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Eternal Existence
by James Sanders via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990 The Words of John 1:1 Nothing shatters—nothing startles like the sound of thunder. Its voice is unmistakable. And nothing seizes our attention like thunder. Whatever we may be doing when the crash of thunder interrupts, we stop immediately and listen. Thunder cannot be…
Read MoreDrifting Away
by Kyle Ellison The Bible warns Christians that there is a reality of drifting away from the Lord if we are not careful. Have you ever been enjoying a day in the ocean only to look up and realize you are far past where you entered the water? Perhaps you didn’t even realize you were…
Read MoreAssurance in the Heart
by Terry Wane Benton Christians have some great things in their hearts that others lack but need. First, we have confidence that if we die, we are in a good place. We have a covenant with the Creator and Judge, and Jesus is the surety of the best covenant ever (Hebrews 7:12, 25). This covenant…
Read MoreGiving to God
by Zeke Flores Often, financially blessed people will give significant sums for worthy projects. Sometimes, it’s for charitable reasons, and sometimes, it’s for new, wonderful buildings for public use. And often, these buildings display the names of the contributors, letting everyone know who was responsible for the generous gift. Luke 21:1-4 tells us that Jesus…
Read MoreIsaiah 53
by David Gibson Isaiah 53 is considered the greatest Old Testament prophecy of Christ. How could Isaiah accurately predict Jesus’ death in such detail seven centuries in advance? Only by the power of the Holy Spirit (I Peter 1:10-12; II Peter 1:20-21). Two Facts About Jesus Being innocent, He did not deserve the cruelty He…
Read MoreIgnorant Zeal
by Michael Davis via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990 “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:2-3).…
Read MoreSilence, Beautiful Voice – Tennyson
by Mark Chatfield via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990 Several of us were having light-hearted conversations after services the other evening. As it happens too often, I said a little bit more than I should have. There was a pause. A moment when no one knew just what to say. During that…
Read MoreThe Lines of Fellowship
by Owen McGee via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990 Among churches of Christ, there is a broad spectrum of ideas concerning the nature of faithfulness to God. The failure to understand God’s revealed will has resulted in people binding where God has not bound and loosing where He has not loosed (cf.…
Read MoreIn His Footsteps
by Steve Roe via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990 I was recently given the opportunity to go “on a pilgrimage” to the Bible lands. It was one of the benefits of being a member of the world’s second-largest fleet. I accepted the opportunity and opted for the longer, but still too short,…
Read MoreHappy Appearance Day
by Terry Wane Benton I am glad many people were at church on what the world (not God) has termed “Easter”. I am glad that people, who normally have very little spiritual commitment, let themselves get exposed to spiritual things at any time. Some have been convinced that this day, once a year, is very…
Read MoreA Question About Taxes
by Zeke Flores The spies who came to Jesus in Luke 20:19-26 must have thought they had him. Their question was ingenious! Either he’d have to side with paying Roman taxes and face the ire of the occupied Jews, or side with not paying Roman taxes, in which case he’d be in trouble with the…
Read MoreOnce a Child of God Always a Child of God?
by Terry Wane Benton If it is true that once you are a child of God, you are automatically always a child of God, then no one could ever become a child of the devil. Yet, the Pharisees had become children of the devil (John 8:44-47). All people start out being innocent children of God,…
Read MoreSweeping Judgments
by Doy Moyer I am sometimes reminded how hurtful judgments and the words used to express them can be. I have been guilty of being deaf to the problems of others. We all have a right to our convictions and a right to express those convictions, but when we make sweeping generalizations that show little…
Read MoreYou Are Not Your Temptations
by Chadwick Brewer Many people believe that what they feel drawn to (tempted) is their true, authentic self. They believe that giving in to all their temptations is just being who they really are. There are several things wrong with that. Desires are never that straightforward and are often opposed. We want to be in…
Read MoreGod’s Will and Our Will
by David Gibson “I will not!” said the son when his father asked him to work in the vineyard. But later he changed his mind and went (Matthew 21:28-29). When did he exercise his own free will? Both times: in choosing to rebel and in choosing to comply. God has given us free will. He…
Read MoreAt the Crossroads
by Doy Moyer Scripture warns against those who “walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.” Paul writes, “Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things” (Philippians 3:18-19). Elsewhere Paul writes that those who cause divisions “do not serve our Lord Christ,…
Read MoreThe House of Mourning
by Leon Mauldin I attended a funeral today in Cullman County, Alabama, for the brother of one of our members of the local church. As I looked around the cemetery among the tombstones, I saw several markers for some for whom I have conducted services. Such occasions furnish opportunities for reflection. “Better to go to…
Read MoreValues and Roles
by Steve Higginbotham Unfortunately, churches have always struggled against being influenced by the values of the cultures that surround them. For instance, the city of Corinth was known for its immorality, and it’s no surprise that immorality had also crept into the church there (I Corinthians 5). Today, our culture highly values the equality of…
Read MoreAre miracles still occurring because they are not specifically listed as ending?
