The best definition I have ever heard to describe a deacon is that he is a man chosen to serve or do a job related to the congregation that is too important to be left up to chance. This seems to be what is taking place in Acts 6:1-6 in the choosing of “the seven” to help feed the widows. Although in this passage what we might call the “office of deacon” is not specifically mentioned, it does set an example of what deacons are expected to do, and that is to serve the needs of the congregation. Today, deacons are still needed to help our elders and the congregation. Just as the feeding of widows could not be left up to chance, today there are many jobs within the congregation that are too important to be left up to chance or to be neglected. Think about some of the jobs that must take place for a congregation to scripturally function and properly grow as God intended. Worshipping God is one of the commands of Scripture (John 4:24). We are to come together on the first day of the week to worship (Acts 20:7; Hebrews 10:25). Worship must be done in an orderly way (1 Corinthians 14:40). Someone must see to it that the men of the congregation will serve in the service and to help get things organized. Worship does not just happen; there must be some preparations made. Should we leave this job up to chance? Regarding finances, …

“Choice,” a noun, an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities. We all must make choices. Our choices reflect our values – those things that we hold most dear and form the most central part of our identities. A Christian’s choices, therefore, should reflect Christian values. Christian values are determined by on what Christ places value. Christians must learn to make choices that reflect the choices that Christ would make Himself if He were in our position. Paul described this lifestyle of making choices consistent with Christ the following way. “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:8-11). In essence, Paul was saying, “choose light.” In other words, choose the way of the Spirit. Choose the way of Christ. We are to be “finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.” Consider the survey of translations of this statement: The point is clear. Christians are to live their lives in such a way that carefully discerns what course of attitude, speech and action reflects the Spirit of Christ. At this point, many of us get confused and discouraged. Many situations arise in which the course is not always clear. Sometimes we can be guilty of making …

In a recent Bible class, the question was raised about whether God knows all that will take place, and if so, how can man do anything except what God knows he will do? We tried to point out that foreknowledge and predestination are two different things, and that what we call “foreknowledge” is simply “knowledge” with God, for with God there is neither past nor future. God is. However, that caused another question to be raised that may need to be addressed. That is, if faith comes by hearing the Word of God, and a person is himself responsible for hearing, believing and obeying the Gospel, is there any value in praying for the conversion of a sinner? That is, what will God do that He has not already done, inasmuch as we have no scriptural authority for assuming that the Holy Spirit is going to have an influence on the heart of a person separate from the Word of God? Let us address two aspects of that question. First, if we never are able to answer the question, “What will God do, or how will He answer our prayer on behalf of the sinner?” we may with full assurance know that it is proper for us to pray for the conversion of a sinner, or anything else good for all men, for God has specifically commanded that in more than one place. When God told us to pray for daily bread, we are not to understand that there must …

The Jews had a day of thanksgiving to God for the first fruits of harvest. This was held on the day after the Passover. This harvest was primarily the barley harvest. The Jews also had a day of thanksgiving to God for the first fruits of harvest 50 days later. This day was known as Pentecost. This harvest was primarily the wheat harvest. The wheat harvest celebration was known as the “latter first fruits.” This is because it was the second main harvest, and God required first fruits in sacrifice for it. Barley was known as the grain of the poor. It made a bread of less quality than wheat. Wheat was preferred. During the early first century, the Romans took almost all of the wheat from Palestine and used it throughout the Roman Empire. The Jews had to settle for the poorer barley grain. Thus, at the time of Christ, wheat was especially valued. This brings us to the Day of Pentecost when the church was established. God had let it be known that something special would occur in the “last days.” And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of …

