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       A major goal in being a faithful child of God is to be different from everyone else in the world who are not faithful Christians themselves. This means that we are to abstain from sinful practices that the rest of the world partakes in. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (I John 2:16). At the same time, we must live in this world around those who are not conducting themselves according to God’s Word. So, how do we live in this world but remain not “of the world”?
       One way is to love God more than things of this world. This involves such practices as studying your Bible every day instead of allowing worldly things to take time away from reading the Scriptures. II Timothy 2:15 states, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  In order for you to teach others about God, you must know the Scriptures well enough to answer questions that might be asked of you. Another way to strengthen our faith is to pray daily and often! Saying one prayer a day is not enough, because we must pray many times a day! “Pray without ceasing” (I Thessalonians 5:17).
       Likewise, if you allow any secular activity other than sickness to take the place of attending worship services of your home congregation of the church of Christ, this is also a sin and it makes you more like the world rather than more like Christ. Would Christ work a secular job while a worship service is taking place? No! Would Christ participate in a ballgame or go to a family member’s ballgame instead of attending worship service? No!  Would Christ choose to only attend worship service on Sunday morning rather than at any other time that His home congregation met if He was physically able to do so? No! That is because Christ is not of this world, and we are to follow His example. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).
       Another way that we can be in the world but not like the world is to monitor the company that we keep and the activities that we participate in. We should always strive to have other Christians as friends, and we should also strive to convert as many souls as we can for Christ. Those that we come into contact with on a frequent basis can hold a lot of influence over us, so we should work to be around the best influences possible. Likewise, we should be good influences on others, showing that the light of Christ is in us. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). We should guard our influence and the influence we give to others by being cautious about the places we go, the activities we participate in, and the sources of entertainment that we choose to use. 
      Activities such as social drinking, public dancing, using foul language, participating in fornication or promiscuity, as well as other sinful acts causes us to sin, and it hurts our influence on others. Likewise, even if we are not actually participating in these sinful acts, if we give the impression that we condone these things, then this hurts our influence. Christ used every opportunity to teach, and so should we.  We should take time to teach those committing public sins how to come out of those sins.  “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” (Philippians 2:15).
       Lastly, focusing more on attaining luxuries and material possessions in this world than on your spiritual well-being will not get you a home in Heaven! Putting our jobs before God will not get you into Heaven, as well as putting making money over performing our God-given roles in life will not get you into Heaven.  God gave men the role of breadwinner in the family, while He gave women the role of keeping the home and caring for the children (I Timothy 5:8; Titus 2:5). Just as it is required by God for a man to go out and earn money to support his family, it is equally required by God that a woman take care of her children and the home in which the family lives. If a woman neglects her children for money, then she goes against God’s role for her, and is no different than a man who refuses to provide for his family. 
        Someone might ask, “What about women who want to work outside of the home while their children are in school?”  When her children have reached the age to attend school, it is certainly okay for a woman to work a job outside the home, as long as it does not take time away from her children when they are at home. A mother should be there for her children before they go to school in the morning and when they come home. Children need stability in their lives, and having a mother that they can rely on to be there when they wake up and when they come home from school will help them feel secure and better able to succeed in life. We can learn from the example of the virtuous woman in Proverbs Chapter 31, who Solomon described in this way; “Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her” (Proverbs 31:28).
        These are just a few ways in which we, as Christians, can be different than the world and yet still live in the world.  I encourage you to think of other ways as defined in Scripture to be more like Christ than those I have mentioned here, as I have just named a few. The world we live in today is corrupt, and Christians face many temptations and persecutions throughout our lives. We must always strive to do as Paul says in Philippians 3:14 and “. . . press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

               
         The faithfulness of Job, was so strong, that he was able to face many horrible challenges in his life, yet still cleave to God. He faced the loss of his worldly possessions, the death of all ten of his children, as well as various physical ailments, but he still did not sin against God (Job 1:22). His consistent obedience unto God is something to be marveled at, and we should all aspire to be as faithful to God as Job was. “Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” (Job 1:21).
