Facebook says I have 715 “friends.” Some are casual friends and others are good friends.  A good friend is one you can share your life with -your feelings, thoughts and frustrations. A good friend is one you can work with, share time with, and is patient with you. I cannot imagine living without good friends.

Everyone needs good friends. We need the positive influence they provide and the help and support in our troubling times. Proverbs 17:17a says, “A friend loves at all times” and will make sacrifices for you. Jesus is the perfect example of that (John 15:13).

Yes, we have to be careful about the influences around us (1 Corinthians 15:33).  We want good influences from a good friend. A good friend will be honest with you and not tell you what you want to hear, but what you need to hear (Proverbs 27:6,9).  Here again, Jesus does that for us.

As the song says, “What a friend we have in Jesus.”

– Rob Albright

Typically, when the doctrine of God’s providence is discussed, a handful of well-known Scriptures are used to illustrate his protective care and blessings. For example, we frequently reference Joseph (Genesis 50:19-20), Esther (Esther 4:14), and Onesimus (Philemon 15), but rarely have we referenced the following passage I want you to consider.

When Israel crossed the Jordan to take possession of the “promised land,” the nations in Canaan took up arms against them and did what they could to destroy them. The Philistines, Amalekites, Moabites, and others were constantly at war with Israel. They continually sought out ways to destroy Israel and exploit any weakness they could find. (Numbers 30:16).

With their environment understood, consider one of the commands God gave Israel.  God commanded all the men in Israel to travel to Jerusalem three times a year to worship (Deuteronomy 16:16). Have you ever considered how vulnerable that would have left Israel? With all the men gone from all the villages, Israel’s enemies could have easily overrun these cities and villages occupied only by women and children? Three times a year, Israel made themselves vulnerable to their enemies who wanted to destroy them. Yet, there is not a single example of which I am aware, of any raid by Israel’s enemies during these times when the men were gone from their cities.

The question that begs to be asked is, “Why not?” Why didn’t Israel’s enemies take advantage of this vulnerability? The Bible gives us the answer.  God said, “Three times a year all your men shall appear before the Lord, the God of Israel. For I will cast out the nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither will any man covet your land when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year” (Exodus 34:23-24).

Did you see that? The reason Israel didn’t suffer during a period of extreme vulnerability is because of God’s providence and protection. He promised that the enemies of Israel would not covet Israel’s land when the men were on their pilgrimage three times a year. Don’t you find that interesting? Doesn’t that impress you with the power of God and the control he wields in the affairs of men?

Next time you feel overwhelmed and defeated, you need to remember that you serve a powerful God who answers prayer and promises to work on our behalf for our good.

by Steve Higginbotham

Psalm 46:10 has delivered peace to innumerable souls. It is a passage that many go to in times of heartache, confusion, and loneliness. But what exactly does it mean to be “still” as the Lord demands in the Psalm?

The Hebrew language is quite peculiar because a word can have a variety of different uses. For example, Samuel uses the word “still” in 1 Samuel 15:16 when he tells Saul to “stop” or “wait.” This was Samuel’s way of getting Saul to cease whatever he was doing or thinking; it was a time of correction.

     The  Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains defines this word as being slack, waiting, no movement, and remaining alone. Literally speaking, it means to be liberated from any activity.

When looking at the LXX (Greek Old Testament), the word is translated to skole. This is the origin of our English word, “school.” When modified, the word means “to be without occupants, to stand empty” (Greek-English Lexicon). This can be seen in something like an empty lecture hall (Acts 19:9).

With this in mind, one can approach Psalm 43 in a new light. The song is composed of three strophes and a central idea of God being a reliable source of shelter. The first strophe (46:1-3) focuses on the confidence spawned from God’s presence. The second strophe (46:4-7) hones in on God’s power over all creation. The third and final strophe (46:8-11) is an invitation to observe God’s hand in all wars.

Battles come in all shapes and sizes. People fight with grief, fear, guilt, anxiety, hatred, resentment, and most prominent of all is the battle with self. God very plainly and simply says, “be still.” Stop, cease your activity, empty yourself, be as an open lecture hall – and know that He is.

One more interesting thing to note about this word “still,” is the idea of bringing down. As mentioned earlier, Hebrew words can be used in different ways. This particular word can be used to denote. Passages like Isaiah 5:24, Ezekiel 1:24, Nehemiah 6:9, and Judges 8:3 all use the word in order to dictate a “letting down” or a “lowering” action. This seems to fit the Psalm as well. It seems that everyone knows the first part of Psalm 46:10, “be still and know that I am God,” but forgets to mention the following two statements: “I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.”

Our only opportunity to lower ourselves is when we are still. And when we lower ourselves, we can then lift God up and know His power to conquer all.

