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Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?
by Alan Williamson via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 4, 31 December 1991 In this case: Who’s afraid of the AIDS virus? With news of the infection of basketball superstar Magic Johnson, a new warning has arisen relative to the dangers of the HIV virus. “Anybody can get it!” is the new watch cry. Young people…
Read MoreThe Joys of Leading a Soul to Christ
by Jeff McCrary via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 2, February 2015 “One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus” (John…
Read MoreFaith’s Opposites
by David Gibson Light is the opposite of dark. Good is the opposite of evil. Hope is the opposite of despair. Zeal is the opposite of apathy. What then is the opposite of faith? Faith Is the Opposite of Sight “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (II Corinthians 5:7 NASB). “Now faith is……
Read MoreWhat Kind of People Confess Their Sins?
by Steve Klein via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 2, February 2015 “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). There used to be a site on the Internet called DailyConfession that advertised itself as “the…
Read MoreDoes Error Have Any Rights?
by Jeff Kingrey via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 3, 30 September 1991 During the famous years of the Roman Catholic Inquisition, hundreds of “heretics” were burned by zealous clergy to grind out all opposition to Papal rule. Many of these enemies of the Roman church were executed without even the primitive due process of the…
Read MoreInsufferable Nits
by Gary Calton via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 3, 30 September 1991 Age gets all of us. But like most folks, you and I sometimes sit around and talk about the things that might have been….if only! Not too many years ago, a group at work was talking about age and the perfect age…
Read MoreCelebrate Repentance!
by Perry Hall People celebrate when others recount how they overcame their sins, even using them as examples of good – and they should. However, people often shun those when they first repent of their sins (except when being baptized!). Shameful. It is true that overcoming sins, whether sexual, alcoholic, or even the more socially…
Read MoreHow Do You Use the Church?
Author Unknown Some people use the church as a fire escape – no special joy in it, just afraid of going to hell. Some use the church as a spare tire – they do not want to use it, but are afraid to be without it. Some use the church like Sunday clothing – they wear it only…
Read MoreThese You Ought To Have Done
by Heath Rogers “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone” (Luke 11:42). Imagine the time and patience it took to measure the herbs that one had…
Read MoreWho Is Telling the Truth?
by Jerry Falk A friend on Facebook recently asked, “How do you know ‘facts’ are truth or lies?” Apparently, he was referring to the current political climate in the United States. I took his question a step further. If we reject the existence of God and dismiss biblical morality, on what basis do we determine…
Read MoreSchisms
by Zeke Flores No one likes torn or broken things. The word “schism” is a transliteration from the Greek “schisma”, which describes a tear in a garment or a crack in a stone. A torn garment is useless; it fails to accomplish its purpose of covering the body. A cracked stone endangers the whole structure…
Read MoreRelationship Between Heart and Mind
by Chadwick Brewer “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8). There always seems to be a struggle between the heart…
Read MoreDid the Apostle Paul Baptize?
by Louis Rushmore Plainly, the apostle Paul acknowledged that he personally baptized some individuals. “Now I say this, that each of you says, ‘I am of Paul,’ or ‘I am of Apollos,’ or ‘I am of Cephas,’ or ‘I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of…
Read MoreTwo Christians
by David Gibson Drawn away What can we learn from two of Paul’s associates, Mark and Demas? Paul writes, “Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers” (Philemon 23-24 NASB; see Colossians 4:10, 14). Later Paul mentions both Mark and Demas again, but note the…
Read MoreThe Truth About Sex No One Tells You
by Dr. K. N. Jacob via Facebook, 6 July 2025 Sex is powerful. Sex in marriage is priceless – don’t trade depth for thrills. Casual sex often leads to pain, confusion, and heartbreak. Casual sex chips away at self-worth. Affairs destroy families. Premarital sex often masks incompatibility. Sex blurs red flags, rushes commitment, and complicates…
Read MoreA World Under the Curse of Sin
by Doy Moyer Suffering brings to the front one of the most universal questions: why? Why does God allow it to happen? Why this place? Why this time? Why allow the innocent to suffer and die? We don’t understand, and because we don’t understand, we may look to God and wonder if He hears, cares,…
Read MoreA Comment Worth Remembering
by David Gibson Something Jeff Hogan said years ago has stuck with me. The sermon that day was on some specific sin. Jeff commented that if we don’t preach on things like that, the members will think it’s OK to do them. He was right! From time to time, we need to be reminded of…
Read MoreAn Introduction to the Book of Acts
