Behold Your Mother!

By Andrew Beasley 5 years old – Mom, I love you 12 years old – Mom, I can’t stand you 16 years old – My mother is very annoying 18 years old – I’m leaving this house 25 years old – Mom, you were right. 30 years old – I want to go to my mom’s house 50 years old – I don’t want to lose my mother 70 years old – I would give up everything to have my mom here with me.     The importance of a mother cannot be understated and taking one day out of each year to honor the impact that mothers have on the lives of their children is not nearly enough.     In the most challenging hours of his human life, Jesus looked to His mother to make sure that she would be cared for. Think about that. With the weight of the sins of the world upon Him, the abuse of the Roman scourge having marked Him and the agony of the Roman cross encompassing Him, Christ still made provision for His mother.     That does not happen without a mother who had been a great blessing to Him.     So today we honor our mothers, and we thank you for every single blessing you have gifted your children with throughout their lives.

- Andrew Beasley serves as a minister with the Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: https://nwchurchofchrist.com/about

Washed in the Blood

By Andrew Beasley     There have been times in my life where I have felt hopeless. When one thinks of biblical hope one may think of confident expectation. That helps to illustrate what hopelessness truly is. An absence of confident expectation of good things to come. In the long term one might think of salvation, but in the short term it is applicable to good things in life. For those who have not experienced hopelessness to an extreme degree it is hard to comprehend why someone might hurt themselves or go to even greater, more devastating lengths.     In moments of hopelessness the words of the 23 rd psalm may come to mind. Tho I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me. While we may not fear evil, and while the Lord certainly is with us, there are times when evil still wins. There are times when doubts creep in and cause our confident expectation to falter. I hope that if you are reading this, and the hope you have within you is faltering, you know that you are not alone. I have been there. Others have been there. And most importantly, even though you have faltered, the Lord has not.     Even in the valley of the shadow of death, He is there. Just as He remained steadfast when Peter started to sink after walking on the water out to Him (Matt. 14:22-33), He remains steadfast for you. And our hope is built on nothing less than His blood and righteousness.

- Andrew Beasley serves as a minister with the Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: https://nwchurchofchrist.com/about/

Behold Our God - His Omniscience

By Andrew Beasley
    Being a know-it-all is not something we usually consider a good thing. In school if someone calls you a know-it-all there is implication of smug assurance. Sometimes, it is said that individuals are just too smart for their own good. Yet we value knowledge. You would not want to go to a doctor who was not well versed in biology. You would not want to get on an airplane with a pilot who was not knowledgeable of the controls. Most people spend their lives gaining knowledge in one field or another, and the more knowledge that is gained the more we hope (and sometimes expect) to be trusted in the field with which we have expertise.     Yet, possessing knowledge of all things is something beyond human ability. I might know myself very well, and yet I can never know the number of hairs that are on my head. I might gaze up into the night sky and count the stars for hours, but I will never be able to count them all. I may spend a lifetime getting to know you on a close, personal level but I can never truly know your heart.All these pieces of knowledge are at our God’s fingertips. We get a glimpse at the breadth of God’s knowledge in his confrontation with Job, at the end of his book, where God tells him to prepare to answer the questions that were coming (Job 38:3-7).    Take a few moments each day to consider the all-encompassing nature of God’s omniscience and behold Him. Appreciate Him. Adore Him.

- Andrew Beasley serves as a minister with the Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: https://nwchurchofchrist.com/about/

Christ Has Risen

Andrew Beasley
    Many people have struggled with having faith in what they have read in Scripture. Some may struggle when they find the Bible teaches principles that are contrary to what they had been led to understand it did. Others struggle because they are unable to witness the events of the Bible with their own eyes. We have all encountered faith challenged people. Maybe at some point in our own lives we have been challenged in our faith ourselves.    It is a blessing that God does not call us to believe without evidence (Hebrews 11:1). As the world celebrates the Easter holiday today, and many have the resurrection of Christ on their minds, it is important to acknowledge that we are not simply expected to believe Christ is risen without evidence. After His resurrection, Jesus appears to several witnesses (even a group of 500 at one point). How do we know this? Through the eyewitness testimony recorded in the Gospel accounts of His life.    Paul makes the case for the consequences if Christ is not risen (1 Cor. 15:14-19) but concludes by saying “but, in fact, Christ has been raised” (1 Cor. 15:20). And so we celebrate not just this Easter Sunday but every week that our Lord is risen, and our faith is strengthened knowing that we do not believe this blindly but that evidence supports this truth.

