by:Gary L. Hutchens God’s word is “living and powerful” (Heb. 4:12). God guides us and communicates His will to us through His word (Ps. 119:105). The gospel message of salvation is revealed to us in God’s word (Rom. 1:16). By reading His word we understand that it is through the gospel that we are actually called to salvation (2 Thess. 2:13-14). His word guides us as to how to live a faithful, productive Christian life after coming to salvation (2 Tim. 3:15-17). It is no wonder that God instructs us to diligently study His word in order to be able to correctly understand and apply it to our lives, and to stand approved before Him (2 Tim. 2:15).
by: Gary L. Hutchens Just how important is it to be at services when the church meets? As Christians, we need to always be examining ourselves to make sure that our lives reflect true faithfulness (2 Cor. 13:5). We also need to seriously reflect on our spiritual well being. Just how strong is our faith? We need to not do anything that could put our souls in jeopardy.
By: Gary L. Hutchens It has long been said that the most effective advertising is word of mouth! That does not discount the value and importance of standard forms of commercial advertising, such as television, radio, newspapers, magazines, billboards, internet, and so on… If there was no value in commercial advertising, newspapers would pretty much shut down, radio stations would go off the air and television spots on the Super Bowl would not be running in the millions of dollars per spot.
By: Gary L. Hutchens As we enter into a new year, there’s a question that ought to be up front in everybody’s mind: “How’s My Relationship With God?” At about this time every year people consider how their lives are going. They reflect on what happened to them last year and look ahead to what is realistically appearing for them on the horizon.
by: Gary L. Hutchens Today is the last day of the year 2017. Since the first day of this year was on a Sunday, and this last day is also on a Sunday, there have actually been 53 Sundays in this year rather than the standard 52 in most years. That’s just a tidbit of trivia. I remember looking ahead, during much of my life, to the year 2000, thinking it was a long way off! Now, we’re finishing up the seventeenth year of the new millennium, as it was called, meaning it’s no longer new. Time truly does fly by…
by: Gary L. Hutchens Tomorrow, multitudes of people in this country and around much of the world will supposedly celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Many will attend some kind of special church service in His honor. Others will simply feel special feelings about the Savior as they go about the day. Specific references to the birth of Christ will be uttered in prayers by some. A large number of people will get drunk.
by: Gary L. Hutchens What a travesty that many people commit acts of evil in the name of serving God! It’s easy to get some things confused. In most wars, for example, both sides commonly pray to God for guidance, protection and victory. Opposing political candidates will often each ask God’s blessing upon their candidacy. People on both sides of some social issues invoke God’s name in the position they take, suggesting thereby that God is with them and against the opposing position. Such demonstrates the inconsistency and frequent shortsightedness of human reasoning.
by: Gary L. Hutchens There are entire religious groups that seem fixated on miraculous gifts. Indeed, one might become somewhat confused as to just what is at the core of their doctrinal beliefs. Is their main emphasis on Christ as Lord and Savior, or on the Holy Spirit as the bestower of miraculous gifts? Is their most basic desire to be saved, or to receive a miraculous gift? Is the chief emphasis of their worship to glorify God, or self-gratification over supposedly taking part in some miracle?
by: Gary L. Hutchens “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace…” (1 Cor. 14:33). That statement pretty well summarizes the message of 1 Corinthians 14. It is quite significant that Paul deals with this subject, in such detail, in this chapter. He is finishing up a long context (chapters 12-14) on miraculous gifts. In chapter 12, he addressed what seems to be apparent disunity in regards to their attitudes toward miraculous gifts. In chapter 13, he told them that the miraculous gifts would cease when the purpose for which they were given was fulfilled- the full revelation and confirmation of God’s will. In chapter 14, he uses logical reasoning to help them view miraculous gifts from the proper perspective.
By: Gary L. Hutchens Good morning to each one... It is a blessing to be able to be together today to worship God as His family, the church. Christianity is a religion based upon love. Jesus spoke of God so loving the world that He offered His only begotten Son to die upon a cross in order that we might have the opportunity to be forgiven and saved (Jn. 3:16). The Apostle Paul stated that God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still lost in sin Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8). The Apostle John spoke of Jesus, through love, giving the ultimate for mankind, His life (Jn. 15:13-14). God and Christ did what they did for us out of love.
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