A few weeks ago, I had lunch at the Village Inn. Now regardless of when I go to Village Inn, I have breakfast. So, I ordered the 2-2-2, that’s two eggs, two strips of bacon and two pancakes with sugar-free syrup.

In just a few minutes my order arrived with the syrup, and it was labeled Smuckers sugar-free Breakfast Syrup. Making a little joke with the young waitress, I said, “This is Breakfast syrup, is it ok to have it with Lunch?  “Well, looking at the bottle, then looking at me, and a bit confused she said, “I think so.” It would be interesting to hear her tell the story; “I had this old guy the other day that said ———,”

It is true syrup is syrup, and it doesn’t matter, it is the same breakfast, lunch or dinner, even though the label clearly said Breakfast.

So, what is the point? You would be right to think, it is not, a lesson on syrup. It is a lesson on the use of the word, Breakfast. Even though the word, “Breakfast” is used on the label, it is meant to include all meals, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, even though each word means something different.

Of course, the word usage doesn’t matter in dealing with a meal, but that is not always the case. Note with me the subject of baptism, and some word usage, thoughts, and ideas.

Some religious groups pour water on a person as a method of baptism. If this were the method, Jesus had intended He would have used the Greek word, βάλλει, (the English spelling is ballei) and in the English language, the word means to pour. As in John 13:5, “He poured water into a basin.” This is not the word Jesus used when he spoke of baptism.

It is also true that some religious groups sprinkle water on a person as a method of baptism. Again, if this were the method Jesus had intended, in this case, He would have used the Greek ραντιζω, (the English spelling is rhantizo) and in the English language means to sprinkle. As noted in Hebrews 10:22, “having been sprinkled clean.” This too is not the word Jesus used when he spoke of baptism.

In regards to the words of Jesus, He states clearly in Mark 16:16, “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.” This Greek word is, βαφτιστεί, (the English spelling is Baptizo)  but in this case, the word is not translated only given an English spelling. This is the same situation every time a form of this Greek word is used,  it is not translated, just given an English spelling. You will hear that this word has been transliterated, meaning to give it an English spelling. Can you imagine if of all of the Greek words were only transliterated? The reader would not understand anything unless they know the Greek language of course.

From Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance you find the following definition. From a derivative of bapto; to immerse, submerge; to make whelmed (i.e. Fully wet); used only (in the New Testament).

Let me note a few places the word is used.

NASB                           Greek                  Word   Strong’s                 Origin   

Baptized MK.16:16        βαφτιστεί            907: to dip, sink                   baptó

Baptized Act 2:38          βαφτιστεί            907: to dip, sink                   baptó

Baptized Act 22:16        βαφτιστεί            907: to dip, sink                   baptó

Baptism  Rom. 6:4        βάπτισμα             908: Dipping/sinking             baptó

Now while it is true, because of the context, the Greek form of the word has a different spelling, (ending) it is also obvious there is no mention of these Greek words meaning Sprinkling or Pouring. I think if translators, translated the Greek words rather than only giving them an English spelling there would be a better understanding by many.

So, it is not like Breakfast syrup good at any meal; the word is baptize means to fully immerse, submerge. Nothing less will do.

What’s in a word?  In this case, God’s forgiveness.  

Dick Brant

A few years ago, someone graciously gifted me a great sitting, crimson (Roll Tide) couch for use in my office. I won’t deny that I was quite excited to add it to my office décor. After all, who doesn’t love having a comfy couch available to them? However, my new acquisition brought with it a different problem. Namely, that my office now had that cramped feeling of clutter. I simply had too much furniture in my office. How would it be remedied? Naturally, something would have to go. Which piece? Needless to say, I eventually figured it out.

Clutter tends to sneak up on us a little bit at a time. A little here…a little there. Then one day you look up to realize you can barely maneuver through it all. It is troublesome enough in our houses and cars, but it is especially ruthless in our spiritual and emotional lives. Abstract clutter can cause immense levels of stress, pain, and anguish, making life more difficult than is necessary.

The Word of God speaks of the burden of clutter and the need to remove it from our lives.

• Hebrews 12:1 – Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. . . .
• Colossians 3:8-9 – But now you must also put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds. . . .
• Mark 10:21 – And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

It is certainly hard to declutter our lives of certain things. Yet, if we desire to live up to the potential that God sees in and expects from us, it behooves us to figure out how to get rid of those things which get in the way.

Happy Cleaning!

Cory Waddell

The apostle Paul was planning to visit the Christians in Corinth. Among the reasons he was going back was to receive funds they were collecting to give to Christians in Judea to assist the poor (see Romans 15 as well). He had received word that they were not ready. So Paul included in his letter to them a prompt to be ready when he came and used the Christians in Macedonia as an example to spur them on.

