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The Gospel Observer

February 26, 2017 / Tom Edwards

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB).
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Contents:

1) The Cost of Influence and Reputation (Bill Hall)
2) The Greater Love (via Brief Exhortation)
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proverbs22_1

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The Cost of Influence and Reputation

Bill Hall

There are people in this world who are possessed with natural ability to lead and command respect of others. Call it charm, charisma, magnetism, or whatever; such people wield a powerful influence on those who look up to them as the embodiment of all they would like to become themselves. Peter apparently possessed such qualities among the apostles. There were David, Deborah, Nehemiah, and others. We have known such people in our day and have been influenced by them. Each reader can probably think of some “hero” of faith that he or she has looked up to through the years.

The opportunities for good that such people possess are tremendous, but so are the responsibilities. It is true that sin is sin, whoever commits it — that sin will separate one person from God just as quickly as it will another. But the adverse consequences of one’s sins increase dramatically with the increase of the influence and reputation he enjoys among others. The confidence of others is a trust that must be carefully protected. Once that trust is in place, the person to whom it is committed has responsibilities that others of more normal influence and reputation do not have. And the more people involved in the trust, the greater the responsibility.

Those of reputation must be prepared for greater public scandal when they sin. Nathan told David that because of his adultery he had “given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme” (2 Samuel 12:14). Others had committed adultery in Israel, and their adultery had gone unnoticed by the enemies of God. But this was David! It was inevitable that the sin of this one man of influence and reputation would result in greater scandal than the sins of a multitude of people of lesser influence and reputation.

Those of reputation must be prepared for sterner rebuke when they sin than those of lesser reputation. Paul speaks of withstanding Peter “to his face” when Peter withdrew from eating with the Gentiles (Galatians 2:11-13). Paul’s rebuke of Peter was “before them all.” Peter was hardly the first Jewish Christian to refuse to eat with Gentile Christians, but Paul obviously recognized the seriousness of Peter’s actions because of his greater reputation and influence. Others were following his lead on this occasion, including Barnabas. Peter could not enjoy the luxury of a private meeting with Paul; Peter had to face the sting of immediate and open rebuke. Peter had betrayed a trust. Nothing less than open rebuke could counteract the harm that was resulting. Sterner rebuke is simply a cost — an inevitable cost — of influence and reputation.

Those of reputation must live more cautiously than others if they would maintain their influence and good name. Every Christian is warned not to place a stumbling block in his brother’s way (Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthians 8:9), but one who is known and admired by thousands of brethren in many places obviously will have to be more cautious than one who is known and admired by only a few brethren locally. Paul would have to give up far more to be “all things to all men” than would some Christian who had never been outside his home community. That’s just the cost of influence and reputation. If one is not willing to pay that cost, if he is determined to be unbending in his conduct “no matter what others might think,” he needs to come to a greater appreciation of the value of a good name (Proverbs 22:1).

Those of reputation must be especially careful to build upon Jesus Christ, the true foundation, rather than upon themselves. The words, “For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord,” must become their motto (2 Corinthians 4:5). Those who place their loyalty in men of name and reputation are in error. Their faith is not what it ought to be. But those who deliberately use charisma and flattery to attract a following are also in error (1 Thessalonians 2:1-13). The more natural charisma one is blessed with, the more cautious he must be.

When “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, a star Chicago White Sox outfielder, was involved in the “Black Sox” scandal of the 1920’s and was on his way to trial, a small boy, hurt, disappointed, with tears in his eyes, was heard to cry, “Say it ain’t so, Joe; say it ain’t so.”

Each reader is likely somebody’s hero. Other readers are men and women of widespread influence. Let each one, when he is tempted, and before he yields, look ahead to the tears and hurt and disillusionment that he is about to bring to those who look up to him. Let him hear their potential cries of “Say it ain’t so, Joe” and, motivated by their confidence and his own love for the Lord, let him “resist the devil.” If he betrays the trust that has been committed to him, he can be saved eternally through repentance and forgiveness, but he likely will never recover the confidence he has lost. Right or wrong, that’s reality. It is the cost — the inevitable cost — of influence and reputation.

— Via The Auburn Beacon, April 17, 2016, Volume 7, Issue 31
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ephesians5_2

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The Greater Love

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13).

In his book, “Written in Blood,” Robert Coleman tells the story of a little boy whose sister needed a blood transfusion. The doctor had explained that she had the same disease the boy had recovered from two years earlier. Her only chance for recovery was a transfusion from someone who had previously conquered the disease. Since the two children had the same rare blood type, the boy was the ideal donor.

“Would you give your blood to your sister Mary?” the doctor asked. Little Johnny hesitated, his lower lip started to tremble, and then he smiled and said, “Sure, for my sister.”

Soon the two children were wheeled into the hospital room–Mary, pale and thin; Johnny, robust and healthy. Neither spoke, but when they met, Johnny grinned. As the nurse inserted the needle into his arm, Johnny’s smile faded. He watched the blood flow through the tube.

With the ordeal almost over, his voice slightly shaky, broke the silence. “Doctor, when do I die?” Only then did the doctor realize why Johnny had hesitated, why his lip had trembled when he’d agreed to donate his blood. He’d thought giving his blood to his sister meant giving up his life. Though, in reality, it was not necessary, he was willing to give his life for his sister. In that brief moment, his love for his sister, caused him to make his great decision.

Let us remember that there was one who laid down His life for us.

— via Brief Exhortations
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

1) Hear the gospel, for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith, living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday services: 9:00 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 5 PM (worship)
Wednesday: 7 PM (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
http://thomastedwards.com/go (Older version of Gospel Observer website without pictures, but back to March 1990)
http://tebeaustreetchurchofchrist.org/
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/audioser.html (audio sermons)

The Gospel Observer

February 19, 2017 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) Readiness of Mind (L.A. Stauffer)
2) The Best is Yet to Be! (Tommy Thornhill)
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Readiness of Mind

L.A. Stauffer

After the apostle Paul departed from the city of Thessalonica, he left behind a few believers, but the Jews in general had closed their minds to the message that “Jesus is the Christ.” These Jews had access in their synagogue to scrolls of Old Testament scriptures. Paul preached from these scriptures that Jesus of Nazareth died for their sins and arose from the dead to prove He is the Messiah the prophets of their nation had anticipated for centuries. Although a few men of that city believed, a host of rabble rousers closed their minds, refused to countenance such an idea, stirred up persecution against the saints, and forced the apostle to “get out of town” late one night (see Acts 17:1-9).

Paul made his way some 50 miles down the road to the city of Berea. Again, as was his custom, Paul entered a synagogue of the Jews and began the same process over — alleging and demonstrating from the Old Testament scriptures that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. The apostle found among these Jews open and receptive hearts — men who honestly and eagerly examined the scriptures Paul read in their midst. Luke tells us that these men of Berea not only received Paul’s teaching, but they daily examined the scriptures to determine “whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).

When Luke commends the nobility of these Bereans, he made specific note not only of their study habits but also their “readiness of mind” (Acts 17:11). This attitude was prerequisite and fundamental to their willingness to examine and study the scriptures daily. The word “readiness” combines a preposition “before” and the word “mind” to describe the mindset of the Bereans before their study of the scriptures even began. The “mind” is essential to man’s examination or study of the scriptures, but its “before” condition determines whether that study ever takes place. The mind, as the Greek word suggests, must be “ready.”

The minds of the Jews at Berea, as Jews everywhere, were conditioned by scripture to anticipate at some point in their history the arrival of a Messiah — an anointed savior. Hundreds, even thousands, of years had passed since the first prophecies of the coming Messiah and many Jews had become lethargic and indifferent about its prospects. Others were so misinformed that Jesus didn’t fit the pattern of their thinking and was dismissed as perverse and false.

