Borden Street Church Of Christ in Sinton, Texas

10/09/2025

We just finished a meeting with Max Dawson. It was well attended and we were encouraged in our efforts to spread the gospel. The lessons were recorded and can be listened to on our site, www.bordenst.com.

08/25/2025

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08/21/2025

It is an amazing thing to see the beauty created in the cutting and polishing of a rough diamond. When a diamond is found in nature, it doesn’t have the beauty and brilliance that it does after the cutting process. Furthermore, it is very critical that the cutting process is done properly, to give the diamond the greatest brilliance and reflection of light. Over the years, it has been determined at what angles to cut the facets, the number of facets are to be cut, the ratio of the table and the overall diameter of the diamond. Another ratio to be considered is the depth of the diamond, in order to allow the light entering into the table and crown facets of the diamond to be reflected off of the pavilion facets and back out the table and crown facets. If the diamond is cut to ideal proportions, it will provide the greatest amount of “fire and brilliance” that the diamond is capable of.
If the diamond that was found in the Earth were allowed to remain as it was when it was found (a diamond in the rough), it would still be what it was at creation. However, if the individual who found the rough wanted to produce the most brilliance of which the diamond is capable, it will need to be cut and faceted and polished, providing the greatest platform for the reflection of light.
There is a correlation between the diamond found in the rough, and our very lives that we live on earth. When one is living his life on Earth, the easiest path to follow and the most apparent immediate pleasure to be enjoyed seems to be those things that come naturally to us. However, without a determination to follow God (our Master Cutter) and His will for us, we are as that diamond in the rough, before it is cut and polished to provide the greatest brilliance.
In his “Sermon on the Mount”, in Matthew chapter 5, Jesus says that as Christians (those who follow Christ), we are the “salt of the Earth”. We must determine in our lives to follow after Jesus and His teachings. The responses that we have to those with whom we live and do business must be regulated by God’s commandments for us. If we fail to follow the instruction of our maker, we are as the “diamond in the rough”, who has not yet been cut and polished.
Every day, there is a news report of some individual who has violated the commandments of our Maker and has responded naturally to some situation. In those cases, the individual has not allowed the Master Cutter to shape and polish his way of life. As the apostle Paul told the young evangelist, Timothy, we should “study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
In studying and applying the Holy Scriptures, we allow God to give our lives the proper cut and clarity required to stand firm in the faith.

08/17/2025

As Jesus carried out his earthly ministry, there were many who followed Him, and many others who were invited. Just as today, there were those who would like to follow Him, but they allow other things to get in the way. Their own personal activities get in the way of their following Jesus. During Jesus’ ministry, there were those who said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Or, “Lord, I will follow you, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.”

The “me first” mentality is fundamentally opposed to Jesus’ teaching and his concept of “following Him.” Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be castaway?” (Luke 9:23-25)

Indeed, Jesus tells us that we cannot be his disciple if our primary concern is self. Yet, one of Satan’s greatest decoys is the appeal to promote self, or “self-aggrandizement”. This action of promoting oneself is perhaps the greatest temptation that Satan uses to draw us away from our service to Jesus. When we allow our personal activities to interfere with our service to God, we have put ourselves in the same boat with those individuals who practiced the “me first” mentality.

One of the primary areas where we have allowed our personal ambition to distract us from our service to God is our obligation to our family. As mothers and fathers, we have taken on what I believe is the primary and most important obligation we have, as stewards. We can train up our children any way we wish. But we will just do it one time. There is no second chance to instill in our children the importance of our service to God.

Our service to God is not only measured by our attendance at the assemblies. Although, that is a good indicator of where our priorities lie. In every aspect of our service to God, we must learn to put our own wants and wishes on the back burner and focus on our service to God. As it currently stands, Satan has us convinced that our own agenda must take priority.

Let us commit ourselves to our service to God. Let us determine to follow the example set by our savior. Matt 20:28 “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” The mentality of the Macedonians shows us the proper attitude we should take in our service to God (and each other.) 2 Cor 8:2 “…how that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality.”

10/11/2024

Starting this Sunday!

We are just five weeks away from the start of our fall meeting with Tim King! We hope you will join us!

09/08/2024

We are just five weeks away from the start of our fall meeting with Tim King! We hope you will join us!

05/20/2024

(Another story from earlier days)

A Guide to Lead Us

We have had an unusually cold winter. It has been too long since we’ve been able to get out and enjoy our morning walks. If we could only enjoy the nice spring mornings and warm temperatures without having to worry about having to mow the grass every few days. I don’t particularly like the cold weather; but, I do like the idea of the grass going dormant, so I don’t have to mow every whip-stitch. I suppose there’s a lesson in there about taking the bad with the good.
I’m reminded of a Monday morning some time ago. Donna and I woke up and got dressed before the crack of dawn. We had to get our morning walk in early, because the lawn was needing to be mowed. It had been a week or two since I mowed, and the grass was deep.
Worn out from the walk, the mowing was particularly taxing; but, I finally got it mowed. I was looking back over the yard, proud that I had the strength and stamina to finally finish the job…and what a beautiful job I had done. All at once, over in the corner by the fence, I noticed a veritable work of art. It was a beautiful spider web, with perfect spacing and symmetry. I don’t believe that spider could have put together a more beautiful work of art if she had someone with a ruler measuring the distance between sections and spacing between each line.
It got me to wondering how that little spider, without anyone to guide her, or without anyone to hold the tape measure for her, was able to create such a fantastic work of art. Of course, her aim was not to be artistic, but to catch a bug of some kind for supper. With that huge net, I’m sure she reeled in more than she could eat.
I’m convinced that this spider is not without guidance in performing the tasks that she does. The skill and ability that she demonstrates have been instilled in her from the Creator. She has the same guidance as the migratory birds, who know when it is time to pack up and head south or pack up and head north. She has the same guidance as the bears and other animals who know when it is time to find a cave and go to sleep for winter and when to wake up for the Spring thaw.
Isn’t it curious that every other object of God’s creation does what it is designed to do? Yet we, as individuals, as mankind, created in God’s own image, are given a choice as to what activity we will do. Yet, God does not leave us without guidance. He has given an instruction book to let us know how we should operate. Then, He gives us a choice as to whether we will do what He commanded. As free moral agents, we can do His will or ours. Who is Lord in your life?

