"A War Worth Winning!" - Parker Webster

Each and every day, we are faced with battles, trials and temptations. Some wars we engage in are against ourselves, others, or even circumstances that exist around us. Many times, we can feel like we are losing our battles. Whether they be emotional, spiritual, or even moral battles we cans often feel vulnerable and desperate. The good news is that we have someone on our side who helps us in every battle that we face. We have someone who is "able to deliver" and someone who "helps in time of need."

I constantly take challenges and comforts from book of Revelation. It is a book with signs and symbols, but it is also a book of victory. For the one who seems to be experiencing life failures and spiritual roadblocks, the book of Revelation is a great place to go. This final book of the New Testament chronicles the age-old struggle between good and evil. It is a story of a war with twists and turns, and even casualties. Yet, there is an overwhelming consolation that the author affords the reader.

In chapter 17, we are given an image of war, and we find our Lord and His followers victorious! John writes, "These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful" (Rev. 17:14). 

Consider that this teaches us a Reality--We will have difficulties and adversaries in this life. Paul would write of the war schemes the devil uses against us each day. We must be prepared for this reality. 

This verse also teaches us about our Leader--Jesus is described in three ways here. First he is described as a lamb. An average student of the Old Testament would see the significance of this description from Isaiah 53. Our lord would be "...Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth" (Isa. 53:7). This shows us the willingness of our leader to go into battle and sacrifice even His own life. Second, Jesus is describes as the Lord of Lords. This description shows us that He should be our only master. He sees what needs to be done, He provides what is necessary to complete the job, and he cares for his servants. Another description given here of Jesus is the king of kings. It shows Jesus's divine authority over all things. It is to show that He is the sovereign ruler over heaven and earth and that there is no other like Him!

In final considerations, this verse teaches a grand message of hope. In the war that wages against the Lamb, the Lord of Lords, and the King of Kings, He is victorious. John says, "...the Lamb will overcome them." Yet, we must also recognize that we can be joined to that victory on certain contingencies. John says, "...and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful." Each battle you face in life will only become harder without the greatest power to exist in all the universe. We each need the protection of God, and we need our Savior, Jesus Christ. Holding this company, we can be assured that we will eventually overcome. With Christ, each war we face is a war we can win!

"Sojourner or Settler?" - G. Scott Furniss

There is a popular hymn entitled “This world is not my Home” with the words, “This world is not my home. I am just a passing through.” I hear preachers speaking of a renewed earth as if this is our world. I listen to Christians talking about politics, elections, and other worldly things more than spiritual things and I am worried too many Christians are becoming settlers in this world instead of sojourners just passing through. They speak more of this world and fight harder to keep things in order in this country than they speak of their home and fight for Christ and His kingdom.  We need to remember we are aliens and pilgrims in this world and are supposed to be sojourners and not settlers. “ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off [e]were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” (Hebrews 11:13-16 NKJV).

 The sojourner declares he is an alien and a pilgrim in this world making it clear they are seeking a country of their own so God is not ashamed to be our God. They also abstain from fleshly lusts which war against our souls.  

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation (1 Peter 2:11-12 NKJV).

When we think of these things let us look at three tests of whether we are sojourners or settlers. First, where Is Your Citizenship? “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21 NKJV).

While Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah show us we should be good citizens of whatever country we find ourselves in this world, but we have to be careful how entangled we get with the affairs of this life as we engage in the warfare of the kingdom. The settler’s concern is their earthly country and rulers, the sojourner’s concern is their heavenly country and king?

The second test is where is Your Treasure? Jesus told us to be careful of our attitude towards the things of this life. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV).

We need to have the attitude of Job. “Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.” 22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong (Job 1:20-22 NKJV). We must heed the warning of Paul. “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, [d]and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many  foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:6-10 NKJV).

The Settler’s concern is his savings, the sojourner’s concern is his salvation? 

The third test is where is your home. “For we know that if our earthly [a]house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our [b]habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as [c]a guarantee. 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.(2 Corinthians 5:1-10 NASB). Are you more concerned with staying here or do you have the desire to go home? “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 [u]But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know [v]which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy [w]in the faith, 26 so that your pride in Christ Jesus may be abundant because of me by my coming to you again” (Philippians 1:21-26). The settler wants to stay the sojourner wants to go home.

What is your concern? Country or Kingdom?  Savings or Salvation? Stay or go home? So the question we must ask ourselves, is this world your home or are you just passing through? Are your treasures here on earth or are they laid up somewhere beyond the blue? Have you settled in the land or are you a sojourner, a stranger and an alien looking for a city not made with hands, so God is not ashamed to be called your God? God encourages us not to settle down in this world but continue as strangers and aliens here knowing our citizenship is in heaven, serving our king in whatever land we reside, laying up our treasure in heaven so our heart will be there. 

G. Scott Furniss

Heaven, Our Forever Home - Ben Bailey

Heaven, Our Forever Home

“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God” (Heb. 4:9).  With these words the Hebrews writer reminds us of our forever home—Heaven.  Unlike the Israelites who were heading toward the physical home of Canaan, Christians are journeying toward our final destination of Heaven.  As we think about that forever home each of us are probably made to ask, “What will Heaven really be like?”  Notice how the Bible describes the beauty of Heaven.

Our forever home will be a wonderful place of rest after the struggles of this life have ended.  Each one of us gets tired after a long hard day of work.  We enjoy putting up our feet at the end of a long day and relaxing.  While earthly rest will not begin to compare to heavenly rest, what a joy it is to know that Heaven is a place of rest.  There will be no more labor, toil, and striving against sin.    The writer of Hebrews describes it in this way.  “There remains a rest for the people of God” (Heb. 4:9).  This rest contrasted with and was greater than the promise rest Joshua had given the people of Israel in Canaan (Heb. 4:1ff).  

Our forever home will be great because it will be a place where we can worship God fully.  Someone has said, “If you don’t enjoy worship here on earth, you probably won’t enjoy Heaven either.”  Why?  Because much of what we see going on in Heaven is worship to Almighty God.  For example, in Revelation 4&5 those in Heaven are throwing down their crowns and worshipping God in song.  This gives us insight as to what will happen in Heaven (Rev. 4:9-10).

Our forever home will be amazing because it is described as a place of endless joy.   One of the great things about Heaven will be the absolute joy that God’s people possess.  All of us will admit that one of the worst things about this life is sadness.  Isn’t it wonderful to know that Heaven is a place of infinite joy?  To the servant who used his talents to the glory of God Jesus said, “…enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matt. 25:21).  

How wonderful it is to know that when the toils and struggles of this life are over and we hear the Words, “Well done, good and faithful servant enter into the joys of your Lord” that we can partake in all the wonder and beauty of our Heavenly Home.  May God help each of us to life in such a way that Heaven will be our forever home!                            --Ben Bailey

5 Steps to A Stable Relationship with God from Psalm 15 - Ben Bailey

5 Steps to A Stable Relationship with God from Psalm 15

1.      The Person Who is Concerned About Living with God Will Have a Stable Relationship with Him.  Notice what was on the Psalmist's mind when He asked, “Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?  Who may dwell in Your holy Hill?” (Psalm 15:1). If a person is concerned about His soul and living with God for eternity, He is not only going to be thinking about that regularly but working toward achieving that goal (Col. 3:1-3). 

2.      The Person of Integrity Will have a Stable Relationship with God.  The Psalmist answers his own question by stating, “He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart” (Psalm 15:2).  Joseph reminds us of real integrity when he was in the house with Potiphar's wife and no one was watching he still said, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Gen. 39:9).  If you have the integrity to do right simply because it’s the right thing to do, you are on the right track to a stable relationship with God.  

3.      The Person Who Really Loves His Neighbor As Himself will have a Stable Relationship with God.  The Psalmist emphasized our need to love our neighbor when He said, “He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend” (Psalm 15:3).  How we treat other people is a direct indicator of how much we love God and are concerned about our relationship with Him.  The Apostle John reminds us, “If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20).

