The arrival of a new year invites reflection. Some greet it with gratitude for accomplishments and joys; others carry memories of loss, disappointment or deep struggle. The turning of the calendar feels significant because it awakens something within us—a hope that renewal is possible, that tomorrow can be different from yesterday. Yet, the deeper truth is this: new beginnings are not confined to a single date. They happen continually. Every breath we take is a quiet marvel, a fresh beginning given by God. Long before we noticed the change of a year, the Lord was already sustaining us moment by moment. The same power that spoke the universe into existence still animates our lives, breath by breath. Awareness is the key. Around the world, people welcome the new year at different times, yet renewal is not bound by clocks or calendars. God’s mercies “are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:23 NKJV). Each inhale is a reminder that life is being renewed within us—even when our bodies ache, our plans unravel or out hearts feel weary. As we enter this new year, we are invited to renew our minds, not merely our resolutions. Gratitude becomes an anchor in uncertainty. Faith becomes strength in weakness. Through Christ, we walk a path of continual renewal—redeemed by His blood, sustained by His grace and shaped by His love. Though our physical bodies are temporal, our spirits are being formed for eternity. The new year, then, is not just a celebration of time passed, but of …

Jesus taught that a person who truly enjoys life (is “blessed”) is one who is “pure in heart” (Matthew 5:8 NKJV). Consider these biblical principles on having a pure heart.

Several years ago, while living in Mobile, Alabama, two young college students who lived locally were murdered. The newspaper interviewed the parents of both victims. I read the article about their deaths, wherein both families expressed their shock and disbelief that their daughters were taken from them so soon. I can’t even begin to imagine what the families were feeling at that time, and I’m sure the parents’ lives were flooded with tears and many questions that will last for many years, even to this day and until their last days. We certainly do live in a weeping world! The book of Lamentations was written by the weeping prophet, Jeremiah. He wrote during a time when the citizens of Judah had been taken into captivity. Jerusalem lay in ruin (Lamentations 2:8–9), and the prophet Jeremiah wept continually (Lamentations 3:98–99). Yet, Jeremiah knew something about the sovereignty of God that we need to know in these challenging times. He stated to a people who needed encouragement, “‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore, I will hope in Him!’” (Lamentations 3:24). He knew of God’s mercy. He knew of His compassion and the Lord’s faithfulness that would last forever. Because we live in a weeping world, reality tells us that from time to time, we will shed tears. Furthermore, our hearts will be heavy with sadness, but that doesn’t mean we have a weak faith or a lack of trust in God. Some people think that a believer must feel joyful, even when …

When someone begins speaking by saying, “The only thing you have to do to be saved is…” they involve themselves in error or double talk. There is no “alone” in the salvation process. It takes a combination of things on man’s part as well as on God’s part to accomplish this wonderful event. More and more, we hear people say that we are saved by grace “alone.” Such cannot be the case. Think with me for a minute. If salvation is by grace “alone,” would that not logically imply that all men would be saved? Paul stated in Titus 2:11 that “the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (NKJV). If all that were necessary for salvation to occur was grace “alone,” then all would be saved, for God’s grace has been offered to all. If on the other hand, man must act in some fashion to secure and appropriate God’s grace, then man’s response becomes part of the equation. Does this minimize God’s grace? Do we diminish its power in suggesting that man must respond to grace in order for it to save us? Does man’s response diminish the power and greatness of God’s grace? Of course not! Certainly, the Bible teaches that the salvation of man arises from the kindness, love and mercy of God, independent of our own goodness (Titus 3:4–5). However, while salvation arises from the gracious qualities of God, it is not accomplished until man acts in response to His grace. While some proclaim we …

It seems that dress codes have always been a source of controversy within societies and, of course, within the church. In most cases, popular culture drives the clothes that people wear, while dress codes attempt to monitor apparel by opinions of what is considered decent and moral. The following dress code was recently posted by one of our local night clubs, which boasts of being the hottest honkey-tonk in town. This dress code concluded with the following statement, “We are not the gym, Netflix, Chill or your bedroom. Dress and act accordingly.” Dear Christians: If an establishment that offers drinking, dancing and revelry, all of which God disapproves (1 Peter 4:3), can expect its patrons to dress and act in a decent manner, then surely, we can do better as the Lord’s people. We are to be modest and chaste in our appearance and behavior, especially when we come together to worship our Heavenly Father. What better lesson can we teach our children than that of dressing properly and respectfully when attending church services? “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 NKJV). Our clothing doesn’t have to be fancy, formal or expensive. As the old timers used to say, “Wear your best.” [Editor’s Note: There is a congregation of the churches of Christ in Georgetown, Guyana, South America that …

