By: Nat Evans The greatest sermon as recognized by all was preached by the greatest preacher, our Lord Himself. The sermon of which I speak is, of course, the masterpiece called the Sermon on the Mount of Matthew 5–7. I have only room in this brief article to mention the first part of it in chapter 5—the Be-attitudes. “And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 5:1–3 NKJV). Verses 3–11 have long been called the Be-attitudes. Brother Franklin Camp would often point out in his class if you take away the “Be” then you will recognize that you are simply dealing with proper attitudes of heart. Brother Foy E. Wallace, Jr. pointed out in the Sermon on the Mount that you are dealing with things that point to the day of Pentecost. By this he meant that the characteristics that are found in the Sermon on the Mount would be characteristic of the members of the kingdom of God (the New Testament church) that would be established on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. Earlier I mentioned verse 3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The word “blessed” means happy or to have God’s approval. So many in life are searching for happiness and peace of mind,

In the days of the judge Jephthah, war occurred with Ammon. Jephthah led the Gileadites in battle and was victorious. However, as they returned home, the men of Ephraim confronted Jephthah and the army and said, “Why did you cross over to fight against the people of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you with fire!” (Judges 12:1 NKJV). As a result of this confrontation, the Gileadites and the Ephraimites battled each other. From that confrontation, an event that teaches us some valuable lessons occurs. The Gileadites seized the fords of the Jordan before the Ephraimites arrived. And when any Ephraimite who escaped said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead would say to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,” then they would say to him, “Then say, ‘Shibboleth’!” And he would say, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it right. Then they would take him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. There fell at that time forty-two thousand Ephraimites. (Judges 12:5–6) In the same way that the Ephraimites could not avoid mispronouncing Shibboleth because of their accent and dialect, some actions declare the truth about our internal lives no matter what we claim about ourselves. The Shibboleth of Drunkenness All these Scriptures make it unmistakably clear that drunkenness is an action that demonstrates a person is not a faithful servant of God but instead is living the life of a servant

And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:6–7 NKJV) “Keep yourself far from a false matter; do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked.” (Exodus 23:7) These verses underscore the truth that God, in His perfect justice, does not declare the guilty innocent. While merciful and patient, the Lord will not compromise His righteousness by justifying (acquitting) the unrepentant wicked. When considering God’s nature, we are faced with the imperfections of human society and our culture. God’s character and nature make it impossible for Him to acquit the guilty. This does not negate God’s mercy or His longsuffering, but it recognizes that God will hold those accountable who do not reconcile their guilt before time runs out. The passages in Exodus 23 deal specifically with the daily concerns of the Israelite nation. God insisted that the Israelites guard themselves against being associated with a false matter, a person defrauding his brother, associate or neighbor. If we assist in bringing harm to someone, God will hold us accountable for those actions, even if no human judge ever does. Furthermore, if we bring harm against the innocent or the righteous, God assures us that

I’m always thankful for the opportunity to speak at a Ladies’ Day or to write articles. They are humbling experiences for me. I hope and pray that readers get as much learning from Martha and Mary as I had in preparing this lesson. I have learned so much from these two sisters for my everyday life. I want to be as spiritual as I believe they were. What herein is an article was first my presentation at a Ladies’ Day hosted by the Wildwood, Florida Church of Christ. I appreciate and love the ladies from the Wildwood congregation. They are a very special group of Christian workers for the Lord. From the first day Louis and I put our membership there, the church welcomed us as family and made us feel special. Let’s make this lesson very personal. Only you can answer the questions I ask. Are you a Martha? Yes, ladies, I am Martha! I am a Martha in more than one way since my name is Martha. Sometimes, I am cumbered about with much service like Martha of old. Other times I work hard for the Lord as best I feel I can, as Mary did in our lesson today. I do believe that over the years Martha has gotten a bad rap. She really thought she was doing right, or she would not have gone to the Lord asking Him to tell Mary to come and help her. Let’s read Luke 10:38-42. Now it happened as they

In a world teeming with uncertainty and fleeting connections, the timeless virtues of trust and compassion emerge as beacons of hope. These are not mere sentiments but foundational principles that have guided humanity through its most challenging moments. Delving into the ancient narrative of the Shunammite woman and Elisha, we uncover a story of miraculous deeds and the profound impact that genuine kindness and unwavering faith can have. This record from 2 Kings 4 does more than recount historical events; it invites us to deeply reflect on how trust in the divine and compassion towards our fellow beings can transform our lives today. We are first introduced to the Shunammite woman when we read that she was a notable person and that she persuaded Elisha, who was traveling through Shunem, to eat some food. Note first that she lived in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Her nation was not favorable to the life and work of the prophet Elisha, and yet, she sought to serve him. She did not just feed him once but provided him with a standing invitation that whenever he came through her area he could go to her home and be fed. In verse 9, we learn that she convinced her husband that they should go beyond the meals to provide Elisha with a room on the wall of their house to give him a place to stay when he came near there. All of this she did and never asked for anything in return. She

