Good morning and welcome in today.. Today we’re going to talk about some scripture from 1st Timothy Chapter 2 but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.

Many years ago when I was beginning the 9th grade I had to take summer school classes because I had flunked a course in middle school. Each day I had to go to the high school for six weeks in the summer to make up and redo the course that I failed. That was a summer that I will never forget because I had to ride my bike 40 miles to and from school each morning. After checking the air pressure on my tires, I would take off at about 6 a.m. I can still feel the dampness in my clothes from those dewey mornings, praying that I wouldn’t have a headwind. I can still see the fog on my breath and hear the sound of the pedals constanly turning on the quiet pavement. Ocassionally on my bike rides I would run into dogs.

One of the neighbors had a big dog that truly scared the heck out of me and I was afraid he was going to bite me each day when I passed by. He truly was ferocious looking and made me very nervous.

One morning when he came out after me, the neighbor saw my predicament and screamed at that dog. I watched as that big dog put his tail inbetween his legs and whimper as he walked back home. He knew his owner was not very happy with what he had done and that dog never bothered me again.

Many times when I think about authority, I think about the owner of that dog rebuking and correcting his dogs behavior. I’ve always felt that these are the responsibilities of a dad. A dad has been given that authority by God in this home, to rule over it, and to protect those who are in his charge and care.

In the home the dad is the head authority just as a captain is the head over the people on his ship. What he says goes. A general in the military is in a place of authority over those underneath him. Even a boss at work is a person you must submit to. Our God is a God of order and He created authority.

1 Cor 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

Notice that the word “head” is used three times in this verse. Head means chief; principal, or the one in charge.

A lot of things have changed in society in regards to women in the past 100 years. The world changes all the time, both in its philosophies and ideologies but within the church, we have an anchor that holds us in place, it’s the teachings of Jesus Christ.

A Christian woman is supposed to be in complete submission to men. It doesn’t matter if she is married or not. Man will always be her authority over her while upon this earth.

Look at how queen Sheeba submitted to Solomon.

Matt 12:42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

A woman is not a man and a man is not a woman. We are two different creatures created by the Lord for a specific purpose. Christs calling for women is to learn, not to teach.

1 Tim 2:11-13. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

Christian women are never to usurp over men in any capacity. Usurp is a wrongful seizure or exercise of authority or privilege belonging to another; an encroachment.  Usurp is to seize and hold (as office, place, or powers) in possession by force or without right, or to seize or exercise authority or possession wrongfully.

A mother wouldn’t enjoy if her children were to rise up and rebel against her, neither should she do this to a man because it is disorder and confusion.

Eph 5:22-24 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

A wifes example of obedience to her husband in everything not only teaches her children to obey authority, but she is a light and an example to the world of faithful love and obedience to Jesus.

Remember that it is the devil who usurps over christ Jesus.

2 Thess 2:3-4. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

When someone usurps, they want to be in charge so bad that they resist authority to get it. Sounds kind of strange doesn’t it? Rebelling against authority in order to possess authority? Many people lust after power, but the most powerful person in history chose the cross rather than to destroy this world. True greatness and authority is surrounded by genuine and sincere humility. Without real humility I don’t think a person can understand authority.

Christian women need to understand that men and husbands are in charge and need to be obeyed. Many aspects of the Christian Life are learning that we are not in control, God is.

Women need to understand that they are not in control either, men are. If they truly love Christ with their hearts they will put themselves in subjection to men and by this you will know those who are of the true faith and those who aren’t.

1 Peter 3:5-6 – For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

I had heard a dad tell his son one time who was going into the military to do what you are told, and come back home.

Christian women need to do the same.

That’s where I’m going to stop right now, but Lord willing I’ll talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye-bye everybody♥️

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Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to look at some scripture from 1st Timothy but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little personal story.

