Our country revolves around liberty.  The Liberty Bell is a symbol of the chiming of the bells at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA on July 8, 1776 summoning the citizens to come and hear the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence.  The Statue of Liberty commemorates the alliance between the United States and France during the American Revolution.  It was given to the United States by France on July 4, 1884 as a symbol of freedom. Liberty is literally the state of being free.  Freedom is what we value and hold onto. It is what America has come to stand for and nobody wants it taken away.  More important that any liberty that we have in our country is the liberty that we have in Christ (Gal. 5:1).

Liberty in Christ involves freedom from sin (John 8:32; Rom. 6:18).  We are free from the guilt of sin because of the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf and our obedience to the “perfect law of liberty” (the Gospel; James 1:25).  We are free from spiritual death as “the law of the Spirit in life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2).  We are not free to live a lifestyle of sin (Rom. 6:1) and no one can be free in any other church other than the Lord’s church (Acts 4:12; Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:25).

It is interesting that some are threatening our liberty now, even as they were the churches of Galatia.  That is why Paul said to “stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1).  The yoke of bondage is a symbol of the heavy burden of the Old Testament Law (cf. Acts 15:10).  There were some who thought it best to bind certain commandments of the Old Testament (like circumcision) on the Gentile Christians.  It was a dangerous situation going from liberty to slavery causing some to fall from grace (Gal. 5:4).  Even today, there are some who say that we are obligated to keep the Ten Commandments and bind the Sabbath Day on Christians as a day of worship rather than Sunday.  Paul would say, “Don’t take away my liberty.”  This was never in God’s commands for Christians.  The early church met every Sunday to worship and remember the Lord’s death in the memorial of the Lord’s Supper which He instituted (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:26).  Not only that, but Paul clearly stated that no man could judge Christians for not observing sabbath days (Col. 2:16).  The reason is because we have liberty in Christ and He released everyone from the Old Testament Law when He died on the cross (Rom. 7:1-6).  That is when freedom came in full to all the world and the Old Law with all its regulations and ordinances was replaced with the Law of Christ (Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14; Heb. 7:12).  We have a “better covenant, which was established upon better promises” (Heb. 8:6).
​
So, our liberty in Christ is what promises a future of eternal life (Gal. 1:8,9).  As men in our country have fought and died for our liberty, Jesus died for our spiritual liberty (Heb. 9:15). We have an obligation to Him to stand firm in that liberty and not let anyone take it away.  If we fall into Satan’s trap all liberty is gone and we will stand condemned (Rom. 8:1). Remember, we are “not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ . . . for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified” (Gal. 2:16). 

​~Derrick Coble

     As God was giving Moses special instructions regarding sacrifices and diet, there is a statement that catches our attention:  "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood" (Lev. 17:11,12).  Thus, blood is special because in it is life.  In fact, the American Red Cross has listed 50 facts about blood.  Among those facts are the following:  (1) More than 4.5 million patients need blood transfusions each year in the U.S. and Canada.  (2) 43,000 pints is the amount of donated blood used each day in the U.S. and Canada. (3) Someone needs blood every two seconds. (4) One out of every 10 people admitted in a hospital needs blood.  (5) One pint of blood can save up to three lives.  (6) Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.  (7) The #1 reason blood donors say they give is because they "want to help others." (8) There is no substitute for human blood.
     Every human needs blood in order to live.  As the Red Cross says, "there is no substitute for human blood." Incidentally, every soul needs blood to live too and there is no substitute for the blood of Jesus.  Animal blood cannot give us physical life and it cannot give us eternal life (Heb. 10:11).  The blood of Jesus gives us life only when we are fully immersed in it through baptism (Rev. 1:5; Acts 22:16).  His lifeblood flowed freely on the tree of Calvary so our sins could be covered (Rom. 4:7).  Jesus truly "wanted to help others" by giving His blood and it can save as many souls as will receive it "by the washing of regeneration" (Titus 3:5).  As John said,  "This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood" (1 John 5:6).  Our life is in His blood (Heb. 9:28).    
~Derrick Coble

God has given us a variety of emotions to fill our lives.  These emotions give us the ability to react to everything that happens to us—sometimes in a positive way and sometimes negative. However, we can’t let emotions control our lives and they can’t guide us in the right way.  It takes a knowledge of God’s Word and a positive response to His Word to truly “feel good.”  That is why when the Ethiopian eunuch learned and obeyed the Gospel, “he went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39).  He had a positive response to hearing the Gospel and knew he was saved when he obeyed (Rom. 1:16).  Others, when hearing God’s Word respond negatively maybe because it makes them feel bad about their situation and they don’t want to change.  When Jesus preached in the synagogue at Nazareth they “were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city” (Luke 4:28,29). 

