tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34216834806819752952024-03-12T20:40:06.479-04:00Bully PulpitThis blog is dedicated to articles, book reviews, etc.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger300125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-62466948359074058672024-01-06T16:14:00.001-05:002024-01-06T16:14:42.703-05:00Balance: A Tried and Tested Formula for Church Growth by Ira North<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuBTZCDHFgE0aQ26ordEDwE_74WuPPCPBI_QfRmOwOG5ematrj615SE-olbw26I51lftu1OaQH29EYKM8iy1q-wjcaKuuA45F7dIi3Wg7WuE1ElFRFJf9dy5AgIFHP4CxTlJ_XV83-5mOL-NfiQucJEcVYxz-8SFMX1vVvrD1zhkYfHxQQxu1GYm6BvQp/s710/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="459" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuBTZCDHFgE0aQ26ordEDwE_74WuPPCPBI_QfRmOwOG5ematrj615SE-olbw26I51lftu1OaQH29EYKM8iy1q-wjcaKuuA45F7dIi3Wg7WuE1ElFRFJf9dy5AgIFHP4CxTlJ_XV83-5mOL-NfiQucJEcVYxz-8SFMX1vVvrD1zhkYfHxQQxu1GYm6BvQp/w259-h400/Picture1.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><i>Balance: A Tried and Tested Formula for Church Growth</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">by Ira North<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I recall <i>Balance</i> by Ira North coming out back in 1984. My father
had purchased two copies of it to share with the leadership and membership of
the congregation. He wanted everyone to read what was a new work in 1983 but is
now reprinted in the Gospel Advocate’s Classics Series. I have both copies of
that work from my father’s preaching days. It is among my treasured books and
includes signatures of several saints that have since gone onto their reward.
My father requested that everyone who read one of the copies sign their names
to it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I recently had the blessing of taking “Education Program in the
Church” taught by Dr. David Powell at the FHU School of Theology and this was
one of the several works we were assigned to read. Part of the assignment of
reading this work was writing a book review of it including some background
information on brother North. Some called him “Fiery Irey” and he work a bright
red sport jacket to match. Dad and I were able to see it on display at the
Gospel Advocate Bookstore several years ago now.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Ira North conducted the <i>Amazing Grace Bible Hour</i> which was aired on
television originating from Madison, Tennessee. It was formatted more like a
Bible Class; however, it did have congregational singing from the Madison
Church of Christ. I recall my parents watching it at times when it was
available in our viewing area. The congregation in Madison grew from 400 to
4,000 membership. While circumstances vary from congregation to congregation, I
believe all can profit from reading (or re-reading) this book.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">North uses Acts 2:40–47 as his text and model for this work. In it,
he stresses the importance in balance in three major areas of work: teaching,
evangelism, and benevolence. North suggested this model led to church growth
then and will do so today. He emphasizes ten principles of church growth that
were successful where he labored for several years. Ira North stated that the
key to church growth is found in Ephesians 4:3, <span style="color: #2b00fe;">“endeavoring to keep the unity
of the Spirit in the bond of peace” </span>(NKJV). Of this passage, North noted the
“number one problem in the local congregation today is keeping the unity of the
spirit in the bond of peace.” The point needs to be made from our pulpits
continually. Bickering and backbiting have ruined many congregations, and we must
be on guard to squash such from our conduct. The apostle Paul wrote <span style="color: #2b00fe;">“But if you
bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!”</span>
(Galatians 5:15) Leadership needs to be vigilant that the truth of God’s word
is taught, but they also need to be on guard to make sure it is presented in
love and free of rancor, malice or a caustic attitude. The truth will be
offensive enough; we cannot allow our imbalance to be a stumbling block to the
lost learning the gospel. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Originally printed in the <i>West Virginia Christian</i>, Vol. 30,
No. 12, December 2023, p. 8. <i>Reprinted by permission</i>.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-69510166048883857392024-01-06T16:04:00.000-05:002024-01-06T16:04:17.080-05:00Instrumental Music in The Worship by M. C. Kurfees<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFG4n3lQMZt_5vofn6MEft_LlAjPZNj_VHzog3ovAas67mUcIk1rVdVzECZntAZ9bg4FGtOUg8Go4WaDkNyKcdOrJl5KeiXdnX9bzQP3hJT5GMdVVRlg3Tr-Acu392U4oy4yvMnJNMkWW2_W5u4HWjIGIz1hmpg76G44vv92jFHDlzj_fxb7fwW2vt6iS/s664/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="447" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFG4n3lQMZt_5vofn6MEft_LlAjPZNj_VHzog3ovAas67mUcIk1rVdVzECZntAZ9bg4FGtOUg8Go4WaDkNyKcdOrJl5KeiXdnX9bzQP3hJT5GMdVVRlg3Tr-Acu392U4oy4yvMnJNMkWW2_W5u4HWjIGIz1hmpg76G44vv92jFHDlzj_fxb7fwW2vt6iS/w269-h400/Picture1.jpg" width="269" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i>Instrumental Music in The Worship</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">by M. C. Kurfees<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The full title of this book is <i>Instrumental Music in the Worship or
the Greek Verb Psallo Philologically and Historically Examined</i>. The original
copyright to this book is 1911. This gives an idea just how long the
pro-manmade instrument crowd has been attempting to make the Greek word in
Ephesians 5:19, <i>psallo</i>, to include or allow manmade instruments. Note that! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I recently saw a video which misrepresented the acapella position
as wholly contingent on <i>psallo</i> excluding an instrument as if our whole case
hinged on that one word and cited Kurfees’ work as evidence. Anyone who has
read this work will quickly realize the video not only misrepresents the view
on Ephesians 5:19 but also this work by Kurfees. Kurfees’ treatment of <i>psallo</i>
was NOT to show that instruments were absolutely excluded by the term. In fact,
Kurfees shows that the term was changing in meaning basically from a manmade
instrument exclusively to one without a manmade instrument being required. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The Koine Greek was going through major changes due to Hellenism,
and <i>psallo</i> was one such term. However, Kurfees did not advocate the position
that <i>psallo</i> absolutely excludes the instrument in Ephesians 5:19. He merely
proved the term had evolved to include singing without a manmade instrument
being required. Or as one of the more up-to-date lexicon states <span style="color: #38761d;">“to sing songs
of praise with or without instrumental accompaniment”</span> (BDAG 1096).
Incidentally, through the Byzantine Greek the narrowing would continue until in
Modern Greek <i>psallo</i> evolved to mean vocal music exclusively (BDAG, 1096). Now,
why would this narrowing trend continue toward vocal only? Because the early
church utilized only the human voice for centuries before the adoption of the
manmade instrument intruded upon acapella music. Incidentally, acapella not
only meant vocal alone but also designated the type of music–sacred versus
profane.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Some claim churches of Christ are deliberately obscuring the
instrument in <i>psallo</i>, but that is a false charge. Question: Why do nearly all
English translations, not produced by churches of Christ, not translate <i>psallo</i>
as “play?” Translators recognized that <i>psallo </i>did not require a manmade
instrument but the heart as the instrument. A comparison of Colossians 3:16
also shows this to be true. The challenge to the <i>psallo</i> argument in a nutshell
is this: name the manmade instrument in the verse or in the worship of the
first century church. The term <i>psallo</i> is a verb which does NOT include any
manmade instrument. It is modified by the God-made instrument of the heart in
Ephesians 5:19. We are to make melody with our hearts in devotion to God. No
manmade instruments were named or included in First Century Worship, and we
should continue to abide in that pattern!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Kurfees began his research at the request of preacher students in
his class on New Testament Exegesis. Why? Because preachers were looking for an
answer about <i>psallo</i> as justification for manmade instruments. What started as a
paper was expanded into this work for publication. Its endurance is seen in
being included in the Gospel Advocate Classic Series. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">If the reader would like
a fuller treatment of this subject of controversy, see Dave Miller’s video
lessons available on Apologetics Press’ YouTube Channel. Here is the link:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2rrpLuNCM9kni42Lwivk9Z-Zp2SD3G6o&si=Z8IaLlSUQvP6dWtT">Worship and the Instrument by Dave Miller</a></span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Originally printed in the <i>West Virginia Christian</i>, Vol. 30,
No. 11, November 2023, p. 8. <i>Reprinted by permission.</i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-79990928506241126792024-01-06T15:42:00.001-05:002024-01-06T15:42:38.082-05:00Hidden Meanings Buried in the Bible by Dave Miller<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKcmclRbTtCm4o0zXQ0vW32Cof2qrzDo3B8z7g_ArDmRvjE0g1WHkznBgzrUHYTk88Z0iy73La2RXDl9RR9zG9QpyC_J9f7V5HBojLWwq1_8rMwLKenVc-p8hPXzrQDn0-lm4h-lwYpArnB52q4N4RXIX23nHb6wM0YAdrvKJRj9RnqTiotbVShaTcSWo/s322/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="322" data-original-width="214" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKcmclRbTtCm4o0zXQ0vW32Cof2qrzDo3B8z7g_ArDmRvjE0g1WHkznBgzrUHYTk88Z0iy73La2RXDl9RR9zG9QpyC_J9f7V5HBojLWwq1_8rMwLKenVc-p8hPXzrQDn0-lm4h-lwYpArnB52q4N4RXIX23nHb6wM0YAdrvKJRj9RnqTiotbVShaTcSWo/w266-h400/Picture1.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i>Hidden Meanings
Buried in the Bible</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">by Dave Miller<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The subtitle of this book is <i>Achieving a Better Understanding of
the Bible via Its Cultures and Languages</i>. This is a newer work from the pen of
Dave Miller who serves as the Executive Director at Apologetics Press. The vast
range of history covered in the pages of our Bibles presents a thrilling
challenge to study and contextualize. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The book is designed for class study or personal study. There are
about 450 review or discussion questions in the book and an answer key is
provided. The book is indexed by Scripture references and over 300 endnotes.
Dr. Miller has presented a study that will help all who may not be as familiar
with what some may classify as “oddities” of the Bible; although these are not
really “oddities” but matters that some are just not familiar with. I have not
sat down and read those book cover to cover, but instead I have found portions
of it interesting to sit and read at various intervals.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">For example, what is the meaning of the term tetragrammaton (four
letters), and why is it rendered Jehovah or Yahweh in various translations or
commentaries? How did these two names come from the same four letters (YHWH)?
Or why do some translations use the word “hell” but other translations
sometimes use the word “hades”? There are other matters that may escape one’s
notice. For example, why do some translations italicize certain words in our
printed Bibles? There are cultural matters that brother Miller explains, such
as why did Boaz received a sandal from his relative in relation to marrying
Ruth? Or why did people tear their clothes in the Bible? There are several
questions answered in this book that I am sometimes asked by those curious
about the Bible but are sometimes reluctant to ask. Occasionally I am asked
about foot washing as a religious ritual today, and why we do not practice that
in our services. The book addresses this matter too. There are important
matters pointed out that some often overlook. For example, some claim that the
food provided during the exodus was a natural substance in the wilderness;
however, the word manna means “what,” as in “What is this?” Obviously, if the
Israelites did not recognize the substance in their natural world, then the
modernist’s attempt to deny the miraculous provision of God falls as flat as a
pancake. Words such as “messenger” and “angel” which come from the same Greek
word (<i>angelos</i>) are explained so readers can recognize that such words have
different meanings and the context of the passage helps determine the better
English word to convey the original meaning. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Several of these matters I have learned over the years from
Apologetics Press, the Christian Courier, or other writings. Still, there are
those who are not familiar with these resources, and this book may serve as
their introduction to further study.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Originally printed in the <i>West Virginia Christian</i>, Vol. 30,
No. 8, August 2023, p. 8. <i>Reprinted by permission</i>.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-12348497478343240962024-01-06T15:31:00.004-05:002024-01-06T15:32:35.643-05:00Bible Questions and Answers by Cecil R. May, Jr.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0K_RcuLZ5l4aUpJUrlL6s-GYNB7wSrkhGBaJWPGNuvWU-Q5qiT783NKRJJJ-Gclufj3vVafOxHo9IjW5jHOGEEJmhKjL-sY-LpSpcxusd93Ct61-4pnQGu52ImiN9mR8OOnyZWM5JX_EhPdCDutotIAjiZTggfxnWPGM5iktkVSsqyuHvVPXfsf6dZfmP/s772/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="516" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0K_RcuLZ5l4aUpJUrlL6s-GYNB7wSrkhGBaJWPGNuvWU-Q5qiT783NKRJJJ-Gclufj3vVafOxHo9IjW5jHOGEEJmhKjL-sY-LpSpcxusd93Ct61-4pnQGu52ImiN9mR8OOnyZWM5JX_EhPdCDutotIAjiZTggfxnWPGM5iktkVSsqyuHvVPXfsf6dZfmP/w268-h400/Picture1.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Bible Questions
and Answers<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">by Cecil R.
