Winston Salem church of Christ

You’re caught up in the fun, stuffing down snacks, and then out of nowhere, with no warning or preview, you get slapped upside the head with an personalized version of John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, the whole world, everyone, anyone, that’s a lot of people, that He gave his one and only Son, His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. Wow!” That’s the commercial during the Broncos-Steelers postseason football game. Why did this have such an impact? Why was there such a “Wow!” factor?

For starters, there is the unexpected timing – in the middle of a football game. Among all the Bible verses, John 3:16 is easily the most recognizable; followed closely by those who love to quote, “Judge not, lest you be judged.” You see, the words are not unknown and unexpected, but the message and timing are. That’s a good lesson for teaching – “act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time” (Col.4:5).

On top of that, there is the unexpected source. Isn’t TV the source of such sinful promotions that require the pure in heart to turn away and turn it off? Isn’t TV the source of more filth than faith? I guess if God can use a donkey to speak His message, He can use anything (Num.22:28-30).

Then there is a good source, there are the children; pure, children. Reminds me of Jesus saying who we must become like to enter the kingdom of heaven (Mt.18:1-5). Evangelism is not just for adults. It’s for the pure in heart.

And finally there is the amazement and smiles seen on the children’s faces, and heard in their voices – “the world, the whole world, everyone, anyone, that’s a lot of people…His One and Only Son, His only Son.” The crescendo builds with all the kids forcibly and excitedly saying together “eternal” contrasted with an emphatic solitary voice emphasizing “life;” followed by a little girl, half-whispering in amazement, “Wow!” Isn’t that how we should present the gospel? Isn’t that how we should think and feel (1 Thess.1:5-10)?

Yes, wow! Wow at the commercial itself, and a bigger wow at the Source of its love, “for the world, the whole word, everyone, anyone, and yes that is a lot of people,” including me. Wow!

The words no mother wants to hear are stammered and whispered by doctor. The word “mother” is synonymous with selflessness. Most women would immediately and easily choose to give their life to spare their child if the doctor said, “I can only save one.”

Many mothers sacrifice not their lives, but a relationship with their child. They do this in order to give the child a better life, by giving them life through birth and then giving them a life through adoption. For all those mothers who give their children up for adoption out of love, you are a true mother.

Yet not all mothers are self-sacrificing. Selfishness in the forms of drugs, neglect, hobbies, and the most drastic form, abortion, are becoming too common. And not only is this final form of “abuse” sanctioned by law, it is even protected by attacking those who are pro-life.

Let me present a case for you. What if your child is sick; there is nothing you can do. You search for answers. The only answer is that in order for the child to live, you must give the child up. What would a good mother do?

In the Bible there is a mother who is selfish. Jeroboam’s son is sick, deathly ill. He sends his wife to Ahijah to learn the child’s chances. Without recounting the whole story, the prophet says that child will die as soon as the mother returns home (1 Kings 14:12,17). So what does the mother do? I have always wondered why she didn’t just stay away. But then again, that is what a good mother would do. And yet again, today’s world is not different from yesterday’s. Not all mothers are selfless.

Sport’s pundits love to ask, “Did they lose the game, or did the other team win?” If the favorite lost to the underdog, then either the latter “rose to the occasion” or else the projected winner “choked.” No one loves a loser (well, there are some franchises); choking means you just can’t cut it, you are mentally weak, not ready for the big stage, and so on. Losers not only don’t win, they don’t win praise and admiration. Their trophy is disdain and distrust.

Scripture pontificates that Christianity is comparable to sports; not that we are playing spiritual games, but read more » »

“The sky is blue.” Seeing that, what would your reactions be? No doubt you know someone who, if you said, “The sky is blue” would start an argument. Many months I wrote in a particular forum, “the sky is blue” with no other comments or explanation. Some were confused, but others understood the point. It seems sometimes, some people, just want to argue and disagree even with “the sky is blue.”

How could they argue against such an obvious truth? Easy, because quibbling is always easy. read more » »

Why was the book of Joshua written? Why is it included in the canon of acceptable books? The answers are hopefully far more interesting than the questions. The answers are not just a technical rehash but a theological reminder of God’s purposes, promises, and even procedures. And in reminding the readers, all can once again be awed by God and His inspired book called the Bible.

Why was the book of Joshua written? Literary etiology asks and answers causation. What is in the mind of the author as he collects and organizes his facts? This causation forms the structure. Sometimes the purpose is stated, but not always. Even when stated, there is usually unrevealed purposes. History is what it is, but its interpretation and application add dimensions. read more » »

There is a silence within the details that sounds an alarm. One temptation ends, and another begins, but what about in between? The silence is the amount of time between each encounter in the battle between Jesus and Satan in the wilderness. Unlike the revealing text declaring that afterwards the angels “immediately” came and began to serve Jesus (Mt.4:11), we do not know if each temptation immediately begins in a tri-fold rapid, succession. But there are lessons for us to learn within in the silence. read more » »

“Wonders from the Word” is about little bits of wonderment found within Scriptures. Treasures that are wonderful or questions that make us wonder in amazement. Sometimes I wonder, and I just wonder, if what I am seeing is really there, just a coincidence, or purposely placed to make a point.

For example, the fall of man, of Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden is the beginning and end. It is the beginning of man’s history, and the end of his innocence. The gospel brings us back to the beginning, back to an innocence where we can walk with God as Adam and Eve did before their sin. Having seen that the gospel brings us back to the beginning, I wonder…. read more » »

When reading the period of the Judges and Kings, one sad fact overwhelmingly – and even numbingly – is present: the draw of idolatry. It is easy for us to isolate the sensuality involved in fertility cults and wholly blame that as the sole cause. After all, we are good Christians who are not overtly affected by sexual sin (right?). We live good moral lives (don’t we?). We don’t get pulled down in the gutter of immorality (do we?). Our clothing style and computer files are pure (yes?). So it is easy – because sinful sensuality doesn’t apply to us – to isolate the sexual draw of idolatry. It is safe for us to point that pure finger of ours. Hopefully – even if I did imply a little bit of sarcasm.

Yes, I think that the overt sensual draw is part of idolatry’s power, but short sighted.  That answer is too easy, too nonpersonal. But look deeper, in some pagan religions there was human sacrifice, even of one’s own offspring – hardly an act of sensual pleasure. So could there have been another attraction to idolatry? Listen to the following quote – listen and apply: read more » »

What did Eve see, when she looked at that forbidden fruit? Did she see lies and deception? Did what she see deceive her? Or, was everything she laid her eyes on the truth?

She saw that the fruit was good for food (Gen.3:6). No doubt it was, since everything God created was good. She saw that it was a delight to the eyes (Gen.3:6), and so it rightfully appealed to her as God created food to be. Again, since God created beauty, no doubt the fruit was ripe and beautiful. She believed what the serpent had said that it would make one wise (Gen.3:6), and that turned out to be true too (Gen.3:22).

She saw an opportunity to gain knowledge and godliness, and became wise and like God (Gen.3:22). read more » »

Miscalculation. Everyone does it, especially when discovering that the month lasts longer than the paycheck. In baseball, a runner tries to leg-out a triple, and miscalculates the strong arm of the right fielder – “He’s Out!” In fact, I miscalculated in every math test I ever took! Have you ever noticed how often we miscalculate in our favor only to later discover the miscalculation is not in our favor?

A serious miscalculation often takes place in churches with Christians making the same mistake as Zimri; hopefully with a different ending. read more » »