I awoke this morning with my usual aches and pains,but I was thankful that today there is no rain. I smiled and said, “Good morning, Lord;I’ll be looking to you for a good word. You know Lord that life isn’t always fair,but the joy I find in You there is none to compare. So, dear God, Let me live a life tried and true,totally and completely devoted to you. Yes, life is not always easy and often seems unfair,but I will live this day rejoicing, held in Your tender care.”

Dear Lord, I know that I am a sinner, and that my sin will send me to hell. I also know and believe that you paid for my sins on the cross. Please save me and give me eternal life. Thank you for your gift of forgiveness. Amen. Does this sound familiar to you? It, or something similar, is what many people refer to as the sinner’s prayer. Have you ever wondered where this prayer is found in the Bible? The following two paragraphs list all the passages in the Bible that mention it. [This Paragraph Intentionally Left Blank] [This Paragraph Intentionally Left Blank] No, this is not a misprint. There is no mention of the sinner’s prayer in the Bible. Not once after the death of Christ was a sinner ever instructed to pray for salvation. The reason I say after the death of Christ is because that is when our New Testament law came into effect (Hebrews 9:16-17). However, there are passages in the Bible that tell us that God will not hear and answer a sinner’s prayer. John 9:31 says, “Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him” (NKJV). Further, the apostle Peter penned, “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil” (1 Peter 3:12). The sinner’s prayer is a tradition or …

Dear Friend, I do hope you will consider me as your friend. I write this letter in the spirit of love and friendship. Jesus was known as a friend of all people. His enemies, though, criticized Him for being “a friend of publicans and sinners” (Matthew 11:19). If I follow in the footsteps of Jesus, I too must be a friend of sinners, and I am one myself. The Lord’s church is composed of sinners saved by the grace of God. It’s not to be made up of self-righteous individuals who think they are better than others. There is too much prejudice and hypocritical-type living. Jesus condemned both of these strongly (Matthew 23; see also Acts 10:34-48; James 2:1-13). I am vitally concerned about the souls of the approximately 8 billion persons on the face of the earth. Studying the Bible with some of these, who may be thousands of miles away, is a privilege that’s a part of our modern world. Traveling to distant places with the Gospel of Jesus is a great blessing as well. Jesus was concerned about the masses. He fed 5,000 men plus women and children (Matthew 14:13-21). Another time, our Lord fed more than 4,000 (Matthew 15:32-39). He had compassion toward them because they were like sheep having no shepherd (Matthew 9:36). I’m confident Jesus is just as concerned today for billions of souls. Our Lord, though, not only saw the masses but the individuals. He said one soul is worth more than all …

“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7 NKJV). God wants us to worship Him in giving. However, it becomes quite clear that God does not want any part of our offering – if it is given with the feelings of reluctance or because we “have to.” Giving ought to be of one’s “own will and free choice, from his very heart, not as directed and forced by others, but according to his own counsel and determination” (Gill). We ought to be willing and happy to give to the Lord; don’t you agree? Giving is just one part of the Christian’s worship to God. We are either commanded or we have apostolically approved examples in the New Testament Scriptures to offer worship to our God in addition to giving by hearing teaching from God’s Word, singing with our hearts, praying and partaking of the Lord’s Supper (Act 2:42; 20:7). Which of these other acts of worship can be offered acceptably before God if we do not willingly and lovingly want to give it? First Corinthians 14:26-40 teaches that worship is to be done decently and in order. Please read this passage and note the commands and precedents set forth in the text. Christian men are needed to help other Christians to worship God. Women are not permitted to teach or to lead the congregation in prayer (1 Corinthians 14:34-35; 1 Timothy 2:8-12). If all …

Greetings my Dear Reader. You may have heard or believed the saying in our religious world that “the church does not save.” It is simply said but difficult if not impossible to be true. It is not only a rash but an unlearned conclusion to a true believer. You already know that God loves all His creations. The Bible affirms in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (NKJV). Why is it only those who believe that will not perish? Again, in 2 Peter 3:9, the Bible states, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Why does God require repentance from His creatures? This is beautifully rendered in Hebrews 5:9, “And having been perfected, He [Jesus Christ] became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” Why does God require obedience? Think right! He wants a “peculiar people” (KJV) or “special people” (NKJV) called the church (Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:47; 1 Peter 2:9). We must understand that when the Bible talks about the church, it does not refer to a denomination. Neither does the Bible call cathedrals or buildings for religious assemblies the church. In this case, it is acceptable that church does not save when it is looked upon as a denomination or a …

