Was the Miraculous Birth of Christ Known or Believed in Christ’s Day?

Introduction Someone inquired, “Was the miraculous birth of Christ known or believed in Christ’s day?” Maybe the question arises from the knowledge that many now famous historical figures were not regarded highly until after their deaths or beyond their time. Though many people rejected Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ, which led to His crucifixion, many also acknowledged Him as the anticipated Christ or Messiah. Era of Expectation Abundant Old Testament prophecies about the kingdom or the church, as well as numerous passages prophesying the coming of the Messiah or the Christ, brought about an era of expectation that God would send His Anointed One. Commentators commonly state that there are 332 or 333 prophecies about the coming of the Messiah or the Christ, and some would even advance that number to perhaps 400 prophecies about Him. Some of the prophecies about Christ’s kingdom or the church help to identify the general period of time when He would come. Daniel 2:31–45 predicted that the fourth successive regional kingdom (from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea) from and including the Babylonian kingdom would come to power before the Christ came. The Roman Empire was that fourth kingdom, and so there had been for years and was an expectation among the Jews that the time was right for the Messiah to arrive. This is evident from some statements recorded from the first century. Acknowledgments of Jesus of Nazarethas the Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ Several first century persons acknowledged …

The Garden Prayer

Only a stone’s throw from His disciples, Jesus knelt to the ground to pray. He prayed to the Father that His will would be done. Jesus knew His time had come and that He must die. An angel came to comfort and to strengthen Him. In agony, He prayed more earnestly (Luke 22:39–46). Can you imagine praying so fervently that sweat the size of drops of blood would begin to fall to the ground? Jesus was torn between His human side and His Divine side. He wanted His Father’s will to be done, but our Lord did not desire to die. Jesus endured great emotional stress in the Garden that night. His men slept when they were instructed to pray. They did not understand His plight. Peter even went as far as to cut off an ear of a servant to the high priest in the defense of his Master (John 18:10–11). Many a great sermon has been preached about the Garden and its beauty—both physically and spiritually. We can learn a valuable lesson on how to deal with conflict in our lives. In a time of almost despair, Jesus took His soul to the Father for His will to be done. What did God do for Jesus? Immediately, He sent an angel to comfort Him. This encouraged Jesus to continue, for He knew that God was with Him, even in His worst of times. Often when we pray, we do not take the example of Jesus or the advice …

The Resurrected Christ

The doctrine of the resurrection is a central message of all the Bible. Without the resurrection, there is no Savior, no hope and no God. If there were no resurrection, then the atheist would be right. If there were no resurrection, then even more people would resort to believing evolution could be more than just a theory. However, prove the resurrection, and you prove the skeptics wrong. In order to prove the resurrection, we must first prove the reliability of the source of our evidence–God. “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God…’” (Psalm 14:1 NKJV). However, as we review human history, mankind has always worshipped. We have always believed in a supreme being (a higher power). The teleological argument for the existence of God is probably the best for proving God exists. It states that where there is a design, there is of necessity a designer. Man and the universe are complex elements that show intricate design. Something greater brought us into being. That something is God. Whatever a particular culture chooses to call Him, He is God. The Holy Bible claims to be the Word of God. It is complete, it is accurate and it is the standard by which all mankind will be judged (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Revelation 22:18–19; John 12:48; 8:32). If one views the Bible as anything less than God’s message to us, then he might as well say that God cannot reveal His will to man. It is important to distinguish between …

Why Do God’s People Suffer?

Recently, a faithful Gospel preacher and friend of mine passed from this life after an extensive bout with Lou Gehrig’s disease. This is a condition that affects mobility, speech and a number of other areas of the body. I am sure his family asked the questions, and maybe you have, too, at some time in your life: “Why do God’s people suffer? Why do those that serve God faithfully still suffer the pains of this world? Why do bad things happen to good people?” In Thomas Warren’s book, Have The Atheists Proved There Is No God?, he devotes an entire chapter to human suffering. In that chapter, he notes that human suffering is a necessary component in an environment used for soul-making. God, in His creation of this world, established certain principles that must be there in order to allow for free will. If these principles were not in place, then either: (1) no one would believe or (2) everyone would believe in God as supreme and divine. Allowing human suffering is one of those elements that are necessary for free will to exist. As in the case of Job, we see a man who suffered great personal hardship. We also see his faith challenged. Job is an example of human suffering. He is also an example of human triumph. Some Causes of Suffering Some suffering is a result of carelessness or indifference. The “I don’t really care” attitude can be seen with some in the church today. In a society that …

The Day the Earth Stood Still (Joshua 10:12-14)

As miracles occurred, the miracle of when the day the earth stood still is one of the most spectacular. One author thought it appropriate to list it with two other major events in Israel’s conquest of the land of Canaan to that point in time (i.e., the parting of the Jordan and the falling walls of Jericho). Joshua saw what appeared to be insurmountable odds—his army versus the armies of five kings. In prayer, he asked God to deliver them from their enemies (Joshua 10:12). In answer to Joshua’s prayer, God caused the sun and the moon to stand still. In more accurate terms, the earth ceased its rotation. Although we cannot be sure why Joshua prayed this prayer, we can know that it was granted. Joshua, by the power of God, was able to defeat his enemies. Skeptics challenge the miracle and say it is impossible for the earth to survive such an event. They claim that the initial stop of the earth would catapult the inhabitants through the air. What the skeptics fail to realize is that the same God that parted the Jordan and caused the Jericho walls to fall is the same God who performed this miracle. Causing the earth to stand still is without a doubt an extraordinary feat. The record even shows that this event caused a severe ice storm to fall on the enemy (hail, Joshua 10:10–11). Scientists have concluded that an event of this nature would cause dramatic temperature changes. This event …

Is Jesus God?

Since the days when Jesus walked on the earth, men have been asking the question, “Who is Jesus?” (Matthew 16:13). The fact that He is a historical figure is beyond doubt, but who is He? Was He a man? Was He a prophet? Was (Is) He God? “Yes,” to all three. Jesus was born of a virgin as prophesied (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:27-31), spoke as a prophet (John 7:28ff, 46) and is indeed God (John 1:1ff, 14, 17; Acts 20:28). God through the prophet Isaiah said, “…Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me” (Isaiah 43:10 NKJV). God is eternal with no other God before or after. In the Gospel record according to John, we note that the Word was in the beginning with God and was God (1:1). Who was the Word? Continuing in verse 14, we learn that this Word became flesh and was full of grace and truth. Finally in verse 17, we see that Jesus was this grace and truth. In just one short example, we can clearly see that Jesus is God, according to the Scriptures. However, many today are not satisfied with just one example. This further reveals their distrust in the divine origin of the Bible. Jesus exhibited characteristics that could only be attributed to God. In the book of Hebrews (1:1-6), God addressed the superiority of the Son. He showed Him to be better than the prophets and the angels. He even calls the angels to worship …

Genesis Flood: Global or Local?

