Christoval Church Of Christ

10/03/2022

“Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man”
(Luke 6:22 NIV)

Nobody “likes” to be hated. Instead, we try to fit in. We seek belonging, encouragement, and acceptance from the people around us. Why would Jesus suggest that we are blessed when we are excluded, insulted, and rejected by the world around us?

This is why. Exclusion, insults, and rejection by the world drive us closer to heaven. King David writes about such hostility in Psalms 109. According to David, all he is trying to do is be a friend. Despite his honest intentions his enemies create lies about him, speak words of hatred, and attack without cause. Sometimes, living for God can be a lonely place. The raging hostility ran its course and like a man after God’s own heart, David went to the only true place of comfort.

He says, “In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.” (Psalms 109:4 NIV) Jesus tells us to rejoice in hostility and leap for joy when you are hated! Why, “because great is your reward in heaven (Luke 6:23 NIV). Where else can we go to find the heavenly solace of God? There is immediate comfort in prayer. There is eternal comfort in living a life according to God’s will. Are you willing to step out into the uncomfortable places God calls you to? If so, you might be met with hatred and hostility. You may feel excluded and rejected. Whatever the response, know that you are blessed.

09/19/2022

“He will settle disputes among many peoples and provide arbitration for strong nations that are far away. They will beat their swords into plows, and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not take up the sword against nation, and they will never again train for war.”
(Micah 4:3 CSB)
One of the Messianic prophecies is that Jesus would bring peace. Isaiah, Hosea, and Zechariah foretell similar examples of the weapons of war being laid down in a time of prosperity. They speak of turning swords into plows and spears into pruning knives. These are illustrations of life in the reign of Christ the King. The plows and pruning knives describe the lifestyle of those that reside in the Kingdom of God upon his victorious arrival. Is Christ not King now? Hasn’t Christ’s defeat of sin and death not marked his reign? So where is the peace? Where are all the farmers and gardeners?
Peace is here in the Kingdom of God. All the farmers and gardeners are here in the Body of Christ. Life in the Kingdom is defined by peace. It begins in our hearts as we listen to the guidance of the Great Shepherd. When we surrender to His will we find green pastures, quiet waters, and restoration for our souls (Psalms 23:2). As it fills our hearts, it begins to overflow into the world around us. Peace can be multiplied to us and through us as we grow in the knowledge of Jesus our Lord (2 Peter 1:2). As we grow to know and understand the teachings of Christ the portrait of our lives becomes more vividly reflective of Christ himself. Through Christ, we become an infectious example of peace.
So why is there still war? Well, it is a simple tragedy. As long as there are those that have not accepted Christ’s rule in their hearts, there will continue to be war in our world. This makes our role all the more significant. We are the farmers and gardeners in the Kingdom of God. Take up your plows and pruning knives and get to work! We have peace to spread. The Messiah has come. He has brought universal peace. Every day you are called to show and share that peace which you have been given. Go now, into the world of war to sow the peace that surpasses all understanding. Peace be with you, in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ!

09/05/2022

Repentance is a piece of our journey that has eternal implications. It stems from grace and vulnerability and naturally follows as another aspect of our spiritual walk with God. Repentance is a dynamic process that involves communities taking steps to resolve conflict by confessing their sins to each other, apologizing, forgiving one another, and reconciling even the most difficult relationships. Each aspect of repentance gives insight into ourselves and the state of our community. Between confession and reconciliation lie the speed bumps that slow us down in our relationships with each other.

Apologizing is one of those speed bumps. It can be a highly demanding behavior. It relies on a sense of humility. Taking a position of humility is an act that transforms individuals and communities. Superficially it appears that our forgiveness to others has no eternal value. After all, God alone has the power to forgive sins (Luke 5:21). If God’s forgiveness is the only one with eternal significance, why is it so important for us to forgive? Our ability to forgive is our opportunity to reflect the forgiveness we have been given.
Individuals and communities that can operate at such a level of humility can find reconciliation in this world and the next. Through our relationships we can see beyond this world into the true nature of our creation. Perhaps to be created in the image of God is to live in connection with fellow humanity; to both offer and receive forgiveness. Christ’s church has the potential to create an atmosphere of reconciliation. It is an opportunity for individuals to create relationships of healing in the fashion that our Lord once did with a group of humble disciples.

08/22/2022

Sometimes I struggle to hear God’s voice. At times I will pray struggling to keep my focus. Whether I am sitting down, kneeling down, or laying down, I inevitably get uncomfortable and at times restlessly move about. Shifting this way and that way, trying to find comfort in the physical when I am actually seeking comfort in the spiritual. I am seeking God’s voice. I am seeking His guidance or even his clarity. At times I pray, “Lord help me to see” or “shed light on the path you would have me take.” Ironically these requests sound eerily familiar to the requests made by the people Jesus called wicked for seeking a miraculous sign.

