Making Room For The King

By Jeff Arnette     As Christmas approaches, we often hear the familiar story of the birth of Jesus. We hear of Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem, only to find no room in the inn (Luke 2:1-7). But what does this story mean for us today?     In a world filled with noise, distractions, and endless demands, it’s easy to find ourselves in a similar situation. Our hearts, like the manger, can become cluttered with anxieties, worries, and worldly pursuits. Just as Mary and Joseph found themselves forced to seek alternative shelter, we too can find ourselves pushing Jesus out of our lives, leaving him to find a place in the margins.     However, the Bible reminds us that Jesus desires a place in our hearts, not just during special occasions but every day. He says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20) He doesn’t force his way in, but waits patiently for us to invite him into the manger of our lives.     But how do we make room for him in the midst of our busy schedules and overwhelming to-do lists? Here are a few ways, inspired by the wisdom of the Bible: 1. Seek him first. Jesus reminds us, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33). When we prioritize our relationship with him, everything else falls into place. We find the strength to face challenges, the wisdom to make decisions, and the peace that transcends understanding. 2. Nourish your spirit. Just as we need food for our physical bodies, we need spiritual nourishment to grow our relationship with Jesus. Immerse yourself in the Bible, read devotional readings, and allow his words to wash over you like a soothing balm. As the Psalmist writes, “Your words are sweeter than honey to my mouth, and my portion forever.” (Psalm 119:103) 3. Connect with your church. Reconnect with your church family where you can worship together, share your faith, and support one another on your spiritual journeys. As the book of Hebrews encourages, “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking the gathering of ourselves together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25) 4. Shine his light. Don’t keep Jesus locked away in your heart. Let his love and compassion overflow into your interactions with others. Serve those in need, offer words of encouragement, and be a living testament to his grace. As Jesus himself said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14)     Making room for Jesus is a continuous journey, not a destination. It requires constant effort, but the rewards are immeasurable. When we choose him above all else, we discover a peace that surpasses all understanding, a joy that fills our hearts with every sunrise, and a love that guides us through every storm.     We need to clear the “manger of our hearts” and invite the King to reign supreme. As we do, we transform the world around us, one act of love and kindness at a time.

- Jeff Arnette preaches for the Central Haywood church of Christ, Clyde, NC.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: https://centralhaywoodcoc.com/

Making An Investment in People

By Brian Mitchell     There is a dire need for Evangelism in the Lord’s church today. It is OUR JOB to reach out to the lost. If we don’t do it, who will? If we won’t do it, it won’t get done. If it doesn’t get done, a lot of souls will be unnecessarily lost—including ours if we never ever tried to reach out.     As I have said before—there is NO SUCH THING as an UNDERCOVER CHRISTIAN. If we belong to the Lord, are a part of the body of Christ, then we have the obligation to sow the seed of the kingdom. We are in the People Business and in the end, there is no better place to make an investment than in people. Do you remember Jesus’ last words?     Jesus said this to his disciples in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” And the next verse reads, “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” (Acts 1:9). So, these were Jesus’ last words to His disciples, but let’s travel back in time to an earlier encounter with Jesus.     This episode is recorded in Matthew 4:18 and following. It was here that Jesus was walking one day beside the Sea of Galilee, and he saw two brothers, Peter and Andrew. Peter and Andrew were common fishermen. They were working hard that day, casting their nets into the lake and pulling in their catch. That’s when Jesus came up to them and said, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Verse 20 says, “At once they left their nets and followed him.”     In essence, what Jesus said to the two of them that day was: “I understand your preoccupation with catching fish. But if you will trust me and follow me, if you will try to understand who I am and what I am up to in this world, then I will make you fishers of men. And believe me, this is an infinitely more significant endeavor than merely catching fish!”     Now, it’s important to understand that Jesus was not knocking the fishing business, any more than He would have knocked the carpentry business in which both He and his father participated. There’s nothing wrong with those occupations, nor the food business, the travel business, the insurance business, or any other wholesome business. They are all fine. But no earthly enterprise is as important as the business of bringing lost people to the cross of Christ. This soul saving enterprise should be central to the lives of all Jesus’ followers, regardless of what they do for a living.      This is Who We Are!!! Those of us who choose to follow Jesus must eventually come to the realization that there’s nothing more important than reaching people. When we do, our values will change—our focus will change—our pursuits will change. We will be seized by the realization that every other earthly activity pales in comparison with helping an individual enter into a saving relationship with the God of the universe.     When we finally come to that understanding, then we will: Live differently, Pray differently, Love differently, Work differently, Serve differently and Give differently. We will become preoccupied with people and their spiritual needs and in doing what we can to help them meet those needs. So, let me ask you a personal question: Has this kind of thing happened to you yet? Have you come to that conclusion yet?

