From time to time a short refresher course is needed to refresh our memory (2 Peter 1:12) regarding key words, key verses, key phrases and key messages contained within the books of the Old Testament.

This past week I was having a conversation with a friend who is a member of a denominational church. She mentioned to me that she wanted to come visit us and that she had told her “pastor” that she was going to visit us. Her “pastor” asked who we were and my friend responded, “the […]

Why are there so many different churches today? When we open the Bible, they are not all there. Do all of these different religious organizations belong to Jesus Christ? The psalmist wrote that unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it, (Psalm 127:1). Jesus said that every plant the heavenly […]

Catholicism teaches, referring to Mary, “To thee we lift our prayers, for thou art the Mediatrix, powerful at once and pitiful, of our salvation” (cf. Catholic Encyclopedia). Such an affirmation exalts Mary to the same plateau as Jesus, for they call her “The Mother of God” (cf. Catholic Encyclopedia). Their attempts to deify Mary contradicts […]

On September 6, 1863, forty-eight Confederate soldiers, commanded by Lieutenant Richard “Dick” Dowling (who was only twenty-five years old), waited for the Union invasion of Texas on the muddy banks of Sabine Pass. The Union had sent four gunboats, and seventeen transport ships that contained 1500 troops. Dowling and his men were holed up in […]

Many honest and sincere folk in the religious world oppose the idea that baptism is an essential element in the salvation process. They argue that we are not saved by works and since baptism is a “work”, it follows that baptism has nothing to do with our salvation. The Bible declares that man is not […]

Our society is fascinated with measuring things. As early as kindergarten children are taught to use a ruler and think about weight. Physicians measure children’s height, weight, and circumferences at the time they are born and then at regular checkups. With adults, they measure blood pressure, pulse, and temperature each time you visit. We are […]

The Lord has created and arranged a home suitable for living creatures, a home with air to breathe, water to drink, food to eat, appropriate light and darkness and, for those creatures intelligent enough to make use of it, a means of marking time. Moses has taken great care to show that the God that […]

Covetousness has caused a great deal of trouble for the Lord’s people throughout history – even in the church today. The apostle Paul knew of the great dangers that accompanied covetousness, and for this reason gives strong warning to Timothy. In 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-18, Paul gives powerful reasons why covetousness, or the love of […]

“On the twenty-fifth of July, Sow your turnips, wet or dry.” There may be a few among us that remember President Harry Truman. I am currently reading a biography about his life. While President Truman brought a swift end to the war with Japan and deftly handled United States foreign policy, Mr. Truman did not […]

A few years ago, the late brother Guy N. Woods told a story about a minister who called for the removal of the Bible from his congregation for a period of six months. Recently, I received an e-mail in which the writer expressed the view that the public reading of the scripture was boring and […]

Are you saved? “Well, of course I am saved.” If this answer flashed immediately into your mind when you saw this question, then you may want to continue to read this. The Bible teaches that there are some people who think they are saved, but in actuality they are not saved. In fact, did you […]

We hear a lot today about identity theft. Unscrupulous fellows have found ways to discover the social security numbers, addresses, names, dates of birth, and other information related to one’s identity and used such things for nefarious purposes. In some cases individuals have become indebted overnight for cars, motor homes, and real estate because they […]

According to some of our religious friends, the text in Ephesians 2:3 is supposed to teach that babies are born with a “sin nature” or a “sinful nature” and that they are under the wrath of God because of that nature. But isn’t it a monstrous and a blasphemous dogma to say that God is […]

On one occasion when Paul was preaching the gospel in the city of Ephesus, a certain group of vagabonds sought to emulate Paul by taking it upon themselves to cast out a demon. When these men sought to do such, the evil spirit turned on them and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; […]

In Matthew 28:18-20, we read: “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19″Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20″teaching them to observe […]

1) We are early to the ball game, but late to worship services? 2) We see that they do their school homework, but never check to see if they have completed their Bible class lessons? 3) They cannot stay up late on school nights, but they can stay up and watch the “late show” on […]

In 1 Peter 3:21, the inspired writer declares, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”. To which some of our denominational friends might say, “Do you […]

This past Thursday evening, (April 1st 2004) we went to the Berryville Community Center and watched a high school choir production of Hans Christian Anderson’s classic tale, “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” You may be familiar with the story. An emperor is more concerned with his own vanities than he is with the affairs of his […]

The trip to De Leon, Texas was productive on a number of levels. I had a wonderful opportunity to spend time with my grandmother both going to De Leon and on the return trip. She lives in Graham, Texas, just south of Wichita Falls. My grandmother