Articles by Marty Kessler

Sunrise. A glimmer of light on the horizon. I can see it; but only if I am up, in a good position and the weather is sufficiently clear. Wherever I am, it comes and is soon “gone”. That majestic sunrise, however, keeps right on moving, becoming sunrise after sunrise for the next folks in line to the west. The sunrise never stops, and it never has since God put his “greater light” in its place on t...

What is your purpose for Bible study? If it is a kind of vague, “well, I just want to know more Bible” sort of purpose, it probably won’t hold your interest very long. For this reason, I offer a sample list of specific, purposeful approaches to Bible study that I hope you DO find interesting: From the gospels….. 1)Using any of the gospels, record the place & number of Old Testament quotations the ...

Bring Mark, for he is useful” Mark was useful. For nearly 2,000 years it has been written down in the word of God that Mark was useful. Mark was so useful that of all the disciples Paul may have asked for, the apostle instructed that Mark be brought to the Roman prison where his execution appeared to be imminent (2nd Timothy 4:11). Do you know the back-story of how in Acts 13:1-13 Mark had left, “...

The memory of the righteous is blessed.  Proverbs 10:7“Remains”. It is a word we often use to refer to the body of a loved one who has died. That description, however, misses a much more profound truth. What truly remains of those we love are our memories of them, the impact they made on our lives and how their influence even after they are gone, continues to change us and mold us into who we...

Fill a bucket with water right to the top. See how many steps you can take with your bucket before some of the water splashes out. Sometimes our lives are just like that. We carry burdens like over-filled buckets in our hearts, our minds and our souls that wear us down, and with the least provocation, what we are carrying splashes out. These burdens may be doubts, misgivings, fears, guilt, suspici...

It is about making disciples by telling folks about Jesus. He said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15). Like Jesus, when we try to reach folks with this saving message we face rejection or ridicule. Friends may be lost and family members may start to avoid us. Yes, I seem to remember him saying something like, “If they have called the head of the house ‘Beel...

For more than a century, the study of dinosaurs has been limited to fossilized bones. Now, researchers have recovered 70 million-year-old soft tissue, including what may be blood vessels and cells, from a Tyrannosaurus rex. “ From, “Scientists recover T-rex soft tissue”, March 2005, msnbc.com Science cannot explain 70 million year old tissue that is “soft and transparent” as well as “stretchy and ...

The Holy Spirit must have considered the following to be an important point, seeing he had Solomon state it so frequently. “There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him?” Ecclesiastes 2:24 “I know that there is nothing better for them tha...

The saints in Rome must have been baptized prior to receiving Paul’s letter: Romans 6:3 – “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?” The folks in the church at Corinth were baptized in Jesus’ name: 1st Corinthians 1:13 – “Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” T...

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another,- John 13:34-35 How will all men know if we are Jesus’ disciples? Jesus made it clear above. This is My commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you.John 15:12 Do...

The apostle Thomas is often remembered as a doubter because he refused to believe in the resurrection until he saw Jesus for himself, according to John 20:19-29. Earlier, however, when Jesus had determined to return to Judea where his life was in danger it was Thomas who said to the rest of the apostles, “Let us go also, that we may die with him”, John 11:16. Wow, that’s a fervent commitment! Know...

Noah, once surrounded by wickedness, gets a fresh start with his family.At 75 and childless, Abraham is promised a son... born 25 years later.Joseph, sold into slavery eventually becomes 2nd only to Pharaoh.Israelites, no longer slaves, cross the Red Sea on dry land.Gideon, living under crushing oppression, is given victory with only 300 soldiers.Hannah, barren & heartbroken, is given a son who be...

I received an e-mail from someone considering visiting one of our assemblies. They related how their past was not necessarily exemplary, and so were wondering if that would keep them from being welcomed among us. How would you answer such an e-mail? What would you say? No one among us has a stellar past either?Is your sin really worse than ours?Jesus' church is a hospital for sinners, not a countr...

The church in Choctaw can move forward if we are willing to work in these areas and PRAYING. There are already many areas of service to our Lord already in this place. Each and every work of service is really valuable. The purpose of this article is to focus on the three areas of previously discussed with the addition of praying for our Lord’s help for their success since they are what He wants fr...

Jesus said he would send the Holy Spirit to the apostles to… Teach them all things (John 14:26) Enable them to remember what he had taught them Guide them into all truth (John 16:13) Glorify Jesus in doing so This means that when the apostles and New Testament prophets wrote down what the Holy Spirit gave them, they were recording all of the truth into which Jesus wanted them guided. When we read ...

The Proconsul asked him whether he was Polycarp. On hearing that he was, he tried to persuade him to apostatize, saying, “Have respect for your old age, swear by the fortune of Caesar. Repent, and say, ‘Down with the Atheists!’” Polycarp looked grimly at the wicked heathen multitude in the stadium, and gesturing towards them, he said, “Down with the Atheists!” “Swear,” urged the Proconsul, “reproa...

To succeed, make God your closest ally and his people your best friends – Few things will benefit you as much in life as seeking out God and his people wherever the road ahead takes you. Hard work pays off, God promises – We reap as we sow. According to Galatians 6:6-10, God assures us that he will provide the harvest of what we have planted. Jesus said the laborer is worthy of his hire, and no on...

If Eve had not listened to the serpent, she would not have eaten the fruit. But she did listen to him and brought sin with all of its corruption into paradise (Genesis 3). If Aaron had not listened to the people, he would not have made that golden calf that they worshiped as a god. But he did listen to them, he did make the calf, which made him look pretty dumb brought a horrible judgment on God’s...

God made both Adam and Eve in his image (Genesis 1:26-27). Adam was given priority as the first one created. Eve was made from Adam, and her purpose was not to compete with him, but to help him. Equality with Adam was also not the focus. God’s purpose for both of them was unity, two people becoming one. Paul wrote a rare word of praise for the church in Corinth because of the ways in which they we...

Am I being the image of Jesus he calls me to be? Do I serve like he serves, knowing that some whom I serve will be ungrateful or apathetic? I am so glad he keeps on serving even though the ungrateful one is often me. Do I have compassion like him? I have tons of compassion. Well, okay, is mostly for myself, but isn’t that still compassion? No one throws as good a pity party. You may have even been...