EXHORTING ONE ANOTHER

“Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:12,13).The inspired writer of the book of Hebrews was exhorting his brothers and sisters to remain faithful to God and the Lord Jesus Christ. There was the imminent danger of the believers being lured back to the first covenant with all the rituals and animal sacrifices. Their hearts could be hardened if they turned their backs to the “new and living way” through Christ. In the original, the word exhort, parakaleo, basically meant to “encourage, entreat, to urge, and to comfort” (2 Thess. 2:1). Now, as then, we are to encourage our brothers and sisters to be faithful to Christ, and not to be drawn away by the devices of satan. There are brothers and sisters who are drifting away, and we certainly need to encourage them. James wrote in chapter 5:19,20, ``Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” We should do this while we have the opportunity, that is “as long as it is called today”. This exhorting can be done in various ways and anytime by the individual Christian. Perhaps a personal visit would be the most effective, however, we can send a card, write a letter, make a telephone call, or send a text to our brothers and sisters, etc. However we choose to encourage our brothers and sisters, we are instructed to do it today because tomorrow may be too late. “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24, 25). As a part of the writer’s exhortation, he urged the disciples to “stir up love and good works” To “stir up” is to motivate, provoke, encourage and arouse one another to love one another and do “good works.” In this passage the writer mentions “the assembling of ourselves together.” We know this was a regular assembly because some members were habitually forsaking it. This assembly would definitely include meeting weekly on the first day of the week to “break bread” as was evident in the first century (See 1 Corinthians 16:1,2; Acts 20:7). The word “forsaking” means to abandon, to completely desert the assemblies. Forsaking the assemblies also involves turning away from the only salvation that is to be found in the death of Christ when He shed His blood for our sins. To forsake is to “sin willfully”, meaning there remains no other sacrifice for sins. When we assemble together to worship God (John 4:23,24), we are to exhort one another. We do this when we sing together, pray together, teach one another the word of God, and when we commune with our Lord and as a body of believers when we partake of the Lord’s Supper. We also have fellowship with one another as we give our money to the work of the Lord. Likewise, we encourage one another when we speak a kind word, shake someone's hand, express our love to one another, and just to be in the company of our brothers and sisters in Christ. There is a real sense of urgency found in the expression, “and so much the more as you see the Day approaching”. This “Day” was a time that could be ‘seen’ by those Christians who read this epistle. This “Day” can be best understood as being the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in A.D. 70. (Matthew 24; Mark 13 and Luke 21). That “Day” most likely occurred a few years after this epistle was written. But, there is another ‘day’ coming when we will all “appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he had done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). We will hear either “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”, or, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:34,41). Therefore let us exhort one another to be faithful “for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:42). Finally, brethren, “Live for Jesus O my brother, His disciple ever be; Render not to any other, What alone the Lord’s should be. Live for Jesus , live for Jesus, Give Him all thou hast to give; On the cross the world’s Redeemer, Gave His life that thou mightst live.” - Frank M. Davis