- Brian Mitchell serves as a minister with the Jackson Church of Christ in Jackson, MO. He may be contacted through the congregation's website at https://www.jacksonchurchofchrist.net

What Is Religious Prejudice

By Bob Prichard     Prejudice is one of the great problems of mankind. War in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Israel and Gaza, and many other places is primarily over religious prejudice. The root idea of prejudice is to “pre-judge” someone or something, without considering all the evidence. Prejudice results when someone decides “all” are “like this” because a “few” are. Prejudice comes because someone has the attitude, “my mind is made up, don’t confuse me with the facts.” Race, gender, size, religion, or just about any other distinguishing characteristic may be the basis for prejudice. The basic idea is that “we” are better, and “they” are not as good.     The Jews of Christ’s time had an attitude of racial and religious prejudice toward the Samaritans. It was almost beyond the belief of Christ’s Jewish listeners that there could possibly be a “good Samaritan.” The Samaritan woman at the well acknowledged the division, “for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans” (John 4:9). Jesus offered her “living water” that would bring unity to the Jew, the Samaritan, and the Gentile as well. “The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:23).       Jesus came to unite all “true worshippers” who would “worship the Father in spirit and in truth.” By seeking true worshippers, He frequently challenged the religious authorities. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation” (Matthew 23:13-14). He called the Pharisees “hypocrites” so often that “Pharisee” and “hypocrite” are almost synonymous to us. The Pharisees were the most religious of all the sects of the Jews, but they had lost sight of God’s will. Was Jesus “prejudiced” against the Pharisees because he criticized them? No! He had not “pre-judged” them, but He knew what they were teaching and doing, so he condemned them.     In our religious world, some think that any criticism of what any religious group teaches or practices is “religious prejudice.” It seems that we have reached the point that people can do anything in the name of religion, and because of cries of “religious prejudice,” we should never compare their religious practices to what the Bible says. Criticism that is “pre-judged,” not based on a right consideration of all the evidence is wrong, but too often the “standard” is what men like or dislike, rather than what God has said through His written Word. Jesus said, “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). To say, “this religious group teaches or practices such and such a doctrine, but the Bible says this,” is not religious prejudice. We must be sure that our facts are right, and that we do not misapply or mishandle the Word, but we also must make sure that we abide by what it teaches. We risk our souls if we disregard God’s will.

- Bob Prichard serves as an elder and evangelist for the Hillview Church of Christ in Birmingham, Alabama, since 2016. In his forty-five years of preaching he has served churches in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Alabama.

Unchanging Truth

By Glen Elliott     “People cannot change truth, but truth can change people.” Truth has always been one of life’s most precious commodities. Solomon, the wise king of Israel, advised his son to buy the truth and not sell it (Proverbs 23:23). What is so special about truth? It doesn’t change. It abides forever. It can be relied upon.     In this world, deception is the order of the day. We are well advised to examine everything carefully. The misrepresentation and distortion of truth leads to tragedy. We hear of some losing their life’s savings because they believed a lie. Truth is precious because people can be deceived.     In the spiritual realm, dependence on truth carries eternal significance. The word of God is our only reliable guide to heaven. The psalmist says, “The sum of Your word is truth and every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting” (Psalm 119:160). Sadly, there are many who misrepresent the truth. For this reason, we must test all that we hear by comparing it to the word of God (Acts 17:11). We cannot risk our eternal well-being by blindly accepting the words of men. Instead, our faith must rest on the teaching of our Lord.     Jesus said, “everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin” (John 8:34). The question of slavery had been introduced earlier, when Jesus said: “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (vv. 31-32). Insisting on the truth and adhering to it is essential because only the truth sets us free from the bondage of sin.     We cannot change the truth. We can exchange it for a lie; but that lie will not set our souls free from sin. We cannot change the truth, but we can let the truth change us as we earnestly seek its teachings and follow its precepts.

