By Adam Faughn
For some, today is their first
Mother's Day as a mother. They just had their first
child, so today is special in that way.
For some, today is their first
Mother's Day as a grandmother. They are seeing their own
daughter hold a precious child for her first Mother's
Day.
For some, today is their first
Mother's Day as a mother of two (or three or...). They
are getting extra kisses and hugs (and a well-deserved
extra cup of coffee).
For some, today is their first
Mother's Day without their mother living. So, today will
be bittersweet.
For some, today is their first
Mother's Day with an estranged relationship with their
mom or child. There might be a phone call, but it will
not be easy.
For some, today is their first
Mother's Day since losing a child. There will be
memories and, likely, some tears.
For some, today is their first
Mother's Day with a child a long distance away
geographically. It might be the first one where they are
not physically in the same place.
For some, today is their first
Mother's Day with a child back in the same area; thus,
the first they can spend together in a long time.
We could go on, but markers on
our calendar, like Mother's Day, are reminders of how
each year contains firsts. Some are happy. Some are
hard. Others are simply reflections of the normal
passage of time. Each, though, is part of the tapestry
of life, and mothers are an invaluable part of that
picture.
God thought that mothers were
so important that He gave every human being ever born a
mother. A true godly mother, though, is rare. Today, no
matter what "first" you are going through, if you are
striving to be a godly mother, we honor and thank you.
Reflect on why this Mother's Day is a "first," and use
it as an opportunity to be grateful for what is good and
learn from what might be a struggle.
To every mother, we say "Happy
Mother's Day," but to those who are striving to be godly
and righteous, we say a heartfelt and gracious "thank
you."
- Adam Faughn preaches for the Central Church of Christ
in Paducah KY. He may be contacted through the
congregation's website: http://www.centralchurchofchrist.org
By Rob Albright
We wanted a sure foundation –
that’s why I had the foundation of our house checked
before we made an offer on the purchase price three
years ago. I had a company check the foundation to be
sure no mildew or cracks were present.
If you live in an area where
earthquakes happen then it is important to have a good
foundation if you build a house. If an earthquake comes
and your foundation does not hold up, you will have
problems.
Matthew 7 gives us a picture of
a foolish builder who did not build his house with a
good foundation. A wise builder will build a house on a
solid foundation.
Of course, we are talking about
building a strong spiritual life. Our life must have the
strong foundation of the words of Jesus (John 6:66-68).
If we do not build our life on the words of Jesus, then
we are building on sand. Sand is not a sure foundation.
The solid foundation is Jesus and His words (Matthew
7:24-25). When the storms of life come, a house built on
a solid foundation will not fall.
- Rob Albright serves as one of the ministers at the
Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC. He may be
contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.nwchurchofchrist.com/
By Larry Miles
In verse 4, Paul lists three
sins that should never characterize the life of a
Christian. These are;
1. Filthiness
2. Foolish Talking
3. Jesting.
Each of these can include what we might call sub topics.
Denny Petrillo, President of Bear Valley Bible Institute
of Denver, wrote the following:, "All three of the
words used here are unique to the New Testament. First,
in this block is 'filthiness.' Not only did they engage
in sexual avarice, they talked about it. Second, 'silly
talk.' This refers to the talk of a fool who either does
not believe in God or does not acknowledge His power.
Third, Paul lists 'course jesting.'"
Whenever the Word of God instructs us
to cease from the wrong kind of behavior, it gives us a
scriptural alternative. That there is humor and laughing
in the Scriptures is a fact. But we all know that those
two attitudes, along with many other things in the Bible
can be used wrongly, even sinfully.
The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Thess.
5:18 that we must be known for "giving thanks." We must
always have an attitude of gratitude and a
vocabulary of thanksgiving.
We must replace idols with true
worship, the filling of the Holy Spirit. We must live in
the Spirit as well as believing in the Holy
Spirit.
- Larry Miles lives in Louisville, KY and
publishes "Larry's Lines" several times a week.
Copyright 2019. Visit his website: http://larryslines.com/
By Johnny Hester
Why should there be any debate over
which lives matter? That question was settled two
thousand years ago by the Lord Jesus Christ when He
declared: “For God so loved the world
that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting
life. For God did not send His Son into the world to
condemn the world, but that the world through Him might
be saved” (John 3:16-17). The church was divinely
commissioned to “go into all the world and preach the
gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). We must
necessarily infer from this that God wants us to spread
the good news that all people (red, yellow, black and
white) matter.
