In ancient days, several stones or perhaps precious gems called lots would have been cast or thrown from a clay jug to make important decisions. The casting of lots was a custom or rite used then to make important decisions, much as we practice drawing straws or flipping a coin today. Several examples of this practice occur in both the Old and New testaments. In the Old Testament, lots were cast by the high priest to select the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:8‐10). This method was also used to divide the land of Canaan after its conquest under Joshua (Numbers 26:55-56; Joshua 14:2). Lots were further cast to select warriors to fight against the men of Gibeah (Judges 20:9-10) and apparently to choose Saul as the first king of Israel (1 Samuel 10:19-21). In addition, sailors on the ship bound for Tarshish, with Jonah on board, used lots to determine who had caused the stormy seas. In Jonah’s case, lots were used to narrow down who was responsible for the storm. “And they said to one another, ‘Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us.’ So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah” (Jonah 1:7). It was heathens who were casting the lots, but the indication is that God used the occasion to manipulate the results to show that Jonah was the cause. Thus, God did so because it furthered His purpose. In the New …

Someone observed, “If your treasure is on earth, you are going from it; if it is in heaven, you are going to it” (Blanchard, John. Gathered Gold. Durham, England: Evangelical Press, 1989, p. 271). Are we going from or going to our treasures? I believe that this is a question that each of us needs to seriously consider. The New Testament makes it clear that our treasure is supposed to be in heaven. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21). It seems clear that many in Jesus’ day had their treasures on the earth. For them, life was all about the treasures that they had here (Luke 12:15). Mammon was their master (Matthew 6:24). The rich young ruler is a great example of a man who had his treasure upon the earth. Matthew records, “And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, …

There in the distance you begin to hear the sound,Of thunder that speaks of the lightning’s flash;Sometimes streaking to some spot down on the ground,And then you begin to feel the raindrops as they splash. The sky turns gray as from the clouds the rain pours down,The thunder roars and the rising wind does swell,A chorus arises made up of many a sound,The rain pours down, and, yes, all is well. The flowers stretch their necks to take a welcome drink,As the life-sustaining water begins its welcome fall;Beauty that cannot be fully seen through page and ink,Is fully displayed to be enjoyed by all. Oh Wondrous God Who has made it all to be,Whose voice is heard through the falling rain?Who has built into this world the wonders that we see,Who has made nature sing its wonderful refrain? And sometimes in our lives the rain pours down,As trials and problems into our lives find a way,We are made sad; we are caused to frown,For it seems the rain has ruined our day. But remember that the rain is followed shortly,By the bright sunshine, and the sky of blue,And no matter how hard the rain may be,God is always there, and always with you. So when the sky turns gray and the rain pours down,When the thunder roars and the rising wind does swell,Listen to the chorus that arises, made up of many a sound,Yes, the rain pours down, and, still, all is well.

A Jewish Rabbi told his students that they should repent the day before they die. One student said, “But Master, we do not know when we are going to die.” “Then you should repent today,” replied the Rabbi. We know that we are going to die (Hebrews 9:27). We do not know when we are going to die. Solomon said in Proverbs 27:1, “Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what that day will bring forth.” David declared in 1 Samuel 20:3, “…there is but a step between me and death.” Since we don’t know when our spirits will be separated from our bodies, then we should obey the Gospel now! We should be restored if need to be, now! “Now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

A life lived incognito is inconsistent with living in Christ, our Savoir. I find it very strange that many desire to live a life incognito. The idea is to live a life concealed and very private. Incognito is defined in part as, “having one’s identity concealed, as under an assumed name, especially to avoid notice or formal attentions.” With that said, I have also noticed when one dies, incognito is put aside. Counter to the desire for concealment from the world, our Lord Jesus Christ wants Christians to glow. “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Mathew 5:14-16 KJV). Christians will follow our Lord’s command and will not dwell in darkness. Jesus promises “to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79). “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” …

A true motive for giving in our worship should be God’s love for us and our love for Him. God desires that on the first day of every week Christians should lay by in store (put something aside – give) as we have been prospered (1 Corinthians 16:2). This simple act is a vital part of our worship. God has loved us. God has prospered us. God has blessed all of us beyond measure. This proof of His love should motivate us to give liberally and cheerfully because we love Him Who first loved us. God had the apostle Paul to place this matter of liberality in the list of essentials to eternal salvation. As one brother said many years ago, this “puts a very serious phase upon it.” Paul said by inspiration in 1 Timothy 6:17-19, “Charge them that are rich in this present world [that would be all of us!] that they be not highminded, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate [“be generous and ready to share” ESV], laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on the life which is life indeed.” If we would lay hold on life eternal, that is, be saved, we must do good, be rich in good …

