It is easy for people to think time is an inexhaustible resource. The years before us seem as if time will never end. Then, in old age, those years disappear.

Husbands don’t have enough time for wives. Fathers don’t have enough time for children. Employees believe there is enough time to complete a project until they discover the deadline is upon them. Writers often have the same problem. There is just not enough sand in the hourglass.

Eventually, we will come to a moment in life when the days behind us are more than the ones in front of us. We wonder how something like that could happen.

My children were born in the 1970s. My wife and I thought we’d have a long, happy time watching them grow. Now they are all grown and have children of their own. Our oldest grandson is nearing college graduation. Where did the years go?

We should think of the coming eternity than how much time we have left in this old world. In Ecclesiastes chapter nine, Solomon wrote,

“Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, the place where you will eventually go,” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

Instead of our preoccupation with the time we have left, we need to think of how we can help ourselves and others by preparing to use the remaining time we have to the glory of God.

Eternity is stretching itself out before us. Are we ready for it? We must prepare for eternity by obeying the gospel and spend the remaining time given us by serving God.

The book of Romans can be both straight-forward, as well as deep and complex. It’s no wonder that Peter ascribes some things as hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16). When one can discover somewhat of a “thread” through certain books, it can be easier to comprehend the content found within the scriptures.

OVERVIEW:

Sometimes keywords come in the form of a singular word. Other times, a keyword can morph by way of multiple words and become a key phrase. Such is the case in the book of Romans. Paul uses something called didactic dialectic. In simpler terms, it means he asks a question and follows it up with the answer. The phrase is identified in the text when one sees “what shall we say” or “what then.” This is used nine times throughout seven chapters in the book of Romans.

BACKGROUND:

Paul is addressing the church in Rome within his letter (1:1). Most scholars argue this is among the latter of his letters, with a dating of late 50s AD. As one might expect with the location of Rome, the church was made up of both Jews and Gentiles. Rome was known as a booming city in the ancient world; economically, politically, and religiously.

With politics and culture headed in a corrupt direction, Paul wanted to ensure the people had a good grasp of the doctrine contained within the gospel of Christ. By using the phrase, “what then,” he was able to put their theology and mindset on display, followed by a teaching on it. You’ll notice as we go throughout these key phrases, the attachment to Christian principles instituted by Christ and His Apostles.

MARKING: 

3:9 – “what then, are we Jews any better off?”

4:1 – “what then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh?”

6:1 – “what shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?”

6:15 – “what then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace?”

7:7 – “what then shall we say? That the law is sin?”

8:31 – “what then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

9:14 – “what shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part?”

9:30 – “what shall we say then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith”

11:7 – “what then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened”

APPLICATION:

There are a lot of doctrines and ideas of doctrines floating around the populous of the world. Some are mere trends and will eventually fade out. Others are captivating and toxic. In order to sort truth from the assortment, Paul takes the proposed mentality and puts it on the spotlight. Once in the spotlight, Paul then compares the ideology to what the text says. This holds true to Paul’s teaching in 1 Thessalonians 5:21, “test all things, hold fast what is true.” We ought to be truth-seekers, and not merely tradition-holders.

Tyler King

James tells us that we should be a people who are “quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.” (James 1: 19) There is certainly a gift that can be learned in becoming a better listener.  James is concerned with the anger of man, within the context of this particular verse, when he concludes the thought with the fact that “the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” (James 1: 20)

Our concern should be that we work on our anger, if that indeed is a problem.  It is easy, while having a “spirited” discussion with someone, to not listen to them but to use those moments to feed our own anger.  We need to take time to listen to those who are talking to us.

Someone has come up with “Six Steps To Becoming A Better Listener” and they are worth repeating here.  You will note that they form a LADDER—one that we should be able to remember.

L:  Look at the person speaking to you.

A:  Ask questions.

D:  Don’t interrupt.

D:  Don’t change the subject.

E:  Empathize

R:  Respond verbally and non-verbally.

It is possible that we sometimes leave the impression with others that we really don’t care what they have to say.  It is usually unintentional.  We are to be a people who are engaged in the soul winning business and as a result we must be good listeners if we are to be effective in the communication of the gospel.

Dave Chamberlin

I remember one morning a few years ago, I sat on my front porch to drink my cup of coffee. Not my usual location, but I wanted to get a different perspective on the day. After several minutes I caught a tiny movement in the corner of my eye. It was a torn leaf, about the size of an M&M, being dragged off by a quartet of minuscule ants. It was only then that I really looked and caught sight of the hundreds of ants that were scattered here and there all over the porch, each of them searching for or carrying away edible bounties to share with the colony. In that moment I was amazed at how easily I had overlooked their presence. They were everywhere, and yet their miniature size was easily disregarded by my enormous eye.

In that moment I was also impressed with an observation that Jesus made in Luke 12:6-7. “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

My mortal attention span is so narrow that it took me several minutes to realize that I was surrounded by hundreds of infinitesimal creatures, whose existence rarely means anything to me (until they get into my house…but that’s another discussion altogether). It took the mighty task of carrying a leaf the size of a bite size candy just to get me to notice them.

Yet, the Creator of the universe is so honed in on each of us individually that He has assigned every hair on our heads a number. Not a single one of us is ever forgotten, even though, comparatively, we are little more than ants scurrying around on this big planet. It may not always feel like this is the case, especially in our tougher days. But take courage, God is still there. He is still watching with His great love and concern for your pain. And He is working to lead you in the paths you must walk for the sake of His glory and your eternity.

Cory Waddell

Scripture presents a balanced view about God. Humanity, however, struggles to keep an even keel.

Today’s pulpits might quietly sidestep around God’s judgment and omit foretelling hell’s horrors. After all, who likes to hear an uncomfortable message? However, by so doing that silence promotes a distorted view of God and future reality. A closer look is warranted.

Scripture’s balanced view

When God described himself he chose to emphasize both his steadfast love and his refusal to turn a blind eye toward the guilty (Ex. 34:6-7). Paul captured this balance when he wrote, “Notice therefore the kindness and the severity of God” (Rom. 11:22). Even the gospel Paul proclaimed announced both God’s salvation and the reality of judgment (Rom. 1:16; 2:16).

