I used to have a couple goldfish when I was about 7 or 8. I had bought a smaller fishtank that could fit on top of my dresser. One of the things that I learned while I had my fish was that you occasionally needed to change out the water in the tank and replace it with some fresh water. I had a water filter in the tank, but the water would still need to be refreshed at some point.

I will sometimes break open a bag of chips, eat a few handfuls, and then go and leave to do something, and forget completely about the rest of them for the rest of the day. Later that day or even the next day, unless I closed the bag up properly, the chips will be rather stale and not as crunchy or fresh as they could be. The same thing with a loaf of bread: if you don’t close up the opening on the bag, but leave it open, at least some of the slices of bread will get dried out and stale, instead of staying fresh.

Once you complete reading the New Testament, you don’t not read it ever again. You can start it over again, studying it even more. Maybe you will notice something that you never had understood before, and now you do. We can always learn something new.

You can read a book or watch a movie and not fully understand or notice everything that had happened. So you can read or watch it again, and maybe that time you will notice something that you didn’t before. Maybe something will become “clear” and you will understand something new.

Sometimes a person might think that a teacher in a school learns their knowledge at college and once they become a full time teacher, that they don’t go and learn anymore. But that is not the case. Every so often, the teachers are required to go and “refresh” their memory, and learn more things that they didn’t know before.

I have read the New Testament several times for years, and I still am learning new things that I didn’t understand before. And I know there are still many, many more things that I still have to learn. So I continue to study and keep God’s word fresh in my mind.

And that is why Paul might have written the same things several times to some of the churches. He told them that it wasn’t a hard or tedious thing for him to have to do, but it was a good thing for them to hear.

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.” Philippians 3:1

Finally, whenever you read the scriptures or hear it preached, pay close attention. The more times you can receive the word into your mind, the more you will understand, and the more you will retain in your memory.

“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” Hebrews 2:1

Keep God’s word fresh in your mind.

In Christ,

Andrew

Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to take a look at a passage of scripture from Ephesians chapter 2 beginning at verse 1. It says…

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

² Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

³ Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

First of all the word quicken means to make alive or to revive. One time years ago we had a chickadee that hit our living room window. I went outside and picked it up and it looked like it was completely dead. I held it in my hand for about 5 minutes and kept stroking it and it slowly came back to life.

God brings us back to life from the death of our own sinful condition through his forgiveness.

Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Grace is something that is given to us in large quantities by God through the Lord Jesus Christ. We can come boldly to the throne of grace in time of need. Peter was taught by Jesus that he was supposed to be very forgiving with others who sin against you, 70 x 7. Each of us are dead in our trespasses and sins but we need to be released from them. You need to be forgiven and made alive.

John 5:21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. This is why it’s so important to partake of the Holy Communion in the church, to Confess faults and wash your sins away in the blood of Christ.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 11:25-26

²⁵ Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

²⁶ And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Continuing at verse 2 …

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

1st Cor 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

God gives us large amounts of Grace so that we can become better people.

You’ve got to be very forgiving with little children because they make lots of mistakes but God gives us Grace to grow.

1 Peter 1:14  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

Verse 3 continues …Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

All of us have come short of the glory of God. Each of us have sinned. If you sinned just one time you’ve broken all the Commandments together so whether it’s one or 50 sins, each of all can be washed through the blood of Christ and cleansed.

Verses 4,5..But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Our God is so merciful and forgiving and he wants us to extend that to each other as needed.Exodus 33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Redemption is the action of saving or being saved from sin error or evil. It’s the action of regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for a payment or clearing of a debt. Redemption is an act of redeeming or atoning for a fault or mistake. That is exactly what Jesus did for us at the cross.

Psalms 51:1   Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Psalms 86:5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

Isaiah 55:6-7

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Our God is rich in Mercy. Even when we were dead in sins he quickened us together with Christ by Grace you are saved.

John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Romans 3:23-26

²³ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

²⁴ Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

²⁵ Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

²⁶ To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

We are trusting in the blood of Christ for eternal life and remission of our sins. Remission simply means the cancellation of a debt or charge or penalty. It’s forgiveness for your sins.