       Job’s wife, on the other hand, did not share her husband’s spiritual strength. She did not encourage her husband to continue his obedience to God, but rather, she told him to “curse God, and die” (Job 2:9). While her words are very harsh and definitely not what she should have said to her husband, it would be beneficial to look at the possible reasons for Mrs. Job reacting in the way that she did.
           First of all, it is apparent that Mrs. Job lacked the steadfast faith in God that her husband possessed. It is important to remember that she underwent much of the same hardships that Job did. When Job lost all of his worldly possessions, so did she. When Job lost all ten of his children, so did she. We are looking at two people who went through almost the same circumstances at the same time, but each reacted differently.  The difference between Job and Mrs. Job is that Job had taken the time to prepare himself so that he could stay spiritually strong during tough times, while his wife did not.
           How can we prepare ourselves to stay spiritually strong when the storms of life come upon us? First of all, we must become Christians by hearing (Romans 10:17), believing (Mark 16:16), repenting of our sins (Acts 2:38), confessing that Jesus is the Son of God (Matthew 10:32), being baptized (Acts 22:16; I Peter 3:17-22), and remaining faithful unto death (Revelation 2:10). After becoming a Christian, it is important that we study the Word of God each day, and attend all worship services of our home congregation of the church of Christ. 
         We are to immerse ourselves in the Word of God, and meditate on it day and night (Psalm 1:2).  Reading the Bible is a great comfort during trying times, and we can train our hearts and minds to stay spiritually strong during trying times in this way. “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11). Also, assembling with the saints each and every time our home congregation meets for worship is so important in cultivation of spiritual strength (Hebrews 10:24-25).  Having the opportunity to devote ourselves to worship unto God and to feel the support and love from fellow Christians can help us during the challenging times in our lives. No one can face hardships and overcome them successfully alone. He or she must have God’s Help, as well as the help of others.  Also, devoting our time to helping others is a great way to keep our minds focused on God during challenging times.
          Mrs. Job had not taken the time to prepare herself for the challenges that she would be facing in her life. When being tested, she did not “make the grade” in that she showed unfaithfulness while bearing the same losses as her husband who kept his devotion to God intact. We all make choices on how a challenging event that takes place in our lives will affect us. As seen in the book of Job, the same event produced two different reactions. We can take this as a lesson in our own lives when challenging times come.  Do we stay steadfast in the Lord as Job did, and was thereby blessed more than in his beginning (Job 42:12), or do exhibit unfaithfulness as did Mrs. Job? The choice that you make can determine whether you have a home in Heaven or a home in Hell one day.  Please choose wisely! 

      Are you happy to be a Christian? This is a question that I am sure all Christians would say “yes” to, however, do the actions of all Christians show that they are happy to perform the responsibilities that come with being a child of God?  As Christians, we are to be happy!  Not only do we possess the ability to have forgiveness of sins, but we also have the hope of a home in heaven.  With all that God has given us, we should be more than happy to do His Will, however, how many Christians find joy in doing what God commands them to do? Do you delight in serving the Lord, or do you go “through the motions?”
     As Christians, we should love serving God! We should wake up each morning thinking of ways to be a better Christian and servant to God and others. We should embody the feelings expressed by King David in Psalm 40:8 when he says, “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” Serving God should come before any other activity in our lives, and we should perform God’s Work with delight, rather than with a sense of burden.
      How many Christians really participate in the worship services of the church? Just by a casual observation, one might find that some members of the congregation will participate in all of the acts of worship, while others just sit there in silence during the singing of praises, and act as if they are not listening to the sermon. How many Christians do you know try to find any excuse available in order to not attend worship services or to not participate in church works?  Are you like one of these people? Hopefully not! We should not be like those people. Rather, we should be as excited as a little child about attending and participating in the worship services of the church of Christ! We should always be focused on God during the acts of worship, and we should always be willing to participate in church works when we are physically able to do so. When I see how excited my own children are about attending worship services, it is a wonderful reminder of how I am supposed to feel as well. “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:4).
    Attending worship services of the church of Christ and participating in other church works is just part of what we are commanded to do as Christians. We are to pray “without ceasing” (I Thessalonians 5:17).  Do you pray during the day?  We often see examples of others praying at bedtime, but a prayer once a day is not enough! We are to pray before every meal and at other times during the day as well. If you woke up one morning with only the things that you  gave thanks to God for on the previous day, what would you have left? Our Heavenly Father always wants to hear from His children, so we should make it a point to pray many times throughout the day, no matter how we are feeling and no matter how our day is going. “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).
