The Fear Factor

By Bill Brandstatter

    We are all afraid of something. Some are afraid of snakes. Others are afraid of spiders. The Greek word is phobia. We know about claustrophobia and hydrophobia. Have you ever heard of phobia phobia? It is the fear of being afraid. Many today have this. As we look at our nation and the lives and deaths of neighbors, friends and family, fear seems to be part of our lives on a regular basis. There were Bible characters that may have been afraid. Being afraid is not the problem. The problem comes when we let fear control our lives and consume our thoughts and actions.

    “God did not give us the Spirit of fear” (2 Tim. 1:7). Perhaps the young preacher Timothy had some fears as he ministered in the city of Ephesus. I can identify with some fears young preachers might have. As an older preacher, I still have some. In the text above Paul mentions love and a sound mind. This simply means God wants us to think correctly. Fear often warps and changes our thinking.

    God wants us to fear but not be fearful. There is a right and healthy fear. Solomon wrote: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccl. 12:13,14). The fear of God includes reverence and respect. It also includes the justice of God upon those who disobey (Matt. 10:28). We should have fear of evil and what it can do to us if we are overtaken by it.

    God wants us to not be afraid of other people. The writer of Hebrews states, “So we may boldly say: ‘The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” (Heb. 11:6). Do we fear men? Sometimes we may fear those in positions of high authority. We might fear a boss, a governor, or a president. We might fear someone who is aggressive and threatening. The Bible says not to fear them.

    God wants us to place our trust in Him. We need to pray to Him and He will take care of us (Phil. 4:6). We need not be fearful but faithful.

- Bill Brandstatter preaches for the Marion Church of Christ in Marion, IL. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://marionchurchofchrist.com/

Miraculous Book-Ends

By Ron Thomas

"We must do the works of Him that sent me" (John 9:3-4).

    I am not sure if other Bible students noticed this, but if you look at John 9:3-4, you will see “book-ends” to the miraculous or the days of miracles.

    In John 9:4, rather than beginning the verse with “I”, most modern translations read “we.” Who is the “we”? This refers to Jesus and His apostles. “We must work the works of Him that sent me while it is day.”

    The works that He is speaking about is not general good works that people do, but the miraculous signs He had been doing up to this point, including the one that He was about to do. The words “day” and “night” refers to “when one is alive” and then “when one has died.”

    While it is “day”, Jesus said, “we” (Jesus and apostles) must do those things that were being done, pointing people to Jesus as the Lord’s anointed, Christ, messiah.

    If the works are the miraculous signs done by Jesus (and His apostles), the night comes when no one can do these any longer because they will have ceased to be operative (Jesus, His apostles, and a select few having the capability to bring about these miraculous signs). This has to be the correct interpretation because if the “we” can refer to others (more than Jesus and His apostles), then others (even 21st century Christians) can do what He did, which is not possible based on 1 Corinthians 13:10.

- Ron Thomas preacher for the Sunrush Church of Christ, Chillicothe, OH. He may be contacted through the congregation's website. www.sunrushchurchofchrist.org

Are You Willing To Pay The Price?

By Al Behel

 

    Following a concert a lady approached the great pianist, Padereswski, and said, “I would give my life to play like that.” Paderewski answered, “I did.”

    On an average, it takes 50,000 hours to make a concert pianist. That’s 19 years, 113 days, at 8 hours a day. Some are willing to pay the price; others are not. In other words, one must give his or her life to be a great pianist.

    I can’t help wondering what it takes to become a real disciple of Jesus. Our religious world makes it easy. No major sacrifice of time or energy. No serious study of Scripture. No exercising of one’s mental and spiritual muscles to achieve maturity in Christ. Just sign up and attend a few church services and give a little money. That’s all that is required.

    Is that really true? Is discipleship easy? When I read the words of Jesus there seems to be a lot more involved. He speaks of denying oneself and taking up a cross to follow Him. He speaks of persecution and suffering, of selling all that we have. He says we must seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness. He even goes so far as to say we must love others the way He loves

us. He offers no salvation without baptism and a cross (Matthew 28:18-20). A cross is a place to die. Are you willing to pay the price?

