Painful Decisions Right next to our cabin near Austin, there was an oak tree that my son, Albert Jr., who had died in his twenties, had insisted on saving when the house was built a number of years ago. For years I had tried to steer the tree away from the house so that it…
Author: Alan Holden
Details
Details Make the Difference There must be detail in every great work. It is an element of effectiveness which no reach of plan, no enthusiasm of purpose, can dispense with. Thus, if a man conceives the idea of becoming eminent in learning, but cannot toil through the million of little drudgeries necessary to carry him…
Contentment
Self-Inventory The story is told of a farmer who had lived on the same farm all his life. It was a good farm, but with the passing years, the farmer began to tire of it. He longed for a change—for something “better.” Every day he found a new reason for criticizing some feature of the…
Conscience
Anticipatory Conscience Conscience is, in most men, an anticipation of the opinion of others. –Henry Taylor Keeping It Clean It’s easy enough to have a clear conscience—all it takes is a fuzzy memory. Willpower of Conscience A man consulted a psychiatrist. He complained, “I’ve been misbehaving, Doc, and my conscience is troubling me.” The doctor…
Confusion
Loss of Note I write down everything I want to remember. That way, instead of spending a lot of time trying to remember what it is I wrote down, I spend the time looking for the paper I wrote it down on. –Beryl Pfizer Completely Befuddled A fellow bumped into his old friend whom he…
Conformity
Following Fads He who marries the spirit of the age will soon find himself a widower. –William R. Inge Everybody’s Doing It We all hear the cry (from our teenagers, if not many others), “But everybody’s doing it.” John Calvin called it “The Appeal to ‘Custom’ against Truth” in his Prefatory Address to King Francis…
Compassion
Telling about God Alice Lee Humphres, in her book Angels in Pinafores, tells about her experiences as a first grade teacher. She tells about one little girl who came to school one winter day wearing a beautiful white angora beret, white mittens, and a matching muff. As she was coming through the door, a mischievous…
Great White Throne Judgment
Revelation 20:7-15 Thesis: At the end of the millennium, Christ will resurrect the rest of humanity for judgment. The Final Repudiation, v. 10–>the defeat of Satan. The Final Referee, v. 11, Christ (John 5:22), the Supreme Justice The Final Resurrection, v. 12 A. The Millennial Saints receive glorified bodies for eternity. B. The Wicked Dead…
Great Tribulation
Revelation 13 Introduction The Great Tribulation is the final chapter of secular history and leads directly to the Second Coming of Christ. This period will be preceded by the rapture of the Church and the reemergence of the Roman Imperial System of world domination. There is some confusion about the Rapture and the Second Coming…
Millennial Kingdom
Revelation 20:1-10 Thesis: The Millennial Kingdom will fulfill completely God’s partially fulfilled promises. The Millennial Kingdom will fulfill God’s promise to Abraham. A. The Promised Land, Genesis 15:18-21. Boundaries: Mediterranean Sea, Lebanon, Euphrates River and Nile River. B. The Arid Climate Change to Fertile Climate The Millennial Kingdom will fulfill God’s promise to David. An…