Trilacoochee church of Christ

06/11/2026

Mining the Scriptures
Imagine a person with a jewelry box of treasures. Periodically, he or she takes them out and examines each one and puts it back. They are very familiar with the jewels they have in the box. At the same time, this person lives in an area where there are jewels scattered all around the countryside, even in his own backyard, and all he has to do is go out and dig around for them. He could fill his jewelry box up until it runs over, but he is content with just taking out his box and looking at the ones he knows rather than going out and mining for more. What would you say to such a person?
David said: “I rejoice at Your word As one who finds great treasure” (Psalm 119:162). Paul wrote referring to the gospel: “We have this treasure in earthen vessels” (2Cor. 4:7). Brother Stan Cox wrote a series of articles in which he considered familiar texts in a fresh and deeper way called “Mining the Scriptures.” God’s word is an unlimited field of treasure waiting for us to dig them up and place them in the treasure box of our memory. But so many of us are content with the familiar and uninterested in digging deeper and filling our minds with more priceless principles from God’s word.
When preachers and teachers are content with repeating familiar first principles and think it unnecessary to challenge themselves, they are NOT preaching the whole counsel of God and have betrayed their work. When disciples are content with hearing the same familiar first principles and are unwilling to challenge themselves to grow in the knowledge of God, they remain spiritually stunted and set themselves up to drift away from the faith. You have this book that is overflowing with mysteries and wonders and wisdom and power, and you are content with hearing about the plan of salvation and the work of the church over and over and over again? How is that different from “but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers”? Preachers and teachers challenge yourself and your students to mine the scriptures for more treasures than currently in your familiar memory box. Students and hearers, demand this of your teachers and preachers and then live up to the challenge.

06/10/2026

Romans Chapter Three, Conclusion, Wednesday Bible Study, Trilacoochee church of Christ - 6/10/26

06/10/2026

O Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Robert Robinson was born in 1735 (1790); as a young man, he enjoyed getting into trouble with his friends, drinking, gambling, and bullying. At age 17, he heard a sermon by George Whitefield on Matthew 3:7-9 - “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.” Afterward, Robinson realized his need for salvation in Christ. The Gospel changed his life, and he became a preacher. He also wrote several hymns, including his best-known “O Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”
“O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be!” It brings to mind the apostle Paul’s words: “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again” (2Cor. 5:14-15).
We can’t earn God’s love and grace. But because He gave it to us, how can we help but love Him in return by living for Him. As debtors, we are called to live each day for Jesus who gave Himself for us. Those who know God’s grace, show God’s grace.

06/09/2026

Old Simeon Knew
When Matteo Ricci went to China in the 16th century, he took samples of religious art to illustrate the Gospel for people who had never heard it. They readily accepted paintings of Mary holding the baby Jesus, but when he produced images of the crucifixion and tried to explain that the God the Son had come to be executed, his audience reacted with revulsion and horror. They refused to accept and worship a crucified God.
During the Christmas Holiday season, most professed Christians unconsciously do a similar thing. In their celebrations and observances, they seldom think about how the story that began at Bethlehem turned out at Calvary.
In Luke’s account of the Lord’s advent into this world, only one person, an elderly, devout man called Simeon, seemed to understand the deep and amazing nature of what God has set in motion. He has waited all of his life to see that coming of the Child who was destined to die for our sins. (Luke 2:25-35)
Simeon knew that though on the surface very little had changed: after all, Herod still ruled, Roman troops still occupied Israel, and the religious leadership of the Jews was corrupt, but underneath, everything had changed. God’s promised redemption had arrived. The cradle without the cross misses the true meaning of Jesus Christ’s birth.
Likewise, in our own fallen world, nations are at war, social culture is in steep moral decline, and the Adversary seems unstoppable; but, underneath it all, the Child who was born to die, ascended to Heaven, and will return for us one day. The resurrection without the return misses the true meaning of the risen Christ.
“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive” (1Cor. 15:19-22).

06/08/2026

A reminder to our loyal viewers: we are moving our live streaming of Bible Classes and Worship Services to YouTube. In the month of June, we will stream to both platforms, Facebook and YouTube; however, beginning in July, we will no longer live stream through Facebook. Please note that we will continue to use Facebook for our daily Bible posts. Our YouTube channel can be found at the following link:

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06/08/2026

Selective Faith
One night a clergyman was walking to church when a thief pulled a gun on him and demanded his money or his life. When he reached in his pocket to hand over his wallet, the robber saw his clerical collar and said: “I see you are a priest. Never mind, you can go.” The clergyman, surprised by the robber’s unexpected act of piety, offered him a candy bar. The robber said, “No thank you. I don’t eat candy during Lent.”
The man had given up candy as a sacrifice for Lent, but his lifestyle as a thief showed his real character! According to the writer of Proverbs, conduct is the best indicator of character. If someone says he is a godly person, his words can only be proven by consistent actions… “Even a child is known by his deeds, Whether what he does is pure and right” (20:11). This was true of the religious leaders in Jesus’ day as well. He exposed the Pharisees for professing godliness but denying that profession with sin in their lives (Matt. 23:13-36). Appearances and words are deceiving; behavior is the best judge of character.
This applies to all of us. As followers of Jesus, we demonstrate our love for Him by what we do, not just by what we say. May our devotion to God be visible in our actions today. Conduct is the best proof of character.
“Woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone” (Luke 11:42).

06/07/2026

Ask for the Old Paths, Part Three Conclusion, Sunday PM Worship in Song Service, Trilacoochee church of Christ - 6/7/26

06/07/2026

What is Our Hope, Glory, and Joy? Sunday AM Worship, Trilacoochee church of Christ - 6/7/26

06/07/2026

1Peter Five Conclusion, Les Heiden, Sunday AM Bible Class, Trilacoochee church of Christ - 6/7/26

06/07/2026

Milestones
The walls of my office are covered with pictures and mementos. I can look at them and remember where I was and what was happening when I received them. They are mile markers for my life. I have the Bible that was given to me when I was baptized. I have a sign on the wall that is a replica of Route 30 -- the Lincoln Highway, the first, truly coast to coast highway in the US. I grew up within minutes of Route 30, and at one time worked within a few feet of one of those signs embedded in a concrete pillar. Such things help me to remember that where I have been has had a profound effect on where I am now.
From the hymn O Thou Fount of Every Blessing is the line: “Here I raise my Ebenezer; hither by Thy help I’ve come.” When God’s people crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land, He told Joshua to choose twelve men, have each one take a stone from the middle of the river, and carry it to their campsite that night (Josh. 4:1-5). Joshua set up the stones as a memorial so that when future generations asked, “What do these stones mean to you?” they could tell about God’s faithfulness in holding back the water while they crossed the flooded Jordan River (vv.6-7).
It is good in the present to have reminders of God’s help in the past. Those memento milestones remind us that His faithfulness continues today, and we can follow Him confidently into the future. Precious memories of yesterday can strengthen our faith today and tomorrow.