I can’t help but remember when Jesus spoke, “peace, be still” to the violent waves. What powerful words from an almighty King to stop the raging sea. God, in the midst of your storm, demands you to be still and allow Him to be exalted.

Tyler King

Covenant 

“And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.” Hebrews 9:15-17 

About a month ago now I bought a new computer to install in my office. The fact is my old computer has become obsolete. According to definition the word obsolete means “no longer produced or used, out of date.” I still have the old XP operating system on the old computer and have been receiving repeated messages that this system is no longer supported and that I need to update my system. I experience crashes quite often and things run very slowly. I cannot update my browsers because my operating system is obsolete. I hope to complete a transition to the new computer soon. 

The writer of Hebrews refers to the Old Testament, or Old Covenant, as being obsolete, “In that He says, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away” (Heb. 8:13). The entire book of Hebrews is a contrast between the Old Covenant given to Israel through Moses and the New Covenant given to spiritual Israel (the church) through Jesus Christ. Jesus is set forth as superior to Moses, “For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house” (Heb. 3:3).

Jesus comes as the mediator of the new and better covenant, “Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man” (Heb. 8:1-2). The Hebrew writer explains to us that the earthly tabernacle was just a copy of the true tabernacle in heaven, “For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, ‘See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’ But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (Heb. 8:4-6).

There was a progression of covenants in the Old Testament that culminated in the Mosaic Covenant (Gen. 19) and the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7). However, both of these covenants were only copies or shadows. They prefigured and pointed to the new and better covenant which God would establish through his son Jesus Christ. Jesus ministers in the tabernacle not made with hands, “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation” (Heb.9:11). Jesus has entered into heaven itself where he appears in the presence of God, “For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Heb. 9:24).

“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God…” Heb.10:12

-Scott Gag

    Though no one can predict the future of our nation, we can say with confidence that God is in control, His cause will triumph, and He judges nations.  ‘The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Psalm 9:17). ‘Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).

Gibbon’s famous work, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, lists five reasons for the fall of Rome. There are several parallels between ancient Israel and Rome, and even more disturbing, between Rome and America.

1. The rapid increase of divorce; the undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis of human society. American families are under attack by humanists, homosexuals, and Hollywood. Some don’t even know what a family is any more (Matthew 19:4-9).

2.  Higher and higher taxes: the spending of public monies for free bread and circuses or the populace. America is on the greatest spending binge in history. Many have forgotten how to work; they expect the government to support them (2 Thessalonians 3:10; I Timothy 5:8).

3.  The mad craze for pleasure: sports becoming every year more exciting and more brutal. Many Americans are so obsessed with sports that they have no time for Bible studies (2 Tim. 3:4; Hebrews 11:25).

4.  The building of gigantic armaments when the real enemy was within – the decadence of the people. Babylon’s wall, water, and wealth could not prevent the Persian invasion (Daniel 5). No armament can protect a nation that has rotted from within – not even America’s.

5.  The decay of religion: faith fading into mere form; losing touch with life and becoming impotent to warn and guide the people. Most churches have become social clubs, pursuing entertainment to attract bigger crowds.  Many audiences no longer expect to hear book, chapter, and verse (2 Timothy 4:1-4). They have replaced the house of prayer with food, fun, and frolic (Matthew 2 1:12-14).

Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.  – by Rick Duggin

Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans?” (Luke 13:2, NASB).

Is there such a thing as one sin being greater than another?

Jesus was asked about some Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. Josephus wrote about skirmishes between the Jews and the Romans – particularly around Jewish feasts – that resulted in heavy bloodshed (Pulpit Commentary). Perhaps such an event is here referenced.

Jesus’ answer is interesting: “Do you suppose these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans because they suffered these things?” On another occasion, Jesus illustrated the same truth. When a woman was brought before him who was caught in adultery, he famously instructed those who were without sin to cast the first stone (John 8:1-11). This would imply that their sins were no less significance than hers.

There are numerous passages that help us understand sin’s consequences. Sodom and Gomorrah’s sin was called “very grievous” (Gen. 18:20). Then in Lamentations, Judah’s sin was considered worse than Sodom’s (Lam. 4:6). In John 19:11, Jesus told Pilate that those who delivered him to Pilate had “the greater sin.”

Some sins are indeed more grievous than others. There is a difference between sins of presumption, sins of ignorance, and sins of premeditation/outright rebellion. For example, Paul, who was “a blasphemer, a persecutor and an insolent man” – the “chief of sinners” – received mercy “because [he] did it ignorantly, in unbelief” (1 Tim. 1:13). Yet, the Jews who persecuted the prophets of old and then the church during the days of the apostles were not shown such mercy (see: Matthew 12:41). They did so, not out of ignorance, but out of envy and wrath. Obviously, motive matters.

