Article
Green 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…
Read MoreWhat Causes Churches of Christ to Split?
by Dylan Stewart via The Good News of God This article is not intended to address the reasons for all religious divisions, such as denominationalism. This article aims to specifically address the reasons why divisions exist within churches of Christ and why many local congregations split. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here…
Read MoreFasting and Sabbaths
by Tommy Peeler Isaiah 58 stresses God’s commandments about fasting (Isaiah 58:1-12) and the Sabbath day (Isaiah 58:13-14). Israel was called to humble themselves when fasting (Isaiah 58:3, 5) and to refrain from their pleasures on the Sabbath to do what is pleasing to the Lord (Isaiah 58:13-14). Israel was not listening to God’s commandments…
Read MoreTalking About the Gospel
by Zeke Flores Have you ever tried to share the gospel with someone? Maybe your family, friends, or co-workers? If you have, you know it can be a little intimidating. If they reject it, it can be downright disappointing. But who knows what will later come from the seed you’ve planted? In his letters to…
Read MoreHow Has Satan Been Cast Out?
by Terry Wane Benton “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out” (John 12:31). When Jesus died for our sins, it cast out Satan’s power to keep us accused of sin and thereby condemned with him. His accusations don’t stand where remission of sins has been given.…
Read MoreJust a Body Please
by Terry Wane Benton The prophecies of the Jewish book had spoken of someone who would not see corruption (Psalm 16), someone who would be executed for others’ transgressions, yet whose days would then be prolonged (Isaiah 53). Then, later, Jesus was executed, but the Jewish leaders were determined to prevent a story of resurrection…
Read MorePersonal Letters
by Zeke Flores Who doesn’t love getting personal, hand-written letters? I read about a boy living in New Jersey who waits expectantly every year for the mailman to deliver a special letter to him on his birthday. When his father was dying of a terminal disease, he knew the youngster would not have the benefit…
Read MoreWould You Die for Your Faith?
by Terry Wane Benton I keep hearing of people in other countries dying for their faith in Jesus at the hands of Muslims. It is so sad that this goes on without a government backlash against murderous Muslims. But, what about our faith here? Do we believe in Jesus so strongly and with such loyal…
Read MoreHow Do We Hear the Voice of God?
by Kevin Cauley We all listen to someone’s voice. As humans, this is inescapable. John Donne (1572-1631) wrote, “No man is an island.” We enter this world listening to the voices of our mothers and fathers. As children, we hear the voices of relatives and friends. As we grow older, we listen to teachers, preachers,…
Read MoreI Protest
by Terry Wane Benton I protest sin. It corrupts hearts and destroys love and peace. It breaks our relationship with God and makes people lawless. It blinds people to their own faults and makes them super critical of others. Sin corrupts hearts so that they hate people without knowing them based upon external features that…
Read MoreIf the Kingdom of God Has Come … and It Has
by Zeke Flores If the kingdom of God has come — and the Bible emphatically states that it has — then the theory of premillennialism is heretical King Jesus isn’t coming back to establish His kingdom; He’s already done it. His sacrifice has provided a once-for-all remedy for sin, and the Spirit has provided and…
Read MoreWhy Resist Baptism?
by Marvin Rickett Nearly all denominations resist the Bible’s doctrine of baptism in one manner or another. Some resist it by saying it is not essential to salvation. One can be saved without ever being baptized. Others resist it by teaching that one is saved before one is baptized. He is saved at the point…
Read MoreJesus, the Greatest
by Terry Wane Benton The greatest blessing of my life is Jesus. Without Him, my heart was dark, and my direction was aimless. I pretended that believers were as irrational about God and Jesus as children were about tooth fairies. I once challenged a preacher, and he sent me material that opened my eyes. I…
Read MoreHe Died for My Sins
by Allen Dvorak via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 2, February 2015 What would you be willing to do for your enemy? To the Romans, Paul wrote that God demonstrated His love for us “in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). We (men in general) were enemies of God because…
Read MoreStillborn
by Jack Gibbert via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 1, 31 March 1991 Paul says the purposes of the offices listed in Ephesians 4:11 are so that we would no longer be children (Ephesians 4:14), but would grow up in all things into Him who is the head, Christ (Ephesians 4:15). Many New Testament passages address…
Read MoreJesus, the Perfect Man
Author Unknown From The Commercial Appeal, 22 December 1912 There is no other character in history like that of Jesus. As a preacher, as a doer of things, and as a philosopher, no man ever had the sweep and the vision of Jesus. The human analysis of the human actions of Jesus brings to view a…
Read MoreWhere Do Your Morals Come From?
