One of the saddest experiences a preacher, counselor or teacher will ever experience is that of looking into the sad face of one with whom he has lovingly studied and counseled for some time, and have to say, “Your present marriage is not scriptural, and so, your desire to become a Christian hangs upon your separation from the unscriptural partner you now embrace, followed then, by full and complete acceptance of God’s marriage laws as laid out in the Bible.” Do not be deluded! Being baptized will neither wash away the unscriptural marriage nor anything else for which there has been no repentance and prayer. A thief who stole $10,000.00 and hid it under his bed can maintain that he has repented until torment freezes over, but as long as he retains the money, he has neither repented nor cleared himself of the wrongdoing. Just so! A man who has contracted an unscriptural marriage can proclaim aloud that he’s repented, but until he divests himself of his illegitimate (unscriptural) marriage partner, he is living in sin! The present live-in craze that has swept through most nations of the Earth in the last few years is nothing but fornication or adultery, depending upon the circumstances. Those who foolishly reason that they should try the marriage arrangement for a season, to see if they can adjust to it, wouldn’t think of going down to Walmart, lifting a new automotive battery from the shelf, taking it home and runing it for a few weeks before agreeing to

Proper consideration for God’s clear instructions would have prevented transgression in the Garden of Eden. Then, who is there who has not been deeply touched by the righteous consideration of Queen Esther, who put her life on the line as she entreated the King for her people the Jews (Esther 4)? In this moving disclosure of the providence of Almighty God, we see righteous principle rising victoriously over the wicked schemes of evil men. It still does, today! The prophet Haggai exhorted the stiff-necked and self-satisfied Jews of his day , “…Consider your ways” (Haggai 1:5, 7). He made that declaration because the people were eating, drinking and striving for personal gratification, but they were never satisfied. While they were pursuing what pleased them, they were satisfied to allow the House of God to lie in ruins before their very eyes. In essence, the prophet Haggai asked them, ‘Don’t you know why you are eating and drinking, but are never filled? Can’t you discern why you are always empty and unfulfilled? It is because you are always pushing God out of your lives! You disregard Him!’ The result is always the same where there is not proper consideration of God’s Holy Word! That is disrespect for the holy commandments of God and the failure to love and consider others and their needs. In his delightful book, Mule Musings, Brother Basil Overton told of an old redneck who rode into town on his mule while his wife walked a few paces behind.

I learned of a conversation some time ago in which a person who was down on his luck was arguing that “maybe your God answers your prayers, but my god doesn’t hear a thing I say.” Could this possibly be true? Why would a loving God turn His ears away from someone who was imploring Him for something? Could there be a reasonable explanation? Indeed! There is, and the Bible has the inspired answer. “Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him” (John 9:31 NKJV). Let us also be wise enough to understand that there is only one God of Heaven (Ephesians 4:6) and “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry” (Psalm 34:15). These verses, along with a myriad of others, define the condition of God hearing a person’s prayer. Look at the reason Israel was told that God wouldn’t listen to them. “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2). One who chooses to live in disobedience to God can rest assured that his prayers will not be answered. At least they will not be answered in the way he wished. A righteous prayer will always get God’s attention. The Israelites suffered 400 years in Egyptian bondage, but when they cried unto God, their prayers were heard,

Marvin Killian was a six-year-old English lad whose parents lived in an impoverished section of London, England. During a bleak, chilly winter, both of his parents died of pneumonia, and the young boy was left alone. His only relative was an aunt who lived in the far away city of Liverpool. Kind people of the neighborhood purchased a railway ticket and packed all of his earthly belongings in one small bag, before placing him on the train. Arriving in Liverpool just before dark, the lad was hungry, tired and very apprehensive. He expected his aunt to meet him, but a servant named Caesar came riding upon a great black horse. Caesar helped him up on the horse, and they started off. Anxiously, the lad asked Caesar if his aunt would already be gone to bed when they arrived at her house. “Oh! No, Sir!” Caesar answered. “In a little way you’ll see her candles in the distance, burning for you.” Surely enough, there it was! When they reached the house, Marvin saw his lovely aunt standing beside the gate, waiting for him. When Caesar helped him to the ground, she ran to him, embraced him and smothered him with her kisses. Taking him inside, she washed his face and hands, and sat him down to a warm supper of beef stew and bread pudding. She drew him a warm bath and helped him get into his pajamas. She knelt with him as he said his prayers, and sitting beside his

