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THE CIRCLE OF THE EARTH

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Shelby G. Floyd


“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3: 16-17 NKJV).

All Holy Scripture is Inspired of God

All Holy Scripture is the product of the inspiration of God. God has breathed into the scripture infallibility. The Holy Spirit exercised divine power over the minds of the authors of the Holy Scriptures, even in the words which they used, preserving them from any error:

“But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (1 Corinthians 2:10-13). (1 Corinthians 2: 10-13).

This being true, we expect that any statement upon whatever subject the Bible might touch, would be true. The Bible is not a textbook upon science; it is rather a textbook on redemption from sin. However, when the Bible alludes to natural science, we expect that the authors spoke the truth.

Scientific Facts Known by Inspiration

It is our purpose to point out some biblical statements which could not possibly have been known at the time when spoken, except the Holy Spirit guided the authors. In the days of the Old Testament the wisest men of the most enlightened nations were ignorant of the origin of the earth and the laws which govern its movements. Much superstition ruled on the natural world.

The Circle of the Earth

God’s spokesmen during that age often made statements touching upon the natural world which the scientific method proves true today. For instance, in ancient times men believed that the earth was flat, and that it rested on the back of a giant elephant or turtle!

But the Old Testament writers did not teach such fanciful theories and false superstitions. The prophet Isaiah said,

It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,                                                                          And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,                                                                                Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,                                                                          And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. (Isaiah 40:22).

Even as late as the time of Columbus, most of the people still believed that the earth was flat. Today, we know that the earth is round for the astronauts traveled to the moon and looked back upon “the circle of the earth.” Isaiah did not have the methods of modern science, neither was he able to travel to the moon and look back upon the earth. How did he know that the earth is a circle? God guided him by divine inspiration. The same word in the Old Testament that describes the roundness of the earth applies also to the heavens and the oceans.

The Spherical Shape of the Universe

The patriarch Job described the spherical shape of the heavens ages before science confirmed that indeed the earth is round like a ball! “Thick clouds cover Him, so that He cannot see, And He walks above the circle of heaven” (Job 22: 14).

Then the sage Solomon described the circular shape of the ocean, “When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth” (Proverbs 8:27).

God is present at the creation of heaven and earth. Therefore, it is very plain that at a time when the rest of the world believed that the earth was flat, the prophets taught that it was round. The difference was God guided the teachers of Israel, whereas the teachers of the heathen nations used their own unaided reason.

The Earth is Hanging on Nothing

Not only did the writers of the Old Testament teach that the earth was round, but they also taught that the earth is hanging in space upon nothing. In the book of Job, we have a wonderful statement regarding the suspension of the planet earth,

“He stretches out the north over empty                                                                             And hangs the earth on nothing” (Job 26:7 NASB).

Remember Job made this statement when the people around him were teaching that the earth rested upon the back of a giant elephant or turtle. How was Job preserved from making the mistake of the people around him? The Holy Spirit guided Job by divine inspiration to speak and write the truth of God:

“But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture becomes a matter of someone’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:20-21 NASB).

Astronauts orbited the earth in satellites, and abundantly proved that the earth is hanging upon nothing and floating through space. God knew from the very beginning all the wonderful facts discovered by science: “Known to God from eternity are all His works” (Acts 15:18 NKJV).

Copyright © 2023 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved

 

 

 

Shelby G. Floyd, minister of Heartland Church of Christ, 1693 West Main Street, Greenwood, Indiana 46142.

THE DISCIPLES WERE CALLED CHRISTIANS

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Shelby G. Floyd

A name distinguishes, describes or designates a person, place, or thing. Therefore, a name is very important. Approximately 700 B.C. Isaiah, promised a new name for God’s people:

“Even to them I will give in My house
And within My walls a place and a name
Better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
That shall not be cut off” (Isaiah 56:5).

Just a few chapters later the prophet added these words,

“For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace,
And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
And her salvation as a lamp that burns.
The Gentiles shall see your righteousness,
And all kings your glory.
You shall be called by a new name,
Which the mouth of the Lord will name. (Isaiah. 62: 1-2). Continue reading “THE DISCIPLES WERE CALLED CHRISTIANS” →

THE LAMB OF GOD

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Shelby G. Floyd


Christ is the Lamb of God. The blood of Christ of the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The Roman soldiers crucified Jesus upon the cross between two thieves. These solders later confirmed he was dead. To make sure the crucified were dead the soldiers broke their legs. But they found Christ dead, so they did not break his legs. But a soldier cast a spear and pierced his side. And immediately blood and water came forth (John 19:32-34). Therefore, Christ shed his blood in his death.

Baptized Into the Benefits of Christ Death

How can one contact the blood of Christ? Paul answered: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore, we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4 NKJV).

