The Earth is whirling, twirling, spinning, spinning,Turning from night to day and back again.The Earth is speeding, fleeting, through itsCourse in space appointed by the Master’ plan. The Earth is hurrying, scurrying in its orbit day by dayOn its axis rotating daily, weekly,Monthly on its hastening way,To complete another year set by the Master’s plan. Three months to a season, Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn.Each brings its anticipations, and joys for one and all.Winter, with the deep sleep of cold to rest the Earth.Spring, with a vibrant, fragrant awakening of the Earth.Summer, with flowers, warmth and rain to restore the Earth.Autumn, with golden trees, falling leaves, preparation for Earth’s rest.Again according to the Master’s plan. What do I experience in each season?In Winter I see the work of God in the design of the snowflake.In Spring I feel softness of God in every bud and blade of grass.In Summer I know the gentleness of God in the rain upon the Earth.In Autumn I see the rich artistry of God as He paints the leaves of trees.And with each day He grants me to live, I find something to be grateful forThat He has seen fit to let me see this day.For you see, I know that it is all part ofThe Master’s plan, held in the Master’s hand.

For some time, I have heard advertisements for online reputation monitoring services. In fact, I was once invited to join a job search or networking service trying to differentiate itself with “online reputation tracking.” I wonder if we have given any thought about monitoring our online reputation as Christians. Social media is like any new mode of communication in that it is what we make it to be. Regardless of whether or not you are online via social media or not, we all have a responsibility to manage our reputations! What we say, do or post online reveals something about our characters and reputations. Human resources literature abounds with warnings to be careful what one reveals about oneself online as it may hurt the reputation of the company for which one works, or it may severely impact the success of one’s new job search. One wonders if Christians have given any thought about their online reputations in regards to their membership in the Lord’s church and loyalty to the Lord. Some time ago, I posted this comment on Facebook: “One wonders since employers monitor employees’ Facebook accounts if elders are monitoring the sheep’s Facebook accounts? Any thoughts?” That generated all types of responses, including some strongly stating such was entirely unethical and even downright immoral. Yet, one wonders about such thoughts since, after all, the person posted the material to be seen in the first place! I find it ironic that some were highly offended at the thought, which makes one …

People always ask, “What do you mean by a ‘bribe’ or ‘extortion.’” Those who ask this question may not be asking to know, but to justify their intention or action. Whichever way you see it, please read the Bible and hear from God. God’s commandment states that we should not take bribes or deny justice to a poor man. He stated the reason for this. “And you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clearsighted and subverts the cause of the just” (Exodus 23:8). King David knew God would destroy bribe-takers, and hence, he prayed, “Do not take my soul away along with sinners, nor my life with men of bloodshed, in whose hands is a wicked scheme, and whose right hand is full of bribes” (Psalm 26:9-10). The Bible says that those who take bribes are wicked. Why are they wicked? They pervert the ways of justice (Proverbs 17:23). Would you like to be addressed as a wicked man or woman? If your friend calls you wicked, you will not be happy with him because the Bible says that wicked people will be destroyed, and you would not like to be destroyed. Perhaps you are good, righteous in other aspects of life or religion. Will you take bribes to ruin you? The Bible calls those who take bribes “rebels” and “companions of thieves.” “Your rulers are rebels, and companions of thieves; every one loves a bribe and chases after rewards” (Isaiah 1:23). Some people believe that …

Bribery, a form of pecuniary corruption, is an act implying money or gift given that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black’s Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting, of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or other person in charge of a public or legal duty. The bribe is the gift bestowed to influence the recipient’s conduct. It may be any money, good, right in action, property, preferment, privilege, emolument, object of value, advantage, or merely a promise or undertaking to induce or influence the action, vote, or influence of a person in an official or public capacity. (Wikipedia) It is difficult for ordinary folks, who are not trained in the legal system, lawmaking and government to understand the interworking of our elected officials. We hear about closed-door, under the table and arm-twisting agreements. When the closed-door meetings are over, our elected government officials come out, and guess what, they changed their mind about thus and so. Most of the time, we citizens are not privy to these sweet deals, and if we find out, it’s at a much later time. Citizens ask, “What’s going on?” Should not government be transparent? Have we heard about transparency somewhere? Bribery can be found in different forms. An interesting quote by Robert Jackson may shed some light on our subject. “Men are more often bribed by their loyalties and ambitions than by money.” Biblical Examples of Bribery Delilah betrayed …