4.      The Person Who is Honorable will Have a Stable Relationship with God.  David noted that the honorable person is one “In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the Lord; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change” (Psalm 15:4).  Jules Renard reminds us of the challenge to be honorable when he said, “It is more difficult to be an honorable man for a week than to be a hero for fifteen minutes.”

5.      The Person who is Honest in His Dealings will have a Stable Relationship with God.  The Holy Spirit encourages each of us to be honest when He says, “He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved” (Psalm 15:5). Not only is honesty the “best policy” it is God’s policy.  As each of us strives to live with God forever may these 5 guiding principles help us to one day make God’s tabernacle our permanent dwelling place!

--Ben Bailey

Principles for Good Christian Living - Ben Bailey

Principles for Good Christian Living

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” (1 Thess. 5:16-22).  To encourage Christians in their faith, Paul concludes his letter to the Thessalonians with some final admonitions for Christian Living.  Notice these 4 principles for good Christian living.

Principle #1: Be Joyful (1 Thess. 5:16).  Joy should be a hallmark characteristic of every Christian’s life.  Paul encouraged us to “rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice” (Phil. 4:4).  Everyone wants to find joy and having joy always makes a person’s life better.  Solomon taught us in the Book of Proverbs that a happy spirit is good for the soul.  He said, “A merry heart does good, like medicine” (Prov. 17:22).  If we are going to win the world to Jesus, we need to show people the joyous life of a Christian.

Principle #2: Be Prayerful (1 Thess. 5:17).  Isn’t it great to know you are not in the fight of faith alone (1 Tim. 6:12; Phil. 4:13)?  As a child of God, we have one of the most powerful spiritual tools you could ever imagine—We can communicate with the All-Powerful Creator of the Universe, and we know He hears us and knows our needs.  The Apostle John said, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (1 John 5:14).   Remember, “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man overcomes much” (James 5:16).

Principle #3: Be Thankful (1 Thess. 5:18).  Eli Wiesel once said, “When a person doesn’t have gratitude, something is missing in his or her humanity.”  How true this statement is for a Christian!  God wants us to have a thankful heart.  Do you remember the haunting question Jesus asked the one leper who returned to give thanks?  “Where are the nine?” (Luke 17:17).  A thankful person will always make a greater impact on the world, the lost, and in the kingdom of God than one who simply takes things for granted.  We could all learn a lot from the word of Zig Ziglar on ingratitude, "Be grateful for what you have and stop complaining -- it bores everybody else, does you no good, and doesn't solve any problems." 

Principle #4: Be Careful (1 Thess. 5:19-22).  In this section of Scripture Paul mentions 4 areas in which the Christian must be careful.   Be careful… (1) Not to quench the spirit (vs. 19)—don’t put out the spirit’s fire in our lives (Jer. 20:9) (2) Not to Reject the Word of God (vs. 20)—Don’t stop listening to God’s Word (Heb. 4:12) (3) To test everything (vs. 21)—Be like the Bereans and search the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11) (4) To Abstain from every type of evil—Hate what is evil cling to what is good (Rom. 12:9).  

In a world that is filled with so much hypocrisy and so many things that are for lack of a better word “fake” let’s be the real thing!  Let’s put these 4 principles for good Christian living to use and be the best Christian we can be every day!                    --Ben Bailey

God Hates Strife in the Body - Ben Bailey

God Hates Strife in the Body

The Psalmist issued a challenge to all of God’s people when he said, “behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Ps. 133:1). In the New Testament Christians are encouraged by Paul to “endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3). While unity and peace is God’s ideal standard, sometimes, Christians don't act the way they should and strife is created. What is it that causes this strife and how do we deal with strife in the body of Christ?

One of the chief causes of strife among God’s people is evil or perversion in one’s heart. Since sin is a heart problem, it should come as no surprise that strife is generated in the heart of man. The Proverbs writer said, “A perverse man sows strife…” (Prov. 16:28). When someone is not following the Spirit of Christ in their life, strife is going to come.

A failure to control the tongue is another cause of strife. In fact, this may be the chief reason for strife in the body of Christ today. Solomon said, “A fool’s lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating” (Prov. 18:6). When we are so busy talking that we forget to think about what we are saying, chances are we may be saying things we shouldn’t.

How then do you stop strife? People who are always belittling or making fun of others must be silenced. The Proverbs writer said, “Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease” (Prov. 22:10). To avoid strife—mind your own business! The Bible says, “He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own Is like who takes a dog by the ears” (Prov. 26:17). To stop strife, gossip must be stopped. Scripture says, “Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases” (Prov. 26:20).

Another main cause of strife in the Body of Christ is pride. When people think they are better than others and look down on or belittle other people to make themselves feel better, it is guaranteed to create strife. The Wise sage said, “By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom” (Prov. 13:10).

May each of us remember that God hates it when people cause strife in His church. “These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren” (Prov. 6:16-19). Just as Jesus prayed for unity in His church, may we make it or aim to only say and do those things that build up the body of Christ (John 17:20-21).

God's All-Sufficient Grace - Ben Bailey

God’s All-Sufficient Grace

            Like many of us today, Paul had a “thorn in the flesh”.  This was a trial of some kind that gave him much grief.  This “thorn in the flesh” bothered Paul so much that he prayed to the Lord three times to remove it.  To Paul’s request, God responded by saying, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9).  Instead of removing Paul’s infirmity, God reminds Paul of the all-sufficiency of His grace.  This same strength that God promised Paul should also apply directly to us when we face difficulty.  Instead of dwelling on our problems, we should be able to look beyond those problems to the grace and love of God.  Here is how we can do just that.

            Look beyond your problems.  The Apostle Paul eloquently stated, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18).  Instead of getting discouraged and down about our problems and difficulties, we need to realize that our problems are not even a drop in the bucket compared to the beauty of Heaven.  Too many times we focus on the physical world of suffering and forget that we are headed to Heaven.  Let’s move beyond our physical problems and see the joy of Heaven.

            Look above your problems.  The brother of the Lord reminded us of the benefit of suffering when he said, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).  Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of suffering, we must be able to look above our problems to the good they can bring us.  Imagine how closely attached to this world we might be if there were no suffering.  James reminds us that we must be able to rejoice at the difficulties we have because they help us grow as Christians.  

            While trials are going to come to each of us, we must remember that God’s grace is sufficient to help us deal with our trials.  When we remember that Heaven will be worth it all and that suffering helps us grow, we can overcome our suffering with God’s grace.  May God give us the strength to remain faithful to His all-sufficient grace.

The Company You Keep - Amy Lawrence

The Company You Keep

A Study on Fellowship of the Saints

In psychology, it is known as the Chameleon Effect; the human tendency to mimic those around us spontaneously. I wanted to be part of the group, the “cool” kids’ circle. To be regarded as worth knowing like they were was, to me, worth sacrificing the pieces of myself that were keeping me out of that social circle. Margaret Mitchell once wrote, “It’s hard to salvage jettisoned cargo and, if it is retrieved, it’s usually irreparably damaged. And I fear that when you can afford to fish up the honor and virtue and kindness you’ve thrown overboard, you’ll find they have suffered a sea change and not, I fear, into something rich and strange. ” There are some pieces of ourselves that should be discarded, but I have found that when trying to fit in, I am usually discarding the pieces I need to hang on to in order to be successfully good in the future and hanging on to the pieces that keep me from that future. I turned into this person that fits in, but at what price?

