10 Reasons not to be a Christian

10 Reasons not to be a Christian

10. "A lot of Christians are hypocrites." - This is a true statement. Many Christians are hypocrites. This should not be too surprising, because there are bad apples in every basket. The standard to which God calls us should not be judged by a few bad apples. Besides, would you rather spend a few years, putting up with a few hypocrites in church, or spend eternity with all of them in hell? (Matthew 13:24-43)

9. "I am not good enough." - When one becomes a Christian, it is not because he, or she is good. In fact, we become Christians because we recognize that we are not good. We are sinners. The redemption of the Christian is based on grace and faith, not one's own righteousness (Romans 3:21-28). If it was based on righteousness, nobody would be a Christian, much less be saved (Romans 3:23; James 2:10-11).

8. "I do not know enough." - Do you believe there is a God? Do you believe that Jesus is His Son, who died on the cross to save us from our sins, and was resurrected to give us hope? Are you willing to accept Him as your Lord and Savior, to follow Him wherever He leads you? His commands are simple: After hearing the gospel, you must believe, repent from your sins, confess Him, and be immersed in water into His body (Romans 10:8-18; Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:26-27). The rest will come with time and diligence (I Peter 5:10; Hebrews 5:12-14). Trust Him.

7. "It is too hard." - Being a Christian is hard work. Before one becomes a Christian they should count the cost, and commit themselves to Christ, whatever the cost (Luke 9:57-62; 14:26-35). However, you should know that choosing not to be a Christian will produce a life that is even harder (Matthew 11:28-30). To help us, God has provided spiritual tools that enable us to grow as a Christian and overcome this life (II Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 6:10-18). These tools are only available to Christians (Ephesians 1:3). If we run away from the difficulties of being a Christian, we will run straight into a trapped life of ruin and misery, which will bring insurmountable and eternal difficulties.

6. "I am too wicked. God could not forgive me." - What have you done? Have you persecuted Christians? Forcing them to blaspheme their own Savior through slow and painful torture? Have you persecuted them to the point of death? If God can accept Saul, the persecutor of Jesus and Christians (I Timothy 1:13-16; Acts 8:1-3; 9:1-22), and if He can forgive those who crucified His own Son (Luke 23:33-34; Acts 2:36-47), then will He not readily accept you (Luke 15:1-32)? Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, including yours (I John 2:2; I Timothy 2:5-6).

5. "But, that means my family is going to hell!" - Once someone realizes the truth of his condemned state, it does not take long before he considers the fate of his loved ones. This realization often produces much worry and heartache. Such a person may allow this concern to overpower his desire to save himself. However, denying the truth will not change their true state before God (I Corinthians 4:1-5). The only real hope of saving your loved ones is to first become a Christian, and then you can reach out to them with the gospel. Ignoring the judgment to come does not make it go away. Turning a blind eye only makes condemnation inevitable (Romans 11:7-10).

4. "God is merciful. He would not condemn me." - God truly is merciful. He does not want any to be lost (II Peter 3:9). That is why He gave His Son to be sacrificed upon the cross, thereby giving us an opportunity to be saved (John 3:16). However, the Lord is also just, and He will one day return unexpectedly, as a "thief in the night" (I Thessalonians 5:1-3). Then the door of opportunity will be closed, and only those who are prepared will be saved (Matthew 25:1-13). At that time, He will be "revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." (II Thessalonians 1:7-8). This is God’s promise and warning. Will you ignore the warning?

3. "I am a good, moral person. God would not condemn me." - On that last great day, there will be many surprised people, whom we might would consider good, moral people. Many might have even acknowledged Him as Lord (Matthew 7:21). Some might have gone so far as to have performed many great works in His name (Matthew 7:22). However, if they have not obeyed and performed according to the Lord’s command, then Jesus will not recognize them, and they will be eternally condemned (Luke 13:23-27; Matthew 7:21-23). Are you obeying the Lord’s command (Mark 16:15-16)?

2. "I'm not ready yet. Maybe tomorrow?" - Some people want to finish sowing their wild oats. Once they have had their full of sin and its pleasures, then they plan to offer their ragged life to God, just before they expire. Such people underestimate God. He will not be tricked, or mocked (Galatians 6:7-8). You will reap what you sow. In reality, the race is not to become a Christian before you die, but to repent before your heart becomes hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, unable to hear the word and repent (Hebrews 3:13; Luke 8:4-15).

