THE IRONY OF EXCUSES

A man was asked by a second man if he could borrow his lawnmower; the first man replied ‘NO, I am baking a cake’; to which the second man stated, ‘what does baking a cake have to do with my borrowing your lawnmower’? The first man replied, ‘nothing, but when you need an excuse; one is as good as another’.

So likewise for the half-hearted disciple; God invites him to commune every week on Sunday, but he "has a cake to bake". What does baking a cake have to do with worship? “Nothing, but when you need an excuse, one is as good as another.”

Speaking of excuses for not assembling for worship; one is 'as good as another'. The irony of excuses is seen when the same person will use opposite "reasons" to hide the truth about why he couldn't assemble to worship.

The same person who said on one occasion, "I had a hard week at work", then said on another occasion, "I needed to work".

Who said on one occasion, "I had relatives show up…", said on another occasion, "I went to visit relatives".

Who said on one occasion, "I’m sick, and couldn't go out", said on another occasion, "It was such a beautiful day; I went out".

Who said on one occasion, "I went last week", said on another occasion, "I’ll go next week".

Who said on one occasion, "I overslept", said on another occasion, "I slept in".

Who said on one occasion, "I was on vacation, said on another occasion, "I need a vacation".

Truly, "...wisdom is justified of all her children."

Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:35

4/8/2020

COMPARE AND $AVE

When Jesus had taught in the temple the Jews were astonished at how He could teach, "having never been educated" (John 7:14-15).

When they heard Peter and John teach they were astonished at the confidence with which they taught, being “unlearned and ignorant men”. “And then they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)

Any similarities in the teaching of Jesus with the teaching of Peter and John? What else would have made the Jews connect Peter and John as having “been with Jesus”?

What about today? Is it not still true that teaching can identify/connect one as having “been with Jesus”? Certainly so! But it can also be proof that teaching is in error. If not, why not? The teachings of the Jews could not identify them with Moses because they did not teach what Moses taught, but taught “traditions” (Matthew 15:1-9).

The apostle Paul stated in 2 Thessalonians 2:15, “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.” Paul once taught things, that he later recognized as being in error (Galatians 1:14). But, when he began preaching “the faith which once he destroyed”, he was connected as having “been with Jesus”, for his teaching was similar to what Jesus taught (1 Corinthians 14:37). Teaching will either cause the teacher/preacher to be connected with Jesus’ teachings, or in error.

The responsibility is upon each person to compare what is taught today, with what was taught by Jesus and the apostles.

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1).

4/8/2020

The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error ~ 1 John 4:1-6

Throughout the first epistle of John it is clear that the apostle is concerned about Christians being deceived. He wrote with urgency to warn them about anti-Christs in chapter two. In that context he said, “no lie is of the truth”, and, “who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?” In chapter 3:7 he said: “let no one deceive you”.

John had a realistic concern about Christians being deceived, for he knew the spirit of error as opposed to the spirit of truth. If that reality escapes our notice, we are in trouble today. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of GOD; because many false prophets have gone out into the world”.

How important is it to “not believe, but test” the spirits? If you have ever watched religious television programs you know it is common for a preacher to tell his audience that he has the Holy Spirit, or that God personally appeared to him and told him to do or say certain things. Apart from the scriptures and not subject to any verification, can you be satisfied with the man or woman who simply says they have the Spirit? Consider what the apostle John says here: “Don’t believe all people who SAY they have the Spirit”.

There are many passages in the New Testament wherein belief (i.e. faith), is commanded. Look back in 1 John 3:23 – “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ”. In Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, evidence is given upon which to base our faith in Christ. Belief is encouraged, urged and also commanded. But here, in 1 John 4:1, belief is PROHIBITED: “Believe NOT every spirit”. We have a command PROHIBITING the acceptance of anyone who CLAIMS to have the Spirit. WHY SO? Because it may be the SPIRIT OF ERROR! You simply cannot believe everything you hear.