“Brothers, we want you to know how God has bestowed his grace on the congregations in Macedonia. Though in a severe ordeal of afflictions, and in deep poverty, their overflowing joy abounded in rich generosity. According to their ability and beyond, on their own, they begged us earnestly to allow them the privilege of sharing in the needs of the saints. This was beyond our expectation, but they had given themselves first to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. Therefore, we urged Titus, that as he had made a beginning, he might complete this grace in you.” (2 Corinthians 8:1-6 McCord)

Why were the Christians in Macedonia such a good example of generosity for the Christians in Corinth (and for us today)? They weren’t rich – Paul says they were in “deep poverty.” Yet despite their poverty they “abounded in rich generosity.” Why? Because of their “overflowing joy,” joy which came simply because they were Christians.

They wanted to help others and were willing to sacrifice in order to help them. Notice that they “begged” to be allowed to help in the “privilege” of helping the Jewish Christians in Judea. It was far beyond what Paul had expected of these poor Christians.

What was the reason for this extreme generosity? They had their priorities right. “They had given themselves first to the Lord.” They were slaves of Jesus. They lived to serve him. Their relationship with Jesus gave them an “overflowing joy” as well as the desire to serve him by helping others. That is not only a good example for Christians in the first century but it is a good example for Christians at any time and place.

The Christians in Corinth had so much going for them – but they needed to have this, as well.

“As you excel in everything, in faith and word and knowledge and all earnestness and love for us, see that you excel in this grace also. I am not commanding you, but proving, through the earnestness of others, the genuineness of your love. You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, he became a pauper, that you, through his poverty, might be rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:7-9)

It is all too easy to concentrate on building up our faith and knowledge of God’s word and the ability to proclaim it well – and these are all important. We may be sincere and very loving to those around us, which is also necessary. But being generous to those we don’t know is also something we must excel in.

Jesus is the great example of generosity. He was rich, speaking of his spiritual position in heaven, yet he gave that up to live as a human, so that we could be rich spiritually. If Jesus did this for us, we “owe” it to others to do the same.

Sometimes Christians may think they can’t give because they have nothing. God has never asked us to give what we don’t have – that would not be possible. “If the willingness is there, it is accepted according to what one has, not what he does not have” (2 Corinthians 8:12).

The real question is: are we willing? Do we have the desire to help others or do we prefer to keep it for ourselves?

When there is a need we need to be generous. This is a proof to others of the genuineness of our love (2 Corinthians 8:24). We need to put our money where our mouth is.

Jon Galloway

“The heart knows its own bitterness,

And a stranger does not share its joy.”

(Proverbs 14:10)

One of my very best friends lost his son to Leukemia.  A few years later a common acquaintance lost his son to Leukemia.  I said to my friend, “well, at least you know how he feels.”  He surprised me when he said, “no, I don’t.  No one knows how another feels, even when their tragedies are similar.”

That statement was a revelation to me, for I had never considered it from that perspective.  I had learned early in ministry not to say “I know how you feel,” unless, I was taught, you have gone through the same experience.  Now I know better.  The truth is, never say, “I know how you feel.” Never.

This is exactly the point being made in this most unique Proverb.  The “heart” is a person’s innermost being.  It includes thoughts, feelings, emotions and attitudes.  God here reveals that a heart can know its own “bitterness” (actually the idea is “sadness, anguish”).  Yet anyone, everyone, outside of that person is incapable of knowing the depth of his sadness.  Equally, the proverb says the same is true regarding “joy.”  Others cannot truly know the level of another’s joy.  One might be able to discern that the person is happy, but that is the extent of it.

Interestingly, the word “stranger,” does not here mean someone who is unknown.  Rather, the “stranger” is everyone!  That is to say, when it comes to knowing what is going on in another’s heart, everyone is an outsider.  Since this is true, we should choose our words carefully.  We’ll do our best to sympathize and emphasize, but that is as far as it goes.  Don’t let it go beyond that!

There is one additional biblical truth, expressed in Ps. 44:21: “God knows the secrets of the heart.”  When someone is suffering, they can find comfort in knowing that God knows exactly what they feel.  This is why He is “the God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3).

Denny Petrillo

How many blades of grass are there?
According to one study, there are approximately 418,000,000 blades of grass for every person on the planet.

How many fish are in the sea?
Scientist admit that it’s nearly impossible to know the answer to this question but that hasn’t stopped several educated guesses. One study estimated around 3,500,000,000,000 as their total.

How many cars are there in the word?
There are around 1.446 billion cars total. America has approximately 350 million vehicles and Antarctica has about 50.

Psalm 90.12 states, “So teach us to number our days so that we might apply our hearts to wisdom.”

This verse has nothing to do with the actual length of our individual lives but it does deal with the human perspective of time. Nobody can accurately determine how many days or years they’ll be around for. That’s not for us to know and something we don’t have to concern ourselves with. This Psalm seems to point us all in a different direction. Instead of trying to count how many days we have left, we should view each day as our last. Here we see the connection between time management and our spiritual lives. Since we can’t know the exact day of our death, our time is best spent chasing His wisdom and the application of it. We’re essentially asking God to teach us to view our mortal lives the way He does and that only happens when we dedicate our ways to His words.