The Bereans, however, were different. They were both excited about the claim and the scriptures that proved it. When Paul unrolled the scrolls of the Old Testament writings and announced Jesus as the Messiah, their minds were “ready,” “eager,” and “prepared” to examine the prophecies and Paul’s application of them to Jesus.

Would it not be wonderful today if every one of us who claim to be Christians was this eager to grow in Bible knowledge and Christ-like character? If we were, we would daily open our Bibles, examine verses and chapters, and answer a few simple questions that are designed to prepare our hearts for Sunday and Wednesday Bible studies and our lives for eager service in God’s kingdom.

Think, brethren, how much each of us would grow in wisdom and stature with God; think of the knowledge and strength we would gain in preparation for living in an ungodly world of sin; think of the deepened faith we would have in God and in His word; think of the love and care we would begin to show one another; and think of the zeal and enthusiasm we would have to teach sinners.

When Bereans had this kind of mind, God called them “noble” — a word that means of “high rank.” That’s who we’d be in God’s kingdom. Not only an “elect race,” a “holy nation,” a “royal priesthood,” but also “noble citizens” ranking high in the mind of God. How special would that be, brethren?

— Via The Auburn Beacon, May 22, 2016
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The Best is Yet to Be!

Tommy Thornhill

I don’t know of how you, the readers, look at life, but I always try to look at things with the attitude that THE BEST IS YET TO BE. Being optimistic about the future is certainly better than looking back at the way things were. This view gives me a reason for being happy in a sin-sick world, but not in the way this world thinks of being happy.

Our nation’s founding fathers proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence that the pursuit of happiness is an “unalienable right” of mankind. Since then it seems that people have taken it for granted that being happy is their God-given right, regardless of how it is gained. They want to be happy but most never attain true happiness for they don’t know where to find it. They think it is found in the things of this world. But John tells us we are not to “love the world or the things in the world …the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it” (1 John 2:15-17). The word “lust” means desire, and is generally condemned as “inordinate affections.” Even if the things some desire in this world are not sinful, they are at best still temporary. So, in the end those who seek happiness in the things of this world will have to say, like Solomon, “all is vanity, and a striving after wind” (Eccl. 1:14). Those who seek happiness in serving God and doing His will are the truly happy ones. They know there will be a better world to come.

A man, lying on his death bed, was surrounded by his family. They were grieving over his impending departure from this life. While waiting for the inevitable, he says to them, “Don’t worry about me, the best is yet to be.” Why could he say this? Because he was a Christian with “a living hope” (1 Pet. 1:3-5; Phil 3:20-21). He understood how and why he had lived his life. Like Paul, he had committed his soul to God for safe keeping (2 Tim. 1:12). He knew his experiences in life, good and bad, were only temporary, so he had used his time to prepare for the better life to come (2 Cor. 4:16-18). He knew the best was yet to come and was looking forward to it with optimism.

One with this view is truly a “blessed man” (Jas. 1:12). Many simply translate the word “blessed” (Gk. makarious) as happy. They view the word with human understanding. They think to be blessed means power, wealth, sensual pleasure, etc. Others see the word “blessed” with a sanctimonious flavor, as a technical word of theology, i.e. such as being blessed by some religious ritual performed by a reverend, rabbi, priest, or maybe the Pope. Such thinking obscures its deeper meaning. As used in the NT, one that is blessed has gained the highest happiness a human being can enjoy in this world. It is the state of spiritual and moral prosperity that people share only in Christ.

Jesus used the word nine times in what is referred to as the beatitudes of Matt. 5:3-12, where He describes the truly “blessed” (happy) man. John, in his Revelation letter also records seven beatitudes of the blessed ones, Rev. 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7,14. The ones who possess spiritual happiness do not depend on the ever-changing conditions in the world. The blessings can only be lost if one chooses to change his mind toward God. The blessed man, knowing the best is yet to be, is an eternal optimist.

So, how does the optimist know the best is yet to be? Because he places his trust in God, who is always faithful: 1 Cor. 1:9; Heb. 6:18; 10:23; 1 Pet. 4:19. This faithful God will sustain those who trust Him: Ps. 37:23-40; Phil. 4:11-12. This belief allows one to be content and satisfied, not in life’s circumstances but in his attitude — that regardless of life’s outcome it will be better later. To such people, peace of mind and joy in life is not dependent on material things. They trust God to make things right in His time. They know the best is yet to be because God said so.

Such optimism will make your life richer. Why? Because the Christian knows things the world do not.

1. The optimistic Christian knows that when this physical body returns to the dust after death, we will be clothed with a better one (Read 2 Cor. 5:1-ff). “For we KNOW that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens…” So, the best is yet to be.

2. The optimistic Christian knows that by trusting God things will work out for good, even though it seems impossible at the time — Rom. 8:28: “And we KNOW that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” So, the best is yet to be.

3. The optimistic Christian has no doubt about the security of his soul (2 Tim. 1:12). “…I am not ashamed, for I KNOW whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that day.”

Yes, the best is yet to be because the one who has been saved in faithful obedience has this promised salvation, promised by God: “…kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pet. 1:3-5).

Without an optimistic attitude you will be content with mediocrity, just drifting along with no goal in life. Your life will be one of fear, insecurity and hopelessness. But by being optimistic, thinking the best is yet to be, you will have much better outlook on life. You will have something to believe in. You will have a sense of direction in life providing you with a goal (reason) to live. You will have a spirit of expectancy that it will be better later. This is your anchor for life (Rom 8:24-25; Heb. 6:19).

— Via The Old Hickory Bulletin, February 5, 2017, Volume 37, Number 6
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

The Gospel Observer

February 12, 2017 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) Biblical Depth and Beauty (Doy Moyer)
2) Find a Storm Shelter! (anonymous)
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Biblical Depth and Beauty

Doy Moyer

I have been a Bible student for the greater part of my life. I have been preaching the gospel for nearly 30 years now. I have been teaching courses at a collegiate level for over a dozen of those years. I don’t say any of this to brag, as none of that proves a thing. I say it to make a confession. There are days when, during my Bible study, I think to myself, “Where have I been? Why didn’t I see that before? How could I have been so blind here?” In other words, I feel like I’m just now finally waking up sometimes to the depth and beauty of Scripture. The truth is, I’ve been feeling this way for … well a long time. The more I study, the more I feel it.

There is a depth and beauty to Scripture that can easily be missed, depending on how we are reading it and what our goals are when we read. I’ll be reading along and a line from a well-known movie hits me:

“You’re not thinking fourth-dimensionally!” Yeah, I have a real problem with that.

We might have a tendency to read the Bible in some strict linear fashion. We read from Genesis to Revelation and tell the story, and this is necessary. Yet how often do we read while failing to make connections between passages and concepts? We may see a flat-line story without seeing the layers of connections of ideas that are interwoven throughout. The Bible is not just a linear story. It is an interwoven tapestry filled with layers and webs of beautiful patterns. If a written text can be said to be 3-D, Scripture is that! We need to put our glasses on so we can see its depth leaping off the pages. It’s there if we’ll see it.

Scripture is filled with relationships of concepts. Types and antitypes, shadows and substance, are staples of understanding the importance of connections. For example, “For Christ our passover has been sacrificed” (1 Cor 5:7) is a beautiful statement of pattern and connection. The book of Hebrews is filled with it and cannot be understood without seeing this. The book of Revelation’s connections back to the Old Testament are grand and exploding with meaning. The way that the New Testament quotes the Old Testament adds a depth that we might easily miss (e.g., “Out of Egypt I have called My Son,” Matt 2:15); it is certainly a challenging study. Over and over, we find fulfillment of both prophecy and concept. The biblical story is told many ways and through many images, from the Garden, to the Exodus, the Temple, the holy city of Jerusalem and more, finding masterful fulfillment in Christ. There is a great joy of discovery when we see these connections and begin understanding the depth at which these connections are made. This is one reason why Bible study should never become cold, lifeless, or boring. If we are bored with Bible study, we haven’t turned our minds on yet.

