Law of Liberty

Archaeology: Caesarea Philippi

2009-11-02T06:47:00.000-06:00

Caesarea Philippi is the site of a spring known as Panias, after Pan, the Greek god of the shepherds. In ancient times, it was a giant spring, gushing from a cave in the limestone rock, which is the source of the stream Nahal Senir. The Jordan River arises from this spring and two others at the base of Mount Hermon.

Excavations since 1990 have recovered much of the city of Caesarea Philippi from Jesus’ day. A large palace was found which matches Josephus’ descriptions of that of Herod Agrippa II, a descendant of Herod the Great. Herod Agrippa II was the governor of Galilee before whom Paul gave a defense of the gospel (Acts 26:2-29).

Kyle Campbell

A difficult commandment

2009-10-29T21:46:00.001-05:00

The recent actions of a friend got me to thinking about a difficult commandment. This person is divorced and has started dating someone. The circumstances of the divorce, to my knowledge, do not follow the instructions of Matthew 19:9 (“And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”). If this person remarries (and about 75% of people do), the Bible says they would be condemned unless they repent.

This breaks my heart, for my love for them is as strong as any of my friends. The disciples remarked that this commandment was difficult in vs. 10: “His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.” Jesus went on to say that some will have to make themselves “eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake.” They will have to live a celibate life or be reconciled to their mate (1 Corinthians 7:10-11). If they do not, they would be in adultery (Romans 7:2-3). With these admittedly difficult commandments, the Lord reinforced the sanctity and importance of the marriage vows. Choose your mate carefully, and work tirelessly to make your marriage strong and permanent!

Kyle Campbell

Too little love, too little fear

2009-10-23T05:52:00.001-05:00

There is no doubt that loving God is important. Jesus said, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37; cf. Deuteronomy 6:5). Lots of people think they love God and think He is going to save them (John 3:16).

The relationship between love and God’s commandments is made very clear in John 14:15: “If ye love me, keep my commandment.” The Lord furthermore said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

God wants everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), but one cannot fail to consider the need for fearing God. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” We had better fear God because it will not be good for us to enter into God’s judgment unprepared (Hebrews 10:31; 12:29). People want to talk about God’s love, but not His wrath. In Malachi 1:8, the people offered sick animals to be sacrificed to the Lord. They did not fear Him enough to follow His commandments. God does love you, but make sure you are not presumptuous with that love and neglect the appropriate fear which will compel you to follow Him.

Kyle Campbell

Are you wearing out?

2009-10-21T22:47:00.002-05:00

As I grow older, I realize that as I get out of bed in the morning, I have more aches and pains. I realize that my body is wearing out -- getting worse -- as time goes on. Knowing that God has the ability to do anything He wishes, I have wondered why He creates our bodies to decay.

I think a reason might be in 2 Corinthians 4:16: “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” Our decaying bodies teach a lesson -- we are not going to be here forever! Furthermore, when we think of heaven, we think of a place with no sorrow, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4).

If we never felt those emotions, if life just constantly got better and better, it would not produce a desire in us to leave this world. We would never look for a “better country” (Hebrews 11:16). The next time you have an ache or pain, look at it as a means to an end, the road which you will follow until the end of your journey. Hang in there and be faithful, and you will enjoy blessedness which cannot be compared to the suffering we endure now (Romans 8:18).

Kyle Campbell

One million dollars

2009-10-17T17:49:00.001-05:00

Hebrews 6:18-19 says, “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.”

How does hope serve as an anchor? If you were promised a million dollars to be given one week later, how would you feel? Excited? Joyful? But what if the promise was based on certain conditions? You must walk everywhere you go for a week! Would you be willing to do so? Could you resist the temptation to ride a bus, taxi, etc.? Even though you became weary and tired, wouldn’t you be willing to continue walking, knowing that at the end you would inherit a million dollars? If it rained, or was unbearably cold or hot, wouldn't you persevere? All through the week, would you complain about the reward or the difficulty in obtaining it? Or, would you find yourself buoyed in spirit by the anticipation of the money? Would you not talk about it, plan for it, and with joy labor for it?

John wrote, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:2-3). Will you work to get yourself right with God? This is what we want and pray for!

Kyle Campbell

One thing

2009-10-13T16:08:00.002-05:00

Pretend you are shopping for a house. Do you ever see a house you like but there is something you would change? Maybe something is missing or something doesn’t fit. You would buy it in a heartbeat if it weren’t for one thing.

