Is God One or Three?                                         June 7, 2026

          James 2:19 tells us, “You believe that God is one.  You do well; the demons also believe, and shutter (tremble).”  We know the Father is God, but is the Son not also God?  In Matthew 26:63-64 we read, “But Jesus kept silent.  And the high priest said to Him, ‘I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, ‘You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power (God), and coming on the clouds of heaven.’”  And is the Holy Spirit not called God as well?  In Acts 5:3-4 we read, “But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back some of the price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own?  And after it was sold, was it not under your control?  Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart?  You have not lied to men, but to God?”  The answer is most certainly yes, they are all referred to as God.  But there is one God.  The question is “how” are they One?  While there may be several ways to answer this question, I believe Jesus answers it by His words to the Father in John 17:21 which reads, “That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.”

          In this text Jesus is speaking to His Father about His followers, or as known today, “Christians.”  He prayed to His Father that we “Christians” be “one” in the way that He is with His Father.  We know that we cannot become one being for that would be impossible.  So how are They “one” in a way that we can become “one?”  I believe Jesus showed us the answer in John 14:8-9 which reads, “Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’  Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know Me, Philip?  Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father.  How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’”  How are they one?  They are one in unity.  What Jesus teaches is perfectly unified in the same mind and the same judgment.  Paul writes, “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.”  We cannot be one if we teach different doctrines.  We can only be one when we teach the same doctrine as Christ and His apostles taught.  Then we will be one as God is one.                                                          By Bob Oliver

(Many years ago my father explained the Godhead to me this way.  He brought out an egg and asked me what it was.  Obviously, I told him it was an egg.  He asked me if I was sure it was an egg.  Absolutely, it was an egg.  Then he told me it was an egg shell, an egg yolk and an egg sac.  Three distinct parts of the egg yet together, they are always  referred to as an egg.  The Godhead is like that.  There’s God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  Three distinct parts of the Godhead yet together, they are always referred to as God.  Thought this might help you some in your understanding of God – Brian Thompson)

Is God In Control?                                                        May 31, 2026

We often hear that “God is in control” when things in this world aren’t going well.  With all the violence and evil, we wonder, how can God be in control?  Are we saying that God that God makes bad people do bad things?  Are we saying that God creates the violence and evil?  It may seem counterproductive to say that God is in control while, at the same time, seeing the world fall apart around us.  How can God be in control?

By the dictionary, control means to “exercise restraint or direction,” to “hold in check” or have power over.  I believe God is in control, in charge, even with all the evil in the world.  He is sovereign and has all authority in heaven and earth (cf. Matthew 28:18).  What I don’t believe is that God is micromanaging and coercing every decision, negating free will, pulling everyone’s strings like a puppet master and making all the bad things happen.  That is not what is meant by affirming that God is in control.  He doesn’t force everything, nor is He to be blames for the evil.

What is the alternative?  If God is not in control, then what is?  Are we to accept that chaos or even the devil reigns and that God is taking a “hands off” approach (i.e., a form of deism)?  Are we to think that our exercise of free will has more power to control outcomes than God?  We need to think about what we are accepting if we deny God’s control.

We are affirming that God sits on His throne with all authority and maintains boundaries even while allowing free will to operate and bear consequences.  We are saying that God “does according to His will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand or say to Him, What have You done?’” (Daniel 4:35).  “our God is in the heavens’ He does all that He pleases” (Psalms 115:3).  When statements like these were made, people were evil then, too.  Being in control is not forced coercion.  Indeed, the fact that God allows people to make such choices and do bad things shows self-controlled patience and longsuffering on His part as He desires that none perish, but all come to repentance (II Peter 3:9).  God is in control when He gives people up to the consequences of their sinful choices (Romans 1:24-32).  Sometimes He does give people what they are asking for (negatively).  Do not, for a moment, think that God is not in control just because we see terrible consequences from terrible behavior.

Consider the book of Job.  Was God in control?  The first two chapters show that He maintained control throughout, though He allowed bad things to happen to Job.  It may be difficult to understand why, but our lack of understanding is not a case for God not being in control.  He set the limits of what Satan could do.  The line was drawn by God, Satan acted freely within those boundaries, and the resolution at the end was of God’s making (a marked proof that Satan was wrong in his charges and pursuits).

