Introduction Certain people obtain a reputation, whether warranted or not, that when they walk into a room, someone would say, “Here comes trouble.” Sometimes it’s a child, who causes problems or creates a commotion constantly. Or it might just be an innocent child who has the look of mischief on their face. Then, there are those who see Christians as troublemakers as they want everything done by the book (God’s word) and seemingly disrupt the general flow of things or, what they’d call, the “balance of normalcy”. But, it’s usually because they want what’s best for people who’d rather be left alone. The scriptures gives us a few examples of God’s people who were deemed troublemakers.   O Troubler of Israel In 1 st Kings 18, we read the story known as the Mount Carmel Victory. Elijah, God’s prophet goes up against the 450 prophets of Baal in a contest of which god is the true one. In verse 17, when he comes to see King Ahab, the King’s response is, “Is tha...

    Introduction In the book of Genesis, we see, during creation, that everything was made according to its kind. In Gen. 1:11-12, Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. When Noah built the ark, he had to fill it with animals and they were according to its kind, On the very same day Noah and Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark- they and every beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort (Genesis 7:13-14). With this in mind, we’ll at ...

By Joe R. Price The sky did not fall on Election Day. It did not fall the next day, or the day after that. Your candidate may or may not have won. You may not know yet whether your candidate has won. Your cause may have been approved at the ballot box. It may have been rejected. Whatever the outcomes, do not despair. The earth remains until the Lord comes (Gen. 8:22; 2 Pet. 3:10-12). Until then, the sun will rise tomorrow. The gospel embeds an eternal perspective into Christians’ hearts, preparing us for eternity as we walk the winding, uneven road of life (2 Cor. 4:16-18). Until the Lord comes, Christians continue to pray.  About everything (Phil. 4:6). Without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). Without being discouraged (Lk. 18:1). For all people, including those with authority over our lives (1 Tim. 2:1-2). Until the Lord comes, Christians continue to work . Always abounding (1 Cor. 15:58). Because it is day and the night is coming (Jno. 9:4). Because there is a harvest, and laborers are ...

    Introduction Have you ever heard someone say, usually when things aren’t positive, that “God has a plan for you”? The idea is that even though things are in their darkest moment, God will turn it around for you. You’ll come out of this negativity as a stronger individual than you went in. Most of the time this is true; even if you aren’t a believer in God. However, this type of thing is uttered by those here in America making things seem so much easier. There is the issue at hand; when being a Christian in America takes the forefront for all things.   I Have a Plan for You! If you look at scripture, God did indeed say something like this. In Jeremiah 29:11, For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (RSV) You might find this verse used in a greeting card given to someone who just graduated, got married, received a promotion, or some other event. This is where people get that M...

  Introduction What goes through your mind as you enter the church building? Are you looking forward to approaching the throne of God? Or Are you looking to be uplifted and entertained? Too many people today go to worship for the wrong reason and with the wrong mindset.   Now Performing… C ongregations today see themselves as the audience rather than the participants. If they aren’t preaching or leading the singing, they consider themselves the audience. They go with a need to be uplifted; made to feel good about themselves so that when they leave the service, they feel better than when they came in. On the surface, that’s not a bad thing. After a week long of trudging through life with job, family, and whatever the news is giving us, we look forward to heading to worship to be encouraged by the message and the general atmosphere. They say they want to be edified but it’s more of a physical desire than a spiritual one. If you look at the megachurches or even the ...

  Introduction As we have stated in a previous article , the church is the collection of members; The Called Out, and not the building. In this article we will look at how to become a member of the church; both universally and locally.   Am I member or not? Several years ago, a friend of mine was baptized and added to the church (Acts 2:38, 47). I was preaching a lesson later that evening and commented that he was added to the church but was not a member of the local congregation. The next day, as I was studying with the local preacher, he brought up what I said and the confusion it brought on my friend when I made that statement. His question was, Am I a member or not? From there members explained to him the difference between two “types” of churches.   The Universal Church To become a member of the universal church, which is also known as The Kingdom, you have to show obedience to the gospel. To that you must do all of these listed below…   Hear t...

Introduction In Psalms 122:1 it reads, I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the LORD." This should be a Christian’s attitude every first day of the week. Yet for some it seems like a burden; “Worship again? We just went last week. How often do we have to go? Every week?!” Stop Going to Church! Since I became a Christian, I stopped going to church. I still attend worship services but I don’t go to church. I don’t forsake the assembling of the saints (Heb. 10:25) but at the same time I don’t go to church.   Confused? For most people this statement sounds absurd. It sounds like I’m contradicting myself; saying one thing and then reversing it in the very next breath. So how can a believer in God, who follows the Bible, not go to Church? The answer is simple, we go to worship! The church is not the building but the people in the local congregation. The term for this is ecclesia ; pronounced (ĭ-klē′zhē-ə,) the definitio...

Introduction As December comes to a close, we always reminisce about the previous 12 months and look ahead to the dawning of a brand-new year! In addition, this time around, we look to a new decade beginning (technically it would start in 2021, but you can’t convince anyone of it). New Years mean a new beginning and an opportunity to change something about who you are or, maybe, what you are. Resolutions and Other Lies Every year we make the same resolutions: I’m going on a diet, I’m going to travel more, I will be more outgoing. And yet, just a few days later, we come to the realization that we were rash in our decisions and immediately fall back into routine. The diet is ruined by that extra piece of pie, traveling is out because of a dwindling bank account, being outgoing means having to go outside where *gasp* other people are. Instead of changing the physical aspect of your person, why not try the mental, emotional, and spiritual aspect?...

Introduction Last week we discussed how Christians provide lip service to God by living their life the way they want to and yet professing holiness to God, our Father. This week we’ll look at a similar lip service as performed by preachers. Some will say, “How is this possible?” They see preachers as God’s messengers. And they are as such; that is, they are supposed to be. But we learn differently in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” When man no longer wants to hear the truth, there will be those who will give them what they want not what they need. Old Testament Prophets During the time of the prophets, God sent His representatives to His people with the basic message of ‘Repent of your sins and turn back to Me....

This week a couple of videos by Jerry Fite of Pasadena, Texas What Must I Know to be a Christian ? God Working His Plan in a Sinful World

(Current events in the light of Scripture) Long lines. Heavy traffic. Winter weather. All these (and more) can combine to bring a feeling of frantic frenzy as the holiday season approaches. They can also contribute to Christians having less than godly attitudes, charitable words, and kind actions. Here are a few reminders we believe will help us navigate the season with grace and a godly influence. (And, they are also valid qualities to have as we navigate life in view of eternity.) Plan ahead . Waiting until the last minute to buy groceries, shop for a gift, or do a good deed for others usually brings its own set of challenges. Don’t wait until the last minute is good advice, not only for the holidays, but also for getting ready for the Lord’s return. Being unprepared, the foolish virgins were unable to enter the wedding feast (Matt. 25:1-13). Thinking we will can take care of our spiritual lives at the last minute ...