"I am with you always" - Russ Vickers

“I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS” 

Sometimes we get out of bed in the morning and things do not always go according to plan. I saw on social media this morning a woman who complained about the traffic here in town. For many of us, this is a reality. There are other things that could happen to us. It could be that you did not sleep well the night before. Perhaps the electricity in the house was out, or maybe the water was shut off for some reason. It could be that our car will not start. Or, you have to drive to work or school in the rain. Any number of things could go wrong. We often say on Mondays, “I wish I could have stayed in the bed this morning.” 

What keeps many people up at night is worry and anxiety. Family members struggle with health issues. You might have project deadlines or an appointment to keep. Maybe one of your employees has resigned. Our minds can get filled with such worries that we stop focusing on Christ and what He has done for us. 

Do you remember the account in Mark chapter 4 when Jesus was in a boat with His disciples on the Sea of Galilee? A great storm arose and the waves crashed so hard into the boat that they began to fill the boat with water. And what was Jesus doing? He was in the back of the boat asleep on a cushion. The fearful disciples said, “Teacher, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38 – ASV). What happened next was astounding. “And he awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye fearful? have ye not yet faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:39-41). 

In the Sermon on the Mount, we have some wonderful words for living that came from our Lord Jesus Christ. In first-century Palestine, there was a great deal of poverty and misery to go around. He tells us in Matthew 6:25, “Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment?” Each day we wonder what is for dinner or what we are going to wear that day or the next. Jesus then gave an object lesson centering around God’s care for His creation. “Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26). Jesus then shows how futile it is to worry about things of this life. “And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life?” (Matthew 6:27). The Lord again goes back to the example of creation concerning the flowers in the field. “And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which          today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” (Matthew 6:28-30). 

According to Matthew 6:32, the Lord knows that we need the basic essentials of life. But then He says something wonderful in verse 33 that can lift our spirits even today: “But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” The idea is to put the Lord first in our lives and He will supply us with what we need. He concludes by stating that we are to take care of today’s troubles and not worry or be anxious over tomorrow. Tomorrow often has enough trouble. 

We need to realize that the Lord is still there even in the midst of our worries and struggles in this life. If the Lord can calm a storm on the sea, He can surely calm the storms of our lives. What mankind needs to do is take a long look at the cross. Many of our problems arise when we take our eyes off the cross. In the core of the storm, we often wonder where the Lord went. We ask, “Why does Jesus seem so far away?” The fact is simply this: He never left and the cross is still there! The cross of Christ has always been there. But do we take the time to notice? Do we take the time to let the Lord calm us and ease our fears? Our precious Savior would say to those who worry and fret, “I am here for you, and I have always been here with you.” That is why He said to the disciples before His ascension, “And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20). Jesus Christ is there for those who love Him and seek to do His will first more than anything else. 

Are we willing to turn our worries over to God in prayer? This is how we receive God’s comfort. We need to pray that God will guide us through the storms of life and that our eyes would be open to see the cross and know without a doubt that He is there for us. 

Prayer: Who, Why & How - Ben Bailey

           “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous main avails much” (James 5:16).  Since prayer is such an important part of the Christian life, it only makes sense the more I know about prayer the more it can benefit me and those in my prayer life.  Here are some basic details Paul gives Timothy about prayer in 1 Tim. 2:1ff.

            The first detail Paul mentions about prayer is “WHO” should mention in prayer.  The Christian is told, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Tim. 2:1-2).  From our family and friends, to our enemies to even those in places of political power, the Christian should be ready to pray for all men.

            The next detail Paul mentions about prayer is the “WHY” of prayer.  One of the motivations in prayer is “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Tim. 2:2).  We have all heard that prayer has powerful results and this verse definitely affirms that truth (James 5:16).  Imagine the good we can do for our own lives, the church, and for our country if we only pray.   But, we also must imagine the good we will miss out on doing if we don’t have an active prayer life.

            The final detail Paul mentions about prayer is the “HOW” of prayer.  This aspect of prayer deals with the Christian’s attitude and motivation in prayer.  Paul says, “I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” (1 Tim. 2:8).  The idea of lifting up holy hands is indicative of an attitude of a desire to be pure, submissive, and humble before God (See Ps. 24:4).  Before we enter into the sacred communication of prayer,  may we always examine our hearts and come before God in a manner acceptable to Him! —Ben Bailey

"Matters of the Mind (Sins of the flesh #1)" - Amy Lawrence

Walking in the Spirit

Matters of the Mind (Sins of the Flesh #1)

It matters what we think. Proverbs 23:7 states, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he…” Thought leads to action, action to character, character to behavior. Scripture often metaphorically describes the heart as the center of thought and intent, Heb. 4:12. There are so many things in this world battling for our attention, our heart, and our mind.  When Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians, he contrasted two mindsets - the carnal (fleshly) mind, and the spiritual mind. He contrasted the same two mindsets in Romans chapter 8 and attested that only one, the spiritual mind, is acceptable to God. Paul listed in Galatians the kind of actions that are produced from each type of mind. This list can be found in Galatians 5:16-26. I’d like to dive into a study of this list, but there is so much material involved with each term. It would be valuable to our study to discuss each one individually and how we as women can benefit from such a study, and so I’d like to do this as a series. 

The first list of terms are those that are of a carnal-minded person. They are known as the lusts of the flesh. Whether a person has only one of these bad habits or all, each one is an action that is born of a mind that is contrary to the spiritual mind. We will begin with the first four (vs.19): “adultery”, “fornication”, “uncleanness”, and “lewdness”. These four can be categorized as sexual sins. This type of sin is listed first, and not only here, but also in 1 Cor. 6:9 and Eph. 5:5. 

“Adultery”
This sexual sin is prominent in our society. It permeates every form of media and is so commonplace it is considered ‘normal’. The original Greek word for adultery is μοιχεία (moicheia). It denotes one who is unfaithful in the physical sense…which is why the word is used interchangeably to either mean an unfaithful spouse in a sexual context, Mt. 19:9, or an unfaithful child of God in an idolatrous context, James 4:4. One of the Ten Commandments uses the Hebrew word נָאַף (naaph), Ex. 20:14. It was an offense punishable by death, Lev. 20:10, but one that was still commonly practiced by Israel as a part of their idolatry, Jer. 7:9-10. Ongoing adultery is still punishable by death, but a very different kind - a spiritual death, Rev. 21:8. Only discontinuation of the adultery and forgiveness from God will save one from such a death, 1 Cor. 6:11. 

As we are discussing the heart, and since this is where adultery begins (Mt. 5:28), let us avoid the things that we know are precursors for adultery. Mt. 5:28 tells us that lust is where the heart begins to go astray. Knowing where adultery starts gives us the ability to nip it in the bud before it grows to something much more sinister. Avoiding lust can only be done through gratitude. Being thankful for and content with what we have keeps us from focusing more on what we cannot have, Heb. 13:4-5.

“Fornication”
We have seen the gradual disintegration of our society toward sexual immorality over the decades, but fornication is not a new concept to us. It was as common then as it is now. Today, though, what used to be shameful and hidden is paraded as an innate human right. No matter the excuses or the relationship in which it is happening, fornication is a sin. Sexual intercourse is strictly limited to that between an non-adulterous, male+female, married couple, Heb. 13:4. What most refuse to acknowledge is that there is a very good reason for this. All things work together for the good that God has purposed, Rom. 8:28, OUR good. God knows His Creation, and He knows the damage that fornication can do to a person, emotionally and physically. To remedy this, God tells us to marry, 1 Cor. 7:1-2. But note verse 2: “…let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.” We can’t have someone else’s husband or wife. Before we marry, we’d better make sure that person doesn’t already belong to another. 

“Uncleanness”
This isn’t a commonly used term in what we would consider a sexual sense. The original Greek word is ἀκαθαρσία (akatharsia), and is defined as one who is “impure, physically and/or morally.” This word is found 10 times in the New Testament, and each time it denotes an unholiness in a sexual sense. Its use in Romans 1:24 shows that this can mean any sexual sin, whether the act itself, or the impure mindset that leads to sexual sins. The root Greek term is καθαρός (katharos), meaning “clean, clear, pure.” We are commanded to be holy as God is holy, in everything that we think and do, 1 Pet. 1:14-16. This includes abstaining from anything that God has deemed sexual deviance; pornography, petting, sexting, etc.

“Lewdness”
The KJV uses the word “lasciviousness”, and the original Greek is ἀσέλγεια (aselgeia), meaning “incontinence, filthy wantonness.” The word is used in 2 Pet. 2:18 and speaks of one that draws others into sexual sins. We can get a picture of such a woman from Proverbs 5-7. The description of the harlot in Prov. 5 and the adulteress in Prov. 6 and 7 share a common warning: “…her feet go down to death, her steps lay hold of Hell.” The advice Solomon gives? “Drink water from your own cistern, and running water from your own well.” (Prov. 5:15) To sin is bad; to entice others to sin is far worse, Rom. 1:28-32. Both lead to death.

By their fruits, you will know them, Mt. 7:17-20. Our study is of the spiritual mind, and the attitude behind any sexual sin is a subject that is frequently unaddressed. Paul speaks of a constant internal war in Romans 7:14-25, a war that we all experience - our fleshly desires versus the will of God. Every commandment God gives is for OUR good, to give US rest for OUR souls, Deut. 10:12-13, Jer. 6:16…but we have to WANT IT. No one, if they could see their future misery that came about because of their poor decisions today, would want that future. Obeying God’s commandments doesn’t just give us a worthwhile future, He promises that His obedient servants will receive a home in Heaven that makes even the best future in this life pale in comparison, Heb. 3-4. 

Our study on the matters of the mind will continue in my next article, but I ask that you diligently give yourself over to personal study and see for yourself what is that good, acceptable, perfect will of God, Rom. 12:1-2.

"Hey I Know You!" - Joey Ferrell

Many times, we all may run into someone that we either haven’t seen for a while, or maybe even someone that we don’t actually now well at all and the statement is heard “hey, I know you.” Sometimes we may know them well and just haven’t seen them in a while…or sometimes we really don’t “know” them at all.

