Monthly Archives: August 2023

The People Of God

Posted on August 30, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

In an article entitled “What’s Behind America’s ‘Great Dechurching’?” John Stonestreet and Shane Morris of the Colson Center Breakpoint note:

“U.S. church membership, as a percentage of the population, is now at a record low—down more than 20 points in the twenty-first century. … the Southern Baptist Convention, America’s largest Protestant denomination, lost half a million members last year … ”

Why is this happening? The article goes on to note what I’ve believed for years. I want to read you what they wrote:

“If Christianity is merely a kind of hobby or weekly pep talk designed to enhance psychological well being or career success, then we can find better stuff on YouTube or Spotify. Why make time for this type of church every week? … Continue reading →

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Jesus Healing The Blind

Posted on August 25, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Last week we started looking at “the man born blind that Jesus healed” in John chapter 9. This was not the only blind man Jesus healed. When John the Baptist had a crisis of faith, and sent messengers to ask if Jesus was indeed the Messiah, our Lord said:

Matthew 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Jesus listed “The blind receive their sight” first, making it more important than “the dead are raised up”. Jesus came to give spiritual sight to whosoever would listen to Him. He illustrated this by “being Light” (“I am the Light of the world” – John 8:12), but also by healing the blind. Jesus healed two blind men in Matthew 9:27-31, one of whom was called Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52). Jesus also healed a blind man in Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26).

This Passage in John 9 Is The Longest And Most
Detailed Account Of Christ Healing The Blind

The other passages dealing with the blind are covered in about 17 verses of Scripture – but here we have an entire chapter devoted to blindness. The man born blind from birth starts the chapter, and triggers other events. But he is not the only blind person in this chapter. … Continue reading →

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Wherefore, Part 2

Posted on August 22, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Sadly, we have yet another scandal in the Southern Baptist Convention. In our paper The Baptist and Reflector I saw the headlines,

MCLAURIN RESIGNS AS INTERIM PRESIDENT OF SBC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

I thought it might be good news, that Willie was being called as President of the SBC Executive Committee. Willie took over as Interim President when it was alleged that Ronnie Floyd was guilty of sexual abuse. To quote another article, “McLaurin … brought calm to a battered organization in the wake of former president Ronnie Floyd’s resignation and to the EC’s handling of sexual abuse claims related to SBC churches. ”

Sadly, that was not the case. Brother McLaurin submitted a resume that – Willie admits – “included schools I did not attend or complete the course of study”. McLaurin wrote, “To the Southern Baptists who have placed their confidence in me and have encouraged me to pursue the role of President & CEO of the SBC Executive Committee, including pastors, state partners, entity servants, colleagues, and SBC African American friends, I offer my deepest apologies. Please forgive me for the harm or hurt that this has caused”.

Though I do not endorse what Brother McLaurin did – it is a violation of God’s Word to lie and misrepresent – I personally am praying for our entire Convention. We are not recognizing elders who are Spirit Filled and God Led, but are approaching God’s Word in the power of the flesh. It does not matter how many degrees you have. The reported Prince of Preachers, C.H. Spurgeon had no seminary training whatsoever. He was God led.

Beloved, are we GOD led, or are we FLESH led?
What is our goal every Sunday at this Church?… Continue reading →

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But Jonah

Posted on August 22, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

I heard a sermon Dr. Jerry Vines preached years ago called “Jonah”. I liked it so much that I decided to take some of his points, and expand them. Since then, I’ve preached this sermon at three different Churches in two different states. The power of the text is not in me, but in the Holy Spirit and the Holy Scripture. Let’s start at the best place – the beginning of Jonah’s story.

Jonah 1:1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

Oh, how I love the Book of Jonah. I think every Christian should read it at least once a year. Once you read it, it will fix a lot of the crazy ideas that have entered into Christianity in my lifetime. I have been invited to “Pastor Prayer Meetings” where I thought we were going to pray. Instead, when I got there, I listened to the Director of Missions tell us “The reason your Churches are not growing is because …”, and then he has some book or “expert” talk to tell us what we’re doing wrong. I… Continue reading →

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You Are NOT Enough!

