Could it be said that putting our wants and desires above the wishes of others is the root of all sin? Since sin is a biblical subject, we will observe a few passages from the Bible to reach a God approved answer to this question. First, we must define sin. Sin is the “transgression of God’s law” (1 John 3:4). We sin when we fail to fulfill any or all of God’s laws. One can sin in thought (Matthew 5:22, 28; 1 John 3:15), by actions (Romans 2:32) and by words (Colossians 3:8-9). All sin falls into these three categories of our lives. The apostle John stated, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:16). All sin is a product of the world and cannot be associated with our heavenly Father. Several New Testament passages list the sins in which one might engage. Theses verses outline the types of behavior that is unacceptable to God (Romans 1:29-32; 1 Corinthians 5:11; Galatians 5:19-21; 2 Timothy 3:2-4; Revelation 21:8; etc.).

The Greek word “proskuneo” is most frequently translated “to worship.” It means “to make obeisance, do reverence to” (from pros, “towards,” and kuneo, “to kiss”). It is used of an act of homage or reverence to God (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words). Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary defines worship as, “Reverent devotion and allegiance pledged to God; the rituals or ceremonies by which this reverence is expressed. The English word worship comes from the Old English word “worthship,” a word which denotes the worthiness of the one receiving the special honor or devotion.” Our worship is directed to God, and all throughout the Bible we have examples of God’s people worshipping Him. In Genesis 12:18 and 13:18 Abraham built altars to God for worship. In Exodus 35:1-40:38, Moses instructed about the building of the tabernacle, and he stated God’s plan for how the Israelites were to worship Him. After the death of Christ and the beginning of the church, God changed how He wanted Christians to worship Him. Our worship is no longer ceremonial with a priest offering sacrifices to God on our behalf, but it is personal, individual praise to God on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). Our worship consists of singing praises to God (Ephesians 5:19-20: Colossians 3:16); giving (1 Corinthians 16:2); preaching the Word of God (Acts 20:7); partaking of the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7); and prayer (1 Corinthians 14:15). Our worship must be done in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Hebrews 10:25 states, “And let

I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.  And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.  Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.  But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.  I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.  As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.  And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. (John 17:9-19) A paraphrase for these verses

“Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor” (Luke 6:12-17). Who were these men Jesus appointed as His apostles? They were men from Galilee, a northern district in Palestine, considered unlearned, ignorant men from the working class who were looked down on by the Jews from Judea (Acts 2:7). Matthew was a tax collector; the Pharisees linked tax collectors and sinners in the same category (Matthew 9:9-10). Simon was a Zealot, equal to a modern-day terrorist. Peter was impetuous, speaking before he thought through what he was saying; frequently he had the proverbial foot in his mouth. James and John were intolerant (Mark 9:38-39) and revengeful (Luke 9:51-55); Jesus called these brothers “sons of thunder” because of their attitude toward others. Saul, better known to us by his Greek name Paul, consented to the death and imprisonment of Christians. After he became an apostle, he along with many of the other apostles were imprisoned for their teachings. All the apostles, with the exception of John, were killed because of

I am sure asking various members of the Lord’s church, one would hear a variety of answers to the question, “What is the role of the preacher’s wife?” Yes, the leaders of a congregation and the preacher that serve that congregation need to consider the opinions of the individuals who make up the congregation on any subject that effects the church, including the “role of the preacher’s wife.” However, the only viewpoint that matters is what God’s Word says on the subject under consideration! Biblically speaking, the primary role of the preacher’s wife is to be a faithful Christian, putting God first in her life. Jesus said in Luke 14:26, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” Also, consider our Lord’s words in Luke 16:13. “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” The word “hate” in these two verses means to love less. As faithful followers of Jesus, we must love our family members less than we love Christ. The latter verse further explains that our hearts will be loyal to only one master – our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ or Satan – we cannot divide our loyalties between the two. The preacher’s wife, as well as

According to Easton’s Bible Dictionary: There are three Greek words used in the New Testament to denote repentance. (1) The verb metamelomai is used of a change of mind, such as to produce regret or even remorse on account of sin, but not necessarily a change of heart. This word is used with reference to the repentance of Judas (Matthew 27:3). (2) Metanoeo, meaning to change one’s mind and purpose, as the result of after knowledge. This verb, with (3) the cognate noun metanoia, is used of true repentance, a change of mind and purpose and life, to which remission of sin is promised. Jesus said in Luke 13:3, 5, “…unless you repent [metanoeo] you will all likewise perish.” In Acts 2:38, Peter told those in Jerusalem, “Repent [metanoeo], and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” In the next chapter, Peter instructed the people to, “Repent [metanoeo] therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19). Here Peter joined repentance with being converted – to revert, to come again, to turnabout. Judas repented (was remorseful) for betraying Jesus, but he did not truly repent of his actions (Matthew 27:3). The early Christians in Acts 2:38-41 and Acts 3:1-4:4 changed their lives to conform to the will of God. They no longer walked away from God toward unrighteousness, but they turned around and walked toward God and away from their former, sinful lives. Christians today must truly repent – no

God created the family in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:24), so it is only natural that we begin with the first family when talking about “Developing Strong Families.” God gave the following instructions to the first couple: “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28); “man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife” (Genesis 2:24) and “…eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden… ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die’” (Genesis 3:3). After Adam and Eve sinned, God gave further instructions: to the woman. He said, “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you” (Genesis 3:16), and to the man He said, “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:17-19). Adam and Eve were banished from Eden (3:22). Please note that Adam and Eve had work to do while living

We read in 2 Kings Chapter Five about the biblical account of the healing of Naaman, a captain in the Syrian army. This man was a mighty man of valor who was plagued with leprosy. When we study this passage of Scripture, we concentrate on the miraculous healing of Naaman. We emphasize the importance of following God’s instructions. We see the fallacy of pride and the arrogance and the anger that goes hand in hand with pride. However, in this study, I want us to consider verses two and three, “And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. Then she said to her mistress, ‘If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.’” The Hebrew word for “maid” in this passage can mean a child from infancy to adolescence. This young girl was old enough to serve as a maid to Naaman’s wife, but she was not a young adult. Please consider the following ideas gleaned from this young, Hebrew slave. She listened to the instruction of her parents. This youthful maiden was blessed with parents who taught her the about the one true God – the God of the Israelites (Deuteronomy 4:39). Her parents took to heart the teachings of Moses in Deuteronomy 6:6-9. They must have used every waking moment to instill a love for God in her. She carried