We might also point out that God once overlooked the ignorance of idolatry in a way that He will not for people living under the reign of His Son (see: Acts 17:30-31). Opportunity matters.

Certainly, we can understand that saying a word that we shouldn’t in a moment of anger is consequentially different than planning and carrying out a murder. Both the Law of Moses, and human law recognize these differences – at least in the punitive sense.

Not every sin carries the same weight of consequence. But any sin has the power to condemn eternally. Let us not worry about other people’s sins as much as we do our own. And may our lives reflect the understanding that while the earthly consequences for sins may vary, the eternal consequences will not.

Rick Kelley

There’s a lot of buzz these days about doing away with the holidays as we know them. Everything from alternative menus to refusing to celebrate the day itself b/c of it’s supposed by some to be a symbol of exploitation of other people.

1. But I love it. I love that families go to great lengths to be together, that we enjoy special foods together, that it’s a time when most normal activities stop & we focus on other things.
2. I mostly love it b/c it’s an to collectively give thanks to God for all of His blessings. I’ve always loved the fact that even people who claim they don’t believe often talk about being “thankful,” & you can’t be thankful w/out being thankful TO someone.
3. And I fear that many of the attempts to alter or eliminate Thanksgiving have more to do with wanting to eliminate God from our cultural mindset than with any of the supposed “causes” people claim to be championing.
4. But in reality, a day like Thanksgiving isn’t about a particular day, is it? It’s about an attitude of the heart, an attitude with which we live day by day, an attitude that shapes how we behave, not just toward God, but toward each other.
5. Did you notice in our reading that 3 times Paul says something about being thankful? V. 15 – “And be thankful.” V. 16 – sing “with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” V. 17 – “Do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
6. And yet, if you look closely at vs. 12-17, they aren’t directly about being thankful, they’re about how we treat one another. About whether or not we’re compassionate, kind, humble, patient, & forgiving. And above all, whether or not we act in love toward each other.
7. In that spirit – & with that attitude – we are to teach & admonish one another as we sing to God.
8. Did you get that? Our gratitude to God should motivate our Godly behavior toward each other. A truly thankful heart is more capable of extending mercy, patience, & forgiveness to others than is an ungrateful one. Thankful people live differently than those who aren’t thankful.
9. So, “whatever you do,” Paul says, “in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
10. And when you do that, you’ll find that your relationships with others will improve dramatically.

As we close, I want to ask you to do two things – silently. First, think of what you are most thankful for that happened to you w/in the past year. Second, think of what you are most thankful for that DIDN’T happen in the past year, something you dreaded or feared, but it didn’t take place, and you’re glad it didn’t. And then let your gratitude overflow all year long.

Tommy South

In 2002, Song Jiang escaped from prison. The Chinese police searched for years, but to no avail. Finally, in September, some 17 years later, they received some clues about Jiang’s possible location. The problem was that it was located in a mountainous area thick with forests. He proved too hard to find in such terrain. Then the police decide to dispatch some drones. They noticed some blue colored steel and debris in a particular stop. The police trekked into the forest to this location and, at long last, found and captured Song Jiang (BBC).

Over time, there have been some incredibly infamous prison escapes. In 1962, three men escaped from Alcatraz, the prison many thought to be impossible to escape from. In 1971, Frank Abagnale, the famous conman, escaped from prison by convincing guards he was an undercover prison inspector. In 1977, convicted murderer James Robert Jones escaped from prison and eluded the police for 37 years thereafter. In 2015, David Sweat and Richard Matt escaped a New York maximum-security correctional facility by making their way into the main duct work and cutting their way out with power tools.

While all of these people, and certainly many others, escaped their punishment for a time, they all have one thing in common – they never eluded God. The Lord wasn’t fooled. The Almighty never lost track of their whereabouts. The Holy One was never, for even a single second, unaware of their thoughts and actions.

Hebrews 4:13 says it plainly, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”

While no escaped convict has ever eluded God, let’s not be so quick to point the finger. You’ve never escaped God either. Nor have I.

No one and nothing is hiding from God’s all-seeing eyes. Everything we do, say, and think is open and exposed before our almighty God. There are no secrets. There is no escape. But there will most certainly be a day when we will answer for our deeds (Matthew 25:31-46; 16:27; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; etc).

It’s possible to elude man. It’s not possible to elude God. So we can either face the Lord now, by our free will, and seek His grace and mercy (Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:1-7; etc), or we can be forced to bow the knee at the judgment (Philippians 2:9-11).

God so badly wants us to turn back to Him. His open, loving arms are waiting to welcome us to Him (Luke 15:20). But they won’t always stay open.

Let’s stop running. Let’s stop hiding. Let’s “fear God and keep His commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

Brett Petrillo

As children of God, our dearest wish is to hear the final commendation: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” The hope of hearing those words at the end of our journey helps us suffer the trials of this world, and brings us comfort when we part with loved ones.

