Even though we are 1248 miles away, we were watching. Waiting. Wondering. Would tropical storm Isaac become a hurricane? Would it hit Tampa? What would happen if Tampa took a direct hit? How severe would it be? And why did we care from so far away? Continue reading
Monthly Archives: August 2012
IT’S FRIDAY. BUT SUNDAY’S COMING! Weathering the Storm
Filed under It's Friday. But Sunday's Coming!, Jesus, Life
Knowing When To Say “No”
Tuesday night I watched with interest several of the RNC speakers. The diversity was interesting. Not only from the standpoint of race or gender, but of speaking style and content. Probably the most interesting contrasts were the final two speakers–Ann Romney and Governor Chris Christie. Mrs. Romney presented a warm, personal and heart-felt plea for us to know her husband better. And Christie was feisty, fervent and fiery in his presentation. The governor had several quotable lines from his speech. One that I particularly liked was this statement. Continue reading
Filed under Truth
What is Man?
Neil Armstrong died last Saturday just two days following our 44th wedding anniversary. Norma Jean and I had only been married for 11 months when Armstrong made the historical flight on Apollo 11. I remember that Sunday evening. I had preached that day. And we returned to our apartment on Bearss Avenue in Tampa. Turned on our little black and white TV. We heard Neil Armstrong say those famous words, “One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” Continue reading
Let Your Light Shine
Did you hear the joke about a circus owner who was walking down the street in a tourist district and saw crowd of people around a table watching a show. On the table was a pot turned upside down and a duck tap dancing on it. The circus owner was so impressed that he offered to buy the duck from its owner. After some haggling the owner agreed to sell the duck and the pot for $10,000.
A couple of days later the circus owner returns to the owner. “Your duck is a rip-off!” He says angrily. “I put him on the pot in front of a big audience and he didn’t dance a single step!” Continue reading
It Beats the Alternative
This morning I am in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Later I will drive over to Morgantown and preach the funeral for my Uncle, James O. Gabbard. He died last Thursday at 91. He lived a full and exciting life. He was a Christian. But finally my Uncle Oval met his appointment with death.
Death. It is a sobering word. A cold word. A frightening word. We don’t even Continue reading
Filed under Death, Uncategorized
What’s The Answer?
I recently read about a preacher who would have the kids come up front before the evening worship for Bible drills.
One Sunday night, he decided to use squirrels for an object lesson teaching the kids about diligence, preparation and planning. So he began by saying, “I’m going to describe something, and I want you to raise your hand when you know what it is.” The children nodded eagerly.
“This thing lives in trees (pause) and eats nuts (pause)…” No one raised their hand. “And it is grey (pause) and has a long bushy tail (pause)…” The kids looked at each other. But still no raised hands. The preacher continued, “And it jumps from branch to branch (pause) and chatters and flips its tail when it’s excited (pause)…” Continue reading
Filed under Uncategorized
44 Years of Experience
The marriage vows. You’ve heard them. “Do you take…..for better, or for worse, for richer, or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish from this day forward until death do you part?” Continue reading
Filed under Marriage
The Truth
Winston Churchill once said, “Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.” This is not only true in physical and material matters, but it is often true spiritually as well.
When Jesus came to earth He was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Over 300 statements are made by the Ancient Oracles regarding the Messiah. Yet, John records, “he came unto his own and his own received him not” (Jn. 1:11). Continue reading
Filed under Truth
Spiritual Kinship
Kinship. I just got to thinking about it. I’m not sure why. It’s not a word you hear used a lot anymore. You used to. Someone would say, “I know your kinfolks!” Or “Are you all kin?” Continue reading
Filed under Church, Fellowship, Relationships, Uncategorized
IT’S FRIDAY. BUT SUNDAY’S COMING! Words of Contentment
During the opening Olympic ceremony , Scottish singer Emeli Sande performed a moving rendition of “Abide With Me” in memory of the 52 victims in the 2005 London terrorist attacks.
You may not have seen it because NBC choose not to show it in their prime time edited coverage. Instead they broadcast a Ryan Seacrest interview with Gold-medalist swimmer Michael Phelps. Continue reading
Filed under Christ, Cross, It's Friday. But Sunday's Coming!
ThePreachersWord 