I believe that the beauty and depth of Scripture is part of God’s inspiration. Failing to see some of this depth is part of the reason, I am convinced, that people end up rejecting Scripture. People might take passages, read them flatly, and conclude some kind of contradiction or problem, when, in reality, they are missing the depth of what the passages are teaching because they draw hasty conclusions without putting much thought into it.

For example, many times I see a critic of Scripture, in somewhat of a mocking tone, try to discount the Bible by making some flippant remark how ridiculous it is to follow the Bible when it contains commands about not mixing fabrics together. If they know where the reference is, they seldom know anything about the context of the passage, the covenants, or the greater issues involved. They see a flat-line order that sounds silly on the surface, and they run with that impression.

“You are to keep My statutes. You shall not breed together two kinds of your cattle; you shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor wear a garment upon you of two kinds of material mixed together” (Lev 19:19).

Reading it flatly, and without further consideration, one can think how senseless this sounds. If we even read Leviticus, how often would we skim over a passage like this and just think, “That’s weird, but, oh well, that’s part of the Law”? We must think deeper. One of the points that is easily missed is that God was teaching an overall culture of holiness and pure-minded devotion. One of the ways that He got people to think about that was through physical and visible reminders, even in their daily, mundane activities. Through engaging in actions that forced their minds toward the ideas of cleanness, holiness, not mixing with the unholy, pagan people of the land, they would be more inclined to remember how important it was to remain faithful always. Not mixing materials was a daily reminder, even in the way they constructed and wore their clothes, to stay pure, unmixed with sin, and faithful to God. It would be like our putting Bible sticky notes on mirrors and refrigerators as reminders that no matter where we are or what we are doing, we are to be holy and pure. Being a child of God encompasses all areas of life, including how business is conducted, how work is done, and how we do our mundane activities. There may even be more, but the point is that a passage like this, flatly read, is boring and silly. Seen in its greater context and message, it is brilliantly reminding God’s people how overarching holiness was to be in their lives. It wasn’t so much about the fabric as much as it was about the lesson derived from the process and the action. I even find it intriguing that this comes on the heels of the second-greatest commandment.

Of course, there are cautions. We don’t want to overdo it. I’m not saying that one has to be some super intellect to study and understand. Nor am I arguing that we should try to see phantom connections or start allegorizing everything. Not at all. Scripture makes the connections, shows the contexts, and leads us to draw the conclusions. Our task is to see them, not to invent things for the sake of novelty.

Bible study is to be a careful undertaking, not a hasty effort that requires little thought or sound exegesis. Such hasty efforts lead not only to poor understanding and bad interpretation, they can lead to rejection of Scripture altogether. Flat-line Bible reading contributes to flat-line spirituality. If people are bored with Scripture, they’ll be bored with their “religion.”

Let’s open our eyes and see the beauty and the depth of God’s word, and prepare to be amazed!

— Via Mind Your Faith, December 23, 2014
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Find a Storm Shelter!

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote: “Into each life some rain must fall.”

Rain may fall gently at times; however, it also falls furiously in times of storm. In our lives, there are many types of storms — physical, financial, emotional, spiritual, etc. — and they all vary in size and intensity. Storms are the common lot of all. Where can we turn when the storms of life rage?

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall” (Matthew 7:24-27).

Into every life, sooner or later, the rains descend, the floods come, and the winds blow and beat. For one man the “house” of his life falls in ruins, while for another it stands secure. The difference lies, not in the intensity of the storm, but in the power to withstand its fury. The power to withstand the storms of life depends upon the foundation of one’s life.

In Jesus’ teaching, the house of the wise man withstood the storm because his house was built upon the rock. And who is the wise man? The wise man is one who hears the words of Jesus and does them (v. 24). Jesus assures us that no matter what storms may arise, obedience to Him is the only sure foundation on which to build our lives – lives that will withstand the test of time AND the Judgment to follow.

One begins building upon the Rock through faith (Hebrews 11:6), repentance (Acts 17:30-31), and immersion into Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Then, one must continue to build his “house” — his life — on the Rock by continuing to hear and to obey the words of Jesus and His inspired apostles.

In the words of the beloved hymn, “There Stands a Rock”:

“Some build their hopes on the ever-drifting sand,
Some on their fame or their treasure or their land;
Mine’s on the Rock that forever shall stand,
Jesus, the Rock of Ages.”

— Via Bulletin Fodder
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

The Gospel Observer

February 5, 2017 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) The Christian is a Spiritual Optimist (W. Frank Walton)
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The Christian is a Spiritual Optimist

W. Frank Walton

Do you consider your basic outlook in life as an optimist or a pessimist?

Optimism is defined as: “a disposition or tendency to look on the more favorable side of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome” or “the belief that good ultimately predominates over evil in the world” (Random House Unabridged Dictionary). Pessimism is defined: “the tendency to see, anticipate, or emphasize only bad or undesirable outcome, results, conditions, problems, etc.” and also “the belief that the evil and pain in the world are not compensated for by goodness and happiness” (ibid).

A pessimist will try to justify their pessimism by saying, “I’m just a realist.” I counter this by an optimist is a “constructive realist,” who doesn’t ignore problems but always sees good potential or possibilities. A pessimist sees more limiting problems than opportunities. I believe the Bible teaches that you cannot be a strong believer in God and be a spiritual pessimist.

The 10 spies that discouraged the Israelites from entering Canaan were spiritual pessimists! They saw obstacles (strong and giant Canaanites with heavily fortified cities) instead of opportunities of faith to trust God’s power to take the land (Num 13:28-33). They said, “We are not able…they are too strong for us!” Their pessimistic outlook caused them to negatively exaggerate reality and see themselves as tiny, weak grasshoppers. Such negativity bred pessimistic grumbling and a defeatist attitude among the people (Num 14:2-4). They wanted to “play it safe” and regress, instead of make progress.

Yet, Caleb and Joshua were spiritual optimists! They lifted their outlook to take Almighty God into account! “We shall surely overcome it….If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us….Do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us” (Num 13:30; 14:8,9). Spiritual optimism thinks, “The odds don’t count if God is on our side! God is greater than any obstacle we face.”

Although we may have different personality types and innate dispositions, our personality traits are molded and uplifted by Biblical faith, hope and love.

1. Optimistic Faith in God. In 1 Samuel 17, young David had optimistic faith in God. He confidently believed he could defeat Goliath, the Philistines’ giant champion who dared one Israelite to fight him. “Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God” (1 Sam 17:36). Yet, King Saul’s army was filled with spiritual pessimists in facing Goliath’s challenge. They were “dismayed” and “afraid” to take him on (1 Sam 17:10-11,24). This pall of negativity had Saul telling David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him” (1 Sam 17:33). Their pessimism thought Goliath was too big to hit, while David’s optimistic faith believed he was too big to miss. Remember, “can’t” never accomplished anything.

Yet, we’re thrilled to hear of David’s optimistic faith in the face of a threatening giant: “This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD’S and He will give you into our hands” (1 Sam 17:46-47). The faith of David, who “became mighty in battle” (Heb 11:32,34), is enshrined in faith’s hall of fame to help motivate us to grow in optimistic faith. David believed the odds don’t count if God is on your side.

A spiritual optimist will believe and rely on the Scriptures that encourage us to have unlimited confidence in the power and promises of God. “With God, all things are possible” (Matt 19:26). The believer can do great things through God: “All things are possible to him who believes…I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Mk 9:23; Phil 4:13). We serve the true and living God who has infinite power: “Nothing shall be impossible with God” (Lk 1:3). Although there are a multitude of many more such scriptures that would choke the most stubborn pessimist, we can raise our belief level by looking away from our limitations and looking up to Almighty God in optimistic faith!

