The Church

Praise for the Virtuous Woman

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Wisdom’s Praise for the Virtuous, Wise Woman

Book of Proverbs Chapter 31 verses 10-31

Many things have been said throughout the Book of Proverbs about women of folly, foolish women, and wrong women, but the Holy Spirit would not finish this great book without telling us about the virtuous woman.

No matter who we are, as men, we all have a desire for a virtuous woman.

Virtuous means morally good, acting in conformity to moral law, practicing moral duties, and abstaining from vice.

Conforming to Divine Law.

How did a woman come about? Gen 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
Gen 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Gen 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Only one man can join with one woman and be One Flesh, and this by marriage.

The Lord Jesus said: Mat 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
Mat 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
Mat 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

This is the definition of marriage, as defined by Almighty God.

These are the only two humans that God has created!

What does the Holy Spirit say about this virtuous woman?

*Pro 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

The most important decision we will ever make is what we will do with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Are we going to believe Him and the Gospel, or are we going to ignore Him?

The Bible says we are to submit to Him in complete obedience.

We already know that submitting is far greater than just complying.

Once we have accepted the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the truth of God, then the Holy Spirit will come to live in our hearts, and we can know what it is to “Fear the Lord”.

For most of us, the next great decision we will make is the choice of our spouse.

Pro 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

We can understand from this question in verse ten that it may not be easy to find a virtuous woman.

What we see in this passage is the qualifications of an excellent wife.

What we see in this passage is the embodiment of all the wisdom instructions contained in the previous thirty chapters.

We have a portrait in words of an exceptionally wise woman who has the “Fear of the Lord”.

If we are a Christian male and fear the Lord, then if we are seeking a wife, we should seek a Christian female who also has the fear of the Lord.

We must understand that because family relationships are the most important relationships in life, the character of the wife and mother is of great importance.

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Eph 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
Eph 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
Eph 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Eph 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Eph 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

We may read these words as describing a perfect wife and a perfect marriage, and we know that none of us is perfect, so for the husband to find such a godly wife, then that husband must be a God-fearing man living as close as he can to the Word of God.

A virtuous woman is a woman who is noticed by many of God’s people because she has an excellent character, no matter where she is or what she is doing.

Rth 3:11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.

A virtuous woman is a rare and precious treasure!

We may think that such a woman does not exist, but she does.

It is a fact that there may not be many of them.

Women would say the same thing about us men.

One thing is true to that man who has found a virtuous woman is richer than any king.

This woman of wisdom is certainly a gift from the Lord.

Pro 19:14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD.

*Pro 31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
Pro 31:12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

One of the greatest qualities of this godly wife is the fact that her husband can trust her.

He knows that this woman is devoted first to the Lord, next to him, and then to the family.

He will not question her motives, and he will not question her words.

He understands that such a woman will draw the attention of other men, but he knows she will never betray him.

His heart is secure in her faithfulness!

She has enriched his life and meets his needs, and he has hers.

The one thing the Old Testament is good at is showing us examples.

It spends a lot of time on godly men and things that God will punish us for.

This passage is an example for godly women.

Here we see faithfulness and purity, and these are things God expects from all His children.

A good wife will commit that she will never act in a way that could cause her to lose the trust of her husband, and the husband must make this same commitment to the Lord.

The world we live in today is so full of immorality that any signal from a woman or a man can be seen as saying they are available.

The commandments of God do not even exist in modern society.

Wedding vows are not sacred.

Adultery is glorified and seen as normal behavior.

God’s Word is still the truth: 1Jn_2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Our commitments to our spouses must be important, and they must be real!

In marriage, both spouses must be attentive to each other’s needs.

The primary need of women is still love and affection!

The primary need of the husband is reverence and respect.

We are to put the needs of our spouses before our own needs.

The husband-and-wife relationship must be a picture of our relationship with Jesus Christ!

Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

To gain His bride, the Lord Jesus gave up everything to become a man, so that he could give His life to purchase His bride.

We have no greater example of this for our own marriages!

He gave Himself for us!

Friendship with the world is committing Spiritual adultery.

We are completely secure in the love of our Savior!

Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.

Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

*Pro 31:13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
Pro 31:14 She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
Pro 31:15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
Pro 31:16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

This is a woman of good works: 1Ti 2:10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

This home is founded on the commitment of a husband and wife and the love they share with their children.

Her first concern is for her family to be well-clothed.

She does not buy the clothes, nor does she buy the fabrics to make those clothes.

She gets the raw materials, wool and flax to make the fabrics herself, and takes the time to get the best materials she can find.

She works with her own hands.

Wool comes from sheep and keeps the body warm when it’s cold.

Flax comes from the land and is used to make linen, which is for warmer days.

In typology, the wool would indicate that the Church is to be a place of warm, loving interest in each member.

Linen would represent righteous deeds of the members: Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

She also provides food for her family, and she seeks out the best foods for them; she even brings it from afar.

She is compared to ships and not a single ship.

She eats the same food she prepares for all who live in her house.

In typology, this is Spiritual food, and it comes from afar because it comes from Heaven, where our Lord Jesus Christ is today.

It is the Lord Jesus who provides for the Church: Eph 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
Eph 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

This is the food she prepares and puts upon the table.

For breakfast, she gets up before all others so the food will be ready when they awaken.

She does not call upon her maidens; she does these things herself.

She makes sure all those in her home start the day with a good breakfast.

She then plans the day’s work for her maidens.

In typology, the Church is to be full of believers who serve each other the food of the Word of God.

Each member has a purpose, and they are to do that task as well as they are able, but they need the nourishment of God’s Word, that Heavenly Manna from on high.

Each member receives their portion that is needed to perform the service God has given him or her.

After taking care of the needs of her family, she is free to do things that will increase the family budget.

She is also a good businesswoman who invests wisely.

She buys the things she needs without going into debt.

After she buys this field, she immediately plants a vineyard.

In typology, that field is an area outside the Church where we can do the work of God.

A vineyard speaks of joy in that work.

That field can represent the family of God because the Church is to be made up of families.

Every family in the Church that lives for God is a great joy to our Heavenly Father.

A strong Church is a blessing in the place where it is located.

*Pro 31:17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
Pro 31:18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
Pro 31:19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

Laziness is one of those things that God hates, but the virtuous woman is never lazy.

We see her work begins before daylight and continues after all others are in bed.

She is a symbol of strength, and in typology, she represents the Church, which is also to be a symbol of strength.

Most of the churches in America are failing in this issue today, and attacks against the Church have increased because the Church appears to be so weak, and it is a shame.

The Word of God is being twisted and turned till the truth has been removed, and this is another reason God will first judge the Church, and He will accept no excuses!

The strength of the Church is in the Lord Jesus Christ, and He is no longer relevant in much of the Church of today.

Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

The Lord Jesus says: Rev_3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

We see this wise woman is always evaluating the work she has done, and it must be the same for the Church.

There is only one way that will work for the Church!

Jer_6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

Much of the Church will no longer walk in the ways that work and have teamed up with the world in ways that are destroying much of the Church.

We see the candle of this wise woman does not go out at night, and her house is spared from the disasters of the wicked.

The Church must always be alert to the wickedness of the world and the wiles of the Devil.

This wise woman sees that her clothes are in demand from others, and she sells some of them along with her produce that she grows.

It is the same for the Church; the Gospel message is still in high demand from those who have never heard it, and the same Gospel that worked in the days of the Apostles will still work today.

1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Just as this wise woman will be blessed the Bride of Christ will be blessed if it remains diligent in the work the Lord has given us to do.

The Lord Jesus promises a reward for our labors!

We will all stand before the Lord and give an account for what we have done, good or bad.

1Co 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

*Pro 31:20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

We have seen that this wise woman cares much for her family, but she does not forget those who are poor and needy.

She is compassionate and caring.

We must understand that the Church must never be seen as standoffish and must share with the less fortunate.

There are far too many people in our area who are spiritually poor and needy.

The Church should extend its hand and help with spiritual blessings.

There all always people who are in need, and there may be some inside the Church that we just have not noticed, but we should.

It is not just the poor but also those members who have become too old to get out and those who, through sickness, can no longer get out.

If we truly love the Lord, we will be compassionate and help others when we are able, and this includes the Church.

In fact, this should be a ministry of the Church.

Rom 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

*Pro 31:21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

She does not just think of today, but she prepares for the future.

This cold, dead world does not bother her because she shows the warmth of love in her home.

No matter what is going on outside, she has prepared her family for it.

That word scarlet describes the quality of the things this wise woman has prepared for those times of uncertainty.

The Church, full of love and warmth, will attract those who are seeking a place of rest.

The Church must be prepared to face this cold and worsening world.

The Bible tells us that this world will never improve, but there will always be souls that need saving.

Life is far shorter than we realize, and we cannot predict the future except for those who love the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Psalms 22, which refers to the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus, He says: Psa 22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

That worm refers to a crimson worm that had to die to produce a dye used for the color scarlet.

*Pro 31:22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

This noble wife takes great pride in her appearance and in being attractive and appealing to her husband.

She could buy anything she needed, but she prefers to make them herself.

She uses the skills God has given to her, and she lives according to the Word of God.

The Lord Jesus clothes His bride in the very best: Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

The Bride of Christ is clothed in fine linen: Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

As husbands, we should provide nice things for our wives if we are to be like Jesus Christ.

*Pro 31:23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

This husband was known in the community, and part of the reason was that his wife was so diligent and supportive of Him.

A noble wife will help her husband, and many wives contribute to their husbands’ success.

It is the same for the Bride of Christ.

A diligent, hardworking Church will brag on the Lord Jesus.

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

The Church has a high calling: Eph 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
Eph 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

He sits among the elders: Rev 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

*Pro 31:24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

This wise woman provides for her family.
She cares for the poor.
She encourages her husband and his position as head of the family.

Now we see she wants to serve her family with her abilities but charges a price for her services.

What she delivers is quality!

We see there is nothing in Scripture that says a woman cannot work to help provide for her family.

We know that her priority is for her family, and everything else is secondary to this first thing.

1Ti 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

Tit 2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
Tit 2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

We know that there is a price to be paid to be a Christian.

We are to be Born Again into a godly life as much like Jesus Christ as we are able.

The truth must be bought: Pro 23:23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

Truth is not some doctrine, but it consists of wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

These things are more valuable in life than any material riches and are necessary to make life on earth have any value.

This value is eternal and is connected to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The purchase price is the time we invest in the Word of God.

Learning the truth of God takes time and effort, and the Holy Spirit.

Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

We know that a sinner cannot pay anything to be saved.

We can be saved only by grace: Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

*Pro 31:25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
Pro 31:26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
Pro 31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Pro 31:28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
Pro 31:29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

We have already seen where this wise woman is adorned in elegance and modesty, but her true beauty is inside her.

1Ti 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
1Ti 2:10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

She possesses strength, honor, and dignity.

She is esteemed and honored by others as a woman with a strong character.

This is a product of the wisdom of God, our Heavenly Father.

