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Being Faithful Ambassadors

Posted on November 15, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Proverbs 13:16 Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.

Christians Do Not Make Their Own Truths

One of my favorite Presidents was Ronald Reagan. I never thought he was much of an actor (I liked John Wayne or Clint Eastwood), but he made a great president. He knew how to say things gently, humorously, and in a way that even made his enemies laugh. During one speech he said:

“Anytime we question the schemes of the do-gooders, we’re denounced as being against their humanitarian goals. They say we’re always against things, we’re never for anything. Well, the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they’re ignorant, it’s just that they know so much that isn’t so.”

You might not have liked Reagan, but I liked how he gently said things, but clung to the truth. Truth is not malleable. Truth is absolute, just like gravity. You can, by human invention, go against gravity as you go against truth. But truth will be truth no matter what you believe. I saw a picture on the internet the other day where a woman – obviously overweight – was standing and looking down at a calculator. The calculator was set to the numbers 130, and the caption on the picture read “create your own truth”. You can believe yourself to be 130 pounds, and pretend that you’re standing on scales if you want. But the reality is you weigh what you weigh. If your chromosomes are XY, you can pretend you’re a woman – but you are a man. If your chromosomes are XX, you can pretend that you are a man – but you’re a woman. Facts are facts and truth is truth.

Every PRUDENT man dealeth with knowledge

The British Nonconformist (Protestants who rejected the state Church of England) Minister Matthew Henry wrote in his commentary:

“The rule by which the wise regulate their conduct, is a fountain yielding life and happiness. The way of sinners is hard upon others, and hard to the sinner himself. The service of sin is slavery; the road to hell is strewed with the thorns and thistles that followed the curse. It is folly to talk of things of which we know nothing, and to undertake what we are no way fit for. Those that are wicked, and false to Christ and to the souls of men, do mischief, and fall into mischief; but those that are faithful, find sound words healing to others and to themselves.”

Word Study: The “PRUDENT” person is the Hebrew ʿārûm (pro. Aw-room’) means “the shrewd, sensible, or crafty”. This word is first used in the Bible for the Serpent in the Garden of Eden, which we are later told is actually a personification of Satan, the fallen arch-angel (Revelation 12:9; 20:2). When Satan came into the Garden of Eden, he studied the facts that were established by God. He then determined how to subvert Adam, to get him to go against the facts and into the folly of sin.

The “PRUDENT” or sensible person looks at and understands the facts, the truth at hand. The “FOOL” on the other hand ignores the facts, and bases his or her actions on feelings or folly. One Commentary notes:

“In life, wisdom is an asset that shapes how we navigate decisions and interactions. The nature of our actions often reflects our understanding and discernment. A knowledgeable individual will act based on informed reasoning rather than impulsive feelings, showcasing wisdom in their responses. Conversely, those lacking such insight may display foolish behavior, undermining their potential to achieve meaningful outcomes.”

It is sad when children must be separated from their law breaking parents. It hurts our hearts to see it. But to violate the Law of the land is a criminal act – and one that is forbidden by the Scripture. The Bible says:

Romans 13:1-2 (ESV) Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

Illustrate: In 2019 a Border Agent was being questioned by a member of a House Oversight Committee on child separation from those who illegally enter the United States. When pressed on the policy of “family separation”, Agent Tom Homan said, “In any criminal arrest, if the criminal has a child they are separated from the parent. If I get arrested for DUI and I have a young child in the car, I will be separated (from my child). If I am arrested for domestic violence, I will be separated from my child.” Entering the United States illegally – without going through a port of entry – is a violation of statute 1911.8 U.S.C. 1325. As citizens we do not violate the Law of our land. As citizens of the Kingdom of God, Christians obey the Law.

The Word of God establishes the groundwork of knowledge that the prudent or sensible person follows.

But a FOOL layeth open his folly.

The “FOOL” is the person who rejects authority, rejects God ordained leadership beginning with God. God says:

Psalm 14:1 (KJV) The FOOL hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

Those who reject authority reject the absolute state of TRUTH. These people are ANARCHISTS. They want their way, their truth, regardless as to what actually is real. As we read in the previous chapter:

Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

The “FOOL” or the confused lost person who rejects any higher authority but themselves will not heed reason. They are always right “in their own eyes”. It is best to not argue with the “FOOL”, but to pray for them, BUT get as far away from them as is possible. Foolishness destroys nations, communities, and churches. Moses led the Israelites as God directed him to do. When Korah rose up to subvert the leadership of Moses (Numbers 16:1-3), Moses asked God to vindicate him. Let’s read what happened as you turn with me to …

Numbers 16:20-35 (NKJV) And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 21 “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” 22 Then they {Moses and Aaron} fell on their faces, and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the congregation?” {Moses and Aaron interceded for the Congregation, the Church} 23 So the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’ ” 25 Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.” 27 So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little children. 28 And Moses said: “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. 29 If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. 30 But if the Lord creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the Lord.” 31 Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. 33 So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly. 34 Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up also!” 35 And a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.

God’s Kingdom is built on God’s truth, not on our feelings. The “PRUDENT” or sensible person heeds God’s Word, and follows Godly leadership as long as that leadership is following God. The Apostle said:

1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIV) FOLLOW my example, as I FOLLOW the example of Christ.

Stay True To What God Has Said

Proverbs 13:17 A WICKED MESSENGER falleth into mischief: but a FAITHFUL AMBASSADOR is health.

We live in a day where “Tolerance” is the most important thing, in a day where God’s truths are being sold for popularity. This verse contrasts the “WICKED MESSENGER” with the “FAITHFUL AMBASSADOR”. An “AMBASSADOR” is a foreigner living in a country not his own, but that foreigner represents his country. Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.

2 Corinthians 5:30 (ESV) Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Ambassadors are not self-appointed, but are appointed by a sovereign King or President. Jesus appointed us who are Christians as Ambassadors when He gave us the Great Commission:

Matthew 28:20 (NKJV) {You are to be} … teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you

Ambassadors do not create their own policies, but are given instruction in written form. The Ambassador adheres to the directives sent from the sovereign nation. We adhere to the Bible and its teachings, whether the world agrees or not.

Ambassadors are often at odds with the country they are deployed to. The Bible says that every Christian is temporarily in this world, but …

Philippians 3:20 (NIV) … our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ

The “WICKED MESSENGER” lives for his or her self, putting their flesh above the needs and directives of their sending Kingdom. The “FAITHFUL AMBASSADOR” lives not for themselves, but for their nation and their Leader. The Christian is called to:

Colossians 1:10 (ESV) so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Jesus warned us that living for Him would be costly (Luke 14:26-33). The Apostle writes:

Ephesians 6:19-20 {Pray for me} that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Ambassadors do not treat insults to themselves personally, but remember that they represent a greater nation. The world we live in is powered by darkness. We as Christ’s Ambassadors represent the LIGHT OF GOD, which stands in opposition to the darkness. Our Lord Jesus told us:

Matthew 5:11-12 (NKJV) Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The great Puritan Preacher Jonathan Edwards wrote in his book “Charity and Its Fruits”:

“Men that have their spirits heated and enraged and rising in bitter resentment when they are injured act as if they thought some strange thing had happened to them. Whereas they are very foolish in so thinking for it is no strange thing at all but only what was to be expected in a world like this. They therefore do not act wisely that allow their spirits to be ruffled by the injuries they suffer.”

When God created this world He created LIGHT, not darkness. God said “Let there be Light”, and there was light. Though God recognized the darkness as “night”, He did not create the darkness.

Christ’s children are to imitate Him, to be LIGHT. Our job is to represent the Kingdom of God on earth, and to imitate Christ in so doing. One article I read noted:

“Our Lord was slandered and falsely accused of all kinds of offenses, but He opened not His mouth in protest (Isaiah 53:7). Like a lamb, He accepted these vitriolic attacks, and, in the very moment of His passion, He prayed for the forgiveness of those who were attacking Him (Luke 23:34). This is how we are called to react to our enemies (1 Peter 4:13). Therefore, every false accusation, every slander, every ill word spoken about me is an opportunity for me to grow in my sanctification.”

When the Ambassador is recalled to his country, this is tantamount to a declaration of war. There will come a day when Christ will call His Church to Himself from this earth. At that time, the Great Tribulation will begin, a terrible time on the face of the earth. Until that time comes, the Ambassador is to speak the Gospel and uphold the Word of God in the way we live our lives. The Wicked Messenger will twist the Gospel and/ or the Word of God, seeking to remove the elements of the Kingdom Message that are repugnant to this world. The Apostle told the Church at Galatia:

Galatians 1:6-9 (NKJV) … I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

It is a Wicked Messenger that will preach Grace without Repentance, Salvation without Sanctification, Heaven without New Birth, Resurrection without the Cross, or Christianity without Christ.

We are called to be Faithful Ambassadors, just as Jesus is the “Faithful and True Witness” (Revelation 1:5; 3:14). Christ left us on this earth to represent Him and His Kingdom. We cannot earn nor deserve our salvation, but we can honor Jesus by faithfully sharing the Gospel of the Kingdom to whosoever will.

Proverbs 13:18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.

You cannot be a Faithful Ambassador if you will not LISTEN TO THE DIRECTIVES OF THE KINGDOM. The Faithful Ambassador reveres the Word of God, and fears the King of Kings. The Prophet wrote:

Isaiah 33:5-6 (NKJV) The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. 6 Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, And the strength of salvation; The fear of the Lord is His treasure.

The Wicked Messenger cares only for themselves, not for the Kingdom. They bring “MISCHIEF” and trouble on the land. God told Israel:

Jeremiah 6:12-15 (NKJV) I will stretch out My hand Against the inhabitants of the land,” says the Lord. 13 “Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is given to covetousness; And from the prophet even to the priest, Everyone deals falsely. 14 They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace. 15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; Nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; At the time I punish them, They shall be cast down,” says the Lord.

The Faithful Ambassador brings HEALTH, blessing to the world around him, whereas the WICKED MESSENGER brings mischief and trouble. Let us strive to live for Christ’s Kingdom – and for the future of America. There are only two choices, light or darkness. Let us live for the LIGHT, being Faithful Ambassadors. Amen and Amen.

Posted in Proverbs, Sermons Preached | Tagged ambassadors, ambassadors for Christ, building the Kingdom, Following Christ, Kingdom of God, living for Jesus | Leave a comment

At Peace Or In Crisis?

Posted on November 12, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Romans 5:1-3 THEREFORE being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also …

Do You Have PEACE, Or Are You In CRISIS?

Our text begins with “THEREFORE”. When you read your Bible and encounter the word “THEREFORE”, you should ask yourself,

“What is it THERE FOR?”

This “THEREFORE” is pointing backwards to what we learned about Abraham last week. Abraham is called “our father”, because his life is the pattern of saving faith. The Bible says,

Romans 4:3 (AP) … Abraham BELIEVED GOD, and HIS BELIEF was counted or IMPUTED unto him for righteousness …

God came to a broken man, and called him to follow Him, to be a follower of Christ. Abraham followed. He believed in Jesus, and followed Jesus – even when he did not understand where he was going or what he was going through. Abraham was saved by believing in Jesus (John 8:58). Abraham was saved apart from ritual, apart from Church, apart from Law, apart from good works, apart from any human agency whatsoever. Abraham cast his broken life on Jesus, and followed the Great Shepherd where ever He led.

Period.

God imputed or accounted righteousness to Abraham. God covered Abraham’s sins with His hands, which would one day be nailed to a cross on Calvary.

When Jesus Christ – God’s Only Begotten Son – ministered on this earth He did two things throughout that ministry. Jesus preached the “Gospel of the Kingdom and healed all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people” (Matthew 4:23).

The only people who ever met Jesus and went away unchanged were those who rejected His help. Unlike Abraham, they would not follow Jesus in faith.

The Pharisees – in love with themselves and in love with self righteousness – were the greatest persecutors of the Lord. They found fault with Jesus because He spent time reaching out to “publicans and sinners”. Jesus told these self deceived people:

Matthew 9:12-13 (KJV) … They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. {13} …. I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Jesus is not looking for numbers. He doesn’t care if you “Like” Him on Facebook or Instagram. Jesus is looking for BROKEN SOULS that will follow Him.

Illustrate: No one goes to a doctor when they are well, but when they’re sick. When someone goes to a doctor they do what the doctor says if they want to get well. We go to the doctor’s office and take off our clothes. We then sit on a little metal cold table in a little cold room in this state of undress until the doctor comes in. He says “stick out your tongue” and we comply. He says “cough” and we do it. We want to get better, so we do what the doctor says. The Pharisees, the self righteous Scribes, and the rulers of Jesus’ day didn’t know that they were sick, so they rejected the doctor. They refused to hear Jesus. They loved themselves and thought they were right with God, but for all their good works they were at war with the Almighty. A disease called sin ate not only on their bodies, but also ate on their souls.

Those who refused to give themselves to Jesus, to follow Him, were sincere in what they were doing. They thought they were doing right, but they weren’t. They were in CRISIS.

What they did, they did apart from God. They thought they belonged to God, but were deceived, because they would not follow Jesus. God told us previously:

Romans 3:24-25 (NKJV) being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood …

The only Person God has ever “set forth” as a means to Himself is “Christ Jesus”. Those who claim to be “Christian” but are NOT Christ FOLLOWERS are not God’s Children.

The Scribes & Pharisees & Priests refused to follow Jesus. They refused to believe His testimony, and refused to surrender to His leading. Jesus told them:

John 5:39-40 (KJV) Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. {40} And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

Jesus was clear in what He said. “Look in the Scriptures – and I am there. The Scriptures testify of Me. The Bible told you that I was coming, and now that I am here you will not hear Me.” Dear friends, the Bible says that there are many who, like those Pharisees, they will not come to Jesus. The Scripture says:

John 3:18-19 (KJV) He that believeth on {Jesus} is not CONDEMNED: but he that believeth not is CONDEMNED already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. {19} And this is the CONDEMNATION, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Word Study:The word rendered “CONDEMNED” in verse 18 is the Greek word “krinō” which means “to be under the judgment of God as a criminal”. If you receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior you are not under the adverse judgment of God, for God applies the work of Christ to your soul. Your status changes from criminal of Heaven to citizen of God’s Kingdom because of Jesus. BUT …The word “CONDEMNATION” in verse 19 is a different Greek word, one you are familiar with. It is the word “KRISIS”. This word is pronounced like CRISIS but beginning with a “K”.

Without Jesus, You Are In CRISIS!

The big CRISIS everyone is upset about today is the election results. I have never seen so many people crying, throwing tantrums, screaming, making threats, promising revolution – any manner of weird and childlike – yes, like a 6 year old child – threats. Why is this? Because their faith is not in Jesus Christ, but in a god of this world. Misplaced faith brings a crisis. And before anyone in this room begins to feel superior,

If YOUR candidate had lost, and the OTHER candidate had won, if the tables were switched, would YOU being throwing tantrums too?

I said this before the election, and I’ll say it again. Regardless as to who won the Presidency, the Senate, and the House, Jesus Christ will still be on the Throne! It is Jesus Christ Who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords (1 Timothy 6:15). It is God Who is ultimately in control. It is in Christ we who are His put our faith, not in the gods of this world. The great “CRISIS” in America today is not inflation, high interest rates, the borders of our country, the increasing gas prices, nor global warming. The great “CRISIS” according to God is that “Light came into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light”. The great “CRISIS” is that many would rather hold on to their sins than bow their knee to the Lord Jesus.

