|
Truth News
November 22, 2025
|
|
 |
Truth Magazine November Issue Free Article
EARLY MORNING MUSINGS:
The Proper Perspective and Attitude of a Believer
By David Weaks
Synopsis: This collection of short articles call believers to place worship and spiritual devotion above worldly distractions, drawing a sharp contrast between the zeal of early Christians and the complacency often seen today. It warns against the habit of harshly judging others while ignoring our own flaws, urging humility and steady service. Brother Weaks ultimately challenges readers to reject self-centered thinking and remain faithful to God, even when faced with perceived injustice or mistreatment.
And the House Slept On
Two thousand years ago, a father arose before sunrise and carefully stepped over his sleeping children, who were strewn around the floor, snoring peacefully. He made his way to the door and went outside to water and feed the goats and chickens. Inside, his wife was now awake and making bread for the children's breakfast. Soon, she set about getting the children washed and ready for the day. She had made sure everything was ready for her household the night before, because today was important.
After a quick morning meal and prayers, this family trundled down the dusty footpath to the house of some neighbors. There, they greeted their smiling friends and Christians from all over town. It was the Lord's Day, and these early Christians gathered together earnestly and excitedly for worship, just as they had been doing since the day of Pentecost a couple of years earlier (Acts 2:42). The man and his wife had been in Jerusalem that day and heard a man named Peter preach the most glorious sermon about his Lord, Jesus of Nazareth. This couple were cut to the heart and were baptized into Christ (Acts 2:37-38). Now, as disciples of Jesus, they assembled every first day of the week with other Christians to worship God. This weekly assembly was important to them, and it would never cross their minds to forsake it (Heb. 10:23-25).
Two millennia later, on another Lord's Day, a father snored while his wife listened hopefully for a familiar sound in the darkness. Sure enough, she heard the youngest daughter sniffle and cough. Then came another cough, more phlegmy than the first. "Well, we can't get her out today; she can't miss school on Monday." Her husband, now awake, said, "You're right. It's better not to expose the older people at church to whatever she has caught." His wife added, "Besides, we went to worship twice last month."
And the house slept on.
The children slept on, receiving no Bible instruction.
Mom and Dad slept on, showing their kids that rest trumps worship.
Fathers and mothers like this are not committed to worship. They do not share the attitude of David, who was glad when they said, "Let us go to the house of the Lord" (Ps. 122:1). They are not cut from the same cloth as the saints in first-century Troas, who assembled and listened to Paul preach until midnight (Acts 20:7). They would not have been among the Israelites who listened reverently to the Law of Moses read "from morning to midday" (Ezra 8:1-3).
Those who sleep through the Lord's Day are asleep spiritually. It is time to awake (Rom. 13:11-12; Eph. 5:14; 1 Cor. 15:34).
Nobody
A man was asked to preach on a Sunday morning where he worshiped, and he readily accepted, because he had been waiting for a chance to get some things off his chest. He was upset that "Nobody" cared about the work of the church like he did. In his sermon, he adopted a "scorched earth" approach to weeding out those who, in his estimation, were not as faithful as he was. He thundered from the pulpit: "Nobody wants to worship God!" "Nobody cares about lost souls!" "Nobody studies his Bible anymore!" "Nobody visits the sick!"
It is certainly true that many churches are weak and dying, and the threat of lukewarmness is very real (Rev. 3:15-16). Sometimes the work of the church is carried by a faithful few. Who would deny this reality? Preachers can never stop preaching on the need for saints to be "zealous for good works" (Titus 2:14). The church in Laodicea was lukewarm, and God was ready to spew them out of his mouth. Some churches are populated with saints who have "left their first love," meaning their early zeal has waned (Rev. 2:4, 19). Therefore, it will always be necessary to teach brethren to abound in all areas of Christian duty (2 Cor. 8:7; 9:8; Phil. 1:9; 1 Thess. 3:12; 4:1).