On the day of Pentecost, Peter commanded repentance and baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Repentance and baptism are the conditions to receive the benefits of the blood of Christ. We learn that Christ loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood (Revelation 1:5). How does the blood of Christ wash away our sins? The sins of baptized believers are washed away by the blood of Christ. That is what Saul of Tarsus did: “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” (Acts 22:16).

The Church Purchased by the Blood of Christ

Christ purchased the church with his own blood (Acts 20:28). Every drop of the blood of Christ went to purchase his church. How do we receive the benefits of the blood of Christ relative to the church? On the day of Pentecost, the Lord added 3000 baptized believers to the church (Acts 2:41-47). The benefits of the shed blood of Christ accrue to the person who hears the gospel, believes with all the heart, repents of sin and is baptized according to the will of God. There is power in the blood of Christ.

Copyright © 2023 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved

 

Shelby G. Floyd, Minister, Heartland Church of Christ, 1693 West Main Street, Greenwood, Indiana 46142

shelby@sgf1964

WORSHIP ON THE LORD’S DAY

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Shelby G. Floyd

The New Testament clearly outlines the essentials of the public worship of the church. These are: the Lord’s Supper, the contribution, prayer, preaching, and singing. However, in the matters of judgment or incidentals the New Testament does not have a lot to say. This indicates that God leaves it up to our human judgment as to how we should carry out what he has commanded. At Troas we see the church breaking bread on Sunday (Acts 20:1-12).

Encouragement

Paul traveled to Troas with eight co-workers. He encouraged them with the word of God. Comfort and encouragement mostly come from the word of God. “He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece” (Acts 20: 2).

First Day of the Week Worship

We notice that worship at Troas was on the first day of the week. This is what we call Sunday. “On the first day of the week we came together to break bread Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight” (Acts 20: 7). Why did the New Testament church worship on Sunday instead of Saturday, which was the day of worship of the Jews? By his own resurrection from the dead on the first day the week, Jesus Christ himself sanctified the first day of the week, not the seventh day (Luke 24:1).

The Lord’s Supper Observed on Sunday

Let us also be devoted to taking the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week to remember the salvation we have in Christ. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2: 42). The apostle John was exiled on the island of Patmos and declared he “was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.” This was definitely Sunday the first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).

Copyright © 2023 Shelby Floyd All Rights Reserved

 

Shelby G. Floyd, Heartland Church of Christ, 1603 West Main Street, Greenwood, Indiana 46142

BREAKING BREAD TOGETHER

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Shelby G. Floyd

Good morning church! It is good to be together. We are thankful for all our dedicated members at Heartland.

Today I speak to you on “Breaking Bread Together.” We read Acts 2:36-42 in our Bibles. This reading described how sinners were saved and how they worshipped on the birthday of the church of Christ. They worshipped on the day of Pentecost (always the first day of the week) by continuing “…steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). “The breaking of bread” is a reference to “the Lord’s Supper.” This was practiced every “first day of the week!”

PAUL AND FELLOW WORKERS TRAVEL BY SHIP TO TROAS

But my lesson today is on what happened on “the first day of the week” in Troas, Asia (Acts 20:1-12)! Paul is on his second evangelistic journey throughout the Roman empire. The background of the setting is that Paul was successful in establishing a strong church in Ephesus, Asia for three years. But when a riot over idolatry broke out, the church sent Paul away immediately.

Paul and his co-workers went to Philippi in Macedonia. Seven of Paul’s fellow workers boarded a ship and went ahead to Troas and waited for Paul and Luke (Acts 20:4-5-we and us). From Philippi Paul and Luke travelled on their way to Troas: “But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days joined them at Troas, where we stayed seven days” (Acts 20:6). Therefore Paul, Luke, and the seven men all stayed at Troas seven days. This means that the whole company was all together on “the first day of the week!” Continue reading “BREAKING BREAD TOGETHER” →

THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP

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Shelby G. Floyd

My friends, you just heard the ancient words of Mark 8:34-38 read to you. Salvation is the free gift of God, but discipleship will cost you everything. The Bible teaches that a disciple is not above his master but will be like his master in everything (Luke 6:40). Today we are discussing the cost of discipleship.

There are some passages in the Bible that we do not understand and that is disturbing! But there are also passages that we do understand, and they are even more concerning, because we fail to live up to them. Jesus Christ walked into the area of Caesarea Philippi with his disciples. After he made them know that he was the Christ, he spoke to them about his suffering and death on the cross. Continue reading “THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP” →

FISHERS OF MEN

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Shelby G. Floyd

Once Jesus said, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men” (Mark 1:17 NKJV). They made their living catching fish out of the Sea of Galilee. Therefore, they understood the figurative statement of Christ. He could make them fishers of men. They also knew the sea was the whole world, the fish represented all humanity, and the net was the gospel.