There are many wonderful sights to behold as one gazes upon the beauty of the earth. Among those marvellous sights are some of the most beautiful mountain ranges that anyone can even imagine. These ranges are the home of the world’s tallest peaks and the resting place of so many that have attempted to reach their pinnacles. Mount Everest and K2 are among the world’s tallest mountains, and every year more and more people attempt to conquer those mountains. While reaching the top of Mount Everest or K2 might not be on your list of things to do in life, we all still have mountains that we must overcome. In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve were faced with a mountain in their lives. Temptation and sin presented itself to Adam and Eve, and unfortunately they succumbed to that temptation and sin. They were temporarily conquered by the mountains in their lives. Genesis 12 brings us a more positive conclusion to mountains that sometimes face us in our lives. Abram was asked by God to leave his home and go into a land that God would show him. Thankfully, Abram had faith in God and was able to conquer that mountain. Matthew 19 once again shows us that if we are not focused on Christ, the mountains of our lives can overcome us. There we meet the Rich Young Ruler who had been faithful in so many things, but when Jesus asked him to give up his great wealth for Christ, …

I looked out at the backyard this morning and could not help but observe the beauty of fall. One tall, thin maple tree was ablaze in glorious shades of gold. A gentle breeze was blowing with a slight nip of fall. Splashes of color dotted the woods just past our yard. Another season is truly upon us. Autumn is the beautiful preparation for the bareness of winter. The fall of the leaves, the beginnings of the frosts, the heralding of the coming silence. All of these are autumn. Soon the bareness of winter will be upon us, followed by the awakening of life in the comfort of spring. Finally, summer will bear down upon us with its withering heat, but untold beauty. Each will come; each occurs in due season. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9). The wise man in Ecclesiastes 3 stated that there is a season for everything. There is an appropriate time for everything under the sun. However, way too often, we are impatient. The Psalmist and the writer of Proverbs admonish, over and over again, that we should “wait on the Lord.” That is something that we have trouble doing. No question, we live in an age of instant gratification. Why do we carry telephones with us everywhere? So that we don’t have to wait to get messages or to contact someone. How do you feel about waiting in line? …

It was over the Christmas holidays that our oldest son approached me about what arrangements his mother and I had made in case one of us needed ‘long term care’ due to a stroke or some other sickness that possibly could cripple us. Now that question caused some serious thinking on my part. It is something that we really don’t like to consider since we are still in relatively good health. Yet, our age is showing. After all, my wife and I will be 78-years-old our next birthday anniversaries. I think sometimes I am a 25-year-old man locked in this 78-year-old body. I don’t feel this old but I am. Aging parents can really be a major problem for caring children, but ‘long term care’ is so expensive. People have lost their homes, property and savings when in need of ‘long time care.’ I knew of a Christian couple who was in the same nursing home, and a relative of theirs stated the cost was $12,000 per month! I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Oh, I know that Medicare will pay some, but one still must give up practically all earthly possessions in the process of covering the expenses for ‘long term care.’ There are ‘long term care’ policies that can be purchased from various insurance companies for a price, and if you can afford it, that can be a wise choice. While my wife and I do not have one of those policies, we do have another ‘long …

“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, Lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him…” (Matthew 3:16-17). At Jesus’ baptism that began His ministry, the heavens were opened, and they were also opened at the close of his ministry (Acts 1:9-11; Mark 16:9-20; Hebrews 4:14-16; 9:23-24). In the same manner, the heavens were opened when we were baptized, for we are “united with Christ in baptism” (Romans 6:1-5; Colossians 2:12; Galatians 3:26-27). The heavens will be opened to us again when we meet Christ at His Second Coming. If alive, that will certainly be when we close our ministries (John 14:1-4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10). At our Lord’s baptism, Matthew 3:17 says, “And Lo a voice from heaven…” Again, it is most enlightening to read the times when “a voice came from heaven to Jesus.” We note this, too, at His birth in Luke 2:10-12. At His transfiguration in Matthew 17:1-5 and during the last days of His ministry as revealed in John 12:28, a voice from Heaven came to our Lord. The problem in the world today is that people are not hearing the voice of God. God speaks to us today through His Word as we are told, “Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 2:14). Faith comes “by hearing the …