1. Me, myself, and I - Few, if any, would readily admit this is the reason for delaying their conversion. However, at some point, all of the nine above reasons cease to be barriers, and they become excuses, masking their own selfish, stubborn rebellion as the true reason (Romans 1:18-32). However, such people will one day find themselves surrounded by all the selfish beings that ever lived, angels and people (Matthew 25:41-46). How effectively will you be able to serve yourself and find happiness in that realm of eternal evil, darkness, and suffering, where nothing good dwells?

Conclusion

If you are delaying becoming a Christian, then please answer the question, "Why?" What stands in your way between you and the Lord? Why will you not do what you know to be right? How do you know this is not your last chance before you either die or your conscience becomes so hardened that it can no longer be pricked by the truth? If something still stands in your way, please talk to me, or any Christian, about it. There is nothing worth losing your one and only eternal soul (Mark 8:34-38)!

Trevor Bowen

Glorifying God in the Good or Bad

Glorifying God in the Good or Bad

Nick Foles, the Jacksonville Jaguar quarterback, returned to the starting lineup two weeks ago, after being sidelined since he injured his shoulder in the opening week of the season.

It’s been a tough season for Foles who won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles and signed a four-year contract with the Jags in May.

When asked about dealing with the injury Foles said that it has made him a better person. Taught him to have joy even during a difficult situation. And helped him grow in his faith.

Foles said he told God, “If this is the journey you want me to go on, I’m going to glorify you in every action, good or bad.”

Known as an outspoken believer in Jesus, the quarterback referred to his Super Bowl win when he hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, “In that moment I realized I didn’t need that trophy to define who I was because it was already in Christ.”

I don’t know Nick Foles’ religious affiliation, but I know he’s right about two things: (1) We can glorify God even in tough times; and (2) Our achievements, awards, and accolades don’t define who we are. The Christian’s identity is in Christ.

In Psalm 50, Jehovah, speaking through Asaph declared, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”Normally we don’t think about glorifying God during our difficulties. We give glory to God for our blessings. Our successes. Our material abundance. Our spiritual victories.

Yet, the Bible is filled with commands and examples reminding us that life is not a beautiful bouquet of roses without the thorns. We all experience trials, troubles, and tribulations.

When Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned for preaching Christ, they sang, prayed and gloried God. Not softly or faintly, but loudly enough the other prisoners heard them (Acts 16:25).

While suffering his “thorn in the flesh,” Paul prayed to God three times for its removal. God’s answer? “My grace is sufficient for you.” The thorn remained. But Paul didn’t pout. Rather he glorified God and responded with faith, hope and courageous determination.

“I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

When Paul was confined to a Roman prison, he wrote the Philippian letter and spoke of the “joy of faith.” He viewed his imprisonment as an opportunity to “preach Christ,” as the gospel message spread even to the Emperor’s palace. His motto and message was “rejoice in the Lord.”

James reminds us that even when “we face trials of various kinds” that we can “count it all joy” (Jas 1:3). The experience he affirms makes us better. Stronger. More complete in Christ.

It’s well to be reminded in an era of unparalleled prosperity that we don’t thank and glorify God just because of what He’s given us. But because of who HE IS.

The Psalmist affirmed, “I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore” (Ps 86:12).

When? It good times and tough times. In sickness and in health. In joy and in sorrow. In abundance and in scarcity. And in triumph and in defeat.

Why? Because God is worthy to be praised. He is our Creator. All-knowing. All-wise. Ever present. And He will provide. In His time.

I’m reminded of the words of the poet and songwriter, Annie Flint Johnson, who experienced many sorrows in life, yet was strong and faithful.

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added afflictions, He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

To God be the glory. In good times or bad.

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

Praying “According to His Will”

Praying “According to His Will”

I Peter 3:12 teaches us that “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers.”  This reminds us of James 5:16, which says that the fervent prayers of the righteous accomplish much.  So, what about all those people who pray for a new car and never get one?  What about all those people who pray for a dream job and never seem to land it?  What about all those who pray for the healing of a loved one who still passes away?

We often feel like there is a certain mystery about prayer and how/if God answers those prayers.  Sometimes we wonder if an event or circumstances was indeed an answered prayer (or was it the Devil making us think our prayer was answered?).  Sometimes we begin to question what God is doing when He doesn’t seem to answer our prayers how we think they ought to be answered, we wonder if He is even listening or, worse, we may begin to question if He even exists to answer prayer.

