Sound Words
SOUND WORDS, MAY 15, 2022
TRIALS Trials are essentially a test. Clinical trials test new medications to determine their safety and effectiveness. Civil and criminal trials test evidence to determine guilt or innocence. Students are tested to quantify the effectiveness of their education. Mankind is constantly tested. The same holds true in spiritual matters. The Israelites were tested. “Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live? “Or did God ever…
SOUND WORDS, MAY 8, 2022
the good fight John Paul Jones was handsome, Scottish, and completely insane. During the American Revolution, Jones led a campaign to invade England knowing full well that the British Royal Navy was the largest and most powerful navy on the planet, and he had less than 100 converted merchant ships. The way he managed to achieve this, without an early visit to Davy Jones’ Locker, was by using pirate tactics. First, he captured a British vessel off the coast of…
SOUND WORDS, MAY 1, 2022
TROUBLE One of my favorite TV lines comes from the sitcom Full House. Much of the comedy in the series was derived from breaking the house rules set by the obsessive, widowed father, Danny Tanner. The adorable Michelle Tanner would inevitably shake a finger at the current offender and say, “You’re in big trouble mister!” “Trouble” means to have problems or difficulties. It also refers to the distress and anxiety caused by our problems. There’s no better way to create…
SOUND WORDS, APR 23, 2022
TRUST Trust is a firm belief in someone or something. The opposite of trust is doubt and suspicion. The king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh to Israel with a message intended to create distrust of king Hezekiah. “Then the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: “What confidence is this in which you trust? “I say you speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words. Now…
SOUND WORDS, APR 17, 2022
understanding Understanding is perhaps the most elusive component of faith. It is the critical link between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is readily available. Facts are easy to memorize. Knowing what to do or say in a particular situation is not always obvious. Application is the key. On one occasion, a scribe questioned Jesus about the greatest commandment of the Mosaic Law. The scribe who posed the question was impressed with the answer and responded, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken…
SOUND WORDS, APR 10, 2022
WANNA BE A GOOD CHRISTIAN? BE A GOOD SALESMAN “…Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) Those are the departing words of Jesus before he leaves his disciples and ascends into heaven. Every Christian may not be a preacher, but every Christian must study the art of teaching. It doesn’t matter if a certain brother or sister is a better teacher than you are. It doesn’t matter if teaching is a real weakness…
SOUND WORDS, APR 3, 2022
DO SAVED PEOPLE GO IMMEDIATELY TO HEAVEN AT DEATH PART 2 Paul wrote to the Thessalonians who were concerned about their loved ones who had died in Christ before His return. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the…
SOUND WORDS, MAR 27, 2022
Do Saved People Go Immediately to Heaven at Death? Part 1 In the course of my lifetime, I have spent a great deal of time at funeral homes, funerals, and graveside services. As we get older it appears to me that we spend more time in those places than when we were young. Solomon actually tells us that this experience is for our good. It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house…