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  • Chad Dollahite 2:13 pm on March 18, 2013 Permalink | Reply
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    “Distractions Can Be Dangerous” 

    Distraction can be dangerous. The dangers of texting while driving should be apparent to all and as a result most states have made it illegal. Drivers need their full attention on the road. Tests have revealed that those so doing are as dangerous as those who are driving under the influence. It only takes a second for a lack of attention to cost one his life.

    Some distract others for devious purposes. Teams of thieves who distract their prey for just a moment and pick their pockets.

    Sometimes the distractions are by things that seem so innocent. For instance when Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha they had two different reactions. Mary is said to have “sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word” (Luke 10:39). But about Martha Luke records, she “was distracted with much serving” (Luke 10:40). She let something prevent her from listening to the Lord. She was distracted.

    Now, let me mention a problem. It exists in many places and here as well. There are simply too many distractions in our worship. We may think they do not affect us, but they do others and perhaps ourselves more than we realize. Although it is not my purpose to be offensive, I must simply call attention to this with a confident expectation that it will be improved. Let me mention a few. (More …)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 2:22 pm on February 18, 2013 Permalink | Reply
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    Yesterday’s Sermons 

    marriagePer Randall’s request, here is my cartoon…can you guess what yesterday’s sermons were about?  It was all actually one sermon that was a bit long, so I started it Sunday morning and finished it in the evening.

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    The “so what” of the sermon was that marriage need not be “okay” or “tolerable,” but marriage can be a little taste of heaven here on earth.  And, since the church is the bride of Christ (Eph. 5:21-32), there’s an application there for all, whether married or single.

     

  • Chad Dollahite 1:06 pm on January 22, 2013 Permalink | Reply
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    “Guilty as Charged” (pt. 2 of 2) 

    Psalm 50 is pictured somewhat like a modern-day courtroom scene, where God is the Judge, District Attorney, Juror, and the key Witness against His people.  In this psalm, God judges His people, He witnesses against them, and He calls them back to Him.  Last week, we began looking at this judicial scene, observing the Judge (God) entering His courtroom in all His glory (vv. 1-6) and also the testimony of the key Witness against Israel (God, vv. 7-15).  Continuing this scene, notice the following: (More …)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 9:14 am on January 17, 2013 Permalink | Reply
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    “Guilty as Charged” (pt. 1 of 2) 

    Your day has finally come.  You enter the courtroom for the trial, make eye contact with the district attorney, and take your seat at the defendant’s table.  The words echo throughout the courtroom, “All rise; the honorable JEHOVAH is now presiding.”  Much to your surprise (and chagrin), you realize that the judge is the same person as the district attorney; after a few double takes, you realize there is absolutely no difference in these two.  Can you imagine such a scene?  If not, then read Psalm 50, for that is the picture—Jehovah God is the Judge, District Attorney, Juror, and the key Witness against His people.  In this psalm, God judges His people, He witnesses against them, and He calls them back to Him.  The time of writing for this psalm is unknown, though it is thought by many to be sometime near either the captivity or restoration of God’s people.  Let us now continue through the amazing picture painted by this psalm.  “This court is now in session.” (More …)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 9:19 am on December 24, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    “Money Matters” 

    In 1 Timothy 6:9-17, the apostle Paul warns against the dangers of money. Money is the number one source of problems among married couples, and it is the number one desire of a great number of people today. Let us now notice the admonition of Paul against the dangers of money, and let us heed his admonition to avoid this perilous wile of the devil (cf. Eph. 6:11, 17). (More …)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 2:27 pm on December 10, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    “The End of the Wicked” 

    In Psalm 73, verses 3-14, Asaph contemplates the seemingly prosperous state of the wicked, admits that he was envious (v. 3), and laments that “They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men” (v. 5).  However, in verses 15-16, Asaph admits being a bit embarrassed at his thoughts, acknowledging that his thoughts, if heard by some, might cause one to stumble.  He further notes in verse 16 that the thought of causing one of God’s children to stumble was too painful for him to bear.  In verse 17, Asaph states that when he went into God’s sanctuary (i.e., he studied God’s Word, worshiped, meditated on God’s ways), then he understood the end of the wicked.  It is hard to conceive of any one of God’s children not having thought along the same lines as Asaph in verses 3-14 at some point or other in his/her life.  It is the age old question of, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” and, “Why do the wicked prosper?”  But, let us note carefully what the Holy Spirit inspired Asaph to write concerning the end of the wicked in verses 18 and 19 of Psalm 73. (More …)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 12:08 pm on November 29, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    “I Am Crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2:20) 

    Most of us are familiar with the words of Galatians 2:20: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”  It may be that we have memorized the verse, or it may be that we are familiar with it because it is a song we often sing with our young people at camp and various other youth activities.  This one little verse can teach us so much.  By breaking this verse down into four parts, notice the powerful lessons it teaches us. (More …)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 2:59 pm on November 7, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    “Know Ye Not That There Is a Prince & a Great Man Fallen This Day in Israel?” 

    King David, mourning over the death of Abner, asked the question that is the title of this article, “Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?” (2 Sam. 3:38).  Today, in spiritual Israel (the church, Gal. 6:15-16; cf. Rom. 2:28-29), we mourn the loss of a truly great servant of God, Tate Lamar Williams. Tate was a member of the Bremen congregation, but he was more than just a member; he was truly a servant to all.  Tate never failed to tell me after a sermon how he appreciated it, and he always told me he loved the sermon.

    Tate Williams: May 4, 1994 - October 23, 2012

    “Always ready to preach the Word…” Picture taken shortly before a preaching appointment at the Gospel Broadcasting Network (GBN) in Ringgold, GA.

