Things of “First Importance”

1 Corinthians 15:1-10
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which
you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you
hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I
delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died
for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he
was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he
appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then…

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Warning Against “That First Instinct”

The following is from the commencement address at The Citadel, given by
General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on May 6, 2006:
Check your moral compass frequently. I have seen it both in
combat and in peace. If you do not know who you are walking into
a situation, you may not like who you are when you're done. When
I was a lieutenant in Vietnam, I lost Lance Corporal Guido
Ferranaro from Bethpage, New York, a 19-year-old Marine, to a
sniper – the first Marine I’d ever lost in combat. I…

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A Meal Shared

This time of year we gather around tables as family and friends and so it seems
natural to consider what is within a meal we share? At its very basic component
level is the sustenance to maintain our bodies need for caloric consumption and
supply energy to each of its organs for their purpose within the body. However,
despite its simplicity – it’s so much more.
Food represents love in its physical form. In the beginning of creation God could
have proposed that man only eat Manna. This bland flour would sustain man all
of his days and…

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IS JESUS REALLY THE REASON FOR THE SEASON?
(by Tommy Thornhill)

At this time of year, when people want to ignore, downplay, or do away with what is known the world over as Christmas, well-meaning people speak out saying, "Don't you know Jesus is the reason for the season?" Many people sincerely believe this, but is it true? Please think with me on this matter.

Speaking as a Christian and a preacher, I must always be truthful in teaching on any Bible subject. Concerning the birth of Jesus, the Gospel of Matthew and Luke…

Found: The Lost Diary of Nadab and Abihu !

Notice: The following is satire, but it illustrates the importance of respecting the
limits of divine authority.

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PRESS RELEASE: Archaeologists have announced the sensational discovery the
long lost diary of two ancient Jewish priests – Nadab and Abihu. These sons of
Aaron had short-lived careers, but managed to secretly record their spiritual
views. The diary is in remarkably excellent shape, except for the edges of the
scroll being singed by fire. Here are some excerpts:
As spiritual leaders we are excited about the possibility of bringing about
positive change in our repressive, narrow…

The Rest of the Story

“Why does God allow bad people to prosper and get away with sin?”

This statement seems to express a common thought among critical thinking
people today. We may not actually say it out loud (though I’ve been in a few
conversations where it’s been said), but many of us think this is happening on a
regular basis. Just consider the corruption in politics, business, sports &
entertainment. We are upset by the wickedness and corruption we see all around
us. But is the premise true? Is God really letting these “bad” people off the hook?
And…

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The Importance of Denying Self

I wouldn’t blame you for seeing the title of this week’s Exhorter and perhaps
thinking to yourself, “Maybe I’ll just wait and pick up next week’s article.” The
idea of self-denial doesn’t exactly have the same appeal as some of the other
virtues we read about in scripture. If I’m being candid, I’d prefer to write about
something seemingly more positive and uplifting such as joy, kindness,
faithfulness or love. Self-denial by contrast doesn’t evoke the same warm and
fuzzy feelings, but more likely makes us squirm uncomfortably in our seats. Sort
of like a trip…

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