Mike Riley Sermon Outlines, Articles, Lessons, etc.

A Misguided Love

In raising our children, we may be inclined to give them everything and ask nothing from them in return. On the surface, this may seem to be an expression of genuine love, but in so doing, we are actually teaching our children to expect everything and to give nothing.

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The Bible Has An “App” For That!

Do we remember when telephones were for making simple phone calls? Today, cell-phone applications, or “apps” as they are called, allow us the capability of reading daily news reports, sports scores,

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Disfellowshipped Notification — Yes Or No?

A querist asks, “If a person has been disfellowshipped by a congregation, should that congregation notify other area congregations of their action so they are aware of the

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Sources For Reaching People With The Gospel

From the Braggs church of Christ in Braggs, Oklahoma, comes the following article written by Brother Ron Boatwright. His article provides us with twenty-six sources for reaching people with the

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Looking At Compassion

There was time when I thought the word “compassion” had to do with self-giving and the outpouring of one’s spirit. However, when I looked the word up in the dictionary, I discovered that compassion is not so much an outpouring, as it is a “strong desire to alleviate the suffering” of an individual or individuals.

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Influencing Lives For Christ

We influence the lives of more people than we realize we do. Just stop and think for a moment all of the people we’ve known in our lifetime. Think of all of the clerks who’ve

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On Being Led By The Spirit

A querist asks, Paul says in Romans 8:14 that we are “led by the Spirit of God.” My question is, “How are we led by God’s Spirit?”

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The “Value Added” Life

A key phrase in today’s business world is the phrase “value added.” It simply means the value that an employee adds to the overall value and success of any business operation.

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Not Seeing, Yet Believing

From today’s Montana Street bulletin, comes the following article by Vance Havner, emphasizing biblical faith:

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There's No Excuse For Sin!

During King Rehoboam’s reign (1 Kings 14:21), Rehoboam flatly rejected a request from representatives of the 10 tribes of Israel to lower the heavy tax burden imposed by his

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Needed In Prayer – A Humble Posture Of The Heart

The ancient Greeks and Romans rejected kneeling as a part of their worship. They said that kneeling was unworthy of a free man, unsuitable for the culture of Greece, and

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God's Right To Demand Our Respect

In Ecclesiastes 12:13, we are instructed to “fear God and keep His commandments.” The word “fear” in this verse, carries with it the idea of reverence, honor, and respect. The question might be raised: “What right does God have to demand our respect?”

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Getting To The Barn

The story is told of a farmer who one day decided to plow the south forty acres in his field. However, his tractor needed oil, so he started for the barn to get it, but on the way, he noticed that the pigs

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There’s A Time To “Stand Still”

According to the Ecclesiastes writer, there is a proper time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). There is also a time to move and a time to “stand still.” The Israelites moved out of Egypt, as far as the Red Sea, only to become frightened when it appeared Pharaoh’s army

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Make A Commitment To Read The Bible In 2010!

After 30 years as a preacher of God’s Word, a New Jersey minister concluded, “The Bible is the best-selling, least-read, and least-understood book in the world.” In his view and experience, “Biblical illiteracy is rampant.”

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What Really Changed Paul’s Life?

All of Jerusalem was disturbed (Acts 21:30). Paul has been seized, dragged out of the temple, almost beaten to death, and falsely charged with desecrating the temple (Acts 21:30-32). Of interest, when he was finally allowed to defend himself, he talked about — of all things — his conversion. He spoke of: 1) His “education” […]

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The Seven Sticks

The following story is from the McGuffey Readers, used in American school systems in the 19th and 20th century. We can easily see the application drawn from the story — there is power in numbers: A man had seven sons who were always quarreling. They left their studies and work to quarrel among themselves. Some bad men […]

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Let's Not Waste Our Breath!

When God created man out of the dust of the earth, He created a living, breathing being capable of thinking, feeling, dreaming, loving, and living forever (Genesis 2:7;

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Incorruptible Beauty

The national media reported earlier this year that Olivia Goldsmith, author of the popular book, The First Wives Club (which became a film starring Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler), died from complications resulting from cosmetic surgery. According to the Associated Press, the 54-year-old novelist suffered a heart attack due to anesthesia she received during an […]

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Thirsty?

Have you ever wished for a personal conversation with the Lord? Not like the kind we have in prayer….that can be fairly one-sided; but a real sit-down complete with Q & A?  What would you ask? What do you want to know; and more over, what do you really need to hear?

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