May, Jr.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I have been a reader of <i>The Magnolia Messenger</i> for several years. I
have enjoyed the paper while it was edited by the late Al Franks, and I
continue to enjoy it under the editorship of Dennis Doughty. I was blessed to
know both of these men. Through the pages of <i>The Magnolia Messenger</i>, I came to
know and respect Cecil May, Jr. I cut out and saved some of his columns of
“Bible Questions Answered” until I could save them in PDF format. Now, these
have been collected in a single volume published by Faulkner University. Since
that time, I have been blessed to attend Faulkner’s Bible Lectureship and meet
brother May and hear him lecture. He and his wife were a delight to meet, and I
am confident if you had the same opportunity your experience would be similar.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Some preachers have been using a Q&A format for some of their
services. Some lectureships have Q & A formats as well. I have seen some
men do this extemporaneously with questions from the floor, such as Alan
Highers. Having been on an Q&A program, I can attest that the stress
level for prepared questions before an audience is daunting enough. I also
appreciate Robert Veil, Jr.’s column in <i>The West Virginia Christian</i> on Bible
questions too. Columns and books like these can be a great reference for
querists and answerers. Brother May does not shy away from questions that the
answers may make some uncomfortable in their seats. For example, here is a
statement he makes about proms: <span style="color: #6aa84f;">“I have known of too many high school girls and
boys from good families, active in church, youth groups, seemingly dedicated to
the Lord, who unexpectedly became unwed mothers or fathers after attending
their high school proms”</span> (320).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">As with any answer to a Bible question, the knowledge of the one
providing the answer is important. May served as the Dean of the V. P. Black
College of Biblical Studies at Faulkner University earlier as President of
Magnolia Bible College. He holds a B.A., M.A., and M. Div. from Harding
University, and was awarded the L.L.D. from Freed-Hardeman University. He has
spent many years in the classroom both as student and teacher, so Bible
questions and Bible answers is an arena in which he is well qualified to operate.
Some questions deal with controversial subjects, so the answers may seem
controversial to some readers. I am confident brother May would encourage you
to “Fact Check” his remarks in accordance with the Scriptures. The book is
organized by questions around a given subject, e.g., salvation, role of women,
church leadership, bible passages, etc. The book also provides a helpful
Scripture Index, so the material is more accessible. Brother May provides
answer to over 160 Bible questions. Brother May has been writing this column
since 1980, and he continues to do so. Perhaps there will be a follow-up
volume, but until then I recommend getting on the mailing list of <i>The Magnolia
Messenger</i> and adding this book to the church library.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Originally printed in the <i>West Virginia Christian</i>, Vol. 30,
No. 7, July 2023, p. 8. Reprinted by permission.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-72956951969244681812024-01-06T15:20:00.008-05:002024-01-06T15:21:51.900-05:00Denominational Doctrines by Jerry Moffitt<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvEG6r_VhWA65HP6qPH8M8ZwE37zcu3kjHjQK3KvFHD8KJfR7i3yfj7fABAHOnPlapv6yUdi9kVXix-ljqPvmlx4udiSTnMjkR4nijEfphWn7cPLdKyT8cpCXVZKhmQEkps5N3Koh_NPwo0njDul4O6F1H8kPjcGSXo6Ziy14GdGcKSWu_D7t6egfjWtv/s291/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="291" data-original-width="183" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvEG6r_VhWA65HP6qPH8M8ZwE37zcu3kjHjQK3KvFHD8KJfR7i3yfj7fABAHOnPlapv6yUdi9kVXix-ljqPvmlx4udiSTnMjkR4nijEfphWn7cPLdKyT8cpCXVZKhmQEkps5N3Koh_NPwo0njDul4O6F1H8kPjcGSXo6Ziy14GdGcKSWu_D7t6egfjWtv/w252-h400/Picture1.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Denominational
Doctrines<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">by Jerry
Moffitt<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I have been honored to teach a class at the West Virginia School of
Preaching called “Denominational Doctrines.” I posted on a Facebook page
reported to be of preachers asking for input on a textbook for this class. I
was a bit disappointed that there were questions about why there would be such
a class. Really? This is a class to train preachers on denominations, their
respective doctrines, and how to answer error with Scripture. Now, I will grant
that there are other relevant subjects for a man training to be a gospel
preacher, but I would not say those other subjects are more important. Paul
instructed Timothy as an evangelist: <i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">“All Scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete,
thoroughly equipped for every good work”</span></i> (2 Timothy 3:16–17 NKJV). A sound
gospel preacher does not have the authorization to pick and choose whether he
is to reprove or correct.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Jerry Moffitt has written and debated for several years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has spent most of his life in pursuit and
defense of divine truth. As I have been going through my late father’s library,
I have come across several books, workbooks and other materials published to
answer the errors advocated in denominations and cults. I am concerned in our
offensive “non-offensive culture,” that we may have become too timid in our
defense of the truth. I try to impress on my students that there is no room for
being caustic, full of rancor, or have a tongue dripping with malice in
defending the gospel because the truth is offensive enough. Be kind,
considerate, friendly, and compassionate with people in error. Expose the
error, save the sinner! This work is over 650 pages and full of great teaching
material. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">This work deals with a host of pertinent issues including the
authority of the Bible, the nature of faith, baptism, Calvinism,
premillennialism, and various religious bodies in our nation today. Moffitt
provides solid refutation to many of the doctrinal errors that are advocated in
manmade creeds, disciplines, and other sources. He also provides an overview of
some of the prominent cults and the major tenets of their religion. I caution
my students to verify a doctrine is still being taught by an organization
because sometimes they change their doctrines. But be sure to point out to whom
you study with that man’s doctrines change but God word never changes. There
are several solid books on this subject that have been published that have
points that are now out of date. Not because the writer made a mistake, but the
doctrine was in error. Whether the newly adopted doctrine is correct or not
still must pass the same truth test as the Bereans administered: <i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">“they received
the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out
whether these things were so”</span></i> (Acts 17:11 NKJV). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Originally printed in the <i>West Virginia Christian</i>, Vol. 30,
No. 6, June 2023, p. 8. <i>Reprinted by permission</i>.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-44679220348536123842024-01-06T15:10:00.003-05:002024-01-06T15:12:34.405-05:00Defending God: His Existence and Creation by Kyle Butt and Eric Lyons<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></blockquote><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfM2z-3LQiGKk_laofLhiZHdf7OTjA2jcev-f7UHTSSAfrO7wOA-0GgzjsbavgBmdSqsHmKfTzcxR5k1ROD1FvgE8ZvPt3U4Ofa7fKUow_Nwu9KUnEcBmwRNmeRPTXsDfaykh3fzH3Z35pXcjE9y0d7bqlJYGuf38saf6xv08pXgHIPs_q4ou3WTlGIvXr/s204/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="137" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfM2z-3LQiGKk_laofLhiZHdf7OTjA2jcev-f7UHTSSAfrO7wOA-0GgzjsbavgBmdSqsHmKfTzcxR5k1ROD1FvgE8ZvPt3U4Ofa7fKUow_Nwu9KUnEcBmwRNmeRPTXsDfaykh3fzH3Z35pXcjE9y0d7bqlJYGuf38saf6xv08pXgHIPs_q4ou3WTlGIvXr/w269-h400/Picture1.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Defending God:
His Existence and Creation<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">by Kyle Butt
and Eric Lyons<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I am excited to have young people to teach in Bible Class! I am not
always blessed to have a class of young people, so I try not to take them for
granted. I have not taught a teenage class several years as I had worked with a
small congregation and had to teach the adult class. I was looking for
something new to teach our young people and came across a new series of book by
Apologetics Press and World Video Bible School. The Defender Series is yet in
production, but the first three volumes are complete in what will be a
four-volume set. The four books include a defense of God, a defense of the
Bible, a defense of Christ, and a defense of one’s faith. These books are
little hardback books that remind me of a series that was very popular a few
years ago, <i>A Series of Unfortunate Events</i>. These are similar in appearance, but
not in content. Even though I have never read the Unfortunate Events series, I
always find these "eye-catching” in bookstores. So, the Defender Series
“caught my eye” and the content caught my attention.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Each chapter of these books includes video links supporting the
lessons taught. The website is provided in the book utilizing a QR code. Don’t
know what that is? Ask a young person! There are so many things we can learn
from one another. Please don’t allow generational differences to create
barriers! Each chapter has a few pages for notes which would be ideal for the
videos that are supplied on the Internet. The videos are taught by Kyle Butt
and Eric Lyons. These are produced by World Video Bible School. We have been
posting the links to these videos on our church Facebook Page so all members
can view the supplemental videos (which are not dependent on the contents of
the book itself). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Our goal is to provide each one of our young people a copy of a
book that they complete in class with us. These four volumes will not only be
nice looking on the shelf, but these will also be rich in content that will
serve them well in the days ahead. In addition, it is our hope that when our
young people look for more information that they will consult organizations
such as Apologetics Press rather than denominational organizations which may
lure them away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">The first book in the Defender Series is entitled <i>Defending God:
His Existence and Creation</i>. It provides discussion on arguments for God’s
existence including First Cause, Morality, Design, and challenges to God’s
existence. In addition, the book discusses some of the major issues relating to
the creation such as the age of the Earth, the fossil record, and the existence
of dinosaurs. Perhaps many of the points in these books are more than familiar
to us who have benefited from the work of Apologetics Press and other such
institutions, but do our or your young people know these things? Are you sure?
Many young people are lost through a series of unfortunate events. Be sure a
lack of apologetics training is not one of those reasons.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Originally printed in the <i>West Virginia Christian</i>, Vol. 30,
No. 5, May 2023, p. 8. <i>Reprinted by permission</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-86780920571296158672024-01-06T14:50:00.001-05:002024-01-06T14:50:29.441-05:00Equipping the Saints: Fifty Years of Lectures and Articles by David L. Lipe<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-kipY_gu4Jd-qx2iBSM3x5PDgmQ6_AbFgdxmvXAAG7Rvl68OTErfmjID313RKc4lZfsK14LY8187-_BoSHi7pj_Y40YfHuqrY8DDJ6qe0whaj7YO02H1-HKttJFmqhXpCfNYIi0SxqBVgeBnCYf1mZkzdzlZ2hBPaqURmHtkpAOP4OfYpofh3LCgE3pe/s1022/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1022" data-original-width="710" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-kipY_gu4Jd-qx2iBSM3x5PDgmQ6_AbFgdxmvXAAG7Rvl68OTErfmjID313RKc4lZfsK14LY8187-_BoSHi7pj_Y40YfHuqrY8DDJ6qe0whaj7YO02H1-HKttJFmqhXpCfNYIi0SxqBVgeBnCYf1mZkzdzlZ2hBPaqURmHtkpAOP4OfYpofh3LCgE3pe/s320/Picture1.jpg" width="222" /></a></i></div><i><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Equipping
the Saints: Fifty Years of Lectures and Articles</span></i></div></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">by David L.
Lipe</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
<br clear="ALL" style="mso-ignore: vglayout;" />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This
is the first in what I hope to be in a series of books published by Stewart
Publications. It would be a wonderful resource to have collected lectures and
articles by certain members of our brotherhood. David Lipe has an A.A. from
Freed-Hardeman University, B. A. from Harding University, M. A. from Harding
School of Theology, and a Ph. D. from the University of Tennessee. He has both
lectured and directed lectureships for several years including the
Freed-Hardeman University Lectureship which he directed for 22 years. He has
also worked with the South East Institute of Biblical Studies. He continues to
teach and preach which he has also done for many years. I have watched him
navigate the Open Forum with the Moderator and the audience. Even when
frustration occurs, he makes the situation humorous and diffuses matters that
may become rather tense.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">My
father always enjoyed hearing brother Lipe’s presentations, and I quickly
shared that appreciation too. I have read some of his writings, commentary, and
have </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">heard him lecture on more than one
occasion. I have never been disappointed listening to brother Lipe whether it
would be a funny anecdote or his analysis of a passage or topic. His humor and
scholarship both come through in the pages of this work.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I sat with him to request his
signature on my copy, he asked me how he wanted me to address the book. I gave
him my name tag and said, “Here is how you spell my first name.” He just
paused, looked at me with his trademark perplexed expression, and laughed. He
is always very cordial and friendly. It is my pleasure to recommend this work
to you not just because I enjoy visiting and hearing him, but the content is
solid and profitable.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The book is packed with over 600 pages
of articles arranged topically, but there is also a detailed bibliography with
the listing chronologically too. The topics include: God, The Word of God,
Jesus, Evangelism and Salvation, Faith, the Church, Worship, Christian Ethics,
Eschatology, and others. When I went to the lectures at Freed-Hardeman
University in 2023, this work was just becoming available and it was
immediately on my list of books to purchase. It would make an excellent
addition to the church library. The lectures and articles are written in such a
way that everyone can profit and enjoy reading this book. He includes a final
article that all would do well to read called “Take Care of Your Own Dent” that
I particularly enjoyed. I salute Stewart Publications for making this available
to the brotherhood, and I hope there are subsequent volumes from other scholars
to come.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Originally printed in the <i>West Virginia Christian</i>,
Vol. 30, No. 4, April 2023, p. 8. <i>Reprinted by permission</i>.</span></p>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-19830299702244601082022-01-01T14:55:00.001-05:002022-01-01T14:55:37.809-05:00Theology of Three Early Restoration Documents, L. L. Brigance<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPY55x8zUZPQbTNGkU4w3cJQZofBxwDWEdgsy45oruoBssA8UiTdUYT03byf4AL78S4UIVJmV_QBZr1AQjL6OKfbvX1uCUPTcKGzIUEOwOA-cgDkxL1UYmFg4iOpQHXSeXZ5UdzvdGDJor6N2pUxnW1c_D-zqkHFTxKwff9HLsQcuOPzGDmTPTLpLrZQ=s369" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="247" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPY55x8zUZPQbTNGkU4w3cJQZofBxwDWEdgsy45oruoBssA8UiTdUYT03byf4AL78S4UIVJmV_QBZr1AQjL6OKfbvX1uCUPTcKGzIUEOwOA-cgDkxL1UYmFg4iOpQHXSeXZ5UdzvdGDJor6N2pUxnW1c_D-zqkHFTxKwff9HLsQcuOPzGDmTPTLpLrZQ=w268-h400" width="268" /></a></div>Theology of Three Early Restoration Documents</i><span style="text-align: left;">, L. L.
