2023 Articles

January 1st marks the start of a new year. For many, January 1st also marks the start of new goals or resolutions that one hopes to achieve before the year’s end. Most new year’s resolutions center around diet and exercise. These resolutions often start great, but by the time January 14th rolls around, most diets have been forgotten and gym memberships are no longer used. While diet and exercise or any other new year’s resolution one makes are important, the most valuable resolutions and goals we can make are those of a spiritual nature.

As we enter 2023, let us be challenged to make spiritual resolutions and stick to them. 2 Peter 3:18 tells us that we are to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (NKJV). As Christians, let’s set our sights on growing closer to our Savior and to our God in this new year. The brevity of this article by no means allows us to offer an exhaustive list, but below I want to suggest some possible goals that we as a congregation might be able to accomplish together. If we will set out together to fulfill the resolutions, we can hold one another accountable and strive together to grow closer to our God.

Read through the Bible in a year.Work to attend Bible classes and worship each week.Attend any special workshops or Gospel Meetings set up by our elders.Make it a point to be present at any fellowship opportunity.Extend invitations to our services to family and friends.Invite someone to study God’s word.

These resolutions are merely suggestions to help you grow closer to God as we enter the new year. My prayer is that whatever resolutions you might make would bring you closer to God. For as we “draw near to God,” James tells us by inspiration that “He will draw near to [us]” (Jas. 4:8).

Preston McElyea (January 1, 2023)

One of the age-old questions pondered by every generation is, “From where did we come?” Scientists, anthropologists, and many other “-ists” have researched and researched and researched and still have failed to reach a clear answer that can be understood as truth rather than theory. The problem is that those conducting the research often fail to bring the Bible into the equation – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1, NKJV).

Understanding God as our Creator requires one to first and foremost accept the Bible as authoritative. If one does not believe the Bible to be true, he or she will not accept what the Bible has to say about creation. There are, however, certain Bible passages that might help to convince skeptics that what the Bible says concerning our origins is true. For example, the Bible speaks of the vast nature of space and the reality of gravity to hold the earth in place (Job 26:7), the depths of the ocean and the springs found within the seas (Job 38:16), barometric pressure (Job 28:25), ocean currents (Psa. 8:8), etc. We understand all of these to be scientific facts today, yet at one point or another they all have been debated or seemingly “undiscovered.” Long before science accepted it as truth, the Bible – God’s word (2 Tim. 3:16) – recognized it as true.

When we come to recognize the truth of God’s word, we will see that what the Bible says concerning creation is true. As “God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1), He did so in six 24-hour days (cf. Gen. 1:1-2:3; Ex. 20:11). We know that as God created the earth, He did so by the power of His word; God spoke and this world and all within it was created (Gen. 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26; Psa. 33:6-9; Heb. 11:3).

Understanding where we come from ought to be more than a satisfied curiosity. Knowing our origin ought to motivate us to live up to our potential. God created us in His image (Gen. 1:26). God created us that we might live to glorify Him (Isa. 43:7). God created us so that we might be “His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:10). If we know that God created us so that we might live for Him, why would we not choose to live each day He blesses us with for Him?

By Preston McElyea (January 8, 2023)

A few weeks back, I saw an interesting thought shared by a preacher friend on Facebook. The post he shared had to do with how we can gauge the health of a congregation by two distinct sounds — crying babies and singing men. The idea stood out to me because these two elements are prevalent at every service here in Mt. Vernon. More than that, the reasoning behind these two elements as being a gauge of our congregation’s health help explain why these things are important.

Crying babies serve as an indicator of good health because it means there is another generation being brought up in the “old paths” (Jer. 6:16, NKJV). Further, as it was stated by one of our elders last week, crying babies and noisy children mean there are dedicated parents or grandparents trying to do what is best for their children and grandchildren. The sound of these children shows a deep concern by parents and grandparents to teach their children and grandchildren about the salvation that God offers by His grace through Christ Jesus. Where there are children, there is a future.

Alongside the sound of crying babies, the sound of men singing reveals the health of a congregation. Singing to God as He desires makes us vulnerable. Many do not want to be seen or heard singing their hearts out because it might be embarrassing. If our hearts are in the right place, however, none of this will matter. We will do our best to worship God with the whole of our being in the way He desires (Jn. 4:24). We will sing out and we will do our part to help warn and teach our brethren through our worship in song (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). When men can be heard singing out, it reveals that there are men who are less concerned with what others think, and they are more concerned with what God thinks. These men who are willing to open themselves up in the worship of God will be more willing to properly lead their homes and even the congregation in the right way. Where there are singing men, there is true leadership and a true heart for God.

We are blessed here in Mt. Vernon. We have noisy children, and we have singing men. What a blessing it is to be surrounded by parents and grandparents who value the spiritual well-being of their families, as well as the future of the church. What a blessing it is to be surrounded by men whose concern is pleasing God more than it is pleasing men. May we continue to grow in our love for one another and for God.

Picture a world wherein everyone agrees, everyone gets along, and there is no question concerning laws, morality, or ethics. Clearly, this picture is rather different than the world in which we live. Our world looks the way it does because of a failure to hold to one unified standard of truth. Today, moral relativism and subjectivism take center stage as everyone’s truth is true for them even if that truth might be different for us. Unless we can all come to accept and agree upon one unified standard of truth, the moral, ethical, and social problems of our world will continue.

Left up to men, the unified standard of truth is sure to be flawed. Thankfully, we do not need a council of our wisest minds to meet to discuss what is or is not morally, ethically, or socially right. We as men have been providentially left with the source of all truth – God’s word! 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that “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” (NKJV). The English Standard Version helps us better understand the idea that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God” as it translates this verse to say, “All Scripture is breathed out by God.” In other words, what we have contained in the Scriptures (i.e., the Bible), is in truth the word of God!

Because the Bible is God’s word, the Bible can be trusted. God cannot lie (cf. Num. 23:19; Tit. 1:2). Because God cannot lie, what God says must be true. Since God can only speak truth, and the Bible is God’s word, the Bible therefore must be truth! Jesus confirmed this fact as He prayed in John 17:17 saying, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (NKJV). Since God’s word is truth, His word is the standard of judgment. Jesus said as much Himself in John 12:48-50.

The confusion and chaos we see in the world are the results of a failure to submit to the one standard truth. Can you imagine how different our world might look if we all could set our own beliefs aside and simply adhere to the truth of God’s word? While it is not realistic to expect the world as a whole to turn to God, what is realistic is to have this high expectation for ourselves. The change in the world, in our nation, in our state, in our community, and in our homes begins with each of us individually. Are you truly submitting to and living your life by God’s word, the one standard of truth?

By Preston McElyea (January 29, 2023)

We as humans have a desire to please. Most often, our desire as men is to please other men. As Christians, however, our desire should be to please God over our fellow man. Paul writes in Galatians 1:10, “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ” (NASB). Thankfully, God does not leave us guessing about what is required to please Him. God’s desire for us is that we would obey Him.

In the Old Testament, God’s desire is told to Israel – “And now Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes…” (Deut. 10:12, NKJV). Even in the days of Ezekiel, God’s desire had not changed; He has always wanted man to follow Him that man might “live” (Ezek. 18:23). Although we are now under the New Testament (Col. 2:14; Eph. 2:14-16), God’s desire for us as His creation is still that we obey Him. We are told in 1 Timothy 2:4 that God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Peter informs us by inspiration of the Holy Spirit that God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9).

God’s desire for us as His creation is clear. God’s will is that we would obediently follow Him. God does not force our obedience, but He leaves the choice to obey up to us. If we desire to please God, we will diligently study His word so we might learn how to properly apply His word to our lives (2 Tim. 2:15). May we all strive to fulfill God’s will in our lives by obediently following Him.

By Preston McElyea (February 5, 2023)

What does it mean to do the will of God? How do you align your will to God's will? Are you focused on God or on the world around you? Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.” This is a promise of success in our activities so long as our activities are consistent with the will of God. I will address the three questions I have mentioned but first, let us dive deeper into the verse itself.

The first word of Proverbs 16:3 is commit. Commit can be used to mean “to give charge of or entrust”. We can see it being used this way in Job 5:8. It can also mean “to roll” which is being used this way in Psalms 37:5. Here the word commit is used as a command. Works is the next word we will define. When you commit your works to the Lord, you are giving God “things worked on the object of one's energy and focus, labor”. The next part of this proverb is a promise. Your thoughts are defined as “the content of reasoning and thinking or the act of thinking or reflecting.” Your thoughts will be established. Established, as it is used here, means “to prove, secure, arranged, sustained, with a focus on the durability and lasting of the situation”. We are commanded to give God the things upon which we are spending energy and time. When we do this, we are promised our thinking will be in the right place.

Now what does it mean to do “the will of God?” We can go to Scripture and find the answer to this question. God wants us to love and serve one another. We must do this to fulfill God's will for us. Consider the words of Jesus in John 15:9-17. As Jesus commands, we are to love one another, be servants, and keep God's commandments. When we do this to the best of our abilities, we are doing the will of God.

By Aaron Anderson (February 19, 2023)

How do you align your will with God's will? One way we can do this is prayer. Prayer is our avenue to speak with God. When we ask God to guide us in our daily thoughts and actions, we are aligning our will with His. You can see this in the Model Prayer within the Gospel of Matthew (Matt. 6:9-13). Another way to align our will with God's will is through love and mercy (Luke 6:27-36). To align our will to God's will, we must be loving and kind to those who do not deserve it. Just consider how loving and kind God is to all mankind, sending His only Son to die a horrible death for all our sins. We did not deserve His kindness, but we all benefit when we obey the Gospel.

Now for the last question. Are you focused on God or the world around you? The world around us is full of false gods, sin, and hatred. We must keep our focus on God and Godly things. When we recognize and respect God's presence in our daily affairs, we will become more secure in our daily decisions. We must trust in the Word of God to provide the solutions to earthly problems and spiritual matters (John 8:31-36). We must flee from sin and abide in the truth. Even though we live in this world, this does not mean we are to partake of the sin in this world.

We must look to the guidance God gives us. When we seek what His will for us is, we find His solutions to our problems. The Alcoholics Anonymous book has 12 steps. Step 3 is “we are to make a decision to turn our will in our lives over to the care of God.” This is a very powerful step and as Christians we are to do this every day. When we do this command, we open our lives to receive His blessings. When we do the will of God and align our will to His we become more focused on Godly things and less on the world. I will close this with the prayer from the AA book. “God, I offer myself to Thee to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always.” I pray this prayer to God through the name of Jesus!