05/20/2024

(This is a post from several years ago. It bears repeating)

It appears that the nation’s leaders are more divided now than any other time in the past hundred years. I know that in the overall history of this great nation, there have been times that, as a nation, we have been on the very cusp of absolute destruction. And, there were times in the beginning when it was not at all certain that those composing the nation would be successful in revolting against the powers that be, in order to form a more perfect union.
Our founding fathers said in the preamble to the constitution, “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
In as much as we who are alive today, and citizens of this great country, make up the posterity of the founding fathers, it would behoove us to show some concern regarding our general welfare. Rather than joining in the arguing and bickering among those who are in leadership positions, we should be doing all that we can do to sew seeds of unity among our fellow citizens.
Daniel Dow, the local evangelist for the Borden Street church of Christ, brought a lesson this past Lord’s Day, that would do us all well to consider. He based his lesson on the words of the wise man Solomon, who said in Proverbs 3:5-7, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones.”
I know that we strive to put a line of separation between church and state. And indeed, I would not condone the idea of a federal government stipulating rules for worship. On the other hand, just to acknowledge God’s existence, would not threaten my ability to worship God as I choose. Our governing officials have, for nearly 250 years, acknowledged God’s place in the universe, and in the stability of our existence.
In fact, it was part of the reasoning for our Declaration of Independence, that there are certain implications that deal with our civil rights, based upon the existence of God and his work in creation. The framers of this country spoke of the “separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them.”
Getting back to Danny’s lesson, he pointed out that whether we are discussing our search for material wealth, for pleasure, or for honor, we must in every facet of our lives acknowledge God. By pursuing God and His will in our lives, we will be able to endure all the hubris and turmoil that we see coming from those who are in positions of power in our nation and around the world.
As the apostle Paul told the young evangelist, Timothy, “Guard what is committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and vain babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge.” Hmmm. Sounds as though the apostle Paul had been listening to our evening news.

03/15/2024

BEGINS THIS WEEKEND! We're very excited for this special series and we hope you're making plans to be there!

Join us in just a few weeks for a series of excellent Bible lessons presented by David Banning of Houston, Texas! Invite your friends, and share this post, too! It is always a good choice to worship God and hear from His word.

You can find more details about us and another copy of this flyer on our new website: BordenSt.com

03/05/2024

Standing Firm in the Faith

In our study in the book of Acts, we see the fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham, some 2000 years earlier. And now, we have had 2000 years to make the transition from the Law of Moses. Because Jesus did not fit the concept they had for this promised Messiah, they rejected Him and saw Him as a threat to their leadership. Because of their misconception regarding the Messiah, they felt justified in their crucifixion of Jesus.

In His closing words of encouragement, Jesus tells His disciples that if the powers that be persecuted me, they will persecute you also. Indeed, because of the threat that the disciples brought to their established religion, the disciples of Jesus were severely persecuted by the religious leaders of that day… many to the point of death. As Jesus began his ministry, He encouraged these leaders to “search the scriptures”. They thought that Jesus was trying to draw individuals away from God. However, He says “Search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life, but it is these that bear witness of me.”

Knowing that his disciples would be called on to endure the same type persecution that Jesus had to endure, He did not leave them to fend for themselves. Knowing the struggles that would come to His disciples, Jesus promises to send a Helper, the Holy Spirit, who would not only help them, but would guide them into all truth. God has cautioned us from the beginning that we should adhere to His revelation. Satan has, from the beginning, tried to lure us away from God and His teaching. We have seen, from the beginning, what happens when we allow Satan to lure us away from God.

The admonition to “search the scriptures” would most certainly apply to us today. Satan is still doing his best to draw people away from God and he tries to convince people that there is no God. And, he says, even if there is a God, it doesn’t matter how we live our lives. But God says, “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.”

Early on, in the book of Acts, the religious leaders are trying to determine what they should do with these disciples of Christ. The disciples were incarcerated for the gospel that they were preaching and for the miraculous work they were performing. They were commanded to say no more in Jesus’ name. In spite of the threats from the religious leaders, the disciples of Jesus felt a compulsion to continue to preach the gospel and to inform those who were interested in hearing the word of God.

The disciples come together in a prayer meeting, to take their concerns before the Lord. They were determined to continue to preach the word, even though the religious leaders had commanded that they stop, and even though they would suffer persecution. May we resolve to do likewise.

Tim Rogers

02/28/2024

Join us in just a few weeks for a series of excellent Bible lessons presented by David Banning of Houston, Texas! Invite your friends, and share this post, too! It is always a good choice to worship God and hear from His word.

You can find more details about us and another copy of this flyer on our new website: BordenSt.com

10/02/2023