​In any congregation there is a tendency to see attendance fluctuate.  It is noticeable primarily from Sunday morning to Sunday night, and even more so on Wednesday night.  It seems that Sunday night and Wednesdays are often treated very casually with an attitude that says, “If I don’t have anything better to do I will be there.”  This half-hearted approach is no better than the attitude of the backsliding nation of Judah of whom God said, “Judah has not turned to me with her whole heart” (Jer. 3:10). Maybe it is time for all Christians to be reminded that our lives are a “living sacrifice” dedicated to God (Rom. 12:1).  We “die daily” for Him (1 Cor. 15:31).  “Showing up” on Sunday night or Wednesday night is not a guarantee of faithfulness, but it is definitely a step in the right direction.  Just think about the results of neglecting worship and Bible study opportunities:
You don’t get encouragement--We all need encouragement and God’s design is partly for us to receive encouragement in the assembly by stirring up love and good works (Heb. 10:24).
You don’t get fed with the Word--We don’t neglect physical food so why should we neglect spiritual food? Which is more important?  Growing in respect to salvation is the best thing we can do in the middle of the week (1 Pet. 2:2).
You don’t show respect for the elders—The elder’s take care of God’s sheep.  Out of respect for them and their continual labor we ought to follow their lead and obey—even on Wednesday night (Heb. 13:17). 
You don’t set a good example—Do you have children at home who you are influencing negatively in your neglect?  Grandchildren?  Husbands/Wives? Friends? Family?  They need to see us imitating Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). 
You don’t put God first—This is a big one!  When you willfully choose to neglect God, He can’t be first in your life.  What is more important than committing ourselves to honor Him and His Word at every opportunity.  Could it be demanding? Yes.  Could it be exhausting? Yes.  Will it be easy? No.  Will it be rewarding? Yes (2 Tim. 4:8).  

~Derrick Coble

​It seems that everywhere you look this month, the “pride” of the homosexual community is being flaunted in some way accompanied by the colors of the rainbow.  Not only is this lifestyle sinful in the sight of God (Rom. 1:26-32), but the “pride” in which they engage is also sinful.  Pride can be defined in a few different ways. Most of the time it is negative and associated with sinful behavior.  For instance, when God said that He hates a “proud” look (Pro. 6:17).  He was detailing the kind of pride that rises from arrogancy.  According to Webster’s Dictionary, another kind of pride is “disdainful behavior or treatment.” God pronounced punishment upon the Ammonites for their rejoicing against Israel treating them in this way as inferior.  Pride is also defined as an “ostentatious display” of those seeking to attract attention by gaudiness or obviousness.  This was the goal of Haman who wanted to be honored by riding on the king’s horse, wearing royal apparel and the crown royal on his head (Est. 6:8,9).  It could even be said that this is the goal of the homosexual community as they ostentatiously parade their sin in the face of a country that was built upon Christian principles.
It should be that every child of God is proud of the rainbow and what it means.  The rainbow was not given as a symbol of homosexuality, but as a covenant between God and the earth (Gen. 9:13).  So, by definition, we can be proud by delighting in this wonderful act of God.  This type of pride rejoices in the fact that God spared Noah and his family from the worldwide flood because “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Gen. 6:8).  The wickedness of man was running rampant, and we can appreciate the fact that God did not want this to continue.  No doubt, He had our Savior in mind as He would bring Jesus to the earth through the godly lineage of Noah to extend grace even to us (1 Pet. 1:20; Luke 3:36-38; Titus 2:11).  This makes me proud to be a servant of God.
I am also proud that God is faithful to His covenant.  The rainbow in the sky tells all of us that God is true to His Word in every way; specifically, that the waters will never destroy all flesh again.  God made an “everlasting covenant” with every living creature and will keep that covenant to the end of time (Gen. 9:16).  Because God has kept this covenant, it tells me He will keep every promise that He makes.  That means I can be proud in knowing He will never forsake His people (Heb. 13:5), we have nothing to fear with Him (Heb. 13:6), He will always provide for us (Psa. 37:25), He listens to us (1 John 5:14), and the faithful will receive eternal life (1 John 2:25). 
Be sure the pride that you have is based on God’s Word.  Remember, “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5).  It should be our goal to live in such a way that in the end, God will be proud and not ashamed of any of us (Luke 9:26; Mat. 25:23). 