Posted on August 18, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

John 9:1-5 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

How many of you are parents? Grandparents? Do you remember the day your first child was born? The doctor delivered the baby, and that child began to cry. As you stood over your new baby, you counted their fingers and toes. You touched their hair. You looked into their eyes, and prayed that everything was fine.

A baby boy was born. His parents took the child, and counted its fingers and toes. The child looked normal. But in time, it became apparent something was wrong. The baby was blind. Now, this is not today with our medical technology, our advanced society. There were no hospitals to speak of in the ancient world. Many doctors believed if a person was sick, to let a little bad blood out, and it would make them better. Some believed that taking too many baths could lead to sickness, that dirt was what we came from, and dirt is how we ought to smell. …. Continue reading →

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Wherefore, Part 1

Posted on August 15, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

1 Peter 2:1-5 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Southern Baptist Theologian and the very first editor of Christianity Today, Carl F. H. Henry stated:

“The Christian experience is always personal, but never private”.

Though salvation is a free gift of Grace from God,
free does not mean cheap.

In order to receive this gift, you lay your life down to Him Who laid His life down to you. Some believe that you can be saved, and yet live any way that you want, regardless of what God has said. This is Biblically unsound.

When you become a Christian you enter into a lifelong partnership with God. You come to God … Continue reading →

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Who Is Abraham’s Seed?

Posted on August 11, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

John 8:37-42 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. 38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. 39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

Last week we saw that the Pharisees were attacking Jesus. These were sincere people who believed in the Law of God. They were very conservative – and often added to the Law of God, making it more strident and binding. The Pharisees are also bullies, and try to bully Jesus. Jesus tells these religious zealots:

vs 37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed…

These people thought that because they were direct descendants of Abraham, that they were in a right relationship with God. As Pharisees they were physically tied to a righteous man named Abraham. But this is not how you are saved.

To Be Saved, You Must Be PHYSICALLY And
SPIRITUALLY Tied To God The Father

There will be many Jews who spend eternity in hell because they rejected Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. These same Jews will believe that they are God’s “Chosen People” because they can trace their lineage back to… Continue reading →

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Being Born Again

Posted on August 7, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

1 Peter 1:22-25 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Children of Adam are to act one way – but Children of God are to act another way. Children of Adam act the way they act because they are driven by the flesh. But Children of God act differently because they are driven by the Spirit.

Children Of Adam Are Born To Lust
Children Of God Are Born To Love

Though “Lust” and “Love” both have four letters and begin with the letter “L”, no two words could be more different. “Lust” is love INWARD, self satisfaction, self pleasure, self gratification. “Love” is love OUTWARD, doing unto others as you would have them do unto you, treating others with respect whether they deserve it or not. We read:

1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

What “purifies your soul”? It is to “obeying the truth through the Spirit”. What is “THE TRUTH”? It is what God has said. God is the Source of all Truth. When God passed by Moses He told that grand old Believer:… Continue reading →

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Disciples Indeed

Posted on August 4, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

John 8:31-36 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in My word, [then] are ye My disciples indeed; {32} And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. {33} They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? {34} Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. {35} And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: [but] the Son abideth ever. {36} If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Salvation Is A Free Gift That Changes You

Salvation is a free gift from God. But it is a free gift that, when it comes to you, changes you positionally and progressively. When you are saved, you are positionally a Child of God:

Romans 8:16 (ESV) The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God …

When God looks at us, we ARE His Children, if we are saved. This is positional. We are not children of Adam, but of God. But we are also progressively changed, which is what we will look at today. We read:

vs 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him

Word Study: Jesus is addressing BELIEVING Jews. They have BELIEVED (past tense) on Him. The word translated BELIEVED is the Greek Perfect Active Participle of “pisteuō”, which means “to have faith in, to rest in, to place confidence in or rest upon”. According to my commentary:

“The Perfect Tense describes an action which is viewed as having been completed in the past, once and for all, not needing to be repeated. Jesus’ last cry from the cross, TETELESTAI (“It is finished!”) is a good example of the perfect tense used in this sense, namely “It [the atonement]… Continue reading →

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