A teenager took a rope and hanged himself in the family’s shed, depressed about his relationship with his girlfriend. A two year old is beaten with belts, her head repeatedly dunked into cold bath water, and is thrown to the floor because she doesn’t consistently say “please” and “thank you.” She dies from her injuries.

These examples of troubled hearts are extreme, but frightening familiar. Most people don’t take their frustrations out in such violent ways. They may become depressed, have difficulty sleeping, eat too much, or turn to substance abuse to numb the pain. They may react in anger or internalize their stress. They are still very troubled, nonetheless. They have lost their sense of balance and meaning.

We are told that everyone has a breaking point though few of us reach it. We ask how it could happen and why we didn’t see it coming. Could we have prevented it? What would have made a difference in the outcome? King David found the answer when he confronted his own enemies. He said, “In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears” (Psalms 18:6). He went on to tell of God’s powerful response in delivering him.

Depression and despair that is borne of anger is like a brain cancer that eats away our peace. David continued, “Yea, you light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness” (18:28). The darkness of despair is made bright as day when we place our confidence in God. Unfortunately, many people never come to know the peace God provides.

Where do you go when you are discouraged or troubled in heart? Do you turn to destructive actions or become bitter? Or do you sit quietly and call on the Lord? Do you lift Him up in your heart and listen to His voice? He will lift you up.

By Al Behel

What’s mine is mine, and what’s yours is yours. We live in a world today where that is very much the rule of life. With houses, cars, boats, and $400.00 coffee makers, people living in this country understand they work hard for that they have, and others do the same.

But do we share our stuff with Christians? Acts 4:3 says, “…those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.” This does not sound like the church today. Now, let’s understand that there are no commands in this passage. BUT there is a good principle to put into our lives. “Do you share your stuff?”

I have a beautiful 2012 Chevy Silverado 4-door. I love my truck. We use that truck for everything. We even have two car seats in the back for my sons. But I’ll tell you the truth about something. I don’t think I’ve ever handed the keys over to a Christian that needed it for something. If I have it has been very few times.

The passage later says in v.34, 35a, “For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet.” Do we have needy Christians today? Yes, we do. Really stop and think about what this passage is saying. There was NO needy person among them because Christians were taking care of Christians by sharing what they had!

What we can learn is to share our stuff. Ask Christians if they need something done this week. In my case, find a Christian that needs a truck for something and let them use it. This principle is Christians taking care of Christians with their stuff. Let us start asking brethren what they need and fill that need.

Devin Guillams

Jesus cited Isaiah 6.9-10 to explain why people didn’t understand his parables. Paul cited the same passage, and Luke uses it at the end of Acts, to explain the rejection of the gospel by the Jews.

What catches our attention about the Isaiah passage is that it follows directly the account of the prophet’s vision of God’s holy glory and his calling to go speak to the people.

He said, “Go and tell these people: “‘Listen continually, but don’t understand. Look continually, but don’t perceive.’ Make the hearts of these people calloused; make their ears deaf and their eyes blind. Otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, their hearts might understand and they might repent and be healed.”

We have often emphasized, and rightly so, the place of hearing in the plan of salvation. Without it, there will be no understanding of the message and no salvation by Christ.

Hearing, however, like faith, is not a one-time action. It is a continuous process. This is seen clearly in the calling of Isaiah. He was an Israelite, one of God’s people. He did what Israel refused to do, in the preceding verse:

I heard the voice of the Lord say, “Whom will I send? Who will go on our behalf?” I answered, “Here I am, send me!” v. 8.

The Lord spoke to Isaiah. He heard his voice and responded to it. The Lord’s question points up the need, his will and desire, the importance of speaking the message of God. And this man, sensitive to his sin in the presence of God, steps forward.

You and I aren’t going to be privileged to see a miraculous vision of God’s throneroom and hear the booming voice of the Lord. It’s not going to happen.

But we have been privileged to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ, who left that glory and became a human being, who lived as one of us and witnessed to glorious truth, who submitted himself to the will of God and humbled himself to the point of death — and death on a painful cross.

When we stand before that cross, we ought to hear the voice of the Lord say, “Whom will I send? Who will go on our behalf?”

And we ought to say, like Isaiah, “Here I am, send me!”

You and I who are the saints of God stand in the same position as the person who is hearing the truth of Christ for the first time. God speaks. The gospel and the calling are one and the same. We are saved to save.

Refusal to hear God and respond brings to both groups the same condemnation. He who refuses to hear the plan of salvation will not be saved. He who refuses to heed the call of Christ to go will not save others and he himself will be lost.

If the plan of salvation is precious to us, why is the call to go not as precious?

The American church is shrinking. It is shrinking for a single reason. Because it has refused to hear the voice of God.

It is time to wake up and listen. For God will cast her aside and find people willing to hear and to go. And the passage of Isaiah 6.9-10 will close another sad chapter in the history of the church, when his people refuse his word and find themselves excluded from the Kingdom.

