Category Archives: Christian Living

Is Thanksgiving Ever Over?

· · Leave a comment

“We give thanks to God always for all of you” (1 Thess. 1:2).

“Sing praise to the Lord, you His godly ones, and give thanks to His holy name” (Psalm 30:4).

Thanksgiving is associated with a holiday in America. It is found in the same breath as other holiday terms like food, pie, turkey, football, pie, and more food (given that each family’s tradition differs a bit, the generic “food” will have to do). Then we think of it as being over. I wonder how many enjoy the holiday of Thanksgiving without actually being thankful to God for what they have and enjoy. It should be about the food only insofar as the partaker is grateful to God for the rich blessings.

For the child of God, thanksgiving is not so much a holiday as a way of life. Thanksgiving is never over. The attitude should never be about one time of year: “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess 5:16-18); “…always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father…” (Eph 5:20); “…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” (Col 3:16-17); “De

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving” (Col 4:2); “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil 4:6); “For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God” (2 Cor 9:12); “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give praise to His name” (Heb. 13:15). Do we get the point?

A survey of thankfulness in Scripture reveals its association with prayer. A stronger prayer life will mean a stronger sense and attitude of thanksgiving to God. A weaker prayer life puts us in danger of forgetting about the source of our blessings. The worst scenario is described by Paul in Romans as he writes about those who, though they knew God, did not honor Him as God or give thanks and so became futile in their thinking (Rom 1:21). The ungrateful spirit is connected to other undesirable characteristics: lovers of self and money, boastful and arrogant, disobedient, unholy, unloving and malicious, etc. (see 2 Tim 3:1-5). The connection should be clear. When we think of God, we should be filled with a sense of awe and thankfulness. Children of God ought to know how often they should think of God. God is good, not just at certain times of the year, but always. “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalm 118:1; cf. Psalm 100). Everlasting lovingkindness deserves our everlasting thanksgiving.

“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good … Give thanks to the God of gods … Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His loving kindness is everlasting” (Psalm 136:1-3).

Paul’s devotion to thanksgiving is evident in his epistles. Most of them begin with some sort of thanksgiving (Rom., 1-2 Cor., Eph., Phil., Col., 1-2 Thess., 1-2 Tim., Titus, Philemon). Paul kept his readers constantly aware of the source of their blessings, reminding us once again that thanksgiving is not a holiday, but a way of life.

The spirit of the child of God is captured well in this great messianic passage from Isaiah:

Then you will say on that day, “I will give thanks to You, O LORD; For although You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, And You comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the LORD GOD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.” Therefore you will joyously draw water From the springs of salvation. And in that day you will say, “Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; Make them remember that His name is exalted.” Praise the LORD in song, for He has done excellent things; Let this be known throughout the earth. Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. (Isa. 12:1-6 NAU)

Think about this passage for a few minutes, then reflect on what we should be thankful for. Is thanksgiving over for you?

“But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the LORD” (Jonah 2:9).

“Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen” (Rev 7:12).

Article by Doy Moyer

Seeing the Potential in Others

· · Leave a comment

How do we see ourselves? What do we think we can do or accomplish? How much do we think we can get done? How do we see others? Do we tend to see the potential in people and in what they can accomplish, or do we see only failures in the present and not much else being done?

Now how does God see us? How does He see our abilities? How much does He know that we can accomplish? How should this affect the way that we see our own potential?

How do we see ourselves? What do we think we can do or accomplish? How much do we think we can get done? How do we see others? Do we tend to see the potential in people and in what they can accomplish, or do we see only failures in the present and not much else being done?

Now how does God see us? How does He see our abilities? How much does He know that we can accomplish? How should this affect the way that we see our own potential?

These are very different thoughts. In answer to the first, there are two extremes. Some, in their pride, think they can do more than what they really can. They have an overinflated ego and think too highly of themselves. “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves” (Phil. 2:3).

On the other hand, there are those who think so badly of themselves that they don’t believe they can accomplish anything worthwhile. These might wallow in self-deprecation and self-pity, which then leads to further depression. Someone in this state will have a difficult time accomplishing much of anything, and needs help and encouragement to get back up and keep going. This is one reason we need each other as brothers and sisters.

The fact is that both extremes are quite dangerous and will cause a person’s spiritual life to fizzle out and die.