In Mark 10:17-25, Jesus taught the rich young ruler. He seemed to be a good person, but he lacked one thing, which would show his complete devotion to Christ. In Luke 10:38-42, Mary and Martha invited the Lord as a guest in their home. However, Mary was too involved with physical matters and was not thinking of the one thing that was the most important. Sometimes we don’t see the forest for the trees and forget what is important.

What is your one thing? Maybe you have initially obeyed and now lack one thing or many things. If that’s the case this is an excellent time to repent and return to the Lord. Maybe you have never been baptized and you lack this one thing. Today is the time to commit yourself to God. Judgment is certain, and we want you to obey Christ and do His will. Please contact us if you would like to study further.

Kyle Campbell

Archaeology: The Moabite stone

2009-10-01T07:37:00.000-05:00

In 1968, a stone slab over three feet tall was found near Dibon, east of the Dead Sea. Inscribed on the stone were the accomplishments of Mesha, king of Moab around 850 B.C. This stone is sometimes called the Mesha Stele.

The ancient Moabites were relatives of the Israelites according to Genesis 19:37. On this stone King Mesha brags of having driven the Israelites out of his land. The king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel after the death of King Ahab of Israel (2 Kings 3).

The Moabite stone is one of the earliest finds that mention biblical people. The stone says that King Omri and his son Ahab “humbled” Moab for many years. After Ahab’s death, King Mesha said he had “triumphed” over Ahab’s family and that Israel had “perished forever.” Some scholars say that the stone also contains a reference to the “house of David.”

Kyle Campbell

Jesus, the Son of God

2009-09-29T06:16:00.000-05:00

Jesus is referred to as the “Son of God” 47 times in the New Testament. Because He is the Son of God, there are several characteristics which can help us understand more about His nature.

First, Jesus was the Son of promise. It was promised that Jesus would be a king, ruler, judge, and prophet (Psalm 110:1-7). We needed a deliverer. Mankind was ruled by the “law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). Second, Jesus was the Son of joy. Simeon saw Christ as a great joy (Luke 2:25), as did the wise men (Matthew 2:9-11). Why would Jesus have all this praise? Because we received relief from sin (John 1:29-34).

Third, Jesus was the Son of sorrows. He was a “man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). He was so different than what the Jews expected! They wanted glory and grandeur, not someone who was oppressed and wounded. However, this did not fit within the plan of God. Fourth, Jesus was the Son of power. Jesus has power because of His resurrection (Romans 1:4). Jesus has the ability to judge (Matthew 25:31-32, 46). Every knee will bow when He comes again (Romans 14:11).

After seeing all that Jesus is, hopefully you have been edified in your faith, or you have seen evidence that makes you want to examine Jesus more closely. Our confession is that He is “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:16), and we want to do our best to show you evidence as to why you need to believe the same.

Kyle Campbell

Marks of those who love the Lord

2009-09-24T11:16:00.000-05:00

In Psalm 91:14-16, the psalmist is distinguishing some of the characteristics of those who truly love God, and tells us what God will do for them. Let’s consider five of them.

First, they have set their love upon the Lord (vs. 14). The Christian’s heart has been turned away from the world and in the direction of God (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10). Thus, God’s child has turned to Him, and away from sin (cf. Romans 6:17-18; Colossians 3:1-2). It is only when we have this understanding and, thus, this kind of commitment that we can be acceptable. Many people have a passing interest in Christ (Luke 8:11-14; Mark 7:6), but this is not enough (John 14:15; Matthew 22:37-39).

Second, they know His name (vs. 14). All of us know people whom we are very close to; our dear friends are people with which we have spent considerable time. They are ones we have tested and tried; their friendship has been proven. To know God is to trust Him, to believe Him (Psalm 9:10). Abraham knew God, he trusted Him (Romans 4:3; 17-23). On the other hand, the wicked do not know God, and they are cursed because of it (Isaiah 1:3).

Third, they pray effectively (vs. 15). Those who love the Lord have the assurance that their prayers will be answered; they may confidently express their dependence on God. Some men, of course, God will not hear (Proverbs 15:29; 28:9; cf. 1:24-31; Job 27:8-9). However, God’s ears are open and receptive to His faithful followers (1 Peter 3:12; Psalm 18:3, 6).

