By Hugh Fulford

On one occasion, Leonard Johnson, one of the founders of what is now Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama, was preaching in a gospel meeting in a small Alabama town. One night he preached a sermon on the church. In the midst of his sermon brother Johnson said, “Now within the next four to five minutes I am going to tell you everything the New Testament says about the name of the church.” For the next four to five minutes brother Johnson was completely silent. He did not utter a word. Then he said, “There you have it – everything the New Testament says about the name of the church!”

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By Jonathan McAnulty

A useful tip for the Bible student who wants to truly get a better understanding of the text is this: always use more than one translation when doing an in-depth study. Most often translations will agree with one another, but sometimes you will come across differences in wording which will cause you to have to examine the meaning more closely. Different translations can sometime bring up questions good to examine.

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by Tyler King

Few and far between have I heard people on December 31st proclaim their success in completing resolutions they had set on January 1st of that year. Goals typically go adrift somewhere around the February or March time frame. I personally have seen resolutions flunk as early as January 2nd. I had all the intention in the world to start waking up earlier this year. However, the 17th round of “snooze” going off at 7:30AM told a different story. These ghosted goals can leave an individual feeling defeated and lethargic; not quite the recipe for conquerors.

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By Tim Dooley

Some folks get so full of themselves that they never hunger for God. In fact, they put themselves in the place of God in order to fill their own desires. No matter how much wealth, affluence, and power one attains these things will not, and cannot, sustain us or save us in the day of God’s great wrath.Continue reading→

By Brad Harrub

Forgive me, for sometimes I do not think about how hard it is for you to come to worship. I take for granted things like putting on clothes and driving to the church building. I rarely think about how much pain you endure in getting in and out of a car or sitting on a hard church pew.

While you may fret about whether your hair is too thin or whether you are too slow, I want you to know what I see. I see love-love in a form that Jesus wants me to see it. Words cannot adequately describe your beautiful warm smile and the love you show for everyone in our church family. Your hugs are like being wrapped in a blanket of love—something I desperately need in the hustle and bustle world we live in today. I see a person who has weathered many years and truly knows the things that are important in life-a lesson that I’m still learning.

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By Donnie Bates via The Daily Bread

No, this week’s article is not about Bugs Bunny! As is the case with most preachers, I suppose, my ministry has been full of opportunities to sit with, cry with, encourage and minister to families suffering through the hospitalization of loved ones, frightening diagnoses and heartbreaking prognoses. And, like every other person on the planet, I’ve had to deal with the same things in my own family. Sickness and death are a part of life in this world and we have to deal with it, but sometimes it gets really, really hard to know how. Unfortunately, there is no magical incantation that I mutter that takes all the pain and anxiety away. I do, however, have some encouragement that will make the pain and anxiety somewhat easier to bear, I think.

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By Jon Mitchell

Let’s first define the term “angel.” It comes from the Greek word angelos and literally means “messenger.” Many are not aware that the Bible uses the word “angel” or angelos to simply refer to a human messenger at times. Rev. 2-3 cite seven examples of this, when Jesus tells John to write to “the angel of the church of Ephesus/Smyrna/etc.” He wasn’t telling John to write to a celestial angel; rather, he was telling John to write to the messenger of that particular congregation, most likely referring to the preacher of that congregation, since preachers are to preach the message of God (2 Tim. 4:2). So in that sense, one could answer this question by saying that human angels, literally human messengers of God, walk among us today. In a sense, God wants all Christians to be his messengers.

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By Tyler King

“Overtime” can be one of the most exciting moments for your favorite sports team. As is the case with many activities, overtime is when sudden-death becomes implemented; meaning, whichever team scores first is the team that gains the victory. The moments of overtime have kept viewers and fans on the edge of their seats for decades. However, not nearly the amount of enthusiasm is gleaned when a church service runs overtime. You’d almost think it was sudden death for the member attending the assembly when worship exceeds five minutes of overtime.

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By Jonathan McAnulty

One of the most famous of prayers is that model prayer, taught by Jesus, which begins, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10)

Millions upon millions have recited this prayer since our Lord first taught it, finding comfort in its familiarity. Yet the Scriptures teach us that we should pray with both the right spirit, and with the understanding. (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:15) Jesus did not want mere rote from His followers – He was encouraging them to have an active and meaningful prayer life. Which means that we should understand what we pray.

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by Gary C. Hampton

First, we should note there is but one sabbath each week. It falls on the seventh day (Exodus 16:26). No one can change that fact. Despite what many say, Sunday is not the sabbath.

Second, the sabbath was bound by God upon the children of Israel at Sinai (Nehemiah 9:13,14). It had not previously been known or kept by their fathers (Deuteronomy 5:2,3). The children of Israel were to keep the sabbath as a continual sign of their covenant with God (Exodus 31:12-17).

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