J. Randal Matheny

The kit comes with everything you need to raise your very own Sea Monkeys. I remember the very first batch of these strange creatures I grew when I was a young boy. A small package of tiny brown eggs are dumped into purified water and then after two weeks they’ve hatched into real swimming organisms. That change is fascinating and it’s almost mesmerizing to watch them all dart around inside their aquarium. In the animal world the process of metamorphosis is very common and we’re not too surprised when it happens. It’s interesting and exciting, but it’s expected. We aren’t confused when a tadpole turns into a frog or when a caterpillar turns into a butterfly, because it’s natural.

In Romans 12:2 we read that as Christians we are to undergo a drastic spiritual transformation by the “renewal of the mind.” The Greek word used for “transformation” here is where we get the word “metamorphosis” from, and that’s very telling. The idea is that the transformation process we are to undergo is not a small change like getting a haircut or getting contacts, but a dramatic and radical change. We are to have an entirely different mind, heart, and outlook on life. We have been transformed into someone and something entirely different. In the animal world there is an essential process involved in metamorphosis. If the caterpillar never spins a cocoon, then it could never hope to sprout wings. If the caterpillar leaves the cocoon too soon then it can’t expect to be as developed and healthy as it needs to be. There is a natural time allotted for the change to occur. Christians are expected to grow but not to be completely transformed overnight; we, too, have a process. This shouldn’t be used as an excuse to not be proactive in growing our faith, but it should be a reminder that if we’re not working toward this transformation we will remain in the same state in which we are now. That is unnatural.

Why does that caterpillar slowly climb that tall tree or take the time to painstakingly wrap itself in that cocoon? Because it knows it wasn’t meant to be a caterpillar forever. The work it takes to be transformed and to sprout the wings of a great and mature faith is a difficult process, but it’s worth it. That’s what God expects from us and He has the power to help us make this amazing change. Our prayer lives and our time spent in His Word are crucial to our development. We should let the end goal be the motivation to press on and allow ourselves to be completely transformed. One day that effort will show when we see our new bodies (Philippians 3:21) and we’ve reached our final glorious destination. We will live forever with the Savior who transformed us.

Dale Pollard

Someone (unknown to me) relates this story:

When my grandmother was in her eighties, she decided to move to Israel.  As part of the preparations, she went to see her doctor and get all her charts.  The doctor asked her how she was doing, so she gave him the litany of complaints — this hurts, that’s stiff, I’m tireder and slower, etc., etc., etc.

He responded with, “Mrs. Weiss, you have to expect things to start deteriorating.  After all, who wants to live to 100?”

My grandmother looked him straight in the eye and replied, “Anyone who’s 99.”

It’s so true.  No matter how old we are, there is the desire to live at least one more year.  Even Christians who look forward to being with their heavenly Father sometimes have a hard time letting go of life in this world.  But Jesus’ death (and resurrection) truly makes all the difference in the world.

“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil — and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” (Heb. 2:14-15)

Satan holds the “power of death,” but praise be to the One who gives us hope because He holds the “power of life”!

Have a great day!

Alan Smith

“The Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ He said, ‘A staff’” (Exodus 4:2 ESV).

Anthropologists and other scientists tell us that the two physiological features that most clearly differentiate human beings from the rest of the animal kingdom are the size (and complexity) of their brains and the unique capabilities of their hands, especially because of the opposing thumbs that only humans possess. These hands allow for the efficient use of inanimate objects (i.e., tools) which almost infinitely extend the power and efficiency of human endeavors. Note that the ability of the hand to grip and use tools is paired with the ability of the brain to invent and adapt their use.

When Moses argued with God that he was a poor choice for the leadership and delivery of Israel from slavery in Egypt, God drew attention to his hand and the tool which it held. The point was perfectly clear – Moses already possessed all that God would need to use him as deliverer of God’s chosen people. He was not unique, maybe not even “special.” But he was human and God chooses to use humans to accomplish his purpose within humanity. He always has, and so long as creation continues, he always will.

His question to Moses is no different from what he might ask any one of us who shrinks before a spiritual responsibility. What is in our hands? That is, what resources do we already have that God may use in order to achieve his purpose?

Moses held a staff. This was at least one of his primary tools as a shepherd. It could be a weapon to fight off predators, or an aid to steady or rescue vulnerable sheep from peril. As the shepherd of God’s people this staff would continue to be his principle implement.

In his service to Israel and its God, Moses would lift up his staff to turn water into blood (Exodus 7:14-24); part the waters of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:16); bring water out of a rock (Exodus 17:5-6); and assist Israel in battle against her enemies (Exodus 17:8-13). During forty years in the wilderness many of God’s miraculous acts of deliverance began with the instruction, “Take in your hand the staff. . . .”

Today God uses ordinary people with everyday resources to do great things. Peter and others of the Twelve Apostles were fishermen, handy with nets. Jesus told them, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men” (Luke 5:10). They did not need elaborate new equipment to serve God’s son. They continued to think like fishermen and to redirect their tradecraft toward the Lord’s mission.