Acts 15:11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

If we make a mistake on our Christian walk you want to lay that burnen down at the Cross of Christ.

He wants to carry our burden for us all you need to do is confess them and admit them just like the humble public and cry out to God to have mercy on me, a sinner.

We are made alive through the blood of Christ and quickened. Truly it is by grace that we are saved.

I think 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 everbody.♥️

tlkjbc.wordpress.com

complete in Him

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” Colossians 2:9-10

There are a few words in this passage that I am going to define from the dictionary.

Spoil means to damage, destroy, or ruin something in a way to make it unfit for use. If food begins to or is spoiled, it has gone bad and is unfit for consumption. It has been corrupted.

Rudiments are a fundamental principle or skill, especially in a field of learning. If someone knows the letters of the alphabet, then they know the “rudiments” of reading. “Rudiments of the world” means having the knowledge of the world, put simply.

Complete means to make whole or entire. If a puzzle is complete, there are no more pieces that need to or can be added because it is finished, it is done. If a person completes a marathon, they have run the entire 26 miles. They don’t have to run anymore, because they have finished, or “completed” the entire race.

Don’t let the teachings of the world come and push out the teachings of Christ. There is nothing that you can learn about the world that is more important than what you can learn in the Bible.

I would say that the “theory” of evolution is a rudiment of the world. It is how the world wants to believe that the world was created. Because they choose to reject the fact that there is a God, they need to come up with a story of how the universe came to existence, while Christians believe the accounts in the book of Genesis.

We don’t need to know the entire periodic table of elements. We don’t need to know each event that happened in every century. All the things and knowledge that you could ever acquire about the world cannot compare in value to knowing the love that Christ has for us. The grace and forgiveness that He offers is worth more than all the knowledge that can be learned.

“And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” Ephesians 3:19

There are some people who just seek continually after worldly knowledge. They are constantly reading, studying, and searching, trying to increase in the knowledge of the world. If they would only put that much effort into studying God’s word. The knowledge of the world will only profit a person for the short while they are on Earth, but the knowledge of God will last forever.

“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” 1 John 2:17

There were some people in one of the churches that were trying to get others to go back into the Jewish Law. But Paul explained to them that whether a person was circumcised or not didn’t matter anymore. That was a part of the Old Testament-Judaic law. They were set free from the bondage of the Law, and were made free by the blood of Christ. Instead of having to observe special feast days, and trying to do everything in the Law, he told them how Jesus came to make it easy for us. No longer were they under the Law, but under grace.

We are complete in Christ. Someone could not know anything more than how to read, and know everything that they need to know because they know God’s word. 

Someone could have everything that they own taken away from them, but there is something that no one can take, and that is the knowledge of the love of Christ. We are complete in Him.

In Christ,

Andrew

Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to take a look at the following passage of scripture.

1st Timothy 2:11-14

¹¹ Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

¹² But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

¹³ For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

¹⁴ And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

To learn something means to gain or acquire knowledge of a certain skill either by study by experience or being taught. A Christian woman’s calling is to learn silently from a man.

Luke 10:38-42

³⁸ Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

⁴⁰ But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

⁴¹ And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

⁴² But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

When a woman learns from a man she needs to be a quiet listener. The word silence means complete absence of sound. I always think of it when I walk into the library and there’s not a sound being made.

Even a school teacher will have the kids settle down as they begin the class. Silence is the absence of any sound or noise. The Apostle Paul didn’t allow a woman to teach a man. She is supposed to learn from him. They are supposed to be in complete subjection unto them. The word subjection means showing obedience or loyalty to somebody else. It means submitting or being controlled by another person. When she is being instructed by the man she needs to be quiet. They need to allow themselves to be taught.

1st Cor 14:34

³⁴ Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law.

³⁵ And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

³⁶ What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?

