When the Spanish explorer, Cortez landed at Vera Cruz in 1519 to begin his conquest of Mexico with a small force of 700 men, he purposely set fire to his fleet of eleven ships. His men on the shore watched their only means of retreat sinking to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. With […]

In 1 Corinthians 9:27, the inspired apostle Paul wrote, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” The Holy Spirit’s teaching of “self-control” in the life of the apostle Paul can be further illustrated in […]

In successfully leading the Israelites into the Promised Land, Joshua had to obey God’s simple instructions. The first step being to “be strong and of good courage” (Joshua 1:6); the second step included continually meditating on the Book of the Law; and finally, he was to do everything it said (Joshua 1:8). As long as […]

Do you believe its wrong to have choruses to sing outside of worship (after worship has been dismissed)? If so, what makes it wrong to sing religious songs w/musical instruments outside of worship? Are these things out and out wrong or are they to be considered bad judgment? First, just because the assembly has been […]

A querist asks, “What age do we live in? Christian Age, Messianic Age?” We are presently living in the Christian Age. The following short study should help your understanding regarding the different dispensations or ages of time: Patriarchal Age The word “patriarch” means “father.” In this age God began to deal with man as the […]

How many people does it take to do the work of the church? How many members of a congregation need to be involved in order to share in the

The following poem was read at the funeral of one of our beloved elders, brother Darwin Carroll (1917-2007). Brother Carroll passed from this life on my birthday, March 12, 2007. He was less than two months away from attaining 90 years of age. He left a lasting and godly legacy to his children and grandchildren. […]

In the 2013, volume 51, number 4 edition of The Sword and Staff publication, pg. 2, comes the following proverbs of wisdom (appropriate Scriptures and related articles have been added): Life is living for Christ. Prayer shows you really care. To have a meaningful relationship with God is to put meaning into all of our […]

The following poem by an unknown author emphasizes the fact that the Bible is one harmonious writing. How is it possible that the forty or more authors of

There’s a trend found not only in the secular world, but in the Lord’s church as well regarding the lack of good old common horse sense. Many of the problems found in the church today would simply disappear if we would properly use the intellect and reasoning capabilities that God has

The problems of life can indeed be taxing on us — physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Yet, as we learn to trust in the Father’s care (1 Peter 5:7), we can have the peace that

“Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals. Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some

There’s a lot to be said regarding life, both negative and positive. For one thing, life on this planet is not easy, for we live in a harsh and cruel environment, where many times life is not held in high esteem by our fellow man. Plus the fact that there are many obstacles and

As I was driving to purchase some groceries this afternoon, I spotted a church marquee sign with the above words. Another way of expressing the above words would be to say, “The Power Of The Gospel Is Used Here”; for the power of the gospel saves souls.

Man is inclined, when he is wrong, to lay the blame on someone else. He is like the small boy who was standing on the cat’s tail. The mother, hearing the terrible outburst from the cat, called from the next room, “Tommy, stop pulling that cat’s tail!” Tommy yelled back, “I’m not pulling the cat’s […]

A frustrated homeowner had a yard full of moles. He tried everything he knew to defeat his underground enemy, but he was losing the battle. Finally a friend informed him that

The need to maintain the pattern of the Lord’s church as the New Testament reveals is always of utmost importance. Every congregation should focus on this goal as one of its priorities in its operation and direction. Elders need to determine (by the authority of God’s Word) how close or how far a congregation is […]

When God called Moses to lead His people, Moses began to make excuses. “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of

Known as the three “D’s” of distress — death, divorce, and disease — can slice through our lives like a storm of sorrow, raising doubts and destroying dreams. For example, in a short period of time, Job lost his children, his health, his wealth, and his wife’s respect (Job 1:1-22; Job 2:1-13). Job’s distress was […]

The Psalmist in Psalm 98:1, exhorts us to “sing a new song” to the Lord who “has done marvelous things.” We should praise the Lord — especially in times of great difficulty — for God remembers “His mercy and His faithfulness“ (Psalm 98:3). Although this Psalm is about freeing the Israelites from slavery (Psalm 98:3), […]