We all have menacing giants to face, like worldly temptation, religious false doctrine, stubborn problems and discouraging obstacles. Yet, optimistic faith in God confidently believes they can be defeated! We believe God’s message of saving souls by preaching the everlasting gospel can work today just as it did in the first century. We believe if Jesus can change our lives for the better, that He can do the same for others. We believe God’s plan of reaching the world through autonomous churches of Christ can work. God’s plan will work if we will work God’s plan.

2. Optimistic Love for Others. We learn the power of love from our amazing, loving God (1 Jn 4:7-8). Love for others is sacrificial goodwill, to always act in another’s best interest. A spiritual optimist will believe that love is the most powerful force in the world. It can change bitter relations into better ones. “Love…believes all things, bears all things, hopes all things. Love never fails” (1 Cor 13:7-8). Love for others will believe the best, not the worst. Love will not grow cynical or bitter, but will endure others’ faults to achieve, in love, a higher good for them.

When Jesus died on the cross, his costly sacrifice seemed to be mostly unappreciated. Yet, His loving sacrifice has drawn sinful men to God through the years, just as He predicted (Jn 12:32). His example will motivate us to act with such optimistic love (1 Jn 3:16-18). Christ-like love can heal relationships. Love can encourage others to do better. Love can turn conflict into a constructive learning experience.

3. Optimistic Hope for the Future. People often commit suicide because they feel, based on current circumstances, that life isn’t worth living. In despair, they want to escape overwhelming burdens and the discouraging futility of “hopeless” situations. The optimistic Christian, despite the current outlook in the valley of depression, will hang on to God’s vision of hope.

Hope is confident expectation in the future promises of God. Through the gospel of Christ, we are assured that “it is impossible for God to lie” (Heb 6:18). The hope of forgiveness through Christ’s sacrifice tells us God has invested a fortune to bring us safely to His eternal home. Hence, “we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast” (Heb 6:19). Hope lifts our outlook past the storms of life with our current problems. Whatever pain or perplexity we face, they will one day pass away in the clear, unclouded day of eternity. Hope anchors us to an eternal perspective. As C. S. Lewis observed, “All that is not connected to eternity is eternally out of date.”

— Via The Auburn Beacon, August 15, 2010, Volume 1, Issue 42
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“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday services: 9:00 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 5 PM (worship)
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evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
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http://tebeaustreetchurchofchrist.org/
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/audioser.html (audio sermons)

The Gospel Observer

January 29, 2017 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) What Matters Most? (W. Frank Walton)
2) “Integrity” (Louie Taylor)
3) Trends (The Beacon)
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What Matters Most?

W. Frank Walton

“Let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

From The Biblical Illustrator I saw this illustration about discerning what really matters. In the Jules Verne’s novel, The Mysterious Island, he tells of five men who escaped a Civil War prison by hijacking a hot air balloon. As they rise into the air, they realize the wind is carrying them over the ocean, and they are powerless to stop it. Watching their homeland disappear on the horizon, they wonder how much longer the balloon can stay aloft.

The hours pass and the surface of the ocean draws gradually closer. Since they had no way to heat the air for it to rise in the balloon, the men decide they must cast some weight overboard. Shoes, overcoats and weapons that they worked so hard to collect for the escape are reluctantly discarded. The anxious aviators feel their balloon rise. Yet, it is only temporary. They slowly descend again and draw dangerously close to the waves. Then, they had to toss their food. They realize it is better to be high and hungry than to drown on a full belly!

Unfortunately, lightening their load helps only for a short time. The craft again floats downward and threatens to crash into the sea. One man has an idea: they can tie the ropes that hold the passenger car to themselves. Then, they could cut away the basket beneath them. As they sever the very thing they had been standing on, it drops into the ocean and the balloon rises again.

In the nick of time, they spot land! When they drift close enough to the island, the five men jump into the water and swim to safety on the island.

They had lived, when they otherwise might have perished, because they were able to discern the difference between what really was needed and what was not. The necessities they once thought they couldn’t live without, in that critical situation, were really the very weights that almost cost them their lives.

Christians must learn to not let the “trivial many crowd out the vital few.” In fact, the only thing that any of us will carry from this life is our character we have developed, in following Christ, by the thoughts we think, the attitudes we harbor, the words we say and the deeds we do. Every physical thing — our homes, our cars, our clothes, our furniture, our bank, our workplace, etc. “will be burned up” (2 Pet. 3:10-13)! We won’t even take any pictures of them as souvenirs to show each other in heaven! Our physical blessings can become our curse if we are consumed with them and “choke out” our primary relationship with our Creator (Mark 4:18-19). It is God’s eternal purpose to train and transform our character into the image of Jesus Christ, so we’re fitted for eternal glory (Rom. 8:29-30, Eph. 2:4-10, Titus 2:11-14). This pursuit is what matters most in this life.

So, in our journey to eternity, we must know what to ignore, what sins to shun, what to hold lightly, when to let go, and how to always keep our eyes focused foremost on our Lord, who ever beckons us onward and upward to Himself in our heavenly home (Phil. 3:13-14, Matt. 6:33, Luke 10:41-42). Jesus our example gained nothing great this world offers, yet He gained everything God offers (Phil. 2:5-11). So, when we’re frustrated and stressed out, we must ask ourselves, “What difference will this make in eternity?” In the end, preparing ourselves by faith for that inevitable interview with our Creator is the true purpose of life. Everything else in this world is ultimately like arranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

— Via The Old Hickory Bulletin, April 10, 2016, Volume 36, #15
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“Integrity”

Louie Taylor

Proverbs 10:9 states, “He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out.” Vine’s dictionary defines “integrity” as “moral and ethical soundness.” A person who lives his life according to the dictates of integrity walks a straight and even path of righteousness, and he never has to worry about being tripped up over a lie that he has told in the past. The dishonest person walks in a zigzag path of deception, and his deceitfulness will always be found out eventually, no matter how diligently he tries to cover his tracks.

Dishonesty just has a way of making itself known, and when that happens, relationships are always injured. Psalm 15:1-3 demonstrates the power of integrity in the building of strong relationships: “O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart. He does not slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend.” A lack of integrity will always bring harm to every relationship that we have — with ourselves, with our loved ones, and with our God.

Verse 2 says the person of integrity speaks truth in his own heart. As long as we choose to deceive ourselves, we will never have the peace of mind that God wants us to have in Christ. People often live in denial of the fact that they have problems with drugs, alcohol, pornography, immorality, stealing, cheating, lying, cursing, etc. Until a person is honest with himself and admits there are issues to be dealt with, he will always undermine his relationship with self, and sabotage his own physical, mental, and spiritual health.

A person who lacks integrity will also never develop healthy relationships with other people. Verse 3 says the person of integrity does no evil to his neighbor. Deception is hurtful and evil, and when people find out that we have done them wrong, they have a hard time trusting us in the future. Vibrant relationships are based on trust. So if we speak the truth in love we strengthen the bonds of unity (Ephesians 4:15), but if we are untrustworthy we always fracture our friendships.

Integrity is also required for a spiritual relationship with God. Verse 1 says that only the person of integrity can dwell in the tabernacle of the Lord and live on His holy hill. For us that simply means that if we want to dwell securely in the church of Jesus Christ where all access to the Father is found, we must live upright, godly, and truthful lives. That requires integrity in our worship as well, since all worship must be offered in spirit and in truth to the Lord (John 4:24).

I really think verse 4 of Psalm 15 best captures the essence of integrity. The psalmist writes that the person of integrity, “swears to his own hurt, and does not change.” When he takes a vow or makes a commitment, he follows through with it even if he has to suffer in the process. That means he’s determined to do the right thing no matter what, and no matter how badly other people might be misbehaving. It’s not always easy to walk with integrity but it is always best — and it’s the only way to walk securely with our Creator on the path that leads to heaven.

