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1 John 5:19-20 “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” So wrote the apostle John. It is still true today for the world in which we live. There are two kingdoms with two rulers; two systems with very differing approaches to life. Satan holds sway over the world, that is all those who reject the lordship of Jesus Christ. Jesus, although He is Lord over all, rules in His kingdom over those who accept Him as Master of their lives and serve Him willingly. The contrast is indeed like night and day. We Christians wonder at the evil which permeates the world around us and continues to grow worse. This should not surprise us as statistics show that more and more people are turning from Christ Jesus, indeed all religions. This opens the door for the evil one and his destructive ways. Fueled by selfishness, greed and lusts of all sorts, men and women indulge themselves in whatever seems to suit them at the time. This could be seemingly “small” things: neglecting one’s wife and family in favor of fishing trips and video gaming; gossiping on social media; getting drunk every Friday night; turning one’s back on somebody in need. It could be a “big” thing: cheating on one’s spouse; a drive by shooting; human trafficking; using illicit drugs; aborting one’s child. All of these things happen when Satan rules in the hearts of people, and they all bring harm and destroy lives and relationships. In the kingdom of God’s beloved Son, things work differently. Fueled by love and with a desire to please the Lord Jesus, Christians care for their spouses and rear their children in the ways of God. They forgive when hurt, admit their wrongs and help those in need. Their words are truthful and uplifting, and they speak often of their Lord. Jesus is at the center of their lives for He has saved them from their sins and will be giving them eternal life on the last day. Two kingdoms. Two rulers. Which one is yours? ><> Jeff

1 Corinthians 6:12-20 The human body has been in the news quite a bit lately. (Yes, we’re talking about this body of flesh and bones.) Women want the right to do with their own bodies what they desire when it comes to giving birth or aborting their child. Gay folks want everyone to accept that it’s all right for them to use their bodies in sexual relations with others of the same sex. Transgender types want the right to change their bodies into something they are not. So, what’s the deal? Is it all right to do with our bodies whatever we want as long as the soul inside is right with God? Is it okay to use, abuse and waste our bodies since they are going to return to the dust anyway? Paul addresses this in our text. He notes that the stomach as well as the food which goes into it will be done away with (i.e. return to dust). But in the next breath he says we can’t use our bodies for sexual immorality since the body is “for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body.” In other words, we aren’t free to sin with our bodies just because it’s going to die and go back to the dust. While we live in our body, the Lord has use for it. He reminds us that sexual immorality is a sin against one’s body. Every sin is committed while we live in a body, but these types of sins are also against our bodies. The body physically participates in the sinful act. Paul uses several expressions to indicate our oneness with the Lord Jesus and that our bodies are “for” Him. 1) Your bodies are members of Christ. 2) You are joined to the Lord. 3) You are one spirit with Him. 4) Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. 5) You are not your own since you have been bought with a price (redeemed). We don’t have space to elaborate on these, but you can easily understand what Paul is teaching here. The bottom line? Since we are not our own, and Jesus is now our Lord, “glorify God in your body.” What we do with our bodies matters. It matters a great deal. ><> Jeff

1 Peter 4:12-16 Enduring temptation, various trials, the fellowship of His sufferings ... such language pervades the New Testament from the gospels through Revelation. Peter writes of “the fiery ordeal” which was to come for the testing of his readers. Brothers and sisters, the Lord Jesus did not call us to a picnic nor to relax on the beach. He called us TO WAR!!! He would not array us in battle armor (Ephesians 6:10-18) and then expect us to sit under a shade tree and sip iced tea. Jesus and the apostles regularly found themselves in skirmishes and even fully pitched battles against the forces of evil. That fight continues down to this very day! Hast thou no scar? No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand? I hear thee sung as mighty in the land, I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star, Hast thou no scar? Hast thou no wound? Yet I was wounded by the archers, spent, Leaned Me against a tree to die; and rent By ravening beasts that compassed me, I swooned; Hast thou no wound? No wound? No scar? Yet, as the Master shall the servant be, And pierced are the feet that follow Me; But thine are whole; can he have followed far Who has no wound or scar? – Amy Carmichael “If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” ><> Jeff