I have shared before that I walk a lot for cardio needs. I have been doing that for a few years now and I choose to walk outside when I can in scenic areas. One particular area is the greenway beside the river where we currently live. If I park at the local gym and walk to the greenway and make one full lap and back to the gym it is about 3.2 miles. In the past several weeks, I have slowly increased the amount of times I walk the same path on the greenway until I am up to just over 7 miles each day that I walk. Now…I don’t share that to brag, although I am proud of myself for that!! I share that to say that when I walk, I get to see a lot of people over time. Some I know. Some I don’t. Some I have gotten to know through just speaking to them on the trails. But, let me tell you an interesting encounter from last week. It wasn’t on the greenway, or on the road to and from the gym, but it was at one of the restaurants that Kristie and I dine with.

There was a gentleman that I have seen in the restaurant many times. His presence is sort of a staple so to speak of the Tuesday taco night! Yep, that is why I go too…cheap tacos make a great dinner! So, the owner of the restaurant has gotten to know me from not only coming in but also through some of my family and…guess where else? The gym. We see each other there from time to time. We speak and encourage one another in our exercising efforts. So, the owner was talking to the gentleman and said something to me about going to the gym a lot earlier. It was then that the guy looked my way and said “Hey, I know you! I see you walking EVERY DAY.” Well, he was close. Not really. You see, he works at a business that is between the gym and the greenway, so he sort of is right. He does see me. He sees me twice some days. But…he does NOT see me every day! Let me emphasize that. I am not suggesting that he is wrong, but hear me out and keep reading.

This man has seen me walk that same route up to three times a week, but most likely not an average as that would be closer to two times a week on that route due to weather and travel. Some weeks, he does not see me at all walking, even though he may see me at the restaurant. But, he thinks he sees me every day…because that is what he has envisioned. Every time he sees me, it is pretty much like clock work. He knows he will see me maybe Monday, Wednesday, or Friday in the morning, and usually twice if he is in view to see me. I have since begun waving at him as I walk by as well.

I had to correct him. I told him I appreciate his thought, but that I didn’t walk every day and it was usually at best every other day during the week. His response was, it sure seems like I see you every day, I thought you walked every single day. That brings me to another thought that is related.

When he sees me, what does he see? You see, he already thinks he sees me every day, but how am I known when he sees me? I don’t know if he knows my name. He obviously can recognize my looks. He doesn’t know where I live, I don’t think. I don’t know these things about him either. And that is an invitation to me to open a door. But, when he and others see me, do they see some dude walking down the street, or do they see someone that is striving to be a good Christian? He probably does not know that I am a Christian. I mean, he has probably seen us pray eating…as I have seen him do the same. But is that the only time he has seen me displaying any form of Christianity? I don’t know. But I hope not.

The Bible calls Christians to be Christians EVERY DAY, not just on Sundays or Wednesdays IF we make it to meet with the saints. It does not call us to be Christians just on a certain day of the year. It does not call us to be Christians only in public or private. It calls us to be Christians EVERY SINGLE DAY in EVERY SINGLE WAY.

I know this may be a difficult correlation to see, but it made me think when he said he sees me every day, even though he doesn’t. Jesus sees me every day. He sees when I am walking, when I am at the restaurant, when I am at home, and when I am with the saints. But, what does he see?

This man sees me walking. He doesn’t know why I walk, but he told our mutual friend at the restaurant that he “is jealous of me because he doesn’t think he could do it.” That certainly is not true because I am not in some crazy hyped physical condition that allows me to perform better at walking than anyone else could. Sure I have “practiced” and built up to where I am at in my walking. But what would he see if he saw more of my Christianity? I certainly wouldn’t want him to be jealous of me, but I would want him to see that I am zealous for Christ.

What about you? We all have to ask the question of whether or not Jesus himself knows me and you. How does He know us? In John 10:14, Jesus says “I know my sheep…”. He also said that others will know whose I am based on my love for others in John 13:35. Does Jesus know you? Do others know you based on the way you live as a Christian? I pray that be the case, but maybe we need to do more to show through our lives that we live it out EVERY DAY and not just a couple days a week.

On an ironic note, this very week, as I walked that same route multiple times, one day in particular, I waved at this fella as I walked by. He waved back. About ten minutes later, a lady walked up to me on the path and said “don’t I know you? What is your name?” After telling her my name, she remembered that I had preached at the congregation she attends multiple times in the past few years, but she did not readily recognize me “outside of the pulpit and in dress clothes"“. Not less than 15 minutes later, I see another young lady and her children that I have also known through the church for well over 10 years, but she was surprised to see me in a different environment as well. I tell you this to say that those people know more about my Christianity than this other person so it isn’t just the world that can know us, but other Christians as well.

If you aren’t a Christian, Jesus does not know you. If you are a Christian, what does He see from you? Would the world know you are a Christian without having to tell them? If not, why not? He is waiting to see you EVERY DAY and I am waiting to hear Him say “Hey, I know you!”

The Precious Blood of Christ

The Precious Blood of Christ

By Ben Bailey

            The Holy Spirit says, “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins” (Heb. 9:22).  The Old Testament Levitical system was a very bloody system (Lev. 1-5).  For every sin of every kind there was a blood sacrifice to be offered (Lev. 4:1-12).  Yet the Scripture records that the blood of all those bulls and goats could never really take away sin (Heb. 10:3-4).  How thankful we should be that Jesus was willing to shed His blood once for all for sin so that the sin problem would have a permanent solution (Heb. 10:12).  Notice just how important the blood of Christ is to our salvation.

            When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper He said, “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Mt. 26:28).  When Jesus was on the cross “…one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out” (Jn. 19:34).  It was at this point in time when a fountain was opened for cleansing sin (Zech. 13:1). Without the shedding of Jesus’ blood we would not have forgiveness (Rom. 6:1-4; Acts 2:38). 

            The Apostle Paul said, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7).  Paul later wrote that we are brought near to God through the blood of Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:13).  The word “redeem” literally means to “buy back.”  Before Jesus shed His blood we were enslaved to sin (Rom. 6:17-18).  Jesus paid the ransom price to free us from sin.  Paul said of Jesus’ sacrifice, “who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father” (Gal. 1:4).  Only through the blood of Christ could we be bought back into a right relationship with God (Jn. 14:6). 

            Because of sin, the relationship with God and man had been severed (Isa. 59:1-2; Ezek. 18:4; Rom. 3:23).  Yet, how wonderful it is to hear Paul tell the Colossian Christians that Jesus made “peace through the blood of His cross” (Col. 1:20). Through the blood of Christ we can have the peace of God which surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:6-8).

The Scriptures tell us that Jesus loves us and is willing to wash us from our sins in His own blood (Rev. 1:5).  At what point do we contact the blood of Christ?  When do we receive that washing of our sins in the blood of Jesus?    We contact the blood of Christ in the watery grave of baptism (Rom. 6:1-4; Eph. 5:26; Heb. 10:22).  Paul was told to “arise and be baptized and wash away your sins calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).  Since it is the blood of Christ that cleanses our sins, then we must conclude that baptism is the point at which we reach the blood of Christ (Acts 2:38; Mk. 16:16). Furthermore, in light of the fact that we can lose the benefit of Jesus’ cleansing blood as a child of God (Heb. 10:24-26), we must continue to walk in the light as Jesus is in the light, and we must continue to confess our sins as His children so that the blood of Jesus can keep on cleansing us from all sin (1 John 1:7-9). Thank God for the precious blood of Jesus that not only makes us pure, white, and whole in God’s sight, but maintains our purity in His sight so that one day we can “see God” for eternity (Isa. 1:18; Mt. 26:28; 5:8)! 

"Standard - A Study on the Value of Truth" - Amy Lawrence

Standard

A Study on the Value of Truth

I’m sure we’ve all seen some form of our justice system here in the US, whether on reality television or crime shows. We usually see it taking place in a courtroom with a judge, 12 jurors, a plantif, a defendant, and witnesses. The goal of most - if not all - of the people in that room is to either tell or discover truth by using a standard of rules and regulations. Our ability as a nation to recognize truth has diminished over the years, though. As time marches on, and as society is and has always been wont to slowly evolve toward chaos, truth becomes subject to manipulation in order to suit current ideas. In this study, I’d like to answer the question Pilate asked Jesus: What is truth?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines truth as, “the body of real things, events, and facts; the property of being in accord with fact or reality; fidelity to an original or a standard”. We can understand this concept better by using something everyone is familiar with as truth: mathematics.

2+2 equals 4. No one will ever be able to change that. It’s a fact. A mile is and will always be 5,280 feet. Different nations that speak different languages can shoot a rocket into space and connect with the International Space Station by using theuniversal truth known to us as “math”. (Yes, I understand that we all hate math…but this is only for illustration purposes. You can take a breath and calm down now.) A standard to which everyone on Planet Earth adheres becomes truth. No one can argue with gravity, because it will teach you how true it is every time.

Now that I’ve illustrated the daylights out of “truth”, let’s get into a different kind of truth. Jesus once prayed, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth,” John 17:17. We know, based on the history of the world as well as our own experiences, that most people treat truth as if it were flexible. We only want it to be truth when it suits our need of it. A prime example of this is the desire of our society today to redefine the terms “male” and “female”. No matter the rallies, riots, fame, and fortune, no one on this round rock will be able to redefine “male” and “female”. Why? Because of Who defined them in the first place, Gen. 1:27. Paul wrote to the Romans that mankind is without excuse because, “…since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead…” When God says something is true, it becomes truth. To deny this is to deny the power of God Almighty.

As I mentioned before, Jesus tells us that God’s truth sanctifies us. How does truth purify us? Well, the first step is to let it. Anyone that has ever dealt with discussions of a religious nature know how people tend to have their own ideas of what is truth. Reading the word of God with a preconceived notion of what it already says is no way to learn. Even the Bereans didn’t take Paul’s word for it. They “searched the scriptures daily, to find out whether these things were so,” Acts 17:11. Is that a scriptural practice? Absolutely, 1 Pet. 4:1. But what if it is ourselves we must defeat?

What if we’ve had a belief all our lives and find out from scripture that the belief iswrong? My first recommendation would be to pray. There are many times when I have asked God for the strength to defeat myself and let His truth purify me, as did David, Ps. 51:10. Let it purify.

