Posts from 2024

A new year begins Wednesday! Where did the past twelve months go? The rapid passing of time reminds us of the brevity of life, the preciousness of time, and the urgency of doing what we can while we can. It also reminds us of the things in life that are most important—the Bible, the church, the soul, family, Christian friends, hope for a better tomorrow, etc. We are reminded that Christ must be the center of our lives because no…

We live in a day of big things—big shopping centers, big buildings, big churches. Big appetites, super-sized food items, which of course result in bigger bodies and bigger health problems. And how could we live without the Super Bowl, the World Series, or the Olympics? Some projects are described as world-wide, global, or universal. We like to think big, and we often try to act big. The Old Testament prophet Zechariah asked, “For who has despised the day of small…

There is much emphasis in the religious world about spirituality, or being spiritual. Most people who follow Christ would like to think they are spiritual—but are we? Is spirituality a biblical concept? Most definitely! Does God want us to be spiritual? Most definitely! Yet there can be a vast difference between being a member of the church and being genuinely spiritual. The English word spiritual (used twenty-six times in the New Testament) refers to those who are mature in the…

We all have used the above words to preface some questionable action and possible consequences we could face. What if I’m late? What if I don’t have the money? What if I have an accident? What if I do more than is expected of me? Such is a good question to ask with respect to our spiritual welfare also. What If I Don’t Study My Bible? – We are exhorted to “give attention to reading, to exhortation and to doctrine.”…

Thanksgiving Day will be celebrated once again this coming Thursday by millions of Americans in this country and around the world. It has become a special day for families all over the nation to come together every year for a delicious home-cooked meal and a period of renewing family ties. It should also be a special time to thank our heavenly Father for all the bountiful blessings He provides in our daily lives, as well as being thankful for the…

In Paul’s last epistle, he wrote of certain people who would be “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 3:7). We see the same problem in our age—students of the Bible, even scholars, who fail to grasp some of the simple truths of God’s word. The next verse explains the reason: “…so do these also resist the truth, men of corrupt minds…” (v. 8). They could not learn the truth because they…

Life is made up of decisions—physical, material, and spiritual. There are the daily, routine decisions such as when to get up and go to bed, what we will wear, and what we will eat. We decide where we will shop and how much we will spend. There are lifetime decisions such as education and career, who we will marry, where we will live, and how we will rear our children. And there are spiritual or eternal decisions involving the soul.…

Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16) His followers must always keep their light burning and should never allow anything to hide it. This does not mean that we should go around calling attention to the good works we do, but when we are engaged in them from day to day, those around us will naturally see them. We must not seek to…

Our time on this earth is passing so rapidly. James 4:14 describes life as “a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.” Paul wrote, “The night is far spent, the day is at hand…” (Rom. 13:12). Jesus realized the urgency of His work, and we are followers of Jesus. He said, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.” (John 9:4).…

As members of the Tara congregation, have you thought about what each of us owes this church? In writing these lines I am thinking of myself as to what “I” owe this church. As you read them, will you think of “I” as yourself? Just what do I owe this church? I Owe It the Example of a Good Life I want this church to radiate a wholesome influence in the community and among other congregations. How some people regard…

There are those who seem to make a distinction between preaching Christ and preaching the doctrine of Christ, but the Bible makes no such distinction. Some feel that somehow Christ is left out when doctrine is preached. They emphasize “Christianity instead of churchanity,” or “the man instead of the plan.” But is this a biblical concept? Is Christ separated from His church, or His plan of salvation, in Scripture? Are we leaving Christ out when we preach and teach on…

I have heard that Mr. William McPherson lost his eyes and hands in a dynamite explosion. He found it very difficult to face the world of darkness. In his physical darkness the spiritual light of God’s word became very important to him. He wanted to read the Bible, but he couldn’t master Braille with artificial hands. He even tried to read the raised letters with his lips, but the dynamite had seared them. One day he discovered that he could…