If you ever seriously considered the Book of Deuteronomy, you were sure to see the wonder, the mercy and longsuffering providence of Almighty God as He worked with rebellious Israel. God set before Israel a magnificent land that flowed with milk and honey, and He told them in so many words, “Go get it!” (Exodus 3:8; Leviticus 20:24; Deuteronomy 26:9). An objective look at Israel from the time of their leaving Egyptian bondage to the time of their preparing to enter Canaan reveals a startling situation. Their history was always the same! There would be a period of halfhearted obedience in which they would prosper, and then there would come a period of rebellion and outright apostasy. In this span of time, they questioned every communication from God. Even in times of disobedience, God lovingly entreated them to return to obedience. “The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes” (Deuteronomy 1:30 NKJV). “You must not fear them, for the Lord your God Himself fights for you” (Deuteronomy 3:22). In our day and time, we know that God has not chosen for Himself a national people, whom He blesses exclusively. Note the following scriptures. “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). “But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (Acts 10:35). The hope of Heaven is set before

Webster’s Everyday Encyclopedia of the New World Dictionary of the American Language (1967) devotes a large section to a “Guide to English Grammar.” The first presentation in this section is a brief description of an “Article” in English grammar. It says: An Article is a word placed before a noun to show whether the noun is used in a particular or general sense. (1) Give me a book could mean any book. (2) Give me the red and green striped book, on Golf, would mean only the specific book indicated. The article “a” when used, indicates something general, or any item. When the article “the” is used, only the specific, one-of-a-kind item defined by the description given is meant. In simpler terms, the article “the” points to things that are one of a kind, singular or unique. The article “a” is a general term denoting more than one or many of a type. Did you ever employ such reasoning in your attempts to study the Bible? Doing so will amaze you as you attempt to “show thyself approved unto God…” (2Timothy 2:15). Let’s look at some simple examples of this truth. In 760 B.C. Isaiah said, “…for out of Zion [Jerusalem] shall go forth the law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:3). Employing the established rule of ‘articles’ in English grammar would render this verse thusly. “for out of Zion [Jerusalem] shall go forth the [only] law, and the [only] Word of the [only] Lord from Jerusalem.” One has only to look at Acts 2 to see this prophesy fulfilled. Why is this

When the late and beloved Marshall Keeble was 18-years-old, he worked for the Cassity Coal Company, where he operated a soap press. Years later, he laughingly related that they pressed three different bars of soap from the same stock. “We colored, shaped and perfumed it differently, but it was all from the same stock. There was Tokyo, Clarimax and Cracker Jack all made from the same stock. Some swore by one, some by another. Each had his own reason for liking his bar best“ (J.E. Choate. Roll Jordan Roll, 17). People and things have changed very little, it seems, although many years have passed. If one should make a concerted study of ideas and attitudes concerning the saving Gospel over the last few decades, it would soon become apparent that all start off with the same Gospel, in one way or another, but it doesn’t take very long for someone to change the shape, color or smell to suit one’s own personal fancy. Think of what has been done to the original idea of baptism. At first, it was thought to be Scriptural only if done for the remission of sins, in the form of an immersion. So-called infant baptism, sprinkling and pouring were thought to be anathema. What happened? Someone decided to shape it a bit differently, give it another form and make it smell more appealing to the masses, by saying that it was an outward sign of an inward grace (not in the Bible). Some contended that baptism was mandatory (as the

Righteous people throughout the ages have shared a common wish for their children. They want them to prosper in the Lord and to do well in life. There is no guaranteed recipe for this wish, although there are many things that will contribute to this plan. The best thing one could do to ensure such an outcome for one’s children is to start them out on the right foot, and prayerfully constrain them to walk in the “light” as long as they shall live. God’s plan is right and true, and it certainly cannot be wrong. However, the outcome depends upon the individual. All of us know families of six or eight children where every single one of them grew up to be righteous individuals. By the same token, we also know of families where only two children are born and one of them is exemplary and the other is an outright renegade. The difference? Their attitude toward God’s Word and the instructions from godly parents is what makes the difference. When King David came to his last days, he communed with his son, Solomon, this way. I go the way of all the Earth: be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man; And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself. That the Lord may continue in His Word which He spoke concerning me, saying, if thy children take

