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Few things in life are guaranteed. But with great confidence, we can be assured of struggles and difficulties. Job lamented, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). Solomon reflected: “For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night.…

Early in his life, George Washington was stationed at Alexandria with a regiment under his command. On one occasion, he became incensed about the outcome of an election that he made an offensive comment to a Mr. Payne. In response, Payne struck Washington with his cane knocking him to the ground. When Washington’s soldiers heard of the infraction they immediately started for the city to take revenge for their commander. Washington met them on the road and convinced them to…

So much controversy, so much conflict! To answer the division present in the Lord’s church today, many are calling for Biblical balance. I am sure some who are asking for balance actually mean, “There should be less preaching that expects me to change and more preaching that makes me feel good.” Others mean, “Let’s change the truth slightly so that it’s easier to digest.” Neither of these positions should be supported because they show a lack of concern for God’s…

There is a story of three little boys. They all three played baseball and they had the same coach. Two of the boys were on the field practicing while the third was sitting on the ground, slacking off and not practicing. The coach watched all three of them and came up to the two boys practicing and told them what they were doing wrong. He critiqued them on their form, how they threw the ball, and how they hit the…

Have you ever heard of the Memorial Audio Reproduction System? I would suppose you have not, but then few have. According to its patent (U. S. patent number 4,169,970), it is summarized as follows: “An audio reproduction system is provided for use in conjunction with a tombstone for the repeated play-back, upon activation, of a prerecorded message.” In other words, before you decease, you can make an audio recording of yourself (up to two hours long). The recording is stored…

Each time you pick up your Bible, you hold within your hands something far more powerful than a nuclear weapon (Heb. 4:12), something far more valuable than the rarest diamond (Ps. 119:72), and something far more enduring than the best constructed building (1 Pet. 1:25). God’s Word is a blessing which we should value greatly. It commands our utmost adoration and respect. Such an attitude is vividly on display in the 119th Psalm. Psalm 119 is a treasure chest of…

The books of the new testament are titled in some older copies of the bible as “the Last Will and Testament of Jesus the Christ.” This part of the bible is comprised of 27 books penned by at least nine inspired writers (ten, if Paul was not the penman for the letter to the Hebrews). These books divide naturally into four basic sections, which deal with the gospel record (Matthew-John, which record the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus),…

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Tim.3:16-17) 2 Timothy 3:16 is one of the more recognizable passages in the New Testament. It is “the” text most often cited to affirm the “inspiration” of the Bible. The word inspiration in the common vernacular is defined as “the process that takes place…

For the past two years there has been one unread text message on my phone. It is from August 7, 2018. My brother in Christ, Brandon, sent a message that simply says “Thanks!”. I met Brandon just a few days before that. He had met a Christian businessman in central Texas who moved out to San Angelo. After finding some online resources and studying for himself, Brandon reached out to his friend who reached out to me. Brandon was a…

In his classic novel, Robinson Crusoe (1719), author Daniel Defoe has his leading character, Crusoe, cast upon a deserted island off the coast of South America following a violent shipwreck. For more than 28 years he languished under conditions that most would consider unbearable. On a certain occasion, however, the isolated Englishman reflected upon his circumstances — perhaps more deeply than he ever had. Defoe has Crusoe say: “I sat down to my meal with thankfulness, and admired the hand…

In a recent study, we considered the account of Isaac’s dwelling among the Philistines. During this time he concealed the truth of his relationship with Rebekah (Gen. 26:1-16). From the patriarch’s dishonesty, we noted that truth concealed is a friend of fear, robs men of freedom, and puts men in jeopardy. From the same text, we also learn valuable lessons about the truth when it is revealed. First, the truth revealed is restrictive. After learning that Isaac and Rebekah were…

Of the Old Testament patriarchs, Isaac is the most obscure. Outside the writings of Moses, Isaac’s name is found only 21 times in Scripture. Ten of these reference family lineage, five God’s covenant with Abraham and his sons, and two are figurative uses of his name for the nation. Apart from Abraham offering Isaac as a sacrifice, few know anything about his life. From a rarely read chapter about an obscure event in the life of the least discussed patriarch,…