Author Archives: ThePreachersWord

January 13, 2024 · 6:39 am

Weekly Recap: January 8-12

Greeting From Beverly Hills, FL

We are off to a good start for the new year with our new Fundamentals of Faith column on Monday receiving the most hits for the week.  It will be our writing and preaching theme for the year.  Look for it every Monday.

Also we welcome new readers to ThePreachersWord.  We invite you to browse the categories section for past posts.  Not only will you personally profit from these devotional thoughts, some of you will find ideas for a table talk for the Lord’s Supper under “It’s Friday. But Sunday’s Coming.”  Or a Wednesday evening talk under Great Bible Verses, or a Passage to Ponder.  Continue reading →

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January 12, 2024 · 7:03 am

What is the Secret of Life?

The Heartland facebook page “is dedicated to providing daily positive, inspirational, motivational , kindness stories.”

Recently I came across this story about “a father {who} used to say to his children when they were young:  “When you all reach the age of 12 I will tell you the secret of life.”

The secret of life? That caught my attention. I hope it will you too. Here’s the secret of life. Continue reading →

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January 11, 2024 · 7:40 am

Enjoy Today

On Wednesday evenings I’m teaching a Bible class on the book of Ecclesiastes. It’s been a while since I’ve taught this book, so I’m enjoying a fresh look into this marvelous revelation of wisdom.

Some see it as a negative, pessimistic, or cynical view of life. However, I think it’s a realistic view of life’s ups and downs. Challenges and triumphs. Good and bad. Happiness and sorrow. And many mysteries that even a wise man cannot anticipate or fathom. Continue reading →

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January 10, 2024 · 4:10 am

Mark 8:34-38

Remember the Ukrainian born comedian Yakov Smirnoff who began his career in Russia, then migrated to the United States? He’s actually still performing in Branson.

When Smirnoff first came to the US he said that he was not prepared for the incredible variety of instant products available in grocery stores. “On my first shopping trip, I saw powered milk. You just add water, and you get milk.” Continue reading →

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January 9, 2024 · 4:09 am

Can You Bless What God Condemns?

While we were away for Christmas break, we apparently missed this breaking news in the religious world.

“Pope Francis Allows Priests to Bless Same-Sex Couples”

This was the headline from the December 18, 2023, edition of the New York Times. Continue reading →

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January 8, 2024 · 7:12 am

Back to Basics

At age 45, Vince Lombardi became a head football coach in the NFL for the first time in his life. It was 1959, and he had the challenging task of leading the Green Bay Packers, coming off their worse season ever with a 1-10-1 record. He clearly had his work cut out for him.

But Lombardi wasn’t going to let the previous year’s record shape his expectations. This was a new season, after all—just as this year or this day can be a new season for each of us.

When the discouraged group of players gathered for their first preseason meeting, I’m sure they wondered how their new coach was planning to turn things around. Continue reading →

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January 6, 2024 · 6:47 am

Weekly Recap: January 1-5

Greetings from Beverly  Hills, FL

Hope this finds each of you off to a good start for 2024.

We are blessed to be beginning the 13th year of this blog.  We will continue our current format, which includes Saturday’s recap of the past week’s posts.  Both the numbers from WordPress and your comments confirm this is helpful to many people.  Also we’ve included a bonus post from 12 years ago. Continue reading →

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January 5, 2024 · 6:23 am

Who’s Going To Do The Work?

I came across this piece on a church facebook page a few weeks ago. I had to chuckle because it’s a version of an old article seen in church bulletins years ago.

In fact, it’s so old that I doubt any of our younger readers have ever seen it. And for that matter, maybe even most of our older readers.

It’s supposedly a letter to the preacher from an anonymous member. Continue reading →

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January 4, 2024 · 7:53 am

Expensive Anger

On Sunday the Carolina Panthers football team not only lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars 26-0, but it cost owner, David Tepper $300,000 for his angry outburst.

The Panthers are the worse team in the NFL and Sunday’s loss was their 14th of the season. Near the end of the game Carolina rookie quarterback Bryce Young threw an interception to seal the shutout.

Tepper, visibly upset, angrily reacted by tossing his drink into the crowd, dousing some fans below. Continue reading →

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January 3, 2024 · 6:55 am

Psalm 104

Did you receive any Christmas cards this year? Did you send any? Regardless, you’ll chuckle at this story.

Waiting until the last minute to send cards to 49 of her friends, a woman rushed into Wal-Mart picked up a pack of 50 cards with a cheery “Merry Christmas” greeting.

In her haste to get them mailed, she hurriedly signed the cards without closely reading the message inside. Continue reading →

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