Christmas Story

As we continue to look at the Christmas story it’s important to point out that Christ was born without sin. If Jesus was the biological descendant of Joseph the curse of sin would be upon him, and that’s exactly why (Luke1: 43-35) is so important, because it describes the conception of Jesus by the Holy Spirit and not by Joseph. In the Gospel of Luke chp 3, Luke traces the human genealogy of Mary backward from her father Heli to Adam himself, but it never says that Christ was “begat” by Joseph. In Matthew chp. 1, the genealogy of Joseph is traced back to David and Abraham describing the fact that Joseph was in the genealogy of the promised seed, thus giving him the right to claim the throne of David, but it still is never stated that Joseph “begat” Jesus, only that he was the husband of Mary. Joseph adopted Jesus, and as an adopted son all the rights, blessing, and privileges of son ship were given him by law. This firmly shows that Jesus Christ was completely human, a true descendent of David, and at the same time God. Jesus was indeed virgin born, (Isa 7:14) says “…therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

“proving”

When it comes to Faith Promise giving, it’s all about “proving” or keeping our word. (2Co 9:7) “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give;…” Giving after one has promised to give, is proof of one’s commitment. Faith Promise is making a financial commitment to give knowing that God will provide for us if we give. In other words our faith is tested every time we give. It’s one thing to vow, but it’s another thing to keep one’s vow when things get tight. If we will just learn to give first, God is obligated by His Word to provide every time back to us. Faith always precedes God responding. (Lu 6:38) says, “Give, and it shall be given unto you;” There is only one person to blame if your needs are not being met, and that’s You! God does not lie or make false claims in His Word. If He says He will take care of us, than He will, and when He does you’ll know it. (2Co 9:8) “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:” So which will it be, will this year be a year of fear and doubt, or a year of faith and miracles. We can’t have it both ways. So practice faith promise, & watch God provide!

For without faith it is impossible to please him. (Heb11:6)

Do you really believe that if you give financially to God, that He will take care of your needs? Not trusting in God’s promises is the same as saying to God, I don’t believe you. God’s blessing always follows our obedience. (Mt 6:33) “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Lu 6:38) “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal (or give) it shall be measured to you again.” (Mal 3:10) “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (2Co 9:7) “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver, for God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:” For without faith it is impossible to please him. (Heb11:6)

Faith Promise

November is again upon us, and again I will be asking you to commit to giving to Faith Promise. I’m sure that all of you have been tempted to cut back this year, but if you will just glance at the mission’s board, I believe that the Holy Spirit will again burden your heart to commit another gift to these brave men and women. They are counting on us not to quit but to continue to give. Many churches are cutting back, but let’s not be one of them. Our goal must be to continue on in faith, even though our funds are low. “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.” Don't let fear dictate your Faith Promise this year. God can supply even during a famine. “…for God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” “Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food.” Oh listen, don’t draw back out of fear, but let faith lead you forward to give again at least what you gave last year. So, let faith win, give and trust God for the results!

Start serving now, and don’t stop serving until you stop breathing.

(2Ti :5) “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” The main object lesson of the above verse is not just to do serve the Lord, but to finish our course rightly. The Apostle Paul was instructing Timothy in how to finish and not quit along the way. 1) Watch. This is the same word that the Lord used in the garden of Gethsemane, when he desired the apostles to stay awake and pray. Why? Because “the flesh is weak.” Stay alert, and stay on course. 2) Endure affliction. The word means to “bear up under.” Don’t quit, toughen up, believe God for a miracle, and claim his promises. (Pr 24:10) “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” 3. Work evangelistically. If you want to finish rightly then don’t let anything stop you from sharing Christ. Witness, invite, disciple, & get involved. 4. Make full proof of your ministry. Don’t stop short of all that God wants to do with you & through you. Start serving now, and don’t stop serving until you stop breathing. There are way too many Christians today retired and/or on vacation.

What is our purpose as Christians ?

