1) “Cleave to the Lord” (Jerry Fite)
2) Being Spiritual (Jerry Fite)
3) Guard Every Step (Andy Sochor)
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“Cleave to the Lord”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Jerry Fite -2-<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jerry Fite -3-<\/p>\n\n\n\n Andy Sochor 1) Hear <\/strong>the gospel — for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31). Tebeau Street “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).——————– Contents 1) “Cleave to the Lord” (Jerry Fite)2) Being Spiritual (Jerry Fite)3) Guard Every Step (Andy Sochor) ——————– -1- “Cleave to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2755","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","post-preview"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2755","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2755"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2755\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2760,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2755\/revisions\/2760"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2755"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2755"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2755"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Barnabas \u201c\u2026exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord\u201d <\/em>(Acts 11:23).<\/em> God\u2019s people always need an encourager. Barnabas effectively filled this role among brethren in the first century.
His encouraging push in Acts 11 came when the grace of God was spreading effectively to both Gentiles and Jews in Antioch (Acts 11:20).<\/em> A great number of people were turning to the Lord (Acts 11:21).<\/em> When he came to the city, he saw \u201cthe grace of God\u201d<\/em> for himself and was \u201cglad\u201d (Acts 11:23).<\/em> This could have been a time to just sit back and praise God for all the converts to Christ. Why don\u2019t we just be happy for awhile in God\u2019s grace and think about exhorting the new converts later. This might cross the mind of some. But not Barnabas. He quickly went to work.
New converts need teaching and exhortation from the very beginning to ground them in the faith. Why? The Devil is always at work seeking whom he may devour and must be withstood by a steadfast faith (I Peter 5:8-9). <\/em>No one was excluded in Barnabas\u2019 exhortation. All needed to \u201ccleave to the Lord.\u201d
Different Greek words are translated \u201ccleave\u201d<\/em> in our New Testaments. For example, a husband is to \u201ccleave\u201d<\/em>(KOLLAO)<\/em> to his wife (Matthew 19:5).<\/em> The word conveys the idea of sticking like glue to convey the closeness of the relationship between the husband and the wife. Barnabas used the term PROSMENO which denotes the idea of \u201cabiding with\u201d<\/em> the Lord.
Abiding with the Lord was not some ill-defined mission. The Christians were to heed the exhortation with \u201cpurpose of heart.\u201d<\/em> The word \u201cpurpose\u201d (PROTHESIS) means literally to \u201cshow forth.\u201d<\/em> They were to manifest what was clearly set forth in their heart, and that was: abide with the Lord.
How many times have we pleaded, \u201cLord, be with me!\u201d or, \u201cLord, stand by me!\u201d? How often have we sung the song, \u201cAbide with me,\u201d without consciously thinking that we have the responsibility to \u201cabide with the Lord?\u201d
We need Barnabas\u2019 exhortation in our day. One way that we \u201cshow forth\u201d our heart\u2019s desire to \u201cabide with the Lord\u201d is to be diligent in reading God\u2019s Word. In daily study and meditation, we stay close to the Lord\u2019s mind, reminding ourselves of what He approves and disapproves in our lives. With this knowledge, we make corrections, and renew an upright walk with Him in sanctifying light.
By taking to heart Barnabas\u2019s exhortation, we refuse to allow the cares of this world to choke out the word in our hearts. We guard our hearts from the deception of riches that so easily sabotage our single-minded mission to abide with the Lord (Matthew 13:22).
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God will always be with those who are submitting to His authority and carrying out His work in His way (Matthew 18:20).<\/em> Therefore, we will do what He says and worship with our brethren on a consistent basis (Hebrews 10:22-25).<\/em> We will carry out God\u2019s commands in His name, for in doing so we will abide with Him, and He with us (Colossians 3:17, John 15:7). <\/em>Cleave to the Lord. Its single-mindedness will free you from the impossible and disheartening task of always having to please others. Let it \u201cshow forth\u201d and not lie buried in the heart beneath the rubbish heap of good intentions. Heed the exhortation! Cleave to the Lord, today!
— Via Glad Tidings,<\/em> Volume XXIX, No. 24, June 16, 2019
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBeing Spiritual<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Paul writes, \u201cBrethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted\u201d (Galatians 6:1).<\/em> Paul is calling for Christians to come to the aid of their fellow brethren, when one is overtaken in any sin. The occasion demands someone who does not merely wear the name of Christian, but who lives in the Spirit. Paul calls for brethren \u201cwho are spiritual.\u201d
The task of restoring a brother back to a place of usefulness demands one who is meek or humble. Such a Christian knows that he or she can be overcome by temptation and suddenly fall into sin just like the one whom currently needs restoration. Therefore, one who is spiritual is needed for the occasion because it demands one who is meek or gentle, not haughty or judgmental.
