And the eyes of them both were
opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed
fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons (Gen. 3:7).
When Adam and Eve sinned, they tried to cover their
nakedness with fig leaves. Notice, they sewed fig leaves
together, and made themselves aprons. Was such a proper
covering for their nakedness? What did God demand according
to Genesis 3:21? Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD
God make coats of skins, and clothed them. God’s design for
covering their nakedness required death, sacrifice, and
bloodshed.
Likewise, when we are living in
sin, we are spiritually naked. All accountable souls living
today have at some point been spiritually naked, and many
remain that way today: For all have sinned and come short of
the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). Sadly, many will be found
naked and without the “wedding garment” when the Lord
returns (c.f. Matt. 7:13, 14; Matt. 22:1-14), which is a
humbling reminder of the commission Jesus gave to us (c.f.
Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:16). What must we do to cover our
spiritual nakedness? We must be clothed in Christ. For as
many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on
Christ (Gal. 3:27). God’s design for covering our spiritual
nakedness required, death, sacrifice, and bloodshed. “What
can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!”
Jesus Christ...washed us from our sins in his own blood
(Rev. 1:5). When does He wash us in His blood? Ananias told
Saul, Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins (Acts
22:16). Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized
into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (Rom. 6:3).
Jesus died, sacrificed, and shed His blood that we might be
cleansed of our sins. When we obey His will in immersion in
water for the remission of sins, we are baptized into his
death, we contact his own blood, and we put on Christ, so
that as long as we walk in the light as He is in the light
(1 Jn. 1:7-9), we will not be naked.
However, many today and throughout
history have been “sewing fig leaves” and “making themselves
aprons”. They are seeking to cover their spiritual nakedness
in their own way. O yes, some use the Scriptures to “prove”
their plan of salvation, but they do not consider the
contexts of those passages, and the whole counsel of God
concerning salvation. Some spiritual “aprons made from fig
leaves” include: “Be a sincere person”; “Have an
experience”; “Hear a voice”; “See the Lord, Himself”; “Only
repent”; “Only believe”; “Just pray this prayer”; “See a
vision”; “Witness a miracle”, and the list goes on. However,
these nine can be directly refuted in the Bible’s account of
the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. Jesus said, Not every one
that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom
of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is
in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have
we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out
devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then
will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me,
ye that work iniquity (Matt. 7:21-23).
- 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/
A young lady had been home visiting
the folks was heading back home. The weather was a little
rough and it began to hail. She had never driven in hail
that hard and called her husband on the cell phone to find
out what to do. Now, you already know the circumstances, so
it won’t be as shocking to you as it was to her husband when
he answered the phone and his wife said from the other end:
“I’m in hail, what should I do?” (Remember, you can’t hear
spelling over a phone line.) I wonder what his reaction was.
Here are some possibilities: “Well, it’s a surprisingly good
connection.” “Is this a collect call?” “Who’s holding the
phone?” “I suppose you’re calling on the red line.”
Now, surely you know I’m only
joking. And I know hell is nothing to joke about.
The only real appropriate answer would
be: “Nothing, it’s too late now.” No bargaining with the
devil-no pleading with God-when you are in hell the time has
passed to do anything about it. (Hebrews 9:27, Matthew
7:22-23). There will be no unrepentant people in hell, no
atheists or agnostics or people who plan on doing something
about their lives. (Philippians 2:10-11). No, the moment
they enter there, they will all be repentant and
believers-it’ll just be too late. (Luke 16:24-31).
The only good news is that if you
are reading this, there is still something you can do about
it. As long as there is life, there is hope. You can escape
hell, but you must do it now, while life lasts. (Romans
6:23).
Believe. Have faith in the one
called Jesus. That He is the very Son of God. The kind of
faith that led Abraham to look for a city, (Hebrews 11:10)
the kind of faith that made Peter step onto the water
instead of into the water (Matthew 14:29), the kind of faith
that will cause you to obey Him (Acts 6:7, John 14:15).