Church, if we are not irresistibly
motivated to make this truth known to our world, it just
may be that we have not yet come to understand the depth
and riches of the love of Christ. The apostle Paul
stated, “For the love of Christ compels us, because we
judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and
He died for all, that those who live should live no
longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and
rose again” (2 Cor. 5:14-15).
A related question: Do the
lives of babies matter? Reflexively we answer
definitively and correctly—“Yes!” But what if the
baby is still within the womb of his or her mother—an
embryo, a zygote, having not yet even developed a form
that resembles a human infant? Well, the Holy
Spirit clearly answered that question through the
Psalmist as David praised God for His love in Psalm 139:
“13 For
you created my inmost being; you knit me together
in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and
wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.” (NIV)
All lives matter—those still in the
womb, newborns who are severely handicapped, those who
are aged and infirm who have come to depend totally upon
the care of others in order for their lives to continue.
May we, as “the church of the living God, the pillar and
ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15), issue a clarion
call to this dark, sin-sick world: “All Lives Matter!”
- Johnny Hester preaches for the Matthews Church of
Christ in Matthews, MO. He may be contacted at johnnyhester@yahoo.com
By David R. Ferguson
I have always admired those
individuals who demonstrate great intellect. Wouldn’t it
be fascinating to understand the complexities of the
cosmos, from the tiniest quark, to the furthest and
remotest quasar, in the same manner as Albert Einstein
or Stephen Hawking did? Or wouldn’t you have liked to
witness in person Thomas Jefferson and Alexander
Hamilton as they debated the role the Federal government
should have in the lives of the People? Or how
intriguing would it have been to sit at the feet of
Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, giving ear to the
philosophical discussions taking place in ancient
Athens! As interesting as all these men seem to be,
there is One Whose wisdom and intellect puts all others
to shame, and that is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Regardless of the circumstances
He faced, whether it was from one of the groups seeking
to trip Him up such as the Pharisees and the Sadducees,
or even when He was being confronted and tempted by the
Great Adversary, Satan himself, Jesus was always able to
face them all by leaning upon the word of God and
saying, "It is written."
We, too, can gain in wisdom as
Christians by following the precepts of Christ, even to
the point of having the mind of Christ: "For who has
known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him?
But we have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16). We
have the mind of Christ by engaging in a study of His
word. Not only will we have the mind of Christ, we will
have eternal life: "Truly, truly, I say unto you, if a
man keep My word, he shall never see death" (John 8:51).
Paul also wrote to Timothy, saying, "Give diligence to
present yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs
not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth" (2
Timothy 2:15).
By spending time in the word of
God, and focusing on His Son and "whatsoever things are
true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things
are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things
are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think
on these things," (Philippians 4:8), we will be able to
then "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all
wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in
your hearts unto God" (Colossians 3:16).
May the Lord bless you in your
studies!
- David R. Ferguson preaches for the Lakeland
Church of Christ in Mattoon, IL. He may be
contacted through the congregation's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lakelandchurchofchrist/
or davidferguson61@yahoo.com
By Donna Wittlif
"Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved
children; and walk in love, even as Christ also love
you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a
sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:1, 2 ASV).
"Me, me, me!" my one-year-old
grandson protested as he tried to push his
three-year-old sister off my lap. He is still a baby,
and already two of his four words are "me" and "mine."
We learn very early to stand up for
and protect what is ours and what we want. People seem
to have a built-in selfish streak. They put themselves
before all others. They want to be the best, to have the
best, and to be first in line to have anything good.
They believe they deserve to have the best.
The disciples of Jesus were
no exception. James and John asked Jesus, "Grant unto us
that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy
left hand, in thy glory" (Mark 10:37). Over and over
Jesus tried to show them that they should love their
neighbor as they loved themselves. The Master and
Teacher even washed their feet.
Jesus is God. He gave up His glory
in heaven to come to this poor world and save us. When
we think of who Jesus is and how He left it all to die
for our sins, we cannot help but be humbled. He didn't
just wash our feet, but His blood washes and cleanses
our souls. Because of Jesus, we have the best, but not
because we deserve it.
Christians must give up their pride
and arrogance and wanting to elevate themselves. May we
imitate our Lord and walk in love, putting others before
ourselves and serving them. Let us become His humble
ambassadors.
- Donna Wittlif, the founder and first editor
of BulletinGold, lives in Denver, CO. Donna is also a
writer of fiction. Her novels, World Eternal:
Promises and World Eternal: Proselytes,
and World Eternal: Perils, and her newest book,
Finding Her Heart, are available on Amazon,
Barnes & Noble, and other book outlets. For more
information visit her website. http://www.donnarwittlif.com/
By Edd Sterchi
Error unties and truth unites.
