Final Phase
Can You Be Stopped?
By J. Randal Matheny (June 29, 2009)
I find this version's rendering of the verse almost humorous. Often, the mere threat of suing someone is enough to stop the person from pursuing a course of action.
Spiritual Aspirin
By J. Randal Matheny (June 22, 2009)
We live today a false dream by thinking that happiness means the absence of pain. Perhaps the sign of our society is the aspirin or the painkiller. But Jesus tells us that the pain, the suffering of the Cross, the spending of self for him, are part and parcel of the Christian life.
The Missionary Church of Christ
By J. Randal Matheny (June 15, 2009)
Jesus established the church as his missionary project. In four words, John's account of the Great Commission remind us who we are as Christ's missionary church.
Through the Gates of Heaven
By J. Randal Matheny (June 8, 2009)
Our recent trip to the U.S. had its share of ceremony. First, the college graduation of a son and a daughter-in-law. Then, that son's wedding. Both events were marked with special clothing, music, decoration and the paegentry and ceremony deserving of such important moments in one's life.
Access to God
By J. Randal Matheny (May 25, 2009)
Abraham Lincoln allowed the public to roam the White House and seek an audience with the U.S. president, but those days are long gone. Most of us will never have the opportunity to talk to a president, prime minister, king or even a congressional representative or parliament member. Not so with God.
Be a Friend to Jesus
By J. Randal Matheny (May 18, 2009)
In the place of gimmicks, marketing and sell-outs to the religious world, we must rediscover our singular mission of preaching the gospel to save the lost and teach the whole counsel of God for the redemptive obedience of faith.
Full and Robust Wisdom
By J. Randal Matheny (April 6, 2009)
Keeping all your options open means losing the one that offers it all. And choosing any other option besides Christ means giving up all that matters.
From Strength to Strength
By J. Randal Matheny (March 30, 2009)
Traveling is tiring. As helpful as modern contraptions like the automobile and airplane are, taking a trip still tuckers me out!
Decide and Do
By J. Randal Matheny (March 23, 2009)
Doctor Luke decided and then went out and did what he'd decided to do. By deciding and doing, he wrote a gospel account of his Lord, which then allowed him the opportunity to write a second volume, the book of Acts.
The Visit and the Speech
By J. Randal Matheny (March 16, 2009)
The three of us stood in front of the apartment building, as Jorge depressed the buzzer to #2. As the chosen spokesman for the brethren, I silently rehearsed my little speech while we waited for the tinny little speakerphone to come to life.
Mindful of God
By J. Randal Matheny (March 9, 2009)
To be mindful of God means to be aware of his presence, knowledgeable of his will, conscious of his help, confident of his reward. It means to react to this world's opposition based on God rather than self or others.
Don't Give Up
By J. Randal Matheny (March 2, 2009)
When I was a kid, my grandfather had a Boston Terrier, a small dog with square bulldog jaws and a sweet temperament. We'd throw the tip of a rag in his face, and he'd grab it for a game of tug-of-war.
Lessons from the Heat
By J. Randal Matheny (February 23, 2009)
From his home in the Southern Hemisphere, our editor swelters under the summer heat and ponders spiritual lessons from the New Testament on this, er, hot topic.
Fixing the Living Room
By J. Randal Matheny (February 16, 2009)
The cards I like best are from kids. Sometimes Bible school teachers have their students write the missionary. The poor kids don't know us from Adam, but they often do a good job of brightening our day.
Beyond Description
By J. Randal Matheny (February 2, 2009)
We have been given a universe full of galaxies, systems and worlds that invites our imagination and, perhaps, one day, our explorations. Man has created space journeys and star adventures and unearthly creatures, from H.G. Wells to C.S. Lewis to Isaac Asimov to Stephen Spielberg. Such mental exercises should not find it strange, therefore, the new mode of existence in another, perfect form of reality.
The Cycles of Life
By J. Randal Matheny (January 26, 2009)
The ceiling fans, one over the dining room table, the other above the coffee table in the living room, whir almost inaudibly. The aquarium pump hums in the corner, and water gurgles up as the fish dart across their little world. The computer fan just behind me is the loudest noise in the night. Even the dogs lie still and quiet on the rug. The wife sits across the room reading.
Miracle on the Hudson
By J. Randal Matheny (January 19, 2009)
When U.S. Airways Flight 1549 landed in the Hudson River last Thursday, people gave thanks that the lives of all 155 people aboard were saved. But the statements of some marred the celebration of the moment.
Untainted Man, Untainted Message
By J. Randal Matheny (January 12, 2009)
Chuck Norris, move over. Jesus was the ultimate tough guy. At times Jesus refused to give people what they asked for. Sign-seekers got a flat no. Jesus was not every man's gofer, nor was he the solver of every problem.
