church of Christ at Cloud 9

Some preach “hell, fire and brimstone” to put the fear of God in their listeners.  As a result, those who hear them are motivated by fear to obey God and live their lives in great fear of His punishment if they sin.  On the other hand, others preach that God is love and goodness.  As […]

In most societies, submission has a bad connotation.  It brings up ideas of slavery or other forms of domination, which we see as bad.  But submission is part of God’s order of things.  First, we are told to submit to God.  James 4:6-7a “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:  ‘God resists the proud, […]

Once you were darkness; now you are light.  That is what we are told in Ephesians 5:8-11 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the […]

The world has made the birth of Jesus into a commercial event where many businesses make strong sales and earn large profits.  Even so, the truth is that God sent His Son to the earth to be born as a baby.  We should glorify the Father for sending His son.  Perhaps the death and resurrection […]

As I seek to please my heavenly Father, I find that I often fall short.  Like the apostle Paul, I find that “the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice” (Romans 7:19). I don’t have the strength, the wisdom or the […]

The Apostle Paul wrote about fulfilling the law of Christ.  Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Some think that the “law of Christ” is everything that Christ commanded, or perhaps it is all the commandments of the New Testament.  But I believe that it is the law or […]

One of the best ways to learn how to do something is to follow the example of one who knows how to do it.  Young children learn from their parents how to talk and how to do many things by watching them in their actions.  Good teachers in school use examples to show their students […]

The fourth Thursday in November has been designated as Thanksgiving Day in the USA.  Similar holidays are observed in other countries. It is a holiday and feast day set aside to give thanks to God for the blessings He has given.  My family had a tradition at the dinner table where each person in turn […]

There are multiple reasons why you should want to avoid sin. God has been so loving and gracious to you and given you eternal life; you should want to keep yourself free from sin and please Him in all things in your gratitude to Him.  I am reminded of the ten lepers who were healed […]

Fornication is illicit or unlawful sexual intercourse.  In other words, it is sexual relations that is forbidden by God.  God created man and woman and approves sexual relations only in marriage.  Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”  Sexual relations outside of marriage is […]