Many years ago we had a dog as our guest for a period of time in our home. It was so long ago I really can’t remember the kind of dog that it was but it seemed really kind and friendly. It was a bigger dog kind of like a husky. It was brought home from the animal shelter and the dog had a really rough time because it had been caught in a trappers snare. The snare had nearly killed the creature, but it managed to survive and escape its death sentence when a passerby had found him in the woods. It was incredible at the loss of blood and life that this dog managed to endure. Each day when we fed him, we could see the deep wounds that he had around his neck that had been repaired and stitched up by a local veterinarian.

The desire for food had led the dog into that snare, just like a love of money leads people into a snare each and every day. A snare chokes the victim, depriving them of breath and life. Death might not be immediate, but slowly comes to those who love money and desire to be rich.

1 Tim 6:8-10 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

What does it mean to be content? Contentedness is a state of peaceful happiness or being satisfied or showing satisfaction with things as they are.

The Apostle teaches to be content with food and clothes. When you think about it, what does a person really need in this life?

Some people work for 30 years to pay off a house and some vehicles while the truth is, true happiness, joy and life comes from the Lord Jesus Christ not in the things that we possess.

Each year many people take off for a few weeks in the summer to go camping. Sometimes I wonder why do they do this? Is it to get back to the roots of where they are supposed to be with Christ? Is it because they are looking for something but yet they cannot detach themselves from the world?

Uncontentedness can come in many different forms. It can lead to a divorce when you are not content with the spouse you chose freely to spend the rest of your life with. It can lead people to want the things of this world more than other personal reationships, just like Lot’s wife. It can cause people to be yoked up with unbelievers in some kind of job somewhere.

I guarantee you, the love of money is the root of all evil. It’s better off to be poor and broke with nothing but your faith in Christ. God took the Israelites into a barren desert and provided them with all their physical needs how shall he not provide true believers in all things?

Uncontentedness causes us to go looking for things that we most likely don’t have any real need for. I worked in retail for a few years and we learned about compulsive purchasing. You really don’t need it but it feels so good when you do it. In the flesh people purchase things because they are not happy with things the way that things are. Think about the animals that are in the wild surviving on just what is needed.

Matthew 6:25-33 – Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

As a Christian, God desires us to be content with food and clothes. Everything else is a benefit, but not one we should long after.

Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Hebrews 13:5-6 – Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Worldly riches can never compare with Spiritual ones.

1 Tim 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.

Matthew 6:19-21 – Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

1 Timothy 6:10 – For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Sorrow is the only road for those who love money more than others.

James 5:1-5 – Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

James refers to it as misery.

1 John 3:17 – But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

Those who are well off need to help those who aren’t. This is the law of love in Christ.

Luke 16:13 – No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Like they’ve said for thousands of years, if you want to find evil just follow the money trail. It truly is the root of all evil.

That’s where I’m going to stop for right now but Lord willing we will talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.♥️

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“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” Hebrews 13:17

To obey means “to do as ordered (by a person, institution etc; to act according to the bidding of; to do as one is told; to be obedient, compliant to a law, restriction etc.” Some antonyms of obey are defy, rebel, resist, disobey, or violate (especially rules).

Submit also means pretty much the same thing; to yield to the authority of someone else

Why do parents tell their children not to do something? If a parent told their son or daughter to not touch a hot stove, why do they do it? Is it to be in a position of power over them, to “lord” over them, and order them around? No, of course not. It is because they love their child(ren) and they want to keep them safe.

The safety of their children should be a parents number one concern. Not only physically, but spiritually as well. A dad in a home is the authority that the rest of the family needs to obey and submit to, the wife included. The scriptures are clear on this that there is an order of authority in Christianity.

“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 

Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.” Ephesians 5:22-24

Again, “submit” means to yield to the authority of another, and obey. A wife needs to yield herself to the authority of her husband and obey him. There is not much else that needs to be said or explained. He is the head of the wife, as we read above. “Head” when used in this verse, means “director; leader; or the one in charge.”

That is the order that God has created, and needs to be followed.

