By: Ernest S. Underwood Text: Luke 23:33–49Subject: ChristologyProposition: To examine the words “There They Crucified Him” as found in the text.Objective: To bring the hearer to the actual realization of the events at Calvary.Introduction:

Text: “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” (Proverbs 25:11). Introduction: Discussion: Conclusion:

Few people who profess Christianity totally reject the Bible. They believe that it is in some way useful in forming their religious beliefs. However, they also claim that one needs more than the Bible in their quest for rules of faith and practice. As one makes a study of the many denominational churches today, he comes to realize that they all subscribe to the latter of the two positions stated above in beliefs and actions. In this article we will notice some examples of those who do not believe in the sole authority and sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures of God. Let’s look at some of them. There are those who accept the traditions of men as having equal authority with the Holy Scriptures. In a book, A Catholic Dictionary, it is stated concerning Scripture: “It’s authority is equal to that of sacred tradition.” Then, when it speaks of Catholic tradition, it states, “It is, therefore, to be received with the same internal assent as Scripture, for it is the word of God… Tradition would suffice without Scripture; it is the safeguard of Scripture” (41-42). Man, in his arrogant, contemptible and blasphemous attitude has dared to place his puny and sometimes ridiculous opinions on par with God’s Word. The apostle Paul correctly described the whole system of Roman Catholicism with his statement in Galatians 1:8-9. It reads, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him

Our foe is strong and mighty. He is full of lies and deceit. He fully intends to make you into his slave. He will be successful if you do not arm yourself for the fight and then actually engage in the fight. Sounds sinister, doesn’t it? No, we are not talking about some carnal fight against our government’s representatives, even as wicked and corrupt as they may be. However, as the saying goes, they are “small-fry.” They can do nothing unless it is allowed by the God of Heaven Whom they apparently hate. Just like God used Judas in His plans to carry out the death of Christ for our salvation, so it is altogether possible that He may be using these corrupt and lying people for marking and identifying, for all to see, those who follow their pernicious ways. Also, just as Judas went “to his own place” (Acts 1:25 NKJV), the Scriptures assure us that such traitors also have a place to which they shall go (Matthew 22:11-13). Lest one should say that we are judging, read Revelation 21:8, which says in part, “…and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” The enemy of whom we speak is “that serpent of old who is the Devil and Satan.” Peter warned his readers about him and aptly described him. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom

“Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (NKJV). Here is a familiar verse, a verse from which we can learn some vital lessons. The church at Corinth had a problem; that problem was division. Jesus had prayed for unity (John 17:20-21); later, the apostle Paul explained and commanded unity (Ephesians 4:1-6). Division was the problem, and following men was the cause! When men turn from following the Lord – turning from “the unity of the faith” (Ephesians 4:13) – and begin to follow men –  even in small things – division will always result. When there is a problem and the cause is known, a remedy must be sought. Paul’s remedy was that they all speak the same thing. However, men can all speak the same thing and still be saying what is false. The 450 prophets of Baal are a good example (1 Kings 18:20-40). Therefore, there must be a standard. That standard is the Word of God. It and it alone is what God would have all men to follow. Only those who are doing this are pleasing to Him. Peter commanded: “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God…” (1 Peter 4:11). Can you prove your religion and your church by this sacred standard? Does the Word of God authorize your religion

There are those today who despise the Bible and all for which it stands. “Get God out of our schools, our public institutions and our lives” is the cry of fools today. Bibles are taken away from school children by teachers and thrown in the garbage can, according to some reports. Those who have such attitudes and actions revel in their successes, and yet, the Bible they hate so much warns them of their own destruction. Proverbs 13:13 reads, “He who despises the word will be destroyed, But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded” (NKJV). When individuals know what the Scriptures say on any particular subject, then reject that Word, they show their despite for God and His Word. Denominational preachers, pastors and priests are in this category. Those who deliberately and willfully sin, trample the Son of God underfoot, count the blood of the covenant a common thing and insult the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:26-29). Is it any wonder that Jesus said to those who only say, “Lord, Lord,” ‘Depart from me, you who work lawlessness, I never knew you.’ Do you despise the Word, or have you obeyed it from the heart to the saving of your soul?

The importance of true doctrine is plainly and forcefully taught in the Scriptures. Even the casual and untrained eye can readily observe this simple truth. One who desires to please God, yet expresses a diminishing attitude toward doctrine, indicates that he has been taught by word or by example to have such an attitude. Our soul’s salvation depends upon adhering to true and sound doctrine as it is revealed in God’s holy Word. Notice a few passages that teach this great truth. With such an array of passages pointing out the absolute necessity of teaching, defending and obeying sound doctrine (many more such passages could be produced), it is almost inconceivable that one could misunderstand the importance of teaching and of abiding in true doctrine. However, just recently one who was apparently sincere in her statement voiced the following words: “Winning souls is more important than doctrinal differences.” In answer to such a statement, we would emphatically affirm that one cannot win even one soul to Christ without the pure and sound doctrine. This is why denominationalism is wrong. It wins many souls to its creeds, but none are won to Christ by its teachings. We would ask some questions concerning this lady’s remark. Did she learn this attitude toward true doctrine from the Bible? Did any apostle, any writer of Scripture or the Lord Himself ever set forth anything akin to this position? Of course, the answer to both questions is a resounding, “No!” The fact of the matter is that

First Corinthians 14:15 states, “What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding” (NKJV). We learn in this passage that as we worship God in our prayers and in our songs, we should and must offer such worship in spirit and in truth, making sure that we do so both with the proper spirit and the proper understanding. If we are truly the children of God, we will always desire to offer our prayers and sing our praises in a deep, spiritual consciousness of what we are saying in our prayers and what we are expressing in our songs. Notice carefully and thoughtfully some of the lyrics of the songs that we often sing. “Into our hands the gospel is given”“Send the light”“Are you sowing the seed of the kingdom, brother?”“Ring out the message”“Throw out the lifeline”“O, spread the tidings round”“Arise! The Master calls for thee, the harvest days are here”“Far and near the fields are teeming with the waves of ripened grain”“Hark, tis the Shepherd’s voice I hear… bring them in”“Lead me to some soul today”“Rescue the perishing… snatch them in pity from sin and the grave”“Seeking the lost, yes, kindly entreating”“The blessed gospel is for all”“Ye are the light of the world”“You never mentioned Him to me”“Here am I! Lord, send me” That last song is taken from Isaiah 6:8 where we have the

“But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ” (Ephesians 4:15 NKJV). Some verses in the Bible are simply amazing in the many lessons they contain. Ephesians 4:15 is one of these verses. This passage speaks about truth – the truth that makes one free from sin. Let us notice some of the lessons contained in Ephesians 4:15. The Message of Truth Biblical truth, in order to be effective in the lives of men, must be spoken or proclaimed. Jesus commanded, “…Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Why? Because the Gospel – the Truth – is God’s power to save (Romans 1:16). It is by this Truth that the soul is purified. Peter stated, “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth…” (1 Peter 1:22). Paul affirmed that those in Rome were “set free from sin” by their obedience to the doctrine (Romans 6:17-18). A second thought is that Truth must be spoken. Each week, the general public is subjected to a variety of religious discourses. As one compares many of these religious speeches with the Bible, he learns that much of what is taught is not truth but simply the doctrines and feelings of men. We also learn of our individual responsibility to teach Truth. Paul wrote to the saints at Ephesus, not just to preachers, elders or other leading brethren. To these saints he gave the

From at least 1844, we have been told that “on this day the Lord Jesus will return to the earth, finally establish His kingdom, then reign for one thousand years from Jerusalem.” Of course, the event failed to materialize. From that time to the present, there have been numerous other false prophets who continue to spew out the doctrine of premillennialism. Untold numbers have partaken of what these false teachers have poured forth. Sometimes, false teachers and their false doctrine must be met directly and bluntly as did the apostle Paul. “But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, ‘O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.’ And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand” (Acts 13:8-11 NKJV). There was much at stake as this man was trying to keep the proconsul from hearing the truth that Paul was preaching. Note what Jesus Himself taught about His second coming. He stated, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the

Thesis: Salvation; To point out the different persons or things that are of assistance in keeping one from eternal destruction. To encourage the hearer to recognize what has been done for him and encouraging him to respond in a favorable way. Introduction: 1. Read Matthew 7:13-14.2. Regarding the text: (1) There are either of two roads on which all are traveling. (2) One road leads to God, the other to torment. (3) It is the desire of God that all travel the road which leads to eternal life. 3. The road to hell is divided. (1) On one side are the malicious, murderers, rapists, liars, homosexuals and sodomites. (2) On the other side are those who are good, honest and morally pure, and yet, they never have done anything to be saved. 4. Because God wants all men to be saved, He has established detours to keep man out of hell. 5. In this lesson we shall identify some of those detours. Body: I. The Bible, 2 Timothy 3:16-17; James 1:21. II. Christian Parents. A. The importance of godly parents is made plain in the Word of God (Isaac, Samuel, Timothy). B. How many of us are Christians because we had parents who taught us to be honest and accept truth? C. Parents, think of yourself as the only detour on the road to Hell your child may see. D. Children, are you following the example of godly parents?  III. Christian Friends. A. How many in this audience were brought to a knowledge

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world,and loses his own soul? Or what will a mangive in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26 NKJV). Introduction: Body: I. What is the soul? II. What is the world? III. If you should gain “the whole world,” what would be your gain? IV. If you should gain “the whole world,” what would be your loss, for everything you gain, you must sustain a loss? V. If you should gain “the whole world,” what would be your profit? Conclusion:

The evolutionist boldly proclaims, “There is no God.” By this claim, he egotistically claims absolute knowledge of everything. If he does not so claim, how does he know that the very thing he admits to not knowing is or could be the Almighty God of the Bible? So, the two statements exhaust the entirety of the subject (i.e., “There is no God” and “The fool has said in his heart there is no God”). With this in mind, and with the fact that the evolutionist has exactly zero (0) proof for his position, let us consider the fact that all humanity – male and female – who has ever lived on this earth, which was created by Him, will one day meet God to be judged by Him. In the Book of Revelation, the apostle John wrote: Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of