When Daniel interpreted the “writing on the wall,” he referenced what happened to Nebuchadnezzar, stating that “the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom He will” (Daniel 5:21).  When Jehoshaphat sought help from God, his prayer began, “O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven?  You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations.  In Your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand You” (II Chronicles 20:6).  This is what we mean when we say that God is in control.

During all these times, evil and sin were in the world.  Yet God maintained control and brought about resolutions according to His will.  He allows free will.  He allows evil to bear its consequences.  He also brings an end to these things, sets limits, and uses such events to serve greater purposes (e.g., using Babylon to bring judgment upon Judah; see Habakkuk).

God can corral events to bring about good as well.  This is one reason to pray, for what can prayer do if God is not in control?  We think of God’s providence and His use of what appears to be coincidences to cross paths and create positive outcomes (e.g., Esther, Joseph).  The truth is that we just don’t know or understand what all is going on behind the scenes.  This is why it is upon us to trust Him.  We don’t know what He knows, understand what He understands, or have the wisdom that He has.

God also controls the timing of the Day of Judgment, a day in which “He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed; and of this He has given us assurance to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).  We can’t afford to think God isn’t in control.  We just need to see that His control is also what allows us the freedom to make choices and provides for us the solution to sin by His grace through Jesus Christ      By Doy Moyer

Two Men Know They Are Saved May 24, 2026

Two men “know” they are saved. The first man bases his assurance of salvation on his experience. He had been assured that when he completely turned his life over to Jesus Christ, accepted Him as their personal Savior, and received Him into his heart, that an inner peace and feeling of well being would sweep his soul; that he would be able to recognize that feeling when it came; and that this peace and feeling of well being would be unmistakeable evidence of his salvation. In keeping with that teaching he did “receive Jesus into His heart.” He did feel this wonderful peace sweep his soul. And he “knows” that he is saved.

The second man’s assurance is based on the promise of God. He had read in God’s word, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). From other passages he had learned the necessity of repentance and confession of faith (Acts 2:38; 7:37; Romans 10:10). Trusting God’s promise of salvation, he obeyed from the heart those commands (Romans 6:17), and has never doubted since that God forgave him of all his past sins, according to His promise.

The first man’s assurance of salvation is based upon an unsure foundation. The Bible teaches neither the action he has taken nor the criterion he has accepted. We do not question his feelings; but we do question that such feelings are proof of salvation, for they are the product of his teaching. The cultist who has been taught certain gross practices in religion and has become the victim of his perverted leader will experience similar feelings. If the feelings of the latter are not sufficient proof of salvation, neither are the feelings of the former.

“But an angel appeared and spoke to me,” someone may be thinking; or “I spoke in tongues.” The Bible teaches, however, that even unusual, inexplicable occurrences in one’s life cannot set aside the teaching of God’s revealed word. Many who will be in hell will have said, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name have cast out devils (demons)? And in Thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matthew 7:22). But all their experiences, even “miracles,” will not substitute for their doing the Father’s will as it is recorded in the scriptures (Matthew 7:21; see also Galatians 1:8; II Thessalonians 2:9-12; Deuteronomy 13:1-5; Colossians 2:18-19).

The second man had based his assurance on a solid foundation. God’s promises are sure. He cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18). What He has promised He is able to perform (Romans 4:21). The person who obeys His commandments through truth in His promises can know, because God is faithful. “And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments” (I John 2:3).

We ask our readers, “Who really demonstrates strong faith in God: the one who simply trusts God’s promises and finds assurance in His word or the one who must experience some overwhelming feeling that sweeps his soul?” God’s judgment will be based, not on what we “know,” but on His word. Be not deceived!

By Bill Hall

Petting a Porcupine                                          May 17, 2026

            Far too many people, and not a few brethren, feel rejected and lonely simply because they have spent a lifetime building walls instead of bridges.  And is it any wonder why they find themselves so disconnected from everyone surrounding them?

            When was the last time you tried petting a porcupine?