When the heart is where it should be, the understanding of God’s word takes on a whole new perspective. The psalmist wrote, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” Ps. 111:10. In studying scripture, our minds should always have a deep respect for God and His will, Mt. 6:9-10. When that respect for God remains, then and only then can His word begin its job of purifying, Ps. 19:9, and our knowledge of His will can begin to build and grow.

Truth is also pure in that it is no respecter of persons. What is expected of me is expected of anyone desiring to be a child of God. We must also be impartial. Jesus tells us, “…with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you,” Mt. 7:2. We must be impartial in mercy and forgiveness, but also in discipline and justice. Purity requires keeping the good and dispelling the bad. The Corinthians were reprimanded by Paul for not being ashamed of some of the things that were happening under their very noses, 1 Cor. 5:1-5. They repented and disciplined where necessary, but then they went to the extreme of not forgiving a repentant brother, 2 Cor 2:5-8. There is peace in purity, but the requirement for this peace is discipline - whether it is self-discipline or discipline by the church, Mt. 18:15-17. We must be good to each other, Gal. 6:1-5, and this good can only be found in truth and love, 1 Pet. 1:22-2:3.

We have to be willing to accept God’s truth in order to be pleasing to Him. I must tell you, though; the world rarely proclaims God’s truth. John wrote, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father isnot in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever,” 1 John 2:15-17. We, therefore, have to make a choice: God, or the world? We cannot have both. God, in His manifold wisdom, presented a life lived in nothing but worldly pleasures through the writings (Ecclesiastes) of David’s son, Solomon. As the richest and wisest man ever to exist, Solomon came to a conclusion after he had invested himself in every worldly pleasure imaginable. His conclusion?

“And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs. The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth. The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing - whether good or evil,” Ecclesiastes 12:9-14.

Solomon lived a worldly life and yet wrote that a life that is pleasing in God’s sight is far better.

God’s truth creates a caliber of life you will not find anywhere else in this existence. Only in God’s truth is there true joy, no matter the circumstances, Phil. 4:4-7. This physical life is temporary. We as Christians have a hope that is beyond this life. Those of us that live in God’s truth know that, even in times of trouble, we have the assurance that the next life is the one God promised would be worth living for Him in this life. THAT is truth.

If you would like to be a part of this truth, come and join us in worship to God at any faithful church of Christ every Sunday/Wednesday night. We would love to have you among our number, and if there is any desire to know more, please don’t hesitate. Let us study with you as we all grow in grace and knowledge, 2 Pet. 3:18.

True Religion: Separating Fact from Fiction #fakereligion

           When watching television, reading the newspaper, or listening to the radio sometimes it is hard to separate fact from fiction.  Of course, the only way to do this is to analyze the facts and the source to ascertain if what is said is true.  The same is true four some people’s religion. Some people talk a good talk but do they have true religion. James deals with true religion and teaches us how to separate fact from fiction in James 1:26-27.

            The fictitious view of some people’s religion is clearly evident by their words.  There are many who believe they can be a faithful Christian and talk about others and still possess the religion of Christ.  James tells us this is false religion.  The Scripture says, “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless” (James 1:26 ESV).  James clearly teaches us that what we say and how we use our tongue is a direct indicator of our religion because it peers inside our souls to who we really are on the inside.  This is why James tells us we must bridle the tongue and  “let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath” (James 1:19; James 3:1ff).

            True religion is also evident by a person’s character and actions.  The Holy Spirit says, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27 NKJ).  How can we know we have “true” religion in our hearts. By our willingness to “do good unto all men especially those of the household of faith” (Gal. 6:10).  Do we really love our  neighbor as our self (Mark 12:30ff)?  Do we strive every day  to make our bodies a living sacrifice to God separated from the world and holy in God’s sight (Luke 9:23; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; 2 Cor. 6:17-18)? 

            As we think about these indicators of true religion, we must each examine our own lives and see if we have true religion or if we are just “playing church".

"A Preacher Factory" - Joey Ferrell

What an odd title for an article - right? Not really! This article is meant to inspire church leaders and Christians alike to think about an ongoing problem…and a solution!

Let me start with this thought:

“A question was asked recently regarding the loss of several good men who preached the gospel - ‘who is going to fill their shoes...’ It is a valid question. Is your congregation working to be a preacher ‘factory’ or are we lining up for a funeral of the local church?”

With some very recent passings of some great men who proclaimed the gospel not only in pulpits, but through their lives, this is indeed a very valid question. It is one that has to be answered, but even before these men passed away (most known to this author in 2025), the heralds have cried out “preacher shortage, preacher shortage” from the hilltops and through the world-wide-web. And to some extent…it rings loudly true.

At a chance that I might miss a name or two, I do want to recognize some of these men whom I grew up or casually listened to either at their feet, working alongside, or knew from various functions. In 2025, we have lost a number of Christians, but specifically those that were of impact in my life are David Paden, Cecil May, Larry Acuff, Wesley Simons, Jim Boyd and as of yesterday, Alan Highers. Such a tough loss to those they served in years past and even today. There were others that I have never met such as James Segars who is known throughout Mississippi for his sound teaching…and certainly many that I don’t even know their names.

But, that isn’t quite what this article is about!

I want to bring some attention to a smaller, hometown congregation that has somewhat become “A Preacher Factory” in the past year. I know there are others who strive to put their men into some training programs, and success is seen there as well. I can think of a few students at multiple schools of preaching right now that came from the same city, same family, or same congregation.

Where is this congregation? Well, you may remember from this time last year, their name became somewhat of a common occurrence around our office, as well as many who know me personally. That congregation is the Mountain City church of Christ in Mountain City, Tennessee. Yes…the town in the mountains that got a hurricane…after over two dozen inches of rain right before it hit.

I spent several days with this congregation during what we call relief effort. But I want to call it something different. It was MINISTRY. When we read about ministry in the Bible, we can see the hands and hearts of servants, whether they be a preacher, a sweet sister in Christ, an elder, or simply a Christian that knows how to have compassion. That was what I saw! I saw ministers of God!

Well, you know that a preacher is only worth his weight in salt if he is also a good minister right? Those terms are so confusing since we are all called to be ministers, yet the titles preacher and minister are often interchanged. Sometimes maybe it should be….other times, maybe not. But in this case…I watched and assisted the preacher, Chuck Stewart, minister to not only the congregation, but to an entire town. What a blessing. Ironically, Chuck graduated the Tri-cities School of Preaching about an hour or so away in Stoney Creek some years ago, and now is also a teacher for the school.

What does that have to do with the title? Well…last week at Polishing the Pulpit, I was able to catch up with two of the three elders from Mountain City for a bit. They are still doing incredible work toward rebuilding peoples’ physical lives there in the area, but something even more exciting was told to me. I knew part of the whole, but they literally knocked me backwards with all of the details.

Since this time last year, the Mountain City church of Christ has not enrolled one student at TCSOP, but they have enrolled THREE! Three good men have or are going to be attending this school to become “preachers.” That is excellent news. You may say, well yeah, but there are people all over that do that. Indeed. But 3 from one congregation in one year’s time is phenomenal. This congregation is probably about 100 members…so that is 3% of their congregation! If you count wives and children that will also be involved in their efforts, now you are talking 8, maybe 10% of their congregation!

One of these young men is Chuck and Megan’s son, Isaac Stewart. Some may say that is a given for a preacher’s son….but truly it is a blessing more than a norm it would seem. I know it made Chuck and Megan so happy when he told them he would be attending.

Another is a long time friend of mine Dean Jones. Dean and his wife are sort of putting things on hold with what normal they had after the hurricane and moving with the children to be closer to the school. Dean attended for a while a few years ago but life changed and that caused a change for him. I saw Dean go into full force ministry with the relief work and then some mission work this summer. It was not a surprise when he shared that he would be returning to school!

Then…there is a third fella. I have not known him long, and I will tell you that I think the world of him. When I met Eddie Storey, we were knees to elbows on the ground loading and unloading supplies for the survivors. Eddie took some time from his life and work and went head first into helping those that were able to be at the church building and in the community for several days. Eddie rode along with a couple of us to deliver supplies to an older community and saw first hand how compassion touched both those who were being served…and the ones serving. I will never forget the conversation that he and I had as we watched an elder get on his knees to pray with someone as we were unloading water for the community. Eddie didn’t grow up in the church. As a matter of fact, Eddie is somewhat of a newer Christian! But…through the efforts of the congregation, the love that he saw, and the desire that he wanted to be more Christ-like in his life every day….well, he is the third student!

I do not say these things to put anyone on a pedestal, or to embarrass anyone. And, I know this is not an isolated situation. How do I know that? Well…I have told many times that not long after I was baptized at a young age, the elders encouraged and insisted that I participate in what they called “a future preachers class” at the congregation where my family attended. It was a once a week class and had probably 10-12 young to old men involved. Would you believe that at least 3 of those men that were in that class, including myself, have preached or are still preaching today?

Is your congregation a preacher factory, or are you going to be challenged when the man that serves that role passes, moves, or retires? Will there be anyone to fill his shoes, or will you be also asking that same question? The time to start training our preachers is now. We must want to become a preacher factory and help encourage our young men (and old) to consider preaching for the Lord’s church….after all, it might be the greatest task on earth in heralding the gospel message to those who are lost and dying.

Encourage others. Help them to see the need. Support a student if you can. Get involved. Preach a time or two if you are a Christian man. Train.

Holiness - A study on Dedication - Amy Lawrence

Holiness

A Study on Dedication

There exists in all of us a passion for something. For some, it’s sports. For others, it could be the science of technology, mechanics, or architecture. Many are dedicated to teaching and learning, medicine and healthcare, building and exploring. For grandparents, it’s their grandchildren. Anything as simple as food can be a passion. The emotion we know as “passion” is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept.” In this article, I’d like to talk about the one subject to which we all should dedicate ourselves.