Many times my wife and I sit at our breakfast table and ponder the outcome of current news and happenings. Generally, there is alarming and tumultuous chaos, and it is not just rampant in our neck of the woods, but it tends to darken every horizon where one might look. Just when it looks like things have slowed down a bit, and things look a bit better, the TV screen comes alive with the foreboding news, “Tragedy in your town” or “Raging killer takes the lives of innocent people.” This, to us, harks back to the prophetic pronouncements of utter doom and destruction that await the ungodly of Earth at the end of time. While this portends tragedy and suffering like none on Earth before, for the ungodly, it also points to the faithful before the throne of eternal God who await the most wonderful words to ever fall upon mortal ear, ”Come ye blessed of my Father.” It is not uncommon to hear folks reminiscing of the “Good old days,” but from what I’ve been able to discern, one of the best things about the good old days is that they’re gone. Brother E.C. McKenzie asks the insightful question, “Don’t you long for the ‘good old days’ when Uncle Sam lived within his income and without most of yours?” Doubtless, most of us can relate to that pointed question. Time comes, and time goes, but apparently it does not change much with its movement. The prophet Micah spoke of

A young boy was allowed to spend the summer with his grandparents, who lived on a farm. One day the grandfather made the young lad a slingshot and told him all the safety rules that went with such an object. “Don’t shoot at any person! Don’t shoot at any of the farm creatures! Don’t shoot at anything that is valuable to Granny and Grandpa.” The little fellow grew quite proficient with the slingshot, and often he shot at hickory nuts, small rocks and almost anything he chose to hit. One day, as he strolled down a lane toward the stock watering pond, he spied a big beautiful goose, which just seemed to glide over the water of the pond. This was Granny’s favorite critter because it often followed her around like a puppy. Granny often talked to the goose, and she frequently gave it bits of food from the dinner table. Forgetting all the instructions and warnings he had received, the boy selected a nice round rock, placed it in the slingshot, and taking careful aim, he killed Granny’s goose with one shot. Horrified, he quickly dragged it out of the water, found a secluded place in the edge of the woods and proceeded to dig a hole and bury the goose. Little did he know it, but his sister had witnessed the whole thing. She told him that she knew his secret. After supper, Granny asked the sister to help with the dishes. “Granny,” the sister said, “Johnny would

Many times during the course of my 85 years, I have come face to face with seemingly insurmountable difficulties. Some of these turned out to be imaginary; some of them were very real. Some of them passed into oblivion quickly, and some of them endured for great lengths of time. In parallel, I’m reminded of the two old country boys who were trying to impress each other with their vast storehouse of knowledge about girls. One of them observed, “Now, pretty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone. Pretty is sure to pass away, but that old ugly just keeps hanging on.” In a remote but comparative way, that’s how troubles and treasures come into, and abide in our lives. Some are fleeting, some are steadfast. Some bring happiness and others bring tears. In the annals of recorded history, I would dare say there have been few people who ever confronted more or harder trials than the apostle Paul. Consider, “…In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft” (2 Corinthians 11:23). He then continued to relate a staggering account of tragic abuses. ‘Beaten by the Jews five times with 39 stripes. Beaten with rods three times. Stoned once. In three ship wrecks. A day and a night in the deep. In endless journeys.’ Listen to his next words: “In perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils

“Tim was so learned that he could name a horse in nine languages, but he was so ignorant that he went out and bought a cow to ride on” (Ben Franklin in Poor Richard’s Almanac). Without doubt, one should avail himself of as much education as possible because it will be an asset throughout life. Book learning, however, without any practical sense, is like having as many degrees as a thermometer, and not having enough ‘horse sense’ to get in out of the rain. One thus minded is sure to end up all wet! Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life. (Proverbs 4:5-13) Anyone who reads these simple and understandable verses

Two men were taking their small children for a stroll through the park on a beautiful evening. The two families met and stopped for a bit of small talk and enjoyable conversation. One of the men was a constant complainer who rarely ever saw anything to smile about, and the other was a loving, Christian man who was always friendly, kind and always smiling. While the children of the two men were playing and having a happy time together, a tall, red haired man walked by. Immediately the children of the complaining man began to make rude and unkind remarks about the stranger. The kind man told the complainer that he should speak to his children about being nice, kind and considerate of others, especially those who were strangers. The complainer retorted that all the children had acted in the same way. The kind man called all of the children together, and asked each of them what they thought of the redheaded stranger who had just walked by. The complainer’s children called him a redheaded bum, the stupidest man they ever saw, and that he looked very lazy with his hazel colored eyes. The Christian man’s children stated that the stranger had smiled kindly at them, and they thought that his red hair looked like a warm open fire. They said that his eyes sparkled like ‘ole Saint Nick, and they reflected again upon his smile, which they said reminded them of their Mother’s sweet smile. What made the difference?

