How Can Our Mind Comprehend God?
by Samuel A. Matthews “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33, KJV). Loved ones, I look down at my feet, squinting closely, to identify the black moving speck as an ant. Though we are both…
Read MoreReligion and Science
by Samuel A. Matthews “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our…
Read MoreThe Name on the Sign
by Jerry Crolius via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 22 No. 3, September 1996 Must It Read, “Church of Christ”? What “name” should appear on the signs in front of our meeting places? While I appreciate the good teaching done by several in the electronic medium, I believe that brethren need to hear scriptural and practical teaching on…
Read MoreEdomites Among Us
by Floyd Chapelllear via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 22 No. 3, September 1996 The sounds of battle had to have been terrifying to those Jews cowering within the walls of Jerusalem. The terrors of war were about to descend on them, and no relief seemed possible. The Sabine women’s fate would no doubt befall the Judean women,…
Read MoreHow Shall We Treat Brethren with Whom We Disagree?
by Earl Kimbrough via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 22 No. 3, September 1996 The “Christians” associated with Barton W. Stone and the “Disciples” or “Reformers” associated with Thomas and Alexander Campbell began to unite in the early 1830s. At the time, the two groups differed sharply over some strongly held beliefs, but they achieved unity despite these…
Read MoreBroken and Empty
by Chadwick Brewer “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:3-4). Jesus’s first words of teaching, as recorded for us in Matthew, show us that how we come to God truly matters. A common mindset is that we…
Read MoreYour Trajectory
by Zeke Flores “I have set before you life and death … so choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19). Moses presents a clear choice. Life isn’t a feeling; it’s a direction, and a simple one at that. Choosing life simply means aligning with God’s ways. Choosing death means rejecting them. This isn’t dramatic language; it’s practical. Your…
Read MoreYour Faith Has Done What?
by Edwin Crozier When Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, convinced Jesus to go to his house to heal his daughter, it seemed his plans were ruined by a woman with an issue of blood. For as long as Jairus’s daughter had been alive, this woman had suffered. She had spent all she had on…
Read MoreOriginal Sin
by Lyndon Conn Adam sinned without a sinful nature Original sin says we inherited a sinful nature from Adam, but when Adam fell into sin, he didn’t have one. How could Adam pass along something he didn’t have? Adam’s sin had catastrophic consequences for the human race, but his sin did not lead to a…
Read MorePlay by Our Rules
by Edwin Crozier In Luke 7:31-35, Jesus spoke out against the people of the generation He was visiting in His incarnation. He said, “To what shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?” (Luke 7:31 ESV). It’s possible He was making a general point about the illustration as a whole.…
Read MoreThe Collection for the Saints
by Hugh DeLong Because of political, economic, and worldly circumstances in Judea, the church there was struggling to survive physically. They banded together in Jerusalem and shared among themselves to care for those saints in need. This has continued for some time, and now things have become even more difficult. HOW will God provide for…
Read MoreStability
by Zeke Flores “So keep the words of this covenant to do them, that you may prosper” (Deuteronomy 29:9). Moses is renewing the covenant. He warns that prosperity here isn’t about wealth; it’s about the stability and well-being that come from living within God’s design. Israel needed to understand that covenant faithfulness wasn’t ceremonial; it…
Read MoreRaging Against Sound Judgment
by Chadwick Brewer “A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment” (Proverbs 18:1). In this context, Solomon is talking about isolating from counsel and advice. When we know what we want and are fully convinced it’s best for us, we pull away from counsel and advice. When we…
Read MoreThe Blind Leading the Blind
by Edwin Crozier In Luke 6:39, Jesus told them a parable. “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?” (ESV). Then He made two applications. First, a disciple will never be above his or her teacher. When I am fully trained, I will only see as well…
Read MoreWhen Someone Wants to Die
by Bill Robinson Elijah had just won. Fire from heaven, four hundred false prophets exposed, the drought broken. Then one threat from a queen, and the same man walked a day into the wilderness, sat down under a broom tree, and asked God to let him die. “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away…
Read MoreAll These Blessings
by Zeke Flores “All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey Yahweh your God” (Deuteronomy 28:2). Deuteronomy 28 outlines blessings and curses. The point isn’t transactional; it’s relational. Obedience aligns Israel with God’s design, which naturally leads to stability and flourishing. Moses wants Israel to understand that obedience isn’t restrictive.…
Read MoreI Am in Distress
by Ray Warfel, Jr. On Wednesday evening here at Winston-Salem, we are studying through the Psalms. Just a sampling of Psalms through the end of the year. I chose Psalm 31 for us to begin with, and I call this psalm: A Life Entrusted to God. One of the features we see in the Psalms…
Read MoreHow can I convince someone that being a nudist is wrong?
Question: Good evening, I understand that being a nudist is sinful. Walking around naked with strangers, friends, or family is shameful and against the will and law of God. Walking around naked is rebellion against God. God commands modesty. Sin is sin. So a person who is engaging in nudism after being told that it…
Read MoreMaking Sense of Romans 14
by Steve Dewhirst via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 22 No. 3, September 1996 What honest Bible student has not wrestled with this passage? I’m confident that the original recipients of Paul’s epistle didn’t have nearly the difficulty we do, for at least two reasons. First, they were well acquainted with all the circumstances surrounding this apostolic instruction…
Read MoreWhat Do You Need to Serve the Lord?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2005/10/What-Do-You-Need-to-Serve-the-Lord.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Colossians 4:2-6 I. Jesus told his disciples to serve the Lord by bringing others to him – John 4:34-38 A. He command them, and us, to go into all the world – Matthew 28:19-20 B. Each of us have this responsibility II. Yet, many find excuses to avoid the work…
Read MoreAnd Just Whose Fault Is It?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/And-Just-Whose-Fault-Is-It.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Romans 9:14-24 I. I received a note that I found disgusting A. A woman complained that her husband wasn’t giving her the affection she deserved, so she kicked her husband out and brought in a boyfriend. 1. That sin doesn’t justify sin apparently doesn’t matter to her – Romans…
Read MoreThe New Catholicism
by Kenny Chumbley via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 22 No. 3, September 1996 In The Torch of the Testimony, John W. Kennedy offers a revealing critique of the apostasy that swept through churches like prairie fire in the second and third centuries AD. “As early as New Testament times, the life of the churches was disturbed by…
Read MoreFinding Grace
by Tommy Peeler I become more convinced with time that grace can be found on every page, in every chapter of the Old Testament. I acknowledge that in some places this mercy is easier to see than in others. Jeremiah 19 shows grace at work, but you may have to look a little harder to…
Read MoreWhy Do You Go to School?