³⁷ If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

These things are forbidden by the Lord Jesus. It’s been going on for many years. They’ve been ordaining women and allowing them to speak at a pulpit or a lectern and even teach Sunday schools. These things are absolutely forbidden in the church.

Isiaah 3:12

As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.

Revelation 2:20

Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

So you see, this has been going on for many years now but not in the true church found inside the Holy scriptures. You have to understand that God is a God of order. I usually think of it as the military. There are different places of power and authority such as a general, sergeant or corporal.

A man is woman’s Authority. Just as a child is supposed to obey their parent in everything, a woman has to place herself in subjection to the man so he can educate her and guide her in biblical truth.

But the Apostle did not suffer a woman to teach. That is one of the functions of man. It’s forbidden for her to teach in any capacity.

2nd Timothy 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

To teach is to show and explain to somebody else how to do something. It’s to impart knowledge or skill to, and give instructions.

She’s also not to usurp authority over the man. To usurp is to take a position of power or importance illegally and by force. It is to take the place of a position of power illegally. The archaic definition means to encroach or infringe upon someone’s rights. A woman’s authority is man. It is forbidden for her to go over his headship. Again God is a God of order.

In verse 13 the Apostle puts this in perspective by saying Adam was first formed then Eve. That shows order. Even things that were done in the church were supposed to be done decently and in order.

Genesis 2:18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

1st Cor 11:8-9

⁸ For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.

⁹ Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

So God specifically made Eve as a helper for him. It is her calling and purpose.

Man is her authority. Remember that Adam was not deceived

Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

She wanted wisdom and she was deceived by the devil. The devil wants people to fight and rebel against God. She needs to learn from the man in silence but she is forbidden to teach.

So let’s think about that for today and Lord willing we will talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.♥️

tlkjbc.wordpress.com

“But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

On our own, we cannot overcome our sins, but when we accept Jesus into our lives, God can work through us and with His help we can conquer our faults.

There are some things that are just impossible for a single person to do by themselves without help. One time we were asked by a neighbor to help him remove a furnace from his basement. He had been dealing with a sore back and couldn’t do it by himself, so we went and helped him remove the furnace.

Or what happens when someone’s car breaks down miles away from the nearest town? How will they get their vehicle to a place where it can be repaired? A person can push a vehicle a short distance, but not miles and miles. So what a person needs to do is find or call a friend or tow truck to bring it to the shop. They need the help of someone else because they couldn’t do it on their own.

We also cannot get to Heaven without help. Since the Garden of Eden, each and every person has done something that keeps them out of Heaven: sin. Heaven is a perfect place free from sin, and the only way for someone to get there is to have their sins taken away. In order for this to happen, they need to go to the only One Who can do that. Jesus Christ. Without His grace and forgiveness, it is impossible to get to Heaven. With God all things are possible.

In James 3 we read that the tongue is another thing that is impossible to control.

“And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 

But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” James 3:6-8

The tongue can speak evil, lies, blasphemy, curse others. But it says “the tongue can no ‘man’ tame,” meaning, man without the Spirit of God. A person on their own cannot “tame” the tongue, they need God’s help. With God all things are possible.

When Jesus walked on the Sea of Galilee, it was Peter’s faith that also allowed him to walk out to Jesus on the water. It was also when Peter saw the rough seas and became afraid that he began to sink. When his faith wavered, he sank. Faith is the essential thing that a person needs as a Christian. Without it, we cannot be saved.

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

It is impossible for anyone to get to Heaven through any other way than Jesus Christ. We cannot earn our way to Heaven by our deeds. We need to come to Christ for salvation.

“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

“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

With God all things are possible. 

In Christ,

Andrew

Good morning and welcome in today. Today we are going to take a look at The following passage of scripture.

Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

If somebody professes to be a Christian and they really take a good look inside of their heart and their mind, they would understand that God has forgiven them for their trespasses. Because God forgives us freely we want to forgive others freely.

