May 21, 2025

Searching for a Man

Breach in the Wall

When we look at the wickedness surrounding us and the problems that plague the world, we may wonder what good one person can do to fix all of it. Individually, how much do our actions impact the situation around us? From our perspective, the impact may be minimal, but God’s perspective can be much different. Consider what God told the prophet Ezekiel:

“I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one” (Ezekiel 22:30).

In the verse above, God was searching for “a man” to change His mind about destroying the people. That one man was not found, so the people were destroyed: “‘Thus I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; their way I have brought upon their heads,’ declares the Lord God” (Ezekiel 22:31).

This passage reminds us of the importance of our efforts as individuals. As we consider the lessons from this text, let us not think our efforts are in vain.Continue Reading

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May 7, 2025

How to Please God

Man reading the Bible

It is reasonable to assume that all those who believe in God, understand who He is, and recognize all that He has done for us will want to please Him in the things that they do. But how do we live in such a way as to please God?

Paul wrote to the brethren in Ephesus about “trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:10). If this is something we are “trying to learn,” then that tells us two things:

  1. It is not something we instinctively know. The prophet Jeremiah said, “I know, O Lord, that a man’s way is not in himself, nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).
  2. God is not pleased with just anything we might do for Him. Jesus spoke of those who would claim to do many things “in [His] name” but were rejected by Him because they were practicing “lawlessness” (Matthew 7:22).

If we are going to please God, we need to learn how to please Him and be sure we are learning the proper way to do it. Since we cannot look to ourselves (or other men) to determine this, we need to look to God Himself and the word He has revealed to us. Paul wrote, “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:11). Just as you and I do not know what the other is thinking unless we tell each other, we cannot know the mind of God unless He tells us. Thankfully, He has revealed the Scriptures to us so that we may be “equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). In other words, everything we need to know to please the Lord can be learned through a study of the Scriptures.

So what do the Scriptures teach about what we must do to please the Lord? Let us consider a few points:Continue Reading

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April 23, 2025

Thoughts on Raising Money for a Church Building

Building Construction

It seems that most churches, at least in the United States, have a building in which to meet that has been bought or built by the church. Many other churches, particularly those outside of the United States, would like to build or otherwise acquire a place to meet but lack the financial means to do so. What should be done in such cases? How might churches raise money to build or purchase a meeting place that is in harmony with Biblical principles and instructions? Let us consider a few points.*Continue Reading

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April 9, 2025

Not Forsaking the Assembly

Empty Church Pew

“And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

The passage above is often used to show the importance of assembling with the local church. It also warns of the trouble that comes when Christians fail to make the assembly a priority and, as a result, neglect it.

In this article, we will consider what this passage teaches. What does it mean to forsake the assembly? What are the dangers of choosing to miss it? And how is the assembly beneficial for us? We will use the Scriptures to answer these questions.Continue Reading

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March 19, 2025

The Great Commission in the Book of Acts

Paul Before Agrippa

After Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, He gave His apostles the “Great Commission.” Notice the details of this commission that are recorded in the synoptic gospels:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned’” (Mark 16:15-16).

“And He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things’” (Luke 24:46-48).

In Luke’s account, we also see Jesus’ instruction to “stay in the city [Jerusalem, as] until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). The gospel of Luke closes with the apostles witnessing the ascension of Christ and then returning to Jerusalem as Jesus instructed them to do (Luke 24:50-53).

In the book of Acts, Luke picked up where he left off and provided additional information about what happened during the “forty days” (Acts 1:3) between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. The final recorded statement Jesus made to His apostles was this:

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

This verse is essentially a restatement of the Great Commission. It can also be thought of as the theme of the book of Acts, as it tells of the gospel being preached in Jerusalem (Acts 2-7), Judea (Acts 8:1; 11:1), Samaria (Acts 8), and to all the nations (Acts 10; 13-28).

As the book of Acts contains a record of the apostles carrying out the Great Commission, it also shows us two important points about this commission: (1) how to obey the gospel that the apostles were commissioned to preach and (2) how effective the work of preaching can be. Let us consider each of these.Continue Reading

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March 5, 2025

The Spirit as a Pledge

Handshake

“For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge” (2 Corinthians 5:1-5).

In the passage above, after describing the eternal home in heaven that the Lord has prepared for His people, Paul talked about God giving the Holy Spirit “as a pledge.” We might wonder what this means. What is a pledge? Why did God do this? How is the Spirit given in this way?

Paul used the same language in his letter to the church in Ephesus, when he wrote, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14). That passage also mentioned being “sealed…with the Holy Spirit.” The same thought is expressed earlier in Paul’s second letter to Corinth: “Who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge” (2 Corinthians 1:22).

It is helpful to understand what Paul meant in these passages. This is intended to assure Christians of their hope. So in this article, we will examine what it means for the Spirit to be a “pledge” and what benefit this has for us.Continue Reading

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February 19, 2025

Worship That Honors God

High Priest

“‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?’ says the Lord of hosts… ‘Oh that there were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you,’ says the Lord of hosts…” (Malachi 1:6, 10).

In the passage where the above verses are found, God addressed the worship offered to Him. He asked, “Where is my honor?” This rhetorical question shows that they had dishonored God through their worship.

How did they dishonor God? They did not cease to offer worship, but they might as well have because their sacrifices had become worthless. Instead, they worshipped God in a way that did not honor Him.

It might seem incredible that God would reject the worship someone offers to Him. Yet as God – the one who created us and is worthy of worship – this is His prerogative. He has every right to refuse to accept worship that is not according to His standard. Just as He did this during the days of Malachi, He does the same today.

We need to learn from their mistakes so we can honor God in our worship. How can we offer the kind of worship that pleases God? A few points in the text help answer this question.Continue Reading

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