Twice in Psalm 42 David asked the question, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me?” The ESV uses the expression “why are you in turmoil in me?” David faced many difficulties and life-threatening events in his life. Some were the direct or indirect results of his own actions. Some were through no fault of his own. There were times when he felt totally overwhelmed. This Psalm appears to have been written in one of those times. David had to reaffirm to himself, in his own mind, the fact that God was with him. Notice some of the Psalm’s statements: “Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me. The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night His song shall be with me… A prayer to the God of my life. Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God” (Psalms 42:7-8, 11 NKJV). The fact is that each of us, no matter how strong one’s faith is, occasionally has a heart that is in turmoil. Remember, this Psalm was written by the same man who once stood, because of his great faith, in the presence of a giant, and won the battle with a simple stone – aided by the almighty hand of God! …

Notice one of the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. The Magi (wise men) from the East visited. They may have come from Media, Persia, Arabia, Chaldea or some Far East country. Daniel was made president of this order in Babylon (Daniel 2:48), and they are first mentioned in Jeremiah 39:13. They could have known of the coming of the Messiah from Jews living in their country. Even the Chinese sage Confucius (551-479) foretold a coming teacher in the west. Furthermore, Zoroaster, founder of the Persian religion, was contemporary with Abraham, and he predicted the coming of a great, supernaturally begotten prophet. The Septuagint was translated in Alexandria, Egypt in the in the year 280 B.C. into the Greek language; this was the universal language of the day. Therefore, it also could have contributed knowledge about a coming Messiah. In addition, the star that led the wise men was not a regular one. How interested are you in Christ? Notice the interest displayed by these wise men. They were interested enough to search for the Christ. We must search for the Christ, too. “Philip found Nathaniel and said to him, ‘We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph’” (John 1:45). Anyone can discern the Christ. “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, Whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority” (John 7:17). “Ask, and …

Solomon made many interesting statements, few of them more intriguing than the one in Ecclesiastes 1:17-18, “And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind. For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” How does that fit with his statement in Proverbs 3:13, “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding?” Proverbs 4:7-8 says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; yea, with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote thee; she will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.” Does it make any sense for Solomon to tell us to strive for that which will bring sorrow? If “happy is the man that finds wisdom,” how can it produce sorrow? In digging for answers to those questions, we uncover tremendous truths, but the mine of wealth cannot be exhausted by this article. First, let us be aware that the searching for and acquiring anything of value may increase sorrow. Solomon also said, “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of Jehovah” (Proverbs 18:22). I found one many years ago, and she has brought happiness and the favor of Jehovah of which I had not dreamed. If I should lose her, it would increase sorrow many fold. In fact, the degree to which I esteem or value her is the degree to which …

There are differing ranks in military service. There are generals, corporals, sergeants, lieutenants, majors and other ranks. A person in a lower rank cannot go to a higher rank without being promoted. Those in higher rank must do the promoting. Those of lower rank cannot take it upon themselves to take on a higher rank. Those of higher rank make the rules and regulations that the lower ranks must abide by. The lower ranks must obey the rules. If they do not obey the rules of their rank, they are disciplined. The Thessalonians were told to warn the unruly. In 1 Thessalonians 5:14 we read, “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.” The word “unruly” comes from the Greek word for “out of the ranks.” The word was used of the soldier who did not remain in his rank. Christians are spiritual soldiers. They have been given their regulations by which they are to fight the spiritual fight and by which they are to live daily. The regulations are in the Bible. We must study and learn how God wants us to live. We must learn to do all that God commands. Anyone who says he is a Christian but does not obey God is out of rank, and that person will be disciplined by God in the Judgment. Learn what you need to do to live the life of a Christian. Obey God and stay …

“Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.” Do you like tongue twisters? I’ve made tongue twisters out of my thoughts from one of the most enduring and endearing stories in the Bible – Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. I thought and thought about why God tells us this brief story from the life of Solomon in 1 Kings 10:1-13. Out of the 31,103 verses in the Bible, why is this story here? What can the Queen of Sheba teach the Christian today? Her name may have been Makada, which is a variation of the Sabeian name for queen. I’m going to call her Sheba. She ruled the Kingdom of Saba, which today is much of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and across the Red Sea to Ethiopia. Her kingdom was a southern neighbor to the Kingdom of Israel. In the New Testament she is called the Queen of the South (Matthew 12:42 and Luke 11:31). Sheba was a seeker. What was she seeking? Read the 1 Kings text and enjoy some major tongue twisters to go along with your reading: Sheba Sought Solomon’s Soundness (vs. 1-3); Sheba Saw Solomon’s Success (vs. 4-9) and Sheba Secured Solomon’s Solidarity (vs. 10-13). Seekers, like Sheba, are everywhere. We as Christians, like Solomon, must be prepared to give them that for which they are looking. There are approximately 168,000 copies of the Bible sold or given away every day. It’s very likely that we’ll run into someone who has just read the Bible, is reading the Bible or is about …

“You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). Plenty of things in our lives can take the place of God. If we let them, they, in effect, become our gods; they become what we serve. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, Jesus made sure that the devil knew that God was the only One worthy of worship. Nothing else. No one else. If we place God in a position of secondary importance, we’re doing great harm to ourselves and to our families. When distractions come into our Christianity, we suffer greatly. However, when we put God on the throne of our lives, we’ll be blessed – if not physically, definitely spiritually.

The music God calls for in New Testament worship is singing. In singing, we worship God and teach and admonish one another (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). Singing also has a vital role in effective evangelism. Singing can have a very potent effect on the hearts of men. The effect on emotions is a real part of evangelism. Effective evangelistic singing requires true zeal. Singing can have a powerful impact on an assembly, particularly on a person who has never heard good a cappella singing. Effective evangelistic singing can provoke one to obey the Gospel if he or she is subject to the invitation and has been taught. It can have a positive and powerful influence on one’s decision to obey the Gospel. The reason for singing a song of encouragement or an invitation song at the conclusion of a sermon is to motivate the hearer to respond. The worship should not have a lull at this point, but rather it should lead immediately from the sermon into the song and continue to provoke the thoughts of the listeners and motivate them to action. Consider the effect music has played on the nations of the world in days gone by. Men have said in essence, “I can change the course of history if I can select the music a nation hears.” If that is true, it would be reasonable to conclude that when people hear the right kind of singing in an assembly of Christians that it will have a similar …

“I want it, and I want it NOW!” That line well conveys a mindset that seems to permeate our society. Many insist upon fast drive-through food service, uncongested commuter lanes, speedy car lube service, no-wait photo developing, express espresso, and the list goes on. This routine is being imprinted at an early age. Often children will flail about in protest until their whims are granted by parents who find it easier to just give in than to deal with children in a calm yet firm manner. The desire for instant gratification fuels the massive credit card industry. Buy now and pay later! However, by the time the principle and interest are paid off, the item’s “charm” has long since worn off. Amazingly, the cycle is repeated when the eye is caught by yet another glimmering display and the hook is set by the low monthly payment figure. How many of us remember stories from our parents or grandparents telling how they patiently saved before they bought a certain item? It may sound “old-fashioned,” but it still makes dollars and cents (as well as sense) in the long run to save and purchase once something actually can be afforded. “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). The word “contentment” has an air of serenity. Paul had learned by experience the secret that we, too, so desperately need. He said, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content” (Philippians 4:11). Having “food and covering we shall be …

In the early part of the 19th century, preachers of different denominations went into the frontier settlements to teach the Bible. Since there were no established religious bodies in many of those communities, an invitation was given to everyone to attend and partake of the Lord’s Supper (Communion). Usually, only those who were members of the preacher’s faith would attend. These preachers wondered why people were so divided that they could not sit down together at the Lord’s Table and partake. They found that each religious order professed belief in the Bible. They all claimed to be Christians, but they were divided (Luke 11:17). It was not the Bible that divided them. They found that their religious names, organizations, doctrines and traditions were the root of their division. They determined to re-study the Bible and eliminate from their preaching and practice all things that could not be authorized by the Word of God. They determined to be just Christians, members of the body of Christ. This has been and still is the plea of the churches of Christ. Is it possible to be a member of the body or church that Jesus promised to build? “And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter [pebble] and upon this rock [mass of rock] I will build my church; and the gates of hell [hades] shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Is it only a pipe dream to think that it is possible for people living in our century to …

