Posts by Beltline Church of Christ

Have you ever wondered why fishing is mentioned so often in the four gospel accounts of the New Testament? Could it be that the activity of fishing is one that most people can relate to in one way or another? Even if you’ve never fished in your life, you have a general idea of what fishing is all about. A person uses certain tools like hooks, lines, bait, or nets to go into the water and catch fish. There’s a…

Ecclesiastes was my father’s favorite book of the of the Old Testament, and his favorite verse in Ecclesiastes was 10:1. At least, I think it was his favorite verse. It certainly was the one that he quoted most to my teenage self. To this day, I have no trouble summoning up, “Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor,” from memory. Now that I have a ten-year-old son, I also have…

Often the Bible presents lessons from nature. “Go to the ant, o sluggard, observe her ways and be wise” (Prov. 6:6). For this lesson, let us consider the bear. During the winter they will spend four to eight months in hibernation, depending on the severity of the winter. During the months they are awake, they are consuming up to ninety pounds of food a day in preparation for hibernation. During hibernation, their heartbeat slows from fifty beats per minute down…

Perhaps you have heard the title of this article before. It is meant to illustrate the function of the church. A hospital is a place where people who are physically sick or injured go to get better. The church is also such a place, but in a spiritual way. People who are spiritually sick or injured should find healing through the efforts of the church. Sometimes people criticize the church as being a place of hypocrites precisely because there are…

There is much talk these days about “privilege.” While this word has been in the English language for hundreds of years, it is being wielded in order to divide this country along economic and racial lines. But, no matter what monetary or societal privilege a group of people may or may not have in this world, nothing compares to the privilege of being a Christian. No matter what skin color you have, what neighborhood you grew up in, or what…

As we think about this New Year, there are things that we need to remember to have a good year. The decisions and choices we make will determine the kind of year we can have. Therefore, let’s notice some suggestions that will help us to have a good year. Apologize when we do wrong. The three words, “I am sorry” are difficult to say for those filled with pride. If you would, think of the relationships, homes and even congregations…

This is the time of year when we’re usually treated to the customary barrage of sermons and articles telling us that Christmas is an unauthorized Holy Day (Col.3:17; 2Jn.9). We are reminded of some of the myths of Christmas, such as: the “three” wise men (and their names), or that they were at the manger along with the shepherds. In truth, we don’t know how many there were, nor their names; and they most assuredly were NOT at the manger.…

With the winter holidays just around the corner, we will all be seeing items and hearing stories related to the season. As such, I just read about the fact that there is a website known as emailsanta.com where young ones may write an electronic letter to the North Pole. Several letters from these innocent children were funny, but one stood out to me. Christian, age seven, wrote: Mommy and Daddy say I have not been very good these past few…

Typically, when the doctrine of God’s providence is discussed, a handful of well-known Scriptures are used to illustrate his protective care and blessings. For example, we frequently reference Joseph (Genesis 50:19-20), Esther (Esther 4:14), and Onesimus (Philemon 15), but rarely have we referenced the following passage I want you to consider When Israel crossed the Jordan to take possession of the “promised land,” the nations in Canaan took up arms against them and did what they could to destroy them.…

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2) This time of year emphasizes just how special it is to be with family. Gathering around a table to enjoy food and fellowship is so uniquely powerful that it is difficult to describe adequately. In our digital age, with an emphasis on screens…

This morning I sat with my cup of coffee, reading over the news articles of the day. Sometimes I wonder why I choose to torture myself first thing out of bed, but it’s my ritual, so I keep on. Today’s feed was filled with a lot of the same aggravating or depressing types of articles I’ve been reading for a long time. Unholy agendas being pushed in society, crooks effectively being given free passes for their crimes, souls lost in…

Throughout the Bible, we see thanksgiving for blessings as a theme. The Old Testament resounds with the people praising God; Israel had a history of giving thanks to God for the mercy and deliverance he showed them. In the New Testament we read, Jesus “Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks and broke them” (Luke 9:16). At the Last Supper Jesus took bread and gave thanks, and offered it…