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New Testament Christianity
By Phil Sanders (May 25, 2008)
Since my earliest days of being a Christian, I have been thrilled with New Testament Christianity. Going back to the Bible for the rule of faith and practice is truly the ancient path.
Lead Me to Some Soul Today
By Phil Sanders (April 15, 2007)
Will H. Houghton and Wendell P. Loveless wrote a moving hymn, dating from its copyright in 1936. The words of this song ought to remind us of the overwhelming need to reach out to the lost and bring them to Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Oil of Kindness
By Phil Sanders (March 4, 2007)
There was an old man who carried a little can of oil with him everywhere he went. If he passed through a door that squeaked, he poured a little oil on the hinges. If a gate was hard to open,...
The Obvious
By Phil Sanders (February 25, 2007)
A group of kindergarten children visited the local police station and viewed the pictures of the ten most-wanted men. One child pointed to a picture and asked if it really was the photograph of the wanted person. The policeman guide...
What Confusion!
By Phil Sanders (February 5, 2007)
A middle-aged woman was sitting in her den when all of a sudden a small black snake crawled across the floor and under the couch. The women was deathly afraid of snakes, so she promptly ran to the bathroom to...
Time to Execute
By Phil Sanders (January 14, 2007)
Plans are wonderful, but there comes a time when people must execute their plans. God blesses the effectual doers not the hearers who delude themselves (James 1:22-25). Getting the job done takes self-control. If you wish to lose weight, you...
How Do You Read?
By Phil Sanders (January 10, 2007)
“What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” (Luke 10:26) Jesus asked this question to the lawyer who asked what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus answered the question by citing Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus...
What You Don't Know
By Phil Sanders (December 3, 2006)
Donald E. Messer tells the story of a man of substance approached to contribute to a major financial campaign. The urgent need and compelling case were stated, and the call was made for his support. The man responded, "I understand...
Our Changing Culture
By Phil Sanders (November 19, 2006)
A recent survey conducted by the Harris Poll reveals that 42 percent of US adults are not "absolutely certain" there is a God compared to 34 percent who felt that way when asked the same question three years ago. Eight...
Build Your House on the Rock
By Phil Sanders (November 5, 2006)
Jesus said in Matthew 7:24-27, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and...
A Christian Duty
By Phil Sanders (October 22, 2006)
Christians have a responsibility as citizens to behave and to participate in life in such a way as to bring honor and glory to God. We do this through our acts of kindness and through our responses to the world...
Loving Christians Attend Worship
By Phil Sanders (October 8, 2006)
Loving Christians want to be at church every time the congregation meets. They love worshiping God and being with others who worship him. They don't allow other activities in their schedule to keep them from attending. They even don't allow out-of-town visitors to keep them from worship. They want to be with Christians in worship even when they are away from home. They try to find a congregation and worship wherever they go.
The Unity for Which Jesus Prayed
By Phil Sanders (October 1, 2006)
"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also...
Washing Our Hands of Jesus
By Phil Sanders (September 24, 2006)
Pilate's wife warned him to have nothing to do with that righteous man, Jesus Christ (Matthew 27:19). The Jewish leaders were demanding that Jesus be put to death, since they had no king but Caesar, and Jesus was claiming to...
The Gospel
By Phil Sanders (September 17, 2006)
The Gospel! "But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And...
Christian Baptism
By Phil Sanders (September 10, 2006)
We can all learn a little more about baptism. Baptism is the culmination of our obedience to the gospel. Baptism without faith is useless (Hebrews 11:6), without repentance is futile (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38), and without love is empty (Matthew...
Restore My Spirit, Lord
By Phil Sanders (August 13, 2006)
Nearly all Christians go through peaks and valleys. We find ourselves sometimes close to God and at other times distant, sometimes disciplined and at other times lax, sometimes taking our faith seriously and other times unaware that there is a...
Sharing Yourself
By Phil Sanders (August 6, 2006)
Jeremiah, Abel, Ruth, Joseph, Josiah, David, Philemon, Epaphras, Daniel, Enoch, Dorcas, Noah, Paul, Barnabas, Aquila and Priscilla, and many others all left amazing legacies of faith, love, and commitment. Demas, Diotrephes, Hymenaeus, Judas, Korah, Cain, Baalam, Ahaz, Urijah, Herod the...
Reconciliation
By Phil Sanders (July 30, 2006)
Sin cried out, "I'm sorry!" Grace answered, "I forgive." Wrong said, "I deserve to die." Love said, "Repent and live." Guilt said, "I am torn inside." Truth said, "Confess and be made free." Life said, "I am heavy laden." The...
