A Family With Favor April 13, 2025

When we read the early chapters of Acts, one striking aspect is the quality of the early family of God. They not only spent time together but also had “favor with all the people” (Acts 2:47). They were well-respected by the community for their actions and attitudes.

This raises an important question for us: Are we well-respected by our community? I do not believe the answer lies in trying to please as many people as possible. Peter clearly teaches that “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). If our primary goal becomes pleasing others in hopes of attracting them to our church or faith, we risk compromising the truth and obeying man instead of God. Peter and the Apostles certainly did not compromise their beliefs to meet the expectations or demands of non-believers. However, the example in Acts shows us that there is power in being a people who are well-respected. They worshipped together, fellowshipped, supported one another, and were overall glad and generous (Acts 2:44–47).

Are we perhaps ashamed to share about our church or faith because of our reputation? Do people see us as honest and kind? Are we known for crude jokes? Do we stand up for what is right or for going along with the majority? Do they see us as hard-working or lazy? Would people look favorably upon the church because of us? This is one reason elders “must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil” (1 Tim 3:7). While not everyone will respect the truth, there is a general expectation that the way we carry ourselves should reflect Christ and his church.

Are we living as a family that is respected by our community? If not, perhaps we have work to do individually and collectively to shine the light of Christ into the dark corners of the world rather than hiding there ourselves.

Spencer Clark

“I’m Bored!”                                                              April 6, 2025

“You also say, ‘Oh, what a weariness!’  And you sneer at it” (Malachi 1:13a).  So said the Lord to the priests of Israel concerning their worship.  They didn’t specifically say they were bored, but it’s rather obvious!  Boredom occurs when one is uninterested, and Israel’s priests had virtually no interest in faithful worship.

Today folks may be more bold in declaring that worship is boring.  Could that be because faithfully doing God’s will just doesn’t appeal to them?  In many cases, yes – and in such cases repentance is the only cure.

But boredom may also result from repeatedly doing the same things.  Sing; pray; observe the Lord’s Supper; sermon; contribution.  The repetition can become boring, but it doesn’t have to!  Self-discipline can keep us focused on why we’re doing what we’re doing what we’re doing, thus preventing boredom.

Others complain that worship is boring because it isn’t “fun.”  That’s a loaded word.  Should worship involve joy and praise?  Of course!  But “fun’?  Where in Scripture do we find anything about worship being “fun”?  Even children must learn that not everything is fun.  We’ll never out-entertain Hollywood, nor should we try!  That’s not the purpose of worship.

Those leading in worship should strive to prevent boredom.  Whether it’s preaching, singing, praying, serving communion, reading Scripture, or whatever, let’s make it clear that we’re glad to be helping God’s people honor Him.  An enthusiastic, positive attitude is contagious and will go a long way toward eliminating boredom.

Joe Slater

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“Praise the Lord!  For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and praise is becoming.” (Psalms 147:1)

“But about midnight Paul & Silas (after being beaten with rods) were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;” (Acts 16:23-25)

Be Equipped Like Bezalel and Oholiab                        March 30, 2025

Exodus 31:1-5 states “Then the Lord said to Moses,  ‘Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft!'”

Bezalel was chosen by God to help build the Tabernacle and all its associated items to allow the Israelites to worship God.  He gave Bezalel an assistant Oholiab as well as other craftsmen to help construct these items.  Bezalel was chosen by God, filled with the Spirit of God and given great wisdom, ability and expertise and was called a master craftsman.  God provided them with the skills and abilities necessary to be master craftsmen.  God had very important work for Bezalel and his contemporaries to do and God fully equipped them to do so.

Like Bezalel, God has chosen us to do great work.  God chose Bezalel for a specific purpose to complete  God has also chosen us and has a purpose for our lives  (Ephesians 1:4; 1Peter 2:9). God gave Bezalel a great work to do; God has also given us a great work to do.  In Matthew 28:19-20 we read, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.”

