The Lord Jesus Christ said that many would be lost and few would be saved (Matthew 7:13-14). Immediately after this in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave a reason for why many would be lost in His warning about false teachers. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matthew 7:15). False teachers have an exterior that seems harmless, but on the inside they have cruel and selfish intentions. Often the response to religious error being taught today in effect is, “Well, I’m sure he’s sincere in what he believes, so while I don’t see it the same way as him, I’m not going to get too riled about what he is teaching.” Now, there are people who sincerely teach error believing it to be true. Their sincerity alone will not save them, but they are sincere. However, what seems to be missing many times today is the acknowledgement that there are many false teachers who have sinister motives. As much as we have been told that these people who teach something different than the truth of the Gospel do it in sincerity, when we open God’s word we find warnings about wolves in sheep’s clothing. Is it really the case that there are hardly any wolves today, just misguided sheep? Or have we been duped by their sheepish exterior?

Paul exhorted the elders of the Ephesian church to be on guard against grievous wolves who would enter in among them, not sparing the flock (Acts 20:29). He wrote to the church at Corinth about those teachers who seemed so attractive according to fleshly standards, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). To the church at Rome, he instructed to mark and avoid such teachers who cause divisions and offenses contrary to true doctrine (Romans 16:17). Why? Was it because they were sincerely deceived. No. “For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:18). Peter warned the Christians dispersed throughout Asia Minor, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction” (2 Peter 2:1). These would not be sincere teachers, but sinful men who would act holy so they could entice followers to give them all the money that their greedy hearts desired (2 Peter 2:3, 12-16). There has always been a market for teachers to be paid well to tell people what they want to hear instead of the uncomfortable truth (Numbers 22-24; 1 Kings 18:19: Isaiah 30:10; Jeremiah 5:31; 2 Timothy 4:3). Jude encouraged Christians to earnestly contend for the once-and-for-all delivered faith (Jude 3). Why? “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 4). John warned us that “many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).
Remember the majority of people will be lost. False teachers are out there who will uphold false teaching because it is popular. If they taught the truth they would not have the numbers that would give the them worldly affections for which their hearts lust. Jesus taught truth even when it caused droves of people to leave (John 6:66-68). Listen to the warnings of the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). The Lord Jesus Christ says there are wolves out there in sheep’s clothing. Are we on guard?

-Mark Day

On the fourth day of the creation week God made the sun, moon and stars.  “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.  And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also” Genesis 1:14-16.  Rather than being gods themselves, which the nations surrounding Israel often worshiped, the sun and moon are creations of the true God.  He placed them as “lights” to mark seasons, days, and years.

Today we are still marking and adjusting our time to earth’s position in respect to these lights God placed in the heavens.  A full rotation of the earth with respect to the sun marks one day, and a full orbit of the earth around the sun one year.  Monday there will be a total solar eclipse, where the moon will pass between the sun and the earth. This solar eclipse will be visible along a path of totality that stretches in a 70-mile-wide swath across the central part of the continental United States.  Astronomers are able to determine when such spectacular events like this take place in the heavens because there is consistency in the motion of the earth and our moon as they revolve around the sun.  While the placement of the stars in heaven does not determine our destiny, it does remind us of Him who created us.  This uniform behavior of the heavenly hosts is an earmark of the great design of our universe. Imagine if we lived in a world where we did not know if we would see the sun the next day, or we could not predict the tides.  Imagine if we had no idea whether or not our planet would suddenly veer off course and collide with another planet.  There is order in the universe.  Order requires an orderer.  God created the world and fashioned it. It went from being without form, void, and dark (Genesis 1:2), to having a set formation, teeming with life, and lit by the lights of heaven (Genesis 1:3-31).  How true are the words of David in Psalm 19:1-4:

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.  Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.  There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.  Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.  His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

Some are critical of the Bible, pointing out how it speaks of God making the sun to rise (Matthew 5:45), when in reality the earth rotates and revolves around the sun.  However, even though we have understood this truth for centuries, we still use the terms sunrise and sunset.  While the Bible does not speak in contemporary scientific terms it does give an accurate account for the order we find in the heavens above.  The weather app on my phone gives me the exact minute sunrise and sunset will be each day for my location.  You see how precise the movements of the heavens are.  Without this precision the space missions that have been conducted throughout the last half of a century would have been impossible.

So the next time you look up into the heavens above, or notice the precise times we are able to predict when the sun and moon and stars will be in a particular location in regard to our location on earth, remember the Creator who placed order in this universe He intended for mankind to inhabit (Acts 17:24-27.

 

-Mark Day

The apostle John saw Jesus in the flesh face to face and what he witnessed in his participation with the Lord’s earthly ministry changed him forever.  In 1 John 1:1-4, John writes:

 

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.  And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

 

Personal knowledge of Jesus Christ had given the apostle John joy and he wished to impart that knowledge and joy to others.

