Skip to main content

Posts

The Christian's Conduct Within The Church (Part 2)

(Rom. 12: 13-16)  “Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.” Again as we look at the conduct of the Christian within the Church, the Apostle Paul continues his list of direct commands. First of all we are commanded to care for one another. It’s one thing to tithe to the church but it’s something else to be willing to financially help others. God never intended the church to be a welfare program, but He does desire us to have compassion on those in need. “Hospitality” means that we are to open up our lives to be gracious and serving to all men. Learning to “bless” those that attack us, rather than “curse” them in retaliation. Our lives need to be uplifting, “rejoicing” with others when things go right and comforting …
Post a Comment
Read more
Recent posts

Living The Character Of Christ In The Church

(Rom. 12:10-12) “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.” In the above verse the Apostle Paul begins by addressing the need for brotherly love within the body of Christ by using a long list of commands, separated by a series of semi-colons. Meaning that God’s type of brotherly love ought to include all of the above equally. The word “brotherly” refers to the type of fraternal love that brothers and sisters have within a normal family. Where although there may be disagreements at times, kindness and  affection overrules. Believers who care about one another learn to put selfish feelings aside for the “honor” or edification of those they serve with. They put God’s “business” first and are not “slothful” or apathetic toward it. They are “ferv…
Post a Comment
Read more

Finding God's Perfect Will For Your Life

(Rom. 12:1-2) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Is it possible to know the will of God for your life?  In the above verse the Apostle Paul says we can. 1) By Presenting your body back to God. God just doesn’t want our bodies, He wants them given back to Him of our own free will, as a sacrifice presented in the old testament. He wants our sacrifice to be holy and acceptable, but also surrendered unto God and His perfect will. 2) Transforming your mind.  Jesus told his disciples that they could only serve one master, and so in order to serve God they needed to choose God over this world. For you to know the will of God for your life, we must turn your mind and heart away from the world and …
Post a Comment
Read more

Has God Cast Away Israel

(Rom. 11:7-8) “What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.”  There are some that believe that Israel as a people have been cursed and rejected by God, and that they have no hope of  restoration; but is that what the Bible teaches?  Israel as a nation has been set aside temporarily because of their unbelief of Christ as a nation, but individually they can be saved if they place their faith in Jesus Christ, just like anyone else. The only difference between a Gentile and a Jew is that God has placed upon Israel a judgment of spiritual blindness. The word “blindness” means: ”to render insensitive to or to be not interested in.” Why did this happen, because they have chose to trust in their religion more than in God’s Word, causing a blindness of heart. Toda…
Post a Comment
Read more

America, A Government After God's Own Heart

(Rom. 13:1)  “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” In the above verse the words “powers that be” refer to the gift of government to mankind. God’s intention for government officials are to rule for Him. Unfortunately, in this world all governments are not the same, and that’s precisely why we as American’s should be thankful for our form of government that is patterned after God’s ideology and not this world’s. Our Constitution, Amendments, and Declaration of Independence were all written by our founding fathers with the will of our Bible’s God in mind, as well as a personal dream of having a free country where every man has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as he sees fit. As Americans we have a tremendous heritage to remember and never forget. A heritage not only patterned after God’s Word, but a heritage that has been handed down to us by faithful men to protect and defend…
Post a Comment
Read more

It's Man That Chooses His Eternity Not God

(Rom. 9:11,13) “For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” Because of the above verses, many a scholar have concluded falsely that God choses some men to be saved and others to be damned; Just as He chose Jacob in the above verse over Esau in the book of Genesis, and Israel over Egypt. What a sad commentary to believe that we are nothing more than pawns in the chess game of God, where we have no choice of salvation, nor any choice in changing or determining our future and eternity.  Oh listen, the above verses teach us that God is sovereign and that He can do what He wants, but He is also bound by His Word. God would not teach here that the fate of some is set by God’s unchanging will and then tease man later in scripture and say we do have a choice or freewill in the matter. No, His Word teaches…
Post a Comment
Read more

