Posts by Beltline Church of Christ (Page 3)

The date July 4th holds special significance to our nation. It marks the date, in 1776, on which the founding fathers signed the Declaration Of Independence, declaring our independence from England and our determination to be a free and sovereign nation. Accordingly, we celebrate July 4th as Independence Day. The United States of America have stood as a symbol of freedom to oppressed peoples around the globe for well over two hundred years. We have repeatedly defended our freedom and…

A local business owner told me he received a bogus $20 bill from a customer and did not realize it. It was discovered by a bank teller when he was making his daily deposit. When the bank showed him the fake bill next to a real one, he could not believe how little difference there was between the two. The color, shape, detail, and even fiber looked identical. The only difference was in texture, which the teller noticed right away…

There is a great need in our day for fathers to live up to their God-given tasks. One of the reasons that the church is as weak as it is in many places is because fathers are not fulfilling their spiritual duties. One of the reasons that so many of the youth of our day are involved in drugs, premarital sex, gangs activity, and a host of other sinful things is because fathers are not fulfilling their responsibilities. It is…

Several years ago Michael Hyatt posted a blog titled “How much business is your profanity costing you?” In the blog Hyatt explains that many are using offensive language because it creates an edge. It seems this attempt to be edgy may answer the age-old “Why?’ that is often asked. Why do people dress provocatively? To be more edgy. Why do people use unacceptable language and tell inappropriate stories and jokes? To be more edgy. Why do people actively support and…

Scooby Doo is a popular cartoon that first appeared in the 1960s. Even though it has been through several iterations over the years, each episode follows the same formula. There is a villain doing a crime. Scooby and the mystery gang set up a plan and capture the villain. Then the villain’s identity is revealed. Regardless of the make-up applied, the mask worn, or the disguise donned, the true identity is always revealed. They cannot stay hidden as their crime…

In the blockbuster movie series, Back to the Future, we see many interesting things, but one important lesson even children easily notice is that decisions and actions based on those decisions can completely change long term outcomes in life! Through the application of self-discipline (Galatians 5:23) decisions become actions which change the courses of our lives. Self-discipline is certainly a key ingredient in life’s recipe, but without good, proper decisions, self-discipline could actually be used to pursue an evil goal.…

As the Israelites approach the land of Canaan, they “became impatient on the way” (Num. 21:4). They begin to criticize God and Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food”(Num 21:5). Fed up with their complaining, Jehovah sends “fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died”(Num 21:6). This has an…

Picture your worst possible day working out in your yard. It is 127 degrees out there (well, it feels like it) and you have been sweating profusely. As you were cutting your grass, the wind intentionally changed directions every time you turned and it blew all of the grass trimmings all over your sweat-drenched body. But, of course, your yard has as much dirt as it does grass, so you’re now covered in dirt from head to toe. You spend…

We cannot fully comprehend the horror Jesus faced that night in Gethsemane. A merciless scourging awaited Him, followed by nails being driven through His hands and feet. For six endless hours searing pain would wrack His battered body as He struggled for every breath. But that scarcely begins to describe our Savior’s woe. Who can fathom the agony of taking the whole world’s sins and bearing them in His body on the tree (1 Peter 2:24)? No wonder He cried…

The death of Christ on the cross was God’s way (and ultimately the only way) of dealing with the problem of sin. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor 5:21). Without the shedding of blood, there would be no remission of sin (Heb 9:22). This shows us at once both the horror of sin and the love of God. Jesus died…

The Bible tells us in Colossians 3:16 that we are to “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” Songs were used in the Old Testament to teach, to caution and to express gratitude toward God. Songs were written for significant events such as the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 15), as…

“The Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish” (Psalm 1:6). According to the psalmist, there are two paths in life we can take. The path we take is determined by our decisions. Here are five choices every person needs to make in order to walk the right path. 1. LISTEN TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked…”-Psalm 1:1 If we want to…