Question: Hello Mr. Hamilton, I have a question for you. I know how people believe that miracles have ceased according to 1 Corinthians 13:8-10. But I have a question about that. In those verses, it says: “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled;…
Read MoreHe Had Faith to Be Healed
by William J. Stewart It is a common perception in the religious world that one must have adequate faith for one to be healed. This false idea has allowed many fake healers to save face when their hypnotic advantage over a would-be recipient has failed. And as sure as it has been a refuge for…
Read MoreA Case of Rationalization
by Gary Smalley via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 1, January 2015 The word “rationalize” is on my short list of words whose spelling and meaning don’t go together. Somehow, they just don’t fit. Maybe I confuse this word with acceptable “reasonableness.” Or it could be the experience of too many math classes (a rational number…
Read MoreChoose One of the Three
by Gardner Hall via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 1, January 2015 A Hispanic friend who could be described as “progressive” wrote the following, which I’ll translate literally: Three types of believers: With which do you identify? Three types of believers: Those who believe that they are justified only by the merits of Jesus and nothing…
Read MorePsalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs
by Wayne S. Walker via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 1, January 2015 We know from the New Testament and can infer from later writings of church leaders that Christians of the first century did sing in their worship, but we do not know precisely what songs they sang or exactly how they sang them. Some…
Read MoreIs the Lord’s Arm Shortened?
by Chadwick Brewer “And the LORD said to Moses, “Is the LORD’s arm shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not” (Numbers 11:23). Moses had led the masses of Israelites into the wilderness. After a year of living outside of Egypt, the people began to complain about the…
Read MoreThe Peace of God
by Terry Wane Benton Ezekiel 37:25-27 prophesied of Jesus (son of David) in this manner: “My servant David shall be their prince forever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary…
Read MoreThe Prophet: Who Is He?
by David Gibson Who was Moses pointing toward when he said, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me . . . you shall listen to him” (Deuteronomy 18:15 NASB)? The Jews of the first century were expecting this Prophet (John 1:19-21; 6:14; 7:40). Whoever it is would be remarkable…
Read MoreStrength in Christ
by Dudley Ross Spears via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 3, September 30, 1990 Christians need much more strength than those who make no pretense of serving the Lord. The life Christians are called on to live is not the easiest life. While it offers the greatest rewards and provides the greatest blessings here and hereafter,…
Read MoreVessels for God’s Glory: A Conversion Story
by Charles N. Spence, Jr. via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 3, September 30, 1990 I’ll never forget the first sermon I preached: “Jesus Is Love,” just before I was ordained a Methodist preacher in the AME Zion Conference. I never imagined that the thoughts expressed in that lesson would become an important reality in my…
Read MoreHey Kids, Could You Use a Little More Money?
by Gary Calton via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 3, September 30, 1990 There’s nothing like a little added incentive to get your attention. Everyone would like to make a “little” more money to ease the burden of bills. Recently, the Wall Street Journal reported that researchers Greg Duncan at the University of Michigan and Saul…
Read MoreThe Greatest Need
Author Unknown originally published in Bible Herald, September 15, 1953 republished in Reminders, Vol. 2 No. 10, March 6, 1966 via “Tidbits by Tom Butterfield,” Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 3, September 30, 1990 The greatest need of all mankind is the Christ. We need to know more about Him, we need to obey Him, we need to…
Read MoreThe Relationship Between Worship and Obedience
by Vance E. Trefethen Have you ever heard someone say that worship and obedience are essentially the same thing or that every act of obedience is an act of worship? I’ve heard these concepts expressed privately by Christians and even taught publicly. A few months ago, I decided to study worship for myself to see…
Read MoreEzekiel and Preaching Truth
by Terry Wane Benton Ezekiel had a most challenging job, preaching the truth to people who were not ready to appreciate it. God gave Ezekiel the vision of God’s awesome greatness, and when a preacher preaches because he has a great concept of God, he can preach the hard truths that the people need to…
Read MoreA Strong Condemnation of the Preeminent
by Ross Ward, Jr. “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in…
Read MoreSeven Reasons to Love Others
by Perry Hall God commands it. “Because God said so” must be good enough to obey. But we want more, don’t we? Maybe we should need more reasons! It imitates God. That is the highest motivation. God loved us while we were His enemies (Romans 5:8-10). It helps others (Romans 12:20-21). Just because we do…
Read MoreBut It Hurts!
by David Gibson Why we suffer may be the most troubling of all questions. Atheists’ strongest argument is: How could a good God permit suffering? It is important to know what the Bible says about this so we won’t lose faith or grow bitter. Suffering is a complex issue. It has no single cause. Sometimes…
Read MoreA Spiritual Beauty Contest
by Orlando Gonzalez I have a question: Which is more beautiful, a 2015 Aston Martin DB10 or a Madonna Lily? I know, I know. You might be asking yourself, “Orlando, what kind of question is that? You can’t compare a luxury car to a mere flower. What’s wrong with you?” Yes, I understand what you…
Read MoreA Few Words about Our Thrill-Seeking Culture
by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr. In recent years, we have developed a thrill-seeking culture – a culture moved more by emotional stimuli than careful thought – that affects many facets of our lives. I have not been to a movie in years, but I have seen trailers on TV and digital video and heard people…
Read MoreDefining Ourselves
by David Gibson “If we are left to define ourselves, it is impossible to know who we are” (author unknown). How some define themselves Many believe they are the product of a long evolutionary development from lower life forms. But soon after creating lower forms of life, God said, “Let Us make man in our…
Read MoreSongs of the Saints: James W. McFadden
by Wayne S. Walker In his book Hymns and History, Forrest M. McCann wrote, “Various individual Christians have published hymnals used more or less regionally in the United States and by segments of the Stone-Campbell Movement. Among these, without any effort to be definitive, are the following: S. H. and Flavil Hall, The Gospel Message…
Read MoreO Wretched Man that I Am
by Terry Wane Benton The law of God is like an X-ray machine that reveals the contamination and cancer of the soul, called sin. The law shows us that we have neglected our great salvation, failed to glorify God as we should, and have not even been thankful for all the daily gifts of life and…
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