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By: Gary L. Hutchens “And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward” (Matt. 10:42). A cup of cold water? Something that seemingly insignificant can have eternal consequences? Jesus said it can. Little things, done in the right way and with the right motive, can have powerful effects. Let me tell you a story that illustrates this truth.
By: Gary L. Hutchens What does the word “Almost” mean? Almost getting a passing grade on the exam means you got a failing grade! Almost getting that job you wanted means you did not get that job! Almost succeeding at some endeavor means you failed at that endeavor! Almost winning means you lost! Almost making it across the street without getting hit by that oncoming truck means you got hit by that truck! Simply put, Almost Won’t Get It!
By: Gary L. Hutchens Most everybody lives by some philosophy of life. Some people may not think theirs through very carefully, but nonetheless it’s pretty certain they have one. It is that philosophy that determines an individual’s values, goals and direction in life. What is important to him, how he lives, even how he thinks is a result of whatever overriding principle he employs to determine what his life is all about.
By: Gary L. Hutchens God wants every one of us to be with Him in Heaven. He vividly demonstrated that by sending His Son to the cross as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins (Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8). He is giving us time to repent (2 Pet. 3:9) and come to Him through Christ for forgiveness and salvation (Mk. 16:15-16).
By: Gary L. Hutchens Happiness, or its absence, is on the mind of a great many people. It is the subject of countless articles and books designed to educate people on how to be happy. It is subjective by nature, largely because it is based upon personal likes and pleasures that are subject to change at most any time. Ask twenty different people what makes them happy, and you’ll likely get twenty different answers, and those same twenty people may change their answers based upon what day of the week or time of day it is.
By: Gary L. Hutchens The word “if” is a little word with big implications. We use this word on a frequent basis. It indicates a condition upon which a subsequent action or result will take place, and it is used with both a positive and a negative emphasis.
By: Gary L. Hutchens Being a Christian is not just wearing a title. The name Christian is not an identification of some segment of our life. Being a Christian is who I am and what I am. Christianity is not a part of my life, relegated to prescribed time periods during certain days of the week. Christianity is my life, my whole life, 24/7.
By: Gary L. Hutchens Tomorrow we celebrate Labor Day, a federal holiday set aside to honor the working people of this nation. The first Labor Day was celebrated on Sept. 5, 1882 in New York City. It was made a national holiday in 1894. While the holiday was originally designed to recognize organized labor, it has become a holiday for all workers. For many, it marks the end of summer and begins the activities of the fall season. It is somewhat interesting that a day designated as Labor Day is celebrated with a day taken off from laboring.
By: Gary L. Hutchens Surely, none of us would believe that God is pleased when He observes the widespread division that is prevalent among those who call themselves Christians today. Perhaps the most quickly observed indicator of the division is the different names on the fronts of church buildings. It’s not a matter of subtle differences in description, but a wide variation of names that point to all kinds of characteristics of the different religious groups. It’s interesting, and perhaps telling, as to how many of those names make absolutely no reference to either God or Christ.
By: Gary L. Hutchens How many times does God have to say something for it to be true? Just once! How many times does God have to say something for it to be authoritative? Just once! How many times does God have to say something for whatever He said to demand our respect? Just once! How many times does God have to instruct something for it to be binding? Just once!
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September 2021
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