We have seen it happen many times. The invitation song is sung and during that last verse, a struggling or wayward Christian comes forward. In some instances it is because of sins he or she has committed for which that one is ashamed and repentant; other times, it is that Christians have been out of duty for a period of time, doing nothing to serve the Lord, and they want to rededicate their lives to God and His service. How do we react to those individuals? You see, when it comes to an individual obeying the Gospel and being immersed in water, the response is unanimous – there is joy and happiness and thanksgiving. Unfortunately, sometimes the reaction is not the same when an individual comes forward seeking forgiveness and restoration. Sometimes it is because there have been problems and sins committed within the congregation and among individuals, and injured feelings are still present. Sometimes there is the feeling of judgment as to the sincerity of the individual who is seeking restoration; are they serious, or will this be occurring again in a few weeks or months? So people go up, shake their hand or give them a quick hug, exchange some pleasantries and that is the end of it. Brethren, such a response ignores the tenor of Scripture as to the magnitude of what occurs when one seeks restoration to God. Consider the Scriptures. James wrote, “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert …

Proverbs 21:2 teaches that while we justify our actions by appearances, God cares about our motives. In this world, we see one another as how we seem to be. God sees us as we really are. He sees our hearts and knows our thoughts. His opinion should matter the most, and His opinion isn’t shaped by how good we are at keeping up our appearances. How much energy have you spent this week keeping up your appearances to your friends and neighbors or even before your fellow Christians? Even if everyone believes that you really do have it all worked out, how does that make your life better? Today, will you commit to pleasing God above all and not focusing so much on appearances? What does that look like for you?

My position on worship is “straight out of the book.” God said He expects us to worship Him from a sincere heart according to His Word (John 4:24). The first century church met on each Lord’s Day and worshipped through preaching and teaching God’s Word, giving of their means, observing the Lord’s Supper, prayer and singing (Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). We should do likewise. Little question is raised about preaching, prayer and giving. Yet, there is often controversy regarding the Lord’s Supper and singing. We observe the Lord’s Supper each first day of the week because of an approved, apostolic example (Acts 20:7). The emblems representing the body and blood of our Savior are unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine because this is what Jesus instituted (Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). There is no authority in Scripture for instrumental music in worship. Therefore, my position on music in worship is to have only a cappella (without instruments) congregational singing because that is authorized in Scripture (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). My position regarding church leadership is that the church should have qualified elders who tend the flock of God. Elders must meet the qualifications found in the New Testament (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). Elders are to oversee all the work of the church (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2-3). The congregation must submit to the authority of the elders and obey them (Hebrews 13:17). The authority of elders is limited to that which …

It may be a rebellious trait for some to deviate from a set course of God given principles. Note the following Scripture, “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling” (1 Timothy 1:5-6 KJV). The King James Version uses the word “swerved.” This word is only used once in the KJV. Other translations such as the American Standard Version and the English Standard Version also use the same word, “swerved,” to describe those who have missed the mark and have turned away from serving God Almighty. According to Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, the definition of “swerved” is to “miss the mark, deviate from truth: err, swerve.” Our English dictionary defines to swerve as to “depart, digress, stray, veer, turn away from a straight or prescribed course, strays from the truth, veered away, etc.” Note the following brief commentary on 1 Timothy 5-6 It is like useless reasoning, argumentation that gets nowhere, dry as dust disputation, wrangling about fanciful tales anent pedigrees! It has finally landed them in the no-man’s-land of ceremonial subtleties, in the dreary marsh of ridiculous hairsplitting. And the owner of that quagmire is Satan, who heads the welcoming committee. (James Burton Coffman; William Hendriksen) The Word of God is to be taught with simplicity and without veering from the truth. “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that …

It is amazing that the little muscle living inside of our mouths is the topic of so much discussion within the Bible. There is good reason for that. If you are reading this, your tongue surely has gotten you into trouble in the past, or you may even be in trouble at this very moment! One book of the Bible that has a lot to say about it is Proverbs, and why not, as it is so practical. It is no secret that much damage can be done through the tongue, through lying and deceiving (Proverbs 6:17, 19; 12:19; 17:4; 21:6; 26:28), backbiting and gossiping (11:13; 17:9), prideful boasting (8:13; 28:25), etc., but the child of God should not desire such. We need to be motivated to exercise our tongues according to wisdom, and this book of Wisdom Literature is an excellent divine guide to properly using our tongues. Let’s focus on the positive, and may we be challenged to strive to have a Proverbs tongue. Notice chapter 15. The Beholder of the Tongue “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good” (15:3). God as Creator is He who observes how we use our tongues. Solomon elsewhere wrote, “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths” (5:21). When realizing that God beholds how we use our tongues at all times, we should be motivated to have a Proverbs tongue. The Tongue …