The Babylonian army destroyed and set fire to the city of Jerusalem and the temple in 586BC. Many of the captives taken out of Judah by King Nebuchadnezzar were transported to Babylon. They would remain in captivity for 70 years. The Babylonian captivity did exactly what God planned for it to do; it rededicated His people. Once Babylon fell to the Persians, the captives became the responsibility of the Persian king and eventually were allowed to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city.  One of the groups that returned was lead by Nehemiah. He took up the charge to rebuild the wall that would surround the city…but he understood that before he could rebuild the city that represented the Holy and Almighty God, he first had to rebuild himself, Neh. 1:1-11. Nehemiah sought the purity that would allow him to approach God again. This type of dedication is becoming less and less prominent in the church today. We serve a Holy God, and He requires that we be holy in order to be pleasing to Him, Lev. 11:45. From this study, we can learn what holiness is and how to practice it. 

The Hebrew word for “holy” is קַָדַשׁ (qadash) and is used in Ex. 3:5. Anyone that grew up in the church heard this story a great number of times. There are details that didn’t stand out as much to my child mind as they do now to my adult mind. It begins with Moses seeing and investigating a most peculiar bush. God disallowed Moses to approach this bush in which God was inhabiting until Moses was appropriately pure. When God announced to Moses who He was, Moses’ response was also appropriate to God’s awesome holiness; Moses hid his face for fear of looking upon God’s glory. God passed before Moses on Sinai, Ex. 33:19-23. The Lord hid Moses in the cleft of the rock so God’s glory would not kill him. Part of God’s glory would shine on Moses’ face after talking with God, Ex. 34: 29-35. Moses understood that holiness begins with a fearful respect of the position and power of God Almighty. Solomon wrote, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Prov. 9:10) 

In order to understand God’s holiness, we must first understand some truths of His position: 

1.)            God is our Creator, and He alone holds the place above His creation, Is. 40:21-29. 

2.)            His ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts are above our thoughts, Is. 55:8-9. 

3.)            We are in the hands of the Potter, Is. 64:8. 

4.)            When one’s mind comes to grips with the knowledge of God, one cannot help but see the enormity of God and the fact that He is the source of everything we know and everything we are that is good,  Acts 17:22-31, 3 John 11. For this alone, He is more than deserving of our love and respect.

The word קַָדַשׁ (qadash) means “to be set apart, consecrated, sanctified” (NAS Hebrew dictionary). The first use of this word in scripture is found in Gen. 2:3, the “sanctified” Sabbath Day - a day the Israelites were commanded to “keep holy”, Ex. 20:8. They were to observe this by doing the same thing God did at the end of a week of work: stop working, Gen. 2:2. Can we be holy by obeying God? Absolutely! God is the perfect example of holiness and has given us everything we need to know in order to be His sanctified people. His word is “profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness”, that we may all be complete and fully equipped, 2 Tim. 3:14-17, and His commandments are good, Ps. 119. Because God is holy, His commandments are also holy, Rom. 7:12. By obeying the commandments of God, we can also be holy, 1 Pet. 1:13-16.

Because God is holy, so is His name. To speak the name of the Most High as a curse or in a way that is flippant or derogatory toward the Almighty God is so dangerous that scripture pointedly warns against it. One of the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20 specifies how we should speak the name of God, vs. 7. His name is to be used with reverence and given to no other, Mt. 23:1-10. It is to be magnified. David understood this, 1 Chr. 17:16-27. “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto His name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” (Ps. 29:2)

Our conduct as Christians, as the church, should mirror the holiness of God in everything we do - both in our assembled worship and in our everyday lives, 1 Tim. 3:15, Mt. 5:16. I cannot stress this enough; we as Christians are representatives of God and His kingdom. We are the only Bible some people will read. Our words, our dress, our actions should all speak the holiness of God to everyone. Dedication like that is a testament to the Creator that we serve. When those outside the fold cannot help but to see the love, trust, and loyalty we give to God (and to each other), their curiosity will be piqued and they will begin to ask about the Savior that we serve. They will be even more impressed by God when we tell them about Him. We were created to glorify God, Is. 43:7.

God told the Israelites, “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God. And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.…and ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be Mine.” (Lev. 20:7-8, 26) Holiness sets us apart from the rest of the world. We are commanded to “be separate”, 2 Cor. 6:17, if we wish to follow God Almighty. 

It has its perks, too. Note what Isaiah said: “But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Sheba in your place. Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you…”” (Is. 43:1-4) When we follow God, we follow the only One Satan cannot defeat, 1 Cor. 15:57.

In order to be pleasing to God, we must separate ourselves from the world, 1

John 2:15-17, Rom. 8. Holiness is a requirement. God’s word teaches us how to be holy.

If there is ever a need, or you wish to study further on this subject, please visit the nearest church of Christ and let us help you as you seek holiness with the people of God.

What Must I Do To Be Saved? - Ben Bailey

What Must I Do to be Saved?

Ben Bailey

            The most important question ever asked is “What must I do to be saved?”  (Acts 16:30, 2:37).  Everyone who believes in God must ask this question at one time in his or her life.  Truly, no other source is better able to answer this question than the word of God, for it is able to save and sanctify the souls of men (James 1:21; Jn. 17:17, 8:32).  Therefore, what does the Bible teach one must do to be saved?

            The first step one must take to be saved is to hear God’s word.  “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom 10:17).  And, “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6).  In the past I am afraid that we have under emphasized the importance of hearing God’s word.  But what does it mean to really hear God’s word?  Does it mean just listening to the word of God?  No.  By hearing God’s word, two things are meant.  First, hearing God’s word means that we recognize its authority.  As God said on the Mount of Transfiguration, “This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear Him” (Mk. 9:7). The Bible is the ultimate and final authority in all matters of religion (Matt. 28:18ff, Col. 3:17, Jn. 12:48).  Second, hearing God’s word means that we give a diligent effort to study, search, seek and test.  In the process of hearing, one must use the reasoning capabilities God has given him to discern truth from error (I Thes. 5:21).  When hearing we need to be like the noble Bereans who “…received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11, ASV).  Let us all be careful and intelligent in how we hear (Lk. 8:18), what we hear (Mk. 4:24), and Who we hear (Mk. 9:7).

            The second step in the plan of salvation is belief.  Jesus said, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will surely die in your sins” (Jn. 8:24).  However, belief alone will not save a person.  In fact, the word belief never means mental acceptance only.  Belief always means an active, obedient trust in God (Gal 5:6).  You and I understand this in every day life.  For example, if I wake up during the night with my house on fire, and I truly believe that it is on fire this belief alone will not save me.  I must take steps of action such as getting out of bed and running out of the house to be saved from the fire.  Likewise, there are steps of action associated with belief  that one must take to be saved.  It is so sad that there are thousands of denominational people who teach that all one must do to be saved is believe in Jesus and accept Him as your personal Savior.  Nothing could be further than the truth.  In fact, the only time belief/faith only is ever used in the Bible, James says faith alone will not save a person (James 2:24). 

            The third step in the plan of salvation is repentance.  In Luke 13:3 Jesus said, “unless you repent you shall all likewise perish.”  True repentance means that one has a changed will (Acts 3:19) that leads to a changed way of life (Lk. 3:8).  That means that the person who used to smoke, drink, fornicate or commit other sins makes up his mind not to do these things anymore, then proves it by living a pure life.

            The fourth step in the plan of salvation is confession.  “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:10).  Unless one orally confesses before men that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, he will not be saved (Matt. 10:32-33).  Like Timothy, we must all make the good confession (I Tim. 6:12-13).

            The final step one must take to be saved is baptism.  Contrary to popular belief, the Bible does teach that baptism is essential and necessary for salvation.  Let the Bible speak on this matter.  “…Baptism now saves you…” (I Pet. 3:21).  “He who believes and is baptized will be saved…” (Mk. 16:16).  “Repent and be baptized…for the remission of your sins” (Acts 2:38).  “…Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he can not enter the kingdom of God “ (Jn. 3:5).  “…Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins…” (Acts 22:16).  Have you been immersed in water for the remission of your sins?  The Bible says you must.

            Truly, the Bible is very clear on the plan of salvation.  The question we must ask ourselves is “Have we truly obeyed the gospel?”  Have you obeyed the plan of salvation as the Bible teaches or is your salvation based on what your creed, confession of faith, pastor, or manual teaches?  We would encourage you to examine your salvation to see if you have been saved as the Bible teaches (2 Cor. 13:5).

"It's natural...but it'll kill ya!" - Joey Ferrell

Recently, as I was walking for exercise, I passed a gas station/convenience store that is not new to my route, but seemed to have a new sign that caught my eye. It was one of those that stand up near the road. It was an advertisement for a product that some may pose as a controversial topic, but the idea of the sign’s message is what made me stop and ponder the thought of this article in more depth.

The sign is a great marketing concept - why? Because it is appealing to the concept of things being “natural” as many will shop today. I mean, we think about how many unnatural things that we have put into our body and even the government in many places has banned certain items that can harm the body that are not natural. Not much is different with this advertisement.

What could it be that would spark such a title as I have posted? Well, the sign of a national brand said “Nothing but tobacco and water” indicating that their product might be better than another that contains some other additives. Now, I know this can be a sensitive topic, but I can speak from experience on this particular part of the article. I hope that if you are a tobacco user, that you will consider the long term effects but also the spiritual effects that it may have on your life. Even witnessing my own grandfather pass away when I was 5 from tobacco induced lung cancer, I still chose to be a “cool kid” (so I thought) later in my teens and smoked off and on for some years before permanently putting the lighter and the tobacco away forever. But, this article isn’t quite finished with this thought.

What do I mean? Well, it doesn’t take long to find out that the W.H.O. has made some very serious allegations against tobacco. Statistics as recent as just a few weeks ago suggest that half of tobacco users will die from it if they do not stop using them. Another stat shows that over 7 million people die per year worldwide from tobacco usage. And, they tout that tobacco usage is the worst health epidemic in the world…ever! (Taken from the internet on the World Health Organization website).

The use of tobacco - especially smoking - has been deemed dangerous enough to even produce mandatory warning labels that are extremely graphic to be placed on cigarette packages and marketing by December 12, 2025 unless a court stands them down again (enacted in 2020 but appeals have pushed out to this new date). Some of them are pretty straightforward and you can see them yourself on various sites. Some countries even have the warning below on ALL smoking marketing and labels:

That’s some pretty serious stuff right there!!! It’s natural…but it can kill ya! That is basically what they are saying here. Why on earth would anyone want to do that? Well, that isn’t the idea of this article, but it does lend to support. By the way, this author’s view is that tobacco is an addictive substance and addictions are sinful, so please consider stopping their use as the W.H.O. suggests.

