by Phil Sanders

The Lord causes the growth of churches (1 Cor. 3:6-7), but He works through His servants to bring about that increase. As Christians, we are fellow-workers with the Lord (2 Cor. 6:1). God shapes and equips us in order to make us competent to be servants (2 Cor. 3:5).

The Lord brings about church growth when the seed is planted and souls are watered. This takes love, kindness, and truth.

The seed is the Word of God (Luke 8:11; 1 Pet. 1:23-25); nothing else will do. One cannot see a church grow without the foundation of Christ and His teaching (1 Cor. 3:11). Only the gospel has the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16), and God was well-pleased to use the message preached to save those who believe (1 Cor. 1:21).

We water that planted seed through continued edification inside and outside of our worship assembly. Prospective converts need attention and love. Babes in Christ also need lots of tender care and instruction to grow (1 Pet. 2:2). One can hear the Savior exhorting Peter, “tend my lambs” (John 21:15-17).

Our goal is not to baptize alone but to bring young Christians to maturity (Matt. 28:19-20). May they remain faithful unto death (Rev. 2:10) so that they may receive the crown of life. Heaven is glorious beyond our understanding and worthy of every effort for ourselves and those we love.

by Phil Sanders

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8).

Words that shocked people in years past now fill our homes through television, radio, magazines and the internet. One can hardly walk through a check-out counter at the local grocery without seeing trashy, bold headlines of tawdry and indecent affairs.

Sex, violence and pleasure sells. Television producers, magazine publishers, and advertizing executives know that. This is why industries and retailers spend billions of dollars on seductive ads to tell their stories and sell their products.

One can readily see the results of this constant promotion of worldliness in people’s dress and behavior.

We should not be surprised that the world is worldly (1 John 2:15-17) or that it follows the god of this world (1 John 5:18-20). But we do not have to conform to this world! We can transform ourselves by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2). We can set our minds on things above (Col. 3:1-2). We can so live and so act as children of God that our minds are not set on serving the flesh (Rom. 8:1-12).

Paul said, “To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled” (Titus 1:15). It is easy to allow our own minds and consciences to be defiled by the impurity that surrounds us. Let us avoid every form of evil (1 Thess. 5:22) and speak out against the deeds of darkness (Eph. 5:11-12). Let us keep our eyes and our hearts fixed on Jesus (Heb. 12:1-2), so that one day we can “see God.”

by Phil Sanders

The resurrection provides us the confidence to give our lives to Jesus Christ.

When you think of what it means to confess Jesus as Lord, you may need a sufficient reason for that kind of commitment. The Lord wants us to sanctify Him as Lord in our hearts (1 Peter. 3:15), to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1), to daily take up our cross (Luke 9:23), and to put Him first in all respects (Col. 1:10).

Why are you a Christian?

For me, I am a Christian because of the resurrection. Oh, this is not the only reason; but it is foundational. Jesus, as risen Lord, is worthy of my every sacrifice and obedience.

The early disciples died claiming he arose from the dead. I cannot so easily set that aside. They saw Him, heard Him, touched Him, and were convinced by many undeniable proofs (Acts 1:1-3).

Here is a list of his appearances:

1. To Mary Magdalene (John 20:11)
2. To the other women (Matt. 28:9,10)
3. To two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:12-32)
4. To Peter (Luke 24:34)
5. To ten of the eleven, not including Thomas (Luke 24:33; John 20:24,25)
6. To the eleven, including Thomas (John 20:26-30)
7. To seven apostles (John 21)
8. To all the apostles (Matt. 28:16-20)
9. To all the apostles (Acts 1:4-9)
10. To 500 brethren at one time (1 Cor. 15:6)
11. To James (1 Cor. 15:7)
12. To Paul (1 Cor. 15:7)

Jesus proved Himself by fulfilling His prophecy to arise on the third day (Matt. 16:21). One can easily fix how he is to die, but to predict one's resurrection is another matter. Jesus is really the Lord. That realization makes all the difference.

If Jesus is Lord, I need to confess Him, obey Him, follow Him, love Him, serve Him, follow Him, and share Him with the world.

One last point: God will judge the world one day through a Man whom He has raised from the dead. He furnished proof to us of His Lordship by raising Him. (Acts 17:30-31) If He arose--and He did, you will stand before Him one day for judgment. Are you prepared?

Phil

by Phil Sanders

Jesus died on the cross, and God raised Him up again. He died for our sins but rose again, giving us hope of life beyond this life. John reminds us, "Greater love has no man than this, that one lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).

On the cross, Jesus died not only for his friends but also for his enemies. Jesus practiced what he taught (Matt. 5:43-48).

Paul reminds us in Romans of the great love that accompanied Jesus' death in Rom. 5:6-8:

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it; and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal.

by Phil Sanders

"Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant." (1 Kings 8:56)

God keeps His promises; you can count on Him. We can be assured, because God never lies (Tit. 1:2). He is the God of truth. When Jesus came into the world, John said of Him: "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:18). Jesus, indeed is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (14:6); He came to bear witness to the truth (18:37).

God keeps His promises; you can count on Him. We can be assured, because God loves us so (John 3:16). One keeps commitments to those He loves (Psalm 15:2-4). Our God is a God of integrity who swears to His own hurt and does not change. Paul exclaims, "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" (Rom. 8:32)

God keeps His promises; you can count on Him. We can be assured, because God is able (Rom. 4:21). Whatever God promises, He is also able to perform. You and I as humans are limited and weak, but there are no limits to God's strength or power.

A guarantee is only as good as the character of the one who made it. You can count on God.

"But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no. For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us -- by me and Silvanus and Timothy -- was not yes and no, but is yes in Him. For as many as may be the promises of God, in Him they are yes; wherefore also by Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us" (2 Cor. 1:18-20).

God's faithfulness is a cause for thankfulness and rejoicing. His example spurs us to greater faithfulness as well.

We can count on God; can God count on us?