“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life” (1 Timothy 1:15). The apostle Paul, the stalwart of the proclamation of the Gospel to the early church, the author of the majority of the New Testament, the powerful example of what service to God really means, this great man called himself “the chief of sinners.” Even though he could say that he had lived in good conscience all of his life (Acts 23:1), Paul recognized that his own ignorant zeal led him to act contrary to the will of God, though he believed he was doing right. His actions not only caused many Christian men and women to suffer persecution, but actually caused the death of many Christians. We Need to Understandthat We Are Sinners “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Further, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8 NKJV). My recognition of my own sinfulness is important. It leads me to understand the fact that I need God. It leads me to the desire to overcome sin in my life and to leave it behind. If I truly understand …

Let’s look at some of the things that function within each individual that makes us “tick.” Psychologists tell us that there are five basic drives in each of us. They list those drives in this order: (1) to live, (2) to be with others, (3) to love and be loved, (4) to excel and (5) to believe in something everlasting. Certainly the most elemental drive man has is “to live,” to maintain life itself. When one’s life is endangered, he will go to almost any length to be able to keep breathing. Sometimes people will even do or agree to do things that are totally out of range of their normal reasoning just to survive. That’s because life is precious. God created it that way when He “formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). Man became God’s crowning creation. The apostle Paul affirmed that “God gives to all, life, breath and all things” (Acts 17:25). Since God created man by breathing into him the breath of life, it is that precious life that we always want to protect and preserve, because when one’s physical life is gone, it can’t be retrieved. When God created Adam, the first man, and placed him in the Garden of Eden “to dress and keep it,” He said “it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a help-meet for him” (Genesis 2:18). …

Not long into the history of the human family, wickedness became so pervasive (Genesis 6:5) that God cleansed the earth by the flood. Humanity continued on with only eight people (1 Peter 3:20). God clearly told Noah’s sons to “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth” (Genesis 9:1). Unfortunately, men began once again to disregard their Creator’s loving directives. A plan was formulated to build a city and a tower to resist any dispersal into various regions of the earth (Genesis 11:3-4). At this time, “the whole earth was of one language and of one speech” (Genesis 11:1). The Hebrew literally has “one lip” and “one words.” This suggests that pronunciation was common and their set of vocabulary words was also the same for everyone. Their tower project has been misunderstood due to our English rendering. “Come, let us build…a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven” (Genesis 11:4). They were not trying to literally get it to reach into God’s dwelling place. The Hebrew text does not have the words “may reach.” Building toward heaven simply means they intended a tall structure (cf. Deuteronomy 1:28). “And Jehovah said, Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is what they begin to do: and now nothing will be withholden from them, which they purpose to do” (Genesis 11:6). God was not worried about being overpowered, but He did recognize that by their unity, they would be able to accomplish much. However, their plans were contrary to His will. What …

A sailor on a fishing vessel in the Pacific Ocean found himself in a very precarious situation – he was swimming with the sharks! Of course this wasn’t by choice. He was hired to process fish, but the captain had a temper problem. One day, a school of sharks was following the ship, and in a fit of rage, the captain seized the slow-working crewman and threw him overboard. The poor man swam as fast as he could, caught up with the boat, and was pulled back on board. Oftentimes, we are swimming in dangerous waters as Christians. Sometimes we are thrown into a situation where the ungodly are “swimming” all around us. It could be at a business meeting, convention, a college dorm, vacation, etc. – and the temptation seems overwhelming. We are in a lot of danger. Spiritually speaking, we are shark bait. When that happens, our best option is do what the apostle Paul instructed Timothy to do. “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22). We are to flee them! That may mean that we are to get up and walk away from the situation as fast as possible. This is what Joseph had to do. Notice what he did when confronted with temptation. “And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out” (Genesis …