- Andrew Beasley serves as a minister with the Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: https://nwchurchofchrist.com/about/

Those Whom Jesus Loves: Betrayers

By Andrew Beasley
    The problem of evil is one of many challenging subjects that humanity, especially those who believe in God, must wrestle with. It is frequently referenced by unbelievers as proof of why God cannot exist as they assert that a loving God would not allow evil to exist. However, studying God’s word will reveal to us that the problem of evil is addressed by God directly. In one instance in the Gospel of Luke, our Lord instructs those who are listening to “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Lk. 6:27-28). In the Beatitudes Jesus teaches that we should be happy when we are persecuted, reviled and spoken negatively of for the cause of Christ because those who came before us were also persecuted, and the reward for enduring is great (Matt. 5:11-12).    One of the greatest acts of evil against Christ occurs by the hands of one of His closest friends, Judas Iscariot. We are familiar with the account of Christ’s betrayal to a similar degree that we are familiar with the crucifixion of Christ. The work on the cross was accomplished as much for Judas as it was for each of us. So, it seems that the problem of evil and how to address it has already been shown by Christ. Face it, handle it, and conquer it with love.

- Andrew Beasley serves as a minister with the Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: https://nwchurchofchrist.com/about/

Jesus Our Temple

By Jared Green     For centuries, the temple had been the hub of the Jewish religion. The temple served as God's dwelling place, the center for worship, and the place where atoning sacrifices were made. The temple even played a vital role in the life and ministry of Jesus. Gabriel announced the birth of John the Baptist, the Messiah's forerunner, in the temple (Luke 1:11-20). It was in the temple that Simeon took baby Jesus in his arms and praised God for the coming salvation found in Jesus (Luke 2:29-32). It was in the temple that twelve-year-old Jesus said to his parents, "Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2:49). It was at the pinnacle of the temple that Satan tempted Jesus (Luke 4:9). As Jesus began what we call Passion Week in Luke 20-21, we find Jesus using the temple as his own pulpit.     As integral as the temple had been, however, Jesus' death and resurrection changed everything. In fact, Jesus prophesied this coming change when he said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19). While Jesus' audience could only think of the actual temple, we know that Jesus was speaking about himself. And the rest of Scripture agrees. In Revelation 21 :22, John said, "And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb." For Christians, Jesus is our temple!     Jesus is the presence of God. "He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature" (Hebrews 1 :3a).     Jesus is our access to the Father. "For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father" (Ephesians 2: 18).     Jesus is our atoning sacrifice. "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed" (1 Peter 2:24).     Jesus is our mediator. "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5).     Thanks be to God for his plan to send the Son to this earth, and thanks be to God for the salvation that is found in him. God loves you, and so do I.

- Jared Green preaches the Calvert City Church of Christ in Calvert City, KY.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com

