If you haven’t noticed by now, with the emphasis on Jesus’ name for Vacation Bible School, the name of Jesus is the most important name of all.  Isaiah foretold that a virgin would bear a son whose name would be “Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14) and this was fulfilled in Mary giving birth to Jesus (Mat. 1:21-23). Jesus came to save people from their sins and His name would prove to be powerful:

• We have life through his name (John 20:31)
• We are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38)
• We preach the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 8:12)
• We can speak boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 9:29)
• We put our lives on the line for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 15:26)
• We give our thanks to God in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:20)
• We will all bow at the name of Jesus one day (Phi. 2:10)
• We must do everything in religion by the name of the Lord Jesus (Col. 3:17)
• We glorify the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 The. 1:12)

No wonder Jesus should be the center of our lives!  His name is “far above . . .every name that is named” (Eph. 1:21) as “God as highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name” (Phi. 2:9). Jesus is our Savior and the only way to the Father (John 14:6).  Let us hold up His great name as we follow Him alone throughout life and into eternity! “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). 
​~Derrick Coble

​When a person has an open mind he is willing to consider new ideas.  He tries to eliminate prejudice or pre-conceived thoughts about something and honestly tries to evaluate the new concept in all fairness.  In other words, when a person with an open mind hears something new, his first answer is not, “No” and his first thought is not negative or suspicious of evil.  The open-minded person seeks to learn more about what is new with interest and challenges himself to give full consideration to the new idea before making a decision.  In the Lord’s church today it is sometimes difficult for members to truly have an open mind.  This challenge comes from those who say, “This is the way we have always done it” or, “I have never seen it done like that before.”  It comes from long standing traditions on optional matters that members may often believe are not optional but, “the way it should be.”  It is needful for each Christian to remember that there are God-given “traditions” that must be kept (2 The. 2:15); yet, there are other traditions such as: using song books, meeting twice on Sunday, or ending each service with a prayer that are not to be Scripturally bound.  From God’s vantage point, being open-minded is a good thing.  In fact, the Bereans were praised for this character trait: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11).  According to Strong’s the term, “noble” literally means, “well-born.”  It was used by Greeks to refer to those of noble birth; yet, was also applied to those who are of noble character and open to evidence. Luke recorded a contrast between the Jews in Thessalonica and those in Berea.  Among those in Thessalonica, only “some of them believed” (Acts 17:4); however, in Berea “many of them believed” (Acts 17:5).  What was the reason for the difference?  Those in Berea were “more noble” or, it could be said, more “open-minded” to the Truth.  The result of this good character trait was that they received the word with eagerness and examined what he said with the Scriptures—not with their pre-conceived beliefs.  Let us all truly resolve to be like the noble minded Bereans investigating and using God’s Word as the only religious guide and authority (Col. 3:17; Titus 2:15).  ~Derrick Coble

"On one occasion Col. Robert G. Ingersoll, the agnostic lecturer of the last century, was announced to give an address on Hell. He declared he would prove conclusively that Hell was a wild dream of some scheming theologians who invented it to terrify credulous people. As he was launching into his subject, a half-drunken man arose in the audience and exclaimed, 'Make it strong, Bob. There's a lot of us poor fellows depending on you. If you are wrong, we are all lost. So be sure you prove it clear and plain.'" Too many people are going to be unpleasantly surprised when they find themselves in Hell for eternity.  It isn't for a lack of warning.  Jesus spoke of Hell as a place where the fire shall never be quenched (Mark 9:43; Matthew 25:41) and He warned everyone against the danger of being there (Matthew 5:22).  It is real and it is reserved for the unrighteous (Matthew 25:46), the disobedient (2 Thessalonians 1:8), and the wicked (Psalm 9:17).  But, an interesting question is at hand.  Will Hell be worse for some than others?  Let the Scriptures decide: 
(1)  Matthew 10:14,15 "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet:  Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city."
 
(2)  Luke 12:47,48 "And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more."
 
(3)  Hebrews 10:29 "Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"
 
(4)  2 Peter 2:20 "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning."
 