So, what is the idea of the article? Well, there is another subject that can be similar to this thought. There is something that can seem pretty natural…but it also will kill ya! This time though, it is not the physical body, but instead it is the spiritual soul that can seemingly drift away because of something that seems natural. What is it?

SIN

Yes…that small little three letter word! There can be a strong case made that sin is a natural part of life. That may not really be the idea behind what God says, but we do have some scripture to support that none of us are free from sin. Solomon said that there is nothing new under the sun….so that would imply that he, David, Paul, Peter, John and others would have seen the same temptations and lust that we all see today. Look at what he said in Ecclesiastes 7:20 and see if you may feel the natural feeling about the nature of mankind:

"There's not a righteous man on the face of the Earth who does good and does not sin."

Or how about what James says in James 1:15 - “Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

Now, don’t misunderstand! The bible does not support that man is born in sin, although some may believe the concept of “original sin” even though the scriptures will not support this theory. But, what we do have to realize is that all sin…Paul gives us that concept in Romans 3:23. And with that sin, comes death (Romans 6:23). He will go on to write in Romans 7 that “For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.” So, we can certainly see the idea that lust can become sin and sin can become death.

How does this relate to our advertisement in discussion? Remember the catch line? It’s all natural! Nothing but tobacco and water! Now, that may appeal to those that are looking for an all natural “fix” to this habit or addiction, and no doubt they may consider that it may be better for them…since it is natural. Oddly enough, that is the way that the world thinks. Look at some of these phrases that you might hear:

• A little white lie is okay

• My sin is no bigger than your sin

• But it is the 21st century, we need to progress

• Quoting John 8 - he without sin can cast the first stone

All of these phrases and many more that you may hear indicate that sin is somewhat natural. And, honestly, lust and temptation are unfortunately a natural part of the lives that we live today. But…does that make sin any better?

Much like the product in the advertisement, some sin is discarded as being better than others. No matter how we diminish it, there are multiple places in the bible that talk about those sins that will lead to an eternity absent of God. Lying, stealing, cheating, fear, murder, sexual relationships that are not authorized biblically, adultery….the list continues on with many other things. James even addresses the sin of omission in chapter 4 in his letter! Sin may seem natural….

But it can kill ya!

While we live our lives on this earth, let’s try our absolute best to stay natural to what God wants for us and not try to find something that the world calls natural that can and does spiritually kill us. Tobacco in its original form of growing will not kill someone (well, there are probably ways it can but not the norm), yet it has a byproduct that can cause addiction - nicotine. When someone uses tobacco, they consume that nicotine and then their body absorbs it, and it becomes what stimulates the body’s receptors and nervous system to get that feeling of satisfaction. Some of the tobacco companies offer the explanation that it is not the nicotine that can kill you, but the other dangerous additives that are consumed by smoking or using tobacco products. In essence, this particular advertised brand says that their product is not containing the certain additives that have been known to kill people, but they do not feel that this more “natural” form is as dangerous. Yet, on another tobacco company’s website, they conclude that nicotine itself does have its own risks. Sounds kind of like the excuses we hear for and about sin.

Let’s all do our best to leave sin and those things that cause sin behind, because no matter how “natural” it may seem, it will still kill ya! Much like the advice of the W.H.O., stopping is the best way to overcome what is causing death. We can do that with God’s precious help and His love for us through His son Jesus Christ. We can turn away from those things that cause death. And, we can live our lives with Him in eternity much longer than our lives on this earth and the toll that some of these “natural” things can take on us.

May God bless!

Will The Lord Find Faith on Earth?

“When the Son of man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).  This question Jesus asked arose from a discussion of persistence in prayer.   This question of the Lord is designed to provoke an evaluation of our faith.  The Apostle Paul said, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.  Test yourselves” (2 Cor. 13:5).  How can we make sure the Lord finds faith when he comes?  Let me offer a couple of things we can do to ensure faith.

            The only way to ensure the Lord finds his people being faithful is to follow the words of Faith, the Bible.  The way we receive faith is through the hearing of God’s Word.  “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17).  The more of the Bible we put into our hearts and lives, the more faith we can expect to receive.  For this to be true we must be doers of the Word and not hearers only (James 1:22-25). 

            For the Lord to find faith when he comes we must remain faithful.  Jesus said, “Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).  We must take up our cross daily and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23).  Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me…” (Gal. 2:20).  If Christ is going to find faith when he returns, we must faithfully follow His Word (Mt. 7:21).

         The only way Jesus will find faith in your life and mine is if we are obedient to His Word.  Have you truly obeyed the gospel?  Have you accepted the faith which was once for all delivered to the Saints (Jude 3).  To become a faithful child of God you must hear God’s word (Rom. 10:17), believe in Jesus as the Son of God (Jn. 8:24), repent of past sins (Luke 13:3), confess Jesus before men (Rom. 10:10) and be baptized in water for the forgiveness of your sins (Acts 2:38).  Once you have obeyed the gospel, then you must live faithful until death (Rev. 2:10).  May God help each of us to have faith when Christ comes!

Pearls - Amy Lawrence

Pearls

It’s funny the things I remember from my youth that are now perceived in a very different way with more years’ experience. I used to think pearls were for older women. (It’s because I only saw them on women older than myself, and it might also have had something to do with the fact that I thought 30 was old.) Because of this perception, I wouldn’t wear pearls. I felt I was too young, and pearls were a future accomplishment I hadn’t earned yet. I told myself that I had to be a woman to wear them. I had to be an independent adult with my very own set of pearls that screamed, “I am responsible enough to make my own decisions.” I bought a string of cream- colored, freshwater gems just a few months before my wedding. As a wedding gift, my parents bought me earrings to match. I still have those earrings and that string of pearls. Each gleaming orb on that string, to me, represents the journey of experiences I have had from the moment I began thinking of the person I would be.

Most people don’t start off as kids thinking, “Okay, here’s the itinerary I plan on following to become (insert dream here)”. I was a weird kid. Now I’m a weird adult. I’m not unusual because I had a plan and followed it, no. Lots of people do that. I’m unusual because I knew at a young age that this road we call life isn’t a road that we create. That timeless phrase, “I’m going to make my own way,” spoken by countless people, had a mocking note in it to me - like anyone saying it had no idea that the God of the Universe is the Waymaker. Jeremiah the prophet wrote, “Oh, Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” (Jer. 10:23) The majority follows the dream, not God. Oh, yeah, they’ll say something like, “God got me here,” as if every decision they made was with God in their mind and not their own selfishness. I’m not saying it’s wrong to have a dream, and I’m not saying I never tried to put God in the backseat. At some point, we all have. What’s wrong is when we think God caters to our dreams. In my mind, my dream, God was the decision. Every choice I made was made with the knowledge that in the end, I would answer to God for my choices. I wanted to be a marine biologist. There are no churches in the middle of the ocean where I wanted to go. At one brief phase in my life, I wanted to go to Hollywood. I came to the conclusion quickly that was a no-go, because in order to make any money I would have to do things that were not Christian. I even wanted to be a racecar driver…but racing on a Sunday in the Daytona 500 would take me away from God and toward my selfishness. Sacrificing God was never an option. Pretending I’d get where I wanted to go and later make it up to Him would have been the first step away from Him. Regardless of any desires of what I wanted to be here, in this temporary life, I realized that anything here is just that: temporary. I want eternal.

Getting back to those pearls, I see now what I didn’t see then; not every pearl is perfect. I’ve made countless mistakes in my time here. A lot of those mistakes I learned from immediately. A number of them took a couple of times to sink in…and a few I am still repeating because I do not recognize them until it’s been done. I am getting better at recognizing them, though. It is in this that I see what holds my pearls in place. That string on which my pearls hang has to be strong. It has to be made of stuff that gets the job done of holding me together. No material the world offers will do; this world does a better job of tearing apart than keeping together. My string is the Holy Spirit, Rom. 8:1-11. He dwells in me, influencing every thought and action. Yes… sometimes I ignore Him. I sin. My conscience beats me up until I make it right. My memories of those mistakes are the dents in my pearls, reminders of what it costed.

There have been experiences in my life that I thought, while in the middle of experiencing them, were tragedies. Even though they were hard moments, they were moments that did the most building of the person I was to become. Joseph understood this. His life was one crisis after another. His mother was claimed by death when Joseph was young, his brothers hated him and subsequently sold him into slavery, his master’s wife abused him, his freed fellow prisoner forgot him. Many would see Joseph’s life as a disaster. Joseph did not. He called his life good; not because of the experiences themselves, but because of the result God intended his life to accomplish, Gen. 50:19-21. And if you look back through Joseph’s life in scripture, you will see God right beside him every step of the way, Heb. 13:5. The pearls that have dents in them are still beautiful.

Pearls are grown from a piece of grit getting into the mollusk. To protect its soft tissue, the mollusk begins covering the irritant with nacre. Layer by layer, a pearl is grown. The mollusk must have the proper mechanisms in place to defend against damage from the invader. If it doesn’t, the grit will eventually damage or allow infection into the mollusk. Christians must also have the proper mechanisms in place to protect themselves from the grits of life. It’s easy to get bogged down by temptations and trials. It starts with that grit. Choices made and habits built up as a reaction to that grit become the directions we take, the methods we use to solve problems. A lot of where we end up in this life depends on those habits, those choices. Some choose God.

Most choose Satan. The Devil has an arsenal of weapons, 2 Cor. 2:11, and they are all aimed at mankind…but the most powerful tool at his disposal to keep us wandering in the wrong direction is deception, Jn. 8:44, 1 Cor. 11:3,14, Rev. 12:9. He shows us what we think we want. Our selfishness is preyed upon by the one who is an expert in tempting us with what we desire when we are at our weakest. Most of the pitfalls we suffer are of our own choosing and begin and end with selfishness. We humans have a talent for destroying ourselves. The only thing that keeps us from doing so is wisdom. Some may say that the Christian life is not brilliant. It’s void of fame and glory, prominence and prestige, monetary ease, things the world tells us we should want.