Just like the military. Without looking them all up, I know that a private is a lower rank than a colonel, and a general is over a colonel. There is a “chain of command” that is followed. From the lowest rank up to the highest, each has someone who they are under and need to submit to and obey. 

Paul was like a spiritual father to the church, and they were like his children. In 1 Corinthians 4, he wrote that “I have begotten you through the gospel” and was like a spiritual father to them.

“For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 

Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.” 1 Corinthians 4:15-16

In this specific passage he was writing because it appears like there were some in the church who weren’t respecting the authority that had been given to Paul, and he was warning them to correct them. Paul greatly loved the church and like a dad he warned and instructed them in the way they should live and act. If he saw something that needed to be corrected, he would do it, because he cared for their souls. While he would rather come to them in love and correct things, if need be he would be much firmer and strong if a sin issue persisted (1 Cor 4:21).

In the book of 3 John, John wrote that he was pleased to hear that the church was walking in the truth. It made him very happy that the work and time that he had spent teaching the church hadn’t been in vain. Like Paul, John was like a spiritual dad to those who he helped to grow in the faith, and he was glad that they were walking in the truth, and in love. 

So to recap: be obedient to your authority. Not only will you be pleasing them, but you will be obeying the Holy Scriptures when you do so. 

In Christ,

Andrew

Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to take a look at some scripture from 1st Corinthians chapter 1 before we do that I wanted to tell you a story.

In the last 15 years Andrew and I have hauled a of a lot of scrap iron. It’s not a job for those who want to be rich but it does support a family with food, clothes and basic needs. When we haul scrap we have to figure out what is steel or aluminum or other precious metals. We knew many years ago that we needed some good magnets to be able to do this.

One day my son got some microwave ovens ready to go to the scrap yard. He tore them apart and discovered that there were some really big circular magnets inside. Ever since then, he’s taken the magnets out of older microwaves and stuck them to the back of our truck box to be used when recycling items.

Magnetism is really neat and most of all, because God created it. Magnets are like a husband and wife who stick together through thick and thin. Magnets are like the best of friends who will never separate. Magnets are like a bird that is inseparable from her nest, or a beaver from its dam.

In my own life I think God created magnetism as a lesson for each of us to subliminally learn from, that he doesn’t want us in the church to be divided or separated from each other.

Have you ever tried to pull two large magnets apart from each other? It’s hard isn’t it, but it can be done if one is going to exert enough effort in the opposite direction. Magnetism is kind of like God’s holy scriptures. It is the thing that holds us and binds us all together when we believe the truth of what it says.

If one tries hard enough they certainly can separate two magnets from each other but when you think about it, they were always meant to be together, weren’t they? Magnets hold on to each other. It’s similar to the way that we need to be in the church.

God doesn’t want division in the church. God wants us to stay together, like a marriage. He wants each of us to grow together in the church through forgiveness, mercy, grace and reconciliation. Ultimately the things that join us together and bind us forever are the teachings of Christ Holy Word. God wants us to be United in the teachings of scripture together, rather than pulled apart by disbelief and disunity.

1 cor 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

The Apostle Paul who wrote most of the New Testament that we have today did not want there to be any divisions among the church. Division is the action of separating something into parts or the process of being separated. God gets very upset when people purposely get involved with dividing a church group.

Pro 6:19 teaches something that the Lord hates… he that soweth discord among brethren.

Division is something that divides, separates, or marks off. It’s the act, process, or an instance of separating or keeping apart : seperation.

Discord in the archaic is to disagree, to be at variance; to fail to agree or harmonize or to clash.

In the church what brings unity are the teachings of scripture. It’s Christ’s teachings on love, forgiveness and reconciliation with each other. I really feel that division happens because people don’t accept scripture anymore. When they turn away from the things that Jesus taught, they try to take as many people with them as they can. They try to lead others astray and to believe their heresy.

