You might be asking; how do you know Jesus is coming in 2018? It’s because He came in 2017, and every day since He went back to heaven (Acts 1:9-11). No, I am not talking about His second coming, the end of time. I am talking about our Lord changing the lives of people who respond to His message and dwelling within them.

While addressing the brethren at Ephesus, Paul told them, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height –to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:17-19).

Saints do look forward to when Christ does return so they can spend eternity in heaven, but due to faith they get to enjoy peace within the heart because of Christ being there. The lesson that needs to be learned is how that occurs. It isn’t so much “asking Jesus to come into your heart” as it is, what happens when you hear and obey His word.

This same idea is given to the church at Philippi, when the apostle told the brethren to have the same mind as Christ (Phil. 2:5). Those who think like Christ are not those who are possessed by the Lord and no longer think for themselves. It is those who know how Christ thinks, through His written word, and follow it. Only those who know Jesus would know what Jesus would do!

When we go into all the world and spread the gospel (Mk. 16:15), it is true that the message contains the 2^nd coming. However, mankind also needs to know that Jesus is very much alive and can dwell in the hearts of those who will walk by faith believing what the Son of God says. Since brethren can and do fall away (I Tim. 4:1; II Pet. 2:20-22), man is the one who decides to have Christ dwell within them, or depart. 

Knowing all of this we can say with confidence that Christ is coming in 2018 for anyone who will accept His teachings and obey them.

Chuck

Self-evaluation is not only helpful to God’s children, but also expected. Paul writing the brethren at Corinth stated, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you are disqualified.” (II Cor. 13:5).

As we all look back on another year the Lord has blessed us with, let’s be honest with ourselves as we consider the following questions:

1. Did I take care of all unrepented sin that was in my life?
    
2. Did I go out of my way to do all I could to encourage brethren and visitors when I gathered for worship?
    
3. Has my prayer life improved over the past year?
    
4. Did I put forth efforts with my family and friends, who are not Christians, to try and help them know the Lord?
    
5. Did I contact those who were sick this past year with a card, text, or email?
    
6. Did I take the time to read the bulletin that was put out each week?
    
7. Have I taken any opportunities to develop my talents for the Lord’s work?
    
8. When I was unable to make it to worship in the a.m. did I make sure when I came out in the p.m. that I still fulfilled my duty to give back to the Lord?
    
9. When I travelled on vacation, did I make plans to be at a place that I could worship with fellow Christians?
                                                                
10. When I needed help from my brethren, did I reach out to them?
     
11. When the church was asked to pray for certain things, did I actually do it?
     
12. Did I make time to do personal study at home?
     
13. Did I show genuine appreciation to brethren when they did things for me?
     
14. Did I overcome a sin that I had been struggling with?
     
15. Was my church attendance consistent?
     
16. Did I prepare for Bible classes when material was given ahead of time?
     
17. When I was home and unable to attend, did I take advantage of our services being streamed online?
     
18. Did I pray often for my brothers and sisters and for doors to open to reach the lost?
     
19. Was I hospitable to folks whether bringing them home or taking them out?
     
20. Did I help edify the church or was I a complainer?

Christians are workers for the Lord. If the Lord blesses us with another years, a final question: Will I aim to do more or less in 2018?

Chuck

Let me begin this article by asking you this question; are you materialistic? This means one who is focused on the material, wanting all the possessions they can get. It is also connected with being money-oriented. Knowing this, whether or not one is such, is there anything really wrong with being that way?

One of the dangers that is in the world that we are not to love – is the lust of the flesh (I Jn. 2:16). This is where a person has the desire to gain those things of this world without concern for his/her spiritual well-being. As Jesus stated, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”  (Matt. 16:26). This makes it easy to see why materialism is so wrong.

As for the connection with money, Paul told Timothy that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (I Tim. 6:10). If a person is obsessed with making money to the point where his spiritual life suffers and if family suffers, then you know there is a serious problem. Even though we know there is nothing sinful about having money, or even being rich, someone who is materialistic is not living the way the Lord demands.

Something we all might want to ask ourselves, have we been guilty of promoting materialism? When we raise our children by giving them everything they want, are we really teaching them the Biblical concept of it is better to give than receive (Acts 20:35)? Let us also not forget that we don’t want to instill the false notion that you can buy one’s affections, but that true joy comes from the amount of things you have.

When you read through the book of Ecclesiastes, the lesson of focusing on this world is vain and a waste of time. When this life is over, it will not matter how much you own, but how you lived your life for the Lord.  Let’s be aware of the constant temptations that come upon us daily to buy what we can’t afford, to long for what we don’t need, and to over value that which will pass away.

