As it was in Malachi’s day, so it is still the case today that many are willing to put personality over principle, and because of ignorance of the Scriptures, they are apt to go in any direction.  Franklin Camp once observed, “When you leave the principle of the need for Bible authority, there is no end to where you will wind up.” Can we not see that this is true? Worship and moral issues would, then, be settled by what men want instead of what God wants (Proverbs 14:12; Jeremiah10:23; Leviticus 10:1-2; 1 John 2:3-5). God’s people came to embrace the sins of the day and wanted to find acceptance and popularity with the world. They decided to offer a truce of peace with the false religions of the day. It is no surprise, then, that we find even God’s people are readily accepting idolatry. No wonder God would ask his people, “Have you grown tired of me?” We can see the progression. Tolerance led to acceptance, and that acceptance eventually led to joint participation. My friends, these three things have not only influenced religion down through the ages, they have also had an unsettling effect on things pertaining to moral issues. We will just mention two, homosexuality and abortion. When people of our day are willing to follow the false philosophies of the world and thus plunge headlong into immorality and into religious error, then, isn’t it obvious that they also have grown tired of God (Romans 1:24-32; Proverbs …

Sin often begins as a tiny ripple of thought— an internal temptation—that swells into a tidal wave of catastrophe destroying virtually everything in its wicked wake (James 1:14-15). Many lives are swept up in the chaotic consequences created by another’s sinful choice. Because of one person’s sin, spouses and children weep while families are destroyed, friendships are rent asunder, godly influence is traded away for a selfish desire and souls are often lost for eternity. Sin always has a devastating impact upon the one who commits the action (Romans 6:23; Ezekiel 18:20). Sin creates a division between the individual and the Creator (Isaiah 59:1-3). Yet, the devastation rarely stops there. In a selfish attempt to minimize and excuse sinful actions, many will claim the transgression never hurt anyone else or never affected other aspects of their lives. The deceitfulness of sin hardens our hearts and blinds us to the reality of the utter destruction caused by our actions (Hebrews 3:13). In 2 Samuel 11-12, we see the devastation that started out as one man’s lustful thought. David allowed a tiny ripple of sin to flood his life. A moment of unrestrained lust led to adultery, lies, deception, conspiracy and murder. David’s sin devastated his relationship with God and his personal life. However, David’s sin did not only affect him. His choice to fulfill his lust impacted the lives of Bathsheba, Uriah, Joab, his own son and ultimately an entire nation. Just like David, our own sin when allowed to grow …

His eyes were fixated on the pods on which the pigs were feasting. Drool formed across his lips as he fantasized about the pods bursting with flavor within his mouth. Had his life really come to this point? Not long before, he had popularity and wealth. Life was good, but then, the bottom fell out. He was now famished, dirty and envious of a pig’s lunch. He thought back and remembered all the delightful delicacies that were spread across his father’s table. Now, that was a feast, a feast he had too often taken for granted. When he finally came to himself, he decided to return home and beg just to be a servant in his father’s house. That would be far greater than his current predicament. When he finally came to his father’s house, he could see his father running to meet him. Then, it was time for the speech he had been practicing all the way home. He told his father, “I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants” (Luke 15:19). His father would not hear of it. He was his son, and he was home! He was lost, and now he was found! It was time for a celebration. This celebration would involve fresh clothes, music, true friends and an abundance of food. Perhaps, we have encountered individuals who have strayed away from the kingdom of our Lord. They, too, departed for new horizons of pleasure and …

One might ask the question, “Why preach?” There are many preachers who have been asked this very question by family members, friends and even those in the community. To some, preaching may seem foolish (1 Corinthians 1:21), but to God it serves very important purposes. First, preaching is the means used to demonstrate God’s power to save (Galatians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:4). Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16). God has commissioned Christians to deliver the Gospel message so men can hear God’s power to save and to be converted (Romans 10). Second, preaching is used to edify. Paul indicated this purpose when he wrote, “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16). One preaches to build the body up, which is confronted by a sinful world on a daily basis. The pressures that the Christian must face in everyday life are hard. Hearing God’s Word can help bear the weight of those trials and tribulations. Third, the Word of God must be preached to convince and …