When people portray God as being willing to acquit non-atoned sins  (mistakenly identifying this as love) thus distorting God’s holy nature, they  misrepresent the God who is there. Conversely, to assert God is an angry oppositional Judge looking for ways to condemn likewise twists the God who is.

Rather, because of his love God has made salvation universally available (John 3:16). Not only does God desire all people to repent, his patience delays judgment (2 Peter 3:9). And yet, one day without warning God will wield righteousness to judge even the darkest secrets people possess (Rom. 2:16; Acts 17:31).

Scripture’s terminology

Hades is the realm of the dead. Both the righteous and the unrighteous  enter Hades upon death. The KJV version miscommunicated when it translated this as hell (Mt. 11:23; Rev. 20:13), a problem corrected in the NKJV.

Upon his death Jesus entered Hades . However God did not abandon him there but rather raised him up (Acts 2:31).

Within Hades a place of blessing exists called Paradise or Abraham’s side  (Luke 23:43; 16:22). Hades also contains a place of torment  (Luke 16:23).

Gehenna is a Grecian form for the Hebrew Hinnom. In the New Testament it is often translated as hell.

The Valley of the Son of Hinnom was located on the south side of Jerusalem (Josh. 15:8). A Tophet, that is a place to sacrifice children in fire, was built in this valley (2 Kgs. 23:10; Jer. 19:4-14).

In an effort to desecrate Tophet thus making it even unfit for pagan worship, garbage was dumped in it and burned. By the time of Jesus, the valley of Gehenna had become an image for God’s judgment against the wicked. Jesus told the people not to fear man who can only kill the body, but rather to fear God who can destroy both one’s body and soul in Gehenna (Mt. 10:28).

Jesus described condemnation as being discarded in Gehenna, that is abandoned in an unquenchable fire where the worm does not die (Mk. 9:47,48). He warned people to repent from those lifestyles, attitudes and actions that would cause them to enter the fires of Gehenna (Mt. 5:22,29,30).

Lake of fire is a phrase in Revelation vividly portraying the devil’s hellish end. This fiery lake is equated with the second death (Rev. 20:14). While the faithless and immoral will go into this burning lake, the second death has no power over those who overcome, namely those whose names are written in the book of life (Rev. 2:11; 20:6,10,14,15).

The eternal fire is the appropriate punishment prepared for the devil and his angels. However, those who reject the ways of God’s kingdom also go away into this relentless fire. (Mt. 25:41).

Tartarus in Greek thought as well as in Israelite apocalyptic literature referred to the deepest darkest realm of Hades where divine punishment was meted out. Hell is an appropriate translation. Peter used the verbal form of Tartarus to describe God binding rebellious angels in darkness as they await judgment. (2 Pet. 2:4).

The verb cast out and the command depart depict the terrifying execution of damnation. Through his parables and teachings, Jesus repeatedly captured the horror of being helplessly thrust away from all that is good in order to be forever abandoned in darkness, weeping and gnashing of one’s teeth (Mt. 7:23; 22:13; 25:30,41 ).

The destruction of the ungodly and those who do not obey the gospel is associated with fire (2 Th. 1:8; 2 Pet. 3:7). It denotes suffering the punishment of eternal ruin, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might (2 Th. 1:9). It stands in contrast to inheriting life (Mt. 7:13-14).

God in his love has gone to extreme measures to ensure salvation is available for all. Jesus in his ministry considered it necessary to warn people about hell. Therefore it would be tragic if today people were to remain ignorant of God’s judgment and unmotivated to repent because Christians wanted to avoid saying something upsetting.

by Barry Newton

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (Psalms 23:1) 

The 23rd Psalm begins with a great affirmation of faith and commitment to the Lord. Being able to make this tremendous affirmation requires us to hear his voice and follow him, loving him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (John 10:27, 1 Peter 2:21, Mark 12:30). It requires that we be willing to give ourselves over to him as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2), letting him mold our thoughts, guide our lives and letting his word dwell in us richly.   In order to truly claim the Lord as our shepherd we must place our entire being into his hands without reservations or limitations (2 Tim. 1:12, Gal. 2:20, Phil. 1:21, Phil. 3:13-14).

As I think about all the many things that have occurred over the course of my life on earth, I come to the conclusion that life is one great adventure. We awake each morning to begin our daily routines not knowing what the day is going to bring forth. It may be success or it may be failure. We may experience great happiness and joy or it could be pain and heartache. It could be a calming peace that sweeps over us or our lives could be caught up in great waves of turmoil. We just don’t know from one moment to the next what is going to take place. However, there is one thing I do know. So long as the Lord is our shepherd it really doesn’t matter because through it all, the good, the not so good, he will guide us, protect us and lead us, onward and upward to a place of eternal bliss and happiness.

Just knowing that the Lord is our shepherd, knowing he loves us dearly and was willing to die for us should put a smile on our face and a bounce in our step (Phil.4:4, Revelation 14:13). One day this great adventure will end for all of us (Heb. 9:27). When that happens, we will leave what we have here and take with us only what we are on that journey into eternity (1 Tim. 6:7). If the Lord is our shepherd, that journey will hold no fear for us. The grave itself is not to be feared for you see we are not alone, not in this life nor the life to come (Heb. 13:5). Our Lord, our shepherd, will be with us every step of the way comforting us, protecting us, providing for us and guiding us. That’s what a good shepherd does for his flock (John 10:11-15). Truly, Jesus the loving shepherd calls us to enter that fold of safety where we will find rest and a peace that passes understanding will be ours (Matt. 11:28-30). The Lord is my shepherd! Enter and stay in the way of truth and he will be your shepherd too.

Charles Hicks

    The earth is not millions of years old. Science does not demand such a belief and the Bible will not allow it. Man would not know how the earth came to be unless God had told man the details. Genesis is part of the “law of Moses,” so we know that Moses wrote Genesis. It may have been written during the 40-year wandering in the wilderness.

    Let’s take a fresh look at Genesis 1:

THE GENERAL STATEMENT OF CREATION – 1:1-2:

    Notice, first, that Moses does not set out to describe or define “God.”