We in the Church today tend to think of special gifts and skills as being necessary for any significant role in the Lord’s business. Like Moses of old, if we are not polished speakers (Exodus 4:10), or highly accredited scholars we feel inadequate for most offices or tasks. But we have hands which can use tools and minds which can direct that use. Paul spoke of all of our individual resources when he instructed: “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them” (Romans 12:6).

Our gifts include material resources, general abilities, refined skills, and opportunities. As the song teaches, “There is much to do, there’s work on every hand.” Jesus reminds us, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Luke 10:2). Every member of Jesus’ body is called upon to help in that harvest (Ephesians 4:15-16).

Perhaps we all need to answer the question, “What is in our hands?” What are our tools? How have we learned to use them, and how can we adapt that skill to the Lord’s work? Moses finally came to recognize that he was not as inadequate as he had believed. Great things resulted. God can use us in much the same way as he used the ancient Hebrew. But first we must learn to think of ourselves “as we ought to think” so as to appreciate our gifts (Romans 12:3).

Michael Brooks

“There is no one righteous, not even one, there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one. Their throats are open graves, they deceive with their tongues, the poison of asps is under their lips, their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood, ruin and misery are in their paths, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:10-18, NET).

During decades of travel in many parts of the world, I have frequently been shocked at the amount and intensity of corruption and violence which prevails in places I have visited. I have been tempted to rate locations as to which was most corrupt, or most dangerous. However I have come to the realization that those qualities exist everywhere I have been, and am now convinced that they are truly universal. Wherever people live there are bad people with evil intent.

This is borne out by the teaching of inspired Scripture. In Romans 3 the Apostle Paul summarized his previous assertions that “Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin” (Romans 3:9) by quoting from several Old Testament passages both to describe the evil nature of sin and to prove that all are under condemnation because of it. This leads finally to the verdict, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

This Biblical doctrine is not the same as the modern false doctrine of total corruption. Man was not created evil. Sinfulness was not and is not an inherited quality, passed down from Adam. Human flesh is prone to sin, but it is not innately and inescapably evil. “So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all people because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). Note that man is not guilty because of Adam’s (the one man’s) sin, but because “all sinned.” Each person’s guilt and condemnation to death is a result of his or her own sin; it is not inherited.

As we consider the extent of evil however we may lose sight of the fact that there is also much good wherever we are. Evil may be everywhere, but it is never all that is there. In every location there are honest people, generous people, loving people. There may or may not be as many of those as there are their opposites, but they exist.

Equally, there is beauty, joy, and every kind of goodness throughout this world in which we live. They do not eliminate the ugliness, pain, and sorrow caused by evil, but once again those elements exist. The message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is about the presence and availability of good in this world – good which can be attained even by those who have been evil, that is those who have sinned (Romans 5:8).

So the Apostle asked, “Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:24)!

The question of the universality of evil is to a degree a matter of defining “universal.” Yes, evil is everywhere, all over this humanity inhabited world. Yet evil is not everything! That is, it is not the only quality that exists. There is also good, everywhere in this world. Our challenge is to choose the good, resisting the evil.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent of praiseworthy, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).

There are lovely, pure, commendable things and it is those which deserve our attention. Let us never become discouraged and overwhelmed by the negative perception of others. There is much else to which we may cling.

Michael Brooks

Have you ever struggled with the idea that you aren’t “cut out” to live the Christian lifestyle? Have you ever struggled with the notion that you aren’t “good enough” to be a Christian? These thoughts or questions may have never even crossed your mind, but there are some who may be struggling with sin in their lives to the point where they feel so hopeless and so helpless that these types of destructive thoughts creep in.

Fortunately, God provides us with a number of examples of sinful people, who are also followers of Him, that we can look to for hope as we deal with sin in our lives.

It is important though that we don’t try to compare the severity our sins to someone else’s. We must be careful that we don’t justify one sin over another, or say that one sin is better than another; but it is important to understand how God used “prominent” sinners in the Bible to do His work.

1 Tim 1:8-15 – Paul lists a number of qualities that the Law (Christian principles) can be used for. But he also goes on to talk about how God was able to use him to be of service, even though he was a persecutor of the church. In verse 15, he would go on to proclaim himself foremost of all sinners. You see, even though Paul was a violent aggressor of 1^st century Christians, God was still able to use him to a great extent in the furtherance of the gospel.

Again, we have to be careful when we start to compare our sins against someone else’s, for God hates all sin; but Paul’s conversion begs the question, if God can use someone like Paul (a persecutor of the church), then what can he do with me? Or perhaps better stated, what can a sinner like me do for Him?

If the despair of your sin brings you to a place where you think you’re “not good enough” to live the Christian lifestyle, remember how God used the apostle Paul and other prominent figures from scripture.

