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Slow Down and Focus
by Zeke Flores We live in a world where short attention spans are the order of the day. Information, circumstances, and opportunities come at us rapidly from every direction that if our heads could swivel completely around, they’d look like a spinning top. We’re like the dog who runs after every squirrel he sees, regardless…
Read MoreWhat Makes America Great?
by Terry Wane Benton It would not be the crimes that many have committed in the past or present, as such are always a blight on even the most remarkable ventures of freedom. It would not be the record of sexual immorality that produces unwanted children who would pay with their lives for the sins…
Read MoreTrue Israel
by Terry Wane Benton “Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof” (Matthew 21:43). Here, Jesus was speaking to physical Israelites, people who claimed physical lineage to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, that physical nation was only a temporary…
Read MoreRemembering Jesus Daily
by Richard Thetford Those of us who understand the authority of the Bible and are guided by it, because we respect what God has said to us, realize that Christians do not celebrate December 25th as the birth date of Christ. The apostle Paul wrote to the Colossian brethren and said “whatever you do in…
Read MoreIn the Hands of the Potter
by Cleve Stafford “Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel” (Jeremiah 18:6). If you have ever watched an artisan potter at work, I think you will agree that it is mesmerizing. Those hands are so powerful, and yet they work so gently with the…
Read MoreWhat Is Performance Culture?
by Herb Berkley Performance culture is a mindset that measures worth, identity, and success by outward achievement, visible productivity, and continual competition. It’s a relentless cycle demanding constant validation, feeding on comparison, anxiety, and a need to prove oneself repeatedly. Within this culture, acceptance is transactional—earned by output rather than freely given. Performance culture promotes:…
Read MoreIn the Dark or the Glorious Light?
by Terry Wane Benton Jesus describes the real situation of men and men’s relationship to God and truth by comparing Himself to light that has come into the world, and that men are condemned and in the dark. The condemnation of man is that man is given a wonderful chance to come out of moral…
Read MoreDancing (Pickford)
by Michael Pickford There is considerable confusion and even some debate over the idea of dancing. Some believe dancing is a sin simply because it is dancing. However, the Bible does not condemn dancing in itself. It never says, “Thou shalt not dance.” To the contrary, the Bible says that there is “a time to…
Read MoreSin Is Never Pretty
by Zeke Flores Sin in the church is never pretty. It’s usually always a holdout from a way of life that should have been left behind. But sin is stubborn, and so are we, and we can tend to cling to it despite our best intentions. So, Paul reminds us that there is a new…
Read MoreA Cruel Lie
by Nathan Smelser An aged gentleman says, “Well, I believe in God, what else is there?” His health is dire; I had asked if he knew the Lord. Folks: Observe the disastrous consequences of “easy believism.” This gentleman had likely been assured that as long as he believed in God, all was well. There is…
Read MoreCredit
by Zeke Flores When I was a much younger man, I wrecked my credit. I made foolish decisions, borrowed more than I should have, and made late payments. Soon, the only ones who would lend me money were the high-rate lenders, and even they were wary. It took years to restore my financial good name,…
Read MorePicking up Elijah’s Mantle
by Terry Wane Benton Elijah did what he could to keep truth alive in a generation of Israelites that forgot God’s law and were into the latest fads and popular religions of their day. Baal had become the sensation, and God’s order had become boring in the eyes of the Israelites. Elijah seemed like an…
Read MoreAlexander the Coppersmith
by Wilson Adams We don’t know much about Alexander the Coppersmith except his name, profession, and the harm he did to Paul. Did he at one time co-labor with Paul in teaching the gospel? Don’t know. Personal vendetta? Unsure. At the least, they knew each other and had a connection. Something went wrong because Paul…
Read MoreZephaniah: Judgment Is Coming!
by Rick Duggin Most people have trouble finding Zephaniah’s fifty-three verses. Because of its brevity, we label Zephaniah as a minor prophet, but any student of the book can affirm that length is the only “minor matter” about the man or his message. Prophesying more than 600 years before Christ, Zephaniah traces his genealogy back…
Read MoreWhy There Are No Genuine Miracles Today
by Roger D. Campbell In the New Testament, a “miracle” refers to a supernatural act of power that had observable and immediate results or effects. We should not expect God Himself to perform miracles or bestow miraculous powers upon humans today. Why not? God’s Will It is not God’s will that there be miracles today.…
Read MoreWhat About Those ‘What About’ Questions?
by Bob West “What about those who have never heard the gospel? Are they saved?” “What about the sincere believer who has never been baptized?” “What about the sincere (insert any world religion)? Are they really going to be lost?” “What about this situation?” “What about that situation?” “Is God really going to be so…
Read MoreWhat Percentage of People Obey the Gospel?
by Ronald D. Gilbert The day of Gospel meetings is not over! Don’t give up, brethren! Your preaching and teaching may be more effective “percentage-wise” than on the day of Pentecost. “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41).…
Read MoreWillfully Sinning
by Ed Smith via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 3, 30 September 1991 Experience told me the cause of the old building’s demise as I looked over the sagging eaves: it was the result of a series of events that had progressed to this point. A leaky gutter allowed water to saturate the timber framing; damp…
Read MoreFight the Good Fight of Faith
by Keith Crews Christians are soldiers in the Lord’s army. “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (II Timothy 2:3). As soldiers we must be focused…
Read MoreI Believe the Lord, But …
by Marvin L. Weir Spiritual matters take priority over worldly matters. Many people who profess to be Christians would angrily protest if they were told they did not believe the Lord. A failure to believe Christ is not a new problem. During His earthly ministry, Jesus said to the Jews, “And ye have not his…
Read MoreOur Faith and The Faith
by Steve Dewhirst via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 3, 30 September 1991 In Paul’s declaration of the gospel’s power to save, he concluded with the words of the prophet Habakkuk, “The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:16-17). Man’s fellowship with Deity has always been conditional. God has always demanded a faith that surrenders to…
Read MoreDo Not Be Deceived!
