Tag Archives: God Is Faithful

Salvation Changes Things

Jude 1-3 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: 2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

When we read our Bibles, we tend to skip the little books. Many people have read and re-read the Book of Revelation, and a lot of Christians have never paid much attention to the little book just before Revelation, the Book of Jude. The Book of Jude is very important because it teaches us that

Genuine Salvation Changes a Life

Evangelist Paul Washer (a wonderful, Spirit filled fire and brimstone Preacher) preached a message to Pastors called “Ten Indictments Against The Modern Church In America”. In that sermon Paul encouraged Pastors to be clear on the utter necessity of the New Birth. Religion will not save a person. When Nicodemus, a highly religious man, came to Jesus, our Lord told him “you MUST be born again of the Spirit” (John 3:3-7). When told this for all his education Nicodemus was puzzled. The unsaved are NOT born again, and cannot perceive nor understand the truths of the Kingdom of God. Paul Washer truthfully said:

“Men today are trusting in the fact that at least one time in their life they prayed a prayer, and someone told them they were saved because they were sincere enough. And so, if you ask them, “Are you saved?” they do not say, “Yes, I am, because I am looking unto Jesus, and there is mighty evidence giving me assurance of being born again.” No! They say instead, “One time in my life I prayed a prayer.” Now they live like devils, but they prayed a prayer! I want you to know, my friends, salvation is by faith alone! It is a work of God. It is a grace upon grace upon grace. But the evidence of conversion is not just your examination of your sincerity at the moment of your conversion. It is the ongoing fruit in your life.”… Continue reading

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True And False Friends

In my lifetime I’ve had a number of people who said they were my “friends”. Some of these friends got me in trouble. They would say things like, “Let’s go out drinking”, or “Let’s vandalize something”. They used me for excitement – but when trouble came, they were no where to be found. They were “fair weather friends” that used me, took my company and money – then abandoned me.

I’ve also had so called “Christian friends”, even Pastors that I’ve sought out to pray with and fellowship with. Sadly, I found out that many of these “friends” were just as bad as the lost people that I hung out with when I was a child of darkness. At one Church I pastored years ago, I had five “friends” who were pastors also, who often met at my Church for prayer and fellowship. At one point in my ministry there I was confronted with a decision to make. Deciding one way, I shared what I thought with these “friends”. Without exception every one of them told me “I think that you’re making the right and godly decision”.

Proverbs 11:14 (ESV) … in an abundance of counselors there is safety …

It turned out to be a horrible decision, one I have regretted ever since. Yet God is faithful (2 Thessalonians 3:3), and will guard you against the evil one. Further, “all things work together for good to those who love the Lord” (Romans 8:28). God used the bad toward my good, and I grew in my Christian faith and ministry. Continue reading

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How Do You Smell To God?

I have never understood why a person would purposely run over any creature – especially a skunk. If I see a skunk, or a possum, or a raccoon, or even another human on the highway, I always feel it’s best to avoid running them (or it) over. If I see a turtle crossing the road I pull over, and help it across. I know if I don’t, a mean spirited person will run it over just for the heck of it. You have an added incentive to not run over a skunk. If you smash that little stinker, its evil odor comes out, and lingers for days. I’ve passed over a dead skunk and found out that the spirit may have departed, but the smell lingers on.

We are made in the image of God. Do you know that GOD SMELLS US? You can smell good to God – or you can STINK! How do YOU smell to God?

Obedient Love Pleases God: When Noah got off the Ark with his family – oh how empty the earth was – the Bible says the very first thing… Continue reading

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Kingdom Values

A few weeks ago I preached a message from Romans 12 called “Products of Grace”. The Christian is a product of Grace.

When God saves us, He has a goal for us. His goal is not to bring us to Heaven, but to use us to bring Heaven to earth.

The Church is a precursor of Heaven, the Kingdom of God on earth. Saved by Grace through the sacrifice of His dear Son Jesus, we are called to live as citizens of His Kingdom. The Church is to be a place of life and light, hope and joy. Those who are in the Church are supernatural beings, born of God, indwelt by God, to the glory of God.

What we are looking at today is not the works you must do to be saved. These are the works that come from a saved life. These are to evidence that saving faith has occurred in a life.

Biblical Salvation is both a supernatural event and a supernatural process.