    I preached my first Sunday at Bremen on July 1, 2012.  That night, my family and I left to go to Bible camp in Tennessee.  I was excited to learn that a young man from Bremen would actually be at that camp.  We enjoyed a great week at camp, but, it wasn’t until we finally got back to Bremen and began the day-to-day local work that I began fully to appreciate this young man of God.  He came to the building one day to study, but he found out quickly that the new preacher likes to talk!  I apologized to him as he was leaving for taking up so much of his study time, only to receive a Facebook message that evening telling me, “You don’t need to worry about ‘taking up my time’ today. 50% of the reason I came up this morning was so we could hang out.”  Tate and I took up a lot of each other’s time in the weeks that followed.  If either of us had known just how short the time was, no doubt we would have spent far more time together.  But, I will always treasure the time I did have with him.

    Tate loved gospel preachers!  He once told me that from the time he and Thad were little, their parents always put faithful gospel preachers before them as heroes.  I always enjoyed hearing Tate’s stories about his preacher heroes.  You could tell as he spoke of each one that he truly admired them.  I remember well telling him about my own preacher hero, Eddie Brinkley, and telling him how brother Brinkley was a student of Marshall Keeble.  At the preachers’ workshop, “Polishing the Pulpit,” Tate finally got to hear and meet him. After brother Brinkley’s sermon, “Running from a Lion, Met by a Bear,” multitudes crowded around him.  I can still see Tate looking back at me with wide eyes, that million-dollar smile, and a look on his face that just seemed to say, “Wow, you really weren’t kidding about this guy!”  Tate, Thad, and I posed with a couple of other young men for a photo with this spiritual giant. I have smiled many times over the past few days just picturing Tate visiting with brother Keeble in paradise.

    I chuckled this Monday morning as I saw a picture of Tate on Facebook.  Karen Loyd had taken it on his 15th birthday, and it was Tate impersonating Frank Sinatra.  I chuckled because it occurred to me that Frank Sinatra once bragged, “I did it my way.”  Tate Williams, however, did life God’s way. Gary and Jamie Williams are to be commended for their tireless effort to, like Hannah of old, give their son to God.  And, when Tate came of age, he then gave himself to God.  His life was literally saturated with God, the Bible, Jesus, the church, and all things spiritual.

    I have never known anyone like Tate Williams, and I shall never forget him.  I would not have thought it possible to grow so close to someone in so short a time had I not experienced it personally these past few months.  Tate’s influence on my life is profound; he made me a better person and a better preacher. Every time the saints gather here at Bremen, we will be reminded of Jonathan’s words to David: “thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty” (1 Sam. 20:18).  Jane McWhorter, in her book Let This Cup Pass, writes, “The seat will always be empty here on this earth because we can never be with that loved one while we live, but we haven’t really lost something if we know where it is. We may not be able to touch it, but we know exactly where to find it. Departed Christians act as magnets, drawing us closer to Heaven” (emphasis added). Indeed, heaven now seems just a little bit sweeter because of the presence there of a young man named Tate Lamar Williams.  I am thankful to have known him, and I am even more thankful to have called him my friend, brother, and coworker in the kingdom of God.

    [Article written by Chad Dollahite, taken from Bremen Church of Christ (Bremen, GA) bulletin]

     

    • J. Randal Matheny 3:05 pm on November 7, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      Wonderful testimony of honor for this young man! What a blessing he must have been and continues to be by his example. Thanks for this fine article, Chad.

      • Chad Dollahite 3:34 pm on November 7, 2012 Permalink | Reply

        Thanks, Randal. He truly was a remarkable young man. Several hundred gathered here last Friday to honor and remember him; our auditorium was standing room only, with many more in the overflow seating in the fellowship hall. Many were present who only knew Tate from a short mission trip to Peru, Australia, or somewhere else (he had made something like 6 overseas mission trips already), but they were so impressed with him in that short time, they traveled a great distance to the memorial service. I’ll certainly never forget this wonderful young man.

    • Danny 8:16 am on November 27, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      I really liked and enjoyed reading

  • Chad Dollahite 10:29 am on November 2, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    “Follow the Leader”? [part 2] 

    We previously noticed that a nation’s leader greatly influences the behavior of that nation’s people; that a nation’s leader should not always be followed; and that, ultimately, all leadership is from God.  This week, let us continue this study by noticing 3 other points of interest in regard to national leadership.

    God uses leaders.  God often used leaders of nations to accomplish His ultimate purpose.  (More …)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 8:52 am on October 19, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    “Follow the Leader”? 

    Children sometimes like to play the game “follow the leader,” in which one person is the leader, and the others imitate that leader’s behavior, speech, etc.  Even as adults, we often use the phrase “follow the leader” to denote our emulation of some leader’s behavior, actions, and so on.  As our country prepares to elect its next leader, this topic of leadership is especially important to consider.  Let us notice a few points of interest in this regard. (More …)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 10:12 am on October 11, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    The Sin of Doing Nothing 

    I remember one occasion when I was a youngster, and my mother was about to scold me for some wrongdoing, when I butted in, “But, I didn’t do anything!”  My mother, not deterred in the slightest, exclaimed, “Exactly!  And, that’s why you’re in trouble!”  I had transgressed my parents’ law, not by doing something wrong, but by failing to do that which I was supposed to have done earlier.  Thus, I learned (the hard way) about the sin of doing nothing.

    This lesson is taught in Scripture in the book of Judges.  In chapter 4, Israel had fought and defeated the Canaanites, under the leadership of Deborah and Barak.  Chapter 5 records Deborah and Barak’s victory song after their conquest.  It is to verse 23 that our attention is now directed:  “Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.”  The inhabitants of Meroz were cursed, not because they had done any particular action that was wrong, but because they had failed to do that which they should have done—help their brethren in the fight against the Canaanites.  Thus, Meroz learned the hard way about the sin of doing nothing.  It is not enough simply to refrain from doing wrong, but God’s children must also be careful to do that which they are expected to do. (More …)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 9:50 am on October 3, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    Illustration: Bible Study 

    It Needs to Be Used…

    General George Washington had known nothing but defeat in the American Revolution until the famous victory at Trenton on Christmas Day night, 1776.  Every school child knows how Washington attacked the Hessians unawares and defeated them.

