Posts by Needmore Road Church of Christ
18 Ways to “Build Up” One Another in Worship Assemblies
There is no better day of the week than the first day of the week! There is no greater blessing and privilege on the first day of the week than to worship the God of all creation, our heavenly Father! And the New Testament emphasizes that this wonderful opportunity takes place when “the church” comes together “each Lord’s day (1 Cor. 11:17, 18, 20, 33, 34;14:23, 26). One primary purpose for the church to “come together” to worship on the…
When the Saints Sleep
I think that many who read these words know the story of Eutychus, the man who went to sleep and fell out the window while Paul was preaching. He actually missed out on hearing the great apostle preach. What we may have overlooked is other times when individuals went to sleep and almost missed being part of some of the most remarkable times in history. This lack of knowledge makes it difficult to see and learn the lessons from other…
god’s limitations
In a discussion with a denominational friend, the issue of God’s power arose which caused us to disagree completely. The position I believe firmly states that it is impossible for God’s saving grace to reach those who have not been baptized for the forgiveness of sins. My friend objected. “You’ve limited God,” he stated, “God is all-powerful and can do anything, including saving any sinner.” This sounded good my friend and may be “very full of comfort,” but it isn’t…
The Origin of Things
There are those who would array science against the Bible in advocating the theories of evolution, but a correct statement of the issue would be: The Bible and science versus the theories of evolution. The theories of evolution are not science. A definition of science has been stated in these words: “A correlated body of absolute knowledge.” This knowledge is gained by observation, proved by demonstration, refined by experience in dealing with such facts; and is then specialized under a…
Mother!
It does seem to be “not enough” merely to have a “day” for mothers. Oh, I am not trying to change the nation’s calendar, but should it not be “Mother’s Month” instead of “Mother’s Day”? It all goes back to our own mother, through whom we came into this world. What she was like is a major factor in who we are and in our view of motherhood, and even life today. I have known children whose mothers were not…
Make Up Your Minds!
“Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer” (Luke 21:14). The NASV puts it this way, “Make up your minds.” One of life’s great frustrations for many people is that they cannot make a decision. They cannot come to a conclusion. They find themselves caught between forces that seem to pull them one way and then the other. If something new or novel comes along, they are carried with it. Jesus knew His disciples…
Stay Grounded!
One of life’s most difficult challenges, is dealing with difficult challenges. How do we cope with tragedy, cancer, war, or dozens of other issues we encounter in life? The painful reality is that many of life’s challenges are simply beyond our control. Neither you nor I have any bearing on the ultimate outcome of the war in Ukraine. We cannot dictate economic policy in Washington, and we cannot prevent a fatality accident caused by a drunk driver. As much as…
Jesus, Is Our Way Out of Religious Confusion
Many people who genuinely desire to follow Jesus are sick and tired of the many denominations and conflicting teachings. Is it possible for people today to simply be Christians and not a part of denominational division of today? Absolutely! Jesus shows us the way out of religious confusion! For a moment, let’s consider Jesus’ own example in the religious atmosphere of His day. When Jesus came to this earth, the Israelites were living under the Mosaic Law. In that law,…
4 Pillars in a Time of Change
Change is the only constant in life. Presidents come and go and culture shifts in different directions. Accidents happen, illness comes unexpectedly, children are born, and parents pass away. Elderships change, members move away–preachers too–deaths and births occur, and congregational dynamics shift. As we often sing, “Time is filled with swift transition.” So, how do we navigate those transition? By holding fast to that which does not change. The first chapter of Joshua chronicles a time of change for the…
Biblical Occupations
One of the great things about the Bible is that God chose to use real life examples to teach us. We can better understand how to be Christians when we can relate a Bible truth to something we know already. The New Testament uses the following occupations to teach us what it means to live by faith (Gal. 2:20). A Christian is like a builder. Jesus used the parable of the wise and foolish man to illustrate the point that…
Rock of Ages
We have a song in our song book that refers to the “Rock of Ages.” It has proven to be a favorite of millions who sing it over and over. It offers so much comfort and hope. It says there is a refuge to which we can fly when sorrows and burdens seem to crush the very life out of us. Paul makes a statement in 1 Corinthians 10:4. Here he tells us the Rock that followed them was Christ.…
Strength in the Church
If we could ever blend the enthusiasm for world evangelism that has arisen in the past twenty years with the basic Bible stance of years gone by the church of the Lord would be even stronger. To do this we must have parents who deeply saturate their children with the cultural environment of Christianity (Eph. 6:4). We need elders who lift up their eyes and view the teeming millions that are ready for a spiritual harvest (John 4:35). However, those…