Brigance</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">My father and I were able to enjoy the 2014 Freed-Hardeman
University Bible Lectureship together, which is a great blessing! I always
enjoy the presentations coordinated by the Friends of the Restoration Movement.
This year, I was delighted to hear Sam Hester of Hester Publications announce
the near completion of a new book. For those unfamiliar with Hester
Publications, they reprint books, particularly restoration works that are
difficult to find. The book is a compilation of articles by L. L. Brigance
written for the <i>Gospel Advocate</i> in the 1930s. The book is entitled <i>Theology
of Three Restoration Documents</i> and analyzes <i>The Last Will and Testament
of the Springfield Presbytery</i>, <i>The Declaration and Address</i>, and <i>The
Sermon on the Law</i>. Sam Hester agreed to send me one of the first copies
available. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">E. Claude Gardner studied under L. L. Brigance, and he was
at the announcement. Sam Hester asked Gardner to comment on Brigance. Gardner’s
comments match his statement on the back cover of the book:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #006600;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">"L. L. Brigance was known as one of the top Bible
teachers and scholars of Freed-Hardeman College the first half of the 20th
century.... He was recognized for being balanced and free of extremism. His
writings and teachings on the Restoration Movement had a far-reaching impact on
influential preachers…. I counted him as the best Bible teacher of my college career.
Because of my admiration and appreciation of him, I edited a volume of his sermons." </span></blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Brother Gardener did more than edit the sermons, he typed them himself! I
have enjoyed reading Brigance's analysis of The Declaration and Address which
he considered the greatest religious document since inspiration. Now, one may
find Brigance’s assessment excessive; however, I suggest reserving one’s
verdict until reading Brigance’s case. Here is a sample from "The Right to
Private Judgment":<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #006600;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #006600;">"Intolerance has ever been
one of humanity's greatest weaknesses. We want others to agree with us--to see
things like we see them, to believe, think, and act like we do. And if they do
not, we do not like it nor them. We want to suspect their motives, declare them
unsound, interdict them, 'read them out of the party.' Of course, it is not
only our right, but our duty, to insist upon the plain teaching of God's
word--to urge all men to follow it. It is the divine standard, the infallible
standard, the only standard of truth and duty. But our opinions, preferences,
prejudices, and judgments are an entirely different matter. We have no right to
insist upon anyone conforming to them. To do so is to deny to men 'the right of
private judgment.' Suppose that after diligent study I am in doubt as to the
meaning of a passage of Scriptures. I search the commentaries. I find that
'able men' differ about it. And 'what shall we do when the doctors disagree?'
We must decide for ourselves..." </span>(L. L. Brigance, <i>Theology of Three
Restoration Documents</i>, p. 22)</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Many are familiar with N. B. Hardeman but may be unaware
that Brigance assisted in the preparation of material for the Hardeman
Tabernacle Sermons. Hugo McCord, who was baptized and taught by Brigance, told
me Brigance stated, <span style="color: #006600;">"I cannot preach like
brother Hardeman, but I helped load his gun." Be sure and do not overlook
this keen analysis of three major works which moved many toward "a
restoration of the ancient order of things."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Originally printed in the <i>West Virginia Christian</i>,
Vol. 28, No. 6, June 2021, p. 8. </span><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Reprinted by permission.</span><o:p></o:p></i></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-11347506126924457042022-01-01T14:44:00.003-05:002022-01-01T14:44:47.405-05:00When the Prodigal is Your Prodigal by Steve and Kim Higginbotham<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnRq-zyKL1vhPyOtaR9fFDCfn0Y3BY8KfvvA2oS3o1S1AdJRKZzSO8WrYfuK6nNNpOK9pFKSp8NQR8-3EbRR0O4HFKGXZ5eWJzVTlAGOnkAb2gYrkjwsxv7tyayjh9Tm-IkAuzAdOFlT_zxcf3k51adj8usRvRDPEwEi2Fv9Hbl9bVKm7f-UreuOKRtA=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnRq-zyKL1vhPyOtaR9fFDCfn0Y3BY8KfvvA2oS3o1S1AdJRKZzSO8WrYfuK6nNNpOK9pFKSp8NQR8-3EbRR0O4HFKGXZ5eWJzVTlAGOnkAb2gYrkjwsxv7tyayjh9Tm-IkAuzAdOFlT_zxcf3k51adj8usRvRDPEwEi2Fv9Hbl9bVKm7f-UreuOKRtA=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>When the Prodigal is
Your Prodigal</i> by Steve and Kim Higginbotham</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The
Higginbotham and Kenney families have known each other for years. The nature of
ministry is such that times in each other’s presence is limited, but there is
still a bond formed. I remember my parents making a special effort to attend Frank’s
funeral (Steve’s father) because they were preaching brothers. Like many others,
we were dismayed about Steve’s cancer prognosis the Higginbotham family shared
with the brotherhood. We join many others who are praying for him and the
family. I had heard they were working on this book, <i>When the Prodigal Is
Your Prodigal</i>, and I was hoping they would be able to release the book
despite the medical treatments that are so demanding on their time and energy. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">The
book is one that every parent and Christian ought to read. The book does detail the particulars of their
family’s circumstances and despair. I have witnessed from a distance the loss
of Steve’s father, and the threat to his health, but I was unfamiliar with the torment
he and his wife, Kim, were suffering due to one of their children becoming
prodigal. While some will find details curious, which will be freely and
painfully given, they will better understand the magnitude of their experience
and benefit from the efficacy of their writing on this subject. The reason I would
encourage others to read this book is to be more aware of the silent pain and
suffering some go through and be more sympathetic and compassionate. I have
witnessed parents go through emotions akin to what Jacob felt when he cried out
when his sons were pressing him to give them care of his youngest son Benjamin:
“My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left
alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then
you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave” (Genesis 42:38
NKJV). Sadly, many suffer in silence and deprive themselves of Christians who
are supposed to be burden bearers (cf. Galatians 6:2). Worse, some Christian
fail to bear burdens!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> The
book is an excellent treatment of the subject of church discipline. It deals
forthrightly with cop-outs people make to avoid administering discipline to the
erring and rebelling. The book deals with the resistance, rather than support,
of other Christians who were puzzled how they could withdraw from their
prodigal that has gone into the far country of sin. The Higginbotham’s have not
only “talked the talk” but have “walked the talk” too. Anyone who reads the
book will have their eyes opened on how the world can hold faithful Christians
who are suffering because of their child’s sin in disdain. Kim recounts the nightmare
she was made to suffer on a national scale from those who have no regard for
God’s Word, biblical morality, and faithfulness. The lack of compassion from
the so-called tolerant crowd is one that Christians need to be aware of and not
naive about even if it is unpleasant. One wonders why anyone would invite more
anguish by writing such a book, but after you read the book you will understand
better. The book discusses the process by which the Higginbothams turned their private
shame into a ministry for those broken by the loss of a child to the far
country of sin. It deals forthrightly with those who twist scripture to suit
their own agendas. It is an open presentation of the lessons they learned and
even the blessings they have received. People who are not Christians will be
shocked by this statement: “I would rather attend my son’s funeral than to
watch him turn his back on God and walk away to never return.” The world may
recoil at such words, but godly parents fully understand and will pray even
more fervently to preserve their family from Satan and the world after reading
this book (if they are not living such a nightmare).</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Originally printed in the <i>West
Virginia Christian</i>, Vol. 28, No. 2, February 2021, p. 8. <i>Reprinted by permission.</i></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-80214651932837138132022-01-01T14:29:00.003-05:002022-01-01T14:29:37.243-05:00 Thinking-Living-Dying: Early Apologists Speak to the 21st Century, Everett Ferguson<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAjvoNcZ9So88Q21eyfzn6OQ1nTDLgSzSbRe1yKEDI-R2YzKPZQh_GJ4BkR1h2MBM4is69YKlUnliUvz6epeLcq4OEwGYhQ7HOHDn2qM7w7vEIN4rCxZgRCVYDTxuP7qgCYiYMjqBpnp38WSbK6vT5VsD1QZrp24Qj_nKvsTve6hMcLWI8MKubcagPFg=s500" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAjvoNcZ9So88Q21eyfzn6OQ1nTDLgSzSbRe1yKEDI-R2YzKPZQh_GJ4BkR1h2MBM4is69YKlUnliUvz6epeLcq4OEwGYhQ7HOHDn2qM7w7vEIN4rCxZgRCVYDTxuP7qgCYiYMjqBpnp38WSbK6vT5VsD1QZrp24Qj_nKvsTve6hMcLWI8MKubcagPFg=w259-h400" width="259" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> <i>Thinking-Living-Dying: Early Apologists Speak to the 21st
Century, </i>Everett Ferguson</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">When judges review prior court decisions when deciding their
judgments, they are said to be looking for precedence or past pattern to guide
their decision. It should be obvious that clear and consistent teaching and practice
formulates a strong precedence while inconsistencies in teaching, practice, or
both weaken precedence.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">While the Bible is clear on God’s great love for mankind as
demonstrated by sending His Son to redeem humanity (John 3:16), it is also
plain that God has standards for acceptable moral behavior. For example, God
designed marriage to be one man and one woman for life (Genesis 1:24) and homosexuality
is contrary to that design. God codified this design in both the Law of Moses
(Deuteronomy 20:7) and the New Testament (Matthew 19:4-5; Mark 10:6-7). The
Bible also documented His abhorrence for various sexual practices contrary to
the design of marriage such as homosexuality, bestiality, et al. (Leviticus
18:22-23). In addition, God has demonstrated His commitment to those standards
by punishing those who flagrantly disregarded Him and His standards of morality,
e.g., Sodom (Jude 1:7). He has also promised to do so in the future (Revelation
21:7-8). So, His design in creation, His laws across generations, His actions
in the past and His promises in the future have been consistent in what
constitutes moral rightness and immorality. One should not overlook God’s
precedence in these matters!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">There are religions claiming Christianity who have
historically opposed homosexuality, but recently have not only tolerated this
lifestyle but have promoted those who practice it into leadership ranks. One wonders
how faithful churches are going to hold to God’s standards of morality in our
legal system with so many other religions compromising God’s standards. I am
convinced that one of the determining legal factors for churches that have
consistently attempted to save those engaged in homosexuality by helping them
cease the activity and become sanctified (1 Corinthians 6:8-10) will be the
teaching and practice of churches across the centuries. In other words, what
will precedence reveal?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">This is where <i>Thinking-Living-Dying</i> becomes such an
important study. The study is a fascinating one, especially for those who
appreciate both early church history and apologetics. I was privileged to hear brother
Ferguson deliver these lectures, and as I listened to him explain the early
apologists’ debates with pagan philosophers on subjects such as celibacy,
marriage, extra-marital sex, abortion, infanticide, and homosexuality, I was
struck by how explicit and contextual these issues were in our society today. For
example, Celsus, who was a pagan philosopher, attacked Christians in his
writing True Discourse (or True Reason or True Doctrine) around A. D. 178.
Origen defended Christianity in his apologetic work Against Celsus around A. D.