(Ph. 1:6) “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” What is our purpose as Christians ? God doesn’t just save us, to save us, He saves us to use us, but in order for Him to use us He needs to rebuild us, reshape us, and retrain our thinking. That’s why sometimes things go wrong, or why problems arise that we cannot fix, so God can reveal Himself faithful in every situation. Christian growth takes place through a series of tests, and each test is divinely planned and purposed to conform us more into the image of Christ. Here are just three. 1) The test of “calling.” We have been called to “go into all the world.” Have you passed it? You’ll never pass and see souls saved until you obey God and go. 2) Test of ‘provision.” This test is given when God places us in the place of need. We either pass or fail based on our trust in God’s promises. This test is designed to build faith. 3) Test of suffering. Living saved is identifying with the rejection and suffering of Christ. None of us can pass this test until we die to self and let God perform His good work in us. Therefore Christian, understand that living Christ is a life long test, but fear not God gives it to us with an open book.

What motivates you as a Christian?

What motivates you as a Christian? There needs to be something or we will most certainly quit. The Apostle Paul had two things.

1) Hell itself. - (2Cor. 5:11) “ Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” 2) The love that Christ. (2Cor. 5:14) “For the love of Christ constraineth us…” Motivation is the key to Christian success. My two motivations are: 1) The cross. The Lord died for my sin there, in my place, and I owe him my life. 2) The call of God. Not just as a Pastor but as a Christian. We have a call to go, and make disciples. You and I need a cause higher than ourselves to stay motivated. So how can you and I stay motivated? 1) Be appreciative. Only unappreciative and self-centered people take without being thankful. Repent and be truly thankful for all that God has done for you. Don’t let yourself forget. 2)Be approvable. Prove yourself faithful. Live approved by practicing the basics again: Church attendance, Bible reading, Prayer, Witnessing, and living godly. Faithfulness is proved by living God’s standard’s. 3) Be accountable to someone. Change takes obedience and discipline, but sometimes we need the help of another. Find someone else who is faithful and trustworthy, and ask them to hold you accountable. Motivation is the key to success in the Christian life, but it can't start until you learn to have a heart of appreciation.

Forgiveness

As we grow in the Lord, God places us in certain situations, that allows us to make certain choices that reveal to us our true character. One of those situations is in the area of forgiveness. When we get saved we are forgiven for every transgression, but even though God has forgiven us, wrongs that we have committed against others may not be. In the book of Philemon, Onesimus was a run-away slave that later was led to Christ by the Apostle Paul. Although he was now saved he still needed to right his wrongs with his owner, Philemon. Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon to correct his wrong. Onesimus sought forgiveness, but Philemon was asked to grant it. After we’re saved, we may be asked by God to right past wrongs. It may be that God would have us humbly seek forgiveness, or possibly humbly grant it to another. In both cases it takes a strong character to admit wrong or forgive the wrong of another. To often we sweep under the rug the very things that God wants us to deal with. (Eph 4:32) “ And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” So learn the character trait of forgiveness, and experience the joy that will come from it.

Cast it down and destroy it, before it is too late!

(2Co 10:5) “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God…” In the O.T. whenever God introduced a new King, He always mentioned the words, “ he did right in the eyes of the Lord,” or “he did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” Time and time again, the Lord was displeased with Israel and Judah for not tearing down the high places that were erected by Solomon (because of his ungodly wives), and Jeroboam, Israel’s first king of the northern tribes. The high places were places erected to sacrifice to devils and false gods, and God instructed Israel long before to get rid of them utterly or their children would find them. Only one King (Hezekiah) out of 40 kings of Israel, had the spiritual obedience to destroy them, and as a result God brought a great revival. A few weeks back we had revival meetings and many of us made decisions to change, but the question is have we kept our word. In the above verse, God is instructing us to tear down the high places, and to stop making excuses for why we let them remain. Israel did so, and as a result their children found them, and fell away from the God of heaven. All because they thought it was no big deal to keep them around. Don’t be surprised, if that sin you keep around ends up being the very sin that your children pick up on and worship. Cast it down and destroy it, before it is too late!

