Morning Prayers

By: Aaron Cozort A common question asked in casual conversation is, “Are you a morning person or a night owl?” By habit, biological reasons we may not understand or even by necessity, some people choose to arise from bed early and some get up late. No matter where you fall on this spectrum, one thing that is certain is that you woke up today, and Lord willing, you will arise again tomorrow. An appropriate question is, “What do we do with our time when we wake?” Do we reach for the technology device of choice and start on email or social media? Do we turn on music or the radio to distract ourselves as we prepare for another day? Are we immediately engrossed in the to-do list that we prepared the night before? Do we punch the snooze button repeatedly until we must scurry around like startled rats to get out the door? Whatever your morning routine, the truth we should consider is that each day belongs to the Lord. He has blessed us with the day, with the life and the opportunity of another day of existence, and we should consider how to begin that opportunity, how we honor that gift and how we maximize that benevolence. Here’s a curious paradox: On earth, a servant waits upon his master. Yet, our loving Master waits upon His servants. What, then, could we do with our time in the morning? King David admonished through his example of praying in the morning. …

“While It Remained, Was It Not Your Own?”

By: Aaron Cozort “While it remained, was it not your own?” Underpinning Peter’s declaration to Ananias in Acts 5:4 is a significant truth. God has placed into each person’s hand (or life) something over which he or she is a steward. For one person, it might be possessions, while for another it might be time or abilities, and for another, children. What remains true across the board is the reality that we are all stewards. Every person should recognize stewardship as fundamental to God’s expectations for our lives. Jesus spoke of stewardship in Luke 12. Verses 42–44 read, “…Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has” (NKJV). Jesus spoke those words to Peter after delivering a parable about the coming of the Lord and declaring, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Luke 12:40). Everything in creation and even the very breath in our bodies belongs to God. All of the particles of the universe down to the lowest level belong to God. They are His creation. Hebrews 1:1–3 reads, “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, …

Two Interesting Details About the Passover

Deuteronomy 16 records Moses’ instructions to the Israelite nation about three of their significant feasts. Under the Old Testament Law, the Israelites were required to attend three feasts each year in the city where the Tabernacle (and later the Temple) was located. Three of the feasts that they could attend to meet this requirement were the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Booths (tabernacles). The Unleavened Bread of the Passover. During the feast of Passover, there was to be absolutely no leaven anywhere in the houses of the Israelites. They were to purge out the leaven. Throughout the Old and New testaments, leaven signified a corrupting agent and very commonly represented sin (1 Corinthians 5). For this reason and to learn a lesson, Israel was commanded to eat only unleavened bread during the Passover. It is of particular interest, then, that Deuteronomy 16 records, “You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, that is, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), that you may remember the day in which you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life” (v. 3 NKJV). Moses identified an additional reason for the “no leaven” requirement in Egypt as they were preparing to leave. He called unleavened bread “the bread of affliction,” referring to their slavery in Egypt. He noted that they came out of Egypt in haste. …

Loyalty

Loyalty is a valuable asset in a relationship, and the Scriptures speak positively about loyalty, especially to God. Loyalty is valuable for the short term and eternally. “Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man” (Proverbs 3:3-4 NKJV). The concept of truth used in this passage is that of faithfulness. The root word is defined as “a primitive root; properly, to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet; morally to be true or certain…” (Strong’s). As a child can rely on the steady strength and support of a parent as a foundation for life, so the son of the writer of Proverbs was exhorted to take mercy and truth and to bind them about himself every day, to add them to his heart, and they would deliver value now and forever. Love and loyalty are repaid by the Lord. “Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints! For the Lord preserves the faithful, And fully repays the proud person” (Psalm 31:23). Some argue that God presents Himself as one Who shows favoritism, one who uses the carrot and stick approach to humanity to convince it to obey Him. This is simply false. God shows no arbitrary partiality. Indeed, He sends his rain and sunshine on the …

God Tells You to Prepare It Before You Need It

“…You shall separate… You shall prepare roads for yourself… that any manslayer may flee there. …that he may live… lest the avenger of blood… overtake him… though he was not deserving of death…” (Deuteronomy 19:1-6 NKJV). God gave the children of Israel in this passage a commandment concerning the cities of refuge that were to be created in the land of Israel after it received its inheritance. These cities were to be a refuge, not for evildoers but for those who were responsible for an accidental death (i.e., who committed manslaughter). No malice, ill-intent or premeditation existed by those who would seek shelter in the cities of refuge. They would be tried, judged and remain in that city until the death of the current High Priest, at which time they could return home and be safe from harm. This was an important law that had connections to a number of events in the Old Testament, but the law itself is not the focus of this article. Instead, it is the principle God used to explain the command. God provided clear instruction that there was to be no delay in accomplishing this task. The separation was to happen, the preparation was to happen, the clarification was given and the evaluation was mandated, which resulted in protection. Consider those four steps. 1. Separation. God established the value of consecration, sanctification or separation that a specific item (in this case a city) might be available for a special designated service. It is of …