We are social creatures. God created us as such. We seek connection, no matter who we are. I’d like to say there are set rules to how we seek out others, but as it goes, both sameness and opposite attracts. We change in accordance with our social circle because once we find our circle, we make every attempt to become and remain a part of it. Not all change is bad. Changes that we make to our personality and behavior that are in a progressive direction to being a better person are good. Some circles promote this good. Consider the church. One of the vital attributes of the church is the good it cultivates in us, the love that we have for the attitude and behavior that is taught in God’s word - a connection we have together as God’s people. We all conform to the same source of righteousness, the only source that is righteousness: the Word of God, Rom. 1:16-17. That’s unity. Anyone wishing to be a part of the church of Christ will do the things that bring them into the family of Christ. Nothing can be more worth time and effort than this because we will not find a better group of people to which we can belong. This power of unity between God’s people is shown throughout scripture. Solomon wrote, “Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecc. 4:12) Paul wrote, “Fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” (Phil. 2:2) The church is a united group of people that build each other up, support one another, bear one another’s burdens, keep each other on the straight and narrow. We do this by conforming ourselves to God’s word, Rom. 12:1-2.

Not all changes we make to fit in are good, though. We know the old adage “Be careful of the company you keep.” When I was in high school, I spent a great deal of quality time with other teenagers that encouraged bad behavior. Instead of being the example of good behavior among them, I became as they were - to my deep regret. There were many things I refused to do, but there were also many things I participated in that made me just as guilty. James wrote, “Whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10) We have this habit of thinking we aren’t as bad as others because we don’t do all the bad things they do. We forget that we are all sinners, Rom. 3:23. The problem, though, isn’t just in the actions themselves. An action starts as a thought, Gen. 6:5. I came to realize their way of thinking became my way of thinking and I was undoubtedly one of them. I had allowed myself to become a person Satan was proud to see. When we allow Satan to win our mind, we become a tool in his hands, Lk. 22:31-32; 54-62 (Peter), Lk. 22:1-6, Jn. 13:2 (Judas), 2 Tim. 2:22-26 (Christians). It’s much easier to convince ourselves to choose the Devil when everyone around us is choosing him. Yes, Jesus sat with sinners. He didn’t sin with sinners. And the thing is, we’re not Jesus, Heb. 4:14-15. Does that mean we cannot spend time with anyone outside of the church? No, but we’ve got to be smart about it. If you’ll notice, Jesus and His apostles sat with the tax collectors and sinners, Mt. 9:10, Mk. 2:15. A group of good Christians fighting the Devil is less susceptible than a lone Christian. We are still required to try and reach the lost, Mk. 2:17, Mt. 28:19-20, and we cannot do that unless we go to the lost.

There will be situations, however, when we will find ourselves a lonely sheep among wolves. We will feel pressure to fit in, just for the sake of not being the only one in the crowd not following the crowd. God promises He will never leave us nor forsake us, Heb. 13:5, and so we are never really alone. Consider the position David was in when he faced Goliath. David was a boy having to lift his chin to look into the eyes of this giant he was about to kill, by himself. But was David by himself ? Remember the words of David when you face the Devil, 1 Sam. 17:45-47.

Grouping together as Christians is the better option, for many reasons. The Hebrew writer tells us that fellowship with the saints stirs up love and good works, Heb. 10:24-25. There is also strength in numbers, Ecc. 4:9-12. We’re less likely to be devoured as a group, 1 Pet. 5:8. But what if a congregation of God’s people is just as corrupt as the fellowship the world offers? Jesus addressed this problem with the Pharisees, Jn.

12:42-43, and Paul with the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 11:17-19. Five of the seven churches of Asia received rebuke and warning from Christ, Rev. 2-3. All of the above had to be told where the problem was; each problem was rooted in a stepping away from God’s word. Some made the necessary changes. Some did not. Doing things our way instead of God’s way breeds all sorts of issues, and it certainly doesn’t stir up love and good works. Instead, it stirs up strife, envy, hatred, dishonesty, covetousness, and such like, Gal. 5:13-26. Just as poison is to the human body, so is selfishness to the body of Christ. The antidote? “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Read Philippians 2. We must think selflessly, just as Christ did. If you’re going to be part of a group of people, let it be those that build one another up - not tear one another down. Congregations that look to the Word of God can return to being a congregation of brethren and not one of enemies. There is a love that should exist between fellow Christians that begins and ends with God, Phil. 2:1-4. When we have a love for one another that is God-approved, a selfless love, the church can work as God intended.

Those of us that are Christians sometimes forget that the outside world doesn’t know what we know about the church. The church is home. (Many times in scripture, the church actually met in someone’s house, Acts 16:40, Rom. 16:3-5.) It is a place we can go to be with like- minded people that say and do things that do not make us feel we have to always be on our guard against sin. We, as a family, meet several times a week, primarily on the first day of the week, Acts 20:7. Our relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ are like no other. We all have the same love for God, His law, and each other, Jn. 13:35. This is one of many reasons why we share the good news about the church. It’s because you will not find a circle like this anywhere else. We take care of each other, Phil. 2:4, Gal. 6:9-10. We keep each other in check, Gal. 6:1, James

5:19-20. We understand that there is an order to things, and when it’s God’s order, there is none better, Rom. 11:33-36, 1 Cor. 1:25;14:33,40. It is a sad state of affairs when one of our own forsakes the assembly. We want as many as possible to become a part of the church, 1

Tim. 2:1-4, but it is both dismaying and discouraging to see someone who is already a part of the church choose the cares and desires of this life over gathering with the saints. Well, Amy, you can’t judge a person’s heart on whether or not they are at services, you might say. You are correct. Only God and you can know your heart, 1 Sam 16:7. But what about actions? Can we judge those? Paul wrote that Christians will “judge the world”, 1 Cor. 6:2. When Christ taught in the temple, He said, “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgement.” (Jn. 7:24) There is a right way to judge and a wrong way to judge. Jesus, in His sermon on the mount, told His audience that “by their fruits” you can know a person, Mt. 7:16-20.

So let’s talk about some of those fruits…

Yes, there will be times and circumstances that will disallow some to be at every service. From illness to car trouble, life is unpredictable. There have been moments I have seen certain actions and mistook those actions for intentional forsaking of fellowship only to find I could have saved myself a lot of trouble if I had just asked, Mt. 18:15. Caring for a loved one at home. Lack of transportation. The necessity of a job on Sunday mornings to put food on the table. So many honest reasons can impede one’s ability to meet with the saints every service. (This is one reason why most congregations I have worshipped with have more than one service on Sundays.) I have learned to ask, Mt. 7:7. We are also commanded to bear with one another, Rom. 15:1, and be gentle with one another, Phil. 4:5. Jumping to the conclusion that anyone who misses services is doing so for sinful purposes denotes a lack of trust in one another. Our approach should be “innocent until proven guilty”. Once the truth of the matter is found, what is to be done if they are actually forsaking the assembly for reasons that are not honest reasons? Some stay home for worship services because they fear getting sick - but are seen at stores, restaurants, and such like where they are just as (if not more) likely to get sick. Staying out of church because you’re sick but showing up to work the next day begs the question, why too sick for God but not too sick for work? Some consider that a vacation from work includes a vacation from God. What if God took a vacation from us? That is frightful just in imagination. Some stay up late on Saturday night playing video games or in some other fun activity and decide they’d rather sleep in than go to morning services. It’s “too early” for their liking and they only attend evening services. They prioritize fun over God. Yes, many of us have to get up very early in the mornings, but is skipping the last fifteen minutes of service on Sunday or Wednesday night really making a difference in how your Monday or Thursday goes? Trading a chance to spend quality time with Christians for convenience, bad planning, or personal frivolities is not a fair trade. If you prefer these over fellowship, then you won’t like Heaven. We can talk all day long about those that can’t be at worship but want to be so badly and those that can find every excuse not to gather with the saints. Do you know what it does to Christian morale when those that call themselves one of us would rather be elsewhere than with us? I’ve seen first-hand people that are so tired from working two jobs to provide for their family that they can barely hold their song book to read the lyrics - and still show up every time the church building doors are open, because they love seeing their brethren and worshipping God. I’ve also seen people that would rather travel hours and sit in the cold to be at a football game than be at services in a climate-controlled building five minutes down the road. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Mt. 6:21) It’s all about what we rate as important. Too many put God at the bottom of their list. His name is what gets discarded when their list runs out of room. For Christians, God isn’t just at the top of our list. He’s the paper upon which our list is written. Let’s also remember what the Bible has to say about it. “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all