How we see ourselves is one matter, but to ask how God sees us is to ask something entirely different. As in anything else, what we should ideally do is try to see ourselves more as God sees us rather than as other people see us (cf. 1 Cor. 4:3). We know that God does not see as man sees, and He is often more gracious than what people might be whose judgments are merely outward (cf. John 7:24). God doesn’t look at the mere appearance of someone, but sees the heart (1 Sam. 16:7).

Still, that may be difficult to register for us who cannot know the hearts of others. We must strive to look at others in the best possible light. Love “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Cor. 13:7). We should always try to give the benefit of the doubt
if there really is a question.

Let’s consider further the question: how do we view others in terms of their potential? We all know people who never realized their full potential (and that likely includes all of us to one degree or another). When we consider the character and actions of a person, how often are we stuck in what we see right now without considering what that person might be able to become? Perhaps this was one reason why the adage is so often true: “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his own relatives and in his own household” (Mark 6:4).

Parents are typically optimistic enough about their own children to think in terms of what their children can one day be or accomplish. This is for good reason. We want to know that our training is going to mean something, and we usually know our children well enough to know that they have the abilities to accomplish more than what they can as little children. Yet even within a family (as with Jesus), we may have a hard time moving past the way we used to think of someone.

Consider Gideon. When the Midianites oppressed Israel, Gideon doesn’t first give us the impression of a mighty warrior. Yet, when the angel of the Lord spoke, before Gideon fought a battle, we see what God thought of him: “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior” (Judges 6:12).

Consider Paul. The apostle Paul (Saul) was an enemy of the cross, a persecutor of Christians. Yet, when Jesus looked at Saul, He saw him for what he could be, not just for what he presently was. Jesus said, “He is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before Gentiles and Kings…” (Acts 9:15). Do we think Saul thought of himself this way at this point?

What is our potential in God’s eyes?

Are we looking for perfection, as if we’ve already reached our potential? Perfection and potential are not the same. While perfection is a goal (cf. Matt 5:48), we must see our potential in reaching for that goal (Phil. 3:12). God gives our potential to us, and He also sets the standard of perfection toward which we reach. Potential, therefore, is vital, but it is not good enough to be satisfied with mere potential; otherwise, we will become complacent and comforted in what we lack. When we see our brothers and sisters, do we see great potential? Let’s join together in stretching that potential today, for, through Christ, we will one day reach the goal.

 

By Doy Moyer

On Sharing the Faith

· · Leave a comment

This is a simple reminder of what we all know is our privilege and responsibility as Christians. We need to teach others about Christ so that they may hear the good news of salvation and have the opportunity to submit to the Lord and have their sins forgiven. It is just recognizing that we need to find the motivation to do what we know is right in helping others come to Christ.

There comes a time when Christians should be in a position to be able to teach others. The writer of Hebrews reminded his readers of this very point:

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary 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 not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil” (Heb. 5:12-14).

This time-frame is not spelled out, and perhaps it may differ somewhat from person to person, but one thing is certain: no Christian should ever be stagnant when it comes to growth, and none should be satisfied with keeping the gospel private. All Christians ought to be striving to reach a point where they can influence and teach others to trust the Lord. If this is not where you are personally, I want to encourage you to make that a serious goal for your spiritual growth.

God intends us for us to share our faith. The only way that we will grow in teaching and evangelism is if we intend to do it. Is it possible that we may not be teaching others as much as we ought to simply because we don’t purpose to do it? Like anything else, we must see a need and a purpose, then commit to the action necessary to make it happen. Once I recognize God’s intention, God’s desire, that none should perish and all should come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9), then the question is whether or not I will make His intention my intention. If we are passive about it, or just think that others will do it, then no one will.

This doesn’t mean that everyone will stand in front of crowds in order to preach. It doesn’t mean that everyone becomes a formal Bible class teacher. We aren’t even really talking so much about formal class settings. Rather, Christians should see a need and purpose to reach out to others in whatever capacity and avenue available to them. The opportunities may come subtly. They might come through a brief interaction at the store or through a conversation with a neighbor while on a walk. We never know exactly when the opportunities may arise, but when they do, will we be ready to engage? Are we preparing ourselves for these occasions?

Whether older to younger, experienced to novice, mature to immature, God has a purpose in our teaching others. Remember that the spiritually mature will be interested in the growth and knowledge of God for all people. If we love God will all our heart, we will earnestly desire that others learn of God. In love, we will want to reach out to share the news of God’s grace and kingdom.

We have a vital message to share. Until we see the importance of it, we might not be so quick to want to share it. See the need to share based on the urgency of the message! Let’s all intend to do it, and we will. There is no more important message that we can tell anyone.