As Americans, we naturally do not like the idea of someone having authority over us. After all, our constitution guarantees us certain inalienable rights. We have engaged in wars to protect and sustain these rights. As a result of our way of life, we have an almost inborn resistance to anyone telling us what, when, where and how a thing is to be done. We feel that we have a right to “have our say” and that no one has a right to impose anything on us. Tragically, this kind of thinking has invaded the church. There are members who express the attitude that no one has the right to exercise any authority over them unless they want to submit to it. A thing that some church members, and we are talking about the Lord’s church, never seemed to have grasped is that the church is not a democracy or a republic. Rather, the church is a monarchy. The King – Jesus – has all authority, and He is Head over all things to the church (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:22-23). Our King designated that in His kingdom there should be a plurality of elders who serve and oversee a local congregation. These men must meet certain qualifications, none of them requiring absolute perfection or sinlessness. Further, they are to exercise their authority in the areas of human judgment and expediency. Seldom, if ever, will the decisions made by these men be pleasing to every member of the congregation. However, it

Did you ever want something with such a desire that you could hardly think of anything else? Did you always get everything you wanted? The Bible tells us of a man who stated that whatever he wanted was not withheld from him. If you are a Bible student, you know this man was Solomon. Yet, in all that he had, he did not find happiness. Now a big question. Do you want to go to Heaven when this life is over? There is a song we used to sing where I grew up. Part of it stated, “…when the saints go marching in; Lord, I want to be in that number…” Only a fool would not want to go to Heaven. However, just wanting it does not give assurance that it will be a reality. Jesus gave a plain and simple answer to the question of who will be in the heavenly kingdom. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21 NKJV). The fact remains that just wanting to go to Heaven will not get us there. Some of us are old enough to remember the lyrics of an old spiritual that said, “Everybody talkin’ about it, ain’t gonna be going there…” Do you want to go to Heaven? I mean, do you really want to go to Heaven? If so, you had better become a student of God’s Word and obey it.

Jeremiah was called into the prophetic office at an early age. When God called him, he tried to excuse himself by saying that he was just a child. However, God told him that He was going to put His Word in Jeremiah’s mouth and that it would be his responsibility to proclaim that Word to His people. According to Jeremiah 1:10, he was set by God over the nations and over the kingdoms, and by the command of the Lord he was “To root smoulders and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant.” Jeremiah was instructed by God to “not be afraid of their face,” indicating that the people to whom he was sent would be hard of heart and have their faces set against any messenger who would try to change them. Jeremiah’s message was not one of “suggestion,” of which we hear so much today. It was a message that laid it on the line to idolaters, ungodly priests and false prophets. A sample of his style is seen in 5:30-31 where he observed, “An astonishing and horrible thing Has been committed in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?” This great prophet called God’s people to “stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and to walk in it.  But

It is always good and pleasant to hear good news, and especially so if it comes from one who is far away. Solomon described it in Proverbs 25:25. “As cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a far country.” As I have been privileged to travel into different parts of the world, I have always tried to call home. It is always good to hear from loved ones and to know that all is well. I remember receiving the news that my wife and I had another grandson, this while we were living in Singapore. What wonderful news! The soldier in the field is cheered by mail from home, especially if it contains news that is good. The greatest news that has ever come to man came from a “far country”—Heaven. That good news is the Bible—God’s Holy Word! In it one learns of the provisions God has made to save fallen man. It tells of man’s redemption through God’s only begotten Son. It tells of God’s willingness to forgive the vilest sinner if that sinner will simply accept the terms of the Good News—the Gospel—for that is what the word Gospel means. This news tells man of the promise of an eternal home with God, a place so beautiful that the human mind can scarcely comprehend it. Have you heard the Good News? Have you obeyed its terms? Are you spreading that news to sinful man? Hear it, heed it, and then, tell it to

There is on cable television a channel that shows the big things of man (i.e., manmade things). It is interesting to see some of the accomplishments of man. The host of the program travels all over the world to see and to operate, when possible, some of the great machines built by man. He showed viewers a giant drill that carves tunnels in mountains. Then, there is the big open pit copper mine somewhere in Scandinavia with all of its extremely large machines used to dig and haul out the ore. Space does not permit the listing of all such things that he has shown, but suffice it to say, it is a most interesting program, at least to me. However, as I watch the program, I am made to think of just how small these things are compared to the works of Almighty God. For instance, what about Genesis 1:1, which reads, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”? Now that is big! How does this compare to the greatest accomplishment of man at any time in man’s history? Again, what about God’s great work of bringing a universal flood upon the earth? Would man ever be able to do such a thing? On one of the programs, the host went to Arizona to visit the world’s largest telescope. As I viewed it, the one thing I didn’t assume or think was that the telescope came into existence by evolution. It took a lot of brain power to even think of

A lady a few years ago actually stated to me at the funeral of her father: “If my daddy is in hell, then I want to go there because I love my daddy and want to be with him.” Consider four thoughts about her statement: (1) I didn’t conduct the funeral. (2) She was a member of the church where I preached. (3) She knew that the Scriptures teach that “…those who know not God, and that obey not the gospel shall suffer punishment even eternal destruction from the face of God, and the glory of His might” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). (4) Her father was not a Christian, though he knew what the Scriptures taught about the need for and the way to become a child of God. This brings forth the question: “Does or will ancestral religion save the believer of it? In short, will such a religion put one into an acceptable relationship to Almighty God?” Notice the following. A few years ago, Mr. Tiger Woods had some sort of problem in his marriage that caused quite a stir among those who followed him in his golf career. In an attempt to explain some things to those who were evidently encouraging him to “Read the Bible and ask God to forgive him and become a Christian,” he stated in a speech before the television cameras something to the effect that he was a worshiper of Buddha and that he was not a Christian. This leads to a couple

Solomon wrote, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Do you know the name of Timothy’s father? Neither do I. In fact, all that the Bible tells us about him is that he was a Greek—a Gentile. If his father played any part in the rearing of Timothy, the Bible is silent on the subject. Who, then, was Timothy, and why should Christians today be interested in or concerned about him? Let us notice the following. We first meet this young man in Acts 16. Here it is recorded, “Then he [Paul] came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there named Timothy, a son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was a Greek.” We are further told that this young man was well spoken of by the Christians at Lystra and Derbe. Now, a question. From whom and by whom had this young man been trained or brought up, and what was the material used in his training? In his second epistle to Timothy, Paul wrote, “…when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and you mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5). Later on in his second epistle, he wrote, “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom

How often have you either read this passage or heard it quoted? What did it mean, and what does it mean to you? How do you apply it? Some think that it means that if one will live a good life till he dies, then Heaven and the crown of life awaits. The Bible certainly teaches that if one obeys God in becoming a Christian, then lives a faithful life all the days of his life, then Heaven will certainly be his home. However, this is not the passage to quote in favor of this great fact. Gene Burgett, in an article, pointed out that the key word in the passage is “death.” There was to be intensified suffering in the death addressed in the passage. Burgett then quoted Tacitus, a Roman Senator during the reign of Nero. Tacitus wrote: They were put to death with exquisite cruelty, and to their sufferings Nero added mockery and derision. Some were covered with skins of wild beasts and left to be devoured by dogs; others were nailed to crosses; numbers of them were burned alive; many were covered with inflammable matter, were set on fire to serve as torches during the night. With this knowledge, the exhortation to “be thou faithful unto death” (Revelation 2:10) takes on a new meaning. If you and I had lived in Smyrna in the first century, would we have been among those who were “faithful unto death”? When was the last time we allowed something of

“For I am the Lord, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6). We serve an unchanging God. We live in a society today that has adopted a philosophy of political correctness, making whatever changes it has to in order to please as many as possible. In such a world of changes, it is good to know that we have a God who does not change. Let’s look at some ways in which He does not change. Are you prepared to meet this unchanging God?

I wrote this while I was sitting by a small river in the Ozark hills of Arkansas. It was so peaceful and quiet. The rippling of the water around the rocks had a soothing effect. Then, I took note of a fact that we all know—water goes around the rocks! When water meets an obstacle, it goes around it. It will twist and turn, follow a crooked and erratic course, rather than challenge the obstacle. Some people are like this. In order to have some so-called unity in diversity in religion, they will refuse to face the challenge that God’s truth presents. Paul said, “I buffet my body daily.” To become a Christian, and then live the Christian life, requires courage and stamina. It may mean the loss of friends, and relatives may turn their backs on us. Jesus stated that the way leading to life is difficult. It involves, among other things, abstaining from the works of the flesh and loving Jesus enough to completely obey Him. Are you on that way that leads to life? [Editor’s Note: In time, running water can erode its obstacles. May the influence of Christianity erode the ungodly world through the power of the Gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16). ~ Louis Rushmore, Editor]

The purpose of the Gospel of John was to give proof that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God. Jesus Himself stated, “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). The author of this Gospel narrative began it by proclaiming the deity of Jesus. He wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:1-4). Then in verse 14 of this same chapter he stated, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” As a fitting close to his Gospel account, John emphatically stated, “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30-31). The writer of the Book of Hebrews, by inspiration, claimed: God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,

They walk in all humility and kindness, and falsehood is not found among them. They love one another. They rescue the orphan from violence. They do not refuse to help widows. He who has, gives ungrudgingly to him who lacks. If they see a stranger, they take him home and entertain him as a brother. When one of their poor passes from the world, any one of them who sees it provides for his burial according to his ability. And if they hear about one of their number being in prison or being oppressed for the name of the Messiah, all of them provide for his needs. Thus, they labor to become righteous as those who expect to see their Messiah, and to receive from him the glorious fulfillment of the promise made to them. Truly this is a New People, and there is something divine in them. (Written by Emperor Hadrian 117-138 A.D., just a few years after the death of the Apostle John.) It would be good to remember that at this time there was no “Holy Roman Catholic Church.” There was no pope, no moon god, no Islam, no Mormons, no Jehovah’s Witnesses and, not even one single denomination. Hadrian did not describe any of these simply because they didn’t exist, and they would not exist for several hundred years. He was describing Christians and only Christians.