The last time I was at home, I reached down and picked up the old family Bible. It was old and worn, and the myriad sensations of joy, sadness and wonder that it brought to my mind were quite moving. Looking at the family register, I relived, in my mind, some of the joyous moments of birth, marriage and happy occasions recorded there. I felt again, the heartrending memories of loved ones as I noted the dates of their passing from this life. In the twinkling of an eye, I recalled the joy of birth, the hope of life and the sadness of death on the pages of this old, treasured family Bible. Although these precious memories spanned many years in their passing, they were all still summed up in the briefest of notes on those few pages. I shivered as I recalled the finality of the prophet Job’s chilling summary of a man’s life. He said, “Man that is born of woman is of a few days and full of trouble. He cometh forth as a flower and is cut down. He fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not” (Job 14:2). The prophet Amos spoke serious words to the disobedient forces of Israel. He reminded them of Sodom and Gomorrah, and promised just the same sort of destruction upon them because they repented not nor turned from their wicked ways. Listen to his words from God the Father: “Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and

A young man was strolling through the woods and enjoying the beauty of God’s handiwork when he heard a stream nearby, and he walked down to view its course. He crossed over the stream and went toward a partially cleared section nearby. He soon realized that he was standing in the area where a large farmhouse had been ravaged with fire some time ago. He turned toward the rubble where the barn had stood, and then realized that this must have been a wild fire that caught the owners away from home. In a deep rut where steel-tired wagons had run, the man caught a glimpse of something bright. He stooped down, took his pocket knife out and unearthed the object. It was heavy, and mangled to such a degree that the man could only guess that it had been a massive man’s ring. He had a friend in town who was a jeweler and a gold assayer, and he took the object to him for a professional evaluation. He left it for a week, and when he returned, he was amazed at what he saw. The dirt, soot, and scratches had all been removed, and the misshapen object was now a beautiful man’s ring. The young man realized that it was a ring all along, but its distorted shape and its physical appearance did little to make it appear worthwhile to anyone. This was especially true since the ring was not on someone’s finger, nor on a table or

No matter how serious or troublesome a thing might be, there’s always someone who can come up with something funny, ludicrous or downright ignorant to say about it. You can prove this to yourself by recalling things you have heard said about mothers-in-law, tornadoes or arthritis. Most small towns have two or three cultural centers, from which the local folks derive their daily enlightenment. Generally, these are the barber shop, the courthouse square or the spot where all the checker players hang out. A discussion of marriage, in just such a place, recently turned up some very enlightening thoughts. One fellow quoted a philosopher, named Epicharmus, as having said, “Marriage is like casting dice. If chance brings you a good and virtuous woman, your lot is happy! If you gain instead a gadding and gossiping and thriftless queen, no wife is yours, but an everlasting plague in woman’s garb, and the habitable globe holds not so dire a torment anywhere.” Another fellow spoke up and said, “It is better to be half hanged than to be ill wed.” Then, there was the mastermind who postulated the idea that a perfect marriage would consist of a blind bride and a deaf groom. All of this reminds one of some professing themselves to be wise (Romans 1:22). On the other hand, God’s Holy Word has much to say about marriage. First of all, “And the Lord God said it is not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18). In His

It is my considered opinion that it does not make any difference what a man wishes to accomplish in his lifetime, nor does it matter where he has been, nor where he wishes to go, there is nothing better for man to do than to understand and obey Almighty God. God’s Holy Word is the very best answer to any question man may pose, and no improvement upon the Holy Scriptures is possible! In a manner of speaking, the old adage, “Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to do or die” fits the bill perfectly and completely! So! What is man to do? If a man wishes to do well in this life, and to inherit eternal life with God at the end of his earthly way, what should a man do? “And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30). If a man wishes to establish a Christian home, what should he do? The first step in the full realization of this noble desire requires some things that must be done. (1) He must hear God’s Word (Romans 10:17), (2) He must believe the Gospel (Hebrews 11:6), (3)

The Gospel of John is quite expository in its unfolding. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:1-3). What does all of this mean? Quite simply, it says that God the Son was in the beginning with God the Father, when everything was made. The Genesis record bears this out in indisputable terms! “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” (Genesis 1:26). God looked at what had been made, “And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). The question readily arises, “How did such a grand scheme go so badly that God took action to punish it?” God had given the man and woman explicit instructions to not eat of the fruit of the tree the midst of the garden! The Devil beguiled (lured, enticed) Eve, and straightway she gave of the fruit to Adam, and they both ate of it. They both disobeyed God! They, and all of mankind after them, were destined to suffer the consequences of their disobedience (Genesis 3:12-24). From that time forward, the Earth was filled, more and more, with murder, mayhem and madness, to the end that Genesis 6:5 says, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the Earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