She is ready for her future and does not fear the unexpected.

She stands upon a firm foundation.

She has sown righteousness in her life and in her family, and God promises she will reap the same.

Gal 6:8 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.

Living in the fear of the Lord brings great benefits.

Psa_103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

The Church owes all strength and dignity to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Strength and dignity are the attributes of our Heavenly Father, and the Church should exhibit them.

The Church must always be the Lamb’s wife who has made herself ready, dressed in fine linen for the Bridegroom.

Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

She offers helpful and reliable counsel.

When she opens her mouth, only wisdom comes from it.

Col 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

She is always watchful for anything or anyone who would harm her family and never passive in this area.

Nothing escapes her attention!

Her children want the world to know how precious their mother is to them.

Today, not many children honor their parents, but they should know that there is nothing more precious than loving parents.

Her husband praises her and expresses great appreciation for the support she has always given him.

Her husband knows he could not have chosen a better spouse for himself and his family.

Her driving force has always been the “fear of the Lord”.

Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

It is no different for the Church!

Only through the reverence of our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ is it able to express itself in a way that will reap the praise of God.

Heb 11:6 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.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

*Pro 31:30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
Pro 31:31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

This last passage should strike a note with us because the Lord Jesus said deceit is the main ingredient in these last days.

Mat 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

This wise woman does not focus on deception.

She knows that personality and popularity do not always reveal a person’s true character.

People are not always genuine.

Many people today are masters at deceit, trying to get what they want from others, and the world is full of them at this time.

She can stand her ground because of her relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is our fear of the Lord who will lead us in the right direction.

She has given her life to raising her family and being a good wife to her husband.

No reward in this world can be given for the work she has done, for there is no work more important than the work she has done every day.

It is the same for the Church that remains the Bride of Christ.

There is no more important work than that of the Church that remains with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.

It is the “fear of the Lord” that is the secret to a successful, satisfying, and blessed life here and then the great rewards of our Heavenly Home.

The Church has one job, and it is to remain close to Jesus Christ and do the work He has given us to do.

There is no greater work than this!

Amen

Dealing With Moral Virtues

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Wisdom’s Instructions on Moral Virtues

Book of Proverbs Chapter 18

We can say that virtue is acting according to the “Will of God” for our lives.

The Bible tells us that only fools walk outside the will of God!

Rom_12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

1Jn_2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

Each of us must come to understand what the will of the Lord is!

Eph 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

We should come to an understanding that:

1) We should stand in awe of our Creator, who is wise, powerful, and loving.
2) We can entrust our entire lives to our Almighty God.
3) We can rejoice in the wonder of His salvation.
4) We can rest in peace while the world goes through turmoil after turmoil.
5) That God holds people accountable for their sin.
6) That God opposes the pride of mankind.

Man, in his pride, desires to run his own life and refuses to recognize that God is God of all creation, but He has a humble Spirit.

We must avoid having a sinful attitude.

We must understand that the Book of Proverbs declares that fools walk a path of death.

*Pro 18:1 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
Pro 18:2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
Pro 18:3 When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.

There are many interpretations of this verse, but the most accurate interpretation seems to be that people who think only of themselves, who are selfish and antisocial, are fools.

They are foolish because they have a great desire to live as they wish, but they will meddle in the affairs of all others.

We are to separate ourselves from the world: 2Co_6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

We are not to live a life like an isolationist, which is foolish behavior!

Gen 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.

We are social people, and we will not develop properly by self-discipline in solitude.

To depend upon us for all things is not beneficial, and it is not good, but to do this while we intermeddle in the business of all others is downright sinful.

Pro 20:3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

Pro 21:24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.

What is being obstinate? It is stubborn, having only your own opinion, your own purpose, your own resolutions.

Not yielding to reason nor in arguments. Having your own way at the expense of all others.

This fool has no desire to listen to what others have to say, as they have made up their minds that they are right and everyone else is wrong.

They are interested in only their own opinion.

They will not listen to the arguments of others.

They are so full of pride in themselves that they want to impress others with what they have to say.

These are not people who should be allowed to stay in the Church.

The Church is far better off without wicked people in the Church.

This is not to say that we should police all who come into the doors of the Church, but the Bible does say we will know them by their fruit.

One pastor said that these are blessed subtractions.

Wicked people may contribute to some organizations but not to the Church.

They bring contempt to the Church.
They bring ignominy or shame to the Church.
They bring reproaches or disgrace to the Church.

They will also bring this same damage to themselves and to their families, unless they repent.

It is the wisdom of God that will bring blessings.

*Pro 18:4 The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
Pro 18:5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
Pro 18:6 A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
Pro 18:7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
Pro 18:8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

It is the mouths of those who fear the Lord that will edify the Church.

Pro 20:5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

Joh 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

In contrast, if that wicked person is allowed to stay in the Church, then there will be problems.

Pro 10:11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

When we accept this person, we are showing partiality and not considering the right and wrong of it.

Anytime we show partiality to the wicked, we are wrongly judging the righteous man!

These wicked people may seem to be very wise in the Scriptures, but so was Satan.

Mat 4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Mat 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

The Bible teaches us against such things.

Psa 82:2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.

This wicked person may be the richest man in the congregation, but we are to act according to the Word of God.

These things have divided many Houses of Worship today.

The Bible says we are never to show partiality to the wicked, nor are we to speak against the righteous and the innocent.

Fools bring on most of their problems because they cannot control their speech.

In most cases, it is their quarreling over matters we consider evil that sets them apart from the Church.

Many churches today are accepting the testimony of certain movements when there is no repentance, which goes against the Word of God, when the Word of God is the foundation of the Church and not the words of man.

God calls for repentance!

Jhn_3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Jhn_3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
1Pe_1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Many denominations are quarreling over these things today when the Lord Jesus says, “ye must be Born Again”.

When we throw the Lord Jesus out of the Church, we have no Church!

We are warned: A fool’s mouth ends in destruction!

Their senseless, uncontrolled words will be their downfall.

If they could keep their mouths shut, they might even fool the Church.

Pro 17:28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

Talebearers or those who go around whispering about others also cause divisions in the Church.

We call it gossip, and it will destroy the reputation of the righteous man.

Spreading rumors inside the Church is an abomination to the One we come together to worship.

In fact, the reason we gather together is to worship the Living God!

Pro 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
Pro 6:17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
Pro 6:18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
Pro 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

We must avoid selfish attitudes and sinful words that hinder our relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ and cause division in the Church.

We are to love one another and seek our security in the Lord, who is the foundation of the Church.

*Pro 18:9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
Pro 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

Being slothful is being lazy, being idle, and it is destructive!

Those who are wise are people who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for life now and eternal life in the future.

This is a never-ending life of “Grace”.

Fools trust in themselves, some in their wealth, and others in this corrupt world.

I used to think our own government, no matter which party was in charge, would be far above corruption, but I now know this is not so after seeing the Democrats do everything they could to destroy are nation and our Republic.

Things are getting worse just as the Lord has said.

2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
2Ti 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

We can blame a lot of these problems on the Church because the Church has become weak and lazy, and slothful.

The Church has become a great waster of the work the Lord Jesus has done to save us!

Many in the Church purposely tear down rather than build and preserve the Gospel.

This is why God will first judge the Church before He judges the world.

God will separate the goats from the sheep in the House of God, and the goats know who they are, but the sheep have become far too docile to take a stand on the Lord Jesus and the Gospel.

We can trust that our Lord God knows what He is doing and run to Him for safety.

God is The Almighty God.
He is the great I Am Yahweh.
He is Jehovah.
He is the Lord God.
He is wonderful.
He is the everlasting Father.
He is the Prince of Peace.
He is our Counselor.
He is the High and Lofty One.
He is the Lord Our Righteousness.
He is Emmanuel.
He is the Alpha, the Omega, the beginning, and the End.
He is my Savior and Redeemer.
He is my Strong Tower of safety.
He is my Rock and Fortress.

Those who reject these things are fools.

*Pro 18:11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.

There are not enough riches in this entire world that can save those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ from the wrath of my Heavenly Father.

The rich think that their wealth can save them from anything, and they are wrong when it comes to the wrath of God.

1Ti 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
1Ti 6:18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
1Ti 6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

To all others, the Holy Spirit says.

*Pro 18:12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.

The rest of the world seeks salvation in their own abilities.

That word haughty means proud and disdainful with contempt for all those who trust the Lord.

They are proud people who trust only in themselves.

In their own strength, in their own intelligence, in their own abilities.

As fools, they will not even be able to stand against the storms of this life, and it will break them.

Pro 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

*Pro 18:13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

We must first hear the whole story before we can speak to a matter.

Only a fool thinks he has all the answers!

This is being arrogant and putting yourself above others.

A wise man will wait until he has heard the whole story of the matter and then see if he can help in some way.

Only God and His Word have all the answers to life!

*Pro 18:14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

Our spirit can only sustain us if we live according to Christian principles.

Christian principles give us the strength to look past our troubles to our future, and this will make all our troubles bearable.

Pro 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Those who are deep into depression and despair are difficult to rescue.

*Pro 18:15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

God has no respect for those who are ignorant except for the fact that He will send someone to tell the ignorant the truth so they can decide for themselves.

If a person desires to avoid harm to body, mind, and soul, then that person must acquire knowledge both in relation to things of this world, which are material, and seek spiritual things that are from Heaven.

Most of us who have tasted the wisdom of God are now trying to find out more.

We know we need to grow in wisdom, but it requires our faith, our belief in the truth of God!

Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Jas 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

If we truly begin a search for wisdom, it will lead us to fear of the Lord, the place of true wisdom.

1) Our hearts must be dedicated to obtaining this knowledge.
2) Our ears are open to receive this great knowledge.

Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Our security can only be found in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ have nowhere else to turn for lifesaving knowledge!

They are open to all the destructive forces in this world, which is the domain of Satan.

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2 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:

Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

Only those who are filled with God the Holy Spirit is secure in this world and the world that is to come.

2Co 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
2Co 4:11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

God has a purpose for everything we face in this life, every problem and every difficulty.

This does not mean He causes all our problems; that is what Satan does.

We must keep our focus on Heaven and not on our problems!

2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2Co 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

When we become too ashamed to ask for God’s help, we will suffer more than we could have.

Our Heavenly Father does much more than just listen to us; He will answer every prayer that reaches into Heaven.

We must live our lives in such a fashion as to make sure our prayers reach Heaven, and it begins when we have the “Fear of the Lord”.

We must never seek an unfair advantage over others, because God will not allow it.

We must seek that God’s righteousness is at work in us as we go about the business of serving the Lord!

God’s wisdom will affect our behavior toward others!

*Pro 18:16 A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
Pro 18:17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.
Pro 18:18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
Pro 18:19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

It is a proven fact that generosity and politeness have opened many doors.

There are two kinds of gifts, the gift of selfishness and the gift of kindness.

A man sometimes bestows a favor on another to get back something of a higher value. This gift is a bribe.

Bribery is the cause of much corruption in our world.