About two years ago, my wife and I had an interesting and pleasant overnight visit with a niece. It happened that while we were there, she was babysitting her little granddaughter for the night. This little grandniece had a container of play dough of one brand or another. She brought it to me and asked me to “make something.” After trying to make a frog, a turtle and a bear, but not doing such a good job of it, I finally tried my skill at making a worm. Making worms is not difficult, especially if you are not concerned about which end is which. I even taught her how to do it. She would make a worm then “smush” (her word) it and make another one. Like I have said, it was a pleasant evening. This incident brought to mind some Scriptures about a potter and clay. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “Surely you have things turned around! Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay; For shall the thing made say of him who made it, ‘He did not make me’? Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, ‘He has no understanding’?”  (Isaiah 29:16). He also penned, “But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand” (Isaiah 4:8). Jeremiah also wrote of the potter and the clay. He inscribed, “And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in

Several times each week an advertisement by a local First United Methodist Church aired on the local cable television. The ‘pastor’ of that church stated, “We recognize that not everyone worships the same…” He went on to say that the First United Methodist Church offers three different types of worship—Contemporary, Traditional and Casual services “where we break out the old Cokesbury Hymnal.” Then, viewers were invited to “Pick a service that meets your needs.” This television commercial plainly sets forth the fact that this church and its pastor are in no way interested in what the Bible says about worship that is offered to God. Where and when does God in His new covenant (the New Testament) give men a choice of how they worship Him? When did He say that men should choose a way of worship that pleases them or meets their needs, rather than offer worship which pleases Him? In His conversation with the Samaritan woman, Jesus stated: Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:21-24) Notice that Jesus talked about the

I admit it; I don’t like snakes. I realize that there some people who have snakes as pets. I tend to look at them with a critical eye, thinking that they may be a little crazy. I don’t visit with them in their home. I pretty much subscribe to the old adage that the only good snake is a dead snake. There is an interesting and rather frightening incident about snakes in the Book of Numbers. The people of Israel were in the wilderness, and, as usual, they were murmuring and complaining against Moses. They cried, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in this wilderness?” (Numbers 21:5 NKJV). The very next verse states, “So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.” The Book of Hebrews tell us that “It is appointed for man to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). I know that I must one day die, but please, don’t let me die by snake bite. There are a few cobras in our general area here in India. The last time I was here, the students killed a couple of them. At least, they told me that they were cobras. Behead me, shoot me, let me die in my sleep or in some terrible crash of some kind, but not by being bitten by a venomous (fiery) snake! As the people began to die, the cry went up

We called them katydids because that is what they seemed to say, those insects that sang their noisy song on those hot and sweltering west Tennessee nights. We were a farm family. World War II was raging; of course, there was no television. Even the radio was silent, saving the battery mostly for scheduled news programs. So, we sat on the little front porch of our small, four-room house and talked about the events of the day—how much we had gotten done in the fields, about the young man who had farmed the field next door until he was drafted into the Army. He was later killed at Normandy. After a while, we would begin talking either about what we had learned in last Sunday’s lessons or what our Sunday School lesson was about for the coming Lord’s Day. After a period of Bible discussion, we would break out in singing some songs that we sung a lot at the little church where we attended. Sometimes a neighboring family would walk over and join us. These, even today, are still some precious memories of my childhood. It was in such times on the front porch that we children learned of the need to take and fulfill responsibilities—to be honest, to always strive for moral purity and other great principles from the Bible. Thirty, forty or fifty years from now, what kind of memories will your children have of their childhood? You shall love the Lord your God with all your

Several years ago, I was watching the landing of one of the space shuttles on television. There was a station break, and an advertising of a well-known breakfast drink came on. The spokesman for the product spoke of man’s destiny and how it will be attained. He said that man’s destiny lay among the stars, and the way he would reach that destiny would be by a space shuttle. The Bible has something to say about man’s destiny. Jesus said that there are only two ways that lie open to man—the broad way and the strait way. He also stated that “no one comes to the Father but by me.” Yes, man has a destiny. For the disobedient and the unfaithful that destiny is eternal torment. For the righteous, those who love God and keep His commandments, it is eternal happiness in Heaven. One may reach the first mentioned destiny without any effort on his part—just do nothing, believe nothing and obey nothing. The other destiny, Heaven, will not be reached by a spaceship, but through Jesus Christ and obedience to His will. What is your destiny?

Solomon, or actually it was God, evidently didn’t have much use for liars. About a dozen times in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes He expressed condemnation for such. One of those times is in Proverbs 12:22. Here He stated, “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.” There’s that word “abomination” again, and this time it is lying lips that are an abomination to the Lord. What kind of lies? Is he talking about little white lies, big black lies, lies of a material nature or lies of a spiritual nature? The term “lying lips” seems to cover the whole spectrum of lies. This means that when a preacher or teacher states something and attributes it to God when God neither stated it nor authorized it, that preacher or teacher has lying lips. When any false doctrine is taught, the teacher of that false doctrine has lying lips. John encouraged the disciples, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). Does your preacher have “lying lips”? If so, do you still support him? Again, if so, then you are supporting what is an abomination to the Lord. [Editor’s Note: Teachers and preachers have a weighty responsibility because they affect not only themselves but everyone also who hears them. Consequently, they will  be scrutinized (“receive stricter judgment,” James 3:1) more strictly than other people. Hence, both

Matthew 1:21 states, “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” His name is Jesus, and He has quite a story. One of His twelve closest companions denied Him. Another betrayed Him to His enemies. Yet another refused to believe in His resurrection and doubted until he could see with his own eyes. After His church was established, one congregation lost the love it had at the beginning. Another congregation claimed to be alive, but it was dead. Another congregation made Him so sick, He wanted to throw up. Yet, millions have followed Him through persecution and death. His name is beyond all others and none other can save. His name is Jesus. He is the Christ. He loves you, and He died to save you. Isn’t it a shame that some seem to be so ashamed of Him that they call their religious bodies after someone or something else? It was He who said, “Upon this rock I will build my church.” It was He who also said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Do you believe in Him? Have you been baptized for the forgiveness of your sins? Are you a member of His church, or are you a member of some manmade denomination?

The greater segment of the denominational world believes in and teaches that the alien sinner comes into possession of salvation, complete with eternal security, by faith alone or only. A causal examination of the creed books written by men readily affirm this statement. It is certainly scriptural to teach that one is saved by faith, but not even one passage of Scripture teaches salvation by faith only. The Scriptures, however, speak of many kinds or levels of faith. Scriptures speak of faith in these terms. The faith mentioned in this last list would be utterly useless in a “faith only” doctrine. For instance, if one subscribes to this false doctrine, he has no need to walk in faith, be sound in faith, keep the faith or live by faith. Each of these statements have verb action, a thing that “faith only” does not require. At this point, we ask two questions, to be followed by a third one. (1) Do the Scriptures teach that an accountable person can be, and actually is, saved by faith? (2) Do these same Scriptures teach that an accountable person can be, and is, saved by faith only? Logic and common sense tell us that the same answer cannot be given to both questions. We have limited our questions to accountable persons because the Scriptures do not teach anywhere, as some doctrines of men teach, that infants are sinners at the time of birth—a most unscriptural and despicable doctrine (Ezekiel 18:20). Question number three is

Proverbs 30:24-28 reads: There are four things which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare their food in the summer; The rock badgers are a feeble folk, Yet they make their homes in the crags; The locusts have no king, Yet they all advance in ranks; The spider skillfully grasps with its hands, And it is in kings’ palaces. Let’s look at each of these little things. The ant is an industrious worker; the one with the load always has the right-of-way. The ant prepares for what is to come. Are we doing this? The rock badger is not strong, but it makes its home in the crags—rocks. Have we made our abode in the Rock of Ages by building upon His sayings (Matthew 7:24-27)? Locusts have no king, but they accomplish great things. According to a recent television documentary, they are willing to sacrifice themselves for the good of the whole. Are we people who are willing to cooperate, or do we want our own way? The spider (one translation says lizard) is a little insect or animal that grasps with its hands. It looks for and takes advantage of opportunities to accomplish its aims. As a result, it abides in king’s palaces. Paul commanded, “Study to show thyself approved of God…rightly dividing the word of truth.” Are we studying and the rightly applying—obeying? If so, we, too, will abide in the King’s palace.

Isaiah wrote, “But He was wounded for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5). In the New King James Version, the word wounded has a notation that says, “pierced through.” Keep this word “pierced” in your thoughts. John 19 records the trial, condemnation and crucifixion of Jesus—the Christ. After being nailed to the cross between the two malefactors, the Lord hung suspended for a period of some six hours. His last words recorded by John were, “It is finished.” Read with me John 19:33-37. Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for the Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen this testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled. “Not one of His bones should be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.” Now notice with me that Isaiah said this One would be

As the basis of this article, let us introduce two passages of Scripture. First, “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul” (Psalms 142:4). David’s enemies were on every hand, and there seemed to be no one who really cared about him. Second, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). The apostle Peter gave comfort and solace to those who were undergoing severe persecution by telling them of One who cares. The chasm dividing these two attitudes is almost unfathomable. How many times in our lives have we been disappointed by the lack of interest in us that others have expressed. When we needed comfort, understanding or just needed to have someone close by to whom we could turn, their attitude of “us four and no more” crushed us. We think of the prodigal in the “far country” who, before wasting his substance in riotous living, was surrounded by many fair-weather friends. However, when he had “spent all…no man gave unto him” (Luke 15:11-16). We stand with the prophet Jeremiah as he observed the misery and degradation of the inhabitants of his beloved city Jerusalem. The enemies were at the gates; the hunger was so severe that “the hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people” (Lamentations 4:10). Amidst this

