Tag Archives: God

Follow God, Follow Good

Proverbs 19:1 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is PERVERSE {ʿiqqēš, crooked, false, perverted} in his lips, and is a FOOL.

Let Our Tongues Be Controlled By God’s Word

Our Lord Jesus said to the Pharisees:

Matthew 15:11 (KJV) Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

The Pharisees had twisted and perverted the Word of God, “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men”. They did this to receive riches – not monetary riches but the praise of man. When Jesus made this statement the disciples told Jesus, “When You said that, You offended the Pharisees” (Matthew 15:12). Jesus told them:

Matthew 15:13-14 (KJV) … Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. [14] Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind.

They were seeking the praise of man, not the praise and glory of God. Jesus said “these people are blind. They are NOT planted by My Father. They are not saved.” Just as Jesus told Nicodemus:

John 3:3 … Except a man be born again, he cannot SEE the kingdom of God. Continue reading

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Guarding Against False Teachers

What can we do to preserve our fellowship, and honor our God? Remember that we are His Beloved. Remember that God has warned that the mixed multitude will come among us, spiritless and unsaved people who will walk following themselves as idols. Let us pray, let us grow, let us stay true to our God.

More on this next week. May God touch your hearts with his Word! Amen Continue reading

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Good Customer Service

I was having coffee with my brother Frank yesterday when I asked the question, “Whatever happened to good customer service?” It’s getting rarer and rarer today. No one wants to wait on you. When you go in a store, you are treated like an inconvenience. People want your money, but they don’t want your presence. For that matter, people want to be paid – but hate the fact they have to work.

I believe much of the problem has to do with 21st century parenting. Children are raised without responsibilities. They are given everything, whether they work for it of not. So the child grows up believing:

“I live TO MYSELF. If it’s not about ME, then I don’t care. My entire responsibility in life is to please MYSELF. I will live my life MY WAY, like Frank Sinatra, then when I die I will die TO MYSELF. Nobody else matters but ME.”

I can tell you horror stories, and you can probably tell me the same. I went to CVS with a coupon the other day, and the cashier treated me like dirt. People refuse to say “thanks for coming” or even “thank you”. It’s just, “Give me the money, get out!” I’ve had cashiers ring up my order wrong, and when I… Continue reading

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The Dangers Of Idolatry

As Jude writes the Church, he calls it “BELOVED”, the Greek agapētos. The Church is “BELOVED” of God. Why? The word agapētos is first found in the Bible – not to the Church – but it is what God the Father calls His Son Jesus at His baptism:

Matthew 3:17 (KJV) And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is My BELOVED {agapētos} Son, in whom I am well pleased.

The Old Testament Prophets spoke of God’s Beloved Son, Who would come into the world to save whosoever will. The Apostle Matthew quoted Isaiah 42:1 when he wrote of Jesus:

Matthew 12:18 (ESV) Behold, my Servant whom I have chosen, My BELOVED {agapētos} with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

Preach! Jesus is God’s BELOVED {agapētos} Son, in Whom He is well pleased (Matthew 17:5). He is the fulfillment of the prophecies of God, the one and only Messiah. The Church is BELOVED because we have received Jesus as He is, THE BELOVED of God. We are loved, because we love Him Who is loved. We are loved, because we have RECEIVED Jesus Christ as the One and only Savior and Lord.

As Jude writes the Church, he says “I gave all diligence to write unto you of the COMMON {koinos} SALVATION”. When he says “COMMON”, he does not mean it is mediocre or low quality. He means that this salvation is offered to ALL PEOPLE {koinos}. There is only one… Continue reading

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Don’t Be A Fool!

The Hebrew has two different words for “fool”, both of which are found here. The first word translated “fool” is the Hebrew kᵊsîl [pro. kes-eel’], which means “someone who is a dullard, mentally challenged, simple of mind, born stupid or silly”. My mama used to call such people as those who “didn’t have the sense that God gave a billy goat”. These are children born without common sense, who will not receive instruction, nor will they learn from their mistakes. This type of fool is likely to die at a younger age from bad decisions made in their lives. Continue reading

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Wake Up And Shine

“It is high time to AWAKE out of sleep”. I preached this text years ago in Lexington, Tennessee, and a young man named “Brent” got upset with me. His mother was on medication, and often went to sleep when attending our services. Young Brent thought I was talking about his mother going to sleep while I was preaching, and later led an attack against me because of it.

I’m not talking about anybody going to sleep in the service. If you need to sleep, go ahead … just don’t snore! This text is not about something as simple as napping during the preaching. The Apostle speaks to the Church:

vs 11 KNOWING the time, that now it is HIGH TIME
to awake out of sleep

As the Apostle looked at what was going on in Rome, he knew that Rome was not far from collapse. Any nation that wanders far from God’s Laws will eventually crumble…. Continue reading

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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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Loving, Forgiving, Heeding and Living

A gift given out of affection and a desire to show respect to and to elevate another will prosper both you, and the person who receives it. I knew a man once who said “My wife and I never give one another gifts”. Yet when I watched the marriage, his wife regarded him with suspicion. She told me in private, “He’s never really loved me”. Before the dear, embittered woman died she told me, “He’s not the man you think he is. He’s changed over the years.”

He, on the other hand, sneaked around and bought things behind her back. He’s hide things from her. Their marriage wasn’t a marriage at all – but a battlefield where it seemed that two enemies conspired against one another. They were both Christians – but their marriage was a shamble.

That which you own, the things that you have, are all temporary and ultimately of little value. But the deep relationships you build with your spouse, your children, and your close friends will last into eternity.

Do not just invest your goods in others, but your life. This is the Way of Christ. The Bible tells us that:

Mark 2:15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.

Jesus gave the greatest gift He could give – His life – to those who were shunned by the religious crowd. Jesus never participated in their sins, but made Himself available to minister to them. This so impressed the publicans (tax collectors) and sinners that “THEY FOLLOWED HIM”. Continue reading

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Lips For The Lord

Photo by Nsey Benajah on Unsplash Proverbs 17:4 (KJV) A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue. The Heart Drives The Lips When the heart, filled with wicked desire, cherishes that … Continue reading

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