    Let me point out here that some people, who are confused about the dating-methods of earth, try to squeeze millions of years in-between verse 1 and verse 2. The Hebrew grammar will not allow millions of years to transpire between verse 1 and verse 2. Verse 2 begins right where verse 1 left off: “God created the heavens and the earth and this earth (Moses is writing), was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep.”

    Moses describes this original creation because he is going to elaborate on how God is going to give this earth form and life and light (see Isaiah 45:18). God created the earth with the purpose that it would be inhabited. In fact, the whole point of the earth’s creation was for man’s dwelling place. That fact, in and of itself, refutes the theory of evolution that teaches everything has happened by accident, by chance.

GOD GIVES THE EARTH LIGHT AND FORM – 1:3-10:

    The first thing we observe here is that God created light. This light is not the light from the sun because God will not create the sun until Day 4. So, wherever this light originated, it was not the sun.

    It seems to me that God created light first in order to set the stage and the pattern for Him creating the world in six days. While the “24-hour cycle” did not apparently begin until God created the sun on Day 4, I think we are safe in seeing these first three days as long as the last three days, as days of 24 hour cycles. I suggest this because after He created “light” and separating it from darkness on Day 1, God then defines every day afterwards as “there was evening and there was morning, one day.”

GOD GIVES THE EARTH LIFE – Plants and the Sun: 1:11-19:

    Please note here that God created the Law of Biogenesis here on Day 3. These plants were to produce “after their kind, with seed in them.” The Law of Biogenesis supports the doctrine of special creation, not the doctrine of evolution.

    On Day 4, we have another evidence that these days were not millions of years long. We all know that plants need sunshine to make food. But if plants were created on Day 3, how could they have survived for millions of years before God created the sun on Day 4? The fact is, these days were normal days, as we understand them, and God created the sun on Day 4 to provide the food that plants need.

GOD GIVES THE EARTH LIFE – Animals: 1:20-25:

    God created water-dwelling animals. He also created sky-dwelling animals. Every living creature that moves, God created and placed here. Please note again the reference to the Law of Biogenesis: these creatures reproduced “after their kind.” That’s not what evolution teaches but it is what we find in science.

GOD GIVES THE EARTH LIFE – Humans: 1:26-31:

    Finally, we have recorded the creation of God’s crowning achievement, human kind. We are made on a special day, our own day, in a special way, “in the image” of God. The whole rest of the Bible is focused on this unique creation of man.

    Among the unique aspects of man’s creation, we see:

    1. He is made in the image of God, in distinction from the animal creation.

    2. He is to rule over and have dominion over the animal creation.

    3. He is to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it.

    4. He is to eat and enjoy the life that God has given him; here, it is plants. Following the flood of Noah’s day, our diet will also include animals.

    Science supports what Genesis tells us about the creation of the world. We know that everything around us came from somewhere. The book of Genesis tells us where: God. We see the power of God in His creation, the wisdom of God, His love for His creation – all of it, including and especially mankind.

    This wonderful creation we see around us and enjoy should compel us to worship God and love Him and serve Him with all of our being.

    Let the creation remind you of the power and love of our God in heaven.

Paul Holland

John Castillo Kennedy writes a riveting account of the fire that swept through San Francisco in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake that struck on April 18, 1906. The earthquake and resulting fires, which killed 3000 people, destroyed 80% of the city. Among the dead was the city fire chief. Firefighters, unaccustomed to using dynamite to create firebreaks, caused several of the fires.

At one point early in the fires, according to Castillo, the spread of the flames surprised people living along Pine, Bush, and Sutter Streets, forcing them to flee immediately. They had been confident that the flames would not reach them there. The author says,

“Quickly filled trunks grated up the hills. Wagons, mostly pulled by men, rattled over the rough cobblestones. Baby carriages and toy express wagons rolled along packed full with the ‘things’ people had snatched up in the flight. Pianos were bumped along the sidewalks–some went to pieces in the process. Sewing machines slipped along on their rollers with stacks of bedding and the like lashed to them. Women had their valuables on their person, or carried trinkets Gypsywise in handkerchiefs. Men wore columns of hats five-high. Some carried only a book. Parrots jabbered and scolded from many cages. Some people had blankets. Girls usually had bandboxes. Boys stretched poles between them and carried, suspended there, bundles of clothing and provisions. Once it was only a ham” (83).

These panic-stricken people, with no time to prepare, reached for the thing that had the most practical or sentimental value to them. Something made people faced with total loss and threat of life to lug heavy items or pets or food. Many of the choices seem irrational. Perhaps they were in shock or acting in impulse. In essays and contests asking people what they would grab if their house was on fire and they could only grab one thing, they have cited passports, wills, legal documents, insurance policies, personal papers, portable hard drives, phones, etc.

I’m trying to put myself in their shoes. If I was in one of the many neighborhoods forced to flee my home with no time to spare, what would I have been sure to grab? How long would it take my mind to settle on sentimental family items like old photos, my wedding video, or the boys’ baby books? Would I be relieved if I could make it out with my Bible, though I saved nothing else?

I do not judge those folks with their bizarre, split-second decisions. For some reason, it just made me do some introspection. What does my priority list look like? What do I value most in my life and in my home? What would I try to be sure to preserve?

Perhaps the answers to those questions is best provided by my choices in ordinary, every-day actions. I want my wife, children, fellow-Christians, and, most of all, my God to see from my life that they come before the things of this world. The things will all ultimately burn (2 Pet. 3:10). It is the relationships that will outlast the final, global conflagration. I pray that my influence and example will save them from the fire (Jude 23).

Reference: Kennedy, John Castillo. The Great Earthquake And Fire: San Francisco, 1906 (New York: William Morrow and Co., 1963).

Neal Pollard

As a Daddy, it’s a job that is mine,

I think of it often between the lines.

It is my unique duty, when home bound,

To get my family home, both safe and sound.

So I protect them from dangers and threats,

Keep up with conditions: snow, dry, or wet.

I keep driving on while they sleep and rest,

I study the map for the route that is best.

Across many rivers both wide and deep,

Thought the Ozarks climbing hills that are steep,

Across the open spaces of the plains,

Through the barren fields of harvested grain.

