It’s something most people hate to hear but love to do. Call it complaining, murmuring, bellyaching or the like, but everyone is prone to do it sometime. The problem is that some make a pastime of it, constantly finding fault, always being negative about someone or something. It’s this spirit that James addressed in James 5:9; “Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.” However, how many people actually see themselves this way? Consider the following complaints, and the appropriate response. “I don’t have to take that from anybody!” “When He was abused, He did not return abuse; when He suffered, He did not threaten; but He entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly” (2 Peter 2:23). “I don’t care about anybody else, this is what I want!” “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4). “Why don’t you see things my way?” “We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:7-8). There are too many occurrences of “I,” “me” and “my” in the above, and that’s usually from where most …

In Luke 12:13-21 we find the parable of the rich fool. We often notice that this man was called a fool, but seldom do we ask why. Following are some reasons Jesus called this man a fool. He thought about the gifts, but not about the Giver. God is the giver of every blessing (James 1:17). Yet, this man gave credit to himself and not God. The man had an I problem. He said, “I” will do this, and “I” will do that. He was focused on his material wealth, to the exclusion of the Giver of those gifts. Today, we are rich in this nation. We must never forget that the blessings we have are from God. Whatever talents we have to earn money are given from God as well. Without Him we would be nothing. He thought about himself and forgot about his neighbor. The rich fool was making plans for all his wealth. He was going to tear down his barns and build greater ones. He was storing up money all for himself. There is no mention of his planning to help anyone else. Today, we must be willing to share our wealth to help others. First John 3:17 says, “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” Let us remember the Words of Jesus: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Look for someone in need, and …

An unwed mother in a conservative town. A fiancé who is not the father. Whispers. Handwringing. Innuendo. Scandal. Red faces among the bluebloods. Just who is the father? Forty weeks of rumors; nine long months and finally a baby boy is born. But the usual congratulations are muted, reserved, cut short. A mother’s joy is mixed with pain. It didn’t end there. The rumors persisted into adult years. Since illegitimate children in those days were identified by town instead of by father, He was called “Jesus of Nazareth” most of the time instead of “Jesus ben Joseph.” Who is the father? Where paternity of a child is in question, a court determines paternity based initially upon sworn statements and then upon testimony or other evidence. In the Bethlehem Case, the Father finally came forward. A definitive answer was reached in a bizarre case. Joseph and Mary had been telling the truth after all. A virgin had conceived (Isaiah 7:14). “I am the Father.” A voice from heaven claimed the Son. The eternal God shook the earth around the Jordan River with a declarative pronouncement of paternity (Matthew 3:17). He later interrupted Peter’s speech with the same acknowledgement (Matthew 17:5). On both occasions, Jehovah said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” So at a crowded river one day and on an isolated mountain one night, God twice signed the birth certificate. These are words of affirmation: “This is my beloved Son.” On the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew …

Haddon Robinson made the following argument for the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus: Men have preached a lie, knowing it’s a lie if, in preaching it, they have put gold in their pockets. Men have preached a lie, knowing it’s a lie if, when preaching it, they have achieved power and authority. But men do not preach a lie, knowing it’s a lie if, every time they preach it, they are courting imprisonment, persecution, poverty, and death. Men do not preach a lie, knowing it’s a lie if, every time they preach it, they are pounding nails in their caskets. Men do not preach a lie, knowing it’s a lie, if it means that they will be crucified upside down as was Peter, or that they will be beheaded as was Paul, or that they will be stoned to death as was Stephen. It is contrary to all human experience for men to go out and spend their lives preaching a lie, knowing it’s a lie, if every time they preach it, they are ostracized from the community, hounded by the authorities, and turned into the laughingstock of society. And yet that is precisely the penalty the early Christians paid for preaching the resurrection. Luke records that with “great power” the apostles gave “witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 4:33). The willingness of these men to suffer for this doctrine should give us great confidence that the tomb was found empty and that Jesus is reigning …

