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By Smith, Marc, on February 28th, 2010
Many years ago, while living in Houston we were awakened in the middle of the night by police officers banging on our apartment door and bedroom window. Bewildered and bleary eyed I opened the door to hear the cause of all the uproar from one of the officers who explained that most of the cars in the parking places out front had been broken into and burglarized.
The good news was that they had caught the guy and had him handcuffed and subdued in the backseat of one of the police cruisers. When I got a good look at him I noticed that he was about my age at that time; early twenties. The police wanted all those folks they had awakened and who had been robbed to identify and reclaim any items the thief had taken from their cars. As I looked over that jumbled pile of stuff the guy had broken out car windows to get at, I was amazed at the inexplicable collection of junk he had stolen. There were Tupperware containers, pots and pans, old style portable transistor radios, dirty pillows, auto parts, gear shift knobs (!),..well you get the idea. Pathetically, my plastic lunch box, hard hat, and yes, my car’s gear shift knob, were there, too. Everyone having gotten their belongings, the police hauled off the inept thief to the pokey. We all went back to bed shaking our heads at such a stupid and out of control person. The driver’s side window of my work car had been smashed by him and as I later found out would cost a little over $300.00 to replace. The deductible on my insurance for such matters was $250.00, naturally.
Continue reading » "…Let None of You Suffer…As a Thief"
By Smith, Marc, on February 25th, 2010
My parents gave us a great old Electrolux vacuum cleaner as one of our wedding gifts long ago. Even though it does not see much use these days we still have it and I marvel at its design. The chrome and stainless steel Electrolux nearly screams Buck Rogers in its science fiction spaceship design which hails back to the middle of the last century.
One of the most peculiar things I have noticed about the old Electrolux is if one holds the nozzle close to ones mouth when speaking, it seems to suck a great deal of the sound of the words right down that long hose! It is a strange observation and I have amused a lot of kids with that little trick over the years. Sound waves are dependant on air to be carried and like shouting into the wind voices are carried away with the air.
Maybe we have felt this way in another way, too. Have you ever said to yourself, with a degree of resignation, “Oh, what’s the use? No matter what I say or do, my spiritual efforts for the Lord will always be misunderstood and unappreciated by others. It seems just like shouting into an old vacuum cleaner!” That while others do relatively little, and you at least labor on, you are not respected nor recognized by them. We must realize that it will always be like that. Though it is gladly received when it rarely happens, we must not ever become dependant upon others to be spiritually buoyed. What we must rely upon and must fully realize is that the Lord is always there and we can access Him in prayer and He not only listens to us but gives us the help and encouragement we so often desperately need.
At such times we should remember what scripture has to say in wonderfully encouraging ways: Isaiah 41:14, “I will help thee, saith the Lord.” 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
There is even more: Psalms 8:1-4, “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. 3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” Just think of the wonderful and encouraging passage in Isaiah 40:31, “But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”
Our personal efforts may seem to go nowhere and often no one seems to care, but there are much larger issues at hand. Galatians 6:9, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
By Smith, Marc, on February 23rd, 2010
When I was just beginning preaching, I know I benefited greatly by a number of older preachers, including my own father. Though some of these were not aware of it they served as mentors to me by their reputations and examples. One I have admired in so many ways was Robert L. McDonald, Jr. At one time he told a story that bears repeating at this time and I want to use it here as the premise for this article.
The account goes like this. During the process of preaching a gospel meeting in a certain place brother McDonald had just concluded one of his sermons, which no doubt was thorough on insisting on the adherence to Bible authority. As the listeners were filing by, an elderly man approached him and referring to the sermon said, “That was a real cow bell!” This man went on to explain what he meant by this and that his comment was intended to be the highest compliment, which for our purposes now, was along the lines of understanding why milk cows used to wear loud bells around their necks. The owner of the cow could hear where his cow was when the bell sounded as it walked. This told him if his cow was close or far. So, his remark meant that the sermon brother MacDonald had preached had the sound of telling him what he needed to know, the truth.
Continue reading » Preaching the Gospel With the Jerusalem Ring
By Gary, Bryan W., on February 20th, 2010
I attended the preacher training program up in Ellettsville, IN in the summer of 2008. Upon hearing of my recent educational experience someone asked me if it would be appropriate to start calling me “Reverend”. I responded saying to not call me “Reverend” because that was a title reserved for God.
In Matthew 23:2, Jesus spoke to his disciples about how the scribes and the Pharisees had positioned themselves greater among the Jews; “…The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses”. Exodus 18:13 says that Moses “sat to judge the people”. He judged the people according to the law that God had revealed to him. During the time of Christ, the scribes and Pharisees had become the keepers and teachers of the Law, but there was a problem with them because they wanted “their deeds to be noticed by men” (Matthew 23:5). They did this by enhancing the appearance of their garments (Matt. 23:5), taking the best seats at banquets and in the synagogues (Matthew 23:6), and being greeted and called special names such as “Rabbi” by men (Matt 23:7). Jesus said “But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ” (Matthew 23:8-10).
Continue reading » Why I Am Not Called "Reverend" or "Pastor"
By Campbell, Kyle, on February 19th, 2010
If you were to go to any major university to study the Bible, you would probably be told that historical events in the Bible are to be treated as myths, legends, and folklore. We need to have confidence in the Bible. Archaeology can help with that confidence.
The word archaeology is composed of two Greek words: Archaios, meaning “old” or “ancient”; and Logos, signifying “word, treatise or study.” A literal definition is “the study of antiquity.” It is the science which deduces a knowledge of past times from the study of existing remains. The earliest known archaeologist was Nabonidus, king of Babylon, who, in the sixth century B.C., excavated a temple floor down to a foundation stone laid 3,200 years before. Modern archaeology began with Napoleon’s expedition to Egypt (1798), when one of his officers discovered the Rosetta Stone, whose identical inscription in three languages unlocked the mystery of Egyptian hieroglyphs and opened the history of Egypt. Later a British officer named Henry Rawlinson found a trilingual inscription at Behistun, Persia, that unlocked the mysteries of cuneiform. Since 1948, archaeology has been concerned with the scientific study of the actual culture of people in the Bible.