    But what is not so well known is that the commanding officer at Trenton, Colonel Gottlieb Rall, had been warned of Washington’s surprise attack.  The evening before, Colonel Rall had been passed a note by a Tory farmer of the impending attack.  Yet he put the note aside unread as he played chess [some accounts say cards, ccd] and drank with other officers.  Colonel Rall was mortally wounded in the battle, and the note of warning was later found in his pocket…unopened.

    God has given us the best information available on how to live, yet His Holy Word often lies unread at our fingertips.  It bulges with both promises and warnings.  The promises inspire us and refresh us to take courage.  The warnings are like flashing red lights that stop us in our self-destructive paths.  How foolish to ignore the cautions of God’s Word that would detour us from self-destruction!

    “Blessed is he that readeth … and keep those things which are written therein…” (Rev 1:3)

    Adapted from John Scott -
    [Originally via The Friend of Truth, 4/27/2003, came to me via David Lemmons, then further adapted based on additional historical research]

     

  • Chad Dollahite 1:04 pm on September 28, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    Hearing, But Not Doing 

    “Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the lord.  31And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.  32And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.  33And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them” (Eze. 33:30-33).

     In this text, God’s people were hearing, but they were not doing.  God said He was going to lay the land desolate (vv. 28-29), and many would die of pestilence (v. 27).  Because of these punishments, the children of Israel would know that Jehovah was God (v. 29), and they would know that a true prophet of Jehovah had been among them (v. 33).

    The people’s disobedience to God was not from a lack of knowledge and/or hearing of the will of God.  Ezekiel had faithfully prophesied the word of the Lord to them.  As God said to Ezekiel, “They hear thy words, but they will not do them” (Eze. 33:31).  They heard and knew God’s will, but they simply refused to obey it.  God goes on to say, “With their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness” (33:31).  These people professed love to God with their mouths, but their hearts were certainly not right in the sight of God.  God even tells Ezekiel that he (Ezekiel) is like mere entertainment to them, pleasing to their ears, for they hear him and go their way, ignoring the message from God.  What a terrible situation in which to find the very people who are supposed to be God’s faithful!  They were the ones who were supposed to represent God to the world, and they were ignoring the teachings and warnings from the very One whom they supposedly served.  But, God left this warning at the end of chapter 33:  “And when this [the pestilence and desolation, ccd] cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them” (v. 33).

    Today, we often see the same problem among those professing to be God’s people (and often among those who are God’s people).  The text in Ezekiel 33:31 reminds this writer of Jesus’ words in Matthew 15:8:  “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”  Notice Jesus’ statement immediately following:  “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (15:9).  Hearing God’s Word is not enough if we do not put what we hear into practice.  How many people will be lost on the Day of Judgment, not from ignorance of God’s Word, but from failure to put what they heard into action?  Let us ever be mindful of the words of James 1:22, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”  May we also remember the inspired words penned by the apostle Paul, “For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified” (Rom. 2:13).  Friends and brethren, I doubt that anyone reading this article is having a shortage of hearing the Word of God.  But, is the Word being obeyed?  Read Matthew 7:24-27.  Both of these men heard the word of the Lord; the difference was only that one heard and obeyed.  Are you going to be wise or foolish?  The choice is yours.

    “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.  26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:  27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it” (Matt. 7:24-27).

    [Article written by Chad Dollahite, taken from Bremen Church of Christ (Bremen, GA) bulletin]

     

  • Chad Dollahite 9:56 am on September 17, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    Are You Robbing God? 

    In Malachi 3:8-9, the prophet of old penned these words, quoting Jehovah:  “Will a man rob God?  Yet ye have robbed me.  But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee?  In tithes and offerings.  Ye are cursed with a curse:  for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.”

    At first glance, the question, “Are you robbing God?” sounds absurd.  Yet, from God’s Word, we learn that the children of Israel in Malachi’s day were, in fact, robbing God by failing to offer the proper tithes & offerings.  What about us?  Can we rob God today?  We certainly can, & we often do so in the same ways those Israelites did so long ago. (More …)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 9:22 am on September 13, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    A Broken Reed 

    In his boastful message to King Hezekiah, Sennacherib’s messenger asked Hezekiah, “Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?” (Isa. 35:5), and he went on to state in the very next verse, “Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.”  Rabshakeh tells Hezekiah that trusting in Egypt for help will only do Judah more harm, much like one trying to lean for support on a broken reed.  Continuing to read this text, however, we learn that Hezekiah and Judah were not trusting in Egypt or any other nation (unlike so many other foolish kings), but they were trusting in Jehovah for deliverance.  (More …)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 10:03 am on September 11, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    “And Moses Blessed Them” 

    The title of this article is taken from Exodus 39:43, which states, “And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.”  Chapters 35-39 of Exodus deal with the construction of the tabernacle (and all the other material that went along with it) and the making of the priestly apparel.  To read the conclusion of this great undertaking is wonderfully encouraging, for it ends with that great statement, “And Moses blessed them.”  Why does the Bible state that Moses blessed the people? (More …)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 2:44 pm on September 9, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    “A Sweet Savor…” – To Whom??? 

    In the book of Exodus, chapter 29, there are three different occasions when God mentions a sacrifice as being “a sweet savor.”  “And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar:  it is a burnt offering unto the LORD:  it is a sweet savor, an offering made by fire unto the LORD” (v. 18).  “And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savor before the LORD:  it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD” (v. 25).  “And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savor, an offering made by fire unto the LORD” (v. 41).

    As I read Exodus 29, that phrase, “a sweet savor” caught my attention, and the thought kept coming to mind, “Sweet?  To whom?”  (More …)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 1:00 pm on September 7, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    “We Would See Jesus” 

    In John 12:20-21, the following account is given by John:  “And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.”  John, by inspiration, records this account of men who desired to see Jesus.  They came to Philip, a known follower of Jesus the Christ.  Why did they go to Philip?  Perhaps it was because they did not feel worthy to approach Jesus themselves, or perhaps because they were worried about how Jesus might react at being approached directly by Gentiles.  We really do not know for sure.  However, for whatever reason, they did want someone to take them to see Jesus, and they knew that the best person for that was one of His followers.  And, even today, many all around those who are Christians are saying, as it were, “We would see Jesus.”  Notice… (More …)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 9:53 am on July 25, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    The Bible is right! You can leave this meeting & go home mad, but the Bible is still right! You can fuss at Keeble all night, but the Bible is right! All men can die & go to hell, but the Bible is still right!