Until we ascend the mountain, what a thrill,

We reach the city set into the hill.

My family didn’t from the proper course roam,

Daddy’s Duty: I led my family home.

As a Daddy, a greater job is mine,

It is declared in many Bible lines.

It is my unique duty, when Heav’n bound,

Get my family Home; spiritually safe and sound.

I protect their souls from dangers and threats,

Ensure Godliness in our home is kept.

I teach the family of Heavenly rest,

We study God’s word, the map that is best.

I lead o’er rivers of worldliness deep,

Over the temptation mountains so steep,

Across paralyzing, complacent plains,

Through fields of worries as numerous as grain.

Until we ascend the Mountain, what a thrill,

When we all reach the City on a Hill.

My family shan’t from the proper Course roam,

Daddy’s Duty: to lead my family Home.

“Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them…. Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.” (Col. 3:19, 21)

Corey Sawyers

Hebrews 12:1-3

Introduction:

1. It is hard to believe we are halfway through the third decade of the 21^st Century!
2. For many people the first week in January is the most depressing week of the year and that is the case for a number of reasons.
3. One reason is that the holidays are over, the family and friends have gone home, the Christmas presents have been opened, and now its time to go back to work and school!
4. Another reason, perhaps even more depressing, is that many make new year’s resolutions and then so quickly break them.
5. We tell ourselves, in the new year I’m going to be more active in church and read my Bible more, or I’m going to get my finances in order, or I’m going to eat more healthy and get into better shape.
6. But then December 31^st, turns to January 1^st, and the rubber meets the road and we find it difficult to follow through with our resolutions.

1. There’s an old Irish New Year’s toast goes like this, “May all your troubles in the coming year be as short as your New Year’s resolutions.”
2. I would really like us to think more positively than that.
3. Certainly, God offers us more hope than that.
4. In 2 Cor. 5:17, Paul says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
5. Paul also wrote, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Phil. 4:13)
6. As we approach this new year, I want us to be praying a prayer of thanksgiving, “Thank you, Lord, for fresh starts.”
7. The new year and each new day gives us fresh beginnings to build and change our lives.
8. Every new year and every new day is an opportunity to get it “righter” than the day before and the year before.

1. So, on this first Sunday of the new year, I want to encourage us to make a commitment to focus more on spiritual things in the coming year.
2. Today, I want us to consider making a resolution and commitment to three spiritual priorities for the new year.
3. I believe that if we focus on these three priorities, then they will help us experience a healthy spiritual life and have a blessed year.
4. Today, I’m going to do what the preachers of old used to do: they would announce what they were going to tell them, then they would tell them, and then they would tell them what they told them.
5. So, let me tell you what the three simple and concise priorities are and then we will explore how to put them into practice in practical ways.
6. Here are the three priorities:
7. First, Live in God’s Love and Grace.
8. Second, Seek First God’s Kingdom.
9. Third, Live a Life of Love.

1. Live in God’s Love and Grace.
2. In my preaching over the years, I have repeatedly tried to help us embrace God’s love for us and live in the grace God has given us.
3. If we aren’t convinced of God’s love and grace towards us, then we struggle to have a relationship with God and feel secure and accepted in that relationship.
4. The truth of the matter is that God loves us and has given us His grace through Jesus.
5. God’s love and grace aren’t something we deserve or earn, but are God’s gifts to us.
6. And how do we know that God loves us? Answer: The Bible tells us that is the case.
7. John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world…”
8. Romans 5:8 – “But God proves his own love us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
9. Romans 8:37-39 – “[nothing]…will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
10. 1 John 4:16 – “And we have come to know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.”
11. I hope these verses help to solidify in all of our hearts and minds that we are loved by God and that God’s love for us doesn’t change or run out.
12. God wants us to know that He not only loves the world in general, but that He loves each of us specifically and individually as a parent personally loves each of their children.
13. God wants us to allow His love for us to embrace us and fill us.

1. Let’s spend a minute talking about living in God’s grace.
2. The Bible is clear about the importance of receiving and abiding in God’s grace.
3. One of my favorite verses about God’s grace is Ephesians 1:7-8 that says: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”
4. God isn’t stingy with His grace – He lavishes it on us – other versions translate that phrase “lavished on us” as “abound to us” or “richly poured out on us.”
5. Picture God’s grace poured out on us like Niagara Falls, rather than an eye dropper.
6. John 1:16 says “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.”
7. Other translations describe it as “grace upon grace.”
8. Another important verse about grace is 1 Peter 1:13 – “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
9. Our hope and our security is in God’s grace and not in our performance or faithfulness.
10. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be striving towards obedience and faithfulness, but it means that our obedience and faithfulness don’t earn us salvation, only the grace that is in Jesus can do that.
11. God wants us to live in God’s grace and be motivated by God’s grace.
12. Paul wrote that the grace of God teaches us to say “no” to ungodliness. (Titus 2:11-12)

1. So, this is where I want us to start the new year with the priority of abiding in God’s love and grace.
2. Our relationship with God is one based on His love and grace towards us – it is His offer to us, but we must believe it, receive it and abide in it.
3. I hope that all of us understand the difference that living in God’s love and grace makes, rather than living in fear and feeling that we have to prove ourselves or earn God’s love and grace.

1. Seek First God’s Kingdom.
2. Because of the gift of God’s love and grace, our priority must be to seek first God’s kingdom.
3. This is something that Jesus taught us to do in Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.”
4. That command and promise of Jesus is couched in Jesus’ teaching about not worrying about tomorrow and the challenges it might bring.
5. The cares and concerns of this life can distract us from the important spiritual things we need to be focused on.
6. God knows that we have basic needs and God has promised to supply those basic needs as we abide in God and seek first His kingdom.

