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Filthy Language Mike Johnson Profanity is pervasive today, perhaps at an all-time high. It is common in schools, homes, and workplaces (blue-collar and white-collar jobs). In the past, it seemed to be used more as an exclamation if somebody was upset. Today, people use profanity as a standard part of a sentence, frequently to emphasize […]
Don’t Be a Thief! (Ephesians 4:28) Mike Johnson Ephesians 4:17-32 is one of many passages in the New Testament which speaks of a change that is supposed to occur when a person becomes a Christian. The Bible tells Christians to put off the old man, i.e., our former sinful conduct and put on the new […]
Putting off the Old Man (Ephesians 4:25-32) Mike Johnson Change can be very difficult, even painful. We typically are very comfortable with our old habits. It is said, “Most people won’t change until the pain of not changing is worse than the pain of changing.” The Bible stresses in many places that when we become […]
Evacuation Order Jared Hagan Do you ever wonder about the people who won’t leave? It always seems to happen. A natural disaster is occurring and mandatory evacuations are sent out, but some people just won’t leave. They hold out hope that the hurricane won’t be as bad as the experts warn. They think that maybe […]
Covering Sin (James 5:19-20) Mike Johnson James 5:19-20 says, “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” He is speaking of Christians […]
That’s Just Your Interpretation Mark Larson That’s just your interpretation! How many times has someone said that to you when you attempted to teach him the truth from the Scriptures? Rather than take the message of truth to heart, it is quickly dismissed as merely your opinion and not taken seriously at all. If you […]
How Long Is This Line? Bobby Graham _______________ Would you care to guess or speculate how long this line is? The answers would likely vary. Some would underestimate its length, while others would overestimate it. It is possible that a few might guess its exact length, but their answer would still be a guess in […]
“I Just Wear the Clothes” Mike Johnson Many years ago, I was in a part of Tennessee with a rather sizable Amish population, which had resulted in a lot of tourism in the area. While there, I went into a store and noticed all the workers were wearing traditional Amish clothing. At some point, I […]
Wait on the Lord! (Psalm 27:14) Mike Johnson Many think that David is the author of Psalm 27 and that he wrote it when he was fleeing from Saul. It has been called “An Exuberant Declaration of Faith.” It starts with David expressing great confidence in God (1-3). God is his light, salvation, and strength. […]
Seeking the Face of God (Psalm 27:8-9) Mike Johnson Many think David wrote Psalm 27 when fleeing from Saul, which is likely the case. Earlier in the Psalm, he expresses strong faith and confidence in God, but verses 8-9 reflect him apparently facing difficulties. In these verses, he addresses God saying, “When You said, ‘Seek […]
The Land of the Living (Psalm 27:13) Mike Johnson In Psalm 27:13, the Psalmist (thought to be David) said, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” What is meant by the land of the living? Today, if someone […]
Did David’s Parents Forsake Him? (Psalm 27:10) Mike Johnson Many think Psalm 27 was written by David when he was fleeing from Saul. In verses 1-3, he expresses his complete confidence in God. In verses 4-6, he speaks of his love and communion with God, and then in verses 7-12, we see where David turns […]
Discouragement Fred A. Shewmaker This is written for those who are truly concerned about the growth of the church. Your interest in the welfare of the body of Christ makes it unthinkable that you intentionally would discourage any other member of the church. Possibly every one of you would deny ever having done anything to […]
Practice What You Preach Jerral Kay A fountain pen salesman persuaded a merchant to order 500 dozen pens. He was writing the order in his notebook when suddenly the merchant exclaimed, “Hold on! I’m canceling that order!” Then he turned to wait on a customer. The salesman left the store perplexed and angry. Later, the […]
Just Like My Dog! A little lad of six was invited out to lunch in a neighbor’s home. As soon as all were seated at the table, the food was served. The little boy was puzzled, and with a child’s frankness, asked, “Don’t you say a prayer before you eat?” The host was uncomfortable and […]
Choose Your Words Wisely Greg Kiel “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Proverbs 25:11 Are you aware that there are over 100 such proverbs in this inspired book just related to the need for wisdom in our speech? Why is there such an emphasis? The general consensus is […]
Put Away Anger (Ephesians 4:26-27) Mike Johnson In Ephesians 4:17-24, Paul speaks of the need for Christians to put off the “old man” (one’s former conduct) and put on the new man in Christ. Listed among the various sins that followers of God are to put away is anger. Verses 26-27 says, “Be angry, and […]