Let me mention several fields of human activity: Politics – Medicine – Science – History – Computers. Can you believe everything you hear? What about religion? Can you believe everything you hear? If you listen to the various religious messages in the world today, you will soon discover that messages are in CONFLICT with each other. All that we hear simply CANNOT be the truth. Some theological systems maintain that we are predestined without regard to the personal will of the heart. Others have built a sacramental system surrounded by traditions and man-made doctrine and practice. At large in “evangelical” religion, there is a primary concentration on belief in Christ, but often denying the role of baptism and downplaying obedience to the teachings of the apostles (Acts 2:42). Religious cults claim authority in their writings and structure. Human creeds are enforced. Some in world religions deny that Jesus Christ is the Savior, the only begotten Son of God. Do we just believe everything we hear?

The messages in modern religion are in conflict. So John says: ‘Do NOT believe everybody who claims they are telling you what you ought to believe and do in religion! Do NOT accept every teacher’s claim that he is telling you what the Holy Spirit revealed’. Rather, John said to TRY the spirits; TEST all religious teaching!

Let me ask you – Which religious teachers today should we apply this test to? The answer is: every single one of them! Every single religious teacher should be tested in the same way by simply seeing if what he preaches is as the Lord and His chosen apostles preached in the Scriptures!

Let me state the matter in these terms. Never think that:

~ If a man is popular and brings in huge crowds, it means he must be teaching the truth!

~ If a man is a good public speaker and can hold the attention of an audience, this means he must be teaching the truth.

~ If you like the person, he must be teaching the truth.

~ If a man quotes a lot of Scripture, he must be teaching the truth.

~ If a man has academic, educational credentials, he must be teaching the truth!

There is only ONE way to determine if a man is teaching the truth – SEE IF WHAT HE SAYS IS WHAT JESUS AND THE APOSTLES PREACHED IN THE BIBLE! It is a mistake to decide you like the man, so therefore you’ll accept everything he says. The better approach is take the message, compare that message with what is revealed; then accept the message – not because of the man, but because it is revealed.

One thing must influence everything we believe, teach and practice--The Word of God. There has to be something that is the standard by which all teaching can be "tested" to know whether it is true or a deception; whereby we can know the "spirit of truth" from the "spirit of error". The scriptures can be "twisted", i.e., distorted (2 Peter 3:16) when preached. The reality of false preachers in pulpits cause the need for "testing" all that is proclaimed. Satan has ministers in pulpits (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). There must be a standard to "test". It is the teaching of Jesus and the apostles.

You cannot turn your soul’s salvation over to men. You cannot just listen to a preacher you like and let that govern your response to God without searching the scriptures and comparing what a preacher today says to what the Lord and the apostles said. Hear, believe and obey the gospel message that Jesus and the apostles preached regardless of who is preaching today. Remember, YOU CAN KNOW TRUTH FROM ERROR! (John 8:32).

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4/12/2020

“THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.” ~ John 6:45

Salvation involves God providing what man could not and man responding to that which God provided. This is seen from John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Consider, “FOR WHOM DID JESUS DIE?” Perhaps, the question should be, “FOR WHOM DID JESUS NOT DIE?” Didn't He die for everyone? The Bible declares that God is not willing that ANY should perish (2 Peter 3:9). Thus, He “gave His only begotten Son" for everyone. NOW, consider this: IS EVERYONE SAVED BY VIRTUE OF THE FACT THE CHRIST HAS DIED FOR EVERYONE? IF NOT, WHY NOT?

We are told in Titus 2:11 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation HATH appeared to ALL men…”

If we are saved by the grace of God, and the grace of God HAS appeared to everyone, why isn’t everyone already saved? It is because of what is stated in 1 Peter 2:24 (and elsewhere) about GOD'S ETERNAL PURPOSE for man. The latter part of 1 Peter 2:24 says, “…that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.”

Titus 2:12 says that grace “teaches”. Grace came by Jesus (John 1:17), and Jesus taught (John 6:63). Salvation is dependent upon the things taught by Jesus. He gave commands never before preached; and these commands MUST be obeyed. Notice Peter’s words in John 6:68: “Lord, to whom shall we to? Thou hast the words of eternal life”. Jesus had earlier said of his teachings, “…the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).