1. I want to challenge us to make God’s kingdom and the spiritual things associated with God’s kingdom our highest priority this year.
2. Let’s not allow earthly things to get in the way of heavenly things.
3. The earthly things I am talking about are not necessarily sinful things, but they can crowd out spiritual things.
4. Working too much, or playing too much, can take us away from spiritual priorities, like worship, prayer, Bible reading, and service.
5. Certainly, there is a place for balance in our lives and times for work, recreation and entertainment, but those things have a way of taking over and crowding out the spiritual.
6. Don’t you think that seeking first God’s kingdom would include a commitment to gather with the church family for worship and Bible study?
7. Don’t you think that seeking first God’s kingdom would include making time for daily Bible reading and prayer to strengthen and focus our souls?
8. Don’t you think that seeking first God’s kingdom would mean that our financial commitments would start with our financial contribution to the Lord?
9. Once we determine what we will faithfully give to the Lord, then we can set the rest of our budget.

1. The writer of Hebrews warned his readers: “We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” (Heb. 2:1)
2. If we don’t stay focused on God, God’s kingdom, and God’s Word, it is easy to drift away.
3. One of the lessons from Jesus’ parable of the sower is that the weedy soil can choke out God’s word and make it unfruitful.
4. A life overcrowded by the things of this world will have a negative impact on our spiritual well-being.
5. That’s why in the next chapter of Hebrews the writer admonishes us: “See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Heb. 3:11-12)
6. It is so easy to be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness and by Satan’s diversions, and that’s why faithful participation in worship, bible study, prayer and daily devotions are so important.
7. A commitment to seeking first God’s kingdom will help us carry out another command in the book of Hebrews: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb. 10:24-25)
8. We need each other and we need to help each other stay focused on seeking first God’s kingdom.

1. So, let’s review before we look at our last priority for the new year.
2. First, let’s make it a priority to live in God’s love and grace.
3. Second, let’s make it a priority to seek first God’s kingdom.
4. And third, and finally…

III.      Live a Life of Love.

1. This is such a simple, but important basic spiritual understanding and commitment.
2. Love is the defining goal for everything in our Christian lives.
3. Jesus said that the greatest command is to: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Mt. 22:37)
4. Then Jesus said: “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Mt. 22:39)
5. Jesus said that loving God and loving others is what its all about.
6. Paul summarized it like this: The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Gal. 5:6)
7. And in Ephesians 5:1, Paul wrote; “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love.”
8. Again, we notice that the motivation or reason for living a life of love is the fact that God is love and that we are God’s dearly loved children and we want to be like our God.

1. So, let’s make it our priority to love God and show it by loving others.
2. Loving others means doing unto others what we would want them to do to us. (Mt. 7:12)
3. That means treating others the way we want to be treated.
4. Treating others with the kindness and consideration that we want to be given.
5. To forgive others and give them the benefit of the doubt we want to be given.
6. Let’s start with living this life of love in our homes and in our church family.
7. Then let’s extend God’s love to our friends, neighbors and coworkers.
8. Then finally, let’s live a life of love even to our enemies – whether it be the up and close enemies in our lives, or the passing enemies who cut us off in traffic, or act rudely to us in the grocery store.
9. We are most like God when we live a life of love.

1. And one of the ways we live a life of love is when we serve one another and wash each other’s feet.
2. When we see someone hurting or struggling and we do what we can to encourage or help them, then we are living a life of love.
3. That can be as simple as holding the door for someone whose hands are full or asking if someone is okay when they are looking sad.
4. Love demands that we pay attention to those around us and seek to support and serve them.
5. But when we live a life of love, we realize how much loving and serving others blesses us.
6. Being self-serving is unsatisfying in the end, but being other-serving brings joy and satisfaction.
7. I see this happen over and over again as I watch our moving ministry at work, or our food sense ministry, food pantry and bread ministry, or when we do the MAGI boxes or the Christmas baskets.
8. When we love and bless others, we are blessed in return.

1. And one of the most important ways we show our love for others is when we share the good news of Jesus with them.
2. It is not loving to keep the gospel to ourselves or to know that someone is lost and not try to help them find their way to Jesus.
3. So, as we live a life of love this year, let’s share the good news of Jesus with others.
4. A great goal for this year would be for each one to bring one to the Lord.
5. Who will you try to love into the kingdom of God this year?
6. Be praying for the opportunity to share God’s love and good news with others this year!

Conclusion:

1. So, as we try to get our new year off to a good start, let’s focus on these three priorities.
2. First, Let’s live in God’s love and grace – let’s be secure in God’s love and grace and let it fill us, sustain us and empower us in our relationship with God.
3. Second, Let’s seek first God’s kingdom – let’s put spiritual things ahead of everything else – let’s make worship, Bible study, prayer and daily devotionals a priority.
4. Third, Let’s live a life of love – loving God and loving others – which is a summary of all of God’s commands – let’s show our love by serving others and sharing the good news.
5. Pray…

   David Owens

The name “Ecclesiastes” comes to us from the Greek translation of the Old Testament (the Septuagint) and means “preacher” (see NASV). The noun comes from a verbal form of the word “to assemble.” We’re not sure what the author meant when he referred to himself as the “preacher.” Clearly, it is not with the meaning that we find in the New Testament and in modern Christianity.

    Observe how the author identifies himself. In 1:1, he says, “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.” That self-description narrows down the list to a couple of dozen men. Yet, when we study the book itself, especially chapter 2, we see that there is no “son of David, king in Jerusalem” who fits better than King Solomon.

    The pursuit of wisdom fits the gift given Solomon by God, recorded in 1 Kings 3. Additionally, the extended list of building pursuits recorded in Ecclesiastes 3 fit Solomon’s desires and plans as recorded in 1 Kings 5-10. It is popular among “scholars” to reject Solomon’s authorship but it is humorous to hear them admit that the author is, however, a “Solomon-like” figure.

    Solomon provides the theme of the book in the second verse: “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” This word can mean “vain, empty, futile.” To repeat the word, as Solomon does here, is a Hebrew way of expressing the superlative: “the most empty of emptiness.” See Song of Solomon 1:1 where he does the same thing: the “song of songs.”

    So, Solomon says, “All is empty. Futile. Worthless.” Seriously? Some have suggested that Ecclesiastes is too pessimistic to be a work of faith. Here is an exercise for you. Read through this book (it should take less than 20 minutes) and underline these three phrases: “under the sun,” “under heaven,” and “striving after wind.”

    If you were to take God out of the picture or if you simply look at life from the perspective of heaven, this life is not very important or significant. Allow me to elaborate.

