Posts from February 2021

Posts from February 2021

Leaders are Made at Home – Trent Kennedy

Imagine the sad state of the local congregation if an aged eldership were to look out at the flock and see only men who were in need of training instead of men trained, only men who could stomach milk and none to chew on solid food, only men who should be taught instead of those who by reason of time had become teachers themselves. Such an eldership would have to concede that not a man of their congregation would be…

Why Marriages Fail – Johnny Ramsey

God ordained marriage in the second chapter of the first book of the Bible. He knew it “it is not good for man to be alone” (Gen. 2:18). What Jehovah joined together (husband and wife), man should not “put asunder” (Matt. 19:6). But, in the past thirty years — in America alone — we have the sad statistic of over a million divorces a year. In many towns and states, about 50 percent of all marriages begun have resulted in…

Five Steps to Destruction – Don Walker

Jeremiah had been called at a very critical time in the history of Israel and Judah. The Northern Kingdom, Israel, had already been carried away. Isaiah, who prophesied some 700 years before Christ, had warned Israel repeatedly of her sins, yet she would not hear nor take heed. Jeremiah had been called to be a prophet to the southern tribe of Judah, but he felt ill equipped for the task because of his age (Jer. 1:5,6). However, Jehovah had other…

Turn Off the News – Cody Westbrook

Each year the Mental Health America organization conducts a nation-wide mental health survey called The State of Mental Health in America. As you may imagine, the 2021 report is near catastrophic. The mental health status of young people is worsening; the number of people experiencing frequent thoughts of suicide or self-harm is the highest ever recorded by the study; COVID pushed the number of people seeking help for anxiety and depression through the roof; even before COVID numbers of people…

Trusting in the Lord to Overcome – Ronnie Scherffius

The treachery of his son Absalom (2 Sam. 15-18) occasioned David’s writing the Third Psalm. While this psalm has special relevance to a particular time in the life of King David, it also serves as a great inspiration for our faith as we endure the trials and tribulations in our own lives. David began this psalm highlighting the increase of troubles and the great discouragement that was cast his way: “Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are…

Arise!

First Kings 21 chronicles one of the one of the more heinous acts of Jezebel and Ahab. Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard which Ahab coveted greatly. When Naboth refused to sell it to Ahab, Jezebel arranged his murder. This crime did not go unnoticed. First Kings 21:17 records, “Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel…” Ahab and Jezebel’s actions throughout their reign posed a great…

Stewardship

Stewardship is one of the more challenging principles of New Testament Christianity, not because it is difficult to understand but because of the all-encompassing nature of its application. Everything we have is entrusted to our care and must be utilized responsibly. Such a reality should humble us and compel us to give determined attention to discharging our responsibilities as faithfully as possible. This begins with a proper understanding of stewardship in general. First, stewardship involves measurability. In the parable of…

A Desire to See

English writer John Heywood is said to have written the proverb “There are none so blind as those who will not see.” The statement perfectly captures the stubborn unreasonableness of one who willingly rejects truth. Sadly, the world is full of such people. Tragically, some can even be found in the church of our Lord. While Heywood perfectly captured the stubbornness of rejection, the Psalmist identifies the antithesis–the desire that should be found in every child of God. Psalm 119:18…