      Also, are you willing to give of your time and finances to help others and to help the church? We are commanded to give generously to the Lord so that the church can finance good works (2 Corinthians 9:7). If you work a part-time or full-time job, just putting a dollar bill in the plate is not being a cheerful giver. We should be willing to give generously in the collection plate as our local congregation, as well as be generous with our time in helping others.  Attending door knockings, Ladies’ Day events, Gospel Meetings, Vacation Bible Schools, etc. are all great ways  of promoting the spread of the Gospel, which should be our primary focus in life. How many Christians today choose secular activities to participate in instead of helping with a door knocking activity, a Ladies’ Day event, a Vacation Bible School, or some other church work? How many parents are teaching their children to do the same? “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). We should also give of our time and means in order to help others with their physical need for food, clothing and shelter as well. By helping others with their physical needs, we can have the opportunity to teach them about Christ.
       Finally, do you study the Word of God every day? I saw a post on Facebook one time that said something to the effect of if we studied our Bibles as much as we study our phones today, then everyone would be studying as they should. This is true. If you can find time to look at Facebook, Instagram, or other social media, you have time to read and study your Bible. If you have time to watch T.V. or read a secular book, magazine, or newspaper, you have time to read and study your Bible. If you have time to participate in any other secular activity, you have time to read and study your Bible. People are all the same in that they will always make time to do what they want to do in this life. Studying God’s Word should be at the top of the list of things to do each and every day. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
        It is important to remember that Christ was delighted and happy to leave Heaven and come to a world where He would suffer on the cross and die for our sins. We should be just as happy to do His Will and to serve God each and every day of our lives. We should not leave our First Love, which is God, as is described in Revelation 2:4. but rather we should appreciate the sacrifice that Jesus gave for us, and to continue to keep Him as our First Love. If we do this, we have a home in Heaven awaiting us, and that is why we should be the happiest people on the planet!
           
 

​                  In this article, I would like to focus on the following verse; “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:” (2 Corinthians 9:8). What does it mean to “abound in good works?” Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary describes the word “abound” as being “to have or possess in great quantity.” Therefore, Paul, is stating in this verse that it is God’s Will that we perform many good works in order to be pleasing unto God. By many good works, I mean that we should do more than the basics that God requires in order for us to be faithful. In order to “abound in good works,” however, we must first excel at the basic requirements that God commands us to do in order to be a faithful Christian. Only then can we go onto to do extra good works as 2 Corinthians 9:8 says.
          But what are the basics that God requires in order for us to be faithful? Spiritual basics include the things that we must begin to do as “babes in Christ” so that we can continue to grow stronger and stronger spiritually. Before we can handle digesting the “meat of the Word” or the parts of God’s Word that take more than a novice to understand, we must focus on completing the first steps of becoming spiritually obedient unto God. If we do not complete the basics and continue doing them every day, then we cannot go on to performing our full potential in our obedience to God. The following are a list of some of the “basics” that we have to do before being considered faithful and obedient to God.
          1. Become a Christian. This is the very first step to become a faithful and obedient servant of God, and eligible for a home in Heaven one day. In order to become a Christian, one must Hear the Word of God (Romans 10:17), Believe that what you hear is the truth, ( Mark 16:16). Repent of your past sins (Acts 2:38), Confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 10:32), Be Baptized Into Christ (Acts 22:16;I Peter 3:17-22), and Remain Faithful Until Death (Revelations 2:10).
            2. Study your Bible Every Day: It is so important that a Christian be spiritually fed everyday from the Word of God, just as everyone would make sure to be physically fed every day. II Timothy 2:15 states, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” A Christian must study the Word of God in order to know what He expects of everyone in order to be faithful. Just hearing the Bible read, preached, or taught on Sundays and Wednesday nights are not enough. We must show our love of God by wanting to hear His Words to us each and every day. Think of it this way, would we want to hear from our loved ones just one or two days in a week? If not, then it stands to reason that if we are to put God above everyone else, then we should want to hear from Him through the Bible each and every day as well!  “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37). We should also read the Bible in order to be able to teach others about God’s Word so that they may become Christians themselves.  “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” (II Timothy 3:16). When a faithful Christian faces adversity, reading the Bible is such a great comfort, because he or she can be reminded of God’s Love for him or her, and what wonderful things await a faithful Christian at the end of life’s journey!