Lessons From Moses' Sore Arm

By Jared Green     Throughout the Israelites’ exodus journey, nothing was made clearer than the power of the Lord. Along with the physical pain and inconvenience that came with the ten plagues, God sent each of them as a specific attack on the gods of the Egyptians, making God’s power clear. When the Israelites departed Egypt, God led the people in the form of pillars of cloud by day and fire by night, displaying his presence and leadership. When Pharaoh’s army chased the Israelites, God parted the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to cross dry land and later drowning the Egyptian military. When the people became hungry, God provided them food from heaven, and when they became thirsty, God gave them water from a rock.     It is a surprise, then, to learn that the Israelite army won their first military battle as a result of God’s power. In Exodus 17, the Amalekites attacked the Israelites, and Moses commanded his assistant Joshua to gather men to fight against them. With his staff, in his hand, Moses climbed to the top of the hill to watch over the battle. The text tells us that when Moses held his hands in the air, Israel prevailed. However, when his arms became tired and he lowered his staff, Amalek began to prevail. Knowing that Moses was unable to hold his arms in the air for an entire day, Aaron and Hur stepped in. They gave Moses a stone to sit on, and they helped him hold his arms in the air. As a result of their help, Moses’ arms remained high, and Israel defeated Amalek.     Moses’ sore arms served as a clear representation that God was in control, providing Israel with the victory. On many occasions, Moses’ staff, represented the power given to him by God. God parted the Red Sea when Moses lifted up his staff, over the sea (Exodus 14:16). Later, God provided water when Moses used his staff, to strike the rock (Exodus 17:6). In the same way, God led Israel to victory when Moses held his staff, in the air.     The story of Israel’s first military victory is an odd story. It is the only one I can find where an army experienced victory because their leader held his arms in the air for an entire day! It does, however, provide us with a few key lessons. First, God is both powerful and sovereign. Whatever he sets out to accomplish, he will accomplish. We should take heart that in a world full of darkness, our God is in control. Second, it matters who we surround ourselves with. Without Aaron and Hur’s presence and willingness to help, Moses would have been incapable of doing what God called him to do. We must make sure that we are surrounding ourselves with like-minded people who build us up and help us along in this journey of life. Third, we should always seek to be Aaron and Hur to others. When we look for opportunities to serve those around us, God will provide. God loves you, and so do I.

- Jared Green preaches the Calvert City Church of Christ in Calvert City, KY.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com

Living Hope

By Jared Green     Hope is a word we use often in our daily vocabulary. We hope that the wait is not too long at the restaurant. We hope the weather does not cancel our plans. We hope our favorite sports team wins this weekend. Hope, when used that way, is simply wishful thinking. While I may hope that the above things happen the way I want them, I have no way of ensuring short wait times, good weather, or a Kentucky Basketball win.     Biblical hope, on the other hand, goes a step beyond wishful thinking. Hope is a word used often in the Bible to talk about our salvation and eternal home. No passage makes that clearer than 1 Peter 1:3-5. Paul teaches that those of us who are in Christ have been “born again to a living hope” (v. 3). This hope is more than wishful thinking. As a matter of fact, to view biblical hope as simply wishful thinking is to discredit the power of our salvation in Christ Jesus. Biblical hope carries the idea of confident assurance that is rooted in the promises of God. According to Paul, we are hoping in “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (v. 4). True hope is the confident assurance that heaven is my ultimate inheritance. As John writes, through Jesus, we can know that we have eternal life (1 John 5:13).     In what, then, is our hope rooted? How are we able to move from wishful thinking to confident assurance? The answer is found in the whole of Paul’s teaching: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3-5).     Through God’s mercy and our faith in Jesus, we have been born again to a living hope. A hope that is rooted in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In his resurrection, Jesus defeated the power of sin and death. In his resurrection, Jesus made possible freedom from the bondage of sin for all those who, through faith, receive God's rich mercy. Those of us who have been born again—that is, through baptism (John 3:5; Romans 6:3-4)—should be confident that Jesus has secured our heavenly home through the power of his resurrection from the dead. May we never hope for our salvation the same way we hope for warm weather. For our hope is confident assurance, rooted in God’s promises, and secured by the power of the resurrection. God loves you, and so do I.

