Posts from 2024 (Page 5)
SOUND WORDS, APRIL 6, 2024
FIGHT FOR YOUR FAITH “But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled and put on the armor of faith and love, and a helmet of the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him” (1 Thess 5:8-10). There are different ways in which we may think about…
SOUND WORDS, MARCH 31, 2024
TWO CHURCHES WANT TO GROW Two churches want to grow, but their attitudes toward growth differ greatly. The first church looks upon growth as its primary purpose. Goals are placed before the membership: “We want to double our membership within the next three years,” for instance. Success (or failure) is judged almost entirely on the basis of that congregation’s numerical growth. The second church looks upon the saving of souls as its primary purpose and any growth in membership is…
SOUND WORDS, MARCH 24, 2024
VISIBLE APPRECIATION One day a teacher had an assignment for her students. She told them to write down every single one of their classmate’s names with space in between each one. They were then instructed to think of the nicest thing they could say to each of their classmates and write it under their name. Being given the remainder of the class period to complete the assignment, one by one each student’s paper was turned in as they left the…
SOUND WORDS, MARCH 17, 2O24
NO GREATER LOVE As the United States troop transport ship known as the SS Dorchester made its way from New York to Greenland, it was struck by a German torpedo during the early morning hours on February 3, 1943. Power was lost preventing the crew from sending radio distress signals, inadequate steam left the ship with the inability to sound the full 6 whistle signal to abandon ship, and the damage was so severe that the ship sank by its…
SOUND WORDS, MARCH 10, 2024
TO KILL A WOLF Wolf hunting/ trapping is known as a tremendously difficult activity due to the creature’s elusiveness, intelligence, cunning, sharp senses, and adaptability. In order to wolf hunt, you must have an intimate knowledge of the canine’s behavior and habitat, along with your state’s wolf hunting regulations. However, according to the oral traditions of the Inuit, wolf hunting is a surprisingly simple endeavor. The steps are as follows… When the hungry wolves smell the fresh blood they beeline…
SOUND WORDS, FEB. 25, 2024
THINGS INVOLVED IN SERVICE Service is serving — sometimes voluntarily, sometime involuntarily. In service one is enslaved to someone or something — sometimes voluntarily, sometimes involuntarily. Slavery is not all bad. For instance, Paul, inspired by the Spirit, said, “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:18). One may be freed from one kind of slavery, but he will inevitably be brought under the control of another kind of slavery. Those who were made…
SOUND WORDS, FEB. 18, 2024
LIVING AS A LEADER A true leader of God’s people doesn’t wait for a formal appointment to begin serving. Rather, we come to recognize leaders among us as those who in the regular course of life have already been serving the congregation “without the credentials,” so to speak. We’re not talking about an autocrat, one who arrogates unto himself a position, title or authority that doesn’t belong to him — a usurper, if you please. Remember, the primary function of…
SOUND WORDS, FEB. 11, 2024
HE WAS IN THE WORLD “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not” (Jn. 1:10-11). Surely the truth of these two statements was a searing, tearing grief to Him who is the Word of God and who was in the world to give it life. John earlier said, “All things were made by him and without…