Repent. It is sin that will send a soul to “eternal
destruction”. (Romans 6:23). It is sin that separates man
from God. So we must renounce our sinful lifestyles. (Acts
2:38). We must be sorry enough about our sins to determine
to try to not commit sin. (Romans 6:12).
Confess. This one seems simple
enough in our society. But it requires that one live by the
confession. If Christ be Lord, then all of our lives must be
given over to His Lordship. (Romans 10:9-10, Acts 8:37).
And then you can become one with
Christ in the act of baptism. The action in obedience
through faith puts one in contact with the blood of Christ.
(Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-16, Acts 2:38, Romans 6:1-6,
Colossians 2:12, 1 Peter 2:21).
I don’t care how strong your signal
is there will be no cell phones in hell. So you better take
care of this now.
- via The Encourager,
the weekly bulletin for the Calvert City Church of Christ,
Calvert City, KY. Lance Cordle preaches for the
congregation. He may be contacted through the
congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com
It is unfortunate that, in the present economy, the above words are
likely being spoken in a number of Christian homes. Times are hard,
indeed. Cutbacks and layoffs have affected many families who work in
manufacturing and retail sectors. Contractors and business owners have
likewise suffered the effects of an economic slowdown. All of this means
that there is generally less money to go around, and in many instances
less money is going to the Lord as well.
Before proceeding any further, please allow me to make something
crystal clear: there may very well come a time in which a Christian
family is forced to reduce the amount of their weekly contribution to
the Lord‟s church. However, something else needs to be equally clear:
the family contribution should not be the first thing cut when budgetary
reductions are necessitated. Let‟s take an honest look at some
considerations both scriptural and practical.
First, Christians are to give based on their prosperity, or how
much they make. Paul wrote by inspiration, “Upon the first day of the
week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered
him, that there be no gatherings when I come,” (1 Cor. 16:2). Naturally,
then, when a Christian makes more money, he ought to give more; when a
Christian makes less money, he may give less. This is all very
straightforward. However, there is a practical observation often
overlooked at this juncture. If and when contribution cutbacks are
necessitated by the reduction of income, the amount of the cutback
should be in proportion to the amount of income lost. For example, a
family that loses 10% of its gross income may very well have to reduce
the amount of their weekly contribution. Nonetheless, such a reduction
should be no more than 10% of what they were giving previously. To cut
the family contribution more than 10% in such a scenario would be
disproportionate and would essentially mean that the family is using
part of their contribution to cover shortfalls in other budgetary areas.
Some families give no thought to cutting their contributions 25% or
more, when their actual income reductions may be only 10 or 15%. “My
brethren, these things ought not so to be!”
Second, Christians are to put God first in their finances, as in
every other facet of life. This principle was demonstrated under the Old
Testament by the offering of the firstfruits. “Honor the LORD with thy
substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy
barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new
wine,” (Prov. 3:9-10). God, and our devotion to God, must be the
priority of our lives. Jesus clearly emphasized this fact. “But seek ye
first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things
shall be added unto you,” (Matt. 6:33). “Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment,” (Matt. 22:37-38).
When God is truly first in our lives, such will be manifested in
our giving. Like the Macedonians of old, we first give ourselves, and
then our possessions naturally follow. “For I bear witness that
according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were
freely......willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would
receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave them- selves to the
Lord, and then to us by the will of God,” (2 Cor. 8:3-5, NKJV).
Let us now consider a practical observation in regard to this
second Biblical principle. If God is first in our lives, shouldn’t our
contributions be the last items cut in our budgets? We live in an age
that is filled with so many extras. In fact, there are many instances in
which we have deemed various extras as “indispensable.” Most families
today have at least two cell phones—many families have more. Few
families rely on the old UHF antenna for television anymore. Such has
been replaced by either cable or satellite service. Both wireless phone
service and satellite television programming come in varying plans and
packages—all at different costs. When a family‟s in- come is reduced,
shouldn’t cutbacks first be made in the areas of some of these “extras,”
instead of the family contribution? A family truly desiring to put God
first will seek to “cut all the fat” they can, before reducing their
weekly offering to the Lord. The way we sometime treat God is
astonishing. God blesses with every good and perfect gift (James 1:17),
richly giving us all things to enjoy (1 Tim. 6:17). Then, when hard
times come upon us, or reverses are encountered, the first thing to be
cut is our contribution! Once again, “My brethren, these things ought
not so to be!”