Dale Pollard

2 Kings 4 records an incredible story. In verse one we are introduced to a poor widow who has just hit rock bottom. She didn’t know what to do or where to turn and in her pain and sorrow she did the only thing she knew she could do; she turned to God. She “cries out to Elisha” and the Hebrew word for “cries” literally means that she was wailing in anguish. This widow was heartbroken and in need. But this account reveals to us some comforting truths about God. By studying this account we can find peace in knowing that God has a solution to our problems.

Elisha says to her, “‘What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?’ And she said, ‘Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.’ Then he said, ‘Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside’” (2-4). This woman had nothing but a jar of oil, but not for long. She does what Elisha tells her to do and the jar of oil filled every single vessel she collected.

And that’s the end of that story. The widow came to God while she was at her lowest, and God provided for her. He gave her the oil she needed to fix her problems. The end.

But what about MY oil? Maybe you’re thinking, “When is God going to fix my problems and provide my oil? When will He give me the money for an electric bill? When will He fix my broken heart? When will God take care of me?” Let me tell you about the oil that God has given you. If you’re a christian, God has already taken care of you. He has blessed us with a gift far more precious than gold. He has promised to one day wipe away every tear from your eyes. If you’re a Christian, God is already taking care of your most valuable possession–your soul.

God has given us the oil that never runs dry. Now that’s not to say that God will do for us physically what we ask, but even if he doesn’t He has already shown us more love and care than anyone else on earth. God is more concerned with my spiritual state than my bank account. God is more concerned about my work as a Christian than my 9-5 job. God is more concerned about my soul than whether or not I am comfy here on earth.

God never promised us that if we become Christians we would be financially blessed. But He HAS promised to give us a reward like no other if we are faithful in times of trouble. God has and will provide for those who are faithful to Him.

I’d like to suggest that the account from 2 Kings 4 isn’t necessarily about the oil. It was about the widow’s faith, it was about her obedience, and it was a demonstration of the power of God. But from this account we learn that God provides for those in need, and we can find peace in knowing that our most valuable possession is in the hands of Almighty God.

Carl Pollard

INTRODUCTION:
Our interest is not usually aroused when we hear or speak of a good man. The word “good” has fallen into bad company and has lost much of its former significance. The modern sheik, the negative person who never swears, or steals are usually spoken of as good people. The word is a good one and was employed by inspiration. Why did the Holy Spirit call Barnabas good, and what are some of the characteristics that go to make up a good man? We should all want them.

HE WAS PROFICIENT IN THE GRACE OF STEWARDSHIP:
1. Acts 4:36-37 – “Son of comfort” – sold possession and gave to the apostles.

2. What does it mean to be a good steward? A recognition of the ownership of God and a willingness to put ourselves and all we have at His disposal (2 Cor. 8:5). The churches of Macedonia gave themselves.

3. Everyone may not be called upon to do the same thing. God’s revealed will and our ability and circumstances or opportunities must determine our responsibility.

4. A man may be liberal and not good, but no man can be good and at the same time be a covetous man (Luke 16:10).

HE WAS A MAN OF FAITH:
1. He had faith in God and that lay in back of all that he did and all that he became.

2. He also had faith in men, and such confidence in men is an essential to true goodness.

3. Some examples of his faith in men:
a. Acts 9:26-27
b. Acts 15:36

4. Such a virtue is sometimes thought of as weakness, but faith in men was one of the chief characteristics of Jesus (John 8:1-11).

HE WAS THOROUGHLY MISSIONARY:
1. He believed that the gospel was for all men: Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15. Observe his attitude when he went to Antioch to investigate conditions there. Acts 11:23… He was glad.

HE WAS AN UNSELFISH MAN:
1. This trait is abundantly illustrated by his action in seeking for Saul to assist him in the work in Antioch (Acts 11:25). They later became world-famous missionaries, with Paul overshadowing him, but there is no record of a complaint from Barnabas.

HE WAS DEEPLY SPIRITUAL:
1. A man who is full of the Holy Spirit is certainly one who is wholly given up to God:
a. Acts 5:29-32
b. 1 Cor. 6:19-20

CONCLUSION:
There are compliments more fleshly, but none more greater. Some of us can never have many of the fine things of life, such as being a genius, great, etc., but goodness can be attained by everyone.

the late Wayne E. Holland
from a sermon preached at:
Hayesville, NC (07/05/1981)
Blue Ridge, GA (08/24/1986)
South Boson, VA (12/26/1993)
Roxboro, NC (10/21/2001)

In 2014, Kenneth Berding penned an article for Biola Magazine entitled “The Crisis of Biblical Illiteracy and What We Can Do About It,” in which he draws attention to the disturbing trend of “Christian” college students coming into basic Bible classes without a firm grasp on fundamental facts, information, and concepts of God’s word (i.e. not knowing the books of the Bible). One excerpt reads, “Christians used to be known as ‘people of one book.’ They memorized it, meditated on it, talked about it and taught it to other…We don’t do that anymore, and in a very real sense we’re starving ourselves to death.”