Chuck 

Since the beginning of time, man has always had those who were willing to tell them what they want to hear rather than tell the truth (Gen. 3:4). Now, before we get upset with those rascals that tell such lies, remember this, no one has the ability to make you believe a lie. As much as we might be angered with what the serpent said to Eve, it was Eve who listened and accepted the false words.

Sadly religious leaders are not immune to doing the same thing as the serpent. There are far too many examples in the Bible of religious teachers telling lies and many more who were willing to listen. So this begs the question, are those you are listening to, that are teachers of the Bible, actually teaching you the truth? Do not be quick to respond with a yes, based upon the following:

He wouldn’t lie to me!

You are deceiving yourself if you think a religious person will not teach you false doctrine. I am not saying all teachers of the Bible lie. If that were truth then I would be wasting my time writing this article. It would seem odd for me to teach you the truth, yet saying it’s a lie. The truth is, many have lie, are lying, and will continue to do so. There are many false prophets in the world (I Jn. 4:1). Keep in mind that you may be lied to unintentionally. After all, most teachers that are teaching error are only uttering the very things they have been taught. When that happens, the blind are leading the blind (Matt. 15:14).

He uses the Bible!

It’s one thing to use the Bible, it’s another matter altogether to use it properly. Peter spoke of those who twist the scriptures to their own destruction (II Pet. 3:16).  It was our Lord who would tell those leaders that taught God’s word, “Have you not read…” (Matt. 12:3). Did this mean they didn’t know any scripture? No. It means they didn’t study carefully, or they didn’t handle it properly as we are commanded to (II Tim. 2:15). So, don’t let your guard down and just assume you are being taught the truth based upon the fact the teacher uses the Bible.

He is such a nice person!

Too often people think with their heart and not with their head. There is a reason why Solomon stated, “It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear foolish flattery.” (Eccl. 7:5). Sadly, people fall prey to praise and will turn a blind eye when the individual who has been so nice to them is accused of teaching false doctrine. Such people are so “loving” and “kind” until someone calls their hand, then they can become the most unloving person one has ever met.

He is such an excellent speaker!

Like the points we have already given, people have a tendency to let down their guard when they put so much stock in how something is taught, rather than on what is taught. The apostle Paul was very much aware of this kind of behavior. He told the brethren at Corinth that he made it a point to not to preach with persuasive words of human wisdom (I Cor. 2:4). It isn’t about the presentation. The focus ought to be on the message, since it contains the power unto salvation (Rom. 1:16).

It is easily to succumb to being a man-follower. After all, if you put your trust in man, you can simply rest your hopes on him and don’t concern yourself with having to spiritually discern. There is little effort required to let someone do the thinking for you.  May we think for ourselves and demand what we need!

Chuck

When I study with my religious friends they are quick to respond to the first article by saying, “Well, the church of Christ was started by Alexander Campbell.” Just who is this man? Alexander Campbell was from Ireland. He was born in 1788 and died in 1866. His father, Thomas, was a Presbyterian minister. Alexander rebelled against much of the Presbyterian doctrine.

Alexander wasn’t the only one to object to many denominational doctrines and encourage people to get back to the scriptures. But there is no question that Alexander Campbell was a prominent figure of what is often referred to as the restoration movement.  Encouraging people to cast off the shackles of denominationalism wasn’t a bad thing. However, he is not to be credited with starting the church of Christ.

I personal left a denomination back in the 1970’s. When I started preaching and telling people to get back to the scriptures, I wasn’t starting the church of Christ either. Jesus did that back in 33 AD when He died (read first article). It would be like finding a recipe for homemade bread. If I make it, would that mean I invented bread? Of course not.

Any person today that belongs to a religious sect that was founded upon some man, can teach himself or herself out of it. When they do, they are not establishing anything new. The truth was given by Christ so that all can know (Jn. 8:32). This is why there were faithful Christians belonging to Christ’s church before Alexander Campbell came along. As a matter of fact, even though this man taught many things that were correct, he still clung to some doctrines that were not Biblically correct. This only teaches us again the important lesson that we are to follow no man but Christ Jesus.

Remember, you can claim that Christ is the builder and founder of your religious sect, but that is not true if it was founded upon a man or any man-made teachings. There were churches in Biblical times who were amiss but didn’t think they were (Read- Rev. 2-30). Let’s study the show ourselves approved.

Chuck