    Discipling others requires much time and effort, too. Some active personal evangelism leaders have estimated that it may take more than 50 hours to lead an interested individual to become a true follower of Christ. Are you willing to make yourself an instrument through whom the Lord can reach the hearts of those around you. Are you willing to pay the price?

    He said, “No one comes to the Father but by me.” There is no other way, no other option. He is the only way, and truth, and life (John 16:6) And there is salvation in no other name (Acts 4:12). Are you willing to pay the price of being His disciple?

- Al Behel preaches for the Great Smoky Mountains Church of Christ in Pigeon Forge, TN. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://greatsmokymountainschurchofchrist.com/

Love Endures

By Clifton Angel

 

    According to Joseph Stowell, “The Greeks had a race in their Olympic games that was unique. The winner was not the runner who finished first. It was the runner who finished with his torch still lit” (Fan the Flame, 32). Such an accomplishment would require more time, greater tact, and different talent.

    This runner would have to have endurance. Christians also are running a race of endurance: 

    Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset  us,  and  let  us  run  with  patience  the  race  that  is  set  before  us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1–2).

    Paul tells us via his letter to the Corinthian church that love “endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7). The word Paul used to speak of the endurance of godly love is the same word used to describe Jesus’ endurance of the cross (Hebrews 12:2) and the Christian’s endurance in the faithful race (Hebrews 12:1).  Therefore, we may conclude that a person who loves like Christ (which is this love of which we speak) can endure like Christ. No matter the persecution, the tribulation, the temptation, or the situation, we can endure it if we have this kind of love. When the one you thought was a friend does something unfriendly, endure. When the love of your life ruins your night, endure.  When your co-workers don’t work and rather complain, endure. When the nation crashes down town by town, … endure. When your faith brings strife and even requires your life, endure. That’s love. I will conclude with words shared by a friend:

• Pressed out of measure and pressed to all length,
• Pressed so intensely it seems beyond strength. 
• Pressed in the body and pressed in the soul. 
• Pressed in the mind until the dark surges roll.
• Pressed by foes and pressed by friends, 
• Pressure upon pressure till life nearly ends. 
• Pressed into loving the staff and the rod. 
• Pressed into knowing no helper but God. 
• Pressed into liberty where nothing clings. 
• Pressed into faith for impossible things. 
• Pressed into living a life in the Lord. 
• Pressed until a Christ-like life is outpoured.

- 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/

The Best Things in Life Are Not Things

By Ron Adams

 

And He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”

Luke 12:15

 

Things are items to be possessed and used. All of which will be left behind when life is over. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.

1 Timothy 6:7

 

What really is important in life? Relationships!

FRIENDS AND FAMILY

who share our interests, aims and woes.

Oil and perfume make the heart glad, So a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.

Proverbs 27:9

A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 17:17

 

BRETHREN

who share a common faith, calling and hope.

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!

Psalms 133:1

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.

Romans 12:10

Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

2 Corinthians 13:11

 

LORD JESUS

who we serve in this life in order to be with Him hereafter.

