Being a part of the church is an amazing blessing that we as Christians get to experience every day. First, we know that we have been saved and added to the church by the Lord (Acts 2:47). There are so many people in the world who are lost in sin as we once were. It is such a blessing to know that our sins have been washed away (1 Corinthians 6:11) and that we are in a right relationship with God right now. As saved Christians, we worship, work, fellowship and grow closer to one another and to God. It is amazing to be part of the family of God (Ephesians 3:15) where we can develop and work as Christians together. Knowing that you always have a church family to which you can turn is such an incredible blessing in the life of a Christian. For some people, the church is the only family they have. We always need to remember that we are so very blessed to be a part of the body of Christ. The church is such a blessing to our lives when we let it be, but what are we doing with that blessing? Are we keeping that blessing to ourselves, or are we sharing that blessing with the world (Mark 16:15-16)? If we really want those who are lost in sin to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), we have to share the good news of Christ and the blessing of His church with the entire …

Our Bible presents the worldly ways in the words of 1 John 2:15—’All that is in the world; the lust of eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride or vainglory.’ As we see movies and television, and as we hear others as we grow up, we become acquainted with various forms of the flesh. No wonder there is a stark difference between lust and love (1 Corinthians 13). Described in this chapter is the love that God desires us to have and cultivate. This love ‘worketh no evil, is not easily provoked and does not behave itself unseemly’ [evil conduct]. It never fails! Contrast this description with the outcome of lust, which always saddles the person with guilt and regret, surprises of the unplanned and failures of anything worthwhile. To grow in God’s teaching (1 Peter 2:1-2) is to become the servant of God and of others. This verse leads off with commands to put away malice and guile, hypocrisies and envying, as well as all evil speaking. Movies and television promote the very ungodly traits that Christians are to expunge from their lives. Instead, as newborn babes desire milk, so the servant of God craves the sincere milk of God’s Word to grow up with love that God desires us to possess. Remember, 1 Corinthians 13 begins with the admonition to not think if we give our bodies to be burned and bestow all our goods to feed the poor, that we have done well, if charity …

Often, I have heard or used the phrase, “Oh, that is just him (or her) being him (or her).” Often it carries a negative connotation, but, sometimes, it is a compliment. It can be that someone has acted in a kind way or has done something special. We had a wonderful friend and mentor in Valdosta, Georgia where I preached at the Airport congregation for nine years. When we moved there, I was only 26 years old, and Barbara was 25. We had one small child at the time. This wonderful lady, Brunell Dykes, a retired nurse, basically adopted us. She showed me where the members lived and how to get around in Valdosta. She was a confidant and aid to Barbara. Years later, she would serve as the “honorary grandmother” at our daughter’s wedding. She was well known for her service. She was the “nurse of Dasher” in the neighborhood where she lived. I once went to visit someone in the hospital, and Brunell asked me to apologize to him for not having been able to visit him yet. His response said volumes, “That is okay, because that means that Brunell is helping someone else.” He was probably right. That was simply “Brunell being Brunell.” She passed away last year at the age of 100. She left behind a legacy of Christian service, of just being like Jesus. When we speak of Jesus being Jesus, that is a many faceted concept. It shines through when He, struggling with death, …

Disciplined to be pillars of strength for Jesus Christ,Disciples in the truest sense of the Word,Disciplined to seek the truth of God’s Word,Disciplined to love it with all the heart,Disciplined to spread its message to all the world. Furthermore, we must beDisciplined to love all mankind fervently,Disciplined to love each other more dearly,Disciplined to pray for each other daily,Disciplined to present ourselves asservants of righteousness before God.