248. Origen’s work was viewed to be one of the strongest apologies in early church
history. Interestingly, the attacks of Celsus were only preserved because of
the extensive quotations and refutation by Origen. Origen lost his father due
to persecution under the reign of Septimius Severus. Some fifty years later,
Origen would also be imprisoned, persecuted, and died in A.D. 253 at Tyre. Origen
answered the call both in his defense of Christianity in thinking, living, and
even dying. What will our commitment be when we are put to the test?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Originally printed in the <i>West Virginia Christian</i>,
Vol. 28, No. 1, January 2021, p. 8. </span><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Reprinted by permission.</span><o:p></o:p></i></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-47588052836055981392022-01-01T14:19:00.000-05:002022-01-01T14:19:11.458-05:00Is Christianity Logical? By Dave Miller<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaCiLC0V3Zs8Epb4sSl1S284G5mKTA20vpJbY22Ls8xA1esnGF8Vx_y3tDx7G653MunSxrbE_XiD9WFg6ojfrrn9luAAchMkJpRjkOU0ti_K6u8cPhZWX7X-ll5I64Ch-ChvWnlsoBkijkXg1peSv2o-eyw6r0eVJ2Lfdy-1bMRlFHa8hpZE-8PeYKiA=s768" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="516" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaCiLC0V3Zs8Epb4sSl1S284G5mKTA20vpJbY22Ls8xA1esnGF8Vx_y3tDx7G653MunSxrbE_XiD9WFg6ojfrrn9luAAchMkJpRjkOU0ti_K6u8cPhZWX7X-ll5I64Ch-ChvWnlsoBkijkXg1peSv2o-eyw6r0eVJ2Lfdy-1bMRlFHa8hpZE-8PeYKiA=w269-h400" width="269" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i>Is Christianity Logical? </i></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">By Dave Miller</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Perhaps you have heard others remark, as I have, that common
sense has become rather uncommon these days. Some seem to think that
Christianity does not make any common sense. Or put another way, Christianity
does not make any logical sense. Some claim that logic and religion are
mutually exclusive, meaning these disciplines never intersect. Dave Miller’s
latest book is a direct challenge to such an illogical or irrational viewpoint—<i>rational
</i>meaning logical, and <i>irrational </i>meaning illogical. The Bible
mandates that we are to think about walking with God from a rational or logical
standpoint, <i><span style="color: #0000cc;">“Come now, and let us reason together”</span></i>
(Isaiah 1:18 NKJV). The transliterated Hebrew word for “reason” is <i>yâkach</i>
which <span style="color: #006600;">means “to prove, decide, judge, rebuke, reprove,
correct, be right”</span> (Brown-Driver-Brigg). So, God challenges our mental
faculties as well as our emotions. Miller correctly points out that:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #006600;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #006600;">“Many well-meaning, religious people take the foolish
position that truth is elusive and unattainable, and that doctrinal correctness
is unimportant and unnecessary. Only in the task of interpreting the Bible do
such people take the position that truth is relative, always changing, and
something of which they can never be sure” </span>(4). </span></blockquote><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The book deals with several relevant questions:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Is Christianity irreconcilable with logic and reason?</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Is “faith” accepting what you cannot know or prove?</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Did Jesus expect people to believe Him without proof?</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Does Christianity require evidence and proof before being
accepted?</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Is the religion of Christ “better-felt-than-told”?</span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I first met Dave Miller in 1993 when he was lecturing on
“How Christ Handled Controversy.” Since that time, I have made it a point to
take our family to his seminars, gospel meetings, and other events. We taught
together at Alkire Road’s Future Preacher Training Camp, but I was also his
student for his class on Logic and the Bible. When he was in our area, I
invited him to be on my TV program, Light From Above. For those who would like
to see our discussion on some of this material, you can see this on YouTube by
searching for <i>“Light From Above #299.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I was very pleased to see this material published in a
format that is suitable for class or personal study. The work is less than 100
pages, so it would be easy to share with someone without a substantial hit to
the wallet. Included are 130 study questions to help generate discussion, and the
answers are provided for those who stand before an audience to teach.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Dave Miller has a B.A. degree in Speech & Bible from
Lubbock Christian University, M.A. degree in Speech Communication from Texas
Tech University, M.Div. and M.A.R. from Harding School of Theology, and Ph.D.
in Rhetoric and Public Address from Southern Illinois University. Dr. Miller
has been the Executive Director of Apologetics Press since 2005.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Originally printed in the <i>West Virginia Christian</i>,
Vol. 27, No. 12, December 2020, p. 8. </span><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Reprinted by permission.</span><o:p></o:p></i></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-37141520009135065772022-01-01T14:00:00.001-05:002022-01-01T14:00:21.800-05:00New Testament Commentary by Wayne Jackson<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHXndfj3VfZ49ktmZp8SXL0_uM0A-dtaq0noNN22libXhwD9zAFOskIO43gfwElxYqAmAm9nqOjIeHgQgKWXUNz5p1179AaZH4W6VMMtTt3ktH1A252KlSpao2Ay4andU-36E7wchVRvAcsn6pXUIaHO-vpiD2OSlvvV1gt-B7ZkNQ9wKGUoGjj72Hug=s400" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHXndfj3VfZ49ktmZp8SXL0_uM0A-dtaq0noNN22libXhwD9zAFOskIO43gfwElxYqAmAm9nqOjIeHgQgKWXUNz5p1179AaZH4W6VMMtTt3ktH1A252KlSpao2Ay4andU-36E7wchVRvAcsn6pXUIaHO-vpiD2OSlvvV1gt-B7ZkNQ9wKGUoGjj72Hug=w280-h400" width="280" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i>New Testament Commentary </i>by Wayne Jackson</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Perhaps one of the more anticipated volumes among preachers
is a commentary on the whole New Testament; however, there are many
commentaries on the whole Bible, Old Testament, New Testament, or individual
books of the Bible. What makes this particular commentary so anticipated by
several preachers is the scholar doing the commenting!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Some have a negative view of commentaries regardless of who has
written it. They tend to think that somehow commentaries are on the same level
as a creed; however, such is not the case at all. Some creeds certainly provide
commentary on the Bible; however, creeds include a level of imposing authority
that is missing from a commentary. No, commentaries are not Creeds, Confessions
of Faith, Articles of Faith, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I often explain that a commentary is only as good as the one
doing the commenting! If I have a really difficult question relating to the
Bible that I just cannot figure out from the resources I possess, then I have
written to brother Jackson and asked. Sometimes he gives me a direct response,
sometimes he will forward me an article he has written, or sometimes he refers
me to a book that might help my study. If I value his studious mind from years
of disciplined study, then why would I be opposed to having his thoughts
pertaining to the comments in book form arranged according to verses of the
Bible? Generally, a commentary is a person’s (or group’s) thoughts on a given
passage arranged in order of book, chapter, and verse. Is there a difference
between asking a question and getting an answer from a preacher or reading his answer
in written form? No. Again, it depends on who is doing the answering/writing. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Of course, writing a commentary on any book of the Bible is
an ambitious task, but to write a commentary on the entire New Testament is
quite a formidable project. It is why I laughed out loud when I read brother
Wayne’s statement in the Preface<span style="color: #006600;">: “After chastising
myself more than once for embarking upon such a daunting project, I threw
myself into the delightful enterprise, laboring for long days, week after week,
until I finished with the draft a few days under a year.”</span> Brother Wayne
plans to continue writing his commentary series on the Old Testament. We pray that
the Lord extends his life to where he can enjoy the satisfaction of completing
this project! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">As Editor of the <i>Christian Courier</i> since 1964,
brother Wayne has published it monthly, plus books, which have benefited many
in our brotherhood. The web site ChristianCourier.com has been a blessing to
many looking for solid and balanced answers to a host of religious questions whether
for personal study or to share with others. Brother Wayne has freely shared
with us the fruits of his scholarly study for years. Of course, books cost
money, so we need to be willing to support sound writing if we want to have
such for the future. I hesitate to use the word “brief” in describing this
commentary. I prefer to use the word “concise” instead. It is arranged by the books
of the New Testament and verses are organized around major points in outline
format. Each book of the New Testament has an introduction including
authorship, date, purpose, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Be sure to obtain a copy of this volume for the church
library and for your personal study before it goes out of print!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #c00000;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">**Note** Since the printing
of this book review, <i>A New Testament Commentary</i> has sold through its
first two editions. It is now available in the third edition in hardback
format.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Originally printed in the <i>West Virginia Christian</i>,
Vol. 24, No. 8, August 2017, p. 8. </span><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Reprinted by permission.</span><o:p></o:p></i></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-60786281304771224322022-01-01T13:46:00.002-05:002022-01-01T13:46:53.746-05:00A Prayer from Heaven – The Model Prayer as Evidence for the Deity of Christ, W. Terry Varner<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiw4wbRxK_svZkV41zRFYLArcOvDpcBfpzhTE0IewgbXOgJv16OanrUgaWKthCpuKmn4zwuAInb9ZSZVgkkBu4N4rkbtGjPejtSDhn4aSo5YL_fYyHuf2zOt7edVlLBcXcWuJwLQO6kDSbFEUkIzRvkjFE5ePa6SuFT-IkltqLjEInWmVOjGC47O_AlbQ=s748" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiw4wbRxK_svZkV41zRFYLArcOvDpcBfpzhTE0IewgbXOgJv16OanrUgaWKthCpuKmn4zwuAInb9ZSZVgkkBu4N4rkbtGjPejtSDhn4aSo5YL_fYyHuf2zOt7edVlLBcXcWuJwLQO6kDSbFEUkIzRvkjFE5ePa6SuFT-IkltqLjEInWmVOjGC47O_AlbQ=s320" width="214" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>A Prayer from Heaven – The Model Prayer as Evidence for
the Deity of Christ,</i> W. Terry Varner</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">One of the intriguing questions I ponder, relating to the
false view that God is not involved in the fate of nations or the affairs of
men, is this: why did Jesus teach His disciples to pray as John had taught his disciples
to pray too (Luke 11:1)? <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">If one of the tenets of deism is that God “wound up the
world” and lets it spin on its own without further action or intervention by
God, then why would we be taught about prayer and encouraged to pray by the Son
of God? The fact of the matter is that many underestimate God’s actions in the
world. They seem to think that God only operates supernaturally rather than
through His natural laws to accomplish His will. This is one of the subjects of
Habakkuk—God is active among the nations even when these nations are unable to
detect His actions. The founding fathers
of our nation recognized that God was active in the rise and fall of nations,
as seen in their reference to Him as “Divine Providence”, and they sought His
assistance in the formation of these United States. Sadly, the founding fathers
of our nation are often misrepresented or misunderstood.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">This book drives at fundamental points relating to the
model prayer: God exists! God listens! God takes action! I appreciate the way Charles
C. Pugh III describes this book as exegetical, devotional, and apologetic too.
To some, the concept of the model prayer and apologetics may seem rather
tenuous; however, if there is no God then to whom are we praying and for what
reason? Indeed prayer and apologetics go together! W. Terry Varner, as Editor
of Sufficient Evidence and co-founder of the Warren Christian Apologetics Center,
certainly knows his way around the apologetics field!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The book is devoted to several themes relating to the model
prayer: reverence, adoration, sovereignty, obedience, dependence, forgiveness,
guidance, deliverance, and praise. Each of these themes is discussed in the
context of the model prayer. The material is rich and well worth the study. In
addition, there is a helpful appendix relating to our model, our example, Jesus
Christ and how He was a man of prayer too. The book also includes a helpful
Scripture Index, plus each chapter has a detailed bibliography for those
seeking to consult additional works on the subject.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">One wonders how many of our problems today could be
alleviated if we prayed more? Do we pray enough? Do we pray at all? We need to
be people who listen to God through His word and talk to Him through the
blessed avenue of prayer vouchsafed by our Lord Jesus Christ. Abraham Lincoln
said ““I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming
conviction that I had nowhere else to go.” We have someplace else to go, and
we should bow the knee every day in prayer along life’s journey to that
destination!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Originally printed in the <i>West Virginia Christian</i>,
Vol. 24, No. 5, May 2017, p. 8. </span><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Reprinted by permission.</span><o:p></o:p></i></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-76255044224259121112022-01-01T13:22:00.000-05:002022-01-01T13:22:19.564-05:00Truth for Today Commentary - Exodus by Coy D. Roper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><i style="text-align: left;">Truth for Today Commentary – Exodus</i><span style="text-align: left;">, Coy D. Roper</span></div></span></span></div></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjm5PrQtd_2prHq4MNtO_8XiXAIORmgnDxvsVp_Nq38P82TPn3kJyAb4F_jyo1lN6Y89g6Htdk0cu34Gq1hGR6eSkT653j2pYgF-E65sIyvf7UX-xkiRRKJ7nAdgjuLekL_y303cDkuQaFaq11pPEeVPROG3lHNtMdWHT4SS0q4RJp0XguDcwKu7Gw13w=s2560" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1794" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjm5PrQtd_2prHq4MNtO_8XiXAIORmgnDxvsVp_Nq38P82TPn3kJyAb4F_jyo1lN6Y89g6Htdk0cu34Gq1hGR6eSkT653j2pYgF-E65sIyvf7UX-xkiRRKJ7nAdgjuLekL_y303cDkuQaFaq11pPEeVPROG3lHNtMdWHT4SS0q4RJp0XguDcwKu7Gw13w=w280-h400" width="280" /></a></div>Many may recall the movie, “The Ten Commandments.” I was
under the impression it was new when I first saw it on TV; however, it was
released ten years before I was born! I can recall studying with great delight
the story of the Exodus as a young person in Bible Class, which was taught by
my mother. The story of the enslavement and liberation of the Israelites is
among the greatest stories that have ever been told. One of the greatest things
about the story is that it is true! The family of Jacob (called Israel by God)
goes into Egypt as a family, but they come out as a nation in fulfillment to
God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I enjoyed watching the movie at home,
but I also recall my mother challenging me to pick out inaccuracies of the film
based on Bible Class. I sometimes wonder how well I would do today.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I was reading some statistical studies about society’s
knowledge of the Bible and found two interesting trends. First, atheists &
agnostics know the Bible far more than some realize, even better than “Bible
Believers”. Second, one study suggested that Christians, by the survey’s
classification, overestimate how well they actually know the Bible. Perhaps you
know where in the story Exodus begins, but do you know where in the story the
Exodus ends? Do you really know what happened in the book, or has it become fuzzy
now? This should be a wake-up call that we all need to learn the contents of
our Bibles better. Bible classes help, so do sermons (at least these should);
however, there is so much more to know which may increase our faith. Of course,
we need good tools to fortify and enrich our study of God’s word. Some tools
are better than others.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i>The Truth for Today</i> <i>Commentary</i> series seeks to
provide solid explanation of the text, plus applications of the text to our
daily lives. Those familiar with the publishing work of Eddie Cloer have been appreciating
his efforts along these lines for some time now. If you are looking for solid
biblical research by faithful members of the church, then you do not want to
let this series of commentaries escape your notice. Coy D. Roper is a highly
degreed student of the Scriptures and has preached the gospel for over 50
years. He has served as Director of Graduate Studies at Heritage Christian University
(formerly International Bible College). I have not had the pleasure of meeting
him yet, but I hope to some day because his scholastic studies have enriched my
study. I am thankful for him and others who “put themselves out there” so we
can learn from them, regardless of the fact that others may scoff and
criticize. I am not saying one will necessarily agree with every point in any
of these books, but that does not mean you cannot learn from them. Remember,
the Bible is always right!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I was blessed to have the late Dr. James Tollerson at
Freed-Hardeman University for his instruction in the class of Genesis &
Exodus. Recently I have just completed a series of lessons preaching through Exodus.
