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February in the United States is designated as Black History Month in order to honor and observe the roles of Black Americans in the shaping of this country. One such man who is worthy of honor in the difference he made is our brother Marshall Keeble. Marshall Keeble. Brother Keeble was a gospel preacher who lived from 1878 until 1968 and who still speaks in influence, books, and in recorded sermons found online. There are a number of books about…

We’ve all heard them! Pithy statements that cause us to stop, think, and mull over life and choices we make. A few “classics” include: Don ’t count your chickens before they hatch. Strike while the iron is hot. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. These kinds of witty, memorable statements, known as proverbs, offer wisdom for practical living. We use the pictures of unhatched eggs, hot irons, and chains to emphasize doing things at the right…

We often talk about how different things are now when compared to an earlier time. This is usually done in terms of devices (“Why, we didn’t even know what a cell phone was when we were young!”) or rules (“My mother made me be home from a date by 9:00 P.M.”) or some other comparative matter we feel worth noting. Yes, things change. But, some don ’t. Here is one: trust in God and obedience to His will. Centuries ago,…

Racism is a problem that is ongoing, not only in America 2022, but has been for thousands of years. Wasn ’t it, in part, racism that Pharaoh ’s wife accused Joseph of impropriety (Gen. 39:17)? Wasn ’t it, in part, racism that kept Jonah from wanting to preach to those horrible Assyrians? Wasn ’t it racism that caused the Jews and Gentiles of the early church to look down on or to avoid each other (Gal. 2:11 -ff)? Is this…

Every morning I ’m in the office, between 8:05am and 8:13am, the phone rings from the same “1 -800” number. I picked up the phone for about the first month it rang and realized it was either a spam -caller, a fax -machine ’s wrong number (do people still use those?), or someone who just wants to mess with me (bravo for persistence in the joke if that ’s the case). Now when it rings, I simply lift the receiver…

Everyone gets tired from time to time. Often tiredness leads to exhaustion. When exhaustion is full and there ’s still work to be done, it can lead to burnout. With burnout comes an increased distance from job or family responsibilities, negativity, cynicism, and an abiding feeling of needful change. The thought is that if I move, or change jobs, or drastically change immediate things in my life, I’ll be renewed and no longer feel like giving up. Solomon would say,…

In early November, we had the blessing of going down to Corpus Christi to cheer our Bible Bowl participants on as they competed in a friendly tournament of Bible knowledge and study skills. The time there was special, and all of our kids did a great job! Let me share with you some key takeaways upon reflection of the event: God ’s Word is Inexhaustible. The section of scripture for the 2021 Bible Bowl was essentially the second half of…

Near the end of each year, or the beginning of a new year, it is not uncommon for newspapers, magazines, or television news programs to focus on highlights, events, and people who made news during the previous twelve months. Such reports may also include predictions about what will happen in the future. As you would expect, some of the predictions are way off track. Here is an example from one, some years ago. It was predicted that, by this time,…

One of the most disruptive things to me about COVID -19 has been the Lord ’s Supper. For more than forty years, I’ve had a structured meditation for the Lord ’s Supper. There are reflections while I’m eating the bread and another series of thoughts for the fruit of the vine. During the year, we’ve visited other churches that use the individual packages with the bread and fruit of the vine. In many of those, the one presiding provided very…

To put your finger on the pulse of the Old Testament, look to Deuteronomy! Last month we noticed two foundations in understanding this great book. The Theological Foundation emphasizes God and His writer, Moses. The Geographic Foundation sets the stage for a nation on the border of the promised land. Consider two more foundations in brief. Historic Foundation – “It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb …In the fortieth year…” (Deut. 1:2 -3). Notice the time difference between verse 2…

In the heart -felt book of John, Jesus has several confrontations with the Jews to prove to them His deity (John 8). The hardness of heart of these people broke the Savior ’s heart as they claimed allegiance to God, to the things of God, and to God ’s faithful servant, Abraham. However, Jesus cuts to the core of their hypocrisy and powerfully says in 8:44, “You are of your father, the devil….” What things betrayed their “true father ’…

The book of Deuteronomy is often referred to as the “heartbeat” of the Old Testament. If you can wrap your mind around Deuteronomy, the message of the historical books and the prophets will come alive! The opening verses of Deuteronomy help orient the book in the direction it ought to be read. This month we will consider two foundations for Deuteronomy. 1. Theological Foundation – “These are the words that Moses spoke” (Deut. 1:1a). This was no mere retelling of…