It is interesting to note some instances in the Bible where persons had hidden agendas or charges they wanted to make but were unable or ashamed to state the charge in a coherent and specific way. Let us look at two such cases and see what lessons we may get from them. In Acts 4:7, after the apostles had cured a man and were put in prison by the priests, captains of the temple and the Sadducees, they were brought out the next day, and we find these words, “And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?” (KJV). It seems apparent that they did not want to specify exactly what had been done, for if they had asked, “Why have you preached about the resurrection?” it would have sounded as ridiculous as it really was, for there is nothing about preaching the resurrection that was unlawful or improper. Also, if they had asked, “Why have you cured a lame man?” it would have sounded equally ridiculous, for almost everyone would agree that curing a lame man was a good thing to do. Therefore, they simply asked, “Why have you done this?” It is interesting to note Peter’s response as recorded in Acts 4:9-10. If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; Be it known unto you all, and to all the people …

About sixty years ago, I was visiting a faithful Christian family. The lady was having a health problem and was telling me how she was having to count her calories. Then she asked me, “Do you live to eat or eat to live?” I had never heard that question before and had to think about it. Just looking at the title we can see that we all have a choice to make. Some sixty years after being asked, I can easily answer it without hesitation. My stomach demands that I eat to live. If I don’t, my whole body knows and suffers from my inaction. Life is made up of choices that each one has to make. Some choices affect our health, which determines our joy and happiness here on earth. Years ago, the exception was an overweight person; there were very few. One doctor stated recently that 85% of people in the United States are overweight. Certainly, we know God didn’t make us all to be the same size, but what does God’s Word say about the amount we eat? “For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty…” (Proverbs 23:21 KJV). The word glutton means eating or drinking to excess. “…This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard”(Deuteronomy 21:20). Notice in these two verses that drunkard and glutton are listed together. In 1 Corinthians 6:10, Paul condemned the drunkard. Food must be consumed with temperance, …

The Bible tells us what the church is, and by knowing what it is, then we know what it is not. It seems that the religious world is very confused. It usually defines the church to be what it is not. The church is basically the called out, that is, those who Christ has called out of the world (John 17:14). When people hear Christ and obey His teaching, then, He saves them and adds them to His church. Hear the words of Christ when He said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16 NKJV). After the apostles preached Christ to a large group of people on the Day of Pentecost, the record says the hearers were cut to the heart and wanted to know what they should do. This means they believed what they heard; they were touched; they were convicted of their sins; and finally, they realized they needed forgiveness. The record goes on to say, “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38). What happened next? We read, “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized: and that day about three thousand souls were added to them” (Acts 2:41). Acts 2:47 concludes the chapter by saying, “Praising God and having favor with all the …

Deuteronomy 16 records Moses’ instructions to the Israelite nation about three of their significant feasts. Under the Old Testament Law, the Israelites were required to attend three feasts each year in the city where the Tabernacle (and later the Temple) was located. Three of the feasts that they could attend to meet this requirement were the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Booths (tabernacles). The Unleavened Bread of the Passover. During the feast of Passover, there was to be absolutely no leaven anywhere in the houses of the Israelites. They were to purge out the leaven. Throughout the Old and New testaments, leaven signified a corrupting agent and very commonly represented sin (1 Corinthians 5). For this reason and to learn a lesson, Israel was commanded to eat only unleavened bread during the Passover. It is of particular interest, then, that Deuteronomy 16 records, “You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, that is, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), that you may remember the day in which you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life” (v. 3 NKJV). Moses identified an additional reason for the “no leaven” requirement in Egypt as they were preparing to leave. He called unleavened bread “the bread of affliction,” referring to their slavery in Egypt. He noted that they came out of Egypt in haste. …

There will be some interesting last days in our lives, such as the last day of high school or of college, the last day of work before retirement, the last day in a beloved home before moving away or the last day worshiping with a beloved group of Christians. Many of these last days will be filled with mixed emotions of sadness and joy, as well as with both loss and excitement. Jesus said to the crowds, “…Everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40 NKJV). There is truly one great “last day” coming in our lives. It is the day “…the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10). On that day, Jesus promised those who come to Him that “…I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44). Most of my last days are behind me, such as the last day of college and the last day of preaching full time. I have one more “last day” to which to look forward – day the Lord returns, including the last day of earth, moon and sky. It will be the “last day” when time ends and eternity with God begins. How many last days do you have behind you? Are you ready for that final “last day,” the day Jesus returns? [Guest …