“O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?” (Acts 13:10 NKJV). Denial of God’s Word is as old as the Garden of Eden. It was to Mother Eve that Satan stated, “You shall not surely die” (Genesis 3:4). God had told Adam and Eve that if they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil they would surely die. Satan proceeded to “explain” that God just didn’t want Adam and Eve to become as wise as Him. On top of Mt. Sinai God was writing, “You shall not make for yourselves a carved image…” (Exodus 20:4). At the foot of the mountain the people were proclaiming, “This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt,” concerning the golden calf that Aaron had fashioned (Exodus 32:1-4). In Matthew 15:1-14, Jesus stated that men offered vain worship to God when they did so according to the doctrines of men. These were people who “explained away” God’s directions and substituted their own. Modern man hasn’t changed, at least not for the better. On every side, we find those who still attempt to “explain away” God’s authoritative message, whether it be in morals, doctrine or both. Jesus stated to His apostles in plain and understandable words, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will

Did you ever consider some things that Jesus could have done as He lived here on this earth, but that He didn’t do? He could have become a political king. Some tried to force Him to do this. Being a carpenter, He could have had a fine house. He could have taken up a “love offering” when He healed. In each of these, and many more, He didn’t do these things. There is yet another thing He could have done but didn’t. On the night He was betrayed, and after observing the Passover with the apostles, they all, except Judas, walked down into the Kidron Valley and a short way up the side of the Mount of Olives to Gethsemane. When I visited Gethsemane a few years back, I was struck with an amazing fact. While Jesus was in the Garden, He could have seen those who were coming to arrest Him as they made their way to the Garden also. John states that they “came there with lanterns, torches and weapons.” He knew that they were coming, and He knew why they were coming. He could have run. He could have just gone farther up the side of the hill and gone down toward Bethany. He could have just kept on going up into Galilee, but He didn’t! He stayed, was given a mock trial, scourged and crucified when He could have escaped. Why? “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his

It took an incident at Walmart, a ride in an ambulance and eight days in two different hospitals to get the message to me, but I got the message in a forceful way, a message of truth that I didn’t want to hear. That message—I have diabetes! This is not the first time in my life that I have received truth that I didn’t want to hear. When the doctor told us that there was no hope for our small daughter, and when she died several hours later, this was not a message that I wanted to hear. When the phone call came that told us that our 24-year-old son had been killed in an automobile accident, I didn’t want to accept that message either. Anyone who has received similar messages knows what I mean. We also know that in spite of all the denial, the weeping and all of the “If I had only…” thoughts, nothing changed the facts of the messages. I have diabetes, and all the denial I may want to have does not change one iota the truth of that fact. I now have only two choices: Obey the rules and regulations that are necessary to keep it under control or go on and act like I don’t have the disease and suffer the awful consequences that will surely come as a result. Which do think I intend to do? Man is in sin—this is a fact! Truth—biblical truth—will make him free. That truth is tough and unbending.

Some time ago, the Roman Catholic Church announced that it had conveyed sainthood upon two of its now dead popes. Of course, no such action, practice or example is found anywhere in God’s Holy Book. Like all false doctrines and practices, this one originated in the corrupt minds of corrupt men. “But,” says someone, “Does not the Bible speak of saints?” The answer to this question is an emphatic, “Yes!” In fact, in the New King James Version of the Bible, the plural word “saints” appears sixty-four times in the New Testament and thirty-four times in the Old Testament. The singular word “saint” appears only two times in the entire Bible. The appearing of the word saints and its usage in the New Testament makes for an interesting study as one studies it in its many contexts. From time to time through the years of studying with different people, one or more has occasionally stated, “Well, I am not a saint, but…,” in an effort to point out that though such a one had not obeyed the teachings of God for people today, he or she, after all, was not in such a state by which one would be lost if he or she continued in neglect or rebellion of biblical teaching. Such an attitude betrays a gross misunderstanding of the words “saint” and “saints.” Let us look at a few of the many times the word “saints” is used in the New King James Version. “Then Ananias answered, ‘Lord,

My wife and I were married 50 years ago on this past March twenty-third [2008]. It wasn’t long before I learned something about her that I had not previously known; her mother had taught her how to make delicious biscuits. She told me that secret was using enough shortening. Well, I decided to surprise her one morning and make the biscuits. Now, I reasoned that if a good dob of shortening made ‘em that good that a double dob would make ‘em that much better. Friends, when they came out of the oven, they would have smashed a foot if they had fallen on it. They were more like hockey pucks than biscuits. What’s my point? Just this, some things do not work unless the directions are closely followed. God tell us that He has given us “all things that pertain to life and godliness.” He warned that His Word must not be added to or diminished from. It is perfect as it is. When perverted by additions or subtractions, it will not save. The Message: Don’t add to; don’t take away from the Word of God.

Freedom! The word embeds itself in the mind and sinks deep within the heart of man. We sing of its glory. Israel experienced freedom from Egyptian bondage. Nations and individuals today are given freedom after years of cruel and oppressive bondage. The greatest freedom of all is to have freedom from the taint and bondage of sin. This freedom has already been provided by God to all who desire it. “For freedom did Christ set us free” exclaimed Paul. “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free,” promised Jesus. “And if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). Question: If you had been in long years of bondage and were offered freedom, would you accept it? Surely each of us would. Yet, many today are enslaved in sin, but when offered freedom by Christ, they wish to enforce upon Him their terms of acceptance rather than to accept His terms and obey them. “Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, but he who does the will of my Father” (Matthew 7:21). Are you free?

A sign on a building read, “Trust Jesus.” The question is, “How does one ‘trust Jesus’?” This is not a trick question. If I trust my doctor, I will follow his directions to the letter. Yet, how do I trust Jesus? Now, I know how I express my love for Him. He said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” I hear some say that one trusts Jesus by saying the so-called “Sinner’s Prayer.” However, where is the Scripture for this? Others say that trusting Him involves the signing of a decision card. Again, Scripture, please! Is it wise to trust Jesus? Surely, all will agree that it is. If so, then, Jesus has told us how we express our trust in Him. He said, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24). We sing, “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word…” Do you trust Jesus? Are you taking Him at His word?

In Proverbs 7:22 we read, “Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks.” The ox is stupid and cannot help his condition, but not so with the fool. The world of advertising tells the young person to “live life to the fullest,” meaning, “indulge yourself in every sensual and depraved activity.” “This,” we’re told, “is what life is all about.” The movies and television, the song writers of today, all subscribe to this attitude. It is the attitude of stupidity and fools. Solomon also addressed young people. He said, “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth…” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). The way in which some are walking is the way of fools, which leads to eternal destruction. The other way is the road to eternal life. Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). Are you as stupid as the ox—a Fool? Or, are you walking in reverence and respect for God?

On two different occasions, at His baptism and at the Transfiguration, God stated audibly that Jesus was His beloved Son. At the Transfiguration He added, “Hear Him,” indicating that Jesus, not Moses and the Law, and not Elijah and the prophets, but Jesus was now the one to whom man must listen. The New Covenant was soon to be installed. If Jesus was on earth today in the flesh, and said certain things, would you believe Him? Think carefully before you answer. Would you really listen to Him if He came to your hometown and spoke to all of us as we might gather at the lake? Jesus warned His disciples about wearing religious titles in His statement, “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven” (Matthew 23:9). Yet many today love to be addressed as “Reverend,” “Pastor” or “Father,” sometimes even referring to themselves by these titles. Jesus said, “Preach the gospel… he who believes and is baptized shall be saved.” Yet, many today boldly proclaim that baptism is not essential to salvation, encouraging their hearers to do something that they call “the sinner’s prayer,” a thing for which they can find absolutely no biblical authority. Jesus said, “I will build my church.” His church is not good enough for many today, and so they establish Methodist, Baptist, Catholic, Mormon and a host of other “churches.” Are you in His church, or are you in a manmade church? Are you really

Of late there has been a lot of controversy about whether the Ten Commandments can be placed on public property. A lot of silly and ungodly arguments have been made by those who are opposed to God and any portion of His Word. However, there is a passage that I would like to see in every room, office and building where lawyers, politicians and judges do their work. That verse is Deuteronomy 16:19 which reads, “You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.” If there are no judges, lawyers and politicians who are perverting justice and twisting the wise words of the founders of our nation, then there is no such thing as truth. We all know, however, that there are such wicked and sleazy public officials from the local level all the way up to the nation’s Capitol. Such persons are nothing more than tyrants using their positions and ability to twist the law as they practice their tyranny. Yes, those who believe in the truth that God is and that Jesus Christ is His Son are under attack. How long will it be before physical persecution follows? [Editor’s Note: Persecution manifests itself in a number of ways. Everything from verbal insults to legal penalties to monetary punishment, besides the possibility of physical harm, for no other reason than upholding Christian values are forms of persecution and precursors

The last chapter of the book of Joshua states, “And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that he had done for Israel” (Joshua24:31). About thirty pages farther in my Bible I read, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). As one ponders these two passages, he is made to wonder what brought about such a difference in the people of Joshua’s day and those in the latter part of the period of the Judges. At least two things are obvious. The attitude of the people toward God’s Word had changed. In the days of Joshua, the people respected the Word that God gave. Notice this attitude expressed. And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses. Whosoever he be that rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of good courage. (Joshua 1:16-18) How different this attitude was to the one where “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

To say the least, Habakkuk was frustrated with what he thought was God’s indifference to the problems of his day. In his cry, he said: O LORD, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save. Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgment proceeds. (Habakkuk 1:2-4) Rather than being angry with this prophet, God went into some detail to explain some of the things that were unknown to him. In fact, the Lord told him to “Look among the nations and watch; Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you. For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans, A bitter and hasty nation Which marches through the breadth of the earth, To possess dwelling places that are not theirs…” (Vs. 5-6). God continued to show the prophet the strength and fierceness of the Chaldeans. The prophet then seemed to complain about such harsh judgment, but finally stated, “I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected.” I emphatically believe that God’s providential hand was present in

If you have ever discussed the Bible with anyone who disagrees with you, chances are sooner or later you have heard the reply, “That’s just your interpretation!” To hear some people, you would think that reading and trying to understand, that is, interpret, the Bible is the “unpardonable sin.” Interpreting is acceptable in all areas of life—except in religion. In religion, it is a catch phrase, used by the unknowing, to suggest that one’s religious belief might just be wrong. Every time we read a newspaper, a magazine or some other document, we interpret it. The issue is not one of interpretation, but one of application. Many today believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, but they refuse to properly apply His commandments to their lives, such as the commandment to “believe and be baptized” to be saved. How do you respond to the plain teachings of God’s Word?