The true children of God will not offer bribes, nor will they accept them!

The gift of kindness is the true gift and is the real power.

It makes room for the giver in the heart of the receiver, and it bringeth him before truly great men. Great men recognize and honour the generous.

We may be able to use gifts here on this earth to help open doors, but we never need gifts to go before the Lord!

The door of access to our Heavenly Father is always open to His children!

We must be very careful when we hear something that seems bad about someone.

God’s children must hear both sides of each story.

The first one to plead their case usually seems right. When we hear from the first side, we often feel that the first one to plead their case seems right, and we are quick to take their side.

Our neighbor may come and judge us for our quick reaction without hearing the story from the other side.

Our judgment may be different once we have heard from the other side.

We may have to demand cross-examination of both parties before we can know the truth.

In the Bible, the casting of lots was used to find answers and make decisions, and they had every faith that God would be involved.

Pro 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.

As true believers, we should be able to settle disputes just as peacefully as they did; we supposedly have the mind of Christ and have the Holy Spirit living within us.

We should never turn to the world for help!

As we witness to the lost, it is important that we argue and defend the truth of the Scriptures before all whom we may face, giving exactly what God has said and the meaning of it.

As Christians, we are wise to do everything we can to prevent conflicts in the Church before they arise.

Once it has taken place and relationships are harmed, it will be hard for them to be restored.

People who are angered and hurt are difficult to win back.

These things divide churches if not solved before they get out of hand.

We see that to please God, we must make it clear that we cannot be bought; we are not for sale.
We must never take sides based on partial information.
We must handle differences of opinion according to the Scriptures.
We should do everything we can to live peaceably with others.

*Pro 18:20 A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
Pro 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

There is sometimes great power in the words that we say.

We need to think before we speak and try not to wound the spirits of those around us.

Some people indeed make their living speaking words, and most of them do not care what they say if it gets a laugh or causes some dispute.

They just laugh at those who do not think the way they do

It is far better to seek to encourage and build up people.

We are commanded to show respect for each other.

Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

What we say comes from the heart, so impure words come from an impure heart.

Pro 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Each of us is responsible for our own spiritual growth.

We are responsible for getting our children headed down the right path.

Pro_22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

The families of our nation are failing in this command of God.

If we keep our minds focused upon the Lord, we will think right.

Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

There is certainly death in the power of the tongue, but there can also be life if we think before we speak.

The great example we have before us is the Word of Life, the Love Letter that God has given to us.

God just speaks, and things happen.

God does not speak bad things because it is out of His character and goes against His goodness, but He does not hesitate to tell us the truth of this world and the world that is to come.

*Pro 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

When we find that wife that God designed for us, we know we have a good thing.

This is also pleasing to our Heavenly Father, and He will bless this marriage.

Unfortunately, not every wife is a good wife, and not every husband is a good husband.

To be honest, we will not know how to choose a good wife until we become children of God.

Besides salvation, the choosing of a good wife is one of the most important decisions we will make in this life.

What does God actually say: 2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

We should understand that God ordains each marriage for life, so we must be wise when we are searching for a wife.

1Co 7:10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:

1Co 7:39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

These things go for the husband also.

If our marriage does not work out, we must be careful to observe the Word of God and allow God to decide if we need another wife or another husband.

God is very good at leading two people together and making it a blessing.

*Pro 18:23 The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.

In the Bible, the poor are those because of circumstances beyond their control, cannot work to support themselves.

God has very little pity on those who can work but are too lazy to do so.

God has very little pity on those who cannot work because of sin.

Eph 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Those whom God has allowed to become rich are to help those who are poor.

1Ti 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
1Ti 6:18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
1Ti 6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

How to use our resources is another thing we need the wisdom of God to do righteously.

*Pro 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

We should understand that one true friend is far more valuable than many who just claim to be our friends.

The one who gave us our first cigarette was not our friend.
The one who gave us that drink of alcohol was not our friend.
The one who gave us drugs was not our friend.
The one who talked us into doing something foolish was not our friend.

A true friend will stick by you no matter the circumstances.

Even in this, we have the Lord Jesus Christ as our example because He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who died in our place so we can live an eternal life.

Nothing can separate us from our Savior!

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God bless the Word of God that gives us such great wisdom from the only source of true wisdom.

Amen

Living By Love

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Claiming Rights and Living by Love

Book of 1 Corinthians, Chapters 8 and 9

In this lesson, we will see the contrast between knowledge and love.

We know the Word of God provides us with the knowledge of how to live our lives according to the Word of God.

God has a response to every question we have in this life, no matter what it is!

The City of Corinth was a pagan city, full of idolatry.

Most of the meat sold in the marketplaces had been offered in sacrifice to idols, pagan gods.

A portion of a sacrifice was offered as a burnt offering to a false god; the person who offered the meat would get a portion, and the rest of the meat would be sold in the marketplaces.

Practically every social event in Corinth served meat that had been offered as a sacrifice to false gods.

What was a Christian to do when they went shopping for meat for their own families?

They had no idea where that meat came from, just as we have no idea when we go shopping for meat for our own families today.

There were also great social functions in the city, and many of them were held in the temples built for the worship of these false gods.

Could a Christian attend these events and eat the meals that were served, knowing that the meat might have been offered to false gods?

Many felt that it was wrong to buy meat that had been offered to false gods, but they could not tell if the meat they bought had been used as a sacrifice or if the meat came from some other source.

For this reason, many Christian believers became vegetarians.

Just as these Corinthians, Christians of today live amid a sinful and pleasure-mad world, and we will have questions.

These Corinthians wrote a letter to the Apostle Paul seeking answers to these questions, and the Church of today has those answers.

The greatest questions of today are about Christian freedoms.

Are we free to do as we please?

What restraints are put on Christian Liberty?

What controls our behavior in this wicked world?

What is Christian love?

Today, we have the complete Word of God, and it gives us all the answers we need to live in this life.

*1Co 8:1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
1Co 8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
1Co 8:3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

We must understand the three Christian graces which are Faith, Hope and Charity!

Faith is the vision of the unseen: Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
This is our trust in God.

Hope is our desire to be with our Creator: Eph 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Charity (love) is the necessary condition of our dwelling with God and God in us: 1Co 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

We know that God is love: 1Jn_4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1Jn_4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

God loved us when we were worthless to Him, and we must strive to love like God loves and show that love not only to our brothers and sisters in Christ, but also to those we witness to.

It will be our love that will define us as Christians in the end!

Then, we need to first judge all things by love and not by knowledge.

We all have knowledge if we study the Bible and attend a Bible believing Church, but we all may not have the love of God within us as we go through this world.

The knowledge we have learned may come forth as pride, and our pride may interfere with our love.

It is our love that must define our bodies as a Temple of God!

We certainly have much more knowledge about God’s creations, but it is by no means perfect knowledge.

We have much knowledge about the true Church, but it is love that builds the Church.

It is good to have clear views of Christian liberty, but if we exercise that knowledge without love for our brothers and sisters in Christ, then that knowledge is not fruitful for the Body of Christ.

The Holy Spirit is not given to us to do as we please!

We have the Holy Spirit living within us to give us freedom to serve the Lord Jesus, which is perfect freedom.

We are free to obey all the Word of God.

We are free from the law of sin and death: 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.

1Pe 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

We have complete freedom to do the things that are in God’s will for us.

When God created this world, we live in, He said that it was all good.

Gen 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

No actions of any Saint of God are unlawful if they are in accordance with God’s design in creation.

We should understand that desires are a function of our bodies that God made. So, in this sense, we have complete freedom.

1) We must understand that many things in this world are neither worthwhile nor are they profitable.
2) We must understand that many things in this world are not wise. Some things will enslave us and not bring self-respect.

We are never to become slaves to anything on this earth, which would include such things as drugs or alcohol, or substance abuse.

We are to preserve our self-control to control the things upon this earth and not be controlled by any of them.

Our good health and our emotions depend upon us being in control of our bodies and our spirits.

Indulgence in any of the appetites of the body is one of the greatest sins of any believer.

Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Our knowledge is useless if it is not bound by love for each other!

It is love that unites us with Jehovah.

If we love Jehovah, then He knows it and accepts it.

We are not accepted by God because of our knowledge!

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

*1Co 8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
1Co 8:5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
1Co 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

As Christians, we know that there is no God but Jehovah.

We know that no idol is God and is nothing in this world, no matter what their worshippers may think.

There is no God but One, and He is Jehovah.

False gods are gods of the mind and imagination, ideas and notions.

They are gods made of wood and stone.

They are gods and lords of their own creation.

We could all sit down and think about what a perfect God should be, but we do not even know what perfect really means; we just know that our Savior is perfect and He is a perfect God.

We know that an idol is created because the Devil has influenced the mind of that person.
We know that an idol could represent the demons and evil spirits in our world.

1Co 10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
1Co 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.

There is indeed demonic influence in our world.

Even the powers of nature are worshipped as gods.

Even the Roman emperors claimed to be gods.

As Christians, we know that all these so-called gods do not exist except in the minds of some foolish people.

We know that there is, but one God and He is our Creator.

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

There are just far too many in our world who have not met the Lord Jesus Christ.

*1Co 8:7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
1Co 8:8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

We already know that this church in Corinth was full of baby Christians and was full of division.

They had not understood the truth of Jehovah.

They had many times eaten of this sacrificial meat and had visited the temples of false gods and taken part in the big banquets.

To them, to continue to do these things had to be a sin against Jehovah and apostasy.

It was their conscience that was weak. They just could not accept that this meat could be clean.

They could not tell what meat came from which source, so to them all the meat was unclean.

Too many, they just did not ask the source of the meat, and they just took it home and ate their conscience free and clear of any wrong.

We can see a lack of faith by those who became vegetarians.

They were not strong enough spiritually to control their minds and beliefs.

Act 10:14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
Act 10:15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

Food is immaterial to God. Food does not make us more spiritual or less spiritual.

The eating of food does not make us acceptable to God nor does it better or worse.

We lose nothing by not eating and we gain nothing by eating.

Some would tell you that this same line of thought would apply to wine or alcohol, but the Scripture never said wine was clean.

Pro 23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Pro 23:30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Pro 23:31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

Isa 5:22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
Isa 5:23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

Isa 5:11 Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!

There are many more places in the Scriptures concerning wine and alcohol.

We understand that there is such a thing as Christian Freedom, so the question of real importance is, “What effect will our conduct have on others”?

*1Co 8:9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
1Co 8:10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
1Co 8:11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

Some people use verse 8 to say “fasting” is not needed for a Christian, because of the words “but meat commendeth us not to God”, but this would be a wrong interpretation.

We do have liberties as true Christians, but we are in sin if we lead anyone to do that which he thinks is wrong.

We make things worse for the “babe in Christ” by our example if we teach them to act in contradiction of their conscience.

God has revealed Himself through conscience; Rom 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

Conscience may be regarded as an inward monitor or the voice of God in the soul, that passes judgment on men’s response to the moral law.