God did not simply give Bezalel this important work to do, but also ensured he was fully equipped to do this work.  God filled him with His Spirit, provided him helpers and gave them the necessary skills and abilities.  God has also given us the ability to be fully equipped.  He equips us by:

• Giving us His Spirit through faith.  John 16:13 states, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”
• Giving us His word. II Timothy 3:16-17 reads, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
• Giving us the ability to pray.  James 5:13-16 tells us, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
• Giving us skills and abilities. 1 Peter 4:10 reveals, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
• Giving us Godly men.  In Ephesians 4:11-13 we read, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;”

Like Bezalel and Oholiab our heavenly Father has given us the opportunity to do important work in His Kingdom.  God ensured that Bezalel and Oholiab were fully equipped to do their work and were successful in accomplishing it.  If we are going to be successful in completing the work He has given us we, too, must strive to be fully equipped for that work.  Are we allowing God to fully equip us?  Do we allow the Spirit to guide us in all things?  Do we spend time in God’s word, understanding His instructions and will for us?  Do we spend time in fervent prayer?  Do we exercise the talents God has given us?  God has put Godly men in our lives who have a responsibility to help equip us.  Are we allowing them to do this? 

Kevin Pickles, Owen Sound

Earning the Right to be Heard                                   March 23. 2025

Truth is truth no matter who speaks it.  But the fact remains that people are far more inclined to give truth a fair hearing when the one speaking has earned the right to be heard.  Having exhorted the young preacher Timothy to “be an example to the believers” (I Timothy 4:12), Paul further instructed him to “take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.  Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (4:16).  Timothy needed to earn the right to be heard.

Everything Peter said in his first letter about enduring persecutions and trials would be correct even if he had lived the most sheltered and pampered life imaginable.  But the truth is that Peter had earned the right to be heard.  When it came to enduring persecutions and trials, he could say. “Been there, done that!”

Earning the right to be heard applies to congregations as well as to individual Christians.  Brother Rob Whittaker, in his lessons on personal evangelism, teaches how to make the local congregation attractive to the community.  Rather than just talk about loving everyone, what if we showed that love by sending a card to a sick neighbour to let them know we’re praying for them?  What if I sent one today, you send one tomorrow, and another sent one the next day?  What if you a casserole by the house when the neighbour got home from the hospital?  We ought to be doing these things anyway, but think about the impact they would have on a lost soul?

What if we practiced hospitality instead of just talking about it?  What if a visitor to our services couldn’t get out the door without being invited to lunch?  Wouldn’t it be worth the inconvenience and expense to take a first step toward presenting the gospel?

If we expect people to hear and obey the gospel, we must earn the right to be heard!

By Joe Slater

Resting In God’s Wisdom                                  March 16, 2025

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)

Have you ever found yourself overwhelmed, trying to make sense of life’s complexities, feeling the weight of decisions, problems, or even your own thoughts?  In today’s fast-paced world, we often strive to have all the answers, to figure things out on our own.  But the truth is, we were never meant to carry such a burden.  Just as the brain, with all its billions of neurons, is far beyond our ability to fully comprehend, so too is life itself.  The Creator, in His infinite wisdom, designed both to be complex, knowing that we would need to rely on Him.

God’s invitation is clear: we are not to lean on our own understanding.  The pressure to know everything, to manage every detail of our lives, is not something He ever intended for us to bear.  And this is where the love of Christ comes in.  Jesus, fully aware of our limitations, came to help carry our burdens.  He invites us to find rest in Him.  When we find ourselves anxious or confused, it is a sign to step back and trust in God’s higher wisdom through Christ.  We may not have all the answers, but we have the assurance that God does – and Jesus is with us every step of the way.  We don’t have to figure everything out because Christ is already holding everything together for us.

Today, reflect on an area of your life where you’ve been trying to carry the weight of understanding on your own.  What would it look like to release that to Christ?  Spend a moment in prayer, asking for the strength to let go and trust in His plan.