your strength.’ This is the first commandment.” (Mk. 12:30) Those that have a heart that wants to please God because that heart loves God will make every effort to do the things that God commands. He commands fellowship, Heb. 10:19-25. He does that for US. We are bombarded by Satan so much throughout the week, we should look forward to each time we can meet with our brothers and sisters in Christ, to be reminded that this life is not the permanent one and that these are the people with whom we will share Heaven. Don’t forget Who will decide whether or not Heaven is our home, Mt. 10:32-33. He will know who decided to be at the assembly and who decided to be at the Super Bowl. We as brothers and sisters in Christ are responsible for keeping one another in mind of how important it is for us to stick together. We must also do so according to scripture, Mt. 18:15-17. The way we handle things is just as important as the why we handle things. We are commanded to “speak with grace, seasoned with salt” when we talk with each other, Col. 4:6. Remember Abraham’s words to his nephew, Lot: “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren.” (Gen. 13:8) We as Christians represent Christ; we are ambassadors of the Kingdom known as the church, 2 Cor. 5:20. To be a faithful ambassador, Prov. 13:17, we must give an accurate representation of Christ. When we handle tough situations between brethren as Christ would, delicately and in love, then we are being faithful ambassadors, 1 Jn. 2:10. Our words can plant gardens or burn down forests. Only one of those options will benefit the church. “Be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath.” (James 1:19).

It matters those whom you let in as your circle. We feed off of each other; some symbiotically, others carnivorously. In many, many circles, selfish ambition is what matters. People that are willing to use others as stepping stones seek out such groups. They put their own success above all else. There are also circles that seek out the success of the circle itself at any cost. Cliques will include only those that fit. In this, they give up the ability to benefit from diversity. Without diversity, they cannot accomplish anything outside their limited spectrum of talents. Then you have a collection of individuals that are morally united and dedicated to helping each other. Now look at the church: millions of people with different backgrounds, experiences, and talents, selflessly dedicating themselves to helping one another reach Heaven and spreading the gospel of Christ to the world as a successful, peaceful assembly of humans. When you have this unity, there is peace - but this peace isn’t just the absence of conflict. It is also the presence of justice. We are the children of the mighty, loving, just, ubiquitous God, 1 Jn. 3:1, Nahum 1:3. He has set the standard, Mt. 7:21. As long as we follow that standard, we are and will remain the faithful church Christ established, 2 Tim. 2:24-26. Stepping away from that standard, however, comes with dire consequences, 2 Thess. 1:5-6.

There are congregations of the Lord’s church that have all the types of circles. When an outsider becomes interested in knowing more about the church, do we present the church for which Christ died, or do we show them a man-made cluster of divided people? If the latter, we will answer for scaring away prospective Christians, or worse, leading the lost down an even more lost path. “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Mt. 18:6)

This world is full of souls - some found, but most lost. We as the church are to be a beacon, Mt. 5:14-16, guiding the lost. The more sparks we add to the light, the brighter the beam. If you are looking for a place to belong, I can tell you of the kingdom that surpasses the abilities of mankind to fulfill the need to a part of something magnificent. It is so precious, it was bought with blood, Acts 20:28. Its King is unbeatable, 1 Tim. 1:17. The bond between the members of this kingdom is forged in love, Jn. 13:35. You won’t find Easy Street in this kingdom - at least not while it’s here on Earth, 1 Cor. 15:58, 2 Cor. 5:9, 2 Tim. 3:12, but many hands make light work, Ecc. 4:9, and the reward is beyond words, 2 Cor. 12:1-4, Mt. 11:28-30. I invite you to come and be a part of the fellowship with the saints at any faithful congregation of the church of Christ. I will leave you with the words of Christ: “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22:17)

Keeping Focus - Jamie Oliver

But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God”. Not many have had the experience of plowing a field today unless they grew up on a farm. Have you ever passed a field and wondered how they made the lines so straight? A point must be found ahead of you, and you must focus on that point all the way from the start of the row to the end of the row. If you turn even slightly to one side your line is going to get off. Christ is telling us we must focus on Him; we can’t let the world divert our focus. 

We see in Genesis 19:1 and 12-16 two angels came to speak to Lot to warn him of the destruction that was coming to the city. He was warned to flee the city with his family and to not look back. Their focus was reaching the city outside of the plain, but Lot’s wife faltered, looked back, and turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:23-26). This was such an important lesson he returns to it when speaking to his disciples in Luke 17:32 to “Remember Lot’s wife”. He is telling them they have started this work and not to look back now, there is more to look forward to. We don’t know when He will return and if we are caught looking back instead of looking for Him, we will miss Him. Just like the five foolish virgins in Matthew 25:1-13, we must be prepared for His coming. Those five who were not prepared came back and cried to be let in, but He told them He did not know them. In Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me. ‘Lord, Lord, ‘ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” How do we know what His will is? Solomon spent his life trying everything under the sun and compared it to trying to catch the wind and vanity. He sums it up well in Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the whole conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.” 

Jesus also tells us to watch what we put value in as we see in Matthew 6:20-21 “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” We can’t have the best of both worlds, just like the church of the Laodiceans who were lukewarm, neither hot nor cold and were spewed out. God wants our focus; he doesn’t want us to be divided between Him and the world. We must choose a side.

Let’s look back to some biblical examples of choosing a side: 

1. In Genesis 22:1-14 we read about Abraham choosing to focus on God’s promise given to him in Genesis 12:1-3. Abraham knew even if God had to raise Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19), He would fulfill His promise of making him a great nation from his seed.

2. Israel flops back and forth all throughout the Old Testament between God and idol worship. We see Joshua’s strength as he stands up to Israel and tells them to make a choice. “…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

3. I love the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal in I Kings 18:19-39. Elijah did not allow his focus waiver from God, but the people did. He asks them in verse 21 how long they were going to falter between two opinions. The choice of the true God was obvious as we see in verse 39.

4. In John 12:42-43 we see even some among the rulers believed in Jesus, but “they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”

5. Ananias and Sapphira wanted to appear as all in for God but wanted to keep some back for themselves. (Acts 5:1-11)

So often we can get discouraged when we lose our focus on God and find ourselves on the wrong side of the fence. Thankfully God offers us opportunities to either come to him for the first time as we repent of sins, confess the name of Jesus and that He is the true son of God, and are baptized for the remission of our sins or we can come back to Him after we have strayed just like the father looked for the return of the prodigal son in Acts 15:11-25. We need to surround ourselves with those who can influence us for the good and will help us in keeping ourselves focused on His word. John warns us in I John 2:15-17 about loving the world. We need to find things of God to fill ourselves up with. Our focus can remain true with spending time in His word, with His church, and with Him in prayer.

Should Christian Teens Dance? - Amy Lawrence

As a teenager, I was pressured severely concerning the senior Prom. I had friends, peers, and a boyfriend who was going. My friends assumed my decision to not go was based on domineering parents who disallowed it. They offered to help me sneak out of the house and get me ready at a friend’s house. My peers assumed I just couldn’t dance. My boyfriend continually reminded me that he would be the only guy there that didn’t bring his girlfriend. How would that look? My parents were in part responsible for my decision, but not because they were cruel and demanded that I commit social suicide. Their part resided solely on the Christian education they had given me up to that point. That begs the question: how would a Christian education affect my decision concerning the Prom?