by Jeff Arnette The book of Acts is a favorite of many in the church. It is perhaps the most widely taught and read book in the churches of Christ. Much of our doctrine and practice stems directly from this 28-chapter narrative history. The truth is that Acts is a remarkable story of promises and…
Read MoreThe Test of a Prophet and Joseph Smith
by Steve Monts In the Bible, we see that a prophet is likened to the mouth of God (Exodus 4:16; 7:1 – Aaron was called Moses’ prophet, as he was his spokesman). They did not claim their message was theirs. They prefaced their message with, “Thus saith the Lord”, and they foretold much about the…
Read MoreMore Sure
by Terry Wane Benton The prophetic word is made “more sure” (II Peter 1:19). In other words, it was sure on its own merits, by its own credibility, by its own historical accuracy, by its own factual detail, and dedication to truth without fear or favor of man. But now that Jesus has fulfilled its…
Read MoreWhen a Loved One Is Making a Terrible Mistake
by Heath Rogers What are we to do when a loved one is making a terrible mistake? We often feel helpless as we must stand on the sidelines and watch the approaching disaster unfold before our eyes. Is there anything we can do? Does the Bible offer guidance in such situations? Jesus gives us a…
Read MoreThe Transcendence of God
by Tommy Peeler “Thus says the LORD, Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool, Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? For My hands made all these things, Thus all these things came into being, declares the LORD. But to…
Read MoreThe Resurrection of Jesus
by Terry Wane Benton It was evidence-based faith that drove the apostles to testify of Jesus’ resurrection openly. If Jesus were only a man, then the body should have remained in the tomb guarded by Roman soldiers. If it were still there after three days, the religion of Christ would have been over, squashed by…
Read MoreVital Starting Points for Unity
by Doy Moyer All believers should, at the least, accept that Jesus wants His followers to be united together. He prayed “for those who will believe in me through their (the apostles’) word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be…
Read MoreWhen I See the Blood
by Terry Wane Benton The Israelites were instructed to be ready to travel because God was going to do one last plague upon Pharaoh and Egypt that would break Pharaoh down and cause him to release the Israelites from the bondage he held them in. It is recorded in Exodus 12 that “the Lord’s Passover”…
Read MoreYou Wouldn’t Have Liked John The Baptist If…
by David Diestelkamp via Think on These Things Magazine, Vol. 56 No. 3, July-September 2025 If you struggle to listen to a preacher because of the way he dresses, you wouldn’t have liked John the Baptist. His clothing was rough and was neither stylish nor formal (Matthew 3:4; 11:8). If you don’t like a preacher…
Read MoreWithout Me, You Can Do Nothing
by Terry Wane Benton “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Without Jesus, we cannot be saved from a useless and aimless life. With Jesus, we can. Without Jesus, we cannot…
Read MoreInferiority
by Terry Wane Benton I know that many people struggle with their self-worth. As many struggle with pride and arrogance, some struggle with the opposite problem: a feeling of worthlessness or inferiority. Let me speak to you for a moment. God does not make junk. You are of special value to God, and He does…
Read MoreShould We Believe the Book of Mormon?
by Paul Smithson Should we believe that God told Joseph Smith that we should all be a part of the Mormon Religion? Members of the ‘The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints’ claim the Book of Mormon is of divine origin. They believe it to be a book more important than the Bible, for…
Read MoreKeep It Simple!
by Jarrod M. Jacobs The above statement is the “mantra” of a friend of mine. When it comes to preaching and teaching God’s word, he often tells me, “Keep it simple.” This sentiment was further impressed upon my mind when a sister in Christ told me, “The main problem that high school students have today…
Read MoreNavigating Disagreements
by Dylan Stewart When we find ourselves in the middle of a disagreement with someone, it is important that we maintain the correct attitude during these challenging situations. If we are not careful, we can escalate what started as a minor problem and turn a disagreement into something far more destructive. Whenever we disagree with…
Read MoreRoot of Bitterness
by Terry Wane Benton “Pursue peace with all men…lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled” (Hebrews 12:14-15). Negative experiences must be kept in perspective. If not handled well, we can allow those negative experiences to turn into resentment and hatred, which can be a root of bitterness.…
Read MoreThe Meaning of Freedom
by Doy Moyer Freedom has long been a cherished ideal, and people typically are willing to pay a high price for its benefits. We celebrate freedom in many ways—through memorials, cookouts, music, fireworks, and other traditions. People have lived and died for freedom, and this should certainly be appreciated; we should be thankful for the…
Read MoreSlow 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…
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