Did a great flood occur? Archaeologists say, “Yes, it did.” Was this flood global, encompassing the whole earth, or was it local, regional or even isolated to the area of Mesopotamia? Here, though, lies disagreement. The Bible is a proven historically reliable document. In addition, its divine origin is evident from its hundreds of prophesies that were fulfilled hundreds of years later. (Some prophecies remain to be fulfilled, but acknowledging those that have already been fulfilled, we can certainly anticipate fulfillment of prophecies in the future, such as the general resurrection from the dead and final judgment.) The Genesis Flood, as it is commonly called, has been recorded by over 100 cultures from around the world. They all record a cataclysmic event known to many as The Great Flood. In all these records, the core truth is present: (1) a universal destruction by water of human-kind and all living creatures occurred, (2) an ark (boat) was provided as a means of escape for some, (3) a seed of mankind was provided to perpetuate the human race (The Current Digression II 117). To better understand the fact of a global flood, we must first see the need for one. As man began to multiply and fill the earth, it is noted that the sons of God began to marry the daughters of man (Genesis 6:2ff). Some try to contend that this meant angels married those of earth. Instead, it refers to the mingling of righteous and unrighteous people, through which they and …

Fossils and the Age of Rocks

Evolutionary theory developed because of man’s desire to explain his existence through science and discovery—apart from God. Science, though, does not actually substantiate evolution since, even under controlled circumstances in laboratory experiments, assertions by evolutionists can neither be replicated nor validated. Evolutionists claim that fossils found embedded in rock deposits (strata) at varying levels and stages of development are proof that evolution occurred. To the contrary, the pattern left by the fossils was the natural order of things after the great flood and not evidence of the evolution of life. By definition, the study of evolution is not a science or even a scientific theory, but a philosophical theory. This means it is a philosophy, or way of thinking, and not a true science. In order for a theory (a process of thinking) to teach and to convince, evidence must be overwhelming. That is absolutely not the case with the theory of evolution Evolutionist’s Fossil Theory Evolutionists contend that the strata and the fossils found within it prove that evolution occurred in prehistoric times. They further state that if evolution happened in prehistoric times it must be occurring now. It is an evolutionary theory that rocks are old because fossils can be found within them. Furthermore, each layer of rock closer to the surface of the earth’s crust has evidence of advanced forms of fossilized life. The evolutionist’s conclusion is, “Because of the irreversibility of evolution, the more primitive the fossil in development the older the rocks” (Richard Rogers, Philosophy …

Does God Exist?

This is, indeed, a question that must be answered. The evidence is overwhelming. Of course, God exists! If there were no God, then, anything would be permissible. Nevertheless, despite the existence of God, Everything is practice in some parts of the world. It is not that difficult to prove the existence of God. The hard part is getting people to accept that He continues to expect worship from His creation. Each creature has a continued obligation to God. Proving there is a God can be done in a number of ways. Consider just three primary arguments. Cosmological Contemplation: Cause and Effect From where did man come? Some will say he evolved. Others say he simply appeared by non-miraculous means (developed over eons as a result of the conjecture of the Big Bang Theory). Regardless of from where man came, he is the result of cause and effect. Man is the effect of some act. What caused man? Parents? Grandparents? The first man and woman? What about before man? What about the beginning? Teleological Consideration: Design and Designer The designer is naturally greater than the design. Think of the complexity of the world, the universe and even man. Now, decide that all this was generated in a cataclysmic explosion without source or origin and without a designer. Who can believe it? It certainly can neither be proved nor duplicated in any degree through controlled experimentation. If you discovered a working computer in the desert, miles from any source of electricity, would you consider that it: …

Dinosaurs

The discussion of dinosaurs has caused some to doubt their faith. The prior existence and now the extinction of dinosaurs is very much explainable in light of the Scriptures. The word “dinosaur” comes from the Greek word deinos, which means “terrible,” and sauros, which means “lizard.” Therefore, “dinosaur” means terrible lizard. Dinosaurs were not really lizards. However, when they were first discovered in the late 1800’s, they had similar features and were categorized as such. Today, there are no living dinosaurs, except perhaps the blue whale. Dinosaurs must have roamed all over the world in the past. Their footprints have been found in Texas, their eggs in China and their bones in Australia. The remains of dinosaurs have been discovered on every continent, including Antarctica. The question arises, “What happened to the dinosaurs?” Why are they extinct (no longer around)? Some scientists would have you believe that a huge object hit the earth. When this object hit the earth, tons of dust were thrown up into the air. This dust stopped some of the sun’s rays from reaching earth. Without sunshine, the plants died, and the earth became very cold. The dinosaurs became extinct because they could not live without food and warmth. The Bible does not discuss any objects coming from space and crashing into the earth. It does, however, mention the great flood. The flood killed every animal on earth with the exception of the water creatures (which may help explain the blue whale’s existence) and those still on the …

Creation Versus Evolution

There is a noted difference between fact and theory. Facts are proven to be true by evidence. Theories are conclusions based on pure supposition (an educated guess or hypothetical conjectures). The theory of evolution has not existed for an extremely long time. Its origin is generally associated with the release of Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species in 1859. However, in almost 140 years, the theory has been able to penetrate virtually every society, every culture and even the church. It has been elevated to such a point of recognition that many have begun to see it as a fact. Some in Christendom (those who profess a belief in the deity of Christ) have been driven to the point where they feel they must harmonize evolution with the Bible. Evolution has absolutely nothing to do with the Bible. Either you believe in evolution, or you believe in the Bible. There is no middle ground. The theory of evolution states that every living thing that exists today evolved from lower forms of life. Evolutionists would have us believe that this process has continued over millions and some even say billions of years. This would mean man has not existed from the beginning. God supplied man with a record of the beginning. In this record, not only does God supply the source of the beginning of all life, but He also provides certain geological and scientific facts about man, the earth and the universe. There is sufficient evidence to prove that creation is true. There …

Can We Truly Depend on the Bible?

What would it take to convince you to believe in the Bible? In it, one finds that Christianity is the one true religion which God approves today; the Christian religion depends on the recognition that the Holy Bible is His divine revelation to man. Consequently, if the Bible is of divine origin, to be acceptable to God, it must be adhered to by all now living. The question, however, is, “Can we truly depend on the Bible?” In Josh McDowell’s two-volume series of books, Evidence That Demands a Verdict, Volumes I & II, McDowell supplies over 700 pages of evidence for God, the Bible and Jesus Christ. In volume two alone, McDowell spends the entire book on the discussion of textual criticism. This is the process where one examines the various attacks posed on the textual credibility of the Bible. A very basic argument for the inspiration of the Bible is: If it is the case that the Bible is reliable, trustworthy, and historical, and if it is a unity, contains prophecy made and fulfilled, presents a view of God, man, and the world beyond mere human invention, contains true accounts of miracles performed, presents an ethical code beyond mere human invention, and it presents a mission, message, authority, and commission of Jesus Christ, which are beyond mere human invention, then the Bible is the authoritative revelation of God to man. Take a few minutes to let that statement really sink in. Reread the statement if necessary. First and foremost, we …

Why Is There Evil?

When we look at evidences for Christianity, we could not go much beyond our proof of God’s existence before some well-educated atheist brings up the subject of evil. Immediately the atheist wants to ask the question, “Why is there evil?” He would then suggest that the biblical theist (one who believes in the God of the Bible) has a logical contradiction in proving the existence of God. The atheist says our view of God (that He is all powerful and that He is all love, coupled with the fact that evil exists) constitutes a logical contradiction. In other words, all three cannot be true. What is evil? If we can define what is always good, then anything else is evil. Jesus set out guidelines for the followers of God. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36–40 NKJV) These can be summed up quite easily: (1) Loving and serving God, and (2) Being a brother to man; these are always good. These are the greatest in the kingdom. Everything else has the potential to be either good or evil. This brings us to Job. His reaction to the temptation by the devil had …

How Sweet, How Heavenly!

