Cotulla Church of Christ

Cotulla Church of Christ A Fellowship of believers that serve the Lord and seek the lost.

04/28/2026

Do you remember studying English Grammar in elementary school? We learned that verbs are words of action, and each verb has different tenses. Basically, these are past tense, present tense, and future tense. The thought occurred to me that these things define life. We all have a past, a present, and a future.
In the Old Testament the Israelites were constantly told to remember what the Lord had done for them in the past. Remembering the past kept them faithful in the present as they looked forward to the future hope that would be the coming of the Messiah, Jesus.
I will remember the deeds of the Lord, Yes I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy, what god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made your might among the people. You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph.
PSALM 77:11-15, ESV
Christians are told to remember those who taught the Gospel to them:
Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be led astray by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.
HEBREWS 13:7-9 ESV
Do you remember who taught you the Gospel?
Our past sins are forgiven through the blood of Christ and his resurrection, therefore we let go of that past in order to serve God in the present time.
For if we have become united with him in a death like his (baptism, VS. 1-4) we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him
ROMANS 6:5-8 ESV
All we have is the present. I cannot go back and change what I have done in the past, Jesus takes care of that at the cross. I can live for Christ in the present:
For the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all unrighteousness and to purify for himself a people for His own possession, who are zealous for good works.
TITUS 2:11-14
God has promised a great future for those who are in Christ:
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
ROMANS 8:18 ESV
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
1 JOHN 5:13 ESV
All around us we see people who are stuck in the past, the present, or the future. Some dwell on past losses and failures so much that they fail to function in the present. Severe grief can cause a person to "live in the past." Guilt for past wrongs sometimes consumes a person. We do have great memories of those who have gone before, but we copy their faith and that encourages us to serve Lord in our present life.
Do you know someone who is so caught up in the present that he or she forgets there is a future? Living for the "here and now" and an ungodly desire for the things of this world can keep a person from realizing there is a future. The prodigal son in Luke 15 had that problem. He spent his money without realizing it would run out one day!
Others get so involved in working toward the future that they lose sight of their present situation. These are the ones who are working toward earning more, or that promotion at work, or other worldly goals. Present relationships are often broken because the person is so focused on the future.
Followers of Christ have a proper perspective on the past, the present, and the future. We learn from the past. The successes of the past and the failures teach us to liver in the present. We die to sin and put the old sinful person away. We only have the present, so we look for opportunities to serve the Lord every day.
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
GALATIANS 6:9-10
The apostle Paul had the right perspective for the present and the future:
For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain the flesh is more necessary on your account.
PHILIPPIANS 1:21-24 ESV
We can think of ourselves as "verbs for God."
Past tense- dying to sin.
Present tense- serving God and worshiping him in the name of Christ.
Future tense: our desire to be with the Lord eternally.
David Templeton

04/10/2026

The attributes of God are those characteristics God has revealed about Himself in Scripture. When we study those attributes, we gain a better understanding of why God has given us certain commands and we have a better understanding of the Living Word- Jesus Christ.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Romans 1:18-23, ESV
Idol worship was common in first century Rome, and the Holy Spirit is allowing Paul to write from that cultural viewpoint. From our modern point of view we tend to read this passage quickly believing it does not apply to us because we do not worship those images. Applying Scripture crosses cultures. There is an application of these words to us that is easy to overlook. Modern man in twenty-first century America does not take wood and stone and form an image of a God to worship, but many try to change the attributes of God into human attributes. What do I mean by that?
Have you ever heard someone make a statement similar to this: "If I was God I could not send anyone to an eternal hell." Or perhaps something like this: "God is love, I am in a loving relationship and God does not deny that love." "All religions lead people to God."
Each of those changes what God has revealed about himself into something the human mind wants God to be. In our culture the worship of self is an idol. Many want a God that promotes their self-worship.
God has revealed His attributes to us so that we can know Him and His Son Jesus Christ. Their are times when the Bible reveals things that seem too hard for us to accept, such as God's wrath against sin. God does not sin, therefore sin must be overcome if we are to be in the presence of God eternally. Appealing to God's love to justify what the Bible calls sin is changing the image of God into the image of humans. As God's creation our response is to obey and worship God. God's love is centered at the cross of Christ and His resurrection, not what I desire to do. Many in the modern world want a God of convenience, but do not want to take responsibility for their own sins. Understanding God's wrath against sin causes us to respond and accept God's grace offered through Christ. We submit to God's will, not our own will.
When we learn the attributes of God we learn how God wants us to live:
His divine nature has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire.
2 Peter 1:3-4, ESV
Godliness is our effort to take on the divine nature. We can define godliness as "God-like-ness." Jesus is the perfect example for us to follow:
Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father and it is enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father?' Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves."
John 14:8-11, ESV
As God's creation our response to the Creator is to accept His will, even when it goes against my will. We learn what God has revealed about himself even if those things seem unusual or strange to our human minds. Following Christ is not "all about me," it is all about God!
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name;
Bring an offering and come into His courts!
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;
Tremble before Him, all the earth!
Psalm 96:7-9