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

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Introduction What is legalism, or who is a legalist? The terms “legalism” and “legalist” have been and continue to be brandished about freely by public speakers and penmen alike. Who is a “legalist,” and what is “legalism” is the question of the day. The answer seems to depend on what part of the road you’re on, which way you’re facing, and whether or not you’re moving in either direction. Some preachers, teachers, and elders have been dubbed “legalists” because they dared to proclaim the whole counsel of God and refused to accept denominational theories as doctrine. Others have been called “legalists” because they insist on the Lord’s standard of conduct for Christians. (Reeves 41) “Brethren with a liberal attitude toward biblical teaching make accusations against the church for adhering to what the Bible – and especially the New Testament – teaches. They say, ‘Teaching obedience and commandments is legalism’” (Gardner 13). “It is fashionable today to characterize anyone who is concerned with biblical doctrine as pharisaical. The biblical condemnation of the Pharisees; legalism has been misread as a denunciation of doctrinal precision” (MacArthur 5). “…The charge liberals make against those who wish to follow the Bible and allow it to be their strict guide in doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16-17). They claim we are guilty of the same sin as the Pharisees of Christ’s time – legalism” (Suiter 23). “Christians today are called ‘legalists’ when they obey God – as if obedience was a terrible sin”

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada bibendum. At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. Rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo. Tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Augue mauris augue neque gravida in fermentum et sollicitudin ac. What Is the Comfort Zone? Arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam sit. Sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est ultricies. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit. Ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. What to Expect When Leaving Your Comfort Zone. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

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Introduction If not now, when will congregations lay the groundwork for and progress to the appointment of elders and deacons in the Lord’s church? Every generation in every place where the church assembles, doubtlessly, Christians have faced the challenge of attaining spiritual growth. Such was the case in the first century, too. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (Hebrews 5:12-6:2 NKJV) Are Elders & Deacons Necessary? First, we need to determine from Scripture if it is necessary for congregations to have elders and deacons. If God’s Word instructs congregations of the Lord’s church to appoint elders and deacons, then it is not optional. Admittedly, the early church for a time did not have elders and deacons. The first mention in the New Testament of the presence of elders

The apostle Paul related to the past in a two-fold manner. He said, “but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before” (Philippians 3:13b). He also said “that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:15). With respect to his old Jewish prerogatives and attainments, he was constantly disregarding and discarding them, putting them out of his mind. With respect to his past sinful opposition to Christ, Christianity and faithful children of God, he was ever mindful of his grave though conscientious course of error. In one instance, he grew beyond the past while in the other instance the past was ever with him. The history of specific congregations of the Lord’s church and the history of individual members therein may be approached similarly. As we look to the past, either individually or congregationally, there are some things beyond which we must grow as we maintain a realistic hope of spiritual and practical growth in Christian endeavors. There are also some things of the past onto which we must maintain a firm hold and keep ever with us if we realistically hope to fulfill our golden cup of service in the vineyard of the Lord. This latter point is of special interest presently. Many congregations have been established with humble beginnings, including limited financial resources, facilities and personnel. In time, some congregations have truly grown so that a large

One of my favorite characters in the Bible is Barnabas. Barnabas is not known because of his ability to preach or because of any great miracle he performed. Neither is he known for converting some famous celebrity. What made Barnabas great was his ability to make those around him better. When we first meet him in Scripture, he is introduced as the “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36). A few chapters later, he is seen helping Paul. When Paul was converted, he was not trusted by many Christians due to the fierce reputation of a persecutor he had earned earlier in life. Barnabas personally took Paul to the apostles and told them the story of his conversion. Because of this, Paul was accepted by the church and was supported as a missionary. Years later, a dispute arose between Paul and Barnabas. John Mark had abandoned Paul and Barnabas in Pamphylia on an earlier mission trip, but then, he wanted a second chance. Paul insisted that they should not take him, but Barnabas was willing to give Mark another opportunity. The contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. Paul took Silas and went through Syria and Cilicia while Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus. This account focuses on the nature of Barnabas. Mark did not deserve a second chance, but Barnabas gave it to him anyway. Barnabas was an encourager to all who were around him. Jesus teaches us that we need to be the sort of people