Fourth, the Lord is with them in trouble (vs. 15). Notice, they are not immune to trouble. We must see that there is actually some benefit to us when trouble arises (James 1:2-4). Trials serve to make our faith stronger, so we will have testing in this life. However, we have the assurance that God is with us in all our troubles (Psalm 46:1; Hebrews 13:6; cf. Romans 8:31-39; Philippians 4:13).

Fifth, they will be saved (vs. 16). When God shows us His salvation, it will be worth it all (2 Timothy 4:6-8; cf. 1 Peter 1:3-9; Luke 18:29-30). This salvation is possible for us through Christ (Acts 4:12). This salvation can set us free from sin, and can deliver us from the picture that is painted for us in Mark 9:43-44 and Revelation 20:10.

What a wonderful description the psalmist gives us of those who love the Lord! The only way to receive these blessings is to obey God’s commands. This is truly a straight and narrow way compared to what the world has to offer. For the one who perseveres, a “crown of life” will be waiting for them.

Kyle Campbell

A little change never hurts

2009-09-21T08:30:00.002-05:00

Paul is a good example of a man who was wrong, but then changed his mind. He said in Acts 22:3-5, “I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.” But he went on to reveal how Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus and he changed his mind and became a Christian (Acts 22:16).

In Mark 15:27-32, Christ is crucified and while hanging on the cross, many people insulted him, including the two thieves who hung on the cross with Him. However, in Luke 23:39-41, one of the thieves confessed Him saying, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” He had a change of heart. He knew he deserved what he was getting, but he also knew that Christ was innocent and did not deserve to be crucified.

An unfortunate case of someone who was unwilling to change was Agrippa. Paul made an appeal to the Roman ruler by asking the question if he believed the prophets concerning Christ. He replied, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” We never know if he ever the change to become a child of God.

What do you need to do? Are you willing to change? Will you have a heart that can be molded like Paul or the thief on the cross? Or will you be like Agrippa? Acts 3:19 says, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” If you are willing to repent and obey, then the “times of refreshing” can occur in your soul. If you would like to study further, please contact us.

Kyle Campbell

Don't be a friend of the world

2009-09-09T11:27:00.001-05:00

James wrote, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (4:4). James spoke this to Christians who have gone back to a life they should not have. “Adulteresses” implies leaving something to which they ought to be faithful.

Peter said, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11). Separation from the world involves the heart and the body. Paul spoke of the body in Romans 12:1-2, and Jesus spoke of the heart in Matthew 15:19-20.

The Bible is very clear in that there is no middle ground. Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters …” and “He that is not with me is against me …” Judges 5:23 says, “Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.” Meroz tried to be neutral, but it is not possible.

So we need to keep ourselves “unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). The worldly attitudes of envy, jealousy, hatred, worry, etc., must be put away, along with the worldly actions of adultery, lying, drinking, drugs, etc. If you want your name to be in the Lamb’s book life at the judgment day (Revelation 20:11-15), then you need to run away from the world and run toward God and obey Him!

Kyle Campbell

No regrets!

2009-09-06T23:28:00.001-05:00

You know, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who regrets becoming a Christian. It is very unfortunate that some “televangelists” portray the Christian life as an avenue for prosperity and satisfaction. But the Bible tells a different story.

Paul wrote, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). When Paul and Barnabas returned from preaching the gospel in Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, they said, “… we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). The scriptures are clear that living as a Christian can be a very difficult road. That being the case, you would expect to hear a lot of people complaining and leaving the Lord, right? Wrong!

People who labor through the problems know that their labor is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58). They joyfully accept the “bad times” right along with the “good times.” And they wouldn’t change it for the world! It’s encouraging to know that so many godly, righteous Christians are exactly where they want to be: in the bosom of their beloved Father, serving Him faithfully, and anticipating a glorious home in heaven one day!

Kyle Campbell

Archaeology: The pool of Bethesda

2009-09-01T08:29:00.001-05:00

This site, mentioned in John 5:1-15, had long been disputed. Until the 19th century, there was no archaeological evidence for the Pool of Bethesda, so skeptics used this as proof that John’s account was written by some later zealot who did not have eyewitness knowledge of Jerusalem or an actual pool called Bethesda.

In 1956, digging at the ancient biblical site of Bethesda, near the Sheep Gate just north of the temple mount in Jerusalem, archaeologists unearthed a rectangular pool 40 feet underground with two porticos or colonnades on each side and a fifth one on the broad retaining wall that separates the northern from the southern pool.