by Terry Wane Benton What is wrong all over the news in our country is that we shoved even mentioning God out of public life, and that leads to a decline in governing yourself with moral accountability. Take accountability to God out of your picture, and nobody has the right to tell you what to…
Read MoreSifted
by Terry Wane Benton The Lord told Peter that Satan would sift him like wheat. He sifts through our character and principles to find that vulnerable spot that he can use to bring us down. With David, it was lust; with others, it is alcohol or chemical addiction. The weak spot in some is the…
Read MoreTrembling at God’s Word (Article)
by Doy Moyer “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. … Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at His word” (Isaiah 66:2,5). Trembling at God’s word here stands in sharp contrast to what Isaiah says between…
Read MoreThe Blessing of Relationships
by Zeke Flores Paul’s words in I Thessalonians 2:8 remind us that some of the greatest blessings we receive from others are found not so much in the gifts they give but in the people they are. When lives become intertwined through fellowship in Christ, it fosters tighter relationships, deeper love, and more enthusiastic motivation.…
Read MorePreaching the Word to a World That Doesn’t Listen
Author Unknown It seems to me that the theme of June in society is centered around the symbol of the promise that God made to mankind in a word, never to flood the earth again. Obviously, the rainbow is being misused and mistreated among those of various parties, but the account of Noah is one…
Read MoreWho Do You Say Jesus Is?
by Terry Wane Benton There were various opinions about who Jesus was to those considering Him in the first century (Matthew 16:13-19). All opinions and beliefs were not equal. Today, various religious beliefs are not equal to the truth. When some held the opinion that Jesus was a prophet but only a prophet, their opinion…
Read MoreMaking a Positive Difference
by David Gibson Sorely Missed “Then Jeremiah chanted a lament for Josiah . . .” (II Chronicles 35:25 NASB). Josiah “pled the cause of the afflicted and needy” (Jeremiah 22:15). He urged his wayward nation to turn back to God (II Chronicles 34-35). Josiah made a difference. When Stephen was martyred, those who buried him…
Read MoreSurprise!
by Zeke Flores Life is full of surprises. Some are pleasant, but many, maybe even most, are not. Unpleasant, stressful, unexpected, and unwelcome events require adjustments, not only in action but also in attitude. A real, lasting attitude adjustment can only be done by trust and confidence in God, Who may not take away your…
Read MoreA Biblical Call to Reject Occult Practices
by Cleve Stafford In an age of spiritual confusion, many are turning to mysticism in the name of peace, balance, or inner healing. Practices such as burning sage to “cleanse” a room, carrying crystals for energy, reading horoscopes, or consulting psychics are increasingly viewed as harmless rituals or even helpful tools for mental clarity. However,…
Read MoreStanding for Right
by Paul M. Tucker Standing for the right is very demanding of us. It is not easy. It may be very inconvenient. It may even lead to loneliness. On the mountain peak of spiritual experience, it can be a lonely place; we may even find ourselves alone. “At my first answer no man stood with…
Read MoreThink So?
by David Gibson Thinking Reconsidered The bumper sticker caught my eye: “Don’t Believe Everything You Think.” If it’s unwise to believe everything we hear, isn’t it also unwise to believe everything we think? “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12 NASB). Our…
Read MoreTarnish on a Silver Platter
A cynic is someone who, when given a silver platter, sees only tarnish. His perspective is skewed because he’s already made up his mind about how to look at life, and, unfortunately, some of the most cynical people can be Christians. Christians should be the most optimistic people in the world! I’m not talking Pollyanna…
Read MoreSpiritually Minded
by Ronny E. Hinds A Christian’s greatest need, without exception, is to be spiritually minded. This means the primary focus of life is spiritual matters. It means that every thought and action is controlled by what God wants. This way of thinking always asks, “Do these thoughts, does this behavior, please God? How does God…
Read MoreThe Silence of the Scriptures
by Trent Sherwin If we were to take a trip to our favorite drive-through fast-food restaurant and order a #1 with cheese, fries, and a Coke, and then, when we pulled up to the pay window, discovered the total was $43.59, would we have a problem with that? The obvious answer is, “Yes, of course!”…
Read MoreNot Wanting the Truth
by Larry Rouse Good quote I just saw: …”most people don’t want the truth despite what they say. What they want is constant reassurance that what they believe is the truth…. Those who are skilled in the arts of deception will always find an audience willing to be deceived!” “The coming of the lawless one…
Read MoreGod Is One
by Doy Moyer God is one, united in triune nature, and never broken. From the Father eternally proceeds the Son and Spirit, co-equally divine, perfect, and committed in love and faithfulness. Because of who God is, we can trust that He will always act in our best interest, treat us with true justice, and invite…
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