You and Saul of Tarsus are good friends. Your hatred for this new religion of one called Jesus is the same at that of Saul. You travel with him on the road to Damascus. You are there when the light shone about him. You hear him ask, “What would you have me do.” You hear the answer of Jesus, and you travel with Saul into the city. You remain with him as he prays, fasts and waits for someone designated by the Lord to come and tell Saul what he must do. Finally, a man by the name of Ananias comes and tells Saul, “Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Immediately you grab Saul by the arm and urge him to leave this man. “After all,” you tell him, “You were saved out there on the road. Don’t listen to this man. He believes in water salvation by telling you to be baptized. Don’t you know that baptism has nothing whatsoever to do with one’s salvation?” If this scene had happened back there in the first century, what do you really believe that Saul would have done? After all, wasn’t it he who said, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ”? The real question is, “What did Saul actually do when he was told what to do?” Have you done the same thing?

Speaking from a spiritual perspective, all accountable women and men (mankind) are in one of two conditions. They are either lost or saved. If one is lost spiritually and dies in this condition, the Scriptures teach that eternal torment is her or his destination. On the other hand, if one has followed (obeyed from his heart) the teaching of these same Scriptures, Heaven is promised as his or her eternal dwelling place. In the remainder of this article I will list six (6) different statements that convey the beliefs of a large segment of our society who claim that they are saved. First, “I am saved because I feel like I am.” Many sincere people subscribe to this philosophy. However, does their feeling that they are saved square with what the Scriptures teach? As an example of the falsity of this belief, let us take a look at our society outside of the religious realm. There are those in our society who “feel” that they are of a different sex than they actually are. A man may dress up in expensive clothes of a woman, put on makeup as does a woman, spray on a good smelling perfume that is manufactured for women and may even demand that he be allowed to use the public restrooms set aside for females. However, none of these, not even the government, makes this man a woman. So it is with salvation and the sinner. Feeling that one is saved does not make it

How many times have you been told, “One of these days I’m gonna…“ or “When I get around to it…”? I know I have done so more times than I should have. One lady in Oklahoma crocheted me a “round to-it.” In matters of everyday things, we don’t get too upset when someone tells us this. However, following the vocation I have chosen, that of a preacher of the Gospel, it is heartbreaking to hear someone who has been taught the truth, has learned that truth and even admits that he understands his condition and what God requires of him to make the statement, “One of these days…” In my forty-nine years of preaching, I have had the sad responsibility to conduct the funeral of at least seven persons who had previously told me personally, “One of these days…” This means that there are seven lost souls who need not have been lost, and this by their own admission. What a terrible, terrible waste and loss. James said, “To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). Do you need to obey God, and know what you need to do? Then do it!

The Book of Proverbs is a book of contrasts. Look at 19:16. “He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die.” The Bible is filled with statements of the necessity of keeping the commandments of God. Jesus’ familiar statement “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven” is one of them. Again, note the contrast. One keeps his soul and the other will die. What makes the difference? Of course, the obvious answer is that one keeps the commandments while the other is careless with his soul by just being religious. The latter did not keep the commandments. In the New Testament, there is an exact parallel to Solomon’s statement. It is found in Mark 16:16. Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized [keeps the commandment] shall be saved: but he who does not believe [Is careless in his ways and does not obey the command] will be condemned.“ Question: Are you one who keeps your soul by doing the will of God, or are you careless in your ways?

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?”

Forgiveness is one of the great themes of the Bible. Without forgiveness from God, man would be hopeless and destined to eternal torment. Without forgiveness of each other, marriages would be destroyed, children could not be reconciled to their parents and friends would become enemies. Why the need for forgiveness, and what is there to forgive? The answer is contained in one small but profound word with a terrible definition—sin. Man has sinned against the Holy God; he has sinned against his fellow man; he has sinned against himself. When man sins, and until those sins are taken out of the way by forgiveness, he is spiritually dead. “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience…” (Ephesians 2:1-2). Ultimately, all sin is against God. Joseph recognized this as Potiphar’s wife continued to try to seduce him into committing adultery with her. He refused her advances by saying, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). When man sins, those sins offend the holiness of God. The nature and extent of sin is seen in Paul’s statement in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death,”—spiritual death. Is it any wonder that the Jews on the Day of Pentecost cried out, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

For several long centuries the children of Israel had endured the hard and cruel affliction of the Egyptians. It had not always been so. During the governorship of Joseph they had enjoyed freedom. However in Exodus 1:8-14 it is written, “Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, ‘Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.’ Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage; in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.” As a result of this hard affliction, the people cried out to God and He heard their cry (Exodus 3:7). At this point, God chose Moses to be His leader who would lead the people out of bondage to taste freedom for the first time in their lives. Chapters 3-12 of the

In 2 Kings 5, there is an interesting account of a man who was a leper. His name was Naaman. This man was sent to a prophet of God that he might be cured of his leprosy. The prophet told him to go dip in the River Jordan seven times and he would be cleansed. The Scriptures then record, “But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper” (verse 11). We see in this man’s actions an attitude that is all too frequent in today’s world. God plainly tells man what to do that he might be saved from past sins, yet man says, “Behold I thought…” The end of the story in Second Kings is that the man finally did as God commanded and was healed of his leprosy. Let us look at some characteristics of the “I Thought” religion. It is the religion of excuse. God had told Abraham that He would be with him and bless him. When Abraham and his wife Sarah traveled to Gerar, Abimelech took Sarah to himself because Abraham had said, “She is my sister.” Upon learning the truth, and fearing what God would do to him, Abimelech confronted Abraham and wanted to know why he had lied to him. Abraham’s answer was, “Because I thought, surely the fear of

You remember Jeroboam. When the kingdom of Israel divided, he became king of the ten northern tribes. God promised him many wonderful things if he would only be faithful to God’s commands. However, he would have none of what God said. No sooner had he ascended the throne than he began to make changes that suited him, but which were in direct conflict with God. In 1 Kings 12, we learn of four of those changes. 1. He changed the object of worship – golden calves instead of God. 2. He changed the place of worship from Jerusalem to Bethel and Dan. 3. He changed the priesthood from the Levites to base and coarse men. 4. He changed the time of worship. The people gladly accepted and followed each change. Of at least 14 of the 19 kings of Israel, it is stated “and he did evil in the sight of the Lord as did Jeroboam, the son of Nebat.” Now, friend, take your New Testament and see just how many changes the religion of which you are a member has made. Does God look with better favor on these changes than He did on those of Jeroboam? Shouldn’t you and I just stay with God and His Word?

As I write this article (1987), I am overlooking the beautiful harbor of Singapore. Lying at anchor in that harbor are more than 150 ships of different sizes and shapes. As I have sat here from time to time and observed them, it is interesting to watch how each ship faces the tide. If the tide is coming in, they face the ocean; if it is going out, they face the mouth of the Singapore River. However, because the ships are securely anchored in the harbor, they remain in their respective places. They are neither washed aground nor out to sea by the moving tide. Why? Because their anchors hold them in their places. The writer of the Book of Hebrews had something to say about an anchor. He wrote, “…that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…” (Hebrews 6:18-19). Let the storms of life come to tempt us, bringing in their sorrow and doubt; let the false prophet attempt to lead us astray with his great swelling words of false doctrines. Neither will be able to move us who have that anchor both sure and steadfast. It will keep us safely moored. Shall we cast off our moorings and be cast against the rocks and crags on the shores of

A listener to my radio program wrote, “You have been coming down pretty hard on the denominational preachers in town, and with good reason.” He then asked the question, “Why haven’t they answered you?” To say the least, this is an interesting question. Oh, I know that some hide behind the “I don’t believe in controversy” argument. Even in this position they are unscriptural; Jesus and His apostles were constantly in controversy with the religious leaders and false teachers of their day (Matthew 23). Every Christian is to put on the armor specified by God (Ephesians 6:11-17), and then he is to engage in fighting “the good fight of the faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). So, my answer to my listener’s question is simply this. If they could answer, they would. They can’t, so they don’t try. The pity of the situation is that they know they can’t defend the false doctrines that they teach by using the Scriptures. I suppose that they hope that their members won’t notice their inability. How sad! “But sanctify the Lord Godin your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15 NKJV).

I preached my first sermon on the second Sunday of August in 1959. If I had the choice to make again, I would most assuredly make the same one again. The privilege has been granted to me to meet and associate with the very best people in the world – New Testament Christians, and I do not blink when I say that. This does not say nor imply that there are not many good people in the world who have good morals and ethics. It does say that there are no better people inhabiting this planet than those who through faith, have obeyed from the heart the glorious Gospel of Christ and were added to God’s Book of Life and to His church. It is true, however, that some of these have chosen to renounce their kingdom citizenship and have become entangled again in the evils of the world. We sincerely ask the question, “If this world continues for yet many thousands of years, will there be a better people than those who are true children of God, those who have submitted to the authority of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit?” Without hesitation I would reply with a resounding, “No!” In the ranks of these righteous ones are those of great education and of great influence among men and women. Also in these ranks are those that we generally refer to as “common folks.” These are those who labor every day among their fellow men, and as they do

Joshua called upon the people to “Choose you this day…” There are some good biblical examples of men and women who were faced with choices who made the right ones. Moses “came to years” in Egypt. The writer of Hebrews tells us that Moses chose to forsake all that Egypt was to him, and he chose to serve with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Joshua, in his farewell address, and after calling on the people to make their choices, stated, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” David had a choice to make. He, like Moses and Joshua, made the right one. In Psalm 119:30 he said, “I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me.” Mary, the sister of Lazarus, made the right choice, and Jesus stated that this would not be taken away from her. In Luke 10:38-42 we read, “Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. When Martha complained, Jesus said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.’” What choices are you making? Will they get you to heaven?