Think about it. Error seeks to break apart the truth.
Error causes disharmony and discord. But truth seeks to
bring together those who agree with it.
Now, notice something about the
opening statement of this article: Error unties and
truth unites. Notice that the only difference in the two
descriptive words “unties” and “unites” is where the “t”
is placed. Let’s let the “t” represent the cross of
Christ. It makes a difference where we put Christ and
His word in our lives.
If we have Christ positioned
properly and first in our lives, then His word will
unify us with all others who do the same. But if we put
Christ and His word anywhere lower than number one in
our lives, we are positioning ourselves for error and
disunity to creep in. Something to think about.
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a
worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15)
- Edd Sterchi preaches for the Broadway Church of
Christ in Campbellsville, KY. He may be contacted
through the congregation's website: http://www.broadwaychurchofchrist.net/
By David Bragg
Eastern Airlines Flight 401 lifted
off in New York on the evening of December 20, 1972 on
its way toward Miami, Florida. It almost made it to its
destination, but then when it comes to airplanes you
don't want to "almost" make it. The plane went down in
the Florida Everglades killing 101 people (75 survived).
To make matters worse, when
investigators began digging through the cause of the
crash they determined that as the plane was approaching
Miami the co-pilot noticed that the landing gear
indicator light was not working. When he was not able to
replace the bulb the pilot decided to assist him. While
they were focused on a light bulb the plane went down
(www.thisdayinaviation.com).
One of the greatest dangers we can
fall prey to is to focus on something of relatively
minor importance while ignoring the things that are
vital. The Pharisees made this mistake every day. Jesus
described them as blind, saying that they “strain out a
gnat and swallow a camel” (Matthew 23:24).
It is crucial that we be able to
discern between the trivial and the vital. Make the best
use of your time and talents. Invest in the vital,
focusing on anything less may lead to disaster.
- David Bragg serves as one of the ministers at
the Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC and is
co-editor of BulletinGold. He may be contacted through
the congregation's website: http://www.nwchurchofchrist.com/
or his blog: http://davidbragg.blogspot.com/
By David A. Sargent
Ken Canfield, Ph.D., affirms
fatherlessness has wounded our world. “We are acutely
aware of the impact of fatherlessness (children growing
up without a father). Its scars mark our cities and
nation in ways that few maladies have. In recent years
the research community has detailed and documented the
negative social outcomes associated with father absence
and abuse, and their report is alarming.”
Canfield states that
fatherlessness continues to be a crisis in our world
today. “Yet,” he says, “this Father’s Day there is a ray
of goodness shining on a facet of fathering worthy of
celebration. When fathers are absent, have abandoned or
even abused their esteemed role of being a dad, father
figures are emerging and standing in the fatherless
chasm, providing incredible leadership.”
In an article entitled, “Kids’
Essays Show the Power of Father Figures,” Canfield
references a project conducted by the National Center
for Fathering in which the Center has asked for and
collected more than a million essays written by children
about how their fathers and father figures influence
their lives. One of these essays was written by Haley, a
12th grader, about her stepfather, Mark:
My stepfather became my father
when I was eight years old. My real father had died of
cancer when I was six years old. My family was broken
and needed healing. The Lord blessed us with my new
father, Mark. He was like an angel sent from God. He too
had lost his father when he was young, and he knew what
my brothers and I were going through. He comforted us
and gave us strength to continue.
"When I was eleven, I was
diagnosed with cancer. My family was devastated; just
when we thought all of the turmoil was over, we realized
it was only the beginning. The doctors decided I needed
a bone marrow transplant. My stepfather Mark was a
perfect match and offered to give his bone marrow to
save my life, but a better match was found. My new
father had only been a member of our family for a few
years when his love and support was put to the extreme.
He stayed and took care of me as long as time allowed
before he had to return home for work. We became so
close during this time that it is impossible to
describe.
"A father doesn’t have to be
someone who is biologically related to you. It is
someone who would do anything for you and loves you with
all of [his] heart and self. I pray that my father and I
will remain this close throughout all of our lives and
that we will only grow closer as time passes." *
Haley’s “father figure”
exemplifies the kind of father that all children need:
one who is selfless, supporting, and loving.