The church is the body of Christ, of which He is the Head (Ephesians 1:21-23). The body of Christ is made up of all baptized believers in Jesus Christ from the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) until Christ’s return. The word “church” comes from the Greek word ekklesia, which is defined as “an assembly” or “called-out ones.” The root meaning of “church” is not that of a building, but of people. Sometimes people disparage the church and say awful things about it; however, our thoughts and words should reflect respect, honor and appreciation for the church. The church is right, and we must communicate the blessings and benefits of it; therefore, what is right with the church? The FOUNDATION is right. Everything must have a proper foundation, whether it is a marriage, building or church. Jesus built His church upon the foundation of faith (Matthew 16:13-19). The church has the right foundation because Jesus is that foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11; Ephesians 2:20-21). The foundation of Jesus is solid as rock (Matthew 7:24-27). The FATIH is right. Doctrine is simply that which we teach. Some teach truth while some teach falsehood. Those who teach falsehood pervert the Word of God. Those who teach truth affirm the Word of God. It is the truth for which we should “earnestly content” (Jude 3). The church has the right doctrine because Jesus is that doctrine (Acts 8:35)! The FELLOWSHIP is right. Fellowship is the life blood of the church (Philippians 1:3-6; Acts 2:42). The early church spent time …

Before citing biblical claims to inspiration, it might be good to acquaint the reader with what is called “Higher Criticism” and “Lower Criticism.” The first may imply it is better, but not so. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia states: “Higher criticism… manifestly tends to widen out illimitably into regions where exact science cannot follow it, where often, the critic’s imagination is his only law.” Higher criticism is obviously not concerned with the accuracy of the biblical text and would contribute to destruction of faith in the Bible. Lower criticism, on the other hand, “…deals strictly with the text of Scripture, endeavouring to ascertain what the real text of each book was as it came from the hands of the author” (I.S.B.E. 749). “Higher criticism,” it seems, has been given impetus by infidel German theologians and philosophers. The term Higher Criticism was given by a German biblical critic, Eichorn, about the beginning of the nineteenth century. The reader can easily see that “Lower Criticism” is much more valuable than “Higher Criticism” in that this science seeks to give us the true text, whereas the former would destroy such. In view of the fact that even some among us, so-called Gospel preachers and professors of the Bible, have become so enamored with the false critics as to deny the verbal inspiration of the Bible, class parts as inaccurate, thereby affecting the faith of many and leading many into error, it is in order to continually warn and to uphold the inerrancy of proper translations of …

This is not a dissertation of great research. This is not a pontification of how marriage should be done. This is a recording of observations that I have made from watching those who are married, and from about 37 years of being married. I do not know what the “experts” would say on these matters (i.e. those who are more involved in attempting to do research than in real life experiences), but I hope these very random thoughts might help one person who is thinking about getting married, one couple who is looking to marry or maybe some who are already married. Marriage is perfect in its imperfections. Marriage was ordained by God. He brought Eve to Adam from his side to complete him. As we often say in wedding ceremonies, Jesus did His first miracle at a wedding. The point is that He was there, and by His presence endorsed marriage. The writer of Hebrews (I believe it was Paul, in any case by the Holy Spirit) states that marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled. All of this shows that it is perfect in its conception and design by God. However, since marriage is between two humans, it is also imperfect. The beauty of the imperfection is that it gives both partners in the marriage the opportunity to grow – together. I know that neither my wife nor I are perfect. Yet, we fit together very well, and as the years have gone by, we have drawn closer together in …

“The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God” (Romans 8:16ff). How does He assure us as we go through this life? Remember, Who wrote the Bible? The Spirit of God according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 2. He ‘revealed these words.’ By reading the Word of God, we can be reassured we are living life as God directs. Don’t we feel assured when we are traveling into a new city, perhaps looking for the house of a friend who lives in that city, and our partner in the car is reading a map? By noting the various street names, we check off our route to the friend’s house. Spiritually speaking, our partner traveling life’s journey is the Holy Spirit. As we face struggles in life, we check with His Word, which is the roadmap to heaven. Familiar signposts include: “Putting first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33), “worshipping in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24), “stealing no more, but working with our hands what is good that we may have to give to others in their time of need” (Ephesians 4:28), “being called, chosen and faithful” (Revelation 17:14), having each service in life mixed with love (1 Corinthians 13:1-3), “marking those who cause division” (Romans 16:17) and being “willing to forgive others from the heart” (Matthew 18:35). By checking off the signposts, just as surely as we check off the street names, we are steadily moving toward the goal of heaven itself, directed …

Love is a popular topic in today’s world. The popular refrain is that we should just love one another. The apostle John talked a great deal about love, so much so that he is called the Apostle of Love. He declared that love is necessary to being a disciple of Christ, so that if we do not love our brothers in Christ, we have not been born of God (1 John 4:7-8). What does it mean to love our brothers? In 1 John 3:14-15 John wrote, “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” We see that love and hate are opposites. There are only two options. We either love or hate; there is no in-between. If we hate, it is the same as being a murderer. Most people look at these verses and assume that they love everyone. After all, if hating is like being a murderer, then it is easy to say we do not hate anyone. We do not want to hurt anyone; therefore, we do not hate. If we do not hate, then we must love, since there are only two options. Thus, according to this view, love is simply the absence of doing anything bad. This makes love easy, because we can love by doing nothing. In contrast to the above …