I John 5:14,15 is an excellent commentary on the two verses above.  It says, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” (I John 5:14,15).  According to His will.  There is the key to understanding how to pray to God, the kind of heart we ought to have, and whether or not prayers are answered.  We must learn to pray according to His will.So, in order to understand how to pray according to His will, and therefore know that He will grant us whatever we ask, we need to learn exactly what His will is.  The challenge we have in this regard is understanding that the expressed will of God does not involve worldly, material matters.  When we ask, “is it God’s will for me to live in this town” or, “is it God’s will that I start this job,” we are asking about things that pertain to this earthly realm.  The fact is that God has not revealed anything in His word regarding His will in these kinds of matters; there is no clear revelation about whether one should live in Los Angeles or Dallas, or work as a salesman or teacher.  God specifically told Abraham to leave his home in Ur, and go to a specific place.  Paul was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go into Asia.  But we don’t get such specific orders today regarding the will of God in earthly matters.

But what has God specifically revealed about His will?  We have verses where God says He wants us to love Him and love our neighbor, verses that teach us to live humbly before men, to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to Him, to spread the Gospel and bring others to the knowledge of His Son, to be obedient to specified commandments.  The New Testament is full of the expressed will of God, summed up in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

So, when we pray, we must pray according to the expressed will of God.  There is nothing wrong about praying for material things, or praying for certain situations to work out, praying for physical health and healing (James 5:16), but do we remain mindful of the expressed will of God in our petitions?  Is our heart in the right place, focused on the will of God, when we pray about these things? 

When we pray for the healing of a loved one, it would be hard (if not impossible) to determine if God truly desires for that person to remain on this earth.  However, we know for certain that God desires the salvation of that one’s soul, as well as for that one to remain faithful to Him and serve Him as best they can while they are here; we can pray for their healing, but we should really be focused on praying for them in spiritual matters.  Likewise, when we pray for healing and wholeness in our own bodies; pray for the help physically, but do not neglect the more important matters, petitions for our souls, calling on the love, mercy, and forgiveness of God.  In these matters of praying for health, we can know, according to I John 5:14,15, that we do have the petitions of our hearts, even if the prayer for physical health seems to go unanswered.

When it comes to praying for financial matters, there is nothing wrong with praying for a raise or material assistance.  Sometimes it is not within our power, ability, or opportunity to work and earn for ourselves according to II Thessalonians 3:10.  However, when we do pray about money matters, are we praying with an understanding of the will of God in our hearts?  Are we praying about financial matters so that the will of God might be accomplished through those answered prayers?  Somewhere in our heart, we should sincerely desire that any increase in material gain might lead to our increased ability to do benevolent works in the world, our increased ability to support the work of the church, our increased ability to aid needy saints, our increased ability to support gospel preachers, all of which we know is the will of God.  God wants us to enjoy life and have pleasure in this world, but that is not the primary objective of our being here.  The will of God for our material gain is, according to Ephesians 4:28, “that we he might have to give.”

Let us be mindful of the will of God and His eternal purpose when we pray.  Let us be careful about praying for worldly gain, self-promotion, or physical health and pleasure in and of themselves, giving no thought to if the will of God is being carried out.  Let us pray for comfort and security, for wisdom and health, for opportunities and prosperity, understanding what Jesus said about our Father in heaven, “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”  When we have this great teaching firmly implanted in our hearts, we will not be frustrated or perplexed by unpredictable earthly matters which are subject to “time and chance”, and be fully confident that God hears and answers our prayers.

Jeremy Koontz

Jose Rodriguez - choices

In My Opinion pp

Moving Past Hard Moments

Moving Past Hard Moments

Sometimes it is hard to move past the moment. It is hard to work through the adversity, disappointment, or heartbreak. Maybe it is self-inflicted. Maybe it is due to my own weaknesses. Maybe it is because of my own ignorance. Maybe it is because of my own unmet expectations. It can also be others. We expect someone to be different than they are. We learn of a marriage that is tearing needlessly apart. Any number of things get us stuck in the moment. We spin our wheels in the sand. Too many things collide together at one time.

First, remember God has not changed.  He is still on His throne. Even though the moments seem to be like walking in concrete, God is still merciful, full of grace, and loving. He never disappoints. Our hope is anchored in Him. His promises are sure. He has never failed us. He carries us in our darkest moments. He strengthens us when we are weak.

Second, because we are hard-pressed by the moment, the moments do not define who we really are. It is easy to begin to believe that the moments define us. They do not. The moments of heartbreak may be real, but the cause of the heartbreak does not define who we are. It grieved God that He had created man. Yet man’s failure did not define who God is. Jesus was disappointed in His disciples. “O you oflittle faith,” He would say. Yet, those disciples did not define who is He is. Heartbreak does define who we are. We are defined by God.