I found my old class notes very insufficient, partially because I knew the
material so well because of the diligent instruction of my mother. So, when I
recently sat down to assemble a fresh study of the subject, I examined several
reference works to aid me in my study. <i>The Truth for Today Commentary on
Exodus</i> was one that I did not return to the church library shelf until my
study was complete. I highly recommend pursing the <i>Truth for Today Commentary</i>
series for your private and public study. These books are not inexpensive;
however, there is a difference between the price paid and the value received.
These books are of high value!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Originally printed in the <i>West Virginia Christian</i>,
Vol. 22, No. 10, July 2015, p. 8. </span><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Reprinted by permission.</span><o:p></o:p></i></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-10509987795251387122022-01-01T13:02:00.001-05:002022-01-01T13:14:25.562-05:00Brigance's Outlines by E. Claude Gardner<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Brigance's Outlines </i></span><span style="font-family: arial;">by E. Claude Gardner</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilegMuwqQ_5_mHIjSoTMmWKUZ89z6QMVQvweUSNk3aUYrhcs0hgOGoRlYNxJ8krClDONIoJC7wsoW9th-pdxzxf8Zz7nzHT-F5cn38cziiLiOXx2nQn0cfSv4VMWbfPV8EjHfzL0ehCIsL/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilegMuwqQ_5_mHIjSoTMmWKUZ89z6QMVQvweUSNk3aUYrhcs0hgOGoRlYNxJ8krClDONIoJC7wsoW9th-pdxzxf8Zz7nzHT-F5cn38cziiLiOXx2nQn0cfSv4VMWbfPV8EjHfzL0ehCIsL/w223-h320/image.png" width="223" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Several factors go into the success of any book, and books
of sermon outlines are no exception. Some have differing attitudes toward
sermon outline books. Some naively think that all a preacher needs is a book of
sermon outlines, while others find very little use for them. Incidentally, L.
L. Brigance himself was reported to have the opinion that sermon outlines by
others were of very little value to his preparation. So what would make these
sermon outlines unique?<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">L. L. Brigance was a humble man. In fact, many today know
very little about him, which is sad. The fact that E. Claude Gardner would edit
these sermons himself for DeHoff Publications so others could have them at
their fingertips shows that Brigance’s contributions were viewed greater by
those who were recipients of his scholarship. Some may not realize that L. L.
Brigance prepared some of the sermons that were preached by N. B. Hardeman in
his famed Hardeman Tabernacle Sermons. Never seeking to take anything away from
the contributions of others, he would comment when asked, “I cannot preach like
brother Hardeman, but I did help load his gun.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">L. L. Brigance was born in Scotts Hill, TN. He attended what
was then Georgie Robertson Christian College, which would eventually become
Freed-Hardeman University (the change of an institution once operated by the
Christian Church to one operated by churches of Christ is a story of interest
all by itself.) A. G. Freed was the President of the school. Brigance’s
teachers included A. G. Freed, N. B. Hardeman and others. He earned both the B.
A. and M. A. degrees there, was valedictorian of his undergraduate class, and
received the oratory medal. He was baptized by the same man who baptized<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">N. B. Hardeman, who was R. P. Meeks. He was a restoration
history student, scholar and teacher and wrote an excellent series of articles
for The Gospel Advocate back in the 1930s and 1940s which has been reprinted in
book form by Hester Publication. Brigance spent the vast majority of his work teaching
at Freed-Hardeman College (now University) and preaching on appointment basis.
Some of his students included E. Claude Gardner, Hugo McCord, George W. DeHoff
and others. His students urged him to publish his outlines which he intended to
complete but failing health and other pressing demands prohibited him from
completing the task. Brother Gardner described Brigance’s outlines as “…Scriptural,
fundamental, simple, logical and usable. For decades the small and great have
preached effectively his outlines.” (Preface). Leonard Lee Brigance passed away
February 4, 1950. His body lies in Henderson Cemetery with other great men and
women of the past. As a student at Freed-Hardeman University, I lived most of
my dorm life in Brigance Hall which was named in his honor in 1971.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The book contains a brief biographical sketch written by Brigance
at some point in his life and a Preface written by E. Claude Gardner. Brother
Gardner wrote the Preface on February 23, 1951, which was just over a year from
Brigance’s passing. These outlines were ones that Brigance freely shared with his
students and others. Thankfully, brother Gardner compiled these and preserved
them for future generations. If you are looking for an excellent book of sermon
outlines to help a young preacher, then you should give serious consideration
to this book. It is filled with 100 scriptural sermons, the type which we need
to have preached in our brotherhood today. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Originally
printed in the <i>West Virginia Christian</i>, Vol. 21, No. 7, July 2014, p. 8.
<i>Reprinted by permission.</i></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-2887345860290963692021-01-31T19:19:00.001-05:002021-02-02T18:57:31.704-05:00Here Was A Man - A Tribute To Don Baugh<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8gUcukGEtoRs7nbCJtCCAPqEQSL48LiaNh1-9cBEgeIjkwvjCDDf4zgsRa6ZMn7wY7jju1iqohmdgBoFJmOlhKv-7Q4SVsZLs0r03rrgvFmyuI_kBAcUMy7KoQGSVNd5LJC8CqGi7AWaF/s1280/1939528_418038185011098_49473865365744406_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8gUcukGEtoRs7nbCJtCCAPqEQSL48LiaNh1-9cBEgeIjkwvjCDDf4zgsRa6ZMn7wY7jju1iqohmdgBoFJmOlhKv-7Q4SVsZLs0r03rrgvFmyuI_kBAcUMy7KoQGSVNd5LJC8CqGi7AWaF/w400-h300/1939528_418038185011098_49473865365744406_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><h2 style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Don Norman Baugh<br /></span></b></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">July 19, 1940 - January 29, 2021</span></h2>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">By David R. Kenney<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our
family moved from Weirton, WV to Centralia, IL the summer of 1980. The first
half of 1980 was difficult on our family, and we were looking for a fresh start.
It was a difficult move for me as a thirteen-year-old, but it was difficult for
the entire family. Still, in the course of time we would call Centralia home
for several years even after my parents moved away and I was married. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">A
family we became close to at the 161 Church of Christ (so-called by IL Route
161 which passes in front of the building) was Don and Mary Baugh. They lived at
2 Bel Air Drive, and I still think of them every time I pass that street
though I have not been down it in decades. The Baugh’s house was near the end
of a cul-de-sac and had seen a lot of young people and all kinds of interesting
events that come with them. Though I never saw the neighbors across the street,
I flattened their metal trash cans with my car backing into their driveway on
more than one occasion. I am sure they did not appreciate that. I am also sure
that they did not care for my car horn blaring in the middle of the night for
no reason. Blaring that awakened Don Baugh to come out in his pajama bottoms and
disconnect the malfunctioning horn.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">When
I was in Junior High School, I rode the bus to school. But when I entered
Centralia High School there was no bus to come to our road to pick us up. No
matter. I walked over to Barbara Martin’s place and waited with her son Johnny
(my future brother-in-law) to catch a ride with him and his Uncle Don. Johnny
told me on more than one occasion that his Uncle Don was more of a father to
him than his own. I would understand more in time. Don and Mary have three
boys: Russell, Doug, and Wade. I was privileged to know all of them to one
degree or another, but when we moved to Centralia only Wade was living at home.
Johnny was their fourth brother and son to Don. It is a relationship that has
endured, grown, and strengthened. So much so, I only refer to Johnny as “brother-in-law”
for the sake of accuracy in writing. When he married my sister, he became the brother
I never had but will always cherish regardless of circumstance.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">When
we all first met, we were teenagers in the Teenage Bible Class. We were wearied
with class books and fill-in-the-blank lesson plans. Don was one of our
teachers along with David Davenport and Steve Donahoo. I think they were the
only three courageous enough to take the class. We wanted to study the Bible directly
without a class book. Don Baugh was prepared for such a task, equipped with his
copy of </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Halley’s Bible Handbook</i><span face="Arial, sans-serif">. It was his go-to source on various questions
relating to the books of the Bible we studied. He liked to pronounce his name “Hawley”
but we were taught “Hailey” as the correct pronunciation. If there was a
question he could not answer, he would say “Let’s consult Mr. Hawley!” Don
fielded our questions and we learned. I will always think of him and when I
examine my copy of </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Halley’s Bible Handbook</i><span face="Arial, sans-serif">.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">There
was a time when the Baughs were considering relocating to Colorado soon after
we arrived. I was very saddened by this because we had already become close to
them. It was an agonizing wait to see what would happen, but they remained at 2
Bel Air Drive for many years before moving to Holiday Shores, IL. Don was born
in Texas, and they came to Illinois from Hobbs, NM which is where Mary and her sister,
Barbara, were from. I have heard so many stories relating to Hobbs, NM that I
felt like I have been there. Don worked for Shell Oil Company when we met him.
He was on the front-end of a lot of computer work that would be some time before
we would learn in school. I recall one of the signs he had hanging in his home
office “To err is human, but to really foul things up requires a computer.” One
of my favorite pictures of him resides in my memory. It is a picture of him in
a repair shop of sorts with all kinds of gadgets, equipment, TVs, electronics, etc.
surrounding him. I was convinced he could fix anything, and I have never been
proven wrong. And we put him to the test!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">When
our family moved across town to the Central City area, we had to cut wood for
heat. We never had to do that before. No matter! Don would bring a pickup
truck, chain saws, Johnny, and Wade. Dad and I would go with them to cut down
the trees for firewood. I believe Don taught my father how to operate a chain saw,
as he never had occasion to use one. There were several early days with your
breath blowing in the cold air as the chainsaws ran and we picked up the pieces
for the truck. Then, there was taking it all back to the house where we ran a
log splitter to split and stack the wood. It was hard work, but it was enjoyable
work. Some may be tempted to call it “manly work,” but not Don Baugh. No, he
would exclaim it was "Manly work, period!"</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">He
referred to his wife, Mary, in one of two terms of affection: Squaw or Woman. It
was a sight to see them interact. Mary ran a babysitting operation at the house.
The road often seemed crowded with parents bringing their kids to their place
to catch the bus then pick them up there after school. Some were too young for
school, so they were put to work around the house with various chores. Sure,
there was TV to watch and fun to be had too. The house was always bustling with
activity.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">I
remember Mary was the first one to make me spaghetti with mushrooms in it. I
thought it was great, but my dad was not a fan of mushrooms and he detested garlic.
Mom cooked to dad’s standard of taste. I recall Don having mom’s version of
chili once. He blurted out “This is not chili. It’s chili soup!” He was right,
but that was the way dad liked it.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Don
and Mary were father and mother (or uncle and aunt) to many young people who
were not blood related. For some, they may have been their second mother or
father. They were quite a team who used their talents to the benefit of others.
There is no way to know how many people they have helped along the way.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Don
had a wonderful sense of humor. Some stories I could tell here but I will refrain
except for one which was my dad’s favorite. We had a huge yard to mow in
Central City including a trench (or moat) in the front. Dad asked mom to put
the riding mower away, as he had to open the church building up for a program.
Mom looked and supposed dad had missed a section of the yard out front. Well,
she buried the riding mower to the deck attempting to mow it! She decided to call Mary Baugh. “No
problem,” Mary said. “I’ll pull it right out with the van.” Mary buried the van
down to the axle. She called Don out to help. Don came out, examined the
situation, and exclaimed “You crazy women!” The next day a farmer and his
tractor tried to get the van out, but it became stuck too! It took a wrecker and a driver smart
enough to stay on the paved road to pull them all out! It was one of my dad’s
favorite stories to tell, but Mary and mom don’t enjoy the telling as much.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The
last time I saw Don was on February 1, 2015. It was a difficult year, as my
father died of brain cancer the month prior. Don and Mary had come all the way
to Martinsburg, WV to be with my parents for their 50</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">th</sup><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> Wedding
Anniversary celebration a few weeks prior so I had just seen them. Johnny had
told me that I should not be surprised to see Don and Mary come hear me preach at
Tri-City Church of Christ that Sunday. I sometimes preach there on my way to
attend the Freed-Hardeman University Bible Lectureship. I was delighted to see
them. Don came up to me afterwards and shook my hand. Now, I favor my father in
not only physical appearance but in voice and mannerisms. In fact, we would
often fool Mary on the phone when she called thinking she was speaking to the
other person. Don shook my hand and said “I wanted to hear your father preach
just one more time. Today, I got my wish.”</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Don
contracted cancer once again. His health began a steady decline. We often wanted
to go and see Don and Mary, but there just was not time. Then, when the pandemic
came, we would be too much of a risk to his health to come. Don Baugh was one
of the greatest Christian men I have ever known, and I look forward to seeing
him again.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">---------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Don
N. Baugh, 80, passed away at 3:49am on Friday, January 29, 2021, at his
residence. He was born on July 19, 1940, in San Angelo, Texas, the son of the
late John Norman and Zula Lee (Duvall) Baugh. He married Mary Bryant on July
26, 1958, in Hobbs, New Mexico, and she survives. Other survivors include four
sons and a daughter in law: Russell and Kim Baugh of Holiday Shores, Doug Baugh
of Holiday Shores, Wade Baugh of Centralia, Illinois, John Martin of Centralia,
Illinois, and daughter and son in law: Susan and Jason Petrea of Centralia,
Illinois, ten grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren, one brother: Dennis
Baugh of Hobbs, New Mexico and one sister Norma Lee Baugh-Riley of Hobbs, NM,
in addition to many beloved nieces, nephews, family and friends.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">He
met Mary Bryant at the drive-in in Hobbs, NM where they both worked in 1958.