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me remove the speck from your eye”; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. (Matthew 7:1-6 NKJV) We live in a “Don’t judge me” world, with many who war cry, “I do what I want!” I hope people judge me by the book. It is judging to look at someone’s life and examine if that one is a legitimate follower of Christ, but understand, as Jesus teaches, if I use God’s standards to judge who the dogs and swine and wolves and bad trees are, then I am judging correctly. It’s only when I judge with my standards that I’m in danger. If I judge you by God’s Word, and approach you in a godly way because I am concerned about your soul and because you are my friend, my family member or someone about whom I care, and …

Normally, a public speaker uses illustrations from personal experiences; however, this writer experienced the reverse on an occasion. In a sermon entitled, “How to Understand the Bible,” I have made the point that there is not one contradiction in the entire Bible. I would also mention that there are those atheists, skeptics, agnostics and others who try to deceive the hearts of the innocent by charging that the Bible is filled with contradictions. I would then use the illustration about the person who asked the men on the porch of a general store if they believed the Bible. Upon receiving a positive answer, the doubter would then mention a ‘sure’ contradiction. He would say that Matthew related how Judas Iscariot “went away and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:5). Then the unbeliever would mention how Luke recorded how that Judas, “falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out” (Acts 1:18). He would then turn to the men and say, “Just how do you answer that?” One man stood up and said, “Easy, the rope broke!” So, instead of a contradiction there was harmony between the two writers. Well, I answered the door one Saturday morning and there stood two very young ‘elders.’ They desired an opportunity to discuss with me their peculiar doctrine. Treating them like I would like to be treated, I asked them to come into the house. I observed one young man had a copy of the Bible while the other young man …

The term “wrest” is seldom used in our vocabulary today, but it was familiar to those who lived prior to and during the time of the early church. Moses first wrote about it when encouraging the people to not “wrest judgment” (Exodus 23:2, 6; Deuteronomy 16:19). The word means to “distort, pervert, stretch out, turn aside or away” (Young’s). David’s use of it caught my attention. As a spokesman for God, David was frustrated because he was honoring God’s Word, but his people refused to do so. He lamented, “In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil” (Psalm 56:4-5). Peter referenced Paul when he said, “As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:16). It just so happens that Peter had been writing about the coming of the Lord and how everything was going to be burned. It appears they changed the threatening message. We are in the throes of football playoffs this week, and I see some similarities, simplistically speaking, between the Word of God and a football. Everyone is concerned about the safety and comfort of the players, but the ball also is subjected to rain, snow and …

Childhood memories are some of the sweetest of our lives – that period of time from birth till we leave our homes to go out into the world. When a young person leaves home, he many times becomes homesick, and that homesickness has to do with his memories of home life. Dare any of us say that we have had no such experiences? In this article, we will explore the subject of what our children will remember, not only about home life, but about church life also. What will our children remember about their home life? Sadly, there are those who will remember a father who was a tyrant and a mother who cared more for the world than she did for her home and family. Some will remember parents who were quite frequently drunk or under the influence of illegal drugs. Some daughters will even have terrible memories of a father who sexually molested them. Hopefully instead, most children will have pleasant memories of home and family. However, will our children remember those happy times when the family prayed together? Will that precious daughter and son have that memory of hearing their parents call their names before the throne of God? When they are far away from home, facing the events of everyday life, will they be strengthened by the knowledge that it was the habit at home to have family prayer where each child was mentioned and for which prayer was made? Away from home, will they know …

