Friday, July 30, 2010

2Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

The book of 1^st and 2^nd Corinthians is a book of much correction and much plain preaching.  As the Apostle Paul wrote these two letters to the people of Corinth they also were intended to be a guide for us even today.  These two letters probably contain some of the sharpest cuts in Paul’s life of preaching.  Our churches and congregations would be much cleaner and holier today if us preachers would quit worrying about the crowds and began praying and preaching toward just having church.  Many today have gone to worldly programs and perks to con people into coming into the church.  My preacher friends, we are not called to fill up Heaven…that’s God’s job.  Our calling is to teach and to preach the true inerrant Word of God to the people of God and to those that need God.  My dear church going friends, it is not your job to write names in the Lambs Book of Life…that’s God’s job.  It is your job to have real church and to live a real holy and biblical life that those that are lost will see the light of Christ in us.  Our lives should be an attractant to grace.  We are not the keepers of eternity.  We are ambassadors of eternity.  Our verse today puts things simple and to the point.  As Paul is finishing these two important letters to us he signs off with a statement that leads us back to the basics.  Oh how we need to heed to this last statement and get back to the basics.  He first mentions grace.  Hallelujah for grace!  It is grace that saves us from an eternal Hell.   It is grace that does the saving not a worry-wart Christian.  It is Christ that distributes this marvelous thing called “grace”.  Then and only then can we know the true “love of God”.  God is love and without God a person does not know love.  Many today are getting married claiming that they “love” one another.  After a few years they claim they don’t love one another any more and they desire a divorce.  God is love therefore the problem is that they do not have God!  If we are not saved by His redeeming grace then there is no way we can even know what “love” really is.  And then Paul mentions a vital ingredient to the vibrant Christian life; “the communion of the Holy Ghost”.  Oh praise His name!  Thank God for the great Comforter.  Without the Holy Ghost we are not one of His.  Without the Holy Ghost living in us it is impossible to be saved.  The result of the work of saving grace in a life is the indwelling of the powerful Spirit of God.  The Holy Ghost is our commune with God.  Our relationship with Christ is through the Holy Ghost.  Our relationship with God is through the Holy Ghost.  Our relationship with other saved people is through the Holy Ghost.  Oh how we need to get back to the basics of grace, Christ, the love of God and the sweet commune of the Spirit of God.  Amen!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

2Corinthians 13:4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

Romans 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.  2Cor. 4:10-11 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.  For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.  We are ambassadors of Heaven.  We are representatives of Christ and Him crucified.  As the scriptures teach us, as believers, we suffer persecution and affliction because we are examples and we live because Christ was crucified upon the cross for the remission of our sins.  We are in Him and He is in us.  He died for sin therefore our sin dies daily in Him.  Saying all this, let’s look at our text verse.  Christ was 100% God and 100% man.  He was God manifested in flesh.  The flesh side of Him was taken and beaten and nailed to the cross in weakness.  His flesh side hang there and died from the cruel crucifixion and the enormous affliction of His body.  BUT…He lives because He was and is God!  He was crucified in weakness, yet He “liveth by the power of God”!  Notice, “He liveth”.  That “eth” means He ever lives.  He died as we would die if we were crucified in such a manner, but He lives because He is God.  Amen!  If we died in flesh from such an instance then our bodies would still lay in the grave today.  So spiritually, we die daily in the flesh due to persecutions and afflictions.  What happens to us in storms and trials are so that our flesh side may die and that our spiritual side may live “by the power of God”.  All this may have some of you confused, but to put it simple; our flesh is being crucified daily and our spirit lives more than ever because we are in Him.  We are living in resurrected power!  Hallelujah!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Ps 119:50  This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