    If there is no God or if you live your life as if there is no God, then “eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die,” as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:32. Yes, life is a cycle and it ends nowhere. Live the way you desire. Pursue what you want to pursue. Do what makes you feel good. If there is no God, there are no moral laws and you are free to steal, kill, rape, pillage, extort, cheat, lie, etc. Because life is going nowhere anyway. (I’m thankful that most atheists live above their moral “foundation.”)

    On the other hand, since there is a God and He has designed a new heaven and earth that puts this one to shame, this life is ultimately of little significance. It is significant in that we show God here and now that we love Him supremely and we serve our fellow man sacrificially. This is the time and place to prove to God that we want to be in heaven with Him. Early in the book, Solomon warns his audience that there is a judgment coming (3:17) and therefore, we need to fear God (5:7).

    But, because the life to come is so much quantitatively better and superior to this life (so much so that we will not even remember at least the bad things that will happen in this life), this life does not hold much importance, much significance for the Christian. 

    As we study Ecclesiastes together, we’ll consider what Solomon has to say about the “meaning of life.” What it does not consist of and what it does consist of. Eventually, we’ll end up in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.

Paul Holland

Experts tell us that we speak at a rate of 125 words per minute.  But we can listen to 400 words per minute.  It’s no wonder the attention often wanders.  That means we need to discipline the mind to listen to a lesson without distraction. Here are some suggestions to help you get more out of the sermon.

1. OPEN  MIND. We need to be in the right frame of mind to listen. Our worship is to be “in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). We should approach a sermon with the attitude that we want to learn and profit from it.  Attitude makes a big difference.
2. OPEN BIBLE. Compare what you hear with God’s word (Acts 17:11). You need to form personal convictions based on what you read in the Bible. It will stick in your mind longer when you read it for yourself.
3. TAKE NOTES. This will be another “visual aid” to help you remember. You can recall more of what you see than what you just hear. Plus, you will have the notes to use for further study.

You CAN get more out of the sermon.  But only if you try.

                                                                                              – by Roger Hillis

What was the best gift you ever got as a kid? Mine was definitely the Nintendo 64. I remember opening it up on Christmas morning in 1996 and being overcome with excitement. I immediately took it out of the box and set it up. For the next few months I played it as often as I could, told everyone about it, and thought about it whenever I wasn’t playing it (no time for girlfriends over here!). As time passed though, something changed. It slowly got played less and less until it eventually just sat and collected dust below my television. I went from being totally excited and on fire about it to honestly feeling no strong emotion either way about it.

Speaking of great gifts, in the book of Romans, Paul tells us about an amazing gift that we have all received from God. He says that even though we are all sinners we have been “justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). Through this gift we have been given an opportunity to be saved through baptism (1 Pet. 3:21) and are promised an eternity in Heaven. What an awesome God we serve!

Here’s my question: As a Christian, once you received this gift from God in baptism, does your story start to sound a lot like my Nintendo 64 story? Were you totally excited and on fire at first? Were you ready to tell everyone about the great gift you received? Did you think about it all of the time and make it a priority to study God’s word regularly? Fast forward to now, is the fire still burning or has that fire become a few glowing embers? Is your Bible collecting dust somewhere? Are you not really feeling any strong emotion either way? What do your daily actions show?

If you do feel like your fire is starting to go out (or is out already), here are four ways to help get a healthy fire burning again:

1) Pray: Talk to God every day, especially first thing in the morning. It helps you continue to build a relationship with Him and calibrate your mind on what’s truly important.

2) Fellowship: If you spend all of your time with worldly people, how are you going to keep your mind on Godly things? Make an effort to spend time with Christians outside of corporate church settings.

3) Serve: There is nothing that lights a fire more than when you serve others in His name.

4) Reflect: Take some time to reflect on your baptism and how you felt about your Christianity back then. It’s good to remind yourself of all of the reasons why you made that great decision.

Even if your fire has started to go out it’s not too late to get it going again, but first you have to be honest with yourself. Let’s all get our fires burning bright for God once again!

Jeff Wiant

We can sense the LORD’s frustration. “I have spoken to you (Judah) over and over again, but you have not obeyed me. I sent all my servants the prophets to warn you over and over again. … But you did not pay any attention or listen to me” (Jeremiah 35:14,15).

These words grapple with a thorny and seemingly unchangeable problem. The lives of God’s people had not budged an inch in spite of God’s servants faithfully proclaiming God’s message. Godly transformation was nowhere in sight.

What can be done in such a situation? God resorted to a lesson from Jonadab’s house.

The Lord instructed Jeremiah to invite the Rechabite community to join him in one of the Temple’s side rooms. Jeremiah then set cups and jugs of wine before them. He invited them to drink some wine.

“But they answered, ‘We do not drink wine because our ancestor Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us not to. He told us, ‘You and your children must never drink wine. Do not build houses. Do not plant crops. Do not plant a vineyard or own one.  Live in tents all your lives.’ … We and our wives and our sons and daughters have obeyed everything our ancestor Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us. We have never drunk wine. We have not built any houses to live in. We do not own any vineyards, fields, or crops.’” (Jeremiah 35:6-9).

When Judah refused to obey, God provided a living example of what was possible. He directed them to consider a small community who had rejected accommodating to the norms and social pressures of their greater society. God underscored that obedience was possible.

In the LORD’s words, “You must learn a lesson from this about obeying what I say” (Jeremiah 35:13). Yes, obedience is possible, even in 2025.

If Judah could not learn to follow God’s message through graceful, patient and repeated proclamation, God would teach the needed lesson though physical means. “So I, the LORD God of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, say: ‘I will soon bring on Judah and all the citizens of Jerusalem all the disaster that I threatened to bring on them. I will do this because I spoke to them but they did not listen. I called out to them but they did not answer’”(Jeremiah 35:17).

To be sure, we too live within a chorus of competing voices pulling in many directions. We can learn from those who have gone before us. Yet, what attitude toward God’s word will we adopt? Scripture would point us toward a healthy obedience in the new year.