Jesus is the most influential person in the history of the world. There have been more books written about Him than anyone else in history. When we read the Gospel accounts, we see why Jesus left such a large imprint on the world. He went around doing good for all people (Acts 10:38). He taught, healed, died and rose from the dead as proof of His deity (Romans 1:4). One of the things often overlooked in the life of Jesus is the influential people who were involved in His life. Many of the most influential people in Jesus’ life were women. These women’s lives should be noted and studied. Jesus was as equally interested in women as He was in men throughout His ministry. Although Jesus selected twelve men to be His apostles, He had women serve near Him throughout His earthly ministry. Mary: His Mother The Old Testament foretold that a virgin would conceive and bring forth a Son Who would be called Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). The New Testament tells us that Mary, who was espoused to Joseph, is the one who gave birth to Jesus (Matthew 1:16-25). She was special enough to be chosen by God to give birth to the Son of God. The angel Gabriel spoke to Mary telling her that she had been chosen for this great task (Luke 1:26-35). She was willing to undergo ridicule and mockery in order to do God’s will. We are not surprised to later read of her Son experiencing …

Humankind is constantly faced with choices that may take it further from serving God or bring it closer to Him. That having been said, we must determine how we will function in life. We can operate on our own whims or live according to God’s will for our lives. Just recently (2021), the Christian Chronicle published an article regarding the church’s response to homosexuality. For just a moment, consider what was revealed in the article. The article featured a woman named Sally Gary who shared her views regarding her lifestyle choice. The article states: Fifteen years ago, Sally Gary started a national ministry called CenterPeace. The goal, as Gary shared at events and seminars across the U.S., was to help Churches of Christ show love to the LGBTQ community. Gary, who grew up in the Tenth and Broad Church of Christ in Wichita Falls, Texas, detailed her personal journey in her 2013 memoir Loves God, Likes Girls. For most of her life, the Abilene Christian University graduate did not challenge traditional Christian beliefs on marriage. “I just told my story of how hard it is to grow up in church, wanting to be faithful, when nobody would talk about this difference in sexuality,” she said. But last fall, Gary, 59, revealed that her understanding of the Bible had changed. During a virtual CenterPeace conference hosted by the Highland Oaks Church of Christ, Gary’s home congregation in Dallas, she announced that she had moved to a fully affirming position in support of same-sex marriage. …

“Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (NKJV). Here is a familiar verse, a verse from which we can learn some vital lessons. The church at Corinth had a problem; that problem was division. Jesus had prayed for unity (John 17:20-21); later, the apostle Paul explained and commanded unity (Ephesians 4:1-6). Division was the problem, and following men was the cause! When men turn from following the Lord – turning from “the unity of the faith” (Ephesians 4:13) – and begin to follow men –  even in small things – division will always result. When there is a problem and the cause is known, a remedy must be sought. Paul’s remedy was that they all speak the same thing. However, men can all speak the same thing and still be saying what is false. The 450 prophets of Baal are a good example (1 Kings 18:20-40). Therefore, there must be a standard. That standard is the Word of God. It and it alone is what God would have all men to follow. Only those who are doing this are pleasing to Him. Peter commanded: “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God…” (1 Peter 4:11). Can you prove your religion and your church by this sacred standard? Does the Word of God authorize your religion …

There are many plans of salvation in the religious world today that purport to offer spiritual blessings. However, according to truth, there is only one place where spiritual blessings are found, including salvation from sin. Consider what Paul wrote to the Ephesians concerning these blessings. Praise God In Ephesians 1:3, Paul wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (NKJV). In this verse, Paul first praised God, the Father. The word translated “blessed,” in “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” is from a word that means blessed, praised, the Blessed One (of God, Mark 14:61). This word is always used in connection with deity (Mark 14:61; Luke 1:68; Romans 1:25; 9:5; 2 Corinthians 1:3; 11:31; Ephesians 1:3; 1 Peter 1:3). The second word translated “blessed,” in “who has blessed us,” is from a different, though related word. According to Barclay Newman, this word means to bestow a blessing upon (Matthew 23:39; Luke 1:42; Romans 12:14), to act graciously toward (with God or Christ as the subject, Luke 6:28), to praise (with God or Christ as the object, Matthew 21:9; Luke 24:53) or to ask God’s blessing upon (as with food, Matthew 14:19). Here, it refers to God blessing us in ways unique to His faithful people and to His faithful people alone! Paul stated the fact that all spiritual blessings for which God is to be praised are found …

So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:9-11 NKJV) We have gotten better at death! Maybe it is just my opinion, but today we handle the reality of a loved one passing in a more sophisticated, mature and intellectual way. If you look back on history, you will find death attended by many odd practices that amount to little more than superstition, faulty religious beliefs or misconceived science. For instance, have you ever wondered why we can dig in the earth at the sites of ancient burial grounds and find many valuable, ancient artifacts, including vast treasure troves of kings? On some level, those ancients believed that one could take these items with them. Yet, here they are now resting in some museum behind a wall of glass, the owner deceased and gone for thousands of years. Guess they got that one wrong. Perhaps this is why cremation in our day has become so popular, whether you believe in such a …