Their eyes can’t see the abundance that is found in following God - the overflowing peace, joy, hope, fulfillment, love, gratitude. This list is one that everyone that has a heartbeat seeks in this carnal existence - but so few find - primarily because of where they are looking. I found these things in the one place the world rarely looks: scripture. God’s Word is the factory that has built my life, 2 Tim. 3:16-17. That’s not to say I didn’t make my fair share of mistakes along the way. I didn’t even know they were mistakes while I was making them. I had to learn. I had to learn to identify when I messed up, otherwise it would be repeated over and over until I either finally learned or just got stuck in this infinite loop of repeated mistakes. They can be personal mistakes or even mistakes passed down from father to son or mother to daughter; unless the circle is broken, they will continue. God’s message to Ezekiel dealt with the tribe of Judah blaming their parents for their exile into Babylon, Ezek. 18. Their exile was their own fault because they repeated the mistakes of their parents! Many of the Jews in the first century did as well, Acts 7:51. Bad habits can be broken and new, good habits learned - by both young and old. I wish I could tell you there was a list, a chart that I have compiled to make it easier for you to get rid of that grit. I do not. Even the shiny pearls I learned took work. All of those wonderful things I had in my sights were on the other side of a series of actions called responsibility. I was severely bummed. I couldn’t ask Dad for a quarter I could pop into a little machine and get my hopes and dreams to come rolling down a chute wrapped in a handy dandy plastic egg. Not only were my desires much harder to get to, but I even had to go out and get my own quarter. I knew I needed time to learn the lessons experience had to teach me, but experience is so SLOW. I had forgotten that growth happens in layers. It takes patience to grow those layers. As it turns out, it takes layers to grow patience. This is where it got interesting…and I didn’t see how interesting until the pearl was fully formed. I still don’t have a chart, but I do have an instruction book. There is no “easy access” to the information. You have to do the work. Read. Study. Fellowship with those who read and study. Dust off your Bible and find the enormous treasure within its pages.

Each soldier of Christ is at a different stage of their life as a Christian. Pearls grow. So can Christians. It just doesn’t happen all at once. Our defenses will be tested, whether on a personal level or even as a congregation of the Lord’s church. James wrote, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” (James 1:2-3) The Hebrew writer addresses how these layers are grown. Spiritual pearls are worn by those “who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.“ By reason of use, layers of wisdom and courage are grown, Heb. 5:12-14. Imagine having this kind of armor against Satan; armor built by God, layers crafted by the only hands that are capable of protecting us from the Devil’s darts, Eph. 6:10-13.

The trick to defeating Satan is in the layers. An article in Science Alert written by David Nield states that: “The secret to nacre's toughness is in the way the material's tiled surface locks together when stress is put on it, enabling it to spread out the strain. When the surface is no longer under pressure, it relaxes into individual tiles again.” An article written by John Donald Currey and published in the Royal Society Publishing of Biological Sciences has this to say about nacre: “An attempt is made to explain qualitatively the mechanical behaviour of nacre in terms of its submicroscopic structure. It is concluded that the precise geometric arrangement of the plates is most important, and that this constraint may make nacre less suitable for shells that must be built quickly.” Pearls that are built slowly and with the right arrangement are stronger than pearls built quickly. But why does the strength of the pearl matter? We’re using pearls as a metaphor for knowledge gained from life experiences, so let me rephrase that question. Why does the strength of knowledge, how it is built and arranged, matter? The answer to this question is found in 2 Cor. 10:4-5. There is a war being waged for our minds. The stronger our defenses, the less likely we are to lose the battle against the Deceiver. Remember that grit of sand? Protecting ourselves from the damage that tiny piece of grit can do depends on how well our pearl is built.

We can’t “go out of the world” (1 Cor. 5:10) to avoid sin no more than that mollusk can avoid getting sand into its shell, but we can keep sin from affecting our Christian health by building strong defenses. It takes patience. David was a young boy when he faced Goliath. When offered a physical suit of armor, he understood that armor had to be both learned and earned. David had never fought in a suit of armor and it encumbered him when he walked, 1 Sam. 17:38-39. He hadn’t “tested” it. He didn’t know how to fight using a soldier’s equipment - but that’s not to say he didn’t know how to fight. God was David’s armor, 1 Sam. 17:37. David had experienced battles before and had gained wisdom and courage through those experiences. This equipped him to take on Goliath.

Pearls are resilient things. Christians can be too, with the right motivation and tools. Even when we don’t all start at the same place, we can all end up at the same place. How? By following the same map. We know the process by which strong pearls are made. There is also a process by which strong Christians are made. Not every Christian is at the same point on the journey. Some are just starting while others have been on this road so long they can walk it blindfolded. As layers take time to build up, once they are built up…they need maintenance. Keeping pearls in a safe place and the occasional cleaning are required. Each Sunday, the Lord’s church assembles to worship God. We as Christians are commanded to edify one another. The word edify means “build up”. Help each other grow. Even a seasoned Christian should still be growing. The layers of our pearls should include: fellowship, Heb. 10:24-25, grace and knowledge, 1 Pet. 2:2, 2 Pet. 3:17-18, and good works, Titus 3:14. Our soil should be rich with these fertilizers. Then and only then can we produce fruit, 2 Pet. 1:5-8.

I want my daughter to have her own set of pearls; not just the physical kind, but the spiritual kind as well. But she has to grow them. I can’t do that for her. My job is to teach her how. This is why I try every day to be pleasing to God. My husband and I cannot give our child a more valuable gift than showing her God. The home should be the easiest place for a kid to learn about Him. I don’t always succeed and by the end of the day I am asking God for forgiveness, but if she sees me growing, trying, learning, she will be encouraged to do the same, 2 Tim. 1:3-5; 3:10-15. This also applies in the church. When the church is united, when everyone is working toward one another’s wellbeing, the church GROWS, Acts 4:32-35. If you are a part of the church, cherish it. You are a citizen of the greatest kingdom that has ever existed, Eph. 2:19. If you would like to become a part of the church, the directions in how to do this are found in God’s Holy Word. We here at the church of Christ welcome you to join us every Sunday and Wednesday evening to study with us.

"Pilgrims in a Foreign Land" - Joey Ferrell

“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,” (1 Peter 2:11)

Sometimes, a verse of the Bible hits closer to home than at other times. 1 Peter 2:11 certainly did just that for me and my wife the past few weeks! Let me explain.

I have been needing some major dental work performed for quite some time now. Unfortunately, insurance would not cover very much if any of what I needed done, so after much research, I chose to book what is called a “Dental Vacation” in Cancun. I can very thankfully say that the surgery and treatment went very well, the facility and the doctors were incredible, and I am healing now until my return trip later this year for the final work to be done. Enough about my dental work though, and let’s talk about the subject at hand.

We were accommodated on-site at the dental facility. They have some very nice studio rooms which made it very convenient to just have the work done and then go rest right in the same building. The building was near what is called “centro” in Playa del Carmen (one of the busy tourist areas of Cancun - especially at night!) With the proximity of the building, we could walk to many local stores, restaurants, attractions, and even the beach. There were plenty of places to see and we felt very safe after the first night or two.

With my treatment schedule, we had a couple of “free days” mixed in. One of these days, we chose to go to a local beach that was much more secluded with a lot less people to enjoy our day. There was a cenote (small body of water in a cave like setting) and some shallow areas to just sit and enjoy the day. It was very nice. Our second free day was the last day we were there. We chose to go down to the “centro” (5th Avenue to be specific) where they close off the area to vehicles and it is all foot traffic. We spent the better part of the afternoon and evening there.

As we walked down the center of the road, it was not uncommon at all for either a street vendor, or a worker at one of the local stores, restaurants, and so on to shout out or jump out in front of us and we would often hear much of the same lines…

“Free tequila, come get a shot, we will give you two…cigars, buy one get one free….” and so on.

Many times we would just try to ignore them and keep moving…but then there were always those that were persistent! Here is one conversation from one of those:

“Amigo, free tequila…come get some!”

“No thank you.”

“It’s free….and I will give you two!”

“It’s okay, thanks…we don’t drink.”

“Ohhh….you don’t know how to drink tequila, I will teach you!”

“no thanks! We don’t drink!”

“How about a cigar?” (I continue to smile and shake my head)

“Oh okay then…come and buy some of my jewelry then.”

I guess once you finally get the message across that you don’t drink, you don’t smoke, and I even told one that I don’t cuss - I am just straight as an arrow - they move on to something else that they think you cannot resist.

Couple this with a multiplicity of men walking up behind us and saying “hey, it’s me, I was your waiter last night, remember???” The first one got us. We didn’t realize that he was not (this was our second night in town) and we told him that we would go look at his jewelry store….after all, it was air conditioned!

Can you see how we felt like “pilgrims in a strange land?” It wasn’t because of the difference in nationality (on our part anyway - we did hear some people refer to us as Americans - I guess we are gullible maybe), or the difference in language, or even the fact that we really didn’t know where we were at and where we were going (I will add to say that if you ever visit the area, it is pretty simple to navigate once you learn the major roads and landmarks). It was because we did not fit in with the “customs” of the area, or at least what is promoted as the way to have a good time at least. We were different. We weren’t like some of the other tourists or even many of the locals there. We chose to be different…and I am glad we are!

Peter said in two verses right before our lead-in verse that we “are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you.” That is what we are called to be…different…set apart…holy…sanctified…called out! No wonder he went on to talk about being pilgrims. Maybe with some of our interactions, the light of God’s glory shined through to show some lost soul that you don’t need all of what the world wants to think they are happy…we are very happy….as Christians!

On a more positive note, it didn’t take very long for one of the other patients at the dental clinic to figure it out either. She was able to identify that we are Christians from our interactions and hopefully the example we were giving. I shared our work with her…maybe that will go much further as well!

Be a pilgrim in a foreign land….if it is across the globe….or even your own hometown. Others will see and they will want to know more!

Are You Ready for the Judgment Day?

Are You Ready For The Judgment Day?

