Tax Collector or Pharisee

In Luke 18, Jesus tells the parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee:

Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would…

    The weather is warming up.  Memorial Day is next Monday.  School is about to be out.  You know what that means?  The Southside Lectures are fast approaching!

    Five weeks away, to be exact.  That’s just hard for me to fathom.  This whole year has been a series of statements beginning with “I can’t believe it’s already ______.”  But it is.  And we can’t let the lectures sneak up on us or we’ll be unprepared for what is sure to be a spiritual feast.

    The dates this year are June 22-25, Monday through Thursday.  We have morning lectures (9:30, 10:30)…

    It’s hard losing your parents. You labor under the strain of not having told them more often that you love them. You remember all the things they did for you, and sit and wonder if you did much for them.

    I was home in Lubbock for the holidays a few years ago. Mom had insisted on making my favorite breakfast—biscuits and sawmill gravy. We had a fine time. As we drove away, she was still standing on the porch, waving. I somehow thought it might be the last time I would see her. She died the next month. She…

    God, after creating man in His own image, wanted to have a relationship with   him. Yet, for man to have a relationship with a holy God, he must first deny himself and come up to the level of God, and not try to bring God down to his level.  Only a holy and sinless God can set the terms of such a relationship. There are no negotiations!  Failing to sanctify God, both in our heart and actions, will always result in God being profaned! 

    The word profane means “Common, not sanctified or set apart.”  If I profane God by disobeying…

    We live in changing times, but that’s always been true. Society changes. Individuals change, sometimes for the better but also for the worse. It isn’t easy to put our trust in man because of this. It’s common to hear of adulterous relationships, leaving a heartbroken spouse and children. People can do horrible things to each other. We could easily list the ugliness perpetrated by individuals, but you get the idea. We’ve also experienced changes in our lives, some for good but some not so good.

    Fortunately, God never changes. Who He is right now is who He has always…

A Dwelling Place for the Mighty One

One of my favorite sections of the Psalms is Psalms 120-134, which are called the Psalms of Ascent. This set of Psalms was often sung by the Jews as they made their pilgrimage to Jerusalem - specifically when they went up, or ascended, the mountain on which Jerusalem rests - thus they were named the Psalms of Ascents. Not only is it fascinating to read the thoughts of the people of God as they journeyed to the holy city, but I believe we, as people of God, can learn from them on our journey…

Don’t Forget the Meat

A friend of mine once said that the best sandwich is one that somebody else makes.  I think he’s right, because we now have a plethora of sandwich shops.  Tops among these is the submarine sandwich.  Who doesn’t love the freshly-baked bread, freshly-sliced meats and vegetables, all made by somebody else?  Let’s face it, there’s nothing on a submarine sandwich that you couldn’t make yourself, but it’s so much nicer when you don’t have to.

My wife likes Thundercloud Subs.  I don’t know what it is about them that she fancies.  Perhaps it’s the requirement that all employees…

Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

My how car rides with the family sure brought us places! Whether it was in the family station wagon or later when Dad drove the 1986 Chevrolet Conversion Van, we cruised together in our reliable horse powered beast of the road. It was Dad, Mom, Mandy, David and Becca, and we all loved each other dearly. The weekly treks to the church building, family trips, funerals, weddings, oh the places you go! Dad and Mom were sure to have us travel to gospel meetings in the surrounding Houston area as often as we could. Becoming acquainted…

Sprinting Toward God, with a Limp

In Genesis 32 and 33 we have an amazing series of events that provide a transformative text, critically valuable for a daily journey with Jesus.

We have just read of Jacob’s flight from Laban as God instructs him to return to the land of his father, the land of promise.  He now engages in a life and death wrestling match with God. On the horizon the looming consequences of the past are speeding across the plain to meet him.

Jacob is now between the proverbial rock and a hard place.  Behind him, a rich and powerful uncle…

My Grandmother taught 5th grade Bible Class for many years, so naturally I was excited as the time approached for me to be a student in her class and was also excited to obtain the coveted postcard with 5 stars, each star representing memorization of the following:
●    Names of the Apostles
●    Books of the New Testament
●    Books of the Old Testament
●    Psalm 23
●    The Beatitudes

The Beatitudes have continued to encourage me from that early age until now.  They are found in Matthew 5:3-12 and begin Jesus' Sermon on the Mount from Matthew chapters 5-7.  As…

When the World’s Greatest Painting Isn’t That Great

There are certain moments in life when we eagerly anticipate experiences we build up in our minds long before they ever happen. For many, traveling to Paris is one of those dreams. The city itself has an almost legendary beauty, and at the heart of it stands the Louvre, one of the most famous museums in the world. Walking through its halls, you are surrounded by centuries of human creativity; paintings, sculptures, and artifacts that have shaped culture and history.

Before visiting, we looked forward to seeing many of these renowned works of art.…

    As individuals and as a congregation, our aim is to “press on to maturity” in 2026. This involves a commitment to personal growth, spiritual development, and advancing beyond the foundation of our faith.  The shepherds have provided several resources and tools to help accomplish these goals set before us.  One such continual reminder is future bulletin articles written by our devoted deacons.

    The deacons will be writing this year on different phrases taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7).  This sermon, which introduced His hearers to “the gospel of the kingdom” (Matt. 4:23), is still well known…

Exodus 21:1-6 provides a most beautiful picture of love and commitment. 

    Under the Law of Moses, if an Israelite bought a Hebrew slave, he would serve for six years; but on the seventh he can go out as a free man without payment. If he comes in alone, he shall go out alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him.  If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master and the slave shall go out alone. But…