There is no question that women have made tremendous strides in the past 100 years as far as achieving certain rights which previously they have been denied. This article’s purpose is not to examine these achievements or to look at both the positive and sometimes negative consequences of such achievements. Instead, this article is focusing on what the New Testament teaches about women and how some are attacking the very teachings of the Bible related to women. A common theme in today’s religious world is that the Bible’s view of women is outdated and not fit for today’s culture. The Episcopalian bishop, John Spong, on page 117 of his book Living in Sin? A Bishop Rethinks Human Sexuality says, “There is no doubt about the fact that the Bible is biased against women… Both the religious and ethical directives of the Bible were formulated out of a patriarchal understanding of life, with the interests of men being primary. Are we willing to return to these destructive definitions of both men and women?” Jesus Elevated Women Jesus treated women much differently than the rabbis of His day. The traditions of the Jews in the time of Jesus forbade a rabbi to speak publicly with a woman. Throughout the Gospels we find Jesus speaking publicly to women. Many of us are familiar with the accounts of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11), the woman begging for the life of her daughter (Matthew 15:21-28), the sinful woman at Simon’s house (Luke 7:36-50) and many

One of my favorite television programs to watch is called Wild West Tech. It chronicles the technological advancements that helped shaped the old west. It can be anything from a safer train to better ways of execution. What fascinates me about this program is the willingness of the people in the 1800’s to accept these advancements to help improve their everyday lives. After all, who doesn’t want to be hung from the gallows in the most efficient way? Technology interests me, especially in preaching the Gospel. We have been given the task to take the Gospel into all the world (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16) whether in the local pulpit or across the ocean, and the advancements in technology help us do that. I’ve used just about all of them. I’ve written sermons using pencil, pen, typewriter, computer and most recently with the iPad. I’ve used bed sheets, chalk boards, white boards, overhead projectors and PowerPoint to give the lessons a visual effect. I’ve recorded sermons on tape, CD and the Internet. I have and will probably continue to seek out and use the latest technology in my work as a minister. However, there is something that will never change—the pure, unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ. The reason being is because Jesus and His Word never change. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35). Yes, the methods by which the Gospel

The title is the simple statement Jesus provided to the Gadarene man. As Christians, we are charged with a similar order. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19). This does not sound like the same sentiment, but when you consider that disciple making requires one to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15), and that preaching the Gospel means telling others the good news, which you have also heeded, then all Christians, to the best of their abilities, should “Tell what great things God has done.” If it is such a simple statement, why is it so hard to follow? Perhaps when we see why the man in Luke 8 was so motivated that “he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him” (39), we will be moved to act similarly. As we put the account together, we see that long before Jesus came to this region, this man was possessed with demons (27). In fact, there were thousands of those spirits in his body. What had this done to his life? He really had no life so to speak. The demons had “seized” it and had “driven” him to do what they wanted (29). This kept him homeless. He lived in tombs and wore no clothes. When he was captured, the demons caused him to break his bonds with inhuman strength and go into the wilderness. We know he

The Christian is commanded to sing: “but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:18b-20). Sometimes it is concerning how Christians sing. Many Christians think their singing is approved just because it is a cappella, but this is not the case. Singing a cappella is important, but if that is the only thing a Christian is doing to make sure he is singing correctly, he is not doing enough. As with all acts of worship, it is a Christian’s duty to make sure that he is worshiping correctly. David was very conscientious of the way he worshiped. In Psalms, he spoke of his excitement to worship: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord’” (122:1). David worshiped in song, and the songs were focused on God, but David did not think just making sure the songs were focused on God was enough. He wanted to worship with enthusiasm as well as with reverent devotion. Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord is the great God, And the great King above all gods. In

Our Lord did much teaching on giving. There are over 1,500 verses in the Bible about giving. Further, over half of the parables that Jesus taught deal with stewardship. Our Lord observes all that we do. He observes our circumstances when we give as well as the motives that lead us to give. Our Lord knows that the most sensitive nerve in the body is the nerve that runs from our heart to our pocketbook. John Bunyan said, “There was a man, some thought him mad, the more he gave the more he had.” Scriptural giving is composed of four components: the head, the heart, the mouth and the pocketbook. This is how true conversion takes place concerning spiritual giving. One cannot live obediently before God and walk in the spirit of Christ without dealing with money as a spiritual issue in his life. For an individual to decide what he is going to give without seeking light from the Word of God makes about as much sense as a man deciding how he will be baptized – whether by pouring, sprinkling or burial – without observing what the Bible says about it. If one is left to his whims and selfishness to give what he pleases without seeking light from the Bible, the Word of God means nothing, and one could ignore all the teaching of Christ and the apostle Paul. The faithful steward of God bases his giving on the teachings of the Bible. The command in our text is “give.” We put great