The greatest “father figure” is
God, the heavenly Father. He’s really not a figure; He
is the Father. And, He is the greatest “Figure” of
fatherhood that all fathers and father figures should
seek to emulate. He is supreme in the way that He
loves and cares for His children.
Do you want some proof?
God loves us so much that even
though we have sinned and rebelled against Him, He gave
His one and only Son to die on the cross for our sins
(John 3:16). On the cross, Jesus paid the price for our
sins so that we might have forgiveness and become a
child of God (Ephesians 1:7; Galatians 3:26-27).
God will save, add to His
family, and give eternal life to those who place their
faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from
their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus
before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed)
into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts
2:38). He will continue to cleanse from sin and
prepare for a heavenly home those who continue to walk
in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7).
God IS the greatest Father, and
He wants YOU to be His child. Won’t YOU accept His offer
on His terms?
- 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
* Information gleaned from “Kids’ Essays Show the Power
of Father Figures” by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. in
www.fathers.com.
By R. W. McAlister
Father’s Day, contrary to
popular misconception (and my wife’s fervent belief!),
was not established as a holiday in order to help
greeting card manufacturers sell more cards. In fact
when a “father’s day” was first proposed, there were no
Father’s Day cards! Mrs. John B. Dodd, of Washington,
first proposed the idea of a “father’s day” in 1909.
Mrs. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father,
William Smart. William Smart, a Civil War veteran, was
widowed when his wife (Mrs. Dodd’s mother) died in
childbirth with their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to
raise the newborn and his other five children by himself
on a rural farm in eastern Washington state. It was
after Mrs. Dodd became an adult that she realized the
strength and selflessness her father had shown in
raising his children as a single parent.
The first Father’s Day was
observed on June 19, 1910 in Spokane, Washington. At
about the same time in various towns and cities across
America, other people were beginning to celebrate a
“father’s day.” In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge
supported the idea of a national Father’s Day. Finally
in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential
proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as
Father’s Day.
As we celebrate our earthly
fathers on the day set aside for honoring them, let’s
also remember to honor our Heavenly Father. Furthermore,
let’s realize that we have a duty to honor Him not just
one day out of the year, but every day we can awake to a
new morning.
Much like William Smart, God
has provided for and continues to provide for His
numerous children - but in ways that far surpass those
of mortal man. God loved sinful man so much that He gave
us His only Son to pay the price for our sins (Romans
5:8). Do we show our appreciation to Him for that? Does
God know that we love and revere Him? Jesus said, “If ye
love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15) and again,
“Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which
I say?” (Luke 6:46).
Honor your Heavenly Father
every day for all of the good in your life, because our
blessings are surely too great in number to count.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is
no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James
1:17). Even when we face our darkest hour, when our lot
in life seems to be as terrible as Job’s, God is still
there for us – just waiting for us to make our hearts
known to Him (I Sam. 1:15; Heb. 4:16; Jas. 5:16). Honor
God by doing His will and by continually thanking Him
for all the blessings that are showered down upon us
all.
I wish all fathers a happy
Father’s Day and pray that we all will make every day a
“Father’s Day” in honor of our Heavenly Father, the God
of Heaven from whom all blessings flow.
- R. W. McAlister preaches for the Anna Church of Christ
in Anna, IL.He may be contacted through the
congregation's website: http://www.annachurchofchrist.com/
By Ronald Bartanen
Where have all the fathers
gone? Unless you have been out of the country the last
few years you will probably agree with me when I say
that the traditional and biblical standard for the
“nuclear family” is being attacked. As defined by the
Merriam Webster’s Deluxe Dictionary, such a family is
described as “a family group that consists of father,
mother and children.” You will have to search a long
time to any more find family-shows on TV such as “Father
Knows Best,” the “Donna Reed Show,” or—our favorite—“The
Beaver,” except on stations that specialize in re-runs
of productions of the ‘40s and ‘50s.
Small-children’s text books now refrain from depicting
such families because such are unfamiliar to many
children, especially to those with no father present.
The single-parent household is
becoming ever more common and acceptable. As Biblical
standards are being cast aside, the blessing of two
parents in the rearing of children is becoming rarer and
rarer. Children are routinely being born into the world
to young women who consent to sexual relationships
without the security of “holy matrimony.” Divorce
statistics continue to mount, leaving mothers to raise
children alone, or with little input by the fathers.
Feminists maintain that a father is no longer needed,
other than to be a sperm-donor, enabling them the
freedom to have children without the further need for a
male. Lesbian couples are trying to convince us that two
women can raise children as effectively as a man and a
woman together can.