GOD'S GRACE, LOVE AND MERCY - FOR WHICH WE SHOULD BE THANKFUL

Grace, love and mercy are inherent in the very nature of our Heavenly Father, God Almighty! There are two passages of Scripture that have these attributes mentioned regarding our God. They are Ephesians 2:4-8 and Titus 3:4-7. Please read the first passage in Ephesians 3 and observe what is written about mercy, love and grace: “rich in mercy”, “great love”, “exceeding riches of His grace” and, “For by grace you have been saved”. Now read the passage in Titus 3 and observe what Paul wrote about love, mercy and grace: “Love of God our Savior, “but according to His mercy He saved us” and ‘justified by His grace”. God’s grace is “greater than our sins.” “He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9). “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). Our iniquities demanded God’s justice, but instead He extended His unmerited favor to us so we could be redeemed by the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ His beloved Son! “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”(John 3:16).”There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). In our finite minds we will never be able to comprehend the “width and length and depth and height” of the love of God and Christ (Ephesians 3:18,19). It is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 2:5,6). “For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame;He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:11-14). Oh, how great is the kindness and compassion of our Heavenly Father! There is an old story that tells of two angels who were dispatched from heaven, each with a basket. One to bring back the prayers of petitions, the other, prayers of thanksgivings. Both returned in great distress and trouble. The collector of petitions had his basket full and a sack as well, but the angel of thanksgiving had only three. It is right and good that we should make intercession for others (Romans 10:1); petitions to God (Matthew 6:11, Colossians 1:9),and supplications (Philippians 4:6,1 Timothy 2:1,2). What is often lacking in our prayers, both private and public, is the giving of thanks to God! Should we not “praise God from whom all blessings flow”? In Revelation 7:11,12, we read that the angels, elders and the four living creatures worshiped God, “saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might Be to our God forever and ever, Amen.” My brothers and sisters in Christ, when we pray let us praise God and give thanks to Him for His infinite grace, steadfast love and tender mercy! Our hearts should overflow with gratitude for these blessings, without which we could not be saved! And it would be good if our songs and prayers in our assemblies would be filled with praise and adoration to God for such blessings from our Heavenly Father! Let us all “think on these things”. “Bless the Lord, O my soul And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits; Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction” - Psalm 103:1-4

"TO THE OCEAN, WHITE WITH FOAM"

During our family gatherings on Saint Simons Island, Georgia it has been my habit to arise early in the mornings and walk on the beach down to the pier and the village where I would buy a cup of coffee, eat breakfast and read the daily newspaper. Being from the hill country of northwest Georgia I am still fascinated by the appearance of the Atlantic Ocean. When the tide comes in the waves would hit the rocks and splash over them. The white caps were beautiful. Often I would express my deepest gratitude to God for His marvelous creation. Both the heavens and the earth with its seas declare the glory of God (Psalms 19). The book of nature indeed proves that there is a Supreme Architect who designed this universe (Romans 1:20). Though not a world traveler I have seen some of the beauties of our country with its mountains in the southeast and in the western part of our nation, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. With all the faults that exist in our United States of America I do believe as a citizen that we live in the greatest nation on earth The pilgrims and early settlers sought freedom to worship God in this new land while settlers in the South American countries sought gold. Our governmental leaders possessed a faith in the Creator of the universe. There is no doubt that the Lord God has richly blessed this land and its people. The wise man declared that “Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people'' (Proverbs 14:34). While sin and disbelief have always been in existence, our modern day society has strayed greatly from a faith in God and from His moral standard for human conduct. Atheism is growing daily; sexual perversion is commonplace; dishonesty and corruption are widely accepted and exist among many of our political and civic leaders; the killing of unborn children is considered acceptable since it is legal; adultery is prevalent among marriage partners and fornication among teens and adults abounds nationwide. Man has become a law unto himself (Judges 21:25). The Word of God is no longer reverend even among some religious groups. The blood of thousands of our men and women who have fought for our country and our freedom flows like a mighty river; yet, we are using this freedom to destroy the moral fiber of our people. It has become a license to do as we please without considering what God would have us to be as a nation of people. Eventually we will reap as we have been sowing (Galatians 6:7, . It is most important that we give heed to the following warnings: “The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God” and “Now consider this, you who forget God, Lest I tear you in pieces” (Psalm 9:17; 50:22). The story is told about a student who wanted to fool his professor in some way. He held a bird in his hand and asked the professor, “What do I have in my hand?” The professor replied, “It is a bird.” The student asked, “What color is it?” “It is a red bird,” answered the professor. Then the student asked, “Is it dead or alive?” The wise old professor said, “The power of life or death is in your hand?” The power to revive faith in God and His standard of morals and ethics is in our hands. May the lyrics of the beautiful song ‘God Bless America’ written by Irving Berlin ever be our desire, hope and prayer. God Bless America "While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free, Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. " God Bless America,Land that I love. Stand beside her, and guide herThru the night with a light from above. From the mountains, to the prairies,To the oceans, white with foam God bless America, My home sweet home.”