There is a brick in the British Museum with Nebuchadnezzar’s name inscribed on it. Historians say thousands like it lined the walls of that ancient city. Everyone who walked a block in Babylon knew king Nebuchadnezzar was large and in charge.  But, by far, the person who thought most highly of king Nebuchadnezzar was king Nebuchadnezzar. He considered himself so important that he thought there would be no kings after him. He thought he would be a forever king.

Nebuchadnezzar is not as important as he thinks he is (2:44). He is not the forever king. The kings who will come after him aren’t either. God is the forever king and he will set up his forever kingdom. If you can imagine, the man who carved his name into every brick in Babylon didn’t like that very much. So, in chapter three, he builds a different statue.

This statue doesn’t have many materials; it has one material. This statue, standing about 100-feet tall, is made of pure gold.  Nebuchadnezzar doesn’t want to be the head of gold. He wants to be the head of gold, the chest of gold, the belly of gold, the arms of gold and the legs of gold forever and ever amen.

Before our story, in verse 15, he asks Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, “what God will be able to rescue you from my hand?”  But after our story, in verse 26, he shouts that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are “servants of the Most High God”.  So here was Nebuchadnezzar, an important man, undergoing an important change. Namely, he went from thinking he was the forever king to thinking that God is.

Daniel mentions this is taking place in the Plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. And he’s not doing geography for geography’s sake. Because this is a good story. And good stories don’t have pointless information. This is Daniel’s point: Babylon isn’t Israel. So, God’s people aren’t in God’s place; Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego aren’t in the land God promised they’d be.

So, it’s starting to seem like Nebuchadnezzar is right about this golden image. Maybe he is the forever king, not God. Maybe God’s not as trustworthy as he says.  Second, Nebuchadnezzar gives everyone a little incentive to worship the statue. Anyone who doesn’t will get burnt to a crisp. Or, in his words, “whoever does not fall down and worship shall be thrown into the middle of a furnace of blazing fire”. Enough said.

Third, the fire wasn’t the only incentive. On a brighter note, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had the best jobs Jews could have. They didn’t want to lose those, did they? The music was great. They didn’t want to hurt the musician’s feelings, did they? And, most of all, everyone else is doing it. Everyone. The herald who proclaims this command addresses the crowd as “peoples, nations and populations of all languages”. Now, that’s peer pressure.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we are not in need of an answer to give you concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods nor worship the golden statue that you have set up.”

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’s response is three-fold: First, “our God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will rescue us from your hand, O king”  That’s trust. But I thought Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were in exile. I thought they had no reason to trust God. They’re trusting him still. Because, whether they’re in Israel or Babylon or Timbuktu, he’s able. He’s done it before. He can do it again.

Second, they say, “But even if He does not”. So, a fiery furnace is not enough incentive for them. Their trust in God does not guarantee deliverance. But that’s okay. To them, it’s still better to burn than to bow. Because, even in death, God’s blessing is better than Nebuchadnezzar’s. And the wrath of the real forever king is worse than the wrath of the fake one.

Third, they say, “we are not going to serve your gods nor worship the golden statue that you have set up”.  Why not? They certainly have every reason to. They have jobs to keep, music to enjoy and people to please. They will not serve; they will not worship because they know the idol is more than just an idol. It is an ideology. And while the world is bowing down to the idea that Nebuchadnezzar is the forever king, they know God is the forever king, whether they live or die.

[The rest of Jacob’s lesson will be presented tomorrow.]

Jacob July

As Paul writes the letter we call “Ephesians,” he begins by stressing to the Gentile Christians how important they are. Before he could cover any other ground with them, they had to understand their position in the family of God and what He had done for them. In short, he wanted them to understand what the Almighty thinks of them. Have you ever considered that? Have you ever wondered your value? Have you ever pondered just what He thinks of you? It is easy to see what the Lord thinks of you when you consider what He has done for you from Ephesians 1:

1.    HE HAS BLESSED US (3) with every spiritual blessing.

2.   HE HAS CHOSEN US (4) before the world was even created.

3.   HE HAS PREDETERMINED TO ADOPT US (5) to be His sons and daughters.

4.   HE HAS GIVEN US GRACE (6) through Jesus, the Beloved.

5.   HE HAS REDEEMED US (7), paid by the blood of Jesus.

6.   HE HAS FORGIVEN US (7) of all of our trespasses.

7.   HE HAS RICHLY GIVEN US GRACE (7-8), to the point it abounds.

8.   HE HAS MADE KNOWN THE MYSTERY (9) of His purpose to save all (cf. Eph.3).

9.   HE HAS UNITED ALL (10), including Jew and Gentile, and both to Him (cf. Eph.2).

10.HE HAS GIVEN US AN INHERITANCE (11), which was his predetermined purpose.

11. HE HAS GIVEN US HOPE (12) in Christ.

12. HE HAS SEALED US (13) with the promised Holy Spirit.

13. HE HAS GUARANTEED OUR INHERITANCE (14) until we take possession of it.

After this great doxology, he prays (15-23). The summary of Paul’s prayer is this: he wants them to understand what the Lord has done for them, what position they occupy, what their future holds, and what He thinks of them. This is shown most clearly in verse 18 when the inspired apostle proclaims that followers of Jesus are God’s inheritance. Imagine that. What does He think of you? To Him you are a treasure, a benefit, a prize … something of the ultimate value. What does He think of you? You are His inheritance that He has planned for before time began, that He paid for with the precious blood of Jesus, that He sealed with the Spirit to ensure Satan knows you belong to Him. What does He think of you? He loves you, values you, and cherishes you more than anyone. How could we not love Him, serve Him, trust Him, follow Him, and praise Him?

As the little boy said, “Don’t tell me I am a nobody, ‘cuz God don’t make no junk, and He loves me!”

Corey Sawyers

Who likes being ordered around? If anybody is used to ordering others, it’s the rich. In the church of God, however, the rich have to take some orders.

Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment,
1 Timothy 6.17 NET.

In some places, elders and preachers (and missionary fundraisers!) tiptoe around the rich, for fear of offending them and, ahem, losing their contribution. Shades of James 2! They ought, however, to be fearful of offending the Lord and losing their own souls.

