Tag Archives: Following Christ

Paul’s First Amen

Posted on August 12, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

As I stated when we began the Book of Romans, this Book is called the “Constitution of Christianity”. Throughout the Book our Lord explains the Christian way of life.

In the first 11 chapters God establishes that all are born physically into this world in need of the Savior. Because of Adam’s sin, we are born the first time separated from God, spiritually dead. We are absolutely unable to make ourselves physically born. We are also absolutely unable to make ourselves spiritually born. We must be born again.

Romans 3:10-12 (KJV) 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.

In order to accomplish new birth for the spiritually dead us, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to this earth to first show us the Way of God. Jesus then went to the Cross. Dying for our sins, He made payment to God for us, a payment we could not make. Jesus offers this salvation to whosoever will receive Him as Lord and Savior.

Romans 3:24-26 (KJV) {We can only be} 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.

The first 11 chapters speaks of our need for salvation and what God did to offer it. The last 5 chapters tells us what God saved us for. He didn’t save us just for Heaven (which is what many believe). He saved us to bring Heaven to us. To make us into children of God. To use us as light in this present fallen world.

This section of Scripture is what I call “Paul’s Three Amens”. From Romans 15:14 till the end of the Book Paul uses examples of those who are saved, and how they live their lives. Paul ends each section with an AMEN. Today we look at Paul’s First Amen, which deals with how the Grace of God changed the Apostle’s life. Continue reading →

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Bewitched Believers

Posted on August 12, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Galatians 3:1-5 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

One of the social media sites I sometimes visit is called Linkedin. Recently I was intrigued by an article entitled “What Is The Worst Thing That Can Happen On A Sunday Morning?” from Church Growth Magazine. I rarely read these articles, because much of what people are doing to grow the “Church” is man-made, not Bible inspired. The article started out good:

“In the push to execute Sunday morning services, it is easy to forget the basics: churches grow when people receive Christ, and people receive Christ when they’re invited to receive Christ. Read the story of a church that has mastered the basics.”

So I thought, “Okay! I believe that. Salvation comes by RECEIVING Christ as He is. Let me see what this Church is doing.”

The article went on to say that this Church was growing so fast, they couldn’t keep up with all the new people coming in. The writer said:… Continue reading →

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The Best Way, God’s Way

Posted on August 8, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

This is the first time that Solomon addresses alcohol in the Book of Proverbs. Here he personifies alcohol. The “wine” (Hebrew yayin) that is referenced here is naturally fermented juice of crushed grapes. The “strong drink” (Hebrew šēḵār) is fortified or distilled wine made from grapes, figs, dates, or grains. The difference between the two was that

Wine or Yayin is naturally formed. Strong Drink or šēḵār is engineered by man to increase the alcoholic content per volume.

It was naturally formed wine that our Lord Jesus made at the Wedding Feast in Cana. Wine diluted with water was often used in Jewish celebrations. The Bible tells us that:

John 2:3 (ESV) When the wine {oinos} ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine {oinos}.”

Jesus had the servants of the feast take six stone jars there for the rites of Jewish purification, each able to hold around 30 gallons of water. Jesus told the servants, “fill the jars with water”, and the servants filled the jars to the brim. Jesus told them to draw out the beverage, and take it to the “master of the feast”. This man declared:

John 2:10 (ESV) Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.

Jesus made “GOOD WINE”, naturally fermented, something only God can do. That which our Lord Jesus provided was not for drunkenness, but for celebration of Biblical marriage. The Psalmist praised the Lord, saying:… Continue reading →

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God Never Gives Up

Posted on August 6, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Romans 15:4-7 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

How Do We Define “God”? How Do We Define “Fool”?

Everyone knows that there is a God Who made all things. That’s an absolute truth. Oh, there are people who say “We’re atheists. We’re agnostics. We’re scientists. We believe that all things just evolved out of nothing. We believe in the survival of the fittest. There is no God. There is only “mother nature”, a mother who came about by accident.” If that were true, the name “God” or “Jesus Christ” wouldn’t be in your language whatsoever. “OMG”. Everybody knows there is a God Who is above us.

Defining the word “fool” is easy. The Bible says that the definition of a FOOL is:

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.

The FOOL says there is no God. The reason they say this is that, IF there is a God (and there is), THEN the stupid things they do, they will be held… Continue reading →

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Frustration Or Fulfillment

Posted on August 6, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

The absolute number one worse sin in the Bible is the sin of idolatry. Idolatry is when a person worships or seeks to please any God but the God of the Bible. It was idolatry that got mankind thrown out of Paradise. The devil told Adam:

Genesis 3:4-5 (AP) {if you eat the forbidden} you will not die {implying God is a liar}. God knows when you eat of it you will be like Him, gods who determine good and evil …

Idolatry starts in the heart, when the created tries to take the place of the Creator.

Idolatry led to the first murder. Cain killed his brother, rather than worship God and kill a lamb (Genesis 4:4-8). Idolatry led to the Noahic Flood. “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). Idolatry led to the Tower of Babel. The people refused the command of God to multiply and fill the earth, saying …

Genesis 11:4 (NKJV) Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.

We don’t want to glorify God. “Let us make a name for OURSELVES. Let’s glorify US. Let’s build a building that will get us closer to God, maybe we can be gods.”

