August 1997

Let None Despise Your Youth

Rusty Miller

"Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe" (1 Tim. 4:12). more...

Power! Unbelievable, power. The power to hurt. The power to heal. The power to destroy. The power to build. Yes, even enough power to turn the world upside down. What is this power? It is a power which influences us each and every day. In fact, it is a power that is exercised by all of us. It is the power of speech. more...

Conduct

Trae Clevenger

When was the last time you heard, "you're too young to know what I'm talking about?" As a teenager, I thought that, by age 26, I would be officially "older." Unfortunately, there are, and always will be, Christians who are older than me and who just don't respect me all that much because I'm a "young whippersnapper." In the face of such discouragement, should all of us who are "rookies" just give up on the idea of ever getting respect? more...

Love

Mark Roberts

While various Bible concepts may compete for the honor of "most misunderstood" the idea of love may win the prize. Yes, many miss baptism, the Holy Spirit is terribly misunderstood, and Revelation's secrets remain locked to many. But true love continues to elude us -- particularly when it comes to loving God. What does it mean to love God? How is that done? Let me begin by setting before you 1 John 4:8: "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." That motivates us to think diligently about love, doesn't it? more...

Faith

Rusty Miller

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval" (Heb. 11:1-2). more...

Purity

Scott Eversole

When Paul writes to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:12 he lists five traits by which Timothy is to show himself, "an example of those who believe." The last of these is purity. Purity seems entirely at home in this group, it rolls off the tongue as if it were created to be a part of this list. It is because it fits so naturally that it doesn't usually attract much attention. Ask yourself, what is purity? Chances are most people have an idea, but have never really thought about how it applies to their lives. more...

Questions About Marriage

Rusty Miller

In an issue devoted to young people, we thought it good to take the time and space to answer a few of the most common questions young people have about marriage. more...

The Preacher's Pen

Mark Roberts

We get a lot of mail concerning Abundant Life. Most of it is positive, but occasionally someone forcefully and pointedly asks to be removed from the mailing list. One person wrote, entirely anonymously, and said rather frankly that Abundant Life is from "the pit of hell" and that we had better stop "brainwashing" people because "we've done enough brainwashing!" more...