Of course, sharing the faith also requires a working knowledge of it, as well as learning to understand where people are coming from and communicating the message with grace — in other words, to learn how we might answer each one. This must be done prayerfully:

“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person” (Col. 4:2-6).

Let God be glorified! We don’t strive to share our faith because we think it makes us great. We are simply sharing the good news that saved us from our sins and has the ability to save everyone. The message comes from God, and we are serving God through teaching the message.

By Doy Moyer

Noah’s Boys and Lot’s Girls

· · Leave a comment

Rearing children is a difficult task. No parent would deny the supreme joy that children bring. But neither can we deny the perplexity, frustration, or uncertainty begotten by our begotten.  Fortunately, God has supplied dazed and confused parents with both spiritual instruction (Deuteronomy 6: 3ff; Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4), and insightful examples (Romans 15:4).

It would have been nice if God had offered a detailed account of the rearing of some godly man like David or John the Baptist.  Did Jesse approve of David’s music?  Did Zechariah set a curfew?  However, God didn’t record such a comprehensive account because I’m not raising David or John.  I’m raising Haley (and beginning in August, the Lord willing, her sibling).

Consider two families-Noah’s (Genesis 532-10:32) and Lot’s (Genesis 19:1-38).  Interestingly, there are a number of similarities.  Both dwelt in ungodly environments.  Both had righteous men at their head.  God delivered both from cataclysmic events.  Yet Noah’s boys and Lot’s girls appear far dissimilar in the end.  Observe the following;

Spiritual wisdom is important.  In Genesis 13:8f, Lot focuses upon the cities of the plain of Jordan.  The citizens of Sodom were “exceedingly” wicked in God’s eyes, and Lot was personally personally appalled at their lawlessness (II Peter 2:7ff).  Yet he took his wife and children into such a godless place simply because it was a good business move.  He was motivated more by temporal wisdom that by spiritual concern.  Some of his daughters died in Sodom (Genesis 19:14-15); his wife died looking back (Genesis 19:26); his two surviving daughters sacrificed their virginity to and bore children by their father after they enticed him to drunkenness (Genesis 19:30ff).  What would have happened to this family had Lot been more spiritual in his choices?

Active faith makes an impact.  Noah spent years proclaiming righteousness and preparing to save his family from an event absolutely unimaginable (Genesis 7:11f).  His boys saw a father who trusted God so completely that he built an incredible boat to receive an unbelievable menagerie.  Imagine the ridicule and scorn they must have endured.  Yet Noah was resolute and his faith must have inspired some trust in young Shem, Ham, and Japheth, for God delivered the boys and their wives as well.  Contrast Noah’s active faith with Lot’s fear and hesitation.  Granted, Lot was righteous (II Peter 2:7ff), but he gravitated repeatedly toward men (Genesis 13:12; 14:12; 19:20ff), attempted to appease the Sodomites with his virgin daughters, hesitated to leave Sodom, and begged God not to send him to the mountains, “lest some evil take me, and I die” (Genesis 19:19).  God delivered him, yet his faith was far from monumental.  It is little wonder that his wife and daughters did not appear to share his abhorrence of ungodliness, and that his sons-in-law ridiculed him.  We must do more than simply despise evil.

Parents must guard their character constantly.  Lot’s girls seem to have been exposed to a pattern of inconsistency.  How would you feel if your father offered you to a mob of sexual perverts?  His sons-in-law considered his warnings a joke.  He hesitated to leave.  He couldn’t stop his wife from looking back.  He was afraid of the mountains though God had delivered him. He allowed himself to become drunken before his girls. Perhaps their incest and sinful reasoning shouldn’t surprise us. But Ham, in Genesis 9:18ff, manifests contempt and disregard for Noah in response to one mistake. No doubt Ham harbored some dishonor for his father, yet Noah’s intemperance offered the opportunity for him to display his irreverence and mockery. Perhaps Ham was looking for inconsistency in his father, but Noah had apparently offered no ground for such criticism – until now. Parents, we must guard our character constantly. Our kids are watching.

A child eventually chooses his own character. It’s difficult to tell whether Noah’s boys, before the flood, were righteous like their father. Perhaps God saved them for Noah’s sake, though I believe otherwise. Shem and Japheth appear to imitate their father’s godliness in their reverence in Genesis 9:18f. Ham is another story. He is over 100 years old, with at least four boys of his own when he revels in his father’s sin. His character is now his own to pursue, and he pursues ungodliness on this occasion. Perhaps this is an indication of his moral fabric as a grown man. Though Noah was wrong in his drunkenness, Ham was old enough now to choose his own path. Noah had provided a godly example for his boys. “God saved my Dad from the flood.” Who else could make such a claim? But as with Noah and Ham, parents can only provide their children the foundation of faith – instruction, evidence, examples, admonition. There are no guarantees that they will trust God. We can’t give them our faith. How frustrating! Yet my little girl needs to love God by her choice, not by mine.