Peter denied Jesus – Mat 26:69-75

David and Bathsheba – 2 Sam 11:4

Solomon’s many foreign wives – 1 Kings 11:1-8

Noah drank wine and slept naked – Gen 9:20-21

All have sinned – Rom 3:23

Lastly, remember that you are not alone in your struggles with sin. We are all sinners and are all struggling with something. Don’t be afraid to reach out to another brother or sister in Christ for encouragement. We have a responsibility to our fellow Christians to help each other through our struggles (Gal 6:1-2), and in doing so, bring glory to God.

Paul Wolf

The statement that “there are good people in all churches” is usually made as a defense of the existence of the many different conflicting denominations. Certainly there are good people in all the churches. There are good people OUT of churches. There are good people who are infidels. But the question is not are they good, but are they saved people?

It is good to be good but it is not good enough. One cannot save himself by just being good. He must obey the gospel of Christ (2 Thess. 1:7-9) to be saved. Cornelius was a good man but he was a lost man! (Acts 10:1-6; 11:14). The good people in human churches are lost people, not because they are not good moral people, but because they have not obeyed the gospel of God. This is why we appeal to good people to leave their human churches and obey the gospel. There is no other hope for these good people.

– by Earl Fly

“I know where you live!”  Uttered by the wrong person, those can be pretty intimidating, even frightening, words.  Sometimes when they are uttered by the right person they can get your attention; especially if you have been doing something you should not be doing.  When they are uttered by Jesus Himself, the Righteous Judge, they can be terrifying for the sinner.  But wait a minute!  Isn’t this supposed to be a message of encouragement?  Yes, it is!

On one particular occasion, Jesus made the statement, “I know where you live” to a group of Christians who very much needed encouragement.  The church of Jesus Christ in Pergamum, Asia (the southwestern-most province of Asia Minor, now Turkey) was in a difficult position.  Pergamum was the seat of the Roman government in that province.  Very likely the pressure on Christians to engage in emperor worship was greater there than in any of the other cities of that area.  Faithful Christians refused to worship any other god but Jehovah God and many paid the ultimate price for their faith.  In fact, in the same verse (Revelation 2:13) Jesus praised the brethren of the church in Pergamum for not denying the faith, even in the face of death.

Jesus said, “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.”  One of their number had already been killed and still they remained faithful.  They were to be commended and Jesus did just that.

Do you ever feel like Satan lives right next door?  Or maybe he is renting out a room in your own house?  I don’t mean that you have invited him in; it just seems that he is always around.  He is always right there with another temptation.  He never lets up.  It’s pressure, Pressure, PRESSURE!!!  Sometimes you just want to give up and scream.  You wonder where God is.  Where is that “way of escape” He promised in 1 Corinthians 10:13?  Well, it’s there.  He did promise it and you can bet it is there if you look hard enough.  One of the reasons it is so hard to see, is that Satan makes these temptations so attractive that it is hard to really take our eyes off of them long enough to find the way of escape.  But do not doubt for a minute that it is there.

Sometimes the temptation is so attractive, the pressure to succumb is so great, that it is like the sound of a mighty, rushing wind, the sound of which drowns out all other sounds.  You cannot hear the warnings of friends and loved ones; you cannot hear your own conscience.  You are being dragged kicking and screaming against your own will (or so it seems) into the pit of sin and destruction.  You cry out, “God, where are You?”  If you really want to hear it, there comes an answer.  “I know where you live!”  He knows where you are.  He can sympathize with what you are suffering right now (Hebrews 4:15).  He has been there.  He has suffered through the same agony.  In fact, He has made the same cry (Matthew 27:46).  Our Father in heaven was in the same place for His Only Begotten Son when He cried out on the cross as He is when you and I cry out.  He knows where you live!  He knows what you are suffering.  He hurts when you hurt.  He hurts more when you give in.

Don’t give in!  Hold fast, stand firm keep fighting!!  Our brothers and sisters in Pergamum did not deny the faith, even when one of their own was killed.  Others of that congregation of the Lord’s church may very well have died, but the faithful did not give up the faith.  Jesus promised them something if they would overcome the temptation to quit.  He said that to the one who overcomes, He would give some of the hidden manna (spiritual food that would make them even stronger); He would give a white stone (a symbol given to slaves who had been freed to show they were free) and upon that stone would be written a new name which no one knows but the one who receives it.  The new name might be the name of Jesus, Whom no one really knows except those who belong to Him.  It really does not matter what the new name is.  He said no one would know it but the one to whom it was given and that is good enough for me.  The point is this:  if you will remain faithful, God knows all about it, even if no one else does.  He knows where you live; He knows what you are suffering.  And He promises to be there for you no matter what, if you will simply remain faithful to Him.

What a lovely thought!  What a comfort to know!  I hope that thought gives you some comfort today and throughout this week as you serve Him and suffer through the temptations and trials of your life.