- Glen Elliott preaches for the Greenbrier church of Christ in Greenbrier, AR. He may be contacted through the congregation's website - https://www.gbcofc.com/

The Great and Terrible Day

By David R. Ferguson     There’s a great and terrible day coming. It will be great for those of us in Christ, but a terrible day for the multitudes who have chosen to reject the Lord and the salvation that only He can offer. Because salvation is available only through Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12), then it’s paramount that we prepare ourselves to be clothed in His holy garments when He returns.     This great and terrible day will occur when Jesus returns to gather His saints to take them home to be with Him forever and the last enemy, Death, is destroyed forever, cast into the Lake of Fire: 16. For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a cry of command, with the Archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; 17. then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 [RSV])     A glorious reunion with the living awaits those who have already passed away to be with their Lord: 22. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ. 24. Then comes the end, when He delivers the Kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26. The last enemy to be destroyed is Death. (1 Corinthians 15:22-25 [RSV])     No one will be beyond the Lord’s reach: 13. And the sea gave up the dead in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead in them, and all were judged by what they had done. 14. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death, the Lake of Fire; 15. and if anyone's name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire. (Revelation 20:13-15 [RSV])     When this great day happens, we shall be resurrected into a new body like our Lord’s: “Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2 [RSV]). Yes, this a very frightening proposition to those who in their rebellion remain separated from their Creator, but not to those of us who are a part of His body: “Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18 [RSV]).     It's my hope and prayer that if you have not made the decision to make the Lord your own you will do so today!

- David R. Ferguson preaches for the Mentor Church of Christ in Mentor, OH.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://mentorchurchofchrist.com/ or davidferguson61@yahoo.com

Peacemakers (Part 1)

By Clifton Angel

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). It is certain that Christians are to keep the principles Paul wrote, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18), and while this principle may be included in Jesus’ words, it is not all that Jesus intended.     Many portray the peacemaker as one who seeks physical peace at all costs. If someone is doing wrong, just ignore it, and “keep the peace.” Confrontation is unacceptable because we must “keep the peace.” “Lets just agree to disagree.” “You do you, and I’ll do me.” While there may be scenarios where such conclusions may be necessary, such philosophies cannot wholly describe disciples of Jesus.     Christians are called to tell the good news of Jesus (cf. Matthew 28:18–20; Romans 10:13–17), and spreading the gospel requires confronting sinful ideologies with truth (Romans 6:23), leading those in need to godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10), and exhorting individuals to change for the better (Acts 2:38; Acts 17:30). These are necessary because true peace—the greatest peace—is spiritual. It is peace and unity with God. Such peace is far greater than any physical peace we may enjoy with mankind. James wrote, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4).     To the church at Ephesus, Paul penned these words: “For he [Jesus, CA] is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Eph 2:14–18).     Jesus has made it possible for us to be reunited with God, and thereby, we are united with all of God’s faithful. That is true peace. Therefore, the faithful follower of Jesus is blessed in seeking to bring others to peace with God, which is impossible with the gospel, faith, repentance, confession, baptism, and faithfulness thereafter.     Are you at peace with God? Are you seeking to lead others to be at peace with God? “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”   - Clifton Angel preaches for the Coldwater Church of Christ in Coldwater, MS. He may be contacted through that congregation's website: http://www.coldwatercofc.com/

Peacemakers (Part 2)

By Clifton Angel     “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). We last considered that God’s peacemakers are at peace with Him and seeking to bring others to be at peace with him (spiritually cleansed from sin). Also, let us consider the need for Christians to be peacemakers among citizens of the spiritual kingdom, the church.     Far too often, the church has been disturbed by troublemakers from within. Yes, even those who wear the name “Christian” have caused problems instead of recognizing the responsibility of being a peacemaker. Troubles arise in the church because of pride (1 Timothy 3:6), preeminence (3 John 9), impenitence (1 Corinthians 5–6; 2 Corinthians 7:10), and opinions (James 1:19). May we never be guilty of causing trouble in the Lord’s church.     In such situations, our responses to troublemakers are vital. Proper responses will quickly quell the quarrels. However, some will agitate by adding to the trouble or siding with the troublemakers. One of the greatest hindrances to peacemaking in the church is gossip (Proverbs 26:20–21). Some will accept the troublemaker as if he has done no wrong (see 1 Corinthians 5:2–6). Some will avoid the trouble because of cowardice or apathy. These are all improper responses to troublemakers in the church.     The proper response to a troublemaker is to properly address the issue (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:6–13; 2 Corinthians 2:1–9; Matthew 5:21–26; Matthew 18:15–35). Many passages could be considered to encourage us to be peacemakers within the church. Because of space constraints, we will only consider Romans 12:9–21. “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one another; in diligence not slothful; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing steadfastly in prayer; communicating to the necessities of the saints; given to hospitality. Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Set not your mind on high things, but condescend to things that are lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits. Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men. Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord. But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

- Clifton Angel preaches for the Coldwater Church of Christ in Coldwater, MS. He may be contacted through that congregation's website: http://www.coldwatercofc.com/