            Any healthy relationship will thrive in an atmosphere of understanding and mutual forbearance, but continual carping criticism does nothing but destroy.  Pettiness and selfishness too often drive deadly spikes into the very heart of what would otherwise be a healthy and thriving union.

            The Bible instructs, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice.  And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).

            And again Scripture admonishes, “Finally, all of you be of the same mind, having compassion for one another, love as brothers, be tender-hearted, be courteous, not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you might inherit a blessing” (I Peter 3:8-9).

            And still again, “With all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3).

            In short, we are expected to get along with one another; to be kind and forgiving toward one another; to have genuine compassion for one another; to forbear with one another “in love.”

            We get along best when we’re less selfish and more selfless; less critical and more understanding; less like the world and more like Christ.

            And what is this but the “golden rule” in practice?  (Matthew 7:12).  We would have others show kindness to us.  We would have others minimize our weaknesses and instead emphasize and encourage our strengths.  Should we not then treat others as we would have them treat us?

            It is always the right time to be kind!                       Dalton Key (Tulsa, OK) via Old Paths

Mother’s Day                                                               May 10, 2026

Proverbs 23:22-25

Vs 22 “Listen to your father who gave you life,

and do not despise your mother when she is old.

Vs 23 Buy truth, and do not sell it;

buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

Vs 24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;

he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.

Vs 25 Let your father and mother be glad;

let her who bore you rejoice.”

Many years ago, I loved and played the game of baseball.  This love was inherited from my father and followed me from T – ball to high school.  On game day, our mothers would often wear a pin-on button made from their player’s photo which included a ribbon underneath that said: “That’s My Boy!”  I was a little embarrassed by this maternal practice, but I understood the sentiment.  Not much has changed since then.  Today parents find all sorts of creative ways to say how proud they are of their little athletes.

As the children of God, we are tasked with living lives that honor our parents.  A mother is not only to be honored, but her children are called to live a life that makes her “glad” to the point that she can “rejoice.”  The gifts Solomon says will gain that rejoicing and gladness of a mother are … truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding (Vs 23).  This doesn’t mean that you buy them and put them in a drawer somewhere.  Nor should you try to fit them in a card or wrap them in a box.  It simply means that you should gain these things and live life by them.  God’s truth and wisdom create a life that not only honors mother and father, but produces something that Mom can with much joy declare, “That’s My Kid!”

What are you giving your Mom for Mother’s Day?  Cards, flowers, and gifts are all good, but a life lead by God’s truth and wisdom is even better.  It is sure to bring her joy!

Happy Mother’s Day!!                                                     By Ryan Parsons

Only Three Temptations                                           May 3, 2026

If we were asked, “how many different ways does Satan tempt us?” the answer might be hundreds or even a thousand ways.  After all, we are all individuals with different strengths and weaknesses and what might not tempt one person will be a huge challenge for another.  So, how can God possibly warn us about temptation when there are countless ways the devil entices us to go down the sinful road?  Well, in His infinite and amazing wisdom, God has admonished us through the scriptures by using only three temptations.  More correctly stated, He uses three broad categories that every conceivable temptation will fall into.  The passage is found in I John 2:15-16:

“Do not love the world or the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world.”

These three categories of temptation are the very methods Satan used against Jesus as he tempted the Lord for forty days in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-12).

1. The “lust of the flesh” is any and every physical desire, passion, or pleasure that is contrary to God’s moral laws.  Even things within themselves that are not sinful, become so when our desire for them is not controlled and kept in proper perspective and priority.  Our “love” or loyalty is not to be for the physical things of earth but for the spiritual things of heaven (Matthew 6:19-21; 16:26).
2. The “lust of the eyes” centers around what Jesus called “the lamp of the body.”  It is with our eyes that our minds consume either light or darkness (Luke 11:34-36).  The Lord also taught us that with the eyes we can commit sin just as if we’d done the physical act itself (Matthew 5:27-30).
3. Finally, the “pride of life” pertains to the basic impulse we have for boastful status and self-centered desire.  Pride and arrogance are characteristics despised by God and are to be absent from the Christian life (Proverbs 6:17; 21:4; James 4:6).