By Aaron Anderson (February 26, 2023)

Love is a special thing. Knowing that you are cared for and wanted makes all the difference in building up one’s self-esteem and establishing purpose for one’s life. As we look at our earthly families, we can often see the sacrifices that our parents have made to provide for us. This love is merely an imitation of the highest love that has ever been shown. The Holy Spirit reveals through the pen of John that we know what love is “because [Christ Jesus] laid down His life for us” (1 Jn. 3:16, NKJV).

The love shown to us through the sacrifice of Jesus is the greatest love that this world has ever known. When speaking to His disciples, Jesus notes that “greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (Jn. 15:13). The amazing thing about God’s love as seen through Jesus, however, is that Jesus died for more than His friends. In Romans 5:6-8, we learn the truth concerning the relationship between Jesus and those for whom He died:

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The height of God’s love toward all men is furthered when one considers how Jesus’ death serves as “the propitiation for our sins” (1 Jn. 4:10) and that Jesus’ death gives us the opportunity for salvation (Jn. 3:16-17).

It is not uncommon for children to ask their parents how much they love them. Consider the answer that God has given to us, His children, as we ask Him how much He loves us. There is no love greater than the love which God has for man. God loves us enough that He gave His only Son to die on our behalf so that we might have the opportunity of salvation. When we see the love of God, we ought to then be moved to consider our own love toward Him — for if we love Him, we will keep His commandments (Jn. 14:15).

By Preston McElyea (March 5, 2023)

Power. One small word that packs quite a punch. Power conveys the idea of ability. In other words, if one has the power to do something, they have the means needed to carry out whatever the action might be. As men, we may find ourselves with the power to build a home, to sew a quilt, or to create beautiful artwork. We have all been blessed with various talents and abilities, yet none of us have the power to save ourselves – “all our righteousness are like filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6, NKJV). If we are looking to be saved, we must look to One who is greater and more capable than we.

As we look at our fellow man, it is not uncommon to recognize those who are more capable than we are in various areas of life. None of us have the power to accomplish everything, yet there is One who has the power to accomplish anything within His will. As the great drama of Revelation nears its end, John by inspiration writes of the great praise he heard for God – “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns” (Rev. 19:6). God was praised for being “Omnipotent,” meaning that He is almighty and all-powerful. For God to be all-powerful, it is implied that He, therefore, possesses all the means and ability to carry out whatever His will desires. This means that God has the power to accomplish His will to save man (1 Tim. 2:4)!

While God has the power to save man by whatever means He sees fit, God does not force man to be saved. He allows man to choose whether or not he wants to be saved (Rom. 1:20ff). Moreover, God in His power has seen it fit to channel His power and ability to save man through one means – the gospel of His Son, Christ Jesus. Paul boldly proclaims that he is “not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Rom. 1:16). Through the “gospel of Christ,” all who have obedient faith will be saved by God’s grace (Eph. 2:8).

The gospel is where God’s power to save man is found. God’s power is seen in the gospel because the gospel offers us the hope that if we follow in Jesus’ steps, we will be saved even as He was. The Holy Spirit reveals in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 that the gospel which saves us speaks of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. As a result, obedience to the gospel in faith demands that we imitate Christ even in His death. The New Testament reveals that this does not take place through physical death, but by spiritual death. Paul speaks of how one obeys the gospel as he conforms himself to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ through baptism (Rom. 6:3ff). Unless we obey the gospel of Christ (2 Thess. 1:8-9), we will not be able to receive God’s power unto salvation.

By Preston McElyea

A prevalent thought permeating many religious teachings today is the idea that God’s grace is irresistible. The thought is that since God’s grace is irresistible, when one receives God’s call, he or she cannot help but accept the call and follow Him fully from there on out. Perhaps the reason this ideology has grown so popular is because of the level of security and comfort associated with it. It is comforting to think that nothing can prevent our obedience. As pleasant a thought as this may be, it is not in line with how God’s word speaks concerning His call.

Paul teaches by inspiration that God’s call is found in the gospel (2 Thess. 2:14). God’s call does not come by means of a dream or vision. He calls man through the good news concerning His Son. In Acts 17, Paul initially “reasoned” with the Thessalonians “from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead” (Acts 17:2-3). This message of Christ Jesus called the listeners to action. Among the Thessalonians, there were some who accepted the call (meaning they believed it and obeyed it), while others rejected the call (Acts 17:4-5).

What this example shows us is that God’s call is not irresistible. The grace found in Christ Jesus ought to move us all to obedience, but not all are going to obey. God created us all with the ability to choose. We can choose like those in Thessalonica to either believe and obey the message of hope found in Christ, or we can reject it and disobey it. God is not going to force us to comply with His will; we must choose to obey Him.

The call of the gospel is that just as God raised Jesus from the dead, He will raise us from the dead, too (1 Cor. 15). If we truly believe that through Him we will be saved (Jn. 3:16), we will repent of the sin that sent Him to the cross (1 Cor. 15:3; Lk. 13:3), we will confess Him before men (Rom. 10:9-10), and we will put Him on as we conform ourselves to His death, burial, and resurrection through baptism (Rom. 6:3-4). Upon receiving the call of the gospel, there will be no irresistible nudging or pushing that keeps you from obeying. The choice is yours – how will you respond?

By Preston McElyea

By Preston McElyea

Depending on who you ask, one’s definition concerning the church might differ. To some, the church is simply the building in which we assemble on Sundays and Wednesdays to worship God and learn more about Him. For others, the church is merely a social club where we mingle and interact with others. Others recognize the church as being the whole body of believers regardless of the name on the front of the building. If we wish to better understand the church, however, we ought to focus our attention on what we learn of the church in God’s word.

The church did not originate with man. As Paul was speaking with the overseers of the church in Ephesus, he points out that the church was “purchased with [Christ’s] own blood” (Acts 20:27, NKJV). This denotes divine ownership. Furthermore, Jesus says to His disciples, “I will build My church” (Matt. 16:18). Because Jesus is the one who built and purchased the church, he, therefore, has all authority within the church (Eph. 1:22-23). While other passages could be considered concerning the church’s divine origin, these passages ought to suffice seeing as they point out that the church is not from man, but it is from God through the sacrifice of His Son. Therefore, the church with which we assemble ought to reflect His ownership in both its name and its practice.

How then does one find entrance to the Lord’s church? Some might require the meeting of a council or a vote from other members, but what does the authoritative word of God say concerning this matter? In the same context where Jesus tells His disciples that He would build His church, He also tells Peter that he would be given “the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” Following Jesus’ return to the Father, we find Peter using the keys as he reveals the terms of entrance to the church in Acts 2:37 – “Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” It is through this obedience that salvation is found, and “the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47; cf. 1 Cor. 12:13). No man can add another man to the body of Christ Jesus. Only the Lord Himself will add those who have obeyed Him in order to be saved.

The church is not man’s and therefore should not reflect man in its name or its operation. Rather, the church should reflect the One who built and purchased it “with His own blood” (Acts 20:7). If we find ourselves assembled with a church that fails to submit to Jesus’ authority in all things or that makes their terms of membership beyond what Christ has set in place, then we have found ourselves assembled with a church that is not the church we read of in the New Testament. If we wish to be counted among “those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47), we must make sure to follow the authoritative word of God and look to Christ for authority in all things – including the church with which we worship.

By Preston McElyea

Worship is a time in which we praise God and give Him the glory He deserves. Depending on where you might be, however, the elements of worship may look different. In some cases, it is due to a desire to become more appealing or to make the experience more enjoyable for those present. In other cases, worship seems to be rather mundane and lacks any true enthusiasm. When it comes to worship, we are not to worship God however we desire; He is specifically looking for those who would worship Him “in spirit and truth” (Jn. 4:24, NKJV). Worshipping God in spirit means that we are praising Him with our all while worshipping Him in truth means that we are worshipping Him in His prescribed manner.

Worshipping God in truth demands that the way we worship Him lines up with His desire. A study of the New Testament reveals what God’s desire in worship is. God desires that we pray to Him as an element of our worship. Paul shows how the public leading of prayer is to take place as he writes in 1 Timothy 2:8, “I desire therefore that the men prayer everywhere….” In addition to prayer, God desires that we lift our voices in song to Him (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). God desires that we use the instrument of our voice tuned by our hearts to sing songs of praise to His matchless name. Alongside our prayers and our songs, God looks for the public reading and teaching of His word. An example of this is found in Acts 20:7 as Paul taught a “message” from God as the congregation was gathered together. Acts 20:7 not only shows us the presence of preaching in worship to God, but it also reveals the necessity and the frequency with which we are to take the Lord’s Supper. It was “on the first day of the week” that “the disciples came together to break bread.” That is, the disciples gathered together to take the Lord’s Supper as instituted by Christ on the first day of the week (Matt. 26:26-29; 1 Cor. 11:23-26). It was also on the first day of the week that we find another element of our worship is to occur. Paul writes to the brethren in Corinth that it is “on the first day of the week” that the church is to “lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper” to provide for the operation of the local congregation and to help in supporting various missions and missionaries (1 Cor. 16:1-2).

On any given Sunday, many people across our nation, state, and community are gathered together to worship God. Unfortunately, few will be found by Him as true worshippers. This is due either to one’s failure to worship God in “spirit” or in “truth” (Jn. 4:24). May we all strive to worship God as He desires. As we gather together as the body of Christ Jesus, let’s continue to do all according to His authority (Col. 3:17). We may have our preferences or our desires of how we would like to do things, but we are not the object of worship. Let’s keep God at the center of our worship. Let’s do all that we can to praise Him in both “spirit and truth.”

Next Sunday begins our Gospel Meeting. Brother B.J. Clarke will be with us from the Memphis School of Preaching in Memphis, Tennessee. The theme of this year’s meeting is “The Faith That Saves.” Each lesson will examine a different aspect of saving faith, such as how saving faith admits, submits, trusts, obeys, is the only faith, and diligently seeks God. While these lessons will certainly be valuable to those who may not be members of the Lord’s body, Brother Clarke’s lessons will also be valuable to those of us who already have a saving faith. As we listen to Brother Clarke’s lessons (or any lesson for that matter), may we always look for where and how it is we can continue to grow and strengthen our faith.

As we prepare for the lessons at the Gospel Meeting, let us first prepare ourselves. Before any study of God’s word, be it in worship, class, or private study, we should always come to the table ready to learn without allowing any preconceived notions or ideas to cloud our view. For example, we might already have an idea of what faith is, but it is possible that our understanding of faith might be challenged. We need to ready ourselves to learn from God’s word – even if we think we already know the subject being taught. This type of readiness requires humility. To ready ourselves to learn, we must readily admit that we might not have it all figured out and that there is still room for growth in our lives. If we maintain humility in our studies, we will begin to receive God’s word in the right manner. We will not grow defensive or get angry when we find that we have not been living right, but instead, we will humbly respond and submit to God’s will. James urges his readers to “be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (Jas. 1:19-20, NKJV). Many times, these particular verses are applied to how we so often speak and react without actually listening. The context of the passage, however, is speaking of our approach toward listening to God’s word. This is why James goes on to say, “Therefore, lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (Jas. 1:21). The point James is making is that if we wish to be saved, we need to learn how to humbly and meekly listen to God’s word to find the areas in which we need to continually grow and improve.