By Robert Kargbo

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Politics

One lesson that we Christians have not learned in the last 2000 years is that Jesus had no political control over the Roman Empire, yet He still changed the entire world.  We keep trying to change the world the way the Roman Empire did instead of the way Jesus did. (Benjamin Cremer)

Be Humble Like Moses                                 March 9, 2025

Numbers 12:3 describes Moses in this way “Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.”  The word humble comes from the Hebrew word “anav” which primarily expresses a quality of humility or meekness. It is often used to describe individuals who are gentle, lowly in spirit, and submissive to God’s will. It is often associated with a righteous character, who has a heart that is open to God’s guidance and correction.  Humility was a valued trait in ancient Israelite culture, the humble person recognized their dependence on God, humility was seen as a strength and an important characteristic which helped an individual to get along with others and be receptive to God’s wisdom.  Humility is often contrasted with pride, Proverbs 11:2 states it this way, “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”  Moses was perhaps one of the most important leaders in the history of the Israelites.  He was chosen by God to liberate His chosen people from the bondage of slavery at the hands of the Egyptians.  He led and guided the Israelites in the desert until God was ready to give them the promised land.  He received the Ten Commandments from God which essentially established how God expected His people to conduct themselves.  Moses was a mediator between God and God’s people.  God gave Moses a tremendous amount of responsibility and It would have been easy for him to become so proud.  However, Moses did what God expected him to do with humility.

Not only does humility bring wisdom, Proverbs 22:4 tells us that riches, honor, and long life come with humility and the fear of God:.  Our world today would lead us to believe these things are only achievable by our own doing.  When I look around I see people relentlessly pursuing these things.  I think I have been guilty of this as well.  Unfortunately, without God, their efforts are simply in vain (Psalm 127:1).  Just as humility was a valued trait in the ancient Israelite world, I think it is just as important today and we should aim to live humble lives as well.

Paul highlights for us that our Savior is the greatest example we have of humility.  Christ emptied Himself, took on the nature of a servant and humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death on a cross.  Furthermore, Paul instructs us that in our relationships with others we must have this same mindset (Philippians 2:5-8).

Jesus stressed the importance of humility in much of His teaching.  Specifically He emphasized the need for childlike humility and innocence in order for one to enter the kingdom of God (Mark 10:13-16).  As believers we are urged to show humility in our relationships with others.  Humility helps us to live the lives we were called to live in Christ and allows us to have unity and peace with the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:1-4).

Peter teaches us to adopt a humble attitude.  He instructs us to clothe ourselves with humility and to humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand.  He additionally tells us that God shows favour to the humble (1 Peter 5:5-6).  Humility is necessary if we are to encourage and serve one another with love.

When I am successful it is easy to allow pride to creep in and convince me that it was “I” who made me successful and not God working through me.  In our modern world, humility is frequently seen as a weakness.  The scriptures clearly reveal that humility is necessary for us to have a proper relationship with God, harmonious relationships with others and required for one to grow in the grace of God.  Humility is all about us recognizing that all we have is from God and that we need to fully submit to His will.  Approaching God with humility is necessary in all aspects of our walk including prayer, worship, and our  relationships with others.  I often have to remind myself that humility is a strength, that I need to resist the urge to be prideful and instead clothe myself with humility, just as Moses did.  Let us all strive to be like Moses and live our lives with humility, fully trusting in our heavenly Father.                  Kevin Pickles

When I Learn of Your Condition                               March 2, 2025

“But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition.  For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.” (Philippians 2:19-20)

Jesus had such an impact on Paul’s heart.  So much so that whenever someone saw Paul they saw Christ at work in his life.  Because of the great results that come from living a Christ-like life it is no wonder then that Paul appeals to all Christians to imitate him as he imitated Christ (I Corinthians 11:1).  This imitation was evident as every part of his conduct and speech reflected the very nature of Christ.  Should not this imitation be the desire and goal of every Christian today – to let the world see Christ in us?