God does not want division in the church, or contentions for that matter. Remember when we were five years old we didn’t know how to speak the entire English language yet. In the church there are things we do not understand yet, but they are for our benefit. The church is a spiritual College to learn what God wants us to do.

1 Corinthians 1:11 – For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

The main teachings of Christ Jesus are to to apologize and to forgive one another and reconcile. After all, this is what He taught when He teaches to confess our sins and admit them.

Each of us have our own problems, but if you’ve sinned just once in the eyes of God, without Christ’s forgiveness, you won’t see eternal life.

Rom 16:17-18. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

When people won’t forgive, make sure you take a good note of them because that’s the essence of the Christian Life. God forgives us through Christ and if they don’t forgive they’re denying everything that Christ stands for and accomplished at the cross.

1 Corinthians 11:18 – For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

A schism is basically the same as a division in the church. It is a division,separation, discord, or a disharmony. It is a formal division in, or separation from a church or religious body. It’s a split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief.”

1 Corinthians 12:25 – That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

A schism is a split or separation within a group or organization, typically caused by discord. Division in the church is not of the spirit it’s of the flesh.

1 Corinthians 3:3 – For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Instead of division and things that separate us, we are all supposed to be of the same mind.

Romans 12:16 – Be of the same mind one toward another.

Philippians 1:27 – Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; 

2 Corinthians 13:11 – Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Think on those things for today and Lord willing, we’ll talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye-bye everybody.♥️

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One time many years ago I saw a man who had a special skill that he used to turn something relatively useless into something really intricate and incredible. He was a chainsaw carver who took a log and turned it into a piece of art.

He started off first of all with a large log, probably 18 inches in diameter, and about 4 feet long/tall. He placed the log on the ground and stood it upright and slowly began to cut off little pieces and chunks, a little here and a little there. After about five or six minutes, the log started looking a little bit different; it started to have a slight shape to it.

Changing to a different chainsaw with a different blade, the man began to make even more cuts, adding slight indentations and markings into the log. After about 30 or 40 minutes, instead of a plain chunk of firewood, a detailed four foot tall wooden eagle stood in it’s place.

He took a simple, rough piece of wood and shaped it into an incredible piece of art.

When a person gives themselves to God and gives themselves to Him, they are allowing themselves to be transformed according to His will, and turned into what He wants them to be. He takes a person who is rough around the edges, and shapes and molds them into a vessel fit for His use.

Through the transformation of the Holy Spirit, we can be changed from worthless, unprofitable people into something useful. No longer are we only concerned or focused on what we can attain or do for ourselves, but we are turned and changed into something that brings glory to the name of Christ.

When Jesus walked along the sea and picked James and John to be His apostles, they weren’t refined, completed Christians immediately. They were fisherman. And Jesus turned them into “fishers of men.” He took a couple men who were just normal, ordinary men and used them to spread the Word of God. He could have picked leaders from a Judaic temple, Pharisees (which in Paul’s case, He did), or priests, but He chose to pick someone who the world might not pick to teach others. Someone who might even be looked down on as unimportant. 

“And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:” 1 Corinthians 1:28

When Jesus picked His apostles, they started to undergo their transformation. Day by day they spent with the Lord, learning and gaining understanding of His teachings. Even when Jesus was led away to be crucified, they ran away. They still needed to be converted yet. They were still learning and becoming stronger in the faith. 

We don’t start out as mature adults when we are born. We all start out as babies, and begin to learn things. How to walk, how to eat, how to speak. And once we learn those things, we learn how to do them even better, without making mistakes. We aren’t mature Christians the first day either. We have much to learn. How to resist sin and temptation, how to love others, how to love God, how to speak the truth instead of lies. How to forgive and how to reconcile.  Day by day we slowly change and improve into something acceptable unto God. 

“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5

In fact, we continually are getting worked on. Day by day, we are slowly being shaped and formed more perfectly each day. 

Becoming a Christian requires a person to cut out certain things out of their life, little imperfections that are displeasing to God, and replacing them with the things of God. Through the help of the Holy Spirit, we are transformed according to His Word. 

