Articles by Marty Kessler

No, no, no… not the down-home country singer. I mean Dolly, the menacing tropical storm that threatens the gulf coasts of Texas and Mexico. News reports tell of residents of those areas buying up such things as plywood, bottled water, flashlights and batteries so they will be ready when she hits… if she hits. Knowing what power such a storm can unleash on them and their property, the...

Lord, make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days; Let me know how transient I am. Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Surely every man walks about as a phantom; Surely they make an uproar for nothing; He amasses riches and does not know who will gather them. Psalm 39:4-6 We all tend to...

1. VBS helps to fulfill the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-16). Most of us probably think in terms of teaching adults when we consider Jesus’ taking the gospel into the world. But aren’t children a major part of our world’s population? Did you know that statistically, 95% of people in America who become Christians do so before age 25? It seems that our greatest op...

I saw it in the news, Teenager from Faith-Healing Family Dies. Cause of death for the young man, just 16, was a malady that could have been easily treated by medical professionals. How is it that well-meaning people can get the word of God so twisted in their minds that they seem to lose their ability to reason? My experience has been that the better you understand His word, the better you are abl...

No, cosmology is not the study of cosmetics; that’s cosmetology. Cosmology is the study of our universe, its origin and meaning. Any view taken of the origin of the universe must be based on faith, since there is no extant method of ‘proving’ how it came into being. I put my faith in God, accepting what I believe to His account of creation recorded in the Bible. Others take a dif...

Seems like a good question for everyone who’d claim to be a disciple. After all, a disciple is a learner or a pupil. Jesus Himself said, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free‘, John 8:31-32. What do you make of that statement? Is just being ‘in the church’ enough? As Jesus gave ...

Last week it was my honor to have a part in presiding over a funeral for Louis Thompson. He served as the pulpit minister for the Choctaw congregation for seventeen years and then as a family minister and elder for several years after that. Those of us who took part in his memorial service were commended by many for doing a good job of handling it. The reality, however, is that it was Louis’...

A perception generally exists in the minds of men that says, “When a woman openly displays a part of her body “beyond reasonable propriety”, it is in order to attract attention and even to arouse desire.” Such displays usually come across this way regardless of what is intended. It seems a sort of taunting, tempting tease. The progression of thought in a man’s mind ma...

I don’t remember what the hard piece of news was that I overheard in the church announcements. All I remember was the question that occurred to me in regard to it, ‘What would I do if I cared?’ It is a simple question to understand, but not always so simple to answer. And with so many possible applications, it is a constantly reoccurring one. For example, what would I do if I car...

I see a subtly detrimental habit being practiced by some very good people. I speak of those who are chronically late for worship or Bible class. There, I said it. Hunt me down and give me a piece of your mind if you must, but I am compelled to admonish the guilty and hopefully, effect a life changing renewal of punctuality. Why? Well, really, if you ask someone who tends to show up late for schedu...

What guides your decision making? Do you allow yourself to fall victim to your own selfishness, or are you guided by good reasoning based on what you know to be right? Let’s put it in a context. Bible Class. Uh, oh. I know, I’m meddling again. But really, do reason and right rule in your God-given right to decide for yourself? Are you the ant (Proverbs 6:6-11) or are you the sluggard? ...

Emotions often run high when people speak of the present day nation of Israel. Some still consider them to be God’s chosen people. Others speak as though God has totally ‘written them off’ so to speak, and that we should as well. I believe the truth is somewhere in between. As far as I can tell, there is no definitive word from Jesus or His apostles that teaches us exactly how we...

Most of us probably think of thugs as dim-witted, brutal hoodlums who do harm to any who are unfortunate enough to be found in their path. Well, ok, maybe this is because that’s what a thug is… today. But did you know that ‘thugs’ were originally members of a religious sect in India that apparently came into being sometime in the 1300’s? They were worshipers of Kali,...

Does the word make you think of the last day, the final day, when the Lord returns and we stand before Him to give an account? We should make ourselves aware that even though there will be a final judgment, God has already come in judgment many times throughout history and that He has made this fact very clear. Have you read of His coming in judgment on Egypt from long ago? Behold, the Lord is rid...

Peter spoke of those in his day who distorted God’s word and brought on their own destruction by manipulating (wresting/twisting) it to make it appear to teach things it didn’t, 2nd Peter 3:14-18. He referred to such people as untaught, unstable, and unprincipled. I believe that a good ‘modern day’ example of what Peter was talking about is what some are now doing with a pa...

A reprint from 2003 God came to visit His people on earth. He told them. “I have only one teaching for you to observe. In every locality, I want you to put up a simple wooden fence post for me. I want you to paint the post blue.” He then admonished them saying, “I am leaving, but some day I will return to take all of you who keep my teaching about the blue posts to be with me for...

Oklahoma state representative Sally Kern recently made the headlines when she said that the ‘homosexual agenda’ in the United States is a greater threat to our nation than international terrorism. Anyone with a healthy grasp of Biblical history ought to be able to see that her statement is right on target. What is the homosexual agenda all about? Grossly perverse sexual practices for o...

The apostle Paul wrote to the Colossian church saying: Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 3:16 One of the central themes of all holy writ, is the resurrection of Jesus. This word, coming to light in the hearts of songwriters through the centu...

In 2nd Chronicles chapter 34 we read of a great restoration of following the ways of God. This restoration and spiritual revival was fearlessly implemented by young king Josiah over 2600 years ago when he was only twenty years old. What did Josiah do to restore Israel, and how can we follow his lead today? Josiah removed the things that were leading Israel away from God, vs. 1-7 •  ...

Moses was on his way to the promised land with God Almighty as his constant companion, guide and provider! But the people he was trying to help get there, grumbled, complained and rebelled. None of them ever seemed grateful for anything he did. Because of them, he would not see the promised land for another forty years. His sister, Miriam, dies and seemingly before her body had time to grow cold, ...