David Templeton

03/26/2026

Throughout life the Lord brings other people into special relationships with us. These begin with that special bond between parents and children. We have a special bond with our siblings and family ties prepare us for other relationships. The Lord provides the unique bond between one man and one woman in marriage. Children become special gifts from the Lord, and he has given parents the responsibility of bringing them up to be faithful followers of Christ. Proverbs mentions another very special realtionship:
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 17:17, ESV
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brrother.
Proverbs 18:24, ESV
Last Sunday afternoon (March 23, 2026) I was at the bedside of a man who has been "closer than a brother" to me since we first met at Lubbock Christian College in 1969 as he passed from this earth to eternity.
After we graduated from college our first full time church ministries were a few miles apart in New Mexico. Time progressed, and we found ourselves separated by miles but not by hearts. Wherever we were we always kept in touch and discussed our various "problems" we faced in our full time church ministries. Our relationship grew deeper when I became his brother-in-law in 1983. When my wife and his sister passed from this world we shared our grief together. There are empty places in my heart for both of them.
My dear friend and brother influenced many people during his 75 years on this earth. His example of faith has kept me going through some tough times. Reflecting back on the years I am thankful for such a loyal friend. Those who knew Charles Goodnight can say the same thing. His selfless leadership as an elder will be missed by the church. He made the world a better place for everyone who knew him.
As we go through life it becomes easy to take others for granted. We often forget to express appreciation for those who love us and carry us through the hard times and who share our joy during the good times. How often do we offer thanks for the people who surround us with the love of Christ? Although death may break the relationship for a time, we know that we will be praising the Lord around His throne in eternity. Charles dedicated his life to preaching that hope to those lost in sin and in need of God's grace. Thank you, Lord, for letting him be that friend who is closer than a brother.
David Templeton

03/11/2026

A few days ago I was in a conversation with a person who made the following statement: "I think God does not care how we worship." Perhaps you have heard similar statements. He went on to say that all world religions have moral codes that are very similar. When I told him that Scripture teaches there is only one way to the Father, his response was, "Do you think the good Buddhists are lost?" The only answer I could give was the truth- "Yes, according to Scripture if a person does not have faith in Christ he is lost." This conversation was with a man who is a member of a very large denomination. Many today want a God and a Jesus who is made in the image of man, instead of allowing God to be the all-powerful creator of the universe. What I think God will do and what He has revealed about His will are often different. In that same conversation this person said, "There is no perfect religion." My response was that a perfect God revealed a perfect religion, but humans practice it imperfectly.
If we believe the Bible is Divinely Inspired then we accept what it teaches concerning a person's relationship with God. Our response to God as His creation is to obey His will. To base what we do on what we THINK God will do ignores His revealed will and turns that around and makes God conform to human will.
God does care how we worship. Consider this passage from Jesus' conversation with the woman at the well in Samaria:
Our fathers worshiped on this mountain (Mount Gerizim in Samaria) but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.. But the hour is coming , and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such people to follow him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth." The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes he will tell us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he."
John 4:20-26, ESV
Although many today THINK all religions lead to God and that they are very similar, Scripture teaches there is only one way to the Father:
Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way? Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."
John 14:1-7, ESV
In Acts 4 the apostles are arrested and brought before the High priest and the Sadducees for preaching in the name of Jesus. Notice how Peter defended himself and the apostles:
And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name di you do this?" Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man (see chapter 3) by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, - by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Acts 4:7-12, ESV
It is popular today, even among many who claim to be Christians, to believe that all religions lead to God. The Bible teaches that there is one way to God, and that is through Jesus Christ. Our obligation is to teach that One Way to the world.
David Templeton