Analyzing the verses above, it is easy to see that there are degrees of punishment in eternal Hell.  First, the sinful homosexual lifestyle of those in Sodom and Gomorrah caused them to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire (Jude 7).  However, Jesus said it would be more tolerable for them in Hell than those lost sheep of the house of Israel who rejected their opportunity to receive the words of the apostles.  Second, Jesus made it clear that the servant who presumptuously disobeys (because of the Lord's delay in His return) will be beaten with many stripes as opposed to the few stripes for those who "knew not."  Third, there will be "sorer" (literally, more evil or aggravated) punishment for those who cast aside the better message of the better covenant for anything else (Hebrews 8:6).  Fourth, once a person escapes the condemnation of sin by accepting the Gospel of Christ, then turns back into the sin they previously washed away, "the latter end is worse than the beginning."  In other words, there will be punishment in Hell for all the unbelievers for all time, but an even greater punishment reserved for the Christians who have gone astray, replacing the God of Heaven with the Devil of Hell (John 8:44).   
~Derrick Coble

The Easter holiday can be somewhat confusing because the word itself is found in the King James Version (Acts 12:4).  In this one verse, the Greek word, “pascha” is curiously translated as “Easter” when 28 out of 29 times in the New Testament it is correctly translated as, “Passover.”  So, technically Easter is not really in the Bible.  The Jews were accustomed to observing the Passover as it commemorated their deliverance out of Egypt and God commanded this feast to be kept under Old Testament law (Exo. 12; Lev. 23:4-8).  At the death of Jesus, the Old Law was no longer binding, and the observance of the Passover was not necessary for Christians (Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14).  However, it seems that since Jesus’ death and resurrection happened at the time of the Jewish Passover, the observance of the Passover eventually transformed into an observance of His death as “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7).  After this, other observances were added like, “Palm Sunday” (the day of His triumphant entry), “Good Friday” (the day He was crucified) and “Resurrection Sunday” (Easter).
The problem is that God has given no authority for the church to elevate this one Sunday over any other.  We cannot go beyond the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9-11) and elevate days, months, or season as religious holidays that God has not designated (Gal. 4:10,11).  There is only one true holy day that we must observe today and that is the first day of the week (every Sunday).  Every Sunday is the Lord’s day (Rev. 1:10).  The Lord Himself has designed that we remember His death and show it to the world through the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week (Mat. 26:26-28; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).  There is no need for a special religious “Easter” observance, in fact, it is simply a vain tradition of men (Col. 2:8; 2 Tim. 4:3). 
~Derrick Coble

​It is a fact that every person who has ever lived will be judged according to his works upon this earth (2 Cor. 5:10).  But, do we ever think about the Judgment Day and the scenes that we will see?  As we are all standing and waiting to be judged, we will see scenes of joy but we will see some sad scenes as well.  Concerning that day, Jesus said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Mat. 7:21-23). From this passage, we can see three sad scenes:
First, notice the proclamation of the Son and Savior.  Jesus said that not everyone who professes to believe in Him will enter into Heaven.  Why is this the case? It is simply because belief alone is not enough to save, but each must do the will of the Father in Heaven. What is the will of the Father?  To obey all of His commands to salvation and life a faithful, obedient life so as not to fall away (Heb. 3:12).  Not only must one believe (John 8:24), but he must repent (2 Cor. 7:10), confess the Christ (Rom. 10:10), and be baptized in order to have forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  Then live faithfully (1 Cor. 15:58).  When a person obeys the Father in this way and continues to do His Will, he will be able to enter Heaven.  All those who profess to be Christian but have not obeyed all of God’s commands will be sadly rejected from Heaven in judgment.
Second, Jesus tell us of the pleading that many will do on that great day.  All those who profess to be Christians by merely naming His name will plead and tell the great things they have done.  These people think that are saved, but Jesus will tell them otherwise.  How sad it will be to hear all the pleading of those who have been deceived into thinking they are children of God on Judgment Day.
Third, we will hear the profession of the Great Shepherd.  After all the unrighteous have pleaded their case, Jesus will profess to them that all the works they did were in vain because they didn’t do the Father’s Will.  No matter how hard the pleading, no matter how long the cry, Jesus will say, “I never knew you.”  In essence, He never recognized them.  They will simply be told to depart from Him.  When one departs from the light of life (John 8:12), he can only go to the darkness of death.  This is final and the saddest scene of all.
The scene for us does not have to be sad if we will obey the Lord.  The only time we are promised on the earth is now—this is the day of salvation (2 Cor. 6:2).  Are you prepared for the great day of judgment?  Don’t let it be sad for you.
~Derrick Coble