Wise King Solomon penned the words, “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). The Hebrew word chanak translated “train” means to “initiate or discipline” and is translated in the KJV as “dedicate, train up” (Strong’s). An English dictionary definition for “initiate” means, “verb (used with object) 1. to begin, set going, or originate: 2. to introduce into the knowledge of some art or subject” (https://dictionary.reference.com/). The English meaning of the word train is to “develop or form the habits, thoughts, or behavior of (a child or other person) by discipline and instruction: to make proficient by instruction and practice, as in some art, profession, or work” (https://dictionary.reference.com/). The word dedicate means, “to devote wholly and earnestly” (https://dictionary.reference.com/). Adam Clarke made the following observation about this Bible verse: “Initiate the child at the opening (the mouth) of his path.” When he comes to the opening of the way of life, being able to walk alone, and to choose; stop at this entrance, and begin a series of instructions, how he is to conduct himself in every step he takes. Show him the duties, the dangers, and the blessings of the path; give him directions how to perform the duties, how to escape the dangers, and how to secure the blessings, which all lie before him. Fix these on his mind by daily inculcation, till their impression is become indelible; then lead him to practice by slow and almost imperceptible

Attitudes – we all have them – sometimes they are good, and sometimes they are bad. Usually when we accuse someone of having an attitude, we are implying that they have a bad attitude about something, someone or just life in general. The dictionary definition for the word “attitude” is, “1. manner, disposition, feeling, position, etc., with regard to a person or thing; tendency or orientation, especially of the mind: a negative attitude; group attitudes. 2. position or posture of the body appropriate to or expressive of an action, emotion, etc.: a threatening attitude; a relaxed attitude.” We display an attitude by the words we use, our tone of voice and by our actions. Even one’s posture may be indicative of an attitude! Although the Bible does not use the word “attitude,” this topic is discussed in Scripture. Consider Jesus words, “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44 NKJV). Our Lord contrasted in this passage two different attitudes – love and hate. We are instructed to do the opposite of what our nature wants to do. Our natural reaction to those who mistreat us is to abuse them. However, Jesus instructed us to show love and kindness to those who harm us physically or mentally. The apostle Paul told the Roman brethren, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse” (Romans 12:14). We are to speak well

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2:12-15 NKJV) Paul began Chapter Two admonishing the Philippian brethren to be united. This unity is obtained by each Christian humbly submitting himself to his fellow Christian. Paul went on to explain that if Jesus Christ could humble Himself to leave the glory of heaven and come to the earth as a servant, surely we can humble ourselves to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our salvation is dependent upon obeying the commands of God. In the overall context, our entrance into heaven, in part, will be determined with how we treat other Christians (v. 12). We are commanded to not only obey God’s commands but to do so with the proper attitude (v. 14). If we obey God simply because we have to, we have failed. We must obey because we love Him and He is first in our lives. When we submit our attitudes and behaviors to God’s will, we can then be the bright and shining light to a world lost in

Jesus said, “I am the Light of the World” (John 8:12 NKJV). When one obeys the Gospel, that person reflects the Light of Christ to others. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16). The apostle Paul admonished the Christians at Ephesus, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:9). As Christians, we do not create our own light, but we reflect the Light of Jesus Christ upon a sin-sick world – similar to the moon, which has no light, reflecting only the light of the sun. In order for Christians to adequately reflect the light of Christ, they must know the Word of God. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV). This requires one to dig into the Bible – not just read the Scriptures. This is accomplished by attending the Bible classes and other opportunities to hear God’s Word as set up by the leadership of the local congregation, worshipping God on the first day of the week and in

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life’” (John 8:12 NKJV). Jesus claimed to be “the light of the world,” but what is this “light”? Before one can claim the “light of life” as Jesus promised, one must understand the meaning of “the light.” The Greek word for light, phos means to “shine or make manifest, especially by rays” (Strong’s). Nelson’s Bible Dictionary describes this light as an “Illumination; the opposite of darkness.” “Jesus is the “personification of light or divine illumination” (Nelson’s). The light Jesus discussed is an illumination, and He is the source of that radiance. Isaiah predicted that Jesus would be “the light of the world.” “The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined” (Isaiah 9:2). Also consider Isaiah 60:1-3. We see the fulfillment of this prophecy in Matthew 4:15-16 and John 12:35-36, 46. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:1-5). Here, the apostle John stated that Jesus is the light and that He was

Summer is upon us. The children have been out of school for several weeks and everyone is talking about vacations – where shall we go or what a wonderful time we had on vacation. The social media sites are filled with pictures of family vacations. It is vacation season. Jesus saw the need to pull away from the crowds for a period of rest and prayer (Luke 5:15-16). Today’s Christian needs to withdraw from the rigors of life for periods of rest and concentrated prayers as well. Also, we need to spend enjoyable, relaxing time with our families. A vacation away from home can be ideal to achieve this goal. Where will you go, and what will you do while on vacation? Will you remember our Heavenly Father? Will you worship Him and attend midweek Bible Classes? We are commanded to gather with the saints and worship God on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). As Christians, we should rejoice at the opportunities to gather with other Christians for fellowship and to grow in God’s Word. Will you leave your contribution at home where your membership resides and give a small donation where you are visiting? We are instructed to give on the first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). Giving a small amount wherever we worship fulfills that command while leaving our weekly contribution at home ensures the continued work of the home congregation. How will you dress on vacation? Will you forget that modesty is

Each one of us travels through mountains and valleys as we sojourn through life on earth. How do you handle the lows of life? Are you prone to fret, worry and become anxious? Or, are you like the proverbial ostrich – burying your head in the sand – pretending the difficulty is an allusion and not really there? Perhaps you become angry and blame others or God for the problem. Or, do you turn to God in prayer, trusting in His Word? “…we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28 NKJV). Jesus frequently spoke on the topic of being anxious or of worry. He taught in Matthew 6:25-34 that we are not to become “anxious (NAS),” “worry (NKJV)” or “taking thought (KJV)” for the necessities of life. He further admonished that if God provides for the animals and grass, He will provide for His children. The Greek word “merimna” as used in this passage means, “‘to draw in different directions,’ distract, hence signifies ‘that which causes this, a care, especially an anxious care’” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words). Jesus taught that we should not worry about physical life. When we place God first in life, God will care for us. Jesus was not saying that “we should sit back and wait for the necessities of life to be handed to us on a silver platter.” He taught that we should not worry about

Titus 2:5 clearly teaches that the older women are to teach the younger women. In this context, older women are to admonish the young women to “love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands.” The Greek word sophronizo translated “admonish” in the NKJV and “teach” in the KJV means, “to make of sound mind, i.e. (figuratively) to discipline or correct.” Many times when we think of the older women teaching the younger, we think of a formal Bible class where an elder’s wife or one of the older ladies prepares lessons and teaches the younger ladies. This is a useful tool in teaching, and I encourage this type of setting. Younger ladies, if your congregation has a Ladies’ Bible Class, you are expected, even commanded, to be there according to Titus 2:5 and Hebrews 11:25. A side benefit of a formal Ladies’ Bible Class is the fellowship of women gathered together to encourage and uplift one another. A formal classroom setting is not the only venue for older women teaching younger women. We teach by our example, our manner of speech, our behavior, our dress, our attitude, etc. We can teach one to one with an open Bible. We can also teach in casual conversations. Our opportunities to teach are everywhere – we just need to seize them. The formal classroom setting is straight forward. We study Bible passages possibly with the aid of a class book with a teacher lecturing the