Have you ever gone camping before? Have you ever cooked over an open campfire? When people go camping they like to cook over an open fire. When people fish they like to make marshmallows. Our family has always liked fishing and going to the lake, but after we eat our food the kids like to make roasted marshmallows. I’m really not into eating marshmallows or s’mores at all but sometimes when I think about forgiveness I think about when somebody who roasts marshmellows over the fire.

Some people like to eat marshmallows when they are warm and gooey but there are a few people who like to light a marshmallow on fire and burn it. They burn it until it’s a black crisp. It always reminds me when people won’t forgive others in their heart. To me it has always been an example of hell and damnation. Not on your part( if you apologize) but for the other.

Each of us are worthy of hell and damnation. Nobody can claim that they haven’t sinned. It’s because each of us have sinned. God forgives each of us through his mercy and love but He will not forgive others who simply refuse not to forgive others. It truly is an an unforgivable sin.God forgives us, but in the flesh, people will not. Just for a moment, I want you to think about hell and damnation. I want you to think about the flames of eternal torment. God wants us to be in heaven with Him that is a fact. God does not want us to go to hell as much as he wants to save us that’s a fact. He cares for sinners. This is why Jesus came.

We are saved by God’s mercy and Grace. Granted when somebody else hurts us in the church it doesn’t feel very good. But when people come and apologize and ask for forgiveness you have to forgive them and reconcile with them. God requires baptism and Holy Communion to inherit eternal life. He also requires forgiveness. If you cannot forgive it will result in your forfeiture of eternal life.

Each of us are wretched lost sinners. No one of us is better than the other. Each of us have our own problems and issues but God wants us all of us to be overcomers.If we come boldly to the throne of grace in time of need we can find forgiveness with God. Since that forgiveness is readily available to us from God, we need to apply that same forgiveness to other people in the church. God does not make a difficult for us to obtain forgiveness.

The scriptures teach us that if we forgive, then we will forgiven by God. When people got healed by the Lord Jesus Christ they didn’t even have to confess sins, but were immediately forgiven! Many people who profess to be Christians today actually preach another Jesus. It’s not the Jesus that is found in the scriptures.

Our God is very tender, merciful and kind. He is incredibly forgiving. He wants to heal both of our hearts and minds. Christianity is learning to say I’m sorry. Those two words can be very difficult for people to say. When we make a mistake with God or others, fess up.

If you make a mistake with God or others you need to quickly apologize. You need to say I’m sorry because that is the path that leads to forgiveness. When you apologize, now it is on the shoulders of the other person to forgive you in the sight of God and reconcile. The greatest example of forgiveness and reconciliation is scene in the parable of the Prodigal Son.

I’m a sinner. I’ve made numerous mistakes in my life but God allows u-turns. Paul said that he was the chief of sinners. God allows us to come to him and confess our faults and get forgiven for our past so that we can begin to do those things that please him. Without these qualities one cannot even profess to be a partaker of the Christian faith. Without charity and forgiveness in a person’s life, the Christian faith is nonexistent. God does not want anybody to perish but wants everybody to come a place of repentance. Jesus taught that the humble Publican had went down to his house Justified because he accepted the fact that he was a sinner. Many people who profess themselves to be Christian actually believe that it is their duty to roast others over a fire.

That is not caused by love for the other party, it is caused by hatred. A tender heart will forgive others knowing that you have sinned against God in the past. As I’ve said it doesn’t feel good when somebody hurts you but Jesus took the nails for us at the cross.

Look at the hurt and the suffering that Jesus endured so that we could be forgiven with God. The things that we have to go through on this Earth are mild in comparison to what Jesus did for us at the cross. I really believe that in our carnal human nature there are a few words that are very difficult for a person to say.

One is I’m sorry; and the second is I forgive you. A person who truly possesses Christian charity inside of their heart will apologize. They will also forgive graciously. When somebody is unforgiving and bitter they are no different than taking a marshmallow on a stick and roasting it over the fire. Remember that God is not mocked Pharaoh in his bitter heart mocked God.

