The Gospel of John is quite expository in its unfolding. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:1-3). What does all of this mean? Quite simply, it says that God the Son was in the beginning with God the Father, when everything was made. The Genesis record bears this out in indisputable terms! “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” (Genesis 1:26). God looked at what had been made, “And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). The question readily arises, “How did such a grand scheme go so badly that God took action to punish it?” God had given the man and woman explicit instructions to not eat of the fruit of the tree the midst of the garden! The Devil beguiled (lured, enticed) Eve, and straightway she gave of the fruit to Adam, and they both ate of it. They both disobeyed God! They, and all of mankind after them, were destined to suffer the consequences of their disobedience (Genesis 3:12-24). From that time forward, the Earth was filled, more and more, with murder, mayhem and madness, to the end that Genesis 6:5 says, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the Earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” …

The new U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey, released the other day by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, finds that although 86 percent of us believe in God or a higher power, we do not know our own traditions or those of neighbors across the street or across the globe. Among 3,412 adults surveyed, only 2 percent correctly answered at least 29 of 32 questions on the Bible, major religious figures, beliefs and practices. The average score was 16 correct (50 percent). The statistic that concerned me the most were that Basic Bible eludes us. Just 55 percent of all respondents knew the Golden Rule is not one of the Ten Commandments; 45 percent could name all four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). The Second most concerning issue that was revealed was that the top scoring groups were atheists/agnostics, Jews and Mormons. These tiny groups, adding up to less than 7 percent of Americans scored particularly well on world religion and U.S. Constitutional questions. It is unclear why, although highly educated people overall did best on the quiz, say researchers. (You can read the full results of this survey at the following webpage: https://www.jconline.com/article/20100928/NEWS09/100928007/1001/NEWS) This recent survey seems to verify another survey that was conducted several years ago by a Gallup Poll. This Gallup Poll reported the considerable ignorance among U.S. teens about the Bible. Fewer than half the 1,002 youths polled knew that Jesus turned water into wine at the Cana wedding, and nearly two-thirds could not identify …

M… is for Mama. Mama is the one we called on when we were small, to soothe all our aches, pains, bruises and cuts. Oh, the magic of a mother’s tender touch, some comforting words and a loving kiss, and how quickly it made everything better (Proverbs. 31:15, 21, 27). O… is for others. Mom always thinks of others ahead of herself. She will do without something she wants so her husband and children may be cared for (Proverbs 31:20). 0… is for overtime. I think of the many hours of toil by loving hands staying busy to care for children, cook meals, clean house, laundry and a thousand other things (Proverbs 31:15). T… is for tenderness, teaching and togetherness. Nothing can match the tender care of a mother with an infant child. Mothers are incomparable teachers. Truly, the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. Mom keeps the home fires burning, and is usually the glue that holds the family together through thick and thin (Proverbs 31:21, 25, 31). H… is for helper, homemaker, humility and honor. Through the years, I wonder how many times we have said these words. Mom, could you help me with this? Mom, would you please do this for me? So much work and effort in taking care of our home and we get it all done for free! This surely shows humility. “Honor thy father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise), that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth” (Ephesians 6:2-3; …

“Well, here I am, Lord. You said, ‘Take up your cross,’ and I am here to do it. It is not easy, you know, this self-denial thing. I mean to go through with it, though, yes sir. I will bet You wish more people were willing to be disciples like me. I have counted the cost and surrendered my life and it is not an easy road.” “You mind if I look over these crosses? I would kind of like a new one. I am not fussy, you understand, but a disciple has to be relevant these days. I was wondering, are there any that are vinyl padded? I am thinking of attracting others. You see, and if I could show them a comfortable cross, I am sure I could win a lot more. Got to keep up with the population explosion and all. I need something durable so I can treasure it always. Oh, is there one that is sort of flat so it would fit under my coat? One should not be too obvious.” “Funny, there does not seem to be much choice here. Just that coarse, rough wood. I mean, that would hurt! Do you have something more distinctive, Lord? I can tell You right now, none of my friends are going to be impressed by this shoddy workmanship! They will think I am a nut or something! My family will be just mortified!” “What did You say? It is either one of these or forget the …

