There are those today who despise the Bible and all for which it stands. “Get God out of our schools, our public institutions and our lives” is the cry of fools today. Bibles are taken away from school children by teachers and thrown in the garbage can, according to some reports. Those who have such attitudes and actions revel in their successes, and yet, the Bible they hate so much warns them of their own destruction. Proverbs 13:13 reads, “He who despises the word will be destroyed, But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded” (NKJV). When individuals know what the Scriptures say on any particular subject, then reject that Word, they show their despite for God and His Word. Denominational preachers, pastors and priests are in this category. Those who deliberately and willfully sin, trample the Son of God underfoot, count the blood of the covenant a common thing and insult the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:26-29). Is it any wonder that Jesus said to those who only say, “Lord, Lord,” ‘Depart from me, you who work lawlessness, I never knew you.’ Do you despise the Word, or have you obeyed it from the heart to the saving of your soul?

You may not realize this, but it is a fact that we all have only three days about which to be concerned in this lifetime. Those who make the most of these three days will be happy, successful and richly rewarded. These days are yesterday, todayand tomorrow. Learning from YESTERDAY In Genesis 30:27, Laban spoke to his son-in-law Jacob about having “learned by experience” (NKJV). We read in Job 32:7 that “…days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom” (KJV). The Lord desires and expects us to learn from our experiences of yesterday or the past. By using yesterday as an educational experience, we will succeed in doing what the Lord wants of us, and that is to become more and more like Christ each day (2 Corinthians 4:16). This will only happen, though, if we learn from yesterday. If we fail to learn from our experience – our yesterday – we cannot be given the grace that is necessary for salvation. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2 NKJV). We must do better; we must grow. Yesterday is to be our teacher. Someone playfully groaned, “Yesterday was such a bad day that even my twin sister forgot my birthday!” The truth is that we can and must learn from even our bad yesterdays. Only the unwise fail to learn from the yesterdays of their lives. Living TODAY to the Fullest There is a saying about …

Imagine you were the great apostle, aged and innocent and always helpful but now “quarantined” on a forsaken island because of your religion, a religion seen as subversive to the government. You are alone, without help, feeling every cold wind, hot sun and hunger pang, and it is not your fault. What would be your attitude? I am afraid mine, after reveling in my righteous dilemma, could find me starting to fuss at God to “Get me outta here!” What did John do? He was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” (Revelation 1:10). In other words, he set his mind on the things of God, and when Sunday came around, he worshipped Him Who is forever and ever. This enabled John to endure his trial for two years! You see, if God is your companion through life, then you are never alone, even if there is nobody else around. God helped John and still used him for great good in this circumstance. Will God stay by your side? Oh, yes, all the way to the end! “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6 NKJV).

There is a passage in Genesis that many people have wondered about down through the centuries. While some speculation remains, there are some powerful spiritual truths that can be taken away from the account that Moses offered regarding Jacob’s wrestling match with the Lord. Genesis 32:24-28 reads: Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” (NKJV) As one studies these passages, there is some question about whether the one Jacob wrestled with was God or an angel. Many scholars are divided about the identity of the one grappling with Jacob. Suffice it to say that this was a being of divine nature and of great strength. Whether directly or indirectly, Jacob wrestled with God. It seems that the one grappling with Jacob had enough of the antics of the patriarch and moved Jacob’s hip out of joint. It appears that Jacob was a scrapper because he did not let …

Paul’s meeting with the Ephesian elders reveals much about his desire to spread the good news to all people. It began with his willingness to say everything people needed to hear. He reminded them of his work, saying, “how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:20-21 NKJV). We must be like him because the Lord assigned us the task of taking the Gospel to every person under Heaven (Mark 16:15-16; Ezekiel 3:17-19). The apostle to the Gentiles was able to speak openly because he did not count his physical life dear. Despite knowing that chains and tribulation awaited him in Jerusalem, he declared, “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself” (Acts 20:24). The brethren in Caesarea begged him not to go, but he asked, “…What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13). We, too, need to recognize the importance of denying self, taking up our cross and following Jesus (Luke 14:26-27). Paul’s single purpose was to finish the course the Lord gave him. He expressed his overriding desire, saying, “…so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which …

“Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king” (1 Peter 2:17). When Peter wrote that we should honor all people, he was speaking of showing esteem to others, to bestow special marks of favor on someone, to prize, to assign worth or value. It is used of the attitude children should have toward their parents (Ephesians 6:2), of kings or those in authority (1 Peter 2:17), of God and Christ (John 5:22-23) and of everyone (Romans 12:10). This principle is true because we all are created in the image of God. We may feel some people are not worthy of honor due to their conduct. Interestingly, when Peter wrote 1 Peter and exhorted his readers to “honor the king [emperor],” he was speaking of Nero. While we certainly should not emulate ungodly and sinful behavior, we can still acknowledge the love of God for all, that He does not desire any to be lost and that all deserve to hear the Gospel, which can change one’s heart, behavior and eternal destination. This concept of honor is rooted not only in our being created in the image of God but in that God honors those who reflect that image. This basic principle was emphasized when God confronted Eli about his sons. “Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says: ‘Far be it from Me; for those who …

Bodily pain has an important function. It is a warning that something is wrong and that steps should be taken to correct the difficulty. A leper may grab hold of a hot coal and, if he is not alert, burn part of his hand away because no warning messages of pain come through the nerves of his hand. Pain is beneficent when it brings about correction of what is wrong. Human suffering can likewise have corrective value. It can be a warning to him who is following a wrong path – a warning that comes soon enough for him to change his ways. Much is said in Proverbs about willingness to accept reproof from one’s fellows. He is a wise man who does not resent a rebuke (Proverbs 15:10). He profits by it. However, in Proverbs 3:11, the writer thought of a rebuke administered by the Lord. “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction.” Suffering may be God’s way of awakening a man to his wrongdoing. If the man regards this chastening as the act of a loving father trying to correct his son, he will extract the full value from his pain. While much of what Job’s friend Elihu said was incorrect, he was right on this point (Job 5:17-18). The inspired writer of the epistle of Hebrews quoted Elihu and validated the point that the Lord does discipline those whom He loves (Hebrews 12:5-11). Sometimes we foolishly think that our devotion …

The Kingship of Christ is central to the Gospel message. Jesus was the legitimate King of the Jews. Throughout His life, He is portrayed in the gospel records as the King that came to save the people. From Bethlehem to Calvary, He was the rightful sovereign. Even at the cross, a sign was hung above Him in three languages. Recorded in the Gospel account of John are the following words. Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘He said, I am the King of the Jews.’” (John 19:19-21 NKJV) Notice how Pilate ignored their pleas; they had wanted the sign to declare Jesus had said this without a legitimate claim to the throne. Pilate did not grant them this and placed the sign above the man in which he had found no fault. Notice that when their supporters had a choice between Christ and Barabbas, when “…Pilate said to them, Shall I crucify your King?” they declared, “…We have no king but Caesar” (John19:15). This was treason against the King of the Old Testament prophecies, from their reasoning. If Jesus was not the true Son of David, then …

We often spend a lot of time talking about the identifying marks of the church – rightfully so. We need to continue to preach and to teach about the singular nature of the church (Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:4). We also need to teach our friends and our neighbors about how one is scripturally added to the church that belongs to Jesus Christ (Acts 2:36-41, 47). Likewise, we should be sure to emphasize the way the New Testament church worships and her opposition to denominationalism (John 4:24; 17:20-21). However, after we have searched the Scriptures and learned how to properly identify the church and to become members of it, we should see what God expects from those of us who are members of the church. Faithfulness God wants His church to be faithful in all things. Jesus promised persecution to His followers, but He also promised a reward for those who endure until the end (Matthew 10:22). God is faithful to us and has fulfilled all of His promises. This should motivate us to respond in faithfulness to Him (1 Corinthians 10:13). It is easy to begin going in the right direction, but faithfulness means that we continue to go in the right direction until the end. The churches in the first century were told to be faithful even in the face of death, and they would receive a crown of life (Revelation 2:10). If we are faithful, we can expect to receive the same (2 Timothy 4:8). Faithfulness involves doing the …

