Barnes church of Christ

Prayer was important to the early Christians (Acts 2:42; 12:5) and so should it be for us. The first verse of 1 Timothy 2 contains four words regarding prayer–each of which helps us to more fully understand what we are to be doing when we pray.

SUPPLICATION is from the Greek word: deesis. This word denotes “a wanting, a need” (Vine’s). Thus it refers to a petition for a benefit; a request for a need. We, then, may make requests of a personal need (as did Zacharias in Luke 1:13) or in behalf of others (Eph. 6:18; Rom 10:1). Thus, making requests of God for our needs regarding health, finances, spiritual matters, etc. on behalf of ourself or others is that which is pleasing to God.

PRAYER (proseuche) is the general term which includes all aspects of praying. This word also carries the sense of reverence and devotion. Such is seen when Jesus used proseuche in saying “My house shall be called the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves” (Mat. 21:13; also see: Mat 14:23; 26:36f). Thus, our praying, whether public or private, whether leading or being led, is to be entered into with reverence.

THANKSGIVING (euchaistia) expresses gratitude for past blessings. As we make our supplications, we are to also express our thanksgivings. It is as Paul said, “in everything by prayer and supplication WITH thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Phil. 4:6). It would be rather thoughtless, yea selfish, to make numerous requests for help, yet infrequently express gratitude for those blessings. May we then be thankful to our loving heavenly Father.

INTERCESSION (enteuxis) is defined by Thayer’s as “an interview,…a conference, or conversation,” and Vine’s adds, “meet with in order to convince; then, to make petition, especially to make intercession.” Thus, this word helps us to realize that, in prayer, we are meeting with God and making a petition before Him. It is not a mere religious formality; it is not “praying into the air;” rather, it is going before the very throne of God. May we ever keep this upon our minds.

In summary, Thayer’s says this in regard to three of the four words: “thus, in combination, deesis gives prominence to the expression of personal need, proseuche to the element of devotion, enteuxis to that of childlike confidence, by representing prayer as the heart’s converse with God” (page 126). May these words with their different shades of meaning help us understand prayer, and may we so pray in this manner which is “good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior” (1 Tim. 2:3).
Gary Henson

This is the time of the year when people begin to ask one another, “What are your New Year’s Resolutions?” In reply, some say, “My resolution is to not to make any resolutions!” Yet, it is common to find those who make a serious step toward making resolutions.
In Webster’s, the word “resolution” is defined: “the act of determining.” It is in this sense we could say that Jesus made resolutions. As He stood on the edge of heaven, looking down on earth, Jesus made determinations as to what He was going to as He lived the life as a human. In this, we find a similarity with Jesus and ourselves: as Jesus was about to pass from one existence (heaven) to another (earth), so are we passing from one year to another; and as Jesus made determinations as to how He would live on earth, so do we make our determinations (resolutions) for our next year. The point is this: since any “resolution” which Jesus made would obviously be the perfect and ideal resolution, then should we not make our resolutions the same?!
Consider the resolutions of Jesus:
Jesus resolved “to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Brethren, may each of us put on our list of new year’s resolutions the resolution to do whatever you can do to seek and save the lost.
Jesus resolved “to fulfill” the Law of God (Matt. 5:17). Yes, Jesus fulfilled the prophecies, but He also resolved to live according that which was written (Matt. 4:4). May each of us make the resolution to live faithful to the Scriptures in all things (2 Cor. 2:9).
Jesus made the resolution to “come in my Father’s name” (John 5:43). Jesus came in, and did the authority of the Father. He never did anything presumptuous. He never went beyond the Father’s authority, nor did He cut short that authority. May we resolve to do the same, for as Colossians 3:17 states: “Whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Jesus made the resolution to “come seeking fruit” (Luke 13:7). Jesus expected to find growth in the Jews then as well as in Christians today! We too should make the resolution to expect to find ourselves producing godly growth in the Christian characteristics this year. We expect growth in other endeavors (such as finances, physical growth, etc.). We should expect growth as a child of God as well.
What are your New Year’s Resolutions? Whether you make a paper or mental list, I hope you will make the same resolutions (determinations) as did Jesus before He came to earth—for His resolutions are perfect and ideal.
Gary Henson

