Tag Archives: God Is Faithful

The Nature Of Marvelous Faith

Atheists and humanists have faith. They have faith that there is no God, no Creator Who made all things. Their faith is in themselves, in what they do or perceive. These people believe that “I can do all things through myself who strengthens me”. There are many like this in the world. What does God say of those who are atheists? “The FOOL hath said in his heart, ‘there is NO GOD’. They are corrupt. Their works are abominable, and no good at all” (Psalm 14:1).

Some have faith in technology. They believe that technology will make our lives great. Medical technology will, they believe, extend life indefinitely. Artificial intelligence will usher in a paradise on the earth.

Some have great faith in politics or philosophy. They believe that, if their party or position were dominant, that America would blossom. Others put… Continue reading

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Memorial Service for Bill Tanner

John 3:16 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.

This verse is taught to children in Vacation Bible Schools. Most every person I meet has memorized the text. But this verse is part of a conversation that the Lord Jesus Christ had with a Rabbi named Nicodemus.

Nicodemus thought that he was in a good place with God. He was religious. He came to Jesus by night to commend the Lord. Nicodemus was a good man. But was he where he needed to be with God? No. Though he was good and moral, Jesus told Nicodemus:

You must be born again. Unless you are born again,
you cannot enter the Kingdom of God.

Heaven is God’s Kingdom. Heaven is God’s home. … Continue reading

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Faithful Is The Word (Part 2): Gospel Truths

Please turn with me in your Bibles to 2 Timothy. This morning we began to look at the “faithful sayings” the Apostle Paul shared with two young men, Timothy (a Jewish Greek) and Titus (a Gentile). Paul left these men in Ephesus and Crete to establish local Churches in those areas. We see Paul repeating a phrase:
“This is a faithful saying”
the Greek pistos logos, or literally
“Faithful is the Word”

In these phrases the Apostle is emphasizing the faithfulness of God in saving souls. This morning we saw that (1) God came to this earth the save sinners, and (2) God has given us a Faithful Word, the Holy Scripture, to grow us in our salvation.

The Lord Who Saved Us, Owns Us, And Will Keep Us

2 Timothy 2:11-13 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 12 if we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 13 if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

This “faithful is the Word” is tied together with FOUR Ifs. We’ll look at these in order…. Continue reading

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Faithful Is The Word (Part 1): Gospel Truths

Let’s start by looking at the first five words of our text, “This is a faithful saying”. This is only two words in the Greek, πιστός λόγος, pistos logos, which means “Faithful is the Word”. This phrase is found several times in the books of Timothy and Titus. This is it’s first use.

Our Lord is Faithful To Save Sinners

Our Lord has some fifty names in Scripture. He is:

The Dayspring from on high (Luke 1:78)
The Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8)
The Amen, the Faithful & True Witness (Revelation 3:14)
The Bread of Heaven (John 6:32)
The Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4)
The Deliverer (Romans 11:26)
Immanuel, God With Us (Matthew 1:23)
The Door Of The Sheep (John 10:7-9)
The Heir of All Things (Hebrews 1:1-2)
The Horn of Salvation (Luke 1:69)
The Light of the World (John 8:12)

One of the earliest descriptive names of our God is FAITHFUL:

Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God …

Our God is FAITHFUL. Our God is Father, Son, and Spirit. Our God is “The Word”. Remember those wonderful words:

John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Faithful is THE WORD! Oh, this Jesus, this Eternal Son of God, of Whom the Scripture says …… Continue reading

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Near To God, Built On The Rock

We start out with the word “wherefore”. Anytime I see a “wherefore” I always ask myself, “What is it there for?” The “wherefore” points back to what we saw this morning:

We were hopelessly and helplessly lost, unable to come to God. Then God reached out to us, opened our eyes, and called us to salvation through Jesus. Receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works”. We are to be the Light of Christ to a lost world.

Word Study: We just looked at “wherefore”. The “wherefore” looks back at the text that we previously studied. The second word “remember” is the Greek μνημονεύω mnēmoneúō, {pronounced mnay-mon-yoo’-o}, which means “to think back, be mindful of”. Jesus used this word to remind His disciples of spiritual truths. He said:

Matthew 16:9 … Do ye not yet understand, neither remember (mnēmoneúō) the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

Luke 17:32 Remember Lot’s wife …… Continue reading

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For By Grace

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Today we’re going to look at one of the most profound Scriptures in the Bible. I love John 3:16. They are the words of our Lord, who said:

John 3:16 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.

