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Thought for the Day (Page 80)

“Pretty close to the church of Christ”?

How often have you heard someone say something like the following: “Well, they don’t go to the church of Christ anymore, but they go to something that’s pretty close to it”? Would you say that “something pretty close” to the church of the New Testament is good enough? What if I told you one of the following statements-would it be “good enough”?…

Wardrobe malfunction?

It happened again. Another story came out about another celebrity who had a “wardrobe malfunction.” She placed the blame for a part of her body being “unintentionally” exposed on her  wardrobe “malfunctioning.” Seriously? How are young people today going to learn to take responsibility for their own actions when they hear that you can just place the blame on an inanimate object?…

Not a citizen of earth, but of heaven!

There were some “enemies of the cross of Christ,” in Philippians 3:19, “who set their mind on earthly things” (3:20). There are things that are “upon the earth” for which some seek, but notice the sharp contrast that is drawn with those of another group. Paul says that the “citizenship” of faithful Christians “is in heaven.” God uses plain language to distinguish…

“I don’t know”

There are three words that are, seemingly, almost painful for many of us to utter–“I don’t know.” To voice these words makes us vulnerable, perhaps brings ridicule from others, sometimes causes disappointment in others, and usually makes us  feel great embarrassment. But, when we state these words in openness and honesty, there are benefits that can follow. Saying “I don’t know” can…

Stressed much?

Stress. The very word itself, just saying it, is distressing! It closely resembles “stretched,” which is what some stress feels like. It rhymes with “press,” which is what other stress feels like. Life often has a way of gripping us with tension, worry, anxiety and troubles of all sorts. When stress has you stressed, may I encourage you to take a moment…

Who would this action be “against”?

It may be that we sometimes look at sin and think that it cannot be that big of a deal, especially if no one else knows about it or if no one else is harmed by it. We could not be more wrong! Consider the story of Joseph in Egypt with Potiphar’s wife. Notice the contrast (and therefore, the emphasis) that Joseph…

Setting rules for yourself…in every situation

Teenagers are sometimes faced with challenging circumstances. When friends hang out, there are often different rules at each friend’s houses. Some parents have strict rules. Some parents are more lax and maybe have very few limits at all. So, where should they hang out? And, if there are no rules, then should “anything go” at those houses? The reality is that teenagers…

Fact-checking the gospel

There are organizations today whose sole purpose for existence is to fact-check what various sources say and post, to check the veracity of their claims and to share their findings with others. Have you ever tried that with various teachings of  various churches? The Bible says, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16). Does your church teach that?…