You can only have peace with God THROUGH our LORD Jesus Christ. The CRISIS is that people today want to be cured, but don’t want to take the Cure. If you want to be cured from sin and to find peace with God you can only do this through our Lord Jesus Christ. You must come to Him, surrendering yourselves to Him. Those who put aside their pride and came to Jesus were changed when they walked on this earth, and they will be changed now. Lay down your lives at His feet, and He will give you true life.

We Need To Be Aligned Spiritually With God

Romans 5:1 (KJV) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

You cannot have peace with God before you are justified. To be “justified” is to be brought into spiritual alignment with God.

Before a person surrenders their lives to Jesus Christ they follow one of two Biblical patterns. We either act like Pharisees, that self righteous crowd who felt that they were good enough in their own power to please God, or else we act like Sadducees, the liberal crowd that only accepted the portions of the Scripture that they liked. Nothing has changed from the beginning of the world unto today. We may have …

cars instead of carts
motorboats instead of paddle boats
electricity instead of kerosene and candles
calculators instead of fingers and toes
television & internet instead of common sense

… but humanity has not changed one little bit. As God tells us in

Ecclesiastes 1:9, “there is no new thing under the sun”. Unchanged man never changes. We may develop greater technology, but at heart we are born into this world self righteous Pharisees and Herodians, or liberally humanistic Sadducees and Scribes. We easily see other people’s shortcomings but never see our own.

Illustrate: We’re like the woman who said: “I don’t know what this world is coming to. Someone broke into my house and stole all my Holiday Inn towels!”

Apart from Christ we are at war with God. He is truly righteous, but we are naturally not. He is holy, we are filled with holes. He is always good and giving, but we are always grasping.

The Devil’s great trick is not to make us more evil, but to make us worship the wrong gods.

We cannot justify ourselves, but the devil convinces us we can do so. The Devil promised Jesus riches and fame, power and world domination. Jesus told that fallen critter:

Matthew 4:10 (AP) …. Get away from Me, Satan! The Bible says, “You shall WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, and YOU SHALL ONLY SERVE HIM”.

The devil offers us substitutes for Jesus. He says “You are good enough. Follow another god, not the God of the Scripture”. But The Bible tells us:

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

When we believe on Jesus, following Him as Abraham followed Him, God considers us spiritually aligned with Himself. He imputes or credits righteousness to us for Christ’s sake. We cannot justify ourselves. The Scripture says:

Romans 8:33 (NKJV) … It is God who justifies.

God must justify or declare a person righteous. God alone is always right, always righteous. We are not always right, no matter what you might think. The Bible says that all of us are naturally sinners, naturally wrong, and naturally apart from God. God must supersede our natural wrongness.

We can’t make ourselves right by doing good religion (like the Pharisees) or by doing good acts of humanism (like the Sadducees). These are false gods. We must surrender to and follow Jesus.

All have sinned, and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). God must intervene – and He has through His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. The Scripture says that God did not arbitrarily justify people, but that Jesus “was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:25).

Jesus paid the penalty that we couldn’t pay to give us a righteousness that we couldn’t earn. God is eternal. Every sin committed against God brings an eternal punishment. Yet we are but mortals. How can we pay for our sins? We cannot. We must believe what the Bible says. We must surrender our lives – our very intellect – to the truth that Jesus was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification.

Grace is free, but it’s not cheap. Grace cost God the Father the life of His Only Begotten Son.

Grace caused Jesus Christ our Lord to hang, naked and bleeding, before a jeering crowd as He cried out under the weight of our sin. Grace costs the believer everything as he lays his life down at the foot of the Cross. Jesus Christ died for our sins, and was raised again for our justification. Jesus alone made full payment for the sins of “whosoever will”.

So many “Christians” miss the glory of the Christian life because they refuse to surrender their lives to the Lord.

They think that they can work their way to God, or be good enough to get to God. They miss the miracle of new birth because they – like all Pharisees – hold on to the Law with one hand while trying to please God with the other. We cannot please God until we submit to His resources. We must deny the flesh and submit to the Spirit. We must give our lives to Jesus Christ, so He can give life to us.

Romans 8:5-8 (KJV) For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. {6} For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. {7} Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. {8} So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Those who follow the gods of this world – the flesh – “CANNOT PLEASE GOD”. The power of our salvation is in Jesus Christ, not in our own strength. We follow Jesus, just as Abraham followed Jesus. We are flawed in our following, but we follow knowing that in Him and Him alone is life. By Jesus …

Romans 5:2 … we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

We “STAND” in Grace. We “REJOICE in hope of the glory of God”. We know that God is faithful, and will do as He has said He will do.

Those who worship the gods of the flesh, whether it be politics, money, fame, whatever, those gods shall fall. But our God shall never fall. As Christ followers we do not despair.

Christians do not live in CRISIS. We live looking toward the CROSS. We follow the CHRIST no matter what comes our way.

Whatever “Faith” You Have Will Be Tested

Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also …

What is the difference between the Christ Follower who, like Abraham, keeps their eyes on Jesus, and the “Christian” who has put their faith in the flesh?

When someone turns off the lights, the Christ Follower gives GLORY TO GOD. The “Christian” has tantrums, pity parties, and relying on the flesh literally goes all to pieces. They have no peace with God. The Bible says:

“WE (Christ Followers) GLORY IN TRIBULATIONS”

Word Study: The word translated “TRIBULATIONS” is the Greek thlipsis, which means “afflictions, troubles, anguish, persecution, something that presses down on our spirits and our bodies”. Jesus warned His followers that “they shall deliver you up to be AFFLICTED” (thlipsis). Those who follow Christ can expect the pains and failures of this world, but also the attacks of the darkness. Those who profess to be “Christian” but who are yet in the flesh “have no root in themselves. They endure for a while, but when affliction (thlipsis) comes they are offended – and leave the faith” (Mark 4:17; Matthew 13:21). The heretic Charles Darwin, the inventor of that idiocy we call human evolution, was once a minister of the Gospel. There are other people, pastors and ministers, who look “Christian” but are not Christ followers.

How you respond to trials and tribulations proves whether you are a born again Christ follower, or a follower of the flesh.

When I was younger I read a book written by Corrie Ten Boom called “The Hiding Place”. As Christ followers, Corrie and her family hid persecuted Jews from the Nazis during that terrible time called the Holocaust. When Corrie and her family were discovered they were all imprisoned. Her father and her sister Betsy died in prison. Corrie was supposed to be executed by the Gestapo, but due to a “clerical error” was released. Corrie remarked,

“God does not have problems. Only plans.”

Before she left this life in 1983 to be with Jesus, Corrie wrote:

“Often I have heard people say, ‘How good God is! We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic, and look at the lovely weather!’ Yes, God is good when He sends good weather. But God was also good when He allowed my sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration camp. I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there. Everything around us was dark, and there was darkness in my heart. I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us. ‘No, Corrie,’ said Betsie, ‘He has not forgotten us. Remember His Word:

“For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him.”

“There is an ocean of God’s love available—there is plenty for everyone. May God grant you never to doubt that victorious love – whatever the circumstances.”

God did the greatest thing He could do for you at the Cross and the empty Tomb. Would God save you, dear believer, then abandon you to the darkness? Absolutely not! We have peace with God. We who follow Jesus are God’s Children. No good Father will abandon His children. We are “His Workmanship” (Ephesians 2:10). God is at work in our lives through tribulations and tests, making us more like Jesus. Our faith is not in our flesh, but in Him, the Spirit of God. Our hope is not in fallen man, but in Perfect Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Do you know Him? Are you following the flesh, or the Holy Spirit? Oh Beloved, whether you follow the god of the world, or the God of the Bible, you will be tried. Whether you prosper, whether you grow, or crash and burn – depends on where your faith is.

My faith is in Jesus Christ, and in the promises of this glorious Bible. How about you? May God pierce your heart with His glorious Gospel. Amen.

Posted in Romans, Sermons Preached | Tagged "Christian" or Christ follower?, false faith, Following Christ, God Is Faithful, gospel, Jesus Christ, salvation | Leave a comment

Cherish God’s Word

Posted on November 7, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Proverbs 13:10 Only by PRIDE {zāḏôn} cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

The source of man’s fall from Paradise, the source of every war or division in the history of mankind is “PRIDE”.

Word Study: The word used for “PRIDE” here is the Hebrew {zāḏôn}, which means “pride, insolence, presumptuousness, arrogance”. Pride always looks for something shinier and prettier than the glory of God, and seeks to secure it for oneself. My commentary notes:

“The word translated “insolence” comes from a Hebrew verb literally meaning “to boil.” This suggests a kind of inward, bubbling pride that refuses to learn anything from anybody … An insolent person is a contentious, know-it-all, egotistical individual with a superior attitude. He is quick to quarrel and unwilling to agree with anyone with a different view. Such persons create a great deal of drama but accomplish little else.

The Apostle advises us:

Titus 3:9-11 (NKJV) But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. 10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.

When someone in their arrogance has their heart and mind hardened to any discussion, to any other thought than what pumps up their self, the Apostle said to REJECT THAT DIVISIVE PERSON. Love them, but do not spend time in argument with them. They will deflect and find fault, and in short do anything and say anything in order to cause you to lose your composure.Get away from that person before they draw you into their web.This is akin the what the Scripture says:

Proverbs 26:4 (NKJV) Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him.

Proverbs 13:10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

Word Study: The person who is “WELL ADVISED” {yāʿaṣ} is the person open to receiving counsel from various others, then reaching your own conclusion. In our day Satan has taken over the airwaves, leading reporters and social media activists to spout either far right or far left propaganda. In chapter six of Adolf Hitler’s book Mein Kampf he explained how he used propaganda to manipulate the German people. He wrote:

“The function of propaganda is, for example, not to weigh and ponder the rights of different people, but exclusively to emphasize the one right which it has set out to argue for. Its task is not to make an objective study of the truth, in so far as it favors the enemy, and then set it before the masses with academic fairness; its task is to serve our own right, always and unflinchingly.”

Our greatest Advisor if God. The well advised or well counseled person will examine all worldly “truths” through the lens of God’s Holy Word. God has given us His Holy Spirit to not only SAVE us, but to SANCTIFY us with the truths of God. Jesus said:

John 17:17 Sanctify them by Your Truth. Your Word, dear Father, is Truth.

John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

We have the counsel of God’s Word and the guidance of God’s Spirit – a PERSON and not a FORCE. We also have the counsel of God through other persons called Pastors and teachers that we can heed. The Bible says:

Romans 12:16 (ESV) Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.

The arrogant will never learn – but the humble will. May God lead us all to humility.

Cheap Riches Quickly Lost

Proverbs 13:11 Wealth gotten BY VANITY shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labor shall increase.

This proverb compares the wealth that a person gathers “BY VANITY”. The Pulpit Commentary notes:

“literally, wealth by a breath; i.e. wealth obtained without labor and exertion, or by illegitimate and dishonest means, is soon dissipated, is not blessed by God, and has no stability. {the Latin}Vulgate {translates this as}, ‘riches acquired hastily’; {whereas the Greek Translation of the Old Testament, the}Septuagint {translates this as}, ‘substance gotten hastily with iniquity’.”

Money represents an expenditure of your life, invested in work. God commissioned work in the Garden of Eden. Though creation was perfect, God created Adam to work. We are told in:

Genesis 2:15 (KJV) the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

Even in a perfect environment God required WORK. When Adam and Eve were not doing that which God ordered, it wasn’t long before Satan came in and offered prideful sin. Proper Work always honors God. Jesus said:

John 5:17 (ESV) My Father is working until now, and I am working.

Believers are to honor God in their work, whether secular or religious.

God does not honor welfare for those who are able bodied but lazy. When we honor ourselves but ignore God, the Lord will not bless it. He spoke through the Prophet Haggai:

Haggai 1:6-10 (NKJV) “You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.” 7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! 8 Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord. 9 “You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the Lord of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit.

Wealth gained through God honoring labor increases, and establishes a lasting legacy. “he that gathereth by labor shall increase”. A person unashamed to work and glorify God in that work shall increase their soul, and appreciate the things that they have. The magazine Business Insider did an article on purchasing Lottery Tickets.

William (Bud) Post won Pennsylvania Lottery 16.2 million
but was 1 million in debt within a year.

Evelyn Adams won $5.4 million, but gambled it all
away in Atlantic City.

Pentecostal Preacher Billy Bob Harrel, Jr. won the Texas Lottery $31 million dollars. He died penniless, saying “Winning the lottery is the worst thing that ever happened to me”.

Janite Lee won $18 million lottery jackpot in 1993, but filed for bankruptcy in 2001 – about 7 years later.

This is just a few of the over 20 cases that Business Insider spoke of. This secular publication concluded with, “While it may be tempting, buying a lottery ticket is almost certainly not worth it. History has countless examples of winners whose lives took a turn for the worse after hitting the jackpot.”

That which we earn with honest work, and that which we do which glorifies God, will certainly last. When Satan offered Jesus the whole world if He would bow down and worship him (Matthew 4:5), Jesus quickly replied:

“It is written: You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve” (Matthew 4:8)

We All Need Blessed Hope

Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

A life without hope is a miserable life. I see so many today walking around with dead eyes. They are ciphers, just existing, because they have wandered from the Source of Hope. The Source of all hope is God.

One of the main teachings in Scripture concerning Christianity is “HOPE”. The hope of the Christian is not in the flesh, nor in our abilities. Our hope is in the Lord. The Bible says:

Psalm 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

Psalm 33:18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

Our God is actually called “The God of Hope” (Romans 15:13). Hope for the believer in Christ is not wishful thinking, but a calm assurance that God is in control, and that our loving God will work all things out for our good. When the Apostle wrote about love, and described how great and persistent love is, he wrote:

1 Corinthians 13:13 and now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

An article in “Our Daily Bread” the devotional notes:

“Hope that is reduced to the level of wishes and dreams can be like soap bubbles that look beautiful to the eye but disappear at the slightest touch. … One of the Bible’s most comprehensive statements on hope is Paul’s crowning comment on the subject in Romans 15: ‘Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit’ (v. 13). This marvelous prayer reveals … God is the God of hope. Our joyful expectation isn’t without foundation. Hope’s foundation is not a theory or a philosophy; it is a Person. Paul wants us to embrace hope as a reality rooted in God Himself, not as something we have to work up in our own strength.”

God is the foundation of our hope. Not our abilities, but God’s empowerment. The lost put their hope in insecure and unable things and people. I have heard this quoted:

“For those who don’t know Jesus, ‘hope’ is a verb. For the Christian, ‘hope’ is a Noun. Hope IS God. We possess hope because the God Who possesses us is the God of Hope.”

How Do We Respond To God’s Word?

Proverbs 13:13 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.

Those who turn away from the teachings of God’s Word are on a pathway that will ultimately lead to destruction and death. When the Prophet Jonah heard the Word of God directing him to go to Nineveh and preach the Gospel,

Jonah 1:2 (KJV) Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

Jonah despised God’s Word. We are told:

Jonah 1:3 (KJV) But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD …

God sent a GREAT WIND, a Hurricane to attack the ship, and a GREAT FISH to swallow Jonah and bring him to Nineveh. What is our takeaway on this? If you will not heed God and His Word, you can expect misery, darkness, and eventually you will be swallowed by the darkness until you REPENT or DIE.