Love To Give

How can we as Christians develop a heart that loves to give? I think the answer to this question can easily be answered by simply putting God and His Word first in our life. When we do, our hearts will automatically desire to give as it should. As a Pastor, I always here of Christians being short money, and some even use that as an excuse for why they don’t give as they ought, but the real problem is not their lack of money but rather their lack of faith. If God is not first, fear will do the deciding for you. (2 Cor. 8:12) says, “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.” 10% of nothing is nothing, but 10% of any amount is still something. It’s the heart that determines the amount we give, to whom we give it, and the degree for which God basis His blessings back. (2 Cor. 9:6-7) “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” If we love God and obey His Word, God will honor us. If we are content with what God has provided and not greedy, God will continue to be gracious. If we will just believe and obey the known will of God, God promises to provide for our every need. God cannot respond to fear and doubt, so stop making excuses, put God first, and give from the heart.

“Parable of the Sower”

The “Parable of the Sower,” is an interesting parable. Every time I read it I get more out of it. In fact, if we’re going to be effective in winning people to Christ, we had better understand it. Why? Because it helps us understand why some people listen and why some don’t, or why some people get saved when others won’t. You see, when we deal with people spiritually we need to understand that we all are on different levels. In this parable Jesus compares a “seed” to the Word, and the four “soils” to the hearts of all men. 1) Hard soil is a hard heart that hears the word but understands it not. In this case, there is nothing wrong with the word preached, but this person’s heart is not willing to hear, and so Satan steals away the word. 2) Stony soil is a heart that listens and agrees, but never really lets the word take root. So, because they are faking salvation they quit when difficult times arise. 3) Thorny soil is a backslider’s heart. Although they are truly saved the world has control of the heart, and so they lose interest in winning souls. 4) Good soil, Is the heart of someone who not only accepts Christ, but loves Christ above all others, and bears much fruit. The heart is the key to bearing fruit. This parable is as much about us, as the unsaved! The reason we don’t bear fruit is because of heart #3.

For the love of money

“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” (1 Tim. 6: 10). The Bible does not say that money itself is evil, but it does say that the love of it is. We as Christians must be careful how we handle the money God has entrusted to us. The church is to be a non-profit organization, and we must be careful that it does not lose its focus or why its money has been entrusted to us by God. 1) The church is not a welfare system whereby we support everybody in it. In (1 Tim. 5:3-13) we are warned to not even support widows unless they are desolate. The reason being, that men and women of the church should learn to care for themselves, because  our  giving to them may encourage them to be lazy and selfish people. 2) In (5:17-18) we are instructed to provide for the Pastors that labor in the church. It says that they are worthy of a “double honor.” That being honor and respect, and our financial support. 3) In (6:19) we are also instructed to be content with our income, and not love money more than serving God. Too many Christians work too much, (and some even on Sunday), and give very little time or money to the church. Jesus said, that we must make a choice to either serve God or (mammon) or money. The love of mammon steals away from the tithe, Faith Promise, church, and the churches outreach, because our hearts are no longer faithful, but covetous.

Purity

“Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.” In the above verse the Apostle Paul is instructing the young Pastor Timothy to teach his church to respect their elders and to treat one another as if they were a family. The word “elder” here is not just the pastor of the church, but the older men and women of the church, and the words “rebuke not,” mean to not disrespect them verbally with harsh or critical words. In the church the elderly are to be treated with the same respect as one would give to a mom or dad. Be careful in this world of selfishness and self-centeredness that you do not forget to love and treat the older saints with honor. The Apostle Paul also wanted the younger members to treat one another as brothers and sisters. Sometimes brothers and sisters fight and disagree, but they are still family. We need to have a spirit of kindness, longsuffering, humbleness, forbearance, and forgiveness, if we are going to get along. Most families have conflict sometimes, but somehow they work at getting past it, and so should the church. Be careful to be a brother of grace more then of conflict, and as the Holy Spirit says, learn to also practice brotherly love in “purity.” The purity He is referring to, is a moral purity between churches members. Since the church is composed of men & women, respect for the opposite gender is extremely important. The highest regard to avoid instances of sexual temptation and bad behavior between ourselves needs to be a priority. Many a church, or Pastor, or life, has been destroyed by not taking heed to brotherly purity.