It is quite obvious that the world in which we live is anything but unified. Ours is a divided society. Sadder yet is the lack of unity that exists among religious people. In most communities, even those communities that are rather small, there exists several different religious groups—all claiming to give honor to Jesus, and yet, teaching different things. God is not happy with religious division. In fact, He hates division! In John 17, Jesus prayed that this religious division would not be seen, because if religious division occurs, people lose sight and confidence in Jesus (John 17:21). God is the God of unity! The Father sent the Son in order to make unity (2 Corinthians 5:19). The church in Corinth, many Centuries ago, was faced all kinds of division. God was not pleased, and He sent a letter by the quill of the apostle Paul to correct the division. The Holy Spirit’s response to division will help us to be united. The Possibility of Unity Paul’s inspired ink begins with affirming, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV). Notice carefully how clear Paul was that religious unity is possible! Many today seem to love religious division and are heard to say, “You believe your thing and I will believe mine.” However, that is the very opposite of what Paul …

God’s Redemptive Plan

God’s Part Love (John 3:16) Grace (Ephesians 2:8) Mercy (Titus 3:5) Gospel (Romans 1:16) Christ’s Part The Blood of Christ (Revelation 1:5) Our Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5) Holy Spirit’s Part Revelation (2 Peter 1:20–21) Man’s Part Bible Faith (John 8:24) Repentance (Acts 17:30) Baptism (1 Peter 3:21) Obedience (Hebrews 5:8–9) Purity (Revelation 22:14) Faithfulness (Revelation 2:10) Love (1 John 2:10) Hope (Romans 8:24) Works (James 2:24) Endurance (Matthew 10:22) Confessing Christ (Romans 10:9–10) Being Born Again (John 3:3–5) Laying Aside Evil (James 1:21) Preaching (1 Corinthians 1:18, 21) Calling on the Name of the Lord (Romans 10:14) Knowledge of the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:15)

1 Peter 4:3 – Reveling and Dancing

The Greek word under consideration only appears three times in the New Testament. The NKJV translates komos as “revelry” (Romans 13:13; Galatians 5:21 NKJV) and “revelries” (1 Peter 4:3 NKJV). Word studies for this word, as well as insights from commentaries, sufficiently describe what it meant when the New Testament was penned. Reflection when comparing revelries to what passes for dancing in our time shows the likeness between then and now; plus, it demonstrates how “rioting” (Romans 13:13 KJV) or “revellings” (Galatians 5:21; 1 Peter 4:3 KJV) is improper conduct for anyone professing Christianity to engage. “It came to mean ‘a carousal’ such as a party of revellers parading the streets… wild, furious, and ecstatic” (Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament). Liddell and Scott Abridged Greek Lexicon defines “revelries” (komos) as “A revel, carousal, merry-making… it ended in the party parading the streets crowned, bearing torches, singing, dancing, and playing frolics.” Thayer’s Greek Lexicon says of the same Greek word, “Properly, a nocturnal and riotous procession of half-drunken and frolicsome fellows who after supper parade through the streets with torches and music in honor of Bacchus or some other deity, and sing and play before the houses of their male and female friends; hence, used generally, of feasts and drinking-parties that are protracted till late at night and indulge in revelry; plural.” Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament adds: carouses, in which the party of revellers paraded the streets with torches, singing, dancing, and all kinds of frolics. These revels also entered into religious observances, especially in the …

Rejoicing in Our Role as Women

Introduction What are some of the roles that we’re expected to fill as girls and women,? What are some roles that are not typically thought of as women’s roles? How do people perceive women when compared to men? How do you feel about this? Have you ever thought it would be nicer to be a man than it is to be a woman? Usually, women are perceived as the weaker sex. We’re the homemakers and the childrearing people, while the men are commonly given more prominent roles as breadwinners and leaders. Women in the last century have balked at this arrangement – demanding equal rights. So many women are rising to the top in the workplace, in leadership roles and in positions of authority. Gender lines have blurred, and so, we’re seeing more and more women take roles in traditionally men’s work. What does God say about these things? Why has God given both men and women specific roles to fill, and how should we view our role as women? Remember God’s eternal purpose for us: to be conformed to Christ’s image so that we may reign with Him eternally. No doubt you have studied what our purpose is in this life: to have the heart of Christ so that we can be eternally faithful, as well as wise servants now (Romans 8:28-29; 2 Timothy 2:11-12). God tries our hearts. “The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests the hearts” (Proverbs 17:3 NKJV). Remember …

Your Obituary Has Not Yet Been Written

Toward the end of the nineteenth century, Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel awoke one morning to read his own obituary in the local newspaper: “Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, who died, devised a way for more people to be killed in a war than ever before, and he died a very rich man.” Actually, it was Alfred’s older brother who had died; a newspaper reporter had bungled the epitaph. However, the account had a profound effect on Nobel. He decided he wanted to be known for something other than developing the means to kill people efficiently and for amassing a fortune in the process. So, he initiated the Nobel Prize, the award for scientists and writers who foster peace. Today, he is more widely known for the Nobel Peace prize than he is for inventing dynamite. Nobel is quoted as saying, “Every man ought to have the chance to correct his epitaph in midstream and write a new one.” As I read this quote, I was hit with a very arresting thought: My obituary has not yet been written. Whatever it is that men think of me, I still have the opportunity to make it better. Whatever mistakes I have made in the past, the possibility still exists for me to correct them. Whatever it is that I have not yet done, but should have, I still have time. As long as God gives me life and liberty, I can make of it something meaningful and lasting. As long as …

He Gave His All

Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (1 Peter 1:18-19 NKJV) Grace is free – to us, that is. However, grace was not free to God. He sent His Beloved, Perfect, Unique Son into the world to live a sinless life and to pay the ultimate price to redeem us. “Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14). Sometimes we see a beautiful, polished cross hanging on a wall, high on a hill or perhaps as a piece of gold jewelry. In reality, the cross is a symbol of the sinfulness and cruelty of man in contrast with the righteousness and indescribable love of Jesus for us. There is no way that we could have ever paid enough money, worked hard enough or done enough good works to earn our redemption. What we deserve is eternal punishment for our sins. We deserve to go to Hell. We deserve to be separated from God forever (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). In spite of our helpless condition, God wants us. He showed His desire by allowing Jesus to die in our place. Under the Old Testament, Passover lambs were to be in perfect health and spotless, the best of the flock. In …

Hardships Endured by Paul as He Preached the Gospel

Immediately prior to Saul’s baptism recorded in Acts 9:18, the Lord informed Ananias of what the future held for this new apostle, “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake”(Acts 9:16 NKJV). Let’s look at some of the suffering, both mental and physical, Saul, later the apostle Paul (Acts 13:9), endured as he carried out the evangelistic mission given to him by God. This mission was described to Ananias in Acts 9:15 “…to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.” We learn elsewhere in God’s Word that he was an apostle specifically assigned to the Gentles (Romans 11:13), but he was to present the Gospel to the Jews first (Acts 13:46; Romans 1:16) Mental stress and physical trauma were major components of this apostle’s life, who was “born out of due time” (l Corinthians 15:8b). Some of these mentally and physically stressful events can be itemized as follows: Are you a partaker of this grace through obedience to His will?

Sin Unto Death and the Unpardonable Sin

What is the Unpardonable Sin? Opponents of Jesus persistently disregarded, disrespected and condemned Him and His message.1 He thus warned against and rebuked the sinful attitudes and behaviors of these hypocritical, evil-hearted, murderous antagonists.2 As Jesus cast out demons “by the Spirit of God” (Matthew 12:28),3 he was falsely accused by hostile Pharisees of doing these supernatural works “by the ruler of the demons” (Matthew 9:34; 12:24). This prompted His stern response, “Truly I say to you, all the sins and the blasphemies will be forgiven the sons of men, as many as they may have blasphemed. But whoever may blaspheme against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness but is guilty of everlasting sin” (Mark 3:28-29; cf. Matthew 12:31-32; Luke 12:10). The plural noun “blasphemies” (Mark 3:28) conveys the recurring actions of reviling with irreverence, slander and hostility. The aorist tense of the Greek verbal form (v. 29; cf., Luke 12:10) indicates a state of mind as long as it lasts, characteristic of conscious and deliberate opposition. It involves not only what is spoken but a corrupted heart from which the malicious words proceed (Matthew 15:18-19; Mark 7:21-23). On this particular occasion, the sinful mindset and speech that Christ condemned was the stubborn dismissal of the obvious working of God’s Spirit and attributing it to the power of Satan. It is not a mere slip of the tongue or unintentional lapse in judgment but is indicative of those who are constantly [present tense] against Christ (Matthew 12:30; Luke 11:23). It …

