Tag Archives: Following Christ

Characteristics Of A Spiritually Healthy Believer, Part 2

Posted on August 14, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Matthew 5: 3-9 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Last Sunday we started looking at the 7 characteristics of the spiritually healthy believer. The King of Kings went up a mountain and sat down. Here He is teaching those who come to Him what is expected of the believer under the New Covenant.

Salvation is a gift received of God, but once received it brings you into the Kingdom of Heaven/ Kingdom of God. Citizens of the Kingdom are under a standard of behavior.

To review, the first four characteristics are:

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the POOR IN SPIRIT: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven

1 I am spiritually impoverished before God. I must be born again of God. We all fall far short of God’s holiness, and have no hope of justification before God apart from faith in the Cross of Calvary. None can be saved unless they first repent and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.

Matthew 5:4 Blessed are they that MOURN: for they shall be comforted.

2 To be saved, one must REPENT. You must realize your natural standing before God, and grieve. This is not a reference to mourning over some sad thing that happened in your earthly experience. It is a reference about grieving for your deficiencies before God, about wanting to be better than you are in God’s presence. Humans are emotional creatures. This is not a reference to worldly sorrow (sorry that you got caught) but a reference to godly sorrow. The Bible says:… Continue reading →

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Christ’s Word To The Family: John 19:25-27

Posted on August 12, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

John 19:25-27 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and THE DISCIPLE standing by, WHOM HE LOVED, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27 Then saith He to THE DISCIPLE, Behold thy mother! And from that hour THAT DISCIPLE took her unto his own home.

You Should Honor The One Who Bore You

When God led His people Israel out of Egypt it took this ragtag group of ex-slaves about 50 days to get to Sinai (compare Exodus 12:37 to Exodus 19:1-2). God would commemorate their arrival at Sinai by establishing the Feast of Pentecost (also called Shavuot). At Pentecost, Israel went from being Jacob’s family to being God’s nation.

God planted the seed of Israel in Egypt. But God, not Egypt, bore Israel. God made Israel, called Israel, was a Father to Israel, and gave Israel His Law.

God gave Israel the Law, starting with the Ten Commandments. These Ten Commandments would be that basis on which all other laws would be based. I don’t have time to talk about the Ten Commandments today, but I want to focus on the FIFTH Commandment. The first four commandments told Israel to worship the God Who saved them out of Egypt. You should honor the One who bore you – and God gave Israel life. God was a Spiritual Father to Israel. In like manner, each person should honor the physical ones who bore them. This is what the Fifth Commandment tells us.

(Exodus 20:12 ESV) HONOR {kāḇaḏ} your father and your mother, that YOUR DAYS MAY BE LONG in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Word Study: The Hebrew kāḇaḏ means “to consider valuable, weighty. To respect and honor above ones self”. God’s people are to honor God. God’s people are to honor their parents. Continue reading →

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Characteristics Of A Spiritually Healthy Believer: Matthew 5:3-12

Posted on August 12, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

(Matthew 5:3-9 KJV) Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [4] Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. [5] Blessed [are] the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. [6] Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. [7] Blessed [are] the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. [8] Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God. [9] Blessed [are] the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

The Bible tells us that Jesus,

Matthew 4:23 Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom

As Jesus preached, the broken and hurt came to Him – and Jesus healed them all. Some were diseased. Some were demon possessed. Some were demented. The Bible tells us that great multitudes followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and Jordan. Everybody wanted to be near Jesus. Then Jesus does something unexpected.

While in Galilee (Matthew 4:23) Jesus went up into a mountain.

There are a dozen mountains near the Sea of Galilee. We don’t know what mountain Jesus went up – the Bible doesn’t tell us – but the fact that He went up a mountain is significant. The Bible says:

(John 1:17 NKJV) For THE LAW was given through Moses, [but] GRACE AND TRUTH came through Jesus Christ…. Continue reading →

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Seven Sermons From The Cross: The Word of Salvation

Posted on August 6, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.

There are things that we as humans believe about God and Heaven that are just untrue. We believe that only good people go to Heaven. We believe that “There are good people, and bad people”. We believe that God judges us on a scale, and if our good deeds outweigh our bad deeds, we go to Heaven.

That’s not true.

Our Lord Jesus has said in Matthew 19:17 … there are NONE GOOD, but ONE, THAT IS GOD

The Apostle Paul wrote quoting Psalm 14:1-3 and Psalm 53:1-3:

(Romans 3:10-12 LSB) as it is written, THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; [11] THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; [12] ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME WORTHLESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.