What Kind of Worshipper Are YOU? Don McClain There are several different kinds of worshippers within the body of Christ, or maybe better stated – among those who claim to be members of the church of Christ. – Please seriously consider some of the following examples – The Spasmodic Worshipper – attends worship services whenever […]
A Round Tuit This is a round tuit. Guard it with your life! Tuits are hard to come by, especially the round ones. It will help you become a much more efficient worker. For years you’ve heard people say, “I’ll do that when I get a round tuit.” So now that you have one, you […]
Which Is Better? (Ecclesiastes 7:1) Mike Johnson “A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one’s birth” (Eccl. 7:1). The first part of this verse is what one would expect to find in the Scriptures (also note Pb. 22:1). However, the second part might cause people […]
What Will Be Said About You? Mike Johnson Epitaphs (defined as “a commemorative inscription on a tomb or mortuary monument) have always been of interest to me. They often depict people’s attitudes about life after death. They may say something kind about a person who has died, perhaps pointing out how sorely all will miss […]
The Benefits of Hell Mike Cornwell Have you ever thought of the benefits of going to Hell? Some people have said, “If you look close enough, you will find good in everything.” Will Rogers said, “I never met a man I didn’t like.” If there is some good in everything, then there must be some […]
What Will Your Children Remember? Lowell Blasingame Parental love motivates us to be concerned about our children’s welfare and seek what is best for them. We try to train them to eat properly so they will develop strong healthy bodies. We warn and advise against dangers of which they are not aware of. We make […]
=========================================== SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume II Number 1 April 2021 =========================================== Silence of the Preachers Joe R. Price Jeremiah was set in place by God to be His prophet to Jerusalem, […]
Dangerous Preaching Sewell Hall A man who accepts the task of preaching the gospel accepts a dreadful responsibility. “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (James 3:1). Application of these words may not be limited to what we commonly term local preachers, but they apply […]
“This Is My Body” John Hendrix “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.” (Matthew 26:26) What of the body of Jesus? What do we think as we take the bread? There is no monument […]
================================================= SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume II Number 2 May 2021 ================================================= Dangerous Preaching Sewell Hall A man who accepts the task of preaching the gospel accepts a dreadful responsibility. “My brethren, […]
=============================================== SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume II Number 3 June 2021 =============================================== What Will Your Children Remember? Lowell Blasingame Parental love motivates us to be concerned about our children’s welfare and seek […]
============================================= SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume II Number 4 July 2021 ============================================= How Jesus Faced Temptation Mike Johnson Christians often face temptations, and new Christians are especially vulnerable to the “schemes” of […]
================================================== SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume II Number 5 August 2021 ================================================== The Thief on the Cross Mike Johnson The Bible teaches that baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), […]
============================================= SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume II Number 6 September 2021 ============================================= The Land of the Living (Psalm 27:13) Mike Johnson In Psalm 27:13, the Psalmist (thought to be David) said, “I […]
============================================= SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume II Number 7 October 2021 ============================================= I Just Wear the Clothes Mike Johnson Many years ago, I was in a part of Tennessee with a rather […]
============================================= SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume II Number 8 November 2021 ============================================= Priorities Mike Johnson “We need to put first things first.” “You need to get your priorities straightened out.” These are […]
============================================= SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume II Number 9 December 2021 ============================================= That’s Just Your Interpretation Mark Larson That’s just your interpretation! How many times has someone said that to you when […]
Love the Brethren Carl Witty “Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart.” (I Pet. 1:22) One of the early Pagan writers observed of Christians: “how these Christians love one another!” The apostle John wrote of […]