Let’s start with the basics:

What is the Prom? The term “Prom” is an abbreviation for “promenade”. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “promenade” as: “to take or go on a promenade, to walk about, in, or on.” It is synonymous with “parade”. The idea behind the word itself is the action of purposely displaying oneself to others. Putting oneself before an audience is not wrong in and of itself. It’s what we’re doing that is making people look that determines the morality of the situation. The gentlemen wear a tux, the young ladies wear a beautiful dress and spend quality time and money making their hair and features more beautiful than ever. The entire point of these things is to be seen, to “promenade”.

What does one do at the Prom? They get all gussied up to just...stand around and talk? No. The most prominent feature of a senior Prom is the dancing.

I. What is so wrong with dancing?

Let’s look at some world views...

- In an article published by the Sydney Morning Herald, December of 2005, Alok Jha of London wrote, “It’s true; dancing does lead to sex.” His article addressed the scientific approach to explaining why dancing was sexually appealing. “Charles Darwin was the first to suggest that dance was a courtship signal in animals, but there had been no studies of the relation of dance and genetic or physical quality in humans until now,” he continued.

“Scientists have confirmed what fans of John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever have known all along: men with the best dance moves have the most sex appeal.”

-A more recent article written by Kristen Sollee in February of 2017 titled “4 Study-based Links Between Dancing and Sex” used scientific evidence to come to conclusions about the correlation between dancing and sexual lust. She wrote, “A new study published in Scientific Reports asked subjects to analyze and rate different digital avatars that were mapped from the dance moves of real women. Both male and female raters judged dancing with greater hip swinging as more attractive, as well as moves that incorporated asymmetric thigh movements and intermediate levels of asymmetric arm movements.” She also mentioned a study cited in Psychology Today that addressed how women danced differently based on the changes of hormones before and after their menstrual cycle. The article further addressed how women view dancing men. “You can tell a lot about a potential lover from the way they dance. According to a survey of 2,000 women by The Daily Mail, 80 percent said they experienced a direct correlation between a man's performance in the club and in the bedroom.“

- According to Dr. Peter Lovatt, a renowned dance psychologist, men with higher testosterone levels dance differently. Men with lower levels favor smaller movements, but men with higher levels of testosterone dance with more vigorous, flashy movements.

- Famous Paris fashion designer Christian Dior once admitted in an interview: “For the first time, I have done away with corsets even for dance dresses. I have often heard men complain that in dancing they could not feel a living form under women’s corsets.”

-Louis Guyon, once a proprietor of Paradise, a Chicago dance hall, said, “In over thirty years in this business I have come to the strong conclusion that dancing is just the beginning of other evils. Sex being the one most often led to, and I believe that this is what makes dancing nviting...thousands of boys and girls dancing in this very way who do not realize they are doing anything out of the way, and whose fool parents look on complacently.”

No matter the innocence one claims, dancing is documented by both the world as well as scripture as an intimate action.


II. What does the BIble have to say about…?

1.) dancing

2.) two people of the opposite sex being within such proximity to one another

-Let’s not forget John the Baptist’s beheading. Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great and brother of Herod Phillip I, watched his niece (Josephus calls her Salome, daughter of his brother Herod Phillip I and Herodias) dance in view of everyone at his birthday party. He enjoyed it so much that he was willing to give her whatever she asked, up to “half the kingdom”. (Many suggest that Herod was drunk, and it is likely, but the context only tells us that he held a feast for the nobles and prominent men of Galilee, Mark 6:14-29. Mark wrote that it didn’t just please Herod, but also the others who sat with him, vs. 22.) What would move Herod to make an oath to this young woman to give her anything she asked? Lust can make a man do funny things.

-The Bible uses a word to describe situations such as the Prom; places where there is loud music, dancing, and maybe even the occasional spiked punch. The original Greek word is κῶμος (komos), “revelry”. Even hundreds of years ago, they had parties with dancing, loud music, and drinking. It was trouble then and it is trouble now. No sane person dips their toes in shark-infested waters and thinks they won’t get bitten. No sane Christian walks straight into the devil’s snares with their eyes wide open and expects not to get caught. We cannot be ignorant of his devices, 2 Cor. 2:11.

-Consider the Proverb of the seductress. Proverbs 6 and 7 warn of a woman who has a talent for seduction. Not all women are out to ensnare men, but let’s look at the means by which this woman catches what the writer calls a “young man devoid of understanding” (Prov. 7:7.):

>. A flattering tongue

>. Lustful beauty

>. Mannerisms/attire of a harlot

>. Enticing speech

Let us equally consider the young man. He:

>. Took the path to her house. He chose to be in a place where he knew temptation would be found.

>. Was in the wrong place, at the wrong time - in the twilight, evening, black and dark night. The setting itself denotes a desire to find trouble.

>. He had a heart that was easily snagged.

All of the above is a recipe for disaster. That’s a bit drastic, Amy, you might say, calling young women harlots when it’s completely innocent that they only want to dress up and have fun. Just to be clear - I am not calling young women that go to the Prom “harlots”. I am not even suggesting that they think of nothing but sex in reference to the Prom. Do young women engage in activities such as the Prom with their minds focused on sexual encounters? Some do, but most do not. Most young women are excited about the opportunity to dress more fashionably than usual and be doted upon by young men. Do young men engage in activities such as the Prom with their minds focused on sexual encounters? I myself being female cannot with any honesty answer that question from my own perspective…but I do know and have talked with males concerning the subject. They have all stated the same: sex doesn’t start out at the forefront of their mind, but by the end of the evening it is most certainly there. I have had young women give voice to their being offended by the mere suggestion that they become a temptation for young men in situations such as the Prom, as if such suggestions label them as promiscuous. I am doing no such thing. We as females want to be seen as beautiful. Sometimes, though, that desire clouds our judgement. We forget to consider the perspective of the males. Most males will admit that it IS a temptation. We, both males and females, will be judged by the example we set and the influence we portray, Lk. 17:1-5.

The writer of the Proverb uses the phrase, “Can a man take fire into his bosom and his clothes not be burned?” (Prov. 6:27) Paul Southern wrote, “it’s like lighting a fire under a tea kettle and daring the water to boil.” It matters where we are and what we and those around us are doing. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “…Evil companions corrupt good morals.” (1 Cor. 15:33) Paul wrote to Timothy, “FLEE youthful lusts.” (2 Tim. 2:22) Scripture should matter to every Christian. Its application keeps us out of trouble.

One of the biggest nets Satan uses to catch us are those stages in our childhood society calls “rites of passage”. The Prom is labeled as such a stage. It’s a tradition in a teenager’s transition from school years into adulthood. Many have been called odd (among other things) because they would dare speak against traditions such as the Prom. There is insurmountable peer pressure surrounding the event. (The article “Peer Pressure” is also available to read.) To miss one’s Prom is to “miss a once-in-a-lifetime event”, as they say. To speak against the Prom is to commit social suicide. Most choose to follow the world. Scripture tells us that he that makes himself a friend of the world is the enemy of God, James 4:4. We will never influence the world by trying to be just like it, and the more we look like the world, the less we will be recognized by Christ, Mt. 7:23. 


1 John 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

There is hope. We can choose Christ. He offers not just a life, but an abundant one, Jn. 10:10. Don’t buy in to the YOLO attitude. You don’t just live once. But how you live this life determines where you end up in the next, Heb. 9:27, 2 Cor. 5:10. Choose Christ.

~Amy Lawrence

Is There Anything Worth Dying For? - Parker Webster

Propaganda photographer and fashion icon, James Jebbia released a rare set of home decor with the skateboarding brand “Supreme” in December 2017. Jebbia is known by the fashion industry to be a controversial giant. Many of his photos are looked down upon by the art and fashion scene due to political and ethical content. So, when this collection of home decor was released, many designers raised eyebrows. One obscure item of his collection was a welcome mat. Usually placed at a front door, this mat had a picture of a gun with a description reading, “there is nothing here worth dying for.”

This year, our nation exceeded spending one trillion dollars on electronic devices alone. America has a problem with spending. We are constantly caught up in owning the latest and greatest. We put so much emphasis on earthly possessions that we may forget what our focus should be. Perhaps materialism affects man today more than ever. We have to have the latest apple product and drive the newest car to be “cool.”

