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By Smith, Jeff, on May 1st, 2012
I had the chicken pox when I was about six years old and I can still recall the horrible, Jobian itching that resulted. In my memory as well, however, is the soothing sensation of that lotion which was applied by my mother to the sores on my back and chest, which eased the misery until the illness was gone.
Most everyone realizes our souls often contract a disease just as painful to the conscience, the disease of sin. What will soothe our misery then? The answer is nothing but the unparalleled mercy of God, wrought through the death and resurrection of our savior and his son, Jesus Christ (Romans 7:24-25). Continue reading » Obtaining Mercy
By Smith, Jeff, on April 13th, 2012
The readers of what we call the Hebrew letter were a people in great distress, convinced of the lordship of Jesus Christ, but overwhelmed by the persecution and ostracism that came with it.
To dissuade them from abandoning their faith in the son of God, the now anonymous writer assembled a number of arguments around a theme of the superiority of the new covenant to that of Moses. Like all disciples, they had the free will to choose faithfulness or apostasy, and the stakes involved their very salvation and eternal fate.
Continue reading » Fury of Fire
By Smith, Jeff, on March 6th, 2012
Many today revel in a perverse victim mentality, perking up their ears and focusing their eyes any time there is a possibility they can claim to have been offended and deserving of pity and apology.
Forget the defense industry–this is the offense industry and it is booming. Moreover, faith in Christ is often occasion for deep offense as well. The saints are offended, sometimes legitimately, sometimes gleefully, and sometimes necessarily, when their convictions or pride are wounded. The Lord warned us about giving offense, but clearly there are times when that risk is necessary and his own ministry is proof enough. Continue reading » Woe to Offenses
By Smith, Jeff, on February 14th, 2012
Every believer should be familiar with the words of Christ as they touch on the sentencing phase of Judgment Day. Where the wicked will hear, “Depart me from me all you workers of iniquity,” the faithful hope to be told, “Well done, good and faithful servant. … Enter into the joys of your lord.”
Perhaps, we are sometimes led to believe it doesn’t matter what we do at all, even in regard to our soul’s salvation, but the sentence of Christ surely emphasizes it is more blessed to do well than to work iniquity. There are many spiritual blessings to be found in Jesus, but those that are eternal are the ones that only the worthy obtain–not by worth of personal merit, but by the interaction of faith and grace. Heaven is a prize, a gift, a reward, an inheritance and a a treasure. Thus it is an objective worth striving after and one which only the faithful and few will attain. Continue reading » Worthy to Obtain
By Smith, Jeff, on January 7th, 2012
With the market domination of cellular telephones, we have all had the experience of carrying on a conversation with someone who was really disconnected some time ago.
With such phones, we occasionally have to ask, “Can you hear me now?” because we’re not certain our message is getting through. Then, sometimes, we have no clue that we’ve been disconnected altogether.
Prayer can feel about like that at times in our lives, especially if we occasionally doubt our message is getting through or discover that we have been unknowingly disconnected for quite a while because of some sin or rebellious attitude.
Continue reading » Hindered Prayers
By Smith, Jeff, on December 14th, 2011
In matters secular, political, social, and religious, we understand that authority is expressed through direct commands, existing examples and necessary inferences. Commands can be positive or negative; examples can be approved or disapproved; inferences are only authoritative when necessary, not as additions or amendments. Some, however, by appealing to emotion and opinion rather than Scripture and reason, desire to add another track of authority–love. What cannot be authorized any other way through the word of God is justified should we desire it if we can argue that it is motivated by love. This represents a fundamental misunderstanding, and even vilification, of the word of God. It is not necessary to designate love as a fourth track of Bible authority, for love is the objective of every command, every example and every implication.
Continue reading » Love Authority
By Smith, Jeff, on November 8th, 2011
One of the often overlooked benefits of the local church is the practice of mutual correction that is to take place among people who genuinely care for one another and share a goal of reaching heaven. Continue reading » Brother’s Keeper
By Smith, Jeff, on October 3rd, 2011
Some people think of Satan as a being straight from mythology while others describe him as an impersonal evil force in the universe, but the Bible clearly portrays him as both real and personal.
He is a creature of God that chose to exercise his free will toward wickedness and to exert a negative influence over humanity. Jesus Christ was sent to the world to bruise his head and destroy his power, so that, as disciples of Christ, we might find victory over the sin that so easily ensnares us and gain Heaven instead of Hell.
It is appropriate that we comprehend Satan to be our adversary and that we recognize we are at war with him because he is certainly waging war upon us. Like Jesus, we want to cry out, “Get behind me, Satan” and back up that exclamation with action.
Continue reading » Get Behind Me, Adversary
By Smith, Jeff, on September 27th, 2011
I have always hated the expression, “Killing time,” even though I am guilty of it as much as anyone else. Continue reading » Kindle Devotional Book Excerpt: Wisdom Calls
By Smith, Jeff, on August 1st, 2011
One of the interesting parts of any book or movie about time travel is watching the characters try to figure out the progress and customs of the time in which they have landed.
Their clothing, speech and knowledge are usually all wrong. It’s almost like seeing an Amish wagon clattering down a highway as sports cars and tractor trailers zip past. Clearly, somebody doesn’t understand the times.
In 1 Chronicles 12, the armies of Israel are described according to their tribes and abilities – some are armed for war, others are mighty men of valor, and some are even famous men. It is the men of Issachar, however, who are described as having “understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” (32).