Quite frequently we hear someone make the statement, “I just don’t believe that God would condemn a person to an eternal hell just for…”, then they finish it with one’s own idea. We also occasionally hear the statement, “It really makes no difference whether…”, again filling in one’s personal thoughts. As an example of the latter, several years ago we viewed a program on a Mississippi television station wherein a woman who called herself an evangelist stated that it didn’t make any difference who did the public preaching, whether it was a man or a woman, just so long as God’s Word was being delivered. To such a person we would pose the question: “Who said that it didn’t make any difference?” In this article we shall notice these kinds of attitudes, and then we will compare them with some biblical accounts. We turn back to the Garden of Eden. There we find man in sweet fellowship with his God who created him. He completely understands the restrictive law that God had given him concerning the eating of the fruit of a certain tree. Using his own subjective reasoning he thought to himself, “I just don’t believe that God would cast us out of this Garden, and then cause death to come upon all humankind that is even yet unborn, just because I would eat of that fruit.” If such thoughts had been his, was he right or wrong? We look next down in Egypt where God’s people were in

The Garden of Gethsemane is a beautiful place. It is situated across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem. Ancient olive trees grow there. The word “Gethsemane” means “oil or olive press.” It was there that Jesus came after observing the Passover with His apostles. It was in the Garden that He fervently prayed to the Father. It was there that Judas planted the betrayal kiss. As I stood in the Garden a few years ago, I learned an amazing fact. From the Garden one has a clear view of the general area of the Temple. It was in this area where those who came to arrest Him gathered. It was from here that they made their way down the hill with their lanterns and torches, across the Kidron Valley and then on up to Gethsemane. As they made their way, He could easily have seen them. Think of this! He could have seen them coming, and He could have run and escaped, but He didn’t! He stayed, was arrested, endured a humiliating trial, was beaten, was spat upon and finally nailed to a cross. Why? Because “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” That’s right, friends, it was because of His great love for you and me. This same One said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” Do you love Him? Do you really love Him?

Childhood memories are some of the sweetest of our lives – that period of time from birth till we leave our homes to go out into the world. When a young person leaves home, he many times becomes homesick, and that homesickness has to do with his memories of home life. Dare any of us say that we have had no such experiences? In this article, we will explore the subject of what our children will remember, not only about home life, but about church life also. What will our children remember about their home life? Sadly, there are those who will remember a father who was a tyrant and a mother who cared more for the world than she did for her home and family. Some will remember parents who were quite frequently drunk or under the influence of illegal drugs. Some daughters will even have terrible memories of a father who sexually molested them. Hopefully instead, most children will have pleasant memories of home and family. However, will our children remember those happy times when the family prayed together? Will that precious daughter and son have that memory of hearing their parents call their names before the throne of God? When they are far away from home, facing the events of everyday life, will they be strengthened by the knowledge that it was the habit at home to have family prayer where each child was mentioned and for which prayer was made? Away from home, will they know

“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God…” “And the wages of sin is death,” so wrote the apostle Paul in the Book of Romans. Jesus came to save man from the consequences of sin. He died on the cross, and then He told man how to take advantage of His sacrifice. The Gospel must be preached. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel…,” said He. He also stated that “Except you believe that I am He you will die in your sins…” He continued by saying, “I tell you No, unless you repent you will likewise perish.” In Matthew 10:32 Jesus Christ said, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.” In addition, in Mark 16:16 He stated concerning those to whom the Gospel was to be preached, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” There it is! Saving truth in a nutshell–tough truth! Men have denied one or more of these truths, but their denial has no more changed the truth than one who has cancer, but denies it, changes the truth that he has it. If one is lost in sin, he must obey from the heart the Gospel that has been delivered to humanity through inspired penmen. What will you do, obey the Gospel and be saved, or listen to denominational preachers, whereupon you deny and reject the precious,

In one of his sermons, the late Foy E. Wallace, Jr. stated, “No one can be reconciled unto God without the cross. And we can be reconciled by the cross only through the Word of the cross. There is no way for the cross to reconcile us except through the Word, through the ‘preaching of the cross.’ The Word of the cross is the power that reconciles men to God.” As one observes the religious attitude of the multiplicity of existing denominations, which substitute their Calvinistic doctrines for the Word of God, and the papal bulls and encyclicals that tout their supposed divine authority, he becomes acutely aware of how little these false institutions appreciate the cross of Christ. It should make us look seriously at the question, “Who really is a good man or woman? By this question we mean, who is a good person in the eyes of God and is reconciled to Him? Is it a person who is highly educated? Is it a person who is powerful in political circles? Is it some Hollywood ‘dream’ man or woman? In reality, is it a relative who is dearly loved? As we look into God’s Word, we never find that God considered an idolater a good person. Any one engaging in homosexual acts was not only not considered good, but he or she was considered to be an abomination to God. In fact, one can study the following Scripture references, and he can get a pretty good idea of one whom God

Did you ever cuddle a nest of rattlesnakes? How about a litter of young puppies? Why the difference? Just this. You have a natural fear and repulsion of rattlesnakes, but just the opposite is true about puppies. Toward the puppies there is a “natural affection.” Twice in the New Testament reference is made to those “without natural affection.” Paul included this in his list of those who are laden with sin (2 Timothy 3). In Romans 1, he described those who have vile affections and who were without natural affection – homosexuals. A normal, loving mother has a natural affection for the child she carries. One without natural affection aborts the child, and thus she sins against the child, herself and God. The homosexual burns in his lust for one of the same sex. These, we are told in Romans 1:26-27, “God gave them up.” All the so-called legal arguments do not change either situation. Both are in sin – sin that will cause them to be cast into hell. [Editor’s Note: Fortunately, there is a remedy for all types of sin, even homosexuality and abortion (murder). “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me’” (Isaiah 6:1-13). This period was a turning point for Israel. It was a time of great prosperity, but it was also a time that was tainted with moral decay. The northern kingdom had already gone into captivity, and its sister nation, the kingdom of Judah, was swiftly declining. Isaiah’s responsibility was to preach repentance to those who did not want to repent. Today, there is little difference. We have the technology to do so many wonderful things, but what about our morality as a nation? Look at the households without a husband or a father. Divorce is climbing at a “way past alarming” rate. Teenage sex is encouraged by providing all the devices for so-called “safe sex.” False teachers are rejecting God’s Word and clamoring for political correctness. Even in the church of the Lord there are too few with an unshakable faith. Who among us is willing to so order his or her life that he or she can say, “Here am I, send me?” Is your life, my friend, both spiritually and morally such that God would be pleased to send you? Do you need to make some changes? Do you need to obey the Gospel so that your past sins can and will be washed away by the blood of Jesus?

Wickedness – moral, ethical and religious – abounds. Ungodly men in special garb of miters, robes and gowns, though they are religious, defy God and His law. However, such men and women will not stand in that day when they will appear before their Maker. Solomon put it this way in Proverbs 12:7: “The wicked are overthrown and are no more, But the house of the righteous will stand.” Notice that Solomon did not say, “The house of the religious shall stand.” Jesus forcefully stated: “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted,” and this is in the context of those who were worshiping according to men’s doctrines. Then, Paul rather bluntly stated, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption…” Thus, Solomon, Jesus and Paul are in complete agreement that the wicked will be overthrown while the righteous will stand. What about you? Are you just religiously following the denominational doctrines, all of which have not been planted by the Father, or are you righteous according to God’s definition?

The Scriptures teach that one’s attitude as he approaches God and those things that are holy is most important. Moses was commanded to “put off thy shoes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5). Jesus taught the woman of Samaria that “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). In both of these passages it is taught that as one approaches God he must do it with great reverence and respect. To fail or refuse to have such an attitude is to incur the holy wrath of God as did Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-2). Today, we approach God through the direction of His Word. Whether it is in becoming a Christian, worshiping God acceptably or serving God in our daily lives, if we are to do it in a way that is pleasing to Him, we must do it in accordance to His Word. To do otherwise would be to show contempt for what God has commanded us to do, and contempt for the proper attitude of heart that He demands and so justly deserves. Most of those who claim to love the Lord will agree with this statement. In the last few years, there has arisen a segment of the brotherhood that no longer has a scriptural view of the proper attitude toward God and His Word, especially as that Word relates to one’s attitude toward false teachers. These

Absalom was the third son of David by Maacah. He fell into disfavor with his father when he plotted the successful assassination of his half-brother Amnon. After this event, he fled to his grandfather where he remained for three years. Through the work of Joab he was restored to favor with his father. The Bible describes Absalom as a handsome man. “But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him” (2 Samuel 14:25). To the populace, he was the beloved and beautiful son of the king. To God, he was a murderer and a seditionist. Such reminds us that God “looketh on the heart” and not on the outward countenance (1 Samuel 16:7). For all of his beauty, Absalom was a treacherous man. He was not satisfied with God’s arrangement. At the command of God, Samuel had anointed David to be king over Israel. However, Absalom wanted to supplant God’s way. He desired the glory that God had designated to his father David. He wanted a following even if it meant that he must rebel against both God and his father. It mattered not to him that the subjects of the kingdom would divide their allegiance between him and his father. He was ready and willing to use subtlety and deceit, if necessary, to accomplish his purposes. Thus, we read: And Absalom rose

The armistice had been signed; the shooting and killing had ended; it was time to go home. My name appeared on the roster to be on the ship in the harbor. After five days of being poked here and prodded there, and opening and saying, “Ah,” to everyone who had on a lab coat, we finally boarded ship. At about four o’clock in the afternoon the anchor was hauled in, the ship’s horn let out a long blast, the screws began to turn, and we began to move out of the Inchon harbor and into the Yellow Sea. We were going home! The Bible has much to say about man’s eternal destiny. If man is living faithfully, his eternal home will be heaven. Interestingly enough, nowhere is hell ever referred to as a place of life and happiness, but rather of death, pain, eternal torment and destruction. Jesus spoke of heaven “in My Father’s house” as a place of mansions. In the Revelation John pictured it as a place of immense beauty, a place where there is no pain, sorrow or sickness. He pictured it as a place where there will be no need of the sun because God Himself will be the Light. There is an old Negro spiritual that states, “Everybody talking about it, ain’t gonna be going there – heaven, heaven.” How true those words. The Scriptures tell us that only those who do the will of God will be there. All others will be doomed to

Quite frequently we hear false teachers tell their listeners to “Just say the sinner’s prayer and ask Jesus to come into your heart.” Of course, since there is no Scripture that teaches this, no Scripture references are given. Those who are told, and who may be inclined to believe this fantasy, need to read Solomon’s warning in Proverbs 28:9. Hear him: “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.” Since in the New Testament both Jesus and His apostles give in no uncertain words the terms by which man accepts God’s gift of salvation, one is without excuse when he turns away his ear from the law of Christ and imbibes the babble of those who encourage him or her to “say the sinner’s prayer.” These teachers are encouraging them to commit an abomination. Such teachers ought to be ashamed. Friend, obey the Gospel to have the forgiveness of your sins. As you do so, the Lord will add you to His church, not to some denomination. Then, as a child of the heavenly Father you will have the God-given right to pray, “My Father who art in heaven…” Isn’t this what you yearn to do?