The blessing or the cursing of every person – saved or unsaved – depends on their positive response to or rejection of the Word of God. Those who respect God’s Word and do that which He says “SHALL BE REWARDED”. But those who “DESPISE” God’s Word {Hebrew bûz, pro. Booz}, “those who hold it in contempt or as insignificant, unworthy of consideration”, their reward shall be destruction. God considered the rejection of His Word so severe that He told His Israel:

Numbers 15:30-31 (NKJV) ‘But the person who does anything presumptuously, whether he is native-born or a stranger, that one brings reproach on the Lord, and he shall be cut off from among his people. 31 Because he has despised the word of the Lord, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be upon him.’

The Israelite that despised God’s Word were “cut off from among his people”. They were not killed, but exiled for rejecting the clearly presented Word of God. This did not apply to accidental or unintentional sin, but to deliberate rejection of what God said. Israel did not follow this rule. As a result, wickedness grew in Israel.

In 2 Chronicles chapter 36 our Lord gives us the account of various kings who – though they sat on the Throne of David – did not honor God.

The King of Egypt put Jehoiakim on David’s Throne (2 Chronicles 36:4-5). Jehoiakim “did evil in the sight of God” and God caused him to be overthrown by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon. Then Jehoiachin sat on David’s Throne (vs 9), but “did evil in the sight of God”. Once more God used Nebuchadnezzar to dethrone the king. Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon put Zedekiah on David’s Throne (vs 10-12), but once more “Zedekiah did evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the Lord” (vs 12).

God tells us:

2 Chronicles 36:15-17 And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. 16 But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy. 17 Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand.

God is serious about His Word, and we need to be just as serious. To reject His Word, to belittle what He has said, to refuse to obey Jesus Whom God has sent, is a terrible error in judgment. We are told by the LORD:

Isaiah 66:1-2 (ESV) Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? 2 All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at My Word.

What impresses God, the Creator and Savior of all, is that we HUMBLE ourselves and HONOR His Word!

Proverbs 13:14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

The reason I believe that many who profess Christ as Lord and Savior and yet are frightened to death of death is because they have not fed their faith the Word of God. A person may be saved by simple faith in Christ, but sanctification and the calm assurance of STRONG FAITH only comes by reading, studying, and meditating on God’s Word. The phrase “a fountain of life” reminds me of what our Lord Jesus said in:

John 4:14 (NKJV) … whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.

The Christian who holds God’s Word in low regard never grows into the “FOUNTAIN OF LIFE”. To this sad creature faith in Christ is a ticket to a paradise one day. It is like the traveler who buys a ticket to Hawaii or the Caribbean, then puts it into a drawer, pulling it out occasionally to look at it and dream. If you are doing this, you are robbing yourself of the quiet joy of God’s Kingdom RIGHT NOW IN YOUR HEART. That is what the Apostle called “receiving the Grace of God in vain”:

2 Corinthians 6:1 (AP) We then, as WORKERS TOGETHER WITH CHRIST, plead with you to NOT RECEIVE THE GRACE OF GOD IN VAIN …

The Christians at Corinth received God’s Grace, but fed their flesh rather than feeding their spirits. Compare them to the Church at Thessalonica, who:

1 Thessalonians 1:6 (AP) … RECEIVED THE WORD {of God} in MUCH AFFLICTION, with the joy of the Holy Spirit ..

and again, Paul told Thessalonica:

1 Thessalonians 2:13 (AP) … when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers

The lazy believer, the believer who will not heed God’s Word will not grow in their faith. They will not find the favor of God, but darkness and tribulation. Whether you claim to be a Christian or not,

Proverbs 13:15 Good understanding giveth favor: but the way of transgressors is hard.

Jesus said:

John 7:37-38 (Amplified) “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink! He who believes in me, who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me, as the Scripture has said (some believe Jesus is referring to Isaiah 58: 11), from his innermost being shall flow continuously springs and rivers of living water”. But He was speaking here of the Spirit, Whom those who believed, trusted, had faith in Him were afterward to receive”

Pastor Sam Storms writes:

Perhaps receiving the grace of God in vain pertains not so much to salvation per se, or its forfeiture, but to the loss of potential blessings related to spiritual growth, knowledge, and joy that they would suffer by rejecting Paul as their apostle. In other words, the people are truly saved. They have genuinely received the gospel and believed it, but they have failed to progress in their Christian growth and stand in danger of losing those spiritual blessings and rewards they otherwise might have obtained. Philip Hughes embraces a similar view and suggests that “for them to receive the grace of God in vain meant that their practice did not measure up to their profession as Christians, that their lives were so inconsistent as to constitute a denial of the logical implications of the gospel, namely, and in particular, that Christ died for them so that they might no longer live to themselves but to His glory”.

Salvation is given by Grace. But once saved, we HEED AND OBEY the Word of God. We do not minimize it or consider it inconsequential, but cherish God’s Word. We seek to understand it through prayerful meditation and careful observance.

May God bless you as you grow into Christ’s image. Amen.

Posted in Proverbs, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible is God's Word, Do The Word, Following Christ, God Is Faithful, Honor the Bible, salvation, Word of God | Leave a comment

Living By The Flesh Or The Spirit?

Posted on November 5, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Romans 4:1-3 (KJV) What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

A Quick Review To This Point

As God talks to us about genuine salvation, we have learned in Romans so far that:

Chapter 1: God is LOVE, but God is also WRATH. God offers us His love through the “Gospel of Jesus Christ”. But if we reject His love, and instead focus on satisfying ourselves through the flesh or “vile passions”, God will let us burn ourselves out. If God calls us, but we reject His Gospel, He will leave us to our own destructive ways.

Chapter 2: We are all sinners. God gave us an external diagnostic tool called “The Law” to show us how broken we are. The Mosaic Law declares that we need to repent, and come surrendered to God in faith. We need God to write HIS LAW in our hearts so that we might want to serve Him and not our flesh. In the end, God will judge the fruit of our lives. If that fruit was God honoring, we will be rewarded. If that fruit is flesh honoring, we will be damned (Revelation 20:11-14).

Chapter 3: God determined to send His Messiah and His Gospel to this world through a chosen nation called “Israel”. Though God used and will use Israel (for Israel shall be saved, Romans 11:26), a Jew is not automatically saved because they are ethnically from Israel. The Bible establishes that “there is NONE righteous, NO NOT ONE. ALL are UNDER SIN” (Romans 3:10-18). God has a purpose for Israel, and this purpose will not be fulfilled until the Messiah sits on the Throne of David in Jerusalem during the Millennial Reign. The Jew, just like the Gentile, is saved by “the Law of Faith” (Romans 3:27-28). Once a person is saved by faith in Christ, God writes His Law in that person’s heart. As we are told in the last verse of this Chapter:

Romans 3:31 Do we then make void {katargeō, render useless or abolish} the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish {histēmi, abide or uphold} the law.

When a person comes to God by faith, heeding His call, He causes that person to be “born again of the Spirit” (John 3:3, 7; 1 Peter 1:23). As God prophesied of the New Covenant in the Old Testament, “I will make a NEW COVENANT … writing My Law on their heart” (Jeremiah 31:31; Hebrews 8:8). Salvation is a supernatural event that is enjoyed when we surrender by faith to God.

So now we come to Chapter 4. And as we enter Chapter 4, God wants to give us an example of what He’s discussed in the first three Chapters.

The Example Of Saving Faith Is Abraham

Romans 4:1 (KJV) What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

There are a lot of great characters in the Bible: Enoch who walked with God until God took him to Heaven (Genesis 5:22-24), or Noah who built the Ark and saved humanity when he was 500 years old (Genesis 5:32; 6:8-9). There are many others who were great believers. But God chooses to explain salvation by introducing us to Abraham. Why Abraham? Because Abraham is distinct in that he shares a title with Adam:

Adam is our FLESHLY father, the head of the human race. But Abraham is our SPIRITUAL father, the prototype of faith.

In verse 1 he is called “Abraham OUR FATHER”. How did Abraham get this distinction? Abraham was a broken man from a broken background. Broken people are in a perfect place to need Jesus!

Abraham’s daddy was named Terah, the son of Nahor (Genesis 11:24). The name Terah means “to breathe”, and that pretty much summed up Terah’s life. He just lived, and he died. Terah had no more influence on the world than a hand dipped in the Atlantic would change to ocean. Terah and his wife are like so many people today. They’re born, they grow up, they meet, they mate, they have children, they work, and they die. Terah and his wife have three children: Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Abram was his firstborn, and Terah hoped that Abram would bring blessing to his life. The name Abram means “High Father”. Terah had high hopes for Abram, but Abram married a barren woman named Sarai (meaning Princess).

The “High Father” was laughable. He had no children, and wasn’t likely to have any children. Terah did not know God. The Lord tells us in:

Joshua 24:2 … Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods.

Terah is like so many today. Their lives are empty. Rather than turn to the God of the Universe, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, they “serve other gods”. People today serve the flesh, rejecting the Spirit of God. They try to fix themselves with doctors, designers, and devilish idols. Terah and his family lived in Ur of the Chaldees (Genesis 11:28) until his youngest son Haran died, then Terah moved to Canaan. Terah had experienced so much heart ache and disappointment that perhaps a move would do him good.

Yet Terah’s heart was focused on the flesh, on false gods.

Illustrate: You’ve all seen elevators. I used one just the other day at the hospital when I went to visit a Church member. We get on the elevator, punch a button, and then get off on the floor we want. I was on the elevator one day with another lady, and we were both heading toward the fifth floor. As is often the case, the elevator stopped on another floor, and the doors opened. No one was there. Perhaps they pushed the button, and got tired of waiting. Anyway, this lady that was with me stepped off the elevator and I called out “Ma’am, this is the fourth floor – you said you wanted the fifth.” Red faced, she got back on the elevator. We’ve all done that.

Terah had a broken life, and sought to fix his life through his children. When his children didn’t bless him, he changed his location. He was pushing different buttons on the elevator of life – using everything humanly possible to make things better. But you’re not going to find blessing and peace until you get off on the right floor.

You need Jesus.

Romans 4:1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

What did Abraham discover about human ability and human blessing? What did he discover “as pertaining to the flesh”? God the Son – Jesus Christ our Lord – came to Abraham in Genesis 12. How do I know that this was Jesus Who spoke to Abraham? Because Jesus told the Pharisees in:

John 8:56 (NKJV) Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.

Jesus came to Abraham as “The Great I AM” (John 8:58). He spoke to Abraham, just as He speaks to hearts today. Jesus told Abraham:

Genesis 12:1 (NKJV) Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.

Abraham is the Father of faith – and here is the saving pattern of faith. Jesus told Abraham “Leave the false gods. Leave every tie that holds you down. Leave every empowerment of the flesh, and go WHERE I SHOW YOU TO GO”. There is a technical term for this. It is called:

“REPENT and BELIEVE”

That was the Gospel Jesus came proclaiming. Jesus said,

Mark 1:15 (KJV) The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Abraham, life has dealt you nothing but misery. Do you want blessing? Acknowledge what Terah would not acknowledge. You can’t fix yourself. Leave the false gods and goddesses. Leave the false spirituality. Leave the self help nonsense that does no good. Follow Jesus. Go where He says, and do what He says. Why? Because that’s where the blessing is. Jesus told Abraham:

Genesis 12:2 (NKJV) I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.

When you surrender the direction of your life to God, He blesses you in your brokenness. Jesus told Abraham “I will make you a great nation”. You had no children before, but if you follow Me, I will create a NATION out of you. Further Jesus said, “I will bless you And make your name great”. Born “Abram” or “High Father”, Abram was unknown, as useless as Terah was. But following Jesus Abram will become Abraham, the Father of All believing. But Jesus didn’t stop here. He told Abraham:

Genesis 12:3 (NKJV) I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

God told Abraham “I will protect you if you follow Me. And through you, ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED”. What did Abraham do?

He followed Jesus!

Abraham believed the call of God, responded to that call, and was saved. Abraham had highs and lows in his life, but whether up or down he kept looking UP. He kept his eyes on the Lord Who loved Him and Who gave Himself for Him. The Bible calls Abraham the father of faith and the father of us all:

Romans 4:16-20 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God

God chose Abraham to be the father of faith, for Abraham was both sexually dead as well as spiritually dead. God said “believe Me, and I will give you life”. Abraham believed the promise of God and, stepping forth in faith, the righteousness of God was credited to his life. God will not save any person on the basis of their works.

We must, like Abraham, cast ourselves fully upon God’s Grace, believing that He will keep His promise and save us. The Lord must empty us of self and pride before He can do any great work in us.

The first emptying of pride comes at the point of salvation. Are you willing to admit that you are a sinner, lost and undone, as the Scripture has said (Romans 3:23)? Are you willing to rest on God’s promise that He has provided the perfect and only Way of Salvation in the Person of Jesus Christ (John 14:6)? Are you willing – like the Publican in Jesus’ parable (Luke 18:13) to admit your defeat in righteous, to cry out to God in the Name of Jesus “God be merciful to me a sinner”? Are you willing to put down all your gods and goddesses and turn to the Only True God, trust in Him and Him alone for salvation? If so, dear one, you have the key to Heaven, the Gospel. You are prepared to see Him face to face one day in that sweet and beautiful place called Heaven.

Terah Is The Flesh, Abraham Is The Christ

The way of Terah leads only to disappointment and judgment. The way of Abraham is the Way of Faith. May God draw you to Him with His Word and His Spirit. Saving Faith Believes In The Person of God, in Jesus Christ our Lord.

The difference between Terah and Abraham was that one “believed in a god” whereas the latter “believed in Jesus Christ”. Many people believe in God. If you ask most of the people in any given city today you will find that most believe in God. Yet the Scripture says:

James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

To say “I believe in God” is fine. Thou doest well. But the devils, the fallen angels who rebelled against God, they believe and tremble for they know the person of God. God is immense – awesome – everywhere – and able to do that which He has promised.

Belief surrenders to God. To work for salvation is not surrender, but faith in self.

Romans 4:2-3 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

What “work” did Abraham do to be saved? He believed in Jesus. Under the Old Covenant God gave the Law on “Tables of Stone”:

Exodus 32:16 … the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

The Law that God gave us could not save us, but it established a standard of living. It diagnosed us as sinners, but could not fix us. Abraham was saved prior to the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. There were no tablets of stone. There was no Moses. Abraham was prior to that giving of the Law. And yet “Abraham believed God, and God counted it for righteousness”. Abraham believed on Jesus. Someone asked Jesus one day:

John 6:28 (NKJV) … What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?

How can WE work our way to Heaven? How can WE please God with our lives? Jesus responded:

John 6:29 (NKJV) … This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.

What “work” did Abraham do to be saved? It was not the work of the Law, for the Law was not given. It was not circumcision, for Abraham was counted righteous before he was told to submit to circumcision. It was belief in Jesus Christ, the One Whom God hath sent. When Jesus said “Believe in Me”, the Pharisees refused to do so, wanting to see Jesus do another miracle to prove Himself the Messiah. But Jesus reminded the Pharisees:

John 6:32-33 (NKJV) … Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

Jesus Christ is God’s Manna, God’s Bread of Life. It is He we must believe in, He we must follow – or we have no life!