~Derrick Coble

​The Scriptures are clear that baptism is necessary for salvation.  Jesus taught Nicodemus that he “must be born again” of “water and of the Spirit” (John 3:7,5). He also said that one who “believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16).  Not only that, but throughout the book of Acts when a person was told what to do to be saved, it always included baptism (Acts 2:38; 8:12,37,38; 9:6,18; 10:48; 16:15; 18:8).  With this knowledge, some have made the decision to be baptized on that teaching alone.  In other words, there are times when people are baptized without fully understanding the nature of baptism, the steps leading to it, and the commitment involved.
Through the years it has been common to hear people say, “I was just baptized because everyone else was doing it.” Others have admitted they were baptized to please their family members or friends.  Still others, have been baptized to be accepted as a member of a denomination.  It is in these situations that many find themselves with a need to be “re-baptized.”  The inspired example of some in a similar condition involves the 12 men of Ephesus who were students of John the Baptist (Acts 19).  These men had been taught the necessity of baptism for the forgiveness of sins and were baptized with John’s baptism after Jesus had died (Mark 1:4).  That was a problem because John’s baptism required faith that Jesus would die for sins in the future, whereas Christian baptism is based upon faith that Jesus has died for sin (Acts 19:4).  So, these men were not taught correctly.  They knew nothing about the connection between baptism and the blood of Jesus (Rev. 1:5) and nothing about the Holy Spirit—His gifts and how He dwells in those who are Christians (Acts 19:2; 2:38; 1 Cor. 3:16).  Upon learning the truth they were all “re-baptized” with the proper knowledge (Acts 19:5).
It could be that some find themselves in the same situation today.  If a person is baptized in a denomination, they have done so with the wrong teaching.  Even if they believe their baptism was possibly for the remission of sins, they were still not taught correctly concerning worship and the uniqueness of the Lord’s church being undivided (1 Cor. 1:10). In this case, they need to be “re-baptized.” Others may not have been immersed as the New Testament requires (Rom. 6:3,4) or they may not have done it with the right attitude of truly repenting and giving up their old lives (Col. 3:5,10; Eph. 4:22-24).
Salvation is a serious matter and each one of us should examine ourselves thoroughly to make sure we have followed God’s plan in the right way.  God requires full faith and repentance before a person is baptized (Acts 16:31; 17:30), along with an understanding of the cleansing blood of Jesus through His sacrifice and the one church for which He died. Do you need to be re-baptized? 

~Derrick Coble

​This Sunday, mothers all over the country will be celebrated and honored as God intends every day.  No doubt, you will hear the phrase, “Happy Mother’s Day” several times.  Sometimes, in saying this phrase, I will ask my wife if she’s a happy mother.  When she answers, “yes” I say, “OK then this is your day!” I think of it as “Happy Mother’s Day” not just “Mother’s Day” – a day for happy mothers!   God wants all parents to be happy, but sometimes that can be a challenge with all the demands that are placed on us today.  One cartoon showed a psychologist talking to his patient: “Let’s see,” he said, “You spend 50 percent of your energy on your job, 50 percent on your husband and 50 percent on your children. I think I see your problem.” Mothers can be overloaded with all the responsibilities and demands of day-to-day life and not be happy.  So, how can a mother truly be happy on this Mother’s Day and every day?
H – Honor – Every mom wants to be appreciated for what they do.  Taking care of children is a huge task and godly mothers who fear the Lord and are raising children to do the same should be praised (Pro. 31:30).  Honor is to “weigh heavily” being grateful for the sacrifices and love of a mother (Eph. 6:2).
A – Attitude – A positive attitude goes a long way in being happy with life in general.  Hannah was a woman who was sorrowful because of the difficulties she had with her husband and her own feeling of unworthiness.  She took those concerns to God and was blessed with a brighter future and attitude (1 Sam. 2:20).   
P – Priorities – No mother is capable of always having dinner ready on time, or always having all the laundry done or all the dishes washed and the house spotless.  However, being a godly wife and mother does involve being a “keeper at home” (Titus 2:5).  A happy mother will put God and the church first, follow His will, embracing the role of a helper to her husband (Gen. 2:18; 1 Tim. 2:15).
P – Prayer – There is a reason why Paul coupled rejoicing and praying together (1 The. 5:16,17). God will work good in our lives when mothers and all Christians turn to Him (James 1:17) as Mary rejoiced in magnifying the Lord (Luke 1:46-48).
Y – Yield Not – Mothers are tempted just like anyone.  As Eve was tempted to turn from God’s commands, Satan is still tempting mothers today.  This happens from unlawful desires that Satan uses when we are most vulnerable (1 John 2:15-17; James 1:14,15).  Happiness comes from resisting temptation and not yielding to secret sins (Psa. 90:8).  