by Jefferson David Tant Well, one might say, “That’s really a dumb question. We go to school to learn, prepare for our adult lives, and learn how to survive in the world. To learn how to read. And there are many reasons why going to school and getting an education are necessary to live in…
Read MoreWritten Reminders
by Zeke Flores “You shall write on the stones all the words of this law very distinctly” (Deuteronomy 27:8). Israel was to set up stones with the law written clearly. The point was visibility and clarity. God’s instruction wasn’t meant to be hidden or vague to serve as clear instruction. Moses wanted the people to…
Read MoreThe Spiritual Discipline of Subtraction
by Gary Henry WordPoints.com “Moses’ father-in-law said to him, ‘The thing that you do is not good. Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you'” (Exodus 18:17-18). In these days of extreme busyness, the very thought of deleting anything from our…
Read MoreWhy are some prophecies written in the past tense?
Question: Since Isaiah 53 is a prophecy about the coming of Christ, why is it written in the past tense? Answer: One way God emphasizes the certainty of what He declares about the future is to express it as if it has already occurred. Scholars call this the “prophetic perfect tense.” Speaking of the future…
Read MoreLove One Another
by Hugh DeLong One of the best synopses of the nature and character of ‘love’ is found in I Corinthians 13. Many preachers, myself included, have found it useful to illustrate what it means for a husband to love his wife. I will continue to do this; however, it is instructive to realize this context…
Read MoreEdification
by Hugh DeLong “Let all things be done for edification” (I Corinthians 14:26 NASB95). But what does ‘edification’ mean in practical terms? Often it is used to mean educate or teach. While it includes that, it also means simply ‘to build up’. This is said in connection with our association in a local church group,…
Read MoreIs my hobby becoming an idol?
Question: Dear Sir, I have a question about an issue I have been having and can’t figure out how to handle it. I have been doing a creative hobby, but I wasn’t doing it alone; I used AI. So it took up a lot of time and became unhealthy because I kept doing it excessively…
Read MoreThe Beloved Son
by Edwin Crozier Gabriel told Mary the Holy Spirit would empower her to conceive a child who would be called “Son of the Most High.” Thirty years later, when this infant had grown into a man, He was baptized in the Jordan. The heavens were opened. The Holy Spirit descended on Him like a dove. A…
Read MoreJust and Full Weights
by Zeke Flores “You shall have a full and just weight; you shall have a full and just measure …” (Deuteronomy 25:15). This command deals with honest measurements. Dishonest scales were a quiet way to cheat customers. Moses addresses it because integrity isn’t just about big decisions; it’s about everyday transactions. Israel was expected to…
Read MorePaul and Headship
by Hugh DeLong As you read I Corinthians 11, stop and meditate on this distinction. Many people in our country today dislike the concept of headship and may even use I Corinthians 11:11-12 to deny the rest of this section, but the truth can be built on the fact that Christ is the head of…
Read MoreWho Is the Prophet?
by David Gibson Moses said, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me . . . you shall listen to him” (Deuteronomy 18:15). The Jews of the first century expected this Prophet (John 1:19-21; 6:14; 7:40). Whoever it was would be remarkable indeed, considering how great Moses was (Numbers 12:6-8). Muslims…
Read MoreMembers of One Body
by Hugh DeLong Paul begins this letter by noting divisions within the church at Corinth. He addresses each issue in turn. In chapter 12, he gives the underlying reason such division is a problem: there is only one body, made up of many members. When we read ‘members’, we are apt to see this from…
Read MorePigs and Pearls
by Chadwick Brewer “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you” (Matthew 7:6). What a struggle it is to know when and how to apply this verse! How do I know whether I am being a good influence…
Read MoreLoving versus Approving
by Terry Wane Benton Daily Points of Light from Heaven One thing people have gotten confused about is the difference between love and approval. God loves sinners (Romans 5:8) but does not approve of and accept them until they repent (Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30-31). God will reject many people whom He loves (Matthew 7:13-14, 21f).…
Read MoreThorns and Snares
by Luiz Felipe Lima De Albuquerque Thesis: When we make room for sin and other gods, we grow distant from God and lose our identity. “And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land…
Read MoreIs it scriptural to divorce your unbelieving spouse?
Question: Dear Brother Jeff. Good day, and God bless. Brother Jeff, you answered me concerning a brother who divorced his wife, without what Matthew 19:9 taught us. This Sunday our brethren replied regarding the divorced couple. They reckon the sister in the picture divorced her first and second husbands because they were unbelievers (I Corinthians7:12-16),…
Read MoreIs there a difference between living in sin and falling into sin?
Question: Hello brother, I have a question for you. There is a teaching about living in sin and falling into sin. Living in sin is basically sin in which one continues sinning in that sin or sins. Falling is more like you are walking and you trip, you fall down, but you get back up…
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