“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8, ESV).

What in the world had made him say that? Byron shook his head to free his thoughts. He hadn’t used profanity since he was a teenage boy, eager to show off how tough he was.

But back there in the conference room, with his colleagues gathered round, he had allowed the words to slip out.

How had this happened? He was a father of two girls, a church member, a cub scout leader. Like a bad horror movie on Friday 13, he felt as if something had possessed him!

He thought about the weekend he had just spent, playing golf with some rather rough friends; and the movie he had watched Sunday night with the profanity splattered throughout like mud on a windshield on a rainy night.

And it dawned on him that he had been hearing this sort of verbal trash all weekend.

He remembered the lesson this past week at church. The preacher had quoted Romans 12:2 which spoke of “the renewal of the mind.” “Minds can degrade,” the preacher had declared, “just like metal in the water, it can corrode and rust.”

Yes, Byron reflected. That’s what had happened to his mind. It had degraded.

The one thing worse than a vacant mind, he reflected, is one filled with filthy thoughts. Satan had used his vacant mind as a dumping ground. His thoughts had been impure, leading to impure actions.

Time for a toxic, thought clean-up, he reflected.

by Stan Mitchell @ www.forthright.net

The Tokyo Traveler states: “If you ever make plans to meet someone in Shibuya [Japan] there is a good chance that they will suggest meeting at the Hachiko statue. Located in a plaza just outside the station you will find an unassuming statue of an Akita dog named Hachiko whose story and memory is beloved by the people of Tokyo and throughout Japan.”

Hachiko arrived in Tokyo in 1924 with his owner, Hidesamurō Ueno, an agricultural professor at the University of Tokyo.  Each day he saw Ueno off to work and met him at the Shibuya train station upon his return. But one day in 1925, Ueno did not return home from work because he died.

For the next ten years after Ueno’s death – until his own death in 1935 – Hachiko returned to the station each evening to await the arrival of the train that his master rode. While some people at the station initially thought that Hachiko was just roaming around, they soon came to realize that he was waiting for his dead owner, and they nicknamed the dog Chuken (faithful dog).

After his lifeless body was found one afternoon waiting for his master’s train, his obituary was run in the newspaper, his body stuffed and placed on display, and a statue of him planted in his spot, keeping the vigil. During World War II the statue was melted down for the war effort. But in 1947, the public, still loyal to Hachiko’s memory, erected a new bronze statue of him alongside the tracks. It remains there as a monument today as people continue to join him, waiting for loved ones.

You and I can learn a lot from the birds of the air (Matthew 6:26), the lillies of the field (Matthew 6:28), and even from a dog named Hachiko….

The most profound lesson that we learn from Hachiko is to faithfully await the return of the Master — the Savior Jesus Christ!

Jesus, the Son of God, left heaven and “dwelt among us” to open the way to heaven.  He died on the cross for our sins so that we can go to heaven one day (John 14:6).  After his sacrificial death, Jesus rose from the grave on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), then He ascended back to heaven (Acts 1).  But one day, the Living Savior will return to judge the world (Acts 17:30-31).

“Christ was sacrificed ONCE to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a SECOND TIME, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him” (Hebrews 9:28).

The Good News is that we can so prepare ourselves that Jesus’ return will not be one of fearful condemnation but joyful salvation.  For Jesus will bring salvation to those who believe Him (Acts 16:30-31), have turned from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confessed Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), been baptized (immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38), and have continually waited faithfully for His return (2 Peter 3:9-18).

When Jesus returns, will He find YOU faithfully waiting?

David A. Sargent

We have before us a passage of scripture with some far reaching implications. Of course, we understand that Paul is telling Timothy (as well as you and I) to always teach and set the right example (1 Tim. 3:12) under all conditions whether they be favorable or unfavorable. I do believe that this is a message that is deeper and goes beyond the teaching aspect of our lives. Our faith, our religious life, our Christianity must be deep enough, strong enough that it will never be classified as “seasonal”.  Sadly, tragically, this is a problem faced by many churches—“seasonal members”. Just as a side note here, our assembly times tell a powerful story. At the A.M. worship hour our pews are full or at least comfortably so. But look at the assembly at the P.M. worship hour or on Wednesday mid week assembly. Where, O where, have the “Christians” gone? Spasmodic, undependable, hot one minute, cold the next, here today, gone tomorrow. “In season”, “out of season” means “at all times”. Our faith stands strong when it is opportune or inopportune, when it is convenient, when it is inconvenient, when it is easy, when it is difficult, when we want to and when we don’t want to. There is no off season for Christians, no sale days or marked down prices. I once read a statement by someone whose name I have long ago forgotten which said, “either you is or you ain’t”. Not the proper way to speak perhaps but the sentiment is right on.

Living the Christian life is not a mere profession but it is a practice, not just some emotional feeling but a demonstration and this is a seven day, twenty-four hours a day matter (Jas.1:21, Matt. 25, Gal. 6:10,Matt. 5:16, Matt. 7:21, Jas. 2:14-26, 1 Cor. 15:58, Acts 2:46). I love the words of Paul in Romans 12:1, “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service”. We must yield ourselves to him completely, letting him have full possession. His word must fill our heart, mold our thoughts and guide our life. Our life as a Christian does not depend on where we are or who we are with. It does not depend on the weather or even how we feel. The real test of our Christianity is serving our God in spite of circumstances that may surround us (Matt. 10:38, 16:24).