​1. Understand the power of prayer: God is able to do “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Eph. 3:20). There is much that God can do, but He wants us to ask Him (Mat. 6:8; 7:7). The power of prayer is available to every Christian in confidence as we ask according to God’s will (1 John 5:14).
2. Organize your prayer thoughts: Using an acronym, like ACTS, is a good way to organize the thoughts of your prayers. A = Adoration (praise to God; Psa. 100), C = Confession (confess any sins standing between you and God; 1 John 1:9), T = Thanks (1 The. 5:18), S = Supplication (make requests; Phi. 4:6)
3. Make lists to help you:  Using a daily list of those to remember in prayer can be very helpful. It can include: the church as a whole, members, the work of the church, community members, immediate family, friends and extended family, neighbors, mission works, those who have not obeyed the Gospel or are erring, city and state, country, government leaders, current events, specific family plans or struggles, etc. (1 Tim. 2:1-3).
4. Start and end every day with prayer: forming a habit to pray before you get out of bed and as you lay down each night is a good way to have regular quiet time in talking to God (1 The. 5:17).
5. Make use of any alone time: Be creative in using time alone to prayer.  You could pray while driving, in the shower, doing chores, or simply when at home alone. Jesus spent time alone in prayer (Mat. 14:23).
6.  Ask in faith and ask persistently: Prayers will not be answered if we do not have faith (James 1:6,7). Not only that, but we must have the patience to keep asking and not becoming discouraged (Luke 18:1). Remember that God will answer the prayers of the righteous, but His answer may not be what we want or expect (1 Pet. 3:12; 2 Cor. 12:8,9).
7. Follow the model Jesus gave: Jesus taught His disciples how to pray with a model (Mat. 6:9-15). His example can be followed as a good way to organize our thoughts in prayer.
8. Try to be consistent: Getting in the habit of praying consistently may not come easy at first, so it might be good to set a reminder using your phone or a watch/clock alarm. This will allow you to ultimately pray more instinctively and regularly (Eph. 6:18). 
​~Derrick Coble

​Mardi Gras, which is French for “Fat Tuesday,” is being celebrated today as a “Christian” holiday. According to tradition, the first American Mardi Gras took place on March 3, 1699 when French explorers landed near New Orleans, LA. This was a tradition that was incorporated into Roman Catholicism in answer to pagan celebrations (history.com). It is a day of partying and feasting on rich and fatty foods preceding Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent (literally meaning, “spring”) which is a period of fasting and penitence 40 days before Easter (Holman Bible Dictionary).
According to the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, “the first mention of a period of 40 days occurs in the Canons of Nicaea (AD 325) . . . and the number 40 was evidently suggested by the 40 days’ fasts of Moses, Elijah, and esp. the Lord Himself.”  However, through the centuries, the strictness of the fast has been removed.  Today, “Lent is generally observed as a time of penance by abstaining from festivities, by almsgiving, and by devoting more than usual time to religious exercises.”  So, Mardi Gras is one final “celebration” before devoting oneself to more spiritual things.
Religiously, the responsibility of every person is to “prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 The. 5:21).  “Proving” involves testing.  So, every religious practice must be tested to try to determine the genuineness of it (Louw-Nida).  This happens by gathering the evidence and correctly handling the evidence that is gathered.  As far as observing Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, and the season of Lent is concerned, there is no command or example of such in the New Testament.  Even though it has been observed that as early as the 2nd century Christians were fasting several days before the Passover time of year, there is still nothing that God has bound relative to this observance.  Jesus mentioned fasting that could be done “in secret” (Mat. 6:18) and the early church fasted before important events (Acts 13:2,3; 14:23).  Never was it commanded to observe a 40-day season of “Lent” or fasting.
It is important to note that it was prophesied that some would “depart from the faith” (1 Tim. 4:1) and a “falling away” would occur (2 The. 2:3). In his book, The Eternal Kingdom, F.W. Mattox recorded, “During the first fifty years after the death of the Apostle John, the church struggled to maintain Apostolic purity” (p.107).  The first change that took place had to do with the authority of elders, which evolved into a one man “bishop” system and by 150 AD there is evidence that a “clergy” system was already being developed (p. 111).  These changes, along with many more, would ultimately shape the Catholic Church allowing for decrees (like Mardi Gras and Lent) to be implemented into “Christian Law.”  Remember, all that is commanded must be done by the Lord’s authority (Col. 3:17; 1 Cor. 14:37).  Let each of us make sure that we are not going beyond what is written (1 Cor. 4:6; 2 John 9). 