These are beautiful, cherished words. But I also love this text. In three short verses the Apostle defines the Christian way of life. You learn first of all,

Salvation Is BY Grace THROUGH Faith

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved …

It is GRACE that saves the believing sinner. GRACE is the opposite of WORKS. GRACE is a free gift. God tells us in … Continue reading

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Spiritual Sense Christianity In A World That Has Lost Its Mind

Paul saw those who without Christ as those who “walked according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the air” (a title for Satan). Those without Christ are “dead in trespasses and sins”, and acted that way. It is God Who “quickens of makes us alive together with Christ”.

As Jesus was resurrected physically following His crucifixion, the believer is resurrected spiritually when we put our faith in Him.

The Apostle said that it is God Who “raises us up, and makes us sit in Heavenly places in Christ”. We are saved by Grace when we call upon Jesus, and receive Him as He is – both Lord and Savior. We are saved by Grace, by faith in what Jesus did on the Cross for us. But Beloved, once saved, our outward way of life changes.
The saved do not continue to walk in darkness.
The saved do not revel in trespasses & sins.
The saved do not follow the Prince of the Power of the air.
The saved recognize and respond to the Lordship of Jesus.

Preach: When a baby is born into this world, it does not stay in the birth canal and in the darkness of the womb. That which is “born” moves from one environment to another. That which is born – be it if the flesh or of the Spirit – walks in another place following birth…. Continue reading

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Four Kings

A preacher was preaching one Sunday night when he saw one of the flock was fast asleep. Pointing to a man next to the culprit, he told that man “Wake her up, Brother!” The man replied, “You put her to sleep, you wake her up!” I’ll try not to put you to sleep tonight!

As you look at 1 Chronicles 8 you’ll quickly notice why people often skip over these books. It looks like a phone book. If you would, go down to verses 33 & 34:

1 Chronicles 8:33-35 And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal. 34 And the son of Jonathan was Meribbaal; and Meribbaal begat Micah. 35 And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tarea, and Ahaz.

Now turn to the next chapter.

1 Chronicles 9:39-41 And Ner begat Kish; and Kish begat Saul; and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal. 40 And the son of Jonathan was Meribbaal: and Meribbaal begat Micah. 41 And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tahrea, and Ahaz.

If you compare what we read in 1 Chronicles 8 with 1 Chronicles 9, you will see that these two sets of Scripture are exactly the same. Now, why would God repeat something exactly the same in two chapters, unless God wanted us to emphasize something, to learn something from this as believers in Christ? The Bible says:… Continue reading

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Message From A Basket

Turn with me in your Bibles to Acts 9:15.

Last week we saw a man named Saul knocked down on the Damascus Road by Jesus Christ our Lord. The man was arrogant. The man was self righteous. The man was murderous. The man was calloused, with a hardened heart. But Jesus had a plan for this man’s life. Knocked down and blinded, this now repentant man was led to Damascus, where he waited three days without sight, food, or water (Acts 9:9).

Saul waited on the Lord … and on the Lord’s servant Ananias. On the third day Jesus spoke to Ananias and told him to “put your hand on him, that he might receive his sight”. Jesus was talking about more than just physical sight. When Ananias touched Saul, he would gain both physical and spiritual sight.

Saul Is A Chosen Vessel

Ananias was scared to go to Saul, but the Lord assured him. Read with me:

Acts 9:15-18 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake. 17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy {Spirit}. 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized … Continue reading

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A Difficult Text For Wednesday Night

Turn with me in your Bibles to Galatians Chapter Six. Galatians is a book written by the Apostle Paul to the Church at Galatia. The Church was largely composed of Gentile Believers, but had recently been visited by Christians with a Jewish background. These Jewish believers told the Galatians that they were not fully saved because they did not keep the festivals and the rituals (like circumcision) that they themselves did. The Apostle – himself a Jew – wrote to correct the error that the Christ following Jews were introducing.

When the Apostle Peter wrote of Paul’s writings, he said:

2 Peter 3:15-16 (ESV) And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures…. Continue reading

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