The design and purpose of New Testament baptism continues to be discussed and debated. Even though some religious groups go to great lengths to prove that Bible baptism is an immersion in water, they will declare that it has nothing to do with a person’s salvation. This is evident as one can read in The Hiscox Standard Baptist Manual by Edward T. Hiscox. Over the years our brethren have debated our Baptist friends as to the purpose of water baptism while both sides agreed that baptism is by immersion only. Furthermore, our Baptist friends will teach that it is required that a person must be immersed in order to be a member of that denomination. This kind of reasoning would, in short, state that an individual could be saved without ever joining this denominational body. Our religious friends teach that when a person repents and believes in Jesus Christ as being the Son of God, he is saved at that point in time. Additionally,  that baptism would be considered a work of man and not of God. Yet, they would require a ‘non-essential’ (baptism) to be experienced by a ‘saved’ individual in order to be a member of the Baptist Church. As you can see, they separate salvation and church membership; that is, you are saved by faith only, but you have to be immersed in order to be a member of their denomination. However, they are not the only religious organization that teaches and practices this doctrine relative to baptism. In …

Yearly, the world considers our Savior in relative calm as a harmless, speechless and swaddled baby boy — the silent purveyor of peace in a world of pain and hopelessness. Admittedly, it is thrilling to reflect upon the miracle of Christ’s physical birth by the virgin Mary. We find ourselves blushing with her as she humbly struggled with the prospect of motherhood. We can almost hear the awe-inspiring words of the angels that announced His birth. We can feel the anxiety of Joseph and Mary as they fled to Egypt for refuge. We can rejoice with the prophets of old as the plan of God unfolded in unimaginable splendor. Yet, these events are merely a ripple in the pond of God’s mercies when compared with the gift of eternal life – a wonderful and glorious life that follows in the wake of Christ’s triumph over death. Our hope does not rest in the simple facts of Christ’s birth in the humble surroundings of Bethlehem. Rather, our hope rests in the Christ Who became the firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18). This contrast in vision seems as foolishness in the eyes of the world (1 Corinthians 1:20-25) but has a wondrous attraction to those who cherish the true gift of God’s love (John 3:16). In His death is the celebration of life – the broken body and the New Covenant in His blood (1 Corinthians 11:24-26). The celebration of our own new birth follows baptism as we are raised from the …

The Bible tells us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV), but if we’re honest, we must admit that we don’t always feel like praying. Some days we are worried about many things and have several important tasks at hand, and that causes us to pray bold prayers (Hebrews 4:16). Maybe we are sick, or someone close to us has a serious procedure coming up, and so, we “pray fervently” (Colossians 4:12). However, there are other days when we find ourselves just going through the motions of everyday life. We are busy with school, work and our jobs, and besides praying over our meals, we don’t feel any urgent need to pray. What should we do in those times? Here are five ways to pray even when we don’t feel like praying. 1. Acknowledge Your Dependence The problem with not being in the “mood” to pray is that we fail to recognize that we are always dependent on God. To go a day without prayer is to pretend that we can make it without Him. Paul said that we live and move and have our very existence in God (Acts 17:28). The truth is, without God, we cannot do anything (John 15:5). We might fall into the trap of thinking that we only need God for the big things and can manage the rest. However, we should take an honest inventory of our lives and see that everything we have and maintain comes from God (James 1:17). All that we …

The words serving as the title for this article are from a song entitled “God’s Family,” which was written by Lanny Wolfe. It reminds us of something very special about the Lord’s church – we are family. Wherever you may travel, you are with family if you can join the saints where they meet. Paul’s encouragement of the young preacher Timothy included, “but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15 NKJV). The word “house” literally could be translated “family.” Paul told the saints at Rome: For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. (8:15-17) The apostle of love similarly said, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1). God’s children call one another “brother” and “sister” because we are all children of God. Paul referred to “all the brethren who are with me” at the start of the letter to the Galatian churches (1:2). He gave directions regarding those “overtaken …