I’m brother Nkereuwem Akpan from Nigeria. pls sir i want to know when a man has the right to have sexual relationship with a woman. i met a sister that i love to marry, both families have agreed, i have paid certain marital rites but not all. i have not paid the pride price yet because is a huge amount of money but i would pay later. my father-in-law and the family have agreed that i should go ahead and live with my wife. but my minister says i don’t have right over my woman except the pride price is paid. please should i sent her packing since she is not my wife according to my preacher? pls when did marriage starts? it is an urgent issue please! Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:32; 19:9) and His apostles (1 Corinthians 5:9; 6:18; 10:8; Ephesians 5:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:3) condemned fornication. Fornication, which is “illicit sexual intercourse” (Vine’s), appears in lists of additional sins (Matthew 15:10; Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25; 2 Corinthians 2:21; 1 Timothy 1:10) that also will keep souls out of heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:5; Revelation 21:8) and result in them experiencing “eternal fire” (Jude7). The biblical solution to avoid fornication is marriage. “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband” (1 Corinthians 7:2 KJV). “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4 NKJV). Essentially, the

On Sunday morning, April 24, 2005, Troy Driscoll, 15, and his best friend, Josh Long, 17, both high school students from North Charleston, SC., paddled out from Sullivan’s Island near their home for a day of fishing in a 15-ft. boat. They intended to put the boat between the beach and a sand bar, but they weren’t there 20 minutes when a riptide pulled them out, further away from the beach. They tried to put the anchor down, but it wouldn’t take hold. They drifted farther and farther away. Hours went by. They tried to wave people down, but nobody saw them. Josh said that the last thing he saw were the towers on shore that lead cargo ships in. When nightfall came, they couldn’t see anything. The next morning there was no land in sight. “All we could do was pray,” said Josh. By 10 p.m. on Sunday night, when the boys — who left Josh’s cell phone in his truck at the dock and had no radio or emergency equipment — hadn’t returned, their frantic parents called the Coast Guard. A rescue mission began which turned into a recovery mission 2 ½ days later when the teens weren’t found. Finally, on Saturday, April 30, the seventh day after they set out, two fisherman spotted them and brought them to safety. They were 7 miles off Cape Fear and 111 miles from where they had launched. While they were lost at sea, the teens battled the cold at night,

Dear Mr. Rushmore, The gospel is not repentance, confession, baptism and faith. The gospel is 1 Cor. 15:1-8. This is what Paul taught as the gospel and he learned the gospel from Christ Himself, Gal. 1:11-12. I do not think Christ gave Paul your gospel. In fact Paul said the if anyone teaches a different gospel that the one he declairs that person is cursed. Darrel Clark The English word “gospel” appears 101 times in the New Testament, beginning with Matthew 4:23, which reads in part, “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom…” (NKJV). “Gospel” is translated from related words, a noun and a verb, which mean “a good message” and “to announce good news” (Biblesoft’s). First Corinthians 15:1-4 provides an overview definition of the Gospel thusly. Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Those are the facts of the Gospel. However, those facts must be obeyed for the Gospel to be the power of salvation for anyone. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of

Do you have a fear that you are afraid to face? Pride often prompts the fearful to feign boldness. The Greek word “phobos” is the background for many English “phobia” words. Claustrophobia is “abnormal fear of being confined, as in a room or small space.” Hydrophobia is “an abnormal fear of water.” Fear can be divided into two classes – proper and improper. Solomon pinpointed what mankind’s essential pursuit ought to be. “Fear God, and keep his commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). It is proper for every human to give their Creator the highest of respect, which is evidenced by their submission to His will. Improper fear is the cowering state of mind that hinders proper conduct. In the Parable of the Talents, the servant entrusted with one talent “digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money” (Matthew 25:18). When the Master returned, he declared the man to be wicked and slothful. The slacker made this admission, “I was afraid” (Matthew 25:25). It is eye opening to learn that along with murderers, fornicators, and idolaters, “the fearful” will be eternally lost (Revelation 21:8). Wise counseling from the Scriptures can help you face your fears. Fear of failure, fear of responsibility, fear of growing old, fear of death, etc. What is a good starting place? “The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do his commandments” (Psalm 111:10). Proper fear of God will prepare the way for successfully tackling any debilitating fears. The Psalmist