It is a known fact that during the ministry of Jesus on earth, there were varying degrees of faith in those who came to Him. Consider the following three examples. In Mark 9:17-24, Jesus cast out a mute spirit from a son whose father wavered between faith and doubt. In Mark 1:40-45, He healed a leper who knew He could heal but was not sure He would. In Luke 7:1-10, our Lord healed the servant of a centurion who was so sure of the outcome that he asked Jesus merely to speak the word from afar. As you can see from these three examples, not all people exercise the same degree of faith. In our day, not all Christians exercise the same degree of faith either. Some people seem to think their problems are too big for God to solve. Others are sure that God is all-powerful, but they are not confident that He will do what is best for them. Still others affirm, “I know what God can do, and I’ll trust Him to do what He has promised.” Such attitudes range from a weak and tentative faith to a firm confidence that takes God at His word and believes He is loving, cares and is good. What does God want from us as His children? His ultimate goal for each of us, when it comes to our faith, is that we may know and experience the fullness of His ongoing fellowship. Your faith will grow and be more …

“Christ-mas” was originally a special Roman Catholic Church mass that focused on the birth of Christ – the incarnation. Since the date of Jesus’ birth is unknown, the RCC chose the pagan festival for the rebirth of the sun, when in the northern hemisphere the daylight hours start getting longer. In a much-used tactic, they gave Christian meaning to a pagan festival. So, Christmas traces back to a pagan festival and a Roman Catholic Mass. The church, though, is not authorized to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Consequently, many in churches of Christ oppose giving Christmas any religious significance, celebrating it just as a family holiday gathering. I remember a tag line on a church bulletin, maybe even announcing a sermon topic, that read, “Keep Christ out of Christmas.” That was decades ago, but I remember thinking then, “I do not want to keep Christ out of anything or anywhere.” Today, secular humanists want to keep Christ out of everything. I want to be their strongest opposition. I do not want to be their ally. A little boy was told, “No one knows the actual birthday of Jesus; somebody just made up a date to celebrate.” The boy said, “Wow. If we didn’t know when mine was, I would want somebody to make up one for me.” A passage in Romans directly addresses how Christians should deal with special holidays, but it is rarely quoted or mentioned in most of the sermons and articles that tell us we should not preach or sing about …

We live in America, and so, naturally, that’s where most of our focus lies. We read news about our country, know about the leaders of our country and are concerned about the issues of it. Yet, if we’re serious about the Gospel – Jesus’ call to go into all the world (Matthew 28:19-20) –  shouldn’t we be concerned about the morality of other places on the globe as well as morality in our own country? Specifically, shouldn’t we be concerned about the fact that 336,000,000 babies have been aborted over the last 42 years (as of 2013)? That’s 336 million. The 50 million or so babies aborted in the US during the same time frame disgusts us, and so, what should our reaction be to the multiplied problem in other countries? To put that huge 336 million figure in perspective, the number of abortions in China over the last 42 years is more than: Pretty scary, isn’t it? Now, no one is counting on government to overcome the great evil happening in that country (and the same is true for ours). The only thing that will halt the murder of innocent babies is the Gospel, and the responsibility for getting the Gospel to people who don’t have it lies heavily on the shoulders of the ones who do have the Gospel. That’s us! It’s our job to reach people around the world with God’s message of hope and truth. Only then might we see the staggering numbers from China decrease. …

Do not think in your heart, after the Lord your God has cast them out before you, saying, “Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess this land”; but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out from before you. It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you go in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God drives them out from before you, and that He may fulfill the word which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (Deuteronomy 9:4-5 NKJV) Moses spoke to Israel clearly: It is not because of you. Too many times, we experience blessings and conclude that we, our actions, our thoughts, our deeds or even our righteousness are the cause of blessings coming to us. Consider Israel as a prime example of the exact opposite being true. Instead, it was God’s divine punishment that brought them this array of blessings, together with their forefather’s incredible faithfulness to God. If Israel wasn’t to consider itself as anything special due to the blessings it received, what lessons can we learn about humility when we receive blessings today? When Blessed, We Need to Learn to Honor God. When we are blessed, we need to learn to honor God for those blessings instead of thinking of ourselves. The failure to honor God is exemplified in 1 Samuel …