The atheist and evolutionist hate all of the Bible, but especially the very first verse of this Grand Book. You know what that verse says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Oh, how these God-haters, the humanist and immoral people included, hate the Person who appears as the fourth word in this verse, namely, God! These individuals want Him out of man’s thinking, out of anything to do with our nation and totally out of any public life whatsoever. Why? Because the very idea of His presence intimidates them. I am sure that you have already heard this, but it is worth repeating. True scientists know that there are certain elements that must be present for the existence of things. They are: time, force, energy, space and matter. It is interesting that each of these elements are found in that very first verse of God’s Word. Notice: “In the beginning [time] God [force] created [energy] the heavens [space] and the earth [matter].” Let the fool be foolish, and let the hater of God deny His existence. He exists, and He rules! The prophet Habakkuk put it this way: “…the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him.” 

I remember as a young boy growing up in West Tennessee, walking the two and a half miles from the schoolhouse to our home on those cold wintry days, how pleasant it was to smell the wood smoke as I would drew nearer the house. When I smelled that smoke I knew that my mother was preparing some sort of warm treat for a very cold boy. I am sure that many of you readers could relate some similar experiences. As I revive those sweet memories, it brings to my mind what I have used as the title of this article: “The Aroma of Grace.” According to the concordance in my computer, the word “grace”appears 170 times in 159 verses in the King James Version of the Bible. It first appears in Genesis 6:8 where it is stated: “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” Let us think about that verse for a moment. The context tells us of the wicked conditions that existed in the world at that time. We are told that “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth…” (v. 5). It is further stated that He determined to destroy man from the face of the earth (v. 7). The next verse begins with “But…” This verse says, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” In that wicked and perverse world of mankind stood one whose life and actions shone brightly. It was this man and his

The so called children raising experts all say that spanking or disciplining a child is wrong. “Let the child have his way, let him do as he pleases, let him make his own decisions,” they say. A lot of parents have followed such foolish advice and have lost their children to the immorality and sensuality of the world. Many parents today bemoan the fact that their children are so indifferent and unconcerned about their souls. Parents, you should give heed to the Word of God, rather than to infidel psychologists. Listen to God’s voice: “Chasten your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction” (Proverbs 19:18). This passage taken in the negative simply says if you refuse to chasten your child, you aid in his destruction. “But,” says someone, “I love him too much to give stern discipline.” Really? Read what the writer of the Book of Hebrews says on the subject (12:5-11), and please read it now. After doing so, ask yourself, “Do I really love my child?”

Throughout biblical history, God chose certain individuals to carry out His work at that particular time. One of these individuals was Noah. A Look at Noah Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the apostle Peter penned these words about the Old Testament patriarch: “For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly”  (2 Peter 2:4-5). In this passage, we draw attention to the fact that Noah was a “preacher of righteousness.” Since Psalm 119:172 states, “My tongue shall speak of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness,” we can know as a fact that whatever Noah may have taught all those years while he was preparing the ark, he was a man who taught the truth of God. Does God still want that kind of man proclaiming His Word? Will He tolerate any other kind? We notice from Genesis 6 that Noah operated under the grace of God. Because of His grace, God gave Noah the opportunity to be saved from the impending worldwide flood that was to come upon the earth. Noah was free to accept or reject this offer of God’s grace. Noah was a man of faith, faith that comes by hearing and hearing by the word of

When Jesus drove the money changers out of the Temple, the Jewish leaders asked Him, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus was not offended by their desire to know His source of authority. In the religious world today, the need for biblical authority is scorned. Denominationalism does not seek or want biblical authority for its doctrines and actions. The only authority it seeks is if it makes one feel good or if it is something man wants to do. If a council votes it in, or if the multitudes are practicing it, then such is sufficient authority. Again, this is the only authority upon which denominationalism rests. Sectarianism has no biblical authority to exist. In fact, it is severely condemned. Jesus stated that “All authority has been given to Me…” (Matthew 28:18). Paul further stated that Jesus is “the head over all things to the church” (Ephesians 1:22). Friend, did you abide by the authority of Christ in becoming religiously what you are? If you are in any denomination you cannot give a “yes” to this question. What about the way you worship and how you live your moral and ethical life? Do you live by Christ’s law or by the code of the wicked world? If you do not live by His authority, then you are still in your sins and have the need to submit to Him and His authority.

Somewhere I read that some birds can go nine days without food, some dogs 20 days, and some turtles 500 days! For man, well, about four weeks is the limit. Sooner or later, nourishment is necessary for all of God’s creatures. If physical food is essential to sustaining physical life, so is spiritual food necessary to sustaining and maintaining spiritual life. The Bible is the food we need for the soul, but how often do we eat of it? How can we grow without eating spiritual food? Many Christians are starving to death, not because food is not available, but simply because they are neglecting to eat it. A Bible on the shelf gathering dust is of no more value than food in the refrigerator that is not consumed. So do not be a bird-Christian or a dog-Christian and go for days and days without eating. Feed on the Word of God every day! Take advantage of every occasion to learn God’s wonderful truth!

The writer of the Book of Hebrews exhorted: “Make straight paths for your feet…” (Hebrews 12:13). This is good advice in any spiritual context. One needs to go straight intellectually. He must make a diligent effort to learn the will of God as reveal in His Word – the Bible. After learning it, he must apply it by loving it and obeying it. Mind, not emotion, is what must guide one in his search to be pleasing to God. One must go straight morally. One’s speech must be morally pure. Vulgar and profane speech is a sign of ignorance and extremely poor manners. Our minds must be pure, untainted by vile movies, music and magazines. Honesty and integrity should always be our guide in our dealings with our fellow man. Then, one must go straight religiously. To do so he must make sure that all teachings and actions are authorized by the Scriptures. He must preach and teach truth, and he must live by that truth. Are you making straight paths for your feet, or are you traveling the broad way that leads to eternal destruction?

There is that system known as “the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).” Of course, this is the Gospel system. Secondly, the apostle Paul emphasized the necessity of one being in this faith. Thirdly, each one has the responsibility of making a self-examination to determine if one is in that system. Although not specifically stated, a fourth item is implied. In order for one to examine himself or herself, there must be an authoritative standard that can be used for such an examination. Without doubt, that standard is the Word of God – the Holy Scriptures. Through the centuries there have been those who have grown weary of God’s way. As a result, they have attempted to usurp His authority and have rejected that standard. In doing this, they have substituted their own laws, creeds and doctrines. Notice some of their writings on this subject. In speaking of the traditions of a certain church, it is written: “It is, therefore, to be received with the same internal assent as Scripture, for it is the word of God… Tradition would suffice without Scripture…” In the preface of a church manual it is written, “This manual is offered to ______ churches because it is believed that such a book suited to modern church life is needed.” In the so-called scriptures of another religion, a religion founded by a mere man, one reads: “And because my words shall hiss forth,  many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there

There are many today who attribute numerous things to the Holy Spirit. Most of those things are related by those who are highly emotional. They have a “zeal, but not according to knowledge” (Romans 10:2). Almost without exception those things are considered as miracles, such things as the Holy Spirit finding a parking spot for someone who is late for an appointment, surfacing a baby that is underwater into the arms of its father or unplugging a coffeepot at a youth gathering because it was making too much noise. Each of the above has been related to me personally. Perhaps these are more radical claims than most would make; however, there are those who make claims of the Spirit speaking directly to and through them, speaking in tongues, raising the dead – all by the miraculous power of the Spirit. Does the Holy Spirit work today in the conversion of the sinner and in the life of the saint? For the answer, shouldn’t we do as we ought to do with all the other areas of studies – go to the one infallible standard, the Word of God? The answer is an emphatic, “Yes!” How can we go to those who make claims about the Spirit working in their lives when they teach something absolutely contrary to what others who make the same claim are teaching? The question is not, “Does the Holy Spirit work in the conversion of the sinner, and life of the saint?” but “How does He work?” Please

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord GOD, “That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, And from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, But shall not find it. In that day the fair virgins And strong young men Shall faint from thirst.” (Amos 8:11-13) Most folks living in America today have no personal concept of what a famine is. All of their lives they have had the necessities of life. Yes, there are those who are in poverty, but not such poverty those have had who have lived in lands that have experienced famine. The word famine is defined as “an extreme scarcity of food” (Webster). It does not mean that it is just that one does not have the money to buy the needed food, but it means that there just is not any food available. Think of the awfulness of the reality of what Amos prophesied. There would be a famine, but it would not be of bread or of water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. Let me illustrate. An enemy comes into our land and is victorious in his attempt to defeat us. He is a hater of God and His Word. He gives his soldiers the order to destroy every Bible and every document wherein is

Did you ever say, “If I knew then what I know now…”? There was a rich man who certainly expressed this concept. His story is found in Luke 16:19-31. He is the one that is associated with the beggar Lazarus. There are several things that he realized too late for him to change. Let us notice them. He Learned… Some say, “It is never too late to learn.” It was for the rich man, and it may become so with you.

