Unfortunately, churches have always struggled against being influenced by the values of the cultures that surround them. For instance, the city of Corinth was known for its immorality, and it’s no surprise that immorality had also crept into the church there (1 Corinthians 5). Today, our culture highly values the equality of men and women, […]
“The Fish Doorbell”
The doorbell is a simple concept. Someone who would like to step inside your house to visit or to make a delivery can’t accomplish their purpose if the door is closed. By using the doorbell, you are alerted to their presence and (if you choose) you open the door so they can come in. What […]
Marriage: God’s Gift
“Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” – Mark 10:9 A group of second graders was asked the question, “Why did your mom marry your dad?” Here are some of their responses: · “My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my mom eats a lot.” · “She got too […]
Paying Your Bills
In our ‘easy credit’ times, many people are having issues with buying things they can’t afford and ultimately failing to pay for the things they have purchased. Surveys indicate that the average American household has over $20,000 in credit card and consumer debt (not including home mortgages). That represents a good bit of buying without […]
A Painful Operation
In 1809, Dr. Ephraim McDowell’s examination of a patient revealed that she had an abdominal tumor that would soon kill her. Though abdominal surgery was unheard of in those days, the woman finally persuaded the doctor to operate. After a twenty-six minute surgery the doctor removed a twenty-two pound tumor. Since there were no anesthetics […]
A Few Words about Our Thrill-Seeking Culture
In the recent years we have developed a thrill-seeking culture – a culture moved more by emotional stimuli than careful thought – that affects many facets of our lives. I have not been to a movie in years, but I have seen trailers on TV and digital video, and heard people talk about them. I […]
Nothing to Live For
Somebody once said, “Many people have everything to live WITH and nothing to live FOR.” How true that is. Many wealthy people live hollow, meaningless lives. They have more than enough possessions to make life comfortable, but they have little purpose in life to make it meaningful. It takes decades before some people eventually realize […]
Jesus Was Raised Before He Was Buried?
I have asked this question before, but I want to ask it again. Did Jesus’ resurrection occur before He was buried? Before you think I have completely lost all sense of sanity, you need to understand that millions of people, maybe even you, appear to believe that is what happened. Let me explain. Romans 6:4 […]
Christians with No Denominational Ties
God places great emphasis on names. He changed Abram’s name to Abraham (Gen. 17:5), Sarai’s name to Sarah (Gen. 17:15), and Jacob’s name to Israel (Gen. 32:38). He gave to John and Jesus their names before they were born (Luke 1:13,31). He has given to His people of this age the name “Christian” (Acts 11:26; […]
Don’t Be So Insecure!
Did it cause the Pharisees to “do all their deeds to be noticed by men” (Mat. 23:5)? It may have tempted Jeremiah to be afraid of the faces of those who he had to confront (Jer. 1:8, KJV). It certainly led Peter, Barnabas, and the rest of the Jews in Antioch to stop eating with […]