    Marshall Keeble, quoted in “His Hand & Heart,” by Willie Cato
     

    • Eugene Adkins 5:24 pm on July 25, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      Great little quote from a great little book.

      • Chad Dollahite 8:07 am on July 26, 2012 Permalink | Reply

        For sure…I don’t know how I missed this book, but I’m just now reading it. I have met one of Keeble’s students, Eddie Brinkley, and spent a lot of time with him. I have heard recently that another of his students is living right here in the town we just moved to, but I haven’t verified that yet or found a way to get in touch with him.

  • Chad Dollahite 11:32 am on July 19, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    Illustration: The Battle Against Lust 

    [This illustration comes from All Pro Dad, via their "Play of the Day" e-mail.  I highly recommend this (as well as Family First's "Family Minute") to all the dads out there.  To subscribe, go here (for Family First, click here).  Oh, and they have a version for the moms, too - click here to sign up for iMom's "Espresso Minute."  --Chad]

    In Greek mythology, the Sirens were seductress, mermaid-like creatures who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island.  The Greek hero Odysseus had to sail by this dangerous vortex and, in order not to plunge into ruin, come up with a plan.  According to author Kim Luret,
    “Odysseus instructed his crew to first plug their ears with beeswax and once that was done, to tie him securely to the mast.  His orders were strict–the sailors were not to remove the wax from their ears, nor respond to him in any way until the ship had safely passed the island of the Sirens.
    As they got within earshot of the Sirens, Odysseus became as a man possessed. He had never heard anything so alluring or beautiful. He was utterly captivated and began fighting against the ropes, shouting impassioned orders for the crew to turn the ship towards the island.  Unable to hear his commands, the sailors ignored him. They hunched over their oars and rowed with a fury.
    This infuriated Odysseus.  He threatened execution to all who disobeyed his orders to free him at once and turn the ship around.  But the sailors neither heard him nor cared. They had made an agreement in advance to report to and obey the real Odysseus, not this inflamed creature who’d gone temporarily mad. Their orders came from truth and reason, not from a lie and insanity. And by sticking to their pre-planned agreement, captain and crew got out alive.
    Once they’d made a safe distance from that dangerous place, the sailors removed the beeswax from their ears and untied their captain. No longer within earshot of the Sirens, Odysseus was himself again. And he thanked his crew for staying true to the orders from his real self.”
    For many men, the situation Odysseus found himself in is akin to the fight against lust.  If we don’t take radical steps to protect ourselves, we’ll shipwreck our lives.  Here are 10 practical ways to help in your battle against sexual lust.
     

  • Chad Dollahite 1:58 pm on June 30, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end…” 

    I have posted very little here at TFR of late, & I am sorry for that.  Along with the usual “busy-ness” that comes with summer, my family & I have gone through the gamut of emotions over the past several weeks.  I was asked by the elders of the Bremen Church of Christ in Bremen, GA to come & work with the congregation there as the preacher.  We had a good work going on with the congregation in Childersburg, AL, but, upon further investigation, it became clear that an open door was before us to do even more in the kingdom; such being the case, we accepted the invitation from the Bremen elders.

    On Monday, June25, we packed a moving truck to the hilt & made the trip to Bremen.  After unpacking & settling in just a bit, we traveled back to Childersburg (about an hour-and-a-half drive) Wednesday night for our final assembly there (at least as the local preacher).  It was very emotional, & we bid a very sad farewell to the brethren there.

    This Sunday, Lord willing, we will officially begin the work here in Bremen.  I hope to be a bit more active here in The Fellowship Room once I’m settled into a daily routine.  I appreciate all the fellows here who always keep continuous posts on here; I enjoy being here to read & learn from others, if nothing else!

     

    • J. Randal Matheny 2:03 pm on June 30, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      Chad, we’ve missed not reading your posts. Can understand the crunch on time with your move. May the Lord bless your new service with the Bremen congregation.

      Side note: I think it was in Bremen that we stopped for lunch on our way to visit Richard M.’s congregation on our penultimate visit to the US.

      • Chad Dollahite 4:17 pm on June 30, 2012 Permalink | Reply

        Thanks, brother…I’m hoping to get back into a regular routine on here. I don’t handle change well, so maybe I can get on here more as a coping mechanism until I adjust! I sure wish I could’ve seen you when you were in the States…I’ve appreciated you for the past few years, and it would be great to meet you in person sometime. One day!

        • J. Randal Matheny 8:23 am on July 2, 2012 Permalink

          Writing and sharing is a great way to cope, I find. Perhaps the Lord will yet provide us opportunity to meet before the Day.

        • J. Randal Matheny 8:25 am on July 2, 2012 Permalink

          I should have said that we missed reading your posts. No opposite meaning intended from my misstatement. :)

        • Chad Dollahite 2:09 pm on July 7, 2012 Permalink

          I knew what you meant, brother. I don’t think I mentioned in my post, but July 1 (last Sunday) was my first day, then we left Sunday night late to go up near Ocoee, TN for a week of Bible camp that I’d already committed to. We are now back in Bremen for today and tomorrow, then we leave Monday for the 2nd week of camp. Of course, when I committed to these, I had no idea I’d just have finished moving and be starting a new work, but oh, well…such is life. It’s been a tiring few weeks, but Bible camp is always fun and uplifting!

        • J. Randal Matheny 6:30 pm on July 8, 2012 Permalink

          Sounds like you need sideboards for that full plate! God bless your efforts at camp, and give you a breather before long.

