By Neal Pollard
While the knowledge of my fear of snakes is widespread, some of the events of my past that hardened that horror as less so. A couple of years before moving to Colorado, we were hit by Hurricane Isabel. On our one acre lot, we had well over 100 trees. In fact, about 100 of them fell in that storm, which was the deadliest and costliest of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. Cleanup took months, as the storm shook up the environment in some notable ways. To me, the most disturbing was that it forced a great many copperhead snakes out of their dry dens and rocky hillsides down into neighborhoods like ours. In the course of several months of cutting and removing trees, we ran into about a dozen of these demonic creatures.
On one occasion, a copperhead was near my foot. Also near my foot was a garden hoe, which I promptly dispatched for the purpose of eliminating this threat. To my utter dismay, the blade of the hoe, put to the head of the snake, sank into the rain-softened ground. Rather than killing the snake, it
made it mad. At this point, I was in a quandary. Pushing the hoe harder was not causing further harm to the snake, but releasing the snake from the hoe felt like a bad option, too. For what seemed like a week, I continued to work the hoe on that copperhead until it was hurt badly enough for me to properly finish the job.
Have you ever been caught on the horns of a dilemma which seemed bigger than you? As you were
in the throes of it, you prayed, pleaded, and petitioned God for help. You realized that without His help, you were in big trouble. It could have been regarding your health, finances, a relationship, a sin struggle, or big decision. Most of us become keenly aware of our need of God’s intervention in moments like those. Yet, it is a helpful reminder that even when life is not so scary or circumstances are less dramatic, God is still in control. Our prayers should reflect this. Our plans should be governed by it. Our priorities should show that we get that.
What will happen to our nation in time to come? What might the church face that scares and intimidates us? What could happen in our individual lives that fills us with dread? No matter what, trust that God is always in control. Take heart in this truth: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident” (Psalm 27:1-3).
In other words, God is always in control!
By Jonathan McAnulty
In the 8th chapter of the book of Acts, we read the first recorded account of the conversion of a single, lone individual to Christianity. The individual in question was an Ethiopian Jew: a eunuch in the employ of the queen of Ethiopia. This man had journeyed to Jerusalem in order to worship and, as we meet him in the text, he is on his way home. (cf. Acts 8:26ff)
To this individual, God sent a preacher named Philip, a man full of the Spirit of Christ, and experienced in sharing the
Gospel. Philip had been preaching among the Samaritans, and had enjoyed great success there, but now God wanted the
Gospel to go into Africa also, and so it was providentially arranged for the preacher to meet the lost soul. When Philip met the eunuch, the latter was in his chariot, being driven south, and he was studying the Bible. pecifically,
the text tells us that the eunuch was studying the prophet Isaiah. (cf. Acts 8:30-34; Isaiah 53:7-8)The text, specifically, was that which spoke of the Messiah being led like a lamb to the slaughter. When Philip asked the eunuch if he understood what he was reading, the eunuch confessed his puzzlement and asked if Philip could explain it. Beginning at the spot, the Bible says, Philip preached Jesus to him. (cf. Acts 8:35) Following this lesson, the Eunuch saw a body of water and asked if it was possible for him to be baptized. Philip affirmed that it was, and the two went down into the water, the eunuch was baptized, and then after, he went on his way rejoicing,
having received the forgiveness of his sins, and the salvation of his soul (cf. Acts 8:36-40; 2:38) Philip preached Jesus and the eunuch was saved.
Preaching Jesus.
Such a simple phrase, but so full of import and meaning.
The eunuch was a religious man. But being religious was not enough. There was something he yet needed. He needed a relationship with Jesus Christ, who was and is the Way, the Truth, and the Life: the only path to God (John 14:6). Religion, without Christ, is not enough to get one to the Father.
When the apostle Peter preached to the crowd on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), he was preaching to a crowd filled with religious people, assembled for the worship of God. But their religion was not enough. They needed Jesus.
Saul of Tarsus was a very religious man, and in his religious zeal he persecuted the church of God (cf. Acts 9:1ff). But it was not enough. He needed Jesus. Philip preached Jesus because Jesus was the message the eunuch needed to hear for the salvation of his soul. The world today still needs to hear the message of Jesus preached. There is no other name given under heaven by which men must be saved (Acts 4:12).