Donnie Bates

Did you hear about the teacher who was helping one of her kindergarten students put his boots on?  He asked for help and she could see why.  With her pulling and him pushing, the boots still didn’t want to go on.  When the second boot was on, she had worked up a sweat.  She almost whimpered when the little boy said, “Teacher, they’re on the wrong feet.” She looked and, sure enough, they were.

It wasn’t any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on.  She managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back on-this time on the right feet.  He then announced, “These aren’t my boots.”

She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and scream, “Why didn’t you say so?” like she wanted to.  Once again, she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off.  He then said, “They’re my brother’s boots. My Mom made me wear them.”

She didn’t know if she should laugh or cry. She mustered up the grace to wrestle the boots on his feet again. She said, “Now, where are your mittens?” He said, “I stuffed them in the toes of my boots…”

As I read that, I thought about how many of our frustrations come about as the result of having to do something over and over.  Let me give you an example.  A number of years ago, I was having some back trouble and the doctor told me I needed surgery.  I counted down the days until I could find some relief.  The surgery went well (in fact, I went home less than 12 hours after surgery), but the recuperation didn’t go as planned.  Instead of getting relief, I found myself back under the doctor’s knife six weeks later.

I remember that the greatest source of frustration wasn’t the surgery itself.  It was the fact that I thought I was getting better, but I had to start all over again.  Just when I thought I was making progress, I encountered a setback.  I was able to easily muster the emotional strength to face the first surgery, but it was much tougher the second time.

I’ve seen the same thing happen in a number of different areas.  I suspect you have, too.  Maybe you were hoping to get bills cleared up only to be hit with an unexpected dentist bill or car repair.  Maybe it’s harsh criticism you’re dealing with, a situation at work that’s making it difficult to maintain your Christian standards, or perhaps the struggles of dealing with a rebellious child.  You think, “I can handle the difficulty I’m going through as long as I can see the light at the end of the tunnel”.  Only just when you’re about at the end of the tunnel and you have taken about all you can take, you realize that there’s more adversity ahead and the light is barely visible.  I understand; I’ve been there.

The Christian life is long and sometimes difficult.  There are times we feel we just can’t take it anymore and we want to give up, especially when we’ve had to face the same adversity over and over and over again.  May this passage serve as a source of comfort and strength to you:

“He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isa. 40:29-31).

I pray that your strength will be renewed this day as you wait upon the Lord.  Hang in there!

Have a great day!

Alan Smith

I find the term believer fascinating. Some of these intriguing facets include the frequency of its usage and its obfuscating usage.

If someone were to ask you, “What is the most common word Christians use to identify a follower of Christ?” What would you say?

My experience is that “believer” trumps Christian, disciple, saint, or any other New Testament designation for Jesus’ followers.  Would it surprise us that at best it is relatively rare (about eight times) and at worst it never appears in the New Testament?

In the original language, pistos is an adjective that means faithful. When faithful refers to a man or woman, translators might render it as “believer.” Thus, “the son of a faithful Jewish woman” might become “the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer” (Acts 16:1).

What is happening is that in order to facilitate an easy English some translations will express pistos as a noun (“If you consider me to be a believer in the Lord,” Acts 16:15). Other translations will adhere to its adjectival nature (“If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord” ESV).

Still yet, some translations will insert believer into the text to facilitate an easy flow in the English translation without that idea existing in the original text. For example, “them” might become “believers” (Acts 16:4; 20:2).

By way of contrast, consider the frequency of the adjective agios (holy) in the New Testament when it refers to those in Christ.  Like pistos, it too might be translated as a noun, namely “saint” (Colossians 1:2; Acts 9:13). Whether expressed as “saints” or “holy people” to designate God’s people, agios occurs over 40 times in just the epistles! Yet, how often have you heard someone call a Christian either holy person or saint?

So why does our usage invert the frequencies of “holy people/ saints” and “faithful people/ believers” as found in the New Testament? I suspect a popular contemporary theology as well as the desire to evade a holier than thou criticism play significant roles.

Another fascinating aspect about the term believer is its facility to support the fallacy of equivocation. What is equivocation? Equivocation occurs when someone shifts the definition of a word from one meaning to another meaning. This is an informal method of reasoning that contributes to supporting false conclusions.

What does this have to do with the term believer?  First, when used in reference to Christ, by definition believer means the designated individual believes in Christ.

Here’s the rub. If someone believes Christ is who he claimed to be, does this automatically make that person a follower of Jesus? No! John 12:42 clearly points this out. And let’s not forget that the demons have no doubt about who Jesus is!

To be a follower of Christ involves more than just being confident that certain things about Christ are true. A belief in Christ resulting in a person becoming part of the body of Christ requires relying upon Christ. This is so much more than mere belief.

Now notice the sly shift in definition that can occur. Sometimes when people identify others as believers, what they mean is that those people are Christians, members of the body of Christ. Thus merely believing becomes equated with belonging.