Give Thanks Every Morning and Every Evening

When the Israelites came out of Egypt, God told them that all the firstborn belonged to Him. However, He redeemed them with the Levites who would become His special tribe. Then the LORD said to Moses: “Number all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and above, and take the number of their names. And you shall take the Levites for Me – I am the LORD – instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel.” (Numbers 3:40-41 NKJV) To the children of Kohath, Merari and Gershon – the sons of Levi – God gave responsibilities unique to them. He also gave them inheritances of cities throughout the land of Israel. Among those responsibilities was the care of the Tabernacle in the wilderness and in Canaan. “These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari…” (Exodus 6:16). “The duties of the children of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting included the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the door of the tabernacle of meeting” [“congregation” KJV] (Numbers 3:25). “And the leader of the fathers’ house of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. Their duty included the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the utensils of the sanctuary with which they ministered, the screen, and all the work …

A Credit to Her Name

Many of us know and realize that some of the greatest advice we’ve ever received came from a significant mother or grandmother in our lives. Although Scripture regularly records the instruction, admonition and wisdom of fathers (as given to them through God), it is often the wisdom of mothers that guides their children throughout their entire lives. What makes the wisdom of mothers so different from the wisdom of fathers is not the quality of wisdom. Perhaps the difference is the willingness of mothers to offer that wisdom through the emotional connection they have with their children. It is not just the words that we remember, but it is the tone, the emotion, the care, the concern, the expectations and ultimately the love with which the words were wrapped that make their wisdom enduring. Proverbs 31 describes such a mother who was a credit to her family and her name. This woman answered the unending curiosities of a child. “What, my son? And what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?” (verse 2). We know that children are constantly asking questions and expecting their parents to know all the answers. A gift of a mother is that heartfelt interest in a child’s questions. No matter how outlandish they might be, she will respond with some nugget of wisdom that will provide direction and understanding – all described in a way that a child can learn. However, the child is not a youngster anymore. He’s a King – a grown …

It Is More Than Just Fake News

God Hates Lies. “You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness” (Exodus 23:1 NKJV). “These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6:16-19). Twice in the Proverbs list of abominations before God are the lies of men. It can be stated no more clearly that a liar’s actions and speech are abominable before the Lord. We Hate Lies. “One of them, a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons’”  (Titus 1:12). Not all people all hate lies all the time. Often people rejoice in lies when they support their cause, enrich themselves or cause problems for their enemies, but there comes a day when all the tables are turned, and the lies oppose them. Then, we all will hate lies. The truth of the matter is that lies are detrimental for humanity no matter how they are used and who they “help.” Sin Came into the World by Lies. “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” (Genesis …

Abandonment Is Real

Abandonment is real for an unimaginable number of people in the world today. They have been forsaken by those who were supposed to protect them. Their days are fraught with danger and temptation, and their protection is virtually non-existent. The Psalmist writer penned, “When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me” (Psalm 27:10 NKJV). Many people in this world have found themselves alone, forsaken and abandoned. Their own parents will not come to their rescue. Their families have no care or concern for their wellbeing. These people need to learn what the Psalmist writer learned – that God never forsakes you. Psalm 27:14 provides consolation when it says, “Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!” I’ll Never Abandon the Lord Joshua 24:16 represents a praiseworthy disposition toward God. “So the people answered and said: ‘Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods.’” However, the commitment of one generation is often followed by the downfall of another as humanity’s relationship with God ebbs and flows. The Israelites of Joshua’s day were filled with conviction that they would never depart from God, and they would never be willing to forsake the Lord. Yet, in reality, it was just a short time before they turned away from the Lord and turned to idols. Even in the first century church, the reality is that Christians abandoned …

Solomon Examined Happiness

We live in an age where people do not feel that they are bound by honor, commitment and principle. Instead, they live their lives looking for what makes them happy. They will argue that all God really wants is for them to be happy or if they are happy, God must be as well. Ecclesiastes may be the single most applicable book of the Old Testament to our lives today. It is the account of Solomon’s search for truth and for the purpose of our existence on this earth. It details the various ways and means by which he tested what had value in life and how it all brought him back to the conclusion that the ultimate purpose of a life that would not end empty (in vanity) is to “Fear God, and keep His commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12:13 NKJV). Within his trials and studies, Solomon focused one section on pleasure and happiness. Notice what he said. I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity. I said of laughter – “Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives. I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted …

We All Need a Guide

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be blind – to always see nothing but blackness? How disorienting that must be! How great a struggle to go through each day and operate in this world! The simplest of tasks would be monumental. The difficulty of safely operating a device like a toaster or a stove, cooking an egg or making a cake would be inconvenient at best. This concept is important to realize. Imagine how a journey through life would be without the Word of God – divine revelation. “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. I have sworn and confirmed That I will keep Your righteous judgments” (Psalm 119:105-106 NKJV). Jesus Christ and His Gospel are the light God sent into the world. Without Jesus and the Gospel, we would go through this life with our eyes wide open but lost completely in spiritual darkness without any guiding light at all. 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. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the …