Occasionally, Louis and I are approached by church leaders with concerns that the members for which they are responsible do not appear to be studying their Bibles or serving God as they ought. These individuals are looking for Bible class material to motivate the members or programs that will encourage the members to become more involved in the Lord’s work. These elders are concerned about the spiritual health of the flock over which God expects them to watch (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:2). They are looking for advice and help to lead Christians on their journey to Heaven. As I ponder their concerns, I must admit I do not have a solution as to how to motivate Christians to be active servants of our Lord, but I believe I know the root of the problem. We, especially in America, have forgotten that this earth is not our home. We are just pilgrims passing through! When we convince Christians that our lives on earth are temporary, that Heaven awaits those who faithfully serve Our Lord and Master, then Christians will put God first in their lives! The difficulty elders’ face is convincing Christians of this fact. Perhaps, we need more Bible-centered lessons from the pulpit and in the Bible class – lessons on Bible characters such as Enoch who walked with God and did not suffer physical death (Genesis 5:24). Enoch certainly was a man who understood God first and enjoyed spending time with our Lord. Abraham realized that our lives

The Book of Ruth could be called a book about love. One certainly can see the great love exhibited by a daughter-in-law toward her mother-in-law and the loving qualities of this remarkable young Moabite lady. “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me” (Ruth 1:16-17 NKJV) are the words Ruth spoke to her mother-in-law, and years ago these words were often repeated as wedding vows between a husband and a wife. We can learn many valuable lessons from this remarkable young woman. One lesson is the need to follow the God of the Bible. Ruth the Moabitess was reared in a land that worshipped idols. The Moabites were descendants of Lot and his incestuous relationship with his daughter. Being descendants of Lot, these people should have had knowledge of the God of the Bible and His prohibition about worshipping idols. However, over the course of time, they neglected God and turned their affections to the idol Chemosh. Sometime during Naomi’s ten-year stay in Moab, her family influenced Ruth to leave the false religion of her people and obey the God of the Bible – the God Who created the universe

Before an individual obeys the commands of God to be immersed in water for the remissions of one’s sin (Acts 2:38), that person is a child of the Devil. After one is baptized, the person becomes a child of God (Acts 22:16). When one lives in sin, Satan is happy, and when one obeys God’s commands, God rejoices. I believe there are times when the Devil is shouting for joy over the actions of people here on earth. Each time a child of the Devil hears the plan of salvation and does not respond to it, the Devil rejoices. God sheds tears of sorrow each time a sinner fails to respond to the saving power of the blood of Christ (2 Peter 3:9). However, I believe that the Devil has greater joy when a child of God sins. The apostle Peter wrote, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). These words were written to Christians. Satan is roaming the world like a hungry lion searching for his dinner. Peter went on to say in verse nine that we should be strong in our faith, knowing that our brothers and sisters around the world are suffering as are we. The children of the world are already the sons of the Devil, and he rejoices when they continue to walk in the ways of the world. However, he is diligently searching for ways to tempt the

Every person on earth is traveling on the road to eternity. We are following the broad way to destruction or the narrow way to Life (Matthew 7:13-14). When traveling from one location to another, we need directions to get to where we are going. Our journey to heaven is no different. We need guidance to follow the narrow way to heaven. God has given us the Bible to be that guide. The Psalmist wrote, “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). God’s Word – the Bible – is the light that guides us on the beaten down pathway of life. As we make our journey toward heaven, we are not traveling alone. We have family members, friends, acquaintances and strangers traveling along the road with us. Are you a help or a stumbling block to others as you make your journey? Are you helping your sister along the highway or are you the potholes and detours along the way? One of the greatest assets each of us has that can be used to assist or hindrances to detour another are our words. Wise King Solomon taught, “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24). He contrasted that with, “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly” (Proverbs 18:8). James taught that sweet and bitter words cannot come from the same mouth (James

Several decades ago if an unmarried woman became pregnant, she was shipped out of town to a home for unwed mothers. Or, the young woman was sent to live with a distant relative far from home. Often, the child was given away for adoption upon his or her birth. Sometimes, there was a “shotgun wedding” – the father was forced to marry the mother. All this was done to save the family from the embarrassment of having an “illegitimatechild” – a child born to parents who are not married to each other – in their midst. Unwed mothers were never discussed at family gatherings. During this same period in history, one did not talk about the family member who divorced his spouse. It did not matter that the offending party committed adultery, divorce was an embarrassment to the family. Move forward a couple decades. When I was in high school in rural western Pennsylvania, a married individual was not allowed to attend high school. If school officials discovered a boy or girl were married, they were immediately expelled from school. Also, if someone discovered that a student was pregnant, she was immediately expelled from school. At this time in history, the girl could stay at home and have her baby. However, she was still an embarrassment to the family, but not to the extent that she should be sent away. Yet, she could not attend school because she represented an improper behavior and was deemed a bad influence upon her

We have already discussed the definition of terms “subject,” “submission” and “role” in last month’s article. A clear understanding of these terms is required to comprehend God’s plan for men and women. As a reminder – subject and submission have the same basic meaning, “To be in subjection or to be in submission is to allow someone to have control and authority over another.” The term “role” is synonymous with “responsibility.” So, what has the Bible outlined as the “responsibilities of wives in the home?” I use the term “wives” since a single woman, living by herself, is the head of her home as she is the only individual living there.Scriptures Discussing Wives’ Role within the Home Genesis 2:15-25 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So

Definition of Terms When discussing “the role of women,” there are three words that typically upset those who desire to change biblical teaching on the woman’s role. So, before turning to the Bible, we must understand the definitions for these words – subjection, submission, role – as used when discussing God’s desire for the “role of women.” When women and men understand how these words are used in the biblical framework of the role of women, controversy will cease, and women’s roles will automatically fall into place – as long as Christians truly desire to please God. Subjection The dictionary definition for “subjection” is “1. the act of subjecting. 2. the state or fact of being subjected” (dictionary.com). The word “subject” as used in the previous definition is an adjective, meaning, “being under domination, control, or influence” (dictionary.com). Basically, the word “subjection” means someone or something has control or influence over you. Every day of our lives, each one of us is subject to someone or something! Submission “Submission” is a noun meaning, “1. an act or instance of submitting 2. something submitted; a proposal, argument, etc. 3. the quality or condition of being submissive to another” (Dictionary.com). The root word “submit” is a verb meaning, “1. to give over or yield to the power or authority of another (often used reflexively). 2. to subject to some kind of treatment or influence” (Dictionary.com). As you can see, the words “subjection” and “submission” can be used interchangeably since they have essentially the same

