Stay Out of the Darkness

Stay Out of the Darkness

It is no secret; lights shine the brightest on the darkest of backgrounds. That’s why diamonds are often displayed on black velvet backdrops. High-intensity lighting is then directed at them, which they in turn reflect to the world around them. We, as God’s people, are described in a spiritually similar manner (Matt. 5:14-16; Phil. 2:14-16). Jesus Christ, the Light of the world (Jn. 8:12, 9:5), has shone His love and grace upon and saved us, so that we in turn, can then reflect and shine His light of hope and help into the dark world around us. And let’s face it folks; the world is in a very dark place these days. Even we, as God’s chosen and elect but still human children can sometimes lose a little bit of our hope, shine, and luster, becoming anxious in these testing and trying times. And if that’s the case with us, can you even begin to imagine the despair, darkness, and devastating hopelessness of those without God and His word at this time (Eph. 2:12)?

darkness hand

Don’t be pushed into darkness, come out into the light.

That’s where we as God’s children, need desperately to come in. Brethren, NOW is the time… THE time to share with your friends, neighbors, social media contacts and everyone else you know, the everlasting help and hope that you have in Christ Jesus. I believe that more people than usual, will be more open than usual, to the hope of the gospel, due to the current crisis (Rom. 8:28). In just the past few days, I have been put in touch with two local folks seeking information through our House-to-House mail-out. I plan to send out resources to both of them later on today, including a Searching For Truth DVD to one, as well as a first Bible Correspondence Course to the other. On top of that, there is an adult family member of one of our very faithful family units here in the congregation where I am privileged to serve, who – thanks to seeds planted in the past that seem to be coming to fruition – is now seeking more answers to their Bible questions – particularly regarding being baptized into Christ – and with whom I am blessed by God to have a Bible study scheduled for later on today. Please pray for all three of these efforts.

When our first-century brethren were scattered and could no longer assemble as a congregation of the Lord’s church in Jerusalem due to the deadly danger there, what did they do? They preached the word everywhere they went (Acts 8:1-4). What happened? “A great number believed and turned to the Lord,” “And a great many people were added to the Lord” (See: Acts 11:19-24).

Brethren, our world today is completely consumed in Coronavirus darkness and desperately needing and looking for the Light we have been given. So don’t horde and hide it; have at and high-beam it! Our 2020 vision is still as clear as ever – to seek and to save the lost (Lk. 19:10; Matt. 28:18-20) – despite even this incredible darkness (Psa. 139:11-12)! God bless!

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Easter Sunday Resurrection

Easter Sunday Resurrection

Easter Sunday is a fine time to remember the resurrection of Jesus, as is every day of the year. Those who seek to remember Jesus only on Easter Sunday do not really remember Him, because Jesus wants us to remember Him every day. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:15, “and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” You can’t do that just on Easter Sunday.

easter sunday

Do you remember Him as often as He has asked you to do so?

There are many other things that Jesus wants us to do that can’t be done just on Easter Sunday. Jesus wants us to remember his death, burial, and resurrection in the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week (1 Corinthians 11:25, Acts 20:7). You can’t do that just on Easter Sunday. Jesus wants us to take up our cross daily and follow Him (Luke 9:23). You can’t do that just on Easter Sunday. Jesus wants us to pray every day (Matthew 6:11). You can’t do that just on Easter Sunday. Jesus wants us to teach others about Him every day (Acts 5:42). You can’t do that just on Easter Sunday. Jesus wants us to be a living sacrifice (Romans 12:2). You can’t do that just on Easter Sunday.

You may be starting to get the impression that Easter Sunday doesn’t mean very much at all to Jesus. You are right; it doesn’t. Jesus does not care about your formal observance of Easter Sunday if your heart is not given to Him. Jesus said, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me” (Matthew 15:8). Jesus knows where your heart truly is. Do you?

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Evidences of Christians

Evidences of Christians

Words obviously have definitions and it is important to use words with a full understanding of what each word means. One of the problems which has led to religious division is a failure to define words of the New Testament as they were used in the first century. One would never come to the conclusion that sprinkling is baptism if we understood that the word “baptism” in the first century always meant “to dip, to submerge.”

Christian Evidences

Are there enough evidences to prove you are a Christian?

I recall years ago when knocking doors in New Zealand that we asked the man who came to the door what he was religiously. He knew he was something but had no idea what he was. So he shouted out to his wife and asked her what he was. In the broadest sense, he might have said he was a Christian, but had no idea beyond that.

New Zealand was an amazing place in so many ways. They viewed themselves as being a Christian nation, but only 3% of the people regularly went to worship. Obviously almost no one in there sang praises to God. Few of them had Bibles and even fewer read the Bible regularly. Their absence from assemblies meant they rarely gave anything to God. The Lord’s Supper was rarely observed. There was little evidence in their lives of Christ, yet they saw themselves as a Christian nation.

If a doctor has no office, has no patients, prescribes no medicine, diagnoses no illness, does no medical exams, and receives no pay, is he a doctor? Whenever he has stopped doing those things which doctors do, he is no longer a doctor.