Statistics show that in 1960, 5
percent of America’s children were without two parents—a
mother and a father. Twenty years later the number had
risen to 18 percent; and by 2000, to 33 percent. I
believe that number now stands at 41 percent. While
public welfare is a need in a humane society, some women
admit that it is monetarily an advantage to remain on
welfare as a single parent in preference to taking a
low-paying job and hiring baby sitters. Some have
discovered that they can “make” even more money by
having more children, allowing an automatic raise in
benefits. A poll taken by the Los Angeles Times in 1985,
asking whether poor women often have children to
increase benefits, showed that while non-poor residents
said “No”, 64 percent of those considered poor said
“Yes”. With the redefinition of marriage to
include same-sex couples, we can only expect the
situation to worsen.
Are fathers needed? Obviously,
God’s pattern from the beginning was that of a father,
mother and children. To depart from it is at our peril.
Let Isaac Shakur, a rapper who was killed (possibly in a
gang-related murder a few years ago), answer: “I know
for a fact that had I had a father, I’d have some
discipline. I’d have more confidence…. Your mother
cannot calm you down the way a man can. Your mother
can’t assure you the way a man can. My mother couldn’t
show me where my manhood was. You need a man to teach
you how to be a man.” He admitted to running with gangs
to seek structure and protection. Not surprisingly, the
Journal of Research on Adolescence revealed from a study
that children who have never had a father available are
the most likely to end up behind bars. It is predictable
that as our nation continues to live in a world of
“virtual reality” instead of facing the fact that God
knows best, the situation will continue to deteriorate.
And as the family-structure is destroyed, our blinded
nation can only expect a similar fate. One day we will
wake up and ask, “Where have all the fathers gone?”
- Ronald Bartanen preaches for Arthur Church of Christ,
Arthur, IL. He may be contacted through the
congregation's website: http://arthurcoc.com/
By Joe Slater
I’ve wondered why so many weddings
occur in June. Is it because graduation is over so high
school sweethearts seize the opportunity to tie the
knot? While that sounds reasonable, the tradition of
June weddings pre-dates modern educational practices.
Here’s some interesting material from the internet:
“June was traditionally the most
popular month to marry, and still very common. Why? The
goddess Juno (for whom June is named) was the protector
of women in all aspects of life, but especially in
marriage and childbearing, so a wedding in Juno’s month
was considered most auspicious.
“The idea of June weddings also comes
from the Celtic calendar. On the Cross-Quarter Day of
Beltane, or May Day (May 1), young couples would pair
off to court for 3 months and then be wed on the next
CrossQuarter Day (Lammas Day, August 1). Youths being
impatient, the waiting period was shortened to midJune,
and the popularity of June weddings was ensured.”
((https://www.almanac.com/content/wedding-traditionscustoms-and-etiquette)
Now, that doesn’t mean you’re a
Junoworshipper if you married in June! Scripture reveals
no “right” date for a wedding. It places great weight,
however, on the permanence of marriage (one man, one
woman, for life, with one exception – Matthew 19:3-9).
It emphasizes the relationship God wants between wife
and husband (Ephesians 5:22-33). And it exalts the
church as the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2;
Revelation 21:9).
May God help us to pay heed to these
matters, regardless of when (or if) we married!
- Joe Slater serves as minister of the Church of
Christ in Justin, TX. He may be contacted through the
congregation's website: http://justinchurchofchrist.com
By J. Randal Matheny
The eyes need exercise to see
The longer view — we need to raise
Our sights, and fix our distant gaze
On twinkling stars and hills and trees.
The heart as well must lift its view
From small concerns and passion's rush,
To see God paints with a bigger brush,
Perspective with a brighter hue.
- J. Randal Matheny edits and writes UPLift,
an inspirational ezine. He
may be contacted here: <http://randalmathenycom/>.
When reprinting this
material, please include the following:
Copyright (c) 2017 J. Randal Matheny
All rights reserved. You may forward the
email to friends as is. You may not alter
it in any way or remove any text or
attributions.
By
Edd Sterchi
A
missionary’s wife was once teaching some children in
Africa about the value of giving. She quoted Acts
20:35 where our Savior is quoted as saying, “It is
more blessed to give than to receive.” One little
African boy soaked in every word and then decided to
live out her teaching, but he had no money to
purchase a gift for her. Then he had an idea.
A few days later
the boy brought the teacher a seashell necklace. It
glistened with iridescent beauty. The woman was
taken aback. “Where ever did you find such beautiful
shells?” the teacher asked. The youth told her that
he walked to the coast of the country to a certain
spot where these shells could be found.