“All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them. I did not refuse myself any pleasure, for I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles. When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11). The world thinks you are unworthy. Think about it. For just a single day count all of the messages—a content analysis of sorts— with which you are inundated to reveal to you the fact that some part of your life is either missing or inadequate. What you will no doubt find is that not only are these folks trying to sell you something, but that the biggest bill of goods is aimed directly at your self-worth and self-esteem. Women, you know you just don’t look good enough, are not thin enough, don’t work out enough, need plastic surgery to be whole, are defined by your inclusion in some health club, and on and on. Men, as well, can’t be men unless they have certain products, drive certain vehicles, manifest certain behaviors or are part of certain trends. All of us are inadequate, and we are in desperate need for external organizations of the world to tell us what to do. Funny—the odd type of funny—the One Who created you didn’t see it this way. Oh! He tells over and …

Of late there has been a lot of controversy about whether the Ten Commandments can be placed on public property. A lot of silly and ungodly arguments have been made by those who are opposed to God and any portion of His Word. However, there is a passage that I would like to see in every room, office and building where lawyers, politicians and judges do their work. That verse is Deuteronomy 16:19 which reads, “You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.” If there are no judges, lawyers and politicians who are perverting justice and twisting the wise words of the founders of our nation, then there is no such thing as truth. We all know, however, that there are such wicked and sleazy public officials from the local level all the way up to the nation’s Capitol. Such persons are nothing more than tyrants using their positions and ability to twist the law as they practice their tyranny. Yes, those who believe in the truth that God is and that Jesus Christ is His Son are under attack. How long will it be before physical persecution follows? [Editor’s Note: Persecution manifests itself in a number of ways. Everything from verbal insults to legal penalties to monetary punishment, besides the possibility of physical harm, for no other reason than upholding Christian values are forms of persecution and precursors …

When was the last time you spent a whole day with the Lord? In Revelation 1:10, John stated he was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.” In the first century, the first day of the week came to be known as the Lord’s Day for Christians. It was so named because this was the day that Christ arose from the grave and appeared to His disciples (John 20:1, 19). Christ’s followers continued to meet together on the first day of the week to worship Christ (Matthew 28:7) and continued to do so after Christ was taken up into Heaven (Acts 2:1). The believers of Christ gathered on the first day of the week to worship God in prayers, partaking of the Lord’s Supper, singing, giving of their means and being instructed in the teachings of Christ through preaching and teaching (Acts 2:38-47). They also spent their time in fellowship with their brothers and sisters in Christ (Acts 2:41-47) and encouraged each other to continue in the faith (Hebrews 10:24-25). In Acts 2, we not only see the beginning of the church, but we also observe the first worship service on the Day of Pentecost. The Old Testament teaches us that the Day of Pentecost was to be celebrated on the first day of the week (Leviticus 23:15). Barton Johnson explains, “The Savior, crucified on Friday, was in the tomb on the Passover Sabbath, and rose on Sunday, the day from whence the count began. The Sunday following would be …

As the apostle Paul penned his second epistle to the evangelist Timothy, he faced an uncertain future. Even as the epistle began, the issues of life and death occupied the mind of this preeminent servant (2 Timothy 1:1) who probably gave his life for the cause of Christ soon after writing to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:6). In what was no doubt Paul’s last inspired communiqué to his beloved Timothy (2 Timothy 1:2), Paul emphasized truths not only dear unto himself but as well placed an emphasis upon those things that needed to be done after his departure in order to secure the church in succeeding generations. Paul, as a spiritual father to Timothy, looked longingly to the immediate and distant future with a protective eye. He would not leave Timothy without direction—without the wisdom and guidance of the great apostle—as Timothy faced the challenges of the day. In this most intriguing context, the beloved apostle admonished the young evangelist concerning several things, including his teaching responsibility. Paul did not leave this world before he laid foundational stones that support the church very well to this day. In a review of 2 Timothy, we note the consistency flowing from the pen of Paul as he continually entreated Timothy to focus on his primary objective, the teaching of the Word of God. A quick reading of the text evidences this observation. Paul admonished Timothy to (a) stir up the gift of God in him, 1:6; (b) not to be ashamed of the …

The Bible explicitly says of Moses, “By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27). It is earlier said of Noah, “By faith… being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith” (Hebrews 11:7). The faith by which both these men (and others) operated is defined as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 1:1). In all three of these verses, the unseen has a significant emphasis. Enduring as a Christian is sometimes difficult, especially when all we consider is what we can see or at least what we think we see. Like Moses, we may have to face what seems an insurmountable hostile army and deliberately go against the orders of its furious commander. Like Noah, we may have to steadily do what the Lord says despite our limited understanding of God’s way and the possible ridicule of the masses. Like both of these men, though, any obstacle we face can be overcome by obedient faith! The key to overcoming is to focus on “Him who is invisible.” Paul reminded us that “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). May we take comfort in knowing that God “will never leave you nor forsake you” and that “the …

