Sound Words (Page 35)
Sound Words, December 16, 2018
Sons of Encouragement Few things are accomplished in life without help. The larger and more complex the task, the larger the team required. A project manager assembles workers with the skills required, sets budgets and schedules and assigns supervisors, inspectors and record keepers. Expeditors prod vendors and contractors who fall behind. Each successive task is choreographed then executed until the whole project is complete. Even when we undertake projects alone, the example, teaching and influence of others dictates how we…
Sound Words, December 9, 2018
Biblical Friendship Consider our relationship with God. “… Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (Ja 4:4 NKJV). “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I…
Sound Words, December 2, 2018
One Nation Under God Can you imagine life on earth where every cultural barrier gave way to global unity? Neither can I. Nevertheless, it does seem like man has maintained an unwavering resolve to realize this dream. There was a time, though, when that beloved dream was our ancestors’ reality. It was a time when one building defined a generation. “Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words. It came about as they journeyed east, that…
Sound Words, November 25, 2018
Till There Was No Remedy Zedekiah, a young and arrogant king of Judah, chose to do evil. He would not humble himself to hear God’s direction as provided by the prophet Jeremiah. He further rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar under whom the nation was captive. The leaders of the people, including the priests followed Zedekiah headlong into depravity. “And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion…
Sound Words, November 18, 2018
“I’m a Card Sender” Frequently we find limitations to what we can accomplish despite our desire to be of greater service. The disciples disappointed Jesus in His hour of great need. He returned from fervent prayer to find them sleeping. Jesus observed, ”The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak”(Mk 14:38 NKJV). Many of us are discovering the effects of aging and the limitations that accompany this inevitable process. Others must invest their entire strength into a battle…
Sound Words, November 11, 2018
Are We Too Legalistic? Christians are often accused of being “too legalistic.” Legalistic means “adhering excessively to law or formula.” Is there any merit to the accusation? To answer a question such as this we need to first understand authority. The concept of authority is defined by the very existence of and nature of God. Recall Pharaoh’s bold statement, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?” (Ex 5:2) A battle of wills followed.…
Sound Words, November 4, 2018
He’s an Evangelist Today begins a new chapter in the history of the congregation meeting here at Tomlinson Run. Paul and Coral are safely settled in their new location and their new work begins today. The same questions linger. Why did he leave? Wasn’t he happy here? Were we not at peace and improving spiritually? Didn’t he love us? Why did he feel compelled to go? I recently was privileged to sit at the feet of our aged brother, Sewell…
Sound Words, October 28, 2018
It Is Who He Is By Paul R. Blake Generations of Americans grew up with PBS and shows like Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, but the whole network came very close to dying an early death. In 1969, President Richard Nixon proposed halving the funding for the newly formed Corporation for Public Broadcasting, because why should there be such a thing as kids’ programming that isn’t one long barrage of advertisements for toys and snack food? The U.S. Senate…