Posts from 2025
Practical Christianity: Helping the Church
We sing the song, “I Want To Be A Worker For The Lord”. We read the scriptures, “…being fruitful in every good work…” (Col.1:10) and “…always abounding in the work of the Lord…” (I Cor. 15:58). But are you working for the Lord? It would be good for each of us to consider what we are doing for the church, other than our attendance, considering first whether we are faithful in doing that. Below is a list of things that…
Practical Christianity: Worship
Every worship service, especially on the Lord’s day, should be a victory celebration. It is a celebration of the victory Jesus claimed over sin, death and the grave, as well as the victory we can claim through His victory. If He had not come forth from the tomb in His glorified body, the first day of the week would have no more significance than any other day in the week. What a joy it is to meet with fellow saints…
Are You Drifting?
“Two young men were fishing above a low dam on a river near their hometown. As they were concentrating on catching fish, they were unaware that they had drifted until they were not far from the water flowing over the dam. When they realized their situation, the current near the dam had become too powerful for them to keep their boat from going over. Below the dam the water was dashing with strong force over great boulders and through crevices…
If Jesus Came
Would you have to change your clothes before you let him in? Or hide some magazines, and put the Bible where they had been? Would you hide your worldly music and put some hymn books out? Could you let Jesus walk right in, or would you rush about? And I wonder … if the Savior spent a day or two with you, would you go right on doing the things you always do? Would you go right on saying the…
Essentials for Living
Some years ago a woman consulted with a doctor about her health. She was of a nervous temperament. She gave the physician a list of her symptoms and answered his questions, only to be astonished at his brief prescription at the end. Determining that there was nothing physically wrong with her, he gave this advice. “Go home and read your Bible an hour every day, then come back to me a month from now”. At first, she was inclined to…
Are You Floating or Sinking?
Most everyone knows that a cork placed on the top of the water will float on the surface. If it is pressed down ten, fifty, or even a hundred feet below the surface of the water, and released, it will rise again. But those who know say that if it is pressed down two hundred feet, it cannot rise again. The pressure of the water is too great. So it is with life. The lower a man sinks into the…
Winning With The Devil
In a painting called “The Lost Game” a boy is pictured playing a game of chess with the devil. As is often the case when playing with the devil, the boy appears to be losing. That beaten look is portrayed in his face. One day a famous chess player looked at the picture. After carefully studying it, he exclaimed, “The boy isn’t beaten! In two moves I could win that game of chess with the devil”. He then explained how…
Who Knows The Value Of An Invitation?
When we invite a friend, a neighbor, or any other acquaintance to an assembly of the church, whether that person comes or not, is not the only criterion by which we should judge the value of the invitation. If they do not come, at least they know we have an interest in them. No invitation shows no interest. They could come at a later time because someone had invited them in the past. They would know someone who is a…
Who Knows the Value of an Invitation?
When we invite a friend, a neighbor, or any other acquaintance to an assembly of the church, whether that person comes or not, is not the only criterion by which we should judge the value of the invitation. If they do not come, at least they know we have an interest in them. No invitation shows no interest. They could come at a later time because someone had invited them in the past. They would know someone who is a…
Using Our Speech Wisely
The tongue can be a blessing or a curse to us, as well as to others who hear us. Its power for good, or destruction, cannot be measured. James wrote, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” (James 1:19) He also pointed out that an unbridled tongue can make one’s religion useless. (James 1:26) A father once instructed his son, “In talking, use as much caution and common sense as a carpenter; measure twice…
What To Do When Bad Things Happen
There are many bad things that happen in life. A promising athlete suddenly ends his career with a debilitating accident; a wife tells her husband she doesn’t love him anymore and wants a divorce; your house burns down; your family is killed in an automobile crash. Tragedies occur everyday to someone, and sooner or later to me. What should we do? We must strengthen our faith in God. What ever the tragedy, trauma or trou-ble, with God’s help, we can…
Test All Things!
The Bible exhorts Christians to, “Test all things; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thess. 5:21) Another word for test is prove (KJV). Rather than believing or accepting anything, it should be examined carefully and put to the test. Who would take medicine that has not been tested, or proven to be beneficial? Cars are road tested. Most everything that is manufactured is put through various tests for safety and service. Many fail the test and are recalled. It’s no…