Love forgives. Lot of times I will think about children at a school who will tell each other I’m sorry I’m sorry please forgive me and the other party will not. That is caused by a cold heart. When people go to God and our prayers and they say I’m sorry please forgive me what do they expect God to do, the same people will go out two others who will not forgive people at all with sinned against them. Mark 11:25 teaches when you stand praying forgive if you have ought against any that your father also which is in heaven May forgive you your trespassess

The other day my son and I were talking about an unforgivable sin. If you cannot forgive others and reconcile with them in your heart when they apologize to you God is not going to forgive them. Unless reconciliation happens it’s an unforgivable sin. In order to have forgiveness with God at the Judgment we have to forgive others while here upon the Earth.

Matthew 6:15

¹⁵ But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. you forgive not men their trespasses neither will your father forgive your trespasses.

Forgiveness is a concept that the world doesn’t really understand. Real forgiveness that comes from God is a releasing of any debt or punishment that is due to you because of things that you’ve done. In the Flesh people want to hold on to those mistakes and misdeeds of other people. As a Christian you need to learn to let things go. Forgiveness it’s about learning to let go of resentment and bitterness. It’s learning to forgive an offending party. If if you have sinned one time you’re going to hell without forgiveness.

Forgiveness is learning to let It go. Have you done that?

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

tlkjbc.wordpress.com

“Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.” Ephesians 4:25

If something is true, it is correct, factual, or genuine. There is no deception in it. Likewise the opposite of truth, lying, is done to cover up one’s mistakes, faults, or to mislead, or to spread evil about others that isn’t true.

When a person goes before a court or judge, they are “sworn to tell the truth.” Each and every word that they speak should be 100% truthful and accurate. No evading the truth, making things up as they go, but completely true.

We are called as Christians to love one another, and if you really love someone, you will tell them the truth. And sometimes the truth can hurt, but it needs to be said. 

When Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, it was not because He didn’t love them. Jesus loves each and every person. It was so that they would know the error of their actions, and would have the opportunity to change. He told them the truth, that the things that they were doing was evil. They were conspiring to kill Him, and He warned them of the error of their ways. He told them the truth, that they were sinners, and they needed to believe that He was the Son of God.

“But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.” John 8:40

Jesus warned the Pharisees of their hypocrisy, of how they tried to appear outwardly that they were righteous and holy, but the truth was that inside they were filled with iniquity and sin.

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” Matthew 23:27-28

Really, lying to someone shows a lack of love towards them. I mean, because we are to treat others as we would ourself, would you want to be lied to? Would you want someone to speak things that were untrue and spread them around to others? Then don’t do it to someone else.

Tell people the truth because you love them. The Bible is a book of truth, and we learn from reading it that we are sinners. We need forgiveness to be saved from our sins, and we need to tell others this truth as well.

We need to admit our mistakes so that we can be forgiven for them.

Proverbs 28:13, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

Some people don’t want to hear that, that they need forgiveness and need to change. For an example, homosexuality is a sin forbidden in the Bible, but some people who live this way don’t want to change from it, so what do they do? They go out and find a “church” that tells them that their lifestyle is ok, and fine, that they don’t need to change. Lutheran, Episcopalian, Methodist “churches” are just a few who allow this to continue in their congregations. In reality, what they are doing is lying to them

Yes, we are supposed to love everyone, including homosexuals, but that doesn’t mean that you tell them that the way they are living is acceptable and right. God wants everyone to repent of their sins and be saved, but we need to speak the truth in love to everyone, so that they turn from their sins and are saved.

And that goes for whatever sins a person needs to overcome. Fornication, adultery, theft, covetnous, etc. Tell people the truth, so that they know right from wrong.

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you truly love your neighbor, then speak the truth with them. 

In Christ,

Andrew

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:7-9

Most often, the word “reap” usually has to do with harvesting some kind of fruit or plants, but it also means to obtain or receive something as a reward. 

