West Salem Baptist Church

(1Thess. 5:18) “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” It has been said that the happiest people in the world are those that are thankful. They are happy because they have learned the secret of trusting in the Lord in every circumstance of life. If we by faith come to the place where we believe that everything happens for a purpose (Rom. 8:28), then we will be able to thank the Lord even when the bad times come our way. For some reason, some believers have bought into the idea that if we are faithful then only good things will happen to us, but God wants us to know that both good and bad happen to all men alike. The difference between those who are thankful and those who are not, is simply in their ability to understand God’s Word, believe it, and trust in it no matter what. Thank God for all the good things that happen to us in this life, but also thank God that when the bad times do come we have the promises of God’s Word to comfort u…

(Proverbs 29:18) “Where there is no vision, the people perish:…” In this verse it is apparent that having “no vision” causes people to perish. The vision implied here is “hearing from God.” To hear from God in the Bible, two things are necessary. 1) A prophet. A man who was chosen by God to give man God’s message. 2)The message or vision itself. God only gave His visions to prophets who would share them correctly.  Not having God’s message not only causes the unsaved to die and go to Hell, but it also causes believers to fall away. The word “perish” means to “go back to a place of wasting.” When any man is neglected the hearing of  God’s Word, he will end up in a place of wasting, but the 2nd half of the above verse is also true; “but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” 3)Obedience to God’s vision brings “happiness” or blessings. When any man hears God’s law (or vision) and obeys it, a blessing is promised to him. God’s blessing is only available to those who listen and hear, and t…

(Gen. 2:2-3) "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it:… This verse does not teach that God became tired and rested, nor does it teach that he created a Saturday Sabbath for all men. "…The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath…" (Mark 2:27).  Be careful when it comes to this teaching on the Sabbath that you don’t get the cart before the horse. Man was made after God taught about a day of rest for himself. In fact, a day of rest for man was not commanded by God until He gave it to Israel some 2400 yrs. later. On the 7th day God rested from His labor, giving man an example of the importance of resting both in God’s redemption and provision. (Heb 4:10)" For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his."  When  man decides to trust in  Jesus Christ, he enters int…

(Rom. 14:4) “I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.” In the above verse the Apostle Paul is very clear that not all Christians share the same convictions in life. We all should share the same black and white doctrines of the faith, but when it comes to certain things not specifically taught in scripture we ought to be graceful. Why?  Because not everyone is at the same maturity level with God. Growing in the knowledge of God’s Word takes time and learning to be graceful with all brethren does as well. So be careful to give one another the time to grow up into Christ. Just as we don’t expect little children to grasp the mature content of adulthood, neither should we expect instant maturity within the Church. The above grace described by Pau…

(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 …

(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…