The Words of the Lord
By Phil Sanders (May 28, 2006)
"The words of the LORD are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times" (Psalm 12:6). You can count on the Word of God; it is pure. Like silver refined in a furnace seven...
Where Would We Be Without Mother?
By Phil Sanders (May 14, 2006)
by Phil Sanders The three most influential people in a preacher's life include his father, his mother, and his preacher. The average age a young man decides to be a preacher is fifteen. I know I did. My father was...
"If God...."
By Phil Sanders (May 7, 2006)
Peter said, "For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of...
What You Read Will Influence What You Become.
By Phil Sanders (April 30, 2006)
"If you can induce a community to doubt the genuineness and authenticity of the Scriptures; to question the reality and obligations of religion; to hesitate, without deciding whether there be any such thing as virtue or vice; whether there exists...
Contagious
By Phil Sanders (April 23, 2006)
Andrew could not keep the excitement to himself, so he first found his brother Peter and said, "We have found the Messiah!" Andrew brought his brother Peter to Jesus (John 1:38-42). At Jesus' invitation Andrew came and saw. Jesus asked...
High Expectations!
By Phil Sanders (April 9, 2006)
Thom S. Rainer in his book, High Expectations, says that churches that expect much from their members grow faster and keep their members better than those who had low expectations. He lamented that some churches expect less of their members...
Tell Me the Story of Jesus
By Phil Sanders (April 2, 2006)
"Tell me the story of Jesus, Write on my heart ev'ry word; Tell me the story most precious, Sweetest that ever was heard." At one time nearly everyone in America had an opportunity to have some spiritual training. Most folks...
The Prayer of Jesus for Unity
By Phil Sanders (March 26, 2006)
Unity is precious in God's sight. The Lord Jesus on the night he was betrayed prayed that his disciples might be one, "even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us,...
Finding the church of Christ
By Phil Sanders (March 19, 2006)
There are so many churches today that it can be confusing to know what the Lord wills. We are interested only in being a member of the church that Jesus purchased with his own blood (Acts 20;28). We have no...
You Never Know
By Phil Sanders (March 12, 2006)
You never know when someone observed an act or heard a message or allowed a seed planted in his or her heart to grow. You may go for years thinking that you have failed to reach or touch someone you...
The Sympathetic Jewel
By Phil Sanders (March 5, 2006)
A man visited Tiffany's jewelry store in New York City. He was shown a magnificent diamond with its gleaming yellow light and many other splendid stones. But he observed one stone that was perfectly lusterless and said, "That has no...
By What Are We Saved?
By Phil Sanders (December 11, 2005)
By faith (Romans 5:1) By enduring to the end (Matthew 10:22; 24:13) By God (Mark 10:26-27) By faith and baptism (Mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21) By striving to enter the narrow door (Luke 13:23-24) Through Jesus (John 3:17) By the...
Why Give?
By Phil Sanders (December 4, 2005)
Because Christ gave. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 8:9, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich."...
Learning to Discern
By Phil Sanders (November 13, 2005)
A father who had three sons wanted to teach them a lesson in discretion. He gave each of them an apple that had a rotten part in it. The first ate his apple, rotten and all. The second threw all...
Refusing Your Inheritance
By Phil Sanders (November 7, 2005)
While a student at Yale University, Eugene F. Suter, Jr.'s father died, leaving him an estate of $400,000. When Eugene refused the inheritance, the trustees of the estate insisted he take it, and even took him to court to force...
Who Are You?
By Phil Sanders (October 16, 2005)
Lately I've been researching my roots. I wanted to know a little about my father's family. Since my grandfather died in 1918, when my father was only 12, there was never much information about the family. A cousin in California,...
Can't Keep Quiet
By Phil Sanders (September 4, 2005)
Good news spreads pretty fast through this congregation. When some young lady gets a ring, she can't help but show her left hand to anyone who wants to see. When a young couple get exciting news from the doctor that...
Five Pounds Lighter
By Phil Sanders (August 28, 2005)
A lady discovered that her bathroom scales registered five pounds lighter if she stood on her left foot instead of her right foot. It made no difference to her that outside scales confirmed the right-foot weight. She wanted to be...
Ten Things God Wants in Your Life
By Phil Sanders (August 12, 2005)
by Phil Sanders “For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer. 29:11) Just as any parent loves and wants...
Why Invite People to Church?
