Category: Worldliness

Bill Crews’ lesson establishes the responsibility of Christians to be an influence for good in the midst of an ungodly world.

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Bill Crews’ sermon asks the question, Does God see what He should see when he looks down upon his creation? (cf. Genesis 1:31). More to the point, does God see what He should see when he looks at me?

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AOTS Number 16

Some people will turn to God only when desperate, only when they are forced to by circumstance. To think that such an attitude will be acceptable to God is to be mistaken!

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AOTS Number 11

A poem praising the virtues of past days where the Bible and God were respected, and there was less evil in the world.

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AOTS Number 6

The bevahior of some Christians sure seems strange, as they profess to be disciples of Christ, and yet their priorities lie elsewhere!

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A tent was the common dwelling for the nomadic people of the Bible, both Old and New Testaments. Psalm 118:15 speaks of the “tents of the righteous”, and establishes a picture that is very instructive to the child of God.

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In his epistle to the Philippians, the apostle Paul expressed his attitude toward his service to Christ. Simply put, he wasn’t about to “count his chickens before they hatched.” In his own words, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

The reason for this single-minded approach in his service to the Lord is stated in the preceding verses, “that I may gain Christ, and be found in him” (vs. 8b-9a). Further, he longed for the result of such a fellowship with his Lord, “if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection of the dead” (vs. 11).

Continue reading ““I Press Toward the Goal”” →

Podcast Number 33

Our society is presently plagued by many problems: Violence, sexual immorality, disease. Those who seek the answers to the problems are often looking in the wrong place. The Bible has the answers to society’s problems, whether men wish to accept it or not!

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“I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner — not even to eat with such a person. 12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”

1 Corinthians 5:9-13

In this context, the apostle Paul explains the difference between living in the world, and living “of” the world. It is obviously necessary for the Christian to interact with worldly people. Ungodliness is everywhere. When you go to the grocery store, the clerk might be an adulteress. Your child’s teacher might be guilty of covetousness, your banker might just be an extortioner, and the plumber may be a drunkard!

Continue reading “In the World, Not OF the World” →

Podcast Number 29

The Apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 7:1 admonishes Christians to purify themselves from filthiness,
and perfect holiness. This lesson describes and explains how this can be accomplished.

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There a number of passages that come to mind that bear on the subject of this short article:

“And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24).

“Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. 19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God” (1 Peter 2:18-20).

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).

In the news Saturday was a notice that the National Basketball Association’s Players Union has filed complaints with the National Labor Relations Board concerning unfair “business practices” by the NBA.

Continue reading “In The News: NBA is Unfair!” →

(Gospel Meeting: Mark Mayberry) Eighth in a series of nine lessons based on 1 John 2:15-17. The third of three tools Satan uses to influence men to sin, the Pride of Life. The Pharisees and Sadducees are used as object lessons regarding the danger of Pride.

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(Gospel Meeting: Mark Mayberry) First in a series of nine lessons based on 1 John 2:15-17. The world is properly defined in the text cited as the “Realm of Sin.”

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We have a responsibility to be mature, productive Christians, in benefitting and edifying our brethren But, spiritual immaturity, worldly distractions, being overcome by sin, and neglecting the Word of God all serve to weaken our spiritual resolve.

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Willie Nelson, the Country and Western singer with a liberal lean to his politics and an agenda to legalize marijuana use, recently published a book of philosophy called “The Tao of Willie.” In it he talks about everything from politics to God. In response to a question about leaving his Methodist upbringing in embracing new philosophies, Nelson said:

“I believe that all roads lead to the same place. We’re taking different ways to get there, but we all end up in the same place. It’s kind of like Kinky Friedman’s statement, “May the God of your choice bless you.” That’s the main thoughts that I have about life.” (Time Magazine, August 7, 2006)

Nelson, as is typical of many today, has remade God in his image. Scripture clearly reveals that there is one way to heaven (John 4:24), that not all of us are going to get there (Matthew 7;13), and that there is only one true God (Acts 14:15).

Yes, those are Willie’s main thoughts on life. God has given his divine comments on such thoughts, saying in Psalm 94:11, “The Lord knows the thoughts of man, That they are futile.”