It is known fact that all “good sports” are not Christians, in the strictest sense of the word, but every true Christian is always a good sport! I watched a group of “church league” softball players one afternoon, long ago, and I really got an education on sportsmanship and Christianity. During the heat of competition, one group seemed to laugh at all of their mistakes, and generally speaking, those guys seemed to be having the time of their lives, even though they also seemed to be losing. Their speech was good, above reproach, and their attitude attested to the fact that they were good sportsmen. The group which won (?) the game was representing another “church” group, and to say the least, their conduct and speech was disgraceful. They were constantly bickering, were quick to contest a call that did not suit them, and their use of expletives bordered upon plain ugly talk. They displayed anything but good sportsmanship and Christianity. When an umpire ruled in a way that did not please them, they would fuss and quarrel like a spoiled brat, instead of acting like gentlemen, or as a representative of a “church group” that insisted upon fair play and clean speech. I am thoroughly convinced that “Christians” must set the proper example in all that they say, and do; and this sort of attitude will reflect itself in their consideration of others, fair play and mature actions. A Christian does not “bag” 12 squirrels when the bag limit

A few years ago, in one of the local shopping malls, a man of extraordinary skill and vision brought in a large section of a specially chosen log, and with patience and precision, he used his chain saw to carve out a remarkable resemblance of the legendary Coach, Paul “Bear” Bryant, of football fame. The massive structure was truly breathtaking in its resemblance to Coach Bryant. Multitudes of awe-struck folks stood with mouth open and eyes glaring at the marvelous statue. The artist’s attention to minute detail and realism was uncanny! However, Alas! A little time and the normal wear and tear of aging took its toll, and the lovely work had to be removed. Big cracks began to emerge, and discoloration took place in numerous areas. As magnificent as the structure had been, there came a time when it had to be removed rather than become an embarrassment to the mall and the artisan. The Old Testament abounds with God’s instructions regarding the numerous “idols” with which Israel seemed to be smitten. The Israelites made idols of wood, stone, metal, and many times of precious gems, gold and silver. No matter how professional the artisans were, the objects of their efforts were still “made with hands” and could neither speak, hear nor do anything at all. They were inanimate objects, made by human hands, and not worthy of any worship or adoration. Although the Jews were often found running from one idol to another, they were without excuse for

The Lord God Almighty planted a garden eastward in Eden, and therein He placed the man whom He had created of the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7). God’s instructions to the man were both clear and unmistakable! “And the Lord God commanded the man saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). Later, God made a woman and took her unto the man. I do not personally know of any passages that indicate that God or Adam instructed the woman with regard to the forbidden fruit, but the following verses clearly show that she was aware of the instructions given to Adam. “And the woman said unto the serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die” (Genesis 3:2-3). Following this, there is a sad disclosure that the man and the woman having disobeyed the Lord, partook of the forbidden fruit. We see them after this, hiding from the face of God, as He walked in the Garden, in the cool of the evening (Genesis 3:8). God called out to Adam, “Where art thou?” Since we know that God

In his wonderful booklet, When Life Tumbles In, the late Batsell Barrett Baxter skillfully brought together the best of his knowledge of life and biblical precepts, and amalgamated them with the inspirational themes of contemporary artists, to produce a worthy compilation of information. The presumptive title of the booklet seems to insist that everyone is familiar with the problems of life. The Patriarch Job, of the long ago, said it this way, “Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). The idea then, is not “if life should bring me trouble” but rather, how shall I react when life brings me trouble? We can cringe in anxiety and frustration, and pitch a big “pity party,” but that will only exacerbate the existing problem. Brother Baxter’s book points us to resolutions of the problems of life and the resultant happiness that follows. In the chapter entitled, “The Problem of Loneliness,” he has this to say: I have found the following paragraphs from the book “Light from many lamps,” a source of strength. Henry Francis Lyte walked into his study…an old man…near the end of the journey. He was tired and ill. The doctor told him that he had only a few months to live. He thumbed the well-worn Bible on his desk, and it fell open at one of his favorite passages: “Abide with us; for it is towards evening and the day is now far spent” (Luke 24:29). In the quiet of his