Make Known His Deeds

"O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people."  Psalms 105:1.  We have in this simple passage three grand admonitions.  Give thanks.  Call upon God.  Make known His deeds.  In a lot of instances, we desire to call upon Him without the giving of thanks and making known His deeds.  We often make requests of God and forget gratitude for blessings and deeds already bestowed.  Thanksgiving is a grace never to be forgotten.  Always should we be thankful to God and share with others what He has done for us.  We must not be ashamed of God, but rather be willing and anxious to tell of what He has given and performed for us as a result of our calling upon Him.  Calling upon God requires our trust in Him.  We believe that He is willing and able.  We believe that He is listening and that He hears.  Giving thanks is a sign of gratitude and humility that we have received from Him what we could not give nor do for ourselves. Making known His deeds speaks to our commitment unto Him and our desire for others to know God as we know Him.  God's demands of us are indeed simple.

A Far Greater Event

The birth of Jesus Christ was certainly an important event.  We, as a society, take notice of births.  But, an event that was far greater than the birth of Jesus was the death of Jesus.  This is the event that we are to honor.  Jesus took bread and the cup and blessed them.  Of the bread, He said, "This is my body."  Of the cup, He said, "This is my blood."  Matthew 26:26-29.  This observance would begin when Jesus would "drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."  Matthew 26:29.  Following His resurrection from the grave, Jesus sat on the throne in His kingdom.  Acts 2:30-31.  The bread and cup, which we know as the Lord's Supper, calls us to a remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus for our salvation.  I Corinthians 11:17-29.  Each Sunday as the church comes together, we recall that sacrifice that required God's mercy and justice.  As we eat the bread and drink the cup, we are assured that our sins have been forgiven and we are in fellowship with God.  We look back to Calvary where He died and we look forward to His coming again.  We look within ourselves and examine our hearts to know that we are in harmony with Him.  As we partake of the Lord's Supper, we give thanks unto God that He loved us to the extent that He "gave his only begotten Son."  John 3:16. 

Blessed Is He

The very first beatitude which is written in the final book of inspiration states, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand."  Revelation 1:3.  In order to keep those things, we must know those things.  To know means that we must read and hear.  The will of God has been written in words so that we may read.  "Whereby when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ."  Ephesians 3:4.  The mystery of Christ can be understood when we read.  "Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read..."  Isaiah 34:16.  God wants us to be readers of His word.  As we read, we come to understanding.  Understanding brings us to obedience.  We are to keep, store within our minds, what God has revealed for us to know.  Keeping His word in our mind will help us in times of temptation and trial.  The words give us light in the darkness and comfort in the storm.  This brings us to a state of blessedness.  We are blessed because of our knowledge and understanding of God and His direction for our lives.  The worldly conditions of life cannot remove this blessedness.  Happy is the one who reads the eternal words of life.

Repent or Perish

Jesus echoed the sentiment of God, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."  Luke 13:3-5.  Repentance is heaven's message to us.  Each one is guilty, and so, each one must repent.  In repentance, one acknowledges sin, forsakes sin, and turns to God.  One cannot come to God and bring his sins.  The ministry of John the Baptist was a voice that called sinners to repentance.  "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."  Matthew 3:2.  Jesus preached the same theme in Matthew 4:17.  And in delivering His commission of preaching to all the world, Jesus instructed that "repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."  Luke 24:47.  The multitude that crucified Jesus was commanded, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins."  Acts 2:38.  There is no remission of sins without repentance.  God wants man to see himself in the mire of sin.  God allows man to leave his sin and come to salvation through repentance.  Repentance is possible because of God's goodness and God's longsuffering.  Romans 2:4 and II Peter 3:9.  From heaven's merciful God through Christ, let us heed the call to repent.

Hear Ye Him

Jesus brings Peter, James, and John up on the mountain.  Jesus is transfigured or changed.  His face shines and His garment becomes white as light.  After Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus, Peter wants to build three tabernacles.  It is at this moment that God speaks, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him."  Matthew 17:1-5.  In these last days, God has spoken through His Son.  Hebrews 1:1-2.  The voice of the prophets is now silent.  Jesus, through His death, has ratified a new covenant.  Hebrews 9:15-17.  After the resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit guided the apostles into all truth.  John 16:13.  The words of Christ have become the law by which we live.  Jesus taught, "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."  John 14:23.  When Jesus ascended into heaven, He declared, "All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and in earth."  Matthew 28:18.  Our spiritual lives and our relationship with Christ depends upon our willingness to hear Him in all things.

A Book of Conversions

The New Testament book of Acts is a book of conversions.  Conversion is what takes place when one makes a decision to leave the walks of sin and follow in the steps of Jesus Christ.  Conversion means that all sin of the past is purged by the blood of Jesus Christ and new life in Jesus Christ begins.  The book of Acts begins and ends with the preaching of the gospel.  Acts 2:14-40 and Acts 28:17-28.  The first sermon consists of three necessary points that are indeed the very heart of the gospel.  These points are the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The audience was convicted of their sin of having crucified Jesus.  Acts 2:37.  Having been pricked in their heart, they asked for direction.  Acts 2:37.  The question was answered by Peter, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."  Acts 2:38.  About 3,000 souls "gladly received his word and were baptized."  Acts 2:41.  Baptism washed away their sin and saved them.  Acts 22:16 and I Peter 3:21.  As the saved, they became known as the church.  Acts 2:47.

Avoid The Appearance of Evil

"Abstain from all appearance of evil."  I Thessalonians 5:22.  Evil wears a disguise.  It raised its ugly head in the garden in the form of wisdom.  Yet, it ruined humanity.  Evil ensnares and destroys.  Life will come to know regret.  The burden of guilt will wear away the soul.  So, we must abstain.  Only the wise stay clear of evil.  But, we are admonished not only to abstain from evil, but avoid the very appearance.  Some roads do not appear to be the best in order to reach our destination.  And, thus, some activities in which we might engage ourselves appear to be better left untouched.  Sin is not a culprit with which we should play.  Stains are always left.  David, the king, cast his eye across the way and saw the beautiful, Bathsheba.  Behold, the harm which was done.  Solomon married many strange women, and the kingdom was torn asunder.  Evil always has an appearance.  There is a face that can be detected even in the smallest form.  Some have walked just to the edge of the cliff to see what lay beyond, and suddenly slipped into oblivion.  Stay clear if there is even a hint of darkness.  Pass on by if you detect the slightest imperfection.  Do so, not just sometimes, but every time.