Getting Inside God's Head
By J. Randal Matheny (December 29, 2008)
Luke Bower, youth minister with the Baker Heights congregation in Abilene, Tex., told of a visit he, his father and uncle made to a small modern art museum in San Angelo. "I don't think we went by any painting or sculpture when I didn't hear some sarcastic remark," he said.
The Dreams of God
By J. Randal Matheny (December 22, 2008)
Some dream of large, fine houses decorated with new furniture and thick carpets. I dream of a family devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ, whose lives are ...
A Continual Feast
By J. Randal Matheny (December 15, 2008)
Of all the self-inflicted wounds, mental injuries resulting from negative thoughts vie for the worst. The hand-ringers, the finger-pointers, the sour pusses, the chicken littles, all have one thing in common: their very own thoughts keep them from enjoying life, God, blessings and peace.
Can People Find You?
By J. Randal Matheny (December 8, 2008)
Make sure people can find your congregation and have updated information. It may be the age of the Internet, but not even Google can find you if you don't put your information out there.
To Be the Church
By J. Randal Matheny (December 1, 2008)
To be the church which belongs to Jesus means to obey him as Lord, acting according to his will and not our own desires. Read 1 Peter 4:1-2.
Keep Seeking
By J. Randal Matheny (November 30, 2008)
Like a broom, the Lord's Supper sweeps away all the detritus, accumulated junk and lesser concerns of our lives. At the table, we see clearly the One Thing in this world that really matters.
Swift Judgment a Reason to Obey Now
By J. Randal Matheny (November 24, 2008)
A few kilometers down the highway, in a small congregation, a regular visitor contributed weekly. The brother in whose house the saints meet told the 79-year-old woman she didn't need to feel obligated to contribute, since she was a visitor. Contributing was a responsibility of the members of the body, he explained.
Strategies for Challenges
By J. Randal Matheny (November 17, 2008)
How to succeed in meeting life's challenges, be they in our personal lives or in the church? A young worker, left alone to put things in order in a complicated society, was given three essential strategies for dealing with difficult problems -- and difficult people.
Get Busy!
By J. Randal Matheny (November 10, 2008)
Before modern scientific man began his studies of sociology and anthropology, observers had already noted specific characteristics of different people groups. One of the famous ancient poets wrote about his own people. Twice quoted in the New Testament, Epimenides spoke harshly of his own Cretan people.
Commonly Good
By J. Randal Matheny (November 3, 2008)
The word "common" has become a bad word among us. We speak of a common criminal, probably one of those dumb kind who writes his bank threat on the back of his checkbook deposit slip, with his name and address.
Good Measure
By J. Randal Matheny (October 27, 2008)
A few years before my grandmother Burley Matheny's death at age 94, I asked her what was her favorite Bible verse.
The Grace of Jesus Christ
By J. Randal Matheny (October 13, 2008)
Grace is free or it is no grace at all (see Romans 11:6). We can do nothing to deserve God's grace. No act of ours can obligate the Lord to grant salvation. "The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23b; see 3:24 NET).
No Brother Left Behind
By J. Randal Matheny (October 6, 2008)
"No child left behind" is a government program designed to improve the American educational system. It appears to be the old idea of throwing money at a problem. (Churches do the same thing in missions.) While the sentiment of not letting any child fall behind in school is laudable, the execution may well lack in its effectiveness.
The Permanence of God
By J. Randal Matheny (September 22, 2008)
Yesterday morning I was reminded how the disciples here have been shocked by the defection of one of the congregation's founding brothers. In January, this brother arose after the Sunday meeting and announced he was forsaking the Lord and the church. After some 20 years in the faith.
Emotionally Refreshed
By J. Randal Matheny (September 15, 2008)
You know the feeling. Drained. Empty. Maybe even sad or frustrated or tired. You have nothing left to give. The output has exceeded the input. Now your spiritual account is in the negative.
Faith in the Invisible
By J. Randal Matheny (August 25, 2008)
Faith contains the element of the invisible. It believes in what it cannot point at. Its light comes from walking in the dark. In this sense, pardon the expression, faith is based on ignorance, in the sense of not knowing by personal experience.
Won't Happen to Me
By J. Randal Matheny (August 18, 2008)
Last Friday, Cliff May started his article, "Future Shockwave," this way: "If you don't live in Washington, New York, or another big city, you may think: 'Even if the terrorists do strike again on American soil, my hometown and my family probably aren't in danger.'"
The Prize Independent of Performance
By J. Randal Matheny (August 11, 2008)
The Olympic Games have begun. Watching the athletes compete in the various sports excites people around the world. The athletes are judged and awarded medals according to their performance. The games work by this principle applied to most areas of life.
