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Church Shoppers
by Chadwick Brewer “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord” (Romans 12:10-11). Some areas in the world are blessed with multiple congregations in close proximity. What a blessing it is to have so many Christians in one…
Read MoreWolf Creek Church of Christ
by Floyd Chappelear via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990 From the Belmont Bible Banner. Paul Caldwell, editor, November 19, 1974, we reprint the following: “‘For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called’ (I Corinthians 1:26). Based on…
Read MoreThe Growth of the Church in Jerusalem
by Dudley R. Spears via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990 No period in the history of the Lord’s church records a greater numerical growth than the first century. There are repeated references to the reason why such phenomenal growth occurred. Men of faith claim the reason was the preaching of the apostles.…
Read MoreJesus and Psalms 110
by Terry Wane Benton Jesus is very definitely the figure described and intended by the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 1 is making the argument that Jesus is “so much better than the angels” (Hebrews 1:4) and has “a more excellent name than they.” The Holy Spirit applied Psalms 2:7, 45:6-7, and 110:1f to Jesus. Psalms 110…
Read MoreBy What Authority?
by Russ Bowman From my Daily Bible Writing, for you to chew on… “Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him and spoke to Him, saying, ‘Tell us, by what…
Read MoreWhy Is Your God the One?
by Terry Wane Benton Many gods have been claimed and worshipped all over the world. Why is your God the One? Isaiah gives good reasons to dismiss all the gods invented by human desire and imagination and settle on one true and living God. Take a look at Isaiah’s God: Isaiah said there is none…
Read MoreDesensitizing Our Moral Outlook
by Terry Wane Benton I remember that early TV entertainment had some moral guidelines. In the 1950s the Dick Van Dyke Show was your average TV viewing. The couple was presented as married, but bedroom scenes were of two separate single beds. Later, in the 1970s, you began to see more of the “live-in” arrangements…
Read MoreWhat Was so Different About His Teaching?
by David Gibson “No one ever spoke like this man!” So said the officers sent by the Pharisees to arrest Jesus, but who came back without Him. After hearing Him teach, they could not bring themselves to take Him into custody. Many people noticed Jesus’ teaching differed because He spoke with authority (Matthew 7:28-29; Mark…
Read MoreGnats and Camels
by Zeke Flores You must admit, some of Jesus’ word pictures are pretty funny. It’s humorous to imagine someone trying to filter out a tiny insect so their food will be clean, but open their mouth wide for a whole camel! But the lesson in that funny image isn’t funny at all. For the Jews…
Read MoreLet’s Not Be Narrow
by Roy E. Cogdill via Gospel Guardian, June 9, 1955 One of the most dreadful things many people can imagine is that they will be accused of “narrow-mindedness” in religion. That scares them to death; the very thought that they might be considered narrow drives them completely away from the truth. Yet it should not.…
Read More“That Which Is Perfect” Does Not Refer to the Second Coming of Christ
by Dylan Steward via Unmasking Sophistry, Vol. 5 No. 2, April-June 2025 Almost all Bible believers agree that 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 teaches that miraculous spiritual gifts will cease “when that which is perfect is come.” The problem, however, is disagreement over what is meant by “that which is perfect.” Many claim “that which is perfect” refers…
Read More“I’m Not Included”
by Rickie Jenkins “I am just not included at church; I am given no part.” If true, that is sad. That’s not God’s intent. God designed a local church to depend on one another. He expects all to contribute to the good of the whole (Ephesians 4:16). Thus, in God’s design “every part may grow…
Read MoreEternal 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…
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