Although I rarely ever endorse or agree with anything in the fashion industry, as a Christian, I think Jebbia’s “rug saying” holds SOME truth. If we were to look in the book of Mark we read, “what does it profit if a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul” (Mark 8:36)

Ultimately, there is nothing physical worth dying for. People break their backs and go into debt just to possess the items of this world. The rich young ruler couldn’t follow Jesus because of his great possessions. (Luke 18:18-23) The world was worth dying for to this young man. We need to make sure we are focusing on banking in heaven (Matt. 6:19-20), rather than dying for Wells Fargo.

Johnny Ramsey used to say, "It's all just going to be burned up anyway." With that in mind, ask yourself, “Is there really anything worth dying for?”

Contributed by
Parker Webster

Minister, Carriage Oaks church of Christ
Bossier City, LA

An Unhealthy Home - Amy Lawrence

An Unhealthy Home

In order to come to an understanding of what constitutes an unhealthy home, we must first define a healthy one. God describes the tools needed to establish a healthy home in Ephesians chapters 5-6; how husband and wife should behave toward one another, how children should behave toward parents, and how parents should behave toward children. In Jeremiah chapter 35, Jeremiah tells us of a family known as the Rechabites. God contrasts the disobedience of Judah to the obedience of the sons of Jonadab. Jonadab had taught his sons how to respect authority and be obedient, whether it be toward him or God. God commends Jonadab and his sons, concluding that his household will always have a man that will stand before God. Abraham was given the same commendation (Gen. 18:19). We see in this a healthy home. 

An unhealthy home is created when those in the home do not follow the instructions given to us by God Almighty - whether knowingly or out of ignorance. This creates conflict in the home and an atmosphere for negative influence to become an issue.  Let’s look at some Biblical examples of this:

-Eli’s family in the book of 1 Samuel shows how a lack of restraint can do harm (1 Sam. 3:13). Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were corrupt. As priests, they had the responsibility God placed upon the descendants of Aaron to uphold the statutes of the sacrifices (Ex. 27-31). Eli was supposed to teach his sons to fear the Lord, but according to 1 Sam. 2:12, they “knew not the Lord”. Hophni and Phinehas, never having been taught to be in submission to their father, had no respect toward Eli. All of Israel suffered because of Eli’s failure to stand up to his sons and rebuke them for their sin. 

-The family of Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Esau (Gen. 25-27) reveals the kind of turmoil that is found in a family where there is favoritism (Gen. 25:28). Jacob used his brother’s lack of self-control to gain the inheritance that was due his brother (Gen. 25:29-34). The favoritism carried over into Jacob’s family as well. Jacob favored Joseph over his other sons (Gen. 37:3). This created enmity between him and his brethren, and they later sold him into slavery.

-Solomon was warned of what would happen if he chose to marry foreign women (1 Kings 11:1-3). Like so many, Solomon allowed the influence of someone he loved to turn his heart in a direction that took him away from God. 

Our spiritual education begins at home, Deut. 6:4-9. It is a place where we should feel the most comfortable, and where the most important stages of our growth happen. But is the soil of your home healthy…or unhealthy? If you answered unhealthy, then look to scripture in how to make it healthy.

-Is there love in your home? 1 Cor. 13

-Is there daily Bible study in your home? 2 Tim. 3:14-15

-Is there order in your home? Eph. 6:1-4

It’s a place to start. When God rules the home, then and only then will you find a healthy home.

The Marvelous Mercy of God - Ben Bailey

   “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).  One of the great themes of the Bible is God’s loving mercy toward sinful man.  As the Apostle Peter noted, if it were not for God’s mercy we would have no hope in this life.  Notice some of the great statements about God’s mercy found in the Bible.

          “God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ…” (Eph. 2:4-5).  Isn’t it wonderful to know that the King we serve is abundantly wealthy?  Yet, even greater than God's wealth is His Abundant mercy He bestows on His Children. As Paul reminded Titus, “trough the Lord’s mercy we are saved” (Titus 3:5).

          “The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy” (Ps. 145:8).  What makes God’s nature so wonderful is that he is not a capricious and vindictive God. While God does get angry with the wicked (Ps. 7:11), his mercy toward those who love and obey Him far outweighs His anger.  In reality, if each one of us got what we deserved we would be lost in Hell for all eternity.  As the Psalmist pondered this he said, “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Ps. 103:10-12).

          The Christian owes a great debt of gratitude to Almighty God for his marvelous mercy.  May we show our appreciation for God’s mercy by humbly submitting to His will.  Friend, have you received the mercy of God?  Have you obeyed the gospel?  If not, you can obey God’s will today by hearing God’s word (Rom. 10:17), believing in Jesus as the Son of God (Jn. 8:24), repenting of past sins (Luke 13:3), confessing Jesus as Son of God and Lord of your life (Rom. 10:10), and being baptized in water for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  May each of us constantly be reminded of the marvelous mercy of Almighty God!

Inward Spiritual Struggles—Good or Bad?

Do you ever feel like you need to do more for the cause of Christ?  Does the feeling that you just aren’t everything you need to ever trouble you?  Maybe these feelings are something you struggle with every day.  I have a friend who constantly struggles with this problem.  He would often get discouraged by the feeling of imperfection and deeply distressed over the fact that he just didn’t feel like he was doing enough in the kingdom.  As I thought about his situation and the inward struggle that each of us faces, I wondered “Are these feelings of imperfection a good or bad thing”?  The more I thought about this matter the more I realized this truth: It’s not the people who have these struggles and feeling of imperfection that I worry about, it’s the ones that don’t that bother me.  I know this is correct, for Paul expressed this to the church in Philippi saying, “not that I have already attained” and “not that I have already perfected” or “I do not count myself as apprehended” (Phil. 3:12-14).  In essence, Paul was recognizing the fact that all of us face the inward struggles of imperfection and incompetence.  And, if we use those feelings correctly they are not bad.  How can these feelings help us?

If these feelings of imperfection motivates us to do more, they have been beneficial to us.  In view of his own inward struggles Paul said, “I Press on” (Phil. 3:12).  Instead of getting discouraged, Paul used his inward struggle as a motivating factor.  As one faces these struggles, maybe a little introspection would be in order.  Paul said, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves” (2 Cor. 13:5).  In times like these, we should each look for more ways to serve God faithfully and stay busy in the kingdom!

If these feelings of imperfection keeps us on our toes, they have been beneficial to us.  Maybe these feelings are simply a correct response of a good conscience seeking to help us do more and be more for Christ (1 John 3:20; Rom. 2:15).  Rather than growing stagnant and becoming lukewarm, they remind us to stay busy and fruitful in the kingdom.

While a person can take these feelings to the extreme and allow them to affect his spiritual life negatively, if used correctly they do have a positive spiritual benefit.  Remember, the Apostle Paul said, “Not that I have already grasped it all or have already become perfect, but I press on if I may also take hold of that for which I was even taken hold of by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:12).                        --Ben Bailey

"Does it Really Matter?" - Ben Bailey

 The question, “Does it really matter?” is becoming the motto for our modern society.  We used to have moral beliefs, but “Does it really matter anymore?”  At one-time people had a strong conviction about ungodliness and sin but, “Does it really matter that much?”  In the past, we had faith in the Bible and its teaching but, “Does the Bible really matter anymore?”   To God, IT REALLY DOES MATTER A LOT!  Notice several areas in which it does matter.

            Does it matter if I believe in God or Evolution?  Yes!  The downward spiral that society is facing is due in large to the effects of evolutionary thinking.  For example, the increasing suicide rate is a direct result of evolution.  If there is no God and life ends at death, then why not end your life if you are not happy with it.  In addition, the current rise of sexual immorality is a direct result of evolution.  If there are no standards for marriage (Gen. 2:18-24), then I can marry or live-with whoever I want for however long I want and there are no repercussions to this lifestyle.  Friend, can you not see that it really does matter that there is a God?