The teacher knew
that it would have taken the young man hours upon
hours through difficult and dangerous terrain to
walk to the sea. “It’s so beautiful,” she said, “but
you shouldn’t have gone all that way to get this
gift for me.” The boy smiled and simply said, “Long
walk part of gift.”
Certainly
we can use this touching story to remind ourselves
of the “long walk” of Christ that was a part of
God’s gift to man. Jesus was “foreordained before
the foundation of the world” (1 Pet. 1:20) to come
to the earth, walk upon it, live, die, and rise
again for the sake of helpless mankind. His trip was
difficult and dangerous, but it was all a part of
God’s “eternal purpose which He accomplished in
Christ Jesus our Lord” (Eph. 3:11).
Jesus
did this willingly and lovingly. He endured
hardship, ridicule, shame, and mistreatment – all
for us (Heb. 2:17; 12:2-3). If we were to ask Him,
“Why all this trouble, why did You do it this way?”,
He would smile and say to us, “The long walk was
part of the gift.”
- Edd Sterchi preaches for the Broadway Church
of Christ in Campbellsville, KY. He may be contacted
through the congregation's website: http://www.broadwaychurchofchrist.net/
By
R. W. McAlister
In
Matthew 3, we find John the Baptizer preaching a
message of repentance in the wilderness of Judea. As
he was baptizing in the Jordan, a group of Pharisees
and Saducees approached him. Knowing them, and their
motives, John knew neither group was sincere in their
desire for repentance. What do we know about the
Pharisees and Sadducees?
The
Pharisees professed great devotion to the law, but
they were inwardly corrupt, hypocritical, and
self-righteous.
The
Sadducees were aristocrats and religious skeptics who
denied such basic doctrines as the resurrection of the
body and the immortality of the soul, just to name
two. Therefore, he denounced both sects as a brood of
vipers, who pretended to desire to escape from the
wrath to come, but exhibited no signs of true
repentance.
In
Matthew 3:8, John the Baptist told this group of
Pharisees and Sadducees “Bring forth therefore fruits
meet for repentance.” What does this mean, exactly?
Repentance
is defined: “turning away from sin and turning to God
– having a change of mind which leads to a change of
actions.” The Greek verb translated “repent” is
metanoeo. The literal translation is: “after thought.”
It suggests the idea of thinking about an action after
it has been taken. If it’s a sinful action, the idea
would be a reflection back upon it and a feeling of
remorse for having committed it.
However,
true repentance takes on more than just remorse, or
“feeling sorry” for something done. On Pentecost,
Peter admonished his audience to “repent” (Acts 2:38).
Earlier in his message, the crowd had been “pricked in
their hearts” (Acts 2:37). Clearly, repentance
required more than just feeling badly, or being “cut
to the heart” as we might phrase it, it required
action – a change of life. Paul said, “…godly sorrow
worketh (leads to) repentance…” (II Cor. 7:10).
Repentance clearly means a change of behavior, not
just feeling sorry for our actions.
The
phrase, “meet for” comes from the Greek word “axios”
and means, “having the weight of another thing of like
value, worth as much.”
With
this in mind, a lifestyle change indicative of true
repentance must equal the seriousness of the
wrongdoing, or else true repentance hasn’t occurred.
So,
what is the “fruit” John is talking about here? If the
sin has been against another individual (false
statements – written or verbal, dishonest business
deal, theft – petty or major, etc.), reconciliation
must be made to that individual. In cases of theft,
restitution must be made. When the prodigal son of
Luke 15 returned home and confessed, “Father, I have
sinned against heaven…” it would be wrong to say this
son had done all that repentance required of him.
Would he not have had a responsibility to admit his
wrong to his father? Of course, and he did: “Father, I
have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight…” (Luke
15:21). Further, if one has truly repented, the proof
(fruit) is often visible through a changed attitude
and by making better, more Godly choices.
Far
too many people believe the lie that they can make a
generic confession at a church service, without ever
making things right personally with the person against
whom they have sinned.
Repentance
without every action that defines it is not really
repentance at all. May God bless all who truly see the
need for change and set about making it!
- R. W. McAlister preaches for the Anna Church
of Christ in Anna, IL.He may be contacted through the
congregation's website: http://www.annachurchofchrist.com/
By
Alan Smith
Unable
to attend the funeral after his Uncle Charlie died, a
man who lived far away called his brother and told
him, "Do something nice for Uncle Charlie and send me
the bill."
