Article
Not My Will
by Doy Moyer Jesus prayed in the garden, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). Jesus had no desire to suffer. He desired to save humanity from sin, and this was the necessary path to do so, but He was not enjoying…
Read MoreReligion by Majority
by Dub McClish A Pew Poll of 35,000 Americans, released in June 2008, revealed some interesting statistics about religious beliefs. More than half (57%) of “evangelicals” (strong in their belief in the Bible and in Jesus as God’s only begotten Son, right?) opined that Christianity is not the only way to Heaven. Mainline Protestants stated…
Read MoreHow to Avoid a Spiritual Failure
by Paul Earnhart In his final hours in Rome, awaiting an inevitable execution, a very lonely apostle Paul suffered some additional heartbreak. “Demas,” he wrote, “hath forsaken me, having loved this present world” (II Timothy 4:10). We are left to speculate as to the particulars — what dread fears or powerful allurements led this faithful…
Read MoreSee for Yourself!
by David Gibson Check it out! Truth can bear rigorous investigation. Error cannot. The Bible encourages seekers to examine the evidence for the Christian faith (Luke 1:1-4; 24:36-43; John 1:45-51; 4:28-30, 39-42; 20:19-21; Acts 17:9-11; I Peter 3:15). Here are some areas worth investigating: How the Bible came into being, Fulfilled Old Testament prophecies, The…
Read MoreGod Has a Way
by Zeke Flores God has a way of working things out so that they point to His wondrous working. Everything — from good to bad, from happy to sad, from clear-cut to frustrating — how fathomless is the depth of His wisdom and working! Who else could take the disobedient failings of an entire people…
Read MoreGrowing Tired of the Congregation Where You Worship?
by Steve Waller Be careful before you answer the above question! Occasionally, one may be heard saying something like, “I’m so tired of the congregation where I worship. I want to find someplace else to go!” It’s not that there is anything wrong with the local church from a doctrinal standpoint, or that there is…
Read MoreSkeptic: Reexamining Isaiah and Other Biblical Texts
by Terry Wane Benton Quote: “Likewise, Isaiah is not a solitary author crafting messianic predictions. It is a composite work, consisting of First Isaiah (8th century BCE), Deutero-Isaiah (6th century BCE), and Trito-Isaiah (5th century BCE), each shaped by the political landscape of Assyrian and Babylonian influence. The “Suffering Servant” passages in Isaiah 52–53 are…
Read MoreThe Birth of Christ
Author Unknown Consider the impact of Christmas on people. Some people who typically look as though they were weaned on a dill pickle may become full of holiday cheer. Someone who might normally be a tight scrooge may become generous and compassionate. For some, this is when they get together with family. For others, this…
Read MoreThe Parable of the Sower: A Reminder to Soul-Winners
by Kris Groda Although Jesus called it “the parable of the sower,” we view the parable in light of the explanation that Jesus provided (Matthew 13:18-23). The thrust seems to be about the different types of ground, which represent the differences in people; nevertheless, the seed-sower scattered seed on good soil and by the wayside.…
Read MoreFaithfulness in Prayer
by Heath Rogers In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus told a parable to His disciples about a woman pleading with an unjust judge. This parable was spoken for a specific purpose: “that men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). Prayer is an exercise of faith. When we pray, we speak to a God…
Read MoreHeaven on Earth? No!