2 Timothy 2:13 What if God wouldn’t take the time to bless us today because we didn’t take the time to thank Him yesterday? What if God decided to stop leading us tomorrow because we didn’t follow Him today? What if God kept the flowers from blooming because we grumbled when He sent the rain? What if God took away the Bible tomorrow because we did not read it today? What if God stopped comforting us because we failed to comfort someone else? What if God took away His message because we failed to listen to His messenger? What if God stopped loving and caring for us because we failed to love and care for others? What if God would not hear our prayers today because we did not listen to Him yesterday? What if God turned His back on us because we turned our back on someone in need? What if God closed the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem because we did not open the door of our hearts? What if God took back His promises because we failed to keep our word to someone else? What if God stopped “being there” for us because we were never there for anybody else? What if God had not sent His only begotten Son because we would not appreciate His gift? What if the King doesn’t recognize you on Judgment Day because you didn’t serve Him today? What if...? ><>Jeff

Luke 23:32-43 It is significant that there were two others crucified with Jesus. Mark records (15:28) that it was a fulfillment of prophecy that the Christ would be “numbered with transgressors.” Jesus did become one of us and was identified with the sinful human race in His death. But let’s be careful to see how that played out. The two thieves represent the only two possible responses to Jesus. Both were guilty just as the entire human race is guilty before God. The thief on one cross was only concerned about escape and chided Jesus about getting them all free from their predicament. The criminal on the other cross acknowledged his guilt and asked Jesus to remember Him when He came into His kingdom. Jesus recognized the man’s faith and penitent heart and promised, “today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” But Jesus died on His own cross. Each of the two thieves died on his own cross. Jesus did not take the place of either thief nor was He in a position to do so, now was it God’s will that He do so! Jesus’ cross was His and His alone through which He died for all humanity (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). He was the Lamb of God. His death was a propitiation (Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 2:2, 4:10), that is, an acceptable sacrifice to God on behalf of sinful humanity. Through the blood of His Son, the Father is now able to offer forgiveness and justify those who are cleansed of sin. Sometimes we hear: “Jesus took your place on the cross.” I don’t believe this is true nor theologically correct. In fact, I don’t even understand what that means. Does it mean Jesus keeps you from pain and suffering? Obviously not. Does it mean He keeps you from dying? Obviously not. And neither your death nor mine on a cross would affect in the slightest the eternal destiny of anyone, including ourselves. No, the cross on which Jesus died was absolutely and totally His. He humbly accepted death by crucifixion for us. What a Savior! ><> Jeff

Luke 9:23-24 Jesus taught that to be His disciple would demand great change in a person’s life. He said there must be self-denial and a daily crucifixion of one’s self in order to follow Him. A person would need to lose his own life for Jesus’ sake in order to save it. What would such a life look like? Considering Jesus’ own life and teachings, let us take some snapshots of the life of a disciple of Christ. You might be a Christian if... ...you spend a great deal of time in prayer with your heavenly Father ...you keep your word without fail ...you are attentive to the needs of those who are sick ...you give generously to support the work of the kingdom ...you know the word of God, and it is your guide in life ...you have absolute trust in your heavenly Father ...you provide for the needs of orphans and the poor ...you are a comforter of the grieving ...you are an encourager to the weak and the strugglers ...you fight hard against temptations to sin ...lies, complaints and cutting remarks die on your tongue ...your greatest love is God ...your life’s goal is the kingdom of heaven ...you look forward to the weekly assembly ...the world’s treasures no longer satisfy you ...you have sought reconciliation when you have hurt another ...you have learned to be a servant ...you seek ways to help out in the congregation ...love for others is the watchword in all you do ...you take an interest in your brothers and sisters in the church ...you tell people about the Lord and His kingdom when you can What about you? ><> Jeff