            3. Attend church services regularly:  There is no excuse that can be given to condone not attending worship services of the church of Christ every first day of the week and every other time a person’s home congregation meets unless one is sick or caring for the sick. This also includes the requirement that those who are Christians partake of the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week (Sunday) in order to be pleasing unto God.  Of course, God in His Mercy will forgive those who miss worship services due to sickness or caring for the sick, but not attending for any other reason causes us to forsake the assembly. We should also not use issues that would not keep us out of our secular job as an excuse to miss worship services. We should always be joyful and excited to attend worship services to sing praises to and worship our Heavenly Father. For me, I always come out of worship service feeling so much better than I did going in!  “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD” (Psalm 122:1).  The church is the house of the Lord today (I Timothy 3:15), and let us joyfully enter her assemblies!
            3. Pray Often: Oftentimes, some people only turn to God in prayer during challenging times, however, we should have a prayerful attitude at all times. Prayer unto God will help us in any situation that we find ourselves because God hears and answers the prayers of those who are faithful. “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). We should not only pray for ourselves but for others as well. Prayer not only helps to improve our spiritual health, but it also helps boost our moods and it encourages us to have a more positive frame of mind during discouraging times.
            These are a few of the basics that God requires us to do in order to begin our lives as faithful Christian and servants. Besides the act of being baptized, all of the “basics” listed above should be done every day so that we can grow stronger in the Lord through knowledge and obedience. Only then can we go onto to “abound in good works” by doing more good works besides those listed above. Abounding in good works means that we do not stop with just doing the basics to please God, but going “above and beyond” the minimum that is required of us. We should not just stop at doing the list above and no other good works, but we should all look to do as many good works for others and for the Lord as we can put our hands and our talents to do. God gave each and every one of us specific talents that we should use to render obedience to Him so that we can improve our talents and gain new ones.
            Are you going “above and beyond” in your service to God, or are you doing the bare minimum to get by? May we all make a habit of analyzing our own lives on a regular basis and consider how much we are doing for God, so that we will reflect more of Christ than ourselves unto others every day.
 

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In today’s world, there are many people who believe that one can go to Heaven by just being a “good person.” It is true that there are many people out there who think about God and who want to do good toward others, however, is this enough for God to bless them with a home in Heaven when they die or at the Judgment? This is a subject that I have recently pondered while reading about a very notable person in the Bible named Cornelius.
          In Acts chapter 10, we meet Cornelius who was described as a centurion from a band called the “Italian band.” Cornelius, a Gentile, was what we would consider today to be a “good person.” Acts 10:2 describes him in this way; “A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.” It is apparent that Cornelius was a very good man, and who was very mindful of God on a daily basis. Cornelius did as much good as he knew how to do, but was this enough?
            No!  God had bigger plans for Cornelius. God visited Cornelius to deliver him a special message. “He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do” (Acts 10:3-6). After this vision, Cornelius did just as God instructed him to do. He sent some of his servants to seek out Peter who was staying with Simon the tanner.
            At close to the same time, God worked to complete His Plan for Cornelius through Peter,  also. While still in Simon the Tanner’s house, Peter was told by the Holy Spirit that three men from Cornelius’ house was looking for him. Peter was on his host’s roof at the time, and when he received this message, he quickly came down to meet the men. It is important to note that when Cornelius’ men spoke with Peter about their purpose in coming, they spoke very highly of their master, calling him a “just man” and “one that feareth God” and was of “good report” (Acts 10:22). This further shows that Cornelius was indeed a very good man. 