If a farmer plows no land, buys no seed, plants no crops, feeds no animals, never harvests anything, is he a farmer? Whenever he has stopped doing those things which farmers do, he is no longer a farmer.

Now make the spiritual application of this principle. If a Christian stops attending worship, sings no hymns of praise, never bows his head to pray with others, never gives, never reads the Bible, never sits in Bible classes or hears sermons, is he a Christian? Whenever he has stopped doing those things which Christians do, he is no longer a Christian.

Let me make this same point in another way. Suppose our government were overthrown and all Christians were put on trial. Those found guilty were immediately slain. If this were to happen, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Think about this, what evidence is there to those around you that you are a Christian? If Christianity were outlawed, would you be alive or dead.

Remember the words of Jesus: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father.” Do others know that you are a Christian?

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The Lesson Jesus Delivered

The Lesson Jesus Delivered

I have been extremely thrilled with the way various congregations have taken the Internet by storm. There are weeknight Bible studies going on. And on Sunday my Facebook feed is literally filled with dozens, if not hundreds, of men preaching God’s Word. It does the heart good to see such a strong presence on social media.

lesson repent

Stay calm or reflect on your life and change?

A quick survey of the sermon titles reveals many congregations are discussing things like:

  • God being our anchor in times of a storm
  • Not drifting during uncertain times
  • Strong faith in the face of a storm
  • Being strong in the Lord
  • How to deal with calamity in your life
  • Keeping your head and surviving the virus
  • How to be happy in unhappy times
  • Draw closer to God during these times
  • Take one day at a time
  • Lessons from storms

I am thankful to the men who studied God’s Word and preached lessons like these. This is a good time to comfort and assure Christians who find themselves anxious. But I want to strongly encourage those who are preaching to preach the whole counsel of God. Do not let this unique time in history slip away without touching on the lesson Jesus would deliver.

Jesus was approached about a horrible practice that was going on—something much more vile than a virus. Take your Bible and look at Luke 13:1-5:

There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

Think about that for a moment—there were Galileans in Jerusalem that were observing religious laws. But instead of allowing them to celebrate and worship in peace, Pilate (and his soldiers) came upon them so quickly that when they were killed their blood was mingled with their own sacrifices.

Notice Jesus did not then teach a lesson on courage during calamity. He did not tell them about how to survive during the storms of life. And He certainly did not tell them how to be happy. The message Jesus brought was two-fold: (1) This didn’t happen to them because they were worse sinners [because of their behavior—BH]; and (2) unless you repent you will likewise perish!

Jesus then mentioned another horrible tragedy—one so familiar to the people that all He had to do was reference the Tower of Siloam. It killed 18 people. He again teaches the exact same lesson: (1) This didn’t happen to them because they were worse sinners than other men who lived in Jerusalem; and (2) unless you repent you will likewise perish.

Jesus first pointed out their deaths were not a result of “extra” sin, and then He got to the point and told everyone living they had better get their life right with God and repent! Because we are not promised tomorrow we need to repent—turn our lives back in accordance with God’s will!

Over the next few weeks I pray that preachers will consider all the individuals who are out there contemplating their own existence. Contemplating the meaning of life. Considering their own standing in the eyes of God. And I pray you will have the boldness to preach a strong message of repentance—and in doing so save their souls!

“but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

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Rejoicing in Hunger, Suffering, and Need

Rejoicing in Hunger, Suffering, and Need

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” It would be impossible to tell just how many millions of lives over the past two millennia have been positively impacted and perhaps forever changed by all of the incredibly powerful truths found in Paul’s epistle to the Philippians. Sandwiched in between the ever-empowering and encouraging epistles to the first-century congregations of the Lord’s church in Ephesus and Colossae (which are often described as regarding the church of Christ and the Christ of the church respectively), these three epistles together, comprise the heart and soul of a trio of truth, without which our Bibles would be sadly lacking.

hunger need

Where ever you are, how is your spirit?

But do you recall what else they have in common? They were all written during Paul’s first Roman confinement. Really stop and consider that for a moment. Paul could no longer travel about to preach and teach as he had done in the past. While he still managed to visit with those who dared come and be with him (Acts 28:30-31), his social and occupational movements were now much more severely restricted. Life as he had known it – and perhaps even taken for granted – had now ground to a screeching halt. (Sound familiar?) Although Paul could not have known the full extent or possible divine purpose at the time, God, through Paul’s inability to carry on with his regular daily pursuits and activities, was providing him with the “free” time, to – amongst other things – write those three beautiful, magnificent, and all-empowering epistles (Rom. 8:28)!

So the question is: What are you doing for God with your new-found “free” time? Do you recall all of those instances wherein you may have said something like, “I just don’t have the time to study daily,” or, “I’d like to talk to people more about Jesus, but I’m just too busy?” Well, now you have it. Are you, like Paul (Phil. 1:12-13, 4:22), making the most of the time (Eph. 5:14-17)? God bless!

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