“He must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). You already know Jesus made an extreme sacrifice for you, and as many times as we have been asked this question, it needs to be kept in the front of our minds: What changes have you made in your life because of His sacrifice? Is your commitment to Jesus shown only by a one-time decision and weekly church attendance? Or, does the sacrifice of Jesus Christ mean more to you than that? I hope it does! If you honestly examine yourself, does it look like you are a one or two day per week Christian? If so, it is time for a change. Nothing should take precedence over it. Today, how can you make sure that your Christianity impacts all of your days – not just a couple of them?

The question is sometimes raised, “Does the Bible teach that one may sin past the point of repentance?” The simple answer is, “Yes,” but the implications of the answer are so important that they deserve a little more extended thought. If a person can get to the place where it is impossible to repent, then sin is doubly dangerous. Let us examine some Scriptures that deal with the subject. First, in Genesis 6:3, we find that God’s Spirit would not always strive with man. It suggests that when every imagination and thought of man’s heart is only evil continually (Genesis 6:5), the powers and influences that God uses to bring men to repentance may be withdrawn. The same idea is expressed more concisely and forcibly in Romans. We find that “the goodness of God leads to repentance” (Romans 2:4). When men despised that goodness and rejected it deliberately and persistently, God gave them up. A careful reading of Romans 1:20-32 shows that God gave them up for at least three reasons (vss. 24, 26, 28). When God gives a person up, it seems almost without question that he has rejected the goodness of God that would be the cause of his repentance, and thus no longer has the ability to repent. We find that they were without excuse, because they did not like to have God in their knowledge. When we find in Exodus 4 and following chapters that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, we also find that Pharaoh hardened his …

Long ago the psalmist penned words so true of God’s provision until time as we know it shall end: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). Such illumination is desperately needed “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8). Friend, we must neither give lip service to God nor to the admonition given through Solomon to “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5). The question of the hour is this: Are you and I really willing to follow Jesus wherever He leads us? Are we willing to count the cost and pay the price to be His disciple? A world renowned preacher once admitted that if he taught the truth that he would lose his following. He had a choice to make: on the one hand he could stand up for Jesus and be a real disciple, and be exalted by God; or, on the other, he could conceal the truth and preach it like the masses wanted it, and be lifted up by men. Friend, you are invited to contact us indicating your interest in learning more of God’s will.

Every marriage has both good times and bad. A preview of this is often found in the wedding vows. We vow our undying love for better or for worse. Most of us hope for more of the better than we do of the worse. Yet, every marriage, no matter how good, has times of conflict and difficulty. So, what are some of the most common problems? Notice a few sources and solutions. Money Problems Money problems rank near the top of virtually every survey done on marital difficulties. Money in and of itself actually is not the problem. It is the abuse and misuse of money that is the problem. Some people are just not willing to compromise when it comes to what they want in life from a material standpoint. Because of this, married couples find themselves spending all they have earned and then some. God requires us to be good stewards (1 Corinthians 4:2), and this certainly includes being stewards of our money. The first rule of money is to put God at the top of the list (Matthew 6:33). Having a budget is essential in managing money, but we must make sure we put God at the top of that budget. We also need to communicate together as husband and wife about the family finances. No major purchases should be made without consulting one’s mate. Finally, we must live within our means. Being content with what we have will take us a long way toward living within …

Creation, how all life came into being and the complex function of the universe may be the greatest of all mysteries. Our English dictionaries define mystery in part as, “One that is not fully understood or that baffles or eludes the understanding; an unexplained or inexplicable event, phenomenon, etc.” Let us now note a scientist acknowledging an “acceptable explanation” or an understanding of creation and living matter. “If living matter is not, then, caused by the interplay of atoms, natural forces and radiation, how has it come into being?… I think, however, that we must admit that the only acceptable explanation is creation, I know that this is anathema to physicists, as indeed it is to me, but we must not reject a theory that we do not like if the experimental evidence supports it” (H.S. Lipson Physics Bulletin, vol. 31, May 1980, page 138; qtd. in That Their Words May Be Used Against Them by Henry M. Morris). The word “acceptable” is defined in part as, “Worthy of being accepted; adequate to satisfy a need, requirement, or standard; satisfactory.” The word “explanation” is defined in part as, “The act or process of explaining; something that explains; a mutual clarification of misunderstandings; a reconciliation.” Lipson also stated that to accept creation would be “anathema to physicists.” “Anathema” is defined in part as, “A thing or a person accursed or damned; hence; anything greatly detested.” Therefore, here we have someone in the scientific community stating even though an “acceptable explanation” for the first cause …