By Phil Sanders (May 3, 2005)
Though 85 percent of Americans call themselves Christians, only 69 percent of Americans regard themselves as church members. Only 43 percent will attend church on a given Sunday. Another twenty-two percent will attend occasionally. Only 22 percent of Americans attend...
Persuaded, But Without Knowledge
By Phil Sanders (April 12, 2005)
Helena Modjeska (1844-1909) was a popular actress with great emotional style and superb ability. She demonstrated this ability by giving a dramatic reading in Polish, her native tongue, at a dinner party. Her listeners, who didn't understand the language, were...
Test Your Potency
By Phil Sanders (April 6, 2005)
"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men" (Matt. 5:13)....
Commitment
By Phil Sanders (April 4, 2005)
Commitment is the act of committing, pledging or engaging oneself. It is regarded as a pledge or a promise. When we became Christians, we committed ourselves to take up our cross and follow Christ daily. This commitment was for a...
Remembering Curt
By Phil Sanders (March 17, 2005)
In 1935 at the age of two, Curtis Booth lost his father, who was murdered by some criminals hijacking his truck. This meant his mother had to go to work as a nurse, leaving his older brothers and sisters to...
Reach
By Phil Sanders (March 8, 2005)
"Reach!" The word means to stretch. It implies an inconvenience. It involves movement. You can't lean back, relax, get comfortable and then reach. To reach means you must give up some of that comfort -- at least for the moment....
Too Much
By Phil Sanders (February 22, 2005)
"Have you found honey? Eat only what you need, That you not have it in excess and vomit it" (Proverbs 25:16). The children of Israel in the wilderness complained about the manna and wanted some of the foods they had...
Be Brave
By Phil Sanders (February 20, 2005)
John McCain tells the story of Bear Bryant, former football coach at the University of Alabama. Bryant was a good man and a great coach. Before the start of every game, the Bear would walk his quarterback along the sidelines...
Sad Surprises
By Phil Sanders (February 6, 2005)
"Everything that can be invented has been invented." -- Charles H. Duell, U.S. Patent Office commissioner, 1899. "I cannot imagine any condition which could cause this ship to flounder. I cannot conceive of any vital disaster happening to the vessel....
The Values of Pain
By Phil Sanders (January 30, 2005)
The lady wept, "I don't like pain. I don't like seeing others hurt. I just wish it could all go away." No one could listen to such heartache and not feel deep compassion for this hurting woman. While no suffering...
God's Forgiveness
By Phil Sanders (January 16, 2005)
"How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit!" (Psalm 32:1,2) Forgiveness is not forgetting but...
Redeem the Time
By Phil Sanders (January 9, 2005)
"Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil" (Eph. 5:15-16). Today is the best day you have to do a kindness, to lift up...
What Will Happen?
By Phil Sanders (January 2, 2005)
No doubt you will see on the grocery store checkout counters tabloids that will predict the events of the coming year. I keep thinking I'll buy one and save it till December to see how much came true. It's not...
The Power of Speaking Out
By Phil Sanders (November 16, 2004)
David Barton said, "We know that between 1992 and 1996, Christian voter turnout declined in America 17 percent. We know that between 1996 and 2000, it declined an additional 23 percent, so we've had a 40 percent drop in Christian...
Is Your Soul Worth It?
By Phil Sanders (October 17, 2004)
Every Christian struggles with temptation regularly. Often people make terrible decisions, which can cost them greatly. Sin has terrible consequences that cost far more than the pleasure the sin might bring. Moses wisely reasoned the cost of sin, "choosing rather...
Every Wind that Blows
By Phil Sanders (October 10, 2004)
Robert McClain, a long-time employee of Concord Rd., a gospel preacher, and an upholsterer, recently told me about one of his customers who is a Titans fan. She had come to see about her furniture and was talking to him...
Getting the Most out of Gospel Meeting
By Phil Sanders (September 19, 2004)
Gospel meetings, seminars, and lectureships can be exciting times. The crowds are a little larger, and we usually see people we haven't seen in a while. The mealtime fellowship is heartwarming, and the singing has a little more spark. Smiles...
Rules
By Phil Sanders (September 5, 2004)
I really dislike the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics, but I admit loving the competition itself. I was touched Sunday night by Carly Patterson, the gold-medal winner for the women's all-around competition. She took time to encourage her...
What the Future Holds
By Phil Sanders (August 29, 2004)
The Preacher of the Old Testament asked, "If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen?" (Ecclesiastes 8:7) There is so much about the future we don't know. We can see some things developing,...