02/28/2026

In the nineteenth century one of the popular arguments used by those who wanted to deny the Inspiration of the Bible was that Moses could not have written the first five books of the bible because writing had not been invented yet. Archeology has killed that argument. There are inscriptions that are dated as early as 3500 B.C., long before the life of Moses. The Law was written so that the Israelites could hear it read every seven years:
Then Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel. And Moses commanded them, "At the end of every seven years, at the set time in the year of release (of the slaves) at the feast of Booths, when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the Lord Your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lord Your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.
Deuteronomy 31:9-13, ESV
From the time of Moses, about 1400 years or so before Christ, to the time of John on the Island of Patmos, about 95 A.D, the Holy Spirit was using faithful people to put His Word in writing.
We have the written Word so that we may know the Living Word, Jesus. The written Word tells us how to respond to the Living Word.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14 ESV
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:20-21
The Old Testament looked forward to Christ and his death, burial, and resurrection. The New Testament looks back to that event as the basis for salvation from sin. When a person is baptized into Christ he or she becomes a new creation, Romans 6:1-4. From that starting point a believer strives to become like Christ. Having put on the Living Word, we become more like Him by obeying the Written Word. We use the Bible to guide our lives. The Word becomes our guide for the way we act, the way we talk, the way we serve others, the way we maintain relationships, and our motivation to teach others the Gospel. We copy the love of Christ in all these things. When we are living the Word, we become living tablets for others to read. I am reminded of how Paul described the believers in Corinth:
Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink (we would say not with electronic devices) but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts.
2 Corinthians 3:1-3, ESV
Many unbelievers may never actually read the words in God's Word, but they do read those of us who follow Christ. We are all "walking Bibles!" We show the world what is in God's Word by the way we live every day.
My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you, bind them around your neck write them on the tablet of your heart so you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.
Proverbs 3:1-4 ESV
What is in you tablet or mine for others to read?
David Templeton

02/20/2026

Every morning the first thing I do is check my blood glucose level. This requires using four things: a monitor, a test strip, a lancet, and an alcohol pad. Each one of these things has a different function but they are necessary to get the desired result- the readout of the number on the monitor. If one of those four things does not function correctly then the final result cannot be reached. for example- yesterday the first lancet I used did not puncture my finger deep enough to get the blood sample. I had to throw that one away and use another alcohol pad and lancet on a different finger.
The church is made up of individual members, and each member has an important function to make the body of Christ function according to the will of God. If one member does not uphold his or her part, the others must take on that responsibility. Following Christ is not a spectator sport, it is being part of the team. That is why being part of a local church is vital. Many people want to follow Christ without being part of a local congregation. God's Word is plain- being baptized into Christ makes one a part of the church, the body of Christ.
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free- and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13, ESV
The verses that follow in 1 Corinthians 12 use the illustration of the different parts of the human body to teach that the one church needs all the parts to function together. Romans 12 states it this way:
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith, if service, in our serving, the one who teaches in his teaching, the one who exhorts (encourages) in his exhortation, the one who contributes, in generosity, the one who leads, with zeal, the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Romans 12:3-8, ESV
The four items that are used to check my glucose level need one very important thing to make the reading: the sample of my blood. Without that those four things are useless. When we think about the church, what is necessary for its existence? Without the blood of Christ shed on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, all the parts of the church are useless, because without the blood of Christ there would be no church. Paul reminded the elders from Ephesus that the church was obtained by the blood of Christ- Acts 20:28.
When we are baptized into the body, the church Jesus bought with his own blood, we become a part of that body with an important function. We live for Christ and discover our part and get to work to carry out our function within the body. Being part of a local church is necessary for the church to function as the body of Christ.
David Templeton