A lot of time discussing the Minor Prophets is spent focusing on their accusations against Israel. To be sure, there were plenty of accusations to go around for them. As we focus on the message of the Minor Prophets, it might be good to take a step away from the accusations and fix our eyes on God’s love for His people—even the ones receiving condemnation throughout the Minor Prophets. After all, from the beginning, God’s love for His people has been the backbone of everything He’s asked them to do. Throughout Hosea’s prophecy, God’s love undergirds everything He relays through the prophet. For example, just after chiding them for their unfaithfulness, God spoke of His faithfulness and goodness toward them (Hosea 3:5). Take a look at the way the book ends. Hosea’s prophecy was hard-hitting for Israel, but God ended it with love. “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away from him” (Hosea 14:4). God’s anger would only be turned away from them if they would return to Him (Hosea 14:1-3), but His love for them was never-ending. God’s treatment of Israel mirrors His treatment of us. In Romans 8:34-39 we can see how nothing will ever separate us from the love of God in Christ. Well, nothing except ourselves. If we refuse to be faithful, God still loves us freely, but we separate ourselves from His love. In the words of Hosea, if we neglect to “return” to Him once …

Sunday afternoon, I told my grandson that I was going to have to get ready for church services. He looked at his mother in a minute and said, confidently, “Paw-Paw peech.” She replied, “Yes, Paw-Paw is going to preach.” My daughter and her husband live about 40 miles from where I preach, but they have come to worship with us for Sundays since they have been married. I thought as I heard the little two-year-old say that I was going to preach, that I am the only preacher he really hears right now. I had noticed him several times before intently staring and listening to me. It was true again Sunday night. I do not know how much of what I was saying he comprehended, but he was definitely, from time to time, listening. As I contemplated all of this, I thought that I have a true responsibility to him, especially as long as I am about the only preacher he is hearing. The more I considered it, the more I came to the conclusion that I would be a better preacher if I always preached like I was preaching for my grandson. I want many things for that little one, but above all, I want him to go to Heaven. Maybe that is a good way for me to define “preaching the truth in love” in my own mind—preach like I am preaching for my grandson. All of this led my ever-wandering mind to a list of 10 things …

A little girl walking in a garden noticed a particularly beautiful flower. She admired its beauty and enjoyed its fragrance. “It’s so pretty!” she exclaimed. As she gazed on it, her eyes followed the stem down to the soil in which it grew. “This flower is too pretty to be planted in such dirt!” she cried. So she pulled it up by its roots and ran to the water faucet to wash away the soil. It wasn’t long until the flower wilted and died. When the gardener saw what the little girl had done, he exclaimed, “You have destroyed my finest plant!” “I’m sorry, but I didn’t like it in that dirt,” she said. The gardener replied, “I chose that spot and mixed the soil because I knew that only there could it grow to be a beautiful flower.” Often, we murmur because of the circumstances into which God has placed us. We fail to realize that He is using our pressures, trials and difficulties to bring us to a new degree of spiritual beauty. The apostle Paul reminded in 2 Corinthians 5:1-7, For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not …

Peter encouraged brethren to focus their minds and soberly hope for the grace of God to be delivered at the coming of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13-14). With their minds focused on Heaven, their manner of life should also be different. Instead of participating in the lust of the flesh, he encouraged them to model themselves after the Holy God, who expects His children to be holy (14-17). After all, God had gone to great lengths to redeem them; He purchased them with the blood of His Son (18-21). In verses 22-25, Peter continued to inspire them to live properly by reminding them of the powerful influence of the Word. Peter proclaimed the power of God’s Word to purify, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth…” (22a). The word translated “purified” means “to cleanse from all defilement.” The Word of God, the Bible, is truth (John 17:17), and when it is obeyed, it has the power to remove the impurities in one’s life. How is this accomplished? It is accomplished by influencing an individual to cast aside sin (James 1:21) and to be cleansed by the blood of Christ at immersion (“baptism”) (Ephesians 5:26; Revelation 1:5; Acts 22:16). After conversion, as demonstrated in 1 Peter 1:22, the Word of God should continue to influence believers to live in purity, which includes a genuine love for fellow Christians. Peter proclaimed the power of God’s Word to renew, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by …

On the day that Jesus taught parables from a boat to crowds on a Galilean shore, He, at evening, got into a boat with His disciples to cross to the other side. They were accompanied by other little boats (Mark 4:35-36). As they crossed, one of those notoriously sudden and violent storms arose on the Galilean Sea. It is called a “windstorm” in Mark 4:37 and Luke 8:23, but a “tempest” in Matthew 8:24 (NKJV). The word for tempest there is related to the word from which we get seismology. Seismologists measure earthquakes—monumental events. This would have been a monumental storm. The disciples become afraid. Many of these had been professional fishermen (Mark 1:16-20), but the storm still scared them. The accounts give no more mention of the other ships or what happened to them, but for two millennium, followers of Christ have known what happened in this disciples’ boat. The fearful disciples went to wake up Jesus. That’s right, they went to wake up Jesus. Many people cannot sleep through a storm on land—even when in a brick house with a solid foundation. Jesus was being tossed about by the sea, and He was sound asleep (Matthew 8:24; Mark 4:38). He had apparently fallen asleep during the journey, probably before the windstorm struck (Luke 8:23). It is incomprehensible how He could have slept. Waves were beating into the boat (Mark 4:37). “They were filling with water, and were in jeopardy” (Luke 8:23). Yet, “He was in the stern, asleep …