Today is Mother’s Day, a day set aside for the public expression of love and respect for mothers. Although such a day was given official sanction by Congress in 1914, the desire to love and respect our mothers is rooted in our very being. Certainly, Scripture emphasizes the fundamental role mothers play in our physical, emotional and spiritual development. The worthy woman of Proverbs 31 is highly esteemed by her children; “Her children rise up and call her blessed” (31:28). That mothers are worthy of such honor and esteem is confirmed by both Old and New Testaments (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:2). An example of such a godly mother is found in Timothy’s mother, Eunice. Paul reminded Timothy of the debt he owed his mother and grandmother, not just for the care they extended to him physically, but the hope of things eternal they instilled in him, as well. “When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5). Paul knew Timothy had received a solid foundation of faith from his mother, a faith that motivated her to seek the best for her child. Of all that Eunice offered Timothy as a mother, this was the most precious gift she could give to her son, the gift of faith in God. Being a mother today is not an easy task. Not all are able to provide the …

Everybody has some stress in this life. It could be work related, family struggles, health issues, gas prices too high, bank account too low or numerous other concerns. The question is not do you have any stress. The question is what do you do about it? How do you keep stress from wearing you out? How do you keep it from causing you to sin? There are a number of bad options when it comes to handling stress. Some choose to ignore it in the hope that it will just go away. That would be nice, but it is not likely that the stress will just disappear. Some become bitter because of the stress, resent it and worry about it even more. Some people feel guilty because of stress, and it causes them to become ashamed. Others have a pity party and attempt to hide from the world. Then, there are those who overreact to another extreme and try to control everything as well as everyone around them. None of these options will work in the long run. There are some better options than any of these mentioned above. Turn Your Stress Over to the Lord In Psalm 46:10, our Father says, “Be still and know that I am God.” One translation of this verse says, “Let go and know that I am God; I rule the nations, I rule the earth.” There are two thoughts in this powerful verse. (1) Let Go. God says there are times we just …

There are two books of the Bible that begin with this particular phrase, “In the beginning.” The very first words laid out in Scripture bear these words: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). In the New Testament, John begins his epistle, by inspiration, with these words: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Both of these books introduce themselves by going back to the beginning. Yet, they both deal with very different facets of that beginning. When you put these two statements concerning the beginning of time together, they lead to a beautiful conclusion of the might and majesty of the creation. John, in his writing, deals with the spiritual presence at the beginning of time. Unlike many in the modern world would have us to believe, there was “someone” or “something” present in the beginning. It was not simply an accidental “big bang,” but there was an intentional cause behind it. John wrote that the Word both “was with God,” and “was God.” This statement shows emphatically that there were multiple persons, but one being, present at the Creation: God. John continues by stating: “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:3). John shows, in the first fourteen verses of the book, Who was responsible for the creation. It was the one Who was, “made flesh and dwelt among us” (John …

Some time ago as I was taking a walk, I noticed a small blossom tucked away in a crack in the concrete walk. It was a tiny thing, and it looked so fragile. Years ago, some Christian lady wrote a book (booklet) entitled, Bloom Where You Are. As I saw the little flower, I thought of that title, and how this little plant was doing just that. How we need personally to learn this lesson. Sometimes, we will not do anything unless it is in the “Yard of the Month” bracket. Yet, Jesus said, “For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” Here, He points out the fact that even the small acts of kindness and service, which go unnoticed by the masses, do not escape His attention. A visit to a sick friend, a card of sympathy or encouragement, a phone call to bring cheer to one who is in need of such, none of these go unnoticed by Him whom we serve. We are not told that “God so loved the rich, the well-liked of society, a certain race or ethnic group of people,” but that “He so loved the world” – the world of humanity, that He was willing to give His Son for each individual who composes that humanity. Are you ‘blooming where you are’?