There are other lessons here and elsewhere. God knows that parents need help with their children and that children need help form their parents. Let’s work hard to offer our boys and girls every opportunity to survive this world. We owe it to them. We owe it to our folks. We owe it to God.

Russ Bowman

Feeling Numb

· · Leave a comment

Feeling numb can be either a good thing or a bad thing. For example, when I go to the dentist and he is about to drill on my tooth, then I want the nerve to that tooth to be numb. But if I wake up in the morning and my left arm is so numb that I have no use of it, then I am concerned about it.

Likewise, when I am numb, or indifferent, to the sins in the world around me, then that is a bad thing. “… Righteous Lot, … was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)” (2 Peter 2:7-8). Perhaps it is true that Lot made a bad choice spiritually when he chose the fertile plain of the Jordan for his family and cattle (Genesis 13:10-11), but he never grew accustomed to the wickedness of the society in which he lived! God praised him for his righteous indignation at the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah! Lot never became numb to sin!

The moral degradation of television today stands in stark contrast to the kind of shows I grew up watching. Today’s sitcoms blatantly advertise fornication, adultery, homosexuality, cursing, etc. as that which is commonplace and accepted. Christians can get caught up in a sitcom, especially a comedy, and find themselves laughing at the things they should find abhorrent. It is easy to become numb to the sin of the world, and that is a bad thing.

Interestingly, the word “numb” does not appear in the Bible anywhere, but insensitivity to sin is warned against repeatedly! Paul referred to it as a kind of spiritual sleep (Romans 13:11). Sexual sins and strong drink take away the heart (Hosea 4:11, KJV). Jesus admonished: “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).

The apostle Paul warned the brethren at Corinth of this moral numbness: “Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame” (1 Corinthians 15:34).

Things will not always continue as they do now! “For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:38– 39). One day all the spiritual, moral numbness will become an acute pain that consumes one’s whole being! Christians cannot afford to get caught up in the sins of the world because they will then wind up being consumed in fire with the world (2 Peter 3:10-13)!

What should the faithful Christian do? The apostle Paul answered that question clearly: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore, He says: ‘Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’ See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:11–17).

Let the “light” of God’s Word inform your mind, alarm your conscience, cause mental consternation at the sins of the world, and expose sin for what it is — moral, spiritual cancer which leads to certain death! Watch your step, and avoid sin like the plague (James 1:15)! Brethren, have you become numb to sin?

By Wayne Goff

Awkward

· · Leave a comment

[Editor’s note: Last Sunday evening’s lesson was received well, and the article from which the lesson was inspired is now submitted to you.]

Life can, at times, be awkward. Most of us have probably been in situations where we have felt uncomfortable or embarrassed by the action of another or even ourselves. Many of those times it may be over something so trivial that everyone laughs it off and someone says, “Well, that was awkward.” In this article I would like to suggest the possibility of Satan using our sense of awkwardness to further his cause. While the word “awkward” is not found in the Bible, Paul warns us in 2 Corinthians 2:11 to not be ignorant of Satan’s devices, and as we will see in this article, awkwardness may just be one of Satan’s wiles (Ephesians 6:11). Take note of two examples.

Awkwardness in Relationships

Generally speaking, things are most awkward when a relationship between two parties exists as opposed to when two parties know nothing of each other. For example, would I be embarrassed if I tripped and fell on my face in front of a complete stranger? Certainly, but I would feel even more awkward if I were to trip and fall on my face in front of someone I know because a relationship is present and there is the possibility of having to interact with this person again as opposed to a stranger whom I would likely never see again. In other words, the more you are acquainted with somebody the more probable it is that an ungraceful situation could unfold.

Having illustrated that awkwardness grows with a relationship, is it possible we ever shy away from a problem because of the potential for awkwardness and thus a strained relationship? For example, have you ever seen a brother or sister with sin in their life but decide to forego your Christian responsibility (Galatians 6:1) because you are certain that addressing the issue would be awkward and could cause you to lose that friendship?

