Please, Please Don’t Miss Heaven!
There was an old preacher who loved his children dearly and longed for them to live right. As they grew older, he did not want to browbeat them or make them think he was always “preaching at them,” so he looked for a way to lovingly and gently encourage them. He came up with his own heartfelt catchphrase, “Whatever you do, don’t miss heaven!” As each child graduated and moved out of the house, he heartily urged, “Whatever you do,…
Want it or Not, You Have to Choose!
After the battles to conquer the promised land had been fought and won, Joshua gathered the people of Israel together at Shechem and addressed them (Josh. 24:1-2). During his discourse to them he admonished, “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the river, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you…
Just Over a Dollar an Hour
The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle-income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn’t even touch college tuition. But $160,140 isn’t so bad if you break it down. It translates into $8,896.66 a year, $741.38 a month, or $171.08 week. That’s a mere $24.24 a day! Just over a dollar an hour. Still, you might think the best financial advice says do not have children…
Freedom is not free!
How many times have you heard the statement, “Freedom isn’t free!”? It’s a statement meant to impress upon us the fact that the freedoms associated with living in this country, freedoms we hold so dear, did not come cheap. Those freedoms cost the dedication, commitment and a great many lives of people who went before us to secure and insure them, not only for themselves but also for all of us who have come along later. The freedoms we enjoy…
Naming the Devil in Your Will
A man was cleaning out his desk and found a shoe repair ticket that was ten years old. He figured he had nothing to lose to try to collect his shoes. He presented it to the repairman, who was gone for several minutes. He returned and gave the ticket back to the man, who asked, “Couldn’t you find my shoes?” The repair man replied, “Oh, I found them; they’ll be ready next Friday.” Procrastination is not the result of lack…
A Father’s Toolbox
Back on the farm, I remember that when something broke down, my father would get out his toolbox and make the repairs. As a child, I was always fascinated by his toolbox and its contents. It seemed my father could fix almost anything with the tools inside. From the beginning, God has designated husbands/fathers as the leaders of the home. Fathers have a great responsibility in making sure the whole family goes the right direction in the name of the…
What Does Here I Raise My Ebenezer Mean in the Familiar Hymn?
It is very important that we think about what we sing in our worship to God if we want to be pleasing to Him. God commanded singing as worship, and not entertainment. Paul taught, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16). Since the songs we sing should teach and admonish, we risk…
Squirrels and Ostriches
We were casually on our way to the meeting house one Sunday morning. As far as I could see, we were the only vehicle on the road, at least for a few turns. Suddenly a squirrel came running out from the left side right toward us (which is not unusual), and … well he didn’t make it. Not this time. I thought, what in the world is wrong with these things? I am the only car on this stretch, and…
The Race of Life
The Bible often compares our Christian life as a race. There are ways to run a race and ways in which we should not. Like a sprinter who pulls up lame in the 100-meter dash, so is the Christian who does not maintain confidence in Christ firm until the end. The Christian life is a daily commitment to follow Jesus (Lk. 9:23). It is a race which must be completed (Heb. 12:1-2). One cannot stop half-way through the race. We…
The Hand of God
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…
A Ham, a Toy, and Some Groceries
Toward the end of every year in December there is a group of members at Beltline (English speaking congregation) that brings presents to our Hispanic children. Every year our children wait eagerly that special Saturday in which presents are brought and a breakfast is served for them. On many occasions those recipients of those Christmas gifts are families who have been visiting our congregation. To make them feel welcomed we include them in the list and presents are brought to…
The Hand of God
The following is a general description from Justo Dorantes Sr. about his encounter with two men on the beach. Brothers, what I am about to describe is hard to explain. I am amazed at the hand of God in different situations in this world. God continues to share the gospel of salvation with people who are truly seeking him. God puts people like me in the right place to share the good news. Just in the same way that God…