Kyle Campbell

Perverting the straight ways of the Lord

2009-08-30T16:43:00.002-05:00

In the beginning, Satan twisted the meaning of one of God’s commandments by adding one word (Gen. 3:4). When Eve fell for this perversion, mankind was exposed to sin and death. Satan had an effective technique, and continued to use it as a means of perverting God’s standards for truth and righteousness. The prophet Isaiah pronounced a woe upon those who helped Satan accomplish this purpose: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20).

Satan continues to pervert God’s truth so that evil is celebrated as that which is good, desirous and acceptable, while that which is good is deemed unsuitable for the benefit of man and society. A modern day example of such is the change in our country’s attitude towards homosexuality. There was a time, not long ago, when homosexuality was commonly viewed as a sin against God. Even non-religious people had a “zero tolerance policy” for the lifestyle. Homosexuality was wrong, it was unacceptable, and those who chose to engage in homosexuality felt the pressure to keep it “in the closet.”

Those in the television industry who were sympathetic to homosexuals began using their influence to bring about a change in the way society viewed homosexuals. I remember one program in particular. We all laughed every Tuesday evening as Jack Tripper pretended to be “gay” so he could room with Janet and Chrissy. He wasn’t really a homosexual, but we laughed at him for pretending to be one. We accepted it. This led the way to introducing characters on other programs who were homosexuals. Such characters may have been uncomfortable for some viewers at first, but soon they were acceptable because, after all, it was just a TV show. It was just make-believe. However, something was happening during this time. We, as a society, were being conditioned to accept homosexuality, and it worked. Today, homosexuals are encouraged to come out of the closet and take their places in society, and a good many people appear to be ready to welcome them. In recent years, our courts have changed the way that they rule on matters pertaining to homosexuality. Our society now views homosexuals as good, loving people who deserve the right to be accepted. What was once called “evil” is now called “good.”

What about calling good “evil?” We see that this change has occurred as well with regards to homosexuality. Those who have no tolerance for homosexuality are now pressured to keep their views “in the closet.” What about the Christians who continue to insist that homosexuality is a sin? Such individuals have seen the tables turned against them. They are now the ones who are condemned as unloving, unsympathetic and unwilling to change with the times. Sermons that condemn homosexuality as a sin are now viewed as hate speech. In some places in the world, it is against the law to publicly proclaim what the Bible teaches about homosexuality. One can not help but wonder how long it will be until such becomes the case in the United States. The extreme measures to which some are going in opposing all that was once accepted as good is seen in the fact that a homosexual in Michigan recently filed a law suit against Zondervan Publishing and Thomas Nelson Publishing because they publish a version of the Bible that condemns homosexuality as a sin.

The change of views on homosexuality is just one example of the devil’s modern efforts to pervert the straight ways of the Lord (Acts 13:10). God’s Word has established the standard of good and evil. “Concerning Your testimonies, I have known of old that You have founded them forever… The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever” (Psalm 119:152, 160). Woe to those of us who pervert the established ways of the Lord, calling evil “good” and good “evil.”

Adapted from Heath Rogers

What will they see in you?

2009-08-27T14:23:00.000-05:00

A healthy marriage can help children to see God and Jesus. When children are young, what they know about God and Jesus will be seen in their parents. What can they see?

First, they need to see the our love for Jesus. Jesus gave His life so that they may live (Romans 6:16-18; 1 John 5:2-3). Second, they need to see our love for each other. Maybe children act badly because they don’t see righteousness in their parents (John 13:35; Titus 2:7-8). Third, they need to see us talk about hard subjects. Sex, drug abuse, and other moral issues have to be discussed by parents so that children can have happy lives (Proverbs 3:13; Galatians 5:19-21).

So what will they see in you? Will what they see help them to become Christians? Will what they see build their faith? Will what they see help them to be better husbands and wives? We should constantly teach our children, but they can learn a lot from just watching us. “What have they seen in thine house” (2 Kings 20:15)?

Kyle Campbell

"I Pray …"

2009-08-20T09:32:00.000-05:00

Paul had many wonderful prayers recorded in his letters. From them, you can tell that he had the utmost concern for the church and for God’s people living in a holy way. Our prayers should show a similar pattern of thought. With this in mind, let’s discuss three areas our prayers need to address.

First, there is our relationship to God. We should want the name of the Lord glorified in us (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12). Children of God are to be the salt of the earth and the lights of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). Simply put, we are to “walk worthy of the Lord” (Colossians 1:9-10).