As a potter takes a lump of clay and turns it into a beautiful piece of pottery, God takes and transforms us from wicked wretched sinners who have no hope of salvation into forgiven sinners who live their lives for the glory of God.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2

The life of a Christian never ends. We never stop learning about God, studying the scriptures, or perfecting our lives. We are constantly growing each day, into what He wants us to be.

In Christ,

Andrew

Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to look at some scripture from Matthew Chapter 5 but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.

One Summer a very long time ago I got into the hobby of fishing. Part of that summer we would go out and stand on various fishing docks to see what we could catch and bring home. There was only so far that you could cast and sometimes when reeling in, you would break your line and lose your bobbers in the weeds.

Anyway, our neighbor was selling an old beat-up fishing boat that was functional and didn’t leak. During one month in the summer we completely tore that boat apart. We took off the transom and replaced it. We replaced all the seats and made our own vinyl padded covers. We put in some foldable fishing chairs and I meticulously painted the entire boat inside and out. It looked as perfect as I could possibly get it and it appeared like we had just bought it at a dealer.

When my neighbor saw his old boat again his jaw dropped and he couldn’t believe that it was the one he sold us. He was shocked at how perfect and new it looked.

With a smile he said,..

” …maybe I should have kept it after all.”

It takes some effort to make things perfect doesn’t it?

Perfect is having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; as good as it is possible to be. It’s to make something completely free from faults or defects, or as close to such a condition as possible.

To perfect our boat it required getting some items from the store. It required tearing some things out and putting some new things in.

This event in our lives always reminds me of what the Christian life is about. It’s not about what’s on the outside, but the perfecting of what’s inside of our hearts.

There are always things we can improve on in each of our lives. To become perfect in the eyes of God, we must learn how to love Him and one another.

Matt 5:44-48

⁴⁴ But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

⁴⁵ That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

⁴⁶ For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

⁴⁷ And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

⁴⁸ Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

The bible teaches us that God is love. He wants us to become perfected in love and gives us the grace and forgiveness that we need in order to do this. It’s a new commandment, different then the laws of Judaism that was called the ministry of condemnation. It’s the new testament of God’s love extended to each of us.

John 13:34 – A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

1 John 4:20 – If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

Love is graceful and forgiving. The true love found in Christ gives us ample grace to overcome and cover the many obstacles and missteps that each of us have taken.

1 Peter 4:8 – And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

1 John 4:7-10 – Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

Remember salvation is not by our own works because those who want eternal life must go to Christ for forgiveness. Once you receive God’s forgiveness He requires that you treat others in the exact same way, being merciful to each other.

Romans 12:10 – Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

1 John 3:18 – My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

The truth is that every single person is a sinner in the eyes of God. He wants all of us to believe in Jesus His Son and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The greatest treasure I have ever know in my life is the love and forgiveness in Christ the Lord.

Luke 6:31 – And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

Jesus wants us to love and obey Him. He wants us to follow Him and His teachings. It’s not that any of us loved God, but that He loved us first, even shedding His own blood to redeem us. Look at His love and mercy at the cross, laying down His own life so that we could live.

1 John 4:11 – Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

We are learning how to love each other in the church, and at times problems can arise, but it is charity that forgives and reconciles with others so that we can go on unto perfection. Without God’s forbearance and grace, where would any of us be today?

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.

Some people felt like they kept the Old Testament law perfectly but the truth is it was there for one reason, to teach us that we need forgiveness with God and to be forgiving with others. True Perfection comes from loving others.

Romans 13:8 – Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

I think that’s where I’m going to stop for right now but Lord willing, I’ll talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye-bye everybody.♥️

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“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

A while back, we had seen an advertisement that an amusement park had just constructed and opened a brand new roller coaster, and we decided that we would go and try it out. Early one summer morning we left home so by the time that we arrived the park would just be opening so we could spend the entire day there. We wanted to make sure that we got to try that new ride before too many people came. 