As one goes out the back door onto the patio, along the side of our house there is a flowerbed where three or four small trees/bushes grew. Louis and I decided to move those bushes to the corner of fence that we installed last year. I had planted a rosebush in that location only to discover that it did not get enough light because of the overshadowing trees. So, with some difficulty, we moved the bushes to the fence and the rosebush to the flowerbed where it would get more light. This left several feet of bare ground along the house between roses and the cement pad of the patio. So, the natural thing to do was to plant more flowers. I purchased some Lily bulbs and planted them between the rosebush and the steps into the house, stopping about three feet from the steps as that area is overshadowed by the roof. A couple weeks later, the plants started to emerge from the ground. As the plants became taller, they all leaned toward the rosebush. I soon discovered buds and then open blooms on the Lilies. However, they are still growing toward the rosebush. I underestimated the amount of light that part the flowerbed is receiving. The Lilies are growing toward the rosebush because that is where the sunlight is most prominent. This brought a thought to my mind. Are we growing toward the Sonlight of Christ? Jesus said, “…I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall

Does each elder within a congregation have to meet every qualification? Is a man qualified to serve as an elder as long as he meets most of the qualifications? Are the qualifications for elders to be followed strictly or are they mere suggestions? If all the qualifications are met by the sum of all the elders, is that sufficient? Before we answer these questions and look at the individual qualifications for elders, consider the following passages outlining the Lord’s purpose and duty of elders within His church. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28) Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17) The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. (1 Peter 5:1-3) From these verses, we learn that the elders are to

While endeavoring to acquaint Churches of Christ with our mission efforts, Louis and I visit one or two different congregations each Lord’s Day. Thus, we have opportunities to see firsthand how the Lord’s church worships throughout this country and abroad. One of the things I have noticed is the lack of interest in worship among some of those in attendance. The old adage “actions speak louder than words” certainly is evident during our worship to God. When we pass notes, send text messages, talk, fail to sing and habitually sleep during the assembly, we portray an attitude of disinterest in worshipping our Lord. This behavior exhibits “going through the motions,” rather than a desire to worship our Heavenly Father. John 4:24 states, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The word worship means “to fawn or crouch to, i.e. (literally or figuratively) prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore)” (Strong’s). When we properly worship God, we show reverence, respect and adoration to our Creator! The word “spirit” means “mental disposition” (Strong’s). We may worship in truth, but if our attitude is not correct, our worship is unacceptable to God. What are our actions during worship showing? Are they showing an attitude of indifference, I really do not want to be here, I am bored, or can those who observe us see we that we are worshipping God “in spirit and in truth”? It is disturbing to watch adults exhibit such a lack

After God created the world, He planted the Garden of Eden for Adam and Eve. Within this Garden God caused every tree to grow that was pleasant to the eyes and good for food. Also two unique trees – the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil – were planted there (Genesis 2:8-9). Then, God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden with the following instructions, “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die’” (Genesis 2:15-17). God ensured that food was plentiful for His created beings. Every fruit within the Garden was available to Adam and Eve with the exception of the fruit from one tree. It should have been an easy task to avoid the fruit from the forbidden tree, as there was an abundance of fruit throughout the Garden waiting to be plucked and to be eaten. However, Satan decided to meddle with God’s perfect world and His perfect creation. The Devil encouraged Eve to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, telling her that she would not die as God had instructed them. Unfortunately, Eve chose to listen to Satan rather than to listen to God. She ate the forbidden fruit, and then she gave some to Adam. Adam and Eve ate the

Usually when one considers the term “murmur,” we immediately think of complaints or one who complains. However, the term “murmur” has a slightly different meaning. The second definition of an English dictionary gives the following definition for the word murmur, “a mumbled or private expression of discontent.” While murmuring is complaining, it is done quietly and often privately, thereby causing an undertow of discontent among those influenced by the murmurer. Vine’s Dictionary gives the following definitions for the Greek words meaning murmur or murmuring: A. Verbs 1. gonguzo, “to mutter, murmur, grumble, say anything in a low tone”…the word “murmur” itself, is used of the laborers in the parable of the householder, Matt 20:11; of the scribes and Pharisees, against Christ, Luke 5:30; of the Jews, John 6:41,43, of the disciples, 6:61; of the people, 7:32 (of debating secretly); of the Israelites, 1 Cor 10:10 (twice), where it is also used in a warning to believers. (Moulton and Milligan, Vocab.). 2. diagonguzo, lit., “to murmur through” (dia, i.e., “through a whole crowd,” or “among themselves”), is always used of indignant complaining, Luke 15:2; 19:7. 3. embrimaomai is rendered “murmured against” in Mark 14:5; it expresses indignant displeasure. Note: For stenazo, James 5:9, RV, “murmur,” see GRIEVE, No. 3. B. Noun. gongusmos, “a murmuring, muttering” (akin to A, No. 1), is used (a) in the sense of secret debate among people, John 7:12 (as with the verb in v. 32); (b) of displeasure or complaining (more privately than in public), said of Grecian Jewish converts against Hebrews, Acts 6:1; in general

Two weeks ago, my mother passed from this life into eternity at the age of 83. When my siblings and I met with the funeral director to make the final arraignments for her funeral, some of the questions he asked us were: Trying to answer all these questions brought back a lot of memories. Some of the things she enjoyed changed over time while others remained constant throughout her life. One of mom’s most enjoyable pastimes was reading – that never changed. Mom was an avid reader up to a week or two before her death. Perhaps our daughter, Rebecca, gets her love of reading from her grandmother. My niece and I spent several hours viewing, scanning and making a DVD of pictures of mom and family members to show during the viewing and funeral. Looking at those pictures brought back a lot of memories as well. As aunts, uncles, cousins and family friends gathered with us at the funeral home, I often overheard discussions of memories of mom. One of the visitors to the viewing was an older lady who grew up in the same small community as my mother. Mom had not lived there for many years, but when this lady saw the obituary in the newspaper she remembered her. She told me that she informed several of her friends and neighbors of mom’s death, and none of them remembered mom. Thinking back to that conversation, has prompted me to wonder, “How will I be remembered when I

