by Brandy Webb
Won’t it be wonderful when pain and suffering are no more? When tears of sadness are extinct? When fear ceases and God’s Kingdom rules? Unfortunately, a lot has to happen before this great and glorious time, but we must not give up on hope. Life without hope is meaningless. Without hope we cannot have faith because faith is the “substance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1). Continue reading
October 5, 2016
by Brandy Webb
The other day I was thinking about what am I doing with my faith? It all started from a scripture in Isaiah. God is speaking to Isaiah in regards to Jerusalem because of all their sins, and He makes a statement in verses 13 that kind of hit home to me (emphasis mine):
Then the Lord said, “Because this people draw near with their words
And honor Me with their lip service,
But they remove their hearts far from Me,
And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote…”
September 26, 2016
by Brian G. Bettes
Life can be discouraging sometimes. Do you ever feel that way?
As we approach the fall holydays, a lot of strange things can start to happen. It seems that Satan becomes more active, stirring things up, causing problems, and creating difficulties for us; sickness, family problems, financial problems, car problems, and spiritual problems too. I am not just talking about “things” not going well. I am talking about deeply rooted personal problems as well. Maybe we are still struggling with a sin we have had for…well, way too long. Continue reading
September 21, 2016
by Brandy Webb
Are we showing the world the benefits of being a Christian or are we giving them reasons to dislike us? I have been wondering for a while why it seems that to the outside, Christians aren’t very loving. Isn’t that one of the major requirements of being a Christian? Are we actually our worst enemies when it comes to spreading God’s Word and light to others? What if we are stumbling blocks by our actions, reactions, and condemnations of others? We are told in Leviticus 19:14 not to “curse a deaf man, nor place a stumbling block before the blind.” I know this probably meant literally, but it definitely can be applied spiritually. We are not to curse those who do not know the truth nor cause them to stumble. I am not saying we need to compromise our beliefs. I also do not intend to compromise my beliefs either. What I am saying is we need to pay attention so that our actions reveal Christ to others and not self-righteousness. Continue reading
September 16, 2016
by Brian G. Bettes
“This is what God is asking of me right now, Babe. He says He will not give us more than we can handle, so I must be able to handle this. I trust His judgment.” As my wife paraphrased 1 Corinthians 10:13 to me, I was stunned, deeply moved, and humbled by her words of surrender, tears streaming down her face. Continue reading
February 27, 2017
by Brian G. Bettes
This is a very special time of year. We are only six weeks away from remembering the work of us being reconciled to our Father, and the salvational work, produced by the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For those keeping the Holy Days as outlined in Leviticus 23, this time of year focuses our attention on the Passover, a ceremony that was a “shadow of things to come” (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 10:1). Passover represents many things, but, one of the main things it points to is Jesus Christ as our perfect Passover Lamb being sacrificed for us (1 Corinthians 5:7). Continue reading
The International News Volume 38 #1
By Brandy Webb
We have all heard the saying, “Money can’t buy happiness.” I have also heard the statement, “Well, I have heard that theory, but may I have a chance to try it out please?” The temptation to have more is all around us, especially here in the United States. I also think, in large part due to social media, the whole world now sees others that seem to have “more,” thus causing a rise in the temptation of desiring more stuff. Continue reading
The Church of God International Springfield, Missouri 