- Jared Green preaches the Calvert City Church of Christ in Calvert City, KY.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com

The Christian's Commitment

By Jared Green
    As New Testament Christians, we often pride ourselves in our desire to restore the first century church to the best of our ability. As a result of this mission, we assemble to worship each Lord’s Day. In our worship, we sing without instrumental accompaniment. We partake of the Lord’s Supper each week. We are led spiritually by a plurality of elders. We do these things (along with many more) because Scripture shows they were done in congregations established by the apostles in the first century. Personally, I am thankful for our desire to have such a Christ-focused church.    While this mission often focuses on corporate aspects, it is also important for us to mirror early Christianity on an individual level. In Acts 2, Luke provides us with insight into what daily Christianity looked like for the first 3,000 Christians. As we continually work to restore the first century church, it is my belief that we should put just as much emphasis on the individual’s role in the body as we do worship, for example. What, then, do the first Christians teach us about the Christian life?    They committed themselves to learning God’s Word. We are told that “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42a). Being freshly converted from Judaism, these men and women understood the necessity of growing their new faith in Christ. As a result of their commitment, they were in awe of what was being said and done by the apostles (v. 43). May we never lose the desire to grow and be awed by the beauty of God’s Word, no matter how long we have been studying it.    They committed themselves to unity. Along with their devotion to study, they also devoted themselves to “the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers” (v. 42b). “And all who believed were together and had all things in common” (v. 44). They were constantly gathered in some fashion, eating together, praising God, and having favor with all the people (vv. 46-47). May we always understand God’s call for unity and the need to be in consistent fellowship with one another.    They committed themselves to sacrificial giving. Luke says, “And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need” (v. 45). While this was, in part, because some of these new Christians were far from home, having recently traveled to Jerusalem for Pentecost, the principle remains vitally important. As stewards of God’s blessings, we are called to give generously to bless those around us.    With this commitment to a new way of selfless, familial living, the results became obvious. We are told that “the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (v. 47b). The gospel of Jesus was being taught, both by word and example, and many souls were saved as a result. May we live with the same vigor and commitment to the gospel today. God loves you, and so do I.

- Jared Green preaches the Calvert City Church of Christ in Calvert City, KY.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com

A Fresh Start

By Jared Green     With each new year comes the opportunity to better ourselves. Many people are just a few days into their New Year’s resolutions. That may mean eating healthier, exercising more, spending more time with family and less time at work, or studying the Bible more. New beginnings are exciting, but for many, the resolutions—and the excitement that goes with them—will not last beyond January. I believe it is fair to say that finding a resolution that is sustainable is just as important as the resolution itself.     Spiritually speaking, Paul talks in detail in Colossians 2 about the beauty of the fresh start that we find in Christ Jesus. Speaking of the death and resurrection experienced upon our baptism, he says, “…having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses” (Colossians 2:12-13).     What a blessing it is to experience death to our old selves and resurrection to new lives in Christ Jesus. You likely remember the feeling of joy and freedom that accompanied your baptism into Christ. There is no greater feeling than a fresh start in Christ! An important consideration we must make, however, is how to sustain that fresh start. The devil undoubtedly works his way back into the lives of newborn Christians as soon as possible. How, then, do we overcome those temptations and remain faithfully committed to Christ?     For some in Paul’s Colossian audience, the answer to that question was sheer, human willpower. Some were attempting to remain faithful by regulating their lives according to the Law of Moses. Others were living ascetic lives, stripping themselves of any joys which could potentially lead to sin. To those Christians, Paul taught, “These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh” (v. 23). So then, if human willpower alone is of no value in stopping sin and remaining faithful, what are we to do?     Paul’s message: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (3:1-3). Christians are called to both new perspectives and new priorities. According to Paul, the way to remain faithful is to begin living my life, spending my time, and focusing my mind on the Lord rather than myself. When I make him the focus of my life, and when I keep my heavenly goal at the forefront of my mind, the things of this world will no longer have the pull they once did. God loves you, and so do I.

- Jared Green preaches the Calvert City Church of Christ in Calvert City, KY.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com

I

Are You Living Up to Your Name ?

