Jesus Christ is confronted by a Gentile woman, whose daughter is ill, in this miracle story in Matthew 15:21-28. “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs,” Jesus said, in v. 26. The “children” are God’s people, the Jews. The “dogs” are the pagan gentiles. The Cana…
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Jesus Christ is confronted by a Gentile woman, whose daughter is ill, in this miracle story in Matthew 15:21-28. “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs,” Jesus said, in v. 26. The “children” are God’s people, the Jews. The “dogs” are the pagan gentiles. The Cana…
Most people know that when there is a fire or medical emergency — or a global pandemic — first responders help keep us safe. What may be surprising for many Texans is that many of these first responders are there because of a local emergency services district, or ESD.
I still agree with my friend, Charles Hodge, who over 50 years ago preached on “Four Houses Not For Sale!” Today, if it’s possible, I agree with him even more as I watch courthouses, symbols of law and order being burned, destroyed or finally protected by what law we have left, the closing o…
Some people believe that thinking badly of themselves is a sign of humility. Paul is a beautiful example of how we are to approach God (1 Timothy 1:12-13). He does not berate himself and tell God how vile and sinful he is.
Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.” — Mark Twain
In Romans 9:1-5, Paul agonizes over the Jews’ rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. He does not separate himself from them but longs for their conversion to faith in Christ. Paul expressed concern for his Jewish “brother” by saying that he would willingly take their punishment if that could sav…
Many people just can’t believe that the Lord loves them. Others believe that He loves them but only when they please Him in some way. Why is it so hard for us to accept His unconditional love (1 John 4:7-12)?
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. energy industry suffered a one-two punch: seeing demand for oil and gas crater as a result of pandemic related shutdowns and travel bans followed closely by a global supply war initiated by Saudi Arabia and Russia.
Last night a good friend of ours sent a message she had received dealing with the recently-released Annual Report to Congress from the White House. One section of the report dealt with White House personnel, their number, names, salaries, duties, etc.
This account from the Gospel of Matthew is about hunger. But even before the story gets to the obvious bodily hunger that Jesus satisfied with loaves and fish, we see another hunger. Large numbers of people, driven by hungers of the heart, followed Jesus across the lake to a wilderness. They…
Tonsillectomy is a procedure that can be a source of both anxiety and relief for families with children suffering from recurrent tonsillitis, tonsillar hypertrophy, obstructive sleep disordered breathing and other tonsil-related medical conditions.
Editor’s note: Jack Dillard’s column has been published in the Marshall News Messenger for a number of years. Due to health complications, his column has been retired and is now being written by Dawn Dillard, an East Texas gal who is married to Jerry Dillard, Jack Dillard’s middle son. She is the proud daughter of Rev. Jim and Kelly Walsh of Bethany and a graduate of Elysian Fields High School. Dawn and Jerry have three children and she is the high school choir director at Hallsville High School. She is very active in the music ministry at Mobberly Baptist Church and in her spare time, she loves anything to do with music, cooking, reading and being with family. The News Messenger would like to thank Jack Dillard for all his years of writing and dedication. We are proud to keep this column alive with the Dillard family, through Dawn.
How serious is a lack of patience? We generally write it off as inconsequential. It’s often seen as a weakness rather than a sin—after all, it’s not as bad as adultery, theft or murder. But have you ever considered what your impatience reveals about your attitude toward God?
A quote to take to heart
When the coronavirus arrived on American shores, we heard some people dismiss this pandemic as overhyped. A few pundits claimed it only affected older people and those with underlying conditions, who should gladly give up their lives.
Hopefully you still have both of your parents. Treasure them and spend as much time with them as you can, now! That way you will not have any reason to regret it later on.
After an extended summer break thanks to COVID-19, many parents are looking toward the fall and the start of a new school year. With that comes back-to-school physicals and updates on immunizations.
What does God’s love mean for us, as indicated in Romans 8:26-39? Paul suggests three remarkable promises that are ours because of God’s awesome love for us. We can see that God loves, because he was willing to send his only begotten Son to die on the cross for the world’s sins.
Editor’s note: Scott Ford is the athletic director and head football coach at Elysian Fields ISD and a graduate of Marshall High School. He wrote this guest column to share some of his thoughts and lessons learned with the readers of the Marshall News Messenger.
