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One of the chief sources of problems and difficulties that we will most regularly deal with in our lives, comes from communication, the lack thereof, or the misunderstanding thereof. Marriages fail because husbands and wives stop communicating. If they do communicate, they do so in the wrong way or they misunderstand each other to the point of assuming and behaving as individuals instead of “one flesh” as God intended (Gen. 2:23-25). Issues with communication can happen anywhere and in any…

We are busy! It doesn’t matter whether young or old, employed or retired, there is a LOT going on in our lives. Sometimes, we can feel overwhelmed and on the brink of burn out but just keep going on. Before that happens, or if that is how you feel right now, consider these concepts from scripture: 1. God rested. After six days of creating, God “rested” from all the work He had done (Gen. 2:2). That is, He ceased creating…

Long before e-mail and long before texts, people were sending messages. Solomon sent a message to Hiram, asking him to provide lumber for the building of the temple (I Kings 5). Hiram answered with his own message, “… I will do all you desire concerning the cedar and cypress logs” (I Kings 5:8). John wrote about the message that came from God and had been declared to others: “. . . God is light and in Him is no darkness…

This week is an anniversary of which we would not like to remember, but that we would always do well to remember. It was this week two years ago that we closed the doors to the building in an effort to “flatten the curve” as our health advisors told us at the time. I am grateful to God for a state government that is not still restricting movement, mandating, or even keeping us locked down as I know many places…

The Compassion Card program began with the goal to help make contact with folks who have significant life-changes (ie. Death in the family, new baby, new job, surgery, painful diagnoses, etc.) and to bestow the church’s love and care for them—with the purpose to follow up and introduce the recipients to Jesus and His church. Here are a few ways to remind us of what’s important about this program: It begins with compassion. We feel with and for people in…

Acts 7:9 – “And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.” This is THE classic example of God thwarting men’s plans while having a far grander plan in mind. Genesis 37:28 should have been the last we heard of Joseph. Maybe…

In John 15, Jesus refers to Himself as “the vine” and calls His followers “the branches” (5). The purpose for this is clear (5b-6). A relationship to Christ must be maintained and fruit must be produced. Jesus could have stopped there. But, He wants the connection to be more than this. In John 15:9-15, He talks of love and friendship. These verses suggest some wonderful thoughts. First, we see evidence of His friendship. His friendship would be demonstrated in a…

You learn to appreciate people who do not walk in lock-step with the status quo, but instead make thoughtful and loving stands for what is right. We are noticing the work of black brethren as Black History Month continues, and how men like these have helped shape this country and the church. This profile highlights a dedicated servant both in upholding truth in politics, as well as upholding truth in the pulpit. John DeBerry served as a Democratic member of…

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…