 

The scene we read of in Galatians 2:11-14 must have been incredibly awkward for all parties involved. If we think it is awkward to talk with our brethren who are involved in sin, how do you suppose Paul was feeling as he was rebuking one of Jesus’ original and closest disciples? It could not have been easy to reveal Peter’s hypocrisy to his face and to those who were around, but the awkwardness did not prevent Paul from showing love to his erring brother. Had Paul allowed the uneasiness of the situation to stop him from speaking it is possible that Peter and Barnabas could have dragged more away with them. Let’s thank God for men such as Paul, and let’s pray for the courage to overcome awkwardness by boldly yet lovingly speaking to others. Awkwardness in talking to others concerning their sin will pass; eternal death will not.

“Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death a cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19, 20).

Awkwardness in Evangelism

All of us should want to teach others about the grace God has extended to all mankind. I believe the “golden rule” (Matthew 7:12) is a great principle for why we should reach out to the lost. Personal evangelism is something all of us should be involved in, and there are many different (and useful) ways to evangelize. Knocking on doors, handing out business cards, talking to neighbors and co-workers, sharing thought-provoking material on the World Wide Web, etc., are all wonderful ways to spread the good news.

However, do we every shy away from telling someone about Jesus’ life and death because of the potential for awkwardness? Anytime we reveal or share part of ourselves with someone, there is a potential for people to humiliate, mock, scoff, or ridicule us and our beliefs, and personal evangelism only maximizes those opportunities. Chatting with others regarding spiritual topics is not always easy to do especially when Satan can use our sense of awkwardness against us, but it is something we should want to do and must do.

From time to time we sing the hymn You Never Mentioned Him To Me. This hymn gives us an interesting perspective and leaves us with an important question: Are we telling sinners about the mercy and grace of God? It would be very awkward (and incredibly sad) to know we could have helped a sinner enter into a relationship with his Creator, but instead did not speak up because of the awkwardness it may have caused.

How do we overcome awkwardness? The answer is not to avoid relationships where we run the risk of having to confront others with their sin nor is the answer in avoiding spreading the Gospel that saves people from their sin. What is the solution then? We must first realize that it is a clever tactic Satan uses to get us not to act when we should. It can be a big temptation for some more than others but it can be overcome (1 Corinthians 10:13). Secondly, a genuine love for the souls of people will aid us in overcoming the awkwardness we feel in relationships and evangelism. For if we care for the souls of those around us we will speak despite the potential of losing a friendship or being ridiculed. May God help us all overcome!

Isaac Muñoz

Simply Christians

· · Leave a comment

We read with interest the reports on every hand of the growing disenchantment with present religious forms which originated in the Middle Ages and have become meaningless. We hear of displeasure with denominational structures and their pronouncements which reflect only the preferences of influential elite, ignoring the convictions of the rank and file. Because of these aspects of modern religion, some have decided that Christianity is not even relevant to this day and age. We believe they have so decided because they are not sufficiently acquainted with the scriptures to be able to distinguish between the relevant gospel of Christ, and the things men have added to religion since, and which truly are not relevant to serving God.

If some of these things have troubled you, and you have felt an urge, or even a yearning, to return to the simple uncomplicated religion of Christ, and if you have felt the desire to strip away all non-essential elements of religion and simply abide by the truths of Christ, truths which alone can transform the soul and bind it to God, let us suggest that such a possibility actually exists.

Let us begin with one essential fact. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. His coming (Gen. 49:10), His mission (Is. 53; Zech. 6:13), and His new message (Jer. 31:31-33) were all foretold in the Old Testament, which Jehovah used to govern Israel until the Christ should come and establish the New for all mankind (Gal. 3:19)!

The New Testament is the word of Christ. It reveals the religion of Christ (Heb. 9:15-17). By studying it we become aware that among the followers of Christ no denominational organizations have existed whatsoever. All such began at a later time. We see people hearing the gospel and in faith obeying the conditions of God’s grace. That is, they turned to God and were baptized in order to be forgiven of their sins. Being thus saved, they were added to the Lord’s people, or church (Acts 2:36-47). As the gospel spread, we find them assembling together in congregations in various localities. Each congregation was under its own elders (Acts 14:23) and no one else on earth. These elders could not make laws or be masters. They were given the responsibility of tending and caring for the congregation as shepherds would a flock (Acts 20:17,28; 1Pet. 5:1-3)! The only headquarters those disciples knew was heaven, where their head Jesus Christ was and is (Eph. 1:22-23).