Man’s greatest goal in life should be acquiring a knowledge of God. This was to be a great achievement of Israel (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). Indeed, man has the ability to know God (Romans 1:18-32), and he can even know of His everlasting power and divinity (Romans 1:18-20). One of the many individual, infinite attributes of the divine, personal God we serve as Christians is His omniscience. By definition, omniscient means “having infinite knowledge; knowing all things.” Strong, in his Systematic Studies, wrote, “By which we mean God’s perfect and eternal knowledge of all things which are objects of knowledge, whether they are actual or possible, past, present, or future.” A.W. Tozer in his book, The Knowledge of the Holy, penned: God perfectly knows Himself and, being the source and author of all things, it follows that He knows all that can be known. And this He knows instantly and with a fullness of perfection that includes every possible item of knowledge concerning everything that exists or could have existed anywhere in the universe at any time in the past or that may exist in the centuries or ages yet unborn. God knows instantly and effortlessly all matter and all matters, all mind and every mind, all spirit and all spirits, all beings and every being, all creaturehood and all creatures, every plurality and all pluralities, and every law, all relations, all causes, all thoughts, all mysteries, all enigmas, all feeling, all desires, every unuttered secret, all thrones and dominions, all personalities, all things …

More important than tradition, biblical principles have historically motivated us to sing as a form of our personal and collective worship of the Lord in Heaven, and they should continue to motivate us. Consider that singing has been commanded (Ephesians 5:19) and is morally upright (Psalm 92:1). It is an obligation of each member (Colossians 3:16) as we sing to the Lord and to one another (Ephesians 5:19). As the church assembles, we should sing (1 Corinthians 14:15, 26) in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). We should sing with grace in our hearts (Colossians 3:16) and with understanding (1 Corinthians 14:15) as we teach and admonish one another (Colossians 3:16). Among other motivations, we should sing because the Lord blesses us abundantly (Psalm 18:48-49). May we be as the Psalmist and sing “as long as I live” (Psalm 104:33). May we be encouraged to sing in worship and to support our weekly worship services with our valued and regular presence. Our fellow brethren in the congregation may very well be encouraged more so than one may anticipate by the simple but yet profound act of quality worship before and unto the Lord by the full congregation of God’s people in the public assembly of the church. I’ll be looking for you soon!

“Hey! Get out of the fast lane!” “Move over and get out of my way!” We live in a world that is so busy, so fast-paced and always in a hurry. Many are driven to go, go, go. As the song says, “I’m in a hurry and don’t know why.” People in Solomon’s day were in a hurry, too. When Solomon talked of two clinched fists, he described a person who is a workaholic, one who works incessantly to gather as much as humanly possible. A good work ethic is honorable (1 Thessalonians 4:11; Colossians 3:23). However, Solomon was talking about balance. God knew we needed rest. In the Old Testament Law, He instituted a day of rest (Exodus 20:9-11). So, let us work hard, but let us also acquire balance. Give yourself a break. Take time off—for self and for family. Make sure you have one hand that is full—not full of money, work and strife—but a hand full of rest. You won’t regret it.

The supervisor directed his crew to paint a large wall with white, semi-gloss paint. The directions seemed simple enough, and for a little while everyone did exactly as they had been instructed. Soon, however, one man stepped back and thought to himself, “It’s too glossy.” So, he switched to a flat white. Someone saw what he was doing and did not care for it at all; in fact, he decided the semi-gloss was too ordinary, so he started using high-gloss. Not to be outdone, another began adding tints of blue to his paint. Then another painter added tints of red. Finally, the painter in the middle used high-gloss, yellow paint. After the wall was completely painted, the men were standing back admiring their own work and despising the others’ works. The supervisor returned, saw the monstrously painted wall, and fired all those who did not use white, semi-gloss paint. The men who kept using white paint but had abandoned the semi-gloss protested that they had kept the instructions almost to the letter. The men who added just a little tint to their paint argued that plain white was too boring, and that they simply desired to add a little luster to their work to make it more exciting. Besides, the supervisor did not say not to add tint. Finally, the man in the middle argued that no one was going to tell him exactly how to paint or with what color he must paint. “It felt right to me, so that’s what …