By Edd Sterchi
  Nestled in the little New Testament book of Philemon is a wonderful jewel of example and instruction.  First, let’s look at a little background. A Christian in Colossae by the name of Philemon owned a slave that had run away from him. Ending up in Rome, the slave, Onesimus, had become converted to Christ by the great apostle Paul (v.10). Paul wrote to his friend Philemon encouraging him to now take Onesimus back.  And now the jewel. Paul writes to Philemon of Onesimus that he was “once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me” (v.11). The jewel is learned when we understand what the name “Onesimus “means. In the Greek it literally means “profitable” or “useful.” If I may paraphrase Paul, he was saying, “Onesimus is now living up to his name.” Onesimus had become a Christian and was now useful to God and to the church.  Christian, are you living up to your name? The word “Christian” literally means “belongs to Christ.” In everything that you do, every decision you make, every word that you speak, and every place that you are seen, are you living up to that holy name that bears the identity of Christ? Do you show the dark world the light of Christ in your conduct, character, and conversation? The reputation we gain calls attention to the name we profess. Do all know that you belong to Jesus Christ?“• A good name is to be chosen rather than riches” (Pro. 22:1)“• And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus...” (Col. 3:17)• “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” (1 Pet. 4:16)• “Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?” (Jas.2:7) 

- 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/

Heed The Creed

By Edd Sterchi The only creed we need, the only one indeed, is the one Christ decreed. So let us never impede, precede, or exceed where it does lead. And let us feed on the seed for which Christ did bleed. Let us read, heed, and proceed knowing we will succeed.

- 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/

Get the.Word In, Then Live It Out

By Edd Sterchi   In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus tells of the sowing of the seed, which is the word of God. The seed falls on various types of soil, which are people’s hearts. You can read the parable and Jesus’ explanations in Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23; Mark 4:3-9, 13-20; and Luke 8:4-8, 11-15. With the exception of the hard soil, all of the soils received the seed and plants started to grow. But only the good soil produced a crop. Combining all three gospel accounts reveals something interesting concerning what should be done after receiving the seed to insure success: * “he who hears the word and understands it” (Matthew 13:23) * “those who hear the word, accept it” (Mark 4:20) * “having heard the word...keep it” (Luke 8:15)   Thus, if we are to bear fruit for the Lord, then we must not only hear the word, but we must understand it, accept it, and keep it active in our lives. We must read, comprehend, believe, and obey the word of God. It is then we will grow and be productive in God’s vineyard.

- 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/

Join the Psalmist and Sing to the Lord!

By Edd Sterchi
  Are you blessed? Then sing to the LORD! “I will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me” (Psa. 13:6). “Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! For He has done marvelous things” (Psa. 98:1).  Are you saved? Then sing to the LORD! “Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.” (Psa. 95:1). “Sing to the LORD, bless His name; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day” (Psa. 96:2).  Are you thankful? Then sing to the LORD! “I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being...I will be glad in the LORD” (Psa. 104:33-34). “Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving” (Psa. 147:7).
“Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, and His praise in the assembly of saints.” (Psa. 149:1)

- 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/

There's Something Fishy About Jesus!

By Edd Sterchi   No, I have not renounced my belief concerning Jesus. I believe He is what the Bible has revealed about Him. He is God (John 10:30) who came to the earth in the flesh (Rom. 8:23). As God He is eternal (Heb. 13:8) and yet, made Himself subject to temporal limitations and temptations, and never sinned (Heb. 4:15). Thus, He could become our perfect sacrifice, bearing our sins on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24). And we can be saved by contacting His blood through baptism (Rom. 6:3-5) and, after that, have continual contact through faithful living (1 John 1:7).   Having said all of that, I still think there is still something “fishy” about Jesus. Let me tell you what I mean. As early as the second century, Christians developed an acrostic from the Greek word for “fish.” Each letter was the beginning of the words of the phrase, “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior.” It was used to mark meeting places of the church during times of persecution. It also became a symbol of a professed believer of Jesus as the Christ and remains so to this day. Jesus Christ is God’s Son and the Savior of mankind! Have you “caught” Him?