You May Have Your Worldly Pleasures

The song found in our songbooks, “I Want to Be Ready,“ begins with the line of this article. You may have your worldly pleasuresYour silver and your gold,You may pile up all the richesThat this old world can hold;But I’d rather have my SaviorAnd with Him firmly standFor I want to be ready to meet HimIn the glory land I agree completely with the sentiment of the song, one found often in Scripture. Truly, man’s focus ought to be on the spiritual things and eternity rather than on the things of this world. This sentiment is reinforced in the moral teaching of Scripture. “‘Stolen water is sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.’ But he does not know that the dead are there, That her guests are in the depths of hell” (Proverbs 9:17-18). Amos prophesied to the Israelites in his day to warn them about the waywardness of the rich, prosperous, lazy and gluttonous nation they had become. Woe to you who put far off the day of doom, Who cause the seat of violence to come near; Who lie on beds of ivory, Stretch out on your couches, Eat lambs from the flock And calves from the midst of the stall; Who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments, And invent for yourselves musical instruments like David; Who drink wine from bowls, And anoint yourselves with the best ointments, But are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. Therefore, they shall now go captive as the …

Fishers of Men

“And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men’” (Mark 1:16 NKJV). Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, and He spied a man and his brother. Their names were Simon and Andrew. Previously, they had followed John the Baptist when he was preaching in Judea, and one of them, Andrew, was present the day following Jesus’ baptism when John declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” When Andrew heard John say this, he went to find his brother Simon and brought him to Jesus. They listened to Jesus teach, and they obeyed His teaching. When Jesus called them, Simon and Andrew were working with their father. Their current task was mending the nets of the fishing boat. Fishing was their livelihood. This was their occupation, their trade. Some men, it might be said, live to fish. Simon and Andrew fished to live. Jesus came to them and said, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” They immediately left their father’s nets behind and followed Him. Following below are two important lessons from these events. When Jesus Calls, You Have to Choose. Jesus did not present a third alternative. Simon and Andrew had to choose to either stay or to follow Him. They made the right choice. They chose their Teacher. Their determination that …

If I Still Pleased Men

“For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10 NKJV). Doctrine and direction are two areas where men often seek to be in control. Throughout history, man has observed God’s instructions and found them insufficient, unsatisfactory and offensive. Out of a desire to have a better world in their worldview, they have changed and manipulated the revelation of God and turned it into nothing more than the revelation of men. When a person manipulates the Gospel message to declare another gospel, God declares them “accursed” (Galatians 1:9). The person who claims God’s message is His bondservant. So then, how do we determine what Gospel message, doctrine and direction we need to hold? A Revealed Message “But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:11-12). Paul demonstrated that if his message originated from men, it was not from God. Not only did it not come from men, but it came directly from the source of authority and standard of judgment, Jesus Christ. A Miraculous Message For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I …

I Saw the Light and Was Glad

…Do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance [patience, KJV], so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. (Hebrews 10:35-36 NKJV) This morning, I was driving east as the sunlight was beginning to shine over the ridge. The spectacle was beautiful. The sun was at the perfect angle to send rays of light across the sky in streams while still being below the horizon in other areas. Our Father’s creation is magnificent. Habakkuk prophesied about God as if His presence were the sun itself. God came from Teman, The Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens, And the earth was full of His praise. His brightness was like the light; He had rays flashing from His hand, And there His power was hidden. (Habakkuk 3:3-4) When we see the sun rays on a calm, cool morning, we know Who exists and Who reigns supreme over the day and the night. The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoices like a strong man to …

God and Time

God is not bound by time like you and me. While you and I live in an existence that is started and ended by a measurement of time (at least this physical existence is), God’s existence is not measured the same way. Humanity has a time to be born and a time to die. “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 NKJV). God is eternal in each direction (past and future). “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen” (Psalm 41:13). Were you to ask, “When was God born?” you would ask an illogical question because God was never born (excluding the birth of Jesus). He simply was and is. There was never a time God was not, and there will never be a time when God is not. So, Jesus said, “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,’ says the Lord, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty’” (Revelation 1:8). God judges outside of time. The Psalmist writer wanted God to remember that he, the Psalmist, is not eternal like Jehovah. He desired God to remember that He judges the sinfulness and imperfection of those who are frail and human. “I said, ‘O my God, Do not take me away in the midst of my days; Your years are throughout all …

Dodge Trucks are Ram Tough

“Dodge Trucks are Ram Tough.” Slogans about the toughness of a product are everywhere. Some things in this life are tough, and they do not crumble upon impact. Some things are built to be tough. Other things are tender. Some things are supposed to be easy to mold – to change. God wants your heart to be tender. Life can cause it to become tough. Life can cause it to become hardened. God wants you to be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving. Ephesians 4:32 reads, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (NKJV). Mark 3:5 is one of the few occasions where the Scriptures describe Jesus as angry. It reads, “And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts” (NKJV). When we become hard and refuse to listen to God, we also fail to act like God. When we refuse to extend the grace we receive from God, then we lose that grace. Jesus spoke, “Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). The opposite is also true; unhappy is the unmerciful, for they shall not obtain mercy. Jesus further declared, “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses” (Mark 11:25-26). We are to see others’ needs and …