Abraham did not earn righteousness by doing anything. He HEARD the call of Christ, then FOLLOWED Him where He said. We are told:

Romans 4:4-5 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

If I get a job working for, say, “Smith Construction”, once every week or so I expect a check for my labor. If I work for a company, that company owes me what they said they would pay me upon hiring me. We are in a contract. If I don’t do my job, Smith’s is justified in firing me. Abraham was given not a job but GRACE. Abraham came to God broken. He was sexually broken, and spiritually broken. Jesus told him, “Follow Me”, and Abraham followed Him. Did Abraham do so perfectly? No. He made numerous errors in judgment. But Abraham heard the Word of the Gospel:

Matthew 16:24 (NKJV) If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

If you want the blessing of God, DENY YOURSELF. Put away the flesh. DENY YOURSELF, let no earthly treasure come between you and following Jesus (Matthew 19:21). DENY YOURSELF and become like a “little child” (Luke 18:17).

Once you have denied yourself, “TAKE UP HIS CROSS”. Make HIS Cross YOUR Cross. Believe that Jesus did the work of salvation for you on the Cross of Calvary. Let the Cross be YOUR CROSS. Jesus died for Me. And third “FOLLOW ME”. Jesus is not dead and gone, but resurrected. He is the GREAT I AM Who appeared to and called Abraham, and the GREAT I AM Who rose from the grave and sits on the right hand of the Father.

Before Or After The Law, Salvation Has Always Been By Faith In Jesus

Romans 4:6-8 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

The greatest blessing in life is not money, fame, power, health, status, or anything that is tied to the flesh. The greatest blessing is what the Gospel of Jesus Christ offers. God covers our sins, and receives us into His Family when we – broken as Abraham – heed the call of Christ.

Are you broken? We all are. Will you repent, turn from chasing the flesh, and turn fully to Jesus? Will you believe in Him as Abraham believed in Him. Will you turn your back on whatever gods and goddesses you are following, and decided to follow Christ?

There is no other way to blessing. There is no other way to salvation. May God draw you to His side through Jesus Christ this very day. Amen

Posted in Romans, Sermons Preached | Tagged Abraham, belief, follow Jesus, Following Christ, God Is Faithful, gospel, Jesus Christ, obey God, pattern of faith, repent, salvation, surrender to God, weakness is strength | 1 Comment

Follow The Father

Posted on October 31, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Proverbs 13:1-9 (KJV) A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke. 2 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. 3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. 4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. 5 A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame. 6 Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner. 7 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. 8 The ransom of a man’s life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke. 9 The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

To Be Blessed, You Need To Listen And Do

Proverbs 13:1 (KJV) A wise son HEARETH his father’s instruction: but a SCORNER HEARETH not rebuke.

In the original language the word HEARETH is not found in the reference to the son, but to the SCORNER. The text actually reads:

“A wise son his father’s instruction, but a SCORNER (lûṣ) HEARETH (šāmaʿ) NOT (lō’) REBUKE (gᵊʿārâ)”

Various translations ADD the word HEARETH between the words SON and HIS FATHER’S, reasoning that this is what should be there. In believe the word was left out intentionally by God. The word “HEARETH” (šāmaʿ) means “to hear with intelligence or with the intent of obedience, to perceive, to hear with interest or give heed”. The SCORNER (lûṣ) – “one who scoffs or makes fun of, one who derides or belittles” will never hear the counsel of the mentor, because that person is their own god or goddess. They minimize all others but themselves. They are the ones who choose their own pronouns or declares that they can desexualize their chromosomes by what they feel. People who are self involved, the scorner, the scoffer, the mocker, these people cannot be helped. They will not listen to the counsel of their mentor.

The greatest gift God can give us outside of salvation and a good spouse is a good mentor, a wise guide.

Solomon was not born into a perfect family, but his father David, though he made many egregious and horridly sinful decisions in his life, was nonetheless a “man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). David’s sins were many. He stole another man’s wife, then had that man murdered. David spoiled his son Absalom, instead of punishing his many transgressions. David numbered the armies of Israel so he could brag about what a good king he was. David had feet of clay. But when confronted with his sin, David repented and told the Lord:

Psalm 51:4 (NASB) Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.

David heeded God his Father, and considered the mentoring that God gave him as precious. Solomon paid attention to his father David. By heeding his father David’s example, and trying to stay close to the Lord through obedience and repentance, Solomon’s kingdom grew to be one of the greatest in all the ancient world.

Solomon’s son Rehoboam, however, did not heed his father’s example. He would not listen to what his grandfather David said, nor did he imitate his father Solomon. As a result Rehoboam divided the kingdom of Israel into North and South.

A wise mentor always follows God. The Apostle Paul said:

1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIV) Follow my example, AS I FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST …

Paul followed Jesus. Who did Jesus follow, Jesus Who is the Greatest Mentor of all time? He said:

John 4:34 (ESV) Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

John 5:19, 30 (ESV) So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. … 30 I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and My judgment is just, because I seek not My own will but the will of Him who sent Me.

John 14:31 (ESV) but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.

The wise son watches the Father, the Mentor, and does as He does. The scoffer, the scorner, the fool does as they please.

You cannot help a scoffer.

What You Say Matters

Proverbs 13:2-3 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. 3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

Good words from a person will bring forth good fruit, good results. When Peter failed Jesus, denying the Lord three times (Luke 22:54-62), the fruit of his mouth caused great violence to his soul. We are told:

Luke 22:62 (ESV) [Peter] went out and WEPT BITTERLY.

It is true that “the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence”. The misuse of his mouth brought violence to his soul. Following Peter’s failure and our Lord’s resurrection, Jesus approached Peter and asked him three times:

John 21:15, 16, 17 (ESV) Simon, son of John, do you love Me?

Each time Peter, ashamed of what he had done before, said “Lord, You know everything. You know I love you.” (John 21:17). Each time Peter affirmed his love for Jesus, our Lord told him:

“Feed My Sheep. Feed My little Lambs. Tend to the Flock of God.”

What Jesus was telling Peter – and us – is to use our tongues as Jesus used His tongue. Speak so as to yield fruit, not destruction. Speak so as to point to Christ, and to spiritually nourish others. Peter heeded this Word, and on the Day of Pentecost preached Christ crucified and resurrected. The Bible says that the good fruit of his mouth blessed not only Peter and the 120 of the upper room, but the whole Church:

Acts 2:41 … those who RECEIVED HIS WORD (the Gospel) were baptized, and there were ADDED that day about THREE THOUSAND SOULS.

Peter heeded the word of his Mentor, and spoke the Scripture. God blessed the fruit of his mouth with the salvation of three thousand who previously did not know God. Contrast what Peter did with King Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, who was a scoffer and a scorner of God and his father. Though given godly counsel, Rehoboam would not listen. As a result Northern Israel revolted from Judah, making Jeroboam their King, and making Samaria the capital of their new Kingdom (1 Kings 12).

Rehoboam not only divided a once peaceful empire, but his foolishness caused Israel to leave the Temple and create their own gods and temple to worship in.

Proverbs 13:3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

Had Rehoboam controlled his tongue, he would have kept the Kingdom his father left for him. Instead he “openeth wide his lips” and brought on the kingdom “destruction”. God’s Word is so true!

Is Your “Soul” Lazy Or Diligent?

Proverbs 13:4 The SOUL of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the SOUL of the diligent shall be made fat.

As I said before, you cannot help a person if they are not willing to change. Some are in bad places in this life because – though they are in bad places – they refuse to move. This happens with people, with companies, even with local Churches.

I have seen local Churches drift into extinction because it’s members are slothful or sluggish with the stewardship that God has given them.

Jesus spoke to the Church of Laodicea who were lukewarm and sluggishly content:

Revelation 3:15-18 (ESV) I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

The Church had “WORKS” but they were not Christ honoring nor glorifying, but of the flesh. In God’s eyes the Church was naked, and needed to clothe itself in Christ. God does not bless sloth in either the Church, nor in a person.

If you do not like where you are, then you must be DILIGENT to go to Christ and do as He says.

The Keil and Delitzsch Bible Commentary notes:

“The slothful wishes and dreams of prosperity and abundance … but his desire remains unsatisfied, since the object is not gained but only lost by doing nothing; the industrious gain, and that richly, what the slothful wishes for, but in vain.”

Often we allow sloth to take over because of fear of the unknown. We imagine the worst case scenario, and do nothing, but hope for better days. There is an interesting (and somewhat amusing) story in 2 Kings 6 & 7. The King of Syria waged war against Northern Israel, and his army put a siege on Samaria. Elisha the Prophet had warned Israel to repent and return to God, and they refused to do so. God allowed the Syrian Army to besiege Samaria, and a great famine was in the land because of it. It got so bad that women were killing their children, and eating them (2 Kings 6:28-30). Yet they would not repent and return to God.

Elisha prayed, and God in His mercy drove the Syrian Army away from Samaria. The Bible says:

2 Kings 7:7 (ESV) So {The Syrian Army} fled away in the twilight and abandoned their tents, their horses, and their donkeys, leaving the camp as it was, and fled for their lives.

There were four lepers who were starving at the gate of Samaria. As they talked among themselves they said:

2 Kings 7:3-5, 8 (ESV) Why are we sitting here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘Let us enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. So now come, let us go over to the camp of the Syrians. If they spare our lives we shall live, and if they kill us we shall but die.” 5 So they arose at twilight to go to the camp of the Syrians. But when they came to the edge of the camp of the Syrians, behold, there was no one there. … 8 when these lepers came to the edge of the camp, they went into a tent and ate and drank, and they carried off silver and gold and clothing and went and hid them. Then they came back and entered another tent and carried off things from it and went and hid them.

The slothful will sit there until they die. But “the SOUL of the diligent shall be made fat”. There is no blessing without doing. To sit around and hope for better days will do nothing. God calls His people to get up and step out in faith, glorifying Jesus by shining brightly.

The Righteous Follow The Right Path

Proverbs 13:5-6 A righteous man HATETH LYING: but a wicked man is LOATHSOME, and COMETH TO SHAME. 6 Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner.

The righteous person “HATETH LYING”. The word translated “LYING” is the Hebrew sheqer {sheh’-ker}, which means “falseness, lying, deceit, falsehood, fraud”. This is the word found in the Ninth Commandment:

Exodus 20:16 Thou shalt not bear FALSE sheqer {sheh’-ker} witness against thy neighbor.

Those who speak that which is untruthful – even if they are well meaning – are “LOATHSOME, and COMETH TO SHAME”. The believer in Christ is to speak the truth in love.

Pastors, Deacons, Teachers, Elders in the Church must love the truth, and speak it even if it hurts.

When God was calling the Prophet Samuel to ministry, God called to him and said:

1 Samuel 3:11-14 (ESV) Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.

The High Priest Eli had been Samuel’s mentor, and Samuel had nothing but respect and love for this older man. When Eli asked Samuel what God had told him, we are told:

1 Samuel 3:18-19 (ESV) Samuel told {the High Priest Eli} everything and hid nothing from him. And {Eli} said, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.” 19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.

It would have been easy for Samuel to hide the truth, but that would not have been good for Eli. In America today too many so called “men of God” are hiding the truth of God, rather than speaking the Word of God. We must not look away in order to be “tolerant” or more accepted. No one grows or is blessed by half truths, for half truths are only whole lies.

wickedness overthroweth the sinner

Those who do contrary to God’s Word will suffer the consequences. The righteous are encouraged to “stay in the way”, to maintain our walk with God regardless as to what others think.

If you walk with God, God will protect you. If you walk in wickedness, it will sabotage you.

Money Is A Poor God

Proverbs 13:7-8 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. 8 The ransom of a man’s life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke.

This proverb speaks of the foolishness of worshiping money. Those who chase after the god of wealth, who “maketh himself rich”, ends up with nothing that matters. I read an article one time that spoke of women who pursued riches and power, but who now, later in life, are sad because they cannot bear a child. They “gained the whole world, but lost their soul” (Matthew 16:26). Many who are rich and famous have burned their way through several wives, and have left a string of broken families in their wake.

The one who is poor but humble before the Lord “maketh himself rich”. When John the Baptist was imprisoned by Herod, he sent word to Jesus asking “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3). After John’s messengers watched Jesus for a while, He told them:

Matthew 11:4-6 (ESV) Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.

Those who have no sight go to Jesus and now see. Those who cannot walk go to Jesus and now run. Those with skin cancer go to Jesus and are cleansed. Those who cannot hear go to Jesus and can now enjoy music. Those who are spiritually dead go to Jesus and are given eternal life. And those who have none of the riches of this world – the poor – go to Jesus and are given the immense treasure of Heaven.

The ransom of a man’s life are his riches

The greatest gift you can have is to go to Jesus and have your life ransomed. This is why Jesus came to this earth, to ransom us from Satan, Sin, and Selfish Silliness. Jesus said:

Matthew 20:28 … the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Jesus Christ “gave Himself a ransom for ALL” (1 Timothy 2:6). Do you know Him? If you do, you are the richest person on planet earth.

Proverbs 13:9 The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

Those who are Christ’s are the light of this world, whereas the dark lamp of the wicked shall be extinguished. Let us shine for Jesus while we can. Amen!

Posted in Proverbs, Sermons Preached | Tagged discipleship, discipling, Following Christ, Jesus Christ, living lies, love God, mentoring, Pastors, preachers, telling truth | Leave a comment

Return To His Family

Posted on October 28, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Vladyslav Tobolenko on Unsplash

Romans 3:24-28 (KJV) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (26) To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (27) Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. (28) Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

What was God’s purpose when He created Adam and Eve, and placed them in a Garden East of Eden (Genesis 2:8)? The Bible says that God made man – male and female – in His image and in His likeness (Genesis 1:27). The Bible tells us that God is One (Galatians 3:20). Jesus said:

Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord
(Mark 12:29)

God is ONE, but in three Persons, Father, Son, and Spirit. God is unified. God is family. God made the Family in the Garden. “God said, Let US make mankind in our image, in our likeness”. What God made was the family. The family was to follow God, and to rule the earth as stewards of what God had made. The family God placed in Eden was to heed God’s Word, not create their own word to follow. The family was placed under the leadership of Adam, but Adam was to follow God as Eve followed Adam.

Though theologians will tell you it is not proper to call GOD a FAMILY, in one sense God is the perfect picture of what a family should be. The Father, the Son, the Spirit are all separate and distinct Persons, but are all in perfect agreement with one another. There is no disagreement nor disharmony in God. Truly, “God is ONE”.

God created the family to rule creation,
not to be ruled by it.

Adam and Eve were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26) by the Triune God (let US make man in our image). God designed the family. God gave the family a duty to fulfill. God gave the family a command. How did our fore-parents fulfill the command of God? Adam knelt down at the altar of self and, ignoring the Father of Lights (James 1:17) followed his wife in listening to Lucifer, that evil lord of darkness (2 Corinthians 11:14). Adam’s failure caused the condemnation of God to fall on all creation. Mankind came under the control of sin and Satan. The family that God originally created was fragmented, broken away from Paradise, separated from the Almighty by the consequences of sin.

God is pro-family. Satan and the world are pro-self. What the world calls love is mere self interest, making oneself god and goddess. God designed the family to work best when it operates in harmony with His Word and His ideal. It is the devil’s desire to fragment the family. As the family fragments, society fragments. Every nation that has collapsed has done so because the family disintegrated.

Adam and Eve fell from the Family of God,
Then their family fell.
Sodom and Gomorrah fell because the family fell.
Rome fell because the family fell.
Babylon and Assyria fell because the family fell.
America itself is falling because families are falling.

What is the solution to what ails us?

God Offers Us A Return To His Family

Romans 3:24-25 Being justified freely by His grace through the REDEMPTION that is in Christ Jesus: (25) Whom God hath set forth to be a PROPITIATION through faith in his blood ….