Luke 9:26; John 12:48 One of the true marvels of Christendom today is the number of people who say they believe in Jesus but do not accept everything which He taught. They want the gracious and compassionate Son of Man but don’t want the holy and zealous Son of God. They want the Lamb of God but not the Lion of the tribe of Judah. They want the suffering Savior but not the Christ of God with eyes “like a flame of fire,” a voice “like the sound of many waters” and “a sharp two-edged sword” coming out of His mouth. They want to pick and choose their Jesus and what they will believe of the words He taught. However, Jesus does not allow us that luxury. He said that if we are ashamed of Him and His words (Luke 9:26) that He will be ashamed of us on that final day. He said that if we reject Him and His words that His word will judge us on that last day (John 12:48). So if you believe in Jesus, then... ...you must believe that God created the human family and that He made marriage for a man and a woman (Matthew 19:4-5). ...you must believe in Noah and his ark (Matthew 24:37-39). ...you must believe in Jonah’s being in the great fish (Matthew 12:40). ...you must believe that Jesus is God (John 8:58). ...you must believe that He was dead, and that God raised Him from the dead and that He is alive now (Revelation 1:17-18). ...you must call no man either Teacher or Father (Matthew 23:8-10). ...you must love your enemies (Matthew 5:44). ...you must believe that both belief and baptism are necessary for salvation (Mark 16:15-16). ...you must believe in a final judgment of the evil and the righteous (Matthew 13:41-43). ...you must love the Lord Jesus above all others, including yourself (Luke 14:26). We could add many, many more. So, do you believe in Jesus? ><>Jeff

Ecclesiastes 7:2-4 We all need a visit to the funeral home. Your response to that is: “Jeff, I’ve had enough visits there. I’d just as soon stay away.” I hear you, but hear me out. We need to go when we can be somewhat detached and consider the event and not the person. Observe the absolute stillness of the body, the total absence of movement. Where once there was animation - the raising of the hand to gesture, the tongue and lips working in unison to engage in conversation, the blinking of the eyes - all now motionless. Feel the hand. What was at one time warm to the touch and itself used to give warmth and comfort is now terribly cold. The cheeks which were ruddy with the flow of lifeblood are now colored to make the body look like it used to be. We praise the funeral director for making a “lovely” memory (as it should be), but the attempt to portray former days of life is clearly a ruse. Stillness, coldness, paleness - lifelessness. We gaze upon the body much like it would have been before God breathed life into Adam. Life does not exist apart from God. No breath we draw is really our own. We live by His will. And this body which once was filled with excitement and joy, purpose and possibilities, now lies in lifeless decay for one reason and one reason only - sin. If we fail to make this connection, to learn this lesson, we have missed the reason for our visit. For death is not a chance occurrence. It is not the natural end of a being evolving in a long line of other beings toward a higher plane of existence. Death is the unnatural end of a being who has fallen from its lofty pinnacle of being in fellowship with God. And only God can give life again by restoring that relationship. He promises to do just that through Jesus who is the Resurrection and the Life. The Preacher, the son of David, tells us that it is better to visit a house of mourning rather than a house of feasting. He was a wise man. Shall we listen to his counsel? ><> Jeff

Genesis 1:1 True science and the Bible will always agree. Scientists and theologians will not. Take, for example, the origin of our universe. Over the years, different theories have existed among scientists about the origin of the universe, but today, for the most part, science has accepted the idea that the universe did in fact have a beginning. This position is generally known as the “big bang” theory. For the theologian, no question arose as to the origin of the universe. The Bible was quite plain: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” There was most definitely a beginning. The debate continues today for the scientist would have us believe that the universe sort of “self-generated,” while the theologian tells us that a loving, all-powerful and eternally existing Supreme Being brought it into existence. Let’s take a brief look. The big bang theory begins with an infinitesimally small bit of highly compacted matter (often called the singularity). The reasons given for the existence of this bit of matter are sheer speculation. Then, for no known reason, this bit of matter explodes, and the fragments expand in all directions into space, gradually slowing and condensing into stars and planets. Then on one planet, by blind luck, the conditions for life come together and a living cell begins to function. From this one cell, all life, plant and animal, evolves without any direction. All of this is by pure chance. The biblical explanation has a loving Creator God creating a space called the heavens with a planet Earth which He fashions to support life. He fills the heavens with the sun, moon and stars which all serve the Earth and its inhabitants. Then He makes plant life and creatures of all sorts to live in the seas, the air and on land. Finally He makes human beings in His image. His plan is to live among them for a while and offer them life everlasting. Both beginnings are incredible. Which do you find to be more credible? ><> Jeff