Well aparently we weren’t the only people to have this idea, because by the time that we found the ride, what we encountered was a line that was probably 200 people deep. Everyone had heard that the ride was now open, and they were there to give it a try. There was only one line leading up to it, and that was the only way to board the ride. Unless you went through that one line, you wouldn’t be able to ride it. You couldn’t go around the gates or find some other way. Only through the gate could you gain access.

And that is like people who want to enter into the kingdom of Heaven. Jesus taught us in John 14 that it is only through Him that we can get there.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

Because of the sin that started in the garden of Eden, we were separated from God, and separated from eternal life. Before “the fall,” man was created to live forever, but because of the sin, death happened; thus now we die. They were shut out of the paradise in the garden, and away from God. Separated because of our sins, the only way for us to be able to return back to Him is through His Son Jesus Christ.

Do you remember the account of how Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt? What happened when Pharaoh and his army finally caught up with them? How did the Hebrews escape? The Lord God had Moses stretch forth his staff over the sea and the Lord parted it, and provided a passage through. It was through that one passage that they were saved. Not around the sea, or any other way. Through it.

You cannot save yourself either. You cannot do a specific action, or find another way to get to heaven. There are no other ways that lead to Heaven. Not multiple, just one. As Peter said in the verse at the beginning of this study, there is no salvation found in any other than Jesus Christ.

Many people will try, but unless they believe on Jesus they will not make it. He is the door into Heaven and everlasting life, and He offers us the key to enter in if we believe on Him. 

Without Christ, we are locked out of Heaven, but when we obtain that key from Jesus, we have entrance into eternal life. No longer will we be locked out, because we have access to the Father through the Son.

“I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” John 10:9

In Christ,

Andrew

Good morning and welcome in today. Today were to take a look at a passage of scripture from the book of James but before we do that I wanted to tell you a story.

Many years ago my family took a tent, supplies and my pickup truck and went out to South Dakota for a month. Outside of a town called Deadwood we found a place to camp across a dry riverbed where we setup camp for a few weeks. After being there for a short while there began a week of torrential rain. That was some of the hardest rain I’ve ever seen in my life. If I recall correctly I thought I had seen a dog house floating down one of the rivers.

One day when we went into town for groceries it was raining so hard that by the time we got back, the dry creek bed that we had to cross over to get back to our campsite had turned into a huge deep river that we couldn’t cross or even attempt with four-wheel drive. I decided to take the family to a hotel until things dried up after a few days but the rain persisted.

We couldn’t get back to our campsite to get our belongings until I found out from a Forester that there was only one way to get there, on a small road by Galena. We managed to take this one path all the way back to our campsite load up and go back out the way that we came. It was the only way in, and the only way out.

All of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God and there is only one way out of our sinful condition, it’s through the road of humility before God.

James 4:10 – Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

The scriptures teach us alot about the virtues of humility, but do you really understand what true humility in the heart is?

A humble person is not proud and does not believe that they are better than other people. Pride is having or showing a feeling of being better than others or haughty. Pride doesn’t want to admit faults.

Proverbs 16:18. Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 18:12. Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.

A humble person has the qualities of being meek and quiet. Somebody who is meek is quiet, gentle, and easily imposed on; submissive. In order to be lifted up out of our sinful condition, we first must show humility towards God. Only then can we really accept what we are, and get forgiven by Him.

It’s doubtless that God truly cares for each of us. Even when we were still in our sins, Jesus died on the cross for us so that we could have forgiveness. God loves us but it is because of our own pride that we turn away from His love, spurning His affection and resisting to do those things that please Him.

As I’ve always taught, sin is the opposite of love; love for God or love for others. In order to become a Christian in your heart I believe you first have to be humble in the sight of God. The reason why I say that is because you have to confess and admit the truth that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. Like the one road back to our campsite, the only path to forgiveness is through humility. Let’s take a look at the following example.