Two people who received this reward are described in Matthew 25. The five and two talent servants have been upheld as positive examples in many lessons through the years, while the one talent man is pointed to as a warning against laziness in the kingdom.

And yet, I fear that many of us see ourselves in that one talent man. And even if we don’t see it, we certainly follow in his footsteps more often than we should.

It’s very easy to see the accomplishments of others. It’s easier still to think of those accomplishments as something unattainable for ourselves; such lofty endeavors are best left to people more talented, more suitable. How many times have you said or thought, “I wish I could do that”?

When we think this way, we are falling prey to the same thinking that the one talent man did – we forget that one isn’t the same as none. We also forget that even if there really is only one thing we can do for our Lord then we had best get busy doing it rather than lamenting all of the things that are beyond our ability. How much more productive could we be if we were to focus on what we can do rather than on what we can’t?

Moses, one of God’s most faithful and noteworthy servants, attempted to reason with God by this logic, and failed. When presented with the enormous task of facing Pharaoh and leading the Hebrews out of bondage, Moses very quickly protested that he was the wrong man for the job.

“Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” (Exodus 4: 10)

This was hardly Moses’ first excuse that he offered in his attempt to dodge the work God had for him. But the Lord was no more impressed with this excuse than He had been with the previous ones.

“Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?” (v. 11)

We need this reminder just as much as Moses did. Complaining to God about all of the abilities we do not have will not give us a “pass” – especially because He is the one who gave us those abilities in the first place. He knows the exact inventory and limits of each and every person far better than we do. Telling Him that He did not properly equip us for the work He has given will not do us any favors. We must not forget that if God has commanded us to do something, then we can safely assume that our ability to obey that command is within our reach.

But our spiritual productivity is not threatened merely by throwing this sort of pity party; falling stagnant and being content with our abilities rather than expanding them is equally dangerous. How much more do you think the one talent man would have been able to do if he had raised his own expectations to meet the ones that his master had of him?

God is better than anyone for seeing untapped potential in the most unlikely places. He has made apostles out of murderers and fishermen, out of doubters and tax collectors. He has made kings out of shepherds and military leaders out of men who had hidden from their enemies. And He has raised prophets out of men who were heartbroken and weary by a nation left desolate from sin.

Numerous characters in the Bible story give the reaction of “Who, me?” when they are given a task by God, and every time God assures them that yes, they are exactly what He is looking for. With such examples, what reason do we have to doubt His hope for what we can accomplish by His strength?

The question then, is not whether we are the five or two or one talent man. Some of us have a larger “toolbox” than others, and some of us might only be able to do a few things for God’s kingdom. But as we see throughout Scripture, it is not how much we can do that truly matters – it is how much we are willing to try. That is the mark of a “good and faithful servant”.

– by K. M. Smith

“And the Lord did so. Thick swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh, into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt. The land was corrupted because of the swarms of flies” (Exodus 8:24 NKJV).

I was standing recently under the shade of a mango tree in an Asian country and noticed several flies swarming around. When I looked more closely I saw many large flies sitting on the leaves and fruit. Other insects were also flying about, but the flies were especially numerous. Almost without thinking I moved back several feet to get away from them.

Have you noticed among the ten plagues which God sent upon Egypt how many of them were of small, normally inconsequential things? There were frogs, lice, flies, and locusts, none of which normally cause much of a problem individually. But when they swarm in huge numbers the impact can be devastating, and so it was in Egypt.

Some have speculated that the sheer numbers of insects on earth may be God’s compensation to the tiny creatures for their small size. A hill of fire ants or a hive of “killer bees” has power far out of proportion to the small body of each one.

Many times when we find ourselves stressed to the point of breaking, it is not the size of the problem that overwhelms us. It is rather the sheer number of smaller problems, each one manageable alone, but in combination more than we feel able to bear. Non-fatal but worrisome illness may come together with difficulties in relationships, stress in the workplace, and financial reverses. We become worn down and unable to cope. Like the series of frogs and bugs and other problems in Egypt, the land is suddenly almost uninhabitable.

What is to be done in such times? Pharaoh knew the answer. “Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, ‘Entreat the Lord that he may take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go” (Exodus 8:8). The King knew from where the plague had come, and he knew who had the power to make it go away. He also knew that in order to persuade God he had only to ask him and to repent from his previous errors.

Pharaoh’s problem was that he was not truly repentant. Time after time he stated, “I will let the people go,” but once the plagues ceased he changed his mind. Of course that resulted in yet another plague. Whether each one was more severe and harder to bear than the previous plagues is not clear, until the last one, but it is obvious that their cumulative effect was terrible to the people.