While this might support one theological perspective regarding how people become followers of Christ, scripture describes becoming a disciple and becoming a saved child of God in Christ as requiring us to rely upon Christ through baptism, an act of faith (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Galatians 3:26-27; Colossians 2:12-13).

Believer. Yep, it is an interesting word.

Barry Newton

The world isn’t much concerned with doing right. It prefers to do what feels good. People look for immediate gratification rather than adhere to a standard and enjoy the fruit of righteousness. Opinions then become an individual’s guide and the arbitrator of what is good and right. This explains a major part of the mess the world is in.

Those who have decided to be right about what God’s message is, and to get right with God, can then be certain of doing right. They then have the possibility of doing right.

Being right and getting right are the framework within which any doing must possess in order for us to do right. That means that two people can perform the same actions, and one will be doing right and the other will be doing wrong.

The author of Hebrews calls the gospel “the word [message] of righteousness” Hebrews 5.13. He may mean that it is the word that God uses to make us right with him. Several versions understand it to mean, however, that it is the word which informs us about what is right-doing.

• NLT: “For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.”
• GW: “All those who live on milk lack the experience to talk about what is right. They are still babies.”

The importance of doing right appears early in the Bible. After the Fall, Cain faces the great choice of all mankind since. His sacrifice is rejected. What now? God appears to him in all kindness to point the way:

Is it not true that if you do what is right, you will be fine? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it, Genesis 4.7.

God chose Abraham on this same basis. While the choosing was an act of grace that kicked off the marvelous plan of salvation, it came with conditions. He said about the patriarch:

I have chosen him so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then the Lord will give to Abraham what he promised him, Genesis 18.19.

People these days talk about “doing church,” quite the odious phrase. But the Bible does talk, if we read it literally, about us “doing righteousness” (see ESV, NASB, NRSV). That would never be a popular phrase among religious folk today—much too restrictive. Abraham “did righteousness” because he was certain that “the judge of the whole earth [would] do what is right” Genesis 18.25.

At the bitter waters of Marah, the people of Israel learned what would be to them a bitter lesson because they refused it.

He said, “If you will diligently obey the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, then all the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians I will not bring on you, for I, the Lord, am your healer” Exodus 15.26.

The healer heals those who do what is right in his sight. And so it is today.

Where do we discover what is right in God’s sight? You know where I’m going with this. Straight to the Scriptures. And the Bible needs no editor. God requires submission, not erudition that cuts and pastes and redefines. He requires “diligent obedience” of all his statutes (see Matthew 28.20), not a pick-and-choose process that puts human intelligence above the Word of God.

It took Peter a while to come to the right conclusion, but finally, finally, as he looked upon Cornelius and household, he declared,

I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people, but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is welcomed before him, Acts 10.34-35.

His statement still stands as a fine inspired description of the person that God welcomes in his presence.

J. Randal Matheny

“Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah. The sons of Noah: Shem, Ham and Japheth” (1 Chronicles 1:1–4 NIV).

Names. Genealogies. People who lived long ago.

These usually don’t mean much to us. In fact, we probably think these are the most boring parts of scripture and perhaps we even skip over them when we read them. The Reader’s Digest Condensed Bible left them out as being irrelevant.

Although we may struggle to become excited about these lists of names, what if it were the names of our ancestors? My family tree is in the photo above – at least my parents, my siblings, my children, and my sibling’s children. I can get rather excited about these names, even going back several generations. The difference, you see, is that these people mean something to me. They are my family. They are my loved ones.

We need to realize that the lists of names found throughout scripture are the ancestors of God’s people, Israel. And some of them would even be our ancestors – in faith at least, if not in life.

Most of the people who are listed in the genealogies we know nothing about. They are but a name. But there are a few who were outstanding for doing good and there are a few who are infamous for doing evil.

Perhaps this should prompt us to consider our lives. What will people remember about us 100 years from now? 200 years from now? 500 years from now? – providing that the Lord delays coming that long. Will we be remembered for anything that we did? And if we are, will we be remembered for doing good and our faithfulness to the Lord?

Moses had this same sentiment when he wrote the following in the only Psalm attributed to him:

“All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due. Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:9-12).

Our lives are short. Even seventy or eighty years seems to be short the older that we get. But are we using what time we have wisely? Are we seeking to serve God? Are we diligent in applying his word to our lives so that we can gain wisdom?

As we begin to read the Chronicles we begin with lists of names, Israel’s ancestors. There are nine chapters of these lists, leading us from Adam to Abraham to Jacob and then his sons and their descendants. Maybe it isn’t exciting reading to us, but we do find the ancestry of King David, which is also the lineage of Jesus the Messiah. Some of these names, then, should have importance to us.

While this may not be exciting to read, look out for recurring names as well as places of significance. See how many names you do recognize. Notice the brief details that are given about a very few of these people.

And as you read, be asking yourself how we can better “number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

Jon Galloway

You worship the Bible! You only talk about the Bible! You’re obsessed with the Bible!