The Psalmist addressed one of the most secret parts of man and revealed a characteristic that divides the wicked from the righteous. He said, “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts” (Psalm 10:4). It’s hard to argue with a divinely revealed judgment that pride is the root of this trait, but it also means that if there are times that God is not in our thoughts, then we have room to improve. In fact, God and Scripture judge our thoughts. Paul noted through a rhetorical question that we cannot know what anyone is thinking unless he tells us. “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?” (1 Corinthians 2:11a). It’s easy to think about God when we’re in trouble or need something special to happen in our lives, but do we think about God when we’re praised for doing well? Herod didn’t when he was complimented by the people for a speech, and God knew it. “And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost” (Acts 12:23). Does our pride prevent us from seeing God in others who are made in His image? He told us He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). Or, do we think about God as we make plans? James admonished, “For that ye …

The writer of Hebrews said, “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to succor [aid] those who are tempted” (2:18). When we experience difficulty here on earth, we have a Savior who will help. He is not merely a spectator; He has participated in human life on earth (John 1:14; Philippians 2:7). He has been through the human experience. Now, He is in Heaven at the right hand of God to help (aid) His people. How does He help us? Now, what kind of problem do you have? Just name the problem! Do you suffer under the guilt of sin? Are you under the pressure of some specific temptation? Have you been trying to serve God through the doctrines and commandments of men? Are you having trouble coping with daily pressures of life—physical, emotional or domestic pain? You cannot name any problem that Jesus cannot help you handle! This doesn’t mean He will suddenly make all of your troubles go away. Remember, there will be storms (Matthew 7:24-27), but with Him at your side, you will survive. Come to Him in obedience and stay there; He will help!

To many in both the secular and the religious realm, there is no such thing as sin. In their minds, there are no absolutes of right or of wrong. For example, what used to be the sin of homosexuality is now just a different “sexual orientation.” Some are so foolish as to claim that God’s blessings rest upon those who practice this abominable sin. The point is, now, everything must be politically correct. No one must be offended, and no action must be offensive. Again, the wise man Solomon addressed this foolish idea of compromise. In Proverbs 24:10 he wrote: “If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.” When evil threatens and we attempt to placate it by compromising the truth, we fail to stand in the time of adversity. To do this lessens our strength, and we become weaker each time we act in such a manner. Satan, through his agents, seeks to intimidate, frighten and cause the faithful to run for cover. On the other hand, the apostle Paul, in writing about the armament of a true Christian, concluded by saying, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Are you “fainting in the day of adversity,” or are you standing with readiness to “fight the good fight of the faith?”

(Lloyd Otis Sanderson 1901-1992) Have you ever experienced a brief encounter with someone you never met before and throughout the years you remember the encounter? Strange experience, is it not?  It was a bitter cold February, and I was attending a lectureship at Freed-Hardeman College. The year I cannot remember, maybe in the 1970’s. I was walking on the campus grounds, and there were very few out at that time. About ten yards away I started to approach a tall, elderly gentleman.  As we met each other, he smiled and said something like, “You would think the college would have these lectureships during warmer months.” Smiling, I verbally agreed as we passed each other. I recognized this Christian gentleman as L.O. Sanderson. Brother Sanderson has written some 500 songs and hymns, a wonderful and lasting achievement. “Be With Me, Lord” has been noted as the most popular of his songs. It is also one of my favorites. It strikes a chord of human weakness as one faces the ordeals of this life, to include the closeness of one’s own death.  Following are the lyrics of this beautiful Gospel song. Be With me Lord By T. O. Chisholm and L. O. Sanderson Be with me, Lord—I cannot live without Thee,I dare not try to take one step alone,I cannot bear the loads of life, unaided,I need Thy strength to lean myself upon. Be with me, Lord, and then if dangers threaten,If storms of trial burst above my head,If lashing seas leap …

I cannot just watch a movie, and I cannot just hear a person speak. I listen, I analyze, and I develop questions. In the past year, I have noticed a topic that has appeared in movies, books and even as part of a class at Polishing the Pulpit. Those observations have led me to this question: “Where are the men?” It is becoming more and more common to see church attendance dominated by women. Worldwide there is a shortage of preachers and adult Bible class teachers. In congregations all over the world, it is becoming more and more difficult to find deacons and elders. In the homes of so many people there are countless problems because of absent fathers. “Where are all the men?” Now before we go any further we have to make sure it is clear that we recognize that we do have great men, fathers and leaders in the Lord’s church. Yet, what are we doing about the future? How will the men be in twenty or thirty years? Will there be a generation full of great leaders or will men be like those in Judges 1-2 that fell away from God after the death of Joshua. So, the question still remains, “Where are all the men?” From the beginning of time, God’s plan was for men to be the leaders in the home and in the church (Genesis 1:16; Ephesians 5:22-24; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Timothy 2:8-15; 3:1-13). The problem is that so many men have not …

