A querist asks, “What is the Apocrypha, and is it needed in the Bible?” The word, “Apocrypha” is a transliterated form of the Greek term “apokruphos” meaning “hidden” (cf. Colossians 2:3), and has come to be applied to those books that do not bear the marks of divine inspiration.

The Bible recognizes that our communication needs to be monitored with great care. For example, Paul urges us to, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Colossians 4:6).

From today’s Montana Street bulletin, comes the following article by Brother H.C. McCaghren regarding our involvement in solving the many moral issues that beset our country today:

Angels are heavenly beings created by God (Colossians 1:16). They are immortal (Luke 20:36), they worship God (Psalm 148:1-2), and they are subject unto Christ (1 Peter 3:22). Colossians 1:16: “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, […]

I’m just wondering does God forgive multiple backslidings? I’ve been in and out of church about 3 times and am deeply troubled by this subject, but am wanting God to forgive me for my failures and backslidings. I saw one guy suggest that once you’ve been saved and turn away, God will no longer forgive […]

Today, I learned that my good friend Rob was laid off from his technology job in Dallas. Rob is the son of one of our elders at Montana Street. I can truly empathize with him, because I too was laid off in

The story is told of a young man who was in need of some serious counseling because he was constantly getting into trouble. His probation officer told him to go and talk to a counselor. With an arrogant attitude and great reluctance, he went to see a counselor. When he arrived at the

The following are some aspects of the word “habit” by an unknown author, that I found on a poster inside the elementary school library where I was substituting today: “I am your constant companion. I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden. I will push you onward or drag you down to failure. I am […]

These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had […]

In the restaurant, the elderly gentleman had just been served his food, and he bowed to offer silent thanks. To the young roughs at an adjoining table, this was a very funny thing, and one of them just had to show-out for his peers. When the old man lifted his head, one of the young […]

The Apostle Paul says God had chosen the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 2:13) and “called you by our gospel for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 2:14). The letter to the Galations reveals to us the kind of  gospel Paul preached:

There are many people in our world today who truly and sincerely believe that there is no sovereign God that governs our world and universe. For a few moments, let’s explore that possibility, and see

In Ephesians 4:1 ESV, the apostle Paul urges his readers to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (we’ve been “called” by the gospel; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14). The question we might ask is, “How do we walk in a manner worthy of our calling?” The answer to that […]

Shame is the result of a pricked conscience brought on by feelings of guilt produced when we fail to live up to God’s moral standards (cf. Acts 2:14-37 KJV; 1 Timothy 1:12-15). Looking at the moral depravity of the past two generations, how long has it been since our present generation

If we read newspapers that advertise the worship services of churches in our community, we will usually find these words of encouragement: “Attend The Church Of Your Choice.”

Throughout the centuries, various skeptics have sought to discredit the Bible as the Word of God. Let us ask ourselves this question: “How can we be certain that the Bible is really

During my basic training in the U.S. Air Force, our drill sergeant worked hard week after week to transform our unit from a group of slouching civilians into a company of men who stood straight and

The following prayer, sent to me via email this morning, is by an author known only to God. As this prayer was shared with me, I’m sharing it with you, dear reader, with the hope

Ezekiel lived in a dark time. In the space of less than 20 years, three loads of Israelites were dragged from the promised land – away from Jerusalem, away from the temple, away from God Himself it seemed. Even the king himself, Jehoiachin, was in exile. Ezekiel was supposed to be a priest, serving at […]

A few years ago I bought a small VHS/TV combo from Wal-Mart so the kids could watch videos while traveling. Today we’ve pretty much converted to DVD, so we’ve been using that small television for the boys’ video games and cable TV from time to time. About a month ago this TV started doing something […]