Christians have heard these accusations time and again. In a way, they are right. We are people of the Bible. Because it’s the only way to respect Christ as Lord.

Only the Bible is the word of God. The Bible claims to be his word and proves it. Some affirm the Bible is proof for the existence of God. We can always start with the Bible, with any person, anywhere, to help a soul come to God.

Do we worship the Bible? We do not worship any single copy of the Scriptures, nor any translation. (KJV-only people come close.) If the Bible is the word of God, it deserves our highest respect and allegiance. So the Psalmist thinks:

In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? Psalm 56.4, 10 ESV.

We praise God’s word, because it is part and parcel of the God we worship. How can we not hold it in high esteem?

Obviously, we don’t talk only about the Bible. We talk about things of this life, such as pastimes, eating, health, and work. But when it comes to matters of the spirit, the Bible is the only book in town. We start every evangelistic study with the subject of the Bible, because in it we have God’s revelation, God’s authorization, and God’s power. Man’s thoughts, permissions, and efforts in the spiritual realm just don’t mean much.

Does that mean we’re obsessed with the Bible? The word “obsessed” carries a negative connotation, denotes an unhealthy domination of thoughts by an idea. To those who live by their own wills and wits, it probably looks like we are obsessed with the Bible. Because they are obsessed with fulfilling their own desires and serving their own gods. But if the Bible is light and life, ought we not give it our full attention and complete devotion?

The second verse of the book of Psalms sees it as the key to success: “Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands; he meditates on his commands day and night” Psalm 1.2 NET. The alternative to this is to “follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of scoffers” v. 1.

So we must agree with Psalm 119.97 and follow the example of the inspired writer: “O how I love your law! All day long I meditate on it.” If that’s an obsession, so be it. It will do us much more good — eternal good — than any physical or emotional addiction, fleshly pursuit, or worldly interest.

The apostle Paul refocused Timothy’s attention to the “holy writings” — another fine phrase to describe the Bible — because they “are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” 2 Timothy 3.15. No other book, no other author, no other speaker can do that.

Time is short. Life is brief. Earth is doomed. Nothing here really satisfies. As good as life might get, it will be over all too soon. We were created for more than 70 short years.

The Bible reminds us of that truth and shows us how to make the jump into the blessed side of eternity.

Isn’t that worth obsessing over?

Randal Matheny

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

Thanksgiving was yesterday, and I can’t help but wonder how many people in the United States took a moment to thank God. While some reject the day due to its association with Plymouth and the “original Thanksgiving” celebration, the fact remains that all of our presidents have thanked God in their Thanksgiving proclamations. Therefore, I am okay with doing away with the pilgrims as long as we can maintain the day’s significance set forth by historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln. On Thanksgiving Day, we reflect on our blessings, express our gratitude to God, and ask for His continued beneficent providence in our national life. Thus, unlike Easter and Christmas, which carry pagan baggage from the standpoint of their traditions, Thanksgiving is the most Christian of all federal holidays.

Luke records an instance during Christ’s ministry in which He encountered ingratitude on a par with modern America. Only one of the ten lepers He healed returned to thank Christ for what He had done (Luke 17.11–19). Jesus even asked, “Were there not ten cleansed?” (NASB Luke 17.17) People do their best to spin the nine’s actions in a positive light. Emotion overcame the nine, and they longed to return to their previous lives. Besides, they followed Christ’s command to go and show themselves to the priests. And what if the Samaritan only returned because he lacked a priest to whom he could present himself as a foreigner? In any case, Jesus told the Samaritan that his actions had made him “well” (Luke 17.19).

What prevents us from showing gratitude like the Samaritan? Here are seven possible reasons:

We are too busy and distracted. Modern life can be busy and distracting, making it difficult to appreciate the present moment and count blessings.

We can be too materialistic. It can be challenging to be grateful for what one has in consumerist societies because materialism has overtaken the value placed on intangibles like relationships and experiences.

We compare ourselves to others. Due to constant comparison with others and the influence of social media, one may experience feelings of inadequacy or jealousy, which can prevent one from feeling grateful for their life and circumstances.

We may have a negativity bias. People naturally tend to dwell on negative rather than positive things. Instead of focusing on what we have, we will concentrate on what we don’t. That inclination is a negativity bias.

We are on a hedonic treadmill. This phenomenon of becoming accustomed to pleasure is known as hedonic adaptation. In simpler terms, we get used to things emotionally. For example, when I acquire a new and shiny object, it brings me happiness. However, this happiness is short-lived, as I soon become accustomed to it.

Similarly, when something terrible happens, I feel sad but adapt to the change over time, and my happiness levels return to normal. As a side note, we note that God offers us joy, not happiness. Joy is renewed from within, avoiding the hedonic treadmill. Hence, it can even be an implied imperative (see Philippians 4.4).