However, sometimes the heavy-handed critic can be oblivious to many faithful Christians who work tirelessly in the cause of Christ. Sometimes the real problem is with the critic. He struggles to see the beam in his eye while he strains to pick out the specks in the eyes of other Christians (Matt. 7:3-5). There are many genuine disciples who prioritize laboring in the Lord's vineyard (Matt. 9:37-38; 20:1-16). They are busy working for the Lord on a daily basis. Having given themselves first to the Lord (2 Cor. 8:5), they serve as salt and light of the world (Matt. 5:13-16).
Wear the name of "Nobody," the faithful disciple who is scorned and dismissed by critics. Do all those things you have been commanded to do and say, "We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do" (Luke 17:10).
Pluck Out Your Own "I"
Sin is such a terrible thing that Jesus said it would be better to pluck out your own eye and cast it from you if your eye causes you to sin (Matt. 5:29; 18:9). According to the Lord, it would be better to be blind and go to heaven than to struggle with lust of the eye only to lose your eternal soul. That is quite a statement! Eternal life is so important and should be the only real consideration for a Christian. Being physically limited is better than having all of one's faculties and going to hell.
Please allow me a play on words here: for "eye," substitute the word "I." "If your 'I' causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it far from you. . ." The words "I" and "Me" are two of the most dangerous words in our vocabulary. People are often quite self-absorbed, and that is a dangerous thing to one's spiritual life. Sin is the result of one being drawn away by his desires and enticed (Jas. 1:13-15). The desires that James describes clearly have to do with self-interest. If love of self keeps you from heaven, then it is certainly better to cut away your "I" and put others first. Everything in the New Testament teaches us that a disciple of the Lord is one who puts others ahead of himself (Phil. 2:3-4). Love does not seek its own (1 Cor. 13:5). One is to seek the well-being of others rather than his own well-being (1 Cor. 10:24).
Unfortunately, most people struggle with "Me Syndrome." Consider these clear Bible examples. Greed motivated the sin of Balaam (2 Pet. 2:15; Jude v. 11; Rev. 2:14). Ananias and Sapphira kept back part of the proceeds of the sale of their possessions and lied about it out of plain old selfishness (Acts 5:1-10). What drove David to sin with the wife of Uriah if it was not selfishness (2 Sam. 11:1-5)? Who could argue that selfish desire to possess real power from God was at the root of Simon the sorcerer's sin (Acts 5:21-23)?
Are you one of those self-absorbed people? The test is simple: How many times a day do you say, "I"? Do you talk more about what you think about things than you wonder what others might think? Do you lecture people about what you like? Are words like, "I think. . . I feel. . . I want. . . I need. . . I believe. . . I like. . . I don't like. . . It seems to me. . . If you ask me. . ." the driving force of your conversations?
If so, then you probably need to "pluck out your 'I' and cast it far from you."
A Word to the "Disenfranchised!"
King Rehoboam was a young fool. He rejected the wise counsel of older men who urged him to heed his people's request for relief from the burdens placed upon them by Solomon. When the people realized Rehoboam would not heed their request, they left him in anger, driven by this bitter thought: "What share have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to your tents, O Israel! Now see to your own house, O David!" (2 Chron. 10:16). This is the cry of people in our day who believe themselves unfairly treated or deprived of rights. They claim to have been "disenfranchised" by society.
What the people of Jeroboam's rebellion failed to remember was that they were still Israelites. They descended from Abraham, and God was still their God (Exod. 6:7). However, all they could think about was how badly and disrespectfully they had been treated. They sought equality and desired fair treatment.
There is no doubt that Rehoboam was wrong. He did not care about his people. He cared only about possessing power. He was in charge, and things would be done his way. However, Jeroboam's followers were just as wrong! They cared nothing for God, their Creator, and they willingly worshiped the idols created by Jeroboam. What they really cared most about was how hurt they were that the king didn't grant their wishes. They believed they were special (Deut. 7:6), and the king should have acknowledged that!