Second, there is our responsibility to others. We should pray for love among all the saints (Ephesians 1:15). We also need to be of one mind and live peacefully with one another (2 Corinthians 13:11). When we do so, we will continue in fellowship (Acts 16:15; Philippians 1:3-5).

Third, there is our responsibility to ourselves. Do you increase in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding (Ephesians 1:17-18)? Every child of God should determine to “approve the things that are excellent” and be “filled with the fruits of righteousness” (Philippians 1:10-11; Galatians 5:22-25). In this way we will be guarded from Satan (2 Thessalonians 3:3; 1 Peter 5:8-9).

Paul finished his first letter to the Corinthians by saying, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen” (1 Corinthians 16:23-24). When you pray, think of these three areas and petition your Father in heaven for what is good instead of “asking amiss” (James 4:3).

Kyle Campbell

The suffering servant

2009-08-17T10:41:00.001-05:00

God exhibited His power through weakness. Paul wrote, “For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you” (2 Corinthians 13:4). The picture of Jesus in Isaiah 53 is not flashy, eloquent, or flamboyant -- it is weak according to man’s standards. However, it shows why He is the perfect sacrifice for your sins.

The world acted negatively to Jesus. Religious experts abhorred Him. But Christ did not want to see you punished for your sins, so He laid down His life: “As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:15).

When the Ethiopian eunuch heard Isaiah’s great message of salvation, he promptly obeyed (Acts 8:26-39). You need to swallow your pride and obey. The cross represented a tremendous humiliation, and you have to show similar humility to be obedient. You also need to be thankful for what Christ has done for you. You need to show Christ in you and display it to others. Most of the world is in love with the baby Jesus, but the Christian is in love with the Jesus who was mocked and rejected, beaten and afflicted (1 Peter 2:22-24).

Kyle Campbell

What the gospel demands

2009-08-13T20:49:00.001-05:00

In John 4, Jesus spoke with the woman at the well. This was an awkward situation because in Jewish society, women were viewed as second class citizens. One would not have normally thought that the Lord would have spoken to her. But that’s not all. She was also a sinner -- guilty of the sin of adultery. John 4:18 says, “For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.”

Jesus told this sinful woman that “the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:13-14). The “living water” the Lord offered could not compare to anything this woman had ever experienced, but in order to enjoy it she had to get her life right. God requires more than just belief. After we believe in the gospel, we have to repent (Acts 17:30), confess (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized for the remission of our sins (Acts 2:38). At this point we enjoy “living water,” and if we are faithful, the crown of life (Revelation 2:10).

Kyle Campbell

Archaeology: The house of Yahweh ostracon

2009-08-02T08:13:00.000-05:00

This find appears to be a receipt for a donation of three shekels of silver to the House of Yahweh (Solomon’s temple).

This ostracon (writing on a piece of pottery) is 4 inches wide and 3 1/2 inches tall. It is not known where it was found. Some scholars date it between 835 and 796 B.C., some 130 years after the Temple was built.

This extremely important find is the oldest mention of Solomon’s Temple that has been found outside the Bible.

Kyle Campbell

Seeking Him

2009-07-30T07:46:00.004-05:00

I wonder if we think about some passages in the Bible as we should. God has made some very heartening promises for His faithful children. For example, Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” It’s a wonderful promise, but one has to be right before God.

“Seek” means a “diligent search” and “first” means “before anything else.” Do you truly seek God in this way? Do you make a diligent search to please Him before anything else? To do otherwise is useless. When Peter complained that they had left everything to follow Christ, He promised them that they would receive back many times over and they would receive eternal life (Mark 10:28-30).

We worry a lot about the future but we should just be putting God first. Psalm 37:4-5 says, “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” The way that you can put Him first is by obeying Him. Please contact us if you would like to know more about obeying His will.

Kyle Campbell

Accomplishments

2009-07-28T14:59:00.000-05:00

God’s people have accomplished the unthinkable in the past. For example, in Judges 7, Gideon was able to defeat the Midianites with only 300 men. In Judges 15, Samson was able to defeat 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. In 1 Samuel 17, David was able to defeat the Philistine giant Goliath. In 2 Chronicles 14, Asa was able to defeat the much larger force of the Ethiopians. Every one of these victories have something in common: God helped His people!