Joshua assumed the mantel of leadership for the express purpose of leading God’s people in the conquest of the Promised Land. He led Israel across the Jordan River and through a dizzying series of victories (because God was with them) over people far more powerful . “Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the Lord said to him: ‘You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed’” (Joshua 13:1 NKJV). God was saying the work He had given Joshua and the Israelites was not finished. The Lord’s message to us could well be the same. He gave His followers a spiritual commission of worldwide conquest. “Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem’” (Luke 24:46-47). Paul understood the need to keep preaching the Word, as is seen in his instructions to Timothy (2 Timothy 2:2). God wanted Joshua and the people to recognize He was still on their side. He listed the land and people yet to be conquered and promised, “…them I will drive out from before the children of Israel…” (Joshua 13:6). The population of the world is now above 7.6 billion, while known members of the Lord’s church would only be a few million. Thankfully Jesus promised to always be …

You know the type: that person who seems to always be busy, constantly running from here to there and from there to here, making tons of stops along the way. You see them at work, at soccer games and at the grocery store. You know the kind of person I’m talking about. Is it you? Are you the one who is just too busy for your own good? I’m all for getting things done, but there has to be balance in life. Even Jesus took time out to rest! I hope you see today as a gift. Even more, I hope you see today as your gift to your family. Instead of staying so busy, can you find some time today to be at rest with your family?

In one of his epistles to Christians, the apostle Peter wrote, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar [“special” NKJV] people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9 KJV). How are Christians different or distinct from all other people of the world? They breathe the same air, eat the same food, drink the same water and enjoy the same sunshine. Then, how are they different, peculiar or special? Christians are different because they do not follow the standard set by the world; they are trying to live by following the steps or teachings of Christ (1 Peter 2:21). Christ taught that His followers are in the world but are not of the world, as He was not of the world when He was on earth (John 17:14-16). They are urged to not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds (Romans 12:2). By becoming Christians, they have put off the old man of sin and have put on the new man, which is Jesus Christ, when they were baptized into His death (Romans 6:3-4; Ephesians 4:17-24). Philippians 3:20 says our citizenship is in Heaven. Sure, on earth we are citizens of the countries in which we live, and as Christians, we are to live as responsible people in our nations. Our first responsibility, however, is to God, as Christ taught …

What comes to mind when you think about Peter? Do you associate him with his lows or his highs? Jesus did have to pull him out of the water, but never forget that Peter actually had the faith and the courage to step out of the boat in the first place (Matthew 14:28-29)! Peter did deny Jesus three times, but he was able to bounce back, and he is the one recorded doing the majority of the preaching in the first few chapters of Acts, including preaching to the very crowd that crucified Jesus (Acts 2)! I want to be more like Peter. There are things I want to accomplish and steps I need to take that are outside of my comfort zone; I want to have his faith, boldness and courage. I know that things will not always go as planned, and there will be times I fall on my face. I also want his ability to bounce back after failures and defeats. I want to meet life head on and succeed. I want to be a little more like Peter.

What is going on in our world? Päivi Räsänen, a former Finnish interior minister, is on trial in Finland for quoting Bible verses that state those who practice homosexuality are sinning. A BBC report stated, “The court will have to decide whether citing the Bible can be considered a crime in some cases in Finland.” Räsänen has said, “I hope that today it can become clear that I have no wish to offend any group of people, but this is a question of saving people for eternal life.” Some have termed her trial a modern-day inquisition. In Canada, a bill is under consideration that would make it a criminal offense for parents to help their children accept their biological gender. Under this legislation, parents could spend up to five years in jail if they do not affirm their child’s gender transition. In the United States, the equality act would disallow any appeal to religious beliefs by American churches and ministries who wish to follow biblical sexuality standards in employment and other practices (https://www.denisonforum.org/columns/daily-article ). Faith in God has always been under attack by Satan, as well as by those captivated in the depths of sin. In this current assault on biblical values, this generation is being challenged like never before. When the truth of Scripture is denied and replaced by one’s own feelings, sin is the only system left by which to live. What does it bring to life? Paul reminds us we are either slaves of sin or of …

I’ve been preaching nearly 60 years, and there is something that really concerns me. It is that those who were once faithful preachers, elders, deacons and other members have left the church for various reasons. When meeting with them, they respond, “I know what I should do.” I’ve often said, “If you know what to do, why not do it?” Then, silence. We are aware they know what to do because many were members for years, and many individuals were brought up in the church. What happened along the way? Who is responsible for their condition now? They are, of course. The blame game will not work, but we that are faithful still have a responsibility to them based on Galatians 6:1. “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted” (NKJV). Regardless of discouragements, disappointments, hardships or lack of love from brethren, don’t take it out on God. He is not to blame. Remember, there are many who have in the past and now care about your soul. Think of your parents who loved you, supported you and gave guidance throughout your life. If you remain unfaithful, you will neither see them again nor see all the redeemed of the ages. Don’t turn your back on the One Who saved you by sending His Son to die for you. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John …