            When Peter met Cornelius, he mentioned that it was an unusual occurrence for a Jew, which Peter was, to be in the same company with Gentiles, which was what Cornelius and his household were. Under the Old Law, the Jews were God’s chosen people.  Many Jews considered the disobedient Gentiles to be “unclean.”  After Peter spoke to Cornelius and his family about Jesus’ birth, life and resurrection, the Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius and his household and they were able to speak in tongues and do other miraculous things. Once Peter sees that a family of Gentiles was given the miraculous ability to speak in foreign languages, he commanded Cornelius’ entire household to be baptized.  Seeing the Gentiles miraculously speak in foreign languages, proved to the Jews that the Gentiles could receive salvation.
            We can learn several lessons from the account of Cornelius. One is that after Christ’s death and resurrection, the Jews were no longer the chosen people of God. As seen in Acts Chapter 10, both Jews and Gentiles who were baptized into Christ were now God’s chosen people. The next lesson is that although Cornelius was a good and God-fearing man, he was not saved until he was baptized into Christ. This goes against the idea that many people today have when they think that if a person is merely a “good person,” who believes in God and who treats others well, then that person will be able to go to Heaven. These people often either are members of a denomination or do not attend worship services of the church of Christ as they ought.  I Peter 3:21 says, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:”.  Baptism saves.  
            Cornelius’ baptism shows that being good is not the only requirement to go to Heaven, but obedience is also a requirement. Being baptized into Christ and attending the worship services of the church of Christ on a weekly basis are a must, as well as other acts of obedience. A person can learn how to be a moral person from going to denominational churches or from modeling themselves after others who are moral, but unless he or she also conducts his or her life  in obedience to God’s commandments, a person still cannot win a home in Heaven.  Christ only built His church (Matthew 16:18), and He never built any denominations.  Christ never sinned (II Corinthians 5:21).  All other accountable people have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and although some people act in more “good” ways than others, none of us earn the right to go to Heaven (Romans 3:10, 23).  We are saved by grace, but in order to partake of that grace, we must have faith and do the works that God commands us to do (Ephesians 2:8, Hebrews 5:9).
            We must set ourselves apart from others through our obedience to God.  We do this by having an obedient faith and thus by doing good works.  We do good works not to earn salvation, but we do them, because God commands them. We are not set apart by believing in God only, because even the devil believes in God, and he is certainly not going to Heaven! “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:19-20).  Merely believing in God is not enough, though it is important. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:24). “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (John 14:21).  Of course, one can only win a home in Heaven if he or she follows the Plan of Salvation, which is to Hear (Romans 10:17), Believe (Mark 16:16), Repent (Acts 2:38), Confess (Matthew 10:32), Be Baptized (Acts 22:16; I Peter 3:17-22) and Remain Faithful Until Death (Revelations 2:10). May we all work to do God’s Will each and every day, and conduct ourselves in faith and obedience to God Word!
            

​                 It’s that time again! If the Lord wills, the new year will be here before we know it, and I hope that the year 2019 will be a prosperous and wonderful time for everyone!  Making New Years’ resolutions is a tradition that many people make at the beginning of each year, with varying levels of success in keeping those resolutions. Making New Years’ resolutions is a good way to try to improve one’s self and one’s life, but there are a few resolutions that we should all be making and keeping each and every year. All of the resolutions that I am talking about have to do with worshipping God as we need to, and being the faithful Christian that we all need to be! 

1. Study your Bible everyday! II Timothy 2:15 says “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  We are to study our Bibles every day so that we can become spiritually stronger and also teach others about God. Studying our Bibles also helps us physically, mentally, and emotionally. I know that when I read my Bible every day, my day goes so much better, and my outlook is more positive throughout the day!

2. Pray often. I Thessalonians 5:17 states, “Pray without ceasing.”  We should pray throughout the day, many times a day. Having a healthy prayer life helps to keep us spiritually strong, and it helps us bear the challenges in this life much easier. It is my goal to get to the point in my life where I have prayed so much during the course of a single day, that  I lose track of how many prayers I have said in that day! We should pray in both prosperous times and in times of need.  We should always thank God for all of our many blessings, and we all have many, many blessings bestowed unto us by God! 