Their worship was something to participate in, not something to watch. On the first day of the week, for instance, they would eat the Lord’s Supper and hear preaching (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:23-29). They would share their mutual responsibilities by sharing their prosperity, and we find contributions being collected on no other day than the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:1-2). Incidentally, no hierarchy could tax them or tell them how much to give. They had no organizations clamoring for their support. They gave as they individually purposed in their own heart (2 Cor. 9:6-7). In their assemblies they all would sing (Eph. 5:19), and all pray with various ones leading (1 Cor. 14:15-16). In all this they were all necessarily involved, for each saved person was a priest (Rev. 1:5-6). No one could perform his service or worship for him.

They lived godly lives. They cared for their poor. They taught others. They sent out preachers where they could not go. With simplicity of faith and fervor there was no need of centralization. Without organized machinery the gospel was preached throughout civilization in a short time (Col. 1:23). These disciples of Christ were known as Christians (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16). They wore no sectarian names. Their religion was not sensual or materialistic. They sought not to impress men with pious ceremony. They sought to impress God with the only thing that has ever impressed him, contrite obedience (1 Sam. 15:22). Their appeal was not social or recreational. They offered the gospel to a troubled world for it was God’s power to save (Rom. 1:16), and any other appeal was beneath them. ”

If only such could be today,” many say. But it is! Free men and women over the earth have despaired of denominationalism, seeing in it no necessity or relevance and only a cause of division. They desire the simplicity of what Christ authored. They are related and connected only in Christ and not in some earthly organization.

A group of such people meets within minutes of where you live. We are just Christians. We worship and serve God in the same way as the early disciples. Christ is our only creed and the Scriptures our only guide. We are not members of any human denomination, but simply a congregation, or church, of Christ. We would like thus to share Christ with you and with the entire world.

You too can be just a Christian and serve God without belonging to any denomination, bound by no denominational laws or obligations. If such freedom appeals to you, please visit with us, or contact us.

By Dale Smelser

Which Ones Have You Encouraged?

· · Leave a comment

The Lord’s church is composed of both strong and weak members. Each one needs encouragement at times, but certainly the weaker brethren need a greater amount of special attention. Also, there are some members who are not necessarily weak, but who have special physical problems, causing them to need special attention. The apostle Paul taught that the responsibility of helping the weaker members rested upon the shoulders of those who were mature, full-grown Christians (Romans 15:1; Galatians 6:1-2). In the minds of some, this type of responsibility is the work of the elders, deacons, or preachers. Indeed it is; but the instruction is given to all Christians. Sometimes elders and preachers are negligent. Sometimes there is simply more work to be done than a limited number of men can accomplish. Which ones have you encouraged?

Some Members Are Forsaking the Assembling of the Saints

This sign of weakness is obvious to any mature Christian. It takes no special training or skills to make a phone call, write a note, or drop by for a short visit to say, “I’ve missed you.” Would it be presumptuous to say almost all Christians could render service in this area?

Some Members Are Attending Without the Support (Perhaps With the Hindrance) Of Their Spouse

A mother rises early on Sunday morning to prepare breakfast and dress the children to get them to Bible class; and they leave home with the father still in bed. Sometimes the fathers have the same problem, leaving the mother at home. All recognize the special problems faced by such parents, admire their effort, and are encouraged by their faithful attendance under less than ideal circumstances. Are we not obliged to reciprocate some type of encouragement to these faithful parents?

Some Members Are Presently Experiencing Family Problems

There are parents who are struggling with a rebellious child. There are married couples who are experiencing serious problems, perhaps resulting from an immature spiritual life. There are adults who have aging parents who are sick or confined, and demand much of their time and attention. In many cases, an encouraging word may be all that can be offered. Who offers it?

Some Members Are Facing Problems Associated With Aging

The elderly and widows find it more and more difficult to do the basics, such as driving to services, shopping at the market, visiting with others, etc. Many live alone, without the encouragement or support of a faithful companion. Encouragement may be extended both verbally and actively.

This list could go on and on, but the initial question would remain the same, namely, “Which ones have you encouraged?” As the members of a congregation consider one another, the opportunities to serve are abundant. Christians may avoid the question for the present, but one day all will stand and give an answer.

By David Thomley

 

 

Count It Joy

As humans, we have a tendency to ask “why” when we experience difficulties in our lives. We may look at a situation as being the victim. God gives insight on how to handle these situations so that we may look at them as being a victor. We can expect experience difficulties as a Christian. After all, Jesus, the apostles and first century Christians endured hard times. James tells us how to approach these times in chapter 1.