We can study the Bible and learn every prophecy and think we know all that we can about Jehovah, but if we do not use these things to benefit others, such as babes in Christ, then these things will not bring the blessings of the Lord but rather reproach for the cause of Christ.

No matter how great a Christian we think we are, we must not become a stumbling block to a new Christian and especially to that one who left the Church before they experienced the salvation of Jesus Christ.

1Co 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

Note that phrase in verse nine: “But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours becomes a stumblingblock to them that are weak”.

To the world, the Church is already a place full of hypocrites, so why would we ever make matters worse?

When Christians are seen out in public doing questionable things, others are sometimes influenced by the things they see us do, but in the wrong way.

We must never forget that none of us are so Spiritual that we cannot fall.

*1Co 8:12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

There is no greater sin for the Christian than to damage the conscience of another believer!

A wounded conscience will make any person feel useless and helpless and may destroy their drive and initiative, and ambition.

Jesus Christ died for us in our weakness. If we lead some poor soul astray, we have committed a terrible sin against the truth of Jesus Christ.

What had the Lord Jesus told the Apostle Paul on his day of salvation?

Act 9:4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

Any persecution of any believer is the same as persecuting the Lord Jesus Christ!

*1Co 8:13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

We must understand that we have no value in ourselves, but because of the work of Jesus Christ, we are valuable in Heaven!

If we are striving to be more like Jesus Christ, then we must remember what He has said: Joh 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Joh 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Our love for our brothers and sisters should mean that we will self-sacrifice for their welfare.

In the Church, we will influence more people by example than we will influence by our knowledge!

Rom 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

*1Co 9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
1Co 9:20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
1Co 9:21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
1Co 9:22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
1Co 9:23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

We can see that the Apostle enslaved himself to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

As did the Lord Jesus: Joh 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
Joh 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

We talk about Christian freedom, and we have certain freedoms, but we are free to walk with the Lord.

When we walk with the Lord, we are not as likely to return to the bondage of this world, which is bondage to the Devil.

Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

This passage may apply more to preachers or pastors, but it also applies to every Christian.

The one purpose of following the Lord Jesus is to reach out to the lost and be a witness for Christ.

Paul said he was free from all men, but he had enslaved himself by love to serve one another.

As we are free because of Jesus Christ, we are not obligated to conform to the world’s opinions.

We are never to compromise our convictions, but we must show the love of God to those we are trying to witness to.

We must remember our humble Shepherd and how He treated everyone He met, no matter their walk in life.

Paul obeyed the laws of Moses when he witnessed to Jews, as did the Lord, as long as nothing violated his walk with Christ.

This is a great example for the Church today.

We are free to do all things that do not violate the Law of God.

Though Paul would be obedient to the Law of Moses as best he could, he did not compel any Gentile to do the same.

Paul would go along with the customs of the Gentiles that were not in violation of the Laws of God.

Paul would go along with babes in Christ and refrain from doing some things that he had the Christian freedom to do.

Paul would not become a stumbling block to anyone seeking Jesus Christ!

The most important “grace” we have in our possession is the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Mar 10:43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
Mar 10:44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
Mar 10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

No true Pastor or preacher, or even a Christian believer, can approach the Christian life with a bad attitude.

*1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but onereceiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1Co 9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
1Co 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

One of the great festivals of the Greeks took place in Corinth during the Isthmian Games in honor of Poseidon, which took place every three years.

When Paul mentioned the word race, these people knew what he was talking about.

No racer entered those games determined to lose, knowing that only one would be crowned the victor.

To be honest, it is the race itself that brings excitement and not always the winner.

As Christians, we all enter the Christian race to be winners, and we can know that our journey to Heaven will be exciting if we put our hearts into it.

God expects us to run and run hard!

Php 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

A racer will spend much time preparing his body for that one day of the race.

He will prepare his body.
He will prepare his mind.
He will prepare his spirit.

As Christians, we must be just as disciplined as these athletes.

A true athlete will not put anything into his body that is corrupt or polluted.

Remember, our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

We must control our minds and our thoughts, and we must give in to the Holy Spirit and follow His lead.

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

That crown we receive from Heaven is far greater than any crown we could receive on this earth.

We must make every time we witness count toward salvation, even if we water where someone else has planted the seed.

We cannot allow our bodies to dictate our actions.

As we age, our bodies will tell us it is just too tired to do anything and has too much pain.

God will not accept this as an excuse!

We are not to be slaves to our bodies; our bodies must be a slave to our work for the Lord!

Luk 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

That cross is a sign of pain and death, but we must overcome it because we can never die, and that cross will drive us to success.

To give in to our bodies is to be disqualified from the race!

We will struggle with sin all our days, but we cannot allow sin to dictate our actions.

There is nothing that we do that can separate us from the love of God.

Php 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Amen

Lawsuits and Loose Living

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Lawsuits and Loose Living

1 Corinthians Chapter 6

As we learned last week, there must be discipline in the Church that belongs to Jesus Christ. If we are not willing to discipline sinful members, we are not being obedient to the Word of God, and we are lacking in faith.

Heb 11:6 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.

Today, we get into another subject about church members and the saints of God.

A “lawsuit” is described as a suit in law for the recovery of a supposed right, a process in law instituted by a party to compel another to do him justice.

We simply say legal disputes.

We should understand that this passage deals only with disputes between Christian brothers and sisters.

It has nothing to do with unbelievers or disputes between unbelievers!

In the end, we will see that a true believer might ought to suffer wrong rather than risk doing wrong.

The Apostle Paul will lead us through this thought, one question at a time.

The first question.

*1Co 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

What Paul is saying is: “How dare you saints of God go to unbelievers to settle any issue you have with another saint of God”?

A Christian can expect no justice from unbelievers, and two Christians might easily decide small matters in a private and friendly manner.

There is no real reason why two believers should not be able to settle a dispute themselves!

Believers should not be disputing and arguing over rights and authority, nor the things and possessions of this world.

Christians are to use the things they have possession of to further the cause of Christ.

Paul called those secular laws unjust, and most of those judges were ruled by Rome or appointed by Rome and were certainly unjust.

Christians were hated in most places, and it would be hard for Christians to get a fair trial.

In reality, when believers try to settle disputes with other believers before the world, it damages the name of Jesus Christ.

Jesus taught: Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

If we truly love one another, we will not cause each other harm in any way.

Christians have the Holy Spirit living within them, and the fruit of the Spirit is:

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Those Christians who do not possess the “Fruit” of the Spirit may not be saved.

The word “fruit” is singular, so each Christian should possess all the traits that are mentioned here.

The world is a terrible place because it does not have the Holy Spirit or the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

When Christians take their disputes with other Christians to the world, we make the Lord Jesus look foolish.

He has already given us the means of solving issues with each other.

Mat 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Mat 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Mat 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
Mat 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

The problems in any church can be resolved if we live and learn as the Word of God instructs us.

Our lifestyle must not resemble the lifestyle of the world!

*1Co 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1Co 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

What Paul is saying is that all this information is in the Bible; if you would just read and study it, you would know what God said about all these things.

This verse tells us that believers are to judge “all disputes” between themselves.

We should be able to judge the smallest matters, which are the things that pertain to this life.

We must never take these things to the world!

We will one day judge the world!

We will one day judge and govern angels in the next world, which we may not understand as of yet.

We lower ourselves and lose our dignity as the saints of God when we take our church problems to the world!

The word judge as it is used here means to govern and administer the affairs of the Church, which the world is to have no part of.

Jesus Christ told the Apostles that they would oversee Israel during the Millennial Kingdom.

Mat 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Paul tells the Church that we will govern and oversee the Gentiles during the Millennial Kingdom.

Dan 7:22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

There may be judging, which is governing, supervision, and oversight throughout eternity.

Verse 2 says the world will be judged by the Church that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of.

Those who reject the Lord Jesus will never live the life of a Christian, so how could they ever judge the life of a Christian?

Judgment can only come when the Word of God is the “Standard” for all laws.

This “Standard” is rejected by the world of today!

We should be able to judge the things of this life!

*1Co 6:4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

If we care for the Lord Jesus Christ, we would suffer ourselves rather than bring reproach to the Christian name!

Unbelievers are as nothing to the Church.
Unbelievers are of no account in judging matters in the Church.
Unbelievers are not held in high esteem within the Church.
Unbelievers have no standing in the Church.

Why would we ever take matters of the Church to an unbeliever?

They do not live the life of Christ, nor do they intend to.

They do not have the Holy Spirit to rely on!

This Church at Corinth had fallen from Grace and needed to return to the truth of God.

When problems arise between believers about everyday things, other believers ought to be able to give solutions.

These things did not require any Spiritual insight to come to the proper conclusion.

*1Co 6:5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?
1Co 6:6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

Salvation is our great deliverance from the guilt and pollution of sin and can only be accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
Heb 2:4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

Once we are saved, we find that the things of this world have little, or no value as compared to the things of Heaven.

Knowing this, why in the world would we take our issues with other brothers and sisters to a court of non-believers?

Surely there are plenty of people in the Church who are competent to settle such disputes.

If we lack wisdom, all we need to do is ask God!

Jas_1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

There should be nothing that comes between two children of God that needs to be settled in a court of unbelievers!

If we feel that outside courts would be better able to handle simple disputes between two Christians, it only proves that their worldliness is stronger than their Christianity.

We are also saying that there are no wise men in the Church who understand our problem.

Then we do not accept that the wisdom of God is far superior to the wisdom of this world!

*1Co 6:7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
1Co 6:8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

Rather than cause friction in the Church, why not just give in?

Why not suffer being wronged and cheated rather than wronging or cheating another brother in Christ?

Just going to an outside court is defeating the principles of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Just going outside the Church ruins our testimony for Jesus Christ.

Rom 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Rom 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

1Pe 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
1Pe 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
1Pe 3:11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

Obviously, these things concern disputes between two members of the same church and not the broken laws of the world.

No doubt that some of these Corinthians were guilty.
They wanted some of the things their brothers had.
They did not steal them outright but sought them by outside legal means.
The world may have called it legal, but they were cheating and stealing from God and God would deal with them.

The Lord Jesus said: Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Mat 15:20 These are the things which defile a man:

Can church members who do such things really be saved?

We can surely say they are unrighteous, and we could question their character.

*1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

We should be able to see that some of these things are things that God will condemn and reject.

We can expect that nothing can save a person who practices these sins.

We cannot defy God and get into His House!

As Christians, we should know these things!

Since God is righteous, His Church must be righteous to be accepted by Him!

Many people profess religion.
Many people practice religion.
Many people talk about religion.
Many people defend their beliefs about religion.

So, they live their lives according to religion.

However, Christianity is not about religion but is about a “relationship” with God!

God’s “Grace” is not given to us as a free ticket to sin.

There are very few people in the many churches who think that God will reject them!

Most church members think God will accept them, and many of them are wrong.

The Lord Jesus taught by parables, and there is one we should pay attention to.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins
Mat 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Mat 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Mat 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

If this oil represents the Holy Spirit, then Jesus is saying that only about half of the Church is truly saved.