When we pray and repent insincerely, or simply endure a problem until it seems to go away, we may find temporary relief. But it is certain that more problems will follow. “God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 5:7). Only when our repentance is genuine and our prayers are fervent will true and lasting relief come. Even then, it may not be the cessation of our suffering, but rather the strength to endure and overcome it (2 Corinthians 12:8-9). James stated it well:

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:5-8).

Problems will continue to beset us. But if we maintain trust in God and look to him, help will come. Sometimes the trouble will cease. Sometimes strength to cope will be given. Always, God gives to everyone who asks with great generosity.

Michael Brooks

Doctrine: False Teaching and the Pastoral Epistles
1 Timothy 1:1-11

    An enterprising little boy set up a lemonade stand. To attract his customers, he painted a large sign that read: “ALL YOU CAN DRINK FOR A DIME.”

    His first customer came along, a businessman, to enjoy a glass of lemonade. He downed his first glass and asked the young fellow for another. The boy asked for a dime. The man protested that he was to drink all he could, for a dime.

    The little boy said, “That, sir, is all you can drink for a dime.”

    Have you ever been swindled based on the fine print? Or a sweet talker? Or an ambiguous word? There is a lot of that going on in the name of Christianity. Since the very earliest days of Christianity, men have been twisting and distorting and perverting the gospel of Christ to make it more pleasing to their own culture. So, this practice is about 2,000 years old. It should come as no surprise that we have people in our day who do not teach Christianity as it is revealed in the NT. Paul had the same issue, as we see in 1 Timothy. 

PAUL’S INTRODUCTION – 1:1-2:

    Notice how Paul begins the letter, saying he is an “apostle of Christ Jesus.” Since he is going to be dealing with false doctrine in his letter, he needs to remind his audience that he is an apostle, with all of the authority that was given to his role. To emphasize that point, he says he is an apostle “according to the commandment of God …and of Christ Jesus.” Some might have argued that Paul could not have had as much authority as the other apostles because he was not among the original twelve. But, he states here that he was an apostle by the commandment of God and of Christ. He wrote and spoke with their authority.

    That is why Paul could say things like: “The things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment” (1 Cor. 14:37). And, “if anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame” (2 Thess. 3:14).

STOP FALSE TEACHERS – 1:3-7:

    The main point in this first paragraph is found here in verse 3: “I urge to to instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines.” It is interesting that this phrase “to teach strange doctrines” is all one word in the original language; it is only used one other time, in 6:3. Notice what Paul says about these people in 6:3-5.

    There are certain truths that are central to Christian belief that we must not swerve from. There are commands nonChristians must obey in order to become Christians. There are commands Christians must obey in order to be fruitful in the work of the Lord. These people were teaching something different from that.

    Paul says these men were “straying from these things.” Notice that “straying” carries the idea of slowly moving away from the truth. It doesn’t take long for us to move away from the truth if we just take one small step away from it. These men strayed from the truth, since they turned aside to “fruitless discussion.” Is this question really going to help me get to heaven or not? That’s what is fruitful. 

THE TRUE VIEW OF THE LAW – 1:8-11:

    Paul says the law is good if you use it correctly, if you understand why God gave it to us. God never disparages “law” or commandment keeping in the Bible, nowhere. In fact, God always emphasizes how important it is for us to meticulously keep His commandments in every way possible; to cut off our hand or foot or pluck out our eye if these keep us from keeping the commandments of Christ. If and when we find that we are straying from His commandments, then we need to repent of that behavior and return to showing our love through our obedience. The law is good, if we use it lawfully.

    Paul says the law is given for the lawless and rebellious, presumably to show their evildoing and lead them to repentance, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane. The law condemns the “father-murderers” (one word in Greek) and “mother-murderers” (again, one word in Greek), “murderers,” fornicators (or immoral people), homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, and perjurers, and, in fact, anyone who lives and teaches what is contrary to sound and healthy teaching. The word “sound” here gives us our English word “hygiene.” Good “hygiene” is proper teaching from the mouth of God, found in the Word of God. 

    Let’s dedicate ourselves to the gospel that we might remain faithful to the message of Jesus Christ despite the false teachers we see around us.

What is the significance of the first day of the week to Christians? The Jews, under Jewish (Old Testament) Law observed the seventh-day Sabbath as a day of rest, recognizing that God rested on the 7th day of Creation, while most of those who claim to follow Christ observe the first day of the week in worship.  What is the special significance of the first day?

1) Light was spoken into existence by God on the first day of Creation (Genesis 1:5).  God’s material creation was wrapped in darkness until light was brought into existence to dispel the darkness.  On the first day of the week we give honor to Him who is “the light of the world” (John 8:12), a world in darkness without Him as its light.  John wrote of Him: “In the beginning was the Word (Jesus, see v. 14), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God….  All things were made by Him, and without Him not anything was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:1, 3-4).  Jesus is the light of the New Creation, those delivered from the kingdom of darkness.