Emotions, in and of themselves, are not good or bad.  In fact, even emotions that are not the most pleasant can be helpful to us. Fear is not an emotion that we desire, but it can help us to stay faithful knowing the consequences of disobedience (Luke 12:5).  Feeling anxiety can be a problematic emotion when we are under pressure, but it can be used to help us stay alert and motivate us to solve problems (Rom. 13:11; 1 The. 5:6; 1 Pet. 5:8). But, if we allow anxiety to overwhelm us and control our lives in worry, we need to commit ourselves back to prayer and give those problems to God (Phi. 4:6,7).  Disappointments will come to our lives, especially if we when we put too much confidence in others. Our family members and friends are subject to sin just like us and we must be aware of that and be gracious and forgiving (Eph. 4:32).  “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man” (Psa. 118:8).  There will even be moments of anger that we must face.  Anger can be a healthy emotion ultimately in cooperating with others. If it is justified and expressed in a controlled way, then conflicts can be resolved in the appropriate way.  This will allow for greater understanding from each person, allowing for less conflict in the future.  Paul was angry with Barnabas causing them to separate for a while (Acts 15:39); yet later he showed respect for Barnabas commending him (Col. 4:10). 

The best emotions of delight (Psa. 37:4), affection (Rom. 12:10), joy (Psa. 5:11), love (1 Cor. 13:13), peace (Gal. 5:22), and happiness (Psa. 144:15) will come and go throughout our lives.  Even the most faithful Christian will have difficult days and feel down at times.  It is in those times that we need to remind ourselves that bad experiences are really only “light affliction” and it is only happening “for a moment” (2 Cor. 4:17).  We can be strong in the Lord and know that He has promised the faithful a place with Him (Eph. 6:10; John 14:2,3).  That’s why He has said, “Let not your heart be troubled” (John 14).  
​~Derrick Coble

1. Do a good deed every day:  When we do something good for someone else it always makes us feel better and the day seems a little brighter.  The apostle Paul said, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Gal. 6:10).  It is essential to always remember to be active in doing good (Heb. 13:16).
​
2. Show Kindness:  Someone has observed, “Kindness makes a person attractive.  If you would win the world, melt it, do not hammer it.” Nobody likes to be around someone who is unkind and rude; therefore, the fruit we must bear is kindness because that shows true love for others (Gal. 5:22; 1 Cor. 13:4)

3. Listen to Good News:  We are constantly hearing bad news on the television, internet, and radio.  So, it is refreshing to hear something good from time to time.  “As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country” (Pro. 25:25).  The best news in the world today is the Gospel of Christ.  The Gospel alone saves those who will listen and obey it (2 The. 1:8,9).

4. Attend Worship Regularly: Sometimes people think that worshipping God in an assembly of Christians is not important.  However, God requires us to assemble before him (Heb. 10:25).  It should be understood that God does not accept just any form of worship, but the only worship that He accepts is that which is done in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).  Thus, He has told us what this entails: preaching (2 Tim. 4:2), praying (1 Tim. 2:1,2), giving (1 Cor. 16:1,2), singing (Eph. 5:19), and observing the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7). 

5. Do your best to stay away from sin:  Sin is our greatest problem because everyone has experienced it (Rom. 3:23).  However, making an effort to abstain from sin and follow the Lord with a penitent heart is not impossible.  The Lord was tempted in every way—just like us (Heb. 4:15).  He did this so that he could aid us and plead our case before the Father (Heb. 2:18; 1 John 2:1).  But, if we are not showing godly sorrow for sin and doing our best to change our lives, then we have no promise of a better life (2 Cor. 7:10; Psa. 68:2).  The only way we can do this, is to conform to the teachings of our Lord in giving our lives to him through faith (Rom. 10:17), repentance (Luke 13:3), confession of Jesus (Rom. 10:10), and baptism (Mark 16:16).  

