I love cran-grape juice. Which is odd because I don’t particularly care for cranberry or grape juice alone. But when you put them together, the result is the perfect combination of sweetness and tartness.

Did you wake up this morning aware that you are in a war? Did it cross your mind during breakfast that when you walk out your front door you are going into a battle? Paul reminded the Ephesian brethren to make sure they got dressed for their battle, and you must make similar preparations for yours.

One evening a few years back, I went to a local drive-in to buy hamburgers for Norma, her Mother and me. I noticed the young car-hops as they skittered about in their short shorts. Suddenly one young lady caught my eye. She had on nice-fitting, modest, long pants. I looked again. It was one of our young ladies from Southside. She brought my order, not knowing it was me. She was surprised to see me, but for a good reason, not one of embarrassment. I made a larger than normal tip.

The first email I ever received from Greg Byers closed with him saying, “Make a good day.” I have since learned that that phrase is a favorite benediction of his. And I enjoy saying it back to him.

The reason I like it is because it puts you in the driver’s seat. A lot of things happen during the course of a day, many of which you cannot control. But you can choose to make something good come out of them. You can decide to have a good day if for no other reason than it is a day that the Lord has made.

“Southside Sunday.” The title is very descriptive. It says something of the people assembling here.

The atmosphere of many a religious conversation has become charged or else died as a result of someone having introduced the subject of baptism. Most religious leaders today see baptism as a voluntary action, not one not necessary to salvation. They pass along to their followers such thinking. To even question the doctrine that a man is saved by faith alone is offensive to them.

When someone exercises great self control or perseveres through many a trial, we sometimes say that they have the “patience of Job.” When another stands like a rock amid the changing whirlwind of life, we attribute to them “the faith of Abraham.” And when someone uses prudence and sound judgement in making a difficult decision, we say that they possess the “wisdom of Solomon.”

Peter, inspired by the Spirit, tells us that Christians are “a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (I Pet. 2:9). When I was just a little fellow, I remember hearing sermons about Christians being “peculiar” people, and how they were to be different from other folks around–even if it meant being odd or irregular. I have since learned that the word peculiar means more than being different or odd–though we may seem to be that.

The trees are starting to bud. Little green blades of grass are peaking out where the lawn had gone dormant for the winter. People are beginning to notice pollen and mold spores and other allergens floating toward their nasal passages. March Madness is winding down and the baseball season is heating up. These are all signs of spring. Even our clocks have “sprung forward.” And that means it’s time for a good spring cleaning.

I am not here to argue whether or not the Scriptures specifically state that a Christian must attend every service provided by the local church. They don’t. But to make such an argument is to ignore the usefulness of such meetings. The same goes for the Sunday morning Bible classes (those who don’t attend the one usually don’t attend the other). These assemblies are not planned to test faith, or to hang bags of rocks around people’s necks, but to help people grow and mature in the faith.