Whether it is a series of lessons in a Gospel Meeting, a lesson on baptism, or a class on Ezekiel, may we always approach God’s word ready to listen. Jesus often said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 11:15; 13:9; 13:43; etc.). The reason Jesus often encouraged his listeners to actually listen is because when we listen, we will learn. May we always come before the word of God ready to listen and ready to do what is necessary to maintain a right relationship with our God.

By Preston McElyea

In our Sunday evening class on prayer, we recently examined Jesus’ prayer in John 17. Before Jesus finds Himself betrayed and arrested in Gethsemane, we find Him lifting “up His eyes to heaven” and praying to God (Jn. 17:1, NKJV). Jesus first prays to God concerning Himself (Jn. 17:1-5). Next, Jesus prays to God concerning His disciples who were present with Him (Jn. 17:6-19. Lastly, Jesus prays for all “those who … believe in [Him] through [His disciples’] word” (Jn. 17:20). This means that Christ Jesus prays for us! Jesus knew what was soon to come His way in His betrayal, arrest, unjust trial, and crucifixion, yet He still prays for us.

Understanding that Jesus prays specifically for us ought to motivate us to pay careful attention to what His request to God is on our behalf. As Jesus prays to God for us, He prays for our unity (Jn. 17:20-23). God has done His part in answering the prayer of Jesus. God, through His holy, all-inspired, breathed-out word “has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3). It is through His word that we find what “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” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). God’s word is the means by which we can know if we are living right by Him. This means that God’s word is that which teaches how to find and maintain unity.

We must come to see that unity is not going to be found by demanding things be done according to our preferences or our desires, but instead, unity is found only through humble submission to God’s word. Paul explains this fact in Ephesians 4:1-3 as he urges the brethren “to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Paul teaches that unity is found through humility, patience, love, and hard work, all of which are essential as we “walk worthy” of the unifying call of the gospel (cf. Eph. 3:1-6)!

When Jesus prays for us in John 17, He prays for our unity. Not only does He pray that we all might be one, but He also prays that we might be with Him where He is so that we might “behold [His] glory” (Jn. 17:24). If we wish to see His glory and be with Him for all eternity, we must do our part now to be united in the word of God. May we all strive to humbly submit to God’s word in all areas of our lives so “that there be no divisions among [us], but that [we] be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10).

By Preston McElyea

We at the Mt. Vernon Church of Christ are excited about the opportunity to host and produce podcasts. We currently have one podcast available called "That You May Grow." "That You May Grow" is a podcast from our ministers designed to encourage spiritual growth. You can listen to the podcast here on our website, or you can subscribe and listen from Google, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

Hair stylists, dress shops, and tuxedo rentals all love this time of year because it is prom season. During the spring, most all juniors and seniors have their formal event where they dress up, take pictures, eat a meal, and dance. Schools encourage all eligible students to attend, parents want their children to have their big night, and peers find it strange when one does not desire to attend. Prom has become a rite of passage for teenagers. Society says one should attend, but as Christians, we must understand that our culture, our schools, our parents, or our peers are not our guides – God’s word is the guide by which we ought to live our lives. Therefore, it is God’s word to which we should turn to determine whether we as Christians should be supporting or attending the prom.

One thing to take into consideration is the dress that is most often associated with the prom. While above I mention that prom is a time to “dress up,” in all reality, prom is a time in which most actually dress down. The guys wear their tuxedos, but the girls almost always wear tight, revealing dresses. Many dresses that are in style today may reach the floor, but they have a slit that comes all the way up the leg, past the thigh, and reach the hip. Dresses might be covered in the front, but there is little fabric to be found on the back. Some dresses might be an appropriate length, but they are extremely low-cut. Even still, some dresses might fully cover the individual, but they are skin-tight, leaving little left to the imagination. Such clothing is intended to accentuate and highlight the body of the one wearing the dress which then leads to and promotes lust for others.

As Christians, our desire should not be for others to look at us and see us for our physical bodies or our physical beauty. The goal ought to be for others to see God in us (1 Tim. 2:9-10; 1 Pet. 3:3-4). If we are honest with ourselves, we will see what the typical prom attire promotes, and we will be left with the conclusion that such revealing clothing does not “promote godliness” (1 Tim. 2:9, NKJV) but rather promotes worldliness.

Lord willing, we will continue looking at this subject in part 2 next week.

By Preston McElyea

This article is a continuation of last week’s article. If you were unable to read Part 1, you can find it on our website, www.mountvernonchurchofchrist.org.

Alongside the immodest dress that is associated with the prom, another thing to consider is the activity associated with the event. Based on the clothing, we have already established the real issue and temptation of lust for those who are present. Combine this with the main event of the dancing that occurs, and what we have is a real problem. The type of dancing that is most often associated with the prom is dancing that places the two very close to each other, moving in suggestive manners, and adding fuel to a lust-filled fire. This perhaps helps to explain why it is not uncommon for teenagers to become sexually involved on their prom night – especially when one considers the prevalence of alcohol and drugs at many of the after-parties.[1] Is this the type of event that we as Christians should want to take part in or encourage our children to attend? We are called to “abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul” (1 Pet. 2:11). We are not to walk “in lewdness” or “lusts” like those of the world (1 Pet. 4:3). Such “immorality, impurity, and sensuality” are noted as being “works of the flesh” (Gal. 5:19-21, NASB). To actively take part in any work of the flesh is not to live as a Christian.

Despite the dangers of the prom, many still see it as a rite of passage and would not dare let their child miss out on such a big night. For parents, I can only imagine what a great challenge this must be, but we must keep in mind our responsibility to help our children maintain their purity and holiness to the best of our ability. For teenagers considering attending their prom, please consider who you are. If you have obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ, your identity is found in Him (Gal. 2:20; Col. 3:3-4). This means that all that we say or do must be filtered through Him. It can be difficult to go against the conflicting opinions of those around us, but as Christians, our desire ought to be to please God and to be obedient to Him in all things. When considering all that is associated with the prom, those striving to please God will conclude that it is not an event for the child of God to attend.

[1] Raychelle Cassada Lohmann, “Prom and the Afterparty: What Every Parent Should Know About Prom Night,” Psychology Today, 28 March 2017, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/teen-angst/201703/prom-and-the-afterparty, Accessed 18 April 2023.

By Preston McElyea

If you walk in the modern-day denominational church you will get caught off guard and think that you just walked into a concert hall. The use of musical instruments in “church” services is nothing new. People use them because it is “cool” or “it makes the music sound better” or just the plain “I like it better with the music.” It is important to understand that worship is not for us humans but to praise our Heavenly Father who is in Heaven. Ephesians 5:19 says “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” It doesn’t say anything about plucking a guitar or beating a drum. In Genesis 6:14 God told Noah to make an ark of gopherwood. God did not have to tell him not to use oak, pine, or spruce, by saying “do it with this” there is an omittance of everything else that was not said. This can be carried to Ephesians 5:19 when God said singing and making melody in your heart that omits all other forms of worship, musical instruments included.

Some may say that David used a harp in 1 Samuel 16:23 to make the evil spirit go away. Although it did ease Saul, for music can be very therapeutic, we are not told that it did not ease God. One can argue that if it wasn’t said, one cannot assume whatever is not said. Let’s say your boss tells you to do something on Monday morning but he fails to tell you when he wants it done. You assume that it's not that important so you put it off until Thursday afternoon before you leave. You will probably get written up or even fired. Another reason can be that living in the New Testament is different than living in the Old Testament. In the New Testament it expresses the inward expression of spiritual love and devotion to God verses in the Old Testament with all their outward expressions like sacrifices, the tabernacle, etc. In Matthew 22:37 Jesus says that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. When we fail to do what God tells us, or what he does not tell us. We are in danger of defilement, like in Matthew 15:19. When we fail to follow the Lord, we need to also remember what happened to Nadab and Abihu when they tried to serve the Lord how they wanted to. What they thought was a right way to worship ended up getting them fired, that’s the anger of the Lord in full effect when we don’t worship Him properly.

By Weston Moses

Perhaps it is due in part to the great freedoms we enjoy, but we often feel as though we do not owe anyone anything. It may not be the case that we owe a financial debt to another, or still owe an I-O-U to a neighbor, but as Christians, we all share a certain amount of responsibility to all with whom we come in contact. In obeying the gospel, we recognize our responsibility to God (Rom. 6:16-18), but we also find that we owe something to our fellow man. Because of the grace we have received to be forgiven of our sins through Jesus’ sacrifice, we are indebted to sharing His love and His saving gospel with all men.

As Christians, we owe the love of God to one another. Paul writes in Romans 13:8, “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law” (NKJV). Paul goes on to explain that love fulfills the law of Moses since “love does no harm to a neighbor” (Rom. 13:10). If love is not looking to harm a neighbor, then love must be seeking something greater. Love looks for that which is better for the other person – even at the expense of self. This type of sacrificial love is the reason we can even know love. John writes by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 Jn. 3:16). By the love of Jesus to sacrifice Himself for us, we have received the grace of God to be freed from our sins. If we know this love, we ought to share this love.

Alongside our debt of love to all men, we as Christians also have the responsibility to share the gospel with all men. Paul knew just how lost he had been before coming to know the truth of the gospel (cf. 1 Tim. 1:15-16). Now having obeyed the gospel of Christ and having been saved from his sins, Paul realized the great need to share that saving message of hope with others – “I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also” (Rom. 1:14-15). This responsibility was not left to Paul alone, but it is a shared responsibility of all Christians (Matt. 28:19-20; Mk. 16:15-16). May we all find the great responsibility as did Paul to carry God’s saving message to all men – “woe is me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:16)!

Thinking of debts and responsibilities can at times drag us down or leave us feeling burdened and overwhelmed. John assures us in 1 John 5:2 that our responsibilities toward God and our fellow man “are not burdensome.” While we owe God’s love and gospel to all men, may we never forget what a great privilege and blessing it is that God has trusted us to show others His great love and to tell them about what He has done to make salvation possible for us all.