~Derrick Coble

We have all had the experience of learning something and then later forgetting what we thought we had learned.  It is easy to do!  Think back to all the things that you learned in school or in college.  If you haven’t refreshed yourself and reviewed many of those subjects regularly (if you’re like me), you’ve forgotten more than you knew!  For this reason, God has left us with His inspired Word to study and refresh ourselves often, so we don’t forget (Rom. 12:1,2; 1 Tim. 4:13).  A lack of knowledge has been a problem for God’s people before which led to their punishment (Hos. 4:6).  We don’t want that to happen today, so here are some fundamentals to review and know:

There is only one church.  The church of Christ was built by Jesus Himself (Mat. 16:18) and began on the Day of Pentecost AD 33 (Acts 2).  No other church was formed until hundreds of years later.  That means the church that you read about in the Bible is the only one that can save us (Acts 4:12; Eph. 5:23; Col. 1:18). 

God does not approve of denominationalism.  Because Jesus built one church, there should be no division into multiple churches, called by different names, with different doctrines.  This is clearly seen from the problem at Corinth (1 Cor. 1:10-13).  If we show our support to various churches by commending them or by attending their worship/events, we are going beyond what God allows (2 John 9-11; Eph. 5:11; 1 Tim. 4:1-8).

Baptism is for the forgiveness of sins.  Many teach that a person is saved by their faith and then they are baptized as the first step of obedience.  However, this is not what Jesus taught nor the apostles and inspired preachers.  They taught that a person must believe, repent, confess that Jesus is the Christ and then be baptized in order to be saved (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 8:36-38).  Baptism is only for those who are old enough and competent enough to understand the fullness of the Gospel and the importance of the church knowing they stand condemned without washing away their sins (Acts 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21).

Attending worship is not an option.  The early church met every first day of the week being careful not to willfully choose to forsake the assembly (Heb. 10:25; 1 Cor. 16:1,2). Remembering Christ’s death on that day through the observance of the Lord’s Supper was their purpose, in addition to praise in song, prayer, giving, and teaching (Acts 20:7; Eph. 5:19; 1 Tim. 2).  It has become popular with the onset of live streaming to neglect the worship assembly in favor of “watching later” or “watching while driving” to pursue other interests before the Lord.  However, there is no substitute for “true worshippers” (John 4:23).

No doubt, in a society of “tolerance” and “acceptance” it is easy to be influenced by the world around us.  But, we can’t forget and neglect the principles that God has put into place for our own good.  God wants His laws in our minds (Heb. 8:10).  This will allow us to save ourselves and save others (1 Tim. 4:16). 

​~Derrick Coble

​Jesus has all authority in Heaven and on earth (Mat. 28:18).  Therefore, we are baptized in His name (Acts 10:48; Mat. 28:19,20), we are justified in His name (1 Cor. 6:11) and whatever we do in word or deed must be done in His name (Col. 3:17).  Jesus is our mediator (1 Tim. 2:5) and He is sympathetic (Heb. 4:15).  This may be one reason why it was important for Him to ascend bodily into Heaven—there will always be a part of Jesus that is man (Acts 17:31).  Even though He is in Heaven, He has not forgotten how weak the flesh can be or who we often struggle in our physical bodies—He understands and sympathizes with us as an advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1).  For over 3 years while Jesus was with His disciples, they took all their problems to Him and it was distressing that He would soon be gone from the earth.  Therefore, He said, “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you” (John 16:23).   Jesus reassured the disciples that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth (John 16:13) and that He would still be listening as a mediator in prayer.  For us, it is a comfort to know that Jesus has promised to be with us unto the end of the world (Mat. 28:20) and we can talk to God in prayer in His name.  We do have to ask in faith (James 1:5) and we do have to ask according to God’s will (1 John 5:14,15).  Remember that, “God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth” (John 9:31).
 ~Derrick Coble