  • Chad Dollahite 12:30 pm on May 9, 2012 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , mediocrity, missing God's blessings   

    Illustration: The Boy & the Circus 

    A little boy who lived far out in the country in the late 1800s had reached the age of twelve and had never in all his life seen a circus. You can imagine his excitement, when one day a poster went up at school announcing that on the next Saturday a traveling circus was coming to the nearby town. He ran home with the glad news and the question, “Daddy, can I go?” Although the family was poor, the father sensed how important this was to the lad. “If you do your Saturday chores ahead of time,” he said, “I’ll see to it that you have the money to

    Come Saturday morning, the chores were done and the little boy stood by the breakfast table, dressed in his Sunday best. His father reached down into the pocket of his overalls and pulled out a dollar bill—the most money the little boy had possessed at one time in all his life. The father cautioned him to be careful and then sent him on his way to town.

    The boy was so excited; his feet hardly seemed to touch the ground all the way. As he neared the outskirts of the village, he noticed people lining the streets, and he worked his way through the crowd until he could see what was happening. Lo and behold, it was the approaching spectacle of a circus parade!

    The parade was the grandest thing this lad had ever seen. Caged animals snarled as they passed, bands beat their rhythms and sounded shining horns, midgets performed acrobatics while flags and ribbons swirled overhead. Finally, after everything had passed where he was standing, the traditional circus clown, with floppy shoes, baggy pants, and a brightly painted lace, brought up the rear. As the clown passed by, the little boy reached into his pocket and took out that precious dollar bill. Handing the money to the clown, the boy turned around and went home.

    What had happened? The boy thought he had seen the circus when he had only seen the parade!

    How many of us can relate to this young man? Are you experiencing all that God has for you? The Christian life is a marvelous adventure, an exciting journey. Don’t be content to float in a sea of mediocrity, settling for second best. Do you want the abundant life that Jesus promised? Do you want to live life to its fullest? Then aim higher than the parade. Our Father provided the payment (I Cor. 6:19-20) and the main event is Heavenly. Believe the Scriptures – you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!

    –Adopted from Wayne Rice: “Hot Illustrations”

    via “Thoughts For Today to Brighten Your Day” by Glenn, Mercedes & Lauren Hitchcock, 5/7/2012

     

  • Chad Dollahite 1:40 pm on April 24, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    Illustration: On the Way to the Barn… 

    There’s an old story about a farmer who one morning decided to plow the south forty acres.  His tractor needed oil, so he started for the barn to get it, but on the way noticed that the pigs hadn’t been fed.  Near the corn crib was a pile of sacks, reminding him that the potatoes were sprouting.  But, on his way to the potato pit, he passed the woodpile and remembered that the kitchen stove was burning low.  While picking up the wood, he saw that one of his chickens was ailing, so he dropped the wood to doctor the chicken…and so it was till the end of the day, and he still hadn’t oiled the tractor or plowed the south field.

    Is your Christian life like this trip to the barn?  Do you have grand visions of great service that never gets done?  Have you found too many “other things” to do that interfere with your goal of being a productive servant in God’s kingdom?

    The only way you and I will “get to the barn” of Christian service is to get our priorities in order.  The farmer in the story didn’t have any priorities.  He just flowed with the tide of events around him.  Our life contains plenty of “pigs to feed,” “wood to cut,” and “chickens to doctor.”  But, we can’t allow them to get in our way of serving God.  If we will make the commitment and extend our effort, God will make a way for us to “get to the barn.”    —George Miller

    “Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver. And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” (1 Kgs. 20:39-40a)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 1:54 pm on April 4, 2012 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , purpose in life,   

    Illustration: Purpose in Life 

    Josh McDowell told this great story:

    An executive hirer, a “headhunter” who goes out and hires corporation executives for other firms, once told me, “When I get an executive that I’m trying to hire for someone else, I like to disarm him. I offer him a drink, take my coat off, then my vest, undo my tie, throw up my feet and talk about baseball, football, family, whatever, until he’s all relaxed. Then, when I think I’ve got him relaxed, I lean over, look him square in the eye and say, “What’s your purpose in life?” It’s amazing how top executives fall apart at that question.

    “Well, I was interviewing this fellow the other day, had him all disarmed, with my feet up on his desk, talking about football. Then I leaned up and said, ‘What’s your purpose in life, Bob?’ And he said, without blinking an eye, ‘To go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can.’ For the first time in my career I was speechless.”

    What a great answer! Clearly, this was something Bob often thought about and actually lived. Put yourself in this interview for a minute. What would you have said to this executive headhunter? Would you have an answer or would you fumble around trying to think about the right thing to say?

    Many times we as Christians have been told about the purpose of life. The problem is, we don’t take it literally. We may know the right answer, t we don’t actually think it and live it. Can something really be our purpose in life if we rarely think about it and don’t live it? Certainly not.

    Bob had it right. Our purpose in this life is to get to heaven (Ecclesiastes 12:13; Matthew 7:21-27; 1 Peter 3:21), and take as many with us as we can (Matthew 28:19-20). Let’s not just know, but actually LIVE the purpose of this life, “To go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can.”

    by Brett Petrillo, via “The Daily Bread” e-devotional, Bear Valley Church of Christ (Denver, CO), 4/3/2012

     

  • Chad Dollahite 3:23 pm on April 3, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    Illustration: Self-Destruction 

    Once there was an eagle soaring high in the sky and as it flew, almost out of sight, it became unsteady and finally began to fall. It plunged to the earth in a pasture near to men.

    Both men approached the eagle and found it shaking and trembling. In its claw was a rattlesnake. The eagle had caught the reptile, soared in the sky, and finally lost the battle when the snake bit it. There it lay, holding the very thing that killed it!

    People, unfortunately, are very similar. They have the thing from which they hope to derive some pleasure, but, like the eagle in the story, they are fighting a losing battle and are holding onto the very thing that will mean their spiritual death. How sad that a soul is lost because they won’t turn loose!