Jesus commissioned His disciples to take the good news about Him into all the world (Mark 16:15). We should be going out in our daily lives and sharing the Gospel with those with whom we come into contact and making the most of the opportunities given to us. We should be on the proactive side of things going into our community to engage those who are lost in sin. Still, there are times when the community comes to us. We are blessed to have many visitors who frequent our assemblies on Sundays and Wednesdays. We should give careful thought and attention to how we interact with our visitors. It is our hope that every visitor will eventually obey the Gospel and become a member of God’s church, and so, we should do all that we can to help that become a reality. We need to be sure that we serve as good advertisements for the Lord since we are His representatives to a watching world (2 Corinthians 3:2; 5:19–20). When visitors come to our assemblies, they watch us and take notice. We must not do anything that would be a stumbling block to their coming to Jesus, but instead, we should do everything to draw them closer to Him. Be Kind and Welcoming I once heard a football coach say, “First impressions are last impressions.” Though people can change their initial impression they leave with us, it is true that we rarely forget our first encounter with someone. When visitors come to …

The Book of Revelation is a very encouraging study once we understand the apocalyptic nature of its writing and that symbolism is the dominant feature and focus, not historical personalities or events. The “144,000” is a group mentioned or alluded to throughout the book. While this group is misaligned and falsely characterized by denominationalism, we can be encouraged by what God actually reveals about them! Who Are These 144,000? After the sixth seal was opened by the Lamb, there was an apocalyptic description of a great judgment unleashed upon the opposition to God (Revelation 6:12–14). Those “of the earth” (i.e., belonging to Satan, Revelation 17:8), from every social stratum, cried out to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us…from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:16–17 NKJV). The answer of who was able to stand was figuratively portrayed as two groups of people. First, the 144,000 symbolized the “redeemed of the earth” (Revelation 14:3). Attempts to limit these to redeemed Jews fail to recognize the figurative nature of the passage. Christians are the “Israel of God” (Galatians 6:15–16; cf., Romans 2:28; Galatians 5:6; Philippians 3:3). The list of the tribes from whence these 144,000 came is different from the traditional lists in the Old Testament (Genesis 35:23–26; Exodus 1:1–4; 1 Chronicles 2:1–2). Second, John saw a “great multitude which no one could number,” who were those martyred Christians who came “out of …

Around this time of year people around the world will often ask the question, “What do you want for Christmas?” This question is answered in several different ways by people of all ages. Some will say that they don’t want anything. Others will list something very practical and possibly even something that they really need. However, I want you to imagine for a moment that this question is asked of a young, energetic child who has been thinking about this question since last Christmas. This child is so excited about Christmas that he or she, with perfect recall, can instantly tell you everything that they have ever wanted, and the sky’s the limit. Maybe this child runs back to his or her bedroom and pulls out the list on which the child has been working for months. Sometimes the things on such a list don’t even exist, and that can present a challenge within itself. Imagine a child in a toy store where every toy is instantly the newest favorite thing, that is until having gotten the toy, it is either broken or boredom set in less than five minutes later. Within the question, “What do you want for Christmas?” is a lesson that I think we all need to hear, and it has nothing to do with Christmas. When we read about God in the Bible, we read about an all-powerful, all-knowing and ever-present God Who is holy, good, just, loving, merciful and gracious. In fact, His very being …

A new year doesn’t make us new, but Jesus does. Start the new year with mercy and direction. “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22–23 NKJV). Then, set for your aim, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13–14). Every year is His. Make sure, in your life, 2026 is, too.

A question often asked is, “Is it a sin to be angry?” In short, the answer is, no. A person can come to that conclusion because the Bible informs us that the Lord Himself got angry. “And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other” (Mark 3:5 NKJV). Yes, Jesus was angry, and yet, according to Hebrews 4:15, He was “without sin.” Further, the apostle Paul wrote, “Be angry, and do not sin…” (Ephesians 4:26). It would seem the Scriptures give allowance for anger, yet those same Scriptures reveal the purpose for anger and instructions on how a person should exhibit or demonstrate his anger. Purpose When God made man and saw the whole of creation, the Bible says, “it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). That would necessarily include the range of emotions (including anger) God created man to have. Anger has a purpose. When a person sees sin, wickedness, injustice, abuse and other such things, anger should prompt him to intervene and bring justice and correction. When Jesus saw His Father’s house being used to take advantage of those seeking to worship, Jesus sprang into action and cleansed the Temple by turning over tables and driving out the money changers. Anger should be used to bring about righteous change. Demonstration First, a person should be self-controlled …

Some say we live in terrible times and suggest we cannot win souls in such an environment. We can learn some valuable lessons from the establishment of the Corinthian church in the midst of a very wicked city. Paul was a preacher so dedicated to proclaiming the truth that he supported himself through making tents beside a husband and wife team named Aquila and Priscilla. The tents were made out of either leather or goat hair cloth (Acts 18:1–3). He did not insist on his right to be supported in the preaching of the Gospel because he did not want to hinder anyone’s obedience (1 Corinthians 9:11–12; 2 Corinthians 11:9). Paul reasoned publicly with the Jews and the Greeks who came to the synagogue on the Sabbath (Acts 18:4). He also taught in the house of a man named Justus (Acts 18:6–7). He followed the same course in Ephesus. He reminded the Ephesian elders that he did not hold back anything “helpful” to them, “but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house” (Acts 20:20 NKJV). Paul’s preaching centered around the fact that Jesus is the Christ (Acts 18:5). He reminded the sanctified in Corinth of the Gospel he preached. “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 15:3–4). The Lord …