​The necessity of baptism for salvation is clearly taught in the Scriptures. Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16).  Paul told the Romans that baptism gives “newness of life” and allows a person to be “freed from sin” (Rom. 6:4-7).  Add to that, how Peter even said that “baptism doth also now save us” (1 Pet. 3:21).  So, it is unmistakable just with these few verses how a person must be baptized to receive cleansing from sin (Acts 22:16).  Yet, the early church was familiar with two baptisms—baptism of the Holy Spirit and water baptism.  This has caused some to wonder is there only one baptism or are there two baptisms to be received?
Baptism of the Holy Spirit was a special immersion that only occurred three times.  First, the twelve apostles received this baptism on the Day of Pentecost when the church began in AD 33 (Acts 2:1-4).  Jesus had promised that they would receive this baptism and instructed them to wait for it In Jerusalem (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:5).  This baptism empowered them with miraculous abilities (including inspired preaching and the ability to pass miraculous abilities along) to allow the church to take root and spread. Second, the apostle Paul received this baptism possibly when he went to Arabia (Gal. 1:17).  Even though this baptism it is not recorded, it is clear he received it because he had the same advantages and abilities as the other apostles (2 Cor. 11:5; Acts 19:6).  Third, the household of Cornelius also received this baptism around AD 41 (Acts 10:44-48).  Peter said it was a gift just like what they had received at the beginning of the church (Acts 11:15-17).  However, the purpose was a bit different.  Instead of empowering them to do the work of the Lord like the apostles, it simply showed the Jews that the Gentiles had a right to salvation just like they did (Acts 11:12; 15-18).
All of these individuals received two baptisms; but, there is only one today.  Around AD 62-64 Paul said, “there is one baptism” (Eph. 4:5).  He was not referring to Holy Spirit baptism, but water baptism.  This is easily seen for two reasons:  Holy Spirit baptism was promised and not commanded (Acts 1:4) and Jesus was the only one who could administer it (Mat. 3:11).  Therefore, as Jesus commanded the apostles and us to go into all the world preaching and baptizing people for the remission of sins (Mat. 28:19; Acts 2:38), He was speaking of water baptism only.  Holy Spirit baptism was never for salvation, but water baptism is.  It is where a person makes the decision to “put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27), to “wash away sins” (Acts 22:16), being “buried” with Christ to be made spiritually alive (Col. 2:12,13).  No one was ever commanded to be baptized with the Holy Spirit and no one will ever be.  No one was ever saved by being baptized with the Holy Spirit and none will ever be baptized in this way again.  The Lord fulfilled His purpose with the final instance of this baptism in AD 41.  Yet, the “one baptism” in water for salvation continues until the end of time (Mat. 28:20). 
~Derrick Coble

​Dinosaurs fascinate all of us!  To think about those giant “terrible lizards” roaming the earth at one time is incredible and it is true that God did create them.  He created all the beasts of the earth on day six (Gen. 1:24).  This would have included wild animals, lions, elephants, and even dinosaurs.  Job actually described one of these beasts called the behemoth (Job 40:15).  His description is of an animal that could move his tail as a cedar tree, his bones were as strong as brass and iron, the mountains give him food, and he was so big it was as if he could drink up a river!  There is no animal on the earth right now that would fit that description, but a dinosaur certainly would. 
There is historical evidence and physical evidence that dinosaurs and humans did interact, which makes sense, because God created man on day six as well (Gen. 1:26,27).  This means that dinosaurs were even on the ark with Noah and his family since every animal “kind” (clean and unclean) “went in unto Noah into the ark” (Gen. 7:14,15).  These dinosaurs did not have to be full-grown and many of the dinosaurs on average were the size of a large cow.  Some were even just a few feet tall as full-grown adults.
So, why don’t we have dinosaurs roaming the earth today like other animals that survived the flood? One possibility is that they could not survive the new world climate after the flood.  The lifespan of humans definitely changed after the flood as people lived 800-900 years beforehand (Gen. 5), but afterward only about 150-200 years.  This change in climate could have resulted in eliminating the dinosaur population.  Another suggestion is that dinosaurs were hunted to the point of extinction after the flood.  Before the flood, God had only given man all the vegetation to eat (Gen. 1:29), but afterwards He told Noah and his sons, “And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things” (Gen. 9:2,3). It seems that before the flood, animals and man lived more harmoniously together each without fear.  However, afterwards hunting large animals (including dinosaurs) for food or even killing them out of fear to save your life would have been common.  Since fossil records have proven the existence of dinosaurs and the Bible declares God created all beasts of the earth, there is no doubt they did exist at one time.  The reasons for their extinction are not clear, but it is clear that our God “hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth” (Isa. 12:5). 
~Derrick Coble