    Am I holding onto something today that will ultimately destroy my soul?  If so, why not let it go while I still can?

    “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.  Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience” (Col. 3:5-6, NKJV).

    “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:13-14, NKJV).

     

  • Chad Dollahite 11:02 am on March 19, 2012 Permalink | Reply  

    Can Someone Help? 

    Perhaps someone here at TFR can help with this.  If so, I would surely be grateful!

    There is a member where I preach who is blind, and he desperately wants to be able to use a computer. He wasn’t born blind, but has just recently gone totally blind due to a degenerative disease. As a result, he’s not eligible for a lot of the financial help and such that those who are born blind receive.  I’m guessing there are some options for voice-controlled computers or something like that.  My main question is whether anyone on the list can advise as to the options, and we are especially looking for something that won’t cost a great deal; this gentleman is not living off government assistance, but he is by no means wealthy, either, so any option would have to be affordable.

    If anyone can help, please comment below.  Thank you!

     

    • Tim Hester 12:18 pm on March 19, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      Check with your local Lions Club and see if they have any assistance available. They main purpose is to help the blind and I know some clubs have helped with buying things needed by someone who has gone blind and/or given them training they need.

    • Chad Dollahite 9:07 pm on March 19, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      Thank you very much to you both…those should both be helpful. I appreciate it!

    • Delaney Hilliard 9:23 pm on March 19, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      My husband is a minister who has been blind since the age of 8. I also worked for a local agency for the blind for a couple of years so we’re familiar with the ins and outs of the system as well as the technology available. He said he would be more than happy to help you out if possible. Just contact him through his email.

  • Chad Dollahite 1:58 pm on March 8, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    Illustration: Conviction 

    Wesley Britt was a 6-foot-8-inch, 312-pound lineman for the Crimson Tide (University of Alabama)…

    He was one of 22 football players nationwide chosen to the Playboy All-American team.  With the honor came a free week at the mansion, the opportunity to meet Hugh Hefner, and a chance to be pampered by real-life Playboy bunnies.  And, yet, Wesley turned it all down.  He said, “Initially, I was like, ’Yeah, I’m going to take it.  It’s a great honor.  But, after thinking about it for a while, I decided this is not one of my goals.  I put God first, and I set my goals for Him.  I talked to God about it, and I felt it just wasn’t the right thing to do.”

    KneEmail: “According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death” (Phil. 1:20).

    THOUGHT: How is Christ magnified in you?

    via KneEmail e-devotional, ed. Mike Benson, 1/31/2007

     

  • Chad Dollahite 1:38 pm on February 27, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    Illustration: Through Another Man’s Eyes 

    Do you remember the Old Testament story of Eliam?  Ok, maybe not.  Eliam is a rather obscure character in the Old Testament.  In fact he is only mentioned twice, but here’s his story.  Eliam was a father of a little girl.  Like all fathers he loved his daughter and watched her grow into a beautiful young lady.  The day finally came that Eliam gave his daughter’s hand to a young man to be his wife.  Eliam’s daughter and son-in-law were making a life together when tragedy befell them.  One day, when Eliam’s son-in-law was away at work, several men came to his home, took his wife away, and gave her to their leader, and he had sexual relations with her. Not only that, but this man of power also had Eliam’s son-in-law murdered. (More …)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 9:02 am on February 21, 2012 Permalink | Reply
    Tags:   

    The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly 

    My wife & I enjoyed a great weekend in Pigeon Forge, TN, attending the annual Great Smoky Mountains Marriage Retreat (arranged by the congregation in Jacksonville, AL).  This was the “good” of our weekend.  We traveled with my wife’s brother & his wife, enjoying a great deal of time spent with them.  We also met up with some old friends & got to spend some time with them, as well.  And, of course, we made some great new friends with whom we look forward to spending more time in the future, Lord willing.

    The “bad” of the weekend was having to leave to come home.  I am a “home body,” as they say, so I enjoy getting back to “my” place, but every lectureship, retreat, Bible camp, and so on that I have to leave sort of makes me sad; being there is truly a foretaste of heaven itself, and it certainly makes me long for that eternal home.

    Finally, there was an “ugly” part of our weekend.  We came out of a session Saturday morning to discover the car had been broken into, & my brother-in-law & I had our laptops stolen.  They were in the trunk, so I’m not sure what in the car itself enticed the sinner(s) to get inside (the Chik-Fil-A bag in the passenger floorboard, perhaps?).  I have learned through the years to back things up, so most of my important data is still with me (thank you, DropBox!), though I had not backed up a few things in a while, so I did lose some.  The greatest loss was my brother-in-law’s, though, as he had data backed up…on 4 flash drives that were IN his laptop bag!  And, worst of all, they had just taken their little girls to Disney World a few weeks ago, & the camera’s memory card with all the pictures was in the bag.  Things are replaceable, for sure (they don’t last, anyway), but those memories captured on photo were more than precious.  Seeing the evil in this world just serves to remind us that this world is not our home, & we long for a place where there’s no need to “shut the gates” or lock the doors for safety (Rev. 21:25), for “there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Rev. 21:27)!

    Even with the “bad” & the “ugly,” it was a great weekend, & we certainly hope to be able to attend again next year (although we’ll probably leave the laptops at home or else carry them inside with us!).

    “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:  If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.  For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life” (2 Cor. 5:1-4)

     

    • Stephen R. Bradd 8:03 am on February 22, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      Hi Chad. Glad you’re able to see the “good” despite the “ugly” you had to deal with. Wish Ranae & I could have made it! We are going to attend PTP this year (and I guess I’ll keep my laptop with me at all times!). Just made the room reservation this morning (Super 8 about 1 mile from PTP). You going in August?

      • Chad Dollahite 3:07 pm on February 22, 2012 Permalink | Reply

        I’m not sure yet. If I end up going to Panama in June (which I hope to do), I’ll probably opt out on PTP to avoid so much time away. The marriage retreat itself was great, btw (always is). The convention center where they do PTP has much better security, if I recall correctly. Either way, I think I’d take it in with, just to be sure! We used Carbonite before when I was at GBN, but stopped for some reason. Dropbox is free, but has a 2gb limit unless you pay. Might be worth checking into Carbonite again. Thanks for the heads-up. If we end up going to PTP, would love to meet up with you at some point!