By Jay Launius

Maud church of Christ, Maud, Texas

“Say You’re Sorry!”                                            April 26, 2026

How often have you been told to “say you’re sorry,” or told your child to “say you’re sorry?”  It is important in training a child to teach humility, kindness, empathy, honesty, forgiveness, and many other principles involved in Christian living.

Have you ever considered that using the phrase, “say you’re sorry” could be the wrong way to teach that lesson?  Simply saying that you care, that you’re honest, or saying that you forgive someone is not actually doing or being that thing.

Instead, try saying, “Jimmy (or Jessica), you need to BE sorry about that and tell Bobby (or Betsy) that you ARE sorry.

Similarly, our hearts are very important as we live the life of a Christian.  We are not to say we are honest, or humble, or forgiving.  We are to be honest, humble, forgiving, kind and empathetic.

In Mark 12:28-34, when a scribe asks Jesus which commandment is foremost of all, Jesus does not respond with, “Say the Lord our God is one Lord and say you love Him with all your soul, mind and strength.”  Instead, He says, “you shall love Him in this way.”  It is an action, not just merely words.  The same applies to the second commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  It must be actual and real, not just something we say.  Mark notes that Jesus was pleased with the scribe’s statement that to love in this way was “much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Just like many Jews who offered their sacrifices and burnt offerings without their hearts engaged, we too can sacrifice and worship, etc. And not have our hearts into it.  We can go through the motions of doing the right things and saying the right words, but God desires our hearts to be fully committed.  He wants us to be who we are, to be real, authentic, and sincere … not merely an act or something superficial.

Let’s examine ourselves and determine to actually BE who and what God wants us to be.                                                                                    By Gary Woodall

Show Mercy like Joseph Did                                   April 19, 2026

Recently I have had the opportunity to reflect on the life of Joseph, particularly his tremendous demonstration of mercy.  According to Bible Hub’s Topical Encyclopedia “Mercy, in the biblical context, refers to the compassionate treatment of those in distress, especially when it is within one’s power to punish or harm. The term is derived from the Latin “misericordia,” which means “pity” or “compassion,” and is closely related to the Hebrew word “chesed” and the Greek word “eleos,” both of which convey a sense of loving-kindness, steadfast love, and compassion.”

Joseph was despised by his brothers.  Originally they planned to murder him, but instead sold him into slavery.  Joseph then spent several years in prison, but eventually God allowed him to become the second most powerful man in Egypt.  Joseph was later tasked with protecting the Egyptian people from a time of famine that they would face.  This famine spread beyond Egypt and drove his brothers to come to Egypt to purchase grain; where unbeknown to them they encountered Joseph.  Being the second most powerful man in the country Joseph had the power to imprison or execute his brothers.  He could have sought revenge but instead he chose a different path.  When Joseph encountered his brothers in a vulnerable position he demonstrated extreme mercy.  At first he didn’t reveal his identity to them but ensured his brothers were fed while he tested their character, provided them with grain and secretly returned their money.  When Joseph receives his brothers on their second visit he reveals himself to them and wept openly before them, demonstrating his desire for a restored relationship and not retribution.  He drew them close, demonstrating that he didn’t want to be their ruler, but wanted them to be a family.  Joseph relieved his brother’s physiological burden of guilt by explaining what appeared to be a tragic situation was simply a part of God’s plan, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Genesis 50:20).  Joseph demonstrates that showing mercy enables us to look beyond the personal pain or injury we may have faced and instead heal broken relationships and preserve life.

Like Joseph, God expects us to show mercy in our daily lives.  We should treat mercy as a proactive approach to alleviate the suffering of others or withholding punishment for those who have caused us offense.  God has provided us with the greatest possible example of mercy in Jesus who taught us in Luke 6:36, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”  Our Heavenly Father has forgiven our greatest debt, that of our sin and has restored our broken relationship with Him. Thus we need to show similar mercy to others in our lives.

In the parable of the Unmerciful Servant, Jesus teaches that demonstrating mercy through forgiveness should be a limitless habit, not a one-time transaction (Matthew 18:21-35).  When Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive someone for sinning against him, Jesus replies, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

Mercy requires us to show care and compassion to the vulnerable.  In the Parable of the Good Samaritan,the Samaritan provides physical care and financial support for a stranger who had been severely injured by others (Luke 10:25-37).  We are also challenged to show mercy to our enemies. Paul instructs us, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink” (Romans 12:20).