Paul uses the word “command,” and it is a strong word, meaning to give orders. (See C. Spicq’s article in TLNT 3:9-11.) He tells Timothy to command them. So here we have a teacher being commanded to command something of others. So much for the laid-back Joel-Osteen style! Here is apostolic authority at its finest and clearest.

Paul charges Timothy to preach to a select group within the congregation. When was he supposed to command the rich about these things? In a specially called meeting of the rich? Certainly not, but in the meeting of the whole church! Everybody needed to hear what each group’s responsibilities and temptations were. How else could they edify and warn one another?

The command has to do with both attitude (humility and not haughtiness) and hope (on God and not riches). Both of these are to a degree identifiable and measurable. Both lead one to make choices that are definite and to actions that may be commended or condemned.

This was not to be a pet peeve or hobby horse of Timothy’s, but one subject of teaching among many others. Perhaps Paul wrote strongly about it because of the tendency to pay special respect to the rich and because of Timothy’s general lack of courage.

In the church, nobody’s sin or temptation is ignored. The challenges of each one are dealt with openly. The dangers of each one are faced solidly.

Only in this way will we have a chance to win against the devil.

J. Randal Matheny

Look it up in the dictionary and you will find two prevailing definitions.

1.   Freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility

2.  Freedom from or the cessations of war or violence

It is interesting to me that our world’s best description of peace is having the noise stop and people to quit shooting at one another. Though, I suppose it makes sense when your existence is ultimately summed up by the few years of time you have on this earth. When that is all you have, the most you can hope for is for life to just simply be quiet and uneventful.

For the Christian, peace has an entirely different meaning. To us, peace is not simply the cessation of hostilities, but it is full reconciliation with our Creator. Paul reveals that before Christ we were weak, ungodly, sinners, deserving of wrath, and enemies of God (see Romans 5:6-11). No matter what we did, no matter how “good” we were, once sin entered the picture we were doomed to be on the wrong side of God. Believe me, that is no kind of existence to relish in.

Thankfully, we worship a God who is not content to just simply let us feel His wrath without giving us a means to avoid it. That is why Jesus came. To pay the ransom, to fulfill justice’s demands, to satisfy the wrath of God for all who will trust in Him alone with all of their being. The result? Reconciliation…being brought back into friendship with God again. Note, we are not talking about a situation in which everyone stops shooting, but is still taking aim just in case. We are talking about putting the guns away and working together side-by-side. This is why Paul can say in Romans 5:1, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Without Jesus you can never understand what this peace is. Without Jesus, the most you will ever be able to hope for is the noise to stop and guns to quit firing. Indeed, that is why the Christian’s peace is a “peace which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

Cory Waddell

A man asked his wife, “What would you most like for your birthday?”

She said, “I’d love to be ten again.”

On the morning of her birthday, he got her up bright and early and off they went to a theme park.   He put her on every ride in the park — the Death Slide, The Screaming Loop, the Wall of Fear.  Everything there was, she rode.  She staggered out of the theme park five hours later, her head reeling and her stomach upside down.

Into McDonalds they went, where she was given a Double Big Mac with extra fries and a strawberry shake.  Then off to a theater to see Star Wars–more burgers, popcorn, cola and sweets.   At last she staggered home with her husband and collapsed into bed.

Her husband leaned over and asked, “Well, dear, what was it like being ten again?”

One eye opened and she groaned, “Actually, I meant dress size.”

That story reminds me of what happened to James and John.  They came to Jesus with a request.  Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” (Mark 10:36).

“They said to Him, ‘Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.'” (Mark 10:37)

Jesus told them they really didn’t know what they were asking for.  He asked them, “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” (Mark 10:38)

Their response?  “Of course!”  However, what they had in mind (prestige, power and glory) wasn’t the same thing Jesus had in mind (persecution, suffering and servanthood).  Jesus gave them exactly what they asked for, but it wasn’t at all what they were hoping for when they made the request!

So often, the same thing happens in my life.  God has a way of answering my requests, my prayers, in ways I never even dreamed of — not always in a pleasant way, not always in a way I would have chosen, but always in a way that He sees best.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith

In Romans 12:9-21, Paul reveals to us what a true Christian looks like. He gives a list of actions we should always strive to accomplish. This list is totally different from the message we hear from the world. The apostle tells us that as true Christians we:

• Have genuine love
• Hate evil
• Hold on to what is good
• Love one another
• Outdo each other in showing honor
• Have zeal
• Have a Fervent spirit
• Serve the Lord
• Rejoice in hope
• Are patient in tribulation
• Pray constantly
• Contribute to the Saints
• Are hospitable
• Bless our persecutors
• Do not curse our enemies
• Rejoice with those who rejoice
• Weep with those who weep
• Live in harmony
• Aren’t haughty
• Associate with the lowly
• Don’t think too much of ourselves
• Don’t repay evil with evil
• Do what is honorable in the sight of everyone
• Live peaceable
• Don’t take revenge
• Care for our enemies
• Don’t let evil overcome us
• Overcome evil with good

That’s a whole lot to remember. But if we love God, we will try our best to follow these commands. Christianity is practical because it gives us the best life on this earth and the one to come.

We know what’s truly important. We have a purpose and we know how we are to act, speak and think. We know why we’re here on earth and we know where we are going if we are faithful to God’s word. This list in Romans 12 gives us practical tips on how to handle the situations that come up in life. We have the key to a happy, meaningful, and fulfilling life. We follow the Bible because it is practical. It contains wisdom and knowledge that is found nowhere else on earth. It provides a map to salvation and it gives us the answers to life’s problems.

The story is told of an old man who was wandering in the desert looking for water. He approached an old shack and on the porch area he found a water pump.

Next to the water pump he saw a one gallon jug. A note on the jug said, “Use all the water to prime the pump.” The man’s instincts said to drink the water and not trust the pump. Nevertheless he poured the water into the pump and began pumping until an abundance of cool water came to the top. The Bible is like the note on that water jug. Sometimes the instructions contained in the Bible do not make sense to us, but it is always right. The commands given to us from God are practical. He knows what is best for His own creation. They help us in our decisions, and they teach us how to act and think. We can have confidence in knowing that our lives are based on the perfect commands of Scripture.

Carl Pollard