Posts by Westside Church of Christ (Page 2)
A Christ-Centered Heart
The book of Galatians was written in the heat of controversy. There were some who were trying to coerce Christians to be circumcised and to observe various aspects of the Jewish law. Paul saw this as a threat to the very nature of the gospel (Galatians 1:6-9) and said “to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you” (Galatians 2:5). The math of these Judaizing…
Would Saul Find Me?
The beloved physician, Luke, records in Acts 9:1-2 that Saul of Tarsus went to the leaders of the Jews and received permission to go to Damascus and bring followers of Jesus bound to Jerusalem. Luke says that Saul was ‘breathing threats and murder’ (Acts 9:1). Saul himself would say later, “I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished” (Acts 22:5). In another setting…
Finding What Nathanael Found
In November 2019, Paul Raynard, an engineer from Great Britan went to Ireland for vacation. He had always been an enthusiast for metal detecting and a friend of his asked him to bring his detector and help him look for his lost wedding ring in a field. He never found the wedding ring, but his detector alerted him to something under the ground. They started digging and found 84 gold coins dating back to the 1500’s. In all, they were…
Recalibrating Our Conscience
The “conscience” is our awareness or consciousness of what we believe is right and wrong. Recalibrating our conscience has to do with our better aligning it with the standard of God’s holy word so that it more accurately functions in a way that glorifies Him (1 Timothy 1:5). The conscience is a gift from our Creator and ought to be used in a way that pleases Him! Here’s the attitude I’m talking about. “My conscience is yours, Lord. Let me…
The Proper Steps to Heaven
The lives that we are living are full of God’s blessings. Daily we see His benefits and as our Father, we see His tender care and compassion. We must live our lives with an understanding that His desire is for us to live forever in His home. Jesus said, “In My Father’s house are many mansions, I go to prepare a place for you and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive…
O For A Faith That Will Not Shrink
The familiar hymn with the above title was written in 1831 by a religious man in Great Britan, William Bathurst. As we prepare to move from one year into the next, perhaps it would be a great time to reflect and to plan. How is your faith now as compared to this time last year? Do you find your love and trust in God to be greater? To ask, “Is my knowledge of God and His precious word deeper and…
Grasping God’s Glory
There is not a subject in all of Scripture that will do more to cause us to love and live for God than a study of His glory. We either live to our own glory, or to the glory of another – or to the glory of God. To do the will of God to the glory of God by the grace of God is what life is all about! (cf 1 Corinthians 10:31). We’ve been studying this theme recently…
Enriched With Jesus
In Luke 5:1-11, the account is given of Jesus teaching multitudes of people on the shores of Galilee. At one point, He stepped into a boat belonging to Peter and continued His teaching. When finished, the Lord turned to Peter and said, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Peter’s response to Jesus was, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” These…
The Cure for Worry
The devil will use temptations and troubles to worry and weaken us, but God can use them to strengthen us (see 1 Peter 5:10-12). When problems cause us to worry, the prescription is prayer. 1 Peter chapter 5 speaks of God as the Mighty Warrior-King and as Merciful Lord and Shepherd. As Warrior-King, we are to think of His mighty hand and know He will lift us up (5:6). He will restore, confirm, strengthen and establish us (vs. 10). Our…
Thanksgiving and Praise
“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name,” (Psalm 100:4). Twice in this one verse, the Psalmist connects the thoughts of thanksgiving and praise. Enter with thanksgiving and praise; be thankful to Him and bless His name. As a country, we find that at this time of year ‘Thanksgiving’ or ‘the giving of thanks’ is on our minds as we prepare to celebrate a holiday. However, as Christians,…
When Jesus Marveled
That the Son of God marveled is in itself a marvel! The Lord’s work in creation, salvation, and providence ought to cause all humanity to marvel and be awe-struck! (Psalm 8; 19:1; Acts 14:17; Revelation 5:8- 14). In a world that’s too easily “amazed” in some ways and not enough in others, there’s a place for restoring the biblical doctrine of amazement. The people of God must not suffer from blindness and “awe amnesia” when it comes to contemplating the…
The Power of an Invitation
The Gospel is God’s power to save – Romans 1:16. The power to save is in the message, not in the messenger. We have an opportunity to invite friends, neighbors, and loved ones to hear the message of God’s word every week when we gather to worship. However, a special opportunity to hear the word of God proclaimed this coming Sunday with our special sermon series on the topic of “Living Godly In A Godless World.” It is a message…