Remember, God will judge the Church before He judges this world!

Many believe that deception sins are not fatal, but they seem to forget what being a Christian is about.

2Jn_1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
2Jn 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
2Jn 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 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.

God simply says that none of these persons shall inherit the Kingdom of God.

We should know these things!

*1Co 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.

If we truly give ourselves to the Lord Jesus, then those sins of our old life have been forgiven, and God will never bring them up in our relationship!

Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

We cannot be saved by anyone other than the Lord Jesus Christ!

Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

We can then be “Born Again” into the family of God!

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

We were once dead in trespasses and sins: Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2 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:

We cannot approach God without faith: Jas 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

That faith must be in the work that the Lord Jesus Christ did to save us: Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

The Lord will save everyone who calls upon Him with a pure heart!

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

We know what we were before we met Jesus Christ, and when we see others doing those same things or similar things, then we know they are not saved.

This is not judging, this is knowing them by their fruit!

We cannot say we are saved unless we have a salvation experience!

It is a once-for-all event because the Scriptures tell us this.

We are not to return to the world, and its sin pollution. The worst of all pollution.

God the Father takes our “faith” in the Lord Jesus Christ and counts our faith as righteousness.

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

We do not have any righteousness of our own.
We are still imperfect.
We know we are short of God’s glory.

We must surrender our new life to God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and worship Him.

It is these things that honor God the Father, and He will gift us with God the Holy Spirit.

The Lord Jesus takes care of our past.
The Lord Jesus takes care of our present.
The Lord Jesus takes care of our future.

Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Are all things now lawful to us as the Saints of God?

*1Co 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

The Holy Spirit is not given to us to do as we please!

We have the Holy Spirit living within us to give us freedom to serve the Lord Jesus, which is perfect freedom.

We are free from the law of sin and death: 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.

1Pe 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

We have complete freedom to do the things that are in God’s will for us.

When God created this world, we live in He said that it was all good.

Gen 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

No actions of any Saint of God are unlawful if they are in accordance with God’s design in creation.

We should understand that desires are a function of our bodies that God made. So, in this sense, we have complete freedom.

1) We must understand that many things in this world are neither worthwhile nor are they profitable.
2) We must understand that many things in this world are not wise. Some things will enslave us and not bring self-respect.

We are never to become slaves to anything on this earth, which would include such things as drugs or alcohol, or substance abuse.

We are to preserve our self-control to control the things upon this earth and not be controlled by any of them.

Our good health and our emotions depend upon us being in control of our bodies and our spirits.

Indulgence in any of the appetites of the body is one of the greatest sins of any believer.

Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they (sinners, the unsaved) do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

Paul adds: 1Co 6:15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

**1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Amen

The Prophet Elisha

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

God’s Prophet of Miracles

2 Kings 2:9-14, 4:1-7, 6:1-7

What is making a commitment?

The act of pledging yourself to God and entrusting yourself to God.

Before Elisha became the powerful prophet that he was, he spent some time with the Prophet Elijah.

Elijah was somewhat like a father to Elisha, and Elisha was a devoted servant to Elijah.

We must have this relationship with our Heavenly Father, and we do this while trying to be more like the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

Elisha made a commitment to Jehovah and Elijah.

2Ki 2:5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
2Ki 2:6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.

The Prophet Elisha refused to leave the side of Elijah.

Now it was not Elijah who called Elisha to be a prophet of Jehovah, it was Jehovah who had called him through Elijah.

1Ki 19:16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

We can all love and cherish our pastor, but this will not make us preachers.

We must be called of God!

Elijah knew his time had come to leave this earth, and God did this in a special way.

Elijah had used many ways to test the commitment of Elisha, and Elisha had passed every test.

It was Elisha who would spend the final moments alone with his beloved prophet.

For more than twenty years, the Prophet Elijah had witnessed to the nation of Israel.

Elijah had the power of God upon him.

*2Ki 2:8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
2Ki 2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
2Ki 2:10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

Somewhat like Moses at the Red Sea, Jehovah parted the waters of the River Jordan so his two prophets could cross on dry ground.

On this very day, Elijah would be raptured out of this world in full view of Elisha.

I say raptured because what does the word rapture mean?

The word rapture means to be “caught up”.

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Before the Tribulation, Jesus Christ will descend from Heaven, catching up the Church to be with Himself while the tribulation is unleashed on a world that refuses to repent and is full of unbelievers once the Church is gone.

The seventh week of the prophet Daniel is an outpouring of the wrath of God!

Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

The Tribulation is described in the Book of Revelation from Chapter 6 through Chapter 16.

Rev 19:2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.

That word “whore” means the false Church and those who reject our Creator, especially those who know the truth of God but have rejected Him.

Elisha asked Elijah for a double portion of the Holy Spirit that powered Elijah.

He knew he could not replace Elijah.

Elijah did not have the power to grant such a request because his power came from the Spirit of Jehovah.

In those days, the firstborn son in a Hebrew family was granted a double portion of any inheritance if they were found worthy.

Then, without any warning, Jehovah claimed His servant, Elijah.

*2Ki 2:11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

We must know that our lives are in the hands of the Lord to do as He pleases!

1) God knows when our work is done.
2) Death seems so low, but in fact, we are elevated to a higher service.
3) We are elevated, dignified, and glorified.
4) We do not enter into soul sleep or an intermediate state; we go to another world we call Heaven.

Elijah was carried up by the power of God.

When our Lord Jesus went back to Heaven, He went under His own power.

Elijah was taken up as in the rapture.

Jesus Christ just went back to Heaven, where He came from, to sit at the right hand of God.

The Lord Jesus is coming again first to Rapture the Church into the clouds and then to this earth at the end of the tribulation period of seven years.

Elisha saw with his own eyes that God’s people are all surrounded by angels.

2Ki 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

*2Ki 2:12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
2Ki 2:13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
2Ki 2:14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.

Jehovah had used the Prophet Elijah to demonstrate to Israel that it was Jehovah who had the true power over Israel.

He will do the same with the Prophet Elisha, and it is these things that we must learn from the Old Testament.

If we cannot commit ourselves to our God, how can we ever overcome the obstacles that Satan will put in our path of righteousness?

1Co 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
1Co 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Faithful is another word for commitment!

Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Elisha’s first call was to pick up the fallen cloak of Elijah.

Elisha was to replace the great Prophet Elijah.

The next proof to Elisha was the parting of the River Jordan.

This was an act of faith that he had received the power of God as he had desired.

Elijah had promised the fulfillment of this request, and God had allowed it to take place.

There were some eyewitnesses to this event, and they needed to see if Elisha truly had the power of God upon him.

Elisha began his ministry, and we will see more miracles from this man of God than from any other prophet of God.

*2Ki 4:1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.
2Ki 4:2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.

Just as it is today, women who have lost their husbands or never had one to begin with will struggle to raise a family.

Many of them are like this woman who was married to a preacher, and all of a sudden, he had died, and he died owing money to a ruthless man.

We also see that these sons of the prophets did not separate themselves from society but had families and had family life.

So, this was something that God did not require. In fact, the Church is to be a close-knit family, just as all families should be,

This woman was left with a son and a small pot of olive oil and no money to pay the creditor.

The Jewish law of that time demanded that debts be paid, but God had His demands.

Lev 25:38 I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.
Lev 25:39 And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant:
Lev 25:40 But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubile:
Lev 25:41 And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return.

No Jew could be made a slave by another Jew according to the Word of God because they all had been slaves in Egypt.

We also know that the Word of God was abused then as it is today.

The Prophet Elisha knew what was going on here, and so did Jehovah, who watches over us all.

*2Ki 4:3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
2Ki 4:4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.
2Ki 4:5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

There are times when we will have a heavy need, and the Lord Jesus reminds us of what to do.

Joh 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
Joh 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

Elijah was now gone to Heaven, so this woman turned to Elisha and Elisha said: “Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few”.

God said: Go to your neighbors and get all the containers that they will let you have.

This woman took her small vessel of olive oil and began pouring it into the borrowed buckets, pitchers, and any other containers until they were all full, and she still had her vessel of olive oil.

When God offers His gifts, we must never be the reason that His gift falls short.

As this oil is a type of the Holy Spirit, we must understand that it is never a question of the amount of oil; it is always a question of the empty vessels that need to be filled.

God has enough of His Spirit to fill every human being upon this earth and keep them full!

2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
2Co 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair.
2Co 4:9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
2Co 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
2Co 4:11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

God’s oil can never run out!

We must take advantage of His offer to help us.

If this woman had a lack of faith and just gotten a few containers, her sons would have still had to serve the creditor, and she might not have ever seen them again.

Notice also that this thing was to be done behind closed doors.

This was a woman with a lot of faith.

*2Ki 4:6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.
2Ki 4:7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

We must understand that being poor is not necessarily a disgrace.

Being poor, we can sometimes better understand the gifts of God.

We could say that the Bible is the poor man’s book because God certainly remembers the poor.

A poor woman with a devout heart can be the greatest prayer warrior in the Church and many are.

Psa 68:5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

Psa 10:14 Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.

God’s heart is full of compassion for those who cannot help themselves and who depend on Him to meet their needs.

What did this poor woman do?

1) She informed a true man of God of her situation and sought his counsel.
2) She sought the help of her neighbors, humbly asking for assistance.
3) She sought privacy, giving God all the glory.
4) She got involved in the remedy, pouring the oil herself.
5) She had faith that God would meet her need.

Jesus said: Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

We should understand that every circumstance we face in life could be a test and a means of Christian growth, whether they are good or bad.

To be honest, we can grow more during our bad times than our good times if our faith stays rock solid.

Indeed, we cannot have a testimony until we are tested.

The Bible is a lot of things to a lot of people, but it is surely a testimony of God’s power to help and to defend His people.

The Old Testament is full of things that God did for His people, and we know we serve this same God today.

*2Ki 6:1 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.
2Ki 6:2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.
2Ki 6:3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.

The place where these sons of the prophets gathered to study the Word of God had grown too small, and they wanted to build a bigger place on the shores of the River Jordan.

Notice that every man was to join in the construction of this new building.

Even Elisha would be with them.

By building this new place to worship near the place where they gathered the lumber, they would not have to transport these materials to the other place.

We can see that the Word of God was still working in the places of the Northern Tribes of Israel.

*2Ki 6:4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.
2Ki 6:5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
2Ki 6:6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.
2Ki 6:7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.

We may wonder why this story is in the Bible, but God has His reason for every word He gives to us.

We can understand Church growth.
We can understand the members of the Church helping with the construction.
We can understand the head prophet or the Pastor joining in with the work.
A united Church can accomplish so much more than a divided Church!

What is the purpose of a miracle of God?

We know that miracles did not happen at random throughout Scripture but occurred mainly in the days of Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, and Jesus Christ and the Apostles.

There are a select few that happened outside this time, but not many.

Miracles were given to authenticate God’s message.

God enabled His messengers to perform miracles to substantiate the new message they were given.