A father raises his children. He invests in their upbringing. He encourages their education. He provides structure, a home, food on the table and hope for the future. He watches over them while they sleep and teaches them when they are awake. He wants them to grow up and be strong. He wants them to have a great future free from strife and anguish, sorrow and misery. He gives them stability. He encourages them to work and to improve themselves—to flourish under his protection and guidance. Then one day, a child declares, “I’m not your child. Look what I have done for myself, how great I am, how strong I am and how prosperous I am. I do not have to obey you, and I will not recognize you as my father.” How many times this type of situation has played out in families throughout time, but few more are tragic than in God’s family. Isaiah wrote, “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me; The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider” (Isaiah 1:2-3). Some parents will not admit the truth about their children’s condition. They will hide from reality. They will say things like, “They’re good kids; they just got in with the wrong crowd.” God is more honest than that. God said of His children, “Alas, …

Dictionaries have been around for a long time, some sources state as far back as 2300 B.C. So, the concept of a dictionary that defines a word has proven itself in the crucible of time! A dictionary is a collection of words that are generally arranged in alphabetical order. The treatment of the word may vary from dictionary to dictionary. However, it is common to find a phonetic spelling, some history of the word’s meaning (called etymology) and a description of how the term is used. What is the difference between a dictionary and a lexicon? First of all, one should keep in mind that a Bible Dictionary does not function in the same way as a Greek or Hebrew Lexicon. Bible Dictionaries tend to define people, places and things in the Bible, but lexicons deal more with linguistics. So, what is a lexicon? Some may answer this question differently. A lexicon is similar to a dictionary but involves two languages with an effort to bridge a gap in the user’s understanding. The words are listed in alphabetical order by the language being defined. Then, the phonetics, definitions, etc. are provided in the other language in order to learn the meaning of the referent term in the other language. For example, a Greek Lexicon will have Greek terms listed in order of the Greek alphabet, then have information relating to the term’s meaning in English. Some lexicons provide more information about the term’s form, meaning and usage in the New …

Note the first sentences in an article entitled, “A Fin Is a Limb Is a Wing” by Carl Zimmer, National Geographic (November 2006). “The father of evolution was a nervous parent. Few things worried Charles Darwin more than the challenge of explaining how nature’s most complex structures, such as the eye, came to be. ‘The eye to this day gives me a cold shudder,’ he wrote to a friend in 1860.” We understand that National Geographic is one of the most influential magazines that has publicized the false doctrine and counterfeit science of evolution. To be sure, I believe Charles Darwin shuddered very often. Of a truth the Psalmist could write by inspiration of God, “I will praise thee: for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well” (Psalms 193:14). In Stephen Charnock’s classic, The Existence and Attributes of God (1:64-65), Charnock beautifully outlines the magnificent complex, interrelated, interconnecting workings of our body. He catalogs the “marvelous…works” of the heart, the mouth, the brain, the ear, the eye, etc.—all working in harmony and truly “wonderfully made.” Indeed, the complexity of the human body and the host of living creatures, as well as all sorts of vegetation, are all unexplainable if you leave God out of the equation as our Creator. Only God has the answer, and poor Charles Darwin, the “father of evolution,” must answer to His Creator. “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). With the remarkable eye let us …

Jeremiah, the prophet, was from a small town named Anathoth. This town was about two miles northeast of Jerusalem. It was a city of priests. Anathoth means “answer.” The word was used many times in regular speech to indicate the answers to prayer. When Jeremiah prophesied to the kingdom of Judah, no one wanted to listen. Many simply ignored what he had to say, and some wanted to kill him. They did not want him preaching to them at all. The people of Anathoth were among these people. In Jeremiah 11:21-23, we read about these terrible people. They told Jeremiah, “Prophesy not in the name of the Lord, that thou die not by our hand.” They continually threatened him with death if he told them what God wanted them to do. This is so sad. Not only were the men priests, but they lived in the city that gave the picture of answers from God. The priests were the ones who were supposed to remind the people of the laws of God. They were supposed to lead the people in proper worship so that God would answer their prayers with blessings. The High Priest was the one who had the Urim and Thummim, through which God answered specific questions. There were signs that God was bringing punishment upon Judah. The people were going to their false gods for answers to their problems instead of going to God. God was going to answer them anyway. However, the answer was going to …

