Your Word is Your Bond, or is it? (Part 2)
The old colloquialism, “Your word is your bond” has roots in scripture. Numbers 30:2 says, “If a man makes a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.” But, in a culture that no longer values honesty and integrity, it can be easy to forget that our word must be trustworthy. Consider three examples that are…
Your Word is Your Bond, or is it? (Part 1)
Shakespeare’s Hamlet said, “Ay, sir; to be honest, as this world goes, is to be one man picked out of ten thousand.” How right he was. Solomon asked, “But who can find a faithful man” (Pro. 20:6)? He sought for a man who was dependable, trustworthy, and truthful. That kind of person may be hard to come by in the world, but it should not be so in the church because God’s will for His people is that they be…
The Lord is Near the Broken Hearted
Psalm 34 is thought to have been written by David in remembrance of his escape from the courts of Achish, king of Gath, as recorded in 1 Samuel 21:10-15. For fear of his life, David fled from the pursuit of an angry king Saul. He made his way to Gath, evidently expecting to receive quarter from Achish. But, David was not met with the greeting he expected. Instead, the servants of Achish identified him as king and he quickly realized…
The Goal of Sound Doctrine (Part 2)
Additionally, sound doctrine will create people in the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29; Col. 1:10) and allow them to be examples that others can look to (vs. 16). Paul says, “However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.” Wayne Jackson summarized the point of this passage very well. But Paul’s point of emphasis here is God’s…
The Goal of Sound Doctrine (Part 1)
Why do we place such a strong emphasis on sound doctrine? Why does God stress the importance of sound preaching and teaching so heavily throughout His Word? Does is really matter that much? The first two sections of 1 Timothy 1 help to answer these questions. In the first section (vss. 1-11) Paul discusses the problem of unsound doctrine. He says that it only causes problems–“disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith” (1 Tim. 1:4). False and unhealthy…
From the Director’s Desk (November 2024) – Trent Kennedy
Preachers, do you ever find yourself having the congregation turn to the same book or passages over and over again? Do the same four or five Scriptures always seem to be part of your sermons, week in and week out? Is this type of preaching keeping you and your audience from growing? I think many of us revert back to our “comfort Scriptures” that we have memorized, preached, and know so well. However, when we carefully examine our preaching, it…
In My Love – Curtis Scherffius
Love is one of the strongest things in this world. As a member of the Body of Christ this fact is no different. One of the most important commands that we have is to love. In the book of Deuteronomy, we see that God commands His people to “love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deut 6:5). The Bible shows the importance of love by stating that “…everyone who…
In My Disagreements – Dave Rogers
How can there be “beauty” in disagreement? Disagreement is unpleasant; it disrupts harmony among brethren, disturbs peace of mind between neighbors, and distresses our spirits. David wrote of “…how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Ps. 133:1) — so how can we find “beauty” in disagreements? Human revulsion at the prospect of conflict springs from our familiarity with the rejection, anger, hurt, disappointment, acrimony, and resentment that flourish when seeds of disagreement are…
In My Speech – Wade Webster
The song that serves as the central thought of this lesson contains both direct and indirect references to our speech. In the fourth verse the song speaks of letting the beauty of Jesus be seen in all that we say and to keep sweet. In the third verse, the song speaks of remembering how Jesus was treated when someone speaks some word that pierces us through. Clearly, the implication is that we should show the same restraint that Jesus showed in…
In My Priorities – John Haffner
As modern society seems to be constantly pulling us in different directions, the task of sorting out our priorities is essential. What is important? What is urgent? What should be given the most attention? Examining the life of Jesus, we find a man whose priorities were unwavering and were always aligned with God’s will. As members of His church, we have been called to match our priorities to Christ’s, and must ensure that our lives reflect the mission, values, and…
The Beauty of Jesus – Cody Westbrook
“Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me!” A familiar refrain from the hymn written by Albert Orsborn. In what way can Jesus be described as “beautiful?” Interestingly, Scripture discusses the topic from two different points of view. On the one hand there are passages like Isaiah 4:2 which describe His beauty–“In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious.” On the other hand, Isaiah 53:2 states, “He has no form or comeliness; and when…
Faithfulness and Thanksgiving
“Show me a person who is thankful and I’ll show you a person who is faithful.” I heard this sentiment offered by a speaker at a lectureship several years ago, and it really struck home. Americans on the whole are the most materially blessed people in the world. This can certainly be a good thing for God’s people if we use the things God has provided in a responsible, godly way (cf. Luke 16:1-13). However, far too often our material…