I have come to realize something. It isn’t that God isn’t speaking, it is that I am not listening. Sometimes God’s gentle voice is in the silence I rarely attend. John Fischer writes an excellent poem speaking to this. He writes…
“So let the noise subside,
And listen deep inside;
He will speak; he will speak.

But it won’t be an earthquake;
And it won’t be fire;
Or the whirling wind;
Taking you higher.
It will be a still small voice;
And you’ll have no choice;
But to hear; but to hear.”

This poem is based on a story in scripture about the unsuspecting gentle voice of God. Get your bibles out and turn to 1 Kings 19:8.

“So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God. Then he came there to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" And he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, torn down Thine altars and killed Thy prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." So He said, "Go forth, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. And it came about when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:8-13 NAS)

The voice of God isn’t always what we expect it to be. It may not have the strength of a strong wind you can’t help but notice. It may not have the magnitude of an earthquake. It might not even have the raging force of a blazing fire. Sometimes it is subtle and gentle. It requires our attention and focus, just to hear the gentle voice of God.

08/08/2022

Generally, we fall in to one of two traps. We either give what we don’t have or we don’t give what we do have. In both cases we are not depending on God.
When we give what we don’t have, the question becomes, “why do we not have enough to give?” There are many reasons we can find ourselves in this position. Perhaps we have squandered God’s blessings in selfish, materialistic ways. Perhaps we have failed to plan, spending today, the money we assume we will have tomorrow. As James reminds us, “you don’t even know what tomorrow will bring” (James 4:13-14). We can also do this with our time. It is possible to give so much of ourselves that the roles and responsibilities we have, become more of a burden than a blessing. Solomon writes, “In vain you get up early and stay up late, working hard to have enough food-- yes, He gives sleep to the one He loves” (Psalms 127:1, CSB). It is never wrong to give. Yet we must be mindful givers, giving not according to what we don’t have, instead according to what we do have. (2 Corinthians 8:13).

When we don’t give what we do have, the question becomes, “why not?” Satan can sow many fears. There are many thoughts that come to mind when we close our hearts to giving. “There isn’t enough to go around.” “I worked hard for what I have.” “Someone else will help.” Among many other doubts, these thoughts can cause us to withhold for worldly reasons. Here is the reality. Your abundance is not only for you. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 8:14, “your surplus is available for their need, so their abundance may also become available for our need” (CSB). It is important to be a mindful giver, yet destructive to be a reluctant giver.

In short. Give all that you can with a faithfully generous heart! You and others will be blessed by it.

07/25/2022

“Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!"… Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him.” (Acts 12:7-8 NIV)

We are really good at complicating things! We can freeze in the face of tests, deadlines, health concerns, loss, and failure. We all know what it is like to be caught in a hurricane of thought. We dread Monday knowing there is a laundry list of responsibilities to manage. We snooze our alarms hoping that the extra 5-15 minutes will give us the rest we need to face the day. We even put off for tomorrow the goals we should have accomplished today. Or maybe that’s just me.

If not, and you can relate, use Peter’s example as a guide to simplify your life in Christ. Having been imprisoned after James was put to death by King Herod, Peter awaited trial. Despite all the thoughts that could have been swirling through Peters mind, he slept soundly. Not so much as a hint of worry. In fact, the angel had to poke him in the side and yell, “get up!” Peter waited patiently as the church prayed fervently (Acts 12:5). When the time was right, once God paved the way, He simply asked this of Peter. Get up, get dressed, and follow me. You can do that today. There is power in letting God be God. Let God provide the path, while you follow the way. Get up, get dressed, and follow God today.

06/05/2022

An elder of the church at Laodicea summarizes the letters to the seven churches of Asia that are revealed in Revelation 2-3. Laodicea is one of those churches, and received a very scary message from Jesus. Brought to you by Eyewitness Bible.

05/07/2022

We are studying Revelation on Sunday morning. This is a good beginning to the book.

The Apostle John tells of receiving his direct revelation from Jesus Christ. He addresses this letter to seven churches in Asia, and reveals his vision of Jesus in the book of Revelations. Brought to you by Eyewitness Bible.

04/29/2022

Just a reminder there is a men's meeting tomorrow 04/30/22 at 9:00 am.

04/20/2022

Is this pruning or falling away? Or is it something else entirely? Let us continue to serve faithfully without alarm. Our faith demands that we diligently discern what God is asking of Churches of Christ members in this generation. Any ideas? What do you think He is asking of us?

MANCHESTER, Tenn. — When the Ragsdale Church of Christ closed its doors on March 6, it joined hundreds of other congregations nationwide that have ceased to exist. Churches of Christ reached their peak in about 1990 with 1,684,872 adherents and 13,174 churches, according to a national directory pu...

03/23/2022

Friendly reminder. No Wednesday evening bible study tonight at our building. Come join us at Southgate Church of Christ for the last Gospel Meeting message from brother Bill Watkins (7pm).