'LOVE YOURSELF"

“And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). This statement made by our Lord was a partial answer to the question, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” The Savior had first replied “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:25-37). The thought of ‘loving oneself’ might seem to be rather selfish and arrogant; however, Jesus has taught us to love others in the manner we love ourselves. The apostle Paul wrote, “In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself” (Ephesians 5:28). But, the question might be raised as to why a person should love himself/herself. We learn in Genesis 1:27 we learn, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” While man’s physical body was formed of the dust of the earth, that part of man that pertains to his spirit, mind and soul, was made in the likeness of his creator. Man is not a product of a mere accident or by chance. The Great, August God, the Creator of heaven and earth was both the Designer and the Maker of man. Such knowledge caused the Psalmist to declare: “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well: (Psalms 139:14). Furthermore, God loved us and demonstrated that love by the giving of his only Son for our sins (John 3:16,17). “But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone”. (Hebrews 2:9). Since God has made us and loved us, surely we ought to love ourselves. We can have self-respect without conceit; concern for self without selfishness; and love for self that is void of vanity. We should not be possessed with an inferiority complex or an attitude of “I’m not worth anything.” Jesus taught that the worth of one soul is more than the whole world (Matthew 16:26). Each one is indeed important in the sight of the Almighty God. True happiness in this life comes from accepting ourselves as God has made us; and, in responding to the grace and love of the Heavenly Father by giving ourselves totally to His Son, Jesus Christ.

THE PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS

The “angel of the Lord” declared to Joseph “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). The apostle Peter, by the guidance of the Holy Spirit declared, “Nor is there salvation any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must b e saved” (Acts 4:12). There is a beautiful hymn entitled “There’s Something About That Name” with these meaningful lyrics: “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, There’s just something about that name. Master, Savior, Jesus like the fragrance after the rain; Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Let all Heaven and earth proclaim, Kings and kingdoms will all pass away, But there’s something about that name.” In our secular society we often speak of politicians and especially do we mention the names of great athletes. Our children learn the names of entertainers, television celebrities and movie stars; however, it is on rare occasions that you hear the precious name of Jesus. There is a possibility that we might be classified as being extremist if we did. We should not be hesitant to speak of Jesus because He gave His life for us on Calvary so we could be saved. The apostle Paul wrote how the Heavenly Father exalted His Son as found in Philippians 2:9-11): “ God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Christian parents are to teach their children of Jesus. One of the first songs they often learn to sing is ‘Jesus Loves Me’. If children are taught to speak the name of Jesus they will not be embarrassed to mention His precious name to others as they mature to adulthood. Please observed the truthfulness found in the following: “Before your child has come to seven, teach him well the Way to heaven! Better still the truth will thrive, if he knows it when he Is five! Better yet, if at your knee he learns it when he is only Three! Best of all is when you have begun to teach of Jesus Before he is one!”

"LEST WE FORGET"