We must first embrace the trial and count it joy (v.2).  Jesus said that we will have trials (John 16:33), so we should not be caught off guard when they occur.  These trials may be caused by satan, the world, our family and even brethren.   Peter tells us not to be surprised by these trials, but to rejoice in them (1 Peter 4:12-13).  Rejoicing occurred after suffering persecution for the cause of the gospel (Acts 5:41).  These times bring about perseverance (Romans 5:3).  We should look at the difficulty and thank God while adopting a joyful attitude when trials occur.  Persecution, in whatever form it may be, is a part of Christianity and when we suffer for Jesus, we should look at it as a good thing, especially since He suffered for us.

In verse 3, James says that the testing of our faith produces endurance.  Just as athletes train for their sport, we must train for Christianity.  Faith tested brings out the best in us if we remain focused on God.   Trials help us mature as Christians.  If we never have these, then we expect everything will be easy and as a result, we do not grow stronger.  Endurance denotes the ability to have consistency in the face of adversity.  We must stand firm with God, no matter what is thrown at us.  Testing can work for us, not against us (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Endurance must have its perfect result (verse 4).  Too often, we want the hard times to be over with immediately.  Instead of complaining or questioning God, we should simply endure it.   We learn to continue to seek God’s will during the hard times.

Lastly, we must look to God for wisdom (verse 5).  Wisdom is demonstrated when we take what Scripture says and apply it to our own lives.  We must look to the One who is all knowing for guidance.  Persistency must characterize our prayer life.  Especially in times of difficulty, we should become more dependent on God, looking to Him for strength, guidance and comfort.  James tells us to ask God in faith, without doubting (verse 6).

Seeing trials as an opportunity to rejoice is contrary to what the world thinks. Christianity is about seeking to please God.  It is about humbling ourselves in good times and in difficult times.  Christians are commanded to have a joy in all circumstances of life.  This joy occurs because, no matter what we endure, we have the hope of heaven.

By Randy Case Jr.

Disobedient to Parents?

· · Leave a comment

A noted characteristic of the Apostle Paul’s writings is his propensity for lists. To make his point, Paul often included numerous characteristics to describe the topic under consideration. One such list is found in Paul’s second letter to Timothy as he described the problems that would plague the last days. The vices that compose this list fit neatly together, such as lovers of self showing conceit and the ungrateful demonstrating heartlessness. Tucked in the middle of this list, however, is a phrase that seems alien to the others – “disobedient to parents.” Compared to the other characteristics, this particular “evil” sounds quite mild. Surface reasoning is superfluous in this case and a closer inspection of the problem reveals a foundation stone in a life given to denial of godliness.

Being brought up by a Jewish mother, Timothy certainly would have been aware of the seriousness of a lack of parental respect since such a disrespectful youth would bear serious consequences under the Law of Moses. Concerning this, the law stated, “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’  Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear” (Deuteronomy 21:1821). This law was not for a single youthful indiscretion or for a moment of temporary disrespect. Such action was reserved for the youth who refused to exercise the proper attitude and decorum toward his parents. The Lord knew that the child who scoffed at his earthly mother and father would surely reject his Heavenly Father as well.

Though the Mosaic Law was not brought forward into the New Testament, the Lord still expects an attitude of respect from the young. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1).  Respect must typify a child’s relationship with parents. This passage, written to young people who have reached an age of understanding, provides one of their first major spiritual tests. Note that this action is not based on the attitude or action of the child’s parents. The Lord does not tell young people to show respect as long as parental actions meet their approval.  He does not even provide a caveat for children who are raised by non-Christian parents. The Lord’s command requires children to develop a spirit of submission to parents that is essential in learning how to submit to God. In fact, the primary reason for a child’s obedience is to please Him (obey “in the Lord”).

A child’s failure to respect his or her parents will set a tone that can prove detrimental since it is highly unlikely that a disrespectful child will ever fully respect God. Failure to respect God means that life will be lived in worldly ways, with little attention paid to the qualities needed in order to bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25). Young people must ponder this thought with great sobriety. There is often strong temptation to become rebellious toward parents in the tween and teen years and, in current culture, there is almost an expectation that this happen. For a young person seeking godliness, this trend will be avoided. Though disagreements will occur, the godly child will remember the authority of parents and the need to respect this authority. Such disagreements will be handled with great respect and ungodliness will not be manifest. This will be difficult, yet the child who develops such an attitude will find service to God much easier. There will be occasions where the will of the Heavenly Father may be different from what one might initially desire to pursue. In such cases, the training and discipline learned in the home will build a foundation for the respect given to the authority of God. Each respectful conclusion to a disagreement with parents will bolster the successful relationship the child can have with the Lord.

