[The Forrest Hill News, Vol. 26, March 29, 2000, p. 2.] Often the question is asked, “Must I attend every service of the Lord’s church?” Some feel that attending one worship assembly each week meets the criterion of faithful membership. But the problem is one of the heart. The question should be: “How much do I love God; how much do I love the brotherhood; how much do I love my soul and the crown of life awaiting the faithful?” The Christian, therefore, will reason thus: One, I will assemble regularly, for to praise God demonstrates and proves my love for him and my gratitude for the marvelous sacrifice of Christ (John 14:15). To the Christian who lives in great anticipation of serving God day and night in his presence in heaven, the privilege of serving and praising him in the assembly cannot come often enough (Revelation 5:9-14). To have to miss the Bible study/worship brings deepest regret. Why, the Christian will die for Christ; certainly, he will assemble faithfully in his presence with the brethren! Two, I will assemble regularly, for this helps me to be my brother’s keeper (Genesis 4:9). It helps to strengthen my marriage (Song of Solomon 8:6; Matthew 19:6-9; Hebrews 13:4), helps me bring my children up in “the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4), helps me lead the lost to Christ (Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 7:4), helps me restore the erring (James 5:19-20), helps me love the brotherhood (Hebrews 13:1), helps me bear fruit (John

[Forest Hill News, Memphis, Forest Hill Church of Christ, Vol. 25, No. 25, June 29, 1999, pp. 1-2.]The handiwork of God is simply amazing.  What a marvel is the majesty of the towering Rockies, or the luring fascination of the Smokies, or the simple beauty of the vividly painted canyons of the West!  But, unsurpassed in the mind of this writer is the pure and graceful spring of water, bursting forth from a mountain’s lofty heights.  However, it seems nothing so clear can long remain. Very vivid in the writer’s memory is his having climbed Mt. LeConte in the Great Smoky Mountains with his father and his brother, Paul, some forty-one years ago.  In memory’s eye, the hike must have been twenty miles to the summit and six miles down.  What a welcomed sight was a clear, sparkling spring gushing forth from rocks through which it had percolated and cascaded!  How refreshing it was!  How renewing and revitalizing!  Could this stream, clear as crystal, ever become contaminated and muddy? What a thing of beauty to see it splash and meander down the gorge, displaying in sparkling fascination its water-tumbled and smoothed pebbles, its rainbow-colored trout and even the reflection of its awe-struck observer!  However, farther down the gorge when streams from other sources in the valley have fed their mud, filth and debris into the steadily enlarging stream, no longer can one observe the darting fish or the washed pebbles, nor can he see his reflection. The person wishing to

[Appeared in Yokefellow, Vol. 24, No. 12, December 8, 1997, p. 2.] When our Lord was tried before Pilate, he confessed his deity (1 Timothy 6:13), as did Timothy (6:12) and as must we (Romans 10:9-10; Acts 8:37).  Pilate said to the Jews, “I find no crime in him” (John 18:38).  When the Jews demanded that Christ be crucified, Pilate had him scourged, mocked and smitten with the hand (19:1-3).  He then said, “Behold, I bring him out to you, that ye may know that I find no crime in him” (19:4). His original purpose was to scourge the Son of God and then release him (Luke 23:16).  It seems he was trying by these events to rouse pity in the hearts of the Jews toward Jesus rather than for him to be crucified.  To get their attention, Pilate said, “Behold, the man!” the innocent one.  They but cried the more loudly, “Crucify him, crucify him!” (19:5). Pilate then said, “Take him yourselves and crucify him: for I find no crime in him” (19:6).  “. . . he delivered him unto them to be crucified” (19:6).  After he had finished his work on the cross for man’s redemption, “he bowed his head, and gave up his spirit” (19:30).  Not many, not even Pilate, were fully aware of the characteristics and identity of the one he delivered up to the Jews for crucifixion. “Behold, The Man!” Though Jesus was a man, he was not a mere, ordinary man.  The centurion would later