The last Monday of the month of May is celebrated as Memorial Day each year in our nation. It began with the purpose of decorating the graves of the soldiers who fought in the War Between the States, 1861-64. However, all of our fallen military personnel are remembered on this day. I spoke on one occasion on Memorial Day in the military section of a cemetery in Prattville, Alabama. I had two visual aids in my hands. One was the Purple Heart that was given to my parents after my oldest brother was killed in WWII on April 5, 1945. The other one was a flag that had been placed by my brother’s grave in a military cemetery in the Netherlands. There is a poem written by Rudyard Kipling entitled “Recessional’ (Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia) that I think is very appropriate on this occasion and here are two stanzas of the poem: “God of our fathers, known of old, Lord of our far-flung battle-line, Beneath whose awful Hand we hold Dominion over palm and pine – Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget – Lest we forget! The tumult and the shouting dies; The Captains and the kings depart. Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice, And humble and a contrite heart. Lord God of Host, be with us yet, Lest we forget – lest we forget.” The following biblical truths should always be taught and practiced – “Lest We Forget”: 1. We need to remember Jesus Christ when we partake of the Lord’s Supper. Luke 22:19-20; I Corinthians 11:23-26. 2. We are to remember those saints who died for the cause of Christ. Colossians 4:18 3. We should always remember our salvation from our sins. 2 Peter 1:5-11. 4. We need to remember that we are to be faithful to Christ. Luke 17:32; I Corinthians 10:12; Revelation 2:5; Luke 9:62. 5. We are to remember the poor and needy. Galatians 2:10; Hebrews 13:16; Galatians 6:10; James 1:27. 6. The youth are to remember God. Ecclesiastes 12:1, 2 7. Remember that the Lord is coming again. II Peter 3: l-10; John 14:1-3. If we fail to remember God in this life and His Word for us to learn and practice, there will come a time when our remembrance will not be pleasant. Please observe these words as found in Luke 16:25: “But Abraham said, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.” It is wonderful however to remember that God will forgive and forget our sins and iniquities if we will obey Him and live for Jesus. “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord; I will put My laws into their hearts, And in their minds I will write them, then He adds, Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more” (Hebrews 10:16, 17). Our Lord has promised if we are faithful, He will give us “the crown of life” Revelation 2:10.

MOTHERHOOD

It is always good to remember a godly mother. Jesus while on the cross of shame and suffering thought of His mother and instructed John to care for her after His death (John 19:26, 27). One of the sweetest words in any language is ‘Mother’. A dictionary is not necessary to possess an understanding of such a meaningful term. Not all mothers are wives but they should be and not all wives are mothers but God permitting they can be. One of the primary purposes of marriage is the propagating of the human race (Genesis 1:27). The role of motherhood should never be taken lightly nor should the status of being a mother be made light of in this modern age. There is no greater relationship for a woman to sustain in this life than being a Christian mother. Perhaps the crowning act of creation by the Lord God was the forming of woman from the side of man. God saw that it was not good for man to be alone thus He gave to him a help suitable for him. Adam later named this woman “Eve” because she was the “mother of all living” (Genesis 2:18-25; 3:20). The wise man taught that “He who finds a wife finds a good thing”” and that “a prudent wife is from the Lord” (Proverbs 18:22; 19:14). In the bringing forth of a child the husband and wife truly become one flesh. There is the binding together of the two. Motherhood is the highest honor given to women. No matter what else she may do in life it should be secondary to her being the kind of mother that God desires. A mother is greatly responsible for the spiritual training of her children (Proverbs 22:6). Her influence is great for good or bad. Abraham Lincoln said of his mother, “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother”. An old Spanish proverb states that “An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy”. Most of us have heard the old saying that “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world”. No doubt Queen Jezebel exerted a tremendous amount of evil influence on her husband Ahab and their wicked son Ahaziah (I Kings 16:30; 22:52, 53). Several years ago “Ma Barker” trained her sons to rob, steal and to kill. It was said that the infamous Nero had a murderess for a mother. However, the Bible is replete with examples of godly mothers who influenced their loved ones to live for the Lord. Jochebed, the mother of Moses, guided that young heart in the right way because when he became an adult, he “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasure of sin.” (Numbers 26:59; Hebrews 11:24, 25). No doubt students of the Bible know of the beautiful story of Hannah and how she received a son from the Lord. This wonderful woman had promised that she would give the child to the Lord as long as he lived (V.28). Hannah named her son Samuel. This young boy, at a tender age, was carried to the house of God to be taught and trained by Eli the high priest of God (I Samuel 1). Samuel became one of the truly outstanding leaders in Israel, serving God and his people as prophet, priest and judge. If there were more Hannahs in the homes there would be more preachers in the pulpits. Jedidah was the wife of the wicked king Amon but she was also the mother of the young and good Josiah (2 Kings 22:1)). In contrast to the wickedness of his father it is said of Josiah that “he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord,, and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left” (2 Kings 22:2). We must conclude that his good mother and perhaps Jeremiah the prophet exerted a godly influence upon Josiah. Then consider the mother John the Baptist, Elizabeth, who walked righteous before God, “walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (Luke 1:6). We also learn that she was determined to name her son John (Luke1:13, 60) Mary, the mother of Jesus, was blessed greatly by having been chosen by God to give birth to the Son of God (Luke 1:42). Mary was a typical mother in many ways. For instance, she treasured in her heart the things said about the baby Jesus and later the things which he said (Luke 2:19, 51). Finally we mention the grandmother and mother of Timothy. These two godly women, Lois and Eunice, had taught Timothy from his earliest childhood “the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14, 15). These are some of the godly mothers mentioned in the Bible who are worthy of imitation by Christian mothers today. A virtuous mother is industrious as is brought out by the passage of scripture in Proverbs 31:10-31. Certainly the daily chores of a mother are demanding. She is also considerate of the needs of others in her community. Dorcas was one who was “full of good works and charitable deeds” (Acts 9:36, 39). The widow who was to be enrolled by the church must have been “well reported for good work…if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work” (I Timothy 5:10). Also the Christian mother and wife will be hospitable. Again from I Timothy 5:10, “if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet” From Hebrews 13:2, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.” The Shunammite woman manifested a wonderful attitude of such hospitality in regards to the prophet Elisha as recorded in 2 Kings 4:8-37. This quality of hospitality makes the home pleasant where people love to visit. We need always to show our respect and honor to our mother whether they are living or have died (Ephesians 6:1, 2). We can do this by living for the Lord and being the proper influence for good among our peers. DEDICATED TO MOTHERS IN THE HOMES By Grace Crowell So long as there are homes to which Men turn—at close of day, So long as there are homes where Children are, and women stay, If faith and love and loyalty are found Across those sills, A stricken nation can recover From grievous ills. So long as there are homes where Fires burn, and there is bread, So long as there are homes where Lamps are lit---and prayers are said, Though a people falter in darkness, And nations grope, With God himself back of these little homes, We still have hope There Are Homes" from Light of the Years by Grace Noll Crowell, Copyright, 1936,