What Does God Expect Of Fathers

(Deut. 6:5-7) “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children…” Before Israel went in to posses the Promised Land, the Lord warned Israel’s leadership of the importance of the above commandments. 1) To Love God first above all. God wanted the Fathers of Israel to give first place in the hearts to Him. Why?  Because He knew how quickly they would forget Him if they didn’t. If the fathers forget so will the family; therefore God commanded them to make God the Lord of their heart, soul, and might. 2) To Know the Word of God.  How can a father teach to his family that which he knows not himself? How sad it is when the leadership of the home does not know or study what they are to live and teach. Therefore, God expects fathers to study the Word so that the Word directs the home and not the world. 3) To Tea…
Post a Comment
Read more

God's Promise To Those Who Love Him

(Rom. 8:28) “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” It takes a certain type of Christian to praise the Lord in all things, because that would mean that he/she would have to praise God for the bad as well as the good. The above verse however only works for those that love God, for if someone does not love and trust God in every situation, that person will become discouraged and even bitter in life. God wants all His children to believe in Him, but to also know that no matter what happens to them in this life, He has promises that we will see it turned for good if they will just love and trust Him. Too often God’s people think that God owes us an easy life, but just the opposite is taught in scripture. (John 16:33) “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” You see,even though we have…
Post a Comment
Read more

The Promise Of God's Blessing

(Rom. 8:17) “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” One of the greatest truths of Romans Chapter 8 is that we who are saved are promised the blessing of God now, and in eternity. 1) We have the promise of an “heirship” with Christ. Meaning that all that Christ inherits from his Father in eternity, will be ours as well. Why, because of our salvation we have been adopted into His family and are now “the sons of God.” 2)We have the promise of His Holy Sprit’s help. Once saved, God’s Holy Spirit not only indwells the believer forever, but also guides and comforts him as he travels life’s journey. He is our intercessor with God. Not only does He pray constantly for us (26,) but he also possesses and reveals to us the perfect will and way of God. And if we as believers communicate with God’s Spirit, we will glory in the perfect will of God. 3) We have the promise of his purpose in suff…
Post a Comment
Read more

(Romans 8) - God's Promises To Every Believer

(Rom. 8:17) “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” One of the greatest truths of Romans Chapter 8 is that we who are saved are promised the blessing of God now, and in eternity. 1) We have the promise of an “heirship” with Christ. Meaning that all that Christ inherits from his Father in eternity, will be ours as well. Why, because of our salvation we have been adopted into His family and are now “the sons of God.” 2)We have the promise of His Holy Sprit’s help. Once saved, God’s Holy Spirit not only indwells the believer forever, but also guides and comforts him as he travels life’s journey. He is our intercessor with God. Not only does He pray constantly for us (26,) but he also possesses and reveals to us the perfect will and way of God. And if we as believers communicate with God’s Spirit, we will glory in the perfect will of God. 3) We have the promise of his purpose in suff…
Post a Comment
Read more

Believers Baptism

It’s amazing how differently “Baptism” is viewed by the many Christian religions of our world. In our KJ Bible, the word "baptism" is translated from the original Greek word "baptizo" which means, "to dip, immerse, or submerge." Nowhere else in scripture is another word used for baptism. The words which mean to "pour" or "sprinkle" are never found in association with term baptism anywhere in the original texts either! So, the term “baptism” symbolically must illustrate a complete submersion under water. In (Rom. 6:3-6) we are taught that "baptism" is a symbol of our Lord's death, burial, and resurrection. In other words, it’s a picture of being buried together with Christ in his death, and then being raised again a new in the likeness of his resurrection. This symbolic picture is at the very heart of the gospel message even though baptism itself has no part in the salvation process. According to the scriptures, baptism s…
Post a Comment
Read more

The Importance Of The Resurrection

(1Cor. 15:49) “And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” So, what is so important about the resurrection of Jesus Christ?1) It is important to the dead. In that after death man now knows that because Jesus lives, he too can live again forever. In the above verse God’s promise to the saved is that after death he/she will have a new image or (bodily form) in heaven that is heavenly. Since our earthly bodies are cursed because of sin they must die, remain here, and wait until Jesus Christ returns to be resurrected (15:23). At which time our bodies will be raised from the dust incorruptible and made like the glorious body of Jesus Christ (Php.3:21). But now after death man is given a temporarybody fashioned by God that pretty much looks and functions like our old earthly body, no matter if he goes to heaven or Hel…
Post a Comment
Read more