Derrick Coble

​In 1966, John Lennon (frontman for The Beatles) stated in an interview, “Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that; I know I’m right and I will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now. I don’t know which will go first—rock & roll or Christianity” (Jordan Runtagh, Rolling Stone, July 29, 2016). This is but one example of those who have exhibited the spirit of blasphemy in modern times. Blasphemy literally means, “to speak harm” or “damage” and it is always seen in an attitude of disrespect against the character of God.
From the Old Testament to the New Testament, blasphemy has always been a serious offense because it is the opposite of praise. Under the Old Testament law, it primarily was an action against God’s name. In fact, if an Israelite cursed God he was guilty of blasphemy and was to be put to death (Lev. 24:14-16).  The Assyrians were guilty of blasphemy when they claimed their army was mightier than God (2 Kings 19:6) and the Edomites blasphemed when they rejoiced over the fall of Jerusalem (Eze. 35:12).  Under New Testament Law, blasphemy also includes anything done against Christ and the church. The Jews accused Jesus of blasphemy when He said, “I am the Son of God” (John 10:36) and Paul recognized himself as a blasphemer when he was persecuting the church (1 Tim. 1:13).
Unfortunately, blasphemy is still all around us today. When a person takes the Lord’s name in vain, using His name in an empty and meaningless way, it is considered blasphemy (Exo. 20:7; 2 Tim. 3:2).  Other modern examples would be: burning a Bible, creating artwork that dishonors God, or portraying God or Jesus in a perverse or dishonorable way on T.V. or movies.  The command is to “put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth” (Col. 3:8).
Blasphemy will certainly keep a person out of Heaven; however, as with others sins, it can be forgiven. Jesus said, “And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him . . . (Mat. 12:32). Some may speak harsh words against the Lord out of ignorance, but later repent and obey the Gospel being forgiven (Acts 3:17-19). Unfortunately, there are others who will never repent and continue in sin, rejecting the only sacrifice for sins through Jesus (Heb. 10:26).  The bottom line is to always love, honor, and respect the Godhead in all that we say and do (Mat. 22:37-40; 1 Tim. 1:17).
 Derrick Coble