“personal conduct.”

(1Ti 4:7-8) “But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things..., In this world in which we live people are very interested in bodily exercise, but in the above verse God says that it’s still not more important than exercising personal godliness. Satan hates personal godliness, and morality, and so he attacks the church by lulling its people into being more interested in the flesh then in the spirit. The above verse commands the Christian to forsake fleshly fables and to exercise godly habits. You might ask, well how do I exercise godliness ? Simply by taking the word of God, memorizing it, and then practicing it over and over, until you get stronger by it. For example, the Apostle Paul instructed Timothy to be an example to believers in “word.” The “word” he spoke of here, is the speaking of the truth. He wanted Timothy to practice being a man of his word, telling the truth at all times. To exercise himself in this area consistently, and if perhaps he does fail, to again remember the Word of God and to get up and try again until he gains strength in this area. The same is true, when it comes to our “personal conduct.” Satan loves it when Christians look, and act, and talk like the world. Why, because we lose our power with God, our testimony before others, and we cause our weaker brothers and sisters to fall and stumble by our ungodly examples.  Satan wants the church fleshly, immoral, worldly, & more interested in self then in the will of God and others.  So their remains only one question; how strong is your godliness today ?  Your godliness is a direct result of your spiritual exercise.

Time

One thing that I have learned over the years and that I have tried to teach others is that you cannot change your past but you can change your future. Regret is an awful thing to live with, and unless we determine now to obey the known will of God for today, tomorrow will most assuredly be something we regret. Take salvation for instance, God’s Word tells us that eternity is forever. So why do so many people give so little attention to it now? The Bible tells us in (James 4:14)“…For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” The Bible also tells us in (Luke 16:19-31) that not everybody is going to make it to heaven. We must never forget that hell is a real place, and that once you’re there, there’s no getting out! According to my Bible, Hell is full of people that regret for all eternity not caring about spiritual things while they were on earth. It is full of people who put money and the cares of this world before God. Who when they lived, lived for self and selfish pleasures, not realizing that this life is only a drop in the bucket when it comes to forever. Who now regret forever, and suffer the torture and agony of Hell’s Fire.  Even as Christians, somehow we fail to realize that we only have so much time to reach our relatives, our town, and our world for Christ. Why do we waste so much time on things of no value, when the valuable things of God, and the souls of men, get so little attention ?

“giving heed”

 “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;” It’s interesting in the day in which we live how many of our beliefs and doctrines are affected by the seducing voices and persuasions of demons.  You might say, well how can demons affect my beliefs? By “giving heed” to them.  That means giving ear to the persuasive voices of anti-biblical and extra-biblical beliefs. The above verse is written to Christians, not the unsaved.  How can someone depart from a faith that they never had? Be careful in this world of many beliefs that you don’t pick up something that will cause you to depart from the faith of God’s Word. It’s just as wrong to add to the Word, as it is to take from it. Some Christians put so many demands upon a believer that their Christianity seems more like a burden than a blessing, and yet others pick and choose from God’s Word what they want to practice. Both are equally demonic. Satan’s cohorts are everywhere, speaking in our ears to follow such terrible beliefs as, skipping church, fornicating, gambling, gossiping, backbiting, not giving, drinking and illegal drug use, etc. The Holy Spirit’s voice would never take you in that direction, but damnable beliefs and practices will. Be careful when you here people tell you that you can do something, when God says don’t. The voices of the world are full of demonic influences, so be careful to use the Word as your guide and not men.

How well do you stack up ?

In continuing in our theme, “How we ought to behave in the house of God,” I have chosen this week to look at the standards required of the office of Pastor and deacon in (1 Tim. 3:1). Here the Apostle Paul calls the ministry of a Pastor, a “good work,” and the deacon’s office, one of “good degree.” God desires that all men live up to this good degree, regardless if he has a title or not. As I have said before, we are not to wait till we hold such a position, but rather live these high standards regardless. (1Co 4:1-2) “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” What we need today are faithful men, more in love with God than they are this world. Men who have chosen to live up to these high standards, without being forced to. God asks that the Pastor and deacon be “blameless,” meaning that they are not guilty of disobeying God’s Word in practice. But aren’t all men commanded to be blameless as well ?  (2Pe 3:14) “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” Therefore men, the will of God for you is to be, “blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt. to teach, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy, patient, not a brawler, not covetous, one that rules well his own house,… of a good report…”  How well do you stack up ?