We Must Become Fishers of Men

Today, we also must fish for men. We like Christ, must endeavor to seek and to save the lost. “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19: 10). We are fishers of men because the everlasting souls of men are worth more than the entire world.

We Must Lose Our Life in Service to Christ

Effective soul seekers lose their life in service to God and his kingdom. Jesus said, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul” (Matthew 16: 25-26).

Paradoxically, when we lose our life in service to God, we save our life. Conversely, when we save our physical life, we lose our spiritual life. Therefore, if a man saves his physical earthly life, gains the whole world and loses his own soul, he will not profit in anything.

The Soul is Worth More Than the Whole World

The soul of man, made in the image of God, is worth more than the entire world. Therefore the salvation of the souls of sinners requires us to evangelize those who are lost. The only way that a soul can be saved from death is by converting that soul from error to truth, from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to the power of God. James said, “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins (James 5:19-20). God’s people then are the agents in converting souls from death. And the means used to accomplish this end is the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sin Separates Men from God

Sinners are separated from God forever because of their sins and iniquities (Isaiah 59:1-2). The soul made in the image of God, unless converted to Christ, will be banished from God’s presence forever. This should motivate them to come to Christ, for apart from Christ there is no life.

There Are Few Laborers for the Harvest

Jesus had great compassion on the multitudes of people because he saw them scattered abroad as sheep without a shepherd. They were scattered because there were not enough workers to bring them to God. Jesus addressed his disciples, and said, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38).

Today the fields are white unto harvest, but there are few laborers in that harvest to bring souls to God. If we are truly wise and intelligent we will work at winning souls for Christ. We have been won to win others. We have been saved in order to bring others to salvation. Solomon said, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30).

Is there anything else that is better worth,
As along life’s way we plod,
Than to find some wandering soul of earth,
And bring him home to God?

I would rather find a soul that is lost,
And bring him home again,
Than to own what all earth’s acres cost,
Or all the wealth of men.

Wouldn’t I be glad when the day is done,
In breathing my latest breath,
To know some word of mine had won,
And saved a soul from death?”
–Author Unknown

Fishers of Men Teach Publicly and Privately

The New Testament church was a soul winning church. The apostles and the members of the church involved themselves in evangelism. In the book of Acts we read that Peter and John were in prison because they preached Christ and his kingdom to the population of Jerusalem. The opposition threatened and charged them not to teach or preach in his name any longer. “And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ” (Acts 5: 41-42).

We note that New Testament evangelism involved teaching in houses, and preaching publicly the gospel of Jesus Christ. The church today will grow as it once did, when private and public evangelism prevail! This demands the efforts of every member of the body of Christ.

Copyright © 2023 Shelby Floyd All Rights Reserved

Shelby G. Floyd, minister, Heartland Church of Christ, 1693 West Main Street, Greenwood, Indiana 46142

@sgf1964

shelby@thefloyds.net

Fathers and Little Children

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Shelby G. Floyd

Children study and imitate their parents. School teachers know quite a lot about the parents by observing their children in the classroom and on the playground.

Parents Should Study Their Children

Parents would do well to study the character and traits of little children, because Jesus said, “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein” (Mark 10:15). What are the basic traits and character of little children before they learn some things from the adults that are not good? They are (1) honest; (2) forgiving; (3) joyful; (4) trusting; and (5) dependent. Those are definitely some things that the parents and all adults should imitate and practice! Continue reading “Fathers and Little Children” →

THE NAMES OF GOD

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Shelby G. Floyd

God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and revealed himself to the prophet. He promised Moses to be with him! God was with Moses when he went before Pharaoh and demanded that he let the children of Israel go free from their slavery. Continue reading “THE NAMES OF GOD” →

HANDLING OUR EMOTIONS

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Shelby G. Floyd

What a great day to worship the Lord God. Our adult Bible class was good, we sang praise to God, and offered fervent prayer. Now our mood and frame of mind is to7--Our Emotions handled in Godly way study the word. We must rightly handle each emotion to have the best results in life!

Our subject is, “Handling Our Emotions!” You and I have a lot of varied emotions. God shares those same emotions. The Bible reveals that God has the same emotions that he gave to us. And that means we are made in the image of God!

I introduce this lesson with the words of the apostle Peter: “Beloved, I now write to you the second epistle (in both of which I serve your pure minds by way of reminder)” (2 Peter 3:1 NKJV). We need to stir up our mind from time to time in order to remember certain things! And when we do we find that we have emotions that go with those memories.

Either we keep our emotions bottled up or we share them with our family and friends. So, our emotions are normal, and we should treat them as normal. Simon Peter wants us to stir up our “pure minds.” The term mind translates Greek, dianoia, and means “mind, understanding, intellect, feelings, and dispositions.” Emotion can be defined as a strong feeling that has some effect on our body. Continue reading “HANDLING OUR EMOTIONS” →