Nazareth was a city in the land of Israel in the first century A.D. It was a city of little significance until it became the home of a particular child. Nazareth is the place where he grew in knowledge, education, physical skills and spirituality. Yet, this city had a bad reputation. The reputation of Nazareth was given by Nathanael when he said, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). The character of Nazareth was proverbially bad. To be a Galilean or a Nazarene was an expression of decided contempt (John 7:52). Nathanael asked, therefore, whether it was possible that the Messiah should come from a place proverbially wicked. This was not an uncommon mode of judging. It was not a matter of examining evidence but an occasion of prejudice (Albert Barnes’ New Testament Commentary). While Nathanael’s statement may have been proverbial, and his judgment prejudiced, consider that in the case of Nazareth, another proverb may fit. “Where there is smoke, there is fire.” The Nazarites were the first ones to attempt to kill our Lord. Long before the Pharisees and the Chief Priests decided that Jesus had to die, the “religious Jews” in the synagogue in Nazareth tried to throw Jesus off a cliff. “So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might …

The following are questions in the New Testament regarding the conversion of the biblical character Saul, who was a persecutor of the “Way” (Acts 22:4). Turn to the basic texts in the Book of Acts pertaining to Saul of Tarsus. Read the verses without my input about those Scriptures. You can read for yourself what the writer Luke (Acts 1:1; Luke 1:1-4) wrote as he was guided by the Holy Spirit. Here are the passages: Acts 9:1-19; 22:1-16; 26:1:26. The question may be asked, “Did Saul, in fact, obey this command (cf., Romans 6:1-4)?” Please notice the plural pronouns “us” and “we,” which would include Paul (Saul of Tarsus) who wrote the Book of Romans (1:1). Oh, I have not dealt with the question that is the title of this article, “What color was Saul’s horse?” You know, that is a very interesting question. I have seen pictures and videos of Saul riding a horse on the way from Jerusalem to Damascus. However, would you believe, there is no passage of Scripture that informs us he was even riding a horse? Study God’s Holy Word and believe what it teaches and disregard fanciful additions or alterations of Scripture.

I would, undoubtedly, be the forensic artist’s worst nightmare. For example, if we are in a restaurant, we can be waited on by a server, and as soon as she walks away, I cannot remember which one served us, much less describe her. I think I could give a decent description of Barbara if I needed to, but I have been married to her for over 38 years! And names? Let’s not even talk about my horrible problem remembering names. It is not because I do not care, I just cannot remember! That leads to the question, “Who was that?” Following are my thoughts. When we see other people, what do we see? Do we see race, size, beauty, ugliness or other physical attributes? Do we see someone who is like us or unlike us? When we come up to the checkout counter, do we see a cashier? My point is that we often forget that the person to whom we are speaking or with whom we are having a momentary relationship (waiter, cashier, someone in line with us, etc.) is, indeed, a person with the same feelings, problems and hassles that we have. Most importantly, however, when it comes to seeing a person with whom we have contact, is the question, do we see him or her as just a passing blimp on our radar of life? When we see a person, any person, anywhere, what do we see, and do we ask, “Who was that?” I, for one, …

“He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly and he who sows bountifully will reap bountifully, so let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). From this, we understand that Christians must give of their means to the Lord’s work and service. “Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by in store as God has prospered him” (1 Corinthians 16:2). From this Scripture, we understand that our giving is to be done upon the first day of the week when regular worship (that is study, singing, praying, fellowship and the Lord’s Supper) occurs. We should be thankful that the Lord has specified this time as the time to make our offering because it is so convenient for the giver. Many lessons have been preached and Bible class lessons taught on the subject of giving. There are some differences of opinion about the matter, but for me, God is specific enough about “giving” that I don’t see how anyone could question it. One of the best lessons I ever heard on this subject was a sermon on the Gospel of Christ television program. Brother Ben Bailey taught the lesson on “Motivations for Giving,” and I want to share some of his thoughts with you, and I quote: What is our motivation for giving? What should cause us to want to give to the cause of Christ? I want us to look at …