A popular liberal talking point is to “Defund The Police” and “Get rid of prisons”. This is based on the thought that people are generally good. The Bible doesn’t support this myth.

Even the word penitentiary – a word we use for prisons – is a myth. According to the dictionary, “penitentiary comes from the Latin roots… Continue reading →

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Jesus Commanded That We Love As He Loves

Posted on August 6, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

When I was in the Air Force we often had to go out to the gun range to “qualify”. Qualification consisted of 8 hours of instruction on handling a firearm. The first thing you always did was sight in your weapon. You’d aim at the target, fire a test round, then adjust your sights to correct for the drift of the bullet. You learned to breath, how to control yourself so that you could hit the target. If you were off target, you could die in a fight. If you’re off target you can’t win a battle. You’re a casualty!

We live in an off target world!

People stare at their phones rather than talking to one another. I’ve seen a family of five sitting in a restaurant, all ignoring one another while locked onto their phones. Technology is destroying the family, the place where children used to be taught how to live in civilized society.

Medicine – which should be helping and healing people – several years ago started “surgically correcting” children who felt they were born the wrong gender. Children need to be taught and loved, not scarred and mutilated in the name of progress. Several years ago I heard of a man named Thomas Beatie who became pregnant in 2007. Beatie has had THREE children since then. The Guinness Book of world records notes that Thomas Beatie is the first man to give birth in Bend, Oregon (USA) on June 29, 2008. Isn’t that amazing. But as Paul Harvey would say …. “Here’s the rest of the story”. When this individual was born, SHE was born Tracy Lagondino. Tracy underwent chest reconstruction surgery, and was legally recognized by the State of Hawaii as a man, allowing HER birth certificate to be amended. Because “Thomas” wanted to have children, SHE never had her female reproductive system removed. Even with surgery, a female has two X chromosomes, and is scientifically still a female – though the law allowed recognition of this person as a male…. Continue reading →

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Seven Sermons From The Cross: The Word Of Forgiveness

Posted on July 29, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

(Luke 23:33-34 KJV) And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. [34] Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Our Lord Jesus came from Heaven to this earth to bring the Word of God to us. Jesus preached His first sermon to the devil in the wilderness. As Satan tempted Him, Jesus repeatedly replied “It is written” (Matthew 4:4-10). After John the Baptist was imprisoned by Herod, Jesus preached:

(Matthew 4:17 KJV) Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

In Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown, He preached in the Synagogue that He was the Messiah that Israel had been waiting for (Luke 4:16-21). Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) while sitting on a mountainside. When Jesus preached His Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:17-49) He was standing on level ground. Jesus preached in the Temple. He preached in the streets. He preached parables.

Preach: To shut Jesus up, religious hypocrites and crooked politicians had Jesus executed by crucifixion. Crucifixion was a method of public execution reserved for the worst of criminals. Large 7 inch long spikes were driven through the wrists, tearing the median nerve. Spikes were also driven through the feet, impaling the plantar nerves. Before being pinned to the Cross, the criminal was beaten with whips and canes. King David prophesied the horror of what Jesus went through in:… Continue reading →

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Jesus Commanded New Birth

Posted on July 29, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

The Book of John focuses on Who Jesus is, and who we are not. A few weeks ago we looked at the first command of Jesus, which is to “Repent”:

(Matthew 4:17 KJV) From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, REPENT: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

John the Baptist had just been imprisoned, and Jesus’ ministry was starting. He preached “REPENT”, which means to reject yourself and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. To choose a new god, a god better than the god you have been following. Jesus is the Good Shepherd Who loves His sheep, and lays His life down for His sheep (John 10).

If you’re going to go to Heaven, if you’re going to walk with Jesus, you must be a sheep, not a dog or a pig. Sheep follow the Shepherd. You must be born again.

We’re going to be in chapter 3 of John tonight, but before we go to chapter 3 let’s look at chapter 2. In chapter 2, Jesus is invited to a Wedding Feast in Cana, and they are out of wine. Jesus’ mother asks Jesus to intervene. Jesus has the servants fill six water pots to the brim with water. Each pot held from 102-162 gallons of water. Jesus turned that water into wine (vs 10), the “good wine” that out-shined all wine that had been served up to this point…. Continue reading →

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Flee Idolatry And Cling To God

Posted on July 25, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

When God saved Israel from Egypt, He saved His people from a nation filled with idolatry – with false gods. When God sent Moses to Pharaoh with the message,

Exodus 5:1 Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.