           The Bible clearly teaches that God has a day prepared when He will judge all men.  To the idolatrous people in Athens, Paul declared that God “…has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead" (Acts 17:30-31). For many people this will be the saddest day of their life. They did not prepare spend their life preparing for this day.  As a result, they will be lost (Matt. 25:1-10).  To others, this will be the most wonderful day of their life. They spent their life preparing for this day and were ready to go to Heaven (Matt. 25:23).  For The Day of Judgment to be a happy day for us we must understand the nature of this day.  Let us consider several biblical characteristics of The Judgment Day.

           The Judgment Day of God is as certain as the fact that each person must one day die.  The Hebrews writer stated, “It is appointed to man once to die and then the judgment” (Heb. 9:27).  Paul reminds us of the surety of God’s Judgment when he writes, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God."  So then each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:11-12).   It has often been said that there are two things certain in this life: death and taxes.   To that list we would also add The Judgment Day.

           Concerning the day of God’s judgment, Jesus said “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matt. 24:44).  Paul taught the Thessalonians that the Lord’s coming would be as a thief in the night (1 Thess. 5:2-3).  Paul’s point is you don’t know when a thief is coming to rob you, nor do you know when the Lord is coming again.  Jesus taught that only the Father knew the time of His return and judgment (Matt. 24:36).  The reason God did not tell us when He was coming in judgment is because He knows our nature.  If God told us exactly when He was coming then we would very likely squander our time down to the very last minute and then try to get ready.  We are terrible procrastinators.  Judgment could happen at any time.  Are you ready for it?

           When God judges the world, the standard for judgment will be the Bible.  Jesus said, “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him — the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12:48).  Each of us will have our deeds in this life compared with the Word of God to see if they are right (2 Cor. 5:10-11).  If we are going to be judged by God’s word, then we must also live by God’s word.

Are you ready for The Judgment Day?    If you have lived right and been faithful to God then you will have a home in Heaven.  However, if you have not lived by the Bible, but instead have lived a life of sin it will be a sad, sad day.  To those who were unfaithful to His will Jesus said, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41).  May God help all of us to prepare for The Judgment Day.

"Daisies" - Amy Lawrence

Daisies

A Study on Comparison

There is no shortage of photographs of women (and sometimes even men) that have dedicated a great deal of time, money, and pain to make themselves appear young and “beautiful”. Plastic surgery has become a fad. The market for products that claim to restore youth - or at least the halting of aging - is a multi-billion dollar business. Whether it’s clothing, makeup, hairstyles, or overall body image, we as women put a lot of stock in how we look. This idea of beauty, as we see it with our limited vision, is not foreign to scripture, either. Sarah was beautiful, so much that Abraham was afraid he would be killed by men that saw her beauty and wanted her for themselves, Gen. 12:11-12. Ahasuerus, king of Medo-Persia, wished to show off his beautiful queen, Vashti, to the nobles, princes, and servants of his kingdom, Esther 1:1-11.

Women aspire to be beautiful because it garners an often desirable attention and placement within a social structure. We want to fit in. Because of this, we tend to base our worth on our personal image. It is a blow to a woman’s self-esteem to be considered “ugly”. We are all beautiful, though, because we are all made in the image of God, Gen. 1:26, by the hand of God, Ps. 139:14.

Let’s begin a study on beauty.

Let us first look at some facts. As of 2022, the average lifespan of a female citizen of the Unites States of America is 80.2 years. (They must not have included Betty White in that average.) Medical research over the centuries has discovered that collagen production in the human body begins to decrease by our mid-20s. Wrinkles naturally start to appear within 40 to 50 years of age, and our hormone production decreases. Other factors that also need to be taken into account are diet, exercise, exposure to sun and other radiation sources, and overall health. Now, let’s allow all this information to paint a picture. By the time we figure out what beauty even is, we’ve spent a decade of childhood not even caring about beauty. We spend the next 10 years figuring out that there’s a societal standard to which we must adhere in order to really be considered “beautiful” by our preferred social circle. Once we finally get it figured out, WHAM, old age hits us square in the ego. We get to enjoy being old nearly thrice as long as we get to be young. It is daunting, to say the least. Coming to terms with the brevity of this life makes us consider the quality of the things to which we dedicate ourselves. That begs the question: is beauty by worldly standards a quality thing?

It’s natural to want to be attractive. Our outward appearance is also a form of communication. It can speak of our state of mind, social status, even our standard of morality. We often forget that whether we like it or not, we are judged by our appearance. It’s human nature. When we see an individual, we make assumptions about that individual based first on what we see. Most pass judgement based solely on appearance. Jesus warns against this, Jn. 7:24. Don’t use this as an excuse to look however you wish to, though. Remember - we are ambassadors for Christ. It matters what we wear, Gen. 38:12-19, Prov. 7:6-10, 2 Sam. 13:18. We should want to look like Christ. Our garments must be appropriate, Mt. 22:11-14.

Our focus should also be appropriate. When we focus on God and His righteousness, everything else will fall into place as it should, Mt. 6:33, Rom. 8:28. Our beauty should not just be an outward one. Only God can make our inner woman gorgeous, Prov. 31:30. Consider what it is we are trying to accomplish. Our lifelong goal should be to give God glory. We were not put here to shine our own light. None of it is ours, Is. 42:8; 48:11. We are merely reflections of the true Light, Jn. 8:12. If this truth remains at the forefront of our minds, then our appearance and our actions will publish it to those around us, Rom. 12:1-2. Then and only then can we draw others toward God. We are His Creation, made in His likeness, to do His will.

I mentioned that this is a study on comparison. I say ‘compare’ because that is an innate behavior; we can’t help but observe ourselves/others and use that to fit into our preferred social setting. We are hardwired to build communal relationships using comparison…but sometimes it leads to competition instead of coalition. We as the church often forget that unity is a command, Eph. 4:1-3. When our focus as women within the body of Christ is a beauty contest, we weaken the unity. A daisy in a meadow doesn’t compete with the daisy next to it. They both just bloom. When we endeavor to bring out the beauty in each other, this allows every Christian woman to bloom.

"You're outta here!" - Joey Ferrell

Recently, the college sports headlines covered the unusual situation of a player that did not feel that he had to attend mandatory events such as practice and team meetings in part or most because he felt that he was beyond that as he had a very large NIL value. While I do not quite grasp all of the reasoning behind the NIL situation in college sports, I do understand that type of attitude.

Paul actually addresses that in Romans 12:3 when he says to not think of ourselves more highly than we ought. It is really that simple…but for the sake of comparison, let’s explore a few different ideas and how they relate to our spiritual lives.

1. We are all part of the body (you can substitute team). That means that as Paul describes later in Romans 12 that we each have a specific role to play within the church, and the spiritual lives of not only ourselves, our families, but also for the saints and even the lost that we come into contact with each day.

2. Every soul has the same net worth. That net worth is clearly defined in Romans 12:1 with the admonition of being a “living sacrifice.” We know that the sacrifice of our Lord as outlined in John 3:16 tells us what His sacrifice meant to every soul….how much is your soul worth? The life of my Lord.

3. Our actions represent our heart. Verse 10 says to give preference to others, verse 13 - hospitable in our actions. Verse 16 says to be like minded with one another, verse 18 says live at peace with all men. All of these admonitions show that the ones that we are around are to be treated with much respect, concern, and benefit.

What does this have to do with the fella that didn’t show up? Well, he was let go. He was told in a way that he wasn’t quite as important as maybe he thought. What did he say to his teammates? In his actions, he said “I am better than you, I don’t care about what happens to you, I am selfish, and I am looking out for the right now and not the future.

We cannot live like that in the world, much less in the spiritual realm. You see, there are certain rules and requirements in order to be part of a team, or maybe some kind of social club, or maybe some elite group of designated persons (such as a who’s who listing or hall of fame), and if those rules or requirements are not met…well, honestly we should expect someone to say “you’re outta here!”

What about our spiritual well-being? The book of Romans will continue to talk about things that the Christian will want to abide by, strive for, and move toward in their life. One of those ideas is well explained in chapter 15 in what we “owe” Christ for His sacrifice for us. What is that? He encourages us in verses 4-7 to be obedient in honoring the Lord by being in unity one with another to strengthen and encourage each other glorifying God.

Chapter 16 closes out this book by talking about the “team.” Certainly Paul could have ended the book talking about himself, what all he had done, what honor he expected from them for all of his labors…but he does not. He encourages and lifts up his brethren with kindness, meekness, gentleness and love….and it is with that same mind and heart that he pens the words “greet one another with a holy kiss, the churches of Christ salute you!” Not he salutes you, because his NIL is better than yours. Not any of those particular individuals salutes you because they are more known than you may be. Not any particular congregation, whether large or small because they are the “popular” one in town….but ALL in plurality - the “churches of Christ". Who is in the churches of Christ? The saved. They are added to the one true church, but not to be recognized as a stand out…rather to be unified in glory!

Don’t be one that finds themselves in a spiritual situation where the words are fitting of “You’re outta here!” Live life the way God wants you to, exhort others, attend worship services faithfully, edify one another and love the brotherhood!

Peace and love!

Joey

What is a Saving Type of Faith? - Ben Bailey

What is a Saving Type of Faith? 

            It is evident from the Bible that not every type of faith is a saving faith.  For example, the Bible records that even the demons believe (From the Greek word pistis which is used interchangeably for faith), yet we know the demons are lost and their faith only evokes trembling (James 2:19).  Throughout the Bible, there have been people who had faith, but it was not a saving kind of faith.  For example, the Israelites were God’s people during the times of Moses and Joshua, yet because of a lack of true faith (i.e., they believed in God), they perished (Heb. 3:7ff).  What is a saving type of faith really like?

            In Scripture, Faith is correctly defined as obedient trust in God.  At the beginning and end of the Book of Romans, the Holy Spirit defines faith as the “obedience of faith” which saves (Rom. 1:5, 16:26).  It is not simply enough to say that we believe in Jesus Christ.  Belief must be backed up by action (James 2:14-26).  Jesus said that it was not everyone who said: “Lord, Lord” that was going to go to Heaven but those who do the will of the Father in Heaven (Matt. 7:21).  In fact, Jesus used belief/faith synonymously with obedience.  The Lord said “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him (John 3:36, ESV).  Another example of faith being obedient trust can be seen from the great man of faith, Abraham.  Scripture records that “Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Rom. 4:3; Gen. 15:6; Gal. 3:6).  What does the Scripture mean when it says, “Abraham believed God”?   In Genesis 26:5, we learn what it means.  To describe Abraham’s faith, God said, “Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws” (Gen. 26:5).  Remember that in the Bible faith and obedience go hand in hand.