Luke 18:9-14 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

¹⁰ Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

¹¹ The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

¹² I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

¹³ And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

In order to be forgiven by Jesus Christ or others in the church who we have offended we have to Humble ourselves and apologize. However minut the infraction may seem to be we need to apologize to others. Only through the humility of accepting fault can God cleanse us from our sins.

Matthew 23:12 – And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

The greatest example of humility in the scriptures is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Lord Of Glory and King of Kings but yet he washed his own disciples feet.

John 13:3-15

³ Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

⁴ He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

⁵ After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

⁶ Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

⁷ Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

⁸ Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

⁹ Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

¹⁰ Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

¹¹ For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

¹² So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

¹³ Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.

¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

Without humility people are going to fall, and God will recompense them for their pride.

Deuteronomy 32:35 –  To me belongeth vengeance and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.

Remember the humble statement that the Apostle Paul said to the church, I’m the chief of sinners.

Jesus is so humble that he could have destroyed this world in a blink of an eye because He’s God almighty but he chose not to and allowed himself to suffer at the cross.

Phil 2:3-9. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

⁴ Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

⁵ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

⁷ But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

⁸ And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

⁹ Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

Jesus taught the disciples who the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven were, and it had to do with humility before God.

Matt 18:1-4 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

² And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

³ And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

You will only find one road to forgiveness with God, it’s the road of humility. In order to be lifted up into eternal life someday and be exalted, it’s going to require forgiveness with God and that will only happen through humility.

Luke 14:11 – For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Have you asked forgiveness and humbled yourself before God like the humble publican? Mercy is waiting for you.

That’s where I’m going to stop for right now, but Lord willing, I’ll talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then bye-bye everybody.♥️

tlkjbc.wordpress.com

Goodmorning and welcome in today. Today we are going to take a look at some scripture from the book of Roman’s but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a story.

A few years ago my family finally got me to agree to purchasing a dog. We had numerous dogs when I was a kid and I wasn’t that keen on getting anymore as an adult, but they finally convinced me. I purchased a very nice male black lab. A few months passed by when the family convinced me again to get a female companion for him. Over the following winter one thing led to another and eventually they had a litter together. There were seven cute black little labs but there was one that was completely different than the rest. It was brown. Every time we took them up on the road to run around and play, the little brown puppy stood out in the group. It was completley different then the rest.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

As a bible believing Christian, we are not supposed to similar to the world and its ways. Like the brown lab, we are supposed to be different from the world. Conform actually means to be similar or identical. Similar means Having traits or characteristics in common; alike, or comparable. Christians are called to be different then others around them.

When a child is born in this world they are going to have similar physical characteristics and features of the parent. When we become a part of the family of God, we need to turn away from the world and its ways and begin to serve Christ Jesus. We need to undergo a change in our hearts and our minds in order to do the will of God. The more you change the more different from the world you will become.

As a Christian you will have different goals in life then those who are living in the world. You will have a different purpose and direction then others around you. When we were living in the world we lived the way the world does. As a Christian we are called to come out and to be separate. It doesn’t mean that we are better than other people, it’s just that we are choosing the way of Christ over the way of the world.

1 Pet 4:3-4

³ For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

⁴ Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

A characteristic is defined as a special quality or appearance that makes an individual or a group different from others. When one begins the Christian walk they are taking on the characteristics of the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead of hating others we learn to love. Instead of being unmerciful we learn to show mercy and forgive. God calls us to this new life and way of living.

1 Pet 2:9-10

⁹ But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

¹⁰ Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

God doesn’t want us to be like the world but examples to the world. He doesn’t want us to live the way the world does, but to go through a transformation through His grace and faith.

Have you ever been subjected to peer pressure when you were in school? Its a feeling that one must do the same things as other people of one’s age and social group in order to be liked or respected by them. When we become a Christian we turn away from trying to please others in the world to please Christ. Instead of doing the will of people around us we choose to do the will of God.

