Articles

Nutritional deficiencies often have negative symptoms.Not enough vitamin D and you might suffer weakness or aching in your bones. Insufficient vitamin E can lead to dry hair, leg cramps and slow healing. A lack of magnesium can result in irritability, anxiety and even impaired memory.So, if you’re grumpy or can’t remember stuff, eat some spinach.Is the same thing true spiritually? How much anxiety...

What good does it do to decry the state humanity if I don’t point people to the only perfect hope there is?We live in a world where marriage is dishonored through pornography, promiscuity, and adultery. Drug cartels flood our country with poison because our fellow-citizens buy it. Immigrants who despise our nation are doing great harm and Europe reels from violence being perpetrated there by thous...

A gunman kills 49 people in a nightclub. The gunman was Islamic and acted in the name of ISIS, an Islamic terror organization.The victims of this tragedy were at a bar known as a hangout for those who practice homosexuality. Likely all of the victims either embraced, practiced, or at least approved of this behavior.What are we to make of this horrible event? In the first 4,000 years, the devil lie...

Recently, ex-boxing champ Muhammad Ali died, and the media is filled with praise for both his athletic accomplishments, which are richly deserved, and his "social activism." Now is not the time to bring criticism upon this man who achieved many things during his life but I noticed that there are few, if any, articles that highlight the greatest impact that Ali had on American society. More than an...

As each school year ends, graduates, teachers, parents—people in general—are inclined to form some short-term and long-term plans for the future. Legacy recently supplied information from The Millennial Impact Report, sponsored by the CASE Foundation. It gave heartening information that among the Millennial employees (roughly those born 1980 through 2000), “84 percent made charitable donations in ...

All too often I hear of someone tragically taking their own life. I want to encourage any who may be considering suicide to reconsider.I haven’t been where you are, so I don’t pretend to understand all you are going through. I would like to hear your side. Until then, here are a few things I believe you need to know:#1 The rest of us want you to keep going, to live. Even if it doesn’t show, we car...

The hermit crab is a small crustacean found in ocean waters worldwide. It is a fascinating little creature closely related to crabs, though not a true crab. It has a soft underbody protected with a shell on its back. But the shell is not his. It is an empty, borrowed one from some other animal. In fact, it uses anything it can fit into as a home and it continually moves from one "home" to another ...

Why are mobs allowed to vandalize businesses and destroy property with very little punitive response? Why are law-breakers defended while lawenforcement is defamed and demeaned? Why is drunkenness excused as a “disease”? Why are some politicians allowed to get away with crimes that would quickly get the rest of us thrown in the slammer?  God clearly holds us all responsible,  “For we mus...

Billy Graham Jr. has come to Oklahoma City and stated some things that needed to be said. It reminds one of how the Demons cried out the truth about Jesus, affirming that “You are the Son of God” (cf. Luke 4:41; 8:28; Matthew 8:29). Note some true and solid statements he made: “We’re here today because our nation is in trouble. We’re in trouble spiritually, racially, economically, politically and ...

One baptism? Yes, one, according to Ephesians 4:5 quoted above.  Which baptism is the one, then; since many are mentioned in scripture? I believe we find the answer in Acts 19:1-7. Here, we are told that while in Ephesus Paul baptized (immersed in water) 12 men in the name of Jesus.  Paul did exactly what Peter taught thousands to do in Acts 2:38. He was doing the same thing Philip ...

Why do you take on a challenge? Maybe you want to prove to others you can do it, maybe you want to prove to yourself you can do it. You might take on a challenge to for the feeling of accomplishment or to check something of a “bucket list”. But maybe you take on a challenge to help yourself grow in that endeavor or to learn a new set of skills that will benefit you in the future. This week we...

When you have an infection possibility, what do you do? If you step on a nail you seek medical attention and most likely a tetanus shot. A cut or scrape deserves at least some Neosporin and a Band-Aid to help protect from infection. We get it about our bodies and infections, but what about our spiritual infections? Satan is THE INFECTION to our soul, period! He will look for the tiniest scrat...

#1 Anyone can pray – Jesus’ apostle made it clear in Acts 17:24-28 that God made each of us so that we would seek him out and that he is not far from any of us. God heard a Roman centurion named Cornelius in Acts 10:1-4 before he became a Christian. Surely God will hear you as well. #2 You don’t have to know what to say – In the letter to the Romans (8:26-27) we are taught that God’s Spirit interc...

What's the difference? Each could be the same stone. It is simple a matter of where they are and how they are used. The stumbling block becomes so by being placed in such a way as to make someone trip or fall. The stepping stone could be the same block, but placed in such a way as to help someone navigate an easier path thru possible hazards. And we are all familiar with a building block, when use...

Friday, April 1st, 2016. This is the day that we begin…. as a congregation….. to read through Jesus’ New Testament together.What do you imagine will be the result for you?Will you learn things you did not previously know?Will you be surprised at how little you really know of the New Testament?Will you be reminded of great truths you had forgotten?Will you gain insights that will help you understan...

According to the pundits, the possible presidency of Trump or Hillary would be the final step in the destruction of this nation. This election has so polarized the American people that each side views the other as the agent of the apocalypse should the other’s candidate ascend to the top position in the land. The fear on both the left and right of the political spectrum is palpable as each tries t...

Is anything in this life, as good as it could be?Everything we enjoy has a culminating point, and we live for these culminating points.You buy groceries to prepare and serve a meal, but the culminating point is when you eat it together with loved ones. No matter how great the meal or the pleasure of the occasion, however, you always know that things could somehow be better.You live for that rare m...

“Quit trying to tell people about Jesus. You don’t have a Bible degree, you are not good with words and you are obviously judgmental if you think someone else’s life needs improving or fixing in any way.”“You should keep quiet about abortion. What business is it of yours if fornication has resulted in a pregnancy? You don’t understand the expense of having a child when you’re not ready. If they wa...

Anheuser-Busch put a full page ad in The Oklahoman (February 17, 2016; p. #A), stating: “Anheuser-Bush has invested hundreds of millions in Oklahoma and provides over 700 great jobs. Now, Senator Clark Jolley has proposed legislation, SJR68, that would force Anheuser-Busch out of Oklahoma and raise the price of beer.With a $1.3 billion deficit in our state, shouldn’t Senator Jolley be focusing on ...

Have you ever been in our worship service and listened? Now that might sound like an odd question, but I mean much more than just listening to the sermon, prayers, and songs. I’m talking about listening to everything else that is going on around you. Here are some of the things I have listened to over the past couple weeks and I think you, like me, will find something wonderful in all the extra no...