Tag Archives: God

God’s Wisdom and Understanding vs The Strange Woman

In Proverbs Chapter 7 God contrasts two women, one called Wisdom who is to be your sister and her kinswoman Understanding, to one unnamed STRANGE woman who wants to take advantage of you. The word translated “STRANGE” is the Hebrew zûwr {pronounced zoor} which is used in Scripture for strangers, foreigners, enemies, profane people. The “STRANGE WOMAN” uses her words to “FLATTER” you. This is the Hebrew châlaq {pronounced khaw-lak’}, which means “to separate, to draw away, to divide from what God wants for you”. Let’s look first at … Continue reading

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How We Got Our Bible #3: God Gave Us Translations

When I was being examined by the Pulpit Committee in view of becoming the Pastor of this Church, one member asked me

“What Version of the Bible do you preach out of”?

I explained that I preach primarily from the King James Version (what many called the “Authorized Version”), but that I also referred to the original language of the Scriptures (the manuscripts) as well as other versions.

Since I’ve been at this Church, I found out that – though many use the King James Version – others use other versions. I have had people call and ask me if we were a “1611 King James Only” Church… Continue reading

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To Serve The Living God

The act of God saving Israel from Egypt is a type or a shadow of the salvation we have in Christ.

When Israel cried out to God (Exodus 2:23-25) the Lord heard them, and raised up a Redeemer. “The people groaned because of their slavery, and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery went up to God.” While we are satisfied with our lives, satisfied that “we are gods” or that the gods we have created are sufficient, God will not help. But when we realize that we need the True God, the Power of God Himself, and cry out, God will raise up the Redeemer.

God raised up a Redeemer in Moses for Israel. Moses is a type or a shadow of Christ. Moses goes to Egypt – the Lost World – and demands that Pharaoh release God’s people. Why? God told Moses to say:

Exodus 7:16 … The Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let My people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness …

Exodus 8:1 … Let My people go, that they may serve me.

Exodus 8:20 … Thus saith the Lord, Let My people go, that they may serve me.

God saved Israel from Egypt so that “they might serve God”. This is a pattern of salvation. God saves us, rescuing us from Egypt or the World… Continue reading

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How We Got Our Bible #2: Do We Have All Of The Scripture?

God gave us the Scripture through the Prophets and the Apostles. The “Prophets” were specifically chosen by God to carry His Word to the people. God said of the Prophets:

Numbers 12:6-8 … Hear now my words: If there be a prophet (Hebrew nāḇî’, pronunciation naw-bee’) among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. 7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. 8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

Moses was a prophet of God, a Premier Prophet. God spoke to Moses not in dreams, but in an audible voice. God spoke to the Prophets through dreams and visions, but Moses directly. The Prophets wrote the Old Testament as God gave them direction – and Moses wrote the Pentateuch, also called the Torah or the Books of the Law. These first five Books, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy give the history of the founding of creation and the founding of Israel. These Books also set out the ceremonial, civil, and sacrificial laws that are unique to Israel, as well as the moral laws that apply to all people.

The office of the Prophet elevated and glorified God. The Prophet did not exist to make people feel good about themselves, but to point them to God as Savior and Lord…. Continue reading

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Three Great Truths

As we come to Proverbs chapter 6, Solomon introduces us to several truths that a Wise King led by God wants us to know. John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible notes:

“In this chapter the wise man dissuades from rash suretyship; exposes the sin of idleness; describes a wicked man; makes mention of seven things hateful to God; exhorts to attend to parental instructions and precepts, and cautions against adultery.”

We’ll look at the first three of these truths tonight. We’ll start with: … Continue reading

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Guard Your Heart

Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues (tôwtsâʼâh, pronounced to-tsaw-aw’, the SOURCE) of life.

The most pushed theme on television today is “Follow your heart”. What is interesting is that this is not what God tells us, but what the devil tells us. God tells us to “Guard your heart”.

Humans Are Three Parted… Continue reading

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We Are Persuaded Better Things Of You

Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto PERFECTION…

Word Study: The word rendered “PERFECTION” is the Greek teleiotēs (pronunciation tel-i-ot’-ace) which actually means maturity or better Christian maturity. When a person believes in the Doctrine of Christ, that is:

1- We are all sinners deserving of damnation. (Romans 3:10, 23-24)
2- Christ came to save sinners. (1 Timothy 1:15)
3- Faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved from hell. (John 14:6)
4- Christ died to pay for my and your sins. (1 Peter 2:21-25)
5- Christ rose from the grave to be my Lord and your Lord (Romans 10:9-13), my High Priest and your High Priest.
6- I am saved by REPENTING, that is, turning from being my own god, and by SURRENDER to Christ as Lord and Savior. (Luke 3:9-14; Acts 3:19; 26:20). The same applies to you.
7- When I, from my heart, cried out for salvation, Christ sent the Holy Spirit to cause me to be “born again” into the family of God. Every believer is “born spiritually” into the family of God. We are members of His Kingdom, citizens & children. (John 3:5-7)
8- Learning the basics, we do not stay where we were at the point of salvation. We grow spiritually, more like Christ every day.

This last point is what God is addressing now. The Christian has the basics. What are some of these basics?… Continue reading

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Good Fathers Teach The Word Of God

Proverbs 4:1-4 HEAR, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. 3 For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. 4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

Let’s break this down.

Proverbs 4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

The father as the head of the family teaches his children to love God’s Word. In a section of scripture the Jews call “The Shema” or “The Hearing”, God tells His people:… Continue reading

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The First Principles Of The Oracles Of God

Hebrews 5:10-14 {Jesus} Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedek. 11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull (nōthros, pronunciation no-thros’, means SLOTHFUL, SLUGGISH, LAZY) of hearing. 12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

The Danger Of Becoming Stalled In Your Faith… Continue reading

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Prospecting For Wisdom In God’s Word

Proverbs 3:13-18 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. 14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

Opening: In Sri Lanka a man had hired a well dug in his back yard. While workmen were digging – looking for water – they found a star sapphire cluster. Since it was on his property, it belonged to him. He had it appraised through a gem trader and found out the 2.5 million carat sapphire is worth up to $100 million. The owner named it the “Serendipity Sapphire”. If you found it in your back yard, it wouldn’t look like anything at all to you. You might have rolled it out to the trash pickup. You’d have been wrong!

Gold is much like this sapphire. The inexperienced may find gold, but never know it’s gold, because it looks like dirty quartz until its refined. What looks like gold when you find it is Iron Pyrite, Chalcopyrite or Fool’s Gold. Gold, which isn’t golden until it’s processed, is worth $2336.30 an ounce as of April 23, 2024. Fool’s Gold is worth .55 cents per ounce.

The miner is a person who has studied gold and it’s value. The miner knows how to prospect for gold, and how to ignore the false. Had the man who discovered the Serendipity Sapphire not been acquainted with gemstones, he would have tossed out this Guinness Book of World Records (largest star sapphire cluster ever found) stone.

As valuable as the Serendipity Sapphire is, there is something much greater in value. It is WISDOM…. Continue reading

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