Good morning and Happy Hump Day to you.  Yesterday we looked at a verse concerning the value of God’s Word.  Today let’s look at a verse that reminds us of our victory through God’s Word.  Have you ever had a day to where you felt like the easiest thing to do was to just throw it all down and quit?  You had taken all you were willing to take and you had reached your limits.  The flesh is a weak being my friend.  It gets pressed out of measure fairly easy.  Instead of seeking help, the flesh had just as soon quit all together.  But, if you are saved there is something else living inside you that says never quit.  Your soul and spirit quickly say; “help is on the way”.  Many times we receive the help needed, in times such as these, through God’s Almighty Powerful Word.  Notice our verse mentions these times of “affliction”.  Affliction means to be pressed out of measure.  But notice that the precious Word has quickened or livened up the Psalmist.  The Word speaks.  Many times we suffer unnecessary pressure simply because of our lack of digging in the Word.  In these spiritually dark, dry days we find our self as a group of a few.  If you count yourself as a born again, blood bought, fundamental, KJ Bible Believer then you are part of a small bride remaining here for a temporary time.  The rest of the world think you are nuts and a little off your rocker because of your narrow beliefs.  But, the Word of God is very narrow in its doctrines.  It has no leeway.  In times of persecution and press where can we turn for reassurance that we are not crazy, just chosen?  Where can we turn for encouragement that we are not fools, just forgiven?  The Word of God!  When we are afflicted by society and pressed out of measure…turn to the Word and let it speak words of assurance.  When we are afflicted by Satan and pressed out of measure…look to the Word for encouragement of truth.  Sometimes we are afflicted by self.  Our flesh will start talking to us telling us lies and untruths about our commitment to the Lord and grace.  When self afflicts us we can turn to the true Word of God for the absolute Truth.  So, when you feel afflicted…help is on the way…in the Word of God.  Amen!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

2Peter 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

Our King James Bible is our copy of the true Word of God.  It is the spoken words of the Almighty God written on paper.  These words are words of promise.  As we study the scriptures we find many firm promises for the future.  We can know what the future holds because we have a copy of the schedule for reference.  Sadly, many today are ignoring these promises.  Sinners are ignoring the promises of eternal punishment due to rejection of the Savior.  Many saved Saints are all caught up in the worlds schedule and are ignoring the promises of eternal paradise due to redemption of Christ blood.  This Word that we have is not only words of promise it is also words of power.  Many of us desire more of God’s power in our life, but we are not willing to do what it takes to get it.  Our verse says; “ye do well that ye take heed, as a light that shineth in a dark place”.  Our power went out last night for several hours due to damages from a lightening storm.  We all were busy looking for lights.  While some frantically looked for a flashlight, others were searching for batteries for theirs.  The Word of God is our light that has a battery that will never go dead.  We live in a dark world and in a dark day.  We desperately need the light.  The power of this world has gone out due to damages from a sin storm.  We need the light.  Psalm 119:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.  Everyone’s question last night was; “how long will the power be out”.  My friend the world’s power is out indefinitely.  We must hold on to our light “until the day dawns”.  Are you having a dark day?  Are you in a dark, dry place?  Keep holding onto and digging into that Word of Light.  Soon you will see a glimmer of hope as “the daystar arises in your heart”.  Hallelujah!  We have a personal copy of hope for what appears to be a hopeless day.  “We have a more sure word of prophecy”.  You see, the Word of God is not only words of promise and words of power, but also words of peace.  Amen!

Monday, July 26, 2010

Psalm 92:4 For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.

Here we have a wonderful verse of praise.  The Psalmist is in the midst of giving God the glory for His works in his life.  Oh my dear friend, I stand completely amazed at the works God has done in my life and your life.  He is an Almighty God.  He is the God of all strength, of all wisdom, of all might.  As the Psalmist mentions here, His works have made me glad!  That word “glad” here means (to be brightened up, to be cheered up or simply to rejoice).  Rejoice!  Rejoice!  If we are a child of God we have much reason to rejoice.  We should rejoice in His works of saving our soul.  Think back for a moment at the time He saved you through His marvelous grace.  The Lord had been working a work in you in order to get you to Calvary for quiet sometime.  Praise the Lord, He knows my name!  He knows my every thought!  He knows my every step!!  He knows me where I don’t even know me!  Think about that for a second.  He knows the parts of us that we don’t even know.  He knows my health, my finances, my future and He knows my spiritual stand with Him.  Wow, that can be scary.  But the good part is that He knows me!  You see, we can know Him but the important part is does He know us?  Notice the Psalmist says here that He will “triumph” in these works of the Lord.  That word “triumph” means (to shout for joy with a loud voice).  Glory Hallelujah!  My friend, if you just sit and ponder for a moment on just what God worked in your life you will soon find your self shouting for joy either through your tears or your voice.  Notice the next two verses in our text; Ps 92:5 O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. 6 A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.  His thoughts and works are far ahead of our thoughts and works.  Sadly, unless the Lord reveals to us who He really is then we will never know or experience this unspeakable power He is.  Many religious people of today are so steeped in the rituals and traditions of man made religion that they are completely blind to the power of God.  Did I mention that I love Him?!  Did I mention that He loves me?!  I know Him but the best thing is that He knows me!  AMEN!!!