It has long been recognized that we can learn a lot about a person when we see how he responds to pressure. Look at Paul while in prison. There is much to be learned as we study the life of the great apostle Paul. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep: In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me (presseth upon my daily), the care of all the churches. (2 Corinthians 11:23-28) His Pen Though Paul was in prison, he would not allow prison to rob him of his pen. Just think how poor this world would be without his prison epistles, among which is the great Book of Philippians (Philippians 1:1). His Preaching Paul would not let prison rob him of or hinder him in his preaching in the palace or …

One in six Americans move each year, with the average citizen of the United States moving 11.7 times over his lifetime. Since my dad preached, I have helped make up for some of you that have lived in the same house since birth. Teresa and I lived in: Jackson, TN; Henderson, TN; North Little Rock, AR; Mobile, AL; Valdosta, GA; Cookeville, TN; Knoxville, TN; and Jackson, MS. Our current move presented us with a most unusual opportunity. Thanks to the gracious hospitality of Drew and Morgan Dulaney, we were able to settle into our work in Jackson before our house sold in Knoxville, with most of our “stuff” remaining there. The couple buying our house have an almost newborn baby. Three days after signing a contract to sell our house to them, our real estate agent asked if they could move in early. Teresa and I discussed it and decided it was what we would want someone to do for us, so we said yes. This has resulted in the formation of an unusual friendship. They and their real estate agent have repeatedly thanked us. Several of our good sisters in Christ, who are helping pack everything up, have gotten to know the couple and their baby well. They and their agent have no church home. Their impression of us and our many brethren has resulted in the real estate agent and the couple expressing an interest in attending the Karns church of Christ. Paul believed God could open doors …

“Tim was so learned that he could name a horse in nine languages, but he was so ignorant that he went out and bought a cow to ride on” (Ben Franklin in Poor Richard’s Almanac). Without doubt, one should avail himself of as much education as possible because it will be an asset throughout life. Book learning, however, without any practical sense, is like having as many degrees as a thermometer, and not having enough ‘horse sense’ to get in out of the rain. One thus minded is sure to end up all wet! Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life. (Proverbs 4:5-13) Anyone who reads these simple and understandable verses …

In 1893, a great “Parliament of Religions” was held in Chicago, Illinois. Members of all the various cults were gathered in attendance: there were Hindus, Buddhists and representatives of all sorts of exotic Eastern religions. It was designed to be a great festival of tolerance and ecumenical brotherhood, but a preacher, Joseph Cook of Boston, offered a reminder that not all religions are equal. During one of the sessions, he rose and dramatically announced, “Gentlemen, I beg to introduce to you a woman with a great sorrow. Bloodstains are on her hands, and nothing she has tried will remove them. The blood is that of murder. She has been driven to desperation in her distress. Is there anything in your religion that will remove her sin and give her peace?” A hush fell on the gathering. Not one of the swamis or monks said a word. In the heaviness of that silence Cook abruptly raised his eyes heavenward and cried out, “John, can you tell this woman how to get rid of her awful sin?” The preacher waited, as if listening for a reply. Suddenly he cried out, “Listen, John speaks. – ‘The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, purifies us from all sin’ (1 John 1:7).” Not a soul broke the silence that followed; all the representatives of Eastern religions and Western cults sat speechless. Why? Because only Christianity can make that statement: only the shed blood of Jesus can claim the power to forgive all sin. This is a sublime truth …

Some people teach error because they simply don’t know any better. They have good intentions and are sincere in what they believe, but they just happen to be wrong in what they believe and what they are teaching. Others are just plain wicked. Jesus calls them “ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). One of the last messages Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount was to beware of these false teachers who are dressed in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are selfish beasts. It is the duty of all believers everywhere to test the spirits (1 John 4:1). We must constantly be on the lookout, and constantly observing fruit. This is so important because it is impossible for good trees to produce bad fruit, and bad trees to produce good fruit (Matthew 7:18-19), and Jesus told us that we can spot these wolves by observing their fruit (20). There are many out there who talk a good game and look the part, but really have no part of Christ. We must watch out for them and remove them from the flock (Romans 16:17-18; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13).