Staying with plants, a farmer reaps everything that he grew in a field. But what needs to happen before he can do that? He needs to sow the field with seed. Months go by as the crops grow bigger and bigger, soaking in the summer rains, until the day the crops mature and are ready for harvest. It is then that the farmer “reaps” his reward, by obtaining the fruits of what was planted. If he planted watermelons, then he gets watermelons. If the field was planted with wheat, then wheat is what he will reap.

In the same way, each person will “reap” whatever they “sow” in this life. Were they living for Christ, as holy, kind, loving Christians? The reward to be reaped for this is eternal life. 

Or did someone choose to go the other way? Did they decide to live the way they wanted to? Did they reject the love of Christ and live after the ways of the world? In lies, covetnous, i.e. sin? Those who choose to live like this will also reap a reward, but they will not like it once they receive it, because the payment for this kind of life is death. And not just death like their physical body dying, but it is eternal damnation. 

“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graces shall hear his voice,

And shall comeo forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John 5:28-29

And now for the last verse when it says, “And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

The word weary means “having one’s patience exhausted; fatigued; or tired.” 

Put simply, we do not want to be tired of doing good to others. Ever. Do what is good and right constantly, continuously each day. Serve Christ and do good to all until the day you go to be with the Lord.

“…if we faint not.” Meaning, to not lose courage or spirit. The life of a Christian is a day by day process. Not just a passing fad that only lasts for a short while, but a lifetime goal and achievement. Day, after day, after day. A pattern, if you will, that only ends when the Lord decides that it is our time to come be with Him in Heaven.

Remember how the farmer reaps his crops? He was able to reap the reward for his works because he continued on, enduring, and waiting, until the fruits were ready for harvest. If he decided sometime in the middle of summer that he was tired of the life of a farmer, and went to live in the city, he wouldn’t have reaped the reward of his work.

Likewise, someone could hear about Christ, become a Christian, and begin a walk of faith in Him, but if they decided after a few years that they were done, and didn’t want to live for Christ anymore, they won’t receive the end result of a life of a Christian. Everlasting life. 

Everlasting life is what we all as Christians are waiting for, yearning anxiously to obtain. But we need to wait. We need to have patience and endure. 

This world is our testing ground, and we are given two choices: the first choice being a life of love, and serving Jesus, and the other being living in sin. Each choice has it’s own reward; to serve Christ one will receive a life in paradise, living forever. And the other; to live in sin will lead to eternal punishment.

Don’t be weary of doing good, have patience and endure to the end and you will receive your reward.

In Christ,

Andrew

Good morning and welcome in today. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture from Matthew chapter 7.

Matt 7:1-5

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

² For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

³ And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

⁴ Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

⁵ Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

When you judge something it means to form an opinion or a conclusion about something. When we make judgments in the church, it always needs to be done with respect to the teachings of Christ.

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The Apostle Paul had the church judge fornication that was going on among them because the people of the church felt that the behavior was acceptable and okay. They were glorying in what was going on among them. Even though there was fornication going on among them later on it was later forgiven.

Whenever judgments are made in the church they have to be made with the understanding that you yourself are also a sinner. All of us have come short of the glory of God. We can come boldly to the throne of grace in time of need to get forgiven by God but you have to understand God does not want division within the church.

God wants us to be joined perfectly together in one mind and one Spirit. God wants us to accept the truth of what’s right and what’s wrong. Remember that when a brother says I repent or apologizes for what they have done we are required in the church to forgive them. If you cannot do this you yourself will not be forgiven by God.

The Lord Jesus teaches us judge not lest you be judged. If you’re going to judge somebody else and you’re going to be unforgiving and bitter towards them then you are going to enter into God’s judgment because He is not going to forgive you in your heart. When we judge things in the church it needs to be done meekly and with humility. The reason why is because we are all the same. We are all equally sinners in the eyes of God.

Sometimes I think of it as dealing with a couple of children on the playground. How would you treat them? I’ve said for many many years that a pastor, a preacher, minister or priest are all encompassed with sin. Only by God’s grace could they enter into Heaven someday.

When you make judgments in the church you have to understand that you are a forgiven sinner with Christ. Without mercy and forgiveness, all it amounts to is judgment.