- 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/
It has been said that Jesus
preached some of His greatest sermons from the cross.
On the cross, Jesus uttered seven statements that teach us
how to live. One of Jesus’ great sermon-statements is,
“I thirst” from John 19:28. This short, powerful
statement reminds us who our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
is, and what He is all about.
As with some of the other
cross-statements, “I thirst” was a fulfillment of Old
Testament prophecy. As Jesus uttered these words, He
fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 69:21, “In my thirst they
gave me vinegar to drink.” In Matthew, the Gospel of
Jesus’ Kingship, we learn that Jesus came to fulfill every
aspect of Old Testament prophecy (Matthew 15:17-18).
This makes Jesus the theme of the Old Testament Scriptures.
“I thirst” speaks to us of the
incarnation of Jesus Christ. He was fully human, yet
fully God as well. The Psalmist reminds us about His
eternal nature. “Before the mountains were brought
forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world,
even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God” (Psalm
90:2). Jesus, the eternal God, shared in the frailty
of the flesh.
While some religious groups teach
that Jesus is not eternal, Paul spoke of Jesus’ eternal
nature in Philippians 2:6-7. “Who, being in the form
of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but
made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of
a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” To
say that Jesus did not exist prior to becoming flesh is to
reject the revelation of the Holy Spirit. Sadly, those
who make such claims are teaching heresy, and ultimately
they reject the eternal Word, who was made flesh (John
1:14). The Holy Spirit revealed to the apostle Paul
Jesus’ eternal nature: “For in him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). Jesus Himself
affirmed that He existed before the world began. “I
have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work
which you gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify
thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with
thee before the world was” (John 17:4-5).
When Jesus became flesh, He didn’t
empty Himself of His Deity. What He gave up was His
equality with God. In partaking of flesh and blood,
Jesus became the God-man, 100% God and 100% man. When
the eternal Word in His fleshly state cried out, “I thirst,”
He showed us His human nature. He walked with us, He
suffered in the flesh, He felt pain and loneliness, and He
also became thirsty because He dwelt in the flesh.
The comfort of hearing our Savior
say, “I thirst”, is that we serve a risen Savior who
sympathizes with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:14-156).
Jesus knows our weakness for He too was tempted (Matthew
4). He knows what it is to hurt, to feel forsaken, to
suffer and even to hunger and thirst. It is this that
makes Him our perfect mediator, “For there is one God, and
one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1
Timothy 2:5). As the God-man, Jesus can represent God
with a full understanding of His holiness, justice and
righteousness. As man, He can represent us with a full
understanding of our weak and frail nature. When Jesus
carried our cares, concerns and requests before the Father’s
throne, He does so with a perfect understanding of who we
are, and of who the Heavenly Father is. When Jesus
said, “I thirst,” He showed us His humanity as He shared our
pain. This is the thought that should come to our
minds each time we pray to our Father “in Jesus’
name.”
- via THE SOWER, a
weekly publication of the Arthur Church of Christ, Arthur,
IL. Ron Bartanen, who serves as minister and editor, may be
contacted through the congregation's website:
http://www.arthurchurchofchrist.com
In the sermon on the mount Jesus
said: “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them
that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for
them that despitefully use you” (Matt.5:44). The fact that
our culture is geared to watching out for old number one
in,no way modifies, tempers, or sets aside Jesus’
instruction. A young woman known to me was heard to say she
would lie if it gave her some kind of advantage. One problem
with lying to gain an advantage is that the lie despitefully
uses someone else. Another consequence of the lie is that it
makes the one suffering the wrong an enemy to the liar. The
liar will sooner or later face the consequences of the lie,
but what about the individual who suffers thewrong brought
on by the lie? That is the person Jesus is speaking to in
the mountain top discourse. Do good to your enemy, pray for
them; bless not curse!