We can also discern, from the text, that preaching Jesus involves more than just telling the man about the life, death and
resurrection of Jesus. Philip began with the theme of the sacrifice of Jesus, the same theme we see in the sermons recorded for us in Acts 2 and 3. But just knowing about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ is not enough. When Philip preached Jesus to the eunuch, we can also deduce he preached faith and baptism. He taught the eunuch that the death of Christ demanded a response.
Why else, when the eunuch spotted a water, would he ask about baptism? Obviously, Philip had taught him about the
need to be immersed in water for the forgiveness of sins. Preaching Jesus is not just preaching about what Jesus has done for us, it is preaching about the response that Jesus demands of us. It is telling people that it was Jesus who said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” (Mark 16:16) It is teaching people that it was Jesus who said, “Unless you repent you will surely perish.” (Luke 13:3) The world needs to hear Jesus preached. The problem of sin, judgement and death remains the same today as it was
then. The solution to this problem likewise remains the same. Jesus is still the Way, the Truth and the Life. And when Jesus is preached, when we in our need hear that glorious message of salvation… each of us should have the enthusiasm of the eunuch in responding to Jesus.
Published with permission from ‘http: //www.ChurchOfChristArticles.com’.
By Doug Dingley
What comes to mind when you consider the term “Father’s Day?” Time spent with family reminiscing what wonderful things your dad did for you growing up? How he worked to love, guide, protect and provide for you?
Is the first thing that comes to mind perhaps the Sunday celebration of “Father’s Day” where you take/took the time to travel to his house and present to him your gifts of love, gratitude, and appreciation? Maybe it’s a
special meal as you and your siblings all gather around the same table to eat, enjoy, and celebrate? Now, granted, for some, there may be a far sadder stigma attached to “Father’s Day” because their dads were somewhat less of a father than God desires that they should have been.
However, no matter what it is that may come to mind for you when you hear the term “Father’s Day,” one thing is for sure: If you are a blood-bought and adopted child of the living God (Gal. 3:26-27), your perfect, loving,
and adoring heavenly Father is certainly worth celebrating every day in every way – but especially and in a special way on this, His special, “Father’s Day!” He brought us forth because He wanted, and it was His will to have us (James 1:18). Every good thing we have is from Him (Matt. 7:7-11, James 1:17). Every good thing heaven has to offer we have been given by our heavenly Father in Christ Jesus (Eph. 1:3-10). He guides, provides, nurtures, protects, strengthens, comforts, leads, teaches, matures, directs and disciplines us – all for our own good, growth, and godliness. But He does so with mercy, pity, and compassion, remembering our frailties (Ps. 103:8-14). He is truly “our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace” (2 Thess. 2:16).
And so, we celebrate Him. We come together with His other blood-bought children – our spiritual siblings in Christ – bearing our gifts of love, adoration, and appreciation, as we gather together within His house
(2 Peter 2:4-5; 1 Tim. 3:15). It is there that we sing His praises and give Him thanks (Eph. 5:19-20; Col. 3:16-17; Hebrews 3:15). It is there, on His specially set-aside day, that we present Him with our gifts (1 Cor. 16:1-2). And it is only and especially there and on His special day, that we have the privilege of sharing in the most sacred, special, and meaningful meal ever provided, as we gather around the table of the Lord together (1 Cor. 10:16-17, 11:23-25; Acts 20:7).
You see, after all He’s done for us, our heavenly Father is far too special to celebrate only occasionally or annually. Every first day of the week is our heavenly Father’s Day! Let us be determined not to miss it for the world!
Published with permission from ‘http: //www.ChurchOfChristArticles.com’.
by Neal Pollard
The Son of God gives specific instructions for what to do when a spiritual family member sins. Jesus clearly says, “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” Notice the Divine pattern.
Perpetration (15a)–“If you brother sins.” This is what initiates the situation.
Presentation (15b)–“Go and show him his fault in private.” Paul would teach this later (Gal. 6:1). Notice that this is to be done privately.