Yes, the Bible teaches that there will be a Judgment, heaven and hell and that all are lost because of their sins. However, the Bible also teaches that you can be forgiven of sins because of what Jesus did.
Jesus was Deity–the Son of God. He left heaven and lived upon earth as a man (Philippians 2:5-7) being miraculously born of a virgin (Matthew 1:23). As Jesus lived His life, many did not believe He was the Son of God. Yet, this truth is made abundantly clear. The first verse of John chapter one reveals: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Then, in verse fourteen, the Word is identified as Jesus. Thus, Jesus, Who was God, “was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
Also, upon two different occasions, God the Father clearly told us: “This is my beloved Son” (Matthew 3:17; 17:5). Jesus Himself acknowledged He was Deity (Matthew 26:63- 64). Even those who were His enemies conceded this truth (Mark 1:24). The New Testament, which is the inspired Word of God, refers to Jesus with the words “Son of God” forty-seven times. When other words which also refer to Him as Deity (such as: “Christ,” “Lord,” “King,” etc.) are considered, the count is greatly increased.
Yes, Jesus is the Son of God, and He came to earth to be the Savior of man. Man is heading toward Judgment lost in sin, but “…Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). His birth was announced to the shepherds in the field with these words: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11), and His parents were to “call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Jesus said that the reason why He came was “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).
Jesus is able to save man because He gave Himself on the cross as the sacrifice for our sins. Several verses make this clear: He came “to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Hebrews 9:26); “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14); “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh” (1 Peter 3:18); “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4); “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
Truly, Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of man. It is all summed up in these words: “…the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity” (Titus 2:13-14).
Gary Henson

The most prominent warning of the Bible is its teaching concerning the upcoming Judgment Day. It reveals that man’s life on earth is a time of testing to see whether or not each individual will observe God’s Will (Deut. 8:1-2). Then, after death, comes the Judgment (Heb. 9:27). Every person who has ever lived will be there (Mat. 25:32). Each will be judged whether or not the deeds which he did on earth (Eccl. 12:13-14) was in harmony with the Bible (John 12:48). Those who lived according to the Will of God will be rewarded with life everlasting, but those who lived and died with sin will go into eternal punishment (Mat. 25:46).
Hell (eternal punishment) is so horrible, one ought to do everything he can to avoid going there. It is a place of immense torment (Mat. 25:30), unquenchable fire (Rev. 20:14-15) and gnashing of teeth (Mat. 8:12). Those there will be surrounded by Satan, demons, (Mat. 25:41) and total darkness (Mat. 25:30). And, it will be forever (Mat. 25:46).
Heaven (life everlasting) is so wonderful, one ought to do everything he can to avoid missing it. In a word, it is paradise (2 Cor. 12:4). There are no more woes of pain, sorrow, tears nor death (Rev. 21:1-4). It is immortality (1 Cor. 15:53). It is unbroken joy (Rev. 21:4). It is more than anyone can imagine (Rev. 21). And, it is forever (Mat. 25:46).
No one can avoid Judgment Day. But anyone can choose one’s eternal destiny before Judgment by the way one lives while on earth.

Gary Henson

The Bible teaches, in Ephesians 5:17, that we must interpret the Bible the way God meant it to be understood: “Do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Of course, in order to understand God’s will (the Bible), we must interpret it correctly. And it is obvious that it can be done, because there were those who did it (Acts 17:11). But how? How can we correctly interpret the Bible? The Bible tells us that too.

In the very last warning of the Bible, we are told: Do not add to, nor take away from what the Bible says (Revelation 22:18-19). Thus, if we wanted to “understand what the will of the Lord is” on prayer, we would, by following those instructions, search the New Testament and gather the verses which taught about prayer–without leaving off any verse, nor adding our will to the subject. In doing this, we would find: we are to ask (Mat. 7:7); ask in faith (Mat. 21:22); ask in Christ’s name (John 14:13); and ask according to God’s will (I John 5:14). But, what if the teaching of even one of these verses is ignored: Would God be obligated to answer our prayer? No. Why? Although we have an interpretation, it is incorrect–it is not the teaching of the Bible (the will of God). An actual case is recorded for our learning in James 4:3: “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” Yes, their prayer was unanswered because they left off (ignored) what I John 5:14 taught; they asked according to their will–not God’s.