While this is scary enough, what scares me more is to consider that many have become comfortable in their Biblical illiteracy, satisfied with the amount of knowledge they already have. While there may be approving head nods at challenges to learn more, they are not poised to actually do anything about it. Instead of breaking through knowledge barriers, they allow themselves to remain confined by their Biblical illiteracy year after year.

How do we keep this from happening?

1. Stop saying, “My brain doesn’t work that way. I’m just a simple person.” I realize not everyone is going to be (or capable of being) a world class theologian. Individual minds and skills are as varied as fingerprints. But too many people have made this their go-to excuse to not try! Stop selling yourself short! If you keeping telling yourself that you cannot learn something, then you will never learn anything. Everyone said the same thing about Jesus’ apostles (Acts 4:13), and look what they accomplished.

2. Don’t elevate teachers and preachers to do the work for you. History tells us that for centuries Catholicism kept a strong hold on large chunks of society because they convinced the populous, “You cannot understand this. We (the priests) must tell you what it means.” Hence the power struggle when courageous men sought to translate the Bible into the language of the people. We look on these events of history and applaud those brave souls for going against the oppressive ecclesiastical machine. But when we have questions, our modus operandi is to simply ask the preacher/teacher, hear his answer, and let that be that. What is the difference? Frankly, not much. The underlying mentality is the same. “I cannot understand this, so he must explain it to me.” Remember, preachers and teachers are human resources, not authorities.

3. Seek knowledge, not talking points. Talking points are supposed to be topics that invite discussion. Unfortunately, anymore, they are lists of scripted arguments, not invitations to talk and think. The other problem is that lists of talking points are often full of contradictions and misapplied texts. Biblical illiteracy prevents us from seeing such holes and reworking the line of reasoning. The flip side of that is the danger of being influenced by incorrect teachings because we based our positions on proof texts instead of logical, critical thinking about God’s holy word.

The Bible is God’s bread of life for our souls. If we are not careful, we will find ourselves starving to death from a lack of familiarity and proficiency in it. May our Lord grant us courage, discipline, and drive to feast upon His word abundantly.

Cory Waddell

Genesis 2:15; 3:19 – God put man in the garden to work.

We need to “stay focused and be productive!”

WORK IS REQUIRED FOR SUCCESS IN LIFE:
God’s rule of human life is: You can’t get something for nothing. Work or fail.

Being productive means we have a better chance of being successful.

One of the greatest success stories of all times relates to the building of the walls of Jerusalem, which Nehemiah writes was accomplished: “for the people had a mind to work” (Neh. 4:6). The Hebrew word translated “mind” is the word “heart,” which shows us really where the ethic lies for work: in the heart.

Work is included in the biblical list of three things essential for success: 1 Thess. 4:11.

The Bible has strong words of rebuke for those who do not put in an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. Jesus, of course, was a carpenter; Paul was a tent-maker. Proverbs 6:6; 18:9; 21:25.

Through planned work, man sets his sails to favoring breezes. – Leroy Brownlow

WORK IS REQUIRED FOR GOOD HEALTH:
Being productive is a natural way to enjoy good health. Health requires sleep, contentment, food, water, and exercise. But if you will meet the “exercise” requirement, the others usually follow naturally.

Our behavior speaks volumes that words cannot fill.

Listen to Solomon: Ecclesiastes 5:12.

If you quit being productive, the “Grim Reaper” will catch up with you sooner. Idleness allows the mind to imagine 1,000 ills! Staying productive strengthens the mind; a strong mind strengthens the body.

WORK IS REQUIRED FOR LIVING A HAPPY LIFE:
There is not a BOGO for a happy life. There is no discount. You can’t cheat for a happy life and you can’t bargain to a happy life. You have to be productive or you will not be happy.

The parasite will never know paradise.

2 Thess. 3:11. Busybodies! A result of unfulfillment and frustration, grown in the field of idleness. Doing nothing is a hard row to hoe; Solomon says it is a “hedge of thorns” (Prov. 15:19).

God didn’t create us to sit around all day. Get busy and be productive to fulfill your purpose.

Paul Holland

Eusebius, a 4th century church historian, records a fascinating tradition about the Biblical author James, the Lord’s brother. He states that James, “was frequently found upon his knees begging forgiveness for the people, so that his knees became hard like those of a camel, in consequence of his constantly bending them in his worship of God, and asking forgiveness for the people. (Ecclesiastical History Book 2, 23.6)

Most scholars think this to be an exaggeration, but what an incredible picture. Can you imagine someone having “camel-knees” from spending so much time bent down in prayer? Personally, it draws my mind to thoughts of prayer posture.

In scripture, people assume a number of positions when they speak to God: standing, kneeling, lying down, lifting their hands, sitting, bowing, or pounding their chest. While no single posture is ever prescribed, much less required, it does seem that physical posture can represent the spiritual posture of the one praying. For instance, being lower to the ground may symbolize an intense humility, grief, or stress (see David in 2 Samuel 12). It’s even possible that a prayer posture might stoke the feeling of humility before our Creator. For instance, bending to our knees invokes a different emotion than standing with arms raised like a child reaching for his father. Assuming either posture could help establish the mindset for that specific time of prayer.