Some Responsibilities and Qualification of Elders

The first century church was directed to organize itself with elders serving as shepherds of the flock, overseers and teachers. Every congregation should seek to be organized with this biblical leadership structure. Qualifications of elders are provided in 1 Timothy 3:1-2 and Titus 1:5-9. From Titus, these qualifications include (1) blameless, (2) the husband of one wife, (3) having faithful children not accused of dissipation [debauchery ESV] or insubordination, (4) not self-willed, (5) not given to wine, (6) not greedy for money, (7) hospitable, (8) lovers of what is good, (9) sober-minded, (10) just, (11) holy, (12) self-controlled, holding fast to the faithful Word as he has been taught that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort, and convict those who contradict. From 1 Timothy, additional qualifications include (1) temperate, (2) of good behavior, (3) able to teach, (4) not violent, (5) gentle, (6) not quarrelsome, (7) not covetous, (8) one who rules his own house well, (9) not a novice, (10) have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Paul instructed the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:28-30 as follows: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves …

The Same Hour of the Night

Why and when a person obeys the Gospel of Jesus Christ is very important. Denominations discount the importance of the obedience and timeliness of baptism. Teaching faith only or grace only salvation, they do not believe baptism is even necessary to receive the remission of sins. The When of Baptism When one studies the New Testament examples of conversion, he will find that people were baptized as soon as they realized their sins and were prepared to obey the Gospel’s plan of salvation. These were sinners who believed Jesus is the Christ (John 8:24), having been convinced by hearing the Gospel message (John 6:45; Romans 10:17). When these believers were willing to repent – to turn from serving sin to serving God, they began to change their lives. There was no waiting to be baptized, and in fact, there seemed to be a sense of urgency in every example of obedience in the New Testament, embracing God’s pattern for our salvation. See the following examples. Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our …

As the Dew

“I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon” (Hosea 14:5 ESV). Have you ever stopped to think about the morning dew, other than when it is so heavy that it causes you to track part of the outside inside? Dew forms when moist air is cooled by direct contact with cold objects out in the open. Grass, flowers and other plants receive heat from the sun during the day by direct radiation. Heat evaporates moisture off into the air. Heat is lost again at night, also through radiation. Since radiation is most effective on clear nights, objects in the open cool down faster when the sky is clear than when it is cloudy. As these objects cool, the air next to them cools as well. When the air reaches “dew point,” it can’t hold all the moisture present, and so the excess is deposited as dew. For what, though, is dew good? According to botanists, plants don’t actually take in the dew. The heat, evaporating moisture into the air, also causes plants to give off moisture taken in by the root system. Dew covers these plants like an envelope for a time, until it, too, evaporates. This allows plants to retain moisture taken from the soil. Dew, then, provides a temporary environment around the plant. It helps keep precious moisture in the plant, rather than allowing it to escape into the atmosphere. God was to …

Essentials of Church History

History is very interesting, even intriguing, and it is something people must learn lest they repeat the atrocities in it (Judges 10:11-16). This is especially true of church history. From the New Testament church to Roman Catholicism to the multiple thousands of denominations today, there are many lessons to be learned. However, the basics of church history appear in the God-breathed Book of Acts and throughout the New Testament. With an understanding of the facts of church history below, we can better understand and evaluate what has happened to “Christianity” over the past two thousand years, and, more importantly, we can be better equipped to “…keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3 NKJV). Church Established In response to Peter’s confession, “…You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16), Jesus promised, “…on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:19). Although future from when Jesus spoke, the building of that church would be during the life of some then present (Matthew 16:28), including Peter (Matthew 16:19). That future time came in Acts 2 when the Lord singled out the twelve apostles as His spokesmen (Acts 2:1-4). Peter’s sermon was the one detailed, but all the apostles preached on that first Day of Pentecost following Christ’s resurrection (Acts 2:14, 37). As Peter concluded, some hearers responded, “…Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (v. 37), to which Peter replied, “…Repent, and …

Outback Religion

Outback Steakhouse is a pretty good choice if you want a good steak and baked potato. By now you’ve probably heard their advertisements on the radio and television. After making the pitch for their product, the announcer, in his Australian brogue, says “Outback Steakhouse. No rules. Just right.” That sounds great, doesn’t it? There is some appeal to a place where there aren’t any rules or restrictions and no matter what, everything turns out all right. One day, it dawned on me that many people have “Outback Religion.” When it comes to their relationship with God, they want it to be “No rules. Just Right.” They want to be able to come to God on their own terms and yet have Him welcome them just the same. More and more, it seems we find people who find comforting the thought of having a meaningful relationship with God but who are unwilling to follow the rules. I suppose it has always been so that many wanted God on their terms, but it has always been true that Jehovah has never allowed man to call the shots or make the rules. Either we come to Him as He wills, or we don’t come at all. When I claim a relationship with God, but I want to keep my bad habits, ungodly practices and sinful relationships, then, I’m looking for Outback Religion. However, God does have “rules,” and here are three things to remember about them. When we submit ourselves wholly to living …

What the Bible Says about Angels

There are some subjects in the Bible about which we possess a great deal of information. Then, there are other things on which the Bible touches only briefly. The secret things belong to God, but we should be sure to read and to wrestle with the things revealed to us (Deuteronomy 29:29). Some subjects are hard to understand, and though we wish for more information on other topics, we must be content with what God has told us (2 Peter 3:16). The subject of angels is a fascinating one in the Bible. Many people are aware of their mention in Scripture, but sometimes our view of angels is more informed by popular theology and cinema than the Word of God. We need to allow Scripture, even in its brevity, to inform us concerning the topic of angels. How angels look, function and serve are things we can only learn by listening to God’s Word. Let us notice a few things the Bible does and does not say about angels. Myths and Misunderstandings About Angels Angels are mentioned in 34 of the 66 books in the Bible (17 in the Old Testament and 17 in the New Testament). While some people mistakenly think that angels are mainly an Old Testament topic, they are mentioned in several important places in the New Testament, especially associated with the life of Jesus (Matthew 28:2-7; Luke 2:13-14; Acts 1:9-11). When many people think of angels, they think of cute babies or maybe even having a female …

A Plea for Restoration

Men like John Wycliffe, in the 1300’s, saw a corrupted church, which led, in turn, to remarkable wickedness. They called for men to use Scripture only to determine the will of God. Good people are shocked by the changes of recent days. Hatred seems to grow by the minute. Sin is openly practiced and set forth as the way every right-thinking person should walk, or at least praise. Our world needs the Savior and His church, but division has torn believers apart. We must restore the church of the Bible if we are to turn the world around. A restored church is united on the Bible alone. Its members must speak the very words of God (1 Peter 4:11). Those words God spoke are found in Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Every believer should, over time, grow in knowledge so he or she can teach others. “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” (Hebrews 5:12 NKJV). A restored church will reject all manmade creeds. A creed is “a brief authoritative formula of religious belief” (Merriam-Webster.com). God’s children must, as Paul told Timothy, “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13). He later explained that the young preacher should only preach the Word (2 Timothy 4:1-4). He also told …

The Trumpet Must Be Sounded!

In correcting the abuse of the miraculous gift of tongue speaking, Paul used an everyday illustration that all would have understood. “For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?” (1 Corinthians 14:8 NKJV). The context is that those who had the gift of tongues were not to use it unless there was an interpreter, because if the language were not known and was not interpreted, the words would seem to be sheer nonsense. The illustration of a trumpet giving a distinct and certain sound was so applicable in Paul’s day because they were used frequently in antiquity. In Bible times, there were specifically three groups of people who used trumpets with regularity: watchmen, warriors and worship leaders. Trumpets were used by watchmen to warn (Jeremiah 6:1; Isaiah 58:1). Warriors used them to sound the battle alarm (Judges 7:19-20), and trumpets were used by worship leaders to call people to assemble (2 Chronicles 13:12; Numbers 10:8). When Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, he used the trumpet to illustrate the Word of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 1:8). Like a trumpet, the Word of Lord must sound forth! Consider the analogy still further. Like a trumpet, the Word of the Lord must be plain! When a trumpet sounds forth in the way it is intended to sound forth, there is no question as to what instrument is playing. I have quite an untrained ear to discern instruments and music, but I can always pick out a trumpet. It gives …

It Matters to God!