            A saving type of faith has complete trust in God.  The woman with the flow of blood trusted the Lord so much that if she could just touch the Lord’s garment she knew she would be well.  Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well” (Mk. 5:34).  Another example is the Centurion in Matthew 8. In this account, the Centurion’s son was sick and Jesus is called to heal him.  Yet, the Centurion feels unworthy that the Lord should come under his roof.  He trusts the Lord so completely that if Jesus will just say the word, his son will be healed.  Of this faith, Christ said, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” (Matt. 8:10).  Having a trusting faith means that I believe God to the extent that whatever He says I am willing to do it.  Abraham illustrates this fact perfectly because he was willing to kill his only son of promise simply because God told him to (Read Gen. 22).

            A saving faith is a working faith.  To have the kind of faith God approves of, our faith must be active.  Imagine this scenario: A man comes to worship this Sunday and has no clothes to wear and hasn’t eaten in a long time.  As a Christian, you then turn to this man in desperate need and say, “God bless you and we hope you find something to wear and eat.”  Have you had a saving type of faith?  According to James 2, you have not.  James clearly teaches that you cannot say you are a Christian without doing the things God commands, like being benevolent (James 2:18).  If you told someone you were a Christian, how would they know you were unless they could see a picture of your life in the Scriptures?

            After studying these passages and principles, each of us must now look inward (2 Cor. 13:5) and see if we have the correct type of faith.  Is your trust in God complete?  Does your faith get out and do anything for Christ?  If you cannot answer yes to these questions, your faith needs changing into biblical faith—obedient trust.  May our aim be to live in faith so that one day we can have the crown of life (Rev. 2:10)!

"The No Drama Club" - Amy Lawrence

Peacemakers

The No Drama Club

There is a particular type of personality in certain individuals I have encountered over the years that I call the “drama junkie” personality. Drama is an addiction to them; if they don’t have it, they seek it. If they can’t find it, they make it. It is a way of life they have lived for so long that they know no other way to exist. Peace and quiet are foreign to them, even painful sometimes. They are, as a result of their personality, characteristically dramatic - both emotionally and practically. A relationship with such a person rarely involves peace. Given that God commands Christians to be

Peacemakers (Rom. 12:18), I felt it necessary to dive into a study, not just as an article subject, but for my own personal spiritual growth as well. Please allow me to share with you what I found.

It would be ridiculous for me to suggest that all drama can be avoided. We all know that such is not the case in this life. Struggles are a reality, and truth be told, there are enough of them occurring naturally that makes purposely adding more a senseless endeavor. Matthew wrote, “sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Mt. 6:34). We don’t need to add to an already heavy load of daily struggles…but there are those that cannot seem to help themselves. It’s a habit, really; one that some continue in ignorance and some continue on purpose. The ways by which drama is cultivated more popularly among us as women include gossiping and meddling in affairs that do not concern us. Scripture gives the usual reason for such actions: idleness, 2 Thess. 3:11, 1 Tim. 5:13. The old maxim “Idle hands are the Devil’s workshop” rings all too true. We tell this to our children, but there are some adults that could benefit from the proverb as well. What is rarely acknowledged is the division that is caused by such actions. Gossip can divide the closest of friends. Meddling can separate like an axe laid to a block of wood. Paul pleaded with the Corinthians that there “be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement”, 1 Cor. 1:10. He later stated that there should be “no schism (division) in the body (church), but that the members should have the same care for one another”, 1 Cor. 12:25. So…how do we do this?

The first step to solving any problem is acknowledging that there is a problem. Women are stereotyped for being gossipers, and for good reason. It’s generally women doing the gossiping. This is not to say that men never gossip, but let’s be real here, ladies. Men are not famous for talking about feelings, and they rarely, if ever, have the inclination to meddle in others’ affairs. Women are normally the culprits. I myself despise gossip. I’ve seen what it can do. It is a viral evil that destroys trust and connection. There is no such thing as innocent gossip. It is done purely for entertainment purposes and has no value whatsoever. As a matter of fact, it costs more than it garners. Solomon wrote, “He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a dog by the ears.” (Prov. 26:17) I’d like to think we are all smart enough to stay well away from a dog’s teeth, but somehow we have all fallen into the trap of listening to/helping spread gossip and meddling in affairs of which we have no business meddling. I have been guilty, and as my past contains incidents of such, I have learned first hand the damage such actions produce. It’s like a drug; we know it’s wrong, but our carnal minds find ways to justify it. I hate it, try my best to avoid it, but it is still a temptation. The good thing is, we know Someone that can help us avoid temptation.

There are a number of tools necessary to avoid such temptations. A primary tool in our Christian toolbox should be courage. When we read of the Christian armor in Ephesians 6, this courage is found in the context. Notice verses 11, 13, and 14 use the word “stand”. There is courage in standing instead of cowering or running away. Gossiping is cowardly. First, the subject of the gossip is not there to defend themselves, and second, gossip is an attempt to recruit others to join in the behavior. If a person has committed a legitimate offense worth mentioning, there is protocol found in scripture for such situations, Mt. 18:15-17. Have courage, and be gentle, Gal. 6:1. If it’s not worth mentioning, don’t mention it. 

Another tool in our box should be wisdom. The Holy Spirit through Solomon said, “Wisdom is the principal thing…” (Prov. 4:7). How do we gain wisdom? Where does it begin? I recommend studying the phrase “fear of the Lord” in scripture. It is remarkable how many times and in what context you will find this phrase. The psalmist wrote, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…” (Psalm. 111:10). Wisdom in scripture is often coupled with knowledge and understanding. We like to call it “sense” or “reason”. A person that is in possession of these faculties has the ability through learning and experience to make wise decisions. Meddling is making an unwise decision to become a part of a situation that is none of our business. Peter tried to meddle, Jn. 21:21. Jesus, in so many words, told Peter it was none of his business and that he should keep his focus on what truly mattered, vs. 22. We are encouraged by scripture to do the same, 1 Pet. 4:14-16.

Christians are called to be peacemakers, Mt. 5:9. This false idea that peace means a complete absence of drama is not supported by scripture, because peace is not the absence of drama. It is the presence of justice. As long as there is justice, there is peace. When justice begins to disappear, history has proven time and again that peace shortly follows. We must also notice in scripture that peace is the direct antithesis of division. This concept is brought out in verses such as Lk. 12:51 and Eph. 2:14-15. As division separates, peace brings together. We must unite against sin instead of allowing ourselves to be divided because of sin. Part of this unity is allowing ourselves to be subject to one another, 1 Pet. 5:5. We must help one another. Part of this help is encouraging, and part is rebuking. We must be humble enough to receive both with alacrity, give both with love, courage, and gentleness. 

Let us be peacemakers, James 3:13-18.

David, A Leader in Purity

Ralph Waldo Emerson once stated, “What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us.”  This statement defines the real essence of leadership.  Great leaders are not defined by past accomplishments of future endeavors.  Great leaders are distinctly remembered for their integrity of heart.  For example, David was a great military leader.  His leadership accomplishments range from the defeat of Goliath to the conquering of the enemy nations.  Yet, when we think of King David it is not those accomplishments that stand out.  David is best remembered for that one statement God made concerning him: “I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will” (Acts 13:22).   David will forever be remembered as a leader after God’s own heart.  What  made David a leader in purity?  And, what characteristics can we possess to be leaders in purity?

True leaders are pure in principle.  Peter Marshall, who served as U. S. Senate Chaplain in 1947, is famous for making the following statement, “Give us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for - because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything.”  David was dedicated to doing the right thing, even when it was difficult.  For example, in a cave in the wilderness of En Gedi David could have very easily assassinated his enemy Saul.  He came very close to doing so—so close that he cut a corner of David’s robe off.  Yet, the Scripture records that David’s heart was troubled for almost taking Saul’s life because he was the anointed of the Lord (1 Sam. 24).  Even when it would have promoted his own wellbeing, David did what was right regardless of the cost.  We need more leaders, like David, who God said, he “kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only what was right in My eyes” (1 Kings 14:8). True leaders are committed to doing right no matter what!

True leaders are pure in the pattern they follow.  Swiss Psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung made a correct observation when he said, “The true leader is always led.”  David was a leader of purity because he was led by the right source—God & His Word.  David trusted in the Scriptures as God’s inspired guide to man (2 Sam. 23:1-2).  In the transporting of the Ark and death of Uzzah, David learned very quickly that you must “consult Him about the proper order” of things (1 Chron. 15:13).  From that time forward David learned to say, “Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long” (Ps. 25:5).  How wonderful it would be if God’s leaders (elders, preachers, bible class teachers) said with Samuel, “Speak Lord Your Servant Hears” (1 Sam. 3:9).  The church needs more leaders who live their life by a “Thus Saith the Lord.”

True leaders are not perfect, they are pure in penitence.  Too often public leaders, when caught in sin, are forced to admit their wrongs but are never seen as truly penitent.  For example, what do the names Elliot Spitzer & Jim McGreevy have in common?  Both were high profile political figures who were caught in heinous sexual sins.  So was King David!  How do these men differ from David and his sin?  Many times, when leaders are caught in sin they are quick to admit an “oversight in judgment” but never make any real repentance.  Many leaders have the attitude popularized by Bill Cinton, “I may have smoked but I never inhaled.”  Such was not the attitude of King David.  When confronted with his sin he said, “I have sinned” (1 Sam. 12:13).  It is evident from Psalm 51 that David’s penitence was genuine.  In that Psalm David exclaimed, “For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment” (Psalm 51:3-4).  David was a great leader, because when he sinned (as we all do) he repented openly and took steps to make it right with God and others.

Truly, David was a leader in purity because of his pure principles, pure pattern and pure penitence.  Oh, how we need more leaders like King David in the Lord’s church today.   We need more leaders who will say “Teach me Your way, O Lord, And lead me in a smooth path…” (Ps. 27:11).  God, give us leaders in purity!