And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus answering

At some time in our lives, each of us has made excuses for not doing something we should have done or to deny responsibility for an action. Children are especially good at coming up with excuses for failing to complete assigned tasks. The “the dog ate my homework” excuse has been used by children for many years. However, the art of excuse making has been around from the beginning of time. After Eve ate of the forbidden fruit that Satan enticed her to eat, she blamed Satan for her downfall (Genesis 3:13). When God questioned Adam about his behavior, he tried to blame God, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate” (Genesis 3:12). Adam and Eve were not willing to accept responsibility for their actions. Moses continued the practice of excuse making when God instructed him to go to Egypt. Moses’ first excuse was, “…Who amI that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11). Moses was saying, “Why should I be the one to go.” His next excuse was, “…Indeed, whenI come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What isHis name?’ what shall I say to them?” (Exodus 3:13). Here, Moses proposed that the children of Israel do not know God; thus, he does not need to go. Moses’ third

Over the past few weeks, Facebook has been “the place to go” for photos and comments from teens and their attendance at local high school proms. This led to several posts rebuking teens for participating in the prom, as well as chastising parents for allowing their teens to attend these dances and commenting on the cuteness of the immodestly dressed young ladies highlighted in the photos. I, too, am dismayed with the number of Christian teens joining in this immoral and ungodly behavior. Some of these posts are from friends who I know have been taught better. I do not intend to go into a lengthy discussion as to why high school proms are inappropriate behavior for Christians. I will simply state that dancing (the type found at proms) is a sin, and the typical dress worn by young ladies at this event is immodest. This is written for those who agree that there is a biblical standard of modesty and that dancing (in most circumstances) is a sin. So, why are many of our teens attending, then broadcasting their attendance at the school prom? I believe that the answer is two-fold. One, we have failed to teach about the sins associated with dancing, and two, elders have failed to properly handle the prom situation. Bible class teachers and preachers should periodically teach against the sins associated with dancing. This teaching should begin before the child is old enough to go to the dance, and continue with repeated lessons and more details

James instructs us in 3:1, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.” In the timeframe of James writings, the Jews looked at those who were teachers as a place of honor and respect, and many new Christians desired to be teachers in order to receive prestige among their brethren. It was common in the synagogue to allow anyone an opportunity to stand up and teach those gathered at any given time. The New Testament disciples frequently used this practice to teach Christ and His church to the Jews. This custom may have been a factor in the problem at the Corinthian church that Paul addressed in 1 Corinthians 14 when addressing the misuse of spiritual gifts, admonishing the brethren to do all things decently and in order. James cautioned Christians about their desire to teach, warning them that they will be held accountable for what they teach. Essentially, he said, “Make sure your reason for teaching is that you know the truth and want to share that truth with others. Do not teach to be seen, heard and praised. Only teach if you have the ability to proclaim God’s Word in a manner for others to understand and apply the lesson to their lives, and always be prepared.” Burton Coffman made the following observation “In saying, ‘Be not many teachers,’ James did not seek to discourage any who might have been qualified for such work.  As Harper suggested, ‘His words

Now this is the commandment, and these arethe statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, that you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it,that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the Lord God of your fathers has promised you — a land flowing with milk and honey. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord isone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:1-9) The above passage emphasizes the necessity of teaching our children the laws of God. Moses instructed the Israelites to learn the laws

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. (James 5:13-18) In the above passage, pray, or a form of the word, is mentioned seven times in these six short verses. James emphasized the importance of prayer in our lives by listing various times that it is good for a Christian to pray – when suffering, when sick, to repent and pray for the forgiveness of sins, and James encourages us to ask others to pray on our behalf. After telling us when to pray, James instructed us why we should pray. A diligent, active prayer of the child of God gets results. This inspired writer, then, gives a biblical example of the power of prayer taken from 1 Kings 17:1-18:46. Jesus also referred to this great example

Approximately 3,000 years ago, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, conquered the kingdom of Judah and took captive young men – probably late teens to early twenties – to serve in his palace. These men were descendants of royalty, handsome, well spoken of by their peers, smart and capable of learning the Chaldean language and sciences (Daniel 1:3-4). For three years, these young men were to be served a portion of the king’s meat and wine ending with their meeting and spending time with King Nebuchadnezzar for his evaluation of their appearance and training. Daniel determined that he would not eat the meal provided (Daniel 1:8). Albert Barnes describes this food as: The word “meat” here means “food,” as it does uniformly in the Bible, the Old English word having this signification when the translation was made, and not being limited then, as it is now, to animal food… means delicate food, dainties; literally, food of the father, i.e., the king; or, according to Lorsbach, in Archiv. f. “Morgenl.” Litt. II., 313, food for idols, or the gods; in either case denoting delicate food; luxurious living. …And of the wine which he drank] Margin, “of his drink.” Such wine as the king was accustomed to drink. It may be presumed that this was the best kind of wine. From anything that appears, this was furnished to them in abundance; and with the leisure which they had, they could hardly be thrown into stronger temptation to excessive indulgence. In addition, it is possible

Solomon, the second son of David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12), was the wisest man to live upon the earth (1 Kings 3:12). After Solomon was ordained as the third king of Israel, God appeared to Solomon in a dream, saying, “What shall I give you?” Solomon requested of God, “…an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (1 Kings 3:4-9). God was pleased with Solomon’s request and readily granted it and more (1 Kings 3:12-14). However, the duration of some of the promises God made to Solomon were contingent upon remaining faithful to God. Solomon soon put into practice the wisdom God bestowed upon him when two women came needing a judge to decide the mother of an infant. Two women, living in the same house, each gave birth to a son three days apart. While they slept, one child died in the night. The mother of the dead son switched her dead infant with the living son of the other woman. Upon examining the two infants in the morning light, the mother of the living son knew without a doubt the babies had been switched while she slept. The two women came to Solomon to decide the fate of the living child. The King instructed that the living child be cut in two giving each mother half a child. One mother cried out, “O my lord, give her the living

1 Kings 14:1-18 Like many of the characters in the Bible, the life of Mrs. Jeroboam ended in tragedy. The only mention of her is in 1 Kings 14, and those verses reveal heart-wrenching events that will not be overcome. As with the study of any individual, especially a married person, one must look at the overall context and family relationships. First, we will give an overview of the life of King Jeroboam and the events leading up to Chapter Fourteen of First Kings. Upon the death of King Solomon, his son Rehoboam became King. When Jeroboam heard of the death of Solomon, he returned from hiding in Egypt (1 Kings 11:40). Jeroboam and the assembly of Israel approached the new king with a request to make their burdens lighter than that of King Solomon. These men promised King Rehoboam, if the king fulfilled their request, they would faithfully follow him as their king. Rehoboam not only refused to lighten the load upon the people, but he created heavier burdens for them (1 Kings 12:12-14). The ten northern tribes of Israel chose to appoint Jeroboam as king over them. The tribe of Judah chose to follow King Rehoboam (1 Kings 11:34-36). (For treatment of the use of biblical numbers relating to this passage, and the technical treatment of the actual tribes ruled by Jeroboam versus those ruled by Rehoboam, see Keil & Delitzsch.) This was fulfillment of the prophecy of Ahijah that God would take ten tribes from Solomon’s son and

