How would you feel if you had bought something that was supposed to be new and to find out that it was used and almost worn out? Or to buy an animal, thinking that it was healthy, later finding out it was diseased and sickly? I doubt if any of us would be pleased with such an arrangement.     One thing I do know—God is not pleased with such. Listen to His words in Malachi 1:18: “And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably? Says the LORD of hosts.”     Will the Lord today accept a “blemished” offering? If we deliberately defile our bodies with the poisons of tobacco, alcohol and drugs, will He accept such without genuine repentance on the part of the user? Will the Lord accept a “blemished” religion, one concocted in the councils of men? Will He accept “blemished” worship? Are we offering to Him a pure body, a pure doctrine and pure worship authorized by Him?

Solomon said that there is a time for every purpose under heaven, stating further there was a time to keep silent. In the text, he means that one should be silent rather than speak. Lets’ look at another thought that may be gleaned from this.   We live in a world and society of movement and noise. Teenagers drive by with their radio speakers blaring out such noise as to rattle the windows of the house. On their walk around our lake, there are those who have their ear-phones, listening to something. Have we lost the calmness and serenity of stillness and quietness? One of my favorite places is in the swing in my backyard. Here it is quiet, here it is peaceful. No radio, no noisemakers except the birds as they give forth their God-given song. It is here that more than eighty percent of these moments of reflection are written, this one included.   It is good for the heart, it is good for the emotions, and it is good for the soul to take time out of each day to be quiet, to be calm, to be still. While doing thus, take that time to quietly count the many wonderful blessings of God.

Many of you may be aware of the movie released Friday, December 7, 2007, “The Golden Compass.” It’s based on the first book of a trilogy of children’s books written by Philip Pullman, titled His Dark Materials. Books from this trilogy have sold over 15 million copies worldwide. While scenes from the movies in television commercials have shown what looks to be a visually stunning sci-fi adventure, the basis of the books is more sinister. This first movie has been toned down to make it more palatable to the audience, and even Pullman himself, recently on a “Today” show interview, remained vague about the movie and books, claiming he hates that certain people have tried to imply bias in the literature, and that he prefers to view it as being open to a variety of interpretations.     Actually, we don’t have to wonder what the books are about at all. Pullman himself has been quite open as to his agenda in writing about them in past interviews. It’s only with the advent of the movies, and the desire to make money from them, that the producers have tried to get Pullman, the actors, and everyone else involved in it to hide what its theme is about. Pullman himself stated in a 2001 interview that he was “trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief.” In 2003, he noted, “My books are about killing God.” The last book of the trilogy, The Amber Spyglass, concludes with the two child heroes participating in the dissolution of the “Authority,” a …

In my travels, and in reading numerous church bulletins, I am intrigued by the evolution of the term “worship leader.” More and more, I see the song director singled out as the worship leader to the exclusion of other public participants. All along I had thought that the brother leading prayer was also leading worship; that those serving communion and preaching were leading worship. In a recent report about a youth gathering, it was said that a singing group would “lead us in worship and then we will pray and hear a message from God’s Word.” Just what were they doing when they prayed and preached? Is this not worship, too? What’s going on here?     Actually, I fear that I do know what’s going on. There seems to be a nationwide—if not worldwide—movement afoot to place less and less emphasis on preaching, and perhaps do away with it altogether. In an AP article in the Memphis Commercial Appeal (April 15, 2006) about a Franklin, TN church, it said, “Sunday mornings at the People’s Church look more like a rock concert than traditional worship services.” It went on to say they are “moving away from singing hymns…” (Are our congregations far behind?)     In the article, Dr. James Byrd, Assoc. Dean of Vanderbilt Divinity School, hit the nail on the head—albeit unwittingly—when, in reference to the praise songs, said, “…There’s less to disagree with in music than in sermons, where you can get into theological arguments.” I believe that this accounts for the increasing popularity …

It is biblical, right and helpful to ask brethren to pray for you, as long as the purpose for prayerful consideration is right, moral and godly. Such a precedent is clearly set in the course of the Bible.     In closing remarks to the Thessalonian church, Paul requested simply, “Brethren, pray for us” (1 Thessalonians 5:25). He does not there specify a need, but the brethren there knew his life was devoted to the service of Christ. A prayer for Paul would certainly be a prayer in accordance with Christ’s will (as prayers must be, 1 John 5:14-15). Paul himself bolsters this conclusion with his words in Hebrews 13:18: “Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably.” It follows that godly servants of modern times may legitimately request prayers of faithful brethren — not necessarily for any explicit work, but simply for that person’s well being. This is, of course, often done. Missionaries, preachers and elders are heard making the requests of supporters and congregations.     Prayers may also be requested for specific works. Second Thessalonians 3:1-2 has Paul asking the same brethren this: “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.”     Two particulars are the subjects of the requested petitions: 1) That the Word of God may have …