Aspiration (15c)–“If he listens to you, you have won your brother.” Ideally, this is where the matter should end.
Escalation (16-17)–Jesus tells one what to do if a sinner refuses to listen. Start by taking one or two. If that does not work, then tell it to the church.
Repudiation (18)–If all three of these approaches fail to win the sinner, then you reject them.
Tragically, we very often disobey Jesus’ instructions about this and fail to understand that rebelling against His commandment then makes us a sinner, too. How often does it happen that a person, rather than dealing directly with the sinning brother, tells someone else? Then, that someone tells another. Soon, a whole group or even the whole church knows about the sin.
Often, something that was private and even between just two people is made public by gossipers who continue to spread the matter. In some cases, those who hear and spread the matter never even speak to the offender. This prevents the sinner from being aware of who knows about it or being able to reconcile. It can even be the case that the sinner has repented and handled the matter with the original offender, but now others are brought into the matter after the fact. Those who have come to hear about the situation treat the sinner “as a Gentile and a tax collector,” without ever once speaking to them about it. Rifts form and relationships are affected.
When we fail to do things God’s way, we will make matters worse.
May we consider passages like Mark 7:21-23, where Jesus places “big” sins like “fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness” alongside “little” sins like “deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.” Jesus’ analysis is that “all” these things are “evil” and “defile the man.”
Pag
By Kevin Cauley
God must come first in one’s heart and life. Jesus said that this has the highest priority: the first and greatest commandment: “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.” (Matthew 22:37-38).
God knows that by putting Him first and being dedicated to Him only that nothing else competes. This enables the seeker to truly appreciate God in his/her life. Jesus taught that nothing else should be in competition with God (and certainly not be held equal to God). He said in Matthew 6:24: “No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” God does not compete with other masters; one will ultimately give way to one or the other.
Jesus exemplifies this attitude. In Matthew 4, Satan sought to tempt Jesus: “Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.’” Jesus responded, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:7-10). There was no competition. God’s place demands priority even over socalled necessities: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).
Nothing is to be considered in competition with God. No thing should be regarded as having any place next to God—God is supreme; He is the greatest! God bless you, and I love you.
Published with permission from ‘http://www.ChurchOfChristArticles.com’.
by Jon Mitchell
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14 The church of Christ is the kingdom of Christ. We know this for several reasons:
1. It had been prophesied that God would set up a kingdom during the days of the Roman Empire (Dan. 2:1-44).
2. During the days of the Roman Empire, John the Immerser and Jesus preached that the kingdom “was at hand” (Luke 3:1-2; Matt. 3:1-2; 4:17, 23).
3. Jesus prophesied that the kingdom would come during the lifetime of his followers (Mark 9:1).
4. When asked about the kingdom after his death and resurrection, Jesus talked about his apostles receiving power from the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:6-8).
5. This occurred ten days later on the Jewish holiday of Pentecost, the day the church of Christ began (Acts 2:1-47).
6. From that point on, the kingdom is always referred to as having already come and presently existing, and is referred to interchangeably with being a part of the church (Acts 8:12; Col. 1:13; 1 Thess. 2:12; Rev. 1:4, 6, 9).
Having established that the kingdom is manifested in the church, let us examine the high honor and privilege it is to be a part of the kingdom of Christ, his church. Today’s Scripture shows us how blessed we are to be a part of his kingdom, in that God took us out of the darkness of our sins (Eph. 2:1-10) and put us into his Son’s kingdom, thus redeeming us and forgiving us.
He did this when we obeyed the gospel, when we acted on our faith by obeying his commands to repent and be baptized into his Son’s kingdom which is his body, the church of Christ (Acts 8:12; 3:19; 2:38-41; 1 Cor. 12:13; cf. Col. 1:18).
We remain in this kingdom by being penitently obedient (1 John 1:7-10; Matt 13:41-43; 2 Pet. 1:5-11), and thus will be a part of it when it is returned in glory to the Father for all eternity (1 Cor. 15:24).
Are you a citizen of the kingdom of Christ?
Published with permission from ‘http://www.ChurchOfChristArticles.com’.