If you look at the copyright date printed in many older books, it will appear as Roman numerals. This numeric system’s popularity has decreased over the years. Therefore, the title of this article might mean little to many. The “L” represents 50, and an “X” represents 10. So LXX is equivalent to the number 70. Many whose focus is upon Judeo-Christian writings will readily know what this article is about. The LXX has come to be used as an abbreviation for a very special translation of the Old Testament Scriptures. About the middle of the 3rd century before Christ (c. 280 B.C), a group of 70 (or 72?) linguistic scholars assembled in Alexandria, Egypt. Their monumental undertaking was to take the Hebrew Old Testament Scriptures (and some other writings) and translate them into the Koine (common) Greek language. This literary work is called the Septuagint. The Septuagint provides a variety of benefits. First, it provides supportive proof for the legitimacy of Old Testament prediction. For example, the Book of Daniel includes prophecy of the fall of the Babylonian empire as well as the eventual rise and fall of other world regimes. The amazing detail found in Chapter Two has caused some skeptics to date the book nearer the time of the first century. They cannot accept that a Jewish captive living in Babylon would be able to foretell events so far in the future with such accuracy. They deny divine inspiration. It is easy for us to now look back

Death at its most basic level is a separation. Biblically we may divide death into two main usages. First, and obviously, there is physical death – separation of the body from the spirit (James 2:26). Second, there is spiritual death. This condition occurs when our personal sins separate us from God (Isaiah 59:2). There are countless horrific ways by which people have met their end (e.g., death by fire, buried alive, adrift at sea, etc.). While these are repulsive to even ponder, the possibility of eternal death is most disturbing of all. The Bible calls hell “the second death” (Revelation 20:14; 21:8). This place of separation from God was “prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41), yet for most of humanity, it will be the soul’s eternal dwelling place (Matthew 7:13-14; 10:28; 25:46). Satan has many traps in his arsenal. We may be tempted in one of three ways: “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vain glory of life” (1 John 2:16). One way we may be brought to spiritual death is especially crafty, namely, death by plenty! The Proverb writer requested: “Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is needful for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is Jehovah? Or lest I be poor, and steal, And use profanely the name of my God” (30:8-9). Note his sentiment about having too much, which might lead him to deny his God. He acknowledged the real possibility of becoming

Mark 9:14-29 records the account of Jesus healing a mute. He came to the disciples and saw a huge crowd around them and the scribes disputing with the disciples. Jesus asked the scribes what they were discussing with them. A father in the crowd had brought his son to the Lord’s disciples for healing. He was suffering with a mute spirit, but they could not heal him. Jesus instructed that he be brought to Him. Jesus asked his father how long had this been happening to him; the father said to Him from childhood. The father explained the spirit had often thrown him into fire and water to destroy him. Then, he made a statement that would tug at the heartstrings of any parents who have experienced their child suffering from a serious sickness or disease. “But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us” (Mark 9:22b). Imagine saying that to the firstborn over all creation! Jesus simply said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23). The father’s response is heart wrenching. “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!’” W. Elmo Mercer wrote the song, familiar to many of us, Each Step I Take. The words of the second verse echo the feelings so many of us have had or may be currently having about any number of life’s circumstances. “At times I feel my faith begin to

In the very shadow of his pending death, Paul reminded his “son in the faith” to “peach the word…” Preaching is important to God! In fact, preaching is the very method by which God chose to deliver and divulge His message to the world (cf. Luke 24:47; Titus 1:3; Romans 10:13). Sadly, sometimes public speeches and other forms of open rhetoric are classified as preaching. Even sadder still, some of this rhetoric is found within the walls of where the church of Christ assembles. Thus, it behooves us to understand exactly what kind of preaching is pleasing to God. Firstly, preaching that pleases God is Bible-based! What was Timothy to preach (2 Timothy 4:2)? The Word! Paul did not tell Timothy to preach psychology, traditions, current events, popular self-helps or anything else. Only the Word of God can save man’s soul (Romans 1:16), build faith (Romans 10:17), strengthen the soul and give an inheritance in heaven (Acts 20:32). Preaching that pleases God is preaching grounded in the text of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Secondly, preaching that pleases God is comprehensibly-clear! Beating around the bush preaching leaves its hearers confused, frustrated and not one bit closer to God. God told Habakkuk to “…Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it” (Habakkuk 2:2b emphasis added). Peter’s hearers understood his clear message (Acts 2:37). How sad it would have been if Peter had left his sinful hearers guessing as to what they must do! Stephen’s message was so clear that the hearers could not

