Articles by Titus West

As we in America go into the holiday week surrounded by the “need” to purchase gifts for others, we can sometimes be overwhelmed by the things we consider to be precious. We Christians know that the precious things are immaterial, but as a reminder, here are six of the most precious things ever given to mankind: God’s Loving Kindness- “How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of ma...

One of the many go-to verses used concerning how Christians are to be ‘in the world and not of it’ as we like to say, comes from Romans 12:1-2 – “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,...

As the U.S. heads into the Thanksgiving week, many preachers, teachers, parents, and people in general are quoting a portion of 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “give thanks in all circumstances.” This is a very good thing to do, to give thanks in all circumstances, but this phrase is only a small part of a whole thought. The entire sentence begins in verse 16, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give tha...

Sadducee: A member of a Jewish party of the period between the Old and New Testaments consisting of a traditional ruling class of priests and rejecting doctrines not in the law such as resurrection, retribution in a future life, and the existence of angels. Matthew 22:23-34 Jesus silences them in his answer about a wife and resurrection.Pharisee: A member of a Jewish sect of the period b...

“A genuine Christian is the best evidence of the genuineness of Christianity.” “The true expression of Christianity is not a sigh, but a song.” “Christianity is a ‘roll up your sleeves’ religion.” “Satan is perfectly willing to have a person confess Christ as long as they do not practice his teachings. “ “The better we understand Christianity, the less satisfied we are in our practice of it.” “Chr...

One of my most favorite hymns is one we have been singing recently, entitled: “Day by Day”. It’s one I learned growing up, it’s one I’ve sang to each one of my children when I would rock them to sleep, and now it’s one we sing as a family most nights before bedtime. I’ve always been “in love” with the wonderful, simple melody, the arrangement, and especially, the lyrics. It is a short, simple song...

In Mark 7:1-23, some Pharisees and scribes have come to be with Jesus. During their time with him, they notice that some of the disciples are eating with unwashed hands. Holding to the traditions of men, the Pharisees judge the disciples and their actions, and it seems they believe the disciples, who are eating without first washing their hands, are sinning against God. Sinning because they are no...

Have you ever said to yourself, “I really need to read my bible more?”. When this conviction happens, you may grab your bible and get your mind ready for this great time you’re going to have getting to know God better. Perhaps you find a nice cup of coffee or tea and grab your favorite blanket and chair in the peace and quiet of your favorite room.As you get more excited and ready for this time, m...

Keep your feet on the ground For God said pride goes before a fall When your head gets too big You forget what you should recall You strive and work for it all Be careful; you should listen for God's call Open your hearts & do your best God has promised to give us rest God's calls now through His word Not in the past as others have heard Jesus is the Savior who calls us to be God's friend Being wa...

One of the things I keep thinking and praying about during our associate minister search is whether or not the person we pick will be self-starting & devoted to service in stirring & strengthening the Body. I believe it is important to have a good preacher, but I also believe it is equally important for this next hire to be a man invested in the people at Choctaw. Meaning, we need a man who notice...

We sing a song, I Know Who Holds Tomorrow, written by Ira Stanphill. As I focus on trying to write something that is encouraging and uplifting, these lyrics continually play in my thoughts. So, I would like to share the words of this hymn with you today and I pray they give you encouragement and, if you need it, the peace to keep moving forward. 1 - I don't know about tomorrow, I just live from da...

King Hezekiah was considered in the sight of God. In 2 Kings 20:1-11 we read that the king of Judah had fallen ill and was at the point of death. Isaiah came to the king and told him to get his house in order because he would not recover. Upon hearing this news, Hezekiah turned to the wall, wept bitterly, and prayed this prayer to God: “Now, O LORD, please remember how I have walked before you in ...

When we think of the word ‘obedience,’ we often think of having dominion over something. Like telling a dog to sit or lay down, or leading a horse by nudges and clicks, or even telling our children to do something. The idea we most often think of is, “Do what I say, when I say to do it.” Although this is an accurate representation of a type of obedience, this idea does not cover the full intention...

For the first time in 24 years, The Christian Chronicle has started to re-design it’s newspaper “look”. Some of the changes include taller & thinner pages and new style headline & text fonts. Like anything that introduces change, there are people who do not like the new changes. One such person’s opinion concerning the masthead was featured in the letters to the editor. The gentleman says that he ...

What makes one bold? In my experience, boldness comes from conviction. If I am convicted by something, I am able to be bold about that thing because I not only believe it to be true, but also know morally, it is the right thing. I discipline my children, not because I have to, but because I am convicted in the belief that if they are disciplined properly, they will grow up to be respectful adults....

Have you ever heard anyone say that they hated music? Not a certain type of music, but all music? I don’t think I have, although there are people out there who do not derive any pleasure from it, the numbers of people who have no connection to music is far outweighed by those that do. For so many, music is the thing that moves and touches our inner most being. Music can be the escape we need, a so...

We hear the phrase, “God works in mysterious ways.” all the time. We may even use that phrase ourselves. One of the benefits of having the biblical accounts is that we get to see how God works and His ‘mysteries’ are revealed right before our eyes. Take Saul for instance. A well-educated Pharisee of Roman birth, proficient in the knowledge of the Law of Moses, well spoken, highly thought of, and C...

In Luke 7, Jesus is invited to have a meal with a Pharisee. While Jesus is reclining at the table, a woman who is known in that city as a sinner came to Jesus, fell at his feet weeping and began to wash his feet with her tears. As she is weeping, she cleaned and dried Jesus’ feet with her hair and after they were clean, she kissed and anointed his feet with the perfume from her alabaster flask. It...

This last week, two U.S. men visiting India were arrested and fined for violating their visas. What was this violation? They preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. August of 2023 in Watertown, WI, there was a young man arrested at a pride parade for speaking into his microphone and speaker system. What was he saying? He was reading Galatians 5. A gentleman on the streets of Reading, PA was arrested ...

There is a great divide between our brethren, and I have found it because I have the privilege to stand before the congregation almost every week. Please trust me when I say this, if this issue were as simple as moving the pulpit, that’s what would be done. However, much thought has gone into this as I have, for the last 5 years, looked out over our worship space to see 100 people crammed into the...