Luke 6:46-49 Jesus always cuts to the heart of the matter and into the heart of His hearers. He wastes no words for time is precious. Alfred Whitehead said: “Apart from blunt truth, our lives sink decadently amid the perfume of hints and suggestions.” In our text, Jesus destroys our silly notions that Christianity is a “designer religion.” Because of our selfishness and arrogance, we tend to accept some of what Jesus teaches but ignore other commandments which we find “difficult.” Thus, we “design” our own Christianity by selectively applying Jesus’ words. We want His forgiveness but don’t take Him seriously about forgiving others - every person who has wronged us. We’ll gladly come to the assembly and worship whenever there isn’t anything else going on that we want to do. We give into the offering basket but don’t want to hear about my giving an afternoon or evening for the cause of Christ. We convince ourselves that “going to church” is what Jesus wants and ignore His words about good works, the second mile, proclaiming the gospel and denying ourselves. Jesus’ question is founded not so much in rebuke as in incredulity. “Do you think I’m blind? How can you call me your Master and then turn around and not do what I tell you to do?!” Do we truly see Jesus as a loving Master with our best interests at heart, or do we see Him as a divine “advice Giver” whose words we can choose to follow or not depending upon how we feel? Our Lord then provides a warning for those who would design their own way to follow Him. If you build your house according to my design (words), you’ll endure temptations and stand firm in the evil days. If you design your house your way, your life will come crashing down when the tests of life come. Jesus’ words are both a promise and a warning. Designer Christianity is a calamity waiting to happen. ><> Jeff

Matthew 5:14-16 We have seven night lights in our house. (No comments, please.) Night lights teach us a valuable lesson. Every time I get up in the middle of the night or before the sun, those night lights invariably provide more than enough light for me to see where I’m going. Not one time has the darkness of night overcome one of those night lights so that it could not show me the way. I recall Dr. Del Tackett (The Truth Project) made the same observation. He noted that whenever the door of an unlighted closet was opened that the light in the hallway would always illuminate the closet. Never did the darkness of the closet blacken the hallway. As is the case with so many things in the natural world, they reflect a spiritual truth. John wrote (John 1:1-5) about Jesus coming into the world that He was “the Light of men.” He went on: “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” But the ESV as well as NAS and NKJ footnotes have “overcome” instead of comprehend which seems a better fit. Jesus shone into the darkness (evil) of the world and illuminated all of the wickedness and corruption. The radiance of His beautiful life with all its goodness and truth could not be overcome by the blackness of human sin. Jesus’ life described to us in the gospels still stands as a beacon in the night of men’s evil. But Jesus has placed in the world today some other luminaries to stand against this present darkness and help show the way for those who are looking for their true home. His disciples are those “night lights.” (See our text.) What a glorious truth for the Christian to know! As you go about doing good and so reflecting the light of Christ, your life stands out against the darkness of the day and evils of the age. Your good deeds “cannot be hidden” by the evils of the world. It often seems that there is so much evil in the world that the good is being overcome. Truth is: Christian light overcomes darkness - every time! Believe it. Keep on shining! ><>Jeff

Philippians 3:1-14 In our text, Paul argues that if anyone had reason to have confidence in the flesh, he was that person. He goes on to enumerate his ancestral standing as a Hebrew and his personal achievements in keeping the Law. He says that really no one could surpass him in these things. But then he says an astounding thing: he counted all these things as loss and considered them rubbish. He gave them up. He ditched them! He trashed them! He let go of them all! What would cause such an extreme change in Paul’s value system? He tells us: “in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” We must let go of whatever may be keeping us from knowing Christ Jesus. What are some of those things? We certainly must let go of sin, works of the flesh, evil deeds. These are enumerated in several places. Sexual immorality, lying, drunkenness, greed, lust, pride, outbursts of anger, divisiveness, jealousy, envy, hatred, etc. But what other things must we let go of? What about my prejudicial thoughts toward people of different cultures, skin color, countries, political persuasions? What about my desire to always get my way? To watch my programs, to take the vacation I want, to eat at my favorite restaurant? What about my continued habit of “sneaking at peek” at that porn site when no one’s around? What about failure to control my tongue? Gossip? Slander? Crude jokes? Backbiting? Tearing others down? What about my needless fears? Fear of what people think of me? Fear of doing something different? Fear of letting go of myself and letting God take over? Fear of failure? What about my inability to objectively examine myself in light of scripture and never admit I’ve been wrong? What is it that you need to let go of? It could be just about anything. God will help you. Time to get on with it. ><> Jeff