By Preston McElyea

To start our second Peter class off, it will be good for us to understand the book as a whole, this will allow us to better understand the details as we go through the book. This second letter written by Peter was once again a reminder to the people. The first letter Peter wrote was a reminder of the salvation Christians enjoy in order to encourage them through the suffering they were going to face. This second letter is reminding the people of the salvation they enjoy and warning them of the false teachings that will be coming to them soon. This book grouped along with Jude and 1 John tell us the progression of the false teachers. 2 Peter 2:1 tells us the false teachers are coming. Jude 4 tells us the false teachers have come. 1 John 2:19 tells us they have left and are coming again. Peter thankfully doesn’t leave us in the dark. There are different ways to break the book down, we will break it down into chapters. Chapter one Peter reminds the Christians of the things they already know about Jesus Christ, “For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth” (2 Peter 1:12). Chapter two Peter explains the approach the false teachers are going to use, “For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through he lusts of the thresh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error” (2 Peter 2:18). Chapter three Peter explains what the false teachers are going to be saying, “Knowing this first; that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the Beijing of creation”” (2 Peter 3:3-4). Again Peter is using the salvation they have already received “…To those who have obtained like precious faith…” (2 Peter 1:1), to remind them to stay faithful and to remember God keeps His promises, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promises, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

By Jesse Moser

Hard work can be a welcomed challenge to some. There are those who enjoy exerting and exhausting themselves over a job. They find great satisfaction in knowing that something good was accomplished by the sweat of their brow. At the same time, there are those who seem to be allergic to hard work. Any effort at all is unenjoyable and creates more problems than it solves. When it comes to Christianity, we need those who are willing to work hard. In fact, Peter tells us by inspiration that if we are to excel in our Christian walk, we must apply “all diligence” (2 Pet. 1:5, NKJV).

To give “all diligence” is to put forth some hard work. If one has “all diligence,” he will have a certain eagerness and great desire to tackle whatever task might be thrown his way. It is the quality that is demanded of us all as Christians (cf. Rom. 12:11). This effort exerted by the hardworking Christian, however, merits nothing. Jesus would say concerning the labor done by the child of God that we “have done what was our duty to do” (Lk. 17:10). In other words, hard work is merely what a Christian does.

There is a misconception by some that we work with “all diligence” so that we can be saved. No amount of hard work will save us – “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). This fact is not foreign to 2 Peter. Just before Peter tells the Christians to give “all diligence,” he tells them it is to be done “for this very reason” (2 Pet. 1:5). Looking in the context, the reason given that we as Christians ought to put forth a diligent effort is because we have been given all that we need and we have been given the great hope and promise that we “may be partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet. 1:3-4).

God has given us so much. He has blessed us so richly, and He has provided us with the knowledge and hope of His son. If we realize what God has so graciously given to us, we will find motivation to give “all diligence” to growing in our Christian lives. Lord willing, over the next several weeks, we will take the opportunity in these bulletin articles to examine 2 Peter 1:5-7 to see where we as Christians ought to be putting forth our best effort to grow.

By Preston McElyea

The basis of our Christian growth according to Peter is our faith (2 Peter 1:5). Faith is essential to our walk with Christ – for without faith, we have no real conviction or reason to live for Him. As Christians, we must give our best effort to build upon our faith. Building upon our faith, however, requires us to have an understanding of our faith.

According to Hebrews 11:1, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (NASB). Faith is not a wish, nor is faith a doubt. Faith is true belief. It is true belief that can only be produced by the truth of God’s word (Rom. 10:17; Jn. 8:24; Jn. 17:17). In the case of 2 Peter 1, this true belief is in the all-sufficiency of God’s word for the knowledge of all pertaining “to life and godliness” through Jesus Christ, as well as the “exceedingly great and precious promises” concerning eternal life through Him (2 Pet. 1:3-4, NKJV). If we truly believe that we can find all the necessary knowledge for this life and for our salvation in Christ Jesus, it only makes sense that we will then wish to build upon this faith.

A desire to build upon our faith is a sign of a true, living faith. The Holy Spirit reveals to us through the writing of James that “faith without works is dead” (Jas. 2:20). Even in Hebrews 11, the Hebrews writer reveals the connection between one’s firm conviction and his actions. Peter reiterates this fact for us in 2 Peter 1. If we have this “like precious faith” (2 Pet. 1:1), we will do all that we can to grow and build on our faith.

If we are unwilling to give “all diligence” to add to our faith (2 Pet. 1:5), perhaps this is an indicator of the state of our faith. Peter encourages the brethren in 2 Peter to grow. Our faith cannot be merely in knowledge, but our faith must be displayed in the way we live our lives. Faith is more than an understanding – it is our way of living. For if we truly have faith, we will give “all diligence to add to our faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2 Pet. 1:5-7). When we are growing and building on our faith, it will be seen in our lives.

By Preston McElyea

Virtue is rare, but it is a quality that we as Christians should all be striving to possess. Virtue has been described as an “uncommon character worthy of praise” and as being the marker for “excellence of character” (BDAG). Praise-worthy and excellent character ought to be the markers for the child of God – and this is exactly what Peter tells us in 2 Peter 1:5. With the right foundation and willing effort, such an uncommon characteristic ought not to be uncommon within the body of Christ Jesus. Peter tells us Christians to “add to [our] faith virtue” (2 Pet. 1:5, NKJV).

As noted above, virtue is “uncommon.” Therefore, if we are looking to add virtue to our lives, we must know where to turn to find virtue. Thankfully, Peter points us in the right direction. Virtue is only going to be found through the example of Jesus – the one in whom we have faith (2 Pet. 1:3-5). With a proper conviction concerning Christ Jesus, we will come to mold our lives to His character. We will look to His example of service to grow in our service toward others (Mk. 10:45). We will look to His compassion to grow in our compassion toward others (Matt. 9:35-36). We will look to His example of faith to grow in our endurance (Heb. 12:1-2). We will look to His example of patient suffering to grow in our ability to handle persecution (1 Pet. 2:21-25). In all that Jesus did, virtue is found. If we will shape our lives to His example, our lives will be characterized as virtuous.

Adding virtue to our faith is merely living and acting upon our faith. Living a virtuous life is living based upon the truth of God’s word. When we are living according to our faith in God’s word and His promise of eternal life through Jesus, we will be living a morally excellent life. We will be living with the greatest of character. We will be living with virtue. The world around us may lack such virtue, but the Lord’s church ought to be filled with it. When we do as Peter instructs by inspiration of the Holy Spirit in 2 Peter 1:5, we will be setting ourselves apart from the world, and we will be living like Christ Jesus, He “who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Pet. 1:3).

By Preston McElyea

You’re standing at the gas pump when an old friend pulls up to the pump next to you and asks, “What do you know?” Generally, our response to such a question is, “Nothing much.” But when it comes to our spiritual lives, what do we know? Hopefully, our answer to that question would be rather different. Hosea warns that when we don’t know much, destruction is imminent (Hos. 4:6). Knowledge is valuable, and knowledge is necessary in the life of a Christian. After all, Peter encourages us to put forth the effort to “add to [our] faith virtue, [and] to virtue knowledge” (2 Pet. 1:5, NKJV).

When Peter says that we as Christians are to add to our knowledge, we must understand what type of knowledge he means. The knowledge in which we are to be growing is in what God has given has – “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3). This means that we as Christians are to grow in the knowledge of all that God has given to us through His word. Another way we might see this point being established is in the sequence that Peter gives. Our knowledge should be based on the moral excellence which we know is found in and rooted in Christ (2 Pet. 1:5). When our faith is where it should be, and we desire to be virtuous like Christ, we will then work to grow in our knowledge.

Growing in the knowledge of God’s word and Christ Jesus is important even as it relates to our salvation. When we work to grow in our faith, virtue, knowledge, etc., Peter says “will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:8). When we have this knowledge and we are continually building and adding to it along with everything else Peter encourages in 2 Peter 1:5-7, he later notes that we can know we have “escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 2:20). Yet because it is possible to forget what we know and to be led astray by false knowledge, Peter concludes his second letter by encouraging us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18).

Knowledge matters. What we know shapes the way we think and it ought to make a difference on the way we act. As we grow in our knowledge, our knowledge ought to be seen through our application. If we truly know what God has given to us through His Son Christ Jesus, we will then work to not only “add to [our] faith virtue, [and] to virtue knowledge,” but we will also add “to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2 Pet. 1:5-7).

By Preston McElyea

While we have no control over the actions, thoughts, or words of others, we do have the ability to control ourselves. This ability, however, seems to be rare. Self-control is literally the idea to control oneself. To possess self-control is to reign in one’s “emotions, impulses, or desires” (BDAG). Bringing all of these thoughts and actions under control is a challenge, but it is a necessity for the Christian. Peter writes that it is because of the knowledge God has given to us alongside His promise of eternal life that we as Christians must give “all diligence, [to] add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, [and] to knowledge self-control” (2 Pet. 1:5-6, NKJV).

When we come to understand the surety of our convictions, the morals we are to live by, and grow in our knowledge of what is and is not right, working on our self-control is the next step to making our “call and election sure” (2 Pet. 1:10). To exhibit self-control is a way in which we put our faith, virtue, and knowledge into action. We trust that God’s word is right, we desire to live with all moral excellence, we know what is or is not right, so it only makes sense that we would then do what is right or restrain ourselves from doing that which is not right.

Understanding self-control is one thing, but exhibiting self-control is something completely different. It is easy to know on a practical level what self-control is, but it is far more difficult to live with self-control. Despite this challenge, God expects us as Christians to live with self-control. God expects us to recognize those things that entice us and keep from giving in to the temptation. God expects us to see when we begin to grow angry and bring our emotions in check. God expects us to not only grow to know the difference between right and wrong, but He expects us to show some self-control to keep from doing what is wrong. Understanding that this is an expectation could potentially cause one to feel that this is a burden. Seeing the need to exhibit self-control as a burden is the wrong attitude. Knowing that God has this expectation for us ought to rather encourage us. It ought to help us see that self-control is possible (cf. 1 Jn. 5:3).

Self-control takes work. This is why as Peter begins listing out these necessities for the Christian in 2 Peter 1:5, he says to give “all diligence.” The more effort we put forth to growing in our faith, virtue, and knowledge, the more we will see the need for self-control. With self-control, we will keep from acting contrary to what God has given and promised to us (2 Pet. 1:3-4). With self-control, we will be able to better prepare ourselves to continue growing and to add “to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2 Pet. 1:6-7).

By Preston McElyea

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As Peter wrote 1 and 2 Peter, he was writing to a group of Christians undergoing great persecution (1 Pet. 1:1ff; 2 Pet. 3:1). Without the ability to stick with it and push through the difficulties, the Christians would not be able to overcome. Perseverance is an essential quality trait of the Christian. Peter says that if we wish to make our “call and election sure,” we must give all diligence to “add to [our] faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, [and] to self-control perseverance” (2 Pet. 1:5-6).