Fathers

Since Father’s Day is a day to honor Father’s, let us not forget to honor our Heavenly Father. In (Matt. 6:9) it says, “Hallowed be thy name.” We should both sanctify it, and honor it because God is honorable. 1)  Because of his Love. “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.”  God’s love is unconditional, meaning that his love is not based upon our performance but rather upon our worth to him. God sent his son to die even though we are sinful and wicked people, and yet in his eyes he sees something of worth in us, even though we may not feel worthy.  2) Because of his Mercy.  When a sinner repents of his sin and receives Jesus Christ as personal savior, at that very moment he is born again into the family of God, and the blood of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice washes away all sin , past,  present, and future. And not only that, but Jesus himself is seated at the right hand of God, interceding on our behalf, forgiving, & keeping us saved. His mercy, his forgiveness, and longsuffering endures forever. 4) Because of his Truth.  Every single word of the Bible is immutable (never changing), meaning that “it is impossible for God to lie.”(Heb. 6:13). I thank God that we serve a God who tells the truth & that keeps his promises. May we as earthly fathers pattern such an honorable and Hallowed, Heavenly Father.

submission to authority

As we continue in our series on how to behave in the house of God, the Apostle Paul in (1 Tim. 2:9-15) now turns his instruction to the women in the church. His instruction is that they learn to profess the godliness of Christ by their submission to authority, and by their ministry only to other women and children. It’s sad in our day that so many churches have embraced this false doctrine, and have allowed women to hold positions of authority in the church, despite the following truth. “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.” This verse teaches us that women are not allowed to instruct men or dominate in a position that is over men. I have heard some female pastors say that this text was written for just the women of that day, and yet others justify their position by saying that fewer and fewer men today are going into the ministry, and so that makes it OK..  Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but if they truly believe these things, aren’t they still disobeying the above verse. There is no excuse, nor argument that negates the Word of God. Either it’s true or it’s not, and if they say it’s not, then they are disobeying the very God that they are supposed to preaching about. “Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.”

Learn to Pray

(2 Tim. 2:1) “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;” One of the greatest privileges we have as Christians is the privelege of prayer. In the above verse, the Apostle Paul is reminding us that we need to first of all to learn to pray. 1) Learn the importance of prayer. Little prayer = little power, and no prayer = no power. The Early church learned that when they prayed God answered, and the more they prayed the more powerful and unified they became. 2) Learn the importunity of prayer. Importunity means persistence. That is precisely what Paul meant by supplication. We need to learn that God loves it when we are persistent in prayer, and the more we pray the more He is persuaded to answer. This is what God meant by His command to A-S-K, (Ask, Seek, Knock). A Christian that is determined to get an answer from God is promised that he will, if he keeps asking. 1) Learn the imperativeness of prayer. This is the urgency of prayer. In the above verse Paul wants us to learn to practice intercession. To pray for the souls and lives of others,  for leadership and authority, and to learn to give thanks more than we complain. The more we begin to pray for others and see God work, the more we will begin see how imperative intercession is.

“To war a good warfare.”

“Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:” In (1 Tim. 1: 18) The Apostle Paul also instructed Timothy, “To war a good warfare.”  Paul wanted Timothy to understand that the Christian life is a battle. After we’re saved we go to war with Sin, with Satan, and with Self, which by the way is our most dangerous adversary. If we can learn how to control the flesh, Satan cannot harm us. Satan doesn’t bother Christians who are undisciplined in the Word, he knows that their lack of self-control and disobedience will destroy them sooner or later. Therefore we must learn two important things. 1) Faith.  Faith demands that we hold God’s Word up like a shield. It’s not enough to just believe it, we must learn to stand upon it and hide behind it.  When our flesh operates independent of God’s Word there is no protection, but when in submission to it, there is. 2) Good Conscience. When the conscience is tender toward the things of God, that’s good, but when it’s not, that’s bad. An undisciplined Christian doesn’t feel guilty when in disobedience, but a disciplined Christian does.  So discipline your flesh, obey the Word, and develop a good conscience !