We should consider it a tremendous blessing to sit down at the Thanksgiving Day dinner table with family and friends to enjoy a bountiful feast with turkey, dressing and all the fixin’s. God has been so good to you and me and we need to impress upon him that we are truly grateful.     But, think with me about the heavy feeling that comes over us about 30 minutes to an hour following the meal. Maybe you’re sitting in your recliner trying to watch a football game, but find yourself saying, “For the life of me, I just can’t stay awake.” “Good night.” “Oh, but it’s just 1:30 p.m.” “zzzzzzz”     Could it be that this is the current state of the church in today’s world? We are full and satisfied. We are content and complacent. We are sleepy, lifeless and without the energy to accomplish anything productive for our Master.     Admittedly, there are times when one has to catch his breath. That’s ok. Jesus, our busy Lord, took occasional breaks from His pressing work. However, we have not been called of Jesus to be “sleepers.” “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand… (Romans 13:11-12).     Are you still in your spiritual p.j.’s? How long have you been resting? Haven’t we had enough rest? Is there not a cause? Some …

Christians can never be at home in this world below. It was said of G. Campbell Morgan’s father: “He lived with a Bible in his hand and his face toward a better world.” Such is a worthy slogan for any Christian! Does not the thought of going to heaven thrill us anymore? John said, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the list of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:15-16). Unfortunately, the church has changed from her first century, out-of-this-world mentality, to our present day at-homeness with the world and all the slop that is in it. We have ceased to look for the Lord from heaven, and we have settled down comfortably like Lot did in Sodom. We have forgotten that we have no home down here. We sing, “set our affections on things above, not on things of the earth” (Colossians 3:2). We must not seek great things for ourselves (Jeremiah 45:5), but “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). Demas, once faithful and fruitful, began to feather his nest in this mundane sphere (2 Timothy 4:10). Did Demas perhaps end up with stocks and bonds? By contrast, the only stocks and bonds Paul could boast of were the ones on his feet and …

Have you ever greeted a person with a happy, “Good morning!” and received the snide reply, “What’s good about it?!” It seems such a shame to me that a person would be so unhappy as to reflect such a dismal attitude. It is true that life does have its trials and disappointments, yet it’s also true that we as Christians serve a trustworthy God. He’s someone on whom we can count! God never makes a promise that He won’t be sure to keep, and He promises to take care of us (cf. Matthew 6:25-34). There are many things in the world that promise they will make one happy and fill one with joy. However, it doesn’t take long to discover that the so-called joy is shallow and superficial, and it often leaves a person hurting and alone. Most people are seeking to live a happy life. If a person is looking for real happiness, he can find it simply with a S-M-I-L-E.     S- Spend time with the saints (cf. Hebrews 10:25). Christian fellowship is such a vital ingredient in a life of happiness. God created us and He, therefore, knows how we humans operate. He set up His church in a manner that we get together with others of the faith. We need other people. We need fellowship to communicate our feelings, share our sorrows, share our joys, ask for prayers and get help with our questions. In spending time with the saints, we find human companionship and strengthen our faith (cf. Philippians …

Yesterday, as I was visiting with a friend who was almost killed and paralyzed from the chest down when struck by a drunken driver, but who, with great courage, faith and determination continued to study, write and go to school, she mentioned to me that an elder had said something to her about being content when she was in the nursing home.     Since she was continuing her studies in Abilene Christian University in Greek and Bible (having received her degree from a Junior College after she suffered the injury), she looked in her Greek Testament at 1 Timothy 6:6 and read, “But Godliness with contentment is great gain.” She pointed out to me what I had never noticed before. The Greek word translated “contentment” is “autarkeia” which Thayer defines as “a perfect condition of life in which no aid or support is needed.” She was checking Thayer, Vine’s and Young’s Concordance for the various related meanings, and I suggested that she write an article about it. Since she is so busy with school work, attending to her own physical, mental and spiritual needs (she is in a wheel chair in her own apartment now) she may not get around to it for some time, so I decided to write one, which she can probably improve on when she does get to it.     We usually think of contentment merely as a passive state of willingness to “put up with” whatever state we are in, assuming that when Paul said, “I have …

I recently heard a song by Brooks and Dunn that is entitled God Is Busy. I get behind on what is new or old on the radio, but I do not believe that I had heard this before. It made me think, and I just had to respond (although Brooks and Dunn will never know I did).    Is God busy? I would most certainly think so. Every tiny sparrow that flies in the balmy skies of the south, and leaves behind the frozen wastelands of the north; every sparrow that has built a nest in someone’s garage, or dodged the towers of the Manhattan sky; every baby sparrow that has misstepped and fallen from its mother’s nest, and found its fate sealed in the mouth of a hungry cat: God knows everyone of them, and can give an account of them. I am sure that does keep God busy.     Every time a person combs his hair and pulls out a single strand; every time a child loses all of her hair as part of the ravages of treatment for that dreaded disease that no one so young should have to endure; every time an unborn infant’s little head pops out a brand new hair; every time some man who is growing older begins to develop bald spots because his hair is slowly leaving: God knows every hair on every head. I am sure that does keep God busy.    Every time a baby boy folds his fingers and bows his little …