Genesis 5: (1) A mystery of the ages in connection with the Flood is how Noah’s venerable grandfather Methuselah survived the universal cataclysm which destroyed all life except the Noah menage and menagerie in the ark. Methuselah did not die until a year or more after the Flood – fourteen years after according to the Septuagint. It is recorded that Methuselah was 187 years old when his son Lamech was born (Gen. 5: 25), and he lived for 787 years afterwards, dying at the ripe age of 969 years (5: 26, 27). Lamech was 182 years old when his son Noah was born (5: 28, 29). When the Flood began, Noah was in his six hundredth year, or, to be exact, he was 599 years, one month, and seventeen days old (v2: 11 ); and Noah lived for 350 years after the Flood, and was 950 years old when he died (9: 28, 29 ). Methuselah was alive when the Flood began and when it ended, if the Bible record is true: 1. From the birth of Lamech to the beginning of the Flood was (182 plus 599) 781 years; and from the birth of Lamech to the end of the Flood was 782 years. If Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech 782 years he survived the Flood. Or, again: (2) From the birth of Methuselah to the beginning of the Flood was (187 plus 182 plus 599 years) 968 years; the Flood ended a year later, when Methuselah was

What is our relationship with the Holy Spirit in the present age? How does He dwell in us? How does He influence our lives? There is perhaps more misunderstanding of these questions in the modern religious world than on any other subject. The views many hold are based more on emotion and superstition than on Scripture. It is important to let the Bible answer. This may necessitate your forgetting some of the ideas you have previously held. First, remember that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, just as the Father and Christ are Divine Persons. With this in mind, remember that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit—all three—are said to dwell in us (2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 3:17; Galatians 4:6; 1 Corinthians 6:19). We know of the indwelling of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit because we are told this in the Scriptures. Notice again that Christ dwells in us “by faith” (Ephesians 3:17). Now read Galatians 3:2. Here we learn that the Spirit is received by the “hearing of faith.” The simple fact is that we know the presence of the Holy Spirit in the same way that we know the presence of Christ and the Father. This is not by feelings and experiences, but by faith that is based on the statements of the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit instructs, guides and influences us by means of the written Word of God. Jesus promised the Spirit to the apostles to guide them “into all truth” (John 16:13).

For several weeks we have experienced a real ‘monsoon’ season in the southeast section of our country [USA]. However, I don’t remember enjoying looking at the clouds in their various sizes and shapes since my childhood. Even the sunsets have been enhanced as the sun rays are seen beaming around a magnificent cloud. Some of the cumulous clouds reach perhaps 20 to 30 thousand feet in height. The beautiful blue sky at times has been filled with soft pillows of clouds. Other clouds that hang low and are darker in color have for their background the larger whiter clouds. Some clouds hide the sun and make for cooler weather while working in the yard or in the field. Then there are storm clouds that bring lightning and loud bursts of thunder and heavy rains and sometimes hail. On some days the entire sky is overcast with clouds that can make a person feel depressed. Yet, all in all, clouds are beautiful and they make believers appreciate God’s creation. The Psalmist declared, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalms 19:1). You need to stop for awhile from your busy schedule and look upwards to the beautiful scenes not made with man’s hands. It is amazing how often we read about clouds in the Bible in connection with important persons and events. Here is a list of just a few times clouds are mentioned in both the Old and New Testament. God set a rainbow

There is a popular expression that goes something like this: “You can’t see the forest for the trees.” This expression presupposes that someone is standing in the woods, and therefore, he cannot adequately see the forest composed by the mass of trees. Yet, from another vantage point, such as standing outside the woods, maybe on the crest of a hill, one can see the forest and may not be able to see the individual trees that compose the forest. Consider for a moment applying these figures to spiritual matters, and particularly to congregations of the Lord’s church. For instance, as a visiting preacher only speaking for one, two or three class or assembly times, really, I can only see the “forest”; for the most part, I cannot observe the “trees” — the individual members who comprise that congregation. On the other hand, someone who preaches frequently for the same congregation may more easily be able to see the “trees” and less able to see adequately the “forest” — how the congregation may be perceived by visitors or the community. Think with me a couple of minutes about the different kinds of trees that one might find in the same forest: pines, oaks, maples, dogwoods, mimosas and many more. Furthermore, a forest will likely have in it old trees, saplings and trees of every age in between. Irrespective of the kind of trees or the age of trees, together the various trees constitute a forest. Although we humans may value or dismiss as

