T. G. Downer, a resident of Moorhead, Mississippi, was immersed into Christ in 1979. He was 79 at the time. He had been studying the Bible and struggling in prayer for 16 years. T. G.’s first words after his baptism made an indelible impression on his daughter, my friend Madelyn Gibson. He said, “I have…

The guest speaker presents an outstanding message. It’s well-organized, skillfully delivered, and short. The elders of the church promptly offer him the open pulpit position. But then, to everyone’s dismay, the man’s first sermon as the new minister lasts two hours. Children cry. Roasts burn. Calling an emergency meeting, the elders demand an explanation. “Your…

Gossip is a serious offense. Paul lists it with sins such as murder and hating God (Rom. 1:29-30). But is it accurate to define gossip as “saying bad things about other people”? No. Sometimes, saying bad things about others is necessary. Consider a few examples. Revealing bad things about others is necessary if silence would…

It sometimes seems that God’s word is failing to prove true. If the Lord has threatened to bring calamity on the wicked and promised to stand by his people in adversity, why do the evil prosper while the righteous suffer? Although such questions are troubling, the reality is that in his own time God always…

Some years ago I heard an amusing news story about the escape of 31 Ugandan prisoners charged with illegal gun possession. Five guards were watching the men as they worked in the prison garden. When a bunny suddenly bounded out of nearby bushes, all five guards raced away in hot pursuit. All 31 inmates raced…

If my neighbors next door are struggling financially, is it biblically acceptable for me to give my contribution money to them instead of the church? Excluding family responsibilities, financial giving includes two important obligations. First, I must offer a regular donation to the work of the local church. “On the first day of every week,”…

Have you ever noticed how annoying it is when a cell phone rings in a public place? Perhaps you’re in a restaurant, chatting quietly with your family. Or you’re waiting in the doctor’s office, absorbed in an interesting magazine article. And then the phone in someone’s purse or pocket blares unexpectedly. The one-sided conversation that…

Daily stresses test patience. I’m driving to work. Don’t have even one minute to spare. But an accident somewhere ahead has slowed traffic to a crawl. Or I’m taking my child to school, and this morning she’ll actually have time to walk into the building instead of sprinting to beat the bell. Then, halfway there,…

Jesus compares teaching the gospel to planting a crop in the field. A farmer sows his seed. Some he scatters along the path, and it’s trampled underfoot. Some seed falls on the rock, where, lacking moisture, the plant withers before it can mature. Some falls among thorns and is choked by them. But some seed…

The concluding chapters of Judges describe the tragic events that nearly destroyed a tribe in Israel. A Levite living in the hill country of Ephraim married a concubine from Bethlehem. After a time the woman deserted her husband and returned to her father. Four months later the Levite came after her, encouraging her to come…