The Weak, God Makes Strong

A man was struggling. His doubt about his ability to endure was evident. He repeatedly suffered at the hand of his enemy. He longed for relief, for respite from the pain. He hoped for a solution. He turned to God. God said, “No.” One person might think this is amazing. Other people might see it as an opportunity to criticize God for allowing one to suffer while being able to remove that suffering. There is a mentality in our culture that longs for the ideal with no pain. The secularist ideal is that everyone should receive alleviation of pain. No one should suffer. Hardship should be removed. God, though, knows better. Is some suffering senseless? Yes. Are some suffering a result of evil men doing evil deeds? Certainly. Is all suffering, even that suffering, inherently evil? No. The apostle Paul desired for his thorn in the flesh to be removed. God refused. He refused because He offered something of more value than “absence of suffering.” God offered grace. Paul recounted God’s response as, “‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV). Isaiah prophesied this truth of God to Israel in Isaiah 40 when he wrote: Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: “My way is hidden from the Lord, And my just claim is passed over by my …

Solomon Examined Happiness

We live in an age where people do not feel themselves bound by honor, commitment and principle. Instead, they live their lives looking for what makes them happy. They will argue that all God really wants is for them to be happy, or if they are happy, God must be as well. The Book of Ecclesiastes may be the single most applicable book of the Old Testament to our lives today. It is the account of Solomon’s search for truth and the purpose of our existence on this earth. It details the various ways and means by which he tested what had value in life and how it all brought him back to the conclusion that the ultimate purpose of a life that would not end empty (in vanity) is to, “Fear God, and keep his commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Within his trials and studies, Solomon focused one section on pleasure and happiness. Notice what he said. I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine… I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools… I bought male and female slaves… I had also great possessions of herds and flocks… I …

Who Needs Our Comfort?

As Christians, we serve a wonderful and caring God who seeks to give us all that we need to adequately navigate lives in service to Him. He is described in 2 Corinthians 1:3 as the God of comfort, and such He certainly is – both through His Word and His promises. However, there is another reason mentioned why He is the God of comfort. It is so that we might also be able to comfort others as we have been comforted. This, of course, raises the immediate question, “Who needs our comfort?” An understanding of the answer to this question is pivotal to our ability to adequately fulfill our mandate as comforters. There are many categories that could be considered. The first one that comes to mind for many people is responding to the physically needy. This is certainly one of the reasons God gave commandments concerning the need “to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction” (James 1:27). We are commanded to see to the physical needs of our brethren, as well as to those outside the body of Christ. Paul wrote, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:9-10). Therefore, it is obvious that God intended for us to use our ability to comfort others who are physically needy. A second category needing …

The Consecration of the Levites

“I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn of the children of Israel. And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the work for the children of Israel in the tabernacle of meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, that there be no plague among the children of Israel when the children of Israel come near the sanctuary” (Numbers 8:18-19). To consecrate or to sanctify someone is the idea of separation. That person has been set aside for a purpose. When God kept all of the firstborn of Israel from being killed by the angel that passed over during the tenth plague, He redeemed the firstborn. God told Israel, “Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine” (Exodus 12:2). God would claim every firstborn of man and beast among Israel as His personal, consecrated, set apart possession. This consecration, according to verses 11-16, was to be a continual reminder that God had delivered them from Egypt and had done so mightily. And it shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you, that you shall set apart to the LORD all that open the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males …

God Guarantees You the Right to Healthcare

During a recent election season, candidates promoted themselves as the solution to the healthcare crisis in America. They promised change. They promised solutions. Some of them even promised free healthcare as a fundamental human right. (You should expect to get what you pay for when the cost is free.) Yet, there is a country that has already promised universal healthcare as a basic right to all of its citizens. Better yet, it is even free for the taking. Further still, it is not even funded with taxes. In addition, healthcare is not only free, but the food in the nation is also unlimited and free. No, it is neither Canada nor the European Union. The country is eternal. The King is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The citizens of that kingdom are part of the bride of Christ, the church. As John described his heavenly vision of the church descending from the presence of God, he wrote of the eternal healthcare system of God. “In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2). Remember the Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve could freely eat from it. That tree gave life, but they lost access to its power when they sinned. They were …

Want To Leave, Says God?