Among other New Testament passages, Peter introduces us to “the elect” in his first epistle, chapter one, verse two: “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.” There are many false teachings propagated about the nature of election, but this definition is enough to fill our needs. If we examine carefully the text, we notice exactly who the elect are, and how they become such. According to this passage, the elect are “elect” due to both God’s actions, and man’s response to those actions. Included are these: “According to [“on account of,” Thayer] the foreknowledge of God the Father.” The knowledge of God concerning events before they happen does not make them so; it merely has the power and ability to declare them. His plan of election was in his mind before the world began (Ephesians 1:3-6; 3:11). “Through [by the means of] sanctification of the Spirit.” Jesus declared sanctification came through truth (John 17:17). Peter later declared purification (similar term) comes through obedience to truth (1 Peter 1:22). The Spirit guided men into all the truth (John 16:13). When one heeds the Spirit’s voice in Scripture today, he becomes sanctified by his obedient faith in that truth. “Unto [for the purpose of] obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” Parallel terms are here joined by the conjunction “and.” Whatever is true of obedience is

One of the greater privileges enjoyed by American citizens is the freedom (liberty) guaranteed by the Constitution of this great country. Many of our noble citizens have given the ultimate (their physical lives) to ensure a continuance of this prized possession. How often and fervently we should thank Jehovah God for being so blessed in this time of the world. Yet, there is another freedom enjoyed by Christians that far exceeds the freedom enjoyed by the citizens of this great nation; it is a freedom from the bondage of sin that gets its strength from law (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:56). Every person who perceives the terribleness of sin and its destructive bondage is made to rejoice for the redemptive work of Jesus. Our Lord by his death, burial and resurrection broke the bondage of sin for all who die to sin, who are buried with him in baptism and raised to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-6, 16-17). This freedom is obtained through the “faith of Christ,” i.e., the Gospel of Christ, and is enjoyed so long as one remains in/under the “constitution” of the kingdom of heaven. “For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1 ASV). The apostle Paul wrote this admonition to the churches in Galatia to prevent them from returning to the Law of Moses for justification. They were falling under the persuasion of Judaizing teachers to practice circumcision and keeping the

If this article encourages its readers to have a greater respect for the Bible, it will have accomplished its purpose. Hymns that exalt the Bible include: Give Me the Bible, Standing on the Promises. We live in a time when people often have little respect for sacred things. Neither God nor his Word, the Bible, receives the respect they deserve. Commonly, little more respect is shown for our nation or society, the home or family life, or even human life itself. A greater respect for God and his Word would cause people also to have a greater respect for the foregoing. The often-wayward course that America is pursuing will not vary until Americans derive a renewed respect for God and his Word. Likewise, if the church loses proper respect for God and his Word, it will die. Lack of respect for the Bible equals a lack of respect for God. Proper respect for the Bible begins with a proper attitude. Consider this sentiment in the following verse: “And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved” (Psalm 119:47). One cannot properly understand Scripture with an improper attitude toward Scripture. Many imagine that the Bible is much like any other book. If one attempts to study the Bible as manmade books are studied, he will shortchange himself. The Bible is a unique book, the only one in its class. To class it with manmade books undercuts its divine origin. The Bible is more than simply another literary piece. The Bible cannot

An article by Richard Kelley on the front page of the December 2003 issue of Therefore Stand made a very interesting (and telling) observation. Brother Kelley borrowed a practice from me where both he and I record information in computer databases about articles in religious journals we read, respectively. He is just getting started, whereas I have recorded this type of information regarding over 17,000 articles in several journals over the past three decades. He noticed that very few articles appearing in our journals either have references to Jesus Christ in the title of the article or are about our Lord. Brother Kelley rightly concluded that we need to preach Jesus more than we sometimes do, especially in our printed journals. “…Sir, we would see Jesus” (John 12:21). In addition to brother Kelley’s valid observation, I have observed that most of the articles appearing in our religious journals fall in a category in my database labeled “Church Problems.” Granted, it is imperative that false teachers be “belled” (Romans 16:17-18), and teachers and preachers need to be screened by Scripture because there are false teachers  in and out of the Lord’s church (1 John 4:1). However, even were one to suppose, for instance, that 2 Timothy 4:2 portrays preaching as two parts negative and one part positive, still, preaching “all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) requires much of what we preach to be positive and uplifting. Preaching that invariably relapses “to find fault with, correct” (Strong’s, “reprove” in 2 Timothy 4:2) and

God is not directly responsible for the tragedies that befell Job, including his poor health; God did not cause Job to suffer or to be sick. It is true, though, that God did not prevent Job from suffering or becoming ill. The Book of Job provides a behind-the-scenes view of the viciousness with which Satan pursues humans and wants to harm them (physically and spiritually). Before Satan tempted the first pair in the Garden of Eden to disobey God, there was no sickness or death. After Adam and Eve sinned, they were thrust from God’s Garden and the Tree of Life (Genesis 3). Though mankind today does not suffer the guilt of Adam and Eve’s sin (Ezekiel 18:20), all humanity suffers the consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin (i.e., disease and death, 1 Corinthians 15:22). Disease, death and tragedy are in the world today because of man’s sin, which Satan encouraged. Satan is still described as man’s most fearsome enemy: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