Religious teachers have come and gone, but hands down, Jesus is the greatest teacher ever to walk upon the face of the earth. Unlike the scribes of His day, Jesus spoke with the highest authority because His message was direct from the Father (John 7:16-18). No divine spokesman ever spoke with higher authority than God’s Son. When the Judgment Day comes, and it shall, every accountable person will be judged. Jesus said, “He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48; cf. vs. 49-50). Any doctrine that teaches or implies that accountable, saved people may habitually practice unrighteousness, and yet maintain God’s favor, is a doctrine that has not proceeded from the throne of God. Any doctrine that suggests there will be additional opportunities to prepare for heaven after death or upon Jesus’ return is a doctrine whose source is not from heaven. Any doctrine that proposes that all that is necessary to go to heaven is to be born into the world, or simply agree with God that Jesus is His only begotten Son, is a doctrine whose origin is not the Father. “…[P]repare to meet your God…” (Amos 4:12).

All human beings sin against the Father in heaven (Romans 3:23). The prophet Isaiah informs us that sin separates us from the Father (Isaiah 59:1-2). How is it that man, being separated from his God, may find his way back into that relationship? Job spoke in despair, “Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both” (Job 9:33 NKJV). Before the foundations of the world, God ordained a plan to redeem man. His plan was to be executed and fulfilled by His Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible is literally the only source from which we can glean from the life and teachings of Jesus. If we were to take the Bible away, we would be left with what William Barclay called “fugitive memories and subjective opinions.” The teachings of Jesus were unprecedented in His day, and all of the moral enlightenments and profound statements of the truths of life serve as a foundational basis for modern morals and ethics as well as the literary classics. “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Peter 1:16-17). Were it not for the sacred text, we would be void of the wonderful message of Jesus Christ. Without knowledge of His death, burial and resurrection, there would be no Gospel by which we may be saved from sin and death (Romans 1:16); there would be no …

We find in Hebrews 2:11 an interesting and assuring statement: “For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” At first glance this might not seem too extraordinary. After all, we are part of God’s family; therefore, why shouldn’t Christ call us brethren? However, that is exactly what should be so amazing to us. The Book of Hebrews has much to say about the divinity of Jesus. In the very beginning of the Book, the author wrote that God “has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the world, who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of his person…” (1:2-3). Notice that it is said that Jesus made the world. Jesus was there at the beginning! Jesus has all the power and the majesty of God the Father. Jesus is the brightness of God’s glory. This is not a reflected glory, like the moon reflects the light from the sun, but the brightness comes from the deity that is essentially His. Jesus is also the express image of God. This is the only time this phrase occurs in the Bible, and it means that Jesus is the exact representation of God. He is not similar to God; He is exactly like God! Now think about who we are. We are sinful creatures who …

One meaning of the word “balk” is familiar in baseball, but that is not the only place where the word is used. When I was a small boy, we had a neighbor who had a mule that he used to pull a plow or cultivator between the rows to rid his garden of weeds. Sometimes the mule would balk in the middle of the garden, refusing to pull the plow any further. In some cases, additional “urging” would lead to the mule lying down in the harness and refusing to move until Carl, the owner, took the harness off the mule. I have heard a story about a farmer who had a balky mule which he hit over the head with a two-by-four “to get his attention.” I always thought the story apocryphal and a bit drastic, but perhaps it might get a really stubborn mule to work. Most of us do not deal much with mules, but we do at times have to teach or work with stubborn people who will cooperate only up to a point, then balk at going further. This is often the case with baptism; many people will believe in God and that Christ is God’s Son, but they balk at baptism. One man simply clams up and refuses to talk any more about it when I urge him to be baptized. Another man I taught for years finally said he would be baptized if he could continue to be a Methodist, but he refused …

Maria Garcia has been described as “a happy lady with a sweet and easy laugh.” She also suffers from dementia and cannot remember things very well. However, when Garcia awakens each morning, she walks into the living room and asks one of her caregivers a routine question: “Is my mother up yet?” Garcia’s mother, Rosario Schielzeth, continues to be Garcia’s primary caregiver and companion. The remarkable thing about this is that Garcia is 86-years-old, and her mother is 104! This mother and daughter have rarely been apart during their lives. In fact, they have spent over 60 years living together in the same house. Since when Garcia’s health began to fail, her mother has always been there to help her. Schielzeth reads the newspaper each morning and seeks to keep her daughter’s mind active by keeping her updated on current events. She also reminds Garcia of what day it is, if she has eaten and the whereabouts of their dog, Frankie. “She lovingly reminds her, which is a difficult thing, I would imagine at 104, to have patience over and over again,” said Carol Festari, one of Garcia’s 24-hour caregivers. Sprinkled throughout their Sarasota, FL home are some stunning paintings done through the years by the talented Garcia. One of her paintings hangs over her mother’s bed. It is of two people sitting together in the countryside, near some serene water, having a picnic lunch on a beautiful day. The two people in the painting are a mother and daughter, …