Later,
he got a bill for $200.00, which he paid. The next
month, he got another bill for $200.00, which he also
paid, figuring it was some incidental expense.
But,
when the bills for $200.00 kept arriving every month,
he finally called his brother again to find out what
was going on.
"Well,"
said the other brother, "You said to do something nice
for Uncle Charlie. So I rented him a tuxedo."
That's
not exactly the most appropriate gift for someone who
has died! But the story made me think about how we are
often willing to give, even to sacrifice great
amounts, and we are happy to do so once or twice. But
we don't want it to become something we have to do for
the rest of our lives.
For
example, we're happy to have friends or family stay in
our homes for a short while, but we don't want it to
go on for years and years. We'll agree to teach a
Bible class at church for a quarter or two, but we
don't want to be stuck in the class for the rest of
our life. We'll take a mission trip and live in
squalid conditions for a week or two, but would never
dream of moving there permanently.
And
our hesitancy in situations like those is perhaps
understandable. Unfortunately, we sometimes are
tempted to have the same attitude when it comes to
serving Christ. We're willing to give up everything
for Christ -- at least, for a while. But for our whole
lives? Always seeking to put others first? Always
willing to forgive? Always willing to suffer and
sacrifice for the cause of Christ?
We
need to be reminded that Christianity is not a sprint,
it's a long-distance marathon, and we must be willing
to commit ourselves to run the race to the very end.
Be forewarned -- it can be tiring. But "let us not
grow weary while doing good, for in due season we
shall reap if we do not lose heart." (Gal. 6:9)
Have
a great day!
- Alan Smith, author of the popular "Thought For
Today," and minister for the Cruciform Church of
Christ in Spring Lake, North Carolina, may be
contacted at alansmith.servant@gmail.com
or through the congregation's website: http://www.cruciformcoc.com/
By
Clifton Angel
Adam
and Eve transgressed God’s law—they sinned (Genesis
3:1–6). At that moment, God could have destroyed the
world. He could have sent Adam and Eve to eternal
punishment prepared for the devil and his angels
(Matthew 25:46). In so doing, God would have been
perfectly upright and just. He is God. He made Adam
in His own image (Genesis 1:27). He gave Adam access
to the tree of life (Genesis 2:9). He trained Adam
to live and gave him a purpose to live (Genesis
2:15). He instructed Adam in righteousness—doing
right and avoiding wrong (Genesis 2:16–17). I
believe Adam instructed his wife in righteousness
(Genesis 3:2–3). Yet, they both chose to go beyond
what was right—they sinned. And what did God do? He
sought them, taught them, and saved them (Genesis
3:7–24).
God’s
first words to Adam after he had sinned were, “Where
are you?” (Genesis 3:9). God does not need GPS. He
did not need information concerning Adam’s physical
location. He knew where he was. Rather, God was
humbling Adam and teaching Adam. It was an
opportunity for Adam to realize and say to himself:
“I’m not where I’m supposed to be. I’ve done wrong,
I’m naked, I’m afraid, I’m hiding, and I need your
mercy.” Adam did not make that initial conclusion,
did he? Instead, he concluded that God and the woman
were to blame (Genesis 3:12). How futile!
Eventually, God helped Adam to realize where he was.
He helped Adam to realize that he was separated from
God—spiritually dead—and as result, he and every
person following would also be separated from the
tree of life, from the ease of living, and the
protection of health.
Adam’s
sons Cain and Abel were taught to worship God with
proper sacrifices
(Genesis 4:1–7; see also Hebrews 11:4, Romans
10:17). Cain chose to worship God in his own way.
And so, God did not respect his offering. God’s
rejection of Cain’s worship was a form of God saying
to Cain, “Where are you?” God wanted Cain to do well
and be reconciled to Him. Instead, Cain grew angry
and envious, even to the point of murder. Again, God
sought salvation for Cain. God asked, “Where is Abel
thy brother?” (Genesis 4:9). God knew where Abel
was. He was really asking Cain, “Where are you?” He
wanted Cain to admit that he had sinned and that he
needed God’s mercy. Cain did not accept God’s
attempts to save him and was cast out. It was then
that Cain had to face the fact of his new
location—outside of “the presence of the LORD”
(Genesis 2:16).
And
now, the question comes to each one of us. Where are
you?
- 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/
By
Ron Adams
The
Bible is a marvelous and inspired book. It has been
translated into many languages and many English
versions are available. To make it easy for the
readers to find certain passages or statements, the
text has been divided into chapters and verses. This
makes it very convenient for referencing a
particular passage.