My first tornado was a Technicolor “special effect” on a televised version of the 1939 classic, The Wizard of Oz. The Benson house was still intact, but the movie left me emotionally reeling as a youngster. That dark whirling cloud that flung Dorothy and Toto through the sky haunted my bedtime dreams for years. It just seemed so incredibly real.     Like the heroine of that beloved film, I have often wished that I could “click my heels” and be magically transported back to the more virtuous environment of the early 1960’s. Over the past four-plus decades, our nation has been “swept out of Kansas” by the cyclone of moral relativism and summarily dropped into Oz—where nothing makes sense anymore. At least, nothing in terms of moral codes of conduct makes sense.     Case in point—homosexual “marriage.” Since President Bush’s call for a constitutional amendment banning gay unions, thousands of same-sex couples have flocked to California and other such states (e.g., New York, Oregon and New Mexico) in order to pursue legal sanction for their unholy relationships. One of the more notable examples comes from the media princess, Rosie O’Donnell. She and her girlfriend, Kelli Carpenter, flew to San Francisco in order to “tie the knot.” In an effort to fan the flames of her agenda, O’Donnell commented, “I think the actions of the president are, in my opinion, the most vile and hateful words ever spoken by a sitting president.” She continued, “I am stunned and horrified. I find this proposed amendment very, …

One of the attributes of that Bible that make it so great is its great depth. Never can a man so study the Bible that it ceases to inspire and elevate his life to a higher plane by its great truths. When studied and considered with an honest heart, even the small, seemingly insignificant passages of Scripture can display wonderful lessons by which to live. Take, for example, the apostle Paul’s simple statements of gratitude found in each of his letters to the churches. Though they are easily overlooked, they declare attributes of these churches that meant much to Paul, and for us, are worthy of imitating. One worthy of note and consideration is found in Philippians 1:3-5: “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now” (emp. added).     What does it mean to have fellowship in the Gospel? Paul expresses here one of the greatest blessings of living a life for the Lord: the tender, loving companionship of brethren found only in Christ Jesus. As he waited in imprisonment, how precious must have been the memories of such dear friends during such a time of difficulty. What great support they must have given him; what love they must have showered upon him, for he thanked God every time he thought of them (vs. 3), kept them in his heart (vs. 7) and longed for them deeply (vs. 8). …

Her name was Birdie Miller Sixkiller. She was born on November 26, 1903, and died on October 16, 1988, at the age of 85. She lived on the Cherokee Indian Reservation in North Carolina. She became an educator and taught Primary grades on the Qualla Boundary in Cherokee for 30 years. During her later years, she also taught in the Cherokee Indian School in the state of Oklahoma. She was politically active for the progress of the Native Americans. Because of her contribution made for the betterment of her people, an artist painted a portrait of her that can be seen with other Native Americans on the artist’s website.     Brother Bob Rigdon, now of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and an associate minister with the church there, related to me some important information regarding this gracious lady. Bob was a well-known Gospel preacher and educator in Western North Carolina for nearly a half century. While he preached for the church and taught at Western Carolina University in Sylva, North Carolina, he taught and preached often for the congregation in Cherokee. John Harlan was baptized during a Gospel meeting when Chester Hunnicutt and Bob were working together at that time. John told Bob about his mother, Birdie Miller Sixkiller. She was then teaching in Oklahoma and would often visit with her son. It was during those visits that Bob became acquainted with sister Sixkiller and became a great admirer of this Christian lady. This is what Bob has written concerning our …

Not too long ago I ran across a book entitled, Harmful to Minors–The Perils of Protecting Children from Sex, written by the Brooklyn-based journalist Judith Levine. Levine founded the feminist organization, “No More Nice Girls.” The foreword to the book was written by Joycelyn Elders. The premise of the book is that pedophiles are usually harmless people. She urged that sex is a wonderful part of growing up and that teens and children can “enjoy the pleasures of the body” and at the same time be safe. Ms. Levine was interviewed, due to the book she had written, by a reporter from a Minneapolis newspaper just after the terrible controversy began to rage over sexual abuse by priests. She commented in the story that a sexual relationship between a priest and a boy could “conceivably, absolutely be a positive experience.” She went on to assert that a sexual relationship between an older person and a teenager could be “more like salvation than victimization.” You do not have to be a rocket scientist to know what values this woman has chosen! I certainly do not want her around my grandchildren! Is Ms. Levine a wicked and evil person? Not according to the moral relativist. She has simply chosen her own set of values and no one has the right to criticize that.     Just following WWII, there was a lengthy period of “war crime trials” in Germany in which the leaders of the Nazi regime, who did not commit suicide, were tried for their crimes against the …