Jesus spoke of mercy in the beatitudes, where He states, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7).  Our Heavenly Father has been very merciful to us.  Today, we have an opportunity and obligation to make mercy a daily habit in our lives.  Showing mercy will allow the love of God to be demonstrated through our lives.

Kevin Pickles

One Generation Away From Ruin                          April 12, 2026

How many generations does it take for a faithful group of people to fall away from the LORD?  For Israel, it only took one.  We might think that after God delivered them from Egypt, parted the Red Sea, gave them a land to dwell in, and drove out their enemies, the people of Israel would remain faithful.  For a time, around the life of Joshua, they did (Judges 2:7).  However, soon after, the generations that followed did not know the LORD or the work He had done for Israel.

Why did the generation closest to direct contact with God not know or serve the LORD?  Judges reveal that Israel failed to eliminate Canaanite influences and gods from their lands (Judges 2:1-2), which led them to abandon the LORD and pursue other gods (Judges 2:12).  They allowed external worldly influences to corrupt them.  Instead of removing these people and their teachings, they coexisted with them and intermarried (Judges 3:6). 

As a church, we face the challenge of living “in the world but not of the world.”  We cannot completely avoid contact with sinners (I Corinthians 5:9-10), but we must not allow ourselves to be influenced by them as the Israelites were.  I believe we sometimes underestimate the world’s influence on us, thinking it is not inherently harmful.  This mindset is precisely what led Israel into trouble, as tolerating the world resulted in their spiritual decline and abandonment of God.

We should also be alarmed at how quickly the offspring of a faithful generation abandoned God.  It can be easy to assume that the children of faithful people will also be faithful, but in this case, that was not true.  While we cannot force people to obey God, we all have a crucial responsibility to train the younger generations (Deuteronomy 6:7), something Israel perhaps failed to do.  Instead of blaming one generation for its unique failures, we should focus on fulfilling the intergenerational instructions found in I Timothy 5:1-2 and Titus 2:1-6.  This way, with God’s help, we can avoid becoming one generation from ruin.

By Spencer Clark

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ                                 April 5, 2026

The resurrection of Jesus Christ shatters expectations.  The women who arrived at the tomb anticipated finding His lifeless body.  Even His closest followers, the apostles, initially dismissed the reports of His resurrection as utter nonsense (Luke 24:11).  No one seemed prepared for the very event Jesus had foretold.  He had explicitly told His disciples, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Luke 9:22).  He spoke of completing His work within three days (Luke 13:32) and informed the twelve that He would be killed, only to rise again on the third day (Luke 18:33).  Why then were His disciples so perplexed and frightened by an event Jesus Himself had predicted?

The answer unfolds on the road to Emmaus.  Two disciples, grappling with the day’s earth-shattering events, were walking towards the village of Emmaus.  Jesus Himself joined their walk, yet they were prevented from recognizing Him.  He inquired about their conversation, and they recounted the confusing events of the early morning.  They were troubled and confused about what had taken place.  Jesus rebuked them, saying, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” (Luke 24:25).  The disciples struggled with belief.  Later, as Jesus stood among all the disciples, He questioned them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts” (Luke 24:38)?  Luke notes that they still “disbelieved” (Luke24:41).  It was this crucial moment that Jesus strengthened their faith, reminding them, “These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled…thus it is written, that the Christ must suffer and on the third day rise from the dead” (Luke 24:44-46).  What was their reaction?  More fear?  More doubt?  More disbelief?  No.  Luke records that they “worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God” (Luke 24:52-53).  They finally understood.

What about us?  Do we grasp the profound significance of the first day of the week, so long ago?  Jesus spoke of more than just His own resurrection.  “I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).  Jesus poses the same question to us as He did to Martha:  “Do you believe this?”  What is our response?  Doubt?  Fear?  Unbelief?  Or are we filled with the same great joy, continually blessing God?  Our answer reveals the depth of our understanding and the transformation His resurrection brings to our lives.  May we respond with unwavering faith and overflowing joy.

By Jay Taylor