Don also worked in construction in his younger days, in addition to Texas-Tech
in Lubbock, TX, and the phone company in Brownfield, TX. Don was employed for
over thirty-three years as a communication and computer technician for Shell
Pipeline in various locations starting in Springfield, MO, then in Wood River,
Centralia (Patoka), and finally back in Wood River, IL. He retired from Shell
Pipeline in 1999. He was a member of the Church of Christ where he was active
as an elder and teacher, always focusing on helping those in need. He was
active in supporting the work of several missions, as well as hurricane and
flood relief. He and his wife, Mary, helped at Christian Family Services in St.
Louis. He and Mary loved traveling together and with family. They attended
several spring-training seasons in Jupiter, FL with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Don was a big fan of the Star Trek Sci-Fi series.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Most
importantly, Don was focused on his family, doting on grandkids, then
great-grandkids. Family gatherings in their home were a passion of his. Home
projects and yardwork were a constant, as was his four-legged sidekick, Luci.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">In
addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Hershel Baugh.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">In
celebration of his life, graveside services will be held at 1pm on Tuesday,
February 2, 2021, at St. James Cemetery in Edwardsville. Burial will follow.
Due to the current Covid – 19 restrictions, face masks will be required and
social distancing guidelines will be adhered to. Friends may attend the
graveside service – please maintain proper distancing protocol.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">In
lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Godfrey Church of Christ or to
the Christian Family Services in St. Louis.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.pitchfordfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Don-N-Baugh?obId=19841692#/celebrationWall">https://www.pitchfordfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Don-N-Baugh?obId=19841692#/celebrationWall</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-4265216604536892512020-09-03T12:40:00.000-04:002020-09-03T12:40:04.837-04:00Heroes - A Tribute to Artie Collins by David R. Kenney<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhslV788u1uW3ut0yMDsEfAHTTrA8iJscDiZJuDnyy3QXYaou2sqh7_80oXjDttcJt3n_gvzSFHqJPkH8169RVmNq0-7R8mERZpc1C7GTBPaRTYILZRLwllSY9iyDHFCj-RD-pfMBJzhMmM/w400-h300/Dad+and+Artie+Collins+2.jpg" title="Artie Collins & Warren Kenney" width="400" /></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">HEROES – A TRIBUTE TO
ARTIE COLLINS <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">David R. Kenney<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Just received word that Artie Collins, gospel preacher and
treasured family friend, passed away this morning on September 3, 2020. His dear
wife, Marie, passed away nearly seven years prior on September 30, 2013. Thinking
about her death, I recall mom and dad making the journey across states to comfort
Artie during this time. It was a tribute that was felt by the three of them. One
just never knows how life is going to go. During those intervening seven years,
my father died of brain cancer in 2015 and mother of MS in 2020. I would talk
to Artie by phone occasionally over those years. I believe the last time I
spoke to him was to let him know of mom’s death. All four of them are now gone,
and I feel profound loss.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The friendship goes back to July 1969 during a funeral in Lynnville,
TN. Artie had graduated from the Nashville School of Preaching in 1968, and dad
would be starting his final year at that summer’s conclusion from the school too.
Artie had worked for the congregation at Lynnville and was called back to do the
funeral for a member there. Dad was the current preacher, and the occasion was
the beginning of a long-lasting friendship. They loved telling people they had
the same birthday, July 11<sup>th</sup>; but Artie’s was in 1927 and dad’s in
1944.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It was Artie who suggested to dad that they attend the
Freed-Hardeman College Lectureship, and they did so together for many years
until circumstances prohibited such. They would come back and regale us with
stories from the lectures or some humorous adventure they had along the way. As
a young boy, I soaked it all up! I would hear about men who I would grow up and
read about with admiration. Some of them I was able to meet in person, but
others only through the printed page and stories. When my father was
contemplating his Will several years prior to his illness, he asked me what
books from his library I would want to keep. I told him I was unsure, but I knew
I wanted to keep all the Freed-Hardeman College Lectureship books. Life
changes. Freed-Hardeman College would go onto to become a University. I was a
student when the announcement and change was made to University by President E.
Claude Gardner. My parents wanted me to go to a Christian College. I was less
than enthusiastic about college at the time. They wanted me to go so bad that
they said they would send me to any Christian College and “it does not have to
be Freed-Hardeman if you would rather go somewhere else.” There was no other
Christian college I would have ever contemplated. Not because of the other
schools, but there is no other place I would rather go than Freed-Hardeman
College. Why? Artie Collins and my dad. I wanted the same for our children, and
Annette and I have worked diligently to give them the same opportunity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">My father and Artie, together, have been heroes of mine
since I was two years old. There would be other men whom I would look up to,
but these two were the first in my life. Artie’s nickname for me was “groundhog”
because we spotted a groundhog, so we started looking for others along the way.
To a young boy’s imagination, every rock and tree stump prompted the
exclamation “Groundhog!"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I try to impress on parents the importance of using their
influence to guide their children in the selection of their heroes. My parents
surrounded us with gospel preachers, and many of these would become our heroes.
How much better would our children’s lives be if they were guided to admire
godly people? How much would our society improve if children were given godly
heroes to admire as they grew up? In my estimation, tremendously. Oh, they
could admire presidents, wealthy people, sports figures, and others. Some of
these may be suitable heroes, but we need to place a premium on godly heroes.
Heroes for us to watch their steps and seek to follow. Where are your children’s
heroes going to lead them? If it is not heaven, then you should give that some
thought!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Artie Collins sent me an autographed copy of his memoirs
called <i>Ramblings of an Old Preacher</i>. Among other things he wrote: “I
love you, David, mainly, because your dad was my best friend. Secondly, because
you are a fine Christian man and preacher.” Because of the first reason, I want
to be better in the second. They had made a pact years ago to do one another’s
funeral. They were young men then, but time had taken its toll on their health.
Dad and Artie spoke about dad’s funeral over the phone since they were several
states apart. Artie’s health was such that they both agreed other arrangements should
be made. Artie and Dad agreed, and the last recorded words were “I will see you
in heaven.” Where do you think my sights are set? Heroes!</span><o:p></o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-46633936796036227462020-07-16T16:59:00.001-04:002020-07-16T17:17:26.732-04:00Is Christianity Logical? by Dave Miller<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAmyh6RqdbA1o6t822qR0uodhBMTNs5TbakXOTSsC3ddu1LoPd_YWWfYiGPg0hSM5oJAEWTFHyU9rttsfUEuUrWFjAHWEvqo78pCRDn0R7KlOmqiYrKZBGo-vYk1tmqmjnsUAOridGNaQ/s1600/IsChristianityLogical_360x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAmyh6RqdbA1o6t822qR0uodhBMTNs5TbakXOTSsC3ddu1LoPd_YWWfYiGPg0hSM5oJAEWTFHyU9rttsfUEuUrWFjAHWEvqo78pCRDn0R7KlOmqiYrKZBGo-vYk1tmqmjnsUAOridGNaQ/s320/IsChristianityLogical_360x.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Is
Christianity Logical?</span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">by Dave Miller<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Perhaps you
have heard others remark, as I have, that common sense has become rather
uncommon these days. Some seem to think that Christianity does not make any
common sense. Or put another way, Christianity does not make any logical sense.
Some claim that logic and religion are mutually exclusive, meaning these
disciplines never intersect. Dave Miller’s latest book is a direct challenge to
such an illogical or irrational viewpoint—rational meaning logical, and
irrational meaning illogical. The Bible mandates that we are to think about
walking with God from a rational or logical standpoint,<span style="color: blue;"> <i>“Come now, and let us
reason together”</i></span> (Isaiah 1:18 NKJV). The transliterated Hebrew word for
“reason” is yâkach which means <span style="color: #38761d;">“to prove, decide, judge, rebuke, reprove, correct,
be right”</span> (<i>Brown-Driver-Briggs</i>). So, God challenges our mental faculties as well
as our emotions. Miller correctly points out that:<span style="color: #38761d;"> “Many well-meaning,
religious people take the foolish position that truth is elusive and
unattainable, and that doctrinal correctness is unimportant and unnecessary.
Only in the task of interpreting the Bible do such people take the position
that truth is relative, always changing, and something of which they can never
be sure” </span>(4). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The book deals
with several relevant questions:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">• Is Christianity irreconcilable with
logic and reason?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">• Is “faith” accepting what you cannot
know or prove?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">• Did Jesus expect people to believe Him
without proof?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">• Does Christianity require evidence and
proof before being accepted?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">• Is the religion of Christ
“better-felt-than-told”?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I first met
Dave Miller in 1993 when he was lecturing on “How Christ Handled Controversy.” Since
that time, I have made it a point to take our family to his seminars, gospel
meetings, and other events. We taught together at Alkire Road’s Future Preacher
Training Camp, but I was also his student for his class on "Logic and the Bible." When he was in our area, I invited him to be on my TV program, "Light From
Above." For those who would like to see our discussion on some of this material,
you can see this on YouTube by searching for “Light From Above #299.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I was very
pleased to see this material published in a format that is suitable for class
or personal study. The work is less than 100 pages, so it would be easy to
share with someone without a substantial hit to the wallet. Included are 130
study questions to help generate discussion and the answers are provided for
those who stand before an audience to teach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Dave Miller has
a B.A. degree in Speech & Bible from Lubbock Christian University, M.A. degree
in Speech Communication from Texas Tech University, M.Div. and M.A.R. from
Harding School of Theology, and Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Public Address from
Southern Illinois University. Dr. Miller has been the Executive Director of
Apologetics Press since 2005.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-62961101916121608802020-07-16T16:45:00.003-04:002020-07-16T16:45:53.883-04:00God & Government By Dave Miller <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqXUz7XALm-dxcPrBAcY0dAQuk6B-D-3ShPCEs5rYJxJHBD-uuaNdne8z6F5nzMmLXToZJ5XsiBs-tdd_Mntu6YCpR9SPxqYxazdePCJC1MvxRyQvn7MkO5hQDy6ZgNyM3qVbytK-Giak/s1600/God_Government_Cover_1024x.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="498" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqXUz7XALm-dxcPrBAcY0dAQuk6B-D-3ShPCEs5rYJxJHBD-uuaNdne8z6F5nzMmLXToZJ5XsiBs-tdd_Mntu6YCpR9SPxqYxazdePCJC1MvxRyQvn7MkO5hQDy6ZgNyM3qVbytK-Giak/s320/God_Government_Cover_1024x.webp" width="207" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God & Government by Dave Miller, Ph. D.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Polybius (ca. 200–118 BCE) was born in Arcadia of Greece, and
through his father’s influence, he had over 40 years of experience in
politics, diplomacy, and war. He witnessed the growth of Rome
from a city to a republic. He wrote 40 books of history, but only
five are extant (along with several fragments of the other works.)
He took the study of history very seriously: “<span style="color: #38761d;">What man is so
indifferent or so idle that he would not wish to know how and
under what form of government almost all the inhabited world
came under the single rule of the Romans in less than fifty-three
years (220–168 B.C.)?”</span> (Polybius, Histories I.1). The twin enemies
of ignorance and apathy are a serious threat to any republic
including our own. Polybius argued that the best type of
constitution was one that blended the three main types of
government identified at the time: kingship, aristocracy, and
democracy: <span style="color: #38761d;">“For it is evident that we must regard as the best
constitution a combination of all three these varieties since we
have had proof of this not only theoretically but by actual experience”</span> (Polybius, Histories, IV.3.)
Some erroneously think our national government is a democracy when it is actually a republic.
Polybius was among the first to speak of what has been called anacyclosis (circulation) which is
the view that a nation may go through various types of government in a cycle from monarchy to
democracy with stages in between. He argued the best way to break this cycle and provide true
stability was to have elements of each. Our constitution blends these three varieties: kingship
(executive branch), democracy (legislative branch), and aristocracy (the judicial branch). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Founding Fathers were knowledgeable of these types of theories, plus they clearly were
influenced by the OT model of the civic nation of Israel. It is no accident that the expression that
we are a nation of Judeo-Christian ethics is used to describe the United States. These themes
are touched on in Dave Miller’s excellent work, God & Government in a series of eight essays.
Several important subjects are discussed including: the origin/purpose of government,
unalienable rights, the nature of law, how the government operates, capital punishment, care of
the poor, welfare, entitlements, qualifications of rulers, taxation, and illegal immigration. Each of
these essays is supported by materials from the Founding Fathers and/or the Scriptures. The
essays will challenge one’s thinking, and some will not agree with every point made, possibly
because of teaching we have not received in public school. For example, there are some who
think socialism rather than capitalism is more suited to Christianity; however, that is a
misconception of both systems. Acts 2:44–45 and 4:32–35 are often cited as support for
socialism; however, Miller shows that the context of these passages does not support the way
socialism operates. Depending on one’s view of the purpose of government, the response to
these essays may not only challenge one’s thinking but likewise challenge their views or
feelings. Dave Miller does an excellent work of interweaving passages and principles from the
Bible that will be beneficial to all regardless of where they may be on the political spectrum.
