Posts by Graeber Road Church of Christ (Page 12)

In Luke 8:18 Jesus warned, “Therefore take heed how you hear.” He had said earlier, “And hearing they may not understand” (vs. 10). The words “hear” and “heard” are also found in vs. 12, 13, 14, and 15. Later, Jesus would add, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it” (vs. 21).  Seems that hearing is important, especially if God’s will is being communicated. A disposition to hear, to hear carefully, to…

When tragedies and disasters occur—like our present pandemic—conspiracies abound. The temptation to believe them is strong because they make sense of an otherwise senseless event. They grant us the power to place blame at the feet of someone, rather than remain a victim of confusion. They provide comfort in the calamity by legitimizing themselves with partial truths and creating a common enemy (usually a corporation or government).  Our present culture is rife with false news stories that appear legitimate. We…

There are a number of interesting scenes presented in the book of Nehemiah. One, often overlooked, is found in chapter 8.  People were gathered in an open square to hear God’s word read to them. Ezra was the reader and it was an extensive reading, to say the least. All morning long he read. And, people listened attentively (Nehemiah 8:3). With reverence, people stood. Careful explanation was given to be certain the hearers understood the meaning of what was read (Nehemiah 8:8). …

Your attitude and behavior in any and all circumstances ought to be governed by your relationship to God.  Paul had been in a ferocious storm on the sea for nearly two weeks (Acts 27:27).  His relationship to God, however, enabled him not only to endure the stress, but to comfort and encourage the others on board: “And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For…

Psalm 1 shows the blessed (happy) man is one who, among other things, meditates on God’s law (2). Later, the ungodly are shown to be the opposite of the godly (4). One of the differences would be their failure to ponder over God’s great truths.  Is meditation really important? Are thoughts? Remember that the material things that surround us, our houses, cars, clothes, etc., were first a thought before they became a reality.  God has blessed humans with a great…

Friends are a wonderful blessing from God – a gift given to help us become better people (Prov. 27:17). Yet they are only a blessing when we have chosen the right ones. “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (Prov. 13:20). “Evil companionships corrupt good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33). Therefore, we should try to surround ourselves with companions who are wise enough “to turn [you] away from the snares of…

 David asked two questions in Psalm 15:1. “Lord, who may abide in your tabernacle? Who may dwell in your holy hill?” Important questions, to be sure. And, the way they are answered says a lot about those who are answering.  You could think about them in their original setting, David’s day, but they ought to be considered in a broader way in order to get the full benefit of them. The words “abide” and “dwell” suggest an atmosphere of fellowship…