— Via Online Articles from the Manslick Road church of Christ, March 2, 2014
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“Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You” (Psalm 25:21).
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Trends…

Researchers found that the percentage of Americans who claim they never pray reached an all-time high in 2014, up five-fold since the 1980s. Over the same time period, belief in God and interest in spirituality appears to have similarly declined, especially among young adults. In 2014, the number of 18 to 22-year-olds who reported no religious affiliation rose from 11% in the 1970s to 36%; the percentage who said they never pray rose from 4% to 28%. Belief in God and attendance at religious services declined by half while self-reported spirituality declined five-fold (via Vocativ.com).

Romans 1:20, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.”

— Via The Beacon, Greg Gwin, March 29, 2016
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“The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1, NASB).
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

1) Hear the gospel, for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith, living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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The Gospel Observer

January 22, 2017 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) “You Shall Understand Hereafter” (John 14:4-7) (Jon W. Quinn)
2) Lest We Forget the Goal (Gary Henry)
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“You Shall Understand Hereafter”
John 14:4-7

Jon W. Quinn

The Lord’s apostle John wrote his gospel sometime after Matthew, Mark and Luke had written theirs. He also recorded a number of things which the others had not included. He devotes far more space than the others to the events of the evening prior to the crucifixion. By inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John gives his own eye-witness testimony of that evening. In this article, we shall focus on one of those events. After eating the final Passover meal with His apostles, and ordaining the keeping of the memorial supper by His disciples after His departure, Jesus does a startling thing; He gets up from the table, lays aside His outer garment, girds Himself with a towel, pours water into a basin, and then proceeds to use the water and towel to wash the feet of His apostles. What was the meaning of this very humble, and somewhat disturbing act of our Lord? As Jesus told His apostles, “You’ll understand later.”

The Custom of Feet Washing

“(Jesus)… rose from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself about. Then He poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and wipe them with a towel with which He was girded” (John 13:4-5).

Customs usually develop in societies to answer certain needs of that particular culture. The main mode of transportation in Jesus’ day was walking, footwear consisted of sandals, and the environment was often hot and dusty. Because of this, a custom developed where, in behalf of the comfort of one’s guests, basins of water would be provided so they could wash their feet after a long journey. If the hosts were wealthy, the household servants would perform the task, washing the guests’ feet. It was a sign of courtesy and hospitality.

It had been a busy day of travel for Jesus and the apostles. There was no servant, at least in the usual sense of the word. The apostles had been bickering earlier about which of them was the greatest. This same poor attitude had effected them throughout the ministry of Jesus, in spite of His teaching time and again about how greatness in God’s kingdom is measured in the amount of service one renders unto others, and not the other way around (Luke 22:24-27; 9:46-48; Mark 9:33-37;50; Matthew 20:20-28).

What Jesus intends to do is to leave them with an impression they will find impossible to ignore. They had not allowed His words to sink in. But now they would have a vivid memory of the humility of their Lord. They would never forget it!

Peter’s Protest

“And so He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, ‘Lord, do you wash my feet?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I do to you you do not realize now, but you shall understand hereafter.’ Peter said to Him, ‘Never shall you wash my feet!’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’ Simon Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.’ Jesus said to him, ‘He who has bathed need only to wash his feet; and you are clean…” (John 13:6-10a)

Peter voices the same feelings that most certainly all the apostles were feeling. Stunned and embarrassed, Peter puts his feelings into words of protest. It had been Peter who had identified Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Now, to have the Son of God bow down and wash his feet seemed so out of place that Peter could not contain himself. “Never shall you wash my feet!”

But, of course, if Peter is not willing to submit to Jesus in everything, then Jesus cannot use him. If Jesus is to be Peter’s Lord, then he must be willing to do the things Jesus says (Luke 6:46). By the way, it was not the last time people who claim to have faith in Jesus and yet would push His words aside. It would not work for Peter, and it will not work for others. Faith in Jesus means yielding ourselves to His will in everything. If Jesus says washing Peter’s feet is a necessary part of being His apostle, then it is. If He says being baptized in water is necessary to wash away sins, then it is (Mark 16:16; Acts 22:16).

Jesus Explains

“And so when He washed their feet, and taken His garments, and reclined at the table again, He said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly, truly I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, neither is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (John 13:12-17).

Jesus asked if they understood what He had done to them. The answer, for now, is “no.” Jesus had earlier said that they did not yet understand (verse 7). Of course they understood He had washed their feet, but that was not the point, nor the significance of the act.

Jesus proceeds to drive the point home. It was not about foot washing, but rather about service. The proper thing in His kingdom is to seek for opportunity to serve others and not to be served by others. There is no place for arrogance in Jesus’ kingdom, but rather for brotherly consideration and love. This is the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:3-5).

This was not a command to make the washing of feet a formal activity in the public assembly. That misses the point. It was simply an example to follow: Jesus served others, if He is Lord and Teacher, then so should we (Galatians 5:13-15). Those who are high-minded and too good to humbly serve others are too good to be Jesus’ disciples.

— Via the Expository Files 21.7; July 2014
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lest_we_forget_the_goal_henry

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Lest We Forget the Goal

Gary Henry

“Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5).

AMID THE WELTER OF OUR SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS AND WORDS AND DEEDS, THE MAIN THING THAT SHOULD BE PRODUCED BY ALL OF THIS ACTIVITY MAY END UP BEING NEGLECTED. Paul wrote that the purpose (in other words, the “goal” or “end”) of the commandment is love. This is the object in view — it is the thing that is supposed to be produced by instruction in God’s word. If we profess to be those who seek God, we need to be aware that one of the truest tests of our seeking is the test of love. If we are missing love, then we’ve missed the “purpose of the commandment.”

The word “love,” of course, means many things to many people, and the kind of love that God desires is no ordinary love. According to Paul, it comes “from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith.” A “pure heart” is clean and wholly devoted to God, a “good conscience” is carefully protected and consistently obeyed, and a “sincere faith” is genuine and without pretense. When these qualities combine, they produce a love that is remarkable. It is certainly distinct from the emotional feeling that is called “love” in the world, but it is also different from the intellectual orthodoxy that is called “love” by many Christians. The love that distinguishes the people of Christ is nothing less than the love that Christ had: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34,35).

When we think about it, the reason for love’s importance is obvious. If God is love, how could we possibly draw near Him without growing in love? But what if we’re seeking God and love is not increasing in our lives? We may not like to hear it, but one of two things must be true: either our “seeking” is not a serious seeking or our “God” is not the real God. If we truly seek and it is the true God whom we seek, then real love must result. John’s words are clear and to the point: “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:8). If we lose sight of this fact, then we’ve somehow gotten off the road that leads to God.

“With the knowledge of God comes love” (Catherine of Siena).

— Via WordPoints.com, November 4, 2016
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

1) Hear the gospel, for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith, living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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The Gospel Observer

January 15, 2017 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom (Warren E. Berkley)
2) John 11:23-27 (NASB)
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2chron1_11-12

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Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom

Warren E. Berkley

“At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, ‘Ask what I shall give you.’ And Solomon said, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?’

“It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.’

“And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.” – 1 Kings 3:5-15

If you read only of Solomon’s failures, you might be surprised to read this prayer or perhaps you doubt the sincerity of it. But biblical history is clear, there were times when this man held to great sincerity of interests and affection for the Lord, though his consistency and follow-through was obviously failed. This prayer is an example of a good time, and instructs us in several good ways.

“The kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon,” according to the last verse of the previous chapter (though after some struggle & violence), and now – he must be serious about the challenges soon to be encountered; the choices soon to be made; the leadership to be provided through him to God’s people and his own personal salvation. His succession to the throne had not been easy. Now the task ahead would be obtained only with God’s help. So he prayed. What can we discover from this?