While John by inspiration wrote letters which form a good portion of the New Testament, there were many things he wanted to express to his fellow Christians face to face.  Second John is a brief letter including this statement near the end explaining its brevity, “Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full” (2 John 12).  Third John is even shorter and ends with these words, “But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name” (3 John 14).

Obviously, there is something to seeing others face to face, being physically present with them, and calling them by name.  Anyone who has gone through a lengthy automated phone system (where pressing a number just leads to another automated message) quickly feels a strong desire to speak to an actual person.  Technology that allows us to communicate with others all around the world has also made us more mobile; thus, good friends often move away from each other.  Ironically social media that is intended to connect people seems to promote less authentic, surface relationships that can leave individuals feeling lonely.

The need for Christians to “come together” (1 Cor. 11:17, 18, 20, 33, 34; 14:23, 26) in one physical location to worship God and commune with Him and one another in the Lord’s Supper is still very real even in the 21^st century.  We are affected by who comes in the assembly (James 2:2-3).  We can be encouraged by the presence of others or discouraged by their absence.  Thus, we must still make every effort to provoke one another to love and good works, not by forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, but by encouraging one another (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Look at the influence Jesus had on the world by being present with those whom He came across in His earthly life.  Read the Gospel accounts and be impressed with the effect Jesus had on those in His presence.  Are you present with those who are around you or is your mind and attention elsewhere?  Are you present when we come together and worship?  Tremendous good can be done if we learn to show the love of God to others face to face

All accountable people have sins. 1 John 1:8 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”. One preacher said, “You cannot spell “sin” without the “I,” and where is the “I”? It is smack dab in the middle of the word. The wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23. What Shall We Do With Our Sins?

One person says, “‘I’ll forget I have any, so maybe they won’t really exist.” You may forget about (or try to forget) your sins, but God doesn’t. The psalmist wrote in Psalm 25:7, “Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord.” He knew his sins would be remembered by God.

Another person says, “I’ll run away from sin.” But where will you run? Psalms 139:7-8 teaches, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there”. This is comforting to those that love him. That they will never be where they may not find their God. Yet this is a fearful thought to those that disobey Him. That, as much as they may wish it and try as they might, they can never find a place where there is not a holy God!

Someone else says, “I’ll blame my sin on others.” God had commanded that Adam and Eve were not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Genesis 2:17, 3:1-3. They sinned when they disobeyed God, Genesis 3:6. Adam in effect blames God because He was the one who gave her to him. Adam blames the woman, the woman blames the serpent. How well did that work? See Genesis 3:22-24

Another person says, “I’ll cover up my sins.” You cannot hide your sins, God knows everything because “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good”, Proverbs 15:3. This statement is a terror to the sinful and great encouragement to the faithful. Christ told the church at Smyrna, “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” Revelation 2:9-10.

Some people say that they’ll get rid of their sin tomorrow or at a more convenient time when they put off obeying God’s will. God says we must do it NOW. 2 Corinthians 6:2 teaches, “…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

We should plan for eternity, not tomorrow like the rich fool did in Luke 12:16ff. We should not say “Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee” like Felix did in Acts 24:25. As far as we know this “convenient season” never came for him.

Dear friend, don’t try to ignore, run away from, pass the blame, try to hide, or put off dealing with your sin. Obey the Gospel today. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God, Repent of a life of sin, Confess the name of Christ, be Baptized for the forgiveness of your sins, and live your life in obedience to Christ. Do it today. You will never regret it.

-Jerry D. Sturgill

“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.” Lamentations 3:21-24

As God’s children, our hope is in Him who is faithful, merciful, and unchanging. The world views the word hope in the sense of an uncertain wish. Luke 23:8 says of Herod when Pilate sent Jesus to him to be tried, “he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.” Similarly, Felix kept Paul imprisoned because, “he hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him” (Acts 24:26). But these are exceptions to the way the Bible uses the term hope.
The Christian’s hope is far from an uncertain wish. It is a firm expectation of the good God will do coupled with a desire to experience it. Christian hope is based on the love of God. Romans 5:5 says, “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” There is confidence in the Christian’s hope.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead gives Christians a living hope (1 Peter 1:3). The Christian is one who has been united with the Lord’s death through baptism and has been raised to walk in newness of life. “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection” (Romans 6:4-5). The resurrection of Jesus from the dead means Christians can have confidence that they will be raised when the Lord returns. It is not just wishing, but “knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus” (2 Corinthians 4:14).
This hope helps us to keep our minds on things above, “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:20-21). It therefore motivates us to remain pure as children of God so that we will be ready for His coming. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:2-3). Hope also anchors our souls through the storms of life (Hebrews 6:18-19). Instead of trials dashing our hopes, our confident expectation becomes stronger when we cling to God through it all. “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” (Romans 8:24-25).
As Christians, we must remember how important it is to keep hope alive among us. God has given us the evidence that should make us confident in the glories in store for us in heaven. It is only when we take our minds off this and focus on the world that hope dies in our hearts.

-Mark Day