December 24, 2025

Unacceptable Gifts for God

Gift

“I hate, I reject your festivals, nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; and I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:21-24).

These words from God may sound shocking to many people today. Why would God not accept worship that was being offered to Him?

The rebuke above was directed to the nation of Israel. The reason why God refused to accept their worship was because of their sin: “For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great…” (Amos 5:12). Offering sacrifices to God did not excuse them of disregarding His law and doing things that were contrary to His will.

Other passages describe various kinds of gifts which were offered to God, but He did not accept them. In this article, we are going to consider some unacceptable gifts we may offer to God, lest we find ourselves guilty of offering something that He would “hate” or “reject.”Continue Reading

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December 3, 2025

Our Daily Meditation

Man sitting by the water in autumn

When we think about what we can do as individuals to grow spiritually, a few obvious things come to mind: reading the Bible, studying, prayer, and so on. One practice mentioned throughout the Bible but often ignored today is meditation. Yet if we practice this correctly, it can greatly help us in our service to God.

Notice what the psalmist wrote:

“O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever mine. I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation” (Psalm 119:97-99).

In this article, we are going to discuss meditation – what it is, how to do it, the benefits of it, and why it is a challenge to practice in the modern world.Continue Reading

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November 19, 2025

How Should Christians Dress for Worship Services?

Boy Dressed UpOur culture in the United States has gotten much more casual over the past few generations. This affects our work, speech, relationships, and the way that we dress. The trend toward more casual attire has made its way into the church as many Christians do not “dress up” very much (if at all) when they assemble for worship.

Does this matter?

On one side, you have some who insist that Christians need to wear their “Sunday best” and dress formally as if they were going to a funeral or to meet the President. On the other, there are those who argue that it does not matter what clothes we wear to worship because God sees the heart; therefore, they claim it does not matter to Him what we wear.

Which of those sides is correct? Or is the right path somewhere in between? The Bible contains some principles and examples that will help us determine what to wear as we assemble for worship. Let us notice a few points together.Continue Reading

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November 5, 2025

Solomon’s Advice on Teaching

Solomon - old age

When Jesus gave His apostles the Great Commission, He told them to preach the gospel throughout the world (Mark 16:15) and to teach the disciples to observe His commandments (Matthew 28:20). Even today, the message of the gospel is spread through teaching. The gospel is God’s power for salvation (Romans 1:16), and God calls us to Him through the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14).

Understanding this, it is critical that we endeavor to teach others. And since souls are at stake, we need to do this to the best of our abilities. How can we do that?

At the end of the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon described the process by which a “Preacher” could best communicate the message of truth. It was going to require diligence, but the importance of truth makes the effort worth it. While preachers in particular should pay attention to Solomon’s advice, all of us ought to take heed to these instructions in order to make the most of our efforts to lead others to the truth. Notice what the wise man said:

“In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs. The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly” (Ecclesiastes 12:9-10).

When it comes to public teaching, this is about more than just standing before others and saying whatever comes to mind off the top of our heads. The same applies to any teaching we might do in written form. We do not write in a stream of consciousness and expect it to benefit others. It involves work, and Solomon listed five steps we need to take if we want to teach effectively.Continue Reading

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October 22, 2025

What Is Your Congregation Known For?

Silhouette of a Preacher

Local churches are made up of Christians working together for the cause of Christ. However, not every congregation will be judged favorably by the Lord. When the Lord addressed the seven churches of Asia, two of them were commended for their faithfulness – Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11) and Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13). The rest were in danger of having their “lampstand” removed (Revelation 2:5), which was a symbol of the Lord’s approval. He knew that they did not measure up to His standard. Though they may have had “a name that [they were] alive,” He knew if they were “dead” (Revelation 3:1).

A congregation develops a reputation based upon what they do. However, this reputation does not always match the Lord’s judgment of His people in that place.

On different occasions, I have heard brethren comment that the church should be known more for what it is for than what it is against. Generally, those who make comments like this have introduced doctrines or practices into the local church (or would like to do so) and do not want to respond to challenges from other brethren about whether such teachings are in harmony with the Scriptures or their proposed practices are authorized by God’s word. So they attempt to turn the tables against those who raise questions about doctrinal correctness and Scriptural authority, exempting themselves from having to defend what they say and do.Continue Reading

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October 1, 2025

After the Time of the Apostles

The Crucifixion of Peter

Peter wrote his second epistle shortly before his death. In fact, he told the brethren that “the laying aside of [his] earthly dwelling [was] imminent” (2 Peter 1:14). Though not recorded in the Bible, historical accounts suggest that Peter was crucified in Rome.* Over the next several years, all the apostles would depart from this life, with most of their deaths resulting from persecution. Eventually, these brethren would be without Peter and any of the other apostles.

Today, we also have no living apostles.** Like the brethren at the end of the first century, we live in the world without personal direction from the ones chosen to be the “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20). We work to teach others without the ones commissioned by the Lord to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15). We carefully study the words they wrote as they revealed “the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:10-16) without the ability to hear them teach or to ask questions to help our understanding.

It might seem as though we are at a disadvantage. For the Christians living in the last part of the first century, the prospect of losing access to the living apostles may have felt the same. However, in this letter written near the end of his life, Peter assured them (and this applies to us as well) that they had everything they needed to serve God and obtain His promises.

Let us notice what Peter said about this just in the verses leading up to his statement about his death being “imminent” (2 Peter 1:14). What would they still have after the time of the apostles? What do we still have?Continue Reading

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September 17, 2025

God’s Declaration to All Men

Paul in Athens

When Paul addressed the philosophers in Athens, he taught them about the “unknown God” (Acts 17:23). He explained how the living and true God is different from all man-made idols. God created the world, made us in His image, and provided us with all good things to enjoy. Paul concluded his message with the declaration that God was now making to all:

“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).

This message was not for the Athenians alone. All men who lived from that time to today, and for as long as the world stands, need to heed this message. So let us examine what God is declaring to us even today.Continue Reading

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