Many things pop up in families (e.g., between parents and children or between spouses) that don’t really matter at all. Often, other issues underly the petty stuff said to be the explanation for disagreements. Family members do well to reserve their dissent and enter into serious discussions about genuine concerns. Some things, however, do matter, and no compromise can be justified (e.g., modesty, morality). The Bible – God’s operator’s manual for humanity – must be the final and indisputable Word regarding especially biblical (i.e., doctrinal) topics. Some things do matter, and some things matter to God! Christians ought to consider whether their thoughts, words and actions matter to God. We can discern whether each of these matter to God by consulting (i.e., studying) His holy and inspired Scriptures. God made man after His own image, and one of the traits we share with God is the ability to communicate (e.g., with other humans, as well as between God and us). He communicates with us through the Bible, and we communicate with Him through prayer. The Bible is God’s instrument of communication between Himself and humankind, and He intends for us to understand it. Though a few passages may present us some difficulty, the Bible is not a collection of cryptic messages, codes and mysteries strung together for God’s amusement and our confusion. We can know what matters to God, and what matters to God is immutable or unalterable, absolute, permanent and final. Remember, no one can win an argument with God – and so, don’t try! …

What Are the Names of the Egyptian Gods Corresponding to the 10 Plagues?

There are numerous resources discoverable by a search on the Internet, which supply names of Egyptian gods that may correspond to the 10 plagues about which one reads in the Bible. However, they sometimes vary from each other. In addition, more than one of the Egyptian gods and goddesses could relate to some of the plagues. Upon review of the plagues, several distinguish between afflictions that fell upon the Egyptians that were withheld from the Israelites (Exodus 11:7). All of the plagues, and especially considered as a whole, amply demonstrate divine power that cannot be matched by mortals. “Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, ‘This is the finger of God’…” (Exodus 8:19 NKJV). Pharaoh’s magicians could not compete with divine, truly miraculous power! Each of the 10 plagues proved that the God of the Israelites or of the Hebrews (Exodus 7:16) – the only true God – is supreme and without any rivals. “…against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord” (Exodus 12:12). Resources consulted appear at the end of the article, but many more could also have been examined. One reference work appropriately titled its chart, “Egyptian Gods Against Whom the Plagues Were Possibly Directed” (emphasis added). This accounts for variations between resources and acknowledges a degree of subjectivity or reliance upon educated conjectures. Following are some of the extrapolations regarding the idol gods of the Egyptians over whom Almighty God exercised greater power through the 10 plagues. Assigning various ancient Egyptian gods to …

Which Lady of Proverbs Are You?

The book of Proverbs is full of wise sayings on many respects. The difference between the foolish and the wise, the peril of trusting in riches and how to use one’s tongue for good are just a few of the topics covered in the book. The overall theme of Proverbs is, of course, wisdom – not wisdom of the world but wisdom according to God’s Word as is mentioned throughout the book (“the fear of the Lord…” Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; 14:27; 19:23; 23:17 NKJV). Proverbs 8 portrays wisdom crying out, “Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, and from the opening of my lips will come right things; for my mouth will speak truth” (Proverbs 8:6-7). The book implies that there are two “ladies” calling out to us throughout our lives. One is from God, lady wisdom whose words are righteousness (Proverbs 8:35). The other is from the evil one, the immoral woman whose words cast one down to hell (literally, Sheol, where the wicked dead await, Proverbs 7:27). All women will give ear to one of these “ladies,” and the decision made will determine their fate. One will lead us down the path to true life, while the other leads us down the path to death. The question every woman must ask herself is which type of woman portrayed in the book of Proverbs is she – the sinful woman (Proverbs 7) or the virtuous woman (Proverbs 31). “With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, with …

What Does the Bible Say About Abortion?

It is amazing to me that some Christians believe taking the life of an unborn baby is okay under certain situations. Many are unaware what the Bible teaches about abortion since the word “abortion” does not appear in our English Bibles. Let’s examine some Scriptures. In Genesis 1:28-30, God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful, to multiply and to fill the earth. The following Old Testament Scriptures pertain to the question, “What does the Bible say about abortion?” Darkness and light are the same to God. Covered and uncovered are the same to God. David was in darkness and covered while being formed by God in the womb. He was in light and uncovered after birth. The baby in the womb and the baby after birth are the same to God! New Testament Scriptures likewise are pertinent to the question, “What does the Bible say about abortion?” The Greek word “brephos” means an infant. The same Greek word refers to before and after the birth of a baby. The baby in the womb and the baby after birth are the same to God! “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). [Editor’s Note: Remember, under Judaism in the Old Testament, taking the life of an unborn baby was a capital offense (Exodus 21:22-25). Yet, 73 million babies worldwide die by induced abortion each year. Nearly a third of all pregnancies terminate because of abortion. Proverbs 6:16-19 lists seven sins which are …

Hope

Remain steadfast in the Lord.Place no hope in this worldly horde.Things of this world are frail.They will fail.This world is not my home.The Scriptures I will comb.Its truths are what give hope,Providing ways to cope.Help me daily life’s path alongthat in your care I will forever belong.

God’s Beauty

Oh the beauty of the skies of various blues!Proclaim praise to God for His gorgeous hues.God is the greatest of all.Even though man took a fall,He provides abundant blessings.My heart with all its might glory sings!The fresh snow on the earth is whiteWith my eyes its beauty finds delight.It serves as a reminder of the labor of laundressesWho take joy in the cleanliness of shirts and dresses.Our Lord has given us the love of His blood on the crossThat our souls may be cleansed of their sinful dross.The snow covered fieldsReminds of the cleansing His blood yields.Never forget the beauty of God’s creation,The blues, yellows, reds bring mankind into celebration.

What If One Came Back from the Dead?

The account in Luke 16:19-31 is about a rich man and Lazarus. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” But Abraham said, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.” Then he said, “I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.” Abraham said to him, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.” And he said, “No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” But he said to him, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.” (Luke …

Surviving the Storm

On April 27, 2014, I was in Clarksville, Arkansas along with my daughter Shenay Maria when devastating tornados struck and destroyed the cities of Mayflower and Vilonia. It was unexpected and tragic. Although we were safe, we were only about an hour’s drive from the city of Mayflower. A few days after the storm, we were able to view firsthand the wreckage and ruins left behind in the storm’s path. Lives were lost, many were injured and millions of dollars in properties was destroyed. Storms are catastrophic, especially when people are not prepared. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus described an impending storm. Even though it is spiritual in nature, Jesus said that it is inevitable. Listen to His words. Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house upon the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.(Matthew 7:24-27 NIV) Jesus said that a storm is coming. The house represents life – yours and mine. Rain is going to fall, indicating pressure from above. …

Trust and Compassion

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 …

The Lord’s Supper: 1 Corinthians 11

If we teach what the Lord’s Supper is, then the question about how often to take it will be easier to accept. Taking the Lord’s Supper is an act of worship! Just as we pray, give, sing and preach every Sunday, we take the Lord’s Supper every Sunday. “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread…”(Acts 20:7). [Editor’s Note: Two activities in particular strike visitors to the worship assemblies of the churches of Christ as being odd to them, because few religious groups practice them today. First, singing without the accompaniment of mechanical instruments of music is seldom experienced by congregants in our day and time. Second, few churches observe the Lord’s Supper weekly. The Lord’s church – if it’s to be the Lord’s church – endeavors to act out the biblical examples and divinely-given instructions found upon the pages of the New Testament. We haven’t changed! Rather the denominational world changed how it worships and resorts to manmade books rather than exclusively to the Bible. ~ Louis Rushmore, Editor]