Who remembers and mourns for those destroyed by a wicked nation? Who weeps for the fallen, the downtrodden, and abused? Whose eyes are fountains of tears for the slain of Israel? God. Oh, that my head were waters,And my eyes a fountain of tears,That I might weep day and nightFor the slain of the daughter of my people! (Jeremiah 9:1) Has God ever sought an escape from your nation? A strange idea to some, but one with a clear scriptural principle at its foundation. God spoke to Israel and said that He would dwell with them (Deuteronomy 14), but then God wanted a dwelling place in the wilderness, an escape from this nation, a place of solace where travelers would lodge, but where no one from Israel dwelt. Oh, that I had in the wildernessA lodging place for travelers;That I might leave my people,And go from them! (Jeremiah 9:2) What could make God want an escape from those whom He once sought? Has God changed? Does He no longer love these people? No. The people changed. The nation became corrupt. The people that were once defined by holiness, purity and loveliness bathed themselves in sin. For they are all adulterers,An assembly of treacherous men.And like their bow they have bent their tongues for lies. (Jeremiah 9:2-3) Wickedness is all the rage today. America, like Israel of old, has bent its tongues for lies. Religion is ancient fables. God a myth. Morality relative. Evil has become excellent. Abomination is overwhelmingly popular. …

What Should Cause Your Heart to Rejoice?

“Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!” (1 Chronicles 16:10). What should cause you to be happy? What should cause you to know that there are value and purpose in life? David, the King in Israel, believed that seeking the Lord and His strength should cause us to be happy – to rejoice. In times of trouble and times of sorrow, in the height of anxiety and the depth of despair, we need to apply our minds to something more important than ourselves. We lose heart when we look at ourselves and our plights too often and for too long. Looking outside of ourselves is the solution to this myopic approach to life, but looking outside to the wrong person or circumstance will not help us either. The writer of Hebrews, guided by the Holy Spirit, wrote it this way, “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2). When the troubles of life weigh you down, and the despair of hopelessness brings you low, start focusing on Christ, Jehovah, and seek the Lord and His strength. Then, your heart can rejoice! “Rejoice in the Lord …

Pointing People to Jesus

The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” [which means Teacher], “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” [which means Christ]. He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” [which means Peter].” (John 1:35-42) It is interesting to see how people came to know Jesus in the days before He started His full ministry. They did not hear His sermons or see His miracles, but they simply were introduced by those who already knew Him. Andrew learned of Jesus from John the Immerser; Peter learned of Him from Andrew his brother. In the following verses, Jesus found Philip (sometimes thought to be the other of the two disciples mentioned here), who afterward found and told Nathaniel of the Christ. Those who came …

Be Careful

Jesus often encouraged His followers to be careful about certain things. We read words like “take heed,” meaning pay close attention to this. In Matthew 7, He warned to be careful how one judges. In Mark 4, our Lord said, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.” Jesus encouraged people who hear Him to judge, to understand and to measure what they hear, but to do so carefully because it will be measured to them the same way. We have to be careful how we hear. We must be careful what we hear. Yet, we must hear and judge based upon the Word of God. Take heed what you hear today. Aaron Cozort preaches for the Church of Christ in Collierville, Tennessee, USA. Starting in 2021, he is also the Internet consultant for and a partner in the production and circulation of Gospel Gazette Online.

Welcome to the Family

Many people all around the world today are lonely and desire to be a part of a real family. They do not have families. For some reason or another, their families are gone. Jesus had a family in the physical sense, yet His family rejected Him at the beginning. Instead, He invites you and everyone else to be a part of a different family. Who belongs to the family of Jesus? Who does Jesus consider to be the most special to Him? Who gets the priority of Jesus’ attention? In Mark 3:35, Jesus said, “For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.” The relationship of Jesus’ real family revolves around a person’s obedience to His Father. Jesus made it clear that He will choose those who obey God above any physical bond on this earth. John 1:12-13 reads, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” Jesus elsewhere said that this birth comes by water and the Spirit – baptism. May I encourage you to be a part of the family – to obey God? If you have become obedient to God, may I welcome you to the family? Aaron Cozort preaches for the Church of Christ in Collierville, Tennessee, USA. Starting in 2021, he is …

A Chaste Life

Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines the word chaste as: “1. Pure from all unlawful commerce of sexes. Applied to persons before marriage, it signifies pure from all sexual commerce, undefiled; applied to married persons, true to the marriage bed. 2. Free from obscenity. While they behold your chaste conversation. 1 Peter 3:2. 3. In language, pure, uncorrupt, free from barbarous words and phrases, and quaint, affected, extravagant expressions.“ The primary use of the term in English indicates purity in sexual matters. Paul wrote to the Corinthians and used the sexual purity concept in an analogy concerning the congregation as a body of Christ. Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly — and indeed you do bear with me. For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1-3) As the bride of Christ, the church is to be pure and chaste, but it can only be such if its members who make up that body are chaste. The analogy in this passage speaks of the Corinthian’s assembly as a betrothed (engaged) woman. She has been promised to her spouse and is awaiting that marriage date. How, then, can she be seeking after other men? Also notice the description of her as a virgin. She has …

