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The Effects of Sin
“Sin will take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.” This adage is true wherever and in whomever sin may found, be it an individual, a family, a nation, or the church. In considering sin’s effect on the individual, family, and nation, I can think of no better example than that of the life of David. The best known of David’s downfalls begins…
Would you crucify Him again?
Hebrews 6:4-6 is a very interesting (and disturbing) text, speaking of those who have exercised the miraculous spiritual gifts, yet still fall away from the Lord. The Hebrews writer says it is impossible “to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame” (v 6 NKJV). The thought of causing Jesus to be crucified again ought to cause one to shudder. I was thinking of this idea…
Baptism in the New Testament
In his classic sermon, “There’s Water in the Plan,” iconic gospel preacher Marshall Keeble used to say, “There’s so much in the Bible about baptism that I can wring water out of it.” That great brother certainly had a way with words, but I want us to consider the veracity and validity of his statement. As one reads through the New Testament, he ought to note the consistency with which the text speaks of baptism and more notably baptism’s relationship…
What is a budget?
A budget is a GOAL. It sets forth a program of work for the church and informs the local body of all the works of the congregation and the great task of laboring for the Lord. A budget is a PLAN. It is a blueprint to reveal to the congregation exactly what the church is doing and reveals the balance or lack thereof in the direction of the local body. A budget is a MAP. If provides direction for the…
When My Children are Unfaithful
Nothing troubles a Christian parent more than having an adult child who is not faithful to the Lord. This is especially true for preachers, who have a tendency to perfectionism or at least the appearance of such because of their role as the face of the local church. I cannot tell you how many preachers I have known or heard of through the years who have grieved privately and publicly over a lack of faithfulness on the part of their children.…
The Religion of Resolutions by Neal Pollard
Have you ever wondered about the origin of New Year’s resolutions? The folks at the History Channel denote the Babylonians, nearly 4000 years ago, as the founders. It was part of a 12-day religious festival known as Akitu. Later the Romans, as a nod to their god Janus (the two-faced god who looked backward and forward), observed the advent of a new year with the intent of improving areas of their lives in need of such. Author Sarah Pruitt claims…
I Am Resolved
One of the things each new year brings to mind is our personal deficiencies, both real and perceived. We find ourselves making New Year’s resolutions in an attempt to correct things in our lives we find discouraging or distasteful. Some resolve to lose weight, others resolve to spend more time with family, kick their tobacco habit, exercise more, read more, or any number of other things we think would improve our lives or health. When kept, these resolutions have the…
Something Jesus Never Heard
When faithful Christians discuss the Bible with their loved ones, friends, co-workers, etc, they are often faced with the following response, “Well, that’s just your opinion.” In the entire record of Jesus’ ministry, we never see that response given to our Lord. Even when dealing with the devil, the devil never offered that lame excuse at Jesus’ feet. Consider also how the latter part of Jesus’ ministry was marked by controversy. That is, there seemed to be a continuous barrage…
Let Brotherly Love Continue
Last Lord’s Day was yet another banner day for the Burleson church family. We had a wonderful fellowship and gift exchange following the evening service. It is a great blessing to be part of a congregation that loves to spend time together in and out of the assembly! As you can see on the previous page, there are more opportunities coming! Today we will have an extended morning worship service similar to that we had last year. Primarily, we will…
The Need for Religious Authority
It was an organizational meeting for youth league baseball. Everyone referred to the effort as “Little League.” As the meeting progressed, several dads were proposing their own ideas as to how the league should be organized and the rules of play. After a lengthy discussion, one sage father said, ‘Fellas, you can do whatever you want, but if you don’t go by the handbook, you can’t call it Little League baseball.’ As I recollect from my hearing of this account,…