Christian Love

by Jim Mettenbrink

Consider what it means for the Christian to love God with all his being (heart, soul, mind and strength), which Jesus called the first commandment (Mark 12:30, 31). Jesus continued by expanding on this characteristic of love (Greek – agape) – “And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (v32). About six months earlier, Jesus was asked what a person must do to inherit eternal life. He gave the same answer about loving God and one’s neighbor. But when the scribe asked, who is my neighbor, Jesus answered with a story. Note, Jewish thought loving one’s neighbor was to do no harm (passive), now Jesus’ command was to love (active) one’s neighbor.

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The Energy Behind Successful Evangelism

by Fenter Northern

It’s not new, people have been at it for centuries, but interest in Bible truth ebbs and flows. Paul referred to such oscillation of human interest in the gospel as being “in season and out of season.”

While there is sufficient gloominess around us due to the media mania for brainwashing its audience with bias opinions 24/7, Christians still believe that this remains true: “this is the day (era) the Lord has made,” and we should “be glad and rejoice in it.” By keeping the faith we know this is as true on days when the world’s sinful extravagances cause the future perspective to be dark and intimidating as it is on days of sunshine and happiness.

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Stop and Think

by Fenter Northern

If you are a New Testament Christian, and there is no other authentic kind,–dramatic differences have reshaped your life. Difference the New Testament speaks of as your sanctification. The basic meaning is set apart. But I find that a bit limited because it essentially includes being set apart for a purpose. That purpose is revealed by Jesus in that great sermon to which all other valid sermons are anchored. He spoke of the single Christian purpose as glorying the Father. He said this: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” The total Christian life is to be a testimony before the world that the Lord, God omnipotent reigns and you are His child.

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Thoughts on the Sabbath

by Gary C. Hampton

First, we should note there is but one sabbath each week. It falls on the seventh day (Exodus 16:26). No one can change that fact. Despite what many say, Sunday is not the sabbath.

Second, the sabbath was bound by God upon the children of Israel at Sinai (Nehemiah 9:13,14). It had not previously been known or kept by their fathers (Deuteronomy 5:2,3). The children of Israel were to keep the sabbath as a continual sign of their covenant with God (Exodus 31:12-17).

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Stressed Out

A preacher back in the 1800s was feeling extremely stressed and loaded down with the troubles and pressures that came through his ministry. One day he came home and was greeted by his young daughter, Minnie, whose legs were paralyzed. He was about to carry a package from the mail upstairs when Minnie said, “Daddy, I will carry that package upstairs for you.” The preacher replied, “Minnie dear, how can you carry the package?” With a smile on her face, Minnie said, “If you will give me the package, I will hold it while you carry me.” This sweet gesture from his daughter reminded him of the way God wants to help us with our own burdens.

God is fully aware of the stresses and burdens we bare. He also wants to help us with them. In the book of Isaiah, God gave Israel a reminder, “Even to your old age I will be the same, and even to your graying years I will bear you! I have done it, and I will carry you; and I will bear you and I will deliver you” (46:3-4).

The stresses of life can become extremely heavy and burdensome. We don’t have to bear all of this alone. He cares when we are stressed out. Let’s remember that God is willing to take the load for us (Matthew 11:28-30; 1 Peter 5:7). What a loving God we serve!

by Brett Petrillo
Via Daily Bread

Heed the Warning

By Jon Mitchell

“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.” – 1 Corinthians 10:12

This is a warning many Christians would do well to think about from time to time. After all, God urges Christians to present (our) bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is (our) spiritual service” and to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of (our) mind”, Romans 12:1-2. He wants His followers to give their entire lives (twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week) to Him through the renewing of their minds. Christianity is more than just going to church on Sundays. When Christians start thinking otherwise, they are in danger.

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Fried Worms

By Doug Dingley

What’s with all the worms?!? Especially those of the half-baked to extra-crispy and overly crunchy variety found fried to death on the concrete sidewalks around the church building of late? What is it that causes so many worms to suddenly seek to make the journey out of and away from the soft, moist, muddy soil which protects and preserves them, up onto the unforgiving and sun baked concrete which then summarily cooks and kills them? What is the draw that makes them want to leave the shelter of the grass and ground, to expose themselves that openly to the birds who prey on them? Does the grass truly appear that much greener on the other side? Is the warmth of the concrete really so appealing to them that they just have to experience it – despite the slowly immobilizing, petrifying, and (presumably) painful and putrefying death it inevitably brings upon them? Can they not see the crippled, crusty, and crunchy corpses of their extended family members who tried it before them strewn all over the same sun baked surface?

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We Want a King

By Tim Dooley

In 1 Samuel 1-5 we find the corrupt sons of Eli, priests, unwilling to heed their father’s instructions. They caused the children of Israel to despise the sacrifices of the Lord. Then the Philistines slaughtered the Israelite army and carried off the Ark of the Covenant. In the midst of all this, God was still faithful to fulfill His will and keep His promises. He then providentially raised up Samuel to be prophet and priest.

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Recapturing the Joy of Christian Evangelism

By Fenter Northern

I do not feel I am unduly concerned about evangelism in the Lord’s church today, however I am concerned. We seniors have lived through a golden age of evangelism in the United States, one hardly possible for Christians under fifty years of age to imagine.

Young Christians have grown up in a far different culture than that of the post-civil war and early 19th century period, an age when many, especially the rural and blue collar people placed a premium on Bible authority. Many in honest error during that age, upon hearing the Gospel, respected the word of God and made essential changes in their lives. Since WWII there has been a phenomenal advance in technology. Men have placed themselves in the center of the universe with emphasis on material surroundings with little spiritual introspection. Aside from the remnant, a semblance of Christianity still exists but with increasingly less regard to be anchored soundly to the original New Testament doctrine. Biblical tenets and examples are looked upon as irrelevant being too archaic for today’s society.

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Finishing the Race

By Dan Jenkins

There are many illustrations used in the Bible to describe our lives as Christians. We are warriors in His army (Eph. 6) and harvesters in His vineyard (Matt. 20). We are boxers who do not simply throw blows into the air against an imaginary foe (1 Cor. 9:26). One illustration used repeatedly is that we are competitors in a great race.

This figure is used in the book of Hebrews. After describing those heroes of faith throughout chapter eleven whose lives were all lived by faith, the Lord then turned His attention to the Hebrew Christians. That this chapter is directly tied to the men of faith is evidenced by the first word in chapter twelve. “Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses… Let us run with endurance the race that is set before
us.”

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