Christmas has long been a spiritual enigma, a veritable thorn in the side of those who respect Bible authority. Certainly, there is no biblical authority for celebrating Christmas as a religious holiday. Where the Bible is silent, we, too, must be silent if we are to be true to ourselves and to our God (1 Peter 4:11; Matthew 15:9). There is a growing tendency in the religious world today to bind upon Christians the traditions of men. When one refuses to accept those traditions, he is branded as peculiar, narrow-minded and legalistic. A case in point is the religious celebration of Christmas. Repeatedly we are barraged by the news media and religionists to “put Christ back in Christmas.” Frankly, Christ was never in Christmas! Some scholars admit that they do not know the exact date of Christ’s birth. The Catholic Encyclopedia, (Vol. 3, pg. 726) states, “concerning the date of Christ’s birth, the Gospels give no help.” The Encyclopedia Britannica (Vol. 5, pg. 642) records, “The exact day and year of Christ’s birth have never been satisfactorily settled.” The Encyclopedia Americana (Vol. 6, pg. 623) concurs, saying, “…no certain knowledge of the day of Christ’s birth existed.” The Everyman’s Encyclopedia (Vol. 3, pg. 641) agrees and notes, “It is, however, certain that the time now fixed (Dec. 25) could not by any possibility have been the period of Christ’s birth, as December is the rainy season in Judea.” The following statement is taken from Vol. 2, pg. 276 of McClintock & Strong’s Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological & Ecclesiastical Literature: “The observance …

Precious means of great price or value, costly, highly esteemed or loved, dear. There are many things in this world that people count as precious. However, in Peter’s epistles, we see the word “precious” regarding greater things. Precious Christ (1 Peter 2:7). “Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner-stone.’” Precious Blood (1 Peter 1:18-10). “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Precious Stone (1 Peter 2:4). “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious.” Precious Faith (2 Peter 1:1). “Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” Precious Trial of Your Faith (1 Peter 1:7). “That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Precious Promises (2 Peter 1:4). “By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Truly, the foregoing are much …

Almost two thousand years ago when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, the Bible says, “Behold wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:1-2). The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem was in fulfillment of many prophesies that were recorded hundreds of years before in the Old Testament of the Bible. Prophet Micah almost seven centuries before the birth of Christ had foretold, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be ruler of Israel, Whose going forth are from of old, From everlasting” (Micah 5:2). Isaiah, another prophet of God, had declared, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). The word Immanuel means God with us. When Jesus was born, God entered the ranks of humanity, became a man in the person of His Son Jesus Christ, and paid the penalty of human sins—laying upon Himself, in the person of His Son, the iniquity of us all (John 1:1, 14; 3:16). Isaiah had also predicted that the child Who would be born as God’s Son would be a King Who would rule in His everlasting kingdom forever (Isaiah …

The apostle Peter wrote, “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another, love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous, not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:8-9). Christians all too often receive a negative caricature that they are mean-spirited, hateful souls, out to do nothing but impose their will forcibly upon all of society. It is true that, indeed, many who call themselves Christians would fit such a caricature. However, rather than judging the religion by the misguided steps of some claimed adherents, should not one judge the character of the religion by the intent of its authorized message? The New Testament teaches that Christians ought to be people of compassion and kindness, not only toward one another, but also toward others. Benevolence is to be shown toward all men (Galatians 6:10). The criteria of judgment in the Great Judgment scene described by Jesus in Matthew 25:31-46 is whether or not the individual was involved in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and giving drink to the thirsty. Compassion on human needs must be at the center of the Christian life. Many times, to be sure, professional beggars take advantage of this kindness, and caution must be exercised. Even then, compassion, not enabling bad behavior, must be the order of the day for the Christian. Indeed, compassion is …