Third, hard pressing moments have always been part of man’s existence. The person has not lived who has not faced some moments that were hard to move past.  We are not robots that can be programed. We have emotions. Those emotions are tightly bound in others. Paul was heart-broken when Demas left him. He was frustrated with John Mark after the first journey. Barnabas, the encourager, was even susceptible to Peter’s negative influence. As long as we are involved in the lives of other people, moments that are hard to move past will be present.

Fourth, those hard-pressing moments are hardest to move past when it is a child. The disappointment and heartbreak consume us. We invest our lives in our children. We place such hope in them and believe in their great promise. When we watch them make choices that are life-altering, we feel helpless. We beg, plead, cry, and pray. Yet, they have choice.  If we could, we would make the choice for them. We can’t. We want to do something. We want to reach out. We pray and pray, and it seems like God is not with us. We ask why? We ask where did we fail? I have seen it in the faces of parents. I have heard their voices tremble because a child walks away from God. It is hard to remember, but God has experienced the same thing with His creation. Man walked away from God. In the story of the two sons, one a prodigal and one who never left, the same father loves them. The prodigal returned. The one who stayed home, left. The father cries for both. His heart was broken then healed by the prodigal’s return. His heart was broken again when the boy who stayed, left. God knows and God understands.

Life has those moment that are hard to move past.  But we can learn to live with them. They become part of who we are. They can also be transforming. They can make us more tender, more understanding, and more loving. We must not let them make us more cynical and bitter. We must keep praying for greater wisdom and spiritual insight.

Rickie Jenkins

What Does the Bible Teach about Angels pp

Gospel Meetings: a historical perspective

Gospel Meetings: a historical perspective 

Churches of Christ have engaged in "meetings" where the gospel was preached on some regular basis from the middle of the last century. The nature, purpose and duration of these meetings have changed over the past one hundred years.

Such meetings as I am discussing were not always known as "Gospel Meetings." They were referred to as "Protracted Meetings" because they continued over a period of time. They were sometimes designated "Evangelistic Meetings" because the main purpose was to reach denominational people and those who belonged to no church. They were also called "Tent Meetings" in some localities because they were conducted under tents year after year.

Occasionally, a debate on doctrinal differences developed from gospel meetings. During the days of J.D. Tant, C.R. Nichol, J. Early Arceneaux, Foy E. Wallace, Jr., Roy E. Cogdill, W. Curtis Porter, and others, many debates with denominational preachers were conducted. Most of these debates developed from gospel meetings in those days. During the I930s and 1940s some churches were established in communities where debates were conducted as the result of "gospel meetings."

Between World War I and World War II gospel meetings were conducted in school houses, court houses, barns, in brush arbors, tents and occasionally in denominational buildings. The purpose in those meetings was to convince and convert alien sinners to Jesus Christ. Usually large numbers were baptized during the course of each gospel meeting. My experience in gospel meetings did not begin until near the end of World War II. Reflecting upon the gospel meetings at that time, I believe several factors merged to make them as successful as they were. Some of these factors were: The war turned many to religion to seek God for a solution for their problems that grew out of divided families and the anxieties of war. Opportunities were opened for the gospel in the countries where the military had been during the war. The militant attitude of many churches of Christ during the years immediately following the war made them aggressive in evangelism. Gospel meetings began to increase in number and preachers began to devote their full time to preaching in meetings rather than local work.

During the 1930s and 1940s gospel meetings would often span three Sundays, and sometimes go through the third Wednesday evening. These long meetings resulted from increasing interest as they continued. I remember several meetings in which I preached during the middle '40s and through the '50s that would continue a week or more beyond the date advertised to close. The interest continued to mount and both churches and preachers were eager to continue. How could one stop an effort when from one to twelve came to be baptized every night, and several were restored to the Lord each night?

During this period gospel meetings nearly always had day (morning or afternoon) services and evening services every day of the meeting. The preaching was distinctive and forceful. Doctrinal error was exposed and immorality was condemned without apology. Obedience was emphasized in clear language with Bible examples.

During the 1950s gospel meetings were used by some preachers and churches to promote certain doctrinal issues that later divided churches across the land. The liberal ideas of the social gospel, institutional agencies through which churches should pool their financial resources in evangelism and benevolence, and cooperation of churches through one eldership became the central theme in many gospel meetings across the land. This led to division. During the '50s and '60s I had many gospel meetings canceled because of the influence of the promoters of church supported human institutions.

Gospel meetings began to be for shorter periods of time in the 1960s. The six-day annual meeting became the pattern. During this period of time many churches requested preachers to deal with a specific subject during these six days. Usually that subject concerned the issues of that time.