God gave each member of the family a role to play. Each one playing his or her part will make a difference in the family, as can be seen in Paul’s instructions to the saints in Ephesus. Christian wives are to place themselves under the control of their husbands as one means of showing that they are yielding to the Lord (5:22). God made man the head of the family, foreshadowing the relationship of Christ to the church. Jesus demonstrated His love for the church by giving His life for her. Husbands should be ready to sacrifice their lives for their wives (5:23-25). The self-sacrificing nature of the Savior is a perfect example for each husband to follow. Wives whose husbands are willing to die for them have little trouble with submission. Children are instructed to keep on obeying their parents (6:1-3). The only limitation to this is the expression “in the Lord,” which means a child may refuse to obey his or her parents if asked to do something wrong in the sight of God. The fifth of the Ten Commandments reads, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:5). Paul described it as the “first commandment with promise” because obeying and honoring one’s parents is well-suited to developing a character that will cause one to live a long life on earth. Obedience requires one to grow in self-control, self-discipline, recognition of …

John Henry Fabre was a French entomologist and author who lived from 1823 to 1915. He is probably best known for his study of insects and is considered by many to be the father of modern entomology. Much of his enduring popularity is due to his unique teaching ability and his manner of writing about the lives of insects in biographical form, which he preferred to a clinically detached, journalistic mode of recording. In doing so he combined what he called “my passion for scientific truth” with keen observations and an engaging, colloquial style of writing. Fabre studied the habit of processionary caterpillars, so named because they move in columns, resembling a procession, in search of food. He conducted an unusual experiment with them, carefully arranging them in a circle around the rim of a flower pot, so that the lead caterpillar actually touched the last one, making a complete circle. In the center of the pot he put pine needles, their natural food source. The caterpillars started around the circular flower pot. Around and around they went, hour after hour, day after day, for seven full days. Finally, they dropped dead. With an abundance of food less than six inches away, they literally starved to death. They were engaged in constant activity, but were unable to accomplish the most essential of goals necessary for their existence. In many ways, these processionary caterpillars mimic many people’s lives. It’s so easy to get caught up in a routine, going around and …

Christian’s must live in the future tense—dwelling in a constant state of readiness. We must daily strive for heaven! First, we need to press on to the goal, living Christ-like lives (Colossians 3:1-4). Each child of God must consider the price that was paid for our redemption (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 1:18-19), the steps that were left to follow Christ (1 Peter 2:21; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Ruth 1:16) and the mind that is available by following Jesus (Philippians 2:5; cf. Proverbs 23:7; Philippians 4:8). Secondly, we need to press on to the goal, living by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). The Bible speaks of weak, little, much, great and strong faith. Saving faith is a living faith (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 4:20). Living faith is personal, purposeful and profitable (Philippians 1:21). “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Active faith is “steadfast, unmovable, always abounding” (1 Corinthians 15:58). In the third place, press on to the goal as a doer of the word and not just a hearer (James 1:17-25). God’s Word is a precious gift (v.17; 1 Samuel 3:1, rare or precious; John 1:41; Luke 15:8-10; Matthew 13:45-46). God’s Word must be received (v.21; Acts 17:11), and it will save and bless (vs.21, 25; Acts 20:32). Fourthly, press on to the goal by being supremely committed to the church for which Christ died (1 Corinthians 15:24-25). She’s unique—being the one, true church (Ephesians 4:4). Further, she is loved because Christ is her Head (Ephesians 5:23). She’s right in organization (Philippians 1:1), purpose …

In Judges 4, the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died, so God gave them over to their enemies, into the hands of Jabin, king of Canaan. Deborah was a prophetess and was judging Israel during this time, and God commanded Barak through Deborah to go up against Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army. Barak refused to go unless Deborah went with him. Because of this, the honor of defeating Sisera would not be his, but it would fall to a woman. We continue reading and learn that it was Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, who killed Sisera while he slept. God has a plan, and it will be done. Pharaoh tried to prevent God’s plan in his day, and his country was left in utter ruin. Barak was afraid, so God raised up someone else to do His bidding. This lesson should resound with all who claim to be faithful followers of God. God has a will, and it will be done. Let us always have the courage to repeat the words of Isaiah, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8).