It Happened 13 Years Ago and I Did Not Know
My recent trip to Mexico Last week I had the privilege to preach in several Mayan villages in the Yucatan in Mexico. Some of the congregations in these Mayan villages are facing different kinds of struggles. It does not matter what your nationality is or where you live, the devil will always try to derail the faith of those who are faithful to God. I was very happy to preach each night and spend time in each village and answer…
Does It Matter What Order?
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…
Who is Waiting for You at the Finish Line?
In 1998 during the winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan one event competition called the attention of the world. Most of the newspapers had articles saying something like this: “Cross-country skier Philip Boit made history when he became the first Kenyan to compete at the Olympic Winter Games, racing in the 10km classic event at Nagano 1998. Despite coming last, he was enthusiastically embraced by the winner, Norwegian Bjorn Daehlie. It was a moment that marked the start of a lasting…
When You Don’t Feel Like It
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 Like My Windmill Palm Tree
MY BABY WINDMILL PALM TREE One of my favorite plants are the palm trees. I have planted in my backyard about seven windmill palm trees. I planted them when they were babies and now, they are about eight feet tall and growing. One of the aspects I love of this kind of tree is that it reminds me of the tropical weather where I grew up in the Yucatan. Last summer, one of the palm trees had some fruit that…
Remember Their Faith!
OPPOSITION The place where I grew up in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico had only one Church of Christ in the whole region. This congregation was the first Church of Christ that was established in the 1970’s and there were only about seventy members. Just imagine! Seventy people who believe in Jesus Christ and had been baptized for the remission of their sins against the hundreds of thousands of people who oppose us. This was the case if you were…
The Foreman and His Twelve Men
NEW VISITORS One of our most faithful members in our Hispanic congregation is a man who oversees a crew of workers. This man has worked for many years in North Alabama, and he constantly has new workers under his supervision. This man and his family are a great example of faithfulness to God, they live about one hour from Decatur, but always manage to arrive on time for Bible class and worship. Whenever something is needed of him, he is…
Peace of Mind
Last week I was approached by a couple who wanted me to help them do their will. I was able to set up an appointment for them with a lawyer and I translated the documents and the visit with the lawyer. The couple got all the information in the first visit and in the second visit was the day to sign all the documents. The will was read so they could verify if all the documents were correct and after…
The Importance of Attending Church Services
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…
A Hero Will Rise
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…
I Still Believe
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,…
Let’s Give Our Best
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,…