Ironworks

“But so much the more went abroad the report concerning him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed of their infirmities. But he withdrew himself in the deserts, and prayed.”  Luke 5:15-16  We all want to be more like Jesus each and every day that we live on this earth. We aim to do so because of the grace we have been shown by our God. We all seek to change our actions based on the change of mind we had when we repented and were clothed with Christ in baptism (Acts 2:38,3:19, Gal 3:27). To become more like our Lord, we will have to look at how the Word describes His life and His actions.  Jesus was Constantly Prayerful This week, I will begin a series on prayer. I have no definite number of lessons on this subject, so it is hard to tell how long it will go. However, as I study the life of Jesus, it is certain that prayer was a continual practice in His life and ministry. If we aim to be like Jesus while we live on this earth, we will be constantly p...

  “And Jesus answering said, Were not the ten cleansed? but where are the nine?  Were there none found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger?  And he said unto him, Arise, and go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. “  Luke 17:17-19      I am so very thankful for the good Christians here in Grove. There are many faithful, kind, giving, and encouraging servants who work diligently for the Lord here, and we are truly blessed. Showing gratitude is something we all want to do because we have so much for which to be thankful. In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus healed 10 lepers, and, upon that healing, they were sent to show themselves to the priest. Only one of the ten turned and showed gratitude. He just so happened to be a Samaritan. How can we show the same thankfulness of this Samaritan? Thankful Children      Children can show thankfulness for their parents by honoring them (Eph 6:1-3). When we recognize how much our parents gi...

     When I was in high school, I worked for a couple of years at the fairgrounds setting up for the George Paul Memorial Bull Riding. This was the closest I ever got to the dreams of a kid who grew up in Southwest Texas. The idea of climbing on one of those powerful bulls and attempting to hold on for dear life was quite intriguing to me, and, to a certain degree, it still is.       To ride a bull, I imagine it takes the ability to be bold. To be a Christian is to be bold. We must be bold enough to take a stand and not give in to the sin that once entangled us. We must be bold to share the Word of Truth within our sphere of influence. We must be bold to make the Lord’s priorities our priorities. When the Apostles first faced persecution and opposition they prayed for boldness (cf. Acts 4:29).      Paul wrote to Timothy these words, "Fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on the life eternal, whereunto thou wast called, and didst co...