Paul spent a night in Jail at Philippi (Acts 16:23-40). The apostle Paul was arrested by Roman soldiers in about A.D. 57 and whisked away from a mob of Jews who were trying to beat Paul to death (Acts 21:30-33). He remained in Roman custody for two years in Palestine (Acts 24:27). In addition, the apostle spent two years in Rome under house arrest (Acts 28:30). The biblical record may indicate a second imprisonment of Paul (2 Timothy). Secular history records that this second imprisonment in Rome concluded with Paul’s execution in A.D. 68. The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia says that Paul was a prisoner for five years. Works Cited International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft, 1996.

The New Testament names four brothers of Jesus and indicates that he had at least two sisters (whose names do not appear in Scripture). “Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? (Matthew 13:55-56).

All that is involved in the Lord’s simple promise, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18), is beyond human comprehension. From everlasting to everlasting is its scope. Fascinating and gripping is a study of the universe’s greatest institution. In a realm alone it stands by itself, unique, solitary, a sui generius, a monogenes, the only one of its kind. I. NOT UNIQUE IN LANGUAGE The word on Jesus’ lips in his promise to erect his church, ekklesia (a “called-out group”), was not unique, and by itself, it has no religious or sacred meaning. To the Greeks a group of people “called out” for a town meeting or to see an Olympic race would be named an ekklesia. Luke employed the word in describing an angry mob seeking to kill Paul (Acts 19:32, 41, where it is translated not “church” but “assembly”). Also, just as an unlawful assembly could be styled an ekklesia, so a lawful assembly the Ephesian town clerk designated as an ekklesia (Acts 19:39). Furthermore, a large group of Israelites (called out of Egypt by Moses into a wilderness) Stephen described as an ekklesia (Acts 7:38, mistranslated “church” in the KJV and the ASV). To us the word ekklesia becomes exceedingly important because Jesus used it to refer to those people whom he would call out of the world to live only for him (Matthew 11:26-28; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15). They would be sinners called by the Gospel to a new life of righteousness (Romans 6:1-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:14).

I have been a member of the Lord’s church for a little over twelve years now. In that many years I have yet to hear of a congregation in our area or the surrounding area disfellowship anyone for any reason. Many members have come and gone without even the slightest bit of concern for their spiritual welfare. It seems that many of our brethren have a difficult time determining matters of truth and matters of opinion and this makes the decision to approach the steps of discipline much harder. Also having multiple diffinitions of the term “faithful” is a growing problem in some of our congregations. This being said, I would simply like to know what unrepented sins are those for which steps of discipline should be taken? Would it be all such sins or just those that man has termed “greater sins” such as fornication or adultery? I realize sin has no size in God’s eyes, but most Christians seem to have trouble seeing this. Take as much time as you need to answer this question for me if you can, for I’ve pondered the asking of it for almost twelve years now. In Him, Rayford Henderson As far as I can ascertain from your query, you have a biblical perspective of a local congregation’s (often sorely neglected) responsibility to police itself with the Word of God. Abundant biblical evidence notes the spiritual harm that befalls both individuals who needing a spiritual spanking do not receive such and the

Luke 10:25-37 Introduction The parable of The Good Samaritan is one of several parables that are recorded exclusively by Luke. Sequentially in Luke’s account of our Lord’s earthly ministry, the verbal exchange between Jesus and one in his audience, during which this parable was recited, occurred following the return of the 70. During his Perean ministry, Jesus had sent 70 disciples ahead of him into the cities that he would soon visit (Luke 10:1). These disciples were charged to heal the sick and proclaim that the kingdom was close to coming (Luke 10:9). (Formerly, during our Lord’s ministry in Galilee, he commissioned the twelve and charged them with the same mission, Matt. 10:1-6; Mark 6:7-13.) The coming kingdom was the object of prophecy (Isa. 2; Dan. 2; Joel 2; Acts 2) and the longing of the Jews. Nevertheless, the Jews expected and wanted a physical kingdom (John 6:14-15), whereas Jesus Christ came to establish a spiritual kingdom (John 18:36-37). Even at the late date of the moments preceding his Ascension, our Lord’s apostles still imagined that Jesus was about to establish a physical kingdom. “When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). Upon the return of the 70, and after they exclaimed that “even the devils are subject unto us through thy name” (Luke 10:17), Jesus responded, “rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). Perhaps in the presence of a larger audience, our