Some people are too willing to believe or accept what other people tell them, and therefore, they are easily tricked. It is folly to be credulous or naive, to heed every flying news, to give ear to every man’s story, and to trust and to accept everything as true. There are all kinds of scams, and too often people get duped or tricked fraudulently by clever, dishonest scammers. Hundreds of thousands of people around the world get conned by investing in Ponzi schemes that appear to be very lucrative to many simple people. However, they soon discover with great shock that they had been duped and swindled of their hard earned, and in many cases borrowed, money. Not only is this true physically, but it is also true spiritually (Romans 16:17-18). Many honest and simple people have believed lies as though they were God’s truth of the Bible because they have heard them stated and seen them followed since their childhood over and over again by those who claim to be Christians. On the Day of Judgment, Christ will say, “Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matthew 7:22-23). Were they sincere? Yes, they were sincere and honest both in what they believed and in what they claimed. Yet, …

Christians should regularly pause to give thanks for God sending His Son to earth. There are many blessings we could not know if He had not come. For instance, if Jesus had not come to earth, there would be no Gospel. The Gospel is God’s power to salvation (Romans 1:16). Paul described it when he wrote, “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). If Jesus had not come, there would be no church. Jesus told His disciples that He would build His church on the rock, the foundational fact that He is the Christ, the Son of God (Matthew 16:18). Paul instructed, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word” (Ephesians 5:25-26). There would be no hope if Jesus had not come. “To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27; Romans 5:1-2). There would be no forgiveness if the Lord had not come. Redemption from sin and forgiveness are only found in Jesus’ blood (Ephesians 1:7). Paul’s instructions on forgiveness include, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, …

People who loved Jesus beyond measure asked Him two of the most amazing questions recorded in the New Testament. When a powerful storm threatened to capsize their boat in the Sea of Galilee, the disciples asked the question, “But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’” (Mark 4:38 ESV). On another occasion, Mary was relaxed and listening to Jesus, and a stressed-out Martha came from the kitchen and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me” (Luke 10:40). Both questions were asked by people who had been with Jesus prior to these events. They had listened to His teaching and had seen His miracles and the power of God at work. They fully expected the Lord to step in to relieve their anxiety. It seemed that the Lord was ignoring their situation, and we can tell that there was some exasperation and weariness added to their questions: “Don’t you care about us?” or “Don’t you care about me?” It is difficult to judge the tone of Jesus’ reply in these passages. It seems that Jesus did use a tone of caring, gentleness and love. Notice the Master’s response: “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:40). “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things…” (Luke 10:41). Often, we feel overwhelmed and utterly …

From the very beginning of the church, God ordained that she be led by elders and deacons. Throughout the centuries, man has perverted this divine plan of organization into several alternative systems. Nevertheless, those churches who desire to follow God’s plan continue to be led by the simple plan of elders and deacons. The question we want to consider in this treatise is, “How are elders to lead the church?” I submit that most elders are very conscientious about their duties and sincerely do their best to lead and oversee their respective congregations in the way that God would have them to do. On the other hand, some lead in wrong ways or with wrong motives. Leadership is an awesome responsibility. Some of the harshest words in the Bible are reserved for men who should have been leaders but weren’t. A picture of the bad shepherd is painted in Ezekiel 34:1-6, and Isaiah described Israel’s leaders as blind watchmen and dogs who do not bark (Isaiah 56:9-12). Consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 23 to the scribes and Pharisees in which we find a series of woes. These Jewish leaders should have been examples of righteousness. Instead, Jesus called them hypocrites eight times in that one chapter. Clearly, that is not the model one should follow. Some see business as the model by which an elder should lead. Elders attempt to manage the congregation like a board of directors and act as the bosses, making decisions that the rest …