When you repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, then God applies the Blood of Jesus Christ to your spiritual account. We are saved because Jesus bore our penalty. We are saved because the Son of God became the Son of Man, and as the Son of Man died in our place. The Bible says:

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Ephesians 1:7 (AP) {In Jesus} we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of his grace

Coming to God with empty hands, we reach out in faith to Jesus. We are broken creatures, without hope save for Jesus. God applies the Blood of Jesus Christ to our lives, and changes our eternal status before Him. We are … Continue reading

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Products Of Grace

Romans 12:3-5 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

The Christian Is A Product Of Grace

In Criminal Law, the phrase “modus operandi” is a Latin phrase that refers to a “method of operation” or a pattern of behavior. The “modus operandi” or “method of operating” of a criminal is many times distinctive to that criminal, and helps law enforcement find that criminal quicker.

Dear friends, if you were tried as Christians, would there be enough evidence in your outward lives to convict you in a court of Law? Continue reading

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God Calls Us To Righteousness

God Does Not Want You RELIGIOUS,
But RIGHTEOUS, In Line With His Word

When I read this scripture, my mind immediately went to the current state of the news – particularly in the political world. Can you remember the last time that you heard any good news? If it’s on the news, they have a saying: “If it bleeds, it leads”. The devil loves to emphasize the divisive, to tear apart. Who was it in the Garden of Eden who introduced strife? It was the serpent, Satan (Revelation 12:9; 20:2).

It is Satan’s intent to separate us from the good things of God, by separating us from God Himself.

This is what Satan did in the Garden of Eden. He questioned the clear Word of God. “Has God really said you shall not eat of every tree in the Garden”? (Genesis 3:1). The implication was that God was establishing a parameter that would rob us of our joy, that God was limiting our happiness. Satan’s ploy was to draw our attention from God, to ourselves. “You will only be happy when you please yourself, when you do that which satisfies you above your neighbor”.

This is what brings destruction. Back to our proverbs:… Continue reading

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God Is Not Done

I like to call today “Resurrection Sunday”, the most important Christian holiday there is. Though we make much of “Christmas”, very few people saw the Baby Jesus, the Incarnate Son of God in that manger in Bethlehem. I heard one man say,

When man reaches for God, this is called “religion”. But when God reached for man, we call this “Christmas”.

God reached down to save us. The Bible says that those who claim to follow Christ are to follow His example:

Philippians 2:3-7 (ESV) Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Joy is not found in selfishness or narcissism, but in “humbling yourself, and count others more significant than yourselves”. Though He was God, and “in the beginning with God, and was God” as the Apostle John tells us (John 1:1-3), Jesus allowed Himself to be born through a relatively unknown virgin and her lowly carpenter fiancee’. The story of His birth into His Creation (for Jesus co-created this earth, and all that is in it): Continue reading

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Anathema Maranatha

1 Corinthians 16:22 (KJV) If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

Revivals Are For The Church, The Saved

It is such a joy to be invited to preach to you tonight. When invited, I told my brother “Do you know who you’re inviting? I’m nobody. I’m nothing, and happy to be nothing.” I pray that God use this unworthy servant for His glory, and for your growth.

Beloved, “Revival” is not primarily about saving souls. I pray souls are saved, but “Revival” means “an improvement in the condition or strength of something, to make something important again”.

A lost person doesn’t need revival. A lost person is dead in their trespasses and sins. You do not REVIVE a dead thing – it must be QUICKENED. A lost person must be born again. A lost person needs to be found of Jesus. A lost person needs to be found of the Holy Spirit. Like Lazarus, Christ must call them, and they must come! You MUST be born again before you can be revived! Continue reading

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Obeying The Gospel

There is nothing greater than the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ! The word “Gospel” is first mentioned in the Bible in:

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

The word “Gospel” is the Greek euangelion, which means “good tidings or good message”. Some say it means “good news”. Jesus called the Gospel the “Gospel of the Kingdom”. The God Who created all that you see is the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Revelation 19:16). To enter His Kingdom (not a democracy, but a Kingdom) you must heed His Gospel. Jesus preached:

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

What does the Gospel teach us, the glorious Good News from God. The Gospel teaches us that The King of Glory left His Throne in Heaven, and came to this earth to become like us. Without sin, the King, the Great Shepherd laid His life down for the sheep, His Kingdom (John 10:15, 17). Our sins, our willfulness, our unrighteousness, our wickedness separated us… Continue reading

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The Real “Word Of Faith”

Romans 10:4-8 (KJV) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) 7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach…

There Is A False “Word Of Faith”

For everything that God has, the devil has an imitation, a forgery, a lie. Take, for instance, the phrase above: “The WORD OF FAITH”. There is a Charismatic “Christian” movement called “Word of Faith”. Started by television evangelists Oral Roberts and Kenneth Hagin, the movement teaches that God promises healing and prosperity to believers. … Continue reading

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