While the posture doesn’t make or break the prayer, it may be worthwhile to periodically give it some thought. In the end, whether we have “camel-knees,” stiff rotator-cuffs, or carpet-burned bellies, the important thing is that we take time to pray, prostrating ourselves before our God.

Point to Ponder

What kinds of postures might be appropriate for different mindsets of prayer? While no single posture is required by God, what are some benefits you could experience by paying attention to your physical stance while praying?

Point of Action

When you pray today, try a posture that is different from your normal practice. After your time of prayer, take some time to reflect on whether your time with God was enhanced (or hindered) by the new posture.

Cory Waddell

How would you describe the “culture” of the church? In other words how does the body of Christ see itself and its purpose? What do members really see as their mission? Coming to worship on Sundays? Maybe that along with making sure they are morally pure and respectful to those inside and outside the body of Christ?

Many Christians are aware that the church is to be about preparing souls for the Lord (see Col. 1:28; Lk. 19:10; Mt. 28:18-20). But how do we really create this kind of culture within the body of Christ?
1. Make sure the mission is clear. Isn’t that what Jesus did? Remember, He told Peter and Andrew as soon as He called them that He would make them “fishers of men” (Mt. 4:19). In three of the Gospel accounts Jesus concluded with giving what we generally call “The Great Commission” (see Mt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-49; see also Acts 1:8). The mission statement is not complicated, but simple and concise. This mission needs to be repeated, and repeated, and then repeated again!

2. Make sure the work of the church is focused. Sometimes the problem with the church is that it does too much, but is focused too little on the actual mission of the Lord. Paul said in Romans 10:14, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” They will not be saved without being taught! We need to stay focused!
3. Make sure the work of the church is tailored to and available to all. Every Christian and every congregation is different. The church must focus on giving members every opportunity to engage the mission of Christ. Resources and training need to be provided so that the body is “equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:17).
4. Make sure the church is working in a common direction. Any group of people can work frantically but yet accomplish little because there is no cooperative effort, or working together. In Ephesians 4 Paul discusses how the different parts of the body work in harmony with one another for the growth of the body (see verses 12-16 especially). (See also 1 Cor. 3:5-9.)
5. Make sure that all through the process we are praying to the Lord of the harvest! (See Mt. 9:35-38).

It would take but a few people embracing this culture to infect others. This culture will change the church and also eternity! Let’s work together with one another and with God to change eternity for precious souls!

Daren Schroeder

In this well-known text, Solomon writes that everything has its time, its season. The same thing is true with parenting. Children go through stages (and parents do too!). Our responsibility as parents is to help navigate our children through these stages so we can help them mature into responsible adults.

The first stage (or “season”) is babyhood. It’s not like we need “Bible” to help us understand this point, but in 1 Thessalonians 2:7, Paul talks about how gentle a nursing mother tenderly cares for their own children. When our children are small, under two years old, mom’s life revolves around baby, because he or she needs it. The baby needs biological urges fulfilled and he or she can’t do it on their own. They need security and they need a sense of belonging.

The second stage begins roughly at two years old (which is why we have the “terrible twos”) and it involves mom and dad establishing their leadership over the child and helping him or her understand who has ultimate authority.  In a different context, but the principle is relevant, in 1 Corinthians 13:11, Paul writes that when he was a child, he spoke like a child, thought like a child, reasoned like a child, but when he became a man, he put away childish things.

In this stage, which lasts until adolescence, mom and dad are helping the child understand who makes the rules (parents) and who is obligated to obey the rules (children). This is the stage where mom and dad help toddler through pre-teen begin regulating their own behavior. The better we train, the more free time mom and dad have.

In the third stage, the stage of adolescence, parents are mentors. We have already firmly established our authority in the hearts and lives of our teens. Now it’s time to help train them, mentor them, into accepting the roles and responsibilities that are necessary to move into adulthood.

We don’t know how old Timothy was when Paul brought him into his mission team in Acts 16. He might have been beyond the teen years, but my point is still the same – Paul was involving Timothy in leadership roles consistent with his ability and his age. Timothy seems to have had some self-image issues because Paul told Timothy such things as: God has not given to us a spirit of timidity (or fear), but of love, power, and discipline (2 Tim. 1:7). Paul told Timothy, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe” (1 Tim. 4:12).

Finally, we move into the stage or season of friendship. In this stage, we don’t have to “be” our children’s parents. They are internally motivated to do what is right; we only need to advise them when they need it. We are moving into the stage of friendship. They are adults now and we look at the world largely from the same perspective.

In 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, Paul told the Christians in Corinth: “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong, let all that you do be done in love.” We are training our children to become responsible adults so that we can be friends. That’s what we mean when we say “train up a child in the way he should go…” (Prov. 22:6).

Serve. Lead. Mentor. Friendship. Those are the “seasons” of parenting. Make a determined effort to lead your child through each season.

Paul Holland

First, the Bible: “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right” (1 Peter 2:13-14).