Truly, the Bible teaches that we must interpret the Bible correctly, and in order to do so, we must gather all the teachings of the Bible on a subject–without adding extra thoughts of our own, nor ignoring any verse which has something to add to the subject. Then and only then can we, as it is commanded, “all speak the same thing, and [have] no divisions among you” (1 Cor. 1:10).

Gary Henson

Can we, or can we not, understand the Bible alike? With all the different beliefs on any Bible topic, it seems as though man can’t. However, the Bible teaches that we not only can understand it, we can understand it alike.
One of its God-inspired writers wrote: “By revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I wrote before in a few words, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ” (Ephesians 3:3-4). Thus, the writer (apostle Paul) received God’s Word by inspiration and wrote it so that readers can understand it. Furthermore, if one person reads and understands it, and a second person reads and understands it, then both would be understanding it alike.
We are also told, “These things I write unto you…so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself…” (1 Timothy 3:14-15). Thus, the very purpose of the writing of the Bible was so that we can know how God wants us to live. And, in order to know how He wants us to live, we have to, of course, be able to understand it–and understand it in the way God meant it to be understood. Otherwise, if man cannot understand the Bible, why did God give it to us in the first place?
If it is true that God made the Bible too difficult to understand, therefore allowing each person to have his own opinion with His approval, then why (in Acts 18:24-26) was Apollos [as well as numerous others] corrected in his beliefs? Why wasn’t it permissible for him to understand it his way, and the others understand it their way? Because it’s not what God allows.
Besides, if we could not know the truth as to what the Bible really teaches, then you could not know for sure whether or not Jesus is the Son of God. You could not even know for certain whether or not you are saved!
While “there are some things hard to be understood” [notice: he did not say, “impossible to be understood”] (2 Peter 3:16), we CAN “understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17).
Can we understand the Bible alike? The Bible teaches we can–and must.
Gary Henson

The Bible teaches in 2 Timothy 3:16 that it is written by the inspiration of God. It states, “All scripture is given by the inspiration of God.” But, anybody can write a book and include a sentence declaring it is from God. What is needed is real proof that the Bible is indeed from God. Consider:
What are the chances of a man telling, correct in every aspect, about the events of the destruction of a city one hundred years before it happened? No chance. Why? Such accurate predictions of events in the far distant future is something which humans cannot do! But. What if someone did make such predictions which came to pass? We would know, since man cannot do such, he was guided by a Supernatural Being–that is, God.
It was 2,583 years ago (588 BC) when a man named Ezekiel predicted that the city of Tyre (550 miles away) would be destroyed. Too general? Consider the details. [1] Ezekiel said, instead of the usual one-army invasion, there would be many nations involved (Ezek. 26:3). Historians reveal that King Nebuchadnezzar made the initial invasion and Alexander the Great, along with nine other armies, attacked

256 years later. Lucky guess? [2] Ezekiel made the strange claim that, instead of the buildings simply being leveled, Tyre would be scraped bare as a rock (v:4). Such came to pass–260 years later. [3] Even more abnormal was his remark that the ruins of the city would be thrown into the sea (v:12). Yet, this is precisely what Alexander the Great did! [4] Ezekiel said the city would never be rebuilt (v:14). Even today, the original site of that city remains vacant; while upon it [5] as he said they would, fishermen spread their nets to dry (v:5).
Let’s ask it again: What are the chances of a man telling, correct in every aspect, about the events of the destruction of a city (even only) 100 years before it happened? No chance. Why? Such is something which humans cannot do. But, the Bible did so with Tyre. And Sidon. Samaria. Nineveh. Babylon. Jerusalem. Gaza and Ashkelon. Moab and Ammon. Petra and Edom. Thebes and Memphis. Etc. etc. etc.
Truly, such accomplishments are far, far beyond the ability of human beings. What the Bible says is true then, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.”
Gary Henson

