Christ’s Death, Burial, and Resurrection—And Ours - Ben Bailey
“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:1-4). At the heart and core of the Gospel are the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-3). This blockbuster event is the greatest expression of love and sacrifice anyone has ever known (Rom. 5:6-8). Yet, these events also parallel the Christian’s conversion and commitment to the Savior who died for them (2 Cor. 5:14-15). Notice Christ’s Death, Burial, and Resurrection and ours.
Principles for Good Christian Living - Ben Bailey
“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.
God Hates Strife in the Body - Ben Bailey
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?
God's All-Sufficient Grace - Ben Bailey
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).
The Company You Keep - Amy Lawrence
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?
God Never Changes! - Ben Bailey
“Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end” (Ps. 102: 25-27).
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).
The world we live in is filled with constant change and never-ending updates.
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.
Are the Titles ‘Pastor’ or ‘Priest’ Biblical? - Ben Bailey
Often we hear religious leaders referred to as “pastor” or “priest”. Are these biblical names that should be applied to the religious leader today? Is it right for a man to wear these names? Let’s examine what God has to say on the matter.
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?
Thanksgiving to God - Ben Bailey
“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations” (Psalm 100:4-5). With the recent Thanksgiving holiday upon us, many are counting their blessings. But shouldn’t thanksgiving be an everyday event instead of a once a year holiday. To the child of God, everyday is a day of thanksgiving. But, what should we thank God for?
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.”
Does the Name Matter? - Ben Bailey
Recently someone told me they thought it didn’t matter what a church called itself as long as they worshipped correctly. Is this true according to the Bible? Could a church called itself any name and be acceptable to God as long as they worship correctly? Let’s consider for a moment why it does matter what the church called itself. In fact, just like worshipping God correctly is essential, going by what the rest of the Bible says about the church is also essential. Notice why this is true.
An Unhealthy Home - Amy Lawrence
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. Positive peer pressure. Abraham was given the same commendation (Gen. 18:19). We see in this a healthy home.
The Magnificence of the Christian Covenant - Ben Bailey
“But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6). One of the main points of the book of Hebrews and the New Testament is the Superiority of Christ and the New Covenant. Notice a couple of ways the Book of Hebrews illustrates the Superiority of Christ and Christianity.
The Conversion of Saul - Ben Bailey
Toward the end of Paul’s life, he exclaimed “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief (1 Tim. 1:15). There is little doubt that Paul had his former life as a persecutor of Christians in mind when he said these words. Yet, the change from Saul The Persecutor to Paul The Preacher is one of the great conversions of the New Testament. What steps did Saul take to convert to Christianity? Let’s notice Saul’s conversion from Scripture.
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.
Preach the Word! - Ben Bailey
The messianic prophet Zechariah illustrated the urgency of preaching God’s Word when he said, “Run, speak to this young man…” (Zechariah 3:2). Just as in the Old Testament days, an interesting parallel is found in the urging of Phillip to teach the Ethiopian Eunuch. The Scripture records that Phillip “ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’” (Acts 8:30). Both of these verses illustrate the urgent need for men and women to hear the powerful Word of God. Since God chose the foolishness of preaching to save the lost (1 Corinthians 1:21), this places a dire need upon God’s people to preach and teach only God’s Word (2 Timothy 4:2; Acts 8:3-4). What then does it mean to really teach God’s Word?
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.
"What is Forgiveness?" - Amy Lawrence
We as the fallible humans that have been made in the image of God often have conflicting ideas concerning forgiveness. Our sinful nature would have us to hold grudges and forgive but never forget. Scripture teaches, however, that we can control that sinful nature and bring it under subjection to the law of Christ (Romans 7-8). The words of forgiveness Jesus spoke while in agony on the cross are the words that ring in the life of a faithful Christian that would forgive the way God forgives. What does scripture say about how God forgives? Let’s see.
"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.