In
doing so, it has opened the door to what I call
“verse plucking.” That is, one may find a numbered
verse and take it out of context. Then draw ideas or
teachings based on the isolated verse. The findings
are not found or supported by any other verse or
verses in the Bible. And often, they conflict with
other passages. The ideas “found” in isolated verses
have been championed by many and have convinced
others that what they say the verse teaches is Bible
truth.
I
have coined a phrase, “When you find a verse, put it
back where you found it.” The context is so
important in determining what is being said. Quite
often when the verse is put back in its setting the
things “found” in the isolated verse are determined
to be the product of a fertile imagination or
personal biases.
Everyone
who teaches or presents lessons based on the Bible
must be very careful when connecting individual
verses found in various passages in the Bible. The
teacher must be sure that each verse referenced
clearly supports what is said in the context.
You
know, sometimes it’s best to read the Bible without
paying attention to the numbers.
- F.Y.C. is a monthly publication by Ron Adams.
Bible references are from the NASB except where
another translation is referenced. Back issues are
archived at http://ra10ar.com
Be thoughtful and kind. All rights reserved. © 2017
By
Lance Cordle
Humans
need it. We want others to give it freely, not
grudgingly. We want it to come without prompting and
we would love for it to happen on a regular
basis. However, most of us are of such disposition
we do not need it every day or, for that matter,
every week...but we do need it. What is “it?” The
answer is affirmation—the acknowledgement by someone
outside ourselves, that we are needed, wanted and
valued for our unique contribution to their life.
The
apostle Paul was a master of affirmation. Just a
quick glance at the New Testament books which are
his letters to churches and individuals will confirm
this. As you look over the following verses, note
the phrases of affirmation (in italics, for my
emphasis):
- “Greet
Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in the
Lord, who risked their necks for me . .
.” (Romans 16:3, 4)
- “I
rejoice at the coming of Stephanus and
Fortunatus and Achaicus . . . For they
refreshed my spirit as well as yours…” (1
Corinthians 16: 17, 18)
- “.
. . Tychicus the beloved brother and
faithful minister in the Lord will tell
you everything.” (Ephesians 6:21).
- “I
thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
always in every prayer of mine for you all
making my prayer with joy . . .” (Philippians
1:3, 4)
- “For
I bear him (Epaphras) witness that he has
worked hard for you and for those in
Laodicea and in Hieropolis.” (Colossians 4:13)
- “To
Timothy, my beloved child” (2 Timothy
1:2)
- “To
Titus, my true child in a common faith .
. .” (Titus 1:4)
He
greeted, complimented and encouraged those to whom
he wrote. He mentioned names of people whom he
admired and appreciates and was not showy or
dramatic in his affirmation.
You
and I can follow Paul’s example. We can do so in
writing, just as he did with a few well-chosen
words. It can also be done personally, with a touch,
hand-shake or hug. All it takes is the courage to
push those words past our lips. One such sentence
could be, “I am glad you are my . . .” You
fill in the blank with friend, wife, husband, son,
daughter, teacher, etc.”
One
note of caution, however—you had better mean every
word, because they will probably know if you are not
sincere.
- Lance Cordle preaches the Calvert City Church of
Christ in Calvert City, KY. He may be
contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com
By
Rob Albright
John
was preaching the message of repentance (Mark 1:1-11).
Repentance means changing your mind about God. John
was urging the people to change their life back to the
right ways of God. There were a number of people who
heard that message and were baptized (Matthew 3:11).
John would not baptize them if they did not repent
(Matthew 3:7) and confess their sins (Matthew 3:6).
In
doing this, John was preparing the way for the coming
of Jesus and His authority. Remember when Jesus was
baptized, God spoke from heaven and acknowledged Jesus
as His Son (Matthew 3:17). Jesus was baptized in
submission to the Father - this was God’s will. When
Jesus was baptized, God was pleased. So, what pleases
God? The submission of the Son (Hebrews 5:8-9).
Jesus,
has been given all authority (Matthew 28:18) He tells
His disciples to preach the gospel, baptize, and
continue teaching (Matthew 28:18-20). Jesus even said
“He who believes and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark
16:16). Do you think God would be pleased if we refuse
to be baptized? If the Son of God submitted to God’s
right way to please the Father, how can we expect to
please the Father if we refuse to submit to baptism?
- Rob Albright serves as one of the ministers at the
Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC. He may
be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.nwchurchofchrist.com/
