Posts by Beltline Church of Christ (Page 4)

Would you say that doing things in the right order matters? Or as long as you complete all of the steps, does it matter in what order you did them? Have you ever assembled a bicycle? Have you ever purchased a piece of furniture from IKEA? Have you ever built a 3,000-piece LEGO set? If so, does it matter in what order you assemble these things? You probably know from experience that if you put together any of these things…

We all struggle with spiritual discouragement and lethargy. Some days our circumstances threaten to overwhelm us, and we struggle just to pray. Many times, we just don’t feel like doing the things we know we should. For one reason or another, God sometimes seems far off and unreachable. David faced times like these in his life. The Psalms are filled with verses that express his despair and feeling of abandonment. Yet the Psalms also give us the key to living…

Just how important is it to be at services when the church meets? The beginning of a new year is an especially good time to consider this question. As Christians, we need to always be examining ourselves to make sure our lives reflect true faithfulness (2 Cor. 13:5). But right now many people are reflecting on their lives more seriously than they normally would do. How important is it to be at services whenever the church meets? In answer, we…

I am always excited to see a movie trailer or ad for a show or story of any kind that contains this phrase. It shows up often. It’s the core of many great stories … A Hero Will Rise. There’s something about the arrival of a hero that stirs us. It is the promise that when things are at their worst – A Hero will rise. When it seems like evil has the entire world in its grip – A…

A church member wrote to the editor of a Christian magazine and said, “In his sermon Sunday, my minister preached that Jesus did not really die on the cross, but He just swooned, fainted, and went into a coma. Then when the soldiers got Him off the cross and into that tomb, the cool air revived Him and He got up and escaped. How do you think I should respond to such teaching?” The Magazine editor replied, “Dear Church Member,…

Offering sacrificing to God has always been a part of spiritual service. While under the Law of Moses the people were to offer to God animal sacrifices, today our sacrifices are spiritual in nature (1 Peter 2:5). Regardless of the type of sacrifice offered, God has always demanded that those offering give their best. “Then the Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them,…

The Lord’s church is composed of both strong and weak members. Each one needs encouragement at times, but certainly the weaker brethren need a greater amount of special attention. Also, there are some members who are not necessarily weak, but who have special physical problems, causing them to need special attention. The apostle Paul taught that the responsibility of helping the weaker members rested upon the shoulders of those who were mature, full-grown Christians (Romans 15:1; Galatians 6:1-2). In the…

From Justo Dorantes Sr. THREE BAPTISMS IN YOBAIN I am excited to let you know that there have been three baptisms in the Mayan village of Yobain. Those people who have been baptized are; the man who rents the palapas, his son and a neighbor. When I met the man, who rents the palapas, he invited me to his home in his village to study the Bible. When I arrived in his home in his village of Yobain, he was…

“Does the New Testament teach that Christians must be present at every meeting of the church?” This is not a question that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” There are several elements to the issue that must be taken into consideration. Perhaps the most controversial passage relating to this matter is Hebrews 10:24-25. Before we consider the text specifically, perhaps some background would be helpful. There is a sense of urgency to the book of Hebrews. The…

With a global pandemic, lockdowns, economic woes, a contested Presidential election, and more, this has been quite an unusual year. While the wise man noted that “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9), from our perspective it can seem like we are living in unprecedented times. As the events of this year have unfolded, there are some important truths that have been highlighted. These have always been true, but they are more apparent in light of recent events.…

Have you ever stopped to ponder the variety of ways in which God chooses to show us His love for us? I am highly confident that the ways and means He uses to show us His love are innumerable and as infinite as the stars of the sky or the sand of the seashore. Yet, sometimes we still wonder if He really, honestly, truly loves us. Flowers can speak to us of how He longs to whisper to us. Mountain…