The word “miracle” means “power” or “work of power”.

Today, God does not work through a person for miracles to happen.

God may answer a prayer of a believer that requires a miracle, or He may perform a miracle in the life of a believer again as an answer to prayer.

So, a believer’s prayer is the most powerful gift we have today.

Here in our passage, we see that an axe-head called “the iron” came off the ax handle and fell into the River Jordan.

This man had borrowed this ax from his neighbor, and by Jewish Law, he was responsible for it.

Iron tools were precious and scarce on that day.

This happened often with the axes of that day.

Deu 19:5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:

Elisha asked him in what part of the river it fell, and he showed him.

The River Jordan is not a clear river.

In this miracle, Elisha threw a stick down into the river and the axe-head did swim to that stick and that man reached down a picked up the axe-head.

For that man, this was quite a miracle.

Joh 3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

This man had lost this axe-head while he was faithfully serving the Lord.

As servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, we must walk carefully before the Lord and take inventory of our tools lest we lose something that we need.

Without this axe-head, this man could only watch others’ work, and there are far too many of these types in the Church already.

If we honestly lose something and own up to it while doing the work the Lord has given to us to do, then God can recover what we lost and get us back into the race, as the Apostle Paul would say.

Amen

The Promises God Makes

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Remembering the Promise to David

Book of Psalms: Psalm 132

This is another Psalm that was sung as the Israelites traveled to Jerusalem for the Feast’s days as commanded by God.

They had begun to remember the promises of God and it brought joy to them just as it does to each of us.

If we take a look into David’s past, we will see all the pains, the trouble, and anxiety he underwent in his lifetime for the cause of God, especially in the establishing a sanctuary in Jerusalem and making preparation for the building of the Temple.

David was building God’s special dwelling place on this Earth, a place where God would meet with His people.

If you do not have a longing to meet with God, then you cannot be a Christian!

You cannot be a Christian because the Holy Spirit will not come to live within you!

Every Christian is a sanctuary for God to dwell in!

If we look at the very first word of this Psalm, we see the word LORD, this is the Almighty God Himself, Jehovah.

David had accomplished what no lowly shepherd could accomplish.

Except we do know of another man who was a shepherd who came to save His people and His name is Jesus the Christ, the Messiah.

We know that special days are set aside to honor special people and some of the heroes of our nation.

In fact, almost every nation has set days to remember their national heroes.

For the Israelites, David was a hero and in fact, David is still honored as one of the Jews greatest heroes.

The Star of David is the national flag of Israel today.

The “Sling of David” is the name of one of the air defense systems of Israel.

This Psalm was probably written for the dedication of the Temple built by Solomon.

We know that David had spent many years gathering the wealth to build a magnificent Home for God, when He would come to visit this planet, but we know that God is everywhere, and He even abides in every “Born Again” child of God.

He lives in every person who has their name written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

David was now dead and gone, we know He is with the Lord, but the Jews had a great fondness for King David.

By remembering the hardships David faced before he was made king, it inspired the Jews to face their own hardships!

It has never been easy to live in this world since the sin of Adam, and it is not always easy to be a Christian.

We do still live in a cursed world!

The word cursed is used seventy-two times in the Bible.

We know that the Serpent who was Satan is cursed:

Gen_3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

Gen_3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

If you look up the word cursed in the Bible, you will see that many of our leaders of today are cursed by their actions.

Deu_27:25 Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.

We know we have been sold out by our leaders for riches, they will never spend.

We know that every doctor who is paid to end the life of an innocent baby is also cursed.

God has also placed a curse on all those who reject any part of the Scriptures:

Deu_27:26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.

And to all those so-called churches that have left the truth of the Bible, God says:

Jer_11:3 And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,
Jer_17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

God is very serious about the words He has given us to live by.

Let’s begin.

*Psa 132:1 A Song of degrees. LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions:
Psa 132:2 How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob;
Psa 132:3 Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;
Psa 132:4 I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,
Psa 132:5 Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

The Psalmist who wrote this Psalm reminded the Lord how David was devoted to Him.

We all say these things such as, “Lord remember me”.

The truth is that God only forgets when He decides to forget.

His memory is perfect!

He has forgotten our sins, and it is He that said we are covered by the blood of Jesus that has washed away our sins.

Rev_1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

We know that King David had made a vow to find a place for the Almighty God to dwell in Jerusalem.

David was determined that He was going to build a House for God for God to dwell in Jerusalem.

This was David’s vow.

David had endured much suffering at the hands of Saul.
David had endured much suffering in finding a neutral place to worship God.
David had not yet taken Jerusalem from the Jebusites so, this too had to be done.
David had to transport the “Ark of the Congregation “ to this new House of God, but it was not in his hands at this time.
David had to also defend Jerusalem from the attacks of the Philistines two times, while all these other things were going on.

These things may have hindered David in completing his vow to God, but it did not stop Him.

In fact, David said; I’m not going to rest until I build a House for the Lord.

David said it was not right that he was living in a beautiful palace and worshiping God in a tent.

We can see that David’s devotion to God provides a worthy example for us to follow.

Many missionaries today have this same vision as David, to build a house for the worship of our God.

I believe Nathan had this vision and I believe Scott David had this vision.

These were church planters as David wanted to be.

*Psa 132:6 Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood.
Psa 132:7 We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool.
Psa 132:8 Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.
Psa 132:9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.
Psa 132:10 For thy servant David’s sake turn not away the face of thine anointed.

Though this Scripture is hard to understand, what we do know is that David found the Ark of the Covenant and moved it to Jerusalem where it would remain until 70 AD when Titus destroyed Jerusalem.

At this time nobody really knows the whereabouts of the Ark!

These people recalled the passion of David to obtain the Ark and bring it to Jerusalem where he intended to build a House for God.

The Ark had been gone so long that many people had forgotten about it.

It was David who had to remind the people:

1Ch 13:2 And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us:
1Ch 13:3 And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul.
1Ch 13:4 And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

The people thought the Ark was in Ephratah, but Bethlehem and Kirjath-Jearim were both known as Bethlehem at this time.

There is the city of Bethlehem but there is also the region which was called Bethlehem.

It was Bethlehem Ephratah that provided the sheep for the Temple.

Rth 4:11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:

Mic 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Kirjath-Jearim would be the place that was in the woods!

We know that David failed the in his first attempt to retrieve the Ark, but he succeeded when He retrieved it according to the Word of God.

We will always fail if we do not do things according to the proven ways of God!

It is easy to see how this Scripture can be applied to the Lord Jesus Christ.

If King David did not have the zeal for the Lord that he had, we do not know if anyone would have remembered the Ark of God.

David challenged the people to get back to the worship of Jehovah God.

David referred to the Ark as the Lord’s footstool.

1Ch 28:2 Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:
1Ch 28:3 But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.

Psa 99:5 Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.

The world knows nothing about the Holiness of God and many in the Church have also.

Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

David built a tent for the Ark of the Covenant, but he must have also built a place where the people could gather to worship though many of them and the priests still went to the Tabernacle that was in Gibeon, but did not have the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy Place.

The reality of these things is that God will sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem.

1) The Ark is not only a symbol of God’s presence, but it is also a symbol of God’s power!

2) The priests that serve the Lord will be godly servants and agents of righteousness!

3) The saints of God will be a happy people.

4) God would not reject David’s anointed successor. Solomon would be the next king, but these things also make reference to God’s truly anointed which is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Today we worship together in a building set up for worship.

It is the people that are the Church.

The building or the place that we worship is just that, a building or a place.

We should never defile our bodies with the sins of the flesh.

We must obey the commands of God which say we are to separate ourselves from all unrighteousness and ungodliness.

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Today, God is still searching for people like David who love to worship Him.

Joh 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Joh 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

We must be wholly devoted to the Lord!

Next we will see some of the promises made to David.

*Psa 132:11 The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.
Psa 132:12 If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.

There is no greater promise of the Lord Jesus Christ than this.

This verse points to the Messiah and His Kingdom!

Psa 89:3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
Psa 89:4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

Psa 89:35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.

2Sa 7:28 And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
2Sa 7:29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.

The thing we know is true is, that a descendant of David will occupy the throne in Jerusalem.

That throne is the government, and that government will be located in Jerusalem and the Messiah will rule the world from Jerusalem.

There were some conditions to be met for each descendant of David.

We should clearly understand that our unfaithfulness cannot defeat God’s purpose and neither could those sons of David who rejected the truth of God.

We know that God will keep His oaths, and He expects us to keep ours!

It is Jehovah God who chose Jerusalem when He could have chosen anywhere.

King Jesus will rule from Jerusalem.

*Psa 132:13 For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.
Psa 132:14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

We know that some of the descendants of David turned from God and He had to discipline them.

The Israelites would be singing this Psalm as they traveled toward Jerusalem.

We know for a time there was no son of David sitting on the throne in Jerusalem, the fulfillment of the promises had been interrupted and it will stay that way until King Jesus takes control of the governments that remain in this world from Jerusalem.

God’s promise will be fulfilled, and the world is moving toward that moment when the Messiah will return.

The promise will be fulfilled in two stages:

1) Jesus Christ returns and rules the entire earth from Jerusalem for one thousand years.

Jer 3:17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.

2) When Christ Jesus takes us to New Jerusalem and reigns from there forever and ever.

Rev 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
Rev 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

God promises to provide abundantly for those who are now His people.

*Psa 132:15 I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.
Psa 132:16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

I believe this speaks of the point when the Jews will join the Church.

God will provide any and all needs to His children.

The poor will not lack food and necessities as they had on Earth. These are material needs.

Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Then God will supply their Spiritual needs.

In verse nine we see that it was a prayer that asked the Lord for the priests be clothed in righteousness.

Psa 132:9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.

We see in verse sixteen that God has answered that prayer.

I still believe that this is the Jews as they have now joined the Church, and all the saints will shout with joy for the Church is now complete and the Bride of Christ can join with the Bridegroom.

*Psa 132:17 There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.
Psa 132:18 His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.

The Lord promised to make the horn of David to sprout.

To sprout means to bud to spring forth and grow.

The “horn” is a symbol of power.

This phrase means that a powerful ruler will come forth from the line of David and this ruler will fulfill all the promises made to David.

He will be a lamp or a light to all the world!

The “lamp” and that “horn” mean the Messiah.

1) Zec 6:13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

2) Jer 33:15 In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.

3) Isa 49:6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

Zacharias the father of John the Baptist said:

Luk 1:69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.

Luk 1:79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

We know what is going on in Israel today is turbulent times for them.

We need to remember these promises of God to David, and they will be fulfilled.

As far as the Church, we need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem which will take place at the return of Jesus Christ.

We know that the conclusion of God’s plan may be nearing its end, and we will live forever in the presence of the Mighty God!

All evilness and wickedness will be gone, and we will finally be at peace on New Earth and the New Jerusalem.