God wants us to be merciful with each other because He is merciful He wants us to forgive and to forget and reconcile. He wants us to forget the mistakes and the misdeeds that we’ve committed against each other.

The Lord teaches us judge not that ye be not judged. What judgment you judge you shall be judged and with what measure you mete it shall be measured to you again. As we talked about in a study the other day, the Old Testament was set forth to show us that we’re all sinners who need God’s forgiveness. The New Testament is a testament of God’s mercy and forgiveness towards us all.

Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: The Christian life is about treating others exactly the way that you would want to be treated in the same situation.

When Jesus was upon this Earth there were numerous religious leaders who were trying to judge him and find fault with him. They tried to judge him for not observing the law or keeping the Sabbath. They were judging him for helping and healing people. Ultimately they judged Him and sent him to the cross. Jesus didn’t do anything wrong to anybody.

Many people want to stand in judgment over others not because it helps the offending party, but because they like to be in control. The truth is, that the God of all control and authority has taught everybody on this Earth to be forgiving and merciful with each other. We need to love one another. Instead of judging others, we need to judge ourselves.

Many people were just trying to find fault with the Lord Jesus Christ. They were trying to find any kind of infraction that they could to use against him. Rather than taking a look inside of their own hearts and minds, they stood in judgment over Jesus.

Imagine if the entire world took a few days to look inside of their own hearts and minds rather than pointing the finger at everybody else the difference that could result in society. The way of this world is to look down on others but the way of Christ is to lift others up. That will only happen when everybody recognizes the fact that they are a sinner.

Many people want to look down on others but the way of Christ is to lift others up. Everybody is a sinner. All of us have weaknesses. All of us have come short of the glory of God. What each of us need to do in the church is to help others to overcome problems. That’s what it means to not be a stumbling block. We want to lift other people up.

If you are truly going to treat somebody the way that you want to be treated, wouldn’t you be forgiving with others? After all, isn’t that the way that we want to be treated by God? A person can stand in judgment over others all day long but what it takes is God’s mercy and forgiveness to forgive and they help others.

Jesus teaches us that before taking a look at somebody else’s sin, we need to take a good look at our own.

Rom 14:10-13

¹⁰ But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

¹¹ For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

¹² So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

¹³ Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.

A pastor or priest all have to accept the fact that they are forgiven sinners and God expects us all to be forgiving with each other. To receive forgiveness all one needs to do is to admit fault. Many people do not want to do that.

If there is one thing I’ve learned from preaching for the last 20 years is that God does not want to stand in judgment over others as much as he desires to forgive us. His desire is that all men come to repentance.

Will you forgive the way that God forgives? Will you take a look at yourself before you take a look at others?

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

tlkjbc.wordpress.com

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Good morning and welcome in today. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.

Our family has always enjoyed going on four wheeler rides in the woods, whether to pick raspberries or just to enjoy a hot summer day. When we go for a ride you have to keep on the path that you are on.

A path in the dictionary is defined as a way or track laid down for walking or made by continual treading. It is also a course that one needs to follow like a track made by traveling on foot or through the woods. In the Holy scriptures the Lord Jesus Christ lays out the path for each of us to follow. In order to get from one place to the next you need to follow a path. In order to follow a path you really have to see where you’re going.

Think about a town somewhere that puts up street lights so that people can see where they are going at night. It sure is nice to be able to see where you’re going in the dark isn’t it? God brings the sun up each morning so that we can see what we are doing.

Our family likes to go canoeing and camping. At night, It’s really nice to have fresh batteries in a flashlight to see what you’re doing in the dark. If you don’t have a good flashlight you can fall down or get hurt. You can stumble or go in the wrong direction. It is God’s word that guides us through this world.

Ps 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

I want you to understand that even though the sun comes up each morning, this world is filled with the darkness of sin. It is God’s Word that helps us to negotiate what is going on in the world.

There was one time that we went up north of Ely to go canoeing and I ended up going completely the wrong way. I didn’t have a map. Our family spent six hours trying to get back from the wrong way that I had taken.