Are you a Martha or a Mary? Luke 10:38-42 records the account of Jesus visiting in the home of Martha. On this occasion, Martha was busy serving her guest while her sister Mary sat listening to Jesus. Martha went to Jesus complaining that she was doing all the work and requested that Jesus send Mary to help her. Instead of Jesus sending Mary to assist with the food preparations and serving, He gently rebuked Martha for her misplaced priorities. Jesus stated, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42). Martha was concerned with the physical while Mary was focused on the spiritual. Jesus commended Mary for her interest in spiritual matters and gently rebuked Martha for her focus on the physical aspects of life. Other Bible passages show that Jesus was interested in the physical well-being of humanity. There are numerous examples throughout the Gospel records of Jesus healing the sick and feeding the hungry (Matthew 8:1-4, 14-15; Luke 6:17-19; Mark 6:35-44; John 4:46-54; etc.). Many individuals believed on Jesus because of the miracles He performed (John 2:24). John 20:30-31 gives the reason Jesus performed these miraculous events, “…that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” Jesus healed the sick and fed the hungry for the purpose proving His deity. Jesus

Throughout the Bible, God promises His children wonderful blessings—IF we obey Him. Leviticus Chapter 26 is one of those instances. Verse One begins with God demanding total allegiance to Him—and Him alone. The Israelites were warned not to make graven images of any size. Furthermore, they were to keep the Sabbath Day and revere the Tabernacle. Then, God gives the conditional phrase, “If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give…” (Leviticus 26:3-4). The Israelites were promised: rain when needed, crops would flourish, plenty to eat, safety in the Promised Land, no fear at night, God would rid the land of evil beasts and their enemies would fall before them with the sword. God would renew the covenant made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and He would walk among them because He was their God. What a wonderful life God promised His children! They had no worries—they had food in abundance, plenty of children raising them up to be a great nation and no fears from wild beasts or enemies. The life God promised the Israelites was a foretaste of heaven. On the other hand, IF the Israelites failed to keep God’s laws, they would experience terror, wasting diseases and fever; enemies would eat that which they sowed; their enemies would defeat them, and the children of God would serve those who they hated. The wild beast would return and take their children and their livestock away (Leviticus 26:14-21). God made one more promise to the

Bible students, young and old, can tell you the account of Moses’ mother hiding him in a basket and placing that basket in the Nile River to save him (Exodus 1:15-2:11). Most Bible students know that God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses on tablets of stone (Exodus 31:18; 32:15-16; 34:1-4). Many Bible students remember hearing of God speaking to Moses from a burning bush (Exodus 3). Some Bible students can tell you that Moses struck the rock and water poured out of it (Exodus 17:1-6; Numbers 20:1-12). These are just some of the biblical accounts of Moses’ life recorded in the books of Exodus and Numbers. Having knowledge of biblical stories is needful to the child of God, but more importantly, one needs to apply lessons from these stories to one’s life in order to become a better child of God. Listed below are a few characteristics gleaned from the great lawgiver, Moses. Moses was impatient (Exodus 2:11-12) Moses was curious (Exodus 3:3). Moses was prone to make excuses (Exodus 3:11; 13; 4:1, 10, 13). Moses eventually had great faith (weak faith Exodus 2:1-5:23; growing faith throughout the balance of the books of Exodus and Numbers). Moses had a temper (Exodus 32:19; 34:1; Numbers 20:10). Moses suffered the consequences of his sins (Numbers 20:12; Deuteronomy 34:1-7). Moses was pleasing to God (Deuteronomy 34:1-7; Matthew 17:1-5; Mark 9:1-8; Luke 9:28-36). Following are two major lessons we can learn from this great man. Moses’ faith and trust in God grew over

Character Study A study of Mrs. Job must involve a look at those close to her life and the complete context of the verses surrounding references to her in the Bible. Thus, even though Mrs. Job is not mentioned until Chapter Two of the Book of Job, we will gather some background information from Chapter One. We find in the opening verses of the book that Job “…was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil” (Job 1:1). Job was blessed with seven sons and three daughters (Job 1:2). Furthermore, Job was a rich man, owning seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys and a very great household (Job 1:3). He was considered the greatest of all the men of the east. Satan challenged God stating, “…Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face” (Job 1:9-11). Knowing Job would withstand the test, God accepted the challenge, telling Satan to do as he wished with Job with one exception. Satan was not allowed to touch or harm the physical body of Job (Job 1:12). A messenger rushed to Job, telling him that thieves stole all his oxen

The phrase “here am I” is used sixteen times in the Bible (KJV) with all the passages appearing in the Old Testament. These words were used to answer when called. Sometimes, mankind spoke to an individual and that person answered, “Here am I,” and other times God called to an individual and that person answered, “Here am I.” Genesis 22:7 is the first reference to this phrase. Verse one begins with God telling Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice upon the altar. Three days later as Abraham and Isaac neared the appointed spot, Isaac said, “Father.” Abraham answered, “Here am I, my son.” Isaac wanted to know the location of the sacrificial lamb. Abraham told him “God will provide.” A few verses later as Abraham raised the knife to slay Isaac on the altar, God called, “Abraham, Abraham,” and Abraham answered, “Here am I.” God stopped Abraham from slaying his son and provided the appropriate sacrifice. Esau answered Isaac “here am I” in Genesis 27:1. Jacob used the phrase “here am I” when he deceived Isaac into giving him the blessing instead of Esau (Genesis 27:18) and two other times when replying to the call of the Lord (Genesis 31:11; 46:2). Joseph answered, “Here am I” to his father Jacob, when called to check on his brothers (Genesis 37:13). Moses said, “Here am I” when God called to him from the burning bush (Exodus 3:4). The Book of 2 Samuel twice records the phrase “here am I” with both

We live in a society that wants something other than what we have. It is common for women with curly hair to spend time and money to straighten their hair. Individuals with straight hair pay to have their hair curled. Light skinned people use tanning beds or lotions to darken their skin, and creams are available to lighten dark skin. People living in small houses long for larger houses, and those living in large houses frequently moan about the maintenance of larger houses and wish for smaller ones. Newer and better products entice us to discard useful, properly functioning items and replace them with the latest, greatest gadgets available. During the summer months, we complain it is too hot, and during the winter months, we are cold and wish for warmer weather. Humanity is constantly longing for something better. Unfortunately, many Christians are caught up in this mentality, forgetting the words of the apostle Paul, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11). McClintock and Strong Encyclopedia gives the following definition for contentment: (autapkeia, 1 Timothy 6:6; “sufficiency,” 2 Corinthians 9:8) is a disposition of mind in which our desires are confined to what we enjoy without murmuring at our lot, or wishing ardently for more. It stands opposed to envy (James 3:16); to avarice (Hebrews 13:5) to pride and ambition (Proverbs 13:10); to anxiety of mind (Matthew 6:25,34); to murmurings and repinings (1 Corinthians 10:10).

