Sunday, June 8, 2025

God: His Sovereignty



By Andrew Beasley


    I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the Land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods beside me (Ex. 20:3). In laying out the ten commandments, God begins by declaring His sovereignty over the Hebrew people. Not only does He tell them that He is their God, but He reminds them of why they should view Him as their sovereign Lord. He had brought them out of Egypt and slavery, had set them free and was leading them to the promised land. 

    Yet we know that God is not just the God of the Hebrew people, but of all humanity. While He did not lead you and I out of Egypt,  He has certainly set us free from the chains and bondage of sin that previously had ruled our lives. In a similar fashion there is a promised land waiting for us today. While it is not a physical plot of land in the way that Canaan was for the Israelites it is prepared for us and waiting for our arrival. 

    He is Lord of creation and Lord of my life, Lord of the land and the sea. And we bow down and worship Him as our Sovereign God, because He has set us free. 


 
- 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/

This World Is Not My Home



By Andrew Beasley

    Any time I travel, and I am blessed to do so as a minister, it always shocks me how much I miss the normalcy of being at home. There is something to be said about being in your own space and sleeping in your own bed. Some have said, after a lengthy vacation, that they need a vacation to recover from their vacation. The understanding in that sentiment is that being away from home, and away from our natural environment, wears on us.

    It seems to me that this is the reason that the Apostle Paul said he saw his own death as a gain (Phil. 1:21). He understood that while he was on earth he had a purpose, which is why he says in the first half of that first that to live is Christ. There was work to be done, but Paul was aware of one unifying truth and it’s one that we sing about today. This world is not our home, we’re just passing through. Christ has gone to make ready for us the home where we will rest eternally (John 14:2ff).

    This truth also helps us to understand why living below in this old sinful world wears on us so heavily. This is not the place meant to be our own space, and our resting place. Heaven is where our treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue.


 
- 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/

Christian Stewardship



By Andrew Beasley

    When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed. When you are discouraged thinking all is lost. Count your many blessings. The truth is that God has blessed us exceedingly abundantly beyond anything and anyone else. His love is immeasurable, His faithfulness is unending and His patience is everlasting. The hymn count your blessings is a hymn of encouragement and admonition, helping us to remember that even when the world is against us that God is faithful and continues to provide. Another hymn professes Him to be our strength and our shield. Yet everything that God provides us with is meant to be shared.

    That is where the idea of Christian Stewardship comes into play. Don’t just count your blessings, but make sure to do what God would have you do with everything He has given you. Mankind was given stewardship in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:15). Adam was responsible for caring for the living place that God had provided. In the same light, when God gives us something we are meant to treat it with respect, reverence and appreciation. Even more, we should be looking for the way to share God’s blessings with others.


 
- 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/


Much Ado About (Next to) Nothing



By Dale J. Babinsky


    I remember reading a story about the “God particle” that scientists and evolutionists are eagerly anticipating will help them to understand the origin of the universe. This also was part of the preface to a book by famed physicist Stephen Hawking. He warns that the experiments in particle collision to try to ‘recreate’ the God particle could lead to a cataclysmic catastrophe that we would never see coming. Hawking warns that a vacuum caused by the particle could lead to a sudden collapse of time and space.

    Not to worry, though, as additional scientists point out that the collider to cause this catastrophe would have to be larger than the earth. In the “current economic climate” this is seen as something that would be impossible to construct. Really?! One wonders where they would build this experiment that would have to be larger than the earth (anyone have a few acres they could contribute?).

    The idea of the “God particle” was first conceived by British scientist Peter Higgs in the 1960’s and was ‘discovered’ in 2012. Scientists believe that this particle creates an invisible energy field that causes small particles to gain mass and shape as they pass through the field. Let’s break that down. What they are looking for is a force that would cause small particles from the Big Bang to grow in mass (size) and that would shape them into planets, stars, comets, asteroids, etc. Um, have you heard of God?

    What most people will fail to realize is that this does not explain the origin of the universe. Where did the small particles come from? Where did the initial energy and material come from to create the Big Bang? Evolutionary ‘scientists’ can kick the can down the road as far as they like, but they still cannot answer these fundamental questions about the origin of the universe and all that is in it. True scientific laws of nature show that matter could not have been created out of nothing, without some sort of supernatural direction. Therefore, they are arguing against science.

    In the news article the statement was made that this “God particle” had been confirmed by recent scientific discovery, but then there is a statement that scientists do not fully understand it all yet. So, which is it? Have they really discovered something? How can they claim to have discovered something that gives them understanding, and then turn around and say that they still don’t understand it? Their argument would seem to beg the question.

     As for the potential destruction of the planet by the “God particle,” the question would be who is it that holds the future of the universe in their hands? Is it the population of a small, seemingly insignificant planet when compared to the vastness of the universe, or an all-knowing, all-powerful God, who created it all (Gen. 1:1; Psalm 19:1; Heb. 1:3)? God has said, “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease” (Gen. 8:22 NKJV). It is God who is in control. It is God who has made all that is seen and unseen. It is God who will decide when the end will come (Mat. 24:36).