I hope it is okay, and I ask that you please indulge me for a moment while I share a story about the lesson I learned recently from my children. All of us have likely had those times where, in the presence of kids, we were reminded and were keenly aware of Jesus’ words, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4). This was one of those times. I had one of those moments last week while we were doing our evening devotional from our Bible reading schedule. We read from John 18:15-27 the story of Peter’s denial of Jesus in the first stages of His trial. We read the story and talked about Peter’s actions and why he may have said the things he did when asked about his relationship to the Lord. I noticed as we were talking about the situation that both of my older children had a puzzled look. In our Bible Reading devotional guide, there are several questions designed for children to cause them to think about the story and respond. We came to the question, “Why is it sometimes hard to talk to other people about Jesus, just like in Peter’s story?” and then the next one, “What can you do to help overcome your fear about talking to others about God?” I asked the question …

Almost forty years ago I knew a preacher whose brilliant mind, apparent soundness in the faith and insight into God’s Word was a joy and an inspiration to me. Then, for reasons unknown to me, he departed from the faith. My last memory of him was as he stood bearded and unkempt, looking about half drunk. I had wept and prayed about him as I tried to find a way to reach him. Then, I stopped after about ten years. My problem may have been threefold. It is probable that I really did not care enough. In my arrogance or pride, I may have thought like Peter, “Though all may forsake thee, I never will” and looked upon my brother with contempt, thinking myself to be so far beyond his spiritual or intellectual problems that I could not bother with him. Second, it may be that I had a theological problem. I knew the Bible said in Hebrews 6:4-6, “For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” I knew that 1 John 5:16 says, “There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.” I …

In a recent Bible study class, brother Floyd Denton made the comment that “we [Christians] are not to be weary in doing good but must strive to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” That’s what the apostle Paul told the brethren in Galatia when he said, “Let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we will reap if we don’t faint” (Galatians 6:9). Do you sometimes get weary and disgruntled because you feel that you’re not accomplishing anything in your service to God? Christian, be assured that in truly living as Christians have been instructed to live, you are doing something for the Lord! When you are living as God has instructed Christians to live, you are being observed by those who are not living godly lives. Jesus instructed His disciples that “I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you” (John 13:15). In this particular context, Jesus was demonstrating humility by washing the disciples’ feet. However, in everything that He did, Jesus left us the best example that could possibly be. The apostle Paul told the young preacher, Timothy, “Be an example of the believers in word, in manner of life, in love, in spirit, in faith and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). Paul instructed Timothy to be a Christian example by the words that came out of his mouth, by the way that he lived, by the way he showed love and care to others, by his …

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). We have stepped into a new year. New calendars are in place in anticipation of plans to be made, events to celebrate and things to get done. We need to remind ourselves to write 2017 on everything that needs a date starting in January, rather than write 2016 out of habit. Of course, those wonderful income tax forms are soon to arrive, as well! Although we live a day at a time, a new year holds the promise of new beginnings. Like a blank sheet of paper, a new year represents new opportunities, new possibilities and new beginnings. We can look past the mistakes of 2016, and we can try to do better in 2017. Rather than just continuing on today as we did yesterday, perhaps giving no thought about making our lives better and more meaningful than before, a new year beckons us to overcome the problems of last year and to make better use of our resources. Of course, we know there will be problems in 2017 as well, but perhaps our alternatives will offer better solutions, a different perspective and more positive results than before. A new year begs us to look at its potential for good. It’s this kind of spirit also from which we should approach 2017 spiritually. We don’t have to continue in the sins of the past. There is …

Most people have wished for a “do-over,” but once the mistake is made, we have to learn to live with it. Those reaching the point of knowing the difference between right and wrong will choose to do wrong at times (Romans 3:10, 23). The good news is that Jesus made it possible for us to be delivered from eternal death (Romans 7:24-25). Anyone can be a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). His blood was shed for man’s redemption (Ephesians 1:7). He shed it in His death on the cross (John 19:31-35). Paul explained how one can reach Christ’s death and the cleansing blood found there. “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4). Those baptized into Christ have been cleansed from their past sins (Acts 2:38), but they still need to be on guard against temptation (James 1:13-15). Denying that we have any problem with sin is really not an option. John said, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Thankfully, the Father has provided the solution. “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if …