It isn’t enough to restrain one’s self from
picking up a 2x4 board and knocking the liar upside the
head. We must bless not curse, and do good to theone who
demonstrates hate. Paul wrote to the Romans: “Therefore if
thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink:
for in so doing thoushalt heap coals of fire upon his head”
(Rom. 12:20). The apostle doesn’t mean for us to render good
for the evil begrudgingly either, because in the very next
verse he writes: “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil
with good.”
When one has been wronged, there
are two things to be on guard about: the actions; do not
avenge yourself (Rom. 12:19), and the attitude; bless not
curse (Rom.; 12:14). With regard to the former, it may not
be too difficult to resist picking up the 2x4. It may not be
so easy to have the right attitude toward being wronged, but
we develop it, because that is what the Lord commands.
A friend of this writer, a man who
served many years as a deacon in the church recently passed
away. Some of the past words and deeds by a number of his
relatives suggest a war over material possessions may arise.
Some of his kin may cheat and defraud other family members.
If they do, they will have their reward. But what of those
who are mistreated? They will have the difficult task of
keeping their actions and attitudes consistent with the
teachings of Christ and Paul. However, they have a
consolation. It is the same consolation the beggar Lazarus
had. The faithful are carried to Abraham’s bosom, and the
sinful who have made themselves better off through fraud
will have the same end and eternity as the rich man. The
difference in where we spend eternity should make all the
difference between whether we seek vengeance and harbor a
grudge or take wrong joyfully, knowing by returning good for
evil, we will have a greater reward than material wealth.
- via the Belvedere
Beacon, the weekly bulletin of the Belvedere Church
of Christ, Belvedere, SC. Ken Chumbley preaches for
this congregation, and he may be contacted at their website:
http://www.belvederechurchofchrist.org
Most of us are human (I think). We
all covet the “mountain.” Mountain-top experiences: success,
praise, exciting events and problemfree existence. Imagine
being a Moses at Mt. Sinai! What about the Transfiguration
with Jesus, Moses and Elijah! The Bible is a book about
Mountains! Praise God for Mountains!
But life is lived “down in the
Valley.” Moses led the people in the Valley; Jesus came down
from the Transfiguration to heal a demonic son! The strength
found on the Mountain is used only in the Valley. Besides,
you cannot see the Mountain on the Mountain. The Mountain
can only be seen from the Valley. Life is not lived on the
Mountain, but in the Valley! Ministry, service, dedication,
compassion, mercy, leadership, are for the valley, not the
Mountain. The Great Commission given on a Mountain is
carried out down in the Valley.
But most of us want only Mountains.
We do well on the Mountain of success and excitement. But we
quake and quit when returned to the Valley. But the people
are down in the Valley! We are in the “people business.”
Christian living belongs to the Valley. Praise God for
Valleys!
In the introduction to his letter,
Luke tells us why he is writing about the life and ministry
of Jesus. There are three significant statements I would
like to call our attention to:
“Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of
the things that have been accomplished among us” (Luke 1:1)
The first statement shows us the
power of Jesus’ message. There were many who put effort in
to having a full account of Jesus’ life and ministry from
Luke’s pen. The point is, people were so moved by Jesus’
life and ministry they were dedicating themselves to the
strenuous undertaking of compiling the message.
Do we have that same dedication
today?
“just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and
ministers of the word have delivered them to us” (Luke 1:2)
This second statement clues us in
on the popularity of Jesus’ message. If no one cared about
what Jesus said and accomplished, then no one would have
said anything about him.
But no matter how much people try
to deny it, Jesus challenged and changed the world more than
any other human being possibly could. Eyewitnesses and
ministers were telling everyone they could about the
forgiveness Jesus offered to all mankind. They wanted His
message to live on through generations and generations.
How many people are we telling about His message?