In our text above we see one aspect of Christ at work in Paul as witnessed in his genuine concern for the spiritual well-being of the church at Philippi.  Throughout his many letters to the early church Paul reveals his love and concern for each congregation.  In those letters he wanted to know of the degree of their faith and of the love they had for one another.  It mattered to him if their hope in Christ was remaining steadfast and secure and that they were sharing their hope of the gospel with others.  Whenever there was disunity he wanted it to be addressed and corrected quickly lest Satan used it for his advantage (I Corinthians 1:10-17).  Whenever there was immorality creeping into the church that also needed to be addressed as soon as possible (I Corinthians 5:1-13).  False teachers were not avoided but confronted publicly lest the brotherhood be persuaded by their “persuasive words of wisdom” (I Corinthians 2:1-5; I Timothy 1:18-20). 

Paul longed to meet with his brethren wherever they met.  They meant everything to him as he did to them.  After facing much opposition to his teachings as well as heated debate and persecution (Acts 25:1-27; 26:1-32; II Timothy 4:14-15) Paul couldn’t wait to be with those of like common faith.   It was a special gathering, a meaningful one whenever he was permitted to feast on that spiritual fellowship table with his brothers & sisters in Christ (Romans 1:8-15). 

Paul’s hope in sending Timothy to the brethren at Philippi was to be encouraged from knowing that their spiritual condition was just what it needed to be – that they were remaining faithful to the cause of Christ and were in no way influenced by Satan’s deceptions and schemes (II Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11).

Like Paul, Timothy had a genuine concern for the spiritual welfare of the Lord’s church in Philippi.  I am challenged by that concern.  How about you?  Do we share in it for the Lord’s church today?  Is our concern as sincere and genuine as theirs was?  How are we expressing that concern and is it limited only to our local congregation and not for the universal church throughout the world?  Do we pray for the church?  Do we cry for her and try to encourage her in whatever way we can?  Are we concerned over her spiritual condition?         Brian Thompson

If You Love Me, YOU WILL Keep My Commandments    February 23, 2025

According to the dictionary the word “if,” when used as a conjunction, can mean the following: provided that, presuming that, supposing that, assuming that, or as long as, given that, or in the event that.

Substituting “if” with its meaning  we have the following: Provided that you love me, Presuming that you love me, Supposing that you love me, Assuming that you love me, As long as you love me, Given that you love me, or In the event that you love me.

It’s pretty clear what Jesus is saying when He mentions the word “if,” isn’t it?  Having a sincere, genuine, appreciative love for Christ and for all that He has done, is doing and promises to do for us is the motivating factor behind our desire to keep all His commandments.  He is our loving Master; we are His loving servants, bound to Him for eternity.  We are no longer our own for we have been bought (purchased) with a price (the blood of Jesus shed on the cross); therefore we are to glorify God in our body (I Corinthians 6:20).

No preacher, elder or member of the church should have to continually try and convince members of the church to keep God’s commandments unless, of course, these members  are babes in Christ (new converts).  Either we love God enough to do His commandments or we don’t.  John the  Apostles states it plainly, “We love because He first loved us” (I John.4:19).  He also states that if we love Jesus enough to keep His commandments then we truly have come to know Him (I John.2:3).  It is pretty clear what Jesus meant when He states that we’ll be known to be His people by the fruits we produce.  Here Jesus clearly warns any of His people who claim to know Him that He doesn’t know them when they fail to do (accomplish) the will of His Father (Matthew 7:15-27).

Now here’s the difficulty.  God’s commandments are not always easy to keep.  For example, we are to love and forgive those in the church that we don’t like or find difficult to get along with.  We are to pray for our enemies and those who persecute us.  When we know that our brother has something against us we are to take the initiative to go to him as soon as possible and especially before we worship God with the hope of reconciliation.  Do we keep these commandments?

The Christian life, the abundant life,  is about coming to know God fully by engulfing ourselves in His will and His word.  It is letting go of the world’s influence and desires and embracing ourselves with the love of God.  Our life in Christ is all about the Lord.  Every decision we make should be centered around Him.  He’s our number one priority in all matters of our life.  Only when this attitude is put into action will one experience a meaningful and purposeful life. (Brian)

“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you;

Abide in My love.”