“My how the world has changed,” I often hear these days. But truly it has not, because we all know, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
God repeatedly calls to His children, but the condition of each heart determines the result. Those with soft and tender hearts hear His voice and yield to Him in obedience, but those with hard hearts resist His warnings and instructions. Surprisingly, upon hearing the same voice, believers w…
OK, team. Everyone settle down and listen up.
A recent issue of the Watchman features commentaries by Andy Harvey and Rob Tiller, who must be coordinating their pieces because both focused on Trump Derangement Syndrome. They both talk around the subject but never address the central issue — Donald Trump’s stupidity and bonehead policy m…
Paul makes it clear that we have received a great gift as God welcomes us into his family, as revealed in Romans 8:12-25. What does it mean to be God’s family? Let’s take a look!
Scripture says that “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). Effective — that is precisely what we want our prayers to be, especially in a crisis. When we meet God’s requirements, we can be confident that He’ll not only hear our concerns but will also act …
The killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis was a brutal, senseless and avoidable tragedy, and one our country has witnessed countless times before. In many ways, his death was the match that ignited nationwide conversations about the racial injustices that have existed in our count…
Let’s start fixing the holes in our boat. Our boat is our country, and the holes are the problems that we have in our country.
Michael G. Hinton wrote about “Eight things that lead to a socialist state!” Which Michael G. Hinton listed these things is something I don’t know, but I have to agree with much that “one of the Hintons” said! You probably have your own list, but listen to his.
The theme of this devotion is conflict. Conflict occurs today in various ways. The central tendency is how do we allow God to help in our conflicts.
If we’ll let the truths of Scripture fill our minds, guard our emotions and influence our conduct, God will richly reward us (Psalm 25:4-10). By reading and meditating on His Word, you’ll learn to understand His ways. This isn’t something we can figure out on our own, because His ways are un…
Paul first writes, in Romans 7:14-25, “I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate” (v. 15). Then Paul asks, “Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (v. 24). God’s spirit, that raised Christ from the dead, can also conquer our sin, if we have the fai…
Texas wouldn’t trade places with any other state.
It’s been a great week for the Bankhead family! Father’s Day to start with, then with all of you helping us to celebrate our 58th wedding anniversary!
“Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press…”
Because there’s so much deception in our world, it is essential that we become grounded in the Scriptures. Some believers have accepted erroneous ideas merely because they haven’t incorporated biblical truth into their thinking and lifestyle. But how do we go about building a firm foundation…
Discipleship, in Matthew 10:40-42, requires that one be willing to be separated from every other devotion. A promise follows that those who lose their lives for Christ’s sake will find them. Not only are the disciples rewarded, but also those who receive a righteous one. Jesus has been speak…
Emotional storms within us can be as hard to handle as external physical ones. Grief, fear and worry can cause great turmoil in us.
A grouch read his obituary in the newspaper while he was still alive. Unable to see any humor in that, the grouch approached the editor, complaining loudly. The editor apologized. It was purely a clerical error, he said. The grouch would not accept that, so the editor in exasperation, to res…
Have you ever chosen a particular path, only to find yourself regretting that decision later? Life consists of a series of choices, some as small as what to eat for dinner, and others with eternal impact.
Texans have been witnessing things that would have been unthinkable until now: Surge teams, testing of nursing homes for COVID-19 and the National Guard helping to disinfect nursing home facilities around the state.
We’re here to care for you, safely, at UT Health
This new approach of socialization/education is quite foreign to us, no matter the generation. Words like social distancing and online learning have taken a toll on our humanity. On the Panola College campus beside the Health Sciences building, you will find a labyrinth formed from rosemary.…
Jesus, in Matthew 9:35-10:8, seeing the crowds, “Harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (9:36). Jesus commissioned twelve disciples and sent them to to preach and heal. He gave them the authority to resist evil. The mission was not for profit; its message: “The kingdom of heav…
Do you ever feel as though you are missing out on God’s rich blessings? Indeed, hardship is a part of life, and we can’t have everything we ask to receive. But if we act foolishly, we might also miss out on some of the good things the Lord has in mind to give us.
I saw something this week that I haven’t seen in all the years I’ve lived in Carthage: A public, frank discussion about racial inequality that prioritized listening and hearing — and then asked people to work for change.
A significant milestone in our experience with COVID-19 was reached last week: The United States surpassed 100,000 deaths related to the virus. While we question whether such a high price was inevitable and if quicker, more decisive action might have saved lives, it is time to look to the future.