The parent/child relationship is very special (cf. Psalm 127:3-5). This relationship is so special that God used it to describe His relationship to the church (Ephesians 5, 6). However, it seems no matter where we look in modern society, we see antagonism, division and rebellion against the home and the parent/child relationship. We need to improve our families, and in doing so we will improve the church. What is the answer? We must submit to the Lordship of Christ. We must “gather together in one all things in Christ”(Ephesians 1:10). The parent/child relationship must be studied with four words in mind (cf. Ephesians 6:1-3; Philippians 2:22; Ephesians 6:4): obey, honor, serve and nurture. First, Paul sets forth what is called a Natural Law. Ephesians 6:1, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” Children should obey their parents for it is the “right” thing to do! The Greek word translated “obey” comes from one word meaning “under” and another word meaning “to listen.” Thus, it literally means, “to listen under.” However, a parent must be worthy of obedience and listening (i.e., “in the Lord”). Children are to obey their parents in those things that are consistent with Christ and His Word. Second, Paul makes use of a Divine Law. Ephesians 6:2-3, “Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” Paul refers to the 5th Commandment in Exodus 20:12. Commandment #5 …

What, I ask, is the most powerful thing that the Most Powerful God created and placed upon the face of this earth? What is the greatest thing on earth, short of the salvation that God has authored through His Son? Was it the mighty dinosaurs that once walked the earth along with man? I say no, because they have failed to survive the age’s tests. Is it the rolling ocean waves that slap the coasts throughout the world? I say no, because God has set their boundaries, and only occasionally are they allowed to pour their fury beyond those bounds. Is it the mighty hurricane, or the fierceness of a tornado that suddenly makes its deadly appearance and leaves a path of destruction behind? I say no. Those just mindlessly follow the commands of nature’s laws, and leave behind destruction and despair. What then is the most powerful thing that the Great Creator put upon this earth? I believe that we can surmise such a thing. The most powerful thing that God has placed upon the earth is able to be gentler than the morning mist that softly tickles the grass on a spring morning. Yet, when it is necessary, this greatest thing can show a fierceness that would rival the most powerful of beasts. This most powerful thing can heal the wounds of the body, the heart and the spirit – or at least will give all in an attempt to do so. This greatest thing can provide a …

Many believe that all religious people are acceptable to God regardless of their particular belief or religious practice, provided they are honest and sincere. Consequently, we often hear it said, “One faith is as good as another.” If this idea is right, then one of two conclusions must necessarily follow; either (1) there is no such thing as falsehood and error in religious matters, or (2) one can believe and practice error and still be acceptable to God. Surely, no one believes that there is no such thing as error and false teaching in religion. The Bible abounds in warnings against being led into religious error. For example, “beware of false prophets…” (Matthew 7:15), “beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1), “we are of God; he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6). If there is no such thing as error in religion, then these passages are meaningless. The very fact that there are many contradictory teachings in religion proves that error exists since truth does not contradict itself. However, consider the second alternative: one can believe and practice error and be pleasing to God. Do you really think that is reasonable? If the Bible is truth (John 17:17), then teaching what is contrary to the Bible is …

For many of us who think of ourselves as conservative and set for the defense of the Gospel, there seem to be trends that disturb us. Apparently, because there are so many who seem to care less and less about the authority as it relates to the role of women in the church, the divorce problem, the authorized forms or acts of worship and various other things, many of us are seeming to lean over backwards in an effort to stand up straight. For example, many of us are sure that the King James and American Standard versions are generally more accurate than most other translations. We are positive that most of the translations we have examined are not really translations at all, but perverted commentaries, full of error of various kinds. That apparently has led some to the conclusion that any congregation that even allows a member to read from another version without public rebuke is an unsound congregation, unworthy of fellowship or support in any project they espouse. There are probably those who would withdraw fellowship from one who taught that if a congregation chooses not to have a traditional Sunday School, they are unworthy of fellowship. No doubt there are those who would like to send a questionnaire to every congregation or preacher to test their stand on every issue, from whether they approve of women preachers to whether they have a bus ministry. Let me make it emphatically clear that I think a person who is …