The Trampling Crowd
By J. Randal Matheny (August 4, 2008)
I avoid crowds, but have been caught in some rowdy multitudes. When Brazilian President-elect Tancredo Neves's body lay in state in Belo Horizonte in 1985, the crowds got worked up and several people were trampled to death. I had seen the mood turning dark, so skipped out for home and watched the tragedy unfold on a national TV network.
Centered in Christ
By J. Randal Matheny (July 14, 2008)
Obvious. A commonplace. Almost a cliché. Whatever it may be, the truth that all Christian teaching should be tied to Christ and to the heavenly Father is sometimes left in the lurch. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul dealt with the problem of bumping Christ from the faith.
John's Strange Ending
By J. Randal Matheny (July 7, 2008)
It seems a strange phrase with which to end a letter about love. Especially considering that in his letter John never mentions idols or idolatry. So why end it where the last word is "idols"?
Flight into the Sun
By J. Randal Matheny (June 30, 2008)
In Greek mythology, Icarus, taking flight with wings made by his father, wanted to fly close to the sun. When he flew too high, however, the sun melted the wax that held the feathers. Feathers flew, and Icarus didn't. The ambitious son plunged to his death.
Doctrine is Teaching
By J. Randal Matheny (June 16, 2008)
The term "doctrine" has a simple meaning, that of "teaching." In English, the term has acquired a negative connotation that is not present in the Greek language of the New Testament.
Unfruitful
By J. Randal Matheny (June 9, 2008)
One of the worst adjectives that can be applied to a Christian is "unfruitful. "Paul tells Titus what "our people" (what a charming phrase!) can do to avoid fruitlessness.
The Wish Button
By J. Randal Matheny (June 2, 2008)
While I was in the padaria this morning for a mid-morning piece of toast, the TV was tuned to some stupid cartoon from the U.S. or Japan. On my first glance, a child's finger hit a star-shaped wish button on a machine that looked like a copier. ...
The Scene at Calvary
By J. Randal Matheny (May 26, 2008)
Those were the words I jotted down yesterday during and after the Lord's supper. To hold in one's mind the picture of the crucifixion of Christ is to be amazed again at the price of salvation. ...
The Two Greatest Commandments
By J. Randal Matheny (May 19, 2008)
When Jesus declared, in conversation with a scribe, the two greatest commandments in Scripture, he provided us with great insight into the heart of God and the new covenant. ...
From Carnal Consumer to Spiritual Producer
By J. Randal Matheny (May 12, 2008)
by J. Randal Matheny, editor The announcement was unplanned. The employer went to the microphone and appealed to the congregation to help a poor employee who had lost her home and belongings in a flood.
Associate With Them
By Richard Mansel, managing editor (May 5, 2008)
by J. Randal Matheny, editor We will put up with things in the world that we cannot tolerate in the church. We do it because we have been sent into the world to preach the gospel of salvation.
The King is Dead! Long Live the King!
By J. Randal Matheny (April 28, 2008)
Darwinism is dead. Evolution has expired. Not many will admit it. The cadaver is propped up on a throne, his eyelids taped open to his eyebrows. The scientists are chatting normally, jocundly, even, and glance his way as if to keep him in the conversation. ...
No Settling Down Here
By J. Randal Matheny (April 21, 2008)
The decision was unanimous. We would vacate the rented building which for the last five years had served as our place to meet, study and fellowship. The building is spacious and of fairly easy access. But it came at a price. Both financial and spiritual.
Take Your Pick
By J. Randal Matheny (April 14, 2008)
I have yet to hear a preacher get it right. I'm sure there's one out there who's on target, but every time a speaker uses the passage, he misses the point. Not that he's preaching false doctrine. By no means. The point he makes is valid, except that's not exactly what the passage is saying. ...
Nibbling Their Way to Lostness
By J. Randal Matheny (April 7, 2008)
Straying happens almost by chance. Ignorance, inattention, distraction, drifting. It's the straying of the sheep (Ezekiel 34:6), who "simply nibble their way to lostness." ...
Words During the Supper
By J. Randal Matheny (March 31, 2008)
If, as we often teach, the main purpose of the church's meeting together on the first day of the week is to eat the Lord's supper (Acts 20:7), then the brother does well who not only prays at the breaking of bread, but who reflects upon its meaning for the church.
Giving
By J. Randal Matheny (March 24, 2008)
In Scripture the most common subject of the verb "to give" is God. The greatest gift God ever gave was his only Son Jesus Christ. And the Son follows the example of his Father.
God in the Jordan River
By J. Randal Matheny (March 10, 2008)
First, the announcement. Joshua wants the people to know what is going to happen and by what power. The explanation of the event is as important as the event itself. Joshua's explanation merely highlights the message already contained in the miracle, but this preview is needed, not because of the miracle's ambiguity, but because of the people's slowness to comprehend. Three things Joshua says about God in these verses cry for our consideration. ...