“it seemed good to me also, having followed all things
closely for some time past” (Luke 1:3)
The third statement shows us the
personal nature of Jesus’ message. What I find significant
is the work Luke put in to writing about Jesus’ life and
ministry. Luke was inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy
3:16; 2 Peter 1:21), but he still thought it was necessary
to follow the life of Christ closely, to observe His
message, and listen to other eyewitness accounts.
How much more work should we put in
to knowing the Son, Christ, and our Father, God?
- Austin Johnson serves as youth minister for the Calvert
City Church of Christ in Calvert City, KY. He may be
contacted through the congregation's website:
http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com
“The most common cause of dementia
is Alzheimer’s disease (AD). AD is a progressive and
irreversible brain disorder. The actual cause of AD is
unknown. AD slowly damages, and then destroys, a person’s
memory, judgment, reasoning skills, personality, autonomy,
and bodily functions”
(http://health.yahoo.net/health/alzheimers-disease-overview).
A.R. “Ross” Gallaher’s grandmother
had Alzheimer’s. He recently reflected on lessons
learned from her illness:
I loved my grandmother on my Mom’s
side of the family because she doted over her grandchildren.
No matter what we did, she always treated us as if we were
the best children in the world. Our Christmases were spent
in South Florida every year running and playing in the
orange groves my grandparents owned. She always had more
presents under the tree than I have seen in any other family
setting because she was such a giving person and also felt
it was important to wrap each gift for anyone on her list.
These images were only enhanced
when my grandmother succumbed to Alzheimer’s. The last time
I saw my grandmother alive, she was in a nursing home unable
to recognize me, my wife Teresa, or any family member
including my mom. I could see that Mom was devastated.
It was such a sad end to the memories and the life of this
wonderful lady.
But though she could not remember
family and friends, I noticed that she was tremendously
happy. Mom explained that in her mind, she was back home in
Troy AL with her playmates and the family members she had
when she was a child. She did not know that she was an
adult; she was back home in familiar surroundings feeling as
safe and happy as any child should feel in the loving
protection of her childhood home. She had forgotten any
pain, hardship, difficulty or loss given to her by life or
humanity. Everyone was her friend or possible playmate.
Though I would not desire this
disease on anyone, one element is worth examining for its
glorious value...
Alzheimer’s causes memory loss over
time. What would the world be like if we only knew the good,
happy memories of life? What would your life and my life be
like if there were no bad memories, none? Who are you if
forgiveness really did work? What would people say about you
if the only parts of your life revealed to others were warm,
wonderful expressions of joy and contentment? Life would be
blissful; a perfect example of the kind of life Jesus wanted
us to have.
Jesus asks us to forgive because He
has offered us forgiveness. Jesus asks us to love because He
loved us first. Jesus asks us to have an abundant life
because He gave us access to one. Jesus asks us to forget
because He has forgotten our faults.
Given the choice, I choose
“selective Alzheimer’s” – abundant life here and eternal
life with the one who remembers me as His child.*
YOU can become God’s child by...
placing your faith and trust in Jesus, God’s Son, who
died on the cross for our sins (Acts 16:30-31), turning from
those sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Him
before men (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized (immersed)
into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).
Then, by continuing to follow Him, YOU can experience the
abundant life now and receive eternal life to come.
Won’t YOU accept God’s offer on His
terms?
* In loving memory of Annie Mae Childs (Ross' grandmother)
and all our loved ones affected by Alzheimer's.
- David A. Sargent, minister for the Church of Christ at
Creekwood in Mobile, Alabama, is also the editor of an
electronic devotional entitled Living Water." To learn more about
this excellent resource contact David via their website:
http://www.creekwoodcc.org
From the viewpoint of the Jewish
leaders, it was about SILENCE. The Jewish leaders knew that
the world was going after Jesus (Matt. 27:18), and they were
afraid that the whole world would believe on Him (John
11:48). When they couldn’t stump Him or snare Him with their
questions (Matt. 22:15-17, 35), they decided to silence Him
by slaying Him (Matt. 26:3-4). As you know, even this didn’t
work. He arose three days later, and His apostles boldly
preached His resurrection (Acts 2; 4:18-30, 33; 5:17-29,
40-42; 6:7; 17:6).