Every key word in this text:

JUSTIFIED
GRACE
REDEMPTION
PROPITIATION

emphasizes something that God has to do to bring you into His family. When Adam rejected the Word and Command of God, and ate that which was forbidden, his action misaligned himself and his progeny with God. The Bible says:

Romans 7:14 … the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Just as Esau sold his birthright to his brother Jacob for a little soup, Adam sold his birthright – his place in the family of God – for a bite of forbidden fruit. We were as humans designed to be in alignment with God, to walk with God, to be blessed of God. But Adam’s sin misaligned us. We were no longer JUSTIFIED or in step with God. We are told in:

Romans 5:12 … by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned …

We are born in bondage to sin, an old sin nature. We need to be JUSTIFIED, that is, brought into alignment with our Heavenly Father. But we are SOLD UNDER SIN. We are born sinners, and we cannot justify ourselves. In John chapter 3 we see a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler among the Pharisees. He comes to Jesus at night because he has heard of the great things that Jesus had been both doing and saying. As this ruler, this powerful religious figure addresses Jesus very respectfully, Jesus interrupts him. Our Lord says:

John 3:3 (NKJV) Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

You may be religious. You may be proper. But you are born into this world in misalignment to God. You MUST BE BORN AGAIN (John 3:7).

The Lord must cause you to be JUSTIFIED. The Lord must bring you in alignment with Himself. You must be born again.

Is this something you can do? No. Look at verse 24 again:

by His grace through the REDEMPTION

You are born into this world “a servant or slave of sin”. Jesus said:

John 8:34-36 (NKJV)… Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. [35] And a slave does not abide in the house forever, [but] a son abides forever. [36] Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

We are born into this world chasing sin, SLAVES OF SIN. The slave cannot free themselves, but must be REDEEMED. It is Jesus Who gives us REDEMPTION. He redeems us from sin’s hold, and frees us so that we can be brought into alignment with God. This is offered “by His grace”. It is a free gift offered to whoever will turn their life over to Jesus. Again in verse 24:

by his GRACE through the REDEMPTION
that is IN CHRIST JESUS

**God offers whosoever will entrance into His family through His Son, and only His Son.**

Though it is a FREE GIFT – that’s what GRACE means – there is a cost to it. What is that cost. It is complete and utter surrender to Jesus. It is to take your broken and misaligned life, and give it utterly to the Lord Jesus. When the multitudes began to follow Jesus, our Lord turned and told them:

Luke 14:26-33 NKJV – If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. [27] And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. [28] For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has [enough] to finish [it]– [29] lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see [it] begin to mock him, [30] saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ [31] Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? [32] Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. [33] So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

The surgeon cannot fix your body while you demand to hold the knife. The plumber cannot fix your faucet while you command the tools he uses. The auto mechanic cannot repair your vehicle while you refuse to give him the keys. Even so, God cannot bring you into His family unless you surrender your life to Jesus.

Romans 3:24 Being JUSTIFIED FREELY

God will cause our new birth, He will bring us into alignment when we surrender our lives to Christ. We are JUSTIFIED FREELY. Surrendering to and giving your life to Jesus, the Father looks at you and says “you are now forgiven – your punishment paid”. Why would God do this?

Romans 3:25 … Whom God hath set forth to be a PROPITIATION through FAITH IN HIS BLOOD …

Our faith is not in the LAW nor in our own supposed GOODNESS. We are born broken, enslaved by sin. The Bible says:

1 John 1:5 God IS LIGHT, and in Him is NO DARKNESS AT ALL.

God has not a trace of sin in Himself. We are born broken sinners. We cannot make ourselves aligned with God, we cannot cause ourselves to be born again. But God SET HIS SON FORTH to be a PROPITIATION, a SATISFACTORY PAYMENT for our sins.

Jesus freely died for our sins. The Apostle wrote:

1 Peter 1:18-20 (ESV) … knowing that you were RANSOMED from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you

It is not by our efforts we are brought into alignment with God, but through Jesus.

1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

When we surrender our lives to Jesus, the Father looks at our hearts, and says “I am PROPITIATED. I am SATISFIED that the punishment was paid”. The Bible tells us that:

1 John 2:2 (AP) JESUS IS THE PROPITIATION, the satisfactory payment for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD…

Our Lord Jesus died for all. There is no good in us that God finds commendable. If we will enter into His Family, then we must enter by His Grace. This Greek word, χαρις, charis, (pronounced khar’-ece), means a gift freely given. God offers entrance into His Family as a free gift given without a cause. We did not cause it, but His great love provided it. Pastor C.H. Spurgeon said:

“A sinner without grace attempting to reform himself is like {a man} rolling the stone up hill, which always comes down with greater force. A man without grace attempting to save himself, is engaged in as hopeless a task as {those who attempt} to fill a vast vessel with bottomless buckets. He has a bow without a string, a sword without a blade, a gun without powder. He needs strength. I grant you, he may produce a hollow reformation; he may earth up the volcano, and sow flowers around its crater; but when it once begins to stir again, it shall move the earth away, and the hot lava shall roll over all the fair flowers which he had planted, and devastate both his works and his righteousness. A sinner without grace is a slave: he cannot deliver himself from his sins.”

Jesus The Righteous Gave Himself
For The Unrighteous To REDEEM Us

What a great truth these words “through the REDEMPTION THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS” (vs 24). We sing the words:

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child and forever I am.
Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child and forever I am.

Jesus on Calvary paid the penalty of our sin. Receiving Him as Savior and Lord, we are REDEEMED FROM ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. Jesus paid the penalty. He died for me. We are REDEEMED FROM SLAVERY TO SIN. Sin is no longer our Master. Jesus is our Master and Lord – it is He we follow and glorify. We are REDEEMED TO ENTER THE FAMILY OF GOD. The Son of God left the splendor of Heaven and came to this earth. He became incarnate, took on Himself humanity, so that He could redeem those who believe in Him. God became incarnate, taking on Himself humanity, so He could deliver us from the slave market of sin, death, and hell.

Christian, you are redeemed from the law of God. The law was a harsh master who pointed out your every flaw, your every sin, your every failure in righteousness. Christ fulfilled the Law of God so that those who believe in Him stand before God clean and just. Is it our works that cleaned us up? Absolutely not. Look to the focal text:

Romans 3:27-28 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. (28) Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law

Does this mean that the Christian is lawless? Absolutely not! The Christian is not lawless, but under new management. Redeemed from the Law you now belong to God.

1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought {REDEEMED} with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

You now belong not to Satan, nor to this world, nor even to yourself. You belong to God. You are redeemed from the Law so that you can freely serve the greater Master. We were under the Law:

Galatians 4:4-7 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (5) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (6) And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (7) Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

The Christian is redeemed from the Law, from Sin, from Lawlessness. We walk in step with Christ, the Son, as sons and daughters of God. We are family. Again the Scripture says:

Titus 2:13-14 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; (14) Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

You were redeemed, purchased from the Law and from Lawlessness to be a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Show me a person who justifies sinfulness and I will show you an unsaved hell-bound person. The Scripture says:

1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

and again,

1 John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments

Grace brings a person into the Family of God. Those in the Family walk with the Family. Those in the Family walk in unity with the Father, in the power of the Spirit, with Christ Jesus as our Leader and Guide.

Old time Pastor George Whitefield put it this way:

“You need not fear the greatness or number of your sins. For are you sinners? So am I. Are you the chief of sinners? So am I. Are you backsliding sinners? So am I. And yet the Lord (forever adored be His rich, free, and sovereign Grace), the Lord is my righteousness.”

Are you saved? If so, you will follow Jesus. Will you do so perfectly? No, none of us do. I ask you,

Do you love Jesus perfectly?

I think if we were honest, we would say “No, not perfectly”. So now I ask,

Do you love Jesus as much as you should?

Again I think if we were all honest, we’d say “No, not as much as I should. If I did, I’d love Jesus perfectly.” So now I ask simply:

Do you love Jesus knowing He is your only hope?

I believe this is where all Christians reside. We love Him, knowing what He gave for us. We love Him, for He first loved us, and gave Himself for us. We often hate ourselves and our failures. But we love Jesus, and love the family for His sake. Jesus is my Righteousness. Jesus is my Shield. Jesus is my Hope. Jesus is my Life. May you all come to surrender to and love Jesus.

Amen.

Posted in Romans, salvation, Sermons Preached | Tagged born again, family of God, grace, justification, justified, propitiation, Redemption | Leave a comment

Wicked Snared, Just Saved

Posted on October 24, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Proverbs 12:13-14 The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble. 14 A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompense of a man’s hands shall be rendered unto him.

God wants us to be careful with how we use our lips. God is particularly hard on the liar, on the person who uses deceit or tells untruths or is a false witness. Under the Mosaic Law a person was tried and found guilty only under the eyewitness verbal account of two or more witnesses. The Bible says in:

Deuteronomy 19:15 A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.

This standard did not change as Christ brought in His Church under the New Covenant. God spoke through the Apostle declaring:

2 Corinthians 13:1 (ESV) … Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

Hearsay was not allowed. To be a witness, you actually had to have seen the event with your own eyes, not report what another had said. When God established the Law of Lex Talionis, the Law of Tooth and Claw, it was a general law that set limits for punishment. This Law of “Eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth” was particularly applied to the false witness:

Deuteronomy 19:18-21 (ESV) The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, 19 then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. 20 And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you. 21 Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Transgression Of The Lips Are Snares

Proverbs 12:13 The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

The evil person is “snared” or caught because lies eventually are uncovered. The righteous person sticks with the truth, the Word of God, and in time is vindicated. When the Pharisees attacked Jesus (Who “committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22)) with slander and libel, Jesus easily proved them wrong with the Word of God. Jesus said:

John 8:44 (ESV) You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

The devil invented the lie in the Garden of Eden, and did so to lead humanity into the Fall.

There are times when “lies” are justified.

For instance, Rahab the Prostitute told the soldiers of Jericho “the spies did come in, but they left. I do not know where they went.” But the Bible says “she brought them to the roof of her home, and hid them with stalks of flax” (Joshua 2:2-4). When Pharaoh demanded that the Hebrew midwives (Exodus 1) kill all male babies, they claimed “Hebrew women are vigorous, and give birth before we get to them” (Exodus 1:19). David’s wife Michal deceived her father, King Saul, in order to protect her husband (1 Samuel 19:13-14).

In each case where a lie is justified in Scripture, it is always to save life, not to benefit the liar. Our God honors truth. In our fallen world there may come times when we must lie – as Christians did in Nazi Germany to save Jewish lives – but never is a false witness blessed of God.

Proverbs 12:14 A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompense of a man’s hands shall be rendered unto him.

The words of the Christian are to be honorable – we should be trustworthy in what we promise, and in what we do. Our mouths should speak “GOOD FRUIT”. When we came to Christ and gave Him our allegiance, God wants us to hold to our promise. Solomon wrote in another place:

Ecclesiastes 5:4-7 (ESV) When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake.

Those who will not keep their word do not understand the Way of Christ. We are told in 1 John 2:5, “Whoever KEEPS HIS WORD, in him truly the love of God is perfected”.

If you have a tendency of making promises that you do not fulfill, in time people will come to mistrust all that you say. It will effect your business, your marriage, your home life. Keep your word!

Learn To Listen And Correct Yourself Before God Corrects You

Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

The majority is not always right.

When we speak the good that God tells us to speak, there is blessing in it. When Israel sent 12 spies into the Promised Land, 10 spies spoke against following God into Canaan:

Numbers 13:27-28 (ESV) … We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there.

Joshua and Caleb encouraged the people to trust God, and step out of their comfort zone and go into the land.

Numbers 13:30-33 (ESV) Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” 32 So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. 33 And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.

The faithless speech of the Ten Spies led the people to plan a coup against God and Moses, even though Joshua told them:

Numbers 14:8-9 (ESV) The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.

This foolishness brought God’s condemnation on Israel, and they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years until all died but Joshua and Caleb. Even Moses and Aaron died just short of the Promised Land. But Joshua and Caleb trusted God, and glorified Him with their tongues. They entered the Promised Land, and were well blessed even unto their old age.

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes

The person who will not heed the counsel of God, but who believes themselves right no matter what, is branded as a “FOOL” by God. But we are told:

he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise

Some people refuse to listen to counsel, and they will always be at a loss. But those who heed counsel, the counsel of God’s Word and the counsel of the Elder, are wise.

The Fool’s Tactic Is To Make A Scene

Proverbs 12:16 A fool’s wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.

We live in a day of fools! People spew lies, then shout lies louder, becoming animal like in their voraciousness, demanding that you agree with them. Such people are “FOOLS” and their anger is called “FOOL’S WRATH”. The Bible says:

Proverbs 27:3 A stone is heavy and the sand weighty, but a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both

No one likes to be around a “certain” person, especially the “certain” person who, though wrong, will not listen to truth nor correction.

The “FOOL” explodes when challenged, or insulted. The PRUDENT PERSON ignores insults and anger, and judges that which is brought before him on the merit of God’s Word.

Our Lord Jesus often got angry, especially when He saw people mistreated. Jesus was angry when the Pharisees would have a man with a withered hand not healed just because it was the Sabbath (Mark 3:5). But angry, Jesus never allowed anger to control Him. He allowed the Word of God to control Him. Anger is NOT a sin:

Ephesians 4:26-27 (ESV) Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.

The FOOL is controlled by anger. The PRUDENT are controlled by God.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 (AP) Control your temper, for ANGER LABELS YOU A FOOL

The shouting fool can never grow intellectually nor spiritually, for learning requires listening and following. When Jesus was angry, His anger was always CONTROLLED, and the end result was an improved situation. When Jesus was angry at the Pharisees, in the end the man with the withered hand was restored. When Jesus cleansed the Temple, He made a whip with cords, and made a scene by turning over the money changers tables. Yet at the end of the day, the Temple was cleansed.

Uncontrolled fools anger does little to contribute to progress or growth. The Prudent understand the admonition:

Colossians 4:6 (NKJV) [Let] your speech always [be] with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Our speech is not to be SALTY, but SEASONED with SALT. It needs to improve the climate of the room.

Your Tongue Should Not Be A Wrecking Bar, But A Source Of Blessing

Proverbs 12:17-19 He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit. 18 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. 19 The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

In verse 17 we are reminded of the words of our Lord Jesus:

Matthew 12:34 … out of the ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART THE MOUTH SPEAKS …

Those who habitually speak lies are those who need a new heart. Their problem is spiritual. They need the new heart that only faith in Jesus Christ can bring. God promised under His “New Covenant” (Jeremiah 31:31-34) that He would put a new heart in those who believed in Him. The Bible says that:

Hebrews 12:24 … Jesus [is the] the mediator of the new covenant …

In verse 18 we are told:

There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health

Thoughtless or critical speech can hurt others, but words spoken that are endorsed by God’s Word are beneficial, “HEALTHY”. As King, David was well acquainted with evil tongued people. He wrote:

Psalm 57:4 (KJV) My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

The sharp and uncontrolled tongue can wound a person’s soul, much like the claws of a lion or the sharp sword. The Bible speaks of Doeg the Edomite (1 Samuel 22:9) who fueled King Saul’s hatred of David. We should follow the example of the Evangelist Barnabas who told the Church concerning Saul of Tarsus:

Acts 9:27-28 (ESV) Barnabas took [Paul] and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.

Had Barnabas done less, we might never have been blessed with the ministry and writings of the Apostle Paul. In fact, the Gospel might not have went out to the Gentiles. Praise God for the Barnabas believers among us!