“But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Hebrews 13:16 NKJV). This text describes some Jewish Christians who, because of their knowledge that Jesus was the Messiah, were no longer able to worship with other Jews. Praise and acts of service had become their sacrifices – ones they could offer anytime, anywhere. In other words, when they served others, God was pleased with the “sacrifice.” What was true for them, then, is still true for us today. God intends for us to offer sacrificial service to Him by serving others. We must serve others with a sacrifice that is costly (Acts 4:32-37). To give sacrificially requires more than a token effort or gift. God wants us to give voluntarily, but He wants it to mean something. Giving to God what costs you nothing does not demonstrate commitment. We must serve others with a sacrifice that is dedicated (Matthew 19:21). Does dedication mean that we should sell everything we own? Not necessarily. We should, however, be willing to give up anything if God needs for us to do so. This kind of attitude allows nothing to come between us and God, and that attitude keeps us from using our God-given wealth selfishly. If you are comforted by the fact that Christ did not tell all His followers to sell all their possessions, then you may be too attached to what you have. We must serve others with a sacrifice that is …

According to Vines respecting “faithfulness”: The word faithful itself has to do with trust, loyalty, being trustworthy and true. Thus, a person who is unfaithful as a child of God is faithless. Such a one is lacking in faith. He demonstrates that he is given to breaking promises to God. This type of child of God is untrustworthy in his stewardship to Christ. “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful” (l Corinthians 4:2 NKJV). Each of us would do well to ask himself these soul-searching questions, “Will I be able to pass this test on judgment day? Am I faithful as a steward? Can my Master (My Lord and Savior) completely rely on me? Can He count on me to be totally trustworthy to carry out my commitment to Him and His church?” (2 Corinthians 5:10). How is it that so many members of the church seem to be so complacent, lukewarm, indifferent and, yes, even unfaithful in their service (with regard to their stewardship) to the Master, Jesus Christ, and to His bride the church? How can people consider themselves to be faithful members of the church when they are unfaithful in attendance (Hebrews 10:25; Matthew 6:33)? How can people consider themselves to be faithful when their giving is irregular, and they fail to give as they have been prospered (1 Corinthians 16:1-2)? How can people consider themselves to be faithful when they neither participate in nor support the regular work programs of the church? Would an …

A blind man once walked into a dark room carrying a lantern. When he was asked why he carried the lantern since darkness and light were the same to him, he replied, “I have it so others will not stumble over me.” What a wise man! God’s Word is described as a lamp that guides us through life. Those who attempt to go through life without this light, God’s Word, are dangerously ill-equipped. This is why daily Bible study and regular worship with the saints should be the most important thing we do in our lives. When we neglect to study and live by the Bible, we open ourselves up to being a stumbling block to others. Psalm 119:105 states, “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path” (NKJV). May we let our light shine so that we will not become stumbling blocks to others. Remember also, Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Our faith is foundational in order to have fellowship with our Heavenly Father. In Hebrews 11:6, we read, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (NKJV). This is also true regarding the Son of God. Jesus said to the scribes and unbelieving Pharisees, “Therefore I said you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). The apostle John wrote in his Gospel record 20:30-31, “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” A sincere and unswerving faith will cause our hearts to love God and the Lord Jesus Christ. In answering a question from a certain lawyer, Jesus replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). What is true about loving the Father can also be said about His Son because they are one. In John 10:30, our Lord said, “I and My Father are one.” Jesus later said to His disciples, “As the Father has loved me, I also have loved you” (John 15:9) and “This …

A man had two sons. He told the first to work in the vineyard, and the son said he would, but never did. The father told the second son to go work in the vineyard and the son said no, but later he repented and went to work. Which did the will of his father? Jesus explained this parable (Matthew 21:28-32) by telling the chief priests and the elders of the Jews that tax-gatherers and harlots would enter into Heaven before they would. John came to the people in righteousness, and the sinners heard John and repented, but the religious leaders refused to take heed, even after seeing the sinners repent. The warning stands today, 2000 years later. Don’t count on your own piety and righteousness to save you. Be humble, be teachable, and trust in Jesus and His power to save (Mark 16:15-16; Romans 1:16).