So, are you a happy mother?  Put your trust in the Lord (Pro. 16:20). 

~Derrick Coble

The internet has given the church the power to spread the Gospel across the world in such an easy way.  Throughout the pandemic it was a blessing to have the technology to be able to still have the Gospel preached and worship God in a way that was safe for everyone while the severity of COVID was still unknown and spreading rapidly.  But this was never meant to be a long-term solution or substitute for coming together in the worship assembly.

Today, for those who are not able to attend physically and are confined at home, those who are in the nursing homes, those who are sick for a time, and even those who are hindered from being at the assembly in some way, being able to still have access to the local congregation on the internet is a huge benefit and encouragement.  But, what about those who simply choose to stay away from the assembly out of convenience and “watch” online?

We must remember that worship is not just something to “watch” it is something we do to give God the honor and glory He deserves (Psa. 33:8; John 12:28).  Our hearts must be actively involved in it like John saw those in Heaven falling before God, singing His praises, and casting their crowns toward Him (Rev. 4:9,10; 5:9).  This can’t be done if worship is simply something that we pull up on our phones or tablets to view while we are at a ball game, on the beach, etc. Worship must be a priority not a secondary afterthought to whatever worldly plans we have. 

If we are choosing to watch away from the assembly out of convenience, we are missing out on the vital connections we have in the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12).  Every member must be functioning in the body or else that member is failing.  Just like when a body part fails to function in the right way and is damaged, so is the church.  There is work to be done and a care we must show for one another that can’t be accomplished at home (1 Cor. 12:25-27).  There are talents to use, exhortations to be made, services to perform, and edification to give that must be done in the local church (Heb. 3:12; 10:24,25; 1 Pet. 4:10; 1 The. 5:11).  How will it ever be done if we are choosing to “watch” from a distance?

God never intended for the members of the church to be isolated from each other.  Think about it. If everyone decided to stay home or away and “watch” online, there would be no local church!  God designed the local church to come together to worship Him (1 Cor. 11:20).  It is where we get strength from our spiritual family (1 Tim. 5:1,2), help each other in doing good (Gal. 6:10), and comfort one another (2 Cor. 1:3,4).
​
Remember, the internet is not the local church.  No doubt, God has providentially given the means for many who would not be able to hear the Gospel any other way to hear it online.  However, for those who are still able to assemble, He expects us to do so.  “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him” (Psa. 89:7)

~Derrick Coble

​The world itself is about 6,000-10,000 years old.  Anything that old would have to be highly valuable, preserved over time, and most likely on display and highly guarded in a museum somewhere.  No one could actually possess it, but millions would want to see it.  So, it is astounding that there is something even older than the world that anyone can have.  It is better than silver, gold, and rubies (Pro. 8:10,11).  It is something that kings, princes, nobles, and anyone in authority all need and use (Pro. 8:15,16).  It is something that the Lord possessed in the beginning and was “set up from everlasting” (Pro. 8:22,23).  Solomon declared that this ancient thing was around before there were seas, springs, mountains, hills, fields, or even dust (Pro. 8:24-26).  This extremely aged and valuable thing was with God “When he prepared the heavens” (Pro. 8:27) and “when he appointed the foundations of the earth” (Pro. 8:29).  In fact, it was beside God as “a master craftsman” (Pro. 8:30; NKJV).  It calls out to every man and woman today (Pro. 8:1-4).  It is wisdom!  James said, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5).  Since God possessed wisdom before the world was created, then He knows best how to give it.  Everyone will face various trials in life and we need to ask God for valuable wisdom to handle them.  We don’t have to worry about God “upbraiding” or criticizing us because He understands our weaknesses and inadequacies and truly desires to help us obtain wisdom.  Through His providence, His Word, and the various experiences of our daily lives, wisdom is granted to the faithful who ask God for it.  We all need to be “wise unto salvation” (2 Tim. 3:15) and God alone can provide the age-old wisdom we need to find life and favor from Him (Pro. 8:35)