One \u201cwho is spiritual\u201d is one who is bearing \u201cthe fruit of the Spirit.\u201d Paul sets forth the nine facets of the single fruit of the Spirit that is manifested in the life of the Christian: \u201cthe fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.\u201d<\/em> Possessing the \u201clove\u201d<\/em> for God and His children, wanting \u201cjoy\u201d<\/em> to return to the guilty heart and the consequent \u201cpeace\u201d <\/em>with God, the one with \u201cgentleness\u201d<\/em> seeks the mending of the fallen brother or sister.
\u201cBeing spiritual\u201d will also occur when the Lord\u2019s servants are engaged in correcting doctrinal error. \u201cAnd a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth\u2026\u201d (2 Timothy 2:24-25). <\/em>The Lord\u2019s servant is not out to promote self, but in humility uses one\u2019s teaching ability to correct the opposition in their ignorance of the truth. What a moment for the spiritually minded servant when the knowledge of the truth is grasped so \u201cthey may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his will\u201d (2 Timothy 2:26).
<\/em>One is spiritual when he or she minds the things of the Spirit in contrast to fulfilling the lusts of the flesh. Paul sets forth this distinction of the righteous: \u201cFor those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit\u201d (Romans 8:5).<\/em> Being spiritual is not something you stumble into, but a determined way of living. One is \u201cin the Spirit\u201d<\/em> when \u201cthe Spirit of God dwells\u201d <\/em>in the Christian (cf. Romans 8:9). <\/em>When the revealed teachings of the Spirit continue to abide in the heart and direct one\u2019s life, one is being spiritual.
Manifesting \u201cself-control\u201d against sin is \u201cbeing spiritual.\u201d Is it not one facet of the fruit of the Spirit? (cf. Galatians 5:23).<\/em> We can have the Word readily at hand to defeat the wiles of the devil (Psalms 119:11),<\/em> but it will be the inward saying of no to the devil\u2019s alluring bait that determines successful resistance. Knowing Scripture coupled with self-control will result in a fleeing Devil (cf. James 4:7).
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Resisting sin ourselves, while restoring those overcome by sin characterize spiritual people. Keeping self in check when humbly correcting doctrinal error allows deceived people to free themselves from the will of the Devil. Following the lead of the Spirit through the divinely inspired Word, fills the life of the spiritual person. Being spiritual is determined by who you are and what you do, not so much as to how you feel!\u00a0\u00a0
— Via Glad Tidings,<\/em> Vol. XXIX, No. 21, May 26, 2019
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nGuard Every Step<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Moses was God\u2019s faithful servant who led the Israelites out of Egypt. He dealt with opposition from Pharaoh, grumbling by the people, and difficulties of the journey.
Yet Moses was not perfect. When God told him to \u201cspeak to the rock\u2026that it may yield its water\u201d for the congregation (Numbers 20:8), Moses instead struck the rock with his rod and took credit for providing water for them (Numbers 20:9-11).
Because of this misstep, God told Moses that he would not bring the Israelites into the promised land (Numbers 20:12). We might think this was unfair. Surely we can sympathize with Moses as he had to deal with all of the stress and frustration of leading the Israelites through the wilderness. But none of that changed God\u2019s decision.
We need to be careful about what we do. We could bring irreparable harm by some misdeed. In a moment of weakness, we could do something that has long-reaching negative consequences\u2013for ourselves and others. Because of this, we must always be on the alert.
So guard every step. The devil is always looking for an opportunity to lead us into sin (1 Peter 5:8). We don\u2019t need to give him one. Let us always be careful to do God\u2019s will in all things.
\u2014 Via Articles <\/em>from the Knollwood church of Christ, April 2024
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2) Believe <\/strong>in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent<\/strong> of sins. For every accountable person has sinned (Romans 3:23; Romans 3:10), which causes one to be spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). Therefore, repentance of sin is necessary (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30). For whether the sin seems great or small, there will still be the same penalty for either (Matt. 12:36-37; 2 Cor. 5:10) — and even for a lie (Rev. 21:8).
4) Confess faith <\/strong>in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized<\/strong> in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27). For from that baptism, one is then raised as a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), having all sins forgiven and beginning a new life as a Christian (Rom. 6:3-4). For the one being baptized does so \u201cthrough faith in the working of God\u201d (Col. 2:12). In other words, believing that God will keep His word and forgive after one submits to these necessary steps. And now as a Christian, we then need to\u2026
6) Continue in the faith <\/strong>by <\/strong>living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Matt. 24:13; Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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CHURCH OF CHRIST<\/strong>
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday: 9 a.m.<\/strong> Bible Classes and 10 a.m.<\/strong> Worship Service. Congregational Song Service: 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.<\/strong>
Wednesday:<\/strong> 7 p.m. Bible Classes
evangelist\/editor:<\/strong> Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/go\/all.htm<\/a> (This is a link to the older version of the Gospel Observer website, but with bulletins going back to March 4, 1990.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"