The Way of Cain, The Error of Balaam and the Rebellion of Korah

Jude cited three well-known illustrations from the Old Testament history to prove his point that disobedience to God leads to disaster. After exhorting Christians “to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (v. 3 NKJV), Jude wrote, “Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit and perished in the rebellion of Korah” (v. 11). Regarding Cain we read: And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it” (Genesis 4:3-7). Regarding Abel we read, “By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks” (Hebrews 11:4). God accepted Abel’s gift because it was rendered by faith. Faith comes by hearing God’s word (Romans 10:17). …

A Strange Story from the Life of Jesus

To the casual reader, the story of our Lord’s encounter with a Canaanite woman near Tyre and Sidon may seem strangely uncharacteristic of what we know about Him (Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30). “A woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter” (Mark 7:25-26 NKJV).” At first, Jesus did not respond, and His disciples urged Him to “send her away, for she cries out after us” (Matthew 15:23). Jesus explained that His ministry was to His own people. “…I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). Still, the woman persisted. “Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Lord, help me!’” (Matthew 15:25). She would not abandon her purpose. It was at this point that our Lord spoke to her in a way that seems harsh and abusive to us. “…It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs” (Matthew 15:26). In any language, to imply that a person is a “dog” sounds insulting. It was common in that age to despise people of other nations. The bluntness of our Lord’s words, no doubt, pleased the disciples, because they wanted to be rid of her. However, it seems very unlike Jesus – Who was so full of compassion and pity, Whose character was the …

Let’s Be Optimistic!

Do you still believe in the promises of God when it comes to the future? Do you believe that the future is bright? Do you believe that a follower of Christ can live a quiet and peaceable life? With those questions in mind, think about the apostle Paul living in the Roman Empire under the rule of the cruel and ruthless Nero. The apostle penned to Timothy, “Therefore I exhort [encourage] first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority [a prominent place], that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence [dignity]. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior” (1 Timothy 2:1-3 NKJV). How could Paul possibly see better times ahead? If he hadn’t, he would not have encouraged Timothy and his brethren to pray for a “quiet and peaceable life.” If Paul were living today, do you think he would be pleased if his brethren painted a totally dark picture for the future? Going back in history, while the Berlin wall was still standing, freedom for many was just a dream, but that wall in East Germany came down. Yes, immorality, wars among nations, struggling marriages and all kinds of evil deeds exist, but our God the Savior is still our hope. He will return and we will see Him face to face (Revelation 1:7). According to Paul in 1Timothy 2:4-6, we …

Be Imitators of Christ

“Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1 NKJV). It is interesting how many times in the New Testament we find encouragement to be imitators. Twice, Paul told the church in Corinth to imitate him – first as children would their fathers (4:16) and in 1 Corinthians 11:1. Of course, imitating any Christian must never exceed the extent to which one imitates Christ. In Ephesians 5:1, Paul exhorted Christians to imitate God as beloved children, specifically, to live in love. Twice, he praised the church in Thessalonica for imitating him, the congregations in Judea and of God, despite enduring hardship for the sake of the Gospel (1 Thessalonians 1:6; 2:14). The writer of Hebrews encouraged his readers not to grow lazy in their faith but to imitate the faith and patience of those intent on inheriting God’s promises (Hebrews 6:12). The term for “imitate” in the Greek comes from the term (mimetes), from which the root term gives us our English word “mimic.” It is not just performing or acting as others do; imitating faith means a readiness to take upon oneself the same type of faith that shows full commitment to Christ, as others have done in their lives. Imitating is not being attached to another person in the sense of reflecting the mannerisms or speech of another but reflecting what it is that has motivated someone to behave as he does. Regarding Christianity, the child of God’s motivation is his spiritual, integral relationship to Christ. …

You Don’t Want to Follow Jesus If

The thrust of Christianity is to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). The basic meaning of a disciple is someone who follows another, such as, regarding Christianity, disciples follow Jesus Christ. When Jesus came into first-century Palestine, He encouraged people to follow Him and become His disciples (Matthew 4:18-22). From the first century until now, Christians have been persuading the world to follow Jesus. Sometimes, in our efforts to convert our family and friends, we may fail to tell them the difficulty of being a Christian. While Jesus was interested in the souls of men, He sometimes taught hard things that turned people away from Him (John 6:60-66). Christianity is not for the lukewarm or those who are wishy-washy in their commitments. To follow Jesus involves commitment (Matthew 16:24). Jesus seemingly even talked some people out of following Him if they were not willing to count the cost (Luke 14:28). So, we may not want to follow Jesus if any of the following are true for us. Comfort and Ease Are High Priorities Following Jesus is sometimes extremely uncomfortable. On one occasion, a man attempted to follow Jesus, and Jesus impressed him with the difficulty of discipleship. “As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head’” (Luke 9:57-58 ESV). This man wanted to follow Jesus, and our …

When the Brook Dries Up

One of the extreme frustrations that some Christians face is not understanding that God’s ways are different from man’s ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). Man can only see one dimensional and is even limited in that view of life and its circumstances. God often gets blamed for not loving us or not protecting us when we encounter a difficulty, especially if that difficulty is monumental in size and hurtful. In fact, some have erroneously concluded that God does not exist because a loving God surely would not allow suffering (i.e., “atheism’s ‘unanswerable’ argument”). We see in 1 Kings 17 a narrative unfold that shows more than just one dimension. Due to the wickedness of Ahab and the nation, God withheld rain and dew from the land for three and one-half years (1 Kings 17:1-2; James 5:17). At that time, God instructed Elijah to camp by the brook Cherith and take his sustenance of water from that brook. It was also at this time that God sent ravens with bread and meat to provide Elijah’s food sustenance (1 Kings 17:4-6). Can you just picture that scene? Imagine Elijah cross legged on the banks of Cherith, warm sunshine on his face, full belly of bread and meat, with cool, refreshing, pure water in abundance. Life is good! However, each day that brook seemed to flow a little more slowly, and eventually “the brook dried up” (1 Kings 17:7). I am not sure what Elijah was thinking, but I am sure that if I were …

Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things

I’ve never been athletic, and besides, my environment as a youth didn’t lend itself to participating in team sports. So, even in school gym classes or for recesses between classes, when some sort of game was afoot, I didn’t volunteer, and I was always one of the last students picked for a team. A little later in life during military bootcamp, I didn’t volunteer for anything and tried my best to somehow be invisible in the middle of the group. Some people go throughout their entire lives and never step forward for anything. Perhaps, they have the notion that they’re just ordinary people who are unable to do extraordinary things. Several Bible characters exclaimed that they were just ordinary people when, for instance, God called upon them to do extraordinary things. Moses was such a person. Moses Moses is the first Bible character who comes to my mind who was reluctant to accept an extraordinary challenge presented to him by God. He certainly was qualified and well-schooled. “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds” (Acts 7:22 NKJV). He knew that God would use him to deliver Israel from slavery in Egypt (Acts 7:25), but he acted initially on his own timetable instead of waiting for God to send him. Consequently, following his failed attempt, Moses fled to the land of Midian to avoid Pharoah, who wanted to kill him (Exodus 2:15). Forty years passed, and Moses was a sheepherder and a family man in Midian. Then, on God’s timetable, He called …