Perseverance is staying power. Perseverance can be understood as the ability to “hold out or bear up in the face of difficulty” (BDAG). Seeing perseverance in this light might shed some new perspective on just how difficult perseverance is. Perseverance is not an easy thing because one does not persevere through easy times. It is when times get tough that one is forced to either stick with it or to abandon what they have held dear. When hard times come, however, the one who has given all diligence to “add to [his] faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, [and] to knowledge self-control” will have the tools and the strength necessary to push through the difficulty.

Perhaps the greatest example we have of perseverance is found in Christ Jesus. In Hebrews 12:1, we as Christians are encouraged to “run with endurance the race that is set before us.” The word used for “endurance” is the same translated as “perseverance” in 2 Peter 1:6. With this understanding in mind, the Hebrews’ writer is telling us that we must push through the difficulties of life and stick with our faith through all the challenges that come our way. The reason we know that this type of “endurance” or “perseverance” is possible is because of the One to whom we look – Jesus (Heb. 12:1-2)!

Perseverance is essential to our salvation. If we cannot push through the hard times, we will fall in the hard times. Perseverance is required if we are to continually be growing in our Christianity. We must not stop with faith, virtue, knowledge, or self-control. We must add to these things “perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, [and] to brotherly kindness love” (2 Pet. 1:5-7).

By Preston McElyea

If someone were to ask you what it means to be godly, how would you respond? Would you say that being godly means you love like God? Does it mean you are merciful like God? Does it mean that you are holy like God? Simply put, being godly is being like God. If we are Christians, we are to be godly, and when we practice all that God would have us to, we will be like Him! By inspiration, the apostle Peter writes that we are to “add to [our] faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, [and] to perseverance godliness” (2 Pet. 1:5-6, NKJV).

The specific word used by Peter for “godliness” is a word that signifies great piety, loyalty, and respect for God (BDAG). This type of admiration for God can only be produced in the one who first of all trusts in God with all “faith” (2 Pet. 1:5). It is a type of loyalty seen through one’s actions to possess “virtue” in all areas of life. It is a reverence that is so deeply rooted in the individual that his “knowledge” is filled with the things of God which exhibits itself in one’s “self-control” and “perseverance” through hard times. Godliness shows in one’s life because godliness is pervasive; God must be central to all that one does.

We as Christians are to be a godly people. The thoughts we think, the decisions we make, and the actions we take should all be driven by our pursuit for godliness. Paul says that we as the people of God are to “pursue … godliness” (1 Tim. 6:11). Godliness ought to be our pursuit because it is only through godliness that we can find true contentment (1 Tim. 6:6). Godly living has an impact on the type of person we currently are and who we would like to become (2 Pet. 3:11). This change will be seen not only through our growing faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, or perseverance, but the change will be evident as we add “to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2 Pet. 1:7).

By Preston McElyea

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is known as the “city of brotherly love.” The reason the city is known this way has less to do with the kindness or love shown by its citizens, but because of the meaning of the city’s name. The name of the city comes from the Greek word philadelphia which means the love of a brother or a sister (BDAG). Citizens of Philadelphia should not be the only individuals known for brotherly love. Citizens of the kingdom of our God should be known as a people of brotherly love (2 Pet. 1:7, NKJV).

Those who wish to take part in “the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” will give “all diligence” to ensure that they are showing and growing in “brotherly kindness” (2 Pet. 1:5-11). To have “brotherly kindness” is to have brotherly love. As Christians, it makes sense that we ought to have brotherly love. As members of the Lord’s body, we are all brethren. We are all children of our heavenly Father. We all should have a love for one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Brotherly love should not be a problem for Christians, but expressing brotherly love can be a challenge. We are all different people with different personalities and different qualities. This reality can make getting along a challenge. Despite the challenge, if we know what God has provided for us through His Son, we should do all that we can to rise to the challenge (2 Pet. 1:3-4). Having “purified [our] souls in obeying the truth,” we are to express love to one another “in sincere love of the brethren” (1 Pet. 1:22). As brethren, we are to “be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love” (Rom. 12:10). We must do all that we can to “let brotherly love continue” (Heb. 13:1).

If expressing brotherly love was easy, we would have no need to be encouraged or instructed to grow in it. As challenging as it may be, however, the more we express brotherly love, the easier it will be to take the next step. Peter says that as we grow in “brotherly kindness,” we are to then grow in our “love.” When we learn to love our brethren as we ought to, we will find it easier to love all men as we ought to (2 Pet. 1:7). For in so doing, Peter says we will be making “our call and election sure” (2 Pet. 1:10).

By Preston McElyea

God has provided us with everything we need for both life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3, NKJV). More than that, God has provided us with the hope of eternal life (2 Pet. 1:4). Believing that God has provided us with the means to live a pleasing life on this earth and to someday receive our eternal reward is merely just the beginning. “Giving all diligence,” Peter says we as believers are to “add to [our] faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2 Pet. 1:5-7). As we develop and mature in our faith, it will be evidenced through our morality, understanding, the way we act, our ability to endure, our desire to look more like God, the way we treat one another, and ultimately through the way we love.

Love is a small word as far as letters are concerned, but it is a big word where meaning is concerned. Love is more than just a word. Love is a choice, it is continual action, and it is enduring. Biblically speaking, the specific word used by Peter in this context for love is agape. This type of love is a love that cares about and takes a real interest in others. This love is more than the brotherly love required of the family of God in “brotherly kindness” (2 Pet. 1:7). This is the love that God has shown to us through the sacrifice of His Son (Jn. 3:16). This ultimate form of love that Peter says we as Christians are to have in our lives is a love that is willing to do whatever can be done to help the other person. God’s love is a love that is willing to give His Son on our behalf. Jesus’ love is a love that is willing to give up His own life on our behalf. This type of sacrificial love is what we as Christians are called to share with others. What are we willing to give for others?

If we understand what God has given to us through His Son (2 Pet. 1:3-4), we will be willing to make sacrifices for others. We will make sacrifices of time, wealth, and ability to benefit others – whether or not we believe they are deserving (cf. Rom. 5:6ff). This type of sacrificial love, however, is not produced overnight. Developing the right mindset and attitude to love others takes time and conscious effort. Perhaps it is for this reason that Peter does not begin by telling Christians of their need for love. As we grow in our faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, and brotherly kindness, we will be growing in our love (2 Pet. 1:5-7).

By: Preston McElyea

We are told in Proverbs 3:27 not to “withhold good from those to whom it is due” (NKJV). This past Monday, we were blessed to host the Summer Youth Bible Series of Northeast Texas. We had 164 in attendance as we discussed the topic of “Breaking Free in Christ.” Had any more people been in attendance, we would have had to start putting out chairs for people to have a place to sit! Being able to host so many people in our building is not an easy task, and for that reason, I want to thank you all for your help in making the night so successful.

Thank you to the elders for your continued encouragement and emphasis on spiritual activities for our youth and all members of the congregation. Thank you to Brandi and all those who may have helped in cleaning the building to get it ready for so many people. Thank you to Jessy Lee for directing all of our hearts and minds in worship as we sang songs of praise to our God. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend and help welcome and greet all of our guests. Thank you to everyone who brought salads, desserts, or drinks to go along with the meal. Thank you to everyone who helped serve the meal. Thank you to everyone who was able to help clean up after the meal. Thank you!

Confidence matters. To go through life and have confidence in your ability to carry out daily tasks at home or work is one thing, but to have confidence in your spiritual life is far more important. This confidence is not an overconfidence that believes one can never be wrong or that he or she already has everything figured out. Rather, this spiritual confidence is a sense of peace and surety, knowing that there is an eternal home waiting thanks to what has been supplied by “our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:11, NKJV).

Confidence comes about through consistent effort. As it relates to the level of surety we as Christians ought to have, Peter says we are to give “all diligence” to “add to [our] faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2 Pet. 1:5-7). When we are diligently working to grow in all of these areas, the result will be confidence! By adding all of these to our lives, we “will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ,” and we will not forget that have been “cleansed from [our] old sins.” (2 Pet. 1:8-9).

The book of Romans is one of the most theologically rich books in our Bible. A study of Romans reveals amazing truths concerning the work of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. While containing great depths into which we can dive to learn more about God and our salvation, Romans also contains some of the clearest yet challenging applications for us as Christians to live by such as instruction concerning our love, dealings with evil, submission to government, and dealing with matters of opinion (Rom. 12-14).

As a whole, Romans is about the gospel of Christ Jesus. The thesis for the book can be found in Romans 1:16-17 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith’” (NKJV). Through this book, Paul seeks to help his brethren better understand God’s plan for the justification of man through the gospel (Rom. 1-11) and what a transformed life of faith in the gospel ought to look like (Rom. 12-16).

I am excited to begin our study of Romans together during our evening classes. I look forward to growing in my faith and my understanding of God’s will as we dig deep into this inspired book to learn the truths revealed in it. I pray that through our study together, we might all come to better understand what it means to truly “live by faith” (Rom. 1:17).

Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith – to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.

The Old Testament is filled with rich lessons. Some are lessons concerning our interactions with others, some concerning our relationship with God, and others pointing to the coming of the Messiah. We are blessed to have the completed, all-inspired word of God (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:3-4). As a result, we can turn to the Old Testament and learn from the men and women of old (Rom. 15:4).

Beginning next week, Jerrod and I will start a series of articles coming from the Minor Prophets. The Minor Prophets are some of the most overlooked books in our Bibles, yet they contain some of the most applicable lessons for our lives today. When looking through the Minor Prophets, it does not take long to learn that man has always been the same. Many struggle with pride, forms of idolatry, and sincerity just as there were in the days of the Minor Prophets. Just as many in the days of Joel, Amos, Micah, or Malachi needed something to look forward to, we can find great comfort in seeing the fulfillment of so many prophecies in Christ Jesus. Further, the Minor Prophets reveal much concerning God’s character. They teach us how God is holy, faithful, just, righteous, loving, and merciful (e.g., Hos. 11:12; Amos 5:12; Zeph. 3:5; Mic. 7:18).

While we will not be covering every verse within the Minor Prophets, Jerrod and I look forward to bringing out some of the key lessons or verses from each of the Minor Prophets. We pray that you will join us in this study and that you will grow alongside us.

“The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.”

The book of Hosea is the first of the minor prophets. The book is “the word of the LORD that came to Hosea the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel” (Hos. 1:1, NKJV). This helps us to have a timeframe from around 755-725 B.C. for the writing of the book. Hosea’s message is for the Northern Kingdom as is evidenced through his usage of “Ephraim” and “Israel.”

