Tag: True Worship

THE SINGING IN THE WORSHIP

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Shelby G. Floyd

“The Singing in the Worship,” is the topic of our lesson. In the worship of the Heartland congregation our singing is outstanding. Everyone is encouraged to continue to sing praises to God with all of your heart. It has been said,

“One of the advantages of pure congregational singing
Is that you can join in whether you have a voice or not.
The disadvantage is that your neighbor can do the same.”
–Charles Dudley Warner

All Christians are commanded to sing whether we have a great voice or not. Everyone can “sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19). This is good and acceptable and pleasing in God’s sight. Continue reading “THE SINGING IN THE WORSHIP” →

SPEAK OR STRIKE THE ROCK?

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Shelby G. Floyd

Someone said, “The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.” Continue reading “SPEAK OR STRIKE THE ROCK?” →

STIRRED UP FOR GOOD WORKS

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Shelby G. Floyd

These stirring words were written to the preacher Titus,

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14).

THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH CREATED A STIR

The New Testament church created a stir wherever it went. We must admit that all of us need to be stirred up out of our lethargy and indifference toward sin and wickedness. It is also true that leaders of the church should motivate, stir, and encourage the members on to greater usefulness in the kingdom. But it is neither reasonable nor right to blame our own laziness and lack of zeal on other people. Each Christian has the personal responsibility to stir up himself to a greater zeal and enthusiasm toward saving the lost and in building up the local church. This means that it will be impossible to stir up others, (either in or out of the church) until we first are stirred up ourselves.

WE MUST STIR UP OURSELVES

First and foremost, we must stir up ourselves concerning the lost. When Paul saw that the city of Athens was wholly given over to idolatry, his spirit was stirred within him (Acts 17:16-17).

We must stir up ourselves concerning the purity of our worship to God. Jesus was eaten up with zeal when he saw all the Jews profaning his father’s house (John 2:17; Matthew 21:12-13).

We must stir up ourselves concerning our gifts both natural and acquired. Paul commanded Timothy to stir up the gift that was in him by the laying on of Paul’s hands (2 Timothy 1:6).

Also we must stir up ourselves in our minds by remembering the word of God as we have been admonished by the apostle Peter. (2 Peter 1:13; 3:1).

Copyright © 2017 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved

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

Identity Theft Prevention–Identifying the New Testament Church Today!

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Shelby G. Floyd

Identity Theft Rise

Credit: Google Images

About 32 A.D., or one year before the day of Pentecost, Jesus declared, “Upon this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). Did Christ in fact do what he said he would do? Yes he did. On the day of Pentecost the apostles received the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4). And all of them stood up and preached the good news in languages that everyone could understand (Acts 2:5-14).

We have one of the apostles sermon recorded—the apostle Peter. Near the end of his sermon the audience cried out, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” His answer was, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). The Bible declares, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41). And in the last verse of that chapter, the Bible says, “And the Lord added to the church daily such as were being saved” (Acts 2:47). Jesus said “I will build my church” and one year later the church is spoken of as being in existence.

Now the question is can we identify that church in our day and time? The church existed on the day of Pentecost and up to the end of the first century. Can we identify that same church today? It would be a reflection upon your intelligence to suggest that all of the churches today with their different doctrines and practices would in fact be the church we read about in the Bible. Continue reading “Identity Theft Prevention–Identifying the New Testament Church Today!” →