Sound Teaching

“Life is but a vapor.” The lesson examines James 4:13-17, and makes 3 points: 1) It is arrogant to a assume control of your life; 2) The proper thing to do is place your trust in God. And, 3), It is wrong to waste opportunities to do good.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Paul’s salutation in this epistle is similar to other letters he wrote. His letter is addressed to the “saints in Christ Jesus.” The term saint indicates one who has been set apart by God. It denotes those who have been cleansed from sin, and are called to obedience and good works. This is, of course, accomplished through the work of Jesus Christ.

Bishops and deacons are given special note. The term “bishop” is a term used interchangeably with the terms “elder” and “pastor” indicating men who are ordained to the position of oversight in a local congregation. The term deacon indicates a man who is given a special work of service. The term indicates an attendant or servant.

Both of these offices are important, and the men who serve in them are first to be qualified (cf. 1 Timothy 3; Titus 1), and then treated honorably for their work’s sake (cf. 1 Timothy 5:17). It is proper that they were singled out by Paul in his greeting.

Paul, in expressing his desire that they receive grace and peace from God and His Son, relates perhaps the most precious sentiment possible for the Philippians.

Meeting season has begun. As mentioned last Wednesday evening, the Old Granbury Road congregation is having brother Jimmy Stevens in a gospel meeting that begins today. Weeknight meeting time is 7:30 pm, through Friday.
Also, the Woodmont congregation has a meeting starting with brother Terrell Bunting next Sunday. If you are of a mind to travel that far, the Hewitt congregation (the Waco area) is having brother Maurice Barnett, also starting next Sunday.

Our own meeting begins in three weeks, and we need to begin our efforts in inviting others to come hear brother Kris Braddock preach the gospel. Area congregations will be more likely to attend our meeting if you have already been to theirs.

There is absolutely no better way to spend a weekday evening than in worship. You will be edified by the preaching efforts. So how about it? Will you be going to the meetings this season?

A few days ago MSNBC carried a discussion between Time Magazine’s World Editor, Bobby Ghosh and MSNBC show host Chuck Todd.

Ghosh, who was apparently being presented as some type of expert on the matter, was quoted as saying that the Koran is held by Muslims to be more sacred than Christians regard their Bible to be. Note the dialogue:

Continue reading “In the News: The Difference – Christians VS Muslims” →

The West Side congregation supported brother Chip Foster in a recent preaching trip he took the the Philippines. Brother Foster preaches at the Old Granbury Road church of Christ in Granbury, TX. He was gone from February 21 – March 11, 2011. (Note: The powerpoint file is saved in the 2007 .pptx format, and is very large. 60 MB’s. It contains many photographs in it’s 105 slides).

Sermon Powerpoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

This lesson is an examination of the text of Acts 15, where the apostles, elders and church in Jerusalem meet concerning the conflict between Paul and the Judaizing teachers on the subject of Circumcision. Emphasis is placed on how the issue was handled, and the authority of God.

Sermon Powerpoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

This sermon is an expository study of Matthew 10:27-33 helping to establish an important truth… The Almighty God of the universe is the One we should fear, rather than men.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

A simple examination of the limits of fellowship, and the practice and purpose of church discipline.

Sermon Powerpoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

I came across a rather peculiar story last Thursday, in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The title of the article, a short blurb from the Associated Press, Abortions based on fetus’s race barred.

The article states:

Gov. Jan Brewer has signed what is likely the first legislation in the nation to ban abortions over ethnicity.

The law makes it a Class 3 felony to knowingly perform or provide financing for an abortion sought because of the rae or sex of the fetus or a parent’s race. The maximum punishment is 3 1/2 years in prison.

This is one of the most bizarre stories I have read in a while. Of course, I am certainly in favor of banning abortions, for whatever reason, but for the life of me I can’t imagine the practicality of this law.

Continue reading “In the News: Partial Ban on Abortions – Arizona” →

The Lord told His disciples in John 15:18-25, that they could expect the world to hate them. Why? “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (vs. 19). This hatred leads to persecution of Christians. But we are not to despair, because of the hope we have in Christ.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

As we contemplate man’s vulnerability in the face of the earthquake and Tsunami in Japan, there are lessons to be learned about man’s responsibility to God. In the sermon, reasons are given why men reject God, and the call to repentance as we respond with Job, “I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6).

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

The last several chapters of the book of Job are very interesting. In them, in no uncertain terms, God puts Job in his place. He describes Himself as creator, and the one who is in charge of the universe, the earth, and the animals upon it. In contrast, he shows Job his own impotence and lowly place. For example, he wrote in chapter 38:34-35, “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, That an abundance of water may cover you? Can you send out lightnings, that they may go, And say to you, ‘Here we are!’?”

I always think of that conversation between God and Job when natural disasters occur, like the earthquake and tsunami in Japan this past week. Men so often consider themselves to the masters of the earth. While technology is amazing, and we are fortunate to live in an age of comfort and security, so often we are confronted with how vulnerable we are to this great universe created by our God.

Continue reading “Men Too Often Forget!” →