Gold

An author of financial books, Robert Kiyosaki, wrote concerning gold in his book Fake. In Fake, Robert examined the financial system in America and the results of removing the US Dollar from the Gold Standard in 1971. Throughout the book, Robert used an interesting analogy; he called paper money (i.e., fiat currency) “man’s money,” and gold and silver, he called “God’s money.” He explained that paper money is printed, created and devalued by men and governments. God’s money existed before governments and will exist after our nation crumbles. It will still be valuable no matter what happens to the US Dollar, the Euro, the Yuan or the Yen. Gold appears early in Scripture. In Genesis 2:11-12, when the Garden of Eden’s location was described by Moses, we read, “The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there.” Abram was very rich in “livestock, in silver, and in gold” (Genesis 13:2). Pharaoh placed his signet ring upon the hand of Joseph and a golden chain around his neck when he put him in the position of second in command in all Egypt (Genesis 41:42). The sons of Jacob came to Egypt with gold in their sacks to buy grain and found their gold back in their sacks on the return journey home (Genesis 44:8). The items in the Tabernacle of God built by Moses and Israel were …

A Reminder from 1 Samuel 6

Now the Ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months. And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the Ark of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it to its place.” So they said, “If you send away the Ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty; but by all means return it to Him with a trespass offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you.” Then they said, “What is the trespass offering which we shall return to Him?” They answered, “Five golden tumors and five golden rats, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines. For the same plague was on all of you and on your lords. Therefore you shall make images of your tumors and images of your rats that ravage the land, and you shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will lighten His hand from you, from your gods, and from your land. Why then do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He did mighty things among them, did they not let the people go, that they might depart?” (1 Samuel 6:1-6) The Ark of the Covenant fell into the hands of the Philistines because of the wickedness of the sons of Eli and their belief that carrying the Ark into …

The Heart of the Law

God has always expected His people to care for one another. In the New Testament, this is evident by the way the early Christians cared for one another’s needs. The closing verses of Acts 2 present a picture of an assembly of people sharing as anyone had need. They didn’t hoard their possessions or look out only for their interests. We read, “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.” This pervasive attitude among Christians to care for other Christians shouldn’t surprise us. We know Christ promised that our loving Father in Heaven would also hear our prayers and care for our needs. Often that care comes through the hands of His obedient servants. Even in the Old Testament, the Law set forth standards of caring for those who were in need. In Deuteronomy 15, Moses taught the children of Israel to lend to their brothers and sisters (Israelites) who were in need. Also, they were to loan this money at no interest. Furthermore, every seventh (or sabbath) year, all debts among Israelites were to be canceled. In this way, God provided for the poor through the blessings of the rich. Because of this law about a loan getting canceled, God also gave this command: Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, “The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,” and your eye be evil …

While It Remained, Was It Not Your Own?

“While it remained, was it not your own?” Underpinning Peter’s declaration to Ananias in Acts 1:4 is a significant truth. God has placed into each person’s hand something over which he is a steward. For one person, it might be possessions. For another, it may be time or abilities. For still someone else, he or she may be a steward over children. What remains true irrespective over what one is a steward is the reality that we are all stewards. Every person should recognize stewardship as fundamental to God’s expectations for our lives. Jesus spoke of stewardship in Luke 12. Verses 42-44 reads, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.” Jesus spoke this to Peter after delivering a parable about the coming of the Lord and declaring, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Luke 12:40). Everything in creation and even the very breath in our lungs belong to God. The particles of the universe down to the lowest level belong to God. They are His creation. Hebrews 1:1-3 reads, “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, …

A Wise Son Versus a Foolish Son

Every righteous father looks for opportunities to direct his children down the path of righteousness. He sees them growing up and imagines that one day they will walk a path of faithful obedience to the Lord. His heart rejoices each time that a child makes a choice displaying an inward man of thoughtfulness, godliness, love and righteousness. These things and many more point to the growth of a child who will be wise. In Proverbs, there is one thing intended by the word “wise.” It is being “obedient to God.” Proverbs 9:10 reads, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (NKJV). If wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, one will never reach true wisdom while being in opposition to the Lord. James further illustrates this. Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:13-18) The …

A Choice, a Path and a Reward

A Choice to Make (Joshua 24:14-15) Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD! And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Joshua called upon people to make a choice—serve the Lord, or don’t; be faithful or not; return to the gods of Egypt or choose to serve the LORD. We all have a choice to make in our lives. We can serve the Lord or we can serve Satan. We can choose righteousness or we can select depravity. Psalms 106:3 reads, “Blessed are those who keep justice, And he who does righteousness at all times!” Serving righteousness and making a choice to be righteous is not a one-time decision, but it is a path, a journey and a way of life that is chosen day after day. A Path to Follow (Proverbs 1:1a, 2, 6) Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly…But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. For the LORD knows the way …

What Changes Are Supposed to Happen When One Becomes a Christian?