Brethren, where is it written that life is fair? Whatever happened to putting God first, no matter how one is treated (Exod. 20:1-4)? Why weren't the people of northern Israel willing to follow God when the odds were against them (Job 2:10)? No matter what fate Rehoboam decided, Israel should have continued in faithfulness, because God's love for them should have far outweighed the contempt of Rehoboam.
No earthly king or potentate can please everyone. No man will ever make you as happy as you want to be, nor is it his job to do so. Remember this: No one whose God is the Lord is ever disenfranchised (Ps. 33:12).
David Weaks, a former Catholic, obeyed the gospel in February 1985, and began preaching later that year. David and his wife, Perri, live in West Columbia, TX, where he has labored with the church since August 1997. They raised their two daughters in West Columbia. |
|
| Practical Essays on the Spirit's Fruit |
| $16.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Cruden's Complete Concordance Hardback (Hendrickson) |
| $19.95 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Celebrating a special retirement!
It is really impossible to put into words what Kerri Calvert has meant to CEI Bookstore. For more than 17 years, she has been serving the Athens community and beyond with her southern hospitality and genuinely kind spirit. Brothers and sisters alike from around the country and world have worked with Kerri to get Bible study materials and Church resources and supplies in the hands of good people and congregations everywhere.
Inside CEI Bookstore, Mrs. Kerri has mentored and worked with so many staff members over the years. She has truly been the heart and soul of the bookstore team. She has worked in multiple roles through the years, but what matters the most was that she was there. Always there. She was often the warm greeting you received coming into the store as a customer and the kind voice on the phone ready to help. She was the one to help bring you along as a new staff member, with kind-hearted training and understanding. Kerri was also the friend that you could call on outside the bookstore when you needed someone to listen and share caring advice.
We will all miss her in the bookstore, but she won't be far away. Kerri will always be CEI family to each of us. Now it is time for her to enjoy a well-earned retirement.
Mrs. Kerri, we love you and pray the best for you and your wonderful family!
A special note from Kerri:
"It’s been my great pleasure to represent CEI Bookstore for more than 17 years. Serving you through this company has brought me great joy. You have been an encouragement along the way and have made the days brighter.
As we approach the holiday season, I wish you all Happy Holidays and a Wonderful New Year ahead.
With much gratitude and appreciation,
Kerri Calvert
|
|
| Between the Testaments |
| $19.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Minor Bible Characters |
| $10.97 |
|
|
|
|
| Minor Bible Characters - Digital Edition (PDF) |
| $10.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Word in the Heart (Junior High 7:2): Sowing the Seed of the Kingdom |
| $10.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Scars: His, Theirs and Ours |
| $9.95 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Love Like a Samaritan |
| $9.99 |
|
|
|
|
|
The Truth in Life series of workbooks is a topical series of Bible studies designed to guide students through book, chapter, and verse teaching on topics of interest to every Christian.
Church classes, homeschool classes, small group studies, high school classes and alike will enjoy the rich material in this series.
Many preachers and teachers have also used this series as resources in sermon and lesson preparations.
|
|
 |
| Searching For Happiness? |
| $14.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Searching For Happiness (Workbook) |
| $8.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Issues Facing 21st-Century Christians, Book One: Worldviews |
| $12.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Issues Facing 21st-Century Christians, Book Two: Challenges |
| $12.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| The Course of This World |
| $10.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Satan's Assault on the Faith |
| $9.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Turning Points in the Lives of Great Men & Women of the Bible |
| $10.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Troubled Over Many Things |
| $11.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Indestructible Foundations |
| $11.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Christians in a Secular Age |
| $11.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| In Him the Gentiles Shall Hope (Elaine Jordan) |
| $14.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
| The Love of God: A Refutation of Calvinism |
| $12.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
| The Gospel in a Changing World (Truth Lectures 2025) |
| Lectures special $20.00 (reg. $24.97) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Local news coverage of CEI Bookstore and Truth Publications:
|
|
|
|
Back to Main Menu