3. Attend worship services regularly. We are commanded in Hebrews 10:25 to not “forsake the assembling of ourselves together” meaning that we should not forsake the assembling of the church for worship services. We are to assemble together on the first day of the week (Sunday) as Jesus’ disciples did during the early days of the church. Allowing our jobs, school activities, or recreational activities keep us from attending worship services as we are commanded means that we are not putting God first in our lives as we are supposed to do. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

​4. Strive to convert at least one person to Christ. We, as Christians, are required to seek out and help save the lost. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Matthew 28:19). We should do all we can to help those who are spiritually lost to learn more about what God expects them to do in order to go to Heaven. We should never take the stance that the spiritual state of others is none of our business. On the contrary, God will hold Christians accountable for the souls that they have failed to try to save (James 4:17). We will not be held accountable concerning whether or not the lost person does decide to become faithful, however, we will have to answer to God for not trying to teach others at all. 

     
​   A healthy prayer life is essential to being a faithful child of God. We are commanded to “Pray without ceasing” (I Thessalonians 5:17), which means that we must pray numerous times a day, even to the point that we lose track of how many prayers we have said in one day. As Christians, we have been given the privilege of having our Creator listen to and answer our prayers. However, what about those accountable individuals who have not been baptized into Christ or who are Christians but are unfaithful? Does God hear the prayers of those who are not faithful just as he does with faithful Christians? 
            First of all, let’s look at what characteristics make up a faithful Christian. A faithful Christian has followed the Plan of Salvation.  He or she has heard the Word of God (Romans 10:17), believes what the Bible says that Jesus is the Son of God (Mark 16:16), repented of his or her past sins (Acts 2:38), confessed that Jesus is the Son of God (Matthew 10:32), and was baptized for the remission of sins and therefore, has become a member of the church of Christ (Acts 22:16; I Peter 3:17-22).  Also, in accordance with this Plan of Salvation, a faithful Christian works to remain faithful throughout his or her life (Revelation 2:10).   No one can become a Christian and a child of God unless he or she follows these steps and is baptized by being totally immersed in water, thus becoming a member of the church of Christ (Acts 2:47, Colossians 2:12). 
            So, once accountable people have become Christians, they have the ability to have their prayers heard and answered by God, so long as they are living faithfully. What does it mean to live a faithful Christian life? It means to study the Bible everyday (II Timothy 2:15), to attend church services every first day of the week unless sick or caring for the sick (Hebrews 10:25; Acts 20:7) along with assembling at other times in which the Elders deem that all are to assemble (Hebrews 13:17), to overflow with good works (II Peter 1:1-11, I Timothy 6:18-19), to pray regularly and frequently (I Thessalonians 5:17; Romans 12:12), and to live in obedience to God’s Word (James 2:17-18).             Also, in order to have our prayers heard, we must pray in a way that is pleasing to God. We must pray with a humble spirit such as the publican did in Luke chapter 18, where he uttered a prayer, not to be seen of men, declaring himself a sinner before God. We should not pray to God in a boastful way as the Pharisee did, in which he praised God for making him better than the publican. We must always go before God in prayer with humility and meekness in our hearts, and we must also be unselfish in our prayers, so as not to ask for things we do not need in hopes of exalting ourselves before others. “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” (Philippians 2:3).
            What about those who are either not Christians or are unfaithful Christians? God does not hear the prayers that the unfaithful utter unto Him, neither does he answer the prayers of the unrighteous.  I Peter 3:12 states; “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil”  Also, Proverbs 28:9 states; “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.” If a person is not a member of the church of Christ, is not attending church services regularly, or is unfaithful in some other way, they do not have the privilege of having their prayers heard by God. In order to be heard by God, a person must either become a Christian, or if the person is an erring Christian, the person must repent of his or her sins (Acts 8:22), confess those sins (I John 1:9) , and through prayer receive forgiveness, and then work on being a faithful Christian throughout his or her life here on earth. 
            Prayer is such an important part of the Christian life, because we need God’s Help in every aspect of our lives. Prayer helps in any situation, and if we put all of our trust in God, there is no challenge in this life that we cannot overcome. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). In order for God to help us, however, we must do our part in being faithful Christians in all aspects of our lives here on the earth. Our lives will be richly blessed for our efforts, and we will have the ultimate reward in Heaven in the end! 