Many people deny the existence of God. The following article by a Christian brother helps put the assertion that there is no God in its proper perspective. If there is no God, there is no final accounting for all that exists. Mankind has always sought to understand the ultimate origin of the universe, often with a determination that bordered on fanaticism. How did the world and all it contains come to be? How do we account for the vast heavenly expanse of stars and planets? Where does man himself come from? The answer will never be known if the idea of a creator God is rejected. As there has always been in the past, there will indeed be many new ingenious theories to explain origins. But, like their predecessors, these will eventually be rejected as irrational, disproven by a law of science or remain forever as an unproven theory. Without God, man will be forever doomed to uncertainty, left to wonder in ignorance about the beginning of all things. If there is no God, there are no real moral standards to live by. We speak of right and wrong, good and evil, wise and unwise in the absolute. But if God does not exist, these concepts are just creations of the mind. Any kind of behavior would be justifiable. All morality would be subjective. Jean-Paul Sartre, a French philosopher, understood the colossal consequences of rejecting the existence of God when he said, “If there is no God, everything is permitted.” …

“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God…” “And the wages of sin is death,” so wrote the apostle Paul in the Book of Romans. Jesus came to save man from the consequences of sin. He died on the cross, and then He told man how to take advantage of His sacrifice. The Gospel must be preached. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel…,” said He. He also stated that “Except you believe that I am He you will die in your sins…” He continued by saying, “I tell you No, unless you repent you will likewise perish.” In Matthew 10:32 Jesus Christ said, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.” In addition, in Mark 16:16 He stated concerning those to whom the Gospel was to be preached, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” There it is! Saving truth in a nutshell–tough truth! Men have denied one or more of these truths, but their denial has no more changed the truth than one who has cancer, but denies it, changes the truth that he has it. If one is lost in sin, he must obey from the heart the Gospel that has been delivered to humanity through inspired penmen. What will you do, obey the Gospel and be saved, or listen to denominational preachers, whereupon you deny and reject the precious, …

Introduction “The Judaism of the intertestamental period is a very complex system indeed, comprising many religious and political groups (these two ideas can hardly be separated), and a multitude of ordinary Jews who belonged to no identifiable party. Three important parties mentioned by Josephus are the Sadducees, the Pharisees and the Essenes, to which he adds a fourth, later to be known as the Zealots, which made its appearance around the year A.D. 6“ (Russell 155). Sadducees We know very little regarding the Sadducees. The reason being is as Samuel Sandmel has written, “The Sadducees are known to us essentially from their portrayal by their critics or opponents, including bitter ones. If any Sadducee ever wrote anything, not a line has come down to us” (Sandmel 156). Consequently, our only knowledge of Sadducees comes from their enemies. Not a good source! Nevertheless, the following scholars have gleaned the following concerning the Sadducees. Frederick J. Murphy wrote: “Josephus, the New Testament, and rabbinic literature all speak of the Sadducees, but very little is really known about them. All three sources contrast the Sadducees and the Pharisees. In rabbinic literature, ritual purity and Sabbath observance are debated by the two groups. The rabbis supply little information for reconstructing Sadducean organization or beliefs. The only two solidly established traits of the Sadducees are that they were members of the ruling class, and that they did not believe in resurrection” (239). Stephen E. Robinson has given this view concerning the make-up and political role …

I have run into some rude and crude people in my lifetime. I would venture to say all of us have. Not long ago, I went to a business that sold plants, trees, vegetables, etc. The owner was engaging some fellow in a conversation. The owner was loud and uncouth in his speech. He didn’t seem to care who heard him. I left the place and vowed never to give that fellow any of my business. Furthermore, so it is with interrelations, our associating with people of all sorts. It is a fact of life. We all rub elbows with the good and dreadful people and everything in between. The key to our daily and close associations with people is to reject bad mannered and evil workers. We all remember the old saying, “Birds of a feather flock together.” The meaning of this idiom or figure of speech is that “similar people tend to associate with each other.” An example, “George: Why do you think William is dishonest? John: All his friends are dishonest. Birds of a feather flock together” (Wikipedia). Danger that Children and TeenagersCan Be Attracted to Rude and Brash People It has been my observation over many years that crude folks can also be very entertaining. Therein is a great danger for all of us. Younger folks, especially children and teenagers, can be attracted to this type of noisy self-assertiveness. The crude and rude often are loud, brash talking and seem not to have a care in …

“Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker [“helper” KJV] in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved” (Romans 16:9 NKJV). The word for “helper” is “sunergos,” a co-laborer. The compound word begins with “sun,” a primary preposition denoting union with or together, added to “ergon,” meaning to work, to toil or to act. Therefore, the word “helper” means to toil closely with someone in a common cause. Hence, it is worthy to note that Urbanus was more than a wallflower, and he was closely toiling or working with other brethren. Therefore, Urbanus provided encouragement through his participation with fellow Christians. Likewise, we should toil or work together, too. [Editor’s Note: My residence is shrouded with about 20 tall pine trees. That means before every time I mow grass, I must collect one to four wheelbarrows full of tree debris from the yard. On the occasions when I must do this chore alone and by myself, I go about the task reluctantly, and it takes about a third as long to clean up the yard as it does to mow. How depressing! However, on those occasions when just one person helps me retrieve the tree debris, not only more speedily but also with less grumbling on my part we proceed to accomplish that burden. I am encouraged! More importantly, encouragement is one of the benefits when brethren labor together in Christian service. ~ Louis Rushmore, Editor]

God’s love for humanity is, without question, one of the great themes to be found in the pages of Scripture. Most of the religious world is acquainted with John 3:16 and its emphasis on the love of God for the world as a whole, and by implication, each one of us individually. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” While that love is seen in the physical blessings we are offered, this passage emphasizes the greater blessings found spiritually in Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact, Paul can emphatically tell us that all spiritual blessings are in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). What does that say to us about how we should respond to God’s love for us? There are those who believe God’s love is of such a nature that He would never condemn anyone to eternal punishment, that the salvation procured through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross ensures everyone eternal life. Certainly, the offer of eternal life is available to everyone, as God is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11). “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people” (Titus 2:11). No one has to die lost, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t those who will die who do not enjoy salvation. As Jesus said, He came so people “should not perish.” All spiritual blessings are “in Christ,” so it follows one must be in Christ to …

Paul visited Athens, Greece on his second missionary journey and encountered a city wholly given to idolatry (17:16). He told them about the One True God (v. 22ff.), but he went a step further when he called upon them to change their ways. The principle New Testament word for change is “repent” (Acts 3:19; Luke 13:3, 5; Romans 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9). It means, “to change one’s mind or purpose.” In the New Testament, it always signifies a change for the better. It is exemplified in Matthew 21:28-29, Luke 16:17 and Acts 8:22. Notice five parts of repentance. RECOGNITION—acknowledgement of sin (Psalm 32:5). How did David respond to Nathan? He said, “I have sinned” (2 Samuel 12:13; cf. 2 Samuel 24:10; Proverbs 28:13; Psalm 51:1-4). David acknowledged the sin in his life, and God blessed him with forgiveness. REMORSE—regret and grieving over sin (2 Corinthians 7:9-10). Godly sorrow is a powerful, motivating element. A strong desire to please our earthly father should only be eclipsed by our desire to please our Heavenly Father. Our sin causes God to hurt, and that should make us grieve. RESOLVE—a change of mind (Romans 12:2). Repentance must be total and complete. It is a change of mind that leads to a change of heart, which leads to a change of soul, which leads to a change of desire, which leads to a change of life. If repentance is not total, it’s not true repentance. REFORMATION—a change of lifestyle (Ezekiel 18:21-22, 27-28). The prodigal son …

The simplest teaching of Christianity is also the most unpopular: not all paths lead to God. To be the people of God, we must be on the right path (i.e., the narrow one). Jesus told us in Matthew 7:13-14 that there are two paths, a broad one that leads to destruction and a narrow one that leads to life. Only one of these leads to God; the other leads away from Him. This is becoming more and more unpopular to teach by the day. Every day that passes sees some new attempt to destroy the truth and lead countless droves away from God. There is no way around it, and there is no alternative. There is only one path that leads to God. There is only one way that leads to everlasting life with the Father, and that is through submission to Jesus Christ. It is not merely calling on Jesus to come into one’s heart, but rather obeying His words and accepting His free gift of salvation on His terms. We all have a choice to make. Are we going to listen to Jesus and teach the truth, or are we going to be intimidated by those living in error who are trying to take as many as they can with them? When are we going to stand up for the truth? [Editor’s Note: The narrow way about which Jesus taught is inclusive and exclusive. Irrespective of what man wishes were the case, only the saved walk that narrow path only. ~ Louis Rushmore, …