Generally, when we talk about fear, we have in mind the act of being afraid of something. I am afraid of spiders. I loathe them, killing every one that comes close. If you have one for a pet, well, I have doubts about your sensibilities. Just to think of such gives me goose bumps. However, there is a fear that has a different meaning, and, it is commanded by God. In Psalm 128:1 we read: “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways.” Notice that this fear, rather than being panic of any sort, is simply having respect for and awe of God. Those who have such fear will always be found walking in the way of the Lord. One cannot have such respect for God and fail to walk in His ways. This is one of the major problems of denominationalism. Those trapped therein have not been taught to have a proper fear (respect) for God. Did not the wise man Solomon say, “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)? Question: Is one showing proper honor and respect for God and walking in His way when he calls himself after some man or some system? Is one walking in the ways of God when he deliberately rejects anything that God has commanded as it relates to one receiving salvation from past sins? Are you walking in the fear of the Lord? [To denominate something or to speak of a

What did you worry about yesterday? Did your worry solve any problems? Worry is not only destructive to us spiritually, it is also foolish because it just does not work! Paul wrote to Christians at Philippi, “In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let you request be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6). If you are not a child of God, then take those biblical steps to become one so that you will be in a position to approach the Father in heaven, and as a loving Father, He can answer His child’s request. The antidote for worry is faith. Let us fill our hearts with faith which comes from hearing God’s Word, and foolish worry and anxiety will be crowded out. Such will help us to live victoriously every day.

The ridiculing and holding in contempt those who believe in the absolute authority of the Bible is not a new thing. David in the long ago stated: “The proud have me in great derision, Yet I do not turn aside from Your law” (Psalm 119:51). Do you suppose that David was accused of being a “hate monger” when he spoke against the sins of his day? One thing we do know, he would not give in to the practice of trying to be “politically correct.” In our society today, there are those who are quick to ridicule anyone who believes in a strict moral standard, and who believes that God is the Author of such a standard. These critics believe in and practice a way of life that rejects any and all moral standards. The Hollywood crowd, the music industry and much of the media, as well as a lot of politicians, make up this motley and sleazy crowd. God will judge them. His judgment will be according to His Word. His judgment will be exactly right (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 5:10)!

Sometimes ideas for my articles originate at rather odd places, not always as one is bent over his desk with his open Bible. Not long ago, I was having a cup of coffee with a good friend. As usual, our conversation turned to spiritual matters. As we were discussing why some folks hear the truth but never seem to understand it or obey it, he made the observation that the truth had never reached their hearts. I believe that he hit the nail on the head. Too many, and one is too many, are like those in the Parable of the Sower. They hear the Word, but before it can reach the heart and lodge therein, the devil steals it away. Take this little test: When you hear someone teaching biblical truth about the one church, does it reach your heart and make you want to be a member of that church, or do you just push it aside by saying that one church is as good as another? Again, when you read, “Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins…” do you let this truth sink into your heart and bring forth fruit? Then, when you read: “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” do you listen, or do you say that it doesn’t matter how one worships? Friend, is God’s Word penetrating your heart?

I grew up on a farm in West Tennessee. We mostly grew cotton. Oh, how hot it could get in the middle of the afternoon as we chopped that cotton. I remember those afternoon clouds that would begin to gather, and kid-like, I would watch them with the hope that they would come on over and give us some rain. If this happened, we would get to go to the house for the rest of the day. If you have experienced this, you know just how disappointing it was when those clouds passed over and did not have a drop of rain. Peter used this very thing to describe false teachers. In 2 Peter 2:17, he wrote: “These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” He further describes them as having “great swelling words of emptiness.” We have all heard them — a lot of noise, a lot of wind – but no substance. Political correctness, feelings, opinions, and denominational doctrines are “wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest.” As such, they will not get you to heaven.

King Hezekiah had been sick, and an envoy from Babylon came under the pretense of checking on his health. In a moment of false pride, the king showed him all of his riches and treasures. Later, God’s prophet Isaiah came to him and asked this stirring question: “What have they seen in your house?” What a question, one that can aptly be applied today in a different sense. What can be found in our houses? Can those things, whether objects or attitudes that God calls an abomination be found there? Can beer, whisky, illegal drugs be found there? What about pornographic material? Are there things there that will harm the children’s minds and warp their attitudes towards things holy? On the other side of the coin, do you and your family have an abundance of reading and study material to help you learn more about proper moral and ethical living? If there is a Bible in your house, is it well-worn by constant use, or is it just a place to store baby pictures and mementos? One last question: If Jesus were coming in Person to your house today, are there some things that you would be ashamed for Him to see?

Who can describe eternity? Yet, each of us has an eternal destiny. Jesus in Matthew 7 taught that there are two, and only two, roads that man travels. One leads to eternal life, and the other leads to eternal destruction. Even as we write, each of us is on one of these roads. Now, a question: Who is determining your eternal destiny? Some have answered that their parents are doing so. One lady told me several years ago that she knew that her dad was lost, but if he was in hell, she wanted to be with him. However, Jesus taught that if one loved mother or father more than he or she loved Him, that person was not worthy of Him. Some let the world and its peer pressures decide how they will live, work and act. Jesus told His disciples that even though they were in the world, they were not to be of the world. Others let the false teachers make the choice. Yet, these false teachers encourage, yea, even demand that their hearers obey them and their sayings rather than obey God. Watch them when they talk about salvation. They will get real gushy and talk about “saying the sinner’s prayer” when God’s true spokesmen told the inquiring believer to “repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins” (Acts 2:38). Again, who is making the decision about your soul’s eternal destiny?

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’?

A man went to the Sheriff and complained, “I want to find out who owns the house I’m living in.” The Sheriff asked him, “Well, where do you pay your rent?” His reply was, “I ain’t never paid no rent.” He was asked, “How long have you lived there?” He replied, “Nine years.” The Sheriff asked, “What’s your complaint?” The man said, “The roof has started to leak, and if the landlord don’t fix it quick, I’m gonna move!” Every organization (the church included) has its share of folks who don’t pay their rent. Oh, I’m not necessarily talking just about money. Some people do not contribute time, labor or influence. Likewise, they don’t add to the good atmosphere by being encouraging either. What do they do? They just stay until things don’t suit them and then they threaten, “I’m gonna move!” Does that sound like you? I certainly hope not.

Autumn is a beautiful time of the year – the crispness of the air, the colors and the smell of wood smoke coming from the fireplaces about town. However, when autumn is gone, the cold, raw days of winter are upon the land. Some folks like winter most of all, but not I. I had enough winter the four years we lived in Russia to do me a lifetime. I am not too keen on 57 degrees below zero temperatures. I like the spring of the year. As things seem to die in the fall and winter, they come alive in the spring. The budding of the trees, the gentle breezes, the blossoming of the flowers, and the songs and activities of the birds all seem to instill life back into our being. Also, as I know that in the spring there will be resurrection of life in the dormant plants, I am also made aware again of the biblical promise of the resurrection. Job asked in the long ago, “If a man die, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14). The whole creation and the God of heaven answer with a resounding, “Yes!” Having this confidence, the certainty of death loses it dread and bitterness to those who have in this life obeyed the Gospel and have, thus, become children of God. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” I am glad spring is here again, aren’t you?

I served in the prisoner of war command during the Korean War. We had 60,000 prisoners and there were 3,000 of us. Such numbers kept life interesting to say the least. About eight or ten months after getting back to the U. S. and home, I got in my 1951 Ford and headed for the oil fields of New Mexico. Somewhere west of Dallas, I began to see billboards advertising something called “smorgasbord.” Being a fellow who grew up in the hills of Tennessee, I had never heard of this stuff. My mother never made any of it that I could recall. I decided that I would just pull into one of those places and have me a taste of this exotic food called smorgasbord, just to see what it was like. Much to my chagrin and embarrassment I learned that this stuff was not a “food” but a way of serving it. All it was, was a buffet place where one could pick and choose what he liked. As one begins to think about it, a lot of religions and religious people are choosing the “smorgasbord” system to believe and practice their particular brand of religion or “church.” However, their system is as old as mankind. Let us notice a few examples. Adam and Eve were the first. They were told by God what their duties and privileges were. They were also given a command of prohibition. Not being satisfied with God’s way, they chose another way. We all

Think with me for a moment. What is the most wonderful thing anyone ever did for you? Many of us would remember the loving hand of a mother, the kindness of a father, the fellowship of a close friend. Who can argue that when our companion agreed to take us for life that such was a good and wonderful thing? Yet, as great and wonderful as these things may be, there is something even greater and far more wonderful. We find what that is as we read Hebrews 2:9. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.” Listen to it again – He tasted death for everyone. He didn’t just die for selected ones, He died for us all. Also, He died that we might have “redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). This is a gift that no other could ever give. It could only be given by the sinless Son of God, the only One qualified to offer Himself. What does He ask in return? He tells us: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). He is a friend to you. Are you a friend to Him? Hear Him again in John 15:14: “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” Are you doing so?

In David’s song of thanksgiving when the tabernacle was brought to Jerusalem, we find these words: “Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad: And let them say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns’” (1 Chronicles 16:31). At a time when national morality seems to be non-existent; at a time when money speaks louder and with more power than righteousness; at a time when men and women are blowing themselves up and murdering hundreds of others in the process; at a time when many in the religious world want to be politically correct rather than obey plain statements of God; in such times it is a comforting thought to know that David was right — The Lord Reigns! Yes, He allows men today, as He allowed Israel of old, to reject Him, disobey Him and to even think that they are in control. However, in the final analysis, we learn that He had, still has and will always have the last word. Paul warned in 2 Corinthians 5:10-11, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.” So it will be!

Israel was God’s chosen nation through whom He would bring forth the Messiah. Yet, by the decade between 625 B.C. and 615 B. C. these people had become exceedingly wicked, so wicked in fact that in 606/605 B.C. God allowed the Babylonian Army to begin taking them into seventy long years of captivity. One of the reasons these people were considered wicked and worth punishment is found in the words of Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 5:30-31 we read, “An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so.” What was happening there? The prophets (preachers) were preaching falsehood, and the priests (those descendants of Aaron) were ruling by their means, not in the way which God had commanded them in His law. Can we learn something here? How does our town compare with ancient Judah?