Lonnie Wilkey

Many Americans will enjoy an extra day off next week on Sept. 2. 

Even before Labor Day became a federal holiday, approximately 27 states passed legislation recognizing it as a holiday. New York was the first state to introduce a bill, but Oregon was the first to pass a law recognizing Labor Day, on Feb. 21, 1887, according to the Department of Labor.

Labor activists continued to push to have Labor Day recognized as a federal holiday to recognize the contribution workers had made to America’s strength, prosperity and well-being. Congress passed legislation in 1894 recognizing the first Monday in September as Labor Day, according to the DOL website.

Though Labor Day is not a Christian holiday, the Bible has quite a bit to say about “work.”

Genesis 2:15 (HCSB) reminds us, “The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it.” [Read more…]

Randy C. Davis

Dale Lusk didn’t like the decisions he had to make when he began ministering at a boys’ juvenile detention facility here in Tennessee. His dilemma? Which boys get Bibles, which get discipleship materials and which don’t get either.

Fortunately, the decision became easy. All boys who wanted a Bible or materials got them because Tennessee Baptists gave through the Golden Offering for Tennessee Mission and GOTM funds made it happen.

Fast forward 11 years and to date 219 boys and nine guards have come to saving faith in Christ. There are four worship services and other discipleship opportunities available to the boys each week. God is using Dale and other volunteers to literally change the history of these boys to HIS-story. [Read more…]

Van Neste

When our children were young, it was fairly common for the youngest child to delight in saying the blessing before meals. 

When our youngest, Timothy, was 4 years old he often eagerly asked to say the blessing. His prayers developed, of course, moving first from unintelligible to intelligible and then adding and substituting topics. At one point a new item began appearing in his prayers. He began, in his list of things for which he gave thanks, saying, “Thank you for tomorrow.”

This was striking to me the first time I heard it and I am still not sure what exactly he meant by it. Most likely he melded in a humorous way some different things he had heard us pray. But I did not correct him. It is good theology whether he realized it or not. [Read more…]

Dooley

Returning to school each fall always evokes a bit of murmuring from my children. Sleeping in, trips to the beach, and free time with friends is admittedly more fun than studying algebra and writing book reports. I get it. 

What most children and teenagers do not realize, however, is that the revolving semesters of these years represent a season of life that not only passes far too quickly, but also allows a freedom and playfulness that life’s latter stages do not afford.

Youth offers numerous opportunities. Scripture’s wisest man, King Solomon, explained, “Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes (Ecclesiastes 11:9a).” His point is that not that we are free to do anything, but that everything changes as we age. [Read more…]

Hardwick

I don’t know about you, but every time I open a social media app, scan news headlines, or watch a news channel, I feel an ache in my heart, a pit in my stomach and a burden in my soul.

Bad news. Tragic events. Vitriolic debate. Threats and predictions of more to come. And it seemingly never ends. Recently, as I scanned a newspaper and felt all these emotions, I had a thought — “I wonder if this is a little bit what Nehemiah felt when he got that bad report about the status of Jerusalem?”

You know Nehemiah’s story. While serving as cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, he was worried about Jerusalem. He received a terrible report from his brother. The people are downcast, the city is in shambles, and the walls and gates are on fire. The place and people meant to be a beacon for the glory of God were far from it. [Read more…]

Randy C. Davis

The men’s 100-meter race at the 2024 Paris Olympics generated global interest. It was the fastest field ever assembled with the winner not only winning gold but also claiming the titles as “World’s Fastest Man.” 

This year’s field was so stacked with speed that for the first time in history, all eight competitors finished in under 10 seconds.

American Noah Lyles came from last to first and won in a photo finish by .005 seconds. The only time he led was exactly at 100 meters, and the difference maker was he pressed hard through the end and leaned in at the finish line.  [Read more…]