by Garland M. Robinson Where will the redeemed be in eternity when this life is over? The Bible teaches they will go to be with the Lord in heaven (John 14:1-3). Yet, some are saying the heaven we’ve always hoped for does not exist —that it’s not going to be in heaven above (God’s dwelling…
Read MoreCommandment Keeping
by Kevin Cauley There are those in the religious world today who ridicule the idea of keeping commandments. They claim that keeping God’s commandments has nothing to do with our salvation today. If someone objects and says that we must keep God’s commandments to be saved, the charge of legalism is leveled against him. Is…
Read MoreWoman’s Work in the Church
by James W. Boyd The belief and teaching that says men and women are to be equal in all matters is as foolish as contending that up is the same as down, and right is as proper as left. God describes their roles, not man. No religion or philosophy places womanhood on the pedestal as…
Read MoreA False Gospel Is Like American Cheese
by Perry Hall Let’s begin with a question you may have never considered. Is American Cheese real cheese? Personally, I joke that American cheese is both an insult to cheese and an insult to being an American. But am I right? Is American cheese real cheese? According to the FDA, American cheese is a processed…
Read MoreSpend and Be Spent
by Joe Chesser “I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls” (II Corinthians 12:15). I’m not sure we fully grasp what Paul meant. I’m not sure we want to. When writing his second letter to the Corinthian church, Paul felt spiritually and emotionally connected to them. The first time he had been…
Read More“All I Know Is …”
by Becky René There is a certain phrase that has a way of ending conversations. It is short, simple, and often spoken when logic has run its full course and the listener finds themselves at a crossroads. The phrase is this: “All I know is…” On the surface, it may sound humble—just a way of…
Read MoreHow Often Should Christians Observe the Lord’s Supper?
by Mike Willis The Lord’s Supper was instituted by Jesus Christ on the night of His betrayal and was designed to bring to our remembrance His beloved sacrifice for sin. Knowing that he would soon depart this world, Jesus commanded his disciples to take unleavened bread and fruit of the vine to remind them of…
Read MoreWhat Are Ears For?
by David Gibson Closed ears One advantage of a hearing aid, they say, is that you can turn it off. But even a person with excellent hearing can easily tune out an unwelcome message. Jesus said, “For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they…
Read MoreThe Christian and Angels
by Jerry Bates In today’s modern world, we hear a great deal of talk about angels, and it seems that much of it is without any real biblical basis. Part of the reason is that the Bible speaks very little about angels. They are mentioned frequently, but no text explicitly teaches about angels, and little…
Read MoreGet Right or Get Left
by David Gibson The bumper sticker said, “Get Right or Get Left.” It had a Scripture reference to a verse which says, “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord”…
Read MoreEvolution’s Impossibilities
by Jerry Blount Can an accidental life form without intellect, will, perception of environment, education, or instinct accomplish the following in one generation? Begin: Having all the elements of life in one place at one time! Consider a dead animal: It won’t just come to life. It can’t be revived! Survive: How long would it…
Read MoreLessons We Need from Balaam and His Donkey
by Richard Blackford It begins with Balak, the Moabite king, who was fearful of the Israelites moving through his territory on their way to the Promised Land. He sent for Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet and diviner, to bribe him to pronounce a curse on the Israelites. Concerning the donkey, the KJV, ASV, and older translations…
Read MoreHow to Personalize Your Bible
by David Gibson Perhaps you own a Bible with your name engraved in gold on the cover. Or maybe you received your Bible from a relative or friend who wrote a meaningful inscription to you on the flyleaf. Certainly, this makes your Bible more personal than those of the same edition in boxes on the…
Read MoreYou Matter to God
by Zeke Flores Remember the old song: “What’s it all about, Alfie?” (Yeah, I’m showing my age) I don’t know about Alfie, but people still ask themselves the question in different ways: “Why am I here?” “Where am I going?” “Do I matter?” People seek significance and meaning for their lives in what they do…
Read MoreJust the Hem
by Terry Wane Bentom Bleeding woman desired to touch Jesus’ garment (Matthew 9:21) She had spent many years going to different doctors trying to find a cure for her issue of blood. It had plagued her life so much. But she had a wonderful opportunity when the Man who miraculously healed so many others came…
Read MoreMaterialistic Naturalism: Is There Anything Beyond?
by Terry Wane Benton Many are those today who sincerely believe that only the things we see and observe now with our senses are real. They won’t allow for God and angels or demons unless they can test them with the “scientific method,” which just so happens to be limited to one kind of evidence.…
Read MoreGood and Evil
by Zeke Flores Most people don’t make a deliberate choice between good and evil. That is, they don’t sit there thinking about the moral implications of a choice; they simply do what they want, and then when it turns bad, they’re surprised at “what happened.” But everything we do is a choice in some way.…
Read MoreHow Does Your Garden Grow?