02/11/2026

We live in a time that allows us to order nearly anything we want from a major supplier and have it delivered to our houses. There is no need to fight the traffic and the crowds to do in-person shopping. We have come a long way since the mail-in catalogues many of us were familiar with in our childhood. Long before on-line shopping and mail-in catalogues God had His own delivery service.
The Greek word for "deliver" is hruomai and has the basic meaning of "to draw to one's self, to rescue, to deliver." (Thayer page 564) It is sometimes translated with other English words according to how the translators understand the context. What are some of the things God delivers?
1. We are taught to pray that God will deliver us from evil: "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." ( the Greek text literally reads "deliver us from the evil," which can imply the evil one, Satan) (Matthew 6:13, ESV) The cost for delivering us from evil is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ- the Gospel.
2. Through our faith in Christ God delivers us from his wrath against sin: "For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the Living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come." (1 Thessalonians 1:8-10, ESV)
3. Pilate delivered Jesus to the Jewish authorities to be crucified: "But they all cried out together, 'Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas'- a man who had been thrown into prison for a insurrection started in the city, and for murder. Pilate addressed them once more desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, 'Crucify, crucify him!' A third time he said to them, 'Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish him.' But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will. (Luke 23:18-25, ESV)
4. God has delivered us into the Kingdom of Christ: "For he has delivered us from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of His Beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:13, ESV)
5. There is one delivery from Christ that we are still waiting for: "But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfuits of those who have fallen asleep. For As by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order; Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father, after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death." (1 Corinthians 15:20-26, ESV)
When we think about all the delivery services available to us, let us remember the things from "God's Delivery Service." These things pertain to salvation, Christian living, and eternal life.
David Templeton

01/26/2026

I finally did what my family has been wanting me to do for a long time. Tomorrow, if everything goes as planned, I will be fitted for my new hearing aids. I will no longer have to ask them to repeat what was said. I will not have to turn up the volume on the phone or the TV. This brought to mind a question: Do we hear God?
Reading Scripture and actually hearing Scripture can be two different things. Hearing it means understanding it and putting into practice instead of simply reading a passage and feeling good about having read it.
Jesus ended the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9) with this instruction: "He who has ears, let him hear" (Matthew 13:9, ESV) Later in the chapter when he explains the meaning of the parable, he opened the explanation this way: "Hear the Parable of the Sower..." He then teaches about four kinds of hearers.
Each of the letters to the seven churches in Revelation end with this phrase: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." How do we truly hear the Word of God? The Greek word to hear is akouo (from which we get acoustics). Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon gives several ways the word is used. These include (1) The faculty (ability) to hear, not deaf; (2) To consider what is or was being said; and (3) To understand, perceive the sense of what is said. (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, P. 22) To hear God's Word means that we consider what is said in order to understand it. In other words, we put on "Spiritual hearing aids" so that we know what the Word is saying to us. It becomes more than just words on a page or in an electronic device. When Jesus told those listening to the parable, "He who has ears, let him hear." He wanted them, and us, to understand its meaning. When the seven churches in Revelation were told, "He who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches," they were being told to understand and obey what was written. Today's world sees many plans for reading through the Bible in a certain amount of time. That is good, but how many will read and HEAR the words being read? Those who hear the Word and obey it are commanded to teach it to others, Matthew 28:16-20. In Romans Paul is Inspired to state it this way:
How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" (Isaiah 52:7) But they (the Jews) have not all obeyed the Gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" (Isaiah 53:1) So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Romans 10:14-17, ESV
We all need to spend time in God's Word every day. When we read the Bible we need to put on our "Spiritual Hearing Aids" so that we may learn what it says, do what it says, and teach it to others. We can copy the example of Ezra:
For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.
Ezra 7:10, ESV
David Templeton

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306 Medina
Cotulla, TX
78014

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Monday 9:30am - 12pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 12pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 12pm
Thursday 9:30am - 12pm
Friday 9:30am - 12pm
Sunday 10am - 12pm

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(830) 879-2090

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