The uncertainty of the future should inspire us to make our religious life (our Christianity) a seven day, twenty-four hours a day matter. Ours should always be an “everyday religion” not one that is spasmodic, in and out, up and down like a roller coaster (Eccl. 9:10). Ever remember that “in season, out of season” equals “at all times”. We claim to be a child of God. I wonder, can he depend on us to be the child he wants us to be?

Charles Hicks

Last Sunday evening during worship my 9-month-old son started getting fussy. I took him out into the foyer and eventually had to step outside because the Lord’s Supper was being held in the foyer on this particular Sunday. As I stood outside, I realized that I had never been outside of the building when worship was taking place. It was a very unique experience.

First, I was able to hear beautiful singing. Even though I wasn’t inside, I could hear voices harmonizing together and the wonderful melody pouring out of the open windows. I was even able to pick out certain voices because of the conversations and fellowship I’ve had with these individuals.

Second, I noticed several distractions outside. The street was busy with passing cars and people traveling to one destination or another. My son (who loves cars) watched every vehicle until it was out of sight. Every time a car passed by, the singing was drowned out by the road noise. These distractions quickly cut off any connection I had with the worship inside.

Third, I saw the faces of the people in the cars. Even though worship was taking place and there was beautiful singing to be heard, not one person looked over at the building or heard the praises being sung. Car after car simply drove on by. The faces I saw described people who were focused on their lives, their plans, their destinations, and people who were uninterested in worship. These people were locked away in their cars, blocked out from God, and likely engulfed by the world. It was sad to see people so near to a place of worship and yet so far from God. While it’s possible not all the people I saw were lost souls, their actions and attitudes certainly pointed in that direction.

Seeing all of this outside brought me to this conclusion: It is a tremendous blessing to be able to worship with the saints. We have no fear of persecution or punishment for our actions. We can open the windows and let our singing be heard by all. There are tremendous bonds and connections with those we worship with. When we worship, we can shut ourselves out from the world and surround ourselves in worship (Romans 12:2). While worshipping, we can put all distractions aside and focus on the Lord (Luke 10:38-42).

Worshiping the Lord is so wonderful! This is why it’s so disheartening to see people pass by who don’t know about this blessing. This is also why it is so horrifying to think of those who know of this privilege yet choose to skip out anyway.

Hebrews 10 summarizes this thought incredibly well: “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus…let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith…Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (19, 22-25).

When the next appointed worship time comes, let’s make sure we are there and invite others to come share in this privilege.

–Brett Petrillo

Perhaps you have heard the latest flap about “sexist hate speech” that has purportedly gone unpunished by the social media giant Facebook.  Activists and advertisers are teaming up to pressure Facebook into addressing particularly pages that “celebrate violence against women.” Facebook has resoundingly responded with a cadre of new or improved guidelines to eliminate such appalling rhetoric.  While some are crying foul over perceived first amendment trampling, most see the move as desirable and necessary (via CNN online article by Doug Gross, “Under pressure, Facebook targets sexist hate speech”).  This is the world, but even the world gets that there are lines in speech that should not be crossed.

Of course, the Christian has a much higher standard when it comes to what speech is appropriate.  Well before the line that is crossed by talk that glorifies rape and sexual violence there is the line that is set by Christian courtesy, love, meekness, holiness, and several, similar qualities. Sadly, after over four years of having a Facebook page and seeing on my news feed the comments of “friends” that are mostly Christians, I have seen some lines crossed by those who know better.  Let me name some of the worst offenders:

–Chronic Contradictor

–Compulsive Complainer

–Unsolicited Buttinsky

–Chip On-The Shoulder

–Relentless Ranter

–Suggestive Speaker

–Boldfaced Boaster

–Condescending Christian

–Self-Proclaimed Unqualified-Expert

–Worst-Assuming Writer

–Attacker Under-The-Guise-Of-Humor

–Worldliness Glorifier

I am positive that you have other “friends” within your Facebook circle different from the ones I singled out to you.  For ourselves, may we choose the needed, endangered qualities of restraint, forethought, kindness, thoughtfulness, and any similar trait embodied in the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-24).  Facebook feels anonymous, but it is not.  Just because we can type it without looking someone in the face as we say it to them does not make it acceptable.  Let us dedicate ourselves to using every forum of influence we possess to encourage and assist everyone under the “sound” of our “voice.”

–Neal Pollard

EVERY MORNING GOD doles out a limited amount of time to every soul on the planet…

86,400 seconds, 1,440 minutes, or 24 hours–depending upon how you count time.  We can do what we want with this daily allotment: spend it, use it, waste it, kill it, invest it, or just ignore it.  Whatever we do it it, our time for that one day will be gone  There is no way to save any of it.

“The day of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off and we fly away.”  Psalm 90:10

–Mike Benson