            Does it matter what church I am a part of?  Our society tells us to choose the church of our choice and God will be happy with that.  Is this biblical thinking?  No.  The bible teaches that Jesus only built one church (Eph. 1:21-23; Eph. 4:4).  That one church must call itself by a biblical name (Romans 16:16).  When Jesus spoke about the church, He called it His church (Matt. 16:13-18).  Therefore, we also should call the church Jesus purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28), the church of Christ.  The Bible teaches that Jesus will deliver a singular “kingdom” or church back to the father at the end of time (1 Cor. 15:24).  If you are not a part of the church that Jesus built, then it really will matter!

            Does it really matter if I am baptized for the remission of my sin?  Many are teaching today that all a person must do to be saved is believe in Jesus and say the sinner’s prayer and you will be saved.  Is this really what the Bible teaches?  No.  In fact, the Bible teaches the exact opposite of this belief.  James said, “You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.”  I often hear people ask the question, “Is baptism really that important?”  Let’s let the Bible answer that question for us.  Jesus said, “He that believes and is baptized will be saved…”  (Mk. 16:16).  Peter proclaimed, “Repent and be baptized every one of you for the remission of your sins…” (Acts 2:38).  Jesus also said, “Unless a man is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven” (Jn. 3:3-5).  Ananias told Paul, “Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins calling on the Lord’s name” (Acts 22:16).  Friend, from these passages baptism for the remission of sins really does matter to God.  

            If you are swayed by the popular philosophy that it really does not matter, please come back to the Bible, and see that it does.  It matters what you believe and how you live your life to God.  It also matters what church you are a part of and how you became a Christian.  John sums it up by saying, “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God.  He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son” (2 John 9).  Friend, it really does matter to God!                                                                                  --Ben Bailey

How to Overcome a Sinful Past - Ben Bailey

Sometimes in our Christian life we really mess up don’t we?  We know what the Bible says.  We know what we ought to do.  Yet, there are times when we do just the opposite of what is right and we sin.  When a person really messes up, how do they overcome that sinful past?

He must recognize and admit the sin in his life.  Unless we are willing to says, “I have sinned”, we cannot be forgiven by God (1 Sam. 12:21ff).  The beloved Apostle John said, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9-10).  Someone has properly stated that to know yourself diseased is half the cure.

A person must also be ashamed of their sinful past.  Too often, people who have lived a life of sin go around bragging about the “sins” they used to commit.  Sin should be something that causes us great shame, not gives us an avenue to boast (Rom. 6:21).  How sad it is when we reach a point that we can no longer blush over sin (Jer. 8:12).  

To overcome a sinful past a person must deal with sin in a God-approved way.  The only way to deal with sin properly is through obedience to Jesus Christ (Matt. 7:21; Heb. 5:8-9).  Jesus made it clear that to deal with sin one must believe in Him (Jn. 8:24), repent of past sins (Luke 13:3), confess Him as Lord (Rom. 10:10), be baptized for the remission of one’s sins (Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16), and be faithful to death (Rev. 2:10).

Finally, to overcome a sinful past one must put the past behind him and move forward.  The Apostle Paul said, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14).  To overcome the past, we must put the past behind us and look forward to the future.  If God has forgotten our sins (Heb. 8:12-13), can’t we?  It has been aptly stated, “Those who live in the past are doomed to repeat its mistakes.”

All of us have made mistakes in life that we are not proud of.  The difference between a person who has overcome sin and one who has not is very simple--Jesus Christ.  Have you dealt with sin a God-approved way?  If not, why not?  Why not do that today?  May God help each of us to deal with sin in a God approved way!

Against the Wind - Celine Sparks

The following is an article written by Celine Sparks.

I hadn’t seen a sign of life for miles. It was a desolate road trip home; the kind that makes you wonder if you screamed for your life, would there be anyone near enough to hear you?  Then I saw it -- a light in the distance. As I got nearer, it was a fueling station with, I hoped, a bathroom.

There was also a sign on the door, written with a fat-tip marker, that said, “Best cup of coffee in town.”  I missed the town part. I guess these people made coffee a whole lot better than the nearby raccoons and coyotes.

Jesus preached in this kind of desolate place a time or two -- minus the acclaimed coffee. In Mark chapter 6, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late” (verse 35).

What followed was a miracle no food truck could have rivaled. Jesus satisfied the hunger of 5,000-plus people, in a desolate place far from any restaurants, so much that there were leftovers. John’s account said they had “as much as they wanted” (John 6:11). And he did it all from his starting amount of five loaves of bread and two fish. There’s more than that in a kid’s meal. Oh wait -- this was a kid’s meal (John 6:9).

But what is most intriguing to me is not that there was more food left after the meal than there was to start with --I feel like that happens here every Thanksgiving. It’s not the sheer volume of people -- I’ve been to Walmart when there were threats of snow flurries in Alabama. And even though the fact that they managed to get a crowd like that to sit down in groups -- we have never been able to do that at Vacation Bible School with a crowd about 4900 people smaller -- this is not what I want to highlight either.

What’s even more incredible than all of this is what happens next. Jesus had his disciples board a boat and head to the other side while he dismissed the crowd. He then took this opportunity, being alone, to spend time in prayer. 

Now let’s take up the narrative at Mark 6:47-52: “And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

There are three words in here that jump off the page, and impress themselves deep in my soul:  Making headway painfully (verse 48). Every one of us have been there at some point in our lives if we’ve lived long enough. Circumstances become harder than we could foresee, the outlook is bleak and growing bleaker, and yet we are rowing. We are trying with all our might to forge choppy waters. It may be that we are making headway, but it is in sweat, blood, and tears. We’re making it painfully.

A dear friend of mine, one of the Godliest I know, recently amidst other difficult trials, found herself being handcuffed and escorted into prison. I had never been more sure of a person’s innocence. When she was released the next day, she was barred from being with her children until the details could be sorted out. We knew, when the research was done and the facts were gathered, it would be obvious just how preposterous a circus was being created here. I’m not knocking law enforcement or the entire justice system -- I have great esteem for public servants -- but sometimes just one person dragging their feet can tumble the whole dance line. It was weeks before the charges were dropped and the shenanigans were dismissed.

Deep into week three, I said, “Do you feel like you’re making headway painfully?”  She said, “I feel exactly like that.”

I remember talking with another dear friend some time before that, a beautiful mom of six. They were at rope’s end with one child, had dealt with some external threats to their family, and she was just weary. She said, “I can’t find the joy anymore in the day-to-day. I want to bring back the joy.” She was still in the fight, but she was making headway painfully.

Plop! A pile of books fell beside me at a table where I was working. I looked up at a familiar face attached to arms that had just released the books. Arms that were part of a body that was usually working circles around me. There was constantly laughter wherever she was. But this time, she said, “Help me!”  She had screamed at her children the night before -- children she adored, counted as blessings, and thanked God nightly for. But she had so many pressures mounting that the laughter that accompanied her soul was now hanging by a thread. “Help me,” she said. Screaming at her kids again was not an option. She was bent on restoring calm to their disrupted world, but she was making headway painfully.

I’ll say it again. All of us have been there. We’ve grabbed up the paddles, and rowed hard to keep our marriages from plummeting, our tempers from exploding, our children from being sucked up by the world, those dear to us from spiraling into depression. But the waters are choppy, and we make headway painfully. 

And Jesus sees it (verse 48). He sees the struggles of his followers. It’s just a comforting thought that He knows.

So here was Jesus walking toward the boat, and the text tells me something incredibly interesting, if not troubling. He meant to pass by them (verse 48).

What?  In the midst of a storm where his disciples are struggling in pain, He meant to pass by them?  I don’t know entirely what to think of it. I can’t read the mind of God other than what He gives me to read, but I can decipher this. When they cried out to Him, it changed His course.

