Rhea church of Christ

06/11/2026

Our next two episodes of The Ancient Landmark Podcast will be posted next week.

06/07/2026

Why A Marriage Lasted 75 Years
By Johnie Edwards

Seventy five years is a long time! There are some ingredients of such a marriage.
RESPECT FOR GOD’S MARRIAGE LAW. At the beginning, God laid down the truth when He made one woman for one man for life (Gen. 2:18-24). When two people listen to this truth, they will stay married!
VOW-KEEPING. “When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it…” (Eccl. 5:4). When one says, “as long as we both shall live” will keep a marriage in tact!
EXAMPLE-SETTING. Each of us is to be a good example for others. 1 Timothy teaches: “be thou an example in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (6:12). When it comes to our marriage life, we need to be “light shining” people (Mt. 5:16). What kind of example are you setting?
GOD HATES ‘PUTTING AWAY.’ That’s what Malachi 2:16 says. The Lord expects a married couple to stay married for life!
LOVE. Love in a marriage is like glue, holding each other to each other all their earth days! It would be good for every couple to read and apply 1 Corinthians 13 every day. Read it! Ephesians 5:25-33 will help hold a marriage together. Read it and apply it! Don’t be like the guy who told his wife when they married: “When we got married, I told you I loved you, and if I ever changed my mind, I would let you know.” I can still hear: “Johnie, I love you so much.”
DUE BENEVOLENCE. Read 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 and practice it! Don’t be selfish! What’s yours must be that also which belongs to your husband or wife!
CHILDREN. Have children as they will help keep you married to “bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). That will keep a couple so busy they won’t have time to think about a divorce!
PROVIDE. When the man marries, he must be taught: “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (1 Tim. 5:8). Infidels provide for their own! Get a job!
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Note: Johnie Edwards and his wife, Loretta, were married for 75 years before Loretta passed away on November 27, 2025.

06/07/2026

Quotes To Think On… (6-5-26)

"To stay out of hot water, keep a cool head."

"The greatest of faults is to be conscious of none."

06/07/2026

What Is Your View Of Sin?
By Jarrod Jacobs

Thousands died because they considered sin as nothing! Despite the pleading of Jeremiah, the Jews refused to walk in “the old paths” (Jer. 6:16). In the face of Ezekiel, they were hard-hearted and impudent as he pled with them to return (Ezek. 3:7). Others such as Elijah and Elisha, Hosea and Micah, Samuel and Malachi, as well as scores of others, both named and unnamed, (but all known to God), continued preaching God’s word for the purpose of getting people to repent of their sins. Some saw success (Jonah, Oded, etc.), while others died for preaching God’s will and standing opposed to what the sinful people were doing (Heb. 11:37).

We have a choice. Will we consider sin as nothing, or will we stand with the Lord? The world will hate us for being God’s friend (Jn. 15:19-20), but God will reward us. Choose wisely; your soul depends on it!

06/07/2026

06/05/2026

Quotes To Think On… (5-31-26)

"You need long-range goals to keep you from becoming discouraged by short-range failures."

“Lying covers a multitude of sins - temporarily."

“Conviction, not convenience, determines human destiny.”

“He who remembers only himself will soon be forgotten.”

06/05/2026

Some Appropriate Four Letter Words
By Brad Phillips

Sadly, there are many today who are frequently using inappropriate four letter words as a way to express themself. However, as I pondered this, I got to thinking about some appropriate four letter words that are found in the Bible. Beginning with...

Love

One of the most powerful of all four letter words is the word “love.” You see, love is an action word, and when it is demonstrated it is a great expression of one’s deep affection for another (Ref. John 15:13; Romans 5:8; 1 John 3:16). Therefore, let’s abide in love, and let’s keep in mind these inspired words of Paul, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these three is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Obey

A four letter word of most importance found in the Bible is the word “obey.” You see, the Bible informs us that Jesus Christ is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him (Ref. Hebrews 5:9). Therefore, we need to trust and obey our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For, those who neglect to obey the gospel of Jesus Christ, will be punished with everlasting destruction (Ref. 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9).

Pray

The four letter word “pray” is vital to every Christian. Prayer is the avenue that we take to communicate with God (Ref. Philippians 4:6-7). Therefore, let’s make proper application of this instruction given by the apostle Paul, “...pray without ceasing...” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and remember, “men ought to always pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1).

Work

As a Christian, we need to be diligent in our service to the Lord, and an appropriate four letter word found in the Bible to describe this is the word “work.” Knowing that, “...be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Breth ren, take heed to those inspired words, and always abound in the work of the Lord.