In Nehemiah 8:1-8, Ezra was instructed to “Bring the Book.” What book? The book of the Law of Moses, which was known and acknowledged to be “the Word of God.” It was read to the people; they heard it and paid attention to it. When the Book was opened, the people stood and revered it saying, “Amen, Amen”! They worshiped and bowed their faces to the ground, because they knew it was the Word of God. It was made certain that they understood it. What has happened here? The book of the law, by which the people had not been abiding for a long, long time, was brought to them to hear, to learn, to know and to obey. They heard it, they paid attention to it, they were in awe of it and they revered it, but most of all, they understood it and obeyed it—starting that very day. Please observe this. The whole Bible is accepted widely by godly people and many non-Christians, too, as “the Word of God.” In particular, today, the New Testament is as necessary to be heard, to be heeded, to be approached with reverence as God’s Word, to be understood and to be obeyed as the rest of the Bible. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as …

For the second time during my life, I received a notice for Jury Duty. Some twenty years ago, the first time I had this duty, I was not picked. The trial was a lawsuit involving an accident. If my memory is okay, it was concerning an automobile accident. The lawyers asked if anyone had a question concerning the upcoming trial. I asked if there was any alcohol involved in this accident. The lawyer responded, “Why do you ask?” I said that I had strong views concerning the use of alcohol. I was not picked! I felt that to be fair, I should ask this question, since it was not brought up during the exchanges with those of us who were called to be jurors. Now that I am very close to 83-years-old, I wonder whether I will be picked or released from this duty. I know I am not as sharp as I used to be. Sometimes, I have trouble remembering names, and my oral explaining is more difficult than it was years ago. With that said, I have a very good understanding of what is right or wrong. Let’s call one’s understanding of what is right or wrong, the ought factor. “Ought” could be defined as something you should do. Further it is “used to indicate duty or correctness, typically when criticizing someone’s actions as they ought to respect the law.” “It is not what a lawyer tells me I may do; but what humanity, reason and justice tell me I …

In Matthew 12:42, we read, “The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.” We know that the Queen of the South is the Queen of Sheba. We read about her coming to Solomon in 1 Kings 10. There, we read in verse one, “And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions.” We are not given this queen’s name. All we know is that she was from the southwest part of Arabia and that she was very wealthy. The historian Josephus wrote that she was very interested in philosophy and logic. The queen was not just interested in the riches that Solomon had. She was not just interested in hearing him talk about all the animals in the world. We are told he could do that (1 Kings 4:33). She was not just interested in hearing him speak proverbs. We are told he gave 3,000 of those (1 Kings 4:32). The queen came to test Solomon’s spiritual wisdom. She was interested to see if what he had was from the God Jehovah that the Israelites claimed led them. After she had questioned him in every way she could think, she admitted that indeed Solomon was wiser than she had …

Discouragement can overtake a soul who tries to make sense of the world events and the attitudes of the populaces involved. It is sickening to see violence. Racism is inexcusable. The mistreatment of women is despicable. Religious persecution is wrong. Trafficking of human beings is slavery resurrected and incomprehensible to any mind with any sensitivity. In addition to the events, one might be overwhelmed by the direction of the discussions. Many times, they are fueled by issues of personality rather than by substance. Truth often has no place in a discussion, on either side of an issue. It is all about feelings—how one side feels hurt and another side feels empowered, or vice versa. Facts and even reality are distorted. It seems that no one cares. In vain I search each way for truth,In vain I look for reason.My people turn with every windTo values of the season. What once was right is wrong this day;What once was wrong is right.My wicked people are destroyed,Our ignorance the plight. The God of Heaven Who reigns aboveHas taught us truth from error.His mercy saves all those who hear,But rebels reap His terror. One day all people shall be judged;The standard is the Lord’s.His righteousness has been revealedIn His own Holy Word. Oh, help me find the truth, dear GodThrough all the darkest clouds.And help me as a candle shine,One light for dismal crowds. This disheartenment is nothing new. It might be granted that it feels new to a generation that was raised …

After the period of the Judges came the period of the United Kingdom. Saul’s reign was not one characterized by a seeking after God, nor much military conquest, like it was during the day of Joshua and the taking of the Promised Land. However, all that changed with David. David was by no means perfect, but he did more to honor God and bring glory to Israel than any of the other kings of the united monarchy. It was David who brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, something that had gone completely forgotten during the reign of Saul. It was David who first desired to build a permanent house for God and the Ark. It was David who subdued Israel’s enemies, paving the way for peace and prosperity for his son. It was David who became the image of what the Messiah would be like, the conquering king who would shepherd His people (Ezekiel 34:23-24; 37:24; Hosea 3:5).