Doing Nothing
By Phil Sanders (August 8, 2004)
When Nazi Germany marched into Austria and "annexed" Czechoslovakia in the late 1930s, Adolf Hitler gave notice as to his dangerous and frightening intentions. The response from the rest of Europe, however, was even more startling. They did nothing. France...
Remember Who You Are!
By Phil Sanders (June 27, 2004)
When you are down, discouraged, disappointed and depressed, remember who you are! Since I am in Christ, by the grace of God… I am God's child (Galatians 3:26,27). I am a saint (1 Corinthians 1:2). I am a disciple (Matthew...
Why You Should Be Baptized
By Phil Sanders (June 6, 2004)
Jesus walked more than 75 miles from Nazareth to the Jordan River, so that he could "fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:13-17). If Jesus believed baptism to be that important, certainly we should. Jesus told Nicodemus, "Truly, truly, I say to...
A Great Man Has Fallen
By Phil Sanders (May 18, 2004)
On May 14 at 8:04 am, at the age of 92, Hugo McCord, a beloved teacher and preacher of the gospel passed from this life to be with the Lord. Though he had a doctorate degree, he never allowed his...
The Sun Still Shines Above the Clouds
By Phil Sanders (May 12, 2004)
When the dark storm clouds gather, And the rain keeps pouring down, Life can get awfully dreary. All your hopes may seem to drown. But one thing I still remember-- This one thing I'm still allowed-- No matter how wet...
Myriads of Myriads
By Phil Sanders (April 27, 2004)
The seven churches of Asia faced incredible persecution in the days of the power and wicked emperor of Rome, Domitian. Domitian followed the example of some of the former emperors and designated himself a god. In order to solidify his...
What God Does In Baptism
By Phil Sanders (April 6, 2004)
1. Makes us disciples (Matthew 28:19) 2. Causes us to be born again (John 3:5) 3. Remits our sins (Acts 2:38) 4. Gives us Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) 5. Adds us to the church (Acts 2:41,47; 1 Corinthians 12:13) 6....
The Power of the Written Word
By Phil Sanders (March 30, 2004)
Some people lament that the days of miracles ceased and that all we have today is just the Bible. Unfortunately, some think the power of God is limited to miracles. They don't realize how truly powerful God's word is. Here...
Your Friends Need the Lord
By Phil Sanders (March 25, 2004)
Every person you meet or know needs the Lord for many reasons. Those who know the Lord cannot imagine life without Him. Jesus said, "apart from Me, you can do nothing" (John 15:5). Here are some reasons why everyone needs...
Always Finding Fault
By Phil Sanders (March 18, 2004)
An elderly man lay in a hospital with his wife of 55 years sitting at his bedside. "Is that you, Ethel, at my side again?" he whispered. "Yes, dear," she answered. He softly said to her, "Remember years ago when...
Thinking about the Death of Christ
By Phil Sanders (March 11, 2004)
No doubt many of you have seen or heard about Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion of the Christ. This film graphically tells the story of the suffering Jesus endured during his last twelve hours of life. When Jesus died on...
Seven Characteristics of False Teachers
By Phil Sanders (February 16, 2004)
This material is originally from Thomas Brooks (1608-1680 AD). Beware false prophets (Matt. 7:15-23) 1. False Teachers are men pleasers (Gal. 1:10; 1 Thess. 2:1-4; Isa. 30:10; Jer. 5:30-31). Such smooth teachers are sweet soul-poisoners (Jer. 23:16-17). 2. False Teachers...
Azariah and Urijah, which are we?
By Phil Sanders (February 11, 2004)
Azariah toward Uzziah But when he [Uzziah] became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the...
I'm thankful!
By Phil Sanders (December 24, 2003)
It hit me the first thing this morning. I could have been dressing to go to the hospital or to a funeral home. Last night [Tuesday] after our song service, my daughter Laura Lynn drove her Geo Prizm home. The...
Into Your Hands (Luke 23:46)
By Phil Sanders (December 2, 2003)
Into Your hands, Father, into Your hands, I commit my spirit into Your hands. All I am and have I yield to You. Your love and grace will bear me through, For You know what's best and what I should...
If I Were the Devil
By Phil Sanders (October 21, 2003)
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls about seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). If I were the devil, I would do everything I could to get your soul, to lead you and your loved ones into...
Be Humbled
By Phil Sanders (October 14, 2003)
You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand...
Only A Minute?
By Phil Sanders (September 9, 2003)
Only a Minute? By the time you finish reading this article, 245 babies will arrive and 106 people will die somewhere in the world. This happens every minute of every day somewhere in the world (World Vital Events, U.S. Census...