It’s good to have a map with you. It’s a good thing to have something provided to you so that you can find your way through this world. Each of us are lost in our own trespasses and sins. I guarantee you that many people do not believe that they are sinners, but it’s the truth.

Have you ever gone into a big city without a map and got completely lost before? I spent many years in my job traveling around the country. One of the most treasured things that I had in my vehicle was an atlas. It was something that I could be without for even a few minutes. Sometimes my job entailed driving 30 hours a week so the atlas was very important to me. Without it I didn’t know exactly where I was going.

Many years later a man on a street corner handed me an atlas. I don’t know who he was and don’t even know his name but he gave me an atlas to heaven. I studied the atlas of the King James Bible over and over again. It was my new Atlas and a road map to eternal life.

If we are going to get anywhere in life we need some guidance. If you truly want to become better at your job, you will turn to your boss and listen to the things that he has to say. If you’re trying to obtain knowledge in the world, you will listen to somebody who is instructing you at a college. It’s no different than if you really want to obtain Heaven someday. You will want to obey and follow the teachings of Christ Jesus.

Have you ever been riding in a car long distance at night and wanted to read something? Usually if you push a button on the top of the ceiling a light will come on. You’ll find these lights in an airplane or a bus. They are there so you could read a newspaper or a book. I have come to the conclusion that if you cannot see where you’re going you are not going to know where you’re going. If you don’t have a flashlight on a back road, you’re going to get lost.

Can you imagine trying to drive down the highway in the middle of the night without any kind of headlights? Can you imagine people in the military being involved with some kind of incursion somewhere without any kind of map? To be frank with you, I can’t handle that. I need to know where I’m going. I am the kind of person who needs to know the directions before I leave.

Ps 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Without any kind of light, all that is left is darkness. Gods Word is like a map light that gives us guidance and direction and shows us what we need to do and the direction that we need to be going. God’s word is a spiritual Atlas that leads us on the way to heaven.

Many people today like yard lights because when they go out in the middle of the night to the garage they can see where they’re going. It is very difficult to see at night without some kind of light.

If we are going to get anywhere in our life, each of us are going to need some guidance. If you want up to attain Heaven someday, you will need to learn to desire and obey the teachings of Christ and scripture.

If you want to become better at your job you will listen to your boss and what he has to say. If you want to be prepared for a job out in the world you’ll listen to the things you learn at a college. If you want to know where you’re going you will study a map, but if you cannot see where you’re going you are not going to know where you’re going. Imagine going to a class somewhere and all the lights were off and you couldn’t see your book. How would you learn anything?

When I was very young I can remember coming home from the neighbor’s house in the dark. I didn’t have a light on my bike and I could hardly see where I was going. The only reason why I got home is because I was familiar with the road. God’s word is a flashlight. It helps us to see where we’re going in this world.

Proverbs 3:6 “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Psalm 16:11 ¹¹ Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

If you study a flight path it is the actual or planned course of an aircraft or spacecraft. It is a designated route that is followed by airplanes from one airport to another or a skyway or an approach path. Airplanes follow a flight path. A flight path is a route that is followed by an aircraft. A flight plan is something that is filed as a document as a pilot with the local Air dispatcher or with the aviation service provider. It is their designated route along which airplanes fly.

We have a pre-arranged flight plan that is already given to us in the teachings of the Holy scriptures. The Lord Jesus wants us to get from a to b. He wants us to turn from the teachings of this Earth to the teachings of heaven.

Can you imagine for a moment sending astronauts to the moon without any kind of plan or a map? These kinds of things require complete adherence to the path that they must follow. I guarantee you that if somebody shuts all the lights off you will not be able to see the map anymore.

Our family has always used headlights to read while we are in bed. Make sure that your batteries are charged up so you can read Gods Word each night. I think that’s where I’m going to stop for right now but Lord willing; I’ll talk to some more tomorrow. Till then, bye-bye everybody.♥️

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