creator. Psalm 126 gives us great insight into the emotions each of us has as we seek to lead others to the Lord. It is truly the Psalm of the Soul…

When Jesus foretold the time when not a single stone of that majestic temple in Jerusalem would rest upon another, the disciples asked for signs which would precede the destruction of that temple and the end of Judaism (Mark 13:4; Luke 21:7). The Lord gave at least eight distinct signs which would come before that event. He then foretold of another event which would happen for which there was one single sign to announce its coming. Jesus spoke of a…

There is no scripture which authorizes a commemoration of the resurrection of Christ. Therefore, there is no “special day of the week” or “time of year” that it can be observed with a “thus saith the Lord.” In spite of this, most (if not all) denomina­tions celebrate the Lord’s resur­rec­tion in an annual observance called Easter. National news casts of both radio and television publicize this event as the most important day in the “Christian calendar.” If Easter is the…

It is quite interesting to listen to the feeble attempts of men to justify those things for which they have no authority. After more than 45 years of preaching I have learned that once a person has decided to embark upon a certain course of action that is so blatantly opposed to the word of God, reason is thrown out the proverbial window. Some years ago Johnnie Ann and I were making multiple trips to Ukraine to help establish and…

“Heaven holds all to me, brighter its glory will be; joy without measure will be my treasure, Heaven holds all to me.” The words of the soul-stirring hymn written by the late brother Tillit S. Teddlie have thrilled the hearts of God’s people for decades. We often sing “Heaven holds all to me” but does it really? And, why? Do we want to go to Heaven more than anything else? Do we ever contemplate what that place will be like…

The devil is trying to deceive you! And he is using the world—with its lusts, its pride, its alures, its lies, its shiny things, its “highly educated professionals,” its pressures, its “know better” celebrities, its “medical experts,” etc.—to convince you that right is wrong, that wrong is right, that up is down, that down is up, that feelings are safe, that absolute truth is non-existent, and that you are a fool to go against the tide of society. Just as…