From the viewpoint of Judas, it was about
SILVER. Judas was a thief and a traitor (John 12:4-6;
13:28-29). He covenanted with the Jewish leaders to sell
Jesus for the “goodly price” of thirty pieces of silver
(Zech. 11:12-13; Mt. 26:15).
From the viewpoint of Pilate, it
was about SELF-PRESERVATION. Although Pilate knew Jesus to
be innocent (Luke 23:4; Matt. 27:24), he caved in to Jewish
pressure to crucify Jesus (John 19:12-13; Mark 15:15). He
sacrificed Jesus in an effort to save himself (John 12:25).
From the viewpoint of the Roman
soldiers, it was about SPORT. The Roman soldiers brought
Jesus into the common hall and mocked Him (Matt. 27:27-31;
Luke 23:11; John 19:2-3). At the foot of His cross, they
cast lots for His wardrobe as they watched Him writhe in
pain (Matt. 27:34-35).
From the viewpoint of the Father,
it was about SUBSTITUTION. In His grace, God sent Jesus to
taste death for us by taking our place on the cross (Heb.
2:9; Rom. 5:8-10; Isa.53:5, 11; 1 Pet. 2:21; John 3:16; 1
John 4:9-10).
From the viewpoint of the Son, it
was about SUBMISSION. Although the cross meant great shame
and suffering for Jesus, He submitted to the Father’s will
and went to the cross (Matt.26:39, 53; Heb. 5:7-9; Heb.
12:2; Phil. 2:8-9).
From the viewpoint of the saints,
it was about SALVATION. The early Christians saw the cross,
and the blood that was shed there, as the means of their
salvation (Matt. 26:28; Acts 20:28; Rom. 5:9-10; 6:3-4; 1
Cor. 1:18-24; 6:19-20; Eph. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:18-20; Rev. 1:5;
7:14).
“For ye are bought with a price:
therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit,
which are God’s” (I Cor.6:20). In our efforts to dwell upon
our duties to our Savior as Christians we often forget our
body. When Jesus died on the cross for my sins He not only
laid claim to my spirit but my body as well. I am to be His
servant: spirit, mind and body.
Yet that isn’t the way it usually
works. We love Jesus and our neighbor. We worship God “in
spirit and in truth” (Jn.4:24). We don’t drink alcohol, use
illegal drugs, dance, fornicate, dress immodestly, or do
anything that will bring reproach upon our Master and His
bride – the church of Christ. But in other ways we neglect
our bodies, “the temple of the Holy Spirit” (I Cor.6:19).
This principle came home to me
about six years ago. While moving boxes I almost ruptured
two discs in my lower back. My doctor said that they could
heal, if I took care. For eight months I did not drive a car
or do several other activities. To avoid future back surgery
he said I should also lose weight, taking some pressure off
that injury. I began to give this serious thought. I have
always had a weight problem and have lost (and found!)
hundreds of pounds in my life.
I thought, “Should my weight loss
be for spiritual reasons not just health and appearance
concerns? Was I glorifying my Savior by ignoring my weight?”
When the world sees me digging my own grave with a knife and
fork, what does it say about my discipleship? “I beseech you
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service” (Rom.12:1).
It grieves me to see otherwise
faithful Christians who do not practice self-control (cf. 2
Pet.1:5-8). They continue to smoke, chew and dip tobacco in
spite of the many dangers to their health. They overeat,
disregarding their doctor’s warnings about heart problems,
high blood pressure and high blood sugar. I know many are
quietly fighting this battle and I am thankful for their
vigilance. But others are apathetic and seem to have a
secret death wish.
We must always seek to look at
things the way our Father in Heaven does. For example, our
neighbor borrows our automobile for a few days. After a
period of time he returns it with a flat tire, a burned out
engine, stains all over the upholstery, and a broken
headlight. He then pushes it into our driveway and thanks us
profusely for its use. We are upset and disappointed.
