Friday, December 28, 2012
Prince of Peace
As we continue to look at the names of Jesus Christ in (Isa. 9:6), we see that Jesus is also called, "The Everlasting Father, And The Prince of Peace." In the above verse, the use of the definite article "The" means that the title belongs exclusively to Jesus, He is the one and only 1) "Everlasting Father." "Everlasting" in that his fatherhood, unlike our temporal and sinful fathers of our flesh, will be forever and ever. Those of us who are saved have been adopted into his family, and are now joint-heirs with him in his everlasting kingdom. We are now his children who have the right to call him "Aba Father" (Rom. 8:15, or "Our Father." (Ps. 68:5) says that he is a father to the fatherless, and a protector of the widow, for he will receive whosoever; be it the unloved, the needy, the poor, or the sinful, anyone that calls upon him. 2) He is "The Prince of Peace." "Prince," meaning the captain of our peace. All who follow him as captain will find the true peace and forgiveness of God. He's didn't come to bring the type of peace that the world thinks, but rather he came to reconcile man with God, and His peace has no end (Isaiah 9:7).Oh listen, if you want the forgiveness of sin, and an everlasting peace with God, then receive God's free gift this Christmas. Repent and receive Jesus Christ
The Mighty God
As we continue to look at the names of Jesus Christ in (Isa. 9:6), we see that Jesus is not just called Wonderful, but also, "Counselor & The Mighty God." 1) Counselor. It's amazing that in the day in which we live, people will spend great amounts of money on the advice and opinions of educated men, but then reject the free counsel of God. (1 Jn 5: 9) says, "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater." God in his infinite wisdom has freely given to us, "all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him…" (2 Peter 1:3). Why then is there so much confusion and arguing over things that are specifically stated and commanded by God? Why, simply because we have not fully surrendered to the final authority & council of God's Word. God's Word is not just a book of inspired suggestions, but rather the complete and final say of God. 2) The Mighty God. The world in all its foolishness loves the babe at Christmas but denies the power of the God man Jesus Christ. Why, because a babe is non-threatening, and weak, and easy to be overcome, but a Mighty God is someone they cannot push around. One day he will be seen as he truly is today, The Mighty God, The King of Kings and The Lord of Lord's. Amen!
Jesus' name is truly Wonderful !
(Isa 9:6) "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful.." Wonderful, there is probably not a better description of what life is now like because of the coming of Jesus Christ to this earth. 1) Jesus was Wonderful in his Birth. Imagine what life would be like without him. God became man, he incarnated a human body and although the flesh of Christ did not exist before Bethlehem, the Son of God did. Wonderful was the prophesy of his virgin birth some 800 years before he came, born to the tribe of Judah and in the line of David. 2) Jesus was Wonderful in his Benevolence. For "unto us a child is born." To us who are unworthy sinners, to us God still sent His Son to save. Jesus came and gave up everything, so that we might inherit all things in him. He came to serve, and to heal, and to give to all men freely his grace and love. 3) Jesus is Wonderful in his Beauty. Oh the beauty of his wonderful free gift of salvation, and the peace and hope that comes along with it, as well as the beauty of his Holy Spirit that indwells within us, and that guides us and keeps us saved. Jesus' name is truly Wonderful !
Saturday, November 17, 2012
The Secret Of Successful Giving To The Lord
Pastor’s Corner (2Co 9:7-8) (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. (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:" On the Faith Promise Slip that I handed out to you is the promise of verse (v.8) that cannot happen unless you first obey (v.7). When it comes to giving to FP Missions giving, (v.7) says that God never tells us what to give, He lets us purpose or decide the amount first. His only command is that we give it cheerfully and not because we have to with the wrong motive. Then (v.8), and only then is God free to supply our needs by His grace, making sure that we not only have enough money to give but that we also have enough for our bills & every good work. Faith can only be demonstrated by our obedience first, so that after God is then free to keep His promise (v.8). So the real question is, do we believe God and can we trust Him in 2013 to do the impossible? Then give, and pledge to FP Missions first, and then after by faith trust God to keep His Word. God requires obedience first, not last
Thursday, November 1, 2012
The dispensation of Human Government
(Eph 3:2-3) "If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery;" As we look backward in time, the mysteries that have been hid from generations, are now made known unto us during this present dispensation of the church age. A "dispensation" is a specific time period whereby God revealed or dispensed a new truth to the world in addition to their already revealed knowledge. For example, the 1st dispensation was that of "innocence." Adam and Eve had not the knowledge of evil until after they sinned, so they lived during a time period or dispensation of "innocence." After sin, God gave to them the dispensation of "Conscience," whereby conscience ruled men until God revealed more truth later. Later, followed the dispensation of "Human Government," where God gave man authority to rule. Followed by "Promise" to Abraham, "Law" to Moses, and today "Grace" to the church age which came to us by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Under grace, we have no excuse to not to know "all" of God's revealed truth.
Satan is no mathch for God's Word
(James 4:7) “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” All of us who know the story of Adam and Eve’s fall, know that they were deceived by the devil. Satan's tactics have not changed over the years, in fact his devices always include the words “yea hath God said.” He hates the Word of God and his temptation is always to get us to doubt it, but Christian don’t! Satan is a defeated foe! The only power that he has over us is the power that we give him when we doubt God’s Word. Jesus said, (Matt. 28:18) All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore..” And in (John 4:4) “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” In Christ, we have been given the power and backing of His Word, and His Spirit, and to not just resist the devil, but to cause him to flee. How? By our faith in the Word of God. Jesus is God, and his name powerful. We can call upon no greater, and he has commanded all who believe in him to do so when under attack by the devil. (Jn 15:5)” for without me ye can do nothing” Help is available to all who resist the devil, and stand in the power of Christ and His Word!
Not Everything That's Preached Is From God
“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;" It’s interesting in the day in which we live how many of our beliefs and doctrines are being undermined by the seducing voices of demons. You might say, well how can demons affect my beliefs? They speak through men. The above verse is written to warn us to be careful in this world of the many lies out there, so that we don’t pick up something that will cause us to depart from our faith in God's Word. Satan’s cohorts are everywhere, undermining many of the Bibles teachings, concerning our separation from sin, attendance and membership in the local church, or even to the point of taking lightly fornication, gambling, gossiping, backbiting, drunkenness, or the illegal use of drugs, etc. Christian, it’s just as wrong to add to the Word, as it is to take from it. The Holy Spirit’s voice will never take you in the direction of sin, nor will it add some new teaching to God's Word. Be careful when you hear a voice that tells you that something is ok, when God says it's not. Be careful out there, if it's not in agreement with God's Word, it's demonic !
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