“For who can eat and can have enjoyment without Him?” (Ecclesiastes 2:25). Certainly men do eat, enjoying food in abundance. Men today are pleasure men, enjoying the fruits of unparalleled wealth. So what was Solomon’s point? First, true enjoyment of the blessings of life is not possible, in the ultimate sense, without God. While some may feel that alcohol with a meal is “the good life,” such is, in reality, shallow and empty. Why? Because one sadly believes that his enjoyment comes purely because of his own efforts and his own abilities. Thus, there is no gratitude. It is a failure to recognize that if God didn’t send blessings to the righteous and unrighteous they wouldn’t have anything at all (Matthew 5:44). Second, recognizing the hand of God in one’s blessings heightens enjoyment, even in the simplest of blessings. We don’t need to live in mansions, to drive a nice car or to have fancy clothes to be happy. Paul said that “if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content” (1 Timothy 6:8). He also penned, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” How can one successfully do this? The key is, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:12-13). Solomon, who was blessed with considerable wealth, recognized that having all that one could ever want (see his list in Ecclesiastes 2:1-11) was “vanity and striving after wind.” Why? Because true, lasting enjoyment is not found in things or worldly pleasures. Having God in one’s life …

In the congregation where I did my first full-time preaching many years ago, I tried to encourage the members to give as they prospered. On one occasion when we needed to make an organized and concerted effort to raise a specific amount to do a job that we all agreed needed to be done, I suggested that we share with each other the information about how much we felt able and willing to contribute toward the job. One precious lady whom I continued to love dearly criticized the idea vehemently, saying, “What I give is nobody’s business but mine and God’s.” That idea I have heard expressed and have seen practiced in many ways since that time. In connection with that, I should like to raise a few questions. In the last year or so, we have seen a spate of articles (whatever that is) on the eldership, raising all sorts of questions from “Who Calls the Shots?” to “What Do They Do?” However, I believe, in spite of all of the varied opinions about what kind of leadership we should have, there is practically unanimous agreement in all sections of our brotherhood (which includes the “sisterhood”) that the elders are to shepherd the flock, watching after its spiritual welfare. Surely no one would deny that whether or not a person attends the services is the elders’ business! Why? Because that relates to one’s spiritual welfare. It is true that a person can bring a warm body (or a cool …

The years quickly fade away, and another one will soon be complete. As each one looks back on the year past, he or she must determine whether it was a good or a bad one. Because of the many distractions and temptations around us, it’s difficult to always keep God uppermost in our minds. Day-to-day living is not easy. It has always been this way. Look at what Jacob told Pharaoh in Genesis 47:9. “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are l30 years; few and evil have the days of the years of my life been and I have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” Did Jacob think he had been given a “raw deal”? That’s what “few and evil” days sounds like. Too often, we probably feel the same way that Jacob did. We rush here to get something done, and we can hurry there to get something else done. It is not an easy thing to keep God and Christianity at the forefront of our thoughts. The evils that we witness are the same as observed by our parents, grandparents and even back to Jacob’s time. However, if you can, imagine how far we’ve come since Jacob’s time! The more people there are, the greater propensity for more and varied evil. Jacob’s world was literally small compared to our world today. Yes, the earth was the same size, but it was not …

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done” (Matthew 16:26-27). This Scripture is in the context of Jesus talking to His disciples about what it means to be His follower, the need for commitment. Obviously, not everyone is willing to commit what it takes to follow Christ; some are content to settle for something less than what God wants, or to exchange their eternal souls for what the physical world has to offer. It is a philosophy of life Peter warned his readers about as well. “For there has already been enough time spent in doing what the pagans choose to do” (1 Peter 4:3). To settle for the flesh and forfeit the spiritual is a poor trade at best. Paul reminded us that the philosophy of the world, the value system by which it lives, is not living for Christ. “Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ” (Colossians 2:8). To have Christ is to have everything; to exchange His way of life for the world’s is to lose everything in the end. How many have …

The world emphasizes “my rights,” while Christians stress serving “one another.” The contrast between the two approaches is readily seen in Jesus’ response to a request made by James and John. They wanted to sit one on the right hand and the other on the left hand of Jesus when He was in His glory. The ten, having overheard the conversation, were very upset with the two sons of Zebedee. Jesus explained that greatness would not be based on exercising authority, but service. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:35-45). The Lord demonstrated such greatness by washing their feet on the night of His betrayal. He explained, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (John 13:12b-15). The first Christians went so far as selling possessions so the money could be used to provide for any fellow believer who had need (Acts 2:44-45). Paul commended Phoebe because of her service to the brethren (Romans 16:1-2). The Galatians were freed from the Law of Moses, but not to do wicked things. Instead, Paul said they should lovingly serve one another. Jesus …