October 26, 2020

Thankful (Part 1): Thankful for God’s Word

Thankful

“Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous ordinances” (Psalm 119:164).

We have many different reasons to praise God and give thanks to Him. In the passage above, the psalmist mentioned God’s “righteous ordinances” as a reason to praise Him. He was referring to the word that God revealed to man (the entire psalm is dedicated to His word). Not only is this something for which we should be thankful, but it also reveals to us many other reasons for us to give thanks to God. So we will consider it in the first part of this series.Continue Reading

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October 19, 2020

Thankful: Introduction

Thankful

Thanksgiving is one time during the year when our society focuses on thankfulness. Obviously, this should not be limited to one day a year; but the time surrounding this holiday provides all of us with a reminder of the need to be thankful.

There are many things for which we can be thankful. Over the next few weeks will will be highlighting some of them. Before we begin talking about these, we need to start by understanding what must be present in order for us to truly show thankfulness:Continue Reading

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August 19, 2020

Contentment: What It Is and Is Not

Man Sitting on Dock

“Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am” (Philippians 4:11).

The Bible stresses the importance of contentment in the lives of God’s people. Like Paul’s example in the passage above, we should be content in every circumstance in which we find ourselves.

However, we need to be sure we understand what contentment is. Many might claim to be content; but in reality their condition may be better described as immaturity, disobedience, cowardice, laziness, or apathy. So in this article, we are going to consider what the Bible says about contentment – what it is and what it is not.Continue Reading

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July 10, 2019

How to Pray to God

Prayer

Prayer is a simple and common practice. Children are taught to pray when they are young. Prayers are regularly offered in worship services conducted by local congregations. But sometimes when a practice is simple and common, it is easy to not give much thought to it. Perhaps we are just “going through the motions” and are failing to focus on this important discipline.

In this brief article, we are going to consider how we, as Christians, are to pray to God. This may not be anything new, but it is helpful for us to be reminded of these things from time to time.Continue Reading

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November 14, 2018

Let Us Show Gratitude

Thankful

“Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe” (Hebrews 12:28).

In this passage that talks about the Lord’s kingdom and the need to serve God with “reverence and godly fear” (KJV), there is one key point that connects these ideas together – the importance of gratitude.Continue Reading

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September 6, 2017

Singing That Glorifies God

Singing

“Shout joyfully to God, all the earth; sing the glory of His name; make His praise glorious” (Psalm 66:1-2).

Singing is a way for us to praise and glorify God and is a regular practice in our assemblies. If we are going to glorify God through our singing, it is important that we do it in the right way. This requires certain things from the songs, the singers, and the song leaders. Let us consider some points that will help us sing in a way that glorifies God.Continue Reading

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August 30, 2017

What Should Characterize Our Giving?

Collection plate

“Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

Periodically, it is good for us to evaluate what we do in our service to God in order to make sure we are doing what we should do with the right attitude to the best of our abilities. In this article, we are going to look at one aspect of our service to God – our giving on the first day of the week. This is not about examining the total amount that is contributed by everyone assembled in a congregation; rather, it is about individually examining ourselves by the standard of God’s word.

With this in mind, let us use the New Testament to help us consider the following question: What should characterize our giving?Continue Reading

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