2) The resurrection of Jesus, “the light of the world”, was upon “the first day of the week” (Luke 24:1), the third day after His death, which He had promised to be the day of His resurrection (Mark 16:9;; Luke 9:22; 24:21).

3) The recorded appearances of Jesus to His disciples were upon the first day of the week (Matthew 28:9-10; Luke 24:33-36; John 19:26).

4) The Lord’s Church had its beginning upon the first day of the week with the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday (Acts 2:1-4).  Note: Pentecost was always on the first day following the Sabbath (Saturday), and thus was on the first day of the week. (Leviticus 23:11, 15-16)

5) The early church assembled upon the first day of the week to “break bread” (Acts 20:7), a term used in regard to the breaking of the bread in the Lord’s Supper, as instituted by Jesus for a memorial of His sacrifice for us (Matthew 26:28; Luke 22:19).  Paul gave instructions as to the proper partaking of the Lord’s supper at their assemblies (1 Corinthians 11:18-34).  The breaking of bread was at their weekly assemblies, not quarterly or yearly.  They were steadfast in the practice (Acts 2:42).  Contributions were also made on the first day of every week (1 Corinthians 16:1-2, NASB, ESV).  Scripture plainly warns of the danger that exists in a Christian’s willful forsaking the assemblies of the church (Hebrews 10:35-31).  The first day of the week is a very significant day for God’s people.

By Ron Bartanen

“In 1846 former president John Quincy Adams suffered a stroke. Although he returned to Congress the following year, his health was clearly failing. A friend of his came in and made particular inquiry of his health.  Adams answered, ‘I inhabit a weak, frail, decayed tenement; battered by the winds and broken in upon by the storms, and from all I can learn, the landlord does not intend to repair'” (Today in the Word, April 11, 1992).

The sad reality of life is the inevitability of death. All of our bodies will break down, some sooner than others. Cultures throughout time have tried to slow down and even beat the aging process, but all have failed. Death is one battle we will all eventually lose unless the Lord comes first.  John Adams had the right perspective on life. He realized that (1) God is the owner, the landlord, of our bodies, and (2) He is in control of how long we live.

This is sad and discouraging, but there is good news!  As 2 Corinthians 4:16 says, “… Though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.”

Just because we are breaking down physically, doesn’t mean we have to let it happen spiritually.  We may get old physically, but we can remain young spiritually.  We may get sick physically, but we can stay spiritually healthy.  We may get physically weak and frail, but we can remain spiritually strong.  We may be persecuted and beaten down, but our spiritual bodies can be renewed and protected. Being a Christian comes with so much hope and reassurance!

It’s important to keep ourselves physically healthy for as long as God allows us to live. However, there is nothing more important than remaining spiritually healthy and “renewing our inner man day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16).

Brett Petrillo

“There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him” (Mark 7:15, ESV).

Jesus’ disciples were criticized because they did not follow traditions – traditions designed by elitists to help the ignorant mass from furthering angering their God. If only they could get enough of these oblivious people to obey God (John 7:49), they might succeed in ushering in the Messiah and overthrowing the Roman occupation.

These traditions became so valuable that focus was lost. The Law was an afterthought. People were in worse condition than if they’d had no leadership at all. They were scattered sheep (Mt. 9:36). Many hearts drifted away from God (Isa. 29:13; Mt. 15:8).

What about us?

Our societal shepherds focus on personality, physique, organics, wealth-building.

Externals rule.

Are these nothing? Of course not, but neither are they primary.

The tendency to get the cart before the horse is ubiquitous, human.

We elevate the mundane and minimize the profound.

We extend the temporary and cut off the eternal.

We sacrifice character to the god of reputation.

Things have their place; fads come and go; stuff will perish.

But the heart endures.

The heart requires more maintenance than the lawn, more effort than exercise, more cleaning than vegetables.

It is worth more than my investments, and will last longer than my retirement.

Buy organic.

Exercise.

Invest wisely.

Get a nice haircut.

Buy an outfit that flatters.

Detail your vehicle.

But before and above all things, focus on what really matters.

Tend the heart.

Rick Kelley

There is a great bit of wisdom that has come from the lips of the Lord. We understand it as the “golden rule.” We are to do unto to others as we would want others to do unto us (Matthew 7:12).

It is a sad occasion when Christians are encouraged to think that others have an attitude of coolness (or just plain cold) to a brother  in Christ. To borrow the words of James, “my brothers, this ought not to be.” How can good come from such a way of thinking?

It has been said, many times, that life, among other things, is a matter of interpretation. It is not possible for us to live is a  world where we don’t interpret what we see and hear. We make evaluations based upon our way of thinking at the time of what we see and hear. But it is an entirely different matter when we interpret and make certain conclusions without important facts. The Lord encourages us to make righteous judgments. Be careful about interpreting the motivations and intentions of others (cf. John 7:24).