(1) Imperfect People Need To Pray. “Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places” (v. 3). The “high places” were locations where idolatry was practiced. This is evidence of his imperfection. Good intentions were not fully carried out, thus he was imperfect in his efforts. Let us consider that imperfection is reason to pray, never a reason to neglect speaking to God. It may be argued, in fact, the more we struggle; the less perfect we are, the more we need to speak to God and ask for His help and make good commitments to Him. Here is a man with enough love for the Lord to respond to God and make requests in prayer, at least at this point in his life. What he says is rooted in his trust in the good and faithful God his father taught him to serve.

(2) What If God Asked You What You Wanted? What would your answer be? Money? Worldly Success? Celebrity Status? That new truck? Our first response might not be our best. Solomon had enough love for the Lord to know what he needed. He needed to receive wisdom from the highest source. “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” He wasn’t perfect before God, but humble before God to ask for something valuable, not temporal. We need this humble sense of our weakness and need. And we need to take those weaknesses and needs to the Lord in sincere prayer. While we are not assigned the leadership of a nation, the navigation of our personal lives requires wisdom and discretion. We learn from others, from experience and by reading God’s Word. But all such efforts ought to be accompanied by prayer to the Father through Jesus, that we might be wise. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (Jas. 1:5). I don’t know of anyone among my acquaintances who has mastered wisdom, who doesn’t need more, or who doesn’t need to offer up this prayer. Ask God for wisdom now; don’t wait! (Read the first three chapters of 1 Kings! Perhaps you will conclude Solomon should have offered up this prayer earlier.)

3) Always Acknowledge Past Blessings Received In Your Family. In Solomon’s prayer, he acknowledged past blessings received: “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day” (v. 6). It is always commendable and necessary to remember what God has done for your family, that brought you to where you are now in life. How soon we may forget how God has providentially nurtured us and blessed us through our families. Do not let such memories and gratefulness slip from your mind. Tell God how you appreciate it.

(4) Always Confess Your Ignorance (v. 7). The new king said, “I do not know how to go out or come in.” It was like someone today saying, “I don’t know if I’m going or coming.” Such humble confessions of ignorance ought to be stated to God, when we ask for His help. We ought to be willing to say to the Father: “I don’t know what to do, but I know You do. Help me learn and grow and do right.” We do not boast of our ignorance, but we must confess it. Implied in such confessions, our need for God’s help and our responsibility to listen to His Word with obedient intent.

(5) The Value Of Discernment. “…that I may discern between good and evil” (v. 9). No matter where you are in history, geography, culture, or position – you need this skill: Discernment. It is the capacity to see issues, recognize temptations, and know what is right and wrong, based on divine truth. Fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, single people – all need this skill. Children need to learn it; preachers need to preach it; teachers need to illustrate it; sinners need to embrace it, and Christians need to use it from now on. Discerning between right and wrong is a critical life skill. Pray God to help you acquire it, and accompany all such praying with your diligent study of His Word, His Standard!

(6) Governing Others Requires Discernment. “…for who is able to govern this your great people?” (v. 9). Our influence on others is directly related to our capacity to see what is right and wrong. While we are not charged to lead a nation, we are charged to let our lights shine and exert a good influence on others. That serious charge cannot be well done if we are unclear about right and wrong.

An unknown civil war soldier wrote this eloquent testimony:

“I asked for strength that I might achieve; I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.

“I asked for health that I might do greater things; I was given infirmity that I might do better things.

“I asked for riches that I might be happy; I was given poverty that I might be wise.

“I asked for power that I might have the praise of men; I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.

“I asked for all things that I might enjoy life; I was given life that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I had asked for, but everything that I had hoped for.

“Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered; I am, among all men, most richly blessed.”

So the Bible says that “It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.”

— Via Expository Files 20.8; August 2013
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John 11:23-27

“Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother shall rise again.’ Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world’” (NASB).
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

The Gospel Observer

January 8, 2017 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) Five Reasons Why I Don’t Play the Lottery (Ken Weliever)
2) The Anti-Gospel (Doy Moyer)
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Five Reasons Why I Don’t Play the Lottery

Ken Weliever

“With all of the current hoopla about the Powerball, I’m curious on your take scripturally on the lottery,” wrote Heidi, one of our regular readers.

Heidi adds her thoughts saying, “I know many Christians who don’t see anything wrong with it. I wouldn’t want to risk my soul on getting rich quick. I sure could use the money but even $450 million is not worth losing my soul over.”

Like many things, the Bible doesn’t specifically mention gambling. So we must consider scriptural principles to decide whether it is a good thing or not. I realize that some people consider playing the lottery and other forms of gambling as entertainment. It may be so for some. But I believe it is a risky form of amusement.

Here are 5 considerations that guide my decision not to gamble, including playing the lottery.

(1) It violates the laws of legitimate economy.

The Bible recognizes 3 legitimate means of transferring property to others — the law of labor, the law of exchange, and the law of giving and receiving.

We are commanded to work in order to provide for our needs and support our families (Eph 4:25; I Tim. 5:8). The Bible speaks of earning interest on money (Matt 25:27) or making a profit on selling a possession, or investing in real estate (Matt 13:44-45). In addition, both giving and receiving are the result of our work and/or profits from investments (Eph. 4:28; Acts 2:45).

Gambling does not quality as a legitimate area of economy in any of those three ways. Thus, I choose not to play the lottery.

(2) It appeals to greed and materialism.

Jesus warned, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Lk 12:15). The Bible says that greed is “improper for God’s holy people” (Eph 5:3). In fact, Paul calls covetousness a form of idolatry (Col 3:5).

(3) It undermines faithful stewardship.

Christians are to be good managers of their time, talents and treasure. This is taught in the parable of the talents (Matt 25:14-29). The Old Testament book of Proverbs is filled with exhortations to the wise use of money.

According to yesterday’s Today show, your chances of winning the Powerball lottery are 1 in 292,201,338. Not very good odds I would say. In fact, the News Anchor said you have a better chance of being struck by lightning, becoming President of the United States, being bitten by a shark, or dying from an asteroid than winning the lottery!

(4) It sabotages self-control.

Admittedly, not all gamblers are out of control. But it is a serious enough problem that even some lottery ads issue warnings and provide information on gambling hotlines.

The Mayo clinic website warns, “Compulsive gambling is a serious condition that can destroy lives.” These professional experts explain “Gambling can stimulate the brain’s reward system much like drugs such as alcohol can, leading to addiction. If you’re prone to compulsive gambling, you may continually chase bets, hide your behavior, deplete savings, accumulate debt, or even resort to theft or fraud to support your addiction.”

God’s people are to be self-disciplined, with their passions and desires under His control (1 Cor. 6:12; 9:27; Gal. 5:23).

(5) It potentially ruins lives.

Lotteries often tend to victimize the most vulnerable with the lure of instant wealth to those who can least afford to lose money gambling. But even the winners’ lives are often ruined with the problems that come with unearned riches.

The tales of the unintended consequences of winning the lottery are so numerous that a simple google search will provide many sad stories of ruined lives after winning the lottery.

Many go bankrupt. Lose friends. Attract scam artists. Create friction in their families. Become addicted to other vices. And generally find that money does not buy happiness, peace of mind, or personal fulfillment.

I could list other reasons. But these are sufficient. If you think winning a big jackpot would improve your life and put you on easy street, don’t bet on it.

— Via Search for Truth, Volume VIII, Number 1, August 7, 2016
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The Anti-Gospel

Doy Moyer

The gospel is rooted in the fact that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23). The wages of sin are death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 6:23). Mankind, left to himself, is lost, without hope, and unforgiven. There is no grace without Christ, and no path to God without the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). The gospel message is that we can receive forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus and be born again to that living hope, reserved in heaven, through the resurrection (1 Pet. 1:3-5).

The gospel is also inseparable from this primary message: “repent!” Jesus said, “repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). This is a clear kingdom mandate:

“Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19).

God wants all to “come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). He wants the gospel taught to grant “repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 2:25), for godly repentance leads to salvation (2 Cor. 7:10).

Sadly, this message has been rejected in favor of one much more palatable and easily accepted by a world indoctrinated with moral relativism and forced tolerance.