During the '70s and '80s the three-day meeting became popular. Some churches decided to have one full week (six days, Sunday through Friday) meeting and a three-day meeting (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) during the year. The three-day meeting generally was directed toward some special subjects.

Today serious concern plagues churches in general over the country regarding gospel meetings. It is becoming more difficult to get people to attend a gospel meeting. Forty or fifty years ago the buildings were filled from the first night with denominational people and those who were not members of any religious body. The members were able to bring their neighbors and family members. The members of the church where the meeting was conducted came regularly every day and night to the preaching. They did not depend upon faithful members of neighboring churches of Christ to have a decent audience. Interest increased during the meeting and many were obedient to the gospel. But now it is difficult to get the members of the church having the gospel meeting to attend more than Sunday morning and Wednesday night. We must depend upon other churches of Christ in the area to provide a audience, and that is not as easy as it was a few years ago. There are exceptions, of course.

Gospel meetings provide a good way to edify a local church and reach some few who come a time or two, but they are not presently reaching the lost people who need the gospel. We must work harder to encourage people to attend meetings where the simple gospel of Christ is preached. We must secure men who will earnestly preach Christ unto the people, and preach "the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ" (Acts 8:12).

H.E. Phillips, 1993

Overcrowded Lives

Overcrowded Lives

Life can get busy. It is a challenge for all of us. How do we get everything accomplished? How do we take the kids to all their extra-curricular events? How do we find the time to just simply read our Bibles and meditate? How do we find time for one another?  We are so drained and fatigued. We stay exhausted.  I wish I had some magic formula. I wish there was some pill we could take that would take care of it all. Given that neither of those exist, what can we do? Oops! Now I am going to tell each one something to do to add to our already overcrowded list. Well, that is fine, isn’t it?
 
First, God expects us to work hard. Our best interests are served when we have a meaningful endeavor. Work is for man’s good. God told Adam to work and tend the garden (Gen. 2:15).  God wants us to work. It enhances our sense of self-worth.  When we have worked hard, achieved and done our job to the best of our ability, we feel good about ourselves. Also, God wants us to work because it enables us to provide for our family (1 Tim. 5:8). Further, God wants us to provide for our family (1 Tim. 5:8). Further, God wants us to work because it enhances our influence. If we are lazy,

people will not respect us.  Second, God also values rest. In the Sabbath command, there is a principle about the value of rest. The English word “Sabbath” comes from the Hebrew word meaning rest or cessation from labor. That seems contrary to our whole lifestyle. God did not create our bodies and minds for uninterrupted exertion and constant activity. In the middle of the rat race, God told the Hebrews, “I want you to take a day and rest.” Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man.”  We will operate best if we take time to relax and rest our body. We also need time for reflection. We need the time to examine ourselves, our goals, our priorities, our lives (good and bad, right and wrong).

 
Third, God values worship. The 7th day is Sabbath to the Lord our God. Sunday is not the Christian Sabbath, but the principle behind the Sabbath is true today. Worship God. Sunday is a day we come together in worship to renew our souls. We need that. We need the songs, prayers, teaching, motivating, and scripture that leads us closer to God. People ought to leave worship refreshed, renewed, and revived as our spirits are lifted by hope. Overcrowded schedules steal even the Lord’s day.
 
Our Jewish forefathers called it the “Holy Sabbath.” Our grandparents called it the Lord’s Day. Our parents called it Sunday. We call it the weekend. If we are not careful, that mentality can strip every meaning of spirituality from the day that ought to be devoted to God. We need to be careful that we do end up worshipping our work and working at our play and playing at our worship. Could it be that our overcrowded lifestyle makes us give God little more than

the leftovers of our time?
 
What can we do to help? First, we must remember it is God’s will that we live a balanced life. We are to be conformed to the image of God’s Son. Was there ever a better illustration and example of a man who lived a balanced life of work, rest, and worship than Jesus?  Second, we need to develop a balanced, God-honoring schedule. There is a limited amount of time. Third, learn to plan effectively.  Make the most of every opportunity. Fourth, learn it is okay to say, “No.” Finally, we need to start today. There is never a convenient time, so start today.
 
Rickie Jenkins

  

“Be of Good Courage”

“Be of Good Courage”

Isn’t it interesting that God tells some of the most notable people in the Bible, “Be strong and of good courage, do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you where you go?” (Joshua 1:9, NKJV) He tells Abraham. He tells Jacob. He tells Moses. He tells Joshua. He tells His twelve.

