Volume 1, Number 13 – November, 2021

What Must I Do?

Shawn Smith

A rich young ruler once came running up to Jesus and asked, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may have eternal life?” (Mark 10:17). In this man’s case, Jesus told him to sell what he had and give to the poor. His possessions were holding him back. He needed to put the Lord first. Deeply disappointed, he left the Lord clinging to his worldly possessions (v. 22).

When the Jews on the day of Pentecost realized they had put to death the Son of God, their very Lord, they asked the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Peter told them, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:36-38). That day, about three thousand gladly received his word and were baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins and the Lord added them to the church (v. 41).

When the Philippian jailor realized all his prisoners had not escaped, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas, asking, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They told him he needed to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:30- 31). Then, having spoken the word of the Lord to him and all who were in his house, they were baptized (Acts 16:32-33). Having obeyed the gospel, they then rejoiced, “having believed in God” (Acts 16:34).

What must you do to be saved? Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). Will you go away sorrowful today or humbly submit to obedience and have rejoicing today?


Feeling Overwhelmed or Stressed? Consider these Verses:

  • Psalm 121:1-2 – “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”
  • Psalm 50:15 – The Lord says, “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you.”
  • Matthew 11:28 – Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

“Faith Comes by Hearing” . . . and Singing

Dylan Stewart

Paul, in Romans 10:17 asserts, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” In Ephesians 5:19, he also informs us of our obligation to “speak to one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Let us meditate on the purpose of this command.

In the following verse (v. 20), Paul explains the reason why we have this command – we should speak in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs as a way to give thanks to God our Father. If we look at other passages in the Bible though, I believe we will learn another reason why spiritual singing is so vital.

In Acts 16:25-34, we see Paul and Silas imprisoned as result of their dedication to spreading the Word of Christ. Verse 25 paints a beautiful picture for us: “at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.” Though jailed for their faith, Paul and Silas were able to find joy in their time of tribulation by praising God in song. What stands out the most though, at least to me, is the prisoners’ response – the prisoners were listening to them(v.25). Not only were Paul and Silas able to comfort themselves by praising God in song, but their praise was also a means of exposing others to God’s word. Remember Romans 10:17 – “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” The prisoners were “hearing” (as well as seeing) the example that Paul and Silas set. The prisoners weren’t the only ones affected by the two singing though.

In verse 26 we read of a “great earthquake” that caused all the doors of the prison to open and “everyone’s chains were loosed.” One would assume the prisoners would jump at the opportunity to flee since they were free to escape their imprisonment as result of the earthquake. This was not the case though: “And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, ‘Do yourself no harm, for we are all here’” (v. 27-28). No one tried to flee even though they surely could have escaped. Why?

It is my belief that, as result of the prisoner’s hearing Paul and Silas praying singing praises to God, they developed faith in God/Christ, which convinced them not to be concerned with their current situation and, instead, find comfort as Paul and Silas did. As result, the Philippian jailer’s life was saved due to the effect that singing and praying had on the prisoners. A man who was prepared to die instead sought salvation (v. 30) and, ultimately, “he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household” (v. 34).

Let us never downplay the importance of “speak[ing] to one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Likewise, let us never forget its two-fold purpose of giving thanks to God and spreading His word.


Sentence Sermons

  • It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.
  • Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on the door forever.
  • Don’t put a question mark where God put a period.
  • God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called.
  • God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.
  • A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.

Close to, Round About, or Nearby

Author Unknown

One Sunday, a minister was illustrating his belief that baptism should take place by sprinkling, not by immersion. As examples, he said that when John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, and when Philip baptized the eunuch in some water, it didn’t mean, “in” – it meant, “close to, round about, or nearby.” After the service, a man came up to the minister and told him it was a great sermon, one of the best he had ever heard and that it cleared up a great many mysteries he had encountered in the Bible.

“For instance,” he said, “The story about Jonah getting swallowed by the whale has always bothered me. Now I know that Jonah wasn’t really in the whale, but close to, round about, or nearby, swimming in the water.”

“Then there is the story about the three young Hebrew boys who were thrown into the furious furnace, but were not burned. Now I see they were not really in the fire, just close to, round about, or nearby, just keeping warm.”

“But the hardest of all the stories for me to believe has always been the story of Daniel getting thrown into the lion’s den. But now I see that he wasn’t really in the lion’s den, but close to, roundabout, or nearby, like at the zoo.”

“The revealing of these mysteries has been a real comfort to me because I am a wicked man. Now I am gratified to know that I won’t be in hell, but close to, roundabout, or nearby. And next Sunday, I won’t have to be in church, just close to, round about, or nearby. Thanks. You have really put my mind at ease!”


Lord, Hear Our Prayer

Tim Dooley

In Psalm 143:1 David pleads, “Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications! In Your faithfulness answer me, and in Your righteousness.” We all want our prayers to be heard and answered but the sad fact is many simply do not know how to pray. It is not uncommon in regard to prayer to hear folks say they don’t know what to say or how to say it. Even the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1). While Jesus answered His disciples with the model prayer (and the outline He sets forth for us there is indeed a great place to start) I want us to consider something Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 7:7–8 Jesus sets forth important factors that, if followed, will benefit us with regard to prayer. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” The application of this in line with our subject of prayer is that our prayer should be…

  • Simple. Jesus said, “Ask.” Asking is a prerequisite of receiving. Verse 8 says, “For everyone who asks receives.” James said, “You do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2). Pray is not as complicated as men often teach or think. Keep it simple, ask God.
  • Intense. Jesus says, “Seek.” Seeking is a pre-condition of discovery. Again in verse 8 Jesus says, “he who seeks finds.” Through the prophet Jeremiah the Lord said, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). Prayer should be a pouring out of ourselves to God.
  • Persistent. Jesus said, “Knock.” Knocking is the persistent action by which the divine store-house of God’s blessings is accessed. Notice again Jesus says, “to him who knocks it will be opened.” We often think of persistence in prayer in the framework of repeatedly asking God for the same thing, but may I suggest that persistence here may have more to do with Paul’s instruction to, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). How persistent are we in prayer?

While these things will all help us in regards to aiding in the Lord hearing our prayers there is one other crucial factor that must be mentioned. Above all else, in order for the Lord to hear and answer our prayers, we must be right with God! James 5:16 says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” 1 Peter 3:12 declares, “For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.”

If you are not in a right relationship with God today you need to understand that your sins are hindering the ears of the Lord from hearing your prayers. Isaiah 59:2 proclaims, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” Jesus died for every person on the cross, became our advocate so that we might have access to the Father (Ephesians 2:18). If you will come to Him in obedience, repenting of your sins, confessing His name, and being baptized for the remission of your sins, He will cleanse you and open His ear to you. If you are a Christian who has fallen away, if you will repent and ask His forgiveness, you can once again enjoy the privilege of saying, “Lord, hear my prayer,” and the assurance that He will.


Nearer to God

Dylan Stewart

James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” In order for God to draw near to us, we must take action and draw near to Him. He will not comfort us if we do not confide in Him; He will not lead us unless we follow Him; He will not provide for us if we do not serve Him; He will not forgive us unless we acknowledge our sins before Him.

There’s an old hymn we sing that is worded like this: “Nearer, still nearer, Lord, to be thine, Sin with its follies I gladly resign” (Lelia N. Morris). The writer of this hymn acknowledges that we must “resign” from our sins, or withdraw from them, in order to draw nearer to God. Therefore, we must take action in order to be close to God. Let us take action and resign from our sins, drawing ever near to God!

Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the Lord, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7).