Derrick Coble

​     The opening words of the Scriptures directly from the Holy Spirit state, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (Gen. 1:1,2).  This sounds easy enough to understand, but some have suggested there was a “gap” of time between these verses.  The idea is that there lived successive generations of plants, animals, and perhaps even pre-Adamic men.  Some even say that God destroyed this original creation because of a Satanic rebellion and the wording of Genesis 1:2 would be better rendered as, "the earth became waste and void."  Here are two simple reasons why this theory is false:
     First, the gap theory is false because no biblical scholars have ever translated "was" as "became" in Genesis 1:2.  Henry Morris, in his book Scientific Creationism, observed that in only six of its 264 occurrences in the Pentateuch is it rendered "became."  He further stated that another Hebrew word (haphak) would have been better used here if the idea of a change from some previously different state was to be conveyed.
     Second, the gap theory is false because it implies that death was in the world before Adam.  The theorists believe there was a race of people who were completely wiped out before the creation of Adam and Eve.  Yet, this is a direct contradiction of New Testament teaching which reveals that sin and death entered the earth as a result of Adam's sin (1 Cor. 15:21; Rom. 8:20-22; Rom. 5:12).  Furthermore, the apostle Paul stated, "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit" (1 Cor. 15:45).  Thus, there was no man before Adam—he was first. 
     God created all things at the beginning of time on earth.  There was no gap.  It is harder to disbelieve God’s Word than to believe it!

Derrick Coble

Oftentimes, when something is broken or flawed in some way, we don’t see the usefulness in it.  It might get put up on a shelf, stored somewhere, tossed out with the garbage, or returned.  However, it may be that value is still seen in the object and is made useful once again.  It might just be a simple repair with new parts, or a little glue and a patch.  It could even be that the object is torn apart and made into something completely different and unique—USEFUL! 

If flawed objects can be made useful again, what about people?  It may be that we see certain people as hopeless when it comes to being useful as a servant of the Lord—those whose lives have been horribly scarred by sin or those who seem to be uninterested in the Lord’s church.  Yet, there is a man in the Scriptures who gives anyone hope.  In fact, his name (Onesimus) means, “useful” but he was not living a “useful” life when Paul met him.  He was a runaway slave of Philemon who had apparently robbed his master and met the apostle Paul in jail.  It was there that Onesimus became useful as his broken life was mended by obeying the Gospel (Phile. 10).  After having been wronged, it would have been easy for Philemon to deny that Onesimus could truly be useful to him or to the Lord.  Yet, Paul believed in Onesimus and his newfound usefulness—perhaps, remembering his own conversion (cf. 1 Tim. 1:13; Acts 9).  So, Paul urged Philemon to receive Onesimus back in full fellowship as a faithful child of God (Phile. 15-17). 

Is there someone in your life whose life seems broken beyond repair?  It could even be you.  Remember that Christ came into the world to heal, deliver, and recover those in sin (Luke 4:18).  Onesimus could be useful in giving his life to the Lord.  Anyone today can do the same (2 Cor. 5:17). 