December is the time of year when most people celebrate Christmas. Many celebrate December 25 as the birth of Christ. Thus, throughout what is considered the Christian world, religion is moved from the backburner to the forefront of thoughts and actions. Generally, individual attitudes toward the less fortunate change for the better. Television programs seem to be more family oriented. Families make time to gather for parties and good times. Yes, the Christmas season seems to have a positive influence on the lives of many individuals. For many children, Christmas is Santa Claus bringing gifts of whatever their hearts desire at any given moment. Individuals spend much time shopping for gifts for loved ones, making the retail industry pleased with the profits gained during this time of year. The only day of the year that many businesses close and lock the doors is Christmas Day, thus giving their employees time to spend with family and friends. All government offices close on December 25 as it is considered a national holiday. For most people, Christmas is a festive fun time of year. Many Christians ask the question, “Can a Christian celebrate Christmas and be pleasing to God?” I recently heard a Gospel preacher adamantly condemn anyone who would celebrate this holiday in any shape or form. He and his wife go on vacation during Christmas so that they “will not be caught up” in the festivities of their friends and co-workers. I also know many Gospel preachers who openly celebrate Christmas.

Character Study Genesis 6:18 God created a perfect world. Unfortunately, His children chose to listen to Satan. God surveyed the world and was heartbroken with the behavior of His people. “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). The perfect world transformed into total wickedness in approximately 2,000 years. God regretted (human terminology accommodating communication with mankind despite the Omniscient, changeless nature of God) creating the world and determined to destroy all living things upon the earth. However, Noah found favor in God’s eyes because he lived a righteous life. Although not stated in the Scriptures, Mrs. Noah lived a righteous life as well. We know this because Genesis 6:18 says, “But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee.” God would not permit any unrighteous individual to enter the ark. Noah and all his family members were righteous. Genesis 7:7-13 Noah built the ark while he preached to the wicked people. The ark was a barge 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet tall with one window and one door. The inside of the ark was divided into three floors. God told Noah to gather food for his family and for all the animals to eat while on the ark (Genesis 6:15-22). Finally, one hundred twenty years

Character Study Genesis 39:1-20 Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. Potiphar, an officer of the Pharaoh of Egypt, purchased Joseph. This young, teenage boy was a good worker and conscientiously fulfilled his duties as a slave. God watched over Joseph and caused him and Potiphar’s house to prosper. Eventually, Potiphar raised Joseph to a position of authority to the extent that Potiphar turned complete control of maintaining the house, fields and finances to Joseph. Potiphar’s complete trust in Joseph allowed Potiphar to say that “he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate” (Genesis 39:6). This young Hebrew was a handsome man, taking after in his mother, Rachel (Genesis 29:17; 39:6). Mrs. Potiphar noticed this Hebrew slave and was impressed with his beauty. She invited Joseph to “lie with her.” Joseph refused her offer, explaining he had been given authority over everything but her and to accept her offer would be an insult to Potiphar and a sin against God. Mrs. Potiphar was not dissuaded from her evil desire; she daily begged Joseph to sleep with her. One day when no other men were in the house, Mrs. Potiphar grabbed Joseph’s coat and demanded that he sleep with her. Joseph refused and ran from the house, leaving his coat in her hand. To hide her shame and humiliation, Mrs. Potiphar screamed out to the others, with Joseph’s coat in her hand as evidence, and accused Joseph of attacking her. Mrs. Potiphar then

Note: I was privileged to attend the 2008 Polishing the Pulpit lectureship; one of the topics presented by Kathy Pollard was about “Mrs. Peter.” My first thought was, “What can we learn from her since she is not mentioned in the Bible.” Sister Pollard presented a thought provoking and insightful lesson that challenged me to take a closer look at many of the Scriptures. I thank her for her in-depth study and willingness to share that knowledge with others. Some of the points listed in this lesson may have come from her. Character Study Matthew 8:14; Mark 1:30; Luke 4:38 Three of the Gospel records document the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law. This fact proves that even though Peter’s wife is not mentioned in the Scriptures, he was married, and we can glean useful knowledge about her from the context surrounding Peter and his mother-in-law. Let us begin with the backdrop of Matthew 8:14, Mark 1:30 and Luke 4:38. According to the Book of Matthew, at the conclusion of the “Sermon on the Mount” Jesus left the mountain and entered into the city of Capernaum. This city was located on the northwest corner of the Sea of Galilee. Capernaum was the home of four of the original twelve apostles (Peter, Andrew, James and John), and it appears that Capernaum became the home city of Jesus as well (Matthew 4:13; 9:1; 17:24). The Book of Mark adds that Jesus was in the synagogue teaching prior to entering the family home of Peter

Every congregation has at least one, while larger congregations have several. We observe them at every gathering of the Lord’s church. You know who they are. We all know them by name. I am referring to the members of the church who never miss a service. They seem to follow the Postal Creed of “neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night” when it is time for services at the local congregation. If, by chance, they were not present, everyone would ask about them. If no one knows of their whereabouts, someone will call to check on them. If they do not answer the phone, someone will drive to their homes to see that they are alright. When these individuals are out of town, they call an elder or the preacher to inform someone of their whereabouts. In their minds, “being up in years” or “simply not feeling well” is not an excuse to stay home. Not only do these individuals attend all the scheduled services, but they continually serve God to the best of their abilities. Retirement from secular work does not mean retirement from God’s work. They continue to teach Bible classes, visit the hospitals and shut-ins, reach out to the lost, assist with cleaning and maintaining the meetinghouse, etc. They will not let age interfere with serving God. These individuals attend all the worship services, work sessions and fellowship gatherings. You can count on them to be present when the “doors are open.” Perhaps these

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines selfish “1: concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one’s own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others 2: arising from concern with one’s own welfare or advantage in disregard of others ‘a selfish act.’” Selfishness is the noun form of the adjective selfish. Synonyms for selfishness include self-centered, self-interest, self-will and egotism. Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary states “SELF-WILL: The act of stubbornly and arrogantly insisting on one’s own way, as opposed to following the will of God.” Selfishness is a character trait all Christians must erase from their lives in order to be pleasing to our God (2 Peter 2:9-10). The Bible is full of examples of individuals who succumbed to the sin of selfishness. Some of these individuals died in their sin while others repented. The angels of God commanded Lot and his family to flee Sodom. When they tarried with reluctance, the angels took the hand of Lot, his wife and his two unmarried daughters and led them out of the city. Once they were safely away from the city, the angels instructed them not to look back so as to be saved from the destruction of that wicked city. Lot’s wife selfishly looked back at all that she left behind: children, friends and possessions. God turned her into a pillar of salt (Genesis 29). Her selfish act led to the sin of drunkenness and incest. On two separate occasions, the two daughters fed wine to their father, then, slept with him so as to bear a son in

