Alva Review-Courier -

A phrase we used to say a lot when I was a kid was, “when I grow up, I want to be like ____,” and we filled in the blank with someone’s name. It could have been a superhero, it could have been our favorite athlete, or it could have been anyone that...

Everyone these days is paying a lot of attention to the war going on in the Israel and the Gaza Strip area. It seems we all get excited when war breaks out in what we consider the Middle East region. There have been several Arab/Israeli conflicts in...

Do you know lazy people? Those people who do absolutely nothing to contribute to the betterment and building up of society? We as Christians can fall into the same rut if we don’t show our faith to God and the world by our actions! We can become l...

There is an old hymn we sing titled “Are You Sowing the Seed?” in which we are encouraged to share Jesus to the world around us. Many of us may wonder what sowing the seeds of the kingdom really looks like. Surely, we can’t just go down to the feed...

The end is near, so says the sign that the man is wearing in several movies we have seen. Well, it’s really true, the end is near and we, the body of Christ, are warned of the end so we will be ready! I Peter 4:7 says, “The end of all things is nea...

This phrase, “the word of the Lord,” is used many times in the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament as it refers to God communicating with the Patriarchs, Prophets, Priests and Kings. God sometimes came to these leaders by a loud or soft voice, a d...

What exactly is hope? Why do we desperately cling to it? Hope, according to Desmond Tutu (South African Anglican Bishop and Theologian) is “being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” This statement is so true in today’s world...

It seems that there are laws for everything in this life. Laws for driving a car, laws for hunting, laws for the treatment of others, and the list goes on. It also seems that when people don’t agree with certain laws, they find a way to break t...

When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His word, what a glory He sheds on our way. While we do His good will, He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey.” These are the powerful words to the song “Trust and Obey.” This song...

How good are we at waiting patiently for some event to occur, such as Christmas or a birthday? How patient are we to see someone we haven’t seen in a long time? Patience is a virtue according to Galatians 5:22 that we should be developing. When we h...

School is starting up again and our schedules are getting busier and busier. It’s very hard to balance our secular and spiritual lives. When do we have time to work for the kingdom of our Lord? One of the tasks that our Lord Jesus put us in charge o...

I recently stopped into a Quick Stop gas station to purchase a few items and happened upon an older gentleman who was talking with the attendant. As I stood in line behind him listening, he seemed to be a very interesting fellow. When he had...

How many times have we been walking down the street and been thinking about something or, heaven forbid, looking at our cellphones at social media such as Facebook or Snapchat, etc. And then the worst thing in the world happens! Yes, we stepped in a...

This is the phrase that my uncle says all the time. When we gather as a family and one of us has recently been through a struggle of some kind, he would say, “Keep on keeping on!” Now, my uncle had a bunch of sayings and, being a preacher, he had...

Mankind has accomplished so many awesome feats over the short time we have been on this planet. We have built the most impressive structures, cured a lot of diseases (still more to cure), and built many great kingdoms (especially these United...

I have been reading the book of II Kings in the Old Testament where it lists the reigns of the kings of both Israel and Judah. We all know that there were both good and bad kings, but it seems that most of them did evil in the eyes of the Lord....

I have known many people that have gone through many trials in this life with nobody there to lean on for help. When something powerfully affects us in a bad way, it literally drains the very life out of us. Our hearts sink so low that we can’t even...

I hope you’re not like me in that I lack energy throughout the year. In wintertime, I don’t want to work outside where it’s freezing cold, and in the summertime, I don’t want to work outside because it is way too hot, lol! That leaves the two wee...

I hope you’re not like me in that I lack energy throughout the year. In wintertime, I don’t want to work outside where it’s freezing cold, and in the summertime, I don’t want to work outside because it is way too hot, lol! That leaves the two wee...

There are many stories in the Bible about people who stood strong in their faith in God during times of great trials. There is Noah, who built an ark, while those around him continued to live in sin. There is the prophet Elijah, who stood strong...

This question has been posed so many times, and many responses have been given to answer it. One answer is, He just loves us John 3:16. Another answer is that God loves children and He made us His children, John 1:12-13 “But to all who did receive h...

This great country was founded upon the wonderful concept of freedom. The early colonies were being taxed without representation which basically made us slaves of England, and so a war of freedom took place, and a republic was born! A republic is by...

It never seems to fail doesn’t it? When we are weak and down in our own spirit, here comes Satan, with what we feel is the biggest temptation of our lives. And because we are so weak, a lot of the times, we give in to our desires and fall victim t...

Through my short 60 years of existence, I have had close friends that I have been able to rejoice with in times of blessings and lean on in times of hardships. A close friend is a true friend who will drop everything to come and be with you when you...

It’s a good question: “Do people really sin anymore? I mean, who defines sin in America these days? America has reared several generations that do not understand what sin is and have no morals when it comes to their actions. People lie, cheat and...