by Demar Elam

Speak A Good Word For Jesus is the title of a book written by Joe D. Gray. Those words have made a profound impression in my mind. Just think! What if every Christian would "speak a good word for Jesus", at every opportunity?

I fear that our concept of soul winning may be too narrow. Some think that in order to be a soul winner one must be able to lead an individual from Genesis to Revelation. Granted, every Christian should study (2 Timothy 2:15) to the extent that he or she could properly instruct the sinner in the way of truth and righteousness. However, soul winning often begins simply with a word fitly spoken in behalf of Jesus Christ.

Just pause and think what could be done in every place where the Lord's church exists if every member went about daily speaking a good word for Jesus! Our great God desires that all men be saved. This great desire of God is echoed in 1 Timothy 2:3,4, "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."

Think how much our lives and the lives of those with whom we come in contact will be enriched when we learn to speak a good word for Jesus. Daily we are afforded the privilege of speaking out in behalf of Christ, and daily we either use or lose those opportunities. If we aren't using our opportunities to the fullest extent, we need to take the time to change our thought processes to be on continual lookout for an opportunity to simply speak a good word for Jesus.

Jesus came into the world and lived a sinless life (1 Peter 2:22) setting an example for us to follow (1 Peter 2:21). Jesus' very mission on earth was "to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). He entrusted us with the ongoing thrust of the redemptive work He had begun when He said, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15,16; Matthew 28:19,20). Yes, the redemptive work was initiated by the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross of Calvary (1 Peter 2:24). However, we are responsible to proclaim the message that redemption has been provided and that it is available to all of humanity (John 3:15-17).

All the organized programs in the church will not replace the impact of every Christian in the body of Christ learning to speak a good word for Jesus. Our buildings would already be running over if every saint had been daily practicing what we have spoken of in this article. Improvement should be the goal of every Christian. Let each member of the Lord's church learn to capitalize on every opportunity that comes our way to "Speak a Good Word for Jesus". The results will be simply phenomenal! Our love for Christ will increase; the love amongst brethren will increase; the love for others will increase and the building will fill up as the average man on the street becomes impressed with the name we wear.

"Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Thanks to The Voice of Truth International, Vol 20, pgs 74-75.

By Byron Nichols

In Matthew 25:14-30 we read the parable of the talents. You will remember that Jesus told of a certain master giving three servants different amounts of money, the amounts varying in relation to the ability of each one. One was given five talents (or portions of money), another was given two, and the third received one. If you will recall, each of the first two servants wisely handled the master's money, even to the extent of doubling it.

But then, there was that fellow who had been given the one talent. His handling of his master's money resulted in no increase whatsoever. Notice the master's rebuke: "You wicked and slothful (lazy) servant." The master later refers to this one as "the unprofitable servant" (verse 30).

Question: What was it that the servant had done that was so bad? Answer: Nothing — absolutely nothing. That was the problem. Instead of trying to make a profit for his master, he just went out and dug a hole in the ground and buried the master's money.

The master trusted them all; he placed his confidence in them. He was giving them an opportunity to prove themselves worthy of his faith in them. He didn't stay there and look over their shoulders to see if they were handling the situation just like he would do it. Instead, he went away and gave them the opportunity to make their own decisions.

Before leaving, the master let the servants know clearly what he expected of them. There was no lack of instruction or communication. Each one could know just as well as the others exactly what the master wanted him to do. All that was necessary was to pay attention to what the master said before he left.

It is also noteworthy in verse 19 that it was only after "a long time" that the master returned and asked for an accounting by each servant. He gave them ample time to do what was expected of them. They were allotted sufficient time to start out wrong and end up right — they had plenty of time to make some mistakes and still correct their course of action and present an acceptable profit to the master upon his return.

I believe the fact that the master was gone for "a long time" is a definite indication that he did not expect or require significant results immediately. It seems that he understood that things require an adequate amount of time in order to be accomplished.

Even a rather casual reading of this parable shows that these servants were not in competition with each other. The master had not made a contest out of the situation. It was not a matter of who was more capable than the others, but rather it was a matter of who was faithful in following instructions and trying to do the will of the master. The servant who received two talents of money received the same praise and commendation as the one who had received five. They deserved equal recognition — they had both done the same thing, that is, they both did the best they knew how to do with what they had.

The master did not require fantastic results. Verse 27 shows that he would have been satisfied if the servant who was entrusted with the one talent had just put the money in the bank and earned the interest on it. That wouldn't be much of a return now, and it would not have been too much then either, but it would have at least been an improvement over digging a hole in the dirt and depositing the money there.

In verse 24 we read the report to the master by the servant who buried the money. He said, "I knew you to be a hard man." Obviously, this was only an excuse, not a fact. There is nothing in the text to indicate that the master was hard or demanding, except for the fact that he did demand obedience. There is no evidence of harshness or unfairness on his part.

Jesus wants us all to see that He is portrayed by the master in the story, and that we, as His followers, are the servants. Let's be sure to carefully read the parable with this in mind.

We can all be successful servants, stewards. Our Master is not a hard taskmaster, but He has made it clear that "digging a hole" and burying our spiritual talents will not be acceptable. He definitely is demanding that every servant of His be busy using his/her talents in an effort to increase the size of the Master's estate. May all of us rejoice in our role as His servants and do our very best to faithfully use what He has entrusted to us, and not bury it in fear of failure. He wants us to succeed, and He has promised to help us be successful.

Thanks to The Voice of Truth International, Vol 16, pgs. 5-6.

by Steve Preston

"In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judges 17:6, 21:25).