        • Stephen R. Bradd 6:11 pm on February 22, 2012 Permalink

          Panama–wow–that would be a neat trip. I’ve used Dropbox a little; mostly just don’t have a need for my situation.

          We’ve only made it to PTP in 2006 and 2008, so we don’t make it every year. But, if you’re there this year we’ll definitely get together! That would be great.

  • Chad Dollahite 10:52 am on February 13, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    Illustration: Adversity 

    A daughter complained to her father about her life and how things were so hard for her.  She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up.  She was tired of fighting and struggling.  It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

    Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen.  He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire.  Soon the pots came to a boil.  In one, he placed carrots, in the second he placed eggs, and the last he placed ground coffee beans.  He let them sit and boil, without saying a word. (More …)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 10:55 am on February 8, 2012 Permalink | Reply
    Tags:   

    Stopped? 

    The nudge asks for something one has stopped doing recently. It occurs to me that I can’t think of a thing; I did some cutting back, but nothing comes to mind as having been a complete cessation. Perhaps I should think of something to give up…might be to my betterment.

     

  • Chad Dollahite 9:45 am on February 7, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    When James A Garfield was president of Hiram… 

    When James A. Garfield was president of Hiram College, a man brought his son for entrance as a student, for whom he wished a shorter course than the regular. “The boy can never take all that in,” said the father. “He wants to get through quicker. Can you arrange it for him?”

    Mr. Garfield, a minister-educator said, “Oh, yes. He can take a short course; it all depends on what you want to make of him. When God wants to make an oak, He takes a hundred years, but he takes only two months to make a squash.”

    Many want instant spirituality-like instant coffee or potatoes! It doesn’t come that way! There are no short courses! No short-cuts! No gimmicks! It takes time to grow! Growth is a sequence-an orderly arrangement! “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again” was God’s indictment of the Hebrew Christians (Heb 5:12-14).

    [Unfortunately, I do not have the source for this illustration listed in my files, or I would give proper credit.  -ccd]

     

  • Chad Dollahite 1:05 pm on January 24, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    Illustrations: Humility 

    It has been a busy week, so here is a medley of 3 illustrations on humility that I plan to use this Sunday in my sermon.  Oh, how our world needs more humble, selfless servants of God!  May He help each of us so to be!

    Winston Churchill was once asked, “Doesn’t it thrill you to know that every time you make a speech, the hall is packed to overflowing?” “It’s quite flattering,” replied Sir Winston. “But, whenever I feel that way, I always remember that if, instead of making a political speech, I was being hanged, the crowd would be twice as big.”

    Norman McGowan, My Years With Winston Churchill, Souvenir Press, London.

     Lincoln once got caught up in a situation where he wanted to please a politician, so he issued a command to transfer certain regiments. When the secretary of war, Edwin Stanton, received the order, he refused to carry it out. He said that the President was a fool. Lincoln was told what Stanton had said, and he replied, “If Stanton said I’m a fool, then I must be, for he is nearly always right. I’ll see for myself.” As the two men talked, the President quickly realized that his decision was a serious mistake and, without hesitation, he withdrew it.

    Source Unknown

     A truly humble man is hard to find, yet God delights to honor such selfless people. Booker T. Washington, the renowned black educator, was an outstanding example of this truth. Shortly after he took over the presidency of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he was walking in an exclusive section of town when he was stopped by a wealthy white woman. Not knowing the famous Mr. Washington by sight, she asked if he would like to earn a few dollars by chopping wood for her. Because he had no pressing business at the moment, Professor Washington smiled, rolled up his sleeves, and proceeded to do the humble chore she had requested. When he was finished, he carried the logs into the house and stacked them by the fireplace. A little girl recognized him and later revealed his identity to the lady.

    The next morning the embarrassed woman went to see Mr. Washington in his office at the Institute and apologized profusely. “It’s perfectly all right, Madam,” he replied. “Occasionally I enjoy a little manual labor. Besides, it’s always a delight to do something for a friend.” She shook his hand warmly and assured him that his meek and gracious attitude had endeared him and his work to her heart. Not long afterward, she showed her admiration by persuading some wealthy acquaintances to join her in donating thousands of dollars to the Tuskegee Institute.

    Our Daily Bread

    Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up  (James 4:10)

    …be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.   Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time  (1 Peter 5:5-6)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 12:26 pm on January 18, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    Illustration: Living Expectantly 

    by: Ron Bartanen

    Have you ever heard the tale of old Shep? Near where our daughter and family live in Montana, overlooking the Missouri River and the Great Northern Railroad, is a monument erected to pay tribute to old Shep, a collie dog that had belonged to an old shepherd. Wherever the man went Shep was always at his side.

    Then in 1936 Shep’s master died. Shep accompanied him the final time when men took his body to the train station, from whence it would be shipped back East for burial. Shep tried to board the train with his master, but was put off. As the train pulled from the station, Shep followed as far as he could. Losing sight of the train, he returned to the station where he dug a spot under the depot, from which he would keep vigil for the return of his master. Through six cold, snowy Montana winters and five springs he would expectantly greet the arrival of each train, looking for his master” return. In January, 1942, a train struck the old dog, killing him. Railroaders who had befriended and fed the dog buried him on a bluff, and the monument was erected in his memory.

    Are we, as Christians, as faithful as was old Shep as we look for the return of our Master? Unlike Shep, our Master will return. When God’s table of time is completed, “He that shall come will come, and will not tarry” (Hebrews 10:37). Though years pass, we are “looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 3:13). The question is:  ARE YOU READY?

