Mike Riley Sermon Outlines, Articles, Lessons, etc.

The following barbs of wisdom come from The Sword and Staff Publication, 2004, Volume 42, Number 4; pg. 13 (appropriate Scriptures and related articles have been added):

When visiting a cemetery, have we ever taken the time to notice the various epitaphs on the stones? (see article). Some of them are very unique and well-thought-out. I especially enjoyed reading the following one:

Like most people who cook, I have a favorite food recipe handed down from my mother – salmon croquettes. The recipe is sure-fire — if you follow the directions exactly. However, if you omit some

The Lord’s Day is my tower of strength! It is the day of days for soul refreshment. In my moments of quiet meditation, I have often asked myself, “How long would strength remain in me and God’s reality remain

The Internet Journal Of Family Practice (scroll down to “Introduction” heading) noted that a recent study of more than 2,000 deaths in a national cohort of approximately 21,000 people, followed for nine years (1987-1997), found that persons who never attended religious services

Did Jesus really walk on water or simply use some nearby sandbars? Did He actually multiply bread and fish to feed 5,000 people, or did He just hypnotize the crowd into thinking He did? Were those miracles or merely clever deceptions?

In Jude 1:11 KJV, Jude speaks of those who “perished in the gainsaying of Core,”  making direct reference to Korah’s rebellion in Numbers 16-17. He was the individual who not only stirred up some of the princes of the congregation, adversely affecting the tribe of Reuben (Numbers 16:1), but he became a rallying point for […]

A querist asks, “I’ve just happened to notice in a pocket reference guide to the Scriptures that I use, that under the topic heading ‘Lord’s Supper’ it states ‘Not – Eucharist, nor sacrament.’ This conflicts with my dictionary when I look up each term.

The New Testament teaches that Christ is our advocate, intercessor and mediator (cf. 1 John 2:1; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25; 1 Timothy 2:5). To better understand how our

Some who die will be remembered for having possessed profound skill, such as Babe Ruth’s ability to hit 60 home runs in a single season. Virtuous leaders of countries are mourned universally when they pass from this life – they are missed because of the good influence they had on millions of people. But, in […]

The following writing is from an unknown author regarding our attitude. The principles the author presents are just as viable today as when they were first written:

Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist, philosopher and poet once stated, “The true test of civilization is not the census, nor the size of cities, nor the crops – no, but the kind of man the country turns out” (source).

As followers of Christ, we often find some of the commandments of God difficult to incorporate into our lives and everyday living. Some of our Lord’s followers in the first century thought the very same thing (cf. Matthew 19:1-25; John 6:24-66).

When we water something down, it is diluted, weakened, and made less potent. In the old days, taverns “watered-down” firewater to make it go further. This writer has been in

In the last few articles, I have focused on how God is often described by His various attributes or images. Since God is really indescribable …. using attributes or human characteristics makes God more meaningful to us. Of course, we as humans are unable to fully describe God. Words are inadequate, but that’s how we […]

An airplane pilot knows how to get from point A to point B, by using the VHF Omni-directional Radio Range (VOR), a navigational system invented in the early 1950’s (see article). The pilot sets the course of the aircraft on a VOR dial. If the aircraft drifts from that set course, the instrument shows the […]

There are great hymns illustrating great spiritual truths that we sing in every worship service to our heavenly Father. In this article we want to briefly look at the hymn “Thou Art The Way” and observe the lyrics with appropriate scripture. “Thou Art The Way: To Thee Alone From Sin And Death We Flee” Christ […]

It is not uncommon to hear sincere religious folks speak of being saved by “faith only”. They say, “All you have to do is believe in the Lord Jesus Christ”. Their statement is designed to convey the concept that one is saved at the exact point in time when one believes in Jesus. Those who […]

From Get Paid To Write Online, comes an article by Tom Walker, a writer and designer from the United Kingdom,

When Fred Rogers died on February 27, 2003, scores of newspapers carried the story as front-page news, and almost every headline included the word “neighbor” As host of the