Each of us makes choices, and we make them every day! It is a decision to choose happiness or a decision to choose unhappiness. It really does depend upon us (despite our belief that others make us happy or unhappy). Solomon suggested five areas where one should find “happiness” and a “cheerful heart.” First, one should be happy with his food and drink (v. 7). There are so many in the world who are dying of thirst and starvation. For those of us who have our “daily bread,” there should be an attitude of gratitude. Second, one should be happy with his clothes (v. 8a). If one can pick clothes that are comfortable (“white”), he should be happy with that. Again, there are many in the world who lack the kind of clothing needed for changes in the weather. If one has adequate clothing, there should be a sense of joy. Third, one should be happy if he has medicine (v. 8b). Solomon mentioned the benefits of “oil.” Frequently, oil was used for medicinal purposes, as well as an ointment to aid dry skin. Not everyone has either the availability of oil or the resources to purchase it. Fourth, one should be happy with his mate (v. 9). When one finds a wife, he has found “a good thing” (Proverbs 18:22). There are so many who are in unhappy marriages. Why are they unhappy? Usually, they are unhappy because one or both have failed to invest in the marriage, trying to make it the best marriage …

When a race begins, a true racer believes he can truly win. Even though all of the evidence and statistics would say otherwise, this racer believes he has a fighting chance to be victorious. It is that same belief that drives him to train harder and harder. It is that belief that strengthens him as he steps to the starting block. The first few steps, he is confident and staying with his opponents, neck and neck. However, slowly, he begins to fade. The harder he tries, the farther back he falls in the field. He is now in last place with what seems to be no hope. At this point, this racer has options. He can quit and slowly come to a stop before walking shamefully off the track. He can slow down and save his strength, because he is not going to win anyway. Or, he can keep running with the same strength and determination he had at the beginning of the race. This racer is determined to keep running. He runs harder than he has ever run before. He passes one person, then two, then three. The crowd is on its feet. No one can believe what he sees. The racers come to the final turn, and everyone anxiously watches to see what will happen. The racer gives it all he has and lunges forward while crossing the finish line. He places 4th and misses the podium completely. While some will only remember who placed in the top three, true …

Proverbs 30:24-28 reads: There are four things which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare their food in the summer; The rock badgers are a feeble folk, Yet they make their homes in the crags; The locusts have no king, Yet they all advance in ranks; The spider skillfully grasps with its hands, And it is in kings’ palaces. Let’s look at each of these little things. The ant is an industrious worker; the one with the load always has the right-of-way. The ant prepares for what is to come. Are we doing this? The rock badger is not strong, but it makes its home in the crags—rocks. Have we made our abode in the Rock of Ages by building upon His sayings (Matthew 7:24-27)? Locusts have no king, but they accomplish great things. According to a recent television documentary, they are willing to sacrifice themselves for the good of the whole. Are we people who are willing to cooperate, or do we want our own way? The spider (one translation says lizard) is a little insect or animal that grasps with its hands. It looks for and takes advantage of opportunities to accomplish its aims. As a result, it abides in king’s palaces. Paul commanded, “Study to show thyself approved of God…rightly dividing the word of truth.” Are we studying and the rightly applying—obeying? If so, we, too, will abide in the King’s palace.

Personal Bible study is often encouraged, and we will give account of ourselves to God. No one can study the Bible for us (Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10). However, there are benefits that can be gained from studying the Scriptures communally. The Jews in Berea collectively searched the Scriptures to verify what Paul and his companions taught was the truth (Acts 17:11). Paul told the church at Colossae to read the letter he wrote to them but also to swap letters with the Laodiceans and read the letter he wrote to the Laodiceans (Colossians 4:16). The letters to the seven churches of Asia were to be read by congregations together and circulated (Revelation 2–3). The purpose of Bible classes in the local church is to teach the Bible and to engage the mind of those present so they might study further on the ideas discussed in the classes. A forty-five-minute class cannot do justice to every passage studied, but it can whet the spiritual appetite of those present and cause them to plunge deeper into the verses discussed when they study on their own. From studying Engraving Heavenly Truths material on the Devil, Sin, and Hell, I learned several important lessons, three of which I would like to share in this article. The Devil is Defeated The Devil is the enemy of the human race, and he seeks to devour us all and to cause us to lose our souls (1 Peter 5:8). The Devil is described as the “prince of …