Perhaps He knew that they would be dismayed. Take Moses for example: can you blame him?  He delivers the children of Israel by the mighty hand of God. He leads them through the wilderness. He goes to the mountaintop to receive the commandments of God, only to return a few days later and see the children of Israel, along with Aaron, worshiping a golden calf they had made. He leads them up the edge of Caanan and ten of the men he commission to spy out the land convince the people they are not able to take the land. He deals with all the whining and complaining for forty years. Then, to cap it all off, in a moment of weakness he stumbles by hitting the rock instead of speaking to it.  God will not allow him to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land.  Is it any wonder he was dismayed?

Joshua take the offsprings of those Moses led and begins to conquer the land, only to have Achan ruin himself and his whole family. They suffer the defeat at Ai because they got too big for themselves.

The truth is, we are no different today. Sometimes our discouragement comes from the hands of others. Sometimes it comes from our own hands. People struggle, and so do we. We want to do what is right yet we struggle with the flesh and fleshly desires. We want to be spiritually-minded but at times the spirit of Satan overcomes the rule of Christ in our hearts. Sometimes it is our health. For some it is age. Others have problems in their marriage. Still others have challenges with the children.

The Lord said, “be of good courage, do not be afraid…I am with you.” When we know the Lord is with us, we can be of good courage and be not afraid. When the Lord is with us, all problems seem smaller. He is greater than any problem we may have. His power is for those who believe. He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we think or ask.  He is able and willing. We need to know He is with us. We need to have the courage to face our fears and let faith overcome. We are not made for here. We are made to be with God.

How can we overcome? First pray. That seems trite. We do not pray because are so great. We pray because our God is mighty. I am weak, but He is strong. Prayer is pouring our hearts, desires, and concerns out to God. Cast them on Him for He cares for us (1 Pet. 5:7, NKJV).

Second, find someone who will understand and comfort. Paul had Timothy and Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:12-20). No one can make it alone. When Elijah thought he was alone he asked God to take His life. When Daniel was alone he became weary. We all need someone to comfort us.

Third, find words of encouragement in God’s word. David wrote many Psalms while enduring personal struggles. Paul tells us about the challenges he had in his life. Find in God’s word a passage that will implant in your mind the word of God. Carry that passage around with you daily.

We all need courage. We all face fears. We all need for God to be with us.

Rickie Jenkins

Giving Up

Giving Up

So, you’ve done all that you can.  You’ve given it all you’ve got, your best effort.  You said all that you can say.  You’re physically, mentally, and emotionally drained.  You really thought that if you planned well and tried your hardest, that things would turn out well in the end.  But things have NOT turned out well.  Things are still going poorly and getting worse.  Circumstances completely out of your control are ruining your efforts and plans.  Perhaps, it’s time to just give up.

No one ever launches out into any endeavor planning to give up along the way.  When couples make their marriage vows, they say something like, “in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, in joy and in sorrow,” meaning that no matter how tough things get, they are not going to give up on the marriage; yet, many individuals in marriages do give up, and divorce is often the result.  No one looking for a job starts filling out applications planning at some point to give up if they don’t get the job they want, but many do give up along the way.  No one is ever baptized into Christ, planning on giving up on the Lord when sin and life become too burdensome, yet many Christians do give up along the way.

Disciples of Jesus Christ, children of God, should not be identified as those who give up on their faith when the going gets tough.

Consider Joseph, a 17-year-old Hebrew boy living back in the age of the Patriarchs.  He starts having some bizarre dreams about how his brothers would bow down to him and, despite the warnings of his

father, he tells his brothers about those dreams.  The brothers despise him for it, throw Joseph into a pit, sell him into slavery, and tell his father he is dead.  He’s sold into slavery in Egypt, and when things seem to be going well, he ends up in prison for allegedly trying to force himself onto another man’s wife.  Now, if you were Joseph, at what point do you think it would have been time to call it quits?  Down at the bottom of that pit?  In the slave train on the way to a foreign land?  Sitting there, expecting to rot out in prison or be executed?  At what point would despair have hit you?

There were a few occurrences in Joseph’s life where God reminded Him that He was favored, but they were indeed few and far apart.  Joseph was confident that someday his brothers would bow to him, because of the dreams he had.  He received favor by being given preeminence over Potiphar’s household and affairs.  He was even favored in the Egyptian jail.  But WHY did he receive these reassurances?  Why could he be confident that God favored him even in adverse circumstances?  The reason is reflected in the words he speaks to his brothers after he has revealed himself to them, “God has sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.” (Genesis 45:7) Joseph received continued reassurances in the Lord not simply because he was favored by God, but because he maintained his trust that God’s will was being accomplished despite terrible circumstances.  This reminds us of what Paul wrote in Romans 8:38-39: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Despite the worst of circumstances, despite the fact that everything appeared to be going downhill, Joseph maintained his confidence in the plans of God.  He was persuaded that there was nothing in the world that could thwart God’s plans, and so there was nothing in the world that was powerful enough to make him give up.

Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not grow weary in well doing, for in due season we SHALL reap, if we faint not.”  There may come a time when you have to think practically, and give up building a rocket ship to Mars.  There may come a time when bills need to be paid, you need to support yourself instead of living off of others, and you have to go out and get a “real” job.  Sometimes, we work and work on trying to teach someone the gospel, and they never respond, and sometimes we have to shake the dust off our sandals, and move on to someone else who might be more willing to hear.  Sometimes we get tired of going through the same motions, get tired of the same job, get tired of the same setbacks, get tired of people saying the same things over and over again, but at the end of the day, we must KEEP DOING GOOD.  Never say in your heart, “I am done trying to help others, I am done trying to beat this sin, I am done trying to serve the Lord.”  Throughout all of Joseph’s hardships, notice that he is always maintaining good works, honorable conduct, seeking opportunities to serve others, never embittered to the point of just saying, “Lord, what do you expect me to do in these terrible circumstances?!  I QUIT!”  No, not Joseph, and neither should it be for us.

Joseph never gave up on the Lord and never gave up trying to do what was right.  Moses never gave up on the people of God, despite some harsh words he had against them and even when God said He would wipe them out.  Job, sitting in ashes, covered in sores, his children slain, robbed of his material wealth, his wife and his friends looking contemptuously down upon him, never gave up.  “Curse God and die???”  Not a chance.

God told Satan that he, the devil, would not be victorious over the people of God.  This is an eternal truth.  We need to pick up our heads during adversity, keep fighting, keep running, keep living and proclaiming the name of God with confidence until our last breath, and be among the victors on the day of judgement, and not among the quitters as they are hurled into eternal failure.

Keep doing good.  NEVER GIVE UP.

Jeremy Koontz

What Do You Mean church of Christ pp

Bring Your Bible to School Day

Bring Your Bible to School Day

The Brees Connection:

If you’re like me, this national holiday is one that I’d never heard of… that is until Drew Brees was caught up in its promotion last week. He issued a short video that showed him giving a ‘thumbs up’ to the organization behind the drive.

Here’s what Heavy.Com Sports blogger, Johnathan Adams, wrote: “Drew Brees found himself in controversy heading into Week 1 [of the NFL schedule] after appearing in a video for Focus on the Family as part of the ‘Bring Your Bible to School Day.’ The video clip is just 22 seconds long but raised some concerns about the organization putting on the event, Focus on the Family. Outsports.com referred to Focus on the Family as ‘one of the main anti-LGBTQ lobbying groups’ in the country. Brees emphasized he was only aware of the specific event when he agreed to do the video.”

Wow! Talk about ‘stepping in it’, Drew tried to extricate himself from the mess only to ‘promote’ the holiday even more.

Not going there:

Let’s just say, that’s another whole can of worms that I’m not opening up… in this article.

Nor do I want to focus on the organization behind the event. Focus on the Family, focusonthefamily.com, is a pseudo-religious group out of Colorado Springs, CO. It was founded by Darryl and Tracy Strawberry. He was an outstanding baseball player, lastly with the NY Yankees. And she is his 3^rd wife of 13 years. The goal of Focus on the Family is, as per their website, ‘To cooperate with the Holy Spirit in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible by nurturing and defending the God-ordained institution of the family and promoting biblical truths worldwide.’

While I may not agree with everything they teach and espouse, I do applaud their good intentions. 

What is Bring Your Bible to School all about?

According to the website, they answer this question with this statement: On Bring Your Bible to School Day— this year’s event is on Oct. 3, 2019 — students across the nation will celebrate religious freedom and share God’s love with their friends. The event is designed to empower you as a student to express your belief in the truth of God’s Word–and to do so in a respectful way that demonstrates the love of Christ.

I don’t have a problem with this national movement to promote God’s word. Obviously, one question arises out of this movement. What are the legal ramifications surrounding such a mass deployment of faithful believers of the Bible? They explain it this way:

1) First Amendment rights: As a student in a public school, you have First Amendment rights to engage in voluntary, free speech conversations in a way that does not interfere with or substantially disrupt classroom time and academic instruction.

2) Equal Access rights: Student clubs (including Christian ones) and individuals also have equal access rights to participate in the same free speech expressions and activities already allowed by the school for other clubs and individuals.