Jesus said we are to judge righteously. That implies that we WILL make a judgment. But the standard by which we judge another  must be the standard that we want another to judge us; this is the golden rule.

Making judgments are not the problem; problems occur when we use a standard the Lord won’t recognize.

By Ron Thomas

“Don’t eat this. Don’t eat this. Don’t eat this.” Those were the words a classroom full of teens heard from me on a yawn-absorbed Sunday morning as I handed out Oreos.

Before the teens and I studied the book of Colossians together, I wanted to establish the basics of Bible study. However, if I said we were going to study exegetically, I would have been like a doctor as he watched the pulse of his patient gradually flatline. Odds are, “exegesis” is far removed from everyday vernacular. As a result, the practice of exegesis takes a back seat when reading through the text of God’s word.

In order to introduce the study, I gave each teen an Oreo and relocated myself to the front of a whiteboard. Of course with teens, I had to preface with the instruction of “don’t eat this.” I removed the cap of the Expo marker and asked the group to tell me details about the Oreo they were holding. Perplexed, they began looking around at each other until the first one piped up, “it has ridges on the outside!”

Some 10 minutes later, the whole whiteboard was packed with specific details about this one little cookie. “The cookie has crumbs that fall off easily,” “it has ‘Oreo’ written on it,” “It has a creamy white center,” “it smells a little like chocolate” and so on. Whether you realize it or not, you practice exegesis on a daily basis. We exegete people, movies, politics, conversations, and status updates. Why is it that we treat the Word of God any different than a conversation from the Almighty? Because it’s easy to gloss over words that we feel are irrelevant or outdated. This is His way of communicating to us and we had better listen up.

There is absolutely no way I can exhaust the details of exegesis in one simple article. I also can’t begin to tell you the magnitude of how exegesis has blessed my life. I primarily just hope I can encourage you to get started in this wonderful practice. Bible study isn’t just a routine anymore, but it has now become a curiosity and a love. If you wish to get started in this incredible adventure, pick a book (maybe a smaller one at first, like 1 John) and start from the beginning. Dissect the text in a verse-by-verse manner without any presuppositions. Read it as if it were your first time. Remember, exegesis is all about taking out from the text, and not putting things into the text. There’s a world of divine education awaiting you.

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence.”

Tyler King

Day after day Americans are exposed to very familiar brand slogans. Such slogans are professionally written to convey the brand’s spirit in the shortest way possible. In just a few words, advertisers want prospective buyers to grasp & remember the catch’y vibe of their brand. As these slogans ring daily in our mind’s ears, Christians would do well to make spiritual application of them to our lives of faith as we strive to become more spiritually minded children of God.

Below are some good examples of familiar American slogans:

Perhaps one of the most recognized slogans in advertising is Hallmark’s: “When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best”. Spiritually this reminds us of the very heart of the gospel as our loving Father cared enough to send the very best of heaven. Almost everyone is familiar with John 3:16, “the golden text of the Bible”, which says: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Not only did the Father send the very best of heaven in the awesome gift of His Son, but in the name of Jesus He also sent His very best in His Holy Spirit—our divine Helper (Jn. 14:26).

L’Oreal whispers: “Because you’re worth it” which also reminds us of how highly our Lord God prizes us as He blesses us with every good & perfect gift (Jms. 1:17).

Coca Cola has advertised since the 1960’s that “Things go better with Coke”. The eternal truth is that “Things go better with Christ!” Because this is true, we can also say that things go better with prayer as we commune with God in the secret place (Mt. 6:6)!

Campbell soups ask “Have you had your soup today?” Jesus asks: “Have you had your ‘Quiet Time’ today?” Soup nourishes the body, but prayer & God’s word nourish the soul & the spirit of the inner man which will make the eternal difference.

Cracker Jack says “The More You Eat, the More You Want” which spiritually describes the word of God. The psalmist declared: Psa. 119:103: How sweet are Your words to my taste. Sweeter than honey to my mouth.

Nike says: “Just Do It” which boldly reminds Christians of faith that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13).

KFC says: “It’s finger lickin’ good”. This reminds Bible lovers of the words of the psalmist: Oh, taste & see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! (Psa. 34:8).

McDonald’s says: “I’m loving it”. Christians proudly proclaim: “I’m loving Him who first loved me!” (1 Jn. 4:19)

Apple says: “Think Different”. Paul encourages Christians to “think different” than the world about us by renewing our minds (Rom. 12:2).

Dunkin’ Donuts says: “America runs on Dunkin’”. Christians know that the Kingdom of God continues to “run” when penitent souls are baptized (“dunked”) into the death of Jesus & are raised to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-4).