Give

We also find the four letter word “give” in the Bible. You see, Christians are instructed to give back to the Lord, as they have been prospered (Ref. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2), and Paul likewise declared that God loves a cheerful giver when he wrote, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Holy

Another appropriate four letter word found in the Bible is “holy.” Speaking to children of God, Peter said, “...as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct...” (1 Peter 1:15). You see, God is holy, and as God’s children we likewise need to conduct ourselves in a manner that is holy (Ref. Romans 12:1).

Hope

One more appropriate four letter word found in the Bible to share with you on this thought is the word “hope.” You see, the hope of every Christian is eternal life (Ref. Titus 1:2), and Paul while writing to the Romans concerning hope said, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5). Indeed as Paul says, a Christian’s hope does not disappoint.

These are just a few appropriate four letter words that are found mentioned in the Bible. Now the question is, how do you express these four letter words?

06/05/2026

Quotes To Think On… (5-24-26)

"The true disciple is obedient rather than ambitious, committed rather than competitive. For him, nothing is more important than pleasing the one who called him."

"Many who expect to be saved in the eleventh hour die at ten-thirty."

“When there is no thirst for righteousness, the sermon is “dry.”

“Do what is right – even if no one is looking. That’s called integrity.”

“There are no idle rumors – all rumors are busy and destructive.”

06/05/2026

Psalm 19:1-6 KJV

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handywork.

2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath

He set a tabernacle for the sun,

5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of His chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.

6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and His circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

06/05/2026

Should The Church "Celebrate America"?
By Ron Halbrook

“Celebrate America, sponsored by First Assembly of God Church" of Brazoria, TX included "$10,000 worth of fireworks, a 50-foot United States flag, and a replica of the Liberty Bell....drama presentations including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and an illustrated sermon....A moonwalk, antique car show and volleyball....Homemade apple pie, snowcones, sodas, and hot dogs...at 25¢" (Brazoria County News, 29 June 1995, p. 1). Is this the work of the church?

Who decides what the work of the church is? God does because He created the church. God the Father planned it "according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Eph. 3:10-11). Jesus Christ as the Son of God died to purchase the church "with his own blood" and he is "head over all things to the church" (Acts 20:28; Eph. 1:22). The Spirit of God revealed God's perfect plan for the church in Scripture, the pattern or "form of sound words" (2 Tim. 1:13; 3:16-17; 1 Cor. 2:13). God tells us what the work of the church is in the Bible.

What does the Bible say the work of the church is? God ordained a threefold mission for the local church. 1. Evangelism. "The church of the living God" is "the pillar and ground of the truth" of the gospel, always sounding out "the word of the Lord" (1 Tim. 3:15-16; 1 Thess. 1:8). 2. Edification. "Let all things be done unto edifying" (1 Cor. 14:26). Saints assemble for spiritual growth through spiritual activities ordained by God: prayer, congregational singing, gospel teaching, and on the first day of the week observing the Lord's Supper and taking a collection for the church's work (Acts 2:42; 20:7; Eph. 5:19; 1 Cor. 16:1-2). 3. Benevolence. The mission of the church includes "ministering to the saints," i.e., meeting the needs of destitute saints.

"Celebrate America" is not gospel evangelism, not spiritual edification, and not benevolence; therefore, is not the work of the church. Such programs proclaim not the simple gospel of Christ but provide a mixture of patriotism, politics, recreation, and entertainment (with a few religious symbols thrown in). In teaching "all the counsel of God," the Bible gives instructions for godly conduct in business, education, sexual purity, patriotism, social affairs, recreation, and every area of life. The church must preach all these principles without compromise, but God did not ordain the church to sponsor businesses, schools for secular education, social affairs, recreation, patriotic celebrations, or political campaigns. All such activities are the responsibility of individuals, homes, communities, and governments.

The home, the government, and the church have distinctive duties. God assigned procreation and child rearing to the home, not to civil government. God assigned the administration of civil and criminal justice to government, not to the home or the church. God ordained the church and not the government to provide for the observance of the Lord's Supper. The church has no more right to sponsor political and patriotic programs than the home does to conduct kangaroo courts and vigilante executions. We must learn to let the home be the home, the government be the government, and the church be the church!

The true church of Christ in the Bible proclaimed the gospel of Christ to lost sinners, calling them to the cross of Christ in faith, repentance, confession of Christ, and baptism into Christ. The true church of Christ in the Bible maintained its divine mission without addition or subtraction. The true church of Christ follows the same Bible pattern of faith and practice today.