Can the same happen today? Well, not exactly in the same sense, for some of these were miraculous deliverances. However, through His providence, God can help us to accomplish great victories. What we need to do is operate by faith (Hebrews 11:6; Colossians 3:17), and allow our convictions to product resolve and courage (Joshua 1:2, 5-9). We will need great resolve to stand against the majority (Matthew 7:13-14) and to endure persecution (John 15:20; 2 Timothy 3:12). If this is the case, we can hope for success (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 15:58)!

Kyle Campbell

The threefold promise to Abraham

2009-07-17T07:12:00.000-05:00

Genesis 12:1-3 reads, “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

This was a landmark promise in the Bible, and it sets the stage for unfolding of the scheme of redemption. Three promises are made in the preceding scripture: 1) A land would be given to his descendants; 2) God would make a great nation of Abraham; and, 3) All the nations of the earth would be blessed through his seed (cf. Genesis 22:18).

The first promise was fulfilled when Abraham was promised the land of Canaan. The second promise was fulfilled when the Israelites became a nation at Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:5-6; 24:7-8). In Joshua 21:43, the Bible records that all of the land that was promised to this new nation was given to them. The third promise was fulfilled in Galatians 3:16, where the seed that would bless all nations was Christ.

Lots of people now think that some of these promises remain to be fulfilled. However, the Bible clearly says that all has been fulfilled. God’s plan of salvation has been fully revealed! What is left is for you to obey God and do His will. Abraham was blessed “because thou hast obeyed my voice.” Will you obey God and repent of your sins, confessing Christ, and being baptized for the remission of your sins?

Kyle Campbell

The temptations of Jesus

2009-07-13T07:12:00.003-05:00

The apostle John wrote, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:16). The temptations of Jesus illustrate each one of these categories (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13), and it will be helpful to explore them so that you can avoid them.

The first temptation the devil presented Him with was turning stones to bread. This was the lust of the eyes. Jesus had been fasting for 40 days and would have felt desperately hungry. This temptation would have appealed to that strong desire for nourishment.

The second temptation was casting Himself down and letting the angels bear Him up. This was the lust of the flesh. The strongest fear that any human has is the fear of death. One can imagine that Jesus would have felt this fear, being part of humanity Himself.

The third temptation the devil tried was giving Him all of the kingdoms of the world if He would fall down and worship the devil. This was the pride of life. Fame and fortune appeals to all, and Satan tried to use this deception to trick Jesus to his ultimate goal: devil worship.

Could Jesus have rationalized and gave in to the devil? I suppose He could. But if He had, He could not have been our perfect sacrifice. Hebrews 2:17-18 says, “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” Jesus was able to overcome them with the power of God’s word. Christ is our example, so let us look to Him and God’s inspired teachings to overcome the devil and His temptations.

Kyle Campbell

How's your work ethic?

2009-07-07T10:09:00.005-05:00

From the very beginning, God intended man to work. In Genesis 2:15, the Bible says, “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” After Adam and Eve sinned, a part of their punishment included more difficult labor. Genesis 3:19 says, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”

Paul regulated the proper boundaries of the servant and master relationship in Ephesians 6:5-9 (a parallel is found in Colossians 3:22-4:1). He says that we work as masters or servants as “unto Christ.” That is, I need to be a good employee or employer because it’s not just about treating each other fairly, but it’s about working hard for the Lord’s sake, even if the master or employer is bad (1 Peter 2:18-19). The Thessalonians thought the Lord was coming so quickly that they quit working! The penalty was so severe that those who refused to start working again were to be disfellowshipped (2 Thessalonians 3:6, 10-15).

God created work right from the beginning. A Christian can abuse work, using it as an “idol” which controls one’s life. This is the wrong approach. God intended us to find enjoyment and fulfillment in our work, and those who do not work as they should dishonor God and fail to find the blessings God intended for His creation. Don’t do whatever you can to shirk you work, but work with all your might “in singleness of heart, fearing God” (Colossians 3:22).

Kyle Campbell

Archaeology: The Galilee boat

2009-07-01T21:23:00.000-05:00

In 1986 the water of the Sea of Galilee reached an unusually low point. At that time, residents of a village on the northwest shore discovered an ancient fishing boat that has been claimed to date from the first century B.C.

The vessel was 25 feet long and was preserved in the mud of the lake. Coins and pottery found with the boat date to New Testament times. The only such boat ever found, it shows the type of boats used by Jesus and the disciples.

After a difficult unearthing process that had to be completed before the water rose again, the excavated boat was put on display in its modern-day position near the kibbutz Ginosar.

Kyle Campbell