One of the weakest aspects of our public school system in 21st century America is that too few parents support the teachers in conflicts with their children. It seems far too many parents automatically assume that their child is always right and the teacher is always wrong. That is a far cry from my dad’s philosophy: if you get spanked at school, you’ll get another at home. There has to be a balance between the two extremes.

When we lived in Romania, we had Jewell in a public school. That school had an Orthodox priest who came by once a week (if memory serves me correctly) to teach some aspects of their religion. Rachel and I did not have a problem with Jewell sitting in that class. The priest then began teaching the children to “make the sign of the cross” and he told a story about how a child was killed by a bear (if I remember correctly) because he did not make the sign of the cross. Jewell was in 2nd grade. Having sufficiently terrified the kids, he went one by one asking each child if he or she made the sign of the cross. When he got to Jewell, she answered, “yes.” But then immediately began crying because she knew she did not. Years later when she was baptized, that incident was still in her memory.

One of the benefits of our children having a part-time job is because they benefit from different styles of leadership. Even grandparents provide different rules in their home, different styles of interactions, etc. That’s all good and helpful for the children. They grow, learn to adapt, and mature because they see they have to adapt to different authorities.

The same is true with teachers, coaches, principals, etc. in school. We don’t need to automatically assume our children are “in the right,” if they have conflict at school. But even if they are in the right, there is a proper and an improper way for a child to speak back to authority. That’s where the wisdom of Mom and Dad should step in and help train the child to handle such conflicts in a way that honors truth and Jesus Christ and preserves the relationship between the authority and the child.

A different style of leadership can also bring out some aspect of your child’s personality that might not be positive. In that case, you as the parent have the opportunity to examine that specific behavior, discuss it in light of God’s word, and help your child learn how to control himself or herself in those situations. In that way, we are helping our children to grow and mature as they ought.

Paul Holland

When it comes to that angry friend, it doesn’t take 1,000 of them to affect you. It only takes one.

That one friend that has those anger issues can rub off on you. Their mindset, their reactions, and their sin will all rub off on you and you will learn their ways. The word “learn” is the idea of teach. This friend will teach you his ways and you will become his student. There was a study done on the influence of domestic violence and what it can do to not just the spouse, but to the children.

The study went on to reveal that almost 70 percent of kids that grew up watching their father beat their mother ended up being abusive to their spouse later on in life.

We don’t always realize that we are being taught. We don’t recognize that we are a student to something that we never wanted to claim as our teacher. We must be careful of our friendship with this dangerous man, or this concern will become a reality, and we will imitate his actions and ways.

Proverbs 22:25 says, “…Or you will learn his ways And find a snare for yourself.” If you reject the command and ignore the concern mentioned in the previous verses, you will have to face the consequence. You will find yourself insnared in anger. Genesis four shows us the consequence of anger. In verses 1-8, we are introduced to Cain and Abel. In this account we read that the anger of Cain caused his face to literally distort. This anger drove Cain to murder his brother. Now there have been times in the past that I’ve been mad at my brothers, but never angry enough to kill them. Cain’s anger had driven him to the point of murder.  As a result, verses 10-14 show us that Cain’s life would never be the same again. Unchecked anger will ruin our lives, but more than that unchecked anger will ruin our soul.

The Better Health Channel did a study on the physical affects of uncontrolled anger which include:

• Increased Anxiety
• High blood pressure
• Headache
• Digestion problems, such as abdominal pain
• Insomnia
• Depression
• Skin problems, such as eczema
• Heart attack
• Stroke

The Bible has done a study on the Spiritual affect of anger, and side effects include

• Murder
• Eternal Punishment
• And the loss of your Soul

The underground trains at many airports and subways will run over and over all day. When they reach the end of the line you hear a voice that tells you it’s the last stop. Then the train starts all the way back over and does it again. With anger there is no starting over. The things you say and the things you do cannot be erased. Proverbs 28:13 tells us that the fool lets loose his anger causing irrepairable issues. Benjamin Franklin once said, “Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame.” Eskimo wolf hunters use a special technique to kill wolves. First, they coat a knife blade with animal blood and allow it to freeze. Then they stick the knife in the ground with the blade facing up. When a wolf smells the blood it comes over and begins to lick the blade with the frozen blood. The wolf continues to feverishly lick the blade faster and faster until just the bare blade of the knife is showing. The craving for blood is so strong that the wolf doesn’t even realize that his desire is being quenched by its own warm blood. The wolf is found in the morning next to the knife having killed himself because of his lack of self control. If we aren’t careful, the anger of our friend will become our own, and in the end it will cause the loss of our salvation.

Anger can effect so many areas of our lives. We can be angry at ourselves, we can be angry at others, we can even be angry at God.  And this holds us back from our salvation.

If we are angry at ourselves for a past sin, the circumstances we were raised in, or the quality of our lives because of our own past decisions – this can hold us back from salvation.

If we are angry at others, a brother or sister at church, our parents or our friends – this can also hold us back from salvation.

If you’re angry at God, realize that He is the only One that can give you peace and cure you of that spiritual disease.