The anti-gospel is the message of non-repentance. This message tells people that repentance is not necessary, that it is good to embrace your own version of self, that those who say otherwise are the haters, the bigots, the ones who need to be shunned and shamed. God made us the way we are, so there is no need to do anything but affirm our own feelings. Modern culture deems that the more enlightened embrace the anti-gospel, for modern understanding is superior to the ancients; and since Scripture is a product of the ancient world, we can see the need to move beyond it as a relic of the past.

The anti-gospel turns the grace of God into a license to sin (Jude 4), allowing for all to continue in sin while affirming this twisted version of grace (Rom. 6:1-2). The anti-gospel preachers proclaim that love wins, that the Spirit is with them, that God understands. In the process, a new idolatry has emerged. God has been reshaped to look just like the anti-gospel message. This god no longer requires repentance and despises those who preach it. This god bends to the whims and desires of those who have shaped the anti-gospel. The standard of the anti-gospel is self-will, not Scripture, though once in a while some passage will be trotted out as support of what has already been decided. Those Scriptures that do not support the predetermined conclusions are summarily dismissed and relegated to the shelf of antiquities, appealed to only as evidence of a world that everyone now knows was backwards.

This message is anti-gospel because it teaches people to affirm their sinfulness, to be proud of their sinful behavior, to march in lock-step with flags unfurled to show solidarity. Grace is perverted and the real gospel is veiled as the minds of the anti-gospel advocates are unable to “see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:4), while they preach themselves rather than “Christ Jesus as Lord” (vs. 5).

The anti-gospel shuns the Lordship of Jesus. It mocks those who embrace God’s authority as revealed in Scripture. It manifests the works of the flesh while parading in disguise as the fruit of the Spirit. Because the anti-gospel denies true repentance, it also denies the kingdom of Christ. There is no grace of living waters in the anti-gospel, but only a poison that may momentarily taste of pleasure. In the end, it will become bitter, and it will kill those who drink of it.

“Repent and believe in the gospel.” Only in Christ will true salvation be found. Preach the gospel. Let the foolishness of the cross become the power of the saved (1 Cor. 1:18). Now is not the time to compromise; now is the time to embrace the real gospel with even more intensity. It’s not about politics; it’s about truth.

— Via The Auburn Beacon, Vol. 7, Issue 51, 9/4/16
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

The Gospel Observer

January 1, 2017 / Tom Edwards

1) Political Correctness and the Christian (Doy Moyer)
2) Counting the Cost (Carey Scott)
3) Ephesians 3:20–21 (NASB)
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Political Correctness and the Christian

Doy Moyer

Christians increasingly must deal with political correctness (PC). This is the idea, according to the online dictionary (.com), of “avoiding vocabulary that is considered offensive, discriminatory, or judgmental.” They even add that PC is tied to “demonstrating progressive ideals,” and particularly involves “race and gender.” PC is quite pervasive these days, and at times it feels like we are walking on egg shells just to avoid offending anyone. How ought Christians to look at this issue?

Look at it through a biblical lens, not merely a political or social lens. It’s easy to fall prey to political propaganda today, but this issue must not be decided politically. We must see matters through the lens of Scripture and let that be what determines what we do. Understand the biblical principles by which we operate. There are several, so let’s be reminded of a few:

First, be dedicated to spiritual truth. Our salvation depends on it (1 Tim. 2:4; John 8:31-32), and this dedication is bigger than whatever winds of change happen in culture.

Second, and no less than the first, be dedicated to loving both God and others (the two greatest commandments, Matt. 22:36-40). “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law” (Rom. 13:8).

Ephesians 4:15 puts truth and love together. “Speaking the truth in love” helps us mature in both doctrine and attitude. One without the other is futile. Where political correctness violates either of these, then we must avoid it.

Third, we should, as Paul, strive to become all things to all people (1 Cor. 9:19-23). Paul’s purpose for doing this was “so that I might win” others, “for the sake of the gospel,” to Christ.

Fourth, understand the limitations. We are to discern right from wrong (Heb. 5:12-14), which also means discerning what is morally or spiritually necessary from that which is not so.

Fifth, approach the world with wisdom. “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person” (Col. 4:5-6). This should be a major factor in how we consider our reaction to PC.

Correlating to the above, then, here is what we can gather for practical application:

1. If speaking politically correct involves compromising God’s truth (e.g., by refusing to talk about sin), then it must be avoided. Truth is more important than anyone’s agenda, and truth will often be offensive to those who don’t want to hear it. This is what Jesus faced: “Then the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?’” (Matt. 15:12). Paul faced it, also: “So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Gal. 4:16). If speaking truth means the world is offended, we must never give up the truth to placate the world.

2. If our actions that involve political correctness (to whatever degree we practice it) are not motivated by love, then we are not doing anyone any good (1 Cor. 13:1-3). If we purposively speak politically incorrect, not from teaching the gospel of truth, but in order to push buttons and irritate those with whom we disagree, then we are being divisive and acting in a way that will likely drive people away from Christ.

3. Becoming all things to all men means that we try to understand our times, understand where others are coming from, and purposively act in a way that points them to Christ. There may be matters of PC that we personally dislike, but if it is not sinful, and if it helps to provide more opportunities for teaching about Jesus, then we should, in such cases, act lovingly and speak without trying to offend. The gospel makes people Christians, not Americans, so if our motivation is just to act like patriotic Americans, and in that process become unnecessarily offensive, we have missed the point that we are citizens of a much greater kingdom that takes precedence (Phil. 3:20-21).

4. If the PC issue is not a matter of moral or spiritual necessity, then what is our purpose for being stubborn about particular terminology? If someone is offended by being called a certain term, for example, and it really boils down to a preference, then why would we purposively keep speaking offensively? That is just being obnoxious, not spiritual.

5. We should always consider the wisdom of speaking in a manner that is not offensive to others, given the other caveats above. We are told to speak with grace, to act with wisdom, to respond appropriately to each person. If we know something is offensive and yet doesn’t violate the above principles, then wisdom tells us to be gracious about it. Give up what is offensive if possible. “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Rom. 12:18).

The goal, as always, is to glorify God. Seek the wisdom of His word, and let the biblical principles guide us in how we act toward the world.

— via Bulletin Articles of the Vestavia church of Christ, September 11, 2016
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Counting the Costs

Carey Scott

Anything that is of value will cost something. It will be money or time or some sort of effort on our part. An education will take time and money and lots of effort. A marriage will be successful with the same ingredients along with love, devotion, and understanding. Operating a successful business requires the same ingredients. Most people understand this and willingly apply these things to whatever they choose to do. But we want to consider what salvation and Christianity will cost us in simple terms, and we will encourage you to make the right choice.

Becoming a Christian may cost us something in our human relationships. Jesus must come first and be more important than even our family and closest relationships. While those relationships are important, we cannot allow those ties to keep us from serving God. Obedience to the gospel can cause a strain on a relationship, because the elements of such relationship have changed. While one may be desiring to serve God, a loved one may not choose to do so. If you want your loved one saved, you may have to put a lot of effort to bring them to Christ, and we know that many people are not interested in spiritual matters, and they may choose a different path. Some people have been shunned by their entire families, and in some cultures, have been killed for leaving their former belief system.

It could cost us financially to become a Christian. There are many ways to make money, and it seems like the most lucrative professions are also the most sinful ones as well. Many people are not willing to become paupers for the cause of Christ. They enjoy their luxury and their excess. Christians are giving people, and that does not limit their giving to the contribution plate passed on Sunday. The Bible tells us anytime we see a need, we should help with whatever ability or resources or money we have. We should give as we have been prospered, because we are concerned for the work of the church in the local area. We should want to participate and support activities that could help others get to heaven.