by Roy Davison There are many warnings about deception in the Scriptures. What is deception? One is led to believe something that is not true or not to believe something true. We must avoid deceivers. Paul wrote: “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you…
Read MoreThe Apostles and the Will of Christ
by Jon W. Quinn Somebody once came up with a good idea that has proven helpful to me. Someone decided to print a series of Bibles that would use red ink to record the words of Jesus. Since that time, many others have followed, and now it is common. It is helpful to me when…
Read MoreFaith
by Terry Wane Benton Biblical faith is believing in God, believing what His word (the Bible) says, trusting Him enough to be refreshed and reassured by His promises, yielding and submissive to His Sovereignty, and active in obeying His commands. When any of these ingredients are fading or missing, then it ceases to be faith.…
Read MoreIs It “Taking It Out Of Context”?
by Bill Jackson A few days ago, some publicity was given to a gentleman in our area who was posting religious messages on a well-traveled highway, but on property owned by his religious group, and with their consent. The point of the article was that his messages were resented by much of the populace, and…
Read MorePowerful Preaching
by Zeke Flores Paul, the apostle, often portrayed himself as weak, ineffective, and even fearful. Sometimes, he felt that his words didn’t impress anyone. I can relate. Every preacher has dreamed of doing great things for God with his oratory skills. Some have. Others simply preach the old, unchanging message consistently, despite their perceived lack…
Read MoreThe Family Meal
by L. A. Stauffer via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 2, February 2015 Much has been said in our times by psychiatrists and family experts about bonding between parents and children. Fathers and mothers are told to hold, hug, rock, and talk with their children in the very first hours and days of their lives. It…
Read MoreQuitters Are Needed
by Ed Smith via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 2, 30 June 1991 The only thing I hate more than seeing somebody quit a worthwhile endeavor is quitting it myself. As a youngster, I recall always trying to persuade people not to quit activities that I found enjoyable, such as athletics, drama, music, and scouting, to…
Read MoreThey
by William V. Beasley via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 2, 30 June 1991 “They” is a third-person plural pronoun in the nominative case. “They” is also, oftentimes, an indication of spiritual weakness. A great deal can be learned by listening to how some individuals speak about the congregation to which he or she belong. It…
Read MoreYou’ve helped me in my studies
Question: I just wanted to reach out and tell you how much you have encouraged me and helped me in my study of the Word. We are praying for you. Your brother in Christ. Answer: I am glad to hear we have been of service to you.
Read MoreThe Micah Principle Applied
by David Gibson What God Expects “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). What John Preached When tax collectors asked what repentance would mean for them, John answered,…
Read MoreGreen Grass
by Terry Wane Benton It is a common problem with the human heart to fail to see the green grass we have and appreciate it. The heart can be conditioned over time to be unthankful and unappreciative of what we have. This outlook always sees greener grass elsewhere. This means that we have failed our…
Read MoreA Crutch for the Weak
by Zeke Flores “Christianity is a crutch for the weak!” some say. I agree. God’s way is a comfort for the afflicted (II Corinthians 1:3-5), a help for the persecuted (Hebrews 10:32-39), and strength for the downtrodden (Romans 8:31, 36-39). The reason we need this “crutch” is because we are unable to navigate life solely…
Read MoreThe Way (Benton)
by Terry Wayne Benton Saul was looking for Christians, followers of Christ, to capture and prosecute, but Luke commented that they were “of the Way” (Acts 9:2). In Acts 8:3, he stated that Saul made “havoc of the church.” The church is comprised of people who have united with Jesus and are in His way of…
Read MoreWhy Was Peter Afraid?
by Clay Gentry In Galatians 2:11-14, the Apostle Paul recounts a surprising incident that occurred in the church in Antioch. Peter, who had been freely sharing meals and fellowship with Gentile believers, abruptly “separated himself, fearing the circumcision party” after “certain men arrived from James” (that is, Jewish-Christians from Jerusalem). For us today, it can…
Read MoreOn Baptism Into…
by Terry Wane Benton Paul, guided by the Holy Spirit, stated that the Israelites were “baptized into Moses” when they crossed the Red Sea while fleeing Pharaoh and his armies. They were immersed under a cloud of water and with the walls of water on each side (I Corinthians 10:1-2). They had a choice to…
Read MoreNaaman Was Healed by Grace Through Faith
by Terry Wane Benton At first, Naaman did not appreciate the simple instructions to dip in the Jordan seven times (II Kings 5:1-14). He wanted to be healed of leprosy, but he wanted it to be on his terms. He imagined that God would heal him some other way. He was wrong. God would not…
Read MoreDo Your Part
by Zeke Flores Every person in Christ’s kingdom has a responsibility to the Lord, His people, and himself. God is building a temple, His own dwelling, so it’s vitally important that each individual block – you and I – stay true to the purpose. We contribute individually when we each recognize our responsibility and assume…
Read MorePlatitudes Sound Good But …
by Perry Hall Human platitudes sound good, wholesome, and biblical except when examined by the Bible. For example, “No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once” (Oswald J. Smith). I appreciate the zeal and love for lost souls. However, does this quote match the…
Read MoreIs the Holy Spirit Just the Force of God?
by Terry Wane Benton I was told that there is an argument circulating that the Holy Spirit is not a person but a force. To get around there being Three Persons in the Godhead, it is argued that the Holy Spirit is not a personal being but merely the force of God. Let’s think and…
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