David Inquired of the Lord
By J. Randal Matheny (March 3, 2008)
Time and again, David inquired of the Lord. When he didn't, he wound up in trouble. Certainly, he would back up or repent. But when he inquired of the Lord as to his next steps, ...
How to Get a Life
By J. Randal Matheny (February 25, 2008)
"I need to get a life!" People get frustrated with their lives or feel things are not going the way they should. They sometimes express their frustration with the above phrase. It suggests that one can go out and buy a new life. Or switch it out as you would replace a car part or a piece of equipment. ...
The Issue: Who Jesus Is
By J. Randal Matheny (February 18, 2008)
The problem was not that the Jews failed to understand Jesus' teaching. They understood him all to well. Indeed, Jesus' claims were preposterous for a mere man. Such claims demanded that he be greater than Abraham and the prophets. The Jews stumbled at Jesus' identity, not his teachings. ...
He Showed the Love of God for All
By J. Randal Matheny (February 4, 2008)
It was a special trip, for one purpose only. I had driven down the Natchez Trace Parkway, from my mother-in-law's house in northeast Mississippi, to Winona just to visit him and his wife. For years I had read books he had published ...
Purple Rubber Non-Complaints
By J. Randal Matheny (January 28, 2008)
I found the purple rubber bracelets on the Internet. A group promotes their use to help people learn not to complain. If you complain, you have to change the bracelet to the other wrist. By the changes and the presence of the bracelet, one should eventually learn to quit complaining. ...
When the World Crumbles Around You
By J. Randal Matheny (January 21, 2008)
The bomb fell on Sunday morning. The saints were confused, frightened and shocked. I was dazed. The announcement came from nowhere, and all our work would be affected. ...
The New Year with Jesus
By J. Randal Matheny (December 31, 2007)
By January 31st seven out of 10 resolution makers will give up on their resolutions. Some people react by showing disdain for resolutions. But the new year does provide a special moment. God gave us the heavenly bodies to mark the seasons, days and years (Genesis 1:14 ESV). Hence, we do well to think of passing from the old year to the new as a new chance, a clean slate, another opportunity for growth and service. ...
A Holiday Prayer
By J. Randal Matheny (December 24, 2007)
The editors and writers of Forthright Magazine wish you and your family a Christmas full of joy in Christ and replete with the blessings of God. As a token of our holiday prayers for you, the following poem is yours to enjoy and share. ...
Christmas and Christ
By J. Randal Matheny (December 17, 2007)
If an extraterrestrial were to observe many lawns where Frosty and Santa share space with a nativity scene, he might be confused when the home owners tried to explain that they believe Christ was born of a virgin, but that Santa and Frosty were, well, mythical characters.
Christmas and the Family
By J. Randal Matheny (December 3, 2007)
Christmas is a time for family and friends.
Destined for Success
By J. Randal Matheny (November 25, 2007)
He said it as we were pulling out of the garage, headed for the second congregation's Sunday meeting. I almost stopped the car. Almost, not quite. But I did have him repeat it to me, because I wanted to remember it just as he said it. ...
What Confession Means
By J. Randal Matheny (November 19, 2007)
Confession means I declare that I'm a sinner and that I now repudiate my sin. It recognizes and acknowledges that God is right and I am wrong. Confession is uncovering the hideousness of what I have done. It is the opposite of covering up. ...
A Day in the Life of Christ
By J. Randal Matheny (November 12, 2007)
Time-planners could take a cue from Christ. Jesus welcomed interruptions. The synagogue scene made him content to serve. A sick mother-in-law was for him an opportunity. Night-time queues of sick didn't catch him grumbling that his supper was getting cold. For Jesus, interruptions meant meeting people's needs and pointing them to the greatest need of all.
Be Perfect
By J. Randal Matheny (November 5, 2007)
Nobody's perfect. You'll hear this cliché on the lips of saints and sinners, excuse-makers and mature disciples. Our modern definition of perfect is to be without sin. And by that the phrase, "Nobody's perfect" is correct, even though the use of it often seeks to get people off the hook and excuse sin. In the Biblical sense, however, "perfect" does not mean to be without sin.
Love's Pursuit
By J. Randal Matheny (October 29, 2007)
I ask this, not of you, for I will love you with or without your permission, but of God, from whom comes the example, the overflowing and the power to love.
Work, Responsibility not Right
By J. Randal Matheny (October 15, 2007)
We continue to treat the questions of a popular compendium of a catechism. Question no. 415, "Right to Work," asks, "To what type of work does every person have a right?"
Protect the Embryo ... and Human Life
By J. Randal Matheny (October 8, 2007)
Question 471 of the compendium asks, "Why must society protect every embryo?" Christians, more than pagans, have always valued human life, because they know that man, alone of all creatures, was created after God's likeness.