It may cost us something as Christians to stand firm for the truth. There have been times when the truth was preached, that the preacher lost his life. Stephen’s preaching of the gospel angered the Jews, and they stoned him. The early church suffered persecution (even death) at the hands of those who had been given the word of God, but failed to recognize the grace of God of the gospel. Today, it is not much different. Many people hate it when a preacher points out their sins. And you don’t have to be a preacher to tell someone they are wrong in something, they will still despise you for saying so.

Following Christ will cost us our own selfish will. We are to become new creatures with new desires and new goals. We learn that we are not as important as we think we are, and that we should treat others as more important than ourselves. One might look at all the vices that are offered in this world and think that they have to miss out on all the fun. Well, the reality is that the moments’ pleasures usually have consequences that are often hard to bear. To party in excess usually ends up in hangovers and throwing up, and feeling bad all day, not to mention realizing some of the stupid things one did, and who they might have hurt or killed in their drunken stupor. One might think that using foul, vulgar language makes one popular, but only with a group that chooses that kind of language. In all, the cost of discipleship is very high, but extremely worth it.

— Via The Elon Challenger, January 2017, Volume 14, Number 5
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Ephesians 3:20-21

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen” (NASB).
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

The Gospel Observer

December 25, 2016 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) Some Marks of God’s People (Virgil Hale)
2) Need: A Pride Killer (Adam Litmer)
3) The Fundamentals (Adam Smith)
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hebrews12_28

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Some Marks of God’s People

Virgil Hale

Malachi 3:16 reads, “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.” In this text there are three characteristics given concerning the people of God that I want us to study, and then we will observe the blessing that followed. There are great lessons in this text for all of God’s people today.

In the first place it says that they “feared the Lord.” This in and of itself does not make one a child of God. It is said of Cornelius that he “feared God with all his house…” (Acts 10:2) and that he was “a just man and one that feareth God…” (verse 22). At the time, Cornelius was not a Christian, and he had to obey the Gospel in order to become a child of God. The kind of fear under consideration is not a fear that causes one to shudder at the very thought of God, but it is a reverential awe and respect for God and His will. In speaking of God David wrote, “He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant forever: holy and reverend is his name” (Psa. 111:9). The writer of the Hebrew letter said that we are to “serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Heb. 12:28). It is evident that most people have little or no respect for God or His Word. According to Solomon, the whole duty of man is to “Fear God and keep his commandments” (Eccl. 12:13). Peter made this statement at the house of Cornelius,”…Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” (Acts 10:34-35). There is no way that one can be a faithful child of God if he has no reverence and respect for God and His will.

Secondly, it is said in our text that these people of God “spake often one to another.” This implies that they had fellowship one with another, that they cooperated one with the other, that they were mutually helpful to each other. The word fellowship carries with it the idea of joint participation. We are told, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works (Heb. 10:24). Paul wrote that we are “workers together with him…” (2 Cor. 6:1) and that “we are laborers together with God” (1 Cor. 3:9). The Psalmist wrote, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psa. 133:1). Some things might be pleasant that are not good for us, and some things might be good for us that are not pleasant, but unity is both good and pleasant. Christians are to “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another (Rom. 12:10). Paul wrote, “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” (Phil. 2:2-3). Love for one another lets the world know that we belong to Christ (John 13:34-35). The early church certainly fit this pattern (Acts 2:44-45; 4:34-37).

Thirdly, it is said of God’s people that they “thought upon his name.” This implies that they meditated upon God and His will, and that they were devout worshipers of Him. Do you enjoy studying God’s Word, and are you a faithful worshiper of God? The “Blessed” man of Psalm chapter 1, is one whose “delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his Law doth he meditate day and night.” Paul wrote, “Study to shew thyself approved of God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). What do you think about most? We are products of our thinking (Prov. 23:7; Rom. 12:1-2). We cannot rise above our thinking!

Finally, notice the results of the preceding, “and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them…” Rest assured that God does not forget His people. Paul spoke of people “whose names are written in the book of life” (Phil. 4:3). We need to remember that God has said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5). Because of that promise we can “boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (verse 6). Rest assured “our labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58). “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (Heb. 6:10). Do we really believe these promises? I hope that we do, because God cannot lie (Tit. 1:2; Heb. 6:18). May we strive to have the characteristics that we have discussed in our lives, and heaven will someday be our eternal home.

— Via The Auburn Beacon, October 16, 2016, Volume 8, Issue 4
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“And my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,’ And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken. But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me” (Psalm 13:4-6, NASB).
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Need: A Pride Killer

Adam Litmer

In Luke 8:40-42 we read, “Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.”

As a ruler of the synagogue, Jairus was a man of no small influence. However, he found himself in a situation that rendered him powerless. His daughter was dying and there was nothing he could do stop it. All of his influence, wisdom, power, and fame meant absolutely nothing to him in the face of such a terrible predicament. Jesus had many enemies and there is little doubt that at least some of them witnessed Jairus running to Jesus and falling at his feet. There is even less doubt that word of Jairus’ actions spread very quickly. However, whatever pride Jairus may have possessed was crushed beneath the weight of his tremendous need.

A saved relationship with Jesus Christ demands one thing above all else — a humble willingness to admit that one is a sinner, helplessly lost, and completely reliant upon the mercy and grace of One infinitely greater than they (Romans 3:23; 5:1-11). This humility boasts in the cross of Jesus Christ, never in self (Galatians 6:14). This humility boasts in weakness for it is in weakness that the power of Christ shines brightest (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Is there any wonder, in our increasingly humanistic world, that such humility is rarely seen?

Unfortunately, such humility is not as common as it should be even among those who claim Christ as Lord. It is lacking in the elder who lords his authority over the flock, looking upon the congregation as his own personal fiefdom. It is lacking in the evangelist who forgets that his duty is to present Christ, not himself. It is lacking in the Christian who imagines that his or her salvation will be achieved on the basis of personal goodness.

Need. The word ought to be emblazoned upon the heart of every Christian for the day will never come when the mercy and grace of God is not our greatest need. The one who glories in self has yet to recognize this. When they do, that realization will crush the pride that bars their way to the Lord and salvation.

— Via University Heights Messenger, December 18, 2016, Volume 8, Number 56
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“Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling. It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly Than to divide the spoil with the proud. He who gives attention to the word will find good, And blessed is he who trusts in the LORD” (Proverbs 16:18-20, NASB).
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The Fundamentals

Allen Smith

It’s impossible to accomplish some things in life until we have mastered the fundamentals. Any sports coach will tell you that a great team has to first be grounded in the fundamentals. Teachers will tell you the same thing about successful students – and the same thing is true about Christians. The fundamentals – the “first principles” – are not always the most enjoyable part, but they are the most essential part of what we need to learn. If we don’t, we may very well be characterized by these words – “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14).

May we be well-grounded in the fundamentals so we can grow up to enjoy the “solid food” found in God’s word.

— Via The Old Hickory Bulletin, 5/4/2014
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

1) Hear the gospel, for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith, living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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The Cost of Influence and Reputation

The Greater Love

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Readiness of Mind

The Best is Yet to Be!

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Biblical Depth and Beauty

Find a Storm Shelter!

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

The Christian is a Spiritual Optimist

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

What Matters Most?

“Integrity”

Trends…

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

“You Shall Understand Hereafter”John 14:4-7

The Custom of Feet Washing

Peter’s Protest

Jesus Explains

Lest We Forget the Goal

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom

John 11:23-27

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Five Reasons Why I Don’t Play the Lottery

(1) It violates the laws of legitimate economy.

(2) It appeals to greed and materialism.

(3) It undermines faithful stewardship.

(4) It sabotages self-control.

(5) It potentially ruins lives.

The Anti-Gospel

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Political Correctness and the Christian

Counting the Costs

Ephesians 3:20-21

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Some Marks of God’s People

Need: A Pride Killer

The Fundamentals

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Archives by Month

“You Shall Understand Hereafter”
John 14:4-7