Change is natural when a child is born. So, it is true for a Christian. A Christian is not to be born in the watery birth of baptism and then continue in his old lifestyle of sin and wickedness. A Christian’s washing of regeneration in baptism and renewing by the Spirit of God should result in a drastically different individual than before he died to sin (Titus 3:5). What things are supposed to change when one becomes a Christian? One item that should change is the mind; it is supposed to change because the person living inside of you is supposed to change. Ephesians 4:23 says, “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that you put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness.” When a person is baptized into Christ, he dies and is resurrected again to a new life. He comes up out of that water a new person. He’s supposed to change. The new Christian is supposed to think differently. Before baptism, a person might consider his life to be without value. A person might think that the physical body is all that makes up one’s existence. After baptism (because it wasn’t to clean the physical body but to cleanse the spiritual body), a new Christian should readily understand that he has a spirit (inner person) that is alive in addition to and separate from the body. Before baptism, a person might consider his evil deeds to …

Babes in Christ

Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as spiritual people, but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:1). In almost every congregation, no matter where one worships, there are some people to whom we must speak carefully because they are just babes. They are not babes physically; they are babes spiritually. Mature Christians need to be patient and longsuffering with them. A new Christian, a novice in the Scriptures, may make mistakes, have incorrect opinions about Scripture and even harbor false beliefs on some matters of doctrine—simply because they have not yet had time to learn any better. Parents can remember the times when they were watchful for their infants, who would put anything and everything in their mouths. Infants don’t know any better, but they should, over time, learn better. We must teach them, and we must do so patiently. Unfortunately, it is also true that sometimes there are Christians in congregations who have been Christians for years, and they are still babes in Christ. They are untrained, unknowledgeable and yet physically (carnally) minded instead of spiritually minded. It was this that Paul addressed in 1 Corinthians 3 regarding the church at Corinth. He had patiently taught that congregation. “I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal” (1 Corinthians 3:2-3). This situation …

A Failure to Correct

The life of David, the King of Israel, was often filled with difficulty—the affairs of state, the continual wars and unrest, and threats against his kingdom. To further complicate the matter, David had a weakness for women and would, in turn, father many children. Still, they would not receive adequate attention from their father because of the previously mentioned difficulties. As a result, there was not always a good relationship between David and his sons. Surrounding David were many power-hungry advisors and political leaders who influenced his sons in the wrong direction (Jonadab, 2 Samuel 13:4; Ahithophel, 2 Samuel 15:12). Amid all these struggles, what can often happen in the life of a family is that one child begins to do wrong, and no one corrects him. According to 1 Kings 1:5-6, this is precisely what happened with Adonijah, the brother of Absalom. “Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, ‘I will be king‘; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. (And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, ‘Why have you done so?’ He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom).” Solomon, a son of David who observed his brothers’ attempts to overthrow David, would write this wisdom to his son: “Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction” (Proverbs 19:18). There is importance in expeditiously handling wrongdoing. The correction postponed can become an encouragement …

Two Interesting Details about the Passover

Deuteronomy 16 records Moses’ instructions to the Israelite nation about three of their significant feasts. Under the Old Testament law, the Israelites were required to attend three feasts each year in the city where the Tabernacle (and later the Temple) were located. Three of the feasts that they could attend to meet that requirement were: the feast of Passover, the feast of weeks and the feast of booths (tabernacles). The Unleavened Bread of the Passover During the Feast of Passover, there was to be absolutely no leaven anywhere in the house of the Israelites. They were to purge out the leaven. Throughout the Old and New testaments, leaven almost always signified a corrupting agent and commonly represented sin (1 Corinthians 5). For this reason and to learn this lesson, Israel was commanded to eat only unleavened bread during the Passover. It is of particular interest, then, that Deuteronomy 16 records, “You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, that is, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), that you may remember the day in which you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life” (verse 3). Moses identified an additional reason for the “no leaven” requirement in Egypt as they were preparing to leave. He called unleavened bread “the bread of affliction,” referencing their slavery in Egypt. He noted that they came out of Egypt in haste. Leaven …

The Sacrifice for Sins

God’s incredible love for man surpasses all our understanding. We can substitute our feelings for what we think God might have felt. We can imagine what we would do for our child to save him, and we can imagine what we might do for other people’s children to redeem them. However, we cannot reach the level of understanding necessary to comprehend what God did and has done for us. Jesus told Nicodemus, “…even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:14b-17). The atoning sacrifice could neither be an angel nor any other member of the heavenly host. All were insufficient. It could not be a man—all humanity is flawed by sin. It could not be an animal, for the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin. The only propitiatory sacrifice had to be God Himself, but it wasn’t enough for it to be God. Not only was there a need for a sacrifice, but there was also need for a Mediator—someone who could bridge the separation between humanity and the Father. The sacrifice had to be the Son (Matthew 20:28; Mark 9:12; John 1:14; …

A Father Raises His Children… But a Nation Rebels (Isaiah 1)