Almost daily, we are made aware of tragedies. Some tragedies are attributable to nature, like an earthquake. Some tragedies occur locally, such as those who die from the cold or others who die in fires. Still other people die by the hand of man, war dead, victims of terrorism or murder. The list of tragedies goes on and on. Lives are forever changed, and many lives are ruined. Tragedies of all sorts have been happening for a long time. There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:1-5 NKJV) Yet in all of this, the greatest tragedies of any generation are spiritual tragedies. Ignorance is a spiritual tragedy (Hosea 4:1, 6, 10). Sin was running rampant in Israel because of ignorance (Hosea 4:2). The nation was sliding like a backsliding heifer (Hosea 4:16). Israel was even described as forgetting her maker (Hosea 8:4). Ignorance will kill us! Indifference is also a spiritual tragedy (Revelation 3:14-19). The one talent man was called …

There are many interesting events surrounding the birth and infancy of Jesus Christ that do not get much attention. One such event concerns a man named Simeon. The setting was shortly after Mary, the virgin, gave birth to Jesus. “Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord” (Luke 2:22). Joseph was the God-fearing head of his household and made sure that Mary, his wife, followed the Lord’s instruction (Luke 2:23-24; Leviticus 12:1-8). The sacrifice they brought, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” indicated their poverty. It was at Jerusalem on this occasion that we are introduced to Simeon. The account that follows reveals an attitude and a response to Christ that will make our lives complete when we, like Simeon, possess them. Simeon Recognized the Lord’s Christ The text says that Simeon was “just and devout,” and that he was among those who had Messianic hope (Luke 2:25). The word “consolation” in “waiting for the Consolation of Israel” is from a Greek word that means “calling to one’s side for comfort.” It would remind the first readers of Isaiah 40:1, that reads, “‘Comfort, yes, comfort My people!’ Says your God,” a context in which the Lord comforts His people by announcing the coming Messiah. Even though many Jews of Jesus’ day were rebellious, there were still a few, like Simeon, who truly expected the Messiah. The Holy Spirit revealed to …

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth with a very surprising message for a young virgin named Mary. She would conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit and give birth to the Son of God! After the Bible was written, two prominent false teachings arose about the virginity of Mary. One false teaching says Mary was not a virgin when Jesus was born. This teaching claims she had physical relations with a man and conceived by him. However, the Bible clearly teaches that Mary was still a virgin when Jesus was born. Matthew says that a prophecy, which we find in Isaiah 7:14, was fulfilled in Mary. “So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1:22-23). Through a dream, an angel told Joseph that the child within Mary was conceived of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20-21). Joseph believed that message. He refrained from (avoided) physical union with Mary and let her remain a virgin until after the birth of Jesus. Joseph “…did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS” (Matthew 1:25). If a person denies the virgin birth of Jesus, he has denied that Jesus is the Son of God. That would be a denial of the foundational fact of Christianity (Matthew 16:15-18). Another false teaching …

There is a short story in 2 Kings 8:7-15 that I have never heard discussed, but in which there are a few lessons for us. Benhadad, king of Syria, was sick. He sent Hazael to Elisha to find out if he would recover. In the 10th verse we find, “And Elisha said to him, ‘Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover.’ However the Lord has shown me that he will really die.’” One may assume the prophet was telling a lie or condoning lying by Hazael. That is not so. It was true that he may certainly recover as far as the disease was concerned, but Hazael would kill him. Hazael did not tell the king what Elisha said. The king wanted to know his future. This is a common thing among the children of men. This is one reason fortune tellers and astrologers read tea leaves, examine the lines in the hand or look at the stars. Even little children may pull the leaves off the daisy, saying, “Loves me; loves me not,” until the last one reveals what they hope is the truth about the present or the future. Black cats may cross paths, persons may break mirrors or people may walk under ladders and assume that they then know more about their future than they did before. These tend toward lack of faith in God and may lead to direct dependence on evil spirits, witchcraft and such things. If “All things work together for good to …