Parents must insist on such behavior from children. This is made much easier when both parents are pursuing godliness and illustrating a willing submission to the Lord. Children raised in such a home will see a living example of the kind of attitude that the Lord expects. It is for this reason that Paul wrote, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Children who are constantly allowed to have their way will have great difficulty learning the discipline that the Lord expects and requires. For parents of headstrong children, this will mean that a number of battles must be fought and fought consistently. There is no gain in a “strong one minute but weak the next” approach. Parents must always realize that they are ultimately helping their children develop a spirit that will surrender to and honor the Lord. This will be a wearying pursuit with a strong temptation to give up and give in, but the parents who desire what is spiritually best for their children will willingly fight the good fight.

Is the phrase “disobedient to parents” out of place in Paul’s list? Absolutely not! Paul well understood that a life lived for God or for wickedness begins early. He understood that the earliest tests for young people will have a tremendous impact on their lifelong spirituality. For both children and parents, there is great importance in creating a home where respect is given and parents are honored. Such will have an impact on whether or not a home will ultimately be found with the Father in Heaven.

By Greg Chandler

Welcome

· · Leave a comment

Thank you for picking up and taking the time to read this bulletin! If you are visiting with us from the community or a nearby congregation, we want you to know we are grateful for your presence with us. Your presence is an encouragement to us, and it is our most earnest desire that our worship has been beneficial to you and favorable in the sight of God, our Savior.  If it’s your first time being with us or you are unsure of why we do the things we do, allow us to explain.

The church of Christ at Chapman Acres is an independent, non-denominational group of Christians whose goal is to serve God, the Creator and Savior. Free from the authority of man-made creeds or charters, our only standard is the Bible. Our only model is the church that Jesus established, of which we read in the New Testament. While we pray for and encourage other churches who seek to follow the New Testament pattern, the church at Chapman Acres maintains no organizational ties with other congregations either in our local area or abroad.

The Christians who make up the church are not perfect, but our goal is to live for the One who died for us. We are forgiven sinners who have believed in Jesus Christ, have committed our lives to Him, and have obeyed His command to be immersed in baptism. To us, being a Christian is not about living our way and expecting God to approve of whatever we do. Jesus Christ is Lord and King. However, neither is being a Christian a matter of cold, robotic obedience to laws. Being a Christian is about cultivating a relationship with the Father. Whatever He asks, we lovingly seek to give Him.

Our God-given duty as a group is to spread the Gospel locally and abroad, to encourage the members of the church, and to help Christians who are in spiritual or physical need. We do not provide recreation or entertainment. God has given His church much more important work with eternal consequences. Our job is to help everyone we know be saved.

We read in the New Testament that Christians regularly met together to worship and study. They sang songs in order to praise God and encourage one another. They prayed together. They contributed financially to the work of the church. Teaching and Bible reading were essential parts of their activities. In addition, we read that they regularly met on the first day of the week to observe the Lord’s Supper and remember the sacrifice that makes it all possible. These simple, spiritual activities are what you will find at Chapman Acres.

We would love for you to visit with us. You will find a friendly greeting, reverent worship, group Bible study, and teaching from the Bible. Feel free to contact us if you wish to study with any of the men or women of the church at a place of your choice. Our prayer is that you dedicate yourself to the Lord and seek His will. We will help in any way we can.

[This description of the saints which meet at Chapman Acres can be found, along with much more information, at www.chapmanacres.org.]

In addition to finding more information about the church that worships and works together here in Huntsville through our website, you can also “like” our page on Facebook (Chapman Acres church of Christ), and stay connected with us through that medium.

Not only will you be able to keep up with the news at Chapman Acres, but it will also give you an opportunity to think on spiritual things throughout the day, as we often try to place thought-provoking and spiritually-engaging posts.

Again, thank you for visiting us and taking the time to read this. Please do not hesitate to let us know how we can help you draw nearer to God.

The Christians at Chapman Acres

 

 In addition to welcoming our guests from the community and other congregations we also want to extend a warm welcome to our brother and special guest, Greg Chandler.

We have been looking forward to this week for some time and have been praying for the success of the Gospel through this effort. We thank you for coming our way and anticipate your lessons from the word of God. God bless, brother!

“So [we] sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”

 Acts 10:33