Accountability is every bit a part of a strong church body.

The church is a called out assembly of believers, but also the pillar & ground of truth. Therefore, we must 1) Practice solid doctrine. (2 Tim. 1:13)”Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me...” Why? Because men will try to turn the truth of God’s Word, into fables. The church must be careful not to stray from the truth. “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.” 2) Practice “discipleship.” The gospel message is more than just getting people saved. It’s also a command to teach others what we have been taught about Christ. (1Ti 1:16) “Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” 3) Practice “discipline” “that thou… mightest war a good warfare, Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:” Accountability is every bit a part of a strong church body. Sin within must not be tolerated, or it will corrupt and defile the whole body. Therefore we must practice the purging of sin to maintain a healthy church.

How important is good behavior in the Church of God?

“…that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. How important is good behavior in the Church of God? According to the above verse, very! Why? 1) Because it is God’s house, and therefore God has ordained its order, organization, authority, and intended reverence. 2) It’s the Church of the living God. We are the “called out assembly.” Living testimonies of His grace, called out of the world to serve a living God by being living sacrifices. We are the bride of Christ, His body,   and active participants, whereby we are to strive to be constantly growing, and constantly reproducing Christ in ourselves and others. 3) It’s the pillar of truth.  The Church is to be a support system holding up the truth of God’s Word in a world that is constantly trying to tear it down. We the church are to elevate it by our  love and obedience to it. We may not be the most popular people in town, but we ought to be the most honest, the hardest working, and the most godly. 4) It’s the ground of truth. A place of refuge, fellowship,   and nurture, where by all who come to Christ are nourished by the fruit of God’s vineyard.

So what happened to them ?

 (Gal. 1:6) “ I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:” It’s interesting that when Paul penned these words concerning apostasy in his day,  little did he realize how  accurately he would describe the future state of the church in America. History has shown us that once a church or a school’s leadership compromises the fundamental doctrines of the faith, there is little or no chance of it ever righting itself. Eighty-eight of the first 100 colleges founded in America were organized to train men for the purpose of the gospel ministry. So what happened to them ? Harvard who previously graduated about 52% ministry students, began to allow a freedom of theology policy for its faculty. Yale decided to emphasize academics over theology, Dartmouth and Columbia repealed their strong statement of faith due to denominational pressure, and Princeton dropped its strict policy of insisting on only a saved faculty. Columbia University opened in 1754  with this news advertisement,  “The chief thing that is aimed at in this college, is to teach and engage children to know God in Jesus Christ.” Harvard also emphasized “Christ and The Church.”  So how needful today is it for us to earnestly contend for the faith?    Very!

Children

Pastor’s Corner( Psalm 127:3-5) “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them:…” of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them:…” I wonder how many people believe this psalm today. Someone has said that a quiver ful s five arrows. Now, I’m not sure if five is the exact number of children we should have, but it is certain from the text that God wants us to have many and view them as a blessing not an inconvenience. In a generation of daycare, busy schedules, and pleasures that consume our time, we must take seriously these ittle ones that God has entrusted to us. The word “heritage,” means an nheritance or gift given to us by the Lord. Like money or possessions, children inheritance or gift given to us by the Lord. Like money or possessions, children can be squandered,  and wasted if we’re not careful. God expects us to build a future posterity for His name. We can lose our children to the world just as fasts we received them. The very fact that God has entrusted them to us, makes us as we received them. The very fact that God has entrusted them to us, makes us therefore accountable. For this reason God wants us to view children as a gift we do so. Training children is a privilege, and the time that we have with them s so short. Children don’t just automatically turn out right. It’s extremely mportant that we teach them to obey and honor us right away, & then God and His Word. not depart from it.