- 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/

A Different Perspective on Evolution

By Jim Faughn      By the time you read this, I will already be a few days into a practice I started a few years ago. I am not really sure about the number of times I’ve read and/or listened to the entire Bible in a year. When I began that again a few days ago, I was, as you might expect, reading the biblical account of creation.o     Coincidentally, a few days earlier I was thumbing through the pages of a Bible that belonged to my late father. He had made a practice of writing notes in the margins of the text of scripture, but he also used just about any space he could find to write some of his thoughts and/or material he had found elsewhere. Along with all of those handwritten notes, he had even paperclipped some notes he had found to a page in the back of his Bible. What follows below was on one of those paperclipped notes.      I’ve done a little research and found that what you are about to read was originally written “sometime around 1923.” Since my father would have been eleven years old then, I’m fairly certain that he was not the original author. Due to the fact that I found it in his Bible, though, l think that he at least deserves credit for that. I’ve found that there are some minor changes in various versions of the poem, but, to me, what is reproduced below is the “official version” because of where I found it.     I think that you might agree with me that what you are about to read is a different perspective on evolution. Not only that, but it is for me some real food for thought.  THE MONKEY’S VIEWPOINT Two monkeys sat in a coconut tree Discussing things as they’re said to be. Said one to the other, “Now, listen you; There’s a certain rumor that can’t be true. That man descended from our noble race. That very idea – that’s a real disgrace. No monkey  ever deserted his wife, Starved her babies, or ruined her life. And you’ve never known a mother monk To leave her babies with others to bunk Or pass them on from one to another ‘Til they hardly know who is their mother. And another thing you’ll ever see A monkey build his house around a coconut tree And let the coconuts go to waste Forbidding all other monks to taste. Why, if I built a fence around this tree, Starvation would force you to steel from me. Another thing a monkey won’t do Is go out at night and get on a stew And use a gun, or club, or knife To take another monkey’s life. Yes, man descended – the ornery cuss, But, brother, he didn’t descend from us!!!”

- Jim Faughn serves as and elder for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY. Be sure to visit the following for more great articles: Faughn Family blog, A Legacy of Faith

As You Consider Those

By Jim Faughn
    Some of you may have seen the following (or some of it) on Facebook or elsewhere. A woman by the name of Regina Brett published a list of lessons that she said that life has taught her.     I have seen various numbers of items on her list. Her website lists fifty. I’ve chosen to “edit it down” to forty. I think those forty are more than enough food for thought as we approach a new year.     That – by the way – is all that this list is intended to be – food for thought. These are not scripture. They are not even all equal in value in my opinion. I am merely sharing these “life lessons” as many of us may be thinking about some changes, goals, hopes, etc. for a new year.1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.4. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.5. Pay off your credit cards every month.6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.8. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.9. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.10. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.11. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.12. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.13. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.14. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.15. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.16. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.17. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.18. Overprepare, then go with the flow.19. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.20. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.21. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”22. Always choose life.23. What other people think of you is none of your business.24. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.25. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.26. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.27. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.28. Growing old beats the alternative – dying young.29. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.30. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.31. Get outside every day. 32. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.33. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.34. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.35. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.36. The best is yet to come.37. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.38. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.39. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.40. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

- Jim Faughn serves as and elder for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY. Be sure to visit the following for more great articles: Faughn Family blog, A Legacy of Faith.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.centralchurchofchrist.org

The Big Three (or One)