by Joe Slater I presume you have your garden in by now. If you’re like me, you’re looking forward to harvesting those nutritious veggies! Somehow, the store-bought variety doesn’t measure up. If you planted okra, what do you expect to harvest? It’s a weird question, but you probably know already what I’m driving at. Okra…
Read MoreThe Man Who Would Not Listen
by David Gibson In spite of … King Zedekiah had at least two positive influences in his life that should have prompted him to make wiser choices. His father, Josiah, was one of the most godly kings Judah ever had. And Jeremiah, God’s prophet, tried repeatedly to persuade Zedekiah to obey God. In spite of…
Read MoreGoing Along with the Crowd
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton In Gevas, Turkey, in 2005, one sheep jumped off a cliff, and then nearly 1,500 others followed. Ultimately, 450 of them died. [“450 Turkish Sheep Leap to Their Deaths,” Fox News, 8 July 2005]. Now, think about the argument: “Everybody’s doing it!” Why would a sheep put itself in danger by…
Read MoreDon’t Call Me God, I’ll Call You!
by Phillip Mullins People want God involved in their lives on their own terms and in their own time. Some do not want to be responsible to God when they are healthy. They want to be free to chase after their desires and pleasures. Yet, when they face a serious illness, they call out for…
Read MoreGenesis Challenges Naturalism
by Terry Wane Benton The opening chapters of this revelation to Moses defied the premises of naturalism and superstitious paganism. Genesis announced to the Israelites who saw the Red Sea open for them and close on the Egyptians that the same God was the One who originally created the heavens, earth, and all manner of…
Read MoreMaking the Most of One String
by Mike Riley The story is told of Italian violinist Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840), who, as he played a challenging piece of music before a large audience, a string on his violin snapped — yet he continued to play, improvising beautifully. Then, without warning, two more strings broke, and he continued the composition playing with only…
Read MoreFamily (Brewer)
by Chadwick Brewer “If I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth” (I Timothy 3:15). I believe that there is an innate desire and need for family, to have a place where you…
Read MoreLove One Another
by Luke Bower The other day, I overheard someone talking about how they enjoy buying things online. They even observed that as soon as the drone delivery system is perfected, they won’t have to interact with the UPS person. It seems that more and more stores are moving in this direction. Have you noticed that…
Read MoreIs There No Hope?
by David Gibson Can racial prejudice exist apart from people? Obviously not. Racism is an individual heart problem, a deeply flawed attitude, based on wrong teaching, fed by pride, and reinforced by cultural peer pressure. Does this mean there is no hope for improvement? Not at all. Whenever a child is taught that all people are…
Read MoreLiving on the B Side
by Kenny Westmoreland “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: you should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you” (I Thessalonians 4:11). In my younger years, I enjoyed playing 45 singles. For those unaware or too young to remember, a 45 is a small vinyl record…
Read MoreProtectors of the Flock
by Jerry C. Brewer When Luke penned Paul’s last words to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20, the Holy Spirit guided his hand in selecting a single word that graphically sums up and illustrates the work of elders. That word is, poimaino. According to McClintock and Strong, this word means, “to tend as a shepherd…
Read MoreThe Power of Perseverance
by David Gibson Bois d’Arc endures. That’s why the early settlers in this part of Texas found this practically rot-proof wood so useful for fence posts and foundation blocks. Hang in there! God loves people who stay the course day after day, year after year, no matter what. Marriages and congregations thrive when they possess…
Read MoreDisappointments in Life
by Zeke Flores Frustration, disappointment, and sorrow are a part of life. But knowing that hardly softens the discouragement and dissatisfaction they bring, nor the feelings of failure and heartache. Things, no matter how good the warranty, will frustrate you. People, even those you love and admire, will let you down. Circumstances will disappoint you.…
Read More