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As we look to our own congregational health, we would do well to consider what Jesus said to the 7 churches in Asia Minor. Those ancient congregations mirror our own in many ways. Their struggles we’re similar, their strengths and weaknesses were similar, their needs were similar, and their work was similar. One positive characteristic discussed is the ability to see and take advantages of opportunities when they are presented. To the church in Philadelphia Jesus said, “See, I have…

To the church in Philippi, Paul wrote, “… work out your own salvation…” (Phil. 2:12). Furthermore, Paul wrote that we are to be ready for every good work and be careful to maintain them (Tit 2:3:1-8). Why the need to be careful? Because though we were not saved by good works, we can lose our salvation if we do not produce them! So, how should we practice working out our own salvation? First, develop Christ-like character. We do this by…

Annual health screenings are vital to maintaining good health. Regular oil changes are necessary to keep a vehicle in good running order. Cleaning and maintenance play a large role in the longevity of a home. So many things in life cannot function properly without periodic evaluation to ensure proper operation. The same is true with individual and congregational spiritual health. Like a doctor runs tests to examine data indicating an individual’s level of health, so God’s Word furnishes us with…

Just before His crucifixion, Jesus identified a key mark of discipleship. He gave what He called, “a new commandment” (John 13:34). It is a command to “love one another”, and He expressed, “by this all will know” who are His disciples (John 13:34-35). However, do we know what kind of love that is and do we demonstrate it? Even though the Old Testament Scriptures required a love for one’s neighbor as self- (Lev. 19:13,18), this new command is a call…

In telling me about his conversion, our brother, Alan Putnam, told me some words that were spoken to him before committing His life to Christ. He was told, “Christianity is a THINKING religion.” Ever since I heard these words, I have been greatly impacted by them. I remember them almost daily, and here is why. As Christians, we are to THINK about what the Word is saying. We have to THINK about whether or not our actions are consistent with…

Statistics fascinate me, particularly statistics regarding how we spend our time. A clear accounting of how we pass the minutes of every day can be terribly humbling. Often, we do not realize just how much time we waste. For example, a 2016 study determined that Americans spend over 1 year of their lives searching for something to watch on TV. Who could have imagined? Another point about our time is that it gives insight into who or what we choose…

How easy it is to be distracted by the business of life! We go to work, take the kids to practice, clean the house, mow the lawn, and a dozen other items on our to-do list, almost daily. Our schedules are filled from top to bottom with so many tasks and chores it often becomes overwhelming. In truth, these things are not wrong in and of themselves. God expects us to work hard to provide a living; proper home maintenance…

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). How Paul describes his identity in this passage is to be true of all Christians. Christ is “our life” just as he was Paul’s (Col. 3:4). Such a life involves taking on the mind of Christ–learning to think like Him. That is why Paul commands in Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” How can we develop His mind?…

“Should we continue mourning?” seems like a strange question for a Jew to ask, since they had finally returned home after seventy years in captivity. And yet, it is exactly the question found in Zechariah 7:3. Jehovah only commanded one fast (Lev. 23:27) but the Israelites did not observe it. Instead, they observed four fasts of their own making to remember events connected with the destruction of Jerusalem, the Temple, and the carrying away (Zech. 7:4-7). These were not times…

In Romans 6:23, the Apostle Paul wrote, “the wages [the payment] of sin is death…”, and he is not simply talking about physical death. This “death” is ultimately the “second death”, which involves eternal torment for those who die in their sins (Rev. 21:8). So why is sin considered so bad that the un-forgiven sinners must experience torment? To understand, we must appreciate the nature of God and the problem of sin. God’s nature is such that it is impossible…