Each essay is very well documented with endnotes for further study and verification. There are
indices of subjects, names, and scriptures included which facilitate easier reference to the
material. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thomas Jefferson once wrote, <span style="color: #38761d;">“wherever the people are well informed they can be trusted with
their own government.” </span>How well are we educating our children on the foundation of our republic
and the philosophies undergirding our constitution? Have we become so far removed from the issue that we would surrender our freedoms (including religion) without making a single
argument or defense? This book will help shore up the foundation in what has been reported
lacking in the education of our young people. It should be read by every concerned citizen of the
United States, even those who claim dual citizenship in Heaven. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Originally printed <i>West Virginia Christian</i>, Vol. 27, No. 7, July 2020, p. 8. <i>Reprinted by permission.</i></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-25862619215734155842020-06-25T12:51:00.003-04:002020-06-25T12:51:34.466-04:00Happy Father's Day by David R. Kenney<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPWNqcqYVnAJgcis_3VCa3VJhY7IdDDC6NSUaFo-BRK5tdoeEMhoD5GVrmibAsNGdaMEjwRrnpB40Eiw7TiSPojR9XTyl-VjQOBaUdozMusEK-WHL1EMXpPiMS1y2TP6AvNkdtzCuqMsK/s1600/104555224_10223193519250873_3688071781385289710_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="848" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPWNqcqYVnAJgcis_3VCa3VJhY7IdDDC6NSUaFo-BRK5tdoeEMhoD5GVrmibAsNGdaMEjwRrnpB40Eiw7TiSPojR9XTyl-VjQOBaUdozMusEK-WHL1EMXpPiMS1y2TP6AvNkdtzCuqMsK/s320/104555224_10223193519250873_3688071781385289710_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">HAPPY
FATHER’S DAY!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In 1972, the government designated the third
Sunday in June as Father’s Day. We live in a time when even fundamental
concepts are being challenged. The value of fatherhood has been disputed, but
both the Bible and statistics speak of the value of fathers. For example, <span style="color: #006600;">“children from fatherless homes are more likely to be
poor, become involved in drug and alcohol abuse, drop out of school, and suffer
from health and emotional problems. Boys are more likely to become involved in
crime, and girls are more likely to become pregnant as teens”</span> (</span><a href="http://www.fathers.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">www.fathers.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Have you ever
considered why God is depicted as our Father? He is not only the Father to the
Son, Jesus, but He is “Our Father” (cf. Matt 6:9; Luke 11:2). W. Terry Varner observed:
<span style="color: #006600;">“If we listen carefully to our prayers, and the
prayers of others, we will notice the term Father is probably used more often
than any term or designation of God. Why? The term Father suggests all those
characteristics inherent in the term of earthly father” </span>(<i>A Prayer
From Heaven – The Model Prayer as Evidence for the Deity of Jesus Christ</i>,
15). The most important responsibility of a father is to establish a
relationship between his children and their Heavenly Father: <i><span style="color: #0000cc;">“And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath,
but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” </span></i>(Eph
6:4 NKJV). Fatherhood is so important that the highest level of leadership between
Christ and the congregation include this qualification: <i><span style="color: #0000cc;">“one who rules his own house well, having his children in
submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own
house, how will he take care of the church of God?);”</span></i><span style="color: #0000cc;"> </span>(1 Tim 3:4–5).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Perhaps there is some
reason Father’s Day is difficult for you. Maybe your father is now deceased?
Maybe your father was not the admirable kind? Do not let that keep you from
honoring those who are fathers. Some children do not have a father. Perhaps you
could fill that role by mentoring a child who needs a Christian man in their
life. Perhaps you have a Christian father to enjoy this holiday with. If so,
celebrate! Maybe this could be a time to reconcile past infractions with your
father. If there are issues in the relationship with your earthly father, then
please do not wait too long to repair the breach. A father’s love may be
forever, but his life here is but a span.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-46319362140137627062020-05-30T15:37:00.001-04:002020-05-30T15:37:25.517-04:00All Souls Matter by David R. Kenney<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; text-transform: uppercase;">All Souls Matter (#</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">AllSoulsMatter<span style="text-transform: uppercase;">)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">By David R. Kenney<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Hopefully all
are familiar with the pattern …---… which are three letters forming what is
called a “prosign” which we simply know as SOS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It has been accepted as a worldwide distress signal at least since 1905
and can be communicated audibly and visually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I was in school, we were taught of the importance of the telegraph
machine, and how Samuel F. B. Morse sent the first telegraphic message, “What
hath God wrought?” between Baltimore and Washington D. C. in 1844.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been thrilled by this marvelous
invention, even using it as one of my science fair projects with the help of a
dear friend, Jerry Dawson, years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
learned more about these things from two sets of encyclopedias my parents purchased
for our education, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The New Book of Knowledge</i>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The American Peoples Encyclopedia</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What exactly did “S.O.S.” stand for?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was not uncommon to find these letters on
life preservers on ships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the letters
themselves had no specific meaning at the time of the pattern’s inception, some
designated it as an acronym with various meanings such as “Save Our Ship” or
also common was “Save Our Souls”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To my
knowledge, it never meant “Save Our Skins” but that seems to be the direction
we are being pushed in our country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9uLLi_ivj-RP3Em79tIhA0D7EmtdpsCuDEYzooS2NP_iQLas08xQOJBo15l80B35ciO2WC0prk4EaoeCWs5fPETLqnQb0HTOCkdbLkSJvz13LGT7xbfvNt6VvTpRemCCuFZLUzxjfT6j/s1600/800px-International_Morse_Code.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9uLLi_ivj-RP3Em79tIhA0D7EmtdpsCuDEYzooS2NP_iQLas08xQOJBo15l80B35ciO2WC0prk4EaoeCWs5fPETLqnQb0HTOCkdbLkSJvz13LGT7xbfvNt6VvTpRemCCuFZLUzxjfT6j/s320/800px-International_Morse_Code.svg.png" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>By Rhey T. Snodgrass & Victor F. Camp, 1922 - Image:Intcode.png and Image: International Morse Code.PNG, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3902977</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">We have several
divisive movements exerting on our nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some seek unity; however, one is left wondering about such efforts which
reject “All Lives Matter”, “Blue Lives Matter” but advocate “Black Lives
Matter” (sometimes denoted as #BlackLivesMatter).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hashtag (#) sign is similar to the
“prosign” in that it facilitates finding this keyword throughout the
Internet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is “Black Lives Matter” a more
unifying phrase than “All Lives Matters” which some scoff at?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A friend of mine tried to explain to me that “Black
Lives Matters” includes “All Lives Matter” but particularly black lives
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I politely asked my friend if he
would have the same sentiment if there was a “White Lives Matter”, “Red Lives
Matter”, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not exactly an inclusive
unifying nomenclature, is it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Do all lives
matter?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Should the color of their skin enhance or
diminish how much a life matters?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
should not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a child, I remember
singing these familiar lyrics by C. Herbert Woolston:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Jesus loves the little children, all the
children of the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Red and yellow, black
and white, they are precious in His sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus loves the little children of the world.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this</i>
is what we need to get back to in our country—mutual love and respect!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Perhaps a
“slogan” that we ought to consider in our beloved nation is “All Souls Matter”
(#AllSoulsMatter)!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are forces in
our land that are pitting one ethnicity against another, exploiting them for
their own advantage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to come to
the realization that when we only think of each other in terms of our skin
color, we are only thinking “skin deep”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We need to think deeper, or higher, on a more spiritual plane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a time when the world was divided
between the Jews and everyone else; i.e., Gentiles; however, that was to bring
the Messiah into the world, with demonstration, to redeem it from sin by His
sacrifice, and with that action eliminate such distinctions; cf. Ephesians
2:11-13; Galatians 3:28.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The apostle
Peter, as he explained there were no ethnic distinctions, stated <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #0000cc;">“In truth I
perceive that God shows no partiality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is
accepted by Him”</span></i> (Acts 10:34-35, NKJV.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Greek term translated “partiality” can
also be translated “discrimination” or “favoritism”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Our nation was
very much united on the premise of being “one nation”, but one nation “under
God”, even though our nation did fall short at times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both of these concepts go hand-in-hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Progressive, secular, liberal forces are
seeking to remove “under God” but still claim there is “something” to keep this
“one nation” together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is that
“something”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suspect the answer is
them whether we like it or not!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have
seen the consequences of division whether it be between ethnicities, social
classes, financial status, and just about every physical numerator known, but
we need to focus on our common denominator—our souls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All Souls Matter (#AllSoulsMatter), and we
all need God to Save Our Souls!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
what some call the golden text of the Bible—<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #0000cc;">“For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life”</span></i><span style="color: #0000cc;"> </span>(John 3:16, NKJV.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">All Souls Matter to God, and All Souls Matter
(#AllSoulsMatter) should be our focus too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>#AllSoulsMatter!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-55187522105588831682020-02-17T14:01:00.000-05:002020-02-17T14:05:33.931-05:00Defending the Faith Study Bible by Kyle Butt & Dave Miller, Executive Editors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRHLHeZDc8-3G2kfKKTsST_l6QrFc_aXfNlQbFGj0Njy_eBL75R1pFFwul09wU0Md7WujYpand7Eeimi5L4APiJDHEv_BvEabNa0h1J-MOqSXlzwY1FLjpcHBsPrZ2ixdph9DFzrj5P-N/s1600/Apologetics+Press-Defending+the+Faith+Study+Bible.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="270" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRHLHeZDc8-3G2kfKKTsST_l6QrFc_aXfNlQbFGj0Njy_eBL75R1pFFwul09wU0Md7WujYpand7Eeimi5L4APiJDHEv_BvEabNa0h1J-MOqSXlzwY1FLjpcHBsPrZ2ixdph9DFzrj5P-N/s320/Apologetics+Press-Defending+the+Faith+Study+Bible.bmp" width="220" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Defending the Faith
Study Bible </i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">by Kyle Butt & Dave Miller, Executive Editors</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Study Bibles can be a great resource; however, the reliability of a Study Bible is contingent on the company and editors that are publishing it. Some members of the church have been waiting for a Study Bible they could rely on, one published by faithful members of the Lord’s church. Well, here it is! Apologetics Press has done the brotherhood an inestimable value in using their team to collaborate and publish the </span><i style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Defending The Faith Study Bible</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">. I was excited about this Study Bible from the moment I heard that it was coming to fruition. It will serve as a tremendous resource for years to come. Looking over the contents of its pages, it is as if the editors assembled some of the greatest writings from Apologetics Press that relate to defending the Christian faith and collated them within a Bible one can open and both learn and use to defend the faith.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">The
editors of this work include Kyle Butt, Dave Miller, Eric Lyons, and Jeff Miller.
These names should not be strangers to those among churches of Christ who
appreciate sound apologetics. In addition to the editorial work, several well
respected writers’ names whose articles have been included will be readily
recognized by many: Wayne Jackson, Justin Rogers, Dewayne Bryant, Caleb Colley,
Mike Houts, and Brandon May. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">I
am a bit skeptical about Study Bibles and some of the new materials being
published by denominational publishing houses. While I have great confidence in
this team, I still wanted to examine the Study Bible first hand before I
recommended it. For me, a Study Bible that is claiming to be apologetic in
scope must deal with several vital topics effectively before I would recommend
it. One of the topics that served as my “litmus test” for this Study Bible is
its treatment of the Day-Age Theory and Age of the Earth. Theism is a big tent,
and many do not realize this and assume that if someone is a theist then they
view the days of creation the same way as all those who believe the Bible. This
is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> the case. Theist is a “big
tent” term embracing various and conflicting approaches to the Genesis account.
Apologetics Press has long been a defender of the 24-hour creation days, but I
wanted to be sure that position was held within the pages of this Study Bible.
On page 10 begins a 7-page scholarly work on the question “Does Genesis Allow
For Billions of Years?” The conclusion, in part: <span style="color: #006600;">“Many
apparently well-meaning Christians have felt pressure to compromise Scripture
in an attempt to accommodate modern naturalistic theories. Neither Moses, Paul,
the underlying Hebrew of Genesis, the chronology of Genesis 1, nor the
statements of Jesus Himself will allow for such compromises”</span> (16).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">The
translation utilized is the New King James. There are many explanatory notes
and scholarly articles to supplement the apologetic thrust of this study Bible.
