Posts by Michael Cox (Page 18)

The message may be brief but that doesn’t mean the message can be overlooked. With the cross looming just hours away, Jesus says, in a few words, a powerful message for all His followers, both the ones surrounding Him at that moment and followers today. In John 14:15 Jesus says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” ESV “IF”-It’s a conditional statement. Either you love Him, or you do not love Him. There is no middle ground. It’s…

In some ways, Susan is a Christian due to something Judy did. The funny thing about that statement is the fact that Judy and Susan did not know each other until AFTER Susan became a Christian. Here’s what happen almost 20 years ago. Judy was scheduled to have surgery and keeping my normal procedure back then as it is still now, I was at the hospital waiting for her to arrive on the day of her surgery. I have always…

Earlier this month it happened again. A death took place in northeast Arkansas in a family I know well. I am not talking about the death directly but instead, the reaction to her death. I noticed on Facebook many people expressing their condolences, with several of those expressions being written by my brothers and sisters in the faith. They wrote, “She’s now in heaven looking down on all of us …She’s celebrating a grand reunion in heaven…She’s gained her victory!”…

I saw the headline and I couldn’t believe what I was reading. The article popped up in my blog reading app, Feedly. The app pulls articles from blogs I follow such as blogs written by fellow preachers, Christian ministries, congregations, religious news sites and a few blogs focusing in on my favorite sports team. The article I am referring to was about a church telling older members to stay away from the worship services. Probably 70% of the blogs appearing…

In school, I was driven to achieve. I took detailed notes and studied them faithfully before each test. When I received each ‘A’, it was like a GOLD STAR in my heart.  Without realizing it, as I entered the full-time workforce, each baptism, each rededication, each successful counseling session, each new Bible student took on the form of another GOLD STAR for me in the eyes of people around me.  When the Lord blessed me with children, each triumph my…

Ron is his name. Like so many of our personal friends, Ron had always been a morally good person. He was a contributor to our society, had held a job since he was 16 years old, volunteered with a local charity, didn’t have any bad habits, a good neighbor to all, and a new father as his first child had been born a few weeks prior to me meeting him for the first time.  Like so many of our personal…

I was overcome with a feeling of sadness. I was standing in the section of the city-owned cemetery, Potter’s Field. It was a rugged, uphill rocky area that was not desirable to families purchasing a burial plot so the city gave it to be used for people who could not afford a place to bury their loved one. The area was dotted with plastic markers signifying the location of graves. I was one of only three people at this graveside…

 If this past Wednesday was like most New Year’s Days, about 60% of Americans made a New Year’s resolution. In terms of improving oneself in the here and now along with eternity, here is the most important resolution one can make: READ AND STUDY THE BIBLE DAILY!  This being the most important resolution one can make has been demonstrated by lots of studies and it is taught by the Word of God itself. Studies have been conducted on thousands of…

 Today is our last Sunday of 2019. Lord willing, we will gather next Sunday in the new year 2020. The number 2020 is often connected to the standard of good vision. What is YOUR VISION for the 70 West family?  In your vision for 70 West, do you see us doing a better job in reaching out to our community? If so, how will you help us all fulfill that vision? Do you see 70 West as a caring family,…

Once again you have humbled me with your tremendous love and encouragement. Thanks to all who attended the annual Open House event last Sunday. I was staying up with the count until the midway point around 4 o’clock and then lost all ability to keep up as there was a fairly constant stream of folks stopping by to enjoy the fellowship. At the midway point the attendance was already 79 so I know the final count was in the hundreds…

 As Christians, we are so blessed! We are blessed to have God as our Heavenly Father and Jesus as our older brother. We are blessed to have the church as our spiritual family. We are blessed because we get to experience ‘thanksgiving’ 365 days per year. Instead of only celebrating the spirit of ‘thanksgiving’ once a year as most Americans do, as Christians we offer up our ‘thanksgiving’ praise to God every day in songs and prayer.  Unfortunately, in our…