Blessed Are The Peacemakers!

Proverbs 12:20-21 Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counselors of peace is joy. 21 There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.

I have found over the years some in the Church who, when they do not get their way, look for ways to verbally torpedo any forward movement, any growth, and any glory to God. These people are more than likely unsaved mischief makers. Our Lord Jesus said:

Matthew 5:9 (KJV) Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

The Peacemakers are believers in Christ, Christians who follow the Lord. They want to see Christ’s Church grow, and God’s Kingdom reign. But there are those who deceive and tell lies, who mean no good to the Church, the community, nor the country.They are self puffed up pretend Christians who only want to promote themselves.The intent of the liar is to deceive others, and to promote themselves. These people are not joyful in their hearts because, as I wrote before, they are not God centered but self centered.

When King David’s son Absalom sought to overthrow his father and steal his throne, he used every deception he could to achieve his ends. Absalom did not care about the glory of God, nor the Kingdom of Israel. He just wanted to be King. He wanted to be the B.M.O.C., the “Big Man On Campus”. In the end, Absalom died a lonely death. So will all who stand against the glory of God and His Kingdom.

Yet God’s children will continue on, for God looks after His people. “to the counselors of peace is joy”. The vessel filled with joy is at peace with God and others. The wicked, however, are “filled with mischief”.

Beloved, how you live your life matters. As the Apostle Paul came toward the end of his life, he wrote:

2 Timothy 4:6-8 (ESV) For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Paul lived our his life honoring the Lord Who saved him on the Damascus Road. Though it was tough, Paul stood with God and with the truth. We’ll finish with these words:

Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight.

As believers we are to speak the truth with love. Only by obeying the truth of the Gospel is a person saved (2 Thessalonians 2:10; 1 Peter 1:22). As the light of God dims in our country, let us commit to stand firm in the Word of God, following Jesus with all our hearts. God will bless those who honor Him and His Word. May God fortify us as His Church as we go forward this year. Amen.

Posted in Proverbs, Sermons Preached | Tagged Christian words, lies, righteous speecch, Tongue, tongue a snare, wicked speech | Leave a comment

Bad News And Good News

Posted on October 21, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Romans 3:21-24 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Jesus Saves From What?

People do not understand the GOOD NEWS until they first hear the BAD NEWS. I used to see bumper stickers that said “Jesus Saves”, to which I’d reply sarcastically, “From What?” Jesus saves from what? What do we need to be saved from? What do I need to be saved from?

In our opening text God tells us that “Jesus saves”, and shares the wonderful Gospel of Christ. But we skipped the introduction. Before the Apostle shares the Gospel or the Good News, God through him gives us the Bad News.

The “Good News” is not good until you hear the bad news.

Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

“AS IT IS WRITTEN”. The Bad News is not the Apostle’s opinion, nor my opinion, but God’s judgment. When Jesus Christ was giving us the very words of God (John 6:68-69), He never gave us His opinion. Jesus always used “IT IS WRITTEN”. Jesus referred to the Word of God that God Himself gave to the Jews. As Paul writes “IT IS WRITTEN”, he is not just quoting from one section of the Old Testament. He is quoting various texts from the Old Testament Scripture:

Romans 3:10-12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. [from Psalm 14:1-3, 53:1-3; Ecclesiastes 7:20]

Romans 3:13 Their throat is an open sepulchre {grave}; with their tongues they have used deceit [from Psalm 5:9] the poison of asps is under their lips: [from Psalm 140:3]

Romans 3:14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: [from Psalm 10:7]

Romans 3:15-17 Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: [from Isaiah 59:7-8]

Romans 3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. [from Psalm 36:1]

Why this extensive, exhaustive series of quotes from the Scripture, the old Testament Word of God? The Old Testament as Paul is writing this is the only Bible available. The testimony of the only Bible is that people are dead, spiritually dead, totally unable to please God on their own.

We are born dead men – and women – walking.

When the preacher tells people they need Jesus, their response is often:

“I’ll come to God when I’m worthy, when I clean up my life”.

“IT IS WRITTEN by God”

There is none righteous, no, not one

You can never clean up your act, or make yourself right enough for God. Unrighteousness is ingrained into your very soul from birth. You’ll never be worthy, never be able to fix yourself. From infant to ancient of days, within our power we are not righteous. The preacher tells the sinner this. Their response?

“I don’t understand God nor this salvation you are speaking of. Once I understand it, I’ll consider it.”

“IT IS WRITTEN by God in His Holy Word”

There is none that understandeth…

You’ll never understand God. The dead cannot understand the living. The preacher can explain the mechanics of salvation, how when you call on Christ Jesus to save you, God the Holy Spirit will enter your soul and cause your New Birth. The preacher can explain things that the Theologians talk about, the Doctrines of Salvation, Sanctification, and Glorification. But no one ever fully understands, will not even close to understanding, until you come to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith.

We cannot understand cancer or Alzheimer’s – how can the dead understand the Living God?

The preacher begs the sinner to come to Jesus, but the lost say

“When I feel I really need God, I’ll seek God out. But I’m doing all right at the moment.”

“IT IS WRITTEN by God”

there is NONE that seeketh after God. They are ALL gone out of the way.

Sinners blinded by sin do not chase after the Savior. No one is born seeking Jesus. Jesus said:

John 3:19 … light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil …

Death runs toward death. Sin toward sin. The sin nature in us pursues darkness rather than light, and we run from God, minimize God, ignore God. If you wait till you “need” God you’ll never find God, but you’ll find hell and damnation!

The preacher bids the wanderer to come to Jesus, but instead they say:

“I’ll come to God when I can give Him something, do something good for Him.”

Once more “IT IS WRITTEN by God”:

they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Though God loves every creature that He has ever given life, there is nothing good we can do for God in our own power. It is true that once a person is saved by faith in Christ that they should seek to do the good, seek to sow righteousness, this empowerment comes only by being first bound to Christ. The Lord Jesus taught …

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Our every work apart from Christ are profitless, vain, useless. We cannot in our flesh do anything profitable to God. Jesus must be in it. Our faith must be in Him.

In the Old Testament Israel promised to obey God’s Law (Exodus 24:7). “All that the Lord has said will we do, and be obedient”. Yet they could not. Their promises meant nothing, for their hearts needed to be changed – as it is with us all. This is why God says “IT IS WRITTEN”:

Their throat is an open {grave}; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

Jesus said in Matthew 15:19, “Out of THE HEART proceed evil thoughts … false witnesses … blasphemies … which defile a person”. The heart we are born with is broken. We need another heart, a heart cleansed by Jesus. Because we are born with broken hearts, our bodies head toward wrong places.

“IT IS WRITTEN by God”

Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known

Oh Beloved, we all need a heart that only God can give us. God promised in the Old Testament that He would bring in a New Covenant. He said:

Jeremiah 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant … 33 After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 … they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

The Old Covenant of the Old Testament gave us a Law that diagnosed sin. But the Old Covenant did not give life to the spiritually dead. It did not change the heart of the person. The Bible says that God’s Old Covenant people, Israel, did not truly fear God.

There is no fear of God before their eyes

Because their heart needed to be changed. So God sent His Only Begotten Son Jesus to this earth to be the “Mediator of the New Covenant, to the Blood of sprinkling, that speaks of better things” (Hebrews 12:24). The ceremonies and sacrifices of the Law of God temporarily covered sin. But these animal sacrifices did not save, because God Himself must save us.

God Himself must bear our sins. This is what God did through Jesus.

The Law Diagnosed Sin, But Did Not
COVER It Nor CORRECT It

Romans 3:21-23 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…

Having given us the BAD NEWS of the Old Testament, the Apostle says But now. Under the Old Covenant God gave us the Law to show our need for Him. People are not naturally righteous, and cannot make themselves righteous. We need Jesus. We need a new heart.

Illustrate: I was putting gas in my car the other day when I noticed a bright red and yellow sticker on the pump. The sticker read, “No need to pre-pay! We trust you!”. I thought to myself, “That’s nice – they trust me. How rare in today’s world.” Yet as I continued to put gas in the car I noticed another brightly colored red and yellow sign attached to a post next to the pump. This sign read, “Warning, you are under video surveillance. A video camera has recorded your license plate as well as your face. Drive offs will be prosecuted.” If they really trusted the customer there would be no video camera, nor would there be a need for one. If people were inherently trustworthy our world would be getting better and better, not worst and worst. The bad news that no one wants to hear is that we are born into this world with corrupt hearts. God repeats His first “IT IS WRITTEN” we studied today,

Romans 3:10 … There is none righteous, no, not one …

Since there are none righteous, God says:

Romans 3:23 … all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God

We all are born into this world with damaged, corrupt hearts. None of us are born pleasing to God. So how can we fix this. We cannot – but God can. We can heed the warning of the Law:

Romans 3:20 by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

You cannot make yourself right with God “BY THE DEEDS OF THE LAW”. Animal sacrifices do not work. As a pastor, I am always getting cultic stuff through the mail. I came home from Church last Sunday to find a copy of a book entitled “The Great Controversy” leaned up against my front door. This is a book from the cult called “Seventh Day Adventists”. The Seventh Day Adventists believe (and Ellen G. White their founder teaches)

“every time we turn away from the true Sabbath {Saturday}, we turn our backs upon the law of God, and our faces toward the false gods”.

Yet God’s Word through His Apostles says:

Colossians 2:16-17 (KJV) Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

The Church worships on Sunday because it was the first day of the week that Jesus rose from the grave (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2, 9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1). The early Church had services on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2).

As God brought LIGHT into creation on the FIRST DAY (Genesis 1:5), God brought the LIGHT of Jesus from the grave on the FIRST DAY.

Beloved, “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin”. The Law of God cannot save us, but diagnoses our need for salvation.

Preach this: Every cult that arises – be it Seventh Day Adventist, Catholicism, Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness – always, like the Pharisees, tells us to go to the Law of God and save ourselves. But the Gospel is to HEED the Law and it’s diagnostic, to REPENT and turn fully to JESUS CHRIST for salvation.

The Law Is Not Our Savior.
God Is Our Savior.

Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

The Law never promised to save us. God has always been the Savior. The Scripture testifies of this:

2 Samuel 22:3 (KJV) The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my savior…

Isaiah 43:11 (KJV) I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no savior.

Isaiah 45:15, 21 (KJV) … O God of Israel, the Savior. 21 … there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Savior; there is none beside me.

Hosea 13:4 (KJV) I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no savior beside me.

There is no Savior but God. We cannot save ourselves. We are hopelessly lost and undone according to the diagnostic of the Law. What is our Solution? It is Jesus Christ. When He was born in Bethlehem, the GOOD NEWS was:

Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

As the Gospel was preached, the Apostles preached the Law as the diagnostic, but Jesus Christ alone as the Savior. They said:

Acts 5:31 (KJV) {Jesus} hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Repent and believe. To whom is Jesus offered? Read again with me:

Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

The Calvinist says, “God offers the salvation of Christ to the ELECT, to His Chosen”. I agree. But the Bible says that the offer of Christ is not just to some, but TO ALL.

Salvation by faith in Christ is offered unto all. There can be no charge leveled at God that He was unfair in the offering of salvation. All have sinned, missing the mark of God’s glory. Sin is universal but Jesus Christ is the Universal or Sovereign Remedy for what ails you. Jesus is offered unto all, and I pray that you all accept Him as Lord and Savior! God made atonement or a satisfactory payment for sin through the Cross of Calvary and through the terrible suffering of our Lord Jesus. Hear the words of the Master:

John 11:26 And WHOSOEVER liveth and believeth in Me shall never die . Believest thou this?

There are none excluded. God offers salvation through faith in Christ to WHOSOEVER. Without Christ you are dead in your trespasses and sins. When you die you go to a place called The Second Death or the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14). Those who have accepted Christ as Savior are priests of God and of Christ (Revelation 20:6). Life belongs with life, and death with death. Those who belong to Jesus rule and reign with Him and those who do not belong to Jesus belong to death.

Listen Beloved – those who die to self now and surrender to God in Christ – not “almost” but surely – shall never see death. That Living Relationship that we call “salvation” is offered to whosoever will – it is unto all.

What effect does this true salvation have on every person who believes? Jesus said:

John 3:15-16 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life .

There is payment for sin, eternal payment, for whosoever believes in Him. But something else occurs at the point of salvation. You Who believe in Him are radically changed. Christ’s payment on Calvary not only satisfies God (1 John 2:2), but also became the means by which we became a Divine Work in progress (Ephesians 2:10).

The Saved Are Changed By Jesus

Why do you think Jesus healed so many people while He walked on this earth? Why do you think “The blind received their sight, and the lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, and the deaf made to hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Matthew 11:5). It is to show us that

An encounter with Jesus is a life changing experience.

Jesus said in John 12:46, “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness”. Jesus finds you dead, lost, sick, broken, in need of a new heart. But Jesus does not leave you where He finds you. Jesus saves you from spiritual death and eternal damnation.

A far better preacher than I, C.H. Spurgeon, wrote:

“Dost thou believe that Jesus is the Christ? If so, thou art born of God. If thou hast cast thyself, sink or swim, on Him, then art thou saved. … Jesus Christ has taken my poor guilty soul ever since I believed in Him, and has wrapped around me the blood-red flag of His atoning sacrifice, and before God can destroy me or any other soul that is wrapped in the atonement, He must insult His Son and dishonor this sacrifice, and that He never will do, blessed be His name.”

Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Grace is undeserved. Grace is unmerited. Jesus Christ died on Calvary to REDEEM us from a just eternal damnation. Jesus Christ rose from the Grave to REDEEM us from being the walking dead, and to bring us into the family of God.

If you are a Christian, the best is yet to come. I close with:

1 John 3:1-3 (ESV) See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

If you have not received Christ as Lord and Savior, I beg you, do so this very day. There is no salvation in keeping the Law. There is only salvation by receiving Him Who loved you, and loves you still. May God the Holy Spirit draw you to Jesus. Amen.

Posted in Romans, Sermons Preached | Tagged God Is Faithful, God our Savior, gospel, Jesus Christ, Jesus is Lord, Law Of God, salvation, Works Salvation | Leave a comment

Wicked And Righteous Contrasted

Posted on October 18, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Proverbs 12:6-7 The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them. 7 The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.

Do Not Follow Evil — Photo by Tech Nick on Unsplash

The Words Of The Wicked Are Cut Down,
Whereas The Words Of The Righteous Are God’s

Word Study: The “wicked” (Hebrew rāšāʿ) are those who are spiritually dead and without Christ. There are several classifications of “wicked” people. Our Lord Jesus encountered the “religious wicked”, the Pharisees, who used their words as spears to drive people away from salvation. They “lay in wait for blood”, watched Jesus’ every move, and at the worst possible time attacked Him with lies. When Jesus healed people on the Sabbath Day, they struck out at Him for healing a suffering man when they themselves would have pulled an ox out of the ditch on the same day. We read:

Mark 3:1-6 {Jesus} entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

They “lay in wait to accuse Him”, seeking to take Jesus’ life. When Jesus healed the man despite their evil intentions, they took their spear-like murderous mouths out and conspired with the “secular wicked”, the Herodians, to kill Jesus. They lay in wait for blood, to murder.

There are RELIGIOUS wicked and SECULAR wicked. Both live lives divorced from Christ and God’s will.

