Posts by Southwest Church of Christ

This week our brother Jerry Hill will head to prison for things he was a part of before he left the depths of addiction and became a Christian. He will need our support, our encouragement, our letters, and our prayers (James 5:16). We hope and pray that his time in prison is short. After a few months of mandated prison ministry, we expect Jerry to be back preaching in Spicewood and worshipping with us from time-to-time at SW. When we…

Poetry often presents itself as a picture. These pictures help us not only to think logically about truth, but to “see”, “feel”, “smell”, or even “taste” it. Some pictures are more pleasant than others, and the one given in Proverbs 26:11 is, well,… disgusting. Proverbs 26:11 says, “Like a dog that returns to its vomit is a fool who repeats his folly” (NASB 95). Let us consider this simile for a moment. Do you have a dog? I want you…

Walking through life is sweet when you’re walking with work that matters, cherished loved ones, family, a sense of purpose, etc. But if you do not walk with God none of the above matters. Christians enjoy the spiritual blessing Paul described as “newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). It’s a life that truly fulfills. We have been richly blessed to study topics and passages relevant to the theme this past weekend at the 9th annual Arise Spiritual Growth Workshop. We have…

Your environment matters. Who you spend your time with can significantly impact the direction of your life. Consider a smoker, for example. According to the American Cancer Society, two of the most common reasons individuals begin smoking are because their parents or their peers smoke. The desire to fit in with friends or to imitate someone admired influences desire, and desire influences behavior. The point is simple: your environment can impact your behavior. This does not mean our environment excuses…

“The ends justify the means” and “A little white lie never hurt anyone”— these two cliches miss the obvious and contradict Almighty God. Proverbs 6:16-19 reveals seven things that the Lord hates. These abominations do not belong in the realm of moral ambiguity, yet man will run to defend them to some degree or another. James warns us about the tongue’s great potential to destroy, and John was told that “all liars” will have their part in the lake of…

Who do you trust? That is a loaded question, and the answer often depends on the context in which it is asked. Yet one thing is certain: we all place our trust in someone. For some, it may be a spouse; for others, a close friend, a mentor, or even themselves. Trust is a powerful bond. It often takes years to build, yet it can be broken in a single moment. The book of Proverbs has much to say about…

One of the great things about the Bible is that God chose to use real life examples to teach us. We can better understand how to be Christians when we can relate a Bible truth to something we know already. The New Testament uses the following occupations to teach us what it means to live by faith (Gal. 2:20). A Christian is like a builder. Jesus used the parable of the wise and foolish man to illustrate the point that…

Where is your focus? Maybe it is upon the aspirations and goals you have set for yourself this year. It may be more narrowly upon a trial you may be facing or a desire you have right now. It may also be possible that you have no true focus at all, or your focus is crystal clear. Wherever you find yourself, we live in a world that is constantly trying to steal our focus, draw our attention elsewhere, or change…

Do you want to prosper? Prosperity is a state of living that most are working hard to achieve. Merriam-Webster simply defines this lifestyle as “thriving.” This is a life characterized by success and well-being. Naturally, the question then becomes, “How do I achieve such a life?” One of the keys to a prosperous life is given to us in the Book of Proverbs. This pearl of inspired wisdom says, “The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will…

One of the most powerful moments in scripture is recorded in John 6. Jesus had taught something that many of his listeners found offensive. Many of His disciples stopped following Him. Jesus, seeing them turn away, turned to the twelve apostles and asked them if they would also leave Him. Peter responded, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life and we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ the Son of the…