Perhaps this is the way God feels when we do not take care
of His present to us – our bodies.
At the end of time will we present
Him a legacy of a battered body which did not glorify God?
Or will we have a history of a body worn out in use to His
service? The choice is ours to make each day. “….as always,
so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it
be by life, or by death” (Phi.1:20).
By Jim Faughn
I am writing these words with some
trepidation. I fully understand that we are in a
presidential election year and that anything written or said
about a particular candidate could be volatile.
For that reason, no candidate or party
affiliation will be mentioned.
However, as I was listening to a speech
recently, one of the candidates made a remark about his
“take” on the importance of family. I thought it was worth
passing on to those who may read these words.
The candidate said that he wears a
bracelet with the letters FAMILY on it. He said that those
letters remind him about his own philosophy about what a
family is (and maybe his role in that family.
According to him, the letters stand
for ---
Forget
About
Me.
I
Love
You.
I have no way of knowing whether or not this idea is
original with the candidate. He may have borrowed the idea
from some other source.
Come to think of it, there is
another source with a very similar idea. We’ve heard
preachers and others talk about that Greek word agape for
years. We’ve heard that, as used in the Bible, it means
something like a “sacrificial, serving kind of love.” It is
said to be a kind of love where we want what’s best for the
other person.
Six short words could make a major
difference in a lot of marriages (and other relationships
for that matter). Those six words may or may not be a good
“campaign slogan.”
They would, however, put a lot of
divorce lawyers and marriage counselors out of business.
They would help our homes to be
much closer to God’s design than is the case in so many
places today.
You don’t need a bracelet. You just
need to look the members of your family in the eye (and
maybe hold their hand) while you say (and mean), “Forget
about me. I love you.”
- Jim Faughn serves as an elder and preacher for the Central
Church of Christ in Paducah KY. He may be contacted
through the congregation's website:
http://www.centralchurchofchrist.org
By Gary L. Hutchens
Some time back I read an article
encouraging people to "seize the moment." The idea behind
the statement is to do good things as opportunities present
themselves; don't put them off until some supposed better
time. It could be simple, little pleasures or more
important, more profound opportunities. The point is, we
commonly put things off until a more ideal time, and we
often end up losing the moment and the opportunity. How many
joys are missed and pleasures not enjoyed simply because we
thought we couldn't do something right then?
Think about it. How many times have
you put off doing something you really wanted to do until
some imagined time in the future when circumstances would be
just right, or at least better? I read of a man who going
through the things of his deceased wife. In one drawer he
found some especially fine lingerie that she had bought. She
was saving it to wear on some really special occasion. It
had never been worn, for she died before any such occasion
came along.
How many times have your children
asked you to play with them only to have you put them off
until a better time, when you were not so tired or when
you'd have more time or when a program that you wanted to
watch on TV was not on? Have you ever wished you had some of
those opportunities back? How often has your husband or wife
tried to say something to you, only to have you "shush" them
up because you were listening to something on TV? A leading
cause of divorce in our nation is a breakdown in
communication between husbands and wives.
How often have you been asked to go
to lunch or go somewhere or do something with someone who
cared about you, only to automatically respond with some
reason why you couldn't do it? How many trips to see grandma
get put off until a better time? How many places that you
really want to see never get visited because you're always
waiting for better circumstances?
The same thing happens in our
spiritual lives. How often have you put off calling or
visiting or sending a card to someone who was sick or shut
in, only to find out they were better, or maybe had died,
before you got around to it? How often have you thought
about contacting a brother or sister who was missing
services, or seemed to be struggling spiritually, but they
stopped coming altogether before you found the time? How
often were you asked to make a visit to someone who needed
some attention, only to respond with some reason why you
couldn't do it? How many have meant to "start back to
church," only to sink deeper into unfaithfulness? How many
parents have talked about "going back to church," getting
their children in Bible class, but never did and the kids
grew up without the Lord, maybe ending up in serious
trouble? How many people have said, "I know what I need to
do..." but never did, and died lost?