The wicked have no respect for life. Though they claim to respect life with phrases like “my life, my body”, they care little for life. They just want their own way. The “religious wicked” and the “secular wicked” often conspired together to kill Jesus, because His righteous teachings revealed them as children of Satan and not children of God. They claimed that Jesus did His miracles by the power of Satan:

Matthew 12:22-28 (ESV) … a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

The wicked are marked by sharp, destructive tongues that speak evil against the Word and Will of God. Jesus told the wicked:

Matthew 23:13 (ESV) … woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.

The wicked do not, with their tongues, lead people toward the Kingdom of God but away from it. They are self centered, selfish, self focused, self affirming.

Proverbs 12:6 The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.

The upright or the child of God by faith in Christ cherishes not the word of man, but the Word of God. They store up God’s Word in their hearts.

Psalm 119:11 (NKJV) Your word I have hidden (ṣāp̄an, to store or treasure) in my heart, That I might not sin against You.

When Jesus was attacked, He did not respond with an attack in kind. Instead Jesus appealed to the Scripture. We can address the wicked from the flesh, and be as bad as they are. Or we can do as Jesus did, and address the wicked from the Word of God, the Scripture.

You Choose Your Legacy By How You Live

Proverbs 12:6-7 The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them. 7 The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.

The reason for following the pathway of the upright and not the wicked has to do with legacy. Dr. Thomas Constable wrote in his commentary:

“The wicked pass off the scene without leaving a lasting legacy—like houses washed away by hurricanes and floodwaters. But the righteous leave a legacy for good that outlasts them.”

Everyone knows the names of Enoch, who walked with God (Genesis 5:24), but have no remembrance of Jared or Mahalalel, the father and grandfather of Enoch. The name of David the Shepherd and King live on, whereas those who strove against him are little known in the mind of history.

The fifteen words written by Solomon in Proverbs 12:7 are actually a summary of what King David wrote in Psalm 37. What David wrote in 40 verses Solomon summarized in 15 words!

Let’s look at just a portion of Psalm 37:

Psalm 37:1-10 (NKJV) Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb. 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. 6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. 7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lord, They shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, But it shall be no more.

Rather than focus on the secular or religious wicked, David had learned to:

Not FRET (Hebrew ḥārâ, to burn or be kindled)
TRUST (Heb. Bāṭaḥ, to lay face down before) in the Lord
DELIGHT (Heb. ʿānaḡ, spend time enjoying) in the Lord
COMMIT (Heb. Gālal, to roll a burden on)to the Lord
REST (Heb. Dāmam, to become silent in meditation) in the Lord

The wicked may hold power over you momentarily, but only at the permission of God. Before Satan could attack Job, he had to ask permission of God (Job 1:12; 2:6). The Reformer Martin Luther rightly said:

“Even the devil is God’s devil!”

God will one day judge the wicked for the evil they have done, and are doing. Rather than focus on them and allow ourselves to be drawn down to their level, we are to look upward, Godward. We are to immerse our minds and souls in Christ Jesus, in pleasing our Father. Another Pastor notes:

“… the Bible consistently reminds us to trust the long-term value of virtue and not to get deceived by the short-term pleasures of sin. Virtue is not a drug that provides immediate relief; it is a lifestyle that that leads to long-term vitality. Virtue is not a lottery ticket that cashes out the next morning; it is a way of life that builds long-term security. In this proverb, this wise son taught what his father taught …”

Those who love the Lord and abide by His Word have this promise, “the house of the righteous shall stand”. That which is right shall stand. It will have a legacy. But crookedness, evil devices, meanness, that which promotes the flesh and not the Holy Spirit, these things shall fade away.

And God can turn the actions of the evil to good, for our good.

Illustrate: There was an episode of the Andy Griffith Show (Season 7, Episode 23) that illustrated this. The town of Mayberry decided to raise up a statue to commemorate Seth Taylor, Andy and Aunt Bee’s ancestor, who built the first sawmill, organized the first Chamber of Commerce, and loaned the town of Mayberry money during an 1874 crisis. After the $1200.00 statue was carved they discovered that Seth Taylor (Andy’s great-great grandfather) was a swindler who bought and sold land to manipulate the railroad into building stations in Mount Pilot. When it was revealed they built a statue to a swindler, Barber Floyd Lawson reminded everyone that Taylor’s evil actually blessed Mayberry. Mt. Pilot has a high crime rate, and busy crowds, whereas Mayberry is a relatively crime free community, peaceful and quietly prosperous.

God is in control. Focus on Him even when it seems the evil are winning.

God Is Not Impressed By Sin Nor Sloth

Proverbs 12:8 A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.

Word Study: The word “PERVERSE” is the Hebrew ʿāvâ which means “twisted from the norm, distorted, drawn to commit evil or do wrong”. Those with twisted or perverted hearts are drawn to commit evil, to do that which is offensive to both God and man. They shall be “DESPISED” (Hebrew bûz) or “held in contempt”. Those who tout their sinful estate as honorable, and demand that others honor their actions, are “held in contempt” by mankind and by God. The Prophet Job said:

Job 12:16, 21 (KJV) With {God} is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. …. 21 He poureth contempt (Hebrew bûz) upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

Interestingly King David gave the similar truth:

Psalm 107:40 (KJV) {God} poureth contempt (Hebrew bûz) upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.

It does not matter how “on top of the world” you think you are. If you celebrate your evil lifestyle, a lifestyle neither condoned nor ordained by God, then in time God will pour out contempt on you.

Proverbs 12:9 He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.

The person who has a “SERVANT” may be held in contempt for his treatment of sin and self, but even this contemptible person is better than the sluggard. The sluggard never wants to do anything, and yet expects everything. When the sluggard is hungry, it is not his fault, but the fault of another, be it a person or a government.

God calls His people to work for Him and His glory.

We will read in the next chapter:

Proverbs 13:4 (NASB) The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the soul of the diligent is made fat.

Those who are laborers together with Christ – doing good as God has commanded – have enlarged souls, whereas the sluggard is always craving and getting nothing. The Tyndale Bible Commentary notes:

“A lazy person … has desires (craves refers to a deep-seated physical drive or appetite; cf. “craving” in 13:2), but his desires are not satisfied because he is not willing to work. However, diligence enables a person to be satisfied.”

Though Solomon at times departed from God’s will for his life (he had 700 wives and 300 concubines or sex slaves – 1 Kings 11:1-13), and at times even moved into idolatry, Solomon was never lazy or privileged. The Bible says:

Proverbs 21:25-26 (NASB) The desire of the sluggard puts him to death, for his hands refuse to work; All day long he is craving, while the righteous gives and does not hold back…

The righteous understand that life itself is a stewardship from God, a gift that He has given us to reinvest in others. The only riches you can take to Paradise with you are the souls of people that you have won to Christ. How destitute and how it will mar the joy of Heaven to arrive in that glorious place, but find your child or grandchild has gone to hell because you were spiritually lazy!

The lazy Christian is worse to God than the active pervert!

Proverbs 12:10 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are CRUEL.

The righteous person – a person who is born again by the Blood of Christ – realizes the value of all life. Yet the wicked person has no regard for life. You can see this in the pro-life vs pro-choice movements in America. Comedian Bill Maher recently said on his television show:

“I don’t understand the 15-week thing, or Trump’s plan ‘let’s leave it to the states.’ You mean, so killing babies is OK in some states? I can respect the absolutist position, I really can. I scold the Left when they say, ‘oh you know what? They just hate women. People who aren’t pro-choice.’ They don’t hate women.

[The Left] just made that up. [Pro-life absolutists] think it’s murder. And it kind of is. I’m just okay with that. I am. I mean there’s 8 billion people in the world. I’m sorry, we won’t miss you. That’s my position on it.”

On the horrible show called “The View”, Actress Anne Hathaway said:

“My own personal experience with abortion and I don’t think we talk about this enough, abortion can be another word for mercy.”

How can abortion be merciful? In the first trimester, abortion is by vacuum aspiration. The child is broken up and drawn from the womb with a type of vacuum cleaner, like so much trash. In the second trimester, abortion is likely by dilation and evacuation (D&E), where the child is cut up into pieces and extracted. In the last trimester, abortion can be partial birth where all of the baby but the head is delivered. A knife is driven into the brain, killing the child before the head is delivered. Or some babies are delivered, but put on a gurney to lay crying until they succumb to death.

None of this is merciful to the child, who is a human. In heard another comedian joke about abortion, and described at as making a cake. He said, “If I make a cake and put it in the oven, and you come along and pull it out of the oven and throw it in the trash, I’d be mad at you. I’d say, ‘Why did you destroy my cake?” You’d say, ‘But it wasn’t a cake yet!’, to which I’d reply, ‘It would have been if you’d have left it alone!”. Again, this man was fine with abortion, but he was honest about it. Abortion is murder, not mercy. Life is sacred because it comes from God.

A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast

Though the Bible gives us allowance to eat meat, the righteous person, the child of God, does not torture a beast to death. The child of God does not eat an animal one piece at a time, keeping it alive. Such a thought is horrible! The beast is slaughtered quickly and as humanely as possible. But a child is not a beast, an animal. A child is made in the image of God!

The lazy person cannot impress God. The mentally lazy person does not impress the Lord either!

Proverbs 12:11 He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth VAIN (Hebrew rêq, empty, without substance) persons is void of understanding.

The person that works for his living is satisfied with what he has earned. But the person given everything, the person who lives with a silver spoon in their mouths, or depends on others for everything, that person is never satisfied. When I was growing up all children did “chores”. We received a small allowance for doing our “chores”, and were grounded or “whipped” if we refused to do our “chores”.

The word “chore” or “chores” is not found in the Bible, but it’s concept is there.

The Oxford English Dictionary tells us that “chore” is borrowed from the Latin “chor” which meant “chorus”. Those who learn to work and earn are best able to live in harmony with society itself. Too often we see spoiled grown up children who were given everything but earned nothing. These grown up children spend their days protesting, defacing, and generally doing anything they can do to disrupt civilization. The Bible says:

Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV) Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

The child given everything will grow up to be “vain” (rêq) or empty of substance. They will be like the idiom “amount to nothing”. As Bible Scholar F.B. Meyer wrote about evil King Amon:

“Amon’s reign was short and inglorious, and was ended by assassination (2 Kings 21:26). He was not stayed by the example of his father’s sins or regrets from following the sinful courses to which from childhood he had been inured. “He forsook the Lord, … and walked not in the way of the Lord” (2 Kings 21:22). As the twig is bent the tree grows. Oh parents, remember that example is more decisive than words. You may adopt for yourselves, in maturer life, a holier and better course; but you can never eradicate the evil influences exerted on your children.”

May God cause us all to draw closer to Jesus every day. Amen & Amen!

Posted in Proverbs | Tagged control the tongue, evil words, good vs evil, salvation, Tongue, wickedness | Leave a comment

The Most Deadly Thing

Posted on October 16, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Romans 3:1-9 (KJV) What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? 2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. 3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. 5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) 6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? 7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? 8 And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just. 9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin…

In 2019 we were told that the greatest threat to humanity was attacking the world. Called the “Coronavirus Disease” or “Covid-19”, nearly every nation in the world ground to a halt. Governments shut down businesses, gymnasiums, beaches, restaurants, and Churches. From its initial outbreak in late 2019 to April 13, 2024 there were 7,010,681 deaths worldwide from Covid. So is Covid the most dangerous thing in the world? It is dangerous, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control tells us that mosquitoes are the world’s deadliest creature. It causes 700,000 deaths worldwide each year. Which is more deadly – Covid, or mosquitoes?

There’s something more deadly than Covid-19, mosquitoes, rattlesnakes, or spiders. The most deadly thing in the world is what God calls “Sin”.

Sin is more deadly than cancer. If you go to your doctor and he diagnoses you with cancer, there are options that you will be given to combat that cancer. Very few people tell their doctor to “go fly a kite” when he gives them the diagnosis. The cancer patient takes the doctor seriously, and heeds the doctor. But when God tells us that sin is deadly, we ignore both the Word of God and the Pastor who tells us about it.

Sin spreads like a cancer. When not addressed and ignored, sin leads us into deeper sins. Ted Bundy before he was a mass murderer worked for the Seattle Suicide Center, saving lives. Before Adolf Hitler engineered a World War and murdered millions of people in concentration camps he was an animal lover, going so far as to be a vegetarian because he could not stand to see animals killed. He sponsored and passed the Animal Protection Act (1933) which criminalized the mistreatment of animals throughout Germany, and instituted anti-hunting laws. The mobster Al Capone, A.K.A. “Scarface” funded a soup kitchen in Chicago to insure people weren’t starving. The criminal Pablo Escobar built hospitals and housing, and was elected to Columbia’s Congress in 1982. One of God’s own men, the Shepherd King David allowed sin to enter his life. David loved God with all his heart, but had an adulterous relationship with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. He then sought to cover up that relationship with murder.

Sin is insidious. It starts small, and spreads. Though many have never been infected with Coronavirus, all have been touched by sin. Sin kills. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

Sin Cannot Be Fixed By What You Do

If confronted with cancer, we realize we cannot “fix” it unless we submit to medical science. Even then, cancer may not be fixed or stayed – but we will submit to chemotherapy or radiation treatments if our doctor advises it.

And yet, we try to fix SIN.

Romans 3:1-2 (KJV) What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? 2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

When it comes to sin, “What advantage does the Jew have”? Do Jews get a pass on sin? No, they don’t. But we are told

Word Study: “unto them were committed the oracles of God”. What does that mean? It means that God introduced Himself to humanity through the Jewish Nation. The word translated “ORACLES” is the Greek logion (pro. log’-ee-on) which means “The UTTERANCES or the WORD of GOD”. The Bible itself is 66 books written by 40 human authors. The Scripture tells us that the authors or “PROPHETS”:

2 Peter 1:21 (ESV) … no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

“We have a SURE WORD FROM GOD” (2 Peter 1:19, AP). God moved in 40 human authors. If you look at the Bible,

The Book of Job (which predates Jacob or Israel)
The Book of Nahum (a Prophet from Elkosh in Iraq)
The Gospel of Luke (a Gentile Physician)
The Book of Acts (written by Luke)
The Book of 2 Timothy (also written by Luke)

These 5 books were written by Gentiles. The three New Testament Books written by Luke were words dictated to him by the Apostles, Jesus’ hand-picked Prophets. So in reality 35 of 40 books of our Bible were written by Jewish Prophets, and 3 books were dictated by Jewish Apostles. God gave us the Bible through the Jews, through the nation Israel.

So we come back to the question, “What advantage then hath the Jew?”. Why did God choose the Jewish nation? Was it because they are better than all the other nations? Absolutely not. God told Israel:

Deuteronomy 7:7-9 (ESV) It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations …

God told Israel “I chose Israel because I AM FAITHFUL and YOU ARE WEAK”. Israel was not a powerful nation when God founded it. Israel came out of a man called Abraham, a man unable to have children. God told Abraham in effect:

“You are a weak and impotent man. If you will follow Me and go where I say, if you will obey and honor Me, I will make from you a mighty nation – and bless all the nations of the world through you.”

Abraham heard what God said, and began to follow God. Was he perfect in following? Absolutely not! But the Bible says:

Romans 4:3 (ESV) “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”

Galatians 3:6 (ESV) Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”

Abram (his name before God changed it) was living life his own way, doing his own thing, following his own gods. But then God called him to repentance, and made His case. Abram heard what God said, repented, and began to follow God no matter what God told him to do. God caused a new heart to be in Abram. He was “born again of God’s Spirit”. When a child is born, what is the first thing you do? You name it. God named Abram as Abraham. He was not as he was – he is now a child of God. The Bible says:

James 2:23 (ESV) … “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.