    “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:1-2)

    Source: Bulletin Gold: Vol. 5, No. 6, Aug 7, 2005

     

    • rroycep 1:58 pm on January 18, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      My Dad had an Australian Shepherd that was at his side at all times. When Dad passed away he went to the corner of the property and waited all day every day. At night he would come home where my brother’s family would feed him and the next morning he would go back to the corner as he watched for Dad to come home. Dogs are sometimes special.

    • Ron Thomas 4:49 am on January 19, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      The man who authored the article lives right behind my office; in fact he has a key to my office and can use whenever I am gone (he never does). He is a great neighbor (he and his wife), and was with us last night in Bible study. He preaches for a small church about 13 miles north of here (Arthur, IL).

    • Chad Dollahite 9:30 am on January 19, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      Small world, eh, Ron? That is interesting…tell him I said thanks for the great illustration. Dogs are indeed sometimes special…God uses all kinds of critters to teach us powerful lessons, doesn’t He (Prov. 30:24-28)?

  • Chad Dollahite 1:46 pm on January 11, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    Illustration: Crisis 

    FYI, I verified this illustration with my father-in-law, who is fluent in Mandarin, and it is true!

    When written in Chinese, the word “crisis” is composed of two characters – one represents danger, and the other represents opportunity.

    Remember…with every crisis in our lives, there is certainly danger, but there is also opportunity!

    “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4, NKJV).

    “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,  casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:6-7, NKJV).

     

  • Chad Dollahite 1:35 pm on January 11, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    Has anyone else noticed that you now have to click on a post to “like” it? I don’t think it used to be that way…not a big deal, but I was just curious if it changed. Randal, is it something that can be included on the main TFR page? It’s certainly not a big deal, but I was just curious…

     

    • Ron Thomas 1:37 pm on January 11, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      I am not sure how long it has been this way, Chad, but I like it. Every now and again I find it is better just to click the “like” than to comment.

    • J. Randal Matheny 2:27 pm on January 11, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      Chad, I don’t remember the Like button ever being on the main page, but that would be ideal. I’ll check if there’s an option to put it there.

    • Chad Dollahite 2:34 pm on January 11, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      No problem…I was just thinking I’d seen in on the main page before. My, how technology has spoiled us…that one extra click is just too much! ;-)

  • Chad Dollahite 9:43 am on January 9, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    Illustration: Forgiveness 

    Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict.  It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed, without a hitch.  Then, the long collaboration fell apart.  It began with a small misunderstanding, and it grew into a major difference.  It finally exploded into an exchange of bitter words, followed by weeks of silence.

    One morning there was a knock on John’s door.  He opened it to find a man with a carpenter’s toolbox.  “I’m looking for a few days’ work,” he said.  “Perhaps you have a few small jobs here and there.  Could I help you?” (More …)

     

  • Chad Dollahite 10:39 am on January 5, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    Illustration: Service, Activity 

    “In the battle of life it’s not the critic that counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of a deed could have done it better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotion, spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows in the end the triumph of high of achievement; and who at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have tasted neither victory nor defeat.”  - Theodore Roosevelt

    What about us?  Are we involved in the Lord’s work?  Are we “in the arena” in the local congregation, or are we the critic standing on the sideline?  Brethren, let’s “get in the arena”!!!

     

  • Chad Dollahite 9:44 am on January 3, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    Illustration: Commitment 

    How committed are you to God’s cause?  Consider the following illustration:

    Commitment

    Sitting majestically atop the highest hill in Toledo, Spain, is the Alcazar, a 16th‑century fortress. In the civil war of the 1930s, the Alcazar became a battleground when the Republicans tried to oust the Nationalists, who held the fortress. During one dramatic episode of the war, the Nationalist leader, Col. Jose Moscardo, received a phone call from the Republicans.

    Col. Moscardo was informed that his son Luis had been captured by the Loyalists. The ultimatum: if Moscardo didn’t surrender the Alcazar to them within 10 minutes, they would kill his son. The father weighed his options and asked to speak with his son, who asked what he should do.

    After a long pause, with a heavy heart, he said to his son, “…Then die like a man.”

    The son’s reply?  ”That is quite simple; both I will do.”

    —Daily Walk, April 16, 1992—

    Moral: Many of our love ones may be captured by the forces of Satan and it seems that our only option is surrender in order to maintain our relationship of family. Yet, there must be a Higher commitment to remain within the place of refuge where God calls all men.

    Have you made the clear choice?

    “…and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever” (Psa. 23:6).

    (via Glenn & Mercedes Hitchcock, “Thoughts For Today To Brighten Your Day”)

     

    • John Henson 2:10 pm on January 3, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      We are our choices, aren’t we? Thanks for this, Chad.

      • Chad Dollahite 2:31 pm on January 3, 2012 Permalink | Reply

        Thanks, brother! I received this years ago, but I think of it quite often…it is powerful!

  • Chad Dollahite 10:57 am on January 2, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    Illustration: A Discourager 

    Who doesn’t enjoy a good illustration?  Jesus used them masterfully, & the right illustration seems to drive home a point so perfectly & bring it to life.  I hope to post a few illustrations in the coming days/weeks/months that will perhaps be useful to us preachers, but also helpful to all who read them for the simple fact that they will illustrate Bible principles.  I will, of course, give credit when I know to whom it should go; if no credit is given, & you know to whom it belongs, please let me know, so I can give proper credit.

    Here is a good first one:

    A Discourager

    It happened at the siege of Ladysmith. A man was arrested, court martialed, and sentenced to a year’s imprisonment. He was a discourager. He would go along the lines and say discouraging words to the men on duty. He struck no blow for the enemy—not one. He was not disloyal to his country. He was just a discourager—and that in a critical time. The fortunes of the garrison and of the town hung in the balance. The court-martial adjudged it a crime to speak disheartening words in an hour like that. And so it is. And that same thing is happening every day in the history of some poor fellow’s life. What this old world needs more than all is the man who can cheer.—Texas Christian Advocate.

    Concluding Thought:  May God help us all to be encouragers this year; the world certainly has more than enough discouragers!

    “But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see” (Deut. 3:28).

     

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