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

Colossians 3:23-24

~~~~~~~

Remember: all relationships require maintenance on our part. Effort must be expended to sustain them: be friendly, love the brethren, serve the Lord.

Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

2 Peter 1:10-12

- Ron Adams publishes F.Y.C., a monthly publication. 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. © 2021

“Smallest Church on Earth”

By Adam Faughn

 

    That was the way a local news report from the state of Alabama promoted a fairly interesting story. A man from near the community of Semmes, Alabama constructed a church building--complete with a steeple--that measures just 4 feet wide, 5 feet deep, and 19 feet tall (including the steeple). He built the tiny chapel on his farm and said that several couples enjoy having weddings on his farm and look forward to taking some of their wedding pictures in or around the small structure.

    I do not think I would want to be one to try it out, but he claims it can "comfortably" accommodate three people. The reason he built this very odd structure is that he has a lifelong dream of holding a world record, and he hopes to get this building certified as the record-holder for the smallest church of all time.

    As a person with long legs, sitting in a building that small does not appeal to me. Besides the "comfort factor," though, the story itself had my mind thinking about the church itself. Certainly, I am not thinking of the building since the church is not a brick-and-mortar structure, but about the people, since they comprise this wonderful institution.

    We often speak of the need to evangelize. To be sure, there are many reasons we should be doing that great work. One reason, simply stated, is that we are commanded to (Mark 16:15-16). Beyond that, however, we should desire to teach others about the saving work of Jesus Christ and about how He came to save each individual.

    When people are saved, Scripture makes it clear that God adds them to the church (Acts 2:47). That being true, should it not be the case that we want the church to grow? Again, that is not saying that we want to build a larger building; it is saying that we want more people to be saved!

    But...do we really want that? And do our actions back up that claim? It is quite easy to become comfortable with things the way they are. It is even easier to be comfortable with only teaching and welcoming people who look more and more like me, instead of being welcoming and encouraging to every person--since every person needs Jesus.

    When I begin to only be welcoming to people like me, though, that "circle" becomes a lot smaller. If I only want to teach and welcome people who I feel comfortable around, that can become a very small circle. In fact, that tiny chapel in Alabama might be large enough!

    Instead, I need to realize that, so long as we are holding fast to Scripture, there will always be personality quirks and differences of opinion, and I must be willing to look past those things and see a soul that needs saving. People will not be saved because they look like me or because they like the same things I like or because we share a common hobby. They will only be saved if I love them enough to take them to the Bible and show them what Jesus says about salvation.

    I pray that I never get to the place where I would be okay with fewer people in the church just because it makes me comfortable. Instead, may we all pray that, despite quirks, personality differences, and times of disagreement, we all desire for every person to be saved so that more people are in the church and, ultimately, in heaven together.

 

"...Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth"

(1 Timothy 2:4)

- 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 Visit the Faughn Family blog, A Legacy of Faith

Overdue

By David A. Sargent

 

    When I first read the title of the article, I thought to myself, “I’d sure hate to pay that fine.” The title of the article is: “Library book returned after 110 years in Idaho.”

    110 years overdue.  How much was the fine?  When the book – the “New Chronicles of Rebecca” by Kate Douglas Wiggin – was last checked out of the public library in 1911, in Boise, Idaho, the fine for overdue books was 2 cents per day.  “With a fine of two cents per day for 110 years, whoever checked out this book would owe $803,” reported Boise’s Carnegie Public Library in a social media announcement.  The report continued: “Thank goodness the Boise Public Libraries are now fine free!”

    The book by Wiggin was a sequel to her first fictional novel “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.”  Both books were published in the early 20th century (1903 and 1907) and followed the life of Rebecca Rowena Randall, who grows up in rural Maine.

    The person who returned the book has not yet identified himself or herself.  But the library is overjoyed to have received the old book. *

    Our sins put us in debt to God (cf. Matthew 6:12).  The “fine” (penalty) for our sins is overdue: “for the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

    Our “fine” cannot just be dismissed.  The penalty must be paid; justice demands it.

    God loves us and desires to save us.  But the “fine” must be paid.  None of us has the resources to pay the fine for our sins.  So, God paid the fine for us.  That is grace – glorious grace.

    “For He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we [you and me] might become the righteousness of God in Him.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21

            “He paid a debt He did not owe

            I owed a debt I could not pay

            I needed someone to wash my sins away;

            And now I sing a brand new song, “Amazing Grace”

            Christ Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay.”

    God will pay the debt of sin 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).  The blood that Jesus shed for our sins will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

    My sin has incurred an incredible debt before God.  I can’t afford to pay it.  Thank God, I don’t have to.  Jesus paid the debt for my sin with His own blood.  He will pay yours, too, if you will only submit your life to Him.

    Won’t YOU?

- 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