The above slogans are some of the most echoed in our society today. They are all powerful slogans which have been carefully thought out & streamlined to say the most in the fewest words possible. We Christians should look beyond the slogans to the Lord as we challenge ourselves to make application of these slogans to the Christian life that we may think more spiritually & less worldly.

How about it Christians? What slogans can you add to the list above? How can you make spiritual application of them to the Bible & your spiritual walk with the Lord?

Ralph Weinhold

There is a book which contains the prayers of some people who lived during the 1600’s.  On prayer from a preacher includes these words:

“May thy dear Son preserve me from this present evil world, so that its

• smiles never allure,
• nor its frowns terrify,
• nor its vices defile,
• nor its errors delude me.”

 Gal. 1:4 – who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil world, according to the will of our God and Father:

It might seem a strange thing to consider the subject of power in the letter of James, since the principal word for it (Greek, dunamis) does not appear in the document at all. But there are other signs of James’s interest.

This servant of the Lord is not interested in power in any pure, static form, but in the effective working of God in a saint’s life.

The powerless

The Old Testament shows God’s concern for those on the margins of society, the oppressed, the widows, the orphans. James drank deeply of God’s spirit. He writes that real religion means caring for widows and orphans, 1.26-27. The poor are subject to discrimination and oppression, 2.1-13. They have unfulfilled needs, 2.14-16. Upon some are heaped unjust curses, 3.9. Unpaid laborers cry out to God, 5.4. The people of God suffer on earth, 1.1-2ff. The sick and the guilty need forgiveness and healing, 5.13-15.

James is concerned for such people because he knows that, when it’s all said and done, all mankind is weak and helpless.

Power of the word of God

James first gives a hint of the power of God’s word in 1.18: “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures” (ESV).

God’s word of truth causes this new creation to occur. It does what man cannot do, start over.

Then he soon declares it openly:

“Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” 1.21 ESV.

God is “able to save” 4.12, and he does so by means of his word that is received. It is received with meekness and after one has put away sin. This salvation comes through forgiveness and the starting over process that only God can perform.

Power of prayer

If on the one hand James knows that the word of truth is God’s power to save, both now and eternally, he also is aware of the power of prayer.

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” 5.16 ESV.

James’s interest in prayer’s power is in its effect on one’s brethren. He has in view here intercession. The example of Elijah is how the prophet was just a regular guy, but his prayer had great effect. James is not thinking of rain or physical benefit, but spiritual life. Our prayers will also accomplish great things, such as restoring an erring brother, vv. 19-20.

The source of all power

James focuses strongly upon God as the source of all power. He is the Lord of hosts or Lord of the armies to whom the powerless appeal, 5.4. One Brazilian version translates it as “all-powerful God,” and that certainly gets to the idea. There is “only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy” 4.12. It is “of his own will” that he causes us to live in Christ, 1.18.

So the word of truth and prayer are God’s means by which he exercises his power in our lives. This fact is so important, because if we fail to use them — constantly, properly, consistently, profoundly — we will cut ourselves off from the recreative power of God that he so wants to bestow upon us.

Our power

James urges us to be meek and humble, dependent upon God, seeking his will, asking for his help, praying constantly in faith, putting his word into practice. James is interested in righteousness and what it will produce, 1.20; 2.23; 3.18; 5.6, 16.

James would say amen to the psalmist, “Seek the Lord and the strength he gives! Seek his presence continually!” Psalm 105.4.

J. Randal Matheny

Several years ago, Jordan Wooley, a seventh-grader in Texas, was put to the test in class. Her teacher gave the class an assignment where they were forced to label God as “fact, opinion, or myth.”  However, when students began getting upset and discussions took place, the teacher made it clear that unless they said God was a myth, they would fail the assignment.  Even though several students tried to speak up and argue for God, the teacher wouldn’t budge and some students even left in tears.  Jordan Wooley went home, talked with her parents, and had enough courage to take it to the principal and the school district.

While it’s on the rare side for teachers to take such a staunch approach against God inside school walls, resistance against God is not uncommon. Perhaps what was most rare about the situation was Jordan Wooley’s willingness to stand up for her beliefs.  Even though she was standing toe-to-toe with an adult teacher, which is hardly a fair fight, she stood her ground.  She was even willing to take the situation up the school ladder, which her friend who also opposed the teacher was too scared to do (EAG News).

In Matthew 10:32-33, Jesus said, “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.”  In context, Jesus is speaking specifically to His disciples, but the overall idea still applies to us today (2 Timothy 2:2).  We must be people who stand up for the Lord, being ready to give a defense of the hope within us (1 Peter 3:15).

It may not be fun.  It may not be popular.  It may not be easy.  Let’s still be people who defend the faith and stand up for the Lord (2 Timothy 1:13; 3:14).

Brett Petrillo