Ephesians 5:17 – Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

God wants us to convert and to change the way that we think. After being raised so many years in the philosophies and the teachings of this world, God wants us to to abandon all these false things that we have learned and learn the way of His precious Son Jesus Christ. A transformation needs to take place in our hearts and minds.

Transform is defined as to change something into something else.

Think about a mechanic who comes home on a Friday after work and they’re full of grease and filth. They take a shower get all cleaned up, put on some nice clean clothes and they take their wife out for dinner. People at the restaurant probably don’t even know that he’s a mechanic because his physical appearance has changed that much. Christianity is very similar to this but the change that happens is within our heart.

Just like a marathon runner is attempting to cross the finish line to win a race, the finish line in the Christian faith is walking in the perfect will of God. In order to do this we have to undergo a change. It’s a change from walking In the flesh in our general carnal nature, to spirituality in Christ. It’s learning to become obedient to the teachings of Jesus Christ rather than following after the ways of the sinful nature.

We prove things by our actions. You can show love for your dad as a child by being obedient to him in everything. True love will result in submission and obedience to those who are your authority. We want to prove our love for the Lord Jesus Christ by obeying His will for each of us. When we choose the path of Christ we are going to come off the wide road of sin onto the narrow path of Christ. We’re going to change and become different than what we used to be. Instead of living as children of darkness, we are called to become children of the light.

True Christians are going to be very different then what you see in the world today. We’re not better than others, we’re just different. It’s not so much in the physical appearance as it is in the characteristics of the heart. We choose to love. We choose to forgive and forget. We choose to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and get forgiven for our sins whos grace is available to all who call upon His name.

I think that’s where I’m going to stop right now but Lord willing we’ll talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then bye-bye everybody♥️

tlkjbcwordpress.com.

Do you know what happens when someone takes their recyclable containers to the recycling bin? Items such as milk jugs, metal soup cans, glass bottles and newspapers can be recycled and made into different items after they have been used. 

I once went to a playground years ago and I noticed something really neat. Under the swingsets there were some black rubber mats which had been made from old recycled automibile tires.

What had happened was once the tires had gotten old and worn out, they had all been taken to a factory where they were all chipped up in a big machine and chipped into tiny pellets, which then were used to form something new, like those rubber mats. Instead of a useless pile of old tires, they had been changed into something useful and different.

Many years ago up here in Minnesota, people were allowed to construct a building right on the very edge of a lake to house their boat in, just like a garage, but for boats. Well today you cannot do that, buildings have to be a certain distance from the edge of the lake. But the buildings that were built years ago and still stand can continue to stay there. However, these buildings are obviously getting old and weak. 

Because there is a law that states that you cannot construct a new building right directly into a lake, or river, in order to fix those old buildings, they cannot tear it completely down and start new. They have to replace it piece by piece. They can’t tear the whole thing down and build a new one from scratch, but it is completely new inside.

Which is similar to our bodies and our spirit. Our bodies are that old boathouse. We obviously don’t kill our physical body, but when we are baptized and become born again the spirit inside us is transformed, it is changed from a spirit of sin into the Holy Spirit of God. We become a “new creature.”

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

We change from being a servant to sin, and are transformed into what Jesus wants us to be.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2

When you transform something, it means to change the nature, condition, or function of something. To change greatly the appearance or form of, or to convert from one thing to another.

And the word renew means simply to make something new again or to restore it back to original condition

We need to change and turn from being dead in our sins and be changed or transformed into something new. We need to “put to death” the old, unprofitable sinful man and be renewed in Christ. We need to become born again.

I’ve written this before but it is one of the greatest examples, of how Paul used to persecute Christians, throwing them into prison, persecuting them, and even oversaw the stoning of Stephen. But God used him in great ways. Paul became converted; he changed and turned away from that, and became the same thing that he once tried to destroy. 

Paul had become a new creature for Christ. Just like Paul, we need to undergo that transformation, so we can present ourselves holy, acceptable unto God. (Romans 12:1)

In Christ,

Andrew