Flavil Yeakley, Jr. wrote a book entitled “Why They Left: Listening to Those Who Have Left Churches of Christ.” Yeakley does a good job compiling his findings. He digs deep into various reasons as to why people have left the church literally and figuratively. He explores doctrinal differences, neglect, instrumental music issues, the role of…
It was in one of the lowest points in his life that David finds h_imself hiding in a cave praying to God. He says, “With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord” (Psa. 142:1). David describes the circumstances that have caused him to feel…
“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). I can begin each day with prayer that includes thanks. 1 can replace the question, “Why has God done this to me?” with, “How has God helped…
In part of John’s glimpse of heaven, he saw four living In pa f · . G d . “H I creatures who did not rest rom pra1smg o saymg, o y, I holy Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to hoy, , come” (Rev. 4:8). In this saying of honor, three…
“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). 1 can begin each day with prayer that includes thanks. I can replace the question, “Why has God done this to me?” with, “How has God helped me in the past?” I can count…
At some point in life most of us face many types of health I financial, family or other serious problem. Recently, it seems that “storm clouds” have encircled many due to lost jobs, poor health and the economic situation in our country. It would be quite easy to begin counting our problems instead of our blessings. Life is precious. It was given…
Crowds followed Christ. He could have used the crowds that followed Him to have thrown Jerusalem and Palestine into a turmoil. But Christ would not sacrifice truth and righteousness for a crowd. When Christ saw that the crowds were following Him for what they could get, that their motives were wrong, and that they were not seeing the truth that he was…
Many time’s our “downs” outweigh our “ups.” We may feel we are going uphill all the while being pulled back. We may be hurting because our loved ones are hurting due to health challenges, financial setbacks, or spiritual deprivation. We may spend our mornings, days, or late nights in tears because of the thing’s life is throwing our way. I beg you…
The Christian life is all about peaks and valleys. When we are feeling good about our relationship with God and Jesus and something happens to re-enforce those spiritual feelings, we call that time “peak times” or “mountain top experiences.” When things don’t go right and we wonder if God is really listening to us (or if He really cares), those are the…
Its amazing how we can give so little consideration to our daily lives or thoughts of its brevity. That is until we have one of those “close-calls11 or “brushed with death11 experiences. For those few moments, and sometimes several afterwards, we pay close attention to the meaning of our lives. We come to the realization of how truly limited and terminal our…