Derrick Coble

A new year is always exciting and refreshing!  It is filled with new hope, new ideas, new opportunities, new adventures, and a new outlook.  It gives us all a new way to look on the future with clearer eyes and a renewed zeal to what lies ahead.  The opportunities always seem limitless, and the resolutions are sometimes higher than we can reach, but the newness outweighs it all.  Even though we live in a time when vintage items, antiques, and rustic creations are popular, we still like things that are new.  But, ultimately greater than the newness of a year is newness of life.  So many people are burdened with sin to the point that they get in the rut or habit of living in them without even thinking that life doesn’t have to be this way.  Settling for a life of drug and alcohol use because that is the “norm” or settling for a lifestyle of lying, greed, covetousness, profanity or even hatred, envy and jealousy will never allow for true happiness.  Life can only be new in Christ and His church.  When we are baptized into Christ, the “old man” is buried, and we put on the “new man” (Eph. 4:22-24).  It is only then that we walk in “newness of life” (Rom. 6:4).  The new man is not burdened anymore because he is like a newborn baby (John 3:3-5).  A baby has no cares or concerns and no need for sin—he simply needs loving parents to take care of him and give him the nourishment he needs to grow.  When you see a happy baby, you know he has what he needs. That is all that Christians need too!  We have a father to take care of us and He gives us all we need to grow thru His Word (Eph. 4:6; 1 Pet. 2:2).  That should give us a reason to smile!  But, the world still surrounds us wickedness, sin and defeat.  Even though a new life has been given, it is not perfect.  But, one day life will be entirely new!  John heard the Words of the Lord in Heaven when He said, “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev. 21:5).  Not just a new year, not just a new life, but all things new—refreshed and better than anything we know now.  When life is new in Heaven, there will be no days of depression, no days of crying because of grief or hurt, no days of anxiety, no days of fear, no days of crime, no days of temptation, no days of loneliness, no days of emotional torment, no days of darkness, no days of pain, no days of frustration—because everything old will be gone (Rev. 21:1-5).  Everything old that tends to still haunt even the most faithful Christian will not be able to bother us anymore—not even death (Rev. 21:4). It is a promise that is “true and faithful” (Rev. 21:5) that each child of God desires more every day. So, rejoice in the new year, make the most of each new day, but the best rejoicing is done in a new life in Christ with the promise of all things new in eternity.

~Derrick Coble

During the Christmas season, perhaps one of the most popular icons is the nativity scene. It is seen at residential homes, church buildings, and even government buildings as a life-like reminder that Jesus came into this world to save sinners (1 Tim. 1:15).  Most of the scenes are the same including: a stable, Jesus, Joseph, Mary, three wise men, flocks, a star, and an angel.  Every Christian definitely appreciates the fact that many thoughts are turned to the Lord at this time of year, but at the same time, it can’t be forgotten that whatever is done has to be done by the authority of God (Col. 3:17) in accordance with His Word.  So, there are three things that never really happened at the manger that everyone needs to know.  
            First, there was no angel at the manger of Jesus.  The angel Gabriel announced Jesus’ birth to Mary (Luke 1:26-35), angels ministered to Jesus after His temptation (Mat. 4:1-11), and an angel strengthened him in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:43).  But, no angel appeared at the actual manger.  It is true that an angel of the Lord did appear to announce the birth of Jesus to shepherds who were keeping watch over their flocks by night (Luke 2:8-12).  It was this angel, along with a host of other angels, who praised God saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). But, it wasn’t until “the angels were gone away from them into Heaven” (Luke 2:15) that the shepherds went to Bethlehem and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger (Luke 2:16) without any angels.         
            Second, there was no star shining over the manger.  The Scriptures show that the wise men saw the star in the east (Mat. 2:2) and they came to Jerusalem asking where Jesus was so they could worship Him.  Herod then sent them to Bethlehem (Mat. 2:8) while the star went before them and stood over the place where the young child (not baby) was (Mat. 2:9).  The star stood over a house (not manger) where the young child was with His mother, Mary (Mat. 2:11).  So, the bright shining star was not guiding anyone to the manger but did serve to guide the wise men to the house where the young child Jesus was.      
            Finally, not only were the wise men not at the manger, but the Bible never indicates there were only three wise men.  It simply says, “There came wise men from the east” (Mat. 2:2). But, around the eighth century, the names Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar were given to these men.  It is important to note that the wise men entered the house where Jesus was (Mat. 2:11) and presented unto him three distinct gifts.  Were there ten men bearing these three gifts?  Were there only two men bearing these gifts?  The point is that the Bible is silent on this matter and if the Bible is silent on this matter we ought to respect the Scriptures and observe that same silence.
            It is strange how the plain and simple facts surrounding the birth of Jesus are conveniently overlooked?  For years, many have accepted the nativity scene as a Biblically true icon accepted without question.  It is sad that so many are deceived by this and other doctrines that are never questioned in various religions. For this reason, everyone ought to search the Scriptures (Acts 17:11) for the real truth and “try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).  

Derrick Coble