This is being written a little after midnight about the time that is called the blizzard of 1996, with up to four feet of snow in some sections of the country and almost a foot in my driveway. However, I happened to be reading in the Songs of Solomon and found in chapter 2, verses 11-12, “For, lo, the winter is past; The rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; The time of the singing of birds is come, And the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land.” As I meditated on the contrast between what Solomon said and what I had experienced the day before, two kinds of thoughts struggled within me trying to be born. First, I thought of the harshness of the cold, biting wind as I shoveled the snow from my driveway. Then, I thought of how trivial that was compared to the difficulty and suffering of those stranded for days in an airport, or freezing to death in a car stuck in a snowdrift. We need to heed the words of the song: When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,Count your many blessings, name them one by one,And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. Second, I thought that one can dwell on the slush and dirt created by the passing world, or one can dwell on the pristine beauty of the lovely snow; the perfection, symmetry and the …

It is always good to remember a godly mother. Jesus while on the cross of shame and suffering thought of His mother and instructed John to care for her after His death (John 19:26-27). One of the sweetest words in any language is “Mother.” A dictionary is not necessary to possess an understanding of such a meaningful term. Not all mothers are wives but they should be and not all wives are mothers, but God permitting, they can be. One of the primary purposes of marriage is the propagating of the human race (Genesis 1:27). The role of motherhood should never be taken lightly nor should the status of being a mother be made light of in this modern age. There is no greater relation for a woman to sustain in this life than being a Christian mother. Perhaps the crowning act of creation by the Lord God was the forming of woman from the side of man. God saw that it was not good for man to be alone, and thus, He gave to him a help suitable for him. Adam later named this woman “Eve” because she was the “mother of all living” (Genesis 2:18-25; 3:20). The wise man taught that “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing” and that “a prudent wife is from Jehovah” (Proverbs 18:18; 19:14). In the bringing forth of a child, the husband and wife truly become one flesh. There is the binding together of the two. Motherhood is the highest honor …

When I began trying to preach the Gospel, there was no one stronger with words of encouragement than my mother. Encouragement gives motivation to try again and again to achieve. It provides motivation even now fifty years removed. God planned this role. To Adam and Eve, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28). Eve is so named because she is the mother of all living human beings (Genesis 3:20). Later, Abraham would seek a wife for Isaac (Genesis 28:53) during the patriarchal age by sending a servant to first see honor shown to Rebekah’s mother. Even later in the Mosaic age, the wise man Solomon included the deep respect and love that King Lemuel held for his mother (Proverbs 31:10ff). The Law listed the mother first and the father next (Leviticus 19:3) in the son showing great respect for them and ‘whosoever strikes his mother or father’ (an act of resentment and anger Exodus 21:15) would be stoned to death. Later in this text (verse 19), the cursing of mother is prohibited. Whether words or deeds are used, the sincere respect and due appreciation for mom is held high in Scripture. The son is taught to heed the ‘law of one’s mother’ (Proverbs 1:8; 6:20). The value of motherhood is shown by obeying her. Jesus taught the Pharisees of His day that by a process called “Corban” (Mark 7:10-12), they had neglected their responsibilities to aging parents due to a legality that had been …

When it comes to ancient manuscripts, there are no works of the ancient world that can equal the number of manuscripts extant of the New Testament. There are only 643 manuscripts of Homer=s Iliad, one of the most famous books of ancient Greece. We have only 10 manuscripts of Caesar=s Gallic Wars, and the oldest of these was made a full 1,000 years after the original book was written. However, there are 5,366 manuscripts of the New Testament, some of which date back to within 150 years after the New Testament was completed. No other ancient work has so many manuscripts for comparison as does the New Testament. We have many scholars who do little but compare these ancient manuscripts with one another in order to determine what is the most accurate way of expressing the words of the New Testament. These men slave over these manuscripts, examining every particle of difference in them to determine what best expresses the truth. For example, based on the premise that the earliest of the manuscripts would be the best, inasmuch as they were made closer to the time of the original writings, these scholars compare every sentence of each manuscript with the others to determine such things as the correct word order, as well as the correct words. If there is great unanimity regarding a word, a sentence, or a paragraph in the very early manuscripts, and a variant is found in another that is three centuries later than the early ones, they work …