Jesus had earlier spoken of the necessity of being taught in connection with salvation in John 6:44-45 as follows: “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” One must learn how (i.e., be ‘TAUGHT’ – John 6:44-45); in order to come to Christ. The prophets prophesied of this very thing in regard to the Messiah.

This is why preaching is crucial. Jesus’ sacrifice was necessary to reconcile man unto God and the message of reconciliation explains how and why. Thus the apostle Paul would call his preaching a 'message of reconciliation' in 2 Cor. 5:18-20: "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."

Uniting people from all nationalities into one body, the church, was God’s eternal purpose. How could such a great feat be accomplished?

~ By recognizing and abiding by the authority that was given unto His Son.

~ By following the same doctrine that He (and they) taught.

This is why teaching is crucial. It is what separates truth from all else. It is unique. Let us go back to the text of 1 Peter 2.

v. 24 - "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."

Notice the latter part of 1 Peter 2:24: Jesus bore our sins for a reason: “…that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” This is stating WHY Jesus ‘bore our sins in His body’; (i.e. the purpose for which God sent Him into the world). Titus wrote of the purpose for which Jesus died in this way: “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14). So we were redeemed for a particular reason or purpose. That reason/purpose is here stated. To ‘live unto righteousness’ and to be ‘zealous of good works’ [these are one and the same].

In this same chapter (Titus 2:11-12) this purpose for which we were redeemed is stated again by the apostle Paul: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world…”.

Now let’s compare Paul & Peter’s language: “live unto righteousness”; to be “zealous of good works”; deny ungodliness and worldly lusts…live soberly, righteously, and godly. God’s ‘GRACE’ is said to teach how to live in this manner. GRACE appeared for this PURPOSE (i.e., it was God’s purpose to show grace to man for a particular reason).

God’s grace taught us through the things taught by the Lord. We can know how to overcome ungodliness and worldly lusts and how to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this way. His teaching on how to ‘die to sin and to live unto righteousness’, are as much a part of God’s eternal purpose as was His sacrifice. They are inseparable, for no one can receive the benefits of God’s grace without dying to sin and living unto righteousness. This must be taught. This is why the things that are taught from the Bible are so important. It is why the doctrines of the Bible must be ‘rightly divided’; to teach the eternal purpose of God.

The ironic “power” of Easter Sunday!

The ironic “power” of Easter Sunday!

Miracles occur! The eyes of the blind opened…to see the truth of Hebrews 10:25.

Their darkened understanding, is miraculously transformed to comprehension of this command of God. A day of miracles indeed! 

People who can't make a 10 a.m. service arrive early for a sunrise service! People who never attend; show up!

Those who sow sparingly, are miraculously transformed into generosity as no budget crunch factors in on spending for new clothes and accessories, for the resurrection of the Lord MUST be remembered on this one day.

Those who normally “don’t have time”, to attend on any other Sunday, are able to perform a miracle and “create” time on this particular Sunday.

Yet perhaps the most powerful miracle of Easter Sunday is the fill of spirituality and religion, which endures for another 51 weeks.

Truly, wisdom is justified by her deeds ~ Matthew 11:19

DESIRE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE

"Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God." ~ Romans 10:1-3

FACTS FROM THIS TEXT:
The apostle Paul's desire and prayer for his fellow Jews, was their salvation...which meant that, even though these Jews were PHYSICAL descendants of Abraham, they were yet LOST. [i.e., "...that they might be saved."]
...even though these Jews had ZEAL for God, they were yet LOST.

ZEAL is of great value.............IF it is founded upon KNOWLEDGE............i.e., IF it is "in accordance" with knowledge. But IF NOT, zeal is of great DANGER.

This 'KNOWLEDGE' is a particular KNOWLEDGE.............a knowledge about God's righteousness, and THAT righteousness is found only in the gospel (Rom. 1:17).

- These Jews were IGNORANT of the gospel. Can people be IGNORANT of the gospel today?

- These Jews acted upon their zeal, yet in ignorance. Can people do so today?

- Will zeal, apart from knowledge of God's righteousness result in salvation?

These Jews viewed themselves as SAVED. The apostle Paul knew they weren't saved, and WHY they weren't saved.