When God wrote the Scriptures, He started by calling Moses, a Jew adopted into the household of the Egyptian Pharaoh. Israel at this point in history was slaves to Egypt, and slaves to the Egyptian gods and goddesses. God raised up Moses, and through Moses wrote the Pentateuch, the Books of the Law. As Moses wrote these books under God’s direction, one theme was recurrent.

Mankind – males and females – are all born sinners.
The wages of sin is separation from God and death.
Though God allowed animal sacrifices, we cannot fix our sins.
Animal sacrifices were REPEATEDLY committed.
The Law diagnosed sin, but gave no remedy.
Mankind – males and females – are all born sinners.

God wrote His Word, our Bible, through broken and undone people who REPENTED and BELIEVED in Him.

Romans 3:2 (KJV) … what profit is there of circumcision?

It was to Abraham and the future Israel that God established the act of “circumcision”. In circumcision, the male foreskin is removed, a very painful situation. God established that every male child would be circumcised on the 8^th day following birth. Circumcision was a command unique to Israel.

But physical circumcision had NOTHING to do with salvation. It was an external act of obedience from a believer. God told the Israelite that:

Genesis 17:14 (NIV) Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.

God did not say that the uncircumcised would be cast into hell, or lose eternal life. God said that the uncircumcised would be cut off from Israel. If circumcision had to do with salvation, then both males and females would be circumcised. But females were NOT circumcised. Circumcision was a man-specific action.

First of all, it was crippling to an adult male. When circumcised you wouldn’t be able to fight or defend your homes until you healed.
Second, circumcision was the willing shedding of blood of a man. You had to choose to be circumcised, or be cut off from Israel. But you had a choice.
Third, circumcision as the willing shedding of man’s blood looked forward to the Cross of Christ. As sin came by Man (Adam), sin would have to be paid for by Perfect Man (the Lord Jesus Christ). My shedding of blood does nothing for me. But through circumcision God repeatedly reminded Israel that sin is only covered by the Blood of the Innocent.

Romans 5:12, 15 (ESV) … sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned … 15 many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.

God’s promise and covenant with Israel was that the Messiah, the One Who COULD fix sin, would come through that nation. Thus God chose the weakest, most impotent and enslaved nation as His own. He built that nation from nothing, and demanded that all who were His Chosen REPENT and BELIEVE in Him.

Israel Was Chosen As God’s Tool To Bring Messiah Into The World – Though Israel Often Failed To Believe

Romans 3:3-5 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. 5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)

Throughout the history of Israel there were many Israelites that were circumcised, but did not believe in God. God planned to bring the Messiah, Jesus Christ our Lord, to this earth through Israel. The Bible says that when Jesus came,

John 1:11 (NKJV) {Jesus} came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

God sent His Son to this earth to be born of a virgin, to be born of the Household of King David, to be born a Jew in Bethlehem – and yet the Jews largely rejected Him.

They would not believe on Him. The Pharisees insinuated that Jesus was born of sin (John 8:41). They openly declared to Jesus:

John 8:48 … “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

The “Samaritans” were hated of the Jews because they were not pure Jew. Claiming Jesus to be first of all a “Samaritan” and second of all “demon possessed”, they are saying Jesus was NOT of Israel, and thus could NOT be the Messiah.

Did Israel’s disbelief and faithlessness undo the faithfulness of God? Absolutely not!

God made promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and David. The Bible tells us that:

2 Timothy 2:13 (NKJV) If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

God was going to send the Messiah – the Fixer of our sins – through a broken people called Israel. God could not deny Himself – would not break His Plan.

Though Israel repeatedly through her history rejected God, and fell prey to nations like Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, Medo-Persia, Rome, and more recently Germany … our God is still faithful. The faithlessness of Israel did not change the plan of God, but

Galatians 4:4-5 (NKJV) But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

The Jew that leaves this life without faith in Jesus are nonetheless CONDEMNED TO ETERNAL DAMNATION. The Jew does not get a free pass to Heaven because Israel is “Chosen”. If the Jew does not respond to the Fixer of Sin, Jesus Christ our Lord, their fate is just as bleak and terrible as is the fate of Adolf Hitler, Ted Bundy, Al Capone, or Pablo Escobar. The Bible says:

John 3:18-21 “He who believes in {Jesus} is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

God sent the Messiah through Israel. Jesus came “for the Jew FIRST, and ALSO for the GENTILE” (Romans 1:16; 2:10). The Jew who rejects Christ is NOT God’s Chosen People, for they have hardened their hearts to the Fixer of Sin, the Great Physician Jesus Christ. The Evangelist Billy Graham wrote:

“God prescribes the remedy for the ills of the human race. That remedy is personal faith and commitment to Christ. This happens when we humble ourselves in repentance of sin against Him and call out to Jesus for His forgiveness. He grants salvation to all those who will turn to Him and receive Him as Lord and Savior, but multitudes reject the greatest remedy offered to mankind.

When we’re sick, we see a doctor who prescribes medication. If we decide to ignore the advice and refuse the prescription, the symptoms can grow worse. Should we hold the doctor responsible? No, because we’ve refused the remedy.

The disease of sin that has infected the entire world has a remedy—God’s salvation—but it must be received. If we refuse it, we suffer the consequence; we cannot blame God.

People magazine once carried the story of Lem Banker who said, “Never bet what you want to win, only what you can afford to lose.” No one can afford to lose their eternal soul. The Man we often refer to as the Great Physician is based on Jesus’ words: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Mark 2:17). The remedy is clear: receive Jesus today.”

Sin Is A Horrible Disease That Jesus Defeats

Romans 3:7-8 (KJV) For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? 8 And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

Some today try to change the nature of sin, to normalize it. This has been a tactic of Satan and the world from the beginning. The devil first – through the religious Pharisees, the Jews – tried to make Jesus out as a con-man, a liar, not of Israel. They said that Jesus was demon possessed, an illegitimate Child, a Samaritan. And yet, people began to hear the Gospel, repent, and be saved. So how does the devil and the world attack the Gospel once received. They say “The Gospel frees you so that you can “do evil, that good may come”. Once saved, you can sin with impunity, without regard to the consequences. After all, Jesus paid for those sins on the Cross. We are told in:

Jude 4 (NKJV) For certain men have crept in {into the local Churches} unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, UNGODLY MEN, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

The devil has had his agents in the Church from the beginning. These unsaved in heart whitewashed mausoleums normalize sexual sins of all types, saying “You can be a Christian and do these things”. Yes, Christians do often fall into evil sins. But the Christian confronted by the Word of God – like King David when the Prophet Nathan exposed his adultery and murder –

The Christian will REPENT of sin and RETURN to following Jesus. The Christian knows that God does not save us IN our sins, but FROM our sins.

David repented with bitter weeping once exposed, and returned to God. And yet, there are consequences to sin. Sin is the most horrible thing in the world.

Romans 3:9 … we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all UNDER sin

Sin is horrible. It cripples us. It robs us. It is the Thief that Jesus spoke of in:

John 10:10 The THIEF does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Preach Verbatim: The “THIEF” is sin. Sin robs us of God’s best for us. Sin robbed Adam of Paradise, and robbed Eve of peace in childbearing. Sin robbed Abel of his life, and made Cain a wandering marked man. Sin robbed the world of life in a Great Flood, killing men, women, children, and babies. Sin caused God to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah by fire. Sin causes a husband to step out on his wife, or the wife to fall to another man. Sin causes children to be robbed of their childhoods, molested by parents, or raised without parents. Sin takes a sane person and addicts them to alcohol or drugs. Sin robs society of children and their children and their children, perhaps taking the life of the one that would cure cancer, heart disease, stroke, or some other horrid malady. Sin robs Churches of peace, as Shepherds who should know better toy with the sheep. Sin causes murders, rapes, heartache, and misery. Sin is laughed at on television, promoted on “The View”, and endorsed by political candidates as “normal”. Sin is the most horrible thing in the world …..

which is why God sent His Son Jesus through Israel.

There is the Jesus that none could find sin in. The Faultless Son of God. Beaten, bruised, so horribly wounded on by sinful man. Nailed to a Tree. Adam’s sin cursed us all. Adam’s sin cursed our world. Adam’s sin cursed the ground itself (Genesis 3:17).

But because God is faithful, He sent Jesus to take the curse of sin on Himself. “Cursed is He Who hangs on a Tree” (Galatians 3:13).

Jesus became a curse for us. Sin is the most horrible thing in the world, but what Jesus did for us in the greatest thing in the world. “By His stripes WE ARE HEALED” (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24).

We are “fixed” when we come to Jesus Christ, repenting, believing. When we give our lives to Him Who gave His life for us, God “fixes” us. He changes our mind about sin. We know the right from the wrong, and when we do the wrong we REPENT and do so AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS. It is “the Blood of Jesus Christ” that brings us into the family of God (Ephesians 2:13). It is the “Blood of Jesus Christ God’s Son that cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). It is the Blood willingly shed that fixes us, and removes us from the insanity of sin.

Do you know Him? Have you believed that He died for your sins, and rose from the Grave. Have you heard Him call you to salvation? Have you responded? Have you said, “Yes Lord, I will follow You”. Oh I pray you have done so this very day. Do not delay. The only escape from the worst thing in the world – sin – is reliant faith on Jesus. Amen.

Posted in Romans, Sermons Preached | Tagged Following Christ, God Is Faithful, gospel, Jesus Christ, salvation | Leave a comment

Today The Day of Salvation
April 2026

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Christians Do Not Make Their Own Truths

The Word of God establishes the groundwork of knowledge that the prudent or sensible person follows.

Stay True To What God Has Said

When God created this world He created LIGHT, not darkness. God said “Let there be Light”, and there was light. Though God recognized the darkness as “night”, He did not create the darkness.

It is a Wicked Messenger that will preach Grace without Repentance, Salvation without Sanctification, Heaven without New Birth, Resurrection without the Cross, or Christianity without Christ.

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Do You Have PEACE, Or Are You In CRISIS?

God imputed or accounted righteousness to Abraham. God covered Abraham’s sins with His hands, which would one day be nailed to a cross on Calvary.

The only people who ever met Jesus and went away unchanged were those who rejected His help. Unlike Abraham, they would not follow Jesus in faith.

Jesus is not looking for numbers. He doesn’t care if you “Like” Him on Facebook or Instagram. Jesus is looking for BROKEN SOULS that will follow Him.

Those who refused to give themselves to Jesus, to follow Him, were sincere in what they were doing. They thought they were doing right, but they weren’t. They were in CRISIS.

The only Person God has ever “set forth” as a means to Himself is “Christ Jesus”. Those who claim to be “Christian” but are NOT Christ FOLLOWERS are not God’s Children.

Without Jesus, You Are In CRISIS!

If YOUR candidate had lost, and the OTHER candidate had won, if the tables were switched, would YOU being throwing tantrums too?

We Need To Be Aligned Spiritually With God

The Devil’s great trick is not to make us more evil, but to make us worship the wrong gods.

We can’t make ourselves right by doing good religion (like the Pharisees) or by doing good acts of humanism (like the Sadducees). These are false gods. We must surrender to and follow Jesus.

So many “Christians” miss the glory of the Christian life because they refuse to surrender their lives to the Lord.

Whatever “Faith” You Have Will Be Tested

What is the difference between the Christ Follower who, like Abraham, keeps their eyes on Jesus, and the “Christian” who has put their faith in the flesh?

How you respond to trials and tribulations proves whether you are a born again Christ follower, or a follower of the flesh.

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Cheap Riches Quickly Lost

Believers are to honor God in their work, whether secular or religious.

We All Need Blessed Hope

How Do We Respond To God’s Word?

What impresses God, the Creator and Savior of all, is that we HUMBLE ourselves and HONOR His Word!

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A Quick Review To This Point

The Example Of Saving Faith Is Abraham

Adam is our FLESHLY father, the head of the human race. But Abraham is our SPIRITUAL father, the prototype of faith.

We must, like Abraham, cast ourselves fully upon God’s Grace, believing that He will keep His promise and save us. The Lord must empty us of self and pride before He can do any great work in us.

Terah Is The Flesh, Abraham Is The Christ

Belief surrenders to God. To work for salvation is not surrender, but faith in self.

Jesus Christ is God’s Manna, God’s Bread of Life. It is He we must believe in, He we must follow – or we have no life!

Before Or After The Law, Salvation Has Always Been By Faith In Jesus

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To Be Blessed, You Need To Listen And Do

The greatest gift God can give us outside of salvation and a good spouse is a good mentor, a wise guide.

What You Say Matters

Is Your “Soul” Lazy Or Diligent?

I have seen local Churches drift into extinction because it’s members are slothful or sluggish with the stewardship that God has given them.

If you do not like where you are, then you must be DILIGENT to go to Christ and do as He says.

The Righteous Follow The Right Path

Pastors, Deacons, Teachers, Elders in the Church must love the truth, and speak it even if it hurts.

Money Is A Poor God

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God created the family to rule creation,not to be ruled by it.

God Offers Us A Return To His Family

God offers whosoever will entrance into His family through His Son, and only His Son.

Jesus The Righteous Gave HimselfFor The Unrighteous To REDEEM Us

Does this mean that the Christian is lawless? Absolutely not! The Christian is not lawless, but under new management. Redeemed from the Law you now belong to God.

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Transgression Of The Lips Are Snares

Learn To Listen And Correct Yourself Before God Corrects You

The Fool’s Tactic Is To Make A Scene

Your Tongue Should Not Be A Wrecking Bar, But A Source Of Blessing

Blessed Are The Peacemakers!

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The “Good News” is not good until you hear the bad news.

The Law Diagnosed Sin, But Did NotCOVER It Nor CORRECT It

As God brought LIGHT into creation on the FIRST DAY (Genesis 1:5), God brought the LIGHT of Jesus from the grave on the FIRST DAY.

The Law Is Not Our Savior.God Is Our Savior.

The Saved Are Changed By Jesus

An encounter with Jesus is a life changing experience.

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The Words Of The Wicked Are Cut Down,Whereas The Words Of The Righteous Are God’s

You Choose Your Legacy By How You Live

God Is Not Impressed By Sin Nor Sloth

God calls His people to work for Him and His glory.

The lazy Christian is worse to God than the active pervert!

The word “chore” or “chores” is not found in the Bible, but it’s concept is there.

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There’s something more deadly than Covid-19, mosquitoes, rattlesnakes, or spiders. The most deadly thing in the world is what God calls “Sin”.

Sin Cannot Be Fixed By What You Do

God wrote His Word, our Bible, through broken and undone people who REPENTED and BELIEVED in Him.

Israel Was Chosen As God’s Tool To Bring Messiah Into The World – Though Israel Often Failed To Believe

Did Israel’s disbelief and faithlessness undo the faithfulness of God? Absolutely not!

Sin Is A Horrible Disease That Jesus Defeats

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God created the family to rule creation,
not to be ruled by it.

**God offers whosoever will entrance into His family through His Son, and only His Son.**

Jesus The Righteous Gave Himself
For The Unrighteous To REDEEM Us

The Law Diagnosed Sin, But Did Not
COVER It Nor CORRECT It

The Law Is Not Our Savior.
God Is Our Savior.

The Words Of The Wicked Are Cut Down,
Whereas The Words Of The Righteous Are God’s