You could argue that they didn’t cry out to him, because the text tells us they thought it was a ghost. One thing we can agree on is, they did cry out (verse 49). I find in the most tragic of emergencies, when people cry out, they cry out to God. I mean, people that are not even Christians pray like they are when fear grabs them by the pants. I just have a feeling these men, who were followers of Christ, were praying when they cried out, even though they didn’t know that they were looking at the very one they were crying out to.

If we are making headway painfully, we must cry out to the Lord. The one who was walking on water here, was the one who had just spent time alone and apart with His Father God on the mountain. The ones who had run ahead of that step were now struggling.

They thought he was a ghost (verse 49). Let it be a lesson to us that when we’re in the middle of a storm, we don’t see so clearly. Yes, there were rough waters; yes, the wind was against them; and yes, it was in the darkest of night. But there was not a ghost!  Sometimes, we think our circumstances are so bad that we make them worse. In the middle of the darkest of storms, let’s intentionally look for the positive, because it is certainly there, instead of imagining things that have not even occurred. That’s called worry, and it never helped us get a decent night’s sleep.

The most meaningful thing to me is that he heard that cry, and responded. He always will. Psalm 34:17 says, “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.” Praise God.

His words to them were, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid” (verse 50). They were words we find often in the scriptures. God the Son and God the Father want us to know They are with us. “Do not be afraid” is among the most disregarded scriptural guidance. We sometimes act as though there is honor in fear.

We will say that the world we live in is “scary.”  We mean that it is evil, but we cannot be afraid of evil because, if we are Christians, God is there with us. “It is I. Do not be afraid.”  What we find over and over in scriptures is that those who are opposed to God, who seem to be a threat to all that is good, are inwardly filled with fear. It’s not who we are.

Turn a few pages over, still in the book of Mark. The chief priests and scribes are looking for a way to destroy Jesus (11:18). Why? “For they feared him.” In the Old Testament saga of David and Saul, the more Saul turned away from God and became militantly set on destroying David, the more we read about his fear, even though he was in the top position of earthly power.

These are only two examples among hundreds in the scriptures. Is it any wonder that it was most likely David himself who penned, “I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around” (Psalm 3:6)?  If we’re fearful, we’ve sat down on the wrong side of the gym!

God’s action to back up his words, “It is I. Do not be afraid,” is almost too amazing to comprehend. But let’s look. The very next words are, “And He got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased” (verse 51).

When we are crying out for help, when we are making headway painfully, Jesus says, “Scoot over. I’m getting in there with you.”  They were utterly astounded (verse 51). So am I.

One more thing. They were astounded now. “For they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened” (verse 52). Isn’t that the way we are?  Still. After a couple of thousand years, we’re still the same humans.

As long as God’s providing for us incredibly, as long as we have a fish sandwich with leftovers, we shrug and move on to the next level of Candy Crush or Bejeweled or Best Fiends or whatever’s on our important agenda. How is it that we forget to be impressed when we are eating from every food group and sleeping under insulated roofing? Our hearts are hardened.

But oh, when the wind comes; when we are making headway painfully; when we just about see ghosts and cry out for help, we begin to get it. We begin to focus on the one who whispers, “It is I; do not be afraid.” We scoot over and make room in the boat.

And knowing Who is sitting next to us, how can we help but be astounded?

Celine Sparks

Article - Is It Wrong To "Mark/Note" Christian Individuals And Congregations Of The Lord's People? (part 1)

When discussing with fellow Christians the idea of “marking” or “noting” a Christian or congregation, some Christians get very offended and speak of how Christians should not practice such (Proverbs 16:25). However, our authority is not in man but in Jesus and the New Testament (Matthew 28:18; John 12:48; Colossians 3:17). The Bible mentions the importance of “marking/noting” individuals and congregations. Furthermore, it authorizes the practice of noting faithful individuals and churches as patterns for other Christians and churches to follow (1 Corinthians 11:1; Philippians 3:17). Paul noted/boasted about the Macedonian churches because of their wonderful ability in giving as a way to exhort the Achaian church (2 Corinthians 8:1-2). He especially emphasized that “no church,” other than the Philippian church, “shared with” him “concerning giving and receiving” (Philippians 4:15). Jesus through the writing of John publicly circulated the fact that the Smyrna church and the Philadelphian church were faithful (Revelation 2:8-11; 3:7-13). Paul wrote publicly about the faithfulness of Epaphras, Tychicus, Onesimus, Silvanus and other Christians (Colossians 1:7; 4:7-9; 1 Peter 5:12). John “marked” Demetrius for his good testimony (3 John 1:12). Therefore, the Bible is clear that it is not wrong to mark/note individuals and congregations for their faithfulness in the Lord. There are several reasons why this should be done: (1) It encourages surrounding congregations and individuals (Philippians 1:12-14). When other Christians heard of Paul’s faithfulness and persecution, it led them to greater boldness and faithfulness in their work; (2) It reminds Christians that there is just one true church with many congregations (1 Corinthians 12:20); (3) It is a way to keep in contact with one another; to pray, edify, and help each other get to heaven; (4) It is a wonderful encouragement to look to other faithful brethren as good examples and follow their sound leadership; (5) It reinforces what the pattern is.

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Article - Unlawful Sexual Activity Will Land Your Soul in Hell

Hollywood has glamorized unlawful sexual activity (fornication) to the point that much of society has accepted pre-marital sex, homosexuality (including lesbianism) and adultery as morally right for those who so choose. It is not uncommon for young people to view unlawful sexual activity before marriage in a similar light as kissing, hugging and holding hands. The idea of “trying someone out” or “shacking up” to determine if you are compatible before making a formal commitment to marriage is popular. Furthermore, speaking against homosexual and lesbian acts supposedly makes one a biased homophobe - and it is a seemingly forbidden thing for anyone to consider using Scripture to determine if the various divorce and remarriage cases are adulterous or not. All the while thousands of souls, young and old, are dying on a daily basis in these sinful conditions because no one is loving enough, “judgmental” enough, or “brother's-keeper” enough to warn these precious people that unlawful sexual activity will land your soul in hell. Give heed to God's righteous judgments on the subject: “Marriage is honorable among all and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4); “...the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God....Neither fornicators, ...nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10); "whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery"(Matthew 19:9); “sexually immoral...shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone” (Revelation 21:8).

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This material is copyrighted by The Gospel of Christ and its authors.  This information is free to use in its entirety without further consent, however, modifications should not be made without contacting mail@thegospelofchrist.com for permission.  Any and all images contained herein are believed to be free for all distribution and content.

Article - Your Thoughts Are NOT God’s Thoughts

The LORD truthfully stated in Isaiah 55:8, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways.” Consider the following thoughts that are contrary to God’s: (1) “You are not supposed to judge” versus “…judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24); (2) “It is alright to have different interpretations of the Bible” versus “…be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10); (3) “Salvation is by grace alone plus nothing; therefore, we do not contribute one whit to our salvation” versus “For by grace you have been saved THROUGH FAITH” and “…BE BAPTIZED, and WASH AWAY YOUR SINS” and “…as you have always OBEYED…WORK out your own salvation” (Ephesians 2:8; Acts 22:16; Philippians 2:12); (4) “Salvation is by faith only” versus “…justified by WORKS, and not by faith only” (James 2:24); (5) “Water baptism is not essential to be saved” versus “…in the days of Noah…eight souls were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us – BAPTISM” (1 Peter 3:20-21); (6) “It is alright to live with each other without getting married” versus “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed is undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). It is time for you to denounce your thoughts and feelings and submit to the mind and will of Christ (Philippians 2:5)!

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This material is copyrighted by The Gospel of Christ and its authors.  This information is free to use in its entirety without further consent, however, modifications should not be made without contacting mail@thegospelofchrist.com for permission.  Any and all images contained herein are believed to be free for all distribution and content.