Biblical Principles of Justice (Part Two)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughRichard Ritenbaugh, describing a horrific case of child abuse occurring in Pennsylvania in 2012, and the judge's decision as to its resolution, eliciting a mixed review of condemnation and approval, asks us, as future judges in God's Kingdom, if we have the biblical savvy to come to an equitable judgment. Are we ready, at this …
The Vicissitudes of Old Age
Commentary by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, reflecting on his memory of a local legend in his youth, an 85-year-old woman named Mother Barker, who frequently walked several miles, doggedly sacrificing for her family by toting groceries and provisions, makes several observations about the vicissitudes of aging. The inexperienced young and the wiser senior …
Natural Law
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeGravity is but one of the many natural laws. These cause-and-effect principles operate continuously in our lives. We either comply, or we suffer the consequences.
Fast-Forwarding the Tape
'Ready Answer' by David F. MaasMany of us like sneak previews of movies or books. Some of us even fast-forward or read ahead to catch a glimpse of the ending of a story. David Maas compares this natural curiosity to God's practice of showing us in His Word how life's experiences can turn out.
A Bed Too Short (Part 1)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Charles WhitakerCharles Whitaker warns that our society is too connected with the present, too enamored of technology, too surfeited on abundance to pay attention to lessons from history or the basic laws of cause and effect. Our technology will not allow us to advance beyond consequences. What we sow we will reap. Our sins will eventually find …
The Commandments (Part Twelve)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughParents need to teach their children to consider the long-range consequences of current behaviors, chastening and disciplining them while there is hope.
Every Action Has a Reaction
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughEvery action has a corresponding reaction; even the little things we do matter. Sin produces increase (the leavening effect) just as righteousness does.
The Overcoming Skill
Sermonette by Bill OnisickWith God's Spirit, we can develop the overcoming skill, using self-control to make firm commitments to our small, yet progressively significant choices.
A Bed Too Short (Part 2)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Charles WhitakerCharles Whitaker reiterates that Americans [and all of Israel], living well on credit, and enamored with the apparent blessings of technology , have deceived themselves thinking they have "advanced beyond [the ] consequences" of God's Law. Because morality has been left out of the economic equation, we are reaping the …
Little Things Count!
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughNo act is insignificant because of two natural principles: the tendency for increase, and what is sown is reaped. These principles play major roles in our lives.
Is Education the Answer? (Part 4)
Commentary by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh affirms that our society seems to be controlled by people who worship science and secularism, completely disregarding God, having proven themselves hopeless fools, totally oblivious to the cause-effect relationship between sin and curses, the consequences of sin. Because the secular progressives control the …
Liberalism and the English Riots
Commentary by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, focusing on an article by Max Hastings in the Daily Mail, identifies liberal dogma as a major contributory cause of the disgusting riots in London. Others have blamed the riotous behavior on stodgy old people, race, banks, greedy corporations, Zionist Jews, Satan, and perhaps the decrepit or ineffectual Anglican …
Doing Righteousness
Sermon by Kim MyersKim Myers, drawing some analogies from how the world keeps New Year's resolutions, cautions God's called-out ones not to approach God's Holy Days with the same level of non-commitment. Though we know that righteousness exalts a nation, we also know that America is no longer exceptional because of she has come to embrace …
The Second Commandment
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughMost people consider the second commandment to deal with making or falling down before a pagan idol, but it covers all aspects of the way we worship.
The Second Commandment: Idolatry
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe natural mind craves something physical to remind us of God, but the Second Commandment prohibits this. Any representation will fall short of the reality.
Gideon's 300
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughGideon incrementally moved from a position of weakness and fear to a position of strength and valor as he increasingly started to trust in God to give victory.
Foolishness and Cleansing
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughHuman nature has a perverse drive to take risks, pushing the envelope, taking unwise chances, foolishly gambling away the future. Foolishness is sin.
The Christian and the World (Part Eight)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughHaving anxiety, foreboding and fretting about food, clothing, and shelter, or being distressed about the future, demonstrates a gross lack of faith.
Spiritual Blindness: Choosing a Curse
Sermonette by David C. GrabbeGod proclaims a cause-effect relationship between sin and madness, blindness, and confusion of heart. Sin causes blindness, and blindness begets more sin.
Lamentations (Part Two)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughRichard Ritenbaugh, creating a hypothetical scenario in which God sends the Russians- to devastate America and reduce it to a vassal state, suggests that such a catastrophe would resemble the conditions described by the Book of Lamentations. The Scriptures describe the Chaldeans as a bitter and hasty nation, ruthless and …
Honor Before Love
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughIn this sermon on spiritual cause and effect, John Ritenbaugh, using the old cliché, "You can't put the cart before the horse," reveals that there is a definite cause and effect, "reap what you sow" principle introduced in Genesis 2:16 and radiating throughout the entire contents of the Bible. There is an …
Good Old Age
Sermonette by James BeaubelleJames Beaubelle, distinguishing "old age" from "good old age," asserts that the latter can only be attained by (1) Godly Wisdom, (2) Obedience to Law, and (3) the Fear of the Lord. We must seek all three to live to a good old age of peace and contentment, avoiding the miserable existence from the "School …
Lamentations (Part Three)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughRichard Ritenbaugh warns that these laments contain little that is jovial or uplifting, but instead are saturated in despair, sorrow, mourning, and even recrimination against God on the part of a personified Jerusalem, whom God depicts as a grieving widow, blaming others for her troubles while overlooking her own sins as the …
The Elements of Motivation (Part Two): Vision
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughThe Kingdom of God is our goal, and our vision of what it means gives us compelling motivation to overcome, grow, and bear fruit in preparation for eternal life.
Maintaining Good Health (Part 10)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughEven though we are already damaged goods when God calls us, by embracing God's truth and seeking His help, we can break the bad habits which enslave us.
Amos (Part Five)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughModern Israel cannot see the connection between its own faithlessness to the covenant and the violence of society that mirrors her spiritual condition.