Amen

Being Obedient to God

/ Bobby Mayfield / 1 Comment

Coming to the House of the Lord
 
Book of Psalms 122 Verses 1-9
 
 Up until October 7, 2023, when Israel’s war began, millions of people traveled to Israel, most of them were Christians.
 
Some few go now but not many.
 
Most Christians are headed to Jerusalem because everyone knows Jerusalem is special.
 
Some people say “It just feels like home” even though they had never been there before.
 
We know that our Messiah walked all over Israel, but He was crucified at Jerusalem.
 
As Christians, we know that our spiritual roots extend to Jerusalem!
 
We will spend a thousand years in Jerusalem serving the Lord, but we will spend eternity in New Jerusalem.
 
The redeemed of all the ages who will walk through those pearly gates of New Jerusalem to bask in the glorious presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
 
One day that trumpet will sound, and we will hear and heed the call to worship in God’s true House.
 
Let us listen to these clear instructions to all believers.
 
Psa 122:1 A Song of degrees of David. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.
 
We know that David rejoiced to go to the house of the Lord!
 
There was no Temple yet in Jerusalem, but David had built a Tabernacle in which the Ark of the Covenant was placed.
 
2Sa_6:17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
 
David was a man after God’s own heart.
 
David loved to be in the presence of God.
 
We know the Lord had chosen to put His name in Jerusalem many years before this.
 
Deu 12:11 Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:
 
Every Christian should have a great desire to go to the House of God and even go more often because of the things we see today going on in Israel.
 
Israel is God’s timepiece!
 
So, let us see if this phrase could have another meaning.
 
It could be describing to us the restoration of Israel when the Lord returns to restore this Earth as it was in the day of Adam.
 
Amo 9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:
Amo 9:12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.
 
The phrase “that day” points toward the future.
 
In fact, it is probably referring to the time when the Lord Jesus will restore Israel as it was in the days of King David.
 
This means all the land God gave to Abraham.
 
So let us see which way the Scriptures go.
 
The Israelite men had to go to the Temple three times a year according to the Law of Moses.
 
For believers today, we should be in God’s House every time the doors are open to Praise our Savior!
 
We should know how to act in God’s House!
 
1Ti 3:15 But if I tarry long, 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.
1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
 
We should go to God’s House often and know that it is a command of God.
 
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
 
Those who do not go to God’s House often are sinning against the Word of God!
 
We ought to rejoice when the appointed time comes to go to God’s House.
 
The Jewish feasts were special times, the highlights of the year and they celebrated the opportunity to go to God’s House.
 
I live in the Bible Belt and when I meet people on the street and ask them about Church most of them will claim to be saved, but they do not attend church regularly.
 
Many others go to church, but it seems to be a dreadful duty to them. They just as well stay home!
 
It should be a joyous occasion every time we go and hear what God has to say!
 
We must make being at church to be joyful, but it cannot be that way unless we love the Lord.
 
He is always at church to worship with us and even the Holy Spirit is always there because He lives within us.
 
Heb_13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
 
God has a purpose for everything He does.
 
What was God’s purpose for the founding of Jerusalem?
 
Psa 122:2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.
Psa 122:3 Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:
Psa 122:4 Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.
Psa 122:5 For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
 
***The most important reason for going to Jerusalem was the fact that God had chosen Jerusalem as the place where He would establish His name!
 
Deu 12:5 But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:
Deu 12:6 And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:
Deu 12:7 And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.
 
Psa 87:2 The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Psa 87:3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.
 
Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
 
There should be no doubt that God loves Jerusalem!
 
We can also understand that Jerusalem is a picture of the New Jerusalem, but we will not know the full picture of this until the Lord Jesus sits on the throne of David in Jerusalem.
 
We could also say until the Lord Jesus sits upon the throne of David to rule this world.
 
God will dwell among His people in the New Jerusalem!
 
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
 
***There is a second reason:
 
Jerusalem had strong, closely guarded walls.
 
Jerusalem was a secure city.
 
2Sa 5:9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.
 
Most people felt safe when they were inside the walls of Jerusalem.
 
***There is yet a third reason.
 
The walls of Jerusalem were solid walls.
 
Jerusalem was without a doubt the City of God!
 
Psa 48:8 As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah.
 
This same God Jehovah is the same God today, still full of power and majesty.
 
Psa 48:14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
 
When the gates of the city came into view of God’s children, they knew they were almost home!
 
Israel was a nation of tribes, and they were all essentially one family. Their leaders were each the sons of Jacob who became Israel. They may have forgotten that for a while, but they are bound to remember when it becomes time to choose the world or time to choose God’s family.
 
***There is a fourth reason.
 
As a nation of tribes who had a common ancestor, then they needed a place to gather in the name of God.
 
Each tribe may operate independently but they could come together in unity because they all had the same God!
 
When they gathered together for the feast to give thanks to the Lord they obeyed the testimony of Israel, the laws that God had given to them.
 
Exo 23:14 Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.
Exo 23:15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)
Exo 23:16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.
Exo 23:17 Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD.
 
There is a great feeling of relief that comes from knowing that you have been obedient to the Almighty Living God.
 
Jerusalem was the appointed worship center where they came in unity.
 
God ordained this physical location on our planet for Israel to gather to worship Him.
 
The world may refuse to acknowledge this, but it does not make it any less true.
 
Anyone, anyone who tries to alter this ordination of God deserves the punishment that God will place on them!
 
***A fifth reason also comes to us.
 
Jerusalem was also Israel’s political center, much like Washington DC is the political center of the United States of America.
 
We could say the United Tribes of Israel, and this is who they are when they are obedient to God!
 
In Jerusalem was the location of the Throne of Judgment.
 
One of the King’s most important duties was to render judgment and execute justice.
 
The thrones of the house of David would extend until it will be the Lord Jesus Christ, King Jesus, who will sit upon that throne in Jerusalem.
 
2Sa 7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
 
2Sa 7:16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
2Sa 7:17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
 
The Jerusalem of old is a picture of New Jerusalem to come in many ways.
 
When the Apostle John was on the Isle of Patmos, the Lord Jesus showed him the New Jerusalem.
 
John reported what he saw.
 
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
 
God’s people will rejoice in New Jerusalem, and all the painful things of this life will have passed away.
 
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
 
This new city will be full of God’s Glory.
 
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
 
We will all be secure within the walls of New Jerusalem.
 
Rev 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
Rev 21:13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
 
All God’s people from every nation and every tribe will come together in New Jerusalem.
 
Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
 
We see that God has a plan and those who are against Him cannot stop it!
 
The greatest privilege after salvation is the privilege to stand in God’s House in New Jerusalem!
 
There will be a gathering of family members who have gone on before us and those who will come after us.
The Word of God will be exalted because we will understand the things that God has done.
We will praise God like never before because we will truly have the mind of Christ.
We will understand that we are safe and secure throughout all eternity.
 
Today, especially because of what we see and what we know, we need to pray earnestly for the peace of Jerusalem.
 
*****Psa 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
Psa 122:7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.
Psa 122:8 For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.
Psa 122:9 Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.
 
If you are a Christian, you will love Jerusalem.
If you are a Christian, you will be on the side of Israel.
If you are a Christian, you will pray for the peace of Jerusalem and all of Israel.
 
To the Eastern part of the world, Jerusalem is called the Holy City and it is.
 
The Apostle Matthew used this phrase in Scripture and so did the Apostle John.
 
Mat_4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
 
Rev_21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
 
Nehemiah, Isaiah, and Daniel used this phrase in the Old Testament all speaking of the same Jerusalem.
 
Shalom is living happy, untroubled, with a sense of fulfillment.
 
Shalom and its related words are among the most important theological words in the Old Testament.
 
Jerusalem has not seen peace throughout the Bible.
 
The closest this city of God came to peace was in the time of King David, but Jerusalem will finally see peace in the time of King Jesus.
 
David prayed for peace in Jerusalem asking for peace inside the walls of his city.
 
David was praying that God would bless the leaders of Israel and would protect them from the wickedness of this world.
 
How many of us pray such prayers?
 
David prayed for the peace of Jerusalem for the sake of his family friends and those of all of Israel.
 
We should remember that King David was responsible for the peace of Jerusalem in his day.
 
It is one thing to look out for your own self and that of your family, but it takes a lot more to look out for each individual in an entire city.
 
David next prayed for peace in God’s House.
 
If we consider all denominations to be the Church today, we can certainly see that there is no peace in God’s House.
 
We may brag about the church that we attend, but the truth is many denominations are throwing the Bible away and listening to what the world has to say rather than what God has to say.
 
The Pope the leader of the Catholic Church is one way today and another way tomorrow.
 
The Wesleyans have thrown out the truth of the Gospel.
 
The Methodists have forgotten the methods of truth.
 
The Protestant church has forgotten about those who protested for the truth.
 
The Southern Baptists have left the truth for lies.
 
We could go on and on, but the truth is God’s House is not at peace and the church is no longer holding back the evilness and the wickedness in this world.
 
We know that Israel is at war, so we surely know we need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and all of Israel as the world turns its back on reality.
 
The fact remains there will be no peace in Jerusalem until the return of Christ!
There will be no peace in the Church until the Lord Jesus returns to separate the wheat from the tares!
There will be no peace in this world until King Jesus speaks with that sword in His mouth and brings an end to the time of Satan!
 
Today the Temple of Jerusalem lies in ruins part of it under the Muslim Dome of the Rock.
 
The Jews have to pray at what is called the Wailing Wall most of them have never been able to even go upon the Temple Mount.
 
Even so-called Christian sects in Jerusalem haggle over shrines and the Arabs and Jews are at each other’s throats.
 
The world refuses to recognize that land belongs to the Jews because God gave it to them and God is going to give it back to them.
 
Those nations that surround God’s people trying to rid this world of them will find that the shoe is on the other foot at the appearance of King Jesus.
 
The fact is that the Arab nations will almost destroy this world just to annihilate all the Jews, but King Jesus will settle this issue forever before this happens.
 
We can be with Him, or we can burn in Hell with all other unbelievers.
 
I choose the Lord!
 
Amen

God’s Guidance

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Guidance for Church Life

Book of 2 Thessalonians Chapter 3

In the end Paul knew that the prayers from each church were more important than all other things.

It is the same today. Prayer is the power behind the Church!

Prayer is very different from preaching, and yet a moment’s reflection will show how they work together.
Prayer speaks to God for man; preaching speaks to man for God.
Prayer seeks to bring God to man; preaching aims to bring man to God.
Prayer moves God towards man; preaching persuades man to seek after God.
Prayer makes known unto God man’s request; preaching reveals to man God’s mind and will.
Preaching casts in the seed; prayer brings the rain and the sunshine.
Preaching deposits the leaven; prayer secures the hand which adds to it working.
Preaching utters the good tidings; prayer carries the sound to the ear and makes that all sensitive.
Preaching is doing the practical work which man can do; prayer asks for what God only can do, and for that which is necessary to the success of that which the man can do.

Now the Apostle Paul switches to a subject that we all already know, “work and employment”.