By Jim Faughn     The shelves of bookstores and libraries are full of the latest ideas, tips, methods, techniques, etc. which are designed to help people succeed in their chosen professions. Courses, gadgets, gizmos, seminars, websites, podcasts, and workshops are numerous that ostensibly help people to find a job/career and “move up the ladder” quickly in the workforce. “Life coaches” are more than willing (for a fee) to help prospective employees and/or current employees who want to make a name for himself or herself in the corporate world. Advice and instruction is provided on all sorts of subjects and comes in a variety of forms.     Have you ever wondered what a real expert has to say about all of this? Wouldn’t it be helpful to listen to somebody who is, himself, very successful in the business and economic world and who has hired, evaluated, and “terminated” a lot of people?     I’m reasonably sure that most who read this will agree that Warren Buffett fits that description. If we don’t know anything else about him, we probably have heard that he is very rich. According to what I read recently, his assets amount to $147 billion. That makes him the eighth richest person in the entire world.      While he had already found ways to make money prior to graduating from college, I guess that it could be said that his actual career did not begin until after his graduation from college in 1951. At age ninety-four, he is still actively involved and “in tune” with current events, investment philosophies, business and societal trends, etc.     I typed all of that in order to say that Mr. Buffett has more than adequate credentials to offer advice about what “really works” in the business world. That is especially true as it relates to the kind of people who make an organization successful.     I will close this short post with one of his quotes without making any comments of my own except to suggest that it might be helpful to listen to some old people with what seem to be old-fashioned ideas. Here is Mr. Buffet’s quote: “Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if you don’t have the first, the other two will kill you. You think about it, it’s true. If you hire somebody without [integrity], you really want them to be dumb and lazy.”

- Jim Faughn, a retired preacher, serves as an elder for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.centralchurchofchrist.org

Ego

By Jim Faughn     Since most of us are not psychiatrists, psychoanalysts, counselors, etc. we may not know (or maybe even understand) all of the technical definitions for the word “ego.” At the same time, like a lot of other things, we kind of know it when we see it – at least as the word is used in normal conversations.     When we are talking about a person whom we would describe as having a big ego, we usually have in mind a person who has a very high opinion of himself or herself. His or her demeanor, speech, etc. “gives them away.”      Since this is a busy time of the year, I thought that I would take very little of your time to share with you some information that might be helpful in your understanding of “ego.” It might even serve as a tool for self-examination.      That might be especially helpful for those who follow the One who practiced and preached humility. It should go without saying that pride and humility mix about as well as oil and water or fire and ice for somebody who claims to follow Jesus.     So – what is the information and tool for self-examination? The idea is to use the letters in “ego” as an acronym.      Here you go: EGO = Edging God Out

- Jim Faughn serves as and elder for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY. Be sure to visit the following for more great articles: Faughn Family blog, A Legacy of Faith.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.centralchurchofchrist.org

"We Have A Law"

By Jim Faughn
    During the time devoted to the Lord’s supper during our worship service each week, I have made it a practice to read something that keeps my mind focused on the unjust trials and the crucifixion of Jesus. Sometimes the material that I read is from a book of devotional thoughts I have downloaded on my iPad. Those thoughts are focused on those events. Most of the time, though, I am reading about those events from one of the gospel accounts.     Recently, as I was reading from the Gospel of John, some words caught my attention. I had read them many times before, but they made more of an impact this time than they had previously.    The material I was reading was from the nineteenth chapter of John. You may remember that Pilate informed the Jewish leaders about the fact that he could find “no fault/guilt” in Jesus and told the Jewish leaders to crucify Jesus (v. 6).    It was at this point that…The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law,he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” (John 19:7)As I read those words recently, I thought of an application that I’d never thought of before. If my understanding of any scripture (or law) and/or any interpretation of the same keeps me from seeing Jesus, that understanding needs to be reexamined and either corrected or rejected.    It is interesting that, in another discussion with Jewish leaders, Jesus said…
You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. (John 5:39-40)It seems to be fashionable today for people to concentrate on the person/personality of Jesus and have little regard for the text of Scripture. The rebuttal to that approach, at least in my view, is not to exalt the written word over the One who is identified as “the Word” (John 1:1). Instead, we would be better advised to remember that Peter told Jesus, “…You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).    It might also be helpful to remember that this same apostle, John, was inspired to write these words later in his account of the gospel:Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples , which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)    We need to make sure we do not divorce the text of the Bible from Jesus. To err in either direction is a serious mistake.

- Jim Faughn serves as and elder for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY. Be sure to visit the following for more great articles: Faughn Family blog, A Legacy of Faith.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.centralchurchofchrist.org