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Ladies and Gentlemen, CONGRATULATIONS on completing your childhood!  You are now ready to cross that threshold of adulthood called "Independence".  You now will be in charge of your life, right?  You will no longer have to be under someone else's thumb.  You will be free to make as many of your own decisions as you choose.  That's a good and yet scary thing.  We are p...

First she carried us for 9 months insider her body where we kicked, pushed and stretched to make room for ourselves among all her organs.  She carried our weight and suffered the changes our existence made to her life and body and then endured the pain of birth to bring us into this world.Then began the years of middle of the night wake-ups, runny noses, gross smelly diapers, bouts of cr...

For success in life, God is your greatest ally and his people your best friends – Few things will benefit you as much as seeking out God and his people wherever life takes you.  Evil companions will corrupt good morals (1st Corinthians 15:33), while those who associate with the wise will become wise (Proverbs 13:20).  Hang with people who will make you better tha...

Paul charged the brethren at Corinth to “imitate him” (1 Cor. 11:1-GK. Mimatai...ginesthe-imperative of ginomai), and he commanded the bretheren at Phillippi (relative to what they had learned, received, heard and saw in him), “these things do” (GK. Prassete, imperative of prasso).  Those verses seem to form a pattern that charges us to follow Paul’s pattern of behavior.  Therefore, it i...

I'm on a one-man crusade against the movie industry. Here's why. The rating system will give a movie an R rating for graphic violence, sex, or repeated use of the dreaded "F" word, but relegates the profaning of the Lord's name to a benign PG13 slot. It seems that blasphemy against God is less pervasive to a young viewer than common vulgarity or simulated sex. What's even more insulting is that it...

Ever heard of the above?  Chaff is a “cloud” of foil strips or metal coated fibers ejected from an aircraft to help mask it from enemy radar.  Flares are just that, flares, hot and fiery and also designed to be ejected from an aircraft to decoy any possible heat-seeking missiles away from it. Like chaff & flares, there are many things in life that serve as distractions from wha...

I have just read the “Opinion” page of the Oklahoman (March 18, 2018, p.14A) and “Views” of several (p.15A), covering thoughts about: Teacher pay; projected strikes if demands are not met; deep concern about our leaders in the Federal Government, including pregnancy and abortion.  That reading projects a conglomerate of charges, chaos, conflicting concerns, worrisome warnings, and agitated ci...

Spring is a wonderful time of year, grass is starting to green up, flowers are starting to bloom, the trees are budding, and my nose is going crazy from the wonderful Oklahoma allergies.  But despite the allergies, I still really enjoy Spring because it reminds me of renewal.  The power in fresh starts, new beginnings, new life. Today on Easter Sunday, we put an extra emphasis on the res...

In almost every edition of the weekly church bulletin there is a call for some kind of assistance.  Sometimes it is for teachers or some person to help clean the building.  At other times, we need a member to visit the sick or bring communion to a brother or sister who is a shut-in.  Whatever the situation we are usually asking someone to give up their time and energy, perhaps even ...

So many things in life disgust me! I watch the news and see things like the recent school shooting in south Florida and I'm disgusted.  I see people mistreating babies and animals and I'm disgusted.  I see criminals turned back onto the streets to commit more crimes and I'm disgusted.  I watch people act as if they are the only ones who make a difference, the only ones who coun...

I work on the premise that children know they are supposed to be corrected.  I believe that since their little minds are designed and created by God, they are divinely tuned to receive Godly instruction and correction in their behavior. Mind you, they are not mature enough to appreciate it, but they are wired to respond positively to it nonetheless.  Children will naturally com...

Solomon wrote a lot about the way fools behave in his book of Proverbs and also in Ecclesiastes.  Just skimming my concordance I counted at least 83 times in the Proverbs and 25 times in Ecclesiastes that he calls on the reader to consider the ways of foolishness. In Proverbs it seems the initial readers were intended to be Solomon’s own sons according to 4:1-5.  Solomon claims...

Our beloved nation is dividing even as I write these words.  “Dividing” may be a term too mild, since we actually seem to be polarizing at extreme distances from our fellow citizens. Jesus observed for us that a house divided cannot stand.  What is a Christian to do?  We are to do as our Lord taught us to do; speak the truth in love.  Jesus exampled this for us, his apostle wro...

Have you ever gone to a movie and had to endure the rude behavior of others?  Have you ever assembled with the church and had to endure the rude behavior of others who seemed to think they were at a movie? Shouldn’t it bother us to see grown-ups who know better, lightly passing the time with others during a worship assembly?  You can even see it happening during the Lord’s Supper.  ...

While some folks still emphasize that we don’t “go to church,” because we are the church, our decision to assemble is a matter that should capture our attention.  I recently came across a poetic piece that is worthy of our mediation.  Someone wrote:   “Some go to church to take a walk;  Some go to church to laugh and talk;  Some go to church to meet a friend;  Some go...

What imagery does the above statement conjure?  Thunderstorm?  Tornado?  Blizzard? God told Noah, “Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish”, Genesis 6:17. As my mom used to say, “Now you just think about that!”  God brought...

If they are thinkers, they will influence you to become a thinker.  If they are kind, you will become kinder by means of their company.  If they are cynical or negative, well, you get the picture. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church and told them that evil companions corrupt good morals (1st Corinthians 15:33).  His reason for the statement was specific, because some in th...

Recently it was necessary for me to spend some time waiting. No one’s favorite pastime I suppose, but as it was, I was in a beautiful and spacious atrium that was very well lit and furnished as comfortably as you could hope for. The architecture of the room was itself very appealing, and the colors selected for the walls, woodwork and stone were perfect to please both eye and soul. Plants and artw...

Be advised:  Plans are being made to put state question #788 on the ballot for Oklahomans this summer, which would allow the medicinal use, possession and production of marijuana under certain provisions. This article is not intended to tell you how to vote. Of course we all want to provide anything we can medicinally to address the needs of those who are hurting; as long as what is provided ...

For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them.- 1 Samuel 3:13 He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.- Proverbs 13:24 Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.- Proverbs 19:18 Blows and wounds cl...