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefit…” (Psalm 103:1-2). For whatever reason that David had experienced in his life, he was moved to write this beautiful Psalm (of course, guided by the Holy Spirit). His heart was overflowing with the need of blessing the Lord for all that God had done for him. Should we not possess the same kind of heart as David? Consider all that the Lord has done for us physically and especially spiritually. All the perfect and good gifts come from God (James 1:18). His Son, Jesus Christ, died for us on Calvary’s cross so that we could be forgiven by His precious blood (John 3:16; Ephesians 1:7). I want to encourage our brethren who lead our minds in prayers during our worship assemblies to include expressions of praise and gratitude for all that God has done and is doing for us. It is sad to note there are times when prayers are led wherein brethren fail to express thanks for God’s grace, mercy, love, lovingkindness and His longsuffering. How can this be? Petitions, supplications and intercessions are expressed; however, there is a great need of our expressions of gratitude (1 Timothy 2:1; Philippians 4:6) in our prayers! Let us “enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name, For the Lord is good; …

Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” This is one of my favorite proverbs because not only does it tell us about the majesty of God but also of the great value in learning. There are many who would seek to replace the wisdom of the Word of God with the ignorance of the prideful. These people would seek to replace God as the supreme being with themselves or another lesser, imagined power. These people are described as fools in Psalm 14:1. In the Holy Scriptures, we find the true source of knowledge: our mighty God. The “fear” mentioned in the verse is not the kind of which we immediately think in English, which is a “terror.” Rather, as the Pulpit Commentary says of “terror” here, it means “to fear or reverence,” which is a “holy fear.” It is a fear by which we are afraid to offend God…that fear of Jehovah which is elsewhere described as “to hate evil” (Proverbs 8:13). This fear or fear to offend God is the beginning of true wisdom, for if we keep God and His will, and use that as our motivation, we will surely prosper in our lives. God is the source of all reality and, therefore, of all that is good and all that we should desire to know. However, we are told of those who don’t want to know the path of a God-centered knowledge. A great many people have …

Bodies are composed of many members with differing functions (1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12), and this is true of the Lord’s body—the church—as well (Colossians 1:18). Ephesians 4:11 states that some were given as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists and some as pastors. No one alive today meets the qualifications to be an apostle (Acts 1:21ff), and prophesy was a miraculous gift of the 1st century and as such is no longer present. (Only apostles could pass on the miraculous gifts, Acts 8:18). This leaves us with evangelists and pastors. The evangelist is the one who proclaims the Gospel, and pastors are the ones more commonly known as elders (Acts 20:17, also known in Scripture as shepherds or pastors, Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2). Deacons are important to the body as well, but their task is a different one. According to their establishment in Acts 6, their purpose is to meet physical needs while the leadership focuses on the spiritual needs. This doesn’t make one role more important than another, just like one part of your body is not more important than another. What this means is that for bodies to function properly, the different members need to be present and working together to bring glory to the Head—Jesus.

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the Word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word, And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and prayed and laid their hands on then. (Acts 6:1-6) Murmuring “A complaint by the Hellenists arose.” The KJV translates, “there arose a murmuring.” Murmuring is a serious sin (1 Corinthians 10:10), and Christians are warned not to engage in it (Philippians 2:14). “Murmuring” is not an acceptable way to communicate a problem to the leadership. However, instead of condemning murmuring, the apostles listened and understood there was a genuine problem. Solving problems, pacifying people and keeping peace were all deemed more important, so the apostles responded as if the problem had been called to their attention the right way. Delegation The apostles needed to continue giving their …

Most preachers have been confronted with folks who said, “I saw Jesus the other night as He stood by my bed, and I am saved.” Those who know the Scriptures know that Jesus does not appear personally to anyone in our day and age. Like Thomas, many fail to believe unless they are able to reach their finger into the prints of the nails in Christ’s hands or into the side of the Lord where the spear pierced Him. Only when Thomas saw Jesus, and could have done as he desired, did Thomas declare, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). On another occasion Jesus told Thomas, “If you had known me, you should have known my Father also” (John 14:7). While it is true that none of us have ever seen Jesus in the flesh, the writer of Hebrews penned, “We see Jesus” (Hebrews 2:9). Just how do we see Jesus? The writer indicated that we see Him “made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” We also see Jesus as a great Teacher. He “taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Mark 1:22). The superiority of Jesus was expressed in His teaching over that of Moses. He repeatedly stated, “But I say unto you.” While He kept the Law of Moses perfectly, He did not hesitate to indicate His superiority. Also, we …