Three Men Died At Calvary

“And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.” Three men died the day of Jesus’s crucifixion. (1st ) Was Jesus.  Beaten, humiliated, and unjustly convicted, Jesus Christ the Son of God in human flesh, gave his life and shed his blood as a payment for the sin debt of the entire world. There will never be a more important event in human history than the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. As a lamb sacrificed for sin upon the altar of the OT saints, Jesus willingly laid down his life and shed his innocent blood for the sins of all men upon a cross. And whether or not a man believes in Jesus Christ, his offering has made it possible for any man to be saved by simply trusting in Jesus, but unfortunately not all men will. (2nd) Unrepentant thief. Though dying himself he chose to die in his sin, rejecting th…
Post a Comment
Read more

Abraham Was Righteous Because Of His Faith

"For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." Religion is good, but it does not save.Works of righteousness are commendable, but they too fall short of God's righteousness. In fact, according to scripture nothing that man can do, or has done will ever be able to save his soul. Even faith apart from God's revealed will and word is empty. So then why does the scripture above say that Abraham was able to receive God's righteousness by just simply believing God. In Abraham's day there was no Bible written, no law of Moses, nor was there Jesus Christ yet, and yet Abraham was able to receive God's righteousness apart from all the above. How was it possible?  Simply because God spoke, and Abraham trusted in His Word. He believed God and His Word, and so God imparted or imputed to him His saving righteousness apart from religion, works, commandments, and even Christ. You see people in the OT were saved …
Post a Comment
Read more

Justified By Faith Alone

(Rom. 3:23) "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."Have you ever asked yourself what this verse means? Well it means that if you are a human being no matter how good or righteous you are, because of your sin, your righteousness and glory can never equal or be good enough to get you into heaven. Why, because you fall short of the standard that God has set up, and that standard is the righteousness and glory of Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, God gave the world the ten commandments not to save, but to explain to us why and how it is that we fall short. (3:20) "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." And that is why God sent Jesus, for man from birth is under the condemnation or judgment of God. We therefore need God's help to cover our sin to stand righteous before God.Therefore, to be justified and free from the condemnation for  sin, God sent Jesus to di…
Post a Comment
Read more

Salvation Is Through Christ Alone

(Rom. 14:11-12) “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” One day all men will stand in judgment before God, but there will be a special “great white throne judgment”(Rev. 20:11-15) set aside for the unsaved where God himself will explain to the unsaved that salvation apart from trusting in Jesus Christ is impossible. Different types of arguments and excuses will be given there: 1) Arguments by the Heathen Man . He believes that because he has never heard of Jesus he has an excuse, but God will show him that he once had the truth but rejected it. For all men came off  Noah’s Ark, unfortunately those that forsook God damned the next generations to follow by replacing God with the idols and the lies of men. So, no matter where man is found on earth he is guilty of rejecting God’s way of salvation for his own. That’s why Missions is so important today, fo…
Post a Comment
Read more

Called By The Gospel Of God

(Rom. 1:16)  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”  The gospel of Jesus Christ is not just the biblical account of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, but it’s also the power behind our salvation, our walk, and service for the Lord. 1) God’s gospel calls all men to salvation. All men, meaning even those who do not believe Him.God so loved man that He sent His prophets to preach salvation to man long before He came himself in Christ to show man the way. And so, from the very beginning of time God has been calling men to repent of sin and trust in Him and His Word. 2) God’s gospel call is to  “whosoever will.” It’s not just limited to the Jew, but it’s also available to anyone who desires forgiveness and peace with God. Unfortunately, although all men are called only a few answer back and find salvation. 3) God’s gospel calls every Christian to share it.It’s now our…
Post a Comment
Read more

Coming Back From Backsliding

(Hosea 4:16) “For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer:” The term “backslider” was not invented by man, but rather God to describe a believer who has slipped back into his/her old ways of carnality. In other words, this person once walked with God, but for some reason now they are filled with the flesh and walk in their old ways. (Prov. 14:14) “A backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways.” The most dangerous place to be as a Christian is in a selfish self-centered place, filled with your own ways. You see, when a Christian is back-sliden they are hard to reach, hard to talk to, and even harder toward God’s will, for every backslider thinks they have a good reason for remaining in their condition. Usually it’s an offense, or a discouragement, or a trial that caused them to quit, but thank God that He has a plan to bring the backslider back. 1) Repent of all known sin. All disobedience is sin. 2) Renew your thinking. Stop complaining to God and start trusting in His W…
Post a Comment
Read more