THE RESURRECTION OF LIFE

As I look out the window and across the street I see a beautiful Bradford pear tree in full bloom and a Redbud tree also in full bloom. God, the Creator of the universe, is causing the vegetative kingdom which has been dormant to come alive! The display of such beauty that we presently see and will be seeing for weeks to come as the trees bloom and the flowers and shrubbery break forth their radiant colors should cause the believer’s heart to praise and glorify the name of the Almighty God. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 19:1-4: “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork, Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world.” Someone has said that there are two books, nature and the Bible that declare there is a Supreme Being. The heavens and the earth in their splendor and magnificence should cause every person to have faith in God but that is not the case. The apostle Paul in writing about the depravity of the Gentile world in his day mentions this very thing in Romans 1:18-21: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them, For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Some people have eyes that will not see and hearts that will not accept the truth that God, by the power of His word, brought the universe into existence. With the renewal of life in the vegetative kingdom at this time of the year our hearts are made to think of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the tomb. This is one of the cardinal doctrines of the New Testament. A part of the good news of Christ is the teaching regarding His resurrection from the dead. Had Jesus not risen from the dead early that first day of the week, His death on Calvary would be meaningless. We would still be in our sins, our faith would be in vain and we certainly would be miserable (See I Corinthians 15). The apostle taught in chapter fifteen that because our Lord arose from the grave we have the promise that we shall also rise from the dead at His second coming. Jesus Himself said as recorded in John 5:28: “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” When I witness the beauties of spring with its shows of new life I cannot help but think of the words of my Lord Jesus Christ: “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life, He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die, Do you believe this?” - John 11:25, 26