Don’t focus on the anger in your life, but on the love in Christ. The Love shown as men spit in His face. The Love shown as he was mocked. The Love as He was tied to a post, as He was scourged, as He carried His cross through the street. The Love shown as men drove nails through His hands. As they shoved the crown of thorns on His head…all of this and still He could look up at the Father and say, “Forgive them, they know not what they do.” If anyone had the right to feel anger – it was Him. The Son of God did not go through all of that so anger could eat us up.

Don’t let anger keep you from the peace and love that Christ has to offer. And don’t let anger strip you of experiencing eternal life with Him.

Carl Pollard

1. It is so serious that:
   1. God made a promise to Adam and Eve in the very beginning: Gen. 3:15.
   2. God gave His only Son: John 3:16.
   3. Christ gave His life and shed His blood: Acts 20:28; Rom. 5:8.
2. It is so serious that God through the Scriptures has given us stern warning: 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Rom. 1:16.

III. It is so serious that Paul and others gave their all to carry the message of salvation.

Stephen – Acts 7:51-60;

Peter – Acts 10:1-48;

Paul – Acts 14:19;

Paul & Silas in prison – Acts 16:25ff;

Paul in Athens – Acts 17:22;

Paul in Corinth – Acts 18:1

20. It is so serious that God has left our salvation or lack of it to us: Mark 16:16; Matt. 28:19-20.

9. How serious is salvation from a devil’s hell to you? John 6:28-29; Matt. 7:21-23; 2 Thess. 1:7-9.

the late Wayne Holland

in a sermon preached at:

South Boston, VA (10/24/1993)

Roxboro, NC (04/14/2002)

One of the greatest compliments ever paid to Jesus came from his disciples during the Lord’s cleansing of the temple in John 2. As Jesus was driving the moneychangers out of the temple, the disciples remembered the Scripture that said, “Zeal for your house has eaten me up” (John 2:17). In other words, the actions of Jesus made people think of God’s word.

Wouldn’t it be great if, when people witnessed our interactions with people, Scripture would be brought to their minds?  Friends, why don’t we make that our goal.  Let’s so speak and behave that when people hear and see us, they are reminded of Scripture.

by Steve Higginbotham

Dear God,

I have brothers and sisters and I don’t always like them. It made me sad when I heard that you sent your only son, that you loved, to visit people on earth and die for the them. But when I got older, like 7, I understood what a wonderful present that is! So instead of being sad I am happy!

Thank you God.

• Judy, age 8

Dear God,

My dad died when I was a baby, my mom died when I was a young boy. I was passed around from aunts and uncles until they gave me to an orphanage because no one wanted me. But now I have a family that loves me and forgives me and helps me.

Thank you God for my Christian family.

• Christian in Cambodia, age 22

Dear Loved Ones,

I do not want anything, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

I rejoice in the Lord greatly.

• The apostle Paul in prison. (Philippians 4:10-12)

Dear Father,

“O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You’ and these have know that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known, so that the love wherewith You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

• Jesus before His crucifixion. (John 17: 25-26)

When we thank God for our blessings in the upcoming Holiday Season, approach Him with the innocence of a child’s frame of mind, the gracious position of having family, the frame of mind that produces peace in any circumstance, and the outlook of the One who loves others at all costs. The tone of each prayer above reflects the joy in a heart that only comes by being close to the Father and recognizing whats truly important.

Dear God,

This season of thanks I have a renewed perspective of what is significant, what I am thankful for, and how I can share my blessings with others, just as You have shared with me.

– Your blessed and grateful servant, ____________.

Wes Autrey

As we end one year and begin another we tend to think about how we have spent our time. My time management is questionable at times. I do a lot of things last minute, especially school work–mainly geometry. It is a reminder that we must use the time we have been given. It is more valuable than money. Money can be made again but time once lost, is gone forever. We must be intentional with how we spend our limited time. James 4:14 says “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? Even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”

Time is a gift. We make time for school, work, sports, video games, friends, and family. Are we making time for the most important things in life? How many minutes a day do we spend studying God’s word? For me, I could be doing better. It’s easy to let minutes wasted on my computer turn into hours.

How do we get a better understanding of how to best use our time? Matthew 22:37 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” To do that we must

1. Put God first in our life. Romans 6:13 says, “Give yourselves to God, surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes.” So, keep our priorities straight. Matthew 6:33 tells us, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given unto you.” Seek him above all other things in our daily life.
2. If the axe is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but wisdom brings success” (Ecclesiastes 10:10). We must use our time to strengthen our knowledge of God’s word. We need to work smarter in managing our time and completing tasks. Add our Bible study to our TO DO list. Put it at the top until it becomes a habit.
3. Make time spent on important things into a goal. Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” At school they tell us to make SMART goals. We can use this in our Bible study life too. Specific goal, Measurable goal (how many minutes to read) , Action oriented- what am I doing to meet this time goal, Realistic- remember my actual attention span, and Timely- actually make progress. Share your goal with a friend and help each other.
4. Finally understand the limit of the time we are given. We are certainly not promised tomorrow (even if a teenager). Ephesians 5:15-17 tells us, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Are my time choices bringing me closer to the relationship?