The apostle Paul gave us an
important truth to remember when it comes to our spiritual
obedience: "Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now
is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2). The principle
behind that truth makes the point of this article. We have
the moment at hand. It is the only time of which we are
assured. Take hold of it, make the most of it. Use it while
you have it. Do what you need to do and what you should do
while you have the opportunity. Serve the Lord now, for you
don't know if such a time will present itself again. Seize
the moment...
- via the Nile Street
Notes,
the weekly bulletin of the Anna Church of Christ in Anna,
IL; R. W. McAlister preaches for the congregation and may be
contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.annachurchofchrist.com/
By David F. Reagan
In an age when shorts, sweatpants,
and bare midriff (sometimes all at the same time) are
considered acceptable attire for most churches, I stand out
like a wooly mammoth. In this day of extreme casual, more
and more men are throwing away their ties when they go to
church. Like some newly awakened Rip Van Winkle, I still
wear mine. I thought I would tell you why.
Nothing in the nature of a necktie
either compels us to wear it or condemns it though some have
tried to connect it to an evil beginning. Those who use it
practice the tradition of giving honor to our Lord by
dressing up a bit when they go to meet with His people to
worship Him. So I ask: Is this practice encouraged or
discouraged in scripture?
In the parable told by Christ in
Matthew 22:11-12, the king expected each of his guests to
come with the proper “wedding garment.” Not to do so was to
show disrespect for the king and for the occasion. In like
manner, our forefathers felt it important to come to church
with clothing that showed proper respect to the Lord and to
the occasion. In different times and places, that proper
respect was shown in different ways. But it was shown. Even
the Saturday night bath was established for the purpose of
being physically clean and properly trim on the Lord’s Day.
Today we swerve boldly in the other
direction. We energetically oppose dressing especially for
church. Many even consider it hypocritical to do so. We
should come as we are and avoid any pretense. But do the
dress patterns of today prove that we have a greater
sincerity and are more genuine than our predecessors? I
think not.
The slouchy dress that we see in worship
services directly corresponds to our flippant attitude
toward meeting with our Maker and Saviour. We have lost our
respect for the spiritual dimension of God meeting with His
people. Now, we want to dress like we would at a backyard
barbecue. God is everywhere. Why approach His house with any
more formality than we would enter the neighborhood grocery
store?
The key word for today is comfort. “Why
shouldn’t I feel comfortable? After all, my comfort is the
main thing. I’m not going to go out of my way for
anyone--even God.” We exult in our come-as-you-are
philosophy. Our services have become user-friendly for
everyone except God. More and more, He seems to be left out
in the cold. O how we love ourselves unto death!
The Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes may be a
tradition that is quickly fading away. But it was a good
tradition and one whose parting is just another sign of the
times--the last times. Where is our sense of awe in the
presence of God? He says He dwells in the midst of us when
we meet with Him (Matthew 18:20). The church is the people,
not the building. When the people of the church meet, they
become the “house of God” (1Timothy 3:15); they become His
dwelling place. What a special privilege to enter into His
presence!
Psalm 96:8-9 “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his
name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship
the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the
earth.”
When I meet with the congregation of the
Lord, I count it not a burden, but an honor to give extra
pains in preparation, in physical cleanliness, and in
dressing up. I count it a privilege to wear my Sunday best.
Any discomfort I may feel from a tie about my neck, from a
coat about my body, or from clothes too good for playing
kickball is offset by the solemnity and wonder of the
occasion.
It is seldom that we in America get to
suffer anything for the Saviour who suffered so much for us.
The least I can do (and I mean the least) is to honor Him by
dressing more formally when I come to His church than I do
for other events. Certainly, I can suffer a necktie for Him.
- via the weekly bulletin of the Harrisburg Church of Christ
in Harrisburg, IL. You may visit their website at
http://www.harrisburgchurchofchrist.org