The word “mystery” occurs twenty-two times in the New Testament, most often in the writings of Paul. The apostle used the word ten times in Ephesians and Colossians alone. Our English word is translated from the Greek, musterion, which has an interesting history. According to Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, the term means “primarily that which is known to the mustes, ‘the initiated’’’ (424). Ancient religious cults often held ceremonies that were open only to those who had been initiated into the secret teaching of the group. These enlightened ones then gained special status and privileges not available to outsiders. Words, however, are ultimately defined by their use, and the New Testament context suggests a different sense of meaning. In the NT it denotes, not the mysterious, but that which, being outside the range of unassisted natural apprehension, can be made known in a manner and at a time appointed by God, and to those only who are illumined by His Spirit. In the ordinary sense a “mystery” implies knowledge withheld; its Scriptural significance is truth revealed. (424) Notice this pattern in the letter to the Ephesians. Paul explained his knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which consisted of the following: “that Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6). This mystery was unknown to the men of other ages (3:5) but was part of God’s eternal purpose (3:11). When the time was right (1:10), God brought …

Several times each week an advertisement by a local First United Methodist Church aired on the local cable television. The ‘pastor’ of that church stated, “We recognize that not everyone worships the same…” He went on to say that the First United Methodist Church offers three different types of worship—Contemporary, Traditional and Casual services “where we break out the old Cokesbury Hymnal.” Then, viewers were invited to “Pick a service that meets your needs.” This television commercial plainly sets forth the fact that this church and its pastor are in no way interested in what the Bible says about worship that is offered to God. Where and when does God in His new covenant (the New Testament) give men a choice of how they worship Him? When did He say that men should choose a way of worship that pleases them or meets their needs, rather than offer worship which pleases Him? In His conversation with the Samaritan woman, Jesus stated: Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:21-24) Notice that Jesus talked about the …

First Timothy 2:9-12 is a passage of Scripture most “modern thinkers” do not like. The very idea that God would limit what women can do in the church is a real turn-off to many people. What people need to realize, however, is that the Almighty God, who created us, knows what works best in human relationships, whether in the home or in the church! Concerning leading worship where both men and women are present, God wills that “men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” (1 Timothy 2:8). The word translated “men” (from aner) is gender specific for males (same word in Acts 8:12; 17:12; 1 Timothy 2:12). In contrast to men who are to worship by providing holy leadership, women are to worship by allowing the men to lead. This is not easy to those of a worldly mind. However, when Christian women correctly “dress” their hearts, God’s “commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3), and His will is done! Internal Wardrobe Paul, through the Holy Spirit, addressed the proper, spiritual clothing when he wrote, “in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works” (1 Timothy 2:9-10). In these verses, Paul gave three pieces of the character-outfit Christian women are to wear for their God-given role in the church. First, Christian women are to dress modestly. The term …

In our cupboards or pantries are items that state “pure” on them. For instance, vanilla flavoring is “pure,” and the only ingredient listed for sugar is “sugar,” so it is pure. We all know that means there have been no changes to the original product—no additives such as preservatives or coloring. The product is what it says it is; it is 100% pure and free of alterations. This is always good for people with allergies to know because some additives stir up allergies when ingested. However, most of us don’t have to fret over such a thing as purity, that is, until it comes to our spiritual well-being. In that light, any changes, alterations or additives become a thorn to our spiritual lives. Christians must guard against foreign matters of any sort that will separate them from God’s favor. From the beginning, God’s people were to remain pure and free from inter-marriages with other people. He said in Leviticus 20:24, “I am the Lord your God Who has separated you from other people.” Why did God do such a thing? Listen to why: “Neither shall you make marriages with them…for they will turn away your sons from following Me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you and destroy you suddenly.” God demanded purity in order to keep the people true in service to Him, for their own good, too. God still expects that of Christians today. “Come out from among …