I need to have with God. James 4:14 asks, “Why you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

The way you spend your time has eternal consequences. Maybe you have not made the best choices on how you spend your time. Maybe you need to make the most important decision of your time here on earth. If you haven’t made the decision to be baptized now is the perfect time. Or if you have any other need there is no better time than the present.

Maddox Wilson

For the first time in several years, the power was out in our house last night. It had obviously been a while since the power had gone out because we were clearly unprepared. When we looked for lights in our camping gear, we found out that the large lantern didn’t have batteries. My wife found a lamp we use in our tent and lit a few candles. The candles, mind you, mainly were for scent and not for light. To make matters worse, our new house that we have been in since September has remarkably poor cell service. So there we were, sitting in the dark with no internet (even on our phones), and there wasn’t a thing we could do about it.

As I got ready for bed, I couldn’t help but think how dependent we had become on electricity. If my house loses power, my basic life is so interrupted that it looks nothing like my day-to-day routine. Without power, I had to adjust the way I entertained myself, the way I communicated, and the way I prepared for the coming day. It reminded me of how dependent I am on God’s power.

In a western 21st century culture, we like to talk about how we should depend on God. While I understand the sentiment we are trying to express with such a statement, it, unfortunately, conveys the idea that we have a choice in the matter. American culture is hallmarked by fierce individualism. “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps” is a favorite expression used to describe the attitude we should all have to make America great. We seem to take the same attitude toward God. We only need Him for the things that we cannot accomplish ourselves.

In the ancient culture and the Bible, however, God is viewed as the sustainer of all things. Think of passages like Colossians 1:17 where it says, “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Or Hebrews 1:3, “…he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” Or Job 12:10, “In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.”

When the power went out in my house, I had to “improvise, adapt, overcome.” What would happen if God’s power went out in my life? It is possible that I have fallen into the bootstrapped American mindset where I feel like I would be okay until I hit something too big for me to handle. I would be able to adapt and overcome for a little while.

We need to be careful that we don’t fall into that mindset. God has created me to be able to do amazing things, but I could not exist for one second without his power. Since he is not just the creator but also the sustainer, I need to recognize my total dependence on Him. I want to be sure to echo the psalmist and say, “Bless the Lord, O my soul!” and thank him for keeping the power on all the time.

Brian Ketchem

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes” (Matthew 11:21, ESV).

Within the past 24 hours I have spoken with three different groups of Christians via the internet in two South Asian countries and have taught more Bible lessons and discussed evangelistic plans in both of those, plus one other neighboring nation. I was able to both hear and see those people online, as they were able to see and hear me, in spite of the distance of approximately ten thousand miles (in a straight line) between us.

When I began preaching in the 1960s it was still common for missionaries to travel between continents by ship, though airline travel for those purposes was becoming more practical and common. The legendary twentieth century evangelist, Marshal Keeble, titled his memoirs, From Muleback to Super Jet with the Gospel. If I were to write a similar volume it might be called, “From Plane Flights to Zoom.”

Our modern technology is wonderful. It enables us to communicate worldwide with ease and comfort. Yet, I am also reminded that this technology is only as good as the use to which it is put.

Television ads for electronic services (mobile phone, television, internet, etc.) state that the average American family home contains 8 devices capable of receiving their signals. The majority of those devices are used primarily for entertainment and casual communications. Unfortunately, many are also tools used for gambling, pornography, and criminal behavior.

I read a story many years ago about a man who talked to the author, Henry David Thoreau, about Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone. “Just think,” he said, “A man here in New York can speak directly to a man in Texas over that instrument.” Thoreau is said to have responded, “But what if the man in New York has nothing to say to the man in Texas?”

The emphasis of evangelism has always been and must always remain on the message delivered rather than the method of delivery. We all have watched new methods become fads, from mass media to Power Point presentations, to streaming services. Each of these offers advantages in time and cost, yet each of these may easily be abused and misused. The power to save is not in the method – it is always in the Word (message) which is proclaimed (James 1:21).

I have often considered the vast challenge of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and wondered how any generation could hope to accomplish that awesome task. As the world’s population swells to well over 7 billion people it seems more difficult than ever. Yet, with the means we now have those billions may be reached more quickly, at less relative expense, than ever before.

That consideration makes me turn to the words of Jesus regarding the cities in which he performed miracles and taught (Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, Matthew 11:20-24). He stated that notoriously evil pagan cities such as Sodom, Tyre and Sidon would have repented had they experienced what the Judean cities had seen and heard. He was invoking the principle often called, “the peril of privilege.” In other words, the more we have been given the more we are accountable for how we use it.

As we enjoy our devices and connections let us each reflect on how we are using them to serve God and do the work of his kingdom. Entertainment is not wrong, but excessive pleasure without corresponding service is certainly not responsible stewardship. We are greatly blessed. Are we responding to those blessings appropriately?

Michael Brooks