In a recent edition of Time magazine, there was an excellent article entitled, “Science, God and Man.” Basically, it was written from an agnostic point of view and gives the reader some insight into that mind set. I hope you will read all of the article in Time, because space will only permit me to make a few observations. The author raised the question, “New discoveries in physics, cosmology, and biology make the universe more explainable, as well as more amazing. Does this undermine religious faith—or reinforce it?” In response to the question, true science has always enhanced one’s faith in the God of Heaven and in the Bible. One thing this writer has learned over the years is not to get too excited over new-found knowledge coming from the scientific community, because it will change next year. However, Beloved, such is not the case with the Bible. It is absolute truth (John 8:32; 17:17). It is the truth that does not change (Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Proverbs 30:6). The Bible teaches that God is the Creator of all things. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). The best commentary on Genesis 1:1 is Exodus 20:11, which reads, “For in the six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Nehemiah taught the same as Moses. “Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made …

A majority of Christian-minded men and women properly conclude that the first day of the week, Sunday, has been set aside as a day of worship in the Christian Age. In contrast, others promote the continued observance of the seventh day—the Sabbath—in the Christian Age. They assert that the Lord sanctified the seventh day on the very first seventh day. In addition, these people declare that such warrants the continued observance of the Sabbath as a day of rest in the Christian Age—to the exclusion of the first day of the week as a day of worship (Genesis 2:3). However, consider the following observations. Although this discussion only addresses one ploy made by the present-day defenders of the Sabbath Day, we may be assured that their other strategies can be addressed as clearly as has been done in this short article. May we be reminded that the day biblically assigned as a day of worship in the Christian Age is the first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:2), as supported by the biblical record and example of Acts 20:7. As we ardently defend the first day of the week as the divinely assigned day of worship, may we also ardently support by our active involvement the first day of the week as the Christian day of worship. We trust that our membership will assemble on the Lord’s Day at every opportunity.

A recent Reuters news report states, “Moses might not have parted the Red Sea, but a strong east wind that blew through the night could have pushed the waters in the way described in Biblical writings.” Using computer simulations, U.S. researchers said wind could push water back at a point where a river bent to merge with a coastal lagoon. “The wind moves the water in a way that’s in accordance with physical laws, creating safe passage with water on two sides and then abruptly allowing the water to rush back in.” Skeptics have always shown an interest in trying to turn miraculous events in Scripture into ordinary occurrences governed by natural law. In reality, this is testimony to the historical accuracy of the accounts themselves. If they were myths, there would be no need to try to debunk what Scripture says happened through divine intervention. That critics of Scripture offer natural explanations is evidence of their historical accuracy. Regarding the parting of the Red Sea, Scripture makes clear it was indeed a strong wind that separated the waters. “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided” (Exodus 14:21). After the Israelites were across the sea, “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and …

Exodus begins with, “And these are the names,” indicating Moses was continuing the story of Genesis. A list of the sons of Jacob who entered Egypt with their father, some seventy people not counting Joseph and his family, followed (Exodus 1:1-5). The population of the children of Israel grew rapidly, to the point that Moses could say the land was filled with them. A Pharaoh ascended to the throne who did not know Joseph. Fear of the rapidly multiplying Hebrews led him to deal craftily with them by placing them in slavery. The Hebrews continued to grow in numbers, despite the hard work (Exodus 1:6-14). Pharaoh told the two women in charge of the Hebrew midwives to kill all the boy babies at birth. They feared God more than any human authority, so they refused to be a part of such cruelty. When they did not follow Pharaoh’s instructions, the number of the people continued to grow. When questioned by Pharaoh, they explained that the Hebrew women were sturdier than the Egyptian women, and the children were born before midwives could even arrive on the scene. God blessed these women with homes and families, not because they lied to Pharaoh, but because they feared Him more than man (Exodus 1:15-21). The failure of his first two plans caused Pharaoh to tell all his Hebrew subjects to cast every male child into the river. Amram and Jochebed, of the tribe of Levi, had a baby boy. Their faith in God motivated …