Shortly after becoming the President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln was taken to task for his kindness toward his enemies. A close associate asked him, “Why do you try to make friends of them, when you are now in a position to destroy them?” Lincoln gently
The entrance to the door of God’s truth begins with a simple determination to “know” (cf. John 8:32). The time spent in searching the Scriptures (Acts 17:11), will refresh our spirit, enlarge our understanding, and enhance our spiritual development.
Jesus once told the story of a sower, a seed, and four kinds of soil (Matthew 13:1-9 – NKJV). The soil among the thorns represented those who permit the Word of God in their
Through the years, there have been many unique inventions — the puncture-proof tire being one of them. If we’ve ever driven with ordinary tires, and a nail goes through them — we’ll lose all the air in the tire. But if a nail goes through a puncture-proof tire, a sealant compound begins to run inside […]
When we think about our lives, do we worry about our money? We are to be good stewards (1 Corinthians 4:1-2), but Jesus taught that we are not to worry about our
A few months ago, as my wife and I were walking to our car after finishing a hearty meal at one of our local restaurants, a man approached us asking for money. He told us that he
The Proverb writer tells us that gossip is like “tasty trifles” (Proverbs 26:22). We like to hear gossip and share it with others because it “tastes” good. Gossip is rooted in our need to feel good about ourselves.
Listen Date written: March 31st, 2007Scripture ref: 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 SUBJECT: Christian Growth TITLE: Milk and Meat PROPOSITION: When considering milk and meat we notice 1) the content of milk and meat is similar, 2) the consistency of milk and meat are different, 3) the consumption of milk and meat is different as well. OBJECTIVE: […]
As Jesus was passing through Samaria on His way to Jerusalem, He sent messengers ahead to prepare a place. However, the villagers refused Him because they had no
On my grandparent’s farm, we had a chicken coop that would often be invaded by rats because they were attracted by the feed. My grandfather once asked me if I would help him set out a couple of traps. After a week, we had not caught a single rat. Then a farmer friend offered him […]
A querist asks, “What are the biblical definitions of the terms, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, and their specific roles?” In this article, let us briefly explore these definitions in order to better identify these individuals and their roles in the church. Apostle – These men were (1) commissioned by Christ (Luke 6:13; Acts 9:15; […]
When one reads through the Old Testament prophets one picks up on the theme that judges ought to be righteous in their judgments. Isaiah pleads with them: “Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:17). Jeremiah scolds them: “They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, […]
After over 400 years of bondage, 9 great plagues, and the death of the firstborn of the Egyptians, God lead the children of Israel out of Egypt with a high hand under the leadership of Moses: “And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: […]
The book of James has been called the “Proverbs” of the New Testament due to the amount of practical matter that the book discusses. Among the various topics within the book, there is a discussion of heavenly wisdom. This discussion begins in James 3:13. James compares and contrasts the wisdom that is from above versus […]
Listen Date written: October 12th, 2001Scripture ref: Matthew 16:13-19 SUBJECT: Gospel Meeting: Back to the Bible Pattern TITLE: Pattern for the Church PROPOSITION: The New Testament provides a pattern for the church. There is a pattern for its 1) Establishment, 2) Organization, 3) Name, and 4) Mission. Those “churches” that do not conform to this […]
Recently a wonderful lady whom I have gotten to know in my work here at Berryville posed this question to me. I appreciate this question and thought that it would be a good subject of a bulletin article as there is great misunderstanding in the religious world today regarding pastors. When we look in the […]
A local newscaster, some time back, was lamenting the fact that many needs that people have are not being met. She pointed out that civil authorities are taxed to the limit, and that those agencies who operate to relieve those on the streets are also working to their limits. She was trying to express that […]