1) Why We Love Daniel (Doy Moyer)
2) ‘Greetings!’ (Andy Diestelkamp)
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Why We Love Daniel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Doy Moyer -2-<\/p>\n\n\n\n Andy Diestelkamp 1) Hear\u00a0<\/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) Why We Love Daniel (Doy Moyer)2) ‘Greetings!’ (Andy Diestelkamp) ——————– -1- Why We Love Daniel Doy Moyer Several lessons […]<\/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-3587","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\/3587","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=3587"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3587\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3590,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3587\/revisions\/3590"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3587"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3587"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3587"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Several lessons from Daniel lately remind us how important his example is for Christians today. Daniel lived in a time when Babylon overpowered Israel and took captives. So influential is Babylon in the story of Scripture that the name becomes a figure for a nation that opposes God and His people (e.g, the Book of Revelation). Yet Daniel not only survived Babylon, then Persia, he thrived without compromising truth or His devotion to God. He was likely a teenager when taken by Babylon and lived out most of his life in captivity. Even so, he became a voice that was heard in the courts of Babylon and Persia without having to cater to the evils that were present. The following is not a complete list, but here are some reminders why we appeal to Daniel as an example:
He was convicted. As young and competent as Daniel was, he still believed he needed God. He demonstrated this by his conviction when \u201che asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.\u201d He was familiar with God\u2019s Law. He knew the difference between what was clean and unclean, and his conviction led him to ask. This took some courage. How easy would it have been for the Babylonian officials to rebuff Daniel for thinking that he could do better than the king\u2019s food and drink? Yet this was not Daniel being a food snob; it was conviction that was based on God\u2019s Law. He asked; he spoke up, and this takes conviction and courage when you are in a hostile environment. Are we afraid now to speak up, to ask, to demonstrate conviction about right and wrong as we face hostility?
He was resolved. \u201cBut Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king\u2019s food, or with the wine that he drank\u201d (Dan 1:8). Coinciding with Daniel\u2019s conviction, we note that he had resolved not to defile himself. This may be a difference without much distinction, but the point to note here is that for Daniel to truly demonstrate the conviction, he had to first resolve that he would do what is right. He did not accidentally show conviction. It was purposeful and grounded in a decision he had already made. Perhaps he could have asked not to be defiled and then backed off when rejected by the officials. Yet his asking was not a weak question mark. It was resolute query that showed he was serious. Likewise, when we confront a hostile culture, we need to have already decided in the mind to do what is right. Then, when the time comes, we will be ready to show our conviction by our actions.
He always pointed to God. Daniel was humble, not seeking personal attention. He pointed to God as the source of his abilities and always sought to give God the glory. When Daniel went before Nebuchadnezzar to interpret the king\u2019s dream, he affirmed that it was God who gave interpretations (2:27-28). Then as he gave the interpretation and showed Nebuchadnezzar to be the head of that statue in the dream, Daniel said that it was God who had given the king the kingdom, the power, the might, and the glory (2:36). This is consistent for Daniel. God rules in the kingdoms of men, and no matter how much ability or power one might have, God is the source of it all. There is no authority or power without Him. This is always true. Any power or ability that we might have today still relies on God.
He was devoted to prayer. Daniel was a man of prayer. It was because of his prayer life that his enemies were able to seek a charge against him. The \u201chigh officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. Then these men said, \u2018We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God\u2019\u201d (6:4-5). That ground was Daniel\u2019s prayer life, and when Daniel found out about the decree not to pray to any but Darius, Daniel did what he always did. He prayed to God. We know the rest of that story, and we also know how God protected Daniel. We also note, as we have been taught, that Daniel\u2019s prayer found in chapter 9 is a great example of how prayer can be effective. Here is a great example for us now.
He trusted the outcome to God. Daniel was in a stressful situation, and it would have been easy for him to fret over what might come. However, his attitude and prayer life demonstrates that he trusted all the outcomes to God. Daniel knew that God kept His promises, and his prayers demonstrate his faith that God would answer accordingly. He didn\u2019t panic and try to force anything. He simply trusted God to be faithful to His own word.
We need the example of Daniel to show us how to respond to our modern Babylon. Thank God for this.
— Via the Bulletin Articles<\/em> from the Vestavia church of Christ, August 23, 2026
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u2018Greetings!\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It is common courtesy in communication to extend greetings to those with whom we interact and even to those with whom we may only briefly intersect. It was typical of Paul in his letters to the churches and to individuals to have some opening and closing remarks which included some form of greeting. For example, at the close of his letter to Titus he wrote, \u201cAll who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith\u201d<\/em> (Titus 3:15). To the churches in Rome, Paul closed his letter with an extensive list of greetings to specific brethren and then passed along the greetings of other specific co-workers in the gospel as well as the general \u201cthe churches of Christ greet you\u201d<\/em> (Rom. 16:16).
The word that is translated greet<\/em> is the same word that in other contexts is translate rejoice<\/em>. A greeting is something that is generally positive and expressed with joy and a desire for the recipient of the greeting to have joy.
In Paul\u2019s time, a common form of greeting face to face was with a kiss (which would have been much like a brief embrace). Many are familiar with Paul\u2019s admonition to \u201cgreet one another with a holy kiss\u201d in some of his letters to the churches (1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; cf. Rom. 16:16; 1 Thess. 5:26). However, the emphasis of Paul\u2019s command is not on the kissing part but on the need for it to be holy<\/em>. Since kissing to greet was already a cultural norm in ancient times, Paul\u2019s concern was with its holiness<\/em>. Since our culture generally associates kissing with more intimate relationships, we might assume that Paul is concerned with keeping those common greetings morally pure. While certainly, Paul would<\/em> want to encourage holiness in that sense, this is probably not what was foremost in his mind.
Paul wanted their greetings to one another to be sincere and genuine in their joyful expressions. That greetings might be insincere is no better exemplified than in Judas Iscariot\u2019s kiss of Jesus. \u201cGreetings, Rabbi!\u201d<\/em> he said with feigned loyalty and affection as he kissed Him (Matt. 26:49). This was not a holy kiss!
So regardless of the mode of greeting, we ought to be holy and sincere in our greeting of one another as brethren. We Christians ought to be holy greeters to all<\/em> we come in contact with because we are also admonished to be hospitable (Heb. 13:2); and hospitality begins most simply with a holy and sincere greeting.
When strangers dare to venture into our assemblies, the least<\/em> we can do is greet them, acknowledge their existence and their presence, and welcome them by showing a holy, genuine interest in them. When we leave such greetings only to others (e.g. the preacher, the elders, the extroverts, etc.), we are failing to be hospitable in this most basic and simple way.
Granted, some visitors may find greetings awkward and uncomfortable (as many of us do when interacting with strangers). However, a sincere<\/em> welcome generally will be appreciated, and a failure to be greeted will be noticed. So, let\u2019s greet one another with a holy sincerity and also be aware of and joyful toward outsiders who courageously venture into our assemblies. Introduce yourself with joy and rejoice at the possibilities that may come from a simple, holy greeting.
— Via Think on These Things<\/em>, October-November-December, 2024, Vol. 55, No. 4
______________<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
2) Believe\u00a0<\/strong>in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent\u00a0<\/strong>of sins.\u00a0 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).\u00a0 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\u00a0<\/strong>in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized\u00a0<\/strong>in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21).\u00a0 This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27).\u00a0 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 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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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":"