Pharaoh was quick to answer:

(Exodus 5:2 ESV) Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.

Pharaoh believed – along with his people – the HE HIMSELF was god. Egypt worshiped numerous gods and goddesses, animals and leaders. It was idolatry and defiance of the God of the Bible that caused Egypt – at one time a world power – to lose it’s power and influence among the nations.

When God stopped Israel at the base of Mount Sinai, He was going to take this ragged group of people and constitute them as a nation. The Bible tells us that “God reigns over the nations” (Psalm 47:8), and that:

(Daniel 2:21 ESV) God changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;

God established Israel as His nation at Sinai. So in Israel’s constitution God established a series of principles of Law that His people were to follow. We call this foundation “The Ten Commandments”. The very first part of the commandments deal with WHO is God, and HOW God is to be treated.

(Exodus 20:2-7 NKJV) I [am] the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. [3] “You shall have no other gods before Me. [4] “You shall not make for yourself a carved image–any likeness [of anything] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth; [5] you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth [generations] of those who hate Me, [6] but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. [7] “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold [him] guiltless who takes His name in vain…. Continue reading →

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Cast Not Your Pearls Before Swine

Posted on July 15, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

The Church of Jesus Christ is in the midst of a battle against darkness, and has been in that battle from the moment Jesus ascended into Heaven. Just as Satan attacked Jesus from the start to the end of His earth ministry (Matthew 4:1-11; Matthew 16:21-23; Mark 3:20-30; Luke 22:53; Revelation 12:10-11), Jesus warned us that we would battle Satan as His Church. Our enemy is not humanity, but the forces of evil and darkness behind humanity. The Bible says:

(Ephesians 6:12-13 NKJV) For WE DO NOT WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, but against PRINCIPALITIES, against POWERS, against the RULERS OF THE DARKNESS of this age, against SPIRITUAL HOSTS OF WICKEDNESS in the heavenly [places]. [13] Therefore TAKE UP THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

The fallen world, under the influence and snare of Satan, is constantly attacking the truths of the Bible and the glorious Gospel of Christ. The Apostle said,

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL, as a roaring lion, walketh about, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR.

The solution for the Church – the only way we can survive – is to SUBMIT OURSELVES TO GOD while RESISTING SATAN (James 4:7).

Sadly, that’s not what happens in most cases. Instead of demanding that the world listen to Jesus, we as the church have begun to listen to the world. We begin to ask questions like, “How can we get more behinds in the pew”, rather than asking the right question “How can we glorify Jesus and honor our Heavenly Father?”. If we please Jesus, God will make sure the RIGHTEOUS are added to the Church. Look at the early Church testimony. When the Apostles preached:

Acts 2:40 … BE SAVED FROM THIS PERVERSE (skolios, crooked, wicked, surly) GENERATION

They made no apologies when preaching against the wickedness in the world. The early Preachers made no excuses for the darkness to hide in, but demanded that people REPENT – surrender their lives to Jesus so that He could save them. The Bible tells us that:… Continue reading →

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Our Mission Is God’s Kingdom

Posted on July 15, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

When Adam was placed in the Garden East of Eden (Genesis 2:8), it was both a person and a place that were without sin. The Bible says that:

(Genesis 1:31 NKJV) Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed [it was] VERY GOOD…

Creation was literally heaven on earth. It was the Kingdom of God. The Bible says “out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that was pleasant to the sight and good for food” (Genesis 2:8-9). When the first Adam sinned and rejected the commandment of God, he brought spiritual death on both himself, his family, and on creation. Paul tells us:

(Romans 5:12 NKJV) … through ONE MAN SIN ENTERED THE WORLD, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because ALL SINNED–

Mankind died spiritually the day Adam sinned, and brought sin on creation itself. Everything went from being “very good” to “cursed”. God told Adam:

(Genesis 3:17-19 NKJV) Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “CURSED IS THE GROUND FOR YOUR SAKE; In toil you shall eat [of] it All the days of your life. [18] Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. [19] In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you [are], And to dust you shall return.”

What should have been Heaven on earth – the Kingdom of God – became the domain of sin and death. Whereas Adam and Eve were to rule the world for God, their fall to Satan gave him rule. The Apostle wrote:

(1 John 5:19 NKJV) We know that we are of God, and THE WHOLE WORLD LIES UNDER THE SWAY OF THE WICKED ONE.

From Adam until the coming of Christ people were:… Continue reading →

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