Israel needed such a strong message from the LORD’s prophet for multiple reasons. Concerning their moral state, Israel was far from where they needed to be. “Swearing and lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery” had become common (Hos. 4:2). “Harlotry, wine, and new wine [enslaved] the heart” of the people (Hos. 4:11). Concerning their religious state, Israel had turned from God. The people had “burned incense” to “the Baals” (Hos. 2:13). The priests had no knowledge and were leading the people towards destruction (Hos. 4:6). More and more of God’s children were turning to idols (Hos. 4:12), the law of God was “considered a strange thing” (Hos. 8:12), and God’s people were “bent on backsliding” (Hos. 11:7). Based on their moral and religious landscape, it was clear that the people of Israel needed a message that might help them to turn back to God.

As a result of their clear need for repentance, several great lessons are brought forth through the message of Hosea. One lesson that can be found permeating the book is God’s righteousness. Because of their wickedness, God’s judgment was sure to come (Hos. 9:7). Because of their wickedness, the people needed to repent (Hos. 10:12; 12:6). Despite the people’s wickedness, God still loved them.

Much more could be said concerning the book of Hosea. Hopefully, this will help us to have a better idea of the overall message of the book. Unfaithfulness to God does not go unnoticed, nor it will go unpunished. However, if we will turn back wholeheartedly to our God, we will be spared from the judgment to come and can enjoy His rich blessings.

By: Preston McElyea

When considering the book of Joel, many of us will immediately turn our attention to the prophetic words of Joel 2:28-32 (NKJV). This is the prophecy that Peter, by inspiration, brought to the minds of all the nations gathered on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:16-21). What Joel had prophesied took place in the days of the Apostles of Christ and the coming of His Kingdom. Depending on the dating of the book of Joel (900 B.C. to 400 B.C.), the fulfillment of the prophecy was 400 to 900 years later. A valuable lesson for us today is God’s word will stand. He is not bound by time nor operates on our schedule.

Joel, the son of Pethuel (Joel 1:1), whose name means “Yahweh is God,” urged Judah to turn away from sin and back to God. A devastating swarm of locusts had laid the land waste. The destruction was like nothing seen before, “Has anything like this happened in your days, or even in the days of your fathers” (Joel 1:2)? The variety of locusts came in stages so that the land was left completely bare (Joel 1:4), and the damage was so great it would be known for generations (Joel 1:3). This was not something that could be overlooked, and everyone in Judah was affected by the plague of locusts (Joel 1:13-20). It was a wake-up call by God for His people to recognize their spiritual state. The damage done was physical but was in demand of spiritual change. “Now, therefore,” says the LORD, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.’ So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful” (Joel 2:12-13).

With the proper response from the nation, God would bless them both physically and spiritually again. Just as their sin had deprived them of the blessings of God, He is faithful to revive the land when they turn back, wholeheartedly, to Him. “Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you—the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month” (Joel 2:23). “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; and My people shall never be put to shame (Joel 2:26). Our sin ravages our lives and strips us of the blessing of God. Yet true repentance and remorse can bring about our spiritual healing. Cry out to the Lord (Joel 1:19) and be zealous for Him.

By: Jerrod Hammond

A consistent theme that stands out to me throughout the Bible is how God takes common people and uses them for extraordinary purposes. God takes unassuming men such as Gideon and turns them into great deliverers (Judg. 6:11ff, NKJV), young shepherds such as David to become great kings (1 Samuel 16), or common fishermen such as Peter, Andrew, James, and John to become great disciples and evangelists (Matt. 4:18-22). Yet among all the common individuals whom God has used for great purposes, few stand out like Amos.

Before receiving his message from God for the people of Israel, Amos was a fruit farmer and a sheep breeder (Amos 1:1; 7:14-15). He was an everyday man, yet this did not stop Amos from communicating a necessary and powerful message to God’s people. Amos’ message focuses primarily on the justice of God. Amos reveals that Israel would be punished for their sins just like any other nation if they did not repent and turn back to God (Amos 1-2). Israel was not measuring up to the straight “plumb line” of God’s standards (Amos 7:7-9), and they were ripe for ruin just like “a basket of summer fruit” (Amos 8:1ff). Israel needed to turn from their sins and “seek [God]” to avoid their impending doom (Amos 5:4).

The whole of Amos’ message is summed up in the middle of the book – “Prepare to meet your God, O Israel” (Amos 4:12)! It is in this message that God’s people are called to honestly evaluate their hearts and their actions to determine if they are ready to face God’s judgment. Preparing to meet God in judgment demands repentance for sin (Amos 5:4ff). Preparing to meet God in judgment demands an honest look at one’s life to see if he has “let justice run down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream” (Amos 5:24).

Amos’ message, while specifically for the people of Israel in the Uzziah and Jeroboam (Amos 1:1), is highly applicable to our lives today. Like the people of Israel, sin is a reality for us all (cf. 1 Jn. 1:8, 10). Like the people of Israel, if we do not repent from our sins, we will face God’s judgment (cf. Lk. 13:3; 2 Cor. 5:10). Therefore, like the people of Israel, we must “prepare to meet [our] God” (Amos 4:12). We must repent of our sins and live lives that meet God’s standard by letting “justice run down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream” (Amos 5:24).

By: Preston McElyea

The prophecies of Obadiah have ties back to the hostility that began with enmity between Esau and Jacob (Gen. 25:22-34; 27:1-46 NKJV). Esau was called “Edom” because of the red stew he ate (Gen. 25:30). Edom descended from Esau and was therefore related to Judah. Edom was one of Judah’s closest neighbors, but their relationship was less than friendly – stemming back to refusing Israel to pass through Edom on their way to Canaan (Num. 20:14-21). This hostility intensified in 2 Sam. 8:13-14 when David conquered Edom, and constant wars between the Edomites and the Judean kings resulted from this mutual hatred.

God is the God of all nations, and He calls each out for their unrighteousness wherever they are located. God condemned the foreign nations because of their mistreatment of His people and their failure to recognize Him as the only true God. Valuable lessons imply that no one is exempt from the judgment of God, and all will be held accountable in the judgment. No cleft will hide you nor any height where He cannot reach you (vv. 3-4). It is not to say that the Edomites were unaware of their faults, but Obadiah specifically lists their violent actions. The nation had done violence to Jacob (v10) and had stood with the oppressors in Jacob’s/Judah’s time of need (v11). Rather than showing concern, the Edomites boasted and rejoiced over the children of Judah in their day of distress (v12). It wasn’t that the Edomites were just an enemy, but they took pride in watching their neighbor fall. They snatched up any who fled Judah and seized the opportunity to pilfer their belongings in their calamity (vv. 13-14).

Obadiah recognizes that those who fail to act brotherly toward others are displeasing to God and states, “As you have done, it shall be done to you” (v17). Christianity today is more than how we treat our friends and neighbors; it is about how we continue to extend Christ’s love to those we call our enemies (Matt. 5:43-45). The golden rule in Matthew 7:12 is, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” The book of Obadiah is the shortest of the Minor Prophets, the shortest book in the Old Testament, and the only one-chapter book in the Old Testament. Nevertheless, the Minor Prophet had a major message for the Edomites that applies to us just the same today. Edom was to be destroyed because of how wickedly the nation had treated its brother Jacob/Judah.

By: Jerrod Hammond

Of all the minor prophets, Jonah is likely the most well-known. Many know the story of how Jonah was swallowed by a big fish and spit back up onto dry land. The message of Jonah, however, is more than Jonah’s encounter with the great fish. Jonah teaches us about the righteousness of God and gives us a glimpse of the sometimes complicated individuals in whom God finds value.

Jonah serves as God’s prophet not to God’s chosen people but to a foreign nation. God calls Jonah to go and “cry out against” Ninevah (Jonah 1:2, NKJV). Jonah’s message for those in Ninevah was a mere eight words: “Yet forty days, and Ninevah shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4). God’s message proclaimed by Jonah found good and honest hearts in the wicked city as they were moved to repentance. “God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it” (Jonah 3:10). God’s concern is with justice and righteousness, but God is also a merciful and a forgiving God. The repentance of those in Ninevah was true, and God, in His mercy, forgives those in the city of their wickedness. As a result, God’s righteousness causes Him to relent from the destruction He was going to bring upon them before their repentance.

The message of God’s righteousness is only one lesson we might learn from Jonah. Jonah himself shows us that God uses complicated people to carry out His mission. As one writer notes, Jonah is “The Vacillating Prophet.”[1] One day Jonah seems to be all about the work of the LORD and the next day he seems to be as far away from God as he can be. The book begins with a picture of Jonah running away from God (Jonah 1) before we find him running back to and alongside God (Jonah 2-3). The book ends, however, with the prophet being angry with God (Jonah 4). While we might expect Jonah to be thrilled that God would relent from destroying Ninevah, Jonah instead grows “greatly displeased” with God (Jonah 4:1, NASB). Jonah grows angry with God because of His righteousness; he can hardly believe that God would actually forgive the Ninevites.

Perhaps Jonah is one of the most well-known prophets because of how well we as humans can relate to the book. We often find ourselves acting much like Jonah. One day we might be all in, and the next day we might be all out. Perhaps we find ourselves at times sharing God’s word with others, but once they come to obey the truth, it is hard for us to believe that God has actually forgiven them. We would do well to learn from Jonah about God’s righteousness and to see how, despite our own shortcomings and complications, God can still use us to share His word.

[1] James E. Smith, The Minor Prophets (Joplin, MO: College Press, 2009), 37.

By: Preston McElyea

When Jonah preached to the people of Nineveh, he delivered a message which moved the people to repentance (Jonah 3:10, NKJV). Unfortunately, the people of Nineveh did not allow their repentance to be long-term and they soon found themselves back to their old ways. As a result, God would not overlook their sin forever and sends them another prophet to warn them of their impending judgment.

Nahum is God’s prophet of doom for the Ninevites. The Assyrian kings in Nineveh were known for being ruthless and morally corrupt; they prided themselves in the complete devastation of their enemies.[1] They were known as “the bloody city” where “the noise of a whip and the noise of rattling wheels, of galloping horses, of clattering chariots” was commonplace (Nah. 3:1ff). The people of Nineveh were proud, believing that none could stand up against them, but they failed to account for the Almighty God – “Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger” (Nahum 1:6)? The actions of the Ninevites had placed them in a position where God was “against [them]” (Nahum 2:13; 3:5). As a result, Nineveh would be made “empty, desolate, and waste” (Nahum 2:10). God’s wrath was coming down on the people of Nineveh due to their own wicked actions. God would make it so that it would “come to pass that all who look upon [Nineveh] will flee …, and say, ‘Nineveh is laid waste!’” (Nahum 3:7).