While Moses was receiving the Law of God from the finger of God, Israel in the valley was busy creating golden calves, gods to follow. Idolatry is in our DNA.

Even among God’s people. There are people today who take the Law of God (which is good, for the Bible says “the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Romans 7:12)) and have turned it into an idol. The concept of Pharisaism has crept into many Churches today, the idea that “since I keep the Law, then I’m going to go to Heaven when I die”. Beloved, that’s a lie. Keeping the Law doesn’t save you. Continue reading →

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How To Be Blessed

Posted on July 30, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

How can you be blessed of God? You must first of all submit your flesh to God. This is hard for many people. I had a lady who once came to this Church tell me, “I have so many questions. How can I learn to be a strong Christian?” I told her that …

You must consistently submit yourself to God. Come to Church regularly. HEAR the preaching of the Word. Not just HEAR it, but RECEIVE it, believe it, take it to heart. Make it your own.

Sadly, she never did this. Her visits to the Church were sporadic at best, here a little, gone a lot. In time she became one of the faceless shadows on the fringe of Christianity. Continue reading →

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Even Christ Pleased Not Himself

Posted on July 29, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Romans 15:1-3 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. 3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached Thee fell on Me.

Last week we heard about the battle that was going on in the Church at Rome. Both Gentiles and Jews – each with distinctive different cultures – were coming into the Church. And their cultures were clashing. Paul told the Church:

Romans 14:19-21 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. 20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

Word Study: Paul ordered the Church to follow the Spirit of God, to stop letting cultural differences dismantle the Body of Christ. God calls us together to “EDIFY” other members in the Church. The word “EDIFY” is the Greek oikodomē (pro. oy-kod-om-ay’) which means “to build up, to promote another’s growth in Christian wisdom, to add to spiritually”. The same word is used again in our focal text:… Continue reading →

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Battle For The Gospel

Posted on July 29, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Galatians 2:1-2 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. 2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

Opening: A young preacher asked an older preacher “What can I expect in serving the Lord?”. The older preacher said, “Well, it’s a walk in the park.” The younger preacher said, “GREAT! I thought it would be difficult”. The older gentleman said, “You didn’t let me finish. It’s a walk in the JURASSIC Park!”

It is a joy to serve the Lord, and I am so honored that the Lord called me to this life of ministry. But if you stand uncompromising for the Lord, you will quickly find out that we are at war. The Apostle reminded us that:

Ephesians 6:10-13 (ESV) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. [11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. [12] For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the RULERS, against the AUTHORITIES, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil 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 firm.

Those who live for Jesus are battling against impossible odds. If we were merely wrestling against flesh and blood we could go to the gym, bulk up, buy weapons, and defeat the foe. But our battle is not against flesh and blood. We are warring against a spiritual foe who has been tempting and deceiving humans for thousands of years. He has seen all the tricks, tried various methods, and he and his fallen friends (the demons) are given names like: Continue reading →

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Living For Jesus

Posted on July 25, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Proverbs 19:11 The DISCRETION {śēḵel} of a man deferreth his anger;

Word Study: The word translated “DISCRETION” is the Hebrew śēḵel, which means “good sense, prudence, cunning”. When angered, you are given a choice. Act on the anger, and return retribution in kind, or let it go and control your temper. People make bad decisions when they act in anger. A wise man “DEFERS his anger”, refusing to act on it at that moment. Being angry is like drinking too much alcohol! The Apostle wrote:

Ephesians 4:26-27 (LSB) BE ANGRY, AND [yet] DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, [27] and do not give the devil an opportunity.

Proverbs 19:11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

We are most like Christ when we “turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5:39; Luke 6:29). It glorifies God when we imitate Christ in forgiveness. Hanging from the Cross of Calvary, mocked and spat on, naked and bleeding, Jesus… Continue reading →

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No Participation Trophies

Posted on July 21, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

I remember several years ago Sherry and I were in Georgia watching our oldest grandson play soccer. When we got to the soccer field I noticed a large, long table, with about 50 little trophies on it. I wondered why there were so many trophies. After watching the children play – and being young, none were very good – one team finally made a goal after about two hours. I remember one team made a goal before that, but the little boy kicked the ball into his own team’s goal, so it didn’t count. After what seemed like an eternity the two teams lined up and everyone got a trophy. Everyone.

Welcome to American confusion.

The child who never touched the ball got a trophy, along with the one child who scored the goal. The child who kicked the ball in his own team’s goal got a trophy. The child who got hot, and walked off the field got a trophy. The child who got distracted and chased a butterfly rather than the ball got a trophy. Everyone got a “Participation Trophy”.

Life is not like that.

People complain that the male players in the NBA get paid more than female players in the WNBA. The NBA generates $10 billion in revenue each year. The WNBA generates around $200 million in revenue each year, about fifty times LESS revenue than the NBA. Women are paid less because, dear friends, there’s no “Participation Trophies” in sports. Where more money is generated, more money is paid.

Life does not give out “Participation Trophies”. Those who work harder are rewarded with better pay and better status. Children who grow up believing in “Participation Trophies” become adults who believe that they should be rewarded just for showing up. Continue reading →

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