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Comfort Zone Caution
The story goes that a mother ran into the bedroom when she heard her seven-year-old son scream. She found his two-year-old sister pulling his hair. She gently released the little girl’s grip and said comfortingly to the boy, “There, there, she didn’t mean it. She doesn’t know that it hurts.” He nodded his acknowledgment, and she left the room. As she started down the hall the little girl screamed. Rushing back in, she asked, “What happened? The little boy replied,…
God the Creator – Have You Met Him?
Has there ever been a sight so beautiful it just takes your breath away? Perhaps you have gotten the chance to stand at the edge of the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, or overlook the Rocky Mountains, and those stunning sights have caused you to find yourself speechless; you have been unable to put the beauty you see into words. In those moments, it is almost impossible to avoid breaking out in songs of praise to our God. He has created…
Just Like Pluto
For 76 years, Pluto was a planet. Then one day back in 2006, it wasn’t. On August 24, 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) downgraded Pluto to the status of a dwarf planet based on their newly refined definition of a planet.1 The demotion of Pluto to the status of a dwarf planet was influenced by the fact that Pluto acts differently than the other eight planets. In particular, Pluto’s orbit is different. It is elliptical rather than circular and…
A Friend Loves At All Times
A small town has a unique way of honoring folks who have supported others who are going through tough times. On the wall which surrounds a park near the city’s center, the name of a citizen experiencing some type of difficulty is written inside of a circle. At some point down the road in this person’s trial, he/she is asked, “Who are those who have been there for you through it all – all of your suffering, anxiety, and weakness?” …
Worshiping with Joy
What brings you joy? For some, it may be time on a vacation. Others might say that the start of college football season (WHOOP WHOOP), certain family or friends, a drive through the country in a particular car, time at a spa, music, or movies are what bring you joy. As you think about things that bring you joy, is worship something that is included on your list? Many of the other things that bring us joy evoke an emotional…
Hard to Follow
One of the great fallacies of discipleship is that once you become a follower of Jesus life gets easier. That’s just not true. Nowhere in the Bible are we promised that following Christ makes life easier. In fact, the Bible indicates that the exact opposite is true. Just consider what Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14… Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by…
The Buck Stops Here
Harry S. Truman – the 33rd president of the United States – had a sign on his desk which read, “The buck stops here.” It refers to a slang expression from the game of poker. The buck was a marker which was used to keep track of the person whose turn it was to deal. If somebody didn’t want to do it, they could pass the buck to the next person at the table. In his farewell address in January…
A Summer of Falling in Love
When the words “SCHOOL IS OUT” ring across the United States, kids everywhere begin cheering for joy. There is something about summer when you are in school that feels different. The total freedom to do whatever you want. Thankfully at the Buford church of Christ, many of our kids want to be an active part of the church! Due to this, we fill our BYG summer with opportunities to study, fellowship, serve, and grow! Our Summer theme this year was…
Of Man Or Of God
As the Jewish leaders worry about the rapidly growing movement in the name of Jesus, they meet in order to decide what to do with the apostles. A Pharisee named Gamaliel recalls a pair of previous uprisings which “came to nothing” after their leaders (Theudas and Judas the Galilean) perished. Gamaliel then concludes, “So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man,…
What Does God See When He Looks At Me?
The Bible repeatedly refers to God as an all-seeing entity (Job 28:24; Proverbs 15:3; Hebrews 4:13). His ability to see all led Hagar to dub Him El-Roi In Genesis 16:13, which means “the-God-Who-Sees.” Since He is “the-God-who-sees,” what does He see when He looks at me? Many answers could be given to this question. One might say, “God sees our sin.” Another might say, “God sees our faith.” Still, others could say, “God sees our needs,” while others contend that “God sees…
HURRICANE SEASON
The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season officially opened on June 1, 2023, and will end on November 30, 2023. Prior to the start of this hurricane season, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasted “a range of 12 to 17 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, 5 to 9 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 1 to 4 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph…
Ruler and Redeemer
In Acts Chapter 7, Stephen stands before the Jewish council and delivers an address which encapsulates a whopping 52 verses – a full deck of cards. After weaving throughout different events in Hebrew history, Stephen finally reaches the aces at the bottom of the deck in the climactic conclusion in Verses 51-53. It is there that he boldly confronts the actions of his Jewish contemporaries. Just as their fathers rejected Moses and the other prophets, so also they have rejected,…