Continue reading » What Good Is Archaeology?
By Zamora, Luis, on February 17th, 2010
How many members were there in the church at Corinth? The churches of Rome or Galatia? Any one of the seven churches of the Revelation? We don’t know.
Why don’t we know? The Bible doesn’t tell us.
Now, the Bible does tell us “…all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). So, the more important question is: Why would we ask?
Satan moved David to number the people. God had said not to number the people. He didn’t want Israel to trust in himself and his own strength. (1 Chronicles 21:1; Exodus 30:12)
Gideon learned that his 30,000 mustered troops were too strong. God whittled it down to 300. That way they could fell an army of over 100,000 and know for sure that God had delivered them rather than their own military might. (Judges 7:2; 8:10)
The disciples asked Jesus whether it was few who would be saved. He replied, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” He also taught, “The gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Luke 13:24; Matthew 7:14)
How many are “a few?” Peter said “a few” were saved in the days of Noah. That means eight. And Noah had preached the gospel for a hundred years by that time. (1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5; Genesis 5:32; 7:6)
Jonathan son of Saul understood that “…nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few,” as he and his shield-bearer overthrew a Philistine garrison (1 Samuel 14:6).
By Cox, Stan, on February 15th, 2010
Matthew 3:13-17
Immediately following Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River, recorded in Matthew 3, Mark 1 and Luke 3, Luke states, “Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age…” (vs. 23).
The baptism of Jesus signified the end of His time in anonymity. He left Nazareth (the city of His youth) behind (cf. Mark 1:9), and traveled by foot 60-70 miles to be “baptized by John in the Jordan.” With this act of obedience, Jesus began His public ministry and His inevitable trek toward the cross at Calvary.
Of the three baptism accounts recorded in the gospels, only Matthew records the conversation between John and Jesus. When Jesus presented Himself to John to be baptized by him, the text says that “John tried to prevent Him, saying ‘I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’” (vs. 14). Before noting Jesus’ response, it is important to note a few things about John’s reaction to Jesus’ presence at the Jordan.
Continue reading » Jesus and John at the Jordan River
By Cox, Stan, on February 11th, 2010
Luke 2:40-52
The historian Luke, in his gospel, records the only words spoken by Jesus as a child that we are privy to in God’s inspired word. The conversation, between Jesus and his parents, is found in the latter part of the second chapter of the book.
Luke records the devotion of Joseph and Mary, indicating that they went to Jerusalem every year to observe the Passover. When Jesus was twelve years old he was included in the traveling party. When the feast was finished, and Mary and Joseph together with other family members began the trip home, we are told that Jesus, “lingered behind in Jerusalem.”
You can imagine their state of mind as they sought Jesus. It was three days (vs. 46) before they found him. He was in the temple, listening to the teachers there and asking them questions. We are not privy to what Jesus said to these important men, but we are told they “were astonished at His understanding and answers.”
Continue reading » Jesus’ First Recorded Words
By Smith, Jeff, on February 10th, 2010
One great concern that Paul shared with all of us who undertake some difficult and personally emotional objective is that the work might turn out to be in vain.
An account executive might work for months in an attempt to woo a client only to have another firm swoop in and steal him away. A doctor can labor in an operating room for hours only to have his patient die on the way to recovery. A Christian can study with an unbeliever for months, see him converted and then watch as he shrinks back into perdition. All are filled with a sense that their work was in vain as Solomon put it first (Ecclesiastes 2:11).
For example, Paul writes the Thessalonians: “For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain” (1 Thessalonians 3:5). Learning from Christ’s parable, Paul understood that tribulation and persecution had the power to uproot faith in the sapling stage and destroy it (Matthew 13:21). Yet the Thessalonians were standing firm and Paul’s work was not in vain (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12). They continued to be examples of perseverance to others (1 Thessalonians 1:6-2:1). Continue reading » Conduct Worthy of The Gospel
By Robertson, John, on February 2nd, 2010
Introduction
The Bible reveals the Lord’s concern of the world’s view of His church and saints. When the church and individual saint walks contrary to God’s revealed standards they pave the way for the world’s blasphemy against the Lord and His doctrine. The Christian ought to be concerned about what people of the world think. God’s people can do one of three things in the public’s eye. First, they may make manifest the true church and individual Christian’s identity in all areas of life as they are guided by nothing but the truth. Secondly, they may make manifest a hypocritical approach to Christianity through unauthorized works. Thirdly, the saint of God may show the world a spirit of indifference due to their fear of appearing different. The church and individual saint will have much to do with where those of the world spend their eternity. Continue reading » The World’s Bible
By Cox, Stan, on February 1st, 2010
The concept is so simple… man is a free moral agent. He can and does make choices, every day of his life. Some men choose to do good. They support their families, pay their taxes and are productive citizens. Others choose to do evil. They are unfaithful to their spouse, they cheat their neighbor, they commit crimes. Those who choose to do good could choose to do otherwise. Conversely, the evildoer is one by choice as well. They are responsible for the evil they do.
This can be demonstrated anecdotally. We see it every day, even recognize it in our own lives. If our consciences are tender, we strive always to do good. However, from time to time we choose wrongly, and our conscience is pierced with guilt. Those who choose to do evil again and again have their consciences hardened (seared), and feel guilt no longer. Regardless, we always maintain the ability to choose.
Continue reading » Editorial: Free Will – Confusing the Simple
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