Many today CLAIM to KNOW they are saved, because of the same reason that these Jews did - - - ZEAL. But again, ZEAL is only of great value IF it is "in accordance" with knowledge. But IF NOT, zeal is DANGEROUS.

If ZEAL is "in accordance" with knowledge, two things will be true:
1) the message you hear will be the same as the message that the Lord's apostles preached (Rom. 6:17)
2) the response will be the same as those who responded to the message of the apostles.

The book of Acts contains numerous examples of salvation experiences. The message and response were always the same, and provide us with the knowledge to guide our zeal, so that we can be certain of our salvation.

Compare your "salvation experience" with those in the book of Acts. Look for two things:
1) what was preached?
2) what was done by those preached to?

Were YOU preached the same "form of doctrine"? (Rom. 6:17)

As you read of these salvation experiences, consider who, from the book of Acts were told the things YOU were told to do to be saved?

- - Does it matter what a sinner is told, when under conviction of his/her sin? (Rom. 6:17).
- - Can the preacher misinform? (2 Cor. 11:4; Gal. 1:6).

Take heed WHAT ye hear ~ Mark 4:24

Take heed HOW ye hear ~ Luke 8:18

The Secret Counsel of the Lord

Joseph was made lord over Egypt. While Pharaoh "made" Joseph lord, it was because of the will of God that it occurred. Joseph understood this (Gen. 45:5). To understand 'why', is to understand what Psalm 25:14 termed, "the secret counsel" of the Lord. 

God has promised from eternity to show loving-kindness to those who fear Him. This is in harmony with His eternal purpose whereby those "in Christ" have all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3).

Only those who fear the Lord will understand the purpose for which God showed loving-kindness to Joseph. It is for the same purpose for which those in Christ, are so blessed. What are we to do with these 'spiritual blessings' Christ has provided to us? We are to do as Joseph did with the blessing he received from God. 

Psalm 105:21-22 ~ "He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance; to bind his princes at his pleasure, and teach his elders wisdom."

The reason for which Joseph was made lord over Egypt was to teach wisdom...GOD'S wisdom! The importance of teaching is here seen. Teaching is an essential mark of identification for God’s people, for teaching is necessary to salvation (Rom. 1:16-17). The gospel is a 'taught' message, and it must be both preached and obeyed accurately in order for salvation to occur (Rom. 6:17-18).

The benefit of having the wisdom of God taught and practiced is also seen from what is here said of Joseph. He was entrusted with imprisoning “at will” by Pharaoh.THAT is responsibility!

Whether the meaning of imprisoning or binding was literal or figurative (obligating by an oath), the administering of justice was the obvious intent of empowering Joseph. Wisdom is essential for justice to prevail in life. Either way, those whom Joseph was to teach his wisdom would learn justice, and Joseph would “bind” as needed, depending upon the response of each person. Joseph would be just in his dealings with Pharaoh’s princes and elders. His just dealings were attributed to the nature of his wisdom…which came from the teaching he had about God from his parents and ancestors. His wisdom was demonstrated in the administering of justice by which he lived his life. There was a standard employed by Joseph in his life - - - JUSTICE! Herein is the secret counsel of God.

Pharaoh was confident that Joseph would be just, so he gave him the authority to “imprison at will”. This authority of Joseph was seen from Gen. 41:44, "Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Though I am Pharaoh, yet without your permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” Respect for Joseph’s authority was also a responsibility by all under Joseph’s authority.

In the event that some might not willingly respect his authority, Pharaoh authorized Joseph to “imprison at will”. Joseph would deal with each according to their behavior, justly.

The teaching of Joseph's standard was needful in the leaders, they needed to learn and practice justice in their positions of authority.

So is it with all who fear God…they recognize the same standard as Joseph did; a standard by which they live their life – the word of God. This standard governs every aspect of their life, social, family, and religious.

The benefits of using God’s word as a standard are seen from two passages:

Psalm 119:7, “I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.”

Isaiah 26:9, “...when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.”

Do we understand WHY God has blessed us "in Christ"? What are we doing with our spiritual blessings? Let us walk in wisdom!