My mind was thousands of miles away because of something that just happened. A friend in passing spoke to me. Understanding what he said, yet, I was preoccupied with this unpleasant thought. I acknowledged his comment with a wave of my hand. Within a few minutes, my conscience bothered me. I felt that I was impolite because I did not answer him. I tried to call him a few times to apologize, but was unable to get him. A few days later, I got a chance to see him in person. I apologized to him, explaining my mindset. He, being a fine Christian man, understood and all is well between us. Our conscience is a gift from God. It behooves us to continue to improve its capacity as we study God’s Word and comply with His Will. We need to continue to get a conscience tune up. Our dictionary defines conscience in part as: “The awareness of a moral or ethical aspect to one’s conduct together with the urge to prefer right over wrong. A source of moral or ethical judgment or pronouncement” (The Free Dictionary by Farlex). According to Farlex’s Thesaurus, “Tune up, means to alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard; to adjust, correct or set.” Our hatred for evil, and our love for moral goodness keeps pace with our service to mankind, and our service keeps pace with our growth in knowledge of what is right and wrong. Our conscience does not bother …

Jesus, the Master Teacher, once answered a question posed by the inquiring Jewish leaders by asking one of His own. They demanded to know just who had given Him authority to teach in the Temple; obviously, they had not given Him their consent to do so. Jesus replied, “The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men?” (Matthew 21:25). Their cowardly fear and pride would not allow them to answer Jesus. As they would not answer His question, He chose not to answer theirs. In this present article, I want us to consider a pertinent question: “Is it from heaven, or is it of men?” Where there is a doctrinal position, a moral guideline or a practice in which one engages religiously, the question should be asked pertaining to it: “Is it from heaven, or is it of men?” It should be recognized that the question is worded in such a way that under consideration is an “either or” proposition. It is so fashioned that we cannot have it “both ways” since a doctrine, for instance, cannot have its origin from God and man simultaneously. A given moral standard is one that either comes from God, our Creator, or it is one that has been proposed and espoused by man, the created being. Sometimes, men devise their own doctrines and religious practices in preference to the ones God has revealed within the Sacred Text. Sadly, man has failed to resist the temptation to rewrite the Bible according …

B.H. McDaniel was a very successful orthodontist with a thriving practice. He also loved to fly his plane for a hobby. One day, he was flying from El Paso, TX to Lufkin, TX, when the engine stalled, and he couldn’t start it again. He was over the Davy Crockett National Forest, so an emergency landing was going to be almost impossible. However, God was with him every step of the way. He looked down and saw an opening among the trees. He tried to set the plane down in the little spot, but it was too short for landing. His plane hit hard, skidded into the trees on the other side of the field and broke into flames. B.H. broke his back in the crash and lay helpless as the fire began to burn. By the providence of the Lord, a farmer saw the plane go down and hurried to the wreckage. He pulled the doctor to safety just in time, as the aircraft was engulfed in flames. B.H. was taken to a local hospital. That started the long journey of healing, then therapy. It was going to take over two years to get even limited use of his legs back. Naturally, that was to wreak havoc on his orthodontic practice. Enter Dr. Stephen Kerr. Stephen had attended dental college in the early days with B.H., and they had become fast friends. One school day without really thinking about it, the two men made a “friendship pact” (much like David …

There are so many “faith only” advocates in the religious world. It’s beyond me to understand this when the Bible is so explicit about faith and works. They go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other. Let’s examine this a little further. We know that one who practices Christian religion of any sort must have faith, that is, believe in God and His power, the gift of His Son, etc. One of the very first Scriptures that most Christian people ever learn about is Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to please God for the one who comes to Him must believe that He is [that is that God exists] and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” This is just a basic fact of any “Christian” religion because it makes sense. In the first place, if you don’t believe in something, you certainly are not going to make any effort to make it successful. In the second place, you must believe that there is reason for believing in an entity, in this case, a reward for our faithfulness and diligence. Continuing in this 11th chapter of Hebrews, we see many examples of faith being exercised by different people: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sara, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, the walls of Jericho compassed about and falling, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthae, David, Samuel, the prophets, etc. The list of faithful accomplishments is enough to impress and bring to attention even the greatest …