 
- Dale J. Babinsky preaches for the Great Smoky Mountains Church of Christ in Pigeon Forge, TN. He may be contacted through the congregation's website - https://gsmchurchofchrist.com/

Mercy Triumphant



By Dale J. Babinsky


    In the Book of James, we are told that "Mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:13). This is a profound statement that contains the essence of Christian teaching. This verse reminds believers of the importance of showing mercy to others, as it reflects God's own merciful nature, which is evident in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:7). It is the merciful who will receive God’s mercy. In the context of James 2, verse 13 emphasizes the dangers of favoritism and the call to love one's neighbor as oneself.

    The verse also warns that judgment without mercy will be shown to those who have not been merciful. It serves as a call to action, urging us to have compassion and a forgiving attitude in our interactions. Mercy, in this sense, is not just an act of kindness but a reflection of God’s divine grace that overcomes the harshness of judgment.

    In a world that is often quick to judge (especially regarding politics), this verse challenges us to prioritize understanding and empathy. It encourages a shift from a mindset of condemnation to one of reconciliation and peace. By practicing mercy, we align ourselves with God's will and make this world a little bit better.

    We absolutely must teach people the truth of God’s word, but let us do so in a manner of love and mercy that is becoming the child of God. After all, what will we want on Judgment Day: justice or mercy?


 
- Dale J. Babinsky preaches for the Great Smoky Mountains Church of Christ in Pigeon Forge, TN. He may be contacted through the congregation's website - https://gsmchurchofchrist.com/

Shoot The Messenger



By Dale J. Babinsky


    How do we react when we are given bad news? Do we want to take it out on the one who is bringing us the report? Many times, those who bring bad news are ostracized because of the message they carry. Many times in the Old Testament, we see that this was the case with Israel and the prophets.

    One such case occurs in 1 Kings 18 when Elijah comes looking for Ahab, the king of Israel, after having hid from him for three years at God’s direction. Ahab had been looking high and low for Elijah because of the drought in the land (Elijah had told Ahab that it would not rain again for several years 1 Kings 17:1). When Ahab’s servant Obadiah comes into contact with Elijah, he is afraid to go back and tell Ahab that Elijah is here, for fear that Elijah will be called away and Ahab will kill him (1 Kings 18:9, 12, 14). Obadiah fears that Ahab will shoot the messenger.

    Once Ahab finally sees Elijah, he greets him by saying “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” (1 Kings 18:17 NKJV). Ahab is not happy to see Elijah. Later Ahab will complain to Jehoshaphat  with regards to Macaiah saying, “I hate him, because he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil” (2 Chronicles 18:7). Ahab was not thrilled with any of the prophets, because they did not hesitate to tell him that what he was doing was wrong. Ahab had a tendency to shoot the messenger when it came to these men of God bringing him the word of the Lord.

    How is it today? Are people willing to hear the word of God with an open heart, or are they only concerned with shooting the messenger because they don’t like the message? We as Christians have a duty to spread the Good News about the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and the hope of eternal life that comes from that blessed event (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16). There is a need for us to tell the truth of God’s word just as there was in the time of Ahab. We should be like Elijah and Macaiah and speak for God, even if others wish to shoot the messenger.


 
- Dale J. Babinsky preaches for the Great Smoky Mountains Church of Christ in Pigeon Forge, TN. He may be contacted through the congregation's website - https://gsmchurchofchrist.com/

The Bread of Life



By Dale J. Babinsky


    While teaching the disciples about the Bread of Life, many of the followers of Christ turned away from Him. Indeed, John 6:66 is a thought-provoking verse in the Bible which reads: "From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him." This passage occurs after Jesus delivers a challenging teaching about the importance of His word. In this, He emphasized the importance of fully committing to Him and His mission. Many clearly did not understand.

    This verse is significant because it marks a turning point in Jesus's ministry. It highlights the cost of discipleship and the challenge of accepting teachings that are difficult to understand or embrace. Some followers found Jesus's words too confusing or hard to accept, and they chose to walk away rather than ask for an explanation and seek after the truth. However, this moment also sets the stage for the steadfast faith of the remaining disciples, showcasing the contrast between those who are willing to persevere through difficulty and those who are not.

    From a spiritual perspective, this verse serves as a reminder of the importance of faith and trust in moments of doubt or confusion. It invites reflection on the question: How do we respond when faced with teachings or challenges that test our commitment to our beliefs? Let us be like Peter in this moment, as he responded that Jesus was the only one who has the words of life (John 6:68). Let us feast on that spiritual bread.


 
- Dale J. Babinsky preaches for the Great Smoky Mountains Church of Christ in Pigeon Forge, TN. He may be contacted through the congregation's website - https://gsmchurchofchrist.com/