Continue reading » Understanding the Times
By Smith, Jeff, on July 2nd, 2011
While it is true that almost everyone in America knows of Jesus Christ, far fewer actually know him.
The lingering images of Jesus Christ tend to be revived only twice a year and more by custom than faith, of course. In the early winter, people shower each other with gifts while being reminded that the babe in the manger is the reason for the season. Then in the spring, many of them take a few moments one Sunday morning to contemplate the crucified and risen savior.
Continue reading » Away From the Manger
By Smith, Jeff, on June 10th, 2011
While most everyone knows, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” precious few are aware that it was Jesus who made that expression famous and even fewer are convinced it is really true (Acts 20:35).
Receiving, after all, contains a blessed feeling that is impossible to deny. Giving to the government through taxes and fines hardly feels like a blessing, at least until we think about our national defense and infrastructure. In the Bible, however, giving becomes a matter of faith–whether it is providing for one’s household, giving alms to the poor or providing for the saints and proclamation of the gospel. The custom of the earliest churches of Christ was to provide for a weekly collection, on the first day of the week, which just happened to coincide with the weekly atonement memorial of the Lord’s Supper. Continue reading » Jubilee
By Smith, Jeff, on May 2nd, 2011
In the Old Testament book of Esther, there is a man named Haman, who had been advanced above all his fellow princes in the kingdom of King Ahasuerus. All the king’s servants bowed before him and paid him homage because the king had commanded it. Materially and professionally, Haman had everything going for him, but spiritually he was utterly bankrupt.
When we are neglectful about counting our blessings or too focused upon the wins and losses in this life, we can get to be about like Haman. Continue reading » All This Avails Me Nothing
By Smith, Jeff, on March 31st, 2011
At the center of everything we believe is Jesus Christ, the son of Man and son of God who is from eternity, who lived on Earth to become our savior, and who ever lives now in Heaven to render assistance to the redeemed. It is important that we know Jesus, not just by recognizing and wearing his name, but by acknowledging his history and his character. Continue reading » Christ Ever Lives
By Smith, Jeff, on March 5th, 2011
AUTHOR’S NOTE: This article contains frank discussion of a sensitive subject matter and might not be appropriate for young readers. Please exercise discretion.
You would rather not talk about your porn stash and I can understand that. I would rather not talk about it either.
If you grew up in the 1960s, 70s, or 80s, it might have been hidden between your mattress and box springs, a stack of dirty magazines mailed to you from Hugh Hefner or Bob Guccione. Maybe your father had one, too, and you happened upon it, innocently enough one day, as you rifled through his night table, looking for … well, it doesn’t matter.
Continue reading » Can We Talk About Your Porn Stash?
By Smith, Jeff, on March 5th, 2011
The statistics are overwhelming. Sexual addiction is such a subtle epidemic that some writers are comparing it to the more prominent and palatable obesity problem among Americans, just to attract some satisfactory level of attention.
Pornography, nothing new in itself, is fueling this randy epidemic, driving the “Triple-A engine” on the Information Superhighway. Internet delivery of sexual titillation and amusement is affordable, anonymous and accessible at the speed of light. It is ubiquitous, gender-neutral, age-defying, and ugly. It is exploitative and lucrative for its purveyors, and it is only getting worse as technology continues to develop. “The Internet is an essentially gnostic, disembodied medium: You can dispense ideas through it, but not sacraments, community, or embodiment” (Byassee 2008, 15).
Continue reading » Cyberporn
By Smith, Jeff, on February 1st, 2011
The name of Judah is one that Christians hold in some esteem, if for no other reason than it is the tribe from which our Savior came. Sadly, though, the name of Judah is soiled in the Old Testament by idolatry and apostasy from God, so much so that only Jesus could redeem it and the rest of the world. When we go all the way back to Judah himself–the son of Israel who was the first of the clan–we might expect to find greater integrity and yet his character is marred both by the sale of Joseph into slavery and another more personally significant event. That event has to do with his sexual immorality, its attachment to the lifestyle of the world around him that he was gradually choosing over Jehovah’s, and the spoiling of his reputation.
Continue reading » Your Signet, Cord and Staff
By Smith, Jeff, on January 6th, 2011
When I first became a full-time preacher, I had the privilege of getting to know an older preacher who was coming our way to hold a gospel meeting.
I called him to talk over his plans, settle on accommodations and find out if there was anything specific that he would need.
“Will you be using the overhead projector,” I innocently asked?
“No,” he retorted. “I won’t be putting on any picture show to entertain the brethren!”
Continue reading » Technology and the Church
By Smith, Jeff, on January 4th, 2011
On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. made a speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. In that speech, he eloquently challenged a divided nation to come together in racial harmony and to sit together at a table of brotherhood. He had in mind the brotherhood of man, but, we are even more deeply concerned with the brotherhood of the believer.
Continue reading » A Table of Brotherhood
By Smith, Jeff, on December 7th, 2010
Most will remember that the Israelites left Egypt under the command of God’s servant, Moses, who led them through the wilderness forty years until they finally reached the Promised Land.
At that point, Moses died and Joshua took charge, leading the people into battle to take control of their land. Because Jehovah’s religion was to have one Lord and be free of idolatry and superstition, the faith of the heathen was a great danger. God commanded that they should be eliminated, but they weren’t.
Today, our strategy in dealing with the world around us involves conversion rather than extermination, but immersion in this life affords us the same opportunities to influence for good or to be influenced for evil. What are the dangers when we mingle with the Gentiles?
Continue reading » Mingling With the Gentiles
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