Test Your Potency
By Phil Sanders (August 28, 2003)
"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are...
How Can I Forgive Myself?
By Phil Sanders (July 31, 2003)
Many people find it hard to forgive themselves for sins they have committed. The prodigal son felt that was no longer worthy to be called his father?s son (Luke 15:19). The publican could not lift his eyes in prayer but...
Worshiping God
By Phil Sanders (June 26, 2003)
1. Worship is internal. One can worship internally without doing anything externally, but one cannot worship externally without doing anything internally. Zechariah 7:5-6 shows that the Jews of Zechariah’s day feasted and fasted for themselves and not for God. They...
The Challenge of the Gospel
By Phil Sanders (June 12, 2003)
"Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you,...
Understanding Grace
By Phil Sanders (June 6, 2003)
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up...
The Lord Grows Churches
By Phil Sanders (May 17, 2003)
The Lord causes the growth of churches (1 Cor. 3:6-7), but He works through His servants to bring about that increase. As Christians, we are fellow-workers with the Lord (2 Cor. 6:1). God shapes and equips us in order to...
Pure in Heart
By Phil Sanders (May 16, 2003)
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). Words that shocked people in years past now fill our homes through television, radio, magazines and the internet. One can hardly walk through a check-out counter at...
Jesus Arose
By Phil Sanders (April 25, 2003)
The resurrection provides us the confidence to give our lives to Jesus Christ. When you think of what it means to confess Jesus as Lord, you may need a sufficient reason for that kind of commitment. The Lord wants us...
Dying and Living Again
By Phil Sanders (April 16, 2003)
Jesus died on the cross, and God raised Him up again. He died for our sins but rose again, giving us hope of life beyond this life. John reminds us, "Greater love has no man than this, that one lay...
God Keeps His Promises
By Phil Sanders (April 7, 2003)
"Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant." (1 Kings 8:56) God keeps...
Learning Contentment
By Phil Sanders (March 26, 2003)
I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering...
Some Won't Wait for Us to Change
By Phil Sanders (March 3, 2003)
Milton Jones in The Transforming of a Tradition tells of the change his congregation made from a purely a cappella worship style to one mixed with the alternative of an instrumental "worship band." In the change, brother Jones regrets a...
Why Won't They Change?
By Phil Sanders (February 28, 2003)
In the recent book, The Transforming of a Tradition, Milton Jones compares the struggle over the use of instruments of music in worship to the Confederate flag. According to Jones those who wish to remain a cappella are like those...
I Take My Responsibilities Incredibly Seriously
By Phil Sanders (February 12, 2003)
"If war is forced upon us -- and I say "forced upon us," because use of the military is not my first choice. I hug the mothers and the widows of those who may have lost their life in the...
If you care about your soul....
By Phil Sanders (January 9, 2003)
Of all our possessions, none is so precious as the soul. You can lose your home, and that would be tragic; but losing a home is not losing your soul for an eternity. You can lose your sight, your hearing,...
The Lord Gives and the Lord Takes Away, Blessed Be the Name of the Lord
By Phil Sanders (November 21, 2002)
This last week has been an enormous roller coaster ride. My mother suffered a debilitating stroke to her brain stem, which left her unable to swallow or to talk. We do not know how much she can perceive and understand...
Why Have We Not Grown?
By Phil Sanders (November 21, 2002)
The Christian Chronicle reported this month that churches of Christ declined 2.1 percent nationwide during the final decade of the twentieth century. This marks the only decade during the last century churches of Christ failed to grow. We ask why....
Uncertain Times
By Phil Sanders (September 10, 2002)
The tragic events of last year have left an indelible mark upon America, and things will never again be the same. Who knows what mischief lies ahead in the hearts and plans of evil men? By the time you read...
Surprising Insights from the Unchurched
By Phil Sanders (July 16, 2002)
After surveying hundreds of converts, preachers, and transferred church members, Thomas Rainer discovered these important factors as to why people become church members: 90% rated the preacher and his preaching as the number one reason. 88% said defined and proclaimed...
Life Changes
By Phil Sanders (May 21, 2002)
Time has a way of changing things. It is difficult to keep things the way they are. Children graduate from high school, graduate from college, and get married. A young married couple goes from having no children to having one...
Seven Popular Lies Satan Tells
By Phil Sanders (May 16, 2002)
1. “It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you love Jesus.” 2. “One church is as good as another.” 3. “Telling people they are sinners hinders the preaching of the gospel.” 4. “Sin is an outdated word.” 5....