 
                 I love all of the books of the Bible, and one of my favorite stories to read in it is the story of Ruth. I am always amazed at the loyalty and kindness that defined Ruth’s personality, and how she put the needs of others before herself. These Godly traits not only made her name famous as the title of the book of the Bible in which her story is told, but she also has the distinction of being in the physical genealogy of Christ, through his earthly father, Josepth. Ruth’s story is full of lessons on how to live a godly life, and the events that took place in her life are proof that God’s Will always prevails.
            Who was Ruth?  Ruth was a Moabite, and a descendant of Abraham’s nephew, Lot. The Moabites’ came from Moab, a son born to Lot by his eldest daughter after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot and his daughters were hiding in a mountain after they had to flee from Sodom and Gomorrah due to God destroying the cities for their wickedness.
     “And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.  And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.  And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same isthe father of the Moabites unto this day” (Genesis 19:30-37).[1]
            It was through sin that the Moabites came into being, and being Gentiles, they were not the chosen people of God as the Hebrews were in the Old Testament. It is through this group that Ruth emerges, however, her character proves to be much different than that of her people.
            We first hear about Ruth in Ruth chapter 1, where it is said that the Hebrew family consisting of Elimeleck, his wife Naomi, and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion move from their home in Bethlehemjudah  to the land of Moab due to there being a famine (Ruth 1:1-2). While in Moab, Elimeleck dies, and his sons marry two women of Moab, Ruth and Orpah. Marriage between Jews and Gentiles was a practice often seen in the Old Testament and it continued after the Israelites entered into the Promised Land, especially after failing to destroy the inhabitants there as God commanded.
            After the deaths of Mahlon and Chilion, we see Ruth’s true colors for the first time. Naomi, who has been bereft of not only her husband but her two children as well, puts her daughters in law’s well being before her own and pleads with them to go on with their lives in their homeland and start new families. She tells them that she cannot bear  more sons for them to marry, and she plans to live the rest of her life alone in her homeland. Orpah, who is visibly distraught over parting ways with her beloved mother in law, clings to her, but decides nonetheless to heed Naomi’s advice as she returns to her family in Moab. Ruth, on the other hand, utters some of the most loving and well known words in the Bible to show that she does not want to leave her mother in law’s side.
    "And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me" (Ruth 1:16-17). [2]
           These words have been uttered at many weddings over the years, although they were said by a daughter in law to a mother in law.  The level of commitment that Ruth shows to Naomi can be applied to married couples as well. A wife should always be willing to follow her husband anywhere as long as he is leading his household according to God’s Will. Spouses should have a commitment to one another until death, just as Ruth committed to stay with Naomi until death parted them also.
     Once Ruth and Naomi reach Naomi’s homeland of Bethlehemjudah, Naomi instructs Ruth the work in the fields owned by a wealthy relative of  Elimeleck, named Boaz. Boaz is the son of Salmon, a Hebrew, and Rahab the Canaanite harlot, or prostitute  who helped the two Israelite spies who were ordered by Joshua to spy out the area of Canaan (Joshua 2:1-7).  In return, Rahab asked the two spies to spare she and her family from being killed in the Israelite invasion. The two spies vowed to save Rahab and her family on the condition that she and her family all stay under the same roof during the invasion, and that Rahab hang a scarlet thread in her window so they Israelites would know not to harm those in her house (Joshua 2:17-24). Rahab does so, and she is allowed to live out her days among the Israelites, which is how she came to be the mother of Boaz.
            Ruth draws Boaz’s attention, and he appoints her a place among his maidens. He also allows her to glean as much as she wants in the fields and drink water from the same pots as the male workers do.  He also instructs his male workers to not lay a hand upon her (Ruth 2:8-11).
          Seeing the kindness that Boaz is has shown to Ruth, Naomi instructs her daughter in law to be even more forward to Boaz in that she tells Ruth to wait until everyone in Boaz’s house goes to sleep and to lay at his feet during the night (Ruth 3:1-6). Ruth does so, and in return, Boaz sees her to be a virtuous woman (v. 11).
