How Does Seed Grow?

Posted on April 19, 2020 by admin

by Keith Sharp

“And He said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come” (Mark 4:26-29).

My younger grandson planted sunflower seeds when he was six and waited impatiently for them to germinate and grow into plants. As they grew into plants twice his height, he lost interest. But he learned that the power to produce life is in the seed. Neither he nor a Ph.D. botanist understands how life got into that seed. It is the work of God.

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Question from Nigeria about Refreshment at Church Business Meeting

Posted on March 19, 2020 by admin

Question

For a congregation that is not scripturally organized, viz-a-viz having Elders and Deacon in place, rely on brethren business meeting to deliberation on the affair of the congregation. In such a business meeting, is it unscriptural for the Church to provide refreshments for brethren that will be in such meetings?

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Question from New York about Divorce

Posted on February 19, 2020 by admin

Question

Is the exception for divorce in Matthew 5:32 granted to the woman/wife also, or limited only to the man/husband? I was curious about your understanding of this verse.

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Miracle Worker?

Posted on February 19, 2020 by admin

by Keith Sharp

Helen Keller is one of the most famous women of modern times. Her life story is amazing. She was born in 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama to a well to do family. She was a healthy, normal child until age 19 months, when she contracted “brain fever” (perhaps meningitis or scarlet fever). When she was eventually well, her mother discovered that Helen had become both deaf and blind. How could she learn anything? Her situation seemed hopeless. Most such children of that day were committed to an asylum.

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Jealousies

Posted on January 19, 2020 by admin

by Keith Sharp

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).

Good News: Attendance was at an all time high the last two Sundays. Bad News: The preacher was on vacation. (That’s a joke, folks!)

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How Much Should We Give to the Church?

Posted on January 19, 2020 by admin

by Keith Sharp

Most denominations teach their members that they are obligated to tithe to the Lord. The noun “tithe” means “tenth,” thus, the requirement is that people give a tenth of their income to their church.

Moses in the Law commanded Israel to give a tithe of all the produce of the land (Leviticus 27:30-33; Deuteronomy 14:22). The tithe was to be given to the Levites, those of the tribe of Levi who ministered to the Lord as helpers to the priests (Numbers 18:21-24). The Levites then were to give the priests a tithe of the tithe (Numbers 18:25-26). The tithe was to be taken to the house of the Lord where the priests and Levites served (Deuteronomy 12:5-6; 14:22-26). Every third year Israelites were to give an additional tithe to be shared with Levites, strangers, fatherless, and widows (Deuteronomy 14:27-29; 26:12-15). The tithe, as part of the Law of Moses, was done away when Christ died (Colossians 2:14-17; Hebrews 7:5).

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Question from Uganda about Apocryphal Books

Posted on December 10, 2019 by admin

Question
Please, there is other question: How many books does the catholic bible have? The bibles we read have 66 books. What are the names of those extra books of the catholic bibles?

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Question from Uganda about the Brothers of Jesus

Posted on December 10, 2019 by admin

Question
I am studying with a group of Catholics and today I met a strong challenging question from Matt 13:54-46 and Mark 6:2-3. And the question is: James, Joses, Jude and Simon biological brother of Jesus or not. The Catholics say, these men are just cousins of Jesus.

Please give me the biblical answer. I told them Jesus are brothers to to those men and that Mary produced more children with Joseph. Corresponding scriptures are Matt 1:20-21.

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Question About African Response to Tragedy

Posted on December 10, 2019 by admin

As you have been there, what do people in Africa do when tragedy strikes? I would assume there is no government assistance, but what would the “average Joe” do, rely upon neighbors and friends, become resourceful? I often fear we have become enablers, however I also want to be compassionate to those in need. I often try to mentally put myself in those situations and ask myself what I would do? I also wonder if budgeting is considered? When he gets support, which I also assume he is probably better off than most in his community because they do not have “outside resources” to ask for assistance from, does he put aside for incidents such as this? Lastly, can we verify? We should “trust, then verify”. It’s a real struggle for me.

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The Ages

Posted on December 10, 2019 by admin

by Keith Sharp

“To me, whom am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him” (Ephesians 3:8-12).

Have you built an ark yet? God plainly commanded, “Make yourself an ark of gopherwood” (Genesis 6:14-16). That command was to Noah, you say, and not for us.

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