While Nahum’s message focuses heavily on the impending doom of Nineveh, his prophecy still contains a message of hope for the faithful. Nahum reminds the faithful that “the LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7). Moreover, Nahum writes of the good news for the faithful once God’s judgment has come and “the wicked one shall no more pass through you; he is utterly cut off” (Nahum 1:15).

While the book of Nahum is specific to God’s judgment on Nineveh, there is still great application to be made for us today. If we are not careful, we can easily become like the people of Nineveh. We can have our sins forgiven but quickly turn back to our old ways. We can easily allow pride to overtake us and trust too much in our physical strength. If we find ourselves in such a situation, then like the people of Nineveh, we have found ourselves as enemies of God (cf. Nahum 2:13; 3:5). We will find ourselves like the people of Nineveh, awaiting our impending doom. Instead of making this our end, let us live faithfully to God like the faithful remnant in the days of Nahum, knowing that our God is “a stronghold in the day of trouble” (Nahum 1:7). May we look to the good news that has been delivered to us through the gospel that the enemy has been defeated (cf. Nahum 1:15; Rom. 10:15).

Habakkuk’s ministry was during a wicked time, where sin ran rampant, and God’s patience would soon run thin. It seems that God’s ear had already begun to turn from Judah and Habakkuk’s burden to bear, including seeing firsthand the overflow of wickedness in Judah (1:3-4, NKJV). Still, secondly, the knowledge of the destructive force soon to come upon Judah.

Our minds can’t fully understand God’s timeless nature, just as it was challenging for the prophet Habakkuk to know why God was not responding to his cries of “violence” (1:2) in what he would consider a timely fashion. Habakkuk wanted to know how long it would be before God punished the wicked in Judah. Like many of us today, Habakkuk questions God concerning the injustice and wickedness that affects the innocent (1:13). He pleads with God to bring about righteous judgment because the “wicked surround the righteous; and perverse judgment proceeds” (1:4). All the while, God had already been lifting up a nation to bring about judgment on Judah, and the severity of it would be something Habakkuk would not believe though it were told to him (1:5). The Chaldeans (1:6), a nation more wicked than Judah would soon come in as if an unstoppable force wreaking havoc on Judah.

Understanding how God can use a nation more wicked than Judah to execute judgment on His own is challenging, but man’s injustices and evil ways will not go unchecked. Just as the chastening rod was coming for Judah, judgment will come for all creation. While Habakkuk questioned God, God gave Habakkuk two answers that we can still find comfort in today. God told Habakkuk that Judah would soon face judgment at the hands of the Babylonians. But also, He told Habakkuk that the “just shall live by faith” (2:4).

We sing the song “Farther Along,” and the lyric goes, “Then do we wonder why others prosper, living so wicked year after year.” We may not always understand how God’s providential hand works in our lives, nor will we know when His judgment will come, but we must live by faith and know that His eternal plan is still at work. Trust in God and His plan, strive to glorify His name regardless of what the rest of the world does and rest assured knowing the Lord will return. “Farther along we’ll know all about it, farther along we’ll understand why.”

By: Jerrod Hammond

The excitement is continuing to grow around the Academy. The first quarter is now well underway and a new quarter will begin in January. The Academy will move to its permanent location (next door to the Home or Recovery) in January. Our instructors are doing a fantastic job of delivering advanced biblical instruction to those individuals desiring to seek further spiritual maturity. The Academy's website and Facebook page provide a flow of information concerning the activities of the Academy. In the upcoming quarter, we will be offering classes on the books of Exodus, Job, and John as well as Church History and English. The classes are available in person, on Zoom as well as being recorded for later viewing. This offers an avenue to take classes if you cannot be there in person or even at the time of the class. Students may enroll in full-time, part-time, or simply audit classes. We enrolled 47 students in the fall quarter and anticipate even more in January. Our Heavenly Father has blessed this work greatly and we seek to glorify Him through this ministry.

The Academy continues to covet your prayers and financial support as we help move Christians to greater heights of spiritual maturity and service. Pray that this work will train future and present preachers, elders, deacons, teachers, and workers for service in the Lord’s Work.

By: Chris McElyea

The Academy has been blessed with significant financial support from our brethren at North Jefferson, Blossom, Centerville Rd – Garland, University Tyler, and others in support of this work.

Zephaniah served God as one of His prophets sent to the people of Judah (Zeph. 1:1, 4, NKJV). While Zephaniah’s message is delivered in only 3 chapters, his short message packs a powerful punch. Zephaniah prophesies to God’s people in Judah, bringing them a message of God’s impending judgment for their sinful ways.

At the time of Zephaniah’s prophesying, the people of Judah had made sin a habit. Idolatry was rampant (Zeph. 1:4-6). Many were complacent, believing that God was not active in the lives of His people (Zeph. 1:12). Even in Jerusalem, the people were “rebellious and polluted” (Zeph. 3:1). Moreover, the people had no faith in God and those in authority were abusing their positions (Zeph. 3:2-3). God’s people had chosen to be an unrighteous people. As a result, they were ripe for judgment.

The sins of the people of Judah would result in God’s judgment (Zeph. 1:17). God tells His people by the mouth of Zephaniah, “For the day of the LORD is at hand, for the LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has invited His guests” (Zeph. 1:7). In other words, God’s judgment was sure and was coming soon – “The great day of the LORD is near; it is near and hastens quickly” (Zeph. 1:14). God’s judgment was sure for the people of Judah just as it was sure for all nations (Zeph. 2:4ff). Despite man’s unrighteousness, the LORD’s righteousness would be clearly seen as “He brings His justice to light” (Zeph. 3:5).

To avoid God’s wrath in the coming day of judgment, God’s children needed to heed the words of Zephaniah. They needed to “seek the LORD, … seek righteousness, [and] seek humility” (Zeph. 2:3). Seeking God in all righteousness and humility would be essential seeing as God would “take away” the proud and “leave … a meek and humble people” (Zeph. 3:11-12). God’s people needed to wait on God (Zeph. 3:8), “the Mighty One [who] will save” (Zeph. 3:17).

In studying the book of Zephaniah today, we ought to find motivation to remain faithful to our God. God knows our actions, whether they be righteous or unrighteous, and one day we will stand before Him having to answer for our actions (2 Cor. 5:10). Knowing that God will judge His own no different from those of the world should motivate us to keep the faith, and to do all that we can to live lives pleasing to Him. May we learn what it means to humbly seek our God (Zeph. 2:3) and trust in “the Mighty One” who saves (Zeph. 3:17).

By: Preston McElyea

Haggai is one of the shorter books of the minor prophets, but it is not lacking in valuable lessons and practical application. This short book delivers a powerful punch and brings a stern reminder to be about the work of the Lord. The Lord wanted the people to rekindle their zeal and priorities on finishing the temple. By the mouth of Haggai, the Lord’s message was delivered, “Consider your ways” (Hag. 1:5 NKJV).

The prophecy of Haggai comes 15 years after Judah has been released from captivity (520 B.C.). Upon their arrival at Jerusalem, the people were zealous and desirous of rebuilding the temple, but it did not take long for them to become distracted and slothful. The people had determined that it was not a good time to finish the temple (Hag. 1:2). Yet the Lord questioned their priorities. “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins” (Hag. 1:4). This God-given message challenged the people to consider their attitude of negligence and laziness. Difficult duties should be faced courageously and without delay.

Haggai sheds light on many of the problems they faced daily, and the problems were directly linked to their misplaced focus. Their lives and their work had been unsatisfactory. Therefore, their harvest had been poor; they did not have enough to eat or drink, their clothing did not keep them warm, and their wages went for nothing. The situation was related to putting money into a bag with holes (Hag. 1:6). Their suffering was a result of their unfaithfulness (Hag. 1:10-11), yet God provided the solution for their problems (Hag. 1:8-9). They needed to build the temple so that God would be pleased and glorified. This was no time for laziness or apathy; it was a time for self-reflection and repentance.

As the church, we are the people of God, and we have a great responsibility before us. Just as the temple was the place for the presence of the Lord, so the church is the place for the Lord’s presence today. Therefore, the work of the church cannot be put off so that we can pursue our material wealth and prosperity. If material considerations crowd out our worship and servitude to the Lord, our wealth costs us too much. The word of the Lord by the mouth of Haggai was, “Consider your ways.” Biblical repentance comes because of a change of attitude and perspective, that is fueled by a desire for holiness.

By: Jerrod Hammond

In Zechariah 1:1, we learn that “the word of the LORD came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet” (NKJV). It is the same Zechariah whom Ezra notes as being a prophet “to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem” (Ezra 5:1) and as helping the people prosper as the temple was rebuilt (Ezra 6:14). Moreover, we learn from Nehemiah that Zechariah served not only as God’s prophet, but he was also a priest and head of house (Neh. 12:12, 16). In all that he did, Zechariah served God faithfully.

Prophesying to God’s people after their captivity, it is fitting that Zechariah’s name means “Yahweh [i.e., Jehovah] has remembered.”[1] Jehovah God remembered His people through their captivity, and He remained with them following their return home. Although God remembered them, the people had failed to remember Him. It was time for God’s people to turn back to Him (Zech. 1:3-4). It was time for God’s people to carry out His will in their lives.

Admittedly, Zechariah can be a challenging book due to the nature of his writing. Much of Zechariah’s prophesying is apocalyptic with colorful scenes and images. While this can create a layer of difficulty in understanding God’s message, it does not make the task impossible. Zechariah’s message can be split into two main sections: his prophesying while the temple was being rebuilt (Zech. 1-8) and his prophesying following the completion of the temple (Zech. 9-14). Among the lessons taught by Zechariah, one recurring theme throughout the book is how God’s kingdom would one day expand beyond the children of Abraham (Zech. 2:11; 6:15; 8:23; 14:16). More importantly, Zechariah teaches us about the coming Messiah. He speaks of the Messiah as coming to “dwell” among the people (Zech. 2:10ff), as both a “Servant” and as “the BRANCH” (Zec. 3:8ff; 6:12ff), as a humble, peaceful King (Zech. 9:9ff; 14:8ff), as the One “pierced” (Zech. 12:10), and as the “Shepherd” (Zech. 13:7).

Despite all that Zechariah did as God’s servant, God’s people still rejected him and stoned him “in the court of the house of the LORD” (2 Chron. 24:21; Matt. 23:35). May we be careful not to reject God’s message as did those living before the days of Zechariah (Zech. 1:2-4), during the days of Zechariah (2 Chron. 24:20-21), and after the days of Zechariah (Matt. 23:34-36). May we take care to remember God as He has remembered us, and may we determine to live faithful lives dedicated to Him.

[1] HALOT, s.v. “‏זְכַרְיָהוּ‎,” 1:271.

