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 Yale decided to emphasize academics over theology, Dartmouth and Columbia repealed their strong statement of faith due to denominational pressure, and Princeton dropped its strict policy of insisting on only a saved faculty.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.

How faithful we were in 2009

As we approach the end of one year and the beginning of another, let’s take a few moments to reflect on how faithful we were in 2009. 1) Church attendance? Were you as faithful to the house of God as you should have been? If not why not take the time right now to repent and promise God that nothing or no one will keep you from being faithful in 2010. 2) Bible reading ? It has been said that, “sin will either keep you from God’s Word, or God’s Word will keep you from sin.” You cannot blame your lack of faith and spiritual weakness on anybody but yourself. Pick up a Bible reading schedule and at least attempt to read through in 2010. 3) Prayer ? Private prayer, Wednesday night prayer meetings, prayer together as a husband and wife, or as a family, all are very important times. (James 4:2-3) “…ye have not, because you ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” In other words no prayer life = no prayers answered, and praying only when you need something for yourself, only causes you to sound selfish to God, so He refuses to answer. 4) Witnessing ? (Rom 10:14)“…and how shall they here without a preacher?” The preacher spoken of here is anyone that is saved. We have all been called to go, but all have not decided to go or preach. No one will ever get saved without hearing the gospel. Who did you witness to in 2009? 5) Giving & Serving ? Both begin by faith in the heart. How did you do in 2009? Did you tithe or tip? Did you promise God to serve and then not serve? 2010 can be a new start if you will “repent and do thy first works.” (Rev. 2:5)

JOY

Just what is it that makes Christmas such a joyful season ? Well, it all depends on who Jesus is to you. There are a lot of people today who would like to take Jesus out of Christmas and just have a holiday, but when you remove the reason for the season all that’s left is a joyless holiday. Christmas could not be Christmas without Jesus, no more than the 4th of July could be a celebration of independence without independence. Christmas is all about JOY. Joyful in that it gives “glory to God in the highest,” because God became a man and dwelt among us. Joyful, also in that he came to bring us “peace” with God if we put our faith and trust in Jesus, and Joy because Jesus came to bring “goodwill” toward all men. 1) J OY must begin with Jesus. The world celebrates a joy that is temporary at best, but if you’re saved you have him living in your heart and you celebrate joy every day. Sure there is joy in the Christmas season, but there is a greater joy in the forgiveness of sins and in a personal relationship with Jesus. Getting saved is the greatest joy you will ever experience. 2) J O Y = in helping Others. The Bible is clear that there is a more full joy when we learn to help others. A full joy, that can only be full as we practice God’s “goodwill” toward others. 3) JO Y that involves You. You might not think that you are important to God’s joy but you are. Jesus came because of you, he died because of you, and it’s you that he wants to save and use as a vessel of goodwill. Though Joy began with Jesus, it continues on through You!

Zacharias

The Christmas story, as found in the gospel, does not begin with the birth of Jesus, but rather with a man named Zacharias. Before the angel Gabriel appeared to the virgin Mary, God sent an angel (possibly Gabriel) to Zacharias the father of John the Baptist, to proclaim to him the birth of his son John. John was born to precede Christ in life, and was sent to Israel to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. 1) John was sent by God on a Mission. His mission was to prepare Israel for Salvation. For 400 years God had not sent a prophet with a new message, but rather Israel was left with an old prophecy that Elijah would precede Christ at his coming. The Bible says that John came as a prophet in the “spirit and power of Elijah.” John’s mission was to preach repentance and to baptize Israel as an outward sign of that repentance, for men could not be saved until Christ died on the cross. 2) John was sent to preach God’s Message. His message was to repent and be prepared for God’s coming salvation. John’s baptism did not save, but it was a preparation, as repentance is today before salvation. 3) John was sent to teach us God’s Method. “Preaching.” “God chose the foolishness of preaching to save the lost.” John preached Christ’s coming, but we preach that Jesus saves. John was the first Christian preacher, baptizer, and disciple maker. God sent a man, and He is still sending men today. Oh, that we would be as faithful to God’s mission as John was.

hold tightly

“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at anytime we should let them slip.” The above verse warns every believer to listen closely to God’s Word and to be careful not to take it lightly. Like a boat that is not tied to a dock, certain things in our Christian life can slowly drift away if neglected. 1) Bible Reading and Prayer. Christians don’t just stop praying and reading God’s Word by accident. The neglect begins slowly at first. One day we’re too busy, and the next thing we know 3-4 days turn into a week, the week months, and pretty soon we seldom talk to God and almost never pick up a Bible. Godly habits have drifted away. 2) Salvation. Salvation cannot be lost, but it can be neglected to the point that only God can tell sometimes if you’re saved. It can happen in a number of areas, for example when we decide to neglect church and not attend, pretty soon we seldom come, or tithe, or witness, or fellowship with other Christians, to the point that we seldom do anything for God. 3) Service. The Holy Spirit’s gifts are not given for nothing. They are service gifts, given to us to produce growth and maturity in the body of Christ. His gifts are supernatural, and they supernaturally work when used. If we neglect them we will lose God’s best in the church and in our lives. So hold tightly God’s Word, and be careful not to let His things slip.