I had the opportunity to attend a meeting of the Alabama Scenic River Trail this past Monday. I was amazed to find out that there are over 5,300 miles of accessible waterways in the State of Alabama. It was stated that this mileage is more than any other state except Alaska. The main portion of the River Trail runs 650 miles from the waterways of northeast Alabama to Fort Morgan in the Gulf of Mexico. It is amazing that this state has such a topography, from the mountains of the north to the beaches in the south. One of the speakers at the meeting was a gentleman that my coworker and I guessed to be in his 70s. Earlier this year, he and a relative, in two kayaks, paddled the entire 650 miles of the main trail. It took them 34 days to complete it. It was amazing to hear him recount the trip. I cannot imagine paddling across a pond, much less paddling for 34 consecutive days. Some days, he said, they went maybe 3 or 4 miles, while some days they went 18 or more miles. It depended on conditions and weather. The point was, however, no matter what the conditions, they just kept paddling. At one point, he was talking about the strong headwinds that they occasionally faced, especially as they neared the gulf and the final stretch. He said when those strong headwinds came, “You either paddle or you go backwards.” That phrase really struck me. …

It grieves God that myriads of people are lost. He paid the ultimate price for our sins, through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, so that all might be saved (John 3:16; Romans 5:8-9; 2 Peter 3:9). What are some reasons, then, why multitudes remain in their sins and will be eternally lost (Mathew 7:13-14)? Some have allowed the devil to snatch the Word out of their hearts (Matthew 13:19; Luke 8:12). He cunningly deceives them with his “thou shall not’s” as he did with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:4-5). He is called “the great dragon,” “that old serpent” and “the Devil and Satan who deceives the whole world” for good reason (Revelation 12:9). Some, not loving truth, even to the point of despising it, have been deceived. Paul graphically described such a process along with its results (2 Thessalonians 2:3-15). They exchange the truth for the “pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:12). Some simply love sin (John 3:19). Our current culture reflects the words of the Lord, for we surely live in a time wherein people are thrilled by the “darkness” of sin rather than the “light” of truth! A large segment of the populace revel in unrighteousness. Some diligently seek the praises of men more than the praise of God (John 12:42-43). Many crave the praise of their peers. It has long been and continues to be the goal of a large segment of humanity. Trading God’s approval for the praise of man is not a smart decision (2 Timothy 2:15; Matthew 16:24-26). …

One of the saddest experiences a preacher, counselor or teacher will ever experience is that of looking into the sad face of one with whom he has lovingly studied and counseled for some time, and have to say, “Your present marriage is not scriptural, and so, your desire to become a Christian hangs upon your separation from the unscriptural partner you now embrace, followed then, by full and complete acceptance of God’s marriage laws as laid out in the Bible.” Do not be deluded! Being baptized will neither wash away the unscriptural marriage nor anything else for which there has been no repentance and prayer. A thief who stole $10,000.00 and hid it under his bed can maintain that he has repented until torment freezes over, but as long as he retains the money, he has neither repented nor cleared himself of the wrongdoing. Just so! A man who has contracted an unscriptural marriage can proclaim aloud that he’s repented, but until he divests himself of his illegitimate (unscriptural) marriage partner, he is living in sin! The present live-in craze that has swept through most nations of the Earth in the last few years is nothing but fornication or adultery, depending upon the circumstances. Those who foolishly reason that they should try the marriage arrangement for a season, to see if they can adjust to it, wouldn’t think of going down to Walmart, lifting a new automotive battery from the shelf, taking it home and runing it for a few weeks before agreeing to …

The Old Testament records a revealing statement in 2 Chronicles 17:16. It reads, “…Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to the Lord…” (NKJV). The book of 2 Chronicles is one of the least studied books in the Bible. This biblical declaration is one that is easy to miss when reading through the chapter. Yet, it brings to mind some practical applications that will benefit us as we strive to give our best efforts in the Lord’s service. “Amasiah, the son of Zichri.” The text does not merely say that there was a man who “willingly offered himself to the Lord,” but we know his name. More importantly, the Lord knew his name. It is also true that the Lord knows our individual service to Him. Furthermore, the Lord expects us to be active in His service. The apostle Paul exhorted, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:9-10). “Willingly.” This describes the service Amasiah rendered to the Lord. He did not have to be begged, but he readily offered himself. Willing service, rather than service that is rendered reluctantly, pleases the Lord. The Lord’s message to Solomon emphasizes this point. “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a …