By: Preston McElyea

Sadly, we do not always learn from our past mistakes (or at least not well enough to make lasting changes). This is a problem that is presented in the book of Malachi. The burden Malachi had to bear was witnessing God’s people turning back to their foolish ways after being released from captivity. The prophet intended to correct abuses that had arisen among the returned Jews. He also warned the Jews of a coming day of judgment (Mal. 4:1-3 NKJV) and promised the coming of a messenger who would prepare the way for the Messiah (Mal. 3:1).

Through the prophet, God addressed several sins but one in particular stands out in the opening verses. God reveals that He has loved His people, yet they respond, “In what way have You loved us” (Mal. 1:2)? Only through pride and arrogance can one conclude that God does not love His people. The book of Malachi, like other Scriptures, can lead us to a better understanding of who God is. In 1 John 4:8 and 4:16, the text reads, “God is love.” God loves His people – even those who do not deserve His love (Mal. 1:2). God did not begin loving His people during New Testament times, He has always loved His people. Today, we have the means to know God’s love even better than the people to whom Malachi wrote (Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8, 9). Yet, this does not give an excuse for their disbelief.

God is our Father (Mal. 1:6). Israel was God’s son under the old covenant (Ex. 4:22), and Christians today are God’s children under the new covenant (Gal. 3:26-29). John wrote, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be could children of God” (1 Jn. 3:1). There is no room for doubting now and there was no room for doubting then. God responded to their doubting by giving evidence of His love, referring to His selection of Israel to be His chosen people. He asked, “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother” (Mal. 1:2)? All of the Jews would have responded to this question with an affirmative answer. God continued, “Yet Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated” (Mal. 1:2). Of these two brothers, sons of Isaac, God chose Jacob because He “loved” him. Doubt is a tool that our adversary uses to cause us to question the love of God. Rise above the doubt and trust in the Father.

By: Jerrod Hammond

Paul proclaims in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (NKJV). The good news about Jesus was nothing to be ashamed of for Paul because of his understanding that the gospel is God’s power to save man. It is this same powerful gospel that Paul calls his own in both Romans 2:16 and 2 Timothy 2:8. We often think of the gospel as being Christ’s or God’s, but how often do we think of the gospel as being our own?

The gospel being our own does not change the truth contained in the gospel. The gospel truth “that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead” remains the same (2 Tim. 2:8; cf. Rom. 1:1-4). The gospel is the good news about Jesus and the power of God, but the gospel will become our own when we, like Paul, are willing to live it, own it, and suffer for it. Paul was willing to suffer for the gospel because of the hope that it brings (2 Tim. 2:9-10). Paul knew that through his suffering for the gospel of Jesus it would be his own gospel. Just as Jesus was risen from the dead so too would Paul be risen from the dead. Just as Jesus received His reward from the Father, so too would Paul receive His reward from the Father. For this reason, Paul could call the gospel his own.

Paul knew the truth of the gospel: “For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself” (2 Tim. 2:11-13). Paul understood that if we have been “crucified with Christ,” we should then live with Christ (Gal. 2:20; cf. 2 Tim. 2:11). Paul understood that if we suffer with Christ, we will reign with Christ (Rom. 8:17; cf. 2 Tim. 2:12a). Paul understood that if we deny Christ in our lives and do not share Him with others, He will deny us (Matt. 10:32-33; cf. 2 Tim. 2:12b). Even still, Paul understood that no matter what he or anyone else chooses to do with Christ, Christ will forever remain faithful; He “is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8; cf. 2 Tim. 2:13). With this level of understanding, Paul did not need to be ashamed of what the gospel of Christ Jesus provides by the power of God. Paul knew the gospel, he lived the gospel, he suffered for the gospel, and he hoped in the gospel. For Paul, the gospel was not a distant concept, but it was so personal to him that he knew the gospel as his own. Can you, like Paul, call the gospel of Christ Jesus your own?

By: Preston McElyea

In the context of Isaiah chapter 7, the mention of a child born of a virgin provided two things. One, it should have provided Ahaz with a means to trust in God. In a short time, the two kings Ahaz feared would be gone. In the time that a woman could conceive and give birth to a son, and that son could grow to a knowledgeable age, the kings would be gone. The second points toward the virgin birth of the Son of God. This one was likely not understood by Ahaz, and many scholars suggest it might not have been fully understood by Isaiah at the time it was proclaimed. However, there does not seem to be enough evidence to prove that Isaiah did not know the meaning of what he was saying. Either way, the Holy Spirit led him to utter the words that pointed to the birth of the Messiah.

In the Garden of Eden, Eve was deceived by the serpent and partook of the forbidden fruit; likewise, Adam partook of that which was forbidden. After these events, judgment came by God on Adam, Eve, and the serpent (devil). In Gen.3:14 (NKJV), a curse is placed directly on the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly, you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.” In the following verse, there is a connection made with the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14. Genesis 3:15 reads, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” This verse, as well as Isaiah 7:14, is Messianic. The seed that is referenced is the Seed of God. Christ Jesus is the Son of God who was born through the seed of a woman, conceived through the Holy Spirit.

If the woman (Mary, the mother of Jesus) had become pregnant like any other woman, there would be no significance in her Son’s birth. However, the fact is that just as Isaiah prophesied, she did not conceive as any other woman. Instead, Mary conceived miraculously through the Holy Spirit. In the virgin birth, the immaterial (the Spirit) and the material (Mary’s womb) were both involved. Just as, at creation, “the earth was formless and empty,” and dark (Genesis 1:2), Mary’s womb was an empty place. Mary had not come to know Joseph in such a way that she could be with child (Luke 1:34-35). And just as, at creation, “the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Genesis 1:2), the Spirit of God came upon Mary (Luke 1:35). Only God can make something out of nothing; only God could perform the miracles of creation, the incarnation, and the virgin birth.

The virgin birth is important in that it preserves the truth that Jesus is fully God and man simultaneously. His physical body He received from Mary. But His eternal, holy nature was His from all eternity past. The virgin birth of Jesus is an example of God’s gracious work on our behalf. God took the initiative; Mary was not looking to become pregnant. It was all God’s idea. Joseph had no role in the conception; his body was not involved, so the power had to come from God. Similarly, our salvation is based on God’s initiative and power to save us. We did not seek God, but He sought us, and we did nothing to earn our salvation, but we rely on God’s provision. Because of one man’s sin, all men are subject to die once, and because of Christ, all men have the means of salvation (Rom. 5:15-19). Without Christ, there would be no salvation for humanity. Without Christ being born in the flesh, there would be no blood to cleanse us of our sins fully.

By: Jerrod Hammond

Being the Christmas season, it is not uncommon to see signs in people’s yards proclaiming that “Jesus is the reason for the season.” To the majority of the religious world, Christmas is recognized as being the birth of Christ. Come springtime, the majority of the religious world recognizes Easter as being Christ’s resurrection. With so much religious focus around these holidays, we may begin to wonder, “What should I be doing,” or “How should I be celebrating?”

The history of Christmas and Easter as religious holidays does not find its origin in Scripture but in later history. Christmas was not recognized as a religious celebration of Christ’s birth until the 3rd century.[1] Concerning Easter, there was no celebrated holiday of Jesus’ resurrection until sometime in the 2nd century.[2] When we look to God’s inspired word, what we find is that there is record of Christ’s miraculous birth (Matt. 1:18ff; Lk. 2:1ff, NKJV), but there is no record of a commemoration or holiday stemming from His birth. We also learn from Scripture that Jesus did rise from the dead (Matt. 28:6; Mk. 16:6; Lk. 24:6; Jn. 20:1ff; 1 Cor. 15). Within His resurrection, we do find that God has given command concerning a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. This celebration, while it is a joyous thing, is at the same time a commemoration wherein we are to keep the body and blood of our Lord in mind (Matt. 26:26-29; 1 Cor. 11:23-26). Jesus’ resurrection is to be observed not every spring, but every Sunday (Acts 20:7).

When we look to Scripture, we do not find Christmas or Easter (the KJV translates the Jewish feast of “Passover” as “Easter” in Acts 12:4, but this is not speaking to how many celebrate Easter religiously today). This being the case, how then should we approach these days? As with all things, approach such days with love (1 Cor. 13). Many celebrate these days religiously based on their tradition. Even in the early days of Christianity, many continued to observe certain feast days or food limitations based on their previous traditions. Concerning such matters, Paul says we are not to let anyone judge us for not observing such days (Col. 2:16). At the same time, Paul says we are not to be harsh or critical of those who might hold to such traditions (Rom. 14:5ff). May we always treat others in a loving, merciful manner – Just as Christ has treated us. We may not celebrate the day religiously, but what a blessing it is to know that many place a greater emphasis on Christ these times of year. If we maintain the love of Christ and continue to magnify Him in our lives, who knows what opportunities for evangelism we might have? As more of our neighbors are focused on Christ, let’s not turn them away; let’s do our part to show them Jesus more clearly.

[1] Hans J. Hillerbrand, “Christmas,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, December 5, 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Christmas.

By: Preston McElyea

We have all experienced the letdown of someone failing to keep a promise they have made to us. Just the same, we have likely failed to uphold a promise we made to someone. I would assume that it is never our intent to let someone down, but it still happens. I remember as a child hearing people say things like, “I swear on my mother's grave.” Or even, “I swear to God.” I say that not to condone it but only to point out this kind of reasoning. Somehow, by calling to a higher authority, it is like our words are supposed to carry more weight.

The Hebrew writer wrote, “For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all disputes” (Heb. 6:16 NKJV). The oath given is like a final confirmation that what has been promised will be delivered. Knowing the nature of man, God puts Himself on the stand (Heb. 6:13) as evidence for the great hope and confidence we have in Jesus Christ (Heb. 6:17-18). God made the oath for our sake. He doesn’t have anything to prove; His word is strong enough. He is inviting us to check His track record so that we can rest assured He upholds His promises. It is the sureness of His promises that emboldens us and gives us confidence to turn to the God of refuge (Heb. 6:18), who will not disappoint.

Just as sure as God upheld His promises to Abraham (Heb. 6:14; Gen. 22:16, 17), He will uphold His promises with the heirs of the promise (Heb. 6:17). We continue to reap the rewards of God’s immutability because we are of the seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:26-29). Jesus Christ is the greatest gift given to His creation and this Jesus was made heir of all things (Heb. 1:2), who has gone before us and entered in behind the veil (Heb. 6:19). Because of this, He is the forerunner who has gone on before us, providing us this hope, that is the anchor of our souls (Heb. 6:19). If we deny His priesthood (Heb. 6:20), we forfeit the access to God that Jesus provided. Jesus has paved the way to the Father, and where the head goes, so will the body (Eph. 1:22-23).

By: Jerrod Hammond