The subtitle of this article might be, “Stop, look and listen.” My least granddaughter, Chelsea, almost 3-years-old, came into my study while I was sitting in front of my computer working on my workbook, The Mind of Christ. She said, “Paka, may I do my artificials?” I felt sure I would like to see her do her artificials, but I had no idea what they were. So I asked. (That is the proper thing to do when you do not know something. It is seldom proper to hide your ignorance from a child – or any other person – for they will soon find out anyway.) She replied, “They are compediate letters.” That sounded like a good word, from “com,” a Latin prefix meaning “with” and “pedi,” a Latin form meaning “foot,” but I did not remember it, so I punched the buttons on my computer for the Thesaurus and it was not there. Then, I got up and went to my big unabridged Webster’s of over 3,200 pages and did not find it. So I stopped and said, “Show me what you mean.” She sat down at the keyboard and ran her little stubby fingers over it at random. Since I knew that she knew at least part of the alphabet, and do not like to see people wasting time when they can be doing something constructive, I said, “Why do you not type the alphabet?” She replied, “No, not now. I just want to do artificials.” After looking and …

The restoration plea calls for a return to the Scriptures from an understanding that they are given by the inspiration of God. If the Bible is not the Word of God, then the restoration plea is misplaced. Thankfully, we can have full confidence that the Bible is the Word of God. Many things about the Bible speak to its inspiration. The Bible’s many predictive prophecies are arguably the most impressive evidence. The longevity of the Bible is also a subtle supporting argument for its inspiration; no other work of literature has survived for so long and been preserved as well as the Scriptures. In addition to evidences such as these, the Bible testifies of itself that it is the Word of God. In Luke 24, Jesus spoke of Old Testament books in such a way as to entail all of them and leave no doubt that He viewed those books as inspired. “Then He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning me’” (Luke 24:44 NKJV). Some have no difficulty affirming that the Old Testament is from God, but refuse to accept that the New Testament can also rightly be described as Scripture. In truth, both Testaments were given by inspiration of God. The apostle Paul told Timothy “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable …

When one reads the biblical accounts of some of the true stories of conversions to the Lord, he cannot help but to note that there was great rejoicing. In Acts 2 the people on Pentecost who were baptized “praised God” (v. 47). The man from Ethiopia “went on his way rejoicing” after responding to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and being immersed (Acts 8:39). In Acts 16:34, we read that the Philippian jailer “rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.” Earlier, Luke informed us that he and “all his family were baptized.” Many have been the times that people have broken forth with deep emotions by the shedding tears of joy and expressions of gratitude to God whenever their sins had been washed away by the precious blood of the Redeemer. As one who has witnessed such occasions, I know that the joy experienced in the heart is simply wonderful. It may have been a cold winter’s night when an individual was baptized in an unheated baptistery or during the regular worship assembly in the presence of many who were present on that occasion, but the end results were the same – forgiveness and rejoicing. It is indeed significant to notice that true “rejoicing” was experienced following scriptural baptism and not before one was immersed. The reason being, salvation is promised only to those who believe and are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). The wonderful thing …

The church does not have a proper name. Instead, there are numerous descriptions applied to it throughout the New Testament. One of my favorite descriptions is found in Paul’s letter to the Galatian churches when he spoke of “the household of faith” (6:10). The word translated “household” means, “belonging to a house or family, domestic, intimate: belonging to one’s household, related by blood, kindred” (Thayer). This particular verse refers to “professors of the (Christian) faith” (Ibid). All of Christ’s followers comprise the family of God. Paul had the same idea in mind when he wrote to Timothy (1 Timothy 3:14-15). The actions of the early church are the actions of a sharing family. The nearly three thousand souls who were added to the number shared what they had. Luke reported that they sold their possessions so the money could be given to those in need (Acts 2:44-45; 4:34-35). Loving family members act when they see other family members in need (1 John 3:17-18). The Lord’s parable of the judgment depicted him dividing the sheep from the goats. Those bidden to come inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world heard the Master say they fed Him when He was hungry, gave Him drink when He was thirsty, took Him in when He was a stranger, clothed Him when He was naked and visited Him when He was sick and in prison. When they asked when they had ever seen the Lord in those conditions and responded in that …

When Jesus drove the money changers out of the Temple, the Jewish leaders asked Him, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus was not offended by their desire to know His source of authority. In the religious world today, the need for biblical authority is scorned. Denominationalism does not seek or want biblical authority for its doctrines and actions. The only authority it seeks is if it makes one feel good or if it is something man wants to do. If a council votes it in, or if the multitudes are practicing it, then such is sufficient authority. Again, this is the only authority upon which denominationalism rests. Sectarianism has no biblical authority to exist. In fact, it is severely condemned. Jesus stated that “All authority has been given to Me…” (Matthew 28:18). Paul further stated that Jesus is “the head over all things to the church” (Ephesians 1:22). Friend, did you abide by the authority of Christ in becoming religiously what you are? If you are in any denomination you cannot give a “yes” to this question. What about the way you worship and how you live your moral and ethical life? Do you live by Christ’s law or by the code of the wicked world? If you do not live by His authority, then you are still in your sins and have the need to submit to Him and His authority.