The Bible teaches that we can know that there is a God by examining the physical evidence in the world around us. One of many such verses is Romans 1:20: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.” This means, although we cannot observe God by our physical senses, we can come to the knowledge of His existence by our reasoning ability.
Being able to know about something which we do not see, by observing things that we do see, is nothing new to us. We do it all the time. In our judicial courts, juries of people reason from the evidence (which they see) toward a conclusion as to whether or not the one on trial is guilty of a crime (which they did not see). Likewise, we are able to reason from the world which we can see, to God whom we cannot see.
There are truly a multiplicity of evidences which conclusively reasons toward and proves the existence of God. Consider one:
The universe exists. The question is: How did it get here? There are only three possible answers. Either: (1) it has always been here; or (2) at one time, there was absolutely nothing, then all of a sudden, matter began popping into existence; or (3) it was created by God. One and only one of these three possibilities must be the answer. So which is it?
Question: Will a candle, once it is lit, burn forever? No. Why? Fires consume fuel. Once the wax and the wick are consumed, the fire goes out. Likewise, our sun is a fire. It consumes fuel. Thus, once its fuel is consumed, it too will go out. But, if the sun has been here since eternity, it would have burned out long ago! Thus, the first option–the universe has always been here–is ruled out.
Another question: If a sealed glass jar had been totally emptied and vacuumed of all its contents to where there was not even one single atom remaining, would, all of a sudden, inside the jar, a rock pop into existence? Of course not. Why? From nothing, nothing comes! And it doesn’t matter if it is a jar or the universe–when absolutely nothing exists, absolutely nothing will come forth. Thus, the second option–the universe created itself–is impossible.
Now, since there are only three possible explanations to the existence of the universe, and since two of them are ruled out, then, it’s obvious, it is here due to the sole remaining explanation–it was created by God.
Yes. God does exist. We can “see” Him through the world around us. It’s just as the Bible has been telling us all along: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made” (Romans 1:20).
Gary Henson

Every Christian is surely well aware that foul language has no part in the conversation of a child of God. Yet, due to the fact that such a practice in the world has escalated to epidemic proportions, this truth must be stressed, lest any of us become effected (1 Cor. 15:33).
The American Heritage Dictionary defines the words: (1) cuss, as “to curse or curse at;” (2) swear, as “to use profane oaths, curse;” and (3) curse, as “an appeal or prayer for evil or injury to befall someone or something…A profane oath or foul language.” Thus, cussing and swearing is a profane oath or declaration at someone or something, or (simply) foul language.
In light of this, it is acknowledged then, if the Bible teaches that (1) a profane declaration at someone or something, or (2) foul language is sinful, then the use of those words is prohibited by God.
Colossians 3:8 states: “But now ye also put off all these;…filthy communication out of your mouth.” AISCHROLOGIA is the original word from which “filthy communication” is translated, and it is defined as “vile or obscene language, foul talk” (Analytical Lexicon), and “foul speaking, low and obscene language, foul talk” (Thayer). Thus, words that are vile (disgusting, unpleasant, objectionable), obscene (indecent, vulgar) or foul (dirty, offensive) are words that are not to be spoken.
Ephesians 4:29 adds “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” The Greek word here is SAPROS which means “corrupt, rotten, primarily of vegetable and animal substances, expresses what is of poor quality, unfit for use, putrid” (Vine); “bad, evil unwholesome…an evil word, evil speech” (Arndt and Gingrich). Thus, just as some vegetables, meats and fish are fresh and edible while others become rotten and unfit to eat, so are some words which are wholesome while others are unfit to say. Such words are corrupt (marked by immorality and perversion), rotten (morally corrupt or despicable), unfit for use, putrid corrupt, morally rotten), bad, evil and unwholesome and are not to be used.
Romans 12:14 charges “Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.” The word to understand is KATARAOMAI, meaning “to curse, doom, imprecate evil on” (Thayer). Thus, any form of verbally pronouncing evil wishes against another person or object is cursing and is not to be done.
Yes, the Bible DOES teach that (1) a profane declaration at someone or something, or (2) foul language is sinful. May our good and pure God (the One whose characteristics we are to bear) help us to avoid such ungodly language.
Gary Henson