It Is Shameful for Women to Speak in the Church

First Corinthians 14:34-35 reads, “Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church” (NKJV). The meaning of the word “church” depends on the context in which it appears. It can mean any one of three things relative to Christianity: (1) the universal church – spanning ages past, the present and what future may remain – over which Jesus Christ is the Head (Matthew 16:18; Colossians 1:18); (2) a local church (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1); (3) the assembly for worship by a local church (1 Corinthians 14). The word “church” in 1 Corinthians 14 refers to a worship assembly of a local church, which contained Christian men and women. In a setting where only women comprised an assembly (e.g., some small, struggling congregations or ladies’ days), the divinely inspired prohibition for women to speak in the assembly would not apply. Yet, most assemblies of a local church by far have both men and women present. Therefore, other than participating in singing hymns, God through the Holy Spirit directed that women remain silent during worship. Incidentally, the men must also remain silent when another brother is speaking (1 Corinthians 14:26-33). In addition, God does not permit Christian women to rule over men in religious settings, even outside of worship (1 Timothy …

Fig Leaves Are Back in Style

Summer is here! Gone are those ole bulky winter clothes and all those layers! The ultra freedom of summer clothes surrounds us again. This summer, women will go to the beach wearing bikinis or something even skimpier. Probably that same woman would never consider parading around on the beach wearing only a bra and thong-type underpants, but I ask, “What is the difference in the amount of body she would be revealing?” None! The only difference is in the fabric used to make the garments! It would be scandalous to go out in public dressed only in one’s underwear – wouldn’t it? Leaving the beach scene of near-nudity, look at the offering for relaxed outings: the briefest of stretch pants, topped with a knit, spaghetti-strap shirt. Another possibility is a one-piece stretch top that will barely cover the torso – breast down to upper thighs. Oh, this blueprint is better; it’s a little longer, and at least it does have spaghetti straps! Then, there is the blue knit top, also with the spaghetti straps. Of course, the degree of immodesty is the choice of the wearer: will it be a top that is loose and exposes only the upper part of the body, or will it be three sizes too small so that it is stretched like a second skin? Then, there is a subdued choice: a black straight skirt. Should we wonder what folks will see when the wearer sits down or bends over? Another offering are shorts for …

What Do You Smell Like?

We all enjoy things that smell good, and we do our best to avoid anything that smells bad. We buy things based on how they smell and make many decisions using our nose! No one, to my knowledge, prefers bad odors to the pleasant ones. The Bible mentions fragrant spices and oils used to make things more tolerable to the olfactory senses. Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with a costly oil that filled the house with its fragrance (John 12:3). At the burial of Christ, John further records that Nicodemus provided the mixture of spices bound in the linen around His body (John 19:39-40). We are told this was the Jewish custom. The women also brought spices to the tomb on the first day of the week (Luke 24:1). We understand that dead flesh stinks, and these spices help to mask those odors. However, the body of Jesus did not stay in the tomb long enough to amass much smell since He rose from that grave! Physically speaking, much of our lives are concerned with the odors our senses encounter, but what about our spirituality? What do we smell like? How Christ Smells Ephesians 5:2 tells us that Christ smells good to God: “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (NKJV). Those thousands of sacrifices over the centuries that were “a sweet aroma to the Lord” (Leviticus 1:9) all pointed to Jesus. …

The Christian Woman’s Spiritual Clothing

All Christians (men and women) should be adorned inwardly and outwardly with only what is fitting for one of God’s children. Our outward appearance should neither shame the name of Jesus or our Heavenly Father, and nor should we have moth-eaten clothes or nakedness instead of the spiritual clothing God has intended. We know that man looks on the outward appearance while God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’” (NKJV). So, where should our focus be? Should we think only about our outward appearance? Why do we spend so much time thinking about “what we shall wear”? What should we do? Why? Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet …

“…Rejoice Because Your Names Are Written in Heaven” (Luke 10:20 NKJV)

Is my name written there?My destination is where?Each day of the week, yes seven,Mark my daily journey to heaven.No amount of braggingNo foot draggingNo denialNo trialWill improve my odds,As this journey requires many foot trods,To reach this life’s destination.I am on my journey to my heavenly nation.With God to help me all along the way,I will joyfully arrive in Heaven one day.

An Open Door

What doors will open for you in 2024? A new job opportunity perhaps? Or maybe the door will open to make that long awaited trip. Perhaps you will have the unexpected chance to scratch off another item on your bucket list. We all have improbable opportunities that present themselves in life. Some of these open doors can change our lives and even permit us to serve God. When Paul was in Troas, he was preparing to go into Asia, but in a vision, he saw a man in Macedonia saying, “…Come over to Macedonia and help us” (Acts 16:9 NKJV). So, Paul traveled to Macedonia and went to Philippi. Paul later told the Corinthians that in Philippi “a door was opened to me by the Lord” (2 Corinthians 2:12). What door? First, he met Lydia during a prayer meeting down by the river and baptized her, along with all her household. Next, doors were really opened in the prison, which led to the conversion of the Roman jailer and his household (Acts 16). God accomplishes His will by opening the doors of opportunity through which we can walk. We might call it providence, happenstance or just dumb luck. In truth, it is God working in our lives, directing us through the opportunities He presents to us. “Chance,” Anatole France said, “is the pseudonym of God when He did not want to sign.” How will God direct your life this year? What doors will He open for you? Are you ready …

Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid (revisited)

Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime killed an estimated 6,000,000 Jews. Dozens of other stories recount how individuals will commit horrifying crimes (like going into an elementary school and killing dozens of innocent children or walking into your own high school and killing your classmates and teachers). I have often wondered how things would have been different if these individuals had a fear of God. If they knew just a little about what was on the other side of this life, would they have ever contemplated the appalling crimes they committed? I think we know the answer to that question. The rich man in Luke 16 had a very different perspective on things after death, didn’t he? So also does Hitler and every other evildoer who has died. If only they could undo what they did. However, death ends all opportunity. This life is our one and only occasion to make choices and act upon them. God wants us to fear Him. Solomon said that is “the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7 NKJV). If we can start with this perspective of God, the knowledge obtained from that point on will be properly filtered. John tells us that no one is going to escape facing God on Judgment Day (Revelation 20:11-15). Those who had a healthy fear of God and operated out of that fear (because they obeyed God) will have nothing to worry about. Somebody should have said to Hitler while speaking of God: “Be afraid. Be veryafraid!” This kind of fear is a …

Bookends of Romans: Defining Faith Biblically

Paul’s letter to the Romans has much to say about faith. The underlying Greek noun (pistis) and verb (pisteúō) are found throughout the book for a combined total of sixty-one times. Comprising nearly two thirds of these occurrences, the noun-form first emerges in Romans 1:5, and its final usage is in Romans 16:26, serving as bookends for the entire document. The bracketing texts read, in view of the apostolic mission: “Through whom we received grace and apostleship, unto obedience of faith among all the nationsfor his name’s sake” (1:5); “but now having been made manifest through the prophetic Scriptures and according to the commandment of the eternal God unto obedience of faith made known unto all the nations” (16:26).* In the letter’s opening-thanksgiving, Paul wrote, “First of all, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all because your faith is being proclaimed in all the world” (1:8). Near the close of the letter, he observed, “For your obedience has reached (the attention) of all, therefore I rejoice over you” (16:19a). Half of Paul’s use of the noun “obedience” and verbal “obey” are found in Romans.** From beginning to end, faith clearly does not stand alone apart from obedience. Whenever Paul spoke of faith (e.g., 1:16-17; 3:22), it was not void of obedience. Whenever he spoke of obedience (e.g., 2:6; 6:17), it was not void of faith. The faith that appropriates justification, as explained in Romans, is always an obedient faith. Conclusion If we begin our examination of Romans in chapters 3-5 or 10, we will miss what has been …