The Cold Within James Patrick Kinney Six humans trapped by happenstance in black and bitter cold Each possessed a stick of wood, Or so the story’s told. Their dying fire in need of logs, the first woman held hers back For on the faces around the fire She noticed one was black. The next man […]
Silence of the Preachers Joe R. Price Jeremiah was set in place by God to be His prophet to Jerusalem, Judah, and the nations. With God’s word, Jeremiah was set “to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant” (Jer. 1:4-5, 9-10). When he was severely […]
==================================== SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume II Number 10 January 2022 ==================================== Putting off the Old Man (Ephesians 4:25-32) Mike Johnson Change can be very difficult, even painful. We typically are very […]
The Great Flood Mike Johnson Genesis 6-9 accounts for the great flood in ancient times. Chapters 4 and 5 tell about the descendants of Cain and Seth, the sons of Adam and Eve. From the text, we can conclude that Cain’s descendants were generally wicked, and Seth’s were generally righteous. It appears from chapter 6 […]
================================ SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume II Number 11 February 2022 ================================ Which Is Better? (Ecclesiastes 7:1) Mike Johnson “A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death […]
In Defense of Kindness Greg Chandler It is hard to believe how dirty a presidential campaign can become. One opponent states that the other has “a hideous hermaphroditic character with neither the force and fitness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman.” n In response, the contender replies that the other […]
What Happens When We Are Canceled? Greg Chandler If you do not stay up to date on pop-culture slang, you may be unfamiliar with the terms woke and cancel culture. Though definitions vary, the primary meaning of woke involves maintaining social awareness and the primary idea behind cancel culture is to silence anyone whose opinions are not considered woke; thus, they are deemed […]
Thanksgiving & Worship (Ps. 100:4) Mike Johnson Psalm 100 is thought to have been written by David and is about worship. Speculation is that the Jews used it as a call to worship and as a hymn in their public praise. Verse 4 says, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with […]
Joyful Worship (Psalm 100:1-2) Mike Johnson Psalm 100 is thought to have been written by David and is about worship. Speculation is that the Jews used it as a call to worship and as a hymn in their public praise. From verses 1-2, we learn that joy should be associated with our worship. It admonishes, […]
What Is More Important? (Ps. 37:6) Mike Johnson David probably wrote Psalm 37 in the latter stages of his life. This psalm’s intent seems to be to encourage God’s people who are facing difficulties in life. Verse 16, which is more like a proverb, says, “A little that a righteous man has is better than […]
A Badge of Discipleship (John 13:34-35) Mike Johnson In John 13:34-35, Jesus told His disciples, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” […]
Buy the Truth and Sell It Not Bob Waldron One of the most important attitudes one can have in striving to go to heaven is that of intense zeal for the truth of God. Too often, people settle on something far less than the truth. Remember, a counterfeit, though it may look relatively genuine, is […]
A Good Name (Ecclesiastes. 7:1) Mike Johnson Ecclesiastes 7:1 says, “A good name is better than precious ointment . . . .” Parents may choose what they consider a good name for their newborn baby. In this text, he is not speaking of a good name in that sense but a good reputation, which the […]
“Thanks, I Needed That” (Ecclesiastes 7:5-6) Mike Johnson “It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools. For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.” In this verse, the writer contrasts the […]
Precious Is the Death of a Saint (Psalm 116:15) Mike Johnson Psalm 116:15 informs us, “Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His saints.” What does this mean? People think of death in many different ways. A loved one’s death is one of the greatest agonies people typically face in their […]
To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice (1 Samuel 15) Mike Johnson After Saul became Israel’s king, Samuel, a prophet, was told by God to inform him that he must “utterly destroy” the Amalekites due to them having mistreated Israel while in the wilderness. The command was very specific, making it clear that it included every […]
The Pulpit Roger Shouse “Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hikiah, and Masseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishel, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam on his left hand.” (Nehemiah 8:4) Ezra stood at a wooden podium. […]
LYING ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS If someone’s lying on the railroad tracks And a train’s about to come, Would you just leave him lying there? What would you have done? If someone’s away from worship, You know that they need help. Are you going to keep quiet? And keep The Word to yourself? […]