Landmark Baptist Bookstore

08/09/2024

08/09/2024

What About Your Pocket?

A serviceman once wrote about a moment of comedy he had witnessed in the army. It happened during a company inspection at the Redstone Arsenal in Alabama.

The inspection was being conducted by a full colonel. Everything had gone smoothly until the officer came to a certain soldier, looked him up and down and snapped, "Button that pocket, trooper!"

The soldier, more than a little rattled, stammered, "Right now, sir?"

"Of course, right now!" was the reply.

Whereupon the soldier very carefully reached out and buttoned the flap on the colonel's shirt pocket. The officer had been quick to note the youngster's uniform problem, but hadn't noticed his own.

For some reason, we seem to be the same way. The faults of others stick out like a missing tooth, while our own are often hard to spot. Small specks in other people seem major, while the planks in our own eye seem excusable (Mat 7:1-5).

Let's quit dwelling on the faults of others all the time. The church needs builders and workers-not a wrecking crew. Work on your own faults, then seek to help others in a spirit of gentleness.

08/09/2024

Whale Songs...

According to research conducted by the National Geographic Society, the 40-ton creation of God-the humpback whale-has a fascinating singing ability. Recordings have been made of the humpback whale singing in various pitches in solos, duets, trios, and choruses of dozens of interweaving voices lasting from six to thirty minutes. What an experience it is to hear, over one's own stereo system, songs from the ocean depths-sung by 40-ton whales! The passage of Psalms 148:7 comes to mind: "Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps."

08/09/2024

Weaving...

My life is but a weaving between my Lord and me.

I cannot choose the colors He worketh steadily.

Oft times he weaveth sorrow and I in foolish pride forget

He sees the upper and I the underside.

Not till the loom is silent and the shuttle ceases to fly shall

God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why.

08/09/2024

We Tend to Copy...

Some years ago, musicians noted that errand boys in a certain part of London all whistled out of tune as they went about their work. It was talked about and someone suggested that it was because the bells of Westminster were slightly out of tune. Something had gone wrong with the chimes and they were discordant. The boys did not know there was anything wrong with the peals, and quite unconsciously they had copied their pitch. So we tend to copy the people with whom we associate; we borrow thoughts from the books we read and the programs to which we listen, almost without knowing it. God has given us His Word which is the absolute pitch of life and living. If we learn to sing by it, we shall easily detect the false in all of the music of the world.

08/09/2024

We Can’t Afford …

We can’t afford to win the gain that means another’s loss;

We can’t afford to miss the crown by stumbling at the cross.

We can’t afford the heedless jest that robs us of a friend;

We can’t afford the race that comes to tragic bitter end.

We can’t afford to play with fire, or tempt a serpent’s bite

We can’t afford to think that sin brings any true delight.

We can’t afford with serious heed to treat the cynic’s sneer,

We can’t afford to wise men’s words to turn a careless ear.

We can’t afford for hate to give like hatred in return;

We can’t afford to feed a flame and make it fiercer burn.

We can’t afford to lose the soul for this world’s fleeting breath;

We can’t afford to barter life in mad exchange for death.

How blind are we apart from thee, our great all-seeing Lord;

Oh, grant us light that we may know the things we can’t afford.