The grass was turning brown, for it had not rained for many days. As the lightning began to flash and the thunder rumbled, I sat on the front porch and watched and prayed. When I said, “God, if you see fit to let a few drops fall, I will be grateful, but if not, thank you for the thunder and lightning,” it began to rain. I am not implying that my prayer had anything to do with that, but it did have to do with the title of this article as well as some of the thoughts that came to shame me. We have sung many times, “There shall be showers of blessings. Showers of blessings we need. Mercy drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead.” The thought struck me with force: We have had showers of blessings all of our lives and have in blind ingratitude only thought of them as “mercy drops,” always wanting more, but not properly grateful for what we have. I sat there with tears in my eyes. Perhaps tears of gratitude for God sending the rain, but also probably tears of shame for not being as grateful as I should have been for God’s infinite grace and thinking of the multitude and magnitude of His blessings merely as “mercy drops.” Not a day passes that I do not thank God for many blessings, but when I examined my heart, I am ashamed to confess that probably many of those expressions …

I am confident that a good number of Christian men and women are interested in assisting others in becoming faithful children of God and motivating them to be active servants in the kingdom of God. We ask what character traits may a Christian possess that would assist in being able to fulfill such worthy goals? The context of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus and the character traits of Ananias suggest seven things: (1) being sensitive to God’s call (Acts 9:10), (2) having the will to face a difficult assignment (Acts 9:11), (3) having the will to be the answer to another’s prayer (Acts 9:12), (4) being sensitive to one’s own inadequacy and apprehension (Acts 9:13-14), (5) being willing to obey when sent by the Lord (Acts 9:15, 17), (6) being a devout person (Acts 22:12) and (7) having a strong testimony from others of good character (Acts 22:12). Not only can we develop such traits to assist others in their relationship with the Lord, but we as well can develop these traits for our own personal spiritual growth and maturation. May each of us have the courage to commit to the task of growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.

The world challenges the Christian’s faith daily. Paul understood that and wrote to strengthen the faith of the brethren at Rome through a series of rhetorical questions. I am thankful to Roger Johnson for helping me see these powerful questions. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). Joshua and Caleb understood this, though they saw the same giants as the other ten spies (Numbers 14:6-9). Isaiah and John both underscored the power of having God on their side (Isaiah 41:14-15; 1 John 4:4). “How shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). This question follows the simple, yet dynamic statement that God gave His own Son up for us. We should, therefore, put God’s kingdom, the church, first in our thinking and acting (Matthew 6:33; Ephesians 3:14-20). “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?” (Romans 8:33). God actively works so those who live in accord with His will can be as if they never sinned (Romans 4:7-8). Our accuser is defeated because of the offering of Jesus’ blood (Revelation 12:10-11). “Who is he who condemns?” (Romans 8:34). Jesus is seated at God’s right hand. He is able to completely save us, and He is ready to intercede on our behalf (Hebrew 7:25). There is no condemnation for those who have been baptized into Christ and walk according to the Spirit’s direction (Galatians 3:27; Romans 8:1). “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (Romans 8:35). Those who continue …

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Most people like getting something new. While there is a nostalgia for some of the things from our past, who doesn’t enjoy sitting in a new car and enjoying that new car smell? Everything is clean and fresh, and we make a promise to ourselves we will never eat in it to help preserve that pristine feeling it has (which, if you have children or grandchildren, is a rash vow). With time, however, the aroma that once permeated the vehicle dissipates. There may be crumbs and French fries in several nooks and crannies under the seats, and that inevitable ding or scratch has happened, giving it part of its new character. We may try to recapture that new feeling again. We can have it detailed inside and out, with some fresh scent sprayed to help revitalize the interior (which never does have the aroma of that new car smell). We can get scratch remover or touch up paint to try covering the external defects. Ultimately, however, the luster of when it was new fades as we become accustomed to its idiosyncrasies. It may start having mechanical issues, or it may be ol’ reliable, but it isn’t new anymore. Such is the nature of things in the material world. Even in our lives, as we mature and grow older, our bodies remind us we’re not the same …