1. What is the Sabbath? a. The 7th day: “[B]ut the seventh day is a sabbath unto Jehovah thy God” (Exodus 20:10 ASV). b. A sign between God and the Israelites: “And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily ye shall keep my sabbaths: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations.” (Exodus 31:12-13). c. A shadow (this means that it is not the real thing): “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day: which are a shadow of the things to come” (Colossians 2:16-17). 2. Why is Sabbath the seventh day? Because God rested on that day after completing His works of creation: “for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day” (Exodus 20:11). 3. When was the Sabbath command given? a. It was introduced as law through Moses and not before Moses’ time: “and madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them commandments, and statutes, and a law, by Moses thy servant” (Nehemiah 9:14.) b. It was given after God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, not before. “So I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. And I gave them my statutes, and showed them mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live in them. Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign …

I love being a Christian! It is the most wonderful thing in this world, but what makes Christianity so attractive and enjoyable? It is the four F’s all Christians can enjoy. So get excited about the following principles: Forgiveness (Matthew 1:21; Luke 19:10 and John 1:29) Why do we need forgiveness? First, sin separates us from God (Romans 3:23; 6:23; Isaiah 59:1-2). Have you ever been separated from your family for a lengthy period of time? Sadness, loneliness and despair set in. Imagine being separated from God because of sin. It’s frightening to consider. However, Jesus died to reconcile man to God (2 Corinthians 5:18-21) and grant forgiveness of sins to those that repent and are baptized (Acts 2:38). Thank God for forgiveness. Father Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Our Father which art in heaven” (Matthew 6:9). Our heavenly Father cares, loves and blesses us (Ephesians 1:3). I have a friend whose father died. One day he said, “I wish I could just talk to him.” Christians, however, can talk to their Heavenly Father through Jesus every minute of every day. Thank God for being our Father. Family Christians are blessed with a spiritual family. Love, care and concern are rich blessings from those of “like precious faith.” The Family of God is the greatest support system on earth. We have a common bond in Jesus Christ. One day, we will enjoy the great family reunion in heaven. Are you ready for the day to come? Future Heaven is described as reward and …

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goes forth and weepeth bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalms 126:5-6). In this Psalm we see the soul winners’: Compassion – “Sow in Tears” It takes compassion to make us aware of others’ needs. Jesus was a man of compassion. Eleven times in the gospels it is recorded of Jesus “He had compassion…” (Matthew 9:36; Mark 8:2, etc.). Are we compassionate? Do we care? Are we concerned for people’s physical needs but not the spiritual? We must develop a concern and compassion for the lost. One of the great thought-provoking statements of the Bible is in Lamentations 1:12, which reads, “Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by?” As we pass by our neighbors, friends and people on the street, do we see them as souls lost in sin needing a Savior? We will have no success in soul winning until we are able to see the lost as lost and have compassion on them. Commitment – “Goes Forth… Bearing Precious Seed” Commitment means we will be loyal to the trust God has placed in us as His co-laborer (1 Corinthians 3:9). Commitment means dedication, patience, determination and doggedly sticking to the task! “Be not weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9). The soul winner gets tired, but he doesn’t quit! He gets discouraged, but he does not …

To a dispersed, discouraged and dying group of Christians, Peter wrote, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). What a wonderful encouragement this must have been for first century saints. In the midst of the greatest struggles they ever had faced, they were reminded of God’s care for them! Surely, one of Satan’s most powerful tools is to cloud the Christian’s thinking, so that he forgets that God is “cheering” for us to win salvation. When we forget that scriptural fact, we become discouraged and overwhelmed as we attempt to run the race of faith (cf. Hebrews 12:1-3). Thankfully, God cares for us! In what ways does God show His care for each of His children? Firstly, He has listening ears. Peter demanded that his readers cast their care upon God (1 Peter 5:7a). One of the truly wonderful encouragements we must center on each day is that God wants little old me and you to talk to Him! That is extra special! Repeatedly, Scripture divulges that God desires communication from us (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Philippians 4:6, et al.). Someone has correctly written, “There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God.” God’s ears are open to the righteous (1 Peter 3:12). In the midst of your busy, daily schedule, stop often and remember, God cares for you, and His listening ears are waiting to hear your voice! Secondly, He has helping …