We forget to be still. This results from failing to heed Psalm 46.10, which says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (KJV). A similar root cause is that people are too preoccupied with their lives to stop and offer thanks. Luke 11.24–26 shows that refraining from one bad behavior is not enough to prevent the substitution of another bad behavior. We need to fill the void by starting something useful. New Agers and Buddhists would call this “practicing mindfulness.”

But Christians do engage in their form of mindfulness as well. A Christian sets aside specific times for quiet reflection, away from the distractions of daily life, rather than sitting in the lotus position and breathing deeply. Christian mindfulness is about creating a space to focus inwardly and become more aware of God’s presence. Praying and reading the Bible are two of the best ways to accomplish this. Those who commit to being still and knowing God will be grateful.

We feel entitled. Individuals may feel entitled in societies where success and happiness are highly valued. This thinking can dull people’s gratitude and lead them to take their blessings for granted. Gifts become their norm rather than providential occurrences (see James 1.17).

As Thanksgiving draws near, we must truly understand what this holiday is all about. It’s not only a time for food and family gatherings but also genuine gratitude. In our busy lives, full of distractions and the pursuit of material comforts, we often forget to give thanks for the simple things. However, this day allows us to break free from these tendencies. It encourages us to step off the hedonic treadmill, put aside our negativity bias and the sense of entitlement that clouds our perception, and instead embrace a spirit of thankfulness. By being still, as suggested in Psalm 46:10, we can truly appreciate the blessings bestowed upon us, recognizing them as gifts from God rather than mere entitlements or passing pleasures. Thanksgiving, at its core, is a day to emulate the gratitude of the Samaritan leper, acknowledging our blessings and expressing our heartfelt thanks to the Divine. In doing so, we honor the tradition set forth by figures like Abraham Lincoln and cultivate a more profound sense of joy and contentment in our lives. So, let this Thanksgiving remind us to pause, reflect, and give thanks with a full heart.

Brent Pollard

Our yearly Thanksgiving Holiday is a great time for our families to give thanks for all the blessings we have received in this country.  It is good to pause and be thankful. As Christians we are encouraged to always have a spirit of thanksgiving about us.

Fifteen times in Paul’s writings he spoke of giving thanks; for those who risked their lives for him (Ro. 16:4), for the love and faith of others (2 Th. 1:3),  for the food he ate (1 Co. 10:30-31), for the churches he loved (Ph. 1:3).   “In everything give thanks,” he wrote (1 Th. 5:18). We give thanks through our prayers (Co. 1:3), and through our songs, “the fruit of our lips” (He. 13:15). Failing to pause and give thanks to God can darken our hearts and destroy our lives (Ro. 1:21-23).

In the Lord’s Prayer there are great topics; praise, the kingdom, and forgiveness.  But in the midst of this model prayer Jesus reminds us to be thankful for “our daily bread” (Mt. 6:9-13). As we gather around a table overflowing with the food of this day called “Thanksgiving,” let us be so very thankful. But no more so than for the wonderful blessings we enjoy every day. “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving” (Co. 4:2).

-Dennis Doughty

This should have been common sense. This should have been known as the most fundamental rule of online security. Sadly, one man decided to post all of his passwords online. He was trying to prove that “all this online security stuff is overrated and overhyped.” So, he posted the passwords for his Facebook, Twitter, CNN, and other accounts on a national news website. He mockingly told people to go post for him, change his profile pictures, and whatever else they would like to do. People did just this. All of his accounts were hacked. All of his personal information was found. He later discovered that hackers with some skill could even use his basic information to gain access to his bank account, credit cards, and pretty much anything else they wanted. A short time later, the man admitted this was a terrible idea and now seems to be a believer in online security (Washington Post).

There is no telling what consequences he is now reaping because of his severe lack of common sense. Hopefully, for his sake, it won’t lead to lifelong problems. Whether it is in our homes, cars, or online, it’s never a good idea to drop our security. This seems like common sense, and yet there are times when we drop our security and let threats walk right into our homes.

For people who are so security-minded, sometimes we are surprisingly relaxed when it comes to our spiritual security. We would feel extremely uncomfortable, maybe even outraged, if people were using foul language around us, yet we drop our security measures when the TV comes on. We would take steps to avoid and look away from a person who is dressed immodestly, yet some are willing to sit through movies with much more revealing content. We would be quite upset if someone was using mature, crude, and sexual words in front of our children, and yet many parents have turned a blind eye to the content their children are accessing on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.

For some reason, entertainment has blurred the lines between what we see as good and bad. Something that is obscene in public has become commonplace when it’s shining through the plasma screen or on our iPhones. We would do well to adopt David’s mindset when he said, “…I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart. I will set no worthless thing before my eyes…” (Psalm 101:2-3).

Let’s keep our spiritual security systems on high alert. It would be unsafe to allow people to access our homes, cars, and computers. It’s far more dangerous to allow Satan access into our lives through the disguise of entertainment (Ephesians 4:7). In all of the entertainment we place before ourselves, let’s follow the great advice of Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

Brett Petrillo