Generally speaking, a people left to themselves will become corrupt. Without accepting divine guidance, a society falls into moral decay. Sometimes even with leadership a civilization can become rebellious and turn against the Father of us all.

One would think then that a man especially chosen by God to lead the nation of Israel would be a source of spiritual strength to the people he leads. As it turns out, the first man chosen to be king over Israel "did that which was right in his own eyes" and caused Jehovah God to say, "It repenteth me that I have set [him] to be king; for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments" (1 Samuel 15:11).

Saul, the son of Kish, was made the first king over Israel (1 Samuel 11:15). After the prophet Samuel anointed him, Saul was told to "go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass" (1 Samuel 15:3).

Because Amalek fought against Israel as they left Egypt (Exodus 17:8-13), God decreed that nation should be destroyed, hence the instructions to Saul. Everyone and everything pertaining to Amalek was to be destroyed.

The instructions were simple and specific. For someone to misinterpret what God wanted done to the Amalekites is hard to fathom. Saul, however, apparently did not understand. For instead of destroying everything pertaining to the Amalekites as God instructed, Saul "spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them" (1 Samuel 15:9).

What was Saul thinking? Did he not think that God actually meant for him to destroy everything? Even when he was confronted later by Samuel, Saul still claimed he had "obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites" (1 Samuel 15:19,20).

Notice that Saul claimed to have done what Jehovah had asked of him while at the same time declaring that the Amalekite king Agag had been spared. What was he thinking?

What are we thinking when we sin? God has given us specific instructions to "put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5).

More than once, God has told us to do only what we have been commanded to do (Deuteronomy 5:32, 17:20, 28:14; Colossians 3:17; Galatians 1:5-9). What are we thinking when we presume that something we like in worship will be acceptable to God? What are we thinking when we compromise our faith in order to "fit in" (Galatians 2:11-14). God's children need to think as Paul did and "have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16).

Only when we do that, conform to Christ, will we be thinking the right thing.

Steve moderates the Bible Talk list, from which this article was taken, with his permission. www.topica.com/lists/list_BibleTalk

by Roy Davison

It is spring. Hedges are budding, and yellow blossoms decorate the trees.

Yet, as I walked home from town, I saw something that made me sad. A dead sparrow lay beside the road, evidently killed by a passing car.

And still clamped in her motionless beak was a twig.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will" (Matthew 10:29).

God feeds the birds and cares for us (Luke 12:24), yet there is a day of death. Like the rich man, we pass away in the midst of our pursuits (James 1:11).

"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit'; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that' " (James 4:13-15).

"Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming" (Matthew 25:13).

Roy is a long-term missionary in Belgium and webmaster for the Old Paths sites. www.oldpaths.com

by Steven Wright

I have always wanted to be somebody great. Not just good, but great! I thought about being a great baseball player - they make lots of money and are very popular. They are on TV and you read about them in newspapers and magazines. Everybody likes to see and watch them. But it doesn't last long, and people soon forget about you.

Or, I could become a politician. Everyone wants to be your friend and you are always receiving honors. You have a lot of power to do things for people. And, most politicians are wealthy when they retire. But, it seems very hard to be honest, with everyone wanting you to "do something" for them.

Maybe the best approach is to do like Jesus - become great by not trying to become great. That's it, I'll just use the talents God has given me and be like Jesus. In Mark 10:45 we learn that "Jesus came not to be served but to serve." If we are going to be like Him, we must have His attitude about service and be a servant to others. I will be a servant! If you want to be great, I can tell you how. Matthew 20:26 states that to be great, you must become a servant.

After Joshua had led the children of Israel into the promised land, he told them to "choose you this day whom you will serve.... but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15). I think this is what Jesus would want me to do.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus teaches many things that will identify a servant, and He makes a promise to all who serve. For example, "blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy." The Good Samaritan was a servant to a stranger and showed mercy to him. Jesus said that we should "go and do likewise" (Luke 10:36,37).

John tells about Jesus washing the feet of his disciples in John 13:4-17. Jesus tells us that we should follow this example. To follow Jesus, we should serve with gentleness, kindness and humbleness. It is hard to be like that today when it seems like everyone is concerned only able himself - but Jesus expects us to be concerned for others.

Can we as servants have any influence in the world today? Yes. In Matthew 5, Jesus said "You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world." This makes it personal. Salt and light in these verses stand for our influence on others. It is my responsibility to see that my salt does not lose its worth and my light is not hidden. For my influence to be effective I need to be serving others. Serving is not a sign of weakness but of courage and obedience.

Our service is measured by how well we serve, not how big the service is. In Hebrews 6:10 we see that God will not forget our works of love. Little things can begin a life of service - a card to an elderly person, a phone call to the lonely, a visit to the nursing home or just a hug to encourage. For example, in Matthew 10:42 we learn that if you "give just a cup of cold water you shall not lose your reward."

If we are followers of Christ, we are "His hands". If Christ is to help the poor, it must be by our hands. If he is to take care of the sick, it must be by our hands. If he is to help those who are lonely, it must be by our hands. Do you see anything that Christ needs to do today? Remember the song: "Christ has no hands but our hands to do his work today."

I want to be great at something that prepares me for eternity. Being a great ball player or politician counts only while I am living. Being a great servant prepares me to meet God in heaven and to hear him say "well done".

I intend to be like Joshua and serve the Lord. What about you? What do you want to do with your life?

Editor's Note: Steven Wright is a young Christian man who is a participant in the Lads to Leaders program in the Austinville Church of Christ in Decatur, AL, USA. Courtesy of The Voice of Truth International, Vol 41, Pages 77,78.