Major apologetic themes are designated with a color-coded key and include:
Creation, Bible Inspiration, Existence of God, Deity of Christ, Alleged Bible
Discrepancies, and World Religions. Keep in mind that there are many Study
Bibles with various themes; e.g., <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Archaeology
Study Bible</i>. This Study Bible is devoted to the theme of apologetics or
defending the faith. This is a Study Bible you will want for yourself, for your
children, and your grandchildren. Do not miss obtaining your copy of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Defending The Faith Study Bible</i> by
Apologetics Press!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Originally printed <i>West
Virginia Christian</i>, Vol. 27, No. 1, January 2020, p. 8.<i> Reprinted by
permission.</i></span></div>
</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-25207476379212380292019-11-16T18:34:00.001-05:002020-02-17T13:28:42.424-05:00Fundamentals of the Faith, David E. Sproule, II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglKpm3QaRxalGAT-Nidz67vpAdA_6mDjWSX2Tnl3xft7caCsC8jr1R9aDYjYgHjdTaBEMRKhE_jB958-5h9FKAuKLd_XqyoXW6VMp5Tk7NFYaVcDUQbwbYVdYL8NwyCqds4XZmbBJvWic/s1600/Fundamentals+Cover-temp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1237" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglKpm3QaRxalGAT-Nidz67vpAdA_6mDjWSX2Tnl3xft7caCsC8jr1R9aDYjYgHjdTaBEMRKhE_jB958-5h9FKAuKLd_XqyoXW6VMp5Tk7NFYaVcDUQbwbYVdYL8NwyCqds4XZmbBJvWic/s320/Fundamentals+Cover-temp.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fundamentals
are so vital. A healthy congregation needs to have regular preaching on the
fundamentals. After all, a healthy congregation is a dynamic group and will include
those who may not be as knowledgeable about the fundamentals. One does not need
to have a class “on the side” for these subjects. Perhaps we may have not
preached or taught on these for so long that a congregation needs a refresher
course too? I have adopted a phrase that I use when I am teaching something
that I believe to be fundamental but am concerned may be perceived as
elementary: “I know that you may know these things, but I want to make sure
that you know that I know these things.” A preacher that <i>refuses</i> to preach on the fundamentals is a threat to a congregation,
and a preacher ignorant of the fundamentals is no better. The fundamentals
should never be viewed as “out of style.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With delight
I received </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fundamentals of the Faith</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
by David E. Sproule, II. I have known David for several years now, as we have a
mutual friend, Dr. Clyde Woods (AKA “Doc”), at Freed-Hardeman University. After
spending some time looking over select chapters such as “Music in the Worship
of the Church,” “The Role of Women in the Church,” and “Marriage, Divorce and
Remarriage” I wanted to make others aware of this material. There are actually
two versions of this work: one is a teacher’s edition and the other is a
student’s workbook. After looking over the book’s table of contents and reading
what is happening in various parts of the brotherhood, I realized that this set
of books could be an invaluable study to teach these fundamental truths once
again. The material could be taught in adult or teenage classes, or sermons
could be developed from this material. For example, I appreciate David’s
emphasis on both marriage and divorce with the statement of understanding these
matters in God’s eyes as “The Only View That Matters!” The Student Workbook has
portions of the material as “Fill-In-The-Blanks,” but the basic material is
present and nothing is lost by an overabundance of “Blanks.” There are 20 subjects
covered in this material. The material is formatted in sentence outlines, so it
is highly organized and very easy to follow the flow of thought. The detail in
these books is substantial, so it would be unwise to think one can just breeze
through these matters.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">David Sproule serves as one of the evangelists
at the Palm Beach Lakes church of Christ in Florida. I always look forward to
hearing David lecture at the Freed-Hardeman University Bible Lectureship. I
also look forward to seeing him at Doc Woods’ “Bargain Book Finders” booth
where we talk books or “talk shop.” On the subject of fundamentals of the
faith, Sproule wrote: </span><span style="color: #006600; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“New Testament Christianity,
with all its doctrines and practices, finds its roots and origin in ‘the faith’
(i.e., the one gospel system) revealed and established within the pages of the
New Testament.” </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">David Sproule’s study is a great resource for lessons
from the pulpit or the class lectern. Surveying the religious climate of our
day, certainly a case can easily be made for the need to regularly study the
fundamentals of the Christian faith! When we have congregations adding
instrumental music, moving women into leadership roles or leading in worship,
the time for the fundamentals is now! If you would like to order the book in
bulk, I suggest you contact the Palm Beach Lakes Church of Christ. You can also
find these books online at Amazon, but if you want to order in bulk you should
contact the congregation directly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Originally printed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">West
Virginia Christian</i>, Vol. 26, No. 12, December 2019, p. 8. <i>Reprinted by
permission.</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-47498139339878204632019-10-09T15:28:00.000-04:002019-10-09T15:28:41.566-04:00A FAMINE OF THE WORD! By James E. Farley<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A FAMINE OF THE WORD!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By James E. Farley<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love to read the Word of God,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To learn of Truth and Right,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To meditate upon His law,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By day and then by night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Psalm 1:2)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">O Lord the Psalmist said it true;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thy words indeed are sweet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They serve as a light unto my path;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a lamp unto my feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Psalm 119:103-105)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I read from Paul, and all the rest. . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From Peter, James and John.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thrill to read of godliness,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and of that Great Beyond!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Ephesians 3:3-5; Titus 2:11-12; 2 Peter 1:3; John 14:1-4)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love to read from godly men<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">who write with godly sense;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From men like Woods, and Milligan,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">McGarvey and from Brents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(2 Timothy 2:2)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I read from “Tabernacle” talks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in Nashville, Tennessee,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And how so many people came<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To listen and be free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(John 8:31-32; Romans 6:16-18)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I read from men like Boles and Lard,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Calhoun, and Jacob Creath,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These men, and so many more,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sat oft at Jesus’ feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Luke 8:35)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They studied God’s Word so diligently,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To lead the erring home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To grow in grace and knowledge too<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In order to be strong!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 6:10-18)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A famine now has come to pass;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have you not seen nor heard?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not a famine of water or food. . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But a famine of the Word!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Amos 8:11)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many who should understand<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have left the gospel’s call.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They now drink deep from sectarian wells;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From Stanley and Swindoll !!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Ephesians 5:17; I Timothy 4:1-3; I John 2:19)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lucado, Cope, and Shelly too. . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lieutenants of this ilk,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No longer preach the sincere Truth. . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No longer seek the milk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(2 Timothy 4:1-4; I Peter 2:2)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They seek a wider fellowship. . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One with the sects so vain,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who teach for Truth the laws of men<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Exchanging God for gain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(I John 1:5-7; Matthew 15:7-13; Romans 10:1-3;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I Timothy 6:5-6; 2 Peter 2:3)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These no longer abide in Truth,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They’ve left for other fields.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No more are they servants for Christ,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No more the Sword they wield ! ! !<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(2 John 9-11; Ephesians 6:17)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No more are they as one with us,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The difference clear and stark!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Avoid them!” is the command that’s giv’n. . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These should receive the mark!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Romans 16:17-18)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Surprise? Oh no…not us you see. . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We knew it from the start.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God’s Word is clear upon this point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tis clear. . . “some shall depart.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(I Timothy 4:1-3)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our hearts are sad to know some leave -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No more to preach reform.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Their ears? They turn them from the Truth,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And sound doctrine will not endure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Philippians 3:18; 2 Timothy 4:1-4)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But still we walk within God’s Light,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Continue in His Word. . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We preach the Truth, stand for the Right,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Till all the world has heard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(I John 1:7; John 8:31-32; 2 John 4, 6; 3 John 3, 4; Mark
16:15)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then one day, when all is done,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before His throne we’ll stand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To give account for how we’ve lived,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then…that crown so grand!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Timothy 4:6-8)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Used by permission of James Edward Farley, 10/08/2019</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3421683480681975295.post-15626966766625306992019-09-29T17:46:00.002-04:002019-09-29T17:46:28.294-04:00Hymns & Hymns Writers: More About Jesus<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjhfkToVIZ4XSWvSsshf6Wqpx5ZUZTrMyNEWvqNMYiit2LfZfh5yatzcPq5p5HMG-PnOOgNBIZRJhXppchbMlORWZqO4OjbuaLaCHw09vTvBDFyUk2Ysy-NBzW3CPa59ICp24BCvtUdPa/s1600/More+About+Jesus_Page_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="1288" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjhfkToVIZ4XSWvSsshf6Wqpx5ZUZTrMyNEWvqNMYiit2LfZfh5yatzcPq5p5HMG-PnOOgNBIZRJhXppchbMlORWZqO4OjbuaLaCHw09vTvBDFyUk2Ysy-NBzW3CPa59ICp24BCvtUdPa/s400/More+About+Jesus_Page_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
hymn was created in 1887 by Eliza A. Hewitt and John R. Sweney. I made the mistake
of confusing John R. Sweney with John S. Sweeney (1832-1908) who was a preacher.
I have a book of sermons by Sweeney published by Gospel Advocate years ago that
I found in an antique store in Akron.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Elisa Edmonds Hewitt (1851-1920), Lyricist<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Elisa Edmonds Hewitt was
born June 28, 1851 in Philadelphia, PA to James Stratton Hewitt and Zeruiah
Edmonds Hewitt. She was a school teacher after she graduated valedictorian of
the Girl’s Normal School. She was a Presbyterian and served as a Superintendent
for their Sunday School Program at Calvin Presbyterian Church. At some point in
her life she was afflicted with severe back injury from a careless student hitting
her with a piece of slate which required her to be confined to bed in a cast
for six months. She had re-occurrences of injury at times. During this period, she
composed poetry which came to the attention of John S. Sweney and William J.
Kirkpatrick who published her first book of hymns. She was also friends with
Fanny J. Crosby. Her cousin, Edgar Page Stites was also a hymnist. She also
wrote under the pseudonym of Lidie E. Edmunds. In addition to “More About Jesus”
we sing “For Christ and The Church,” “Stepping in the Light,” “There is
Sunshine in My Soul,” “When We All Get to Heaven,” and “Will There Be Any Stars
in My Crown?” Elisa Edmonds Hewitt passed away on April 20, 1920 and is buried
in Woodlands Cemetery in Philadelphia. Her tombstone reads “Christian Hymn
Writer Author of ‘Sunshine in My Soul Today.”</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John R. Sweney (1837-1899), Composer<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John
Robson Sweney was born in West Chester, PA on December 31, 1837. He had a
definite aptitude for music and became a music teacher at a young age. He
studied under a professor Bauer of Germany and learned music on the piano and
violin. At 22 he taught music in Delaware until he was called into the service
of the Third Regiment of Delaware during the Civil War. He was then appointed
Professor of Music at the Pennsylvania Military Academy which facilitated his
return to West Chester. He was granted the Bachelor of Music and Doctor of
Music by the Academy. He was a music leader in the Bethany Presbyterian Church and
Sunday-school program which would lead to his connection with Hewitt. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">William
J. Kilpatrick and Sweney published several hymnbooks. Some of John R. Sweney’s
hymns that are familiar to us include not only “More About Jesus” but “Sing On,”
“Tell Me The Story Of Jesus”, “There Is Sunshine in My Soul,” and some may know
“Will There Be Any Stars In My Crown.” The last two of these he also did with
Hewitt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John
Sweney passed away April 10, 1899 in West Chester. He is buried in Chester
Rural Cemetery. He has been credited with 1,000 hymns. His tombstone reads “A
Sweet Singer of Israel.”</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More About Jesus</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The song is a simple
message, but it is not a message to be underestimated! The story of Jesus is
the story of Christianity! Have you ever thought about why we have four gospel
accounts? If you were to eliminate one of these, which would you do? A
Christian would never want to do so because we thrive on the life of Jesus and
should want to know more!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How do we know more about
Jesus? All that we have to know about Him is found in the Scriptures. There are
some extra-biblical references to Him by those considered among His foes.
Still, think of how many books have been written due to the influence of Jesus
of Nazareth and people’s desire to know more about Him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why do people want to
know more about Jesus? I am sure there are several reasons that could be cited,
but I often think of the phrase relating to military people who die in the line
of duty as “paying the ultimate sacrifice.” You sometimes hear this phrase in reference
to times such as these “No greater love hath no man than to lay down his life
for his friends.” I often wonder how many times people say that and fail to make
the connection to the one who said it best? “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #0000cc;">This is My commandment, that you love one
another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay
down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I
command you”</span></i> (John 15:12–14 NKJV). John would reflect on this fact
when he wrote <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #0000cc;">“By
this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to
lay down our lives for the brethren”</span></i> (1 John 3:16 NKJV). How much do
we care for one another? How much do we love one another? How much are we
willing to sacrifice to Christ and His church?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We encourage you to learn
more about Jesus, the sacrifice that He made for your redemption, and how you
can become a child of God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--------------------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SOURCES: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">“Eliza Edmunds Hewitt.” No Pages. Cited 29 September 2019.
</span><a href="https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6688760/eliza-edmunds-hewitt">https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6688760/eliza-edmunds-hewitt</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">“Eliza Edmunds Stites Hewitt.” No Pages. Cited 29 September
2019. </span>https://www.blueletterbible.org/hymns/bios/bio_h_e_hewitt_ees.cfm.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Eliza Hewitt.” No Pages. Cited 29 September 2019. https://bereanbibleheritage.org/extraordinary/hewitt_eliza.php.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hall, J. H. “Dr. D. Brink Towner.” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Biography of Gospel Songs and Hymn Writers</i>. New York: Fleming H.
Revell Company, 19147.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Howard, V. E., Editor, and Broadus E. Smith, Associate
Editor, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Church Gospel Songs & Hymns</i>,
Texarkana, TX:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Central Printers &
Publishers, 1983.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">“John R. Sweney.” No Pages. Cited 29 September 2019. </span>https://en.wiki<span class="MsoHyperlink"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">pedia.org/wiki/John_R._Sweney<span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“John R. Sweney.”
No Pages. Cited 29 September 2019. </span>https://hymnary.org/person/Sweney_John<span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“More About Jesus.”
No Pages. Cited 29 September 2019. </span>https://hymnstudiesblog.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/quotmore-about-jesusquot.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wiegand, John P., Editor, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Praise For The Lord</i>, Nashville, TN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Praise Press, 1997.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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