Being and Being Seen Faithful

God purposely created every human being with the need for relationships. We need personal contact with others for us to have whole and healthy lives. This contact isn’t just about life in the flesh – for our physical well-being – but contact is necessary for our emotional well-being as well. Personal contact is vital spiritually, too. If we ever hope to enjoy eternal life, we will attain it through encouragement, help, strength and prompts to persevere. However, what about us? The path of personal interaction isn’t a one-way street but one that travels to and from us. One place we find encouragement that helps us overcome temptation to sin – to be our best and to develop our talents and abilities in Christ – comes from the examples we find in Scripture. Those lives recorded in the Bible were real people facing challenges, in their day and time, to live for God. How many people in Scripture commended themselves to us as positive examples of godliness – people who lived by faith and whose lives encourage us to live by faith (James 5:10)? Even those in Scripture, who strayed from God – whose lives stand opposed to all that is right and good – serve as examples of where sin and wrong choices can lead (2 Peter 2:6). Not just from Scripture, but those brothers and sisters in Christ with whom we interact today can help us to keep fighting the good fight of faith, or they can lead us …

Biblical Preaching

What is good preaching? Should it be the goal of the preacher to build numbers by entertainment? Should one’s success in preaching be measured by the numbers on the board at each service, or is there a different standard that we must use? Can one serve as an evangelist for a small congregation and still be called a good preacher? There are some groups in our culture that should not be consulted to determine what good preaching is. Our society does not define what good preaching is. The church does not define what good preaching is. Simply stated, the Bible determines what is good preaching. What does the Bible state about its proclamation to members of the body and to the lost? Biblical preaching reveals God’s power to save lost humankind. Paul understood that the proclamation of the Gospel contained within it the ability to save lost human beings. Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (NKJV). The good news will propel the lost to Jesus if they respond to it on divine terms. Biblical preaching reveals the Truth to people – even when it is not popular. The apostle Paul was not popular with some of the brethren in the Roman province of Galatia, because he stood against teachers who wanted to combine elements of the Old Testament Law with the Law of …

Rainbow Reminders

Some of the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen are of rainbows. God’s colorful covenant symbol draws immediate and lasting attention. The rainbow clearly demonstrates there is a God in Heaven. God came to Noah and told him to build an ark. Noah did everything God commanded him to do (Genesis 6:13, 22). Noah offered a sacrifice when he left the ark, and God gave the rainbow as a sign of His covenant with man that He would never again destroy the world by a great flood (Genesis 9:12). The rainbow in the heavens declares the glory of God (Psalm 19:1). The rainbow reminds us God will punish sinners. Man’s continual wickedness led to the flood. Men may make fun of God, His existence and His Son’s promised return, but the flood stands as evidence that He will punish sinners. Paul reassured the suffering saints at Thessalonica that the Almighty would punish those who do not obey or keep on obeying Him (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, as was plainly seen when God placed the rainbow in the heavens. He lived uprightly in the midst of terrible sinfulness (Genesis 6:8-9). He declared God’s will to those sinners for one hundred years, but only his family was saved (2 Peter 2:5). His salvation by water was a foreshadow of man’s salvation through the waters of baptism (1 Peter 3:20-21). The rainbow emphatically declares God keeps his promises. No flood has destroyed all flesh for the several millennia …

Happy Easter

It is true that Easter was originally a pagan holiday. It was named after Eastra, the Goddess of Spring. Sacrifices were offered each spring in this false goddess’ honor. It just so happened that about the same time Eastra was being honored, the Jews celebrated Passover. This celebration commemorated God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. Jesus was celebrated Passover the night He instituted the Lord’s Supper. It is a memorial of Christ’s death on the cross for our sins. The Lord’s Supper also helps us to remember His resurrection from the dead! [Though primarily about the sacrifice of Christ – His body and His blood – knowledge of our Lord’s resurrection acknowledges the victory over death and sin brought about by the vicarious sacrifice of Jesus Christ. ~ Louis Rushmore, Editor] Jesus came up from the grave the Sunday following Passover. We celebrate the sacrifice of our Lord every week. “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread…” (Acts 20:7 NKJV). When Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire under Augustine in the 4th Century A.D., the false goddess Eastra was not being worshipped as fervently. Instead, however, the Easter holiday was quite appealing; therefore, Eastra observances were slowly changed to a so-called Christian celebration. In fact, in Acts 12:4 the holiday “Easter” appears in the King James Version. All other standard translations properly translate the Greek word as “Passover.” The mistranslation in the King James Version of the Bible shows how …

You Don’t Really Believe in Heaven or Hell, Do You?

If you ask the average Christian, “Do you believe in Heaven and in Hell?” they would most likely answer, “Why of course I believe in Heaven and in Hell!” However, to say one believes in these places is one thing and to live in such a manner so as to prove that one believes is another. I heard an illustration used in a sermon on one occasion concerning a preacher and his infidel friend who met on the street and began talking. This illustration had a profound effect upon my thinking and opened my mind to the possibility that many today are saying they believe in Heaven and in Hell when, in reality, they do not. A preacher and his infidel friend met on the street and recognized each other from college days. They had been good friends during those years in school but had not seen each other since leaving school. They went into a coffee shop, ordered coffee and began to reminisce and renew their friendship. They talked together bout almost everything they had experienced in the past and finally were about to part company. The infidel said to the preacher, “You don’t really believe in Heaven or in Hell, do you?” The preacher was taken aback at the suggestion of such a thought. “Of course, I believe in Heaven and Hell!” replied the preacher. His friend said, “Then, I must call you a liar because if you really believed in those two places you would have talked …

A Hidden Treasure!

Have you ever found something that was worth a great sum? Stories surface now and then about “supposed” gold shipments that were lost and never recovered. A favorite pastime of many today is magnet fishing. A large, powerful magnet attached to a heavy-duty rope is thrown into the water (often from a bridge) and dragged across the bottom in hopes of finding a sunken treasure. Some claim to have found some interesting items. Discoveries sometimes include bolts, screws, canon balls, firearms and jewelry; even bikes and larger items have been discovered. It seems that many folks are searching for hidden treasures. Long before magnet fishing and lost gold, Jesus told the narrative of a truly hidden treasure. In the great kingdom parable chapter, Jesus related, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matthew 13:44 NKJV). The lessons taught in this short verse are valuable indeed! Firstly, note the fortune, “Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure…” This parable would certainly have attracted the attention of first century hearers because every village had its story of men who had become suddenly rich by finding some hidden hoard that had been hastily concealed in time of war or trouble. Fleshly minds place a high value on things that simply are not really valuable in the final analysis. We all are guilty of that at times. The …

Unconditional Faithfulness in God: Faithfulness through Self-Doubt

Unconditional faithfulness in God can undergird faithfulness through self-doubt. Christians, because they have unconditional faithfulness in God, have a support system available to them that is far superior to any other to which anyone could possibly appeal. We have something that worldly people and non-Christians simply do not have. We have God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit in our lives. We know this from the Holy and Inspired Scriptures – the Word of God, the Bible. One dictionary defines self-doubt as “a lack of faith in oneself: a feeling of doubt or uncertainty about one’s abilities, actions” (“Self-doubt”). Though we may not think so, “Everyone experiences self-doubt” (Tartakovsky emphasis added). Self-doubt is a common concern generally shared by people everywhere. Yes, even bullies, sports stars, public speakers and loud, pushy or bossy persons also encounter moments of self-doubt. “Self-doubt shows up in different ways. It might manifest as seeking advice or validation for decisions because we don’t trust ourselves” (Tartakovsky). A little self-doubt, instead, may lead one to reexamine himself or herself and to reevaluate a method or the evidence supporting what he or she says or does. To that extent, some self-doubt may be a positive thing. Usually, though, self-doubt has an inhibiting effect. “…Self-doubt ‘can lead to a persistent need for reassurance, leaving you feeling anxious unless others are providing it…’ It can leave people paralyzed when making decisions, fearing they’ll pick the wrong choice. They might get stuck on everything from which career …

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