[Acts 4:24-31]

INTRODUCTION

A. Anyone who has ever had to prepare for public speaking knows that there is often a lot of anxiety that builds up before you actually get to the podium to speak. At the same time, anyone who has ever taught a one-on-one Bible study also knows the anxiety that comes as you prepare to sit down with someone to teach these eternally-important matters. Many Continue reading

Some people call it ‘the church building’ out of habit, and I guess that would not be wrong; after all, it is for the church. Others just call it the ‘church’ out of misunderstanding [the church is the people, not the structure]. Whatever you call it, though, I am speaking of the building where Christians in particular locations meet to worship God and to study His word.

Have you ever Continue reading

[1st Corinthians 1:1-9]

INTRODUCTION

A.  It is unfortunate that many in the world think the church is perfect. Don’t get me wrong: the founder, establishment, organization, and purpose is perfect, but the people that make it up are not. For evidence of this, consider the church at Corinth. This was a troubled church and one that stands as a prime example of the various problems that Continue reading

[Heb. 11:1]

INTRODUCTION

A.  In our studies of the basics of our faith, it would seem a natural part of the study to investigate what faith itself is to see if we both properly understand what it is and have such a faith. As we strive to ensure we have an answer for our faith, we must also ensure that the faith we have is worth defending. If Continue reading

Since ancient times, man has been trying to alter the makeup of certain metals through a discipline known as alchemy, which used various methods and experiments to transform the metals. The most well-known endeavor of the alchemists is the effort to change common metals into gold. In the Middle Ages, European alchemists spent a great deal of time looking for a legendary “philosopher’s stone” that, according to the legend Continue reading

INTRODUCTION

A.  To whom do you go when you’re in trouble? If your car breaks down, you might call AAA. If you’re sick, you might call your doctor. If you are in need of money, younger folks might call their parents, or us older folks might go to the bank for a loan. If it is a threat to your life, you might call the police. For Continue reading

Thinking Beyond Tradition

Introduction
Trouble With “Traditional” Thinking
The Popular Topics Given Priority
Instrumental Music
Institutionalism
The Social Gospel
Calvinism
“The Religious World…”
Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage
Observance Of The Lord’s Supper
Dancing
Drinking
Gambling
etc….
Rarely Promote Self-Examination
We are instructed to Examine Ourselves
2 COR 13:5 - Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you–unless indeed you fail the test?
These popular topics promote looking… Continue reading

Russell Conwell spent the last 50 years of his life telling people of a story once related to him while in India. As the story was told to him, there was once a man named Ali Hafed who owned a large farm with orchards, grain fields and gardens. Hafed was a wealthy man and apparently contented because of his wealth - until he heard about diamonds from a Buddhist Continue reading

[1st Samuel 17]

INTRODUCTION

A.  The apostle Paul wrote the young evangelist Timothy, “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” (2nd Tim. 2:3) In this, Paul specified that the one who is a servant of the Lord, a disciple, is also part of the army of the Lord whose assignment is to fight against evil and ungodliness. He would also admonish him, “Fight Continue reading

All of us have, at some point, been caught unprepared. Most every student has, at some point, felt the fear of being unprepared for finals or ‘pop’ quizzes, but just because we get older doesn’t mean such situations won’t arise. Many adults, too, have faced various situations for which they were unprepared; maybe they were given a task and a deadline at work for which they were unprepared; maybe Continue reading

INTRODUCTION

A.  Many people, at some point, have justifiable questions as to how reliable the book we call The Bible really is. Others, having exhausted their excuses for not obeying the word of God, resort to this “final” question, the one they suppose cannot be answered. ‘After all,’ they will say, ‘it was written by man!’ (Ref. to last week’s lesson on WHAT IS THE BIBLE.)

B.  Continue reading