My friend, Ron Williams, recently posted the image below on Facebook. Ron and his twin brother, Don, have helped a lot of people who deal with grief. They have conducted seminars, written books and other materials, and have helped people in personal ways. Like most of us, grief is no stranger to them. They have lost people very, very close to them.   I think that is why the image below made such an impact on me. While I’m not sure whether the image is original with either Ron or Don, it was posted by somebody I admire and who has both professional and very personal experience with grief. I’m not sure what message…

The diagnosis wasn’t good. She had been having pain for quite some time (really for years), but this was different. Being in her nineties made most doctors relate the pain to her age. However, one particular doctor did some tests and the diagnosis was bad. Cancer…in several places…including her pancreas…and just a very short time to live. Now most people would have been devastated by that news, but not this lady. Her outlook was very optimistic! She let the doctor know that she had been waiting for this next trip she would be taking for a very long time. She didn’t want them to do a biopsy or any other tests…

This past Sunday something happened that no preacher ever wants to witness. Two people walked out of the building right in the middle of my sermon. I knew that it was a mother and daughter who were visiting. They came in just at the start of the service and I was across the building from them. So I did not have the opportunity to get their name or to find out what brought them to us or where they were going. All I know is that they partook of the Lord’s Supper, and in the middle of my sermon, at about 40 minutes past the hour, they walked out. I…

This post will be quite a bit shorter than most of the ones I write. There is a kind of “method to my madness” in doing that. Recently, I made an unsuccessful attempt to visit one of our elderly ladies who now resides in a nursing home. I later texted her daughter and found out where both of the ladies were at the time. I told her that I’d give it “the old college try” later.   The daughter thanked me for my attempt and for the fact that I check on her mother from time to time. She also shared with me the following information: “She has received cards from some and it…

The Bible, from beginning to end, speaks regularly about the need to control our words. James 3 is a classic text that helps us know how difficult, but also how necessary, it is to control our words. Additionally, many of the Proverbs deal with our words. But Jesus Himself may have given the most direct and potent teaching on the use of our words. After He said, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34), He stated: “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by…

For two weeks my wife and children are/will be on fall break. During this time we typically take some type of vacation out of town. If you are like us, a part of your plan includes trying to figure out where you are going to worship on Sunday and what you will do for some type of mid-week Bible study. This set of circumstances begs the question, “What are the correct attitudes and practices concerning worship for Christians when they are temporarily away from home?” First of all, we need to educate ourselves on what God’s word reveals about our duties for worship. It should not take much study for…

As some who read this may know, I had a couple of issues with my health within a relatively short time frame a few years ago. It was during that time that I learned the difference between “How’re you doin’?” and “How are you doing.”   After my health was better, Donna and I were steroid-usa privileged to spend a few days at the Freed-Hardeman University Lectureship. It is always a profitable experience for us.   The wonderful fellowship we get to enjoy with people of “…like precious faith…” (2 Peter 1:1) is one of the highlights of our year as well. We are looking forward to another highlight in February of next…