​The beautiful blankets of snow covering the entire ground never cease to amaze me.  It is a wonderful part of creation that clearly shows God exists and that He is powerful!  Job recorded, “God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength” (Job 37:5,6).  The Psalms also echo this by saying, “He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes. He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?” (Psa. 147:16-17).  These passages demonstrate the great power of God over nature.  As temperatures and wind chills plummet below freezing, we can’t stand before His cold as we run for shelter and warmth. Even by using salt and deicer to help the snow melt, we could never melt it all. Only God decides when it is time and “He sendeth out his word, and melteth them” (Psa. 147:18). 
God’s power is seen in how complex snow really is.  There are 35 different types of snowflakes and no two snowflakes are identical.  There have even been reports of giant snowflakes falling all across the earth measuring anywhere from two, to six, and even 15 inches across. Snow can fall leisurely or even up to 9 mph absorbing and when the ground is covered, it absorbs sound waves making everything quieter (bbcearth.com). Perhaps this complexity is one of the reasons why snow is seen as praising the Lord and fulfilling His Word (Psa. 148:7,8). 
Furthermore, the power of God through snow reveals how much we depend on Him.  Snow tends to stop everything for a time—road traffic, airports, businesses, electricity, etc. can all be affected by the snow.  There is a pause to our lives that causes us to see that we need God and depend on Him daily.  The good news is the righteous will never be forsaken (Psa. 37:25) and God will always supply our needs (Phi. 4:19).  The necessary pauses in life help us appreciate the blessings of God even more and cause us to wonder at His mighty power! 
So, enjoy the beauties of the snow while it is here. It will not be here forever. The seasons change showing the faithfulness of our Creator (Acts 14:17; Gen. 8:22) and soon the snow will melt away and the cold will end giving way to the blessings of spring and summer.  But, one thing will always remain: the greatness of our Lord and His great power (Psa. 147:5). 
​~Derrick Coble

The time-honored tradition of singing “Auld Lang Syne” on New Year’s Eve was popularized in North America on December 31, 1929. The phrase is actually Scottish and literally means, “old long since.” Yet, through the years, the definition has been refined to mean, “for old time’s sake” or “the olden days” (countryliving.com). So, the question in the song is, “Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?” Or you might ask, “Should the ‘olden days’ be forgotten?” The answer may seem to be an obvious, “no” but, spiritually speaking, it could be answered in a variety of ways: yes, no, or maybe. Each person must answer individually.

First, you might answer, “yes.” When the apostle Paul was thinking about his past he said, “this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before” (Phi. 3:13). His mind was made up that he would forget all of the past success he had in the Jewish religion (Phi. 3:5) and he would forget all of his past failures in persecuting the Lord’s church (Phi. 3:6). His goal was to be focused on Jesus and the prize of Heaven (Phi. 3:10-14). It could be that forgetting some of the worldly things that have overtaken our lives in the past year or more could be the best for us as well. We might take pride in certain accomplishments (job, personal goals, awards, etc.) but if they are taking us away from God, it is best to forget those things. Recommitting ourselves to focus our lives on Jesus, His Word, His church, and our eternity is essential (James 1:21).

Second, you might answer, “no.” The Hebrew Christians were told to “call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of affliction” (Heb. 10:32). After those Christians were first converted, all of the trials they had suffered didn’t seem to matter because they knew their treasures were in Heaven (Mat. 6:19,20). However, they were at the point where they were tempted to give up and turn back to Judaism. So, the inspired encouragement was don’t forget about your past success and don’t stop living faithfully to God (Heb. 10:38,39). Maybe this year has caused us problems to the point that we’ve felt like giving up. It is a good time to stop and remember the trials that God has helped us through in the “olden days” and not forget Him in our lives (1 Cor. 10:13; James 4:13-15).

Finally, you might answer, “maybe.” The Proverbs state, “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed” (Pro. 13:20) while Paul said, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Cor. 15:33). This means that sometimes it is necessary to rid ourselves of “old acquaintances” and old habits to keep ourselves out of sin. Family members or friends that put temptation in our paths through negative influences, cursing, drug and alcohol use, evil desires, anger, etc. may need to be avoided (Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 4:22-32). However, not at the cost of never attempting to save their souls. It is first necessary to show them the positive changes in our lives through the Gospel and allow them the same opportunity of hearing the “gospel of your salvation” (Eph. 1:13; Mark 16:15).

So, as the new year begins, the answer to the question of “Auld Lang Syne” is up to each individual. We never want to forget the “old paths” (Jer. 6:16) in following God and we do not want to forget that the souls of old acquaintances are important too. Remembering God and His Word daily will allow for opportunities to grow spiritually enjoying the “new days” ahead. 
Derrick Coble