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Character Study Exodus 2:     A few hundred years passed since Jacob and his family joined Joseph in Egypt. The extended family of seventy individuals multiplied greatly (Exodus 1:5). Joseph and Jacob died and a new Pharaoh who knew not Joseph reigned over Egypt (Exodus 1:8). Out of fear that the Israelites would continue to multiply and side with his enemies during battle, Pharaoh forced the Israelites into slavery. God continued to bless the Israelites, and they continued to multiply. So Pharaoh commanded all male children be killed upon birth (Exodus 1:22). Exodus Chapter Two begins with the life of Moses, the great lawgiver of the Old Testament.     Moses’ mother hid him for the first three months of his life. Fearing she could no longer hide him, she placed him in a basket sealed with tar and placed the basket among the reeds along the edge of the river. Though not named in Exodus Chapter Two, big sister Miriam kept watch over the baby as he lay in the basket. When Pharaoh’s daughter found the baby, Miriam volunteered to get a Hebrew woman to nurse the child. Pharaoh’s daughter hired Moses’ mother to care for the child until she weaned him.     Fausset’s Bible Dictionary states that Miriam was the “Sister of Aaron and Moses, oldest child of Amram and Jochebed. At least 12 or 13 at Moses’ birth, for she is called (Ex 2:8) ‘the maid,’ ha`almah, implying one of marriageable age.” Other sources list her age between nine and fourteen. Miriam

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Character Study 1 Samuel 1:1-28     Elkanah had two wives. Since 1 Samuel 1:5 states that Elkanah loved Hannah, we can assume that she was his first wife. Children were extremely important to Jews since Christ would come through the linage of the Jewish race. Moses instructed the children of Israel that upon the death of a married man who does not have children, the man’s brother would take the wife, marry her and fulfill the duties of a husband. The firstborn child would carry the brother’s name (Deuteronomy 25:5-6). Since Hannah was barren, Elkanah probably took a second wife, Peninnah, so that he could have children to carry on his name. Although many worthy and honorable men of the Bible are recorded as having more than one wife, we must remember that while God once over looked multiple wives, he never intended for man to practice polygamy (Matthew 19:3-9). As with the many instances of polygamy outlined in the Bible, Elkanah’s two wives did not live in harmony.     Each year Elkanah traveled about 25 miles from his home in Ramah to Shiloh to worship God. This was one of the three feasts all male Jews were required to attend (Deuteronomy 16:16). Since only the male Jews were required to attend this feast, Elkanah could have taken his older sons and left the women and children behind. He chose to include all his family members in this period of worship.     A part of this feast was to offer a thank offering to the Lord. In Leviticus 7:11-15,

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Character Study Acts 9:36-42     Joppa is located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea about 45 miles northwest of Jerusalem. It was a chief seaport for the land of Palestine. Solomon had the Cedar trees of Lebanon floated in the Mediterranean Sea along the coastline to Joppa when he built the Temple in Jerusalem. When Herod rebuilt the Temple, he also used the seaport of Joppa to receive the Cedar trees. Jonah tried to run and hide from God by fleeing to Joppa and boarding a ship to Tarshish. Joppa’s residents were both Jews and Gentiles at the time of Luke’s writing.     The biblical account of Dorcas occurred in the early stages of the church with the church comprised of both Jews (Hebrew) and proselyted Jews (Gentiles). This may be the reason Luke chose to refer to both the Hebrew name and the Greek name for the readers of the Book of Acts. The Hebrew name, Tabitha, and the Greek name, Dorcas, mean gazelle or roe. “The Greeks used Dorcas, i.e., ‘female gazelle,’ as a term of endearment for their women” (New Unger’s). It was not a common practice to define names in the Bible. By Luke recording the Hebrew name Tabitha, then giving the Greek interpretation, Dorcas, seems to place significance on the definition of her name. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown makes the following observation that “the Greek name for an antelope or gazelle, which, from the grace of its motions and the beauty of its eyes, was frequently

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Beginning with Chapter Four of the Book of Genesis and continuing through to the Book of Revelation, God chose to give many examples of his followers serving unto death. The service of some of these individuals caused their early deaths while others died after serving God a long time.     The first death recorded in the Bible is found in Genesis Chapter Four. Jealous Cain killed his brother, Abel, because God accepted Abel’s sacrifice and rejected Cain’s sacrifice (Genesis 4:1-11; Hebrews 11:4).     Samson was a faithful judge for Israel who allowed himself to be tempted by a Philistine woman. However, he returned his focus to God, praying his strength to be returned and died in service to God, slaying many Philistines in the process (Judges 16:28-31).     The Old Testament records the names of two righteous individuals that did not die a physical death on earth, but were taken directly to heaven. The first, Enoch, “…walked with God: and he was not; for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). According to Hebrews 11:5, Enoch did not see death and he could not be found because God took him. The second individual was Elijah. After many years of service, God took Elijah in a whirlwind and a chariot of fire to heaven, never to suffer the pains of a physical death (2 Kings 2:1-12).     Turning to the New Testament, we read about John the Baptist who was beheaded for telling Herod, “It is not lawful for thee to have thy

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Character Study Acts 16:12-15 Lydia was a business woman whose vocation brought her to the town of Philippi. Her hometown of Thyatira was 250 miles away. “A seller of purple” is an indication that Lydia was a wealthy woman whose business was thriving. The color of purple was reserved for those who were in places of high authority or rich. Lydia must have been an outstanding woman who had daily dealings with the rich and famous.     Thyatira was located 42 miles from the Aegean Sea, 37 miles north of Sardis and 47 miles northwest of Pergamum along the Lycus River (“Thyatira”). These three cities are mentioned in address to the seven churches in Asia by John in the Book of Revelation (1:11). Thyatira was known for its great trade guilds (unions) to which every crafter must belong in order to be successful. These guilds included bakers, potters, tanners, weavers, robe makers, coppersmiths and dyers. The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia makes the following observation about the city of Thyatira: Thyatira was specially noted for the trade guilds which were probably more completely organized there than in any other ancient city. Every artisan belonged to a guild, and every guild, which was an incorporated organization, possessed property in its own name, made contracts for great constructions, and wielded a wide influence. Powerful among them was the guild of coppersmiths; another was the guild of the dyers…     The color purple is a bright, deep reddish-blue and is sometimes called Turkish Red. The dye

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