May 6, 2015

If You Have Been Raised Up with Christ

Sun and clouds

The resurrection of Christ is one of the matters “of first importance” in the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). It provides us with hope beyond this life (1 Corinthians 15:17-22). We should always remember and give thanks for this event.

As Christ was raised, we must be “raised up with [Him]” (Colossians 3:1). When Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians, he was writing to those who had been raised with Christ. He explained what this obligated them to do. Let us consider what our responsibility is after being “raised up with Christ.”
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January 7, 2015

The Future of the Church

Pews

This phrase is often used to refer to children growing up in the church. All parents – and everyone else involved – want to see these children grow up to be Christians. But even if they do, they are only part of the future of the church. In this article, I want us to consider the future of the church – in particular, as it relates to each local congregation – and notice what we can do in the present to help the future church.
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May 7, 2014

Stagnant in Spirit

Swamp

The following is a portion of the revelation against Jerusalem that was received by the prophet Zephaniah:

“It will come about at that time that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are stagnant in spirit, who say in their hearts, ‘The Lord will not do good or evil!’ Moreover, their wealth will become plunder and their houses desolate; yes, they will build houses but not inhabit them, and plant vineyards but not drink their wine’” (Zephaniah 1:12-13).

This prophecy was against those who were “stagnant in spirit” or “settled in complacency” (NKJV). As it was in the days of Zephaniah, complacency is still a threat to God’s people today. Complacency keeps us focused on the here and now rather than fixing our eyes on the goal of heaven. Complacency keeps us from improving our service to God and forsaking our sins. Complacency keeps us from being pleasing to God, thereby setting us up for punishment. So let us consider how these people were “stagnant in spirit” so that we might not be the same.
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January 1, 2014

New Year’s Resolutions: Start, Stop, Improve

2014Often when people make New Year’s resolutions, they begin with the words start, stop, or improve (or synonyms of these words) – start exercising, stop smoking, improve spending habits, etc. As we grow and mature, it is good to improve in all areas of our lives; but it is particularly important to improve our spiritual lives. So as we begin a new year, I want to suggest some resolutions for all of us to consider as we seek to please the Lord.
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August 1, 2013

Making Wise Investments (Part 2): Buy the Truth

Making Wise Investments (Part 2): Buy the Truth

Our first lesson dealt with the value of the soul. Without understanding this, the other points in our study are useless. But now that we understand the value of the soul, how should we care for our soul? In this lesson, we will consider the importance of possessing the truth.

“Buy truth, and do not sell it, get wisdom and instruction and understanding” (Proverbs 23:23).

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June 4, 2013

“How Can a Young Man Keep His Way Pure?”

Man on wall

Psalm 119 contains 176 verses arranged in twenty-two stanzas. The entire psalm is dedicated to the praise of God’s word. The second stanza begins with a question: “How can a young man keep his way pure?” (Psalm 119:9). As we might expect, the answer to this question is found in the word of God.

Of course, the answer to this question is not limited in application to young men. It is profitable for all of God’s people. So let us examine this passage and see how we can keep our way pure before God.

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. Blessed are You, O Lord; teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have told of all the ordinances of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word” (Psalm 119:9-16).

David mentioned eight things we can do to help keep our way pure.
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May 22, 2013

“What Am I Still Lacking?”

Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler

When we begin reading the account of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus (Matthew 19:16-22), we read of one who seemed to be a good man with a good attitude who showed a lot of promise in becoming a disciple of Christ. Notice the good qualities we are told about this man:

  1. He was spiritually minded – He was interested in eternal life and came to Jesus in order to find out how to obtain it (Matthew 19:16).
  2. He was religious – When Jesus listed some of the commandments that he needed to keep, the young man said, “All these things I have kept” (Matthew 19:20).
  3. He was interested in improving his service to God – After affirming that he had been keeping the commandments that Jesus mentioned, he asked, “What am I still lacking?” (Matthew 19:20).

Unfortunately, despite the promise that he showed initially, in the end he “went away grieving” (Matthew 19:22), presumably because he was unwilling to do what Jesus told him to do – sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him (Matthew 19:21).

We need to be like the rich young ruler in the sense that we desire to grow and improve our service to God. However, unlike the rich young ruler, we must also be willing to do the work that is necessary to improve or fix what is lacking in our lives.

We might ask the same question as this man: “What am I still lacking?” Let us notice some things that might be lacking in our service to God so we can see the areas in which we may need to improve.
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