(John.15:9)

The Preciousness of Humility                         February 16, 2025

Few Christians traits are as sweet and loving as humility.  True humility, not feigned, grows our spirit beyond the world’s focus on competition and allows true friendship to flourish among those who seek to lift up others rather than beat them at some silly social game of supposed superiority.

Humility takes the focus off of self and allows us to see the importance of others.  Humility is a vital part of close friendship, because without it we get stuck in a pitiful game of oneupmanship that never develops into the closeness for which our hearts yearn.

By its very definition, competition is a challenge to win a struggle or contest.  It demands a winner and a loser in every case, from grade school to the Olympics.  Competition in sports is a very good thing, likewise in business.  Proper competition creates better athletes and better products.  We even have national spelling bee contests which create better spellers!  From backyard badminton to a pickup game of basketball to scrabble at the kitchen table, good natured gamesman ship can be a great thing.  But competition in relationships never is.  Most of us can recall petty personal competitions from junior high, “She is my best friend!”, “No, she’s my best friend!”  Some of that is to be expected as kids grow into young adults, but growing into adulthood should include leaving behind the petty pride that feels a need to be “better than you.”

God’s goal should become our goal.  In Philippians 2:1-3, we see His goal for our relationships: “Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.  Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.”

O, how that would change the world, and develop close friendships and heal broken spirits!  God’s plan always leads to more closeness to Him and to one another.

By Ray Wallace

Be a Barnabas                                                    `February 9, 2025

In our Sunday School class we’re studying the beginning of the church in Acts.  We read in Acts 2:42-45 how the early church continued steadfast in the apostle’s doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.  All who believed had everything in common and sold their possessions and goods and divided it among themselves as anyone had need.  In Acts 4 we learn that one of these believers was Joses.  Joses sold a field and brought the money to the apostles.  The apostles nicknamed him Barnabas which meant “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36).  Barnabas went on to be a great help to the apostle Paul by encouraging the disciples to accept him after his great persecution of the church (Acts 9:26-27).

According to Strong’s the word encouragement is derived from the Greek verb paraklésis which primarily refers to the act of calling someone to one’s side for the purpose of offering comfort, encouragement, or exhortation. It encompasses a range of meanings from consolation in times of distress to encouragement and exhortation in the context of moral and spiritual guidance.  Encouragement is an important element of the Christian’s walk.  It’s important that the Christian both receive and give encouragement.

God showed great encouragement to Joshua by telling him to be strong and courageous, and that He would never fail or abandon him, and would be with him wherever he went (Joshua 1:1-9).  God doesn’t speak to us directly today as He did to Joshua, however, He did promise us the Holy Spirit.  Jesus reiterated this promise in John 14:16-17 and John 16:7.  The KJV refers to the promised Holy Spirit as the comforter.  This word comes from the Greek word paraklétos which speaks to the role of guiding, comforting, encouraging and advocating.  God has given us the Holy Spirit to empower us, encourage us and remind us of His truth and presence.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:2 Paul reminds us that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.  He also states that we are destined to obtain salvation through Christ.  1 Thessalonians 5:11 teaches us to encourage each other and build each other up so as to help others be prepared and remain steadfast in their relationship with God.  Hebrews 10:24-25 states “and let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”  This verse again reiterates the importance of mutual encouragement.  It’s interesting that the writer ties meeting together with encouragement.  If we refuse to meet together it is difficult to give and receive encouragement. 

Encouragement can be very powerful and have a tremendous impact on others and ourselves.  We should take every opportunity to be an encourager every day.  We can do this by using kind, uplifting and loving words; by taking actions based on kindness, grace and unconditional love; by sharing scripture and in meeting together.  God has given us the Holy Spirit to encourage us.  Thus we can rely on His Spirit to be the encouragers God expects us to be.  In encouraging one another it will help

the church grow and help ensure we remain steadfast in our relationship with God and finish the race we have been called to run and receive the crown of righteousness.                 By Kevin Pickles