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

Proclaiming Christ in Times of Trouble

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice. (Philippians 1:12-18) During Paul’s imprisonment, there were many things that he could have spent his time considering. He could have worried about his situation, grown depressed over why these things were happening to him or grown angry at the unfairness of being imprisoned simply because he proclaimed the Truth. Instead of any of these things, he rejoiced because, through his imprisonment, the Gospel of Christ was being proclaimed in every corner of Rome. The brethren were bolder in proclaiming the Word. Even those who did not accept the truth of Christ and were only speaking with ill will were talking about it. Either way, Christ was being proclaimed. We …

God’s Chosen Path For You

Your path is dark. Your hope is almost gone. You look ahead and see only blackness. You struggle with making the right choices. You consider giving up. It’s not easy. Is this all you have to which to look forward? Is the life of a Christian a bleak, dark walk through a world of despair, never knowing the right way to go? “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night” (Exodus 13:21). In this text, Moses was not the one who chose when it was time for Israel to depart from Egypt. When he was a young man, Moses believed he would be the deliverer of Israel, but God disagreed about the timing. Moses thought God would deliver Israel quickly, but He did not. God chose His time for Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When God led Israel out of Egypt, the Israelites could not go any direction they desired. Moses didn’t sit down with a map and plot a course. Israel did not vote on an acceptable route and then travel down it. Instead, God presented a pillar of clouds in the sky by day and a pillar of fire by night. Moses and Israel moved by following God’s manifestation of His presence. Jeshua, the High Priest in Nehemiah’s day, declared to the people concerning God’s actions, …

The City that Earned Its Reputation

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

A Fair Test

The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, gave an order. He appointed a daily portion of his wine and delicacies to be given to certain young men who were in training for positions in his government as wise men and leaders. Yet, four of the young men could not accept the allotments. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were from Jerusalem. These four were among the best young men in Judah. When the Babylonian king besieged Judah, He carried them and many others like them back to Babylon to train for his courts. Daniel and his friends knew that the appointed food would be delicious to eat. They also knew what God had spoken through Moses to their ancestors. They could neither taste these delicacies nor drink this intoxicating wine. Doing so would make them unclean before God and cause them to sin against His commands. They requested an alternative for themselves. Daniel petitioned the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. The petition was met with hesitancy by the head of the eunuchs. Why should he endanger his life so that Daniel might do this? Daniel sought an alternative. Daniel 1:12-13 reads, “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.” The test was approved. “And …

Fishers of Men

 “And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men’” (Mark 1:16). Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee. He spied a man and his brother. Their names were Simon and Andrew. They followed John the Baptist when he was preaching in Judea, and one of them, Andrew, was present the day following Jesus’ baptism when John declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” When Andrew heard John say this, he went and found his brother Simon and brought him to Jesus. They listened to Jesus teach, and they became obedient to that teaching. That day Simon and Andrew were working with their father. Their current task was mending the nets for the fishing boat. Fishing was their livelihood. This was their occupation—their trade. Some men, it might be said, live to fish. Simon and Andrew fished to live. Jesus came to them and said, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” They immediately left their father’s nets behind and followed Him. There are many important lessons we can learn from this, but following are two. When Jesus Calls,You Have to Choose. Jesus did not leave a third alternative. Simon and Andrew had to choose either to stay or to follow Him. They made the best choice. They chose their Teacher. Their determination that …

Let Me Offer You Peace

Paul wrote to the assembly at Ephesus and penned six times concerning peace. He desired that they have peace (1:2). He wanted these Christians to know that the peace of God is real. It is available to a Christian, but it is not the world’s kind of peace. The world desires to have peace, meaning a lack of struggle, a lack of war and the absence of difficulties in life. “I am at peace,” we are told when a person is calm in mind, when sitting in the right yoga pose or when breathing the right way. Peace Is Tied Directly toSanctification and Faithfulness. “To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:1-2). This understanding that our peace originates with God, and more specifically with Christ, is valid for more than Christians individually. It is true for Christians collectively as well. Paul wrote that Jesus Christ Himself is our peace (2:14). Christ “has made both one,” the text says. Verse 15 clarifies, “so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace.” Jew and Gentile were being brought together from diverse backgrounds, often with opposing worldviews, and becoming one in Christ Jesus. The blood of Christ washes the sins of humanity away and breaks down the walls of separation in this world. It makes peace. Peace is Proclaimed(Ephesians 2:16-18). “…and that He might reconcile them both …

I Thank God That I Baptized None of You

This phrase came from the apostle Paul’s pen, and it was directed to the church at Corinth. He wrote, “I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name” (1 Corinthians 1:13-14). Paul wrote this statement to emphasize a point. Christians serve one Lord and Master—one Lawgiver. The One who died on the cross for their sins (1 Corinthians 1:13) and in whose name they were baptized was Jesus Christ alone. Christ is not divided, and Christians should not be divided either. In his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote: I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:1-6) The unity of Christianity is found in these “Ones.” Humbly, we are to endeavor to keep that unity intact. We are to serve one another and not usurp Christ’s position. If we have one doctrine, one hope, one faith and one baptism—all originating with one Lord—then, we ought to have unity. Yet, why is …