THE UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE

“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1, NKJV). During the last two weeks of March, 2021, the state of Alabama, along with other states in the south suffered scattered and severe damage and the loss of lives due to terrible tornadoes. In one community in Alabama, 5 lives were lost when a horrific storm hit their homes. It has been estimated that in about 30 seconds these precious lives were taken by the tornado. The people did not know they were going to die that day. No doubt, they all had plans for the next day following the bad weather. How often has this happened to individuals who did not know their earthly life would end on a certain day. In James 4:13, 14, we read, “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” It was not wrong or immoral to make future plans to travel to a city and do business. The real problem in this context is to be found in verses 15 and 16: “Instead you ought to say, “if the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” These individuals were making definite plans formulated by their own wisdom and pride and were leaving God completely out of their intentions. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone. The wise man wrote in Proverbs 27:1: “Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.” The Psalmist prayed, “LORD, make me to know my end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am” (Psalm 39:4-6). For whatever reason, the psalmist, in his deep emotions, desired to know when he would die. Perhaps it was the suffering he was experiencing but the exact time of his death was not to be revealed. It is worthy to note that mankind is “frail” and fragile when it comes to life on this earth. We just do not know the exact time when death may overtake us. Death may be compared to a hurricane. Because of prolonged sickness, we know death is coming and we have time to prepare for it. Then it may be like a tornado, death comes sudden and without warning. Someone has said, “What a transient, monetary being I am, how soon I shall cease to be, how little a while I shall continue.” Preparation to meet God when we die is more important than the time or the how we leave this world. Israel of old had committed idolatry and was steeped in sin of every kind. God was to bring judgement upon His people. The prophet Amos gave this warning: “Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” This warning can be given to all of mankind. How we live is more important than how we die. Would you not study His Word, believe in His Son Jesus Christ, turn from your sins and be baptized for the remission of your sins while you have the time and opportunity (Romans 10:17; John 8:24; Mark 16:15, 16; Acts 2:36-38? You will be saved by the grace of God and by the blood of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1, 2, 9;Acts 22:16;Revelation 1:5). PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD “Careless soul, why will you linger, Wandering from the fold of God? Hear you not the invitation? O prepare to meet thy God. Careless soul, O heed the warning, For your life will soon be gone; O how sad to face the judgment, Unprepared to meet thy God.”

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.” These are the words of the “Prince of Peace”, Jesus Christ, as found in Matthew 5:9. This beatitude is somewhat different from the rest, such as those who are “poor in spirit”, “those who mourn”, “the meek”, “those who hunger and thirst after righteousness”, and, “the merciful”. The reason being, the expression, “the peacemakers” implies an action on the part of the disciples. It is an adjective signifying peace-making. The “peacemaker” is to give “diligence to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesian 4:3). The ‘peacemaker’ has to have “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7) in his heart. Paul wrote in Romans 5:1,2: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” We are not only to be ‘peaceful’, we are to be “peacemakers”. Abraham Lincoln said: “Die when I may, let it be said of me that I always pulled up a weed and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow.” Today, we need more people who will ‘plant flowers’ and ‘pull up the weeds’; meaning, there is a great need in our world to have more ‘peacemakers’ instead of ‘peacebreakers’! The Lord knows we have too many ‘peacebreakers’ in His church, in our community and in our nation. We live in turbulent times. Everywhere we find hatred, bigotry, prejudice, racism and violence existing, even in our own nation. It doesn’t take much skill to cause confusion in a family, in the church or in our society. It isn’t easy, however, to be a ‘peacemaker’ because you will be most likely criticized from every side. But, the ‘peacemaker’ is one who had rather suffer injury than to inflict injury upon others. He had rather settle difficulties through prayer than through force. This is the first beatitude “which shows blessedness pronounced as alighting upon a person, not in the first for some personal quality, grace or virtue, but his works sake in the interest of others, whether of family, the world or the church” - “For they shall be called sons of God.” The apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 3:8-11, that if we love life, we should “seek peace and pursue it”.Christians are to “Pursue peace with all people” (Hebrews 12:14). Of course, there is not to be a compromise when truth is involved. The question is, Am I a ‘peacemaker’ or a ‘peacebreaker’?