No one likes to be 'put on the spot.' We dread the possibility of being asked questions that we can't answer. This is especially true when the questions are about religion.

Without a doubt, one of the biggest hindrances to spreading the gospel is this fear of being asked questions. Many Christians feel uneasy about their level of Bible knowledge. Thus, to avoid potentially embarrassing situations, they do their best to sidestep any discussion that might turn to religious themes. This is sad, because it keeps us from many 'open doors' for personal evangelism.

Since no one has…

In Marc Connelly's wonderful 1930 play, The Green Pastures — wherein heaven is viewed through the eyes of African-Americans in the Deep South — there's a telling scene involving Pharaoh and a court official identified as the head magician.

Pharaoh's order to drown the male Hebrew children has been carried out, but his hatred for the Hebrews hasn't abated, and he's still trying to come up with something to make the Israelites' existence more miserable than it already is. But in response, the head magician says, "there ain' anything meaner than killin' babies, King."

One of the most…

The song leader read the passage that encouraged us to praise the Lord in song and then instructed us to, "pay attention to the words."

Yet… The man sitting two rows in front was staring into space, then looking around the room — never a note sung.

"Pray without ceasing," Paul instructs in I Thessalonians 5:17 and the gentleman at the front says, "Please bow with me while we pray."

Yet… To the right was a woman making faces at a child, seeking a laugh or smile and to the left another was using her thumbs to…

The Bible is a divinely inspired record of the creation of all things, including man, and of God's dealings with the human race. The Bible is not a history book, just as it is not a book written for people with a scientific turn of mind, or for people with interests in other fields of learning. But it is a fact that whenever God's Word touches incidentally on any of these areas, it is always accurate. Someone has made the observation that the Bible is not only amazing in the accuracy with which it deals with whatever subject it may…

Years ago, I read notice of a horrible train wreck in which many people died painfully amid the twisted burning wreckage. The engineer was killed as well. But as he lay near death he showed those nearby a paper, saying, "Take this. It will show I was given the wrong orders." And, they were the wrong orders. He had been on the wrong track, yet he was still dying, along with many others.

Friend, you have an eternal soul. What orders are you following: God's, or man's idea of religion? Make sure, because sincerity is not enough!

Genesis 9:6 "Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed. For in the image of God he made man."

Last week the governor of New York signed a new abortion bill for the state. Now abortions are legal up to the due date of delivery. That means a nine month old baby can be put to death. Our first child was born on his due date. In NY, that child could be aborted legally. And, worse, as cameras showed the governor signing the bill, those gathered around him cheered and applauded as if they had won…

Recently I received an invitation to a facility that provided "ping pong, walking track, concerts, basketball, weights, pool table, board games, banquets, refreshments, etc." No, the invitation did not come from the local YMCA. It came from a local church.

Increasingly churches have begun to take on the atmosphere of social clubs; some do rival local health spas. Yet, I do NOT read in the Bible where "the churches of Christ" (Romans 16: 16), in their life and death struggle to preach the gospel to a lost world, ever made such social/recreational provisions for that world (or themselves). According…

There were eight known New Testament writers: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Paul, James, and Jude (the writer of Hebrews is unknown). Let us look carefully at these men.

Peter, John, and Matthew were in the original apostolic company; they were with Jesus during his ministry for three and one-half years. They were by his side virtually day by day, hence they wrote as eyewitnesses of the things they saw and heard.

James (not the brother of John; cf. Acts 12:2) was a leader in the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:13; cf. Galatians 2:9), and a half-brother of Jesus…

The Truth About Christ’s Church There may be some things in the Bible which are difficult to understand, but there are others which are so simply stated but often are easily overlooked. Two of these truths are that Jesus established … Read More →

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