So, students have a legal right to bring their Bible to school and can comment on their faith in the Word of God. However, we all know that school districts across the country are gearing up for this onslaught of religious freedom. And their FAQ addresses these issues.

We are the Word of God:

However, whether you want to participate in this particular demonstration of faith on October 3^rd is totally up to you. Nevertheless, this brings to mind the countless attempts over the past 2000 years to quash God’s word. And yet, here we are in 2019 still faithful and true to His word. Hallelujah!!

First off, we are the light of the word, just as our Lord was.

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life. (John 8:12)

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. (Matt. 5:14)

Furthermore, Jesus became the Word incarnate to illuminate the grace and truth of God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it… And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-5 & 14)

In Romans 13:14 & Eph. 6:10-18, the apostle Paul instructs Christians to ‘put on Christ’ and His word as if it were body armor. And he further writes in Colossians 3 to take in Christ culminating in verses 16 & 17.

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Therefore, any spear thrown at us by Satan’s disciples will bounce off this protective layer, the Word of God. And all they will see is the Living Word when they look at us.

So, when we are at school, work, the grocery store or anywhere we happen to be… others should see that we are not only carrying the Bible with us, but that we are the Word of God, incarnate. And that our lives are so much like Christ’s, we glow with the Glory of God. For, we are the Light of the World dispelling the Darkness of sin and doubt.

Michael Choate

The Role of Women in the Church, part 1

The Role of Women in the Church, part 1

The Bible says a great deal concerning women within the Old and New Testament, but the focus of this article is on the role that Christian women have within the church. The Gospel, literally the Good News, concerning Jesus Christ, declares that both women and men have been offered the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Duties and Responsibilities

When a person obeys the Gospel instructions for becoming a Christian, then that person becomes part of God’s family (2 Corinthians 6:17-18). God is now a Christian’s Father and other Christians are now brothers and sisters in Christ. Once a person becomes a Christian, that person needs to join with other Christians in a local church. This is important for several reasons.

First, it is required of all Christians to come together to worship God the Father on the first day of the week (Sunday). Not only on Sunday, but when Christians assemble, Christians have the responsibility to attend. Hebrews 10:24-25 states, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”   Christians must grow spiritually. Christians must grow in their knowledge of the Word of God. This is not an option! This is a command! Only attending assemblies without many further study or activity outside of the assembly is sharply criticized in Hebrews 5:12-14. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Personal and small group study must occur outside of the assemblies of the congregation, and this is one area where Christian women can play an important role.

As described in Acts 8, Saul of Tarsus (Later the Apostle Paul) began to attack the church in the misguided belief that he was attacking heresy. But on the road to Damascus, he saw the Lord, realized his terrible mistake, and turned his heart in submission to God. At Damascus he was baptized and throughout the rest of his life, he proclaimed the Gospel message. However, when the persecution first began in Jerusalem, the Christians were scattered. Many of them probably returned to their homes from whence they had come for the Day of Pentecost. Acts 8:4 described what happened as they left. “Therefore, those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.” Clearly, this was not limited to just men telling others about Jesus Christ.

Several years later in Corinth, Paul met a couple, Aquila and Priscilla. They had lived in Rome but were ordered to leave Rome by the Caesar Claudius. Both became Christians, and Paul stayed with them for some time. When Paul left Corinth for Syria, Priscilla and Aquila accompanied him to Ephesus. When Paul left there on other travels, Priscilla and Aquila stayed in Ephesus. While there, a learned man Apollos arrived. While he spoke with great enthusiasm and taught Jesus, he only knew the baptism of John for repentance. Acts 18:26 described how Priscilla and Aquila invited him to their home and they taught him the way of God more adequately. Clearly, Priscilla was an important part of this. In fact, from this point forward Priscilla was named first and then her husband. She may have been the one doing most of the teaching in their home while Aquila looked to earning a living. However, she still would have followed he husband’s leadership.

Another command was also given specifically to Christian Women. 1 Timothy 5:16 states, “If any believing woman has widows, let them give aid to them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may give aid to those who are really widows.” When a husband died first during the days of the New Testament, there were no means of help for the widows other than to rely on their families, to remarry, or to turn to the local congregation for help (1 Timothy 5:3-16). Families were commanded to take care of their widowed parent or family member. This was commanded under the Law of Moses, and it was carried over to the New Testament.    

Second, Christians are told to encourage and help one another and others in need. This is one area where women can be very important. Most women have a caring heart for their children, their husband, and their families. Of course, there are exceptions. Jezebel being one example in the Old Testament…

End of Part 1

Jim Shelburn