        After hearing about this, and seeing the gifts that Boaz sent back with Ruth, Naomi understands that Boaz’s intentions are to marry Ruth. However, in order to have clearance to marry Ruth, Boaz has to have Elimileck’s nearest relative turn down the purchase of Elimileck’s land and to not want possession of Ruth. When Boaz asks the relative about purchasing the land, the relative is eager to do so, until he hears that he would have to marry Ruth in order to have the
land. At this point, the relative decides to not make the purchase and takes off his shoe as a pledge to allow Boaz to purchase the land, and thus marry Ruth (Ruth 4:2-10). It is through this marriage union that Ruth becomes the great grandmother of King David, and also part of the physical genealogy of Jesus, through His earthly father, Joseph;
      “ And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of   Urias; And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;  And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations” (Matthew 1:5-17).[3]
            It is amazing to read the book of Ruth and to see God’s Plan unfold. Ruth, who was born and raised to worship idols in an idolatrous nation, became an earthly ancestor of Jesus Christ. Ruth, through her display of love toward her mother-in-law and her virtuous spirit, was given her not only a place in the most important Book of all, but even a section in the Bible in her own name. This shows how God rewards those who repent and do His Will, no matter who they are or what they have done in the past.
            There are several lessons that can be learned from the book of Ruth. One is that God loved the Gentiles, even at a time when the Jews were His chosen people. Ruth was a descendant of Lot, who was Abraham’s nephew, which made her a Gentile. Although she was not a Jew, God still loved Ruth and wanted her to have a place in the genealogy of our Savior, Jesus Christ, even over the many Israelite women who could have taken her place at this critical point in history.
God’s Providence is also shown through  Ruth. When Ruth went to the field to glean grain, she just happened to end up in Boaz’s field (Ruth 2:3). Of course, this was not an accident, as God had big plans for Ruth when it came to her association with Boaz. It is also noteworthy  how God set the stage for the Jewish Boaz to not be opposed to marrying the Gentile Ruth, as his own mother was a Gentile.[4]
         Finally, it is also important to note Ruth’s attitude of a servant. When Ruth came back with Naomi to Naomi’s home country, she did not seek to gain notoriety and power among her new neighbors. Instead, she took the role of a servant, quietly and meekly gleaning grain in the fields. Her humble attitude caught the attention of Boaz, and he knew her to be a virtuous woman because of her actions (Ruth 3:11). This is a lesson to us as Christians to not seek the spotlight in our service to the Lord. We are to focus on being faithful and obedient servants with the goal of being pleasing to God, rather than pleasing to men. If we seek to be exalted by men, then we will not be exalted by God.
       "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly (Matthew 6:1-6).
        There are many examples in the Bible of the importance of being a servant. One of the greatest examples comes from Jesus Himself in John chapter 13, where He exemplifies the importance of being a servant by washing the disciples’ feet;
        “He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also myhands and my head.Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash hisfeet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me" (John 13:4-20).  [5]
       Likewise, the apostle, Paul, stressed the importance of having the humble mindset of a servant by using Jesus as an example.
        ‘Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:” (Philippians 2:3-9)[6]
         It is through the examples of Jesus, Ruth and others that we can learn the importance of having a humble and meek spirit. Had Ruth not exhibited this feature in her personality, things would have possibly gone very differently for her. Instead, Ruth was able to carve her name in history by being one of the many great people who made up the family tree of Jesus, and she was chosen above all of the young Israelite women of her time to fulfill this role.
         Ruth is a very inspirational woman due to her dedication to those she loved, and to her will to serve God. We can learn a lot from Ruth about how to treat others, and how to rely on God for all of our needs. Ruth had enough faith in God and love for her mother in law  to forsake her own country and to face the unknown, at a pivotal point in her life when she could just as easily went back to the idolatrous land and customs that she was familiar with. The story of Ruth is proof that God has a plan for all of us, and if we work each day in faith and obedience, then His Plan will ultimately be fulfilled in each one of us, as it was in Ruth. 
 
Bibliography
Holy Bible. King James ed. Nashville: Holman, 1998.

Jackson, Wayne, “Lessons From the Book of Ruth.” The Christian Courier; Accessed November  7, 2018:www.christiancourier.com.