Preacher Sam says it all the time, the Holy Spirit was not just given to us for our enjoyment but was given to us more importantly for our employment!

*2Th 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
2Th 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye “withdraw” yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

It is extremely hard to be patient in this wicked world we live in, but the Lord Jesus Christ directs each of us to be patient while we wait upon His return.

It helps us to stay away from unbelievers unless we are witnessing to them.

Here we see it is very important to get away from so-called brothers and sisters in Christ who walk against the truth of the Word of God.

We also see in this verse that God commands us to stay away from those who refuse to work and provide for themselves.

As our lesson states, we are to withdraw our fellowship and maybe even remove them from church membership.

If you have worked for any amount of time, you have seen workers who slack off and do as little as possible.

These are the same ones who work only when they see the boss coming.

There are also far too many today who just refuse to work and want someone, even the church to provide for them.

Why are there so many recalls in every industry today? Why? Because the work forces of America do not have pride in their work.

They are just in it for the money.

Now I certainly believe in a fair wage and there are many who are just not paid enough, but there are many who depend on the unions to cause an increase in wages when they maybe taking that company into closing the doors.

The Bible commands us to walk away from such people who walk disorderly, that is who do not work.

In the early days of the church, the Thessalonians became so excited about the return of the Lord Jesus Christ they began to sacrifice all their possessions to meet the needs of the Church people but they went too far.

They ignored the Word of God that only God knows when He will return to this earth.

They even began to project the dates of the Lord’s return.

Some even quit their jobs to have more time to witness for the Lord.

When these things did not take place as they thought, they depended upon the Church to support them.

These things caused many problems for this new church.

The Bible teaches each of us to live our lives as if we will live long lives.

In fact, God promises us long lives!

Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Eph 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
Eph 6:3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

Deu 4:40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever.

We are to be the example to the world as the very best workmen possible in everything we do but especially in the work the Lord has given us to do.

Not working is disorderly behavior and the church is not to support such people.

Obviously, there will be times when a member in good standing may need the help of the church, this is not what the Word of God is referring to, but we are not to support those outside the Church who refuse to work.

We are to stay away from the idle worker which is the meaning of the word withdraw as used in this passage.

The Apostle Paul was their example of a hard worker to support himself without church support.

The Church is not to be identified with members to come only for church support.

We are not to run the risk of being associated with idle workers. This will give us a bad testimony as we witness for Jesus Christ!

*2Th 3:7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
2Th 3:8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
2Th 3:9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
2Th 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
2Th 3:11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

According to the Word of God we are to be industrious beings and not lazy Christians.

The Bible commands us to do good for all people, but we are not to support those who refuse to support themselves.

A slothful person will be a slothful Christian!

Laziness can be looked upon as sin!

There is absolutely no excuse for a Christian to be a lazy employee, it is a command of God that we not be lazy!

Even the Lord Jesus Christ had a reputation as a carpenter. This would not have been said of Him if it were not true!

We can believe that Jesus was the best carpenter in Nazareth.

We know the Apostle Paul was a tent maker and we can believe he was a good tent maker making quality tents.

According to the Word of God, when we refuse to work, we lose our right to eat.

In other words we become so useless to society that society would be better off without us.

This message does not go over well today, but it is still the truth of God!

Those who refuse to work tend to get into everybody else business and not their own.

One of the greatest gifts God gave to humans is our minds.

The mind is always active, even in our sleep.

It is either thinking positive thoughts or negative, evil thoughts.

It is true that the idle mind is the Devil’s playground!

This is why so many lazy people are always getting into trouble!

The world has pity upon such people when the world should insist that they work or starve.

Sounds harsh but still the truth of God.

We must not forget that Paul is speaking to the Church, in fact to a church that started out on the right tract.

They just got confused about the return of Jesus Christ.

It is a sin to poke our noses into the affairs of others unless they have asked for our help.
It is a sin to gossip.
It is a sin to spread rumors.
It is a sin to tattle on others when we do not know the whole story.

All we need to do is to look around at nature and we will see that the law of labor is rigidly enforced.

Every animal except domesticated animals have to work for their food.

The Bible speaks of the ant.

Pro 6:6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

The Bible speaks of other creations.

Pro 30:24 There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
Pro 30:25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
Pro 30:26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
Pro 30:27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
Pro 30:28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.

The Bible speaks of the birds.

God feeds the birds but they have to go look for it.

We had better get one thing straight!

We are not saved by our own works, but by God’s free and unmerited mercy.

How are the people of God described?

We are called soldiers.
We are called pilgrims.
We are called husbandmen.
We are called fishermen.

All these things imply some form of work.

In fact all these things require demanding work.

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.

Work was the law in the Garden of Eden.

It only became arduous work after sin entered in!

There is probably no greater feeling than to sit down and partake of those things that come by honest work!

*2Th 3:12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
2Th 3:13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

There can be no doubt that we are commanded to work to provide for ourselves.

Notice this commands comes directly from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Luk 11:3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

Notice not only is this a command straight from our Lord Jesus, but He also uses this passage as a way to train us in the proper way to act in the Church.

As believers we are prone to make mistakes and we can even make mistakes about how we are to work.

If we have been slack in our work the Lord will forgive us and teach us the proper ways.

We must still confess our wrong and repent.

We are to work with a quiet spirit and mind our own business.

Our brothers and sisters will come to us if they require our help.

We are never to be weary in well doing.

We must not allow idle busybodies to discourage us but stick to the work the Lord had given us to do.

We must not forget we are to be examples of Jesus Christ and not examples of other Church members unless they are wholly following the Lord themselves.

It is obvious that many in this church were doing things right and Paul does not want them to change their effective ways.

There are most always those in the Church that do need some help.

Some who are working and doing the best they can but maybe fell on challenging times.

These are those who we need to help if we are able to do so and continue to help until they are recovered.

Paul also informs these who live and work according to the Word of God that there are things they can do to discourage those that are not following the Word of God.

*2Th 3:14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
2Th 3:15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

We must understand that the epistles of the Apostle Paul are to be considered Church Doctrine along with all the Books of the New Testament!

If there are those who reject the truth of the New Testament in the blood of Jesus Christ then we are to make a mental note of that person and refuse to be associated with that person.

The Church is a place we are to be in one accord, one mind, one fellowship one bride of Christ!

Note, this is not an excommunication but simply an avoidance.

This discipline is meant to shame that person.

This goes back to where we began our lesson today.

2Th 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

There should be no excuse for not accepting the truth of the New Testament.

For Paul, it was his intention to read this epistle to read out loud while the entire church was gathered together so there could be no misunderstanding of his intent.

Paul knew that many of them would acknowledge their faults and it would be the end of this matter.

As usual there will be those who still reject the truth and it is these, after they have understood the exact words of the Apostle Paul from whom the Church must withdraw.

2Th 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

There must not be any unkind feelings towards this person as the intent is to shame that person.

If this shaming does not work then there might have to be other steps taken but these things will work or this would not have been the truth of the Scriptures.

We must never allow a false doctrine into the Church to take holt.

*2Th 3:16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

1) We must remember that peace in our lives can come only by the Lord Jesus Christ.

2) The Lord Jesus Christ seeks a close personal relationship with each of us.

3) It is only by the “Grace of God”, the undeserved favor and strength in Jesus Christ, that any of us can be saved.

We are not put into the Church to be the judge of any other person!

We are all to obey the truth of the Gospel and help each other understand it as best we can.

This is why the Lord will not allow any deviation in the Words He has given to us.

We are all judged by the same Word of God!

Amen.

Understanding the Truth of God

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Receivers and Responders

Book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 1

We go from the Books of James written by James the half-brother of the Lord to the writings of the Apostle Paul but Paul assured us that we know that it was the Holy Spirit who directed all the Scriptures.

Every chapter, every verse, every word given to us by the Holy Spirit are to make the Church to be strong.

The world will claim every building with a steeple is a church but we know only those groups of true believers make up the true Church.

The Church is not a building, the Church is all those who are trying to follow in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ and His truths!

The true Church has Preachers and Pastors who are faithful to the true Church by remaining faithful to the truth of the Word of God.

A strong church is a church that has accepted the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, the true Messiah, the same Messiah who will return to first take His children home and then deal with this wicked world and complete the promises He has made to Israel.

The true church is founded on the Oneness of God in His three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

There is no true church if that congregation does not accept the trinity of God!

*1Th 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we cannot understand the truth of this scripture then we do not understand the Love of God!

Joh 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.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

All other places that gather together are not part of the true Church unless they accept this truth!

They are only a man-created gathering, no matter what they call themselves!

The Lord was discussing this with His disciples before He was crucified.

Mat 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Now the Church is not built upon Peter but the fact that the Lord Jesus is indeed the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!

The true Church possesses God gifts of “Grace” and “Peace”.

We know that “Grace” is the sum of all the blessings that God the father bestows on us through Jesus Christ. Grace is God’s love and favor to us who are certainly undeserving of it!

We know that our Lord Jesus by God’s “grace” is the death of His Son for all believers, in fact for all sinners.

We should know that peace is more than the absence of hostility and disorder: it also denotes good health and harmony with nature, and inward wellbeing.
This peace came through the blood of the cross.

Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

The peace comes only by God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit gives us these words of truth.

Paul as a Church builder never departed from this truth about our Savior but built upon it, just as we are to do today.

Silas and Timothy were with Paul when the Church at Thessalonica was established and the Holy Spirit always showed that Paul was not alone and that he traveled with others who had the same faith that he had.

Again we will see that prayers are the strength of the Church.

*1Th 1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
1Th 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

A strong Church is a praying church!

Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

It is our duty to be thankful for the personal benefits we receive from God but notice it is better to be thankful for the good of others.

Paul knew his own strength came because of all those churches praying for his success.

We need to pray for all the missions of our church because they need those prayers and we will still receive those benefits from God.

Our prayers must be a work of our faith or they are useless!

Remember what we learned from James, “faith without works is a dead faith”.

We show our love to Christ by what we do for Him willingly!

We must take prayer seriously because it is the power behind the true Church!

Our faith in Jesus Christ will stir us up to do a work for God.

The stronger our faith, the more we can accomplish in the name of our Lord Jesus!

We must never get over the fact that we have been saved from a burning Hell!

Just as faith stirs the Church to do a work of God, “love” stirs the Church to labor, or we would say to get busy serving the Lord.

We know this work can be tiring but when we do get to rest, we will rest satisfied that we are working in the name of our Savior.

One day that true rest will come and our labor on this earth will be over.

Our faith works, our love labors, our hope patiently suffers all things!

We should remember our rewards come from the labor we have done in this life.

*1Th 1:4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

What does this election mean?

1) Election means that we as believers are elected and chosen by God to be His beloved people.

God has called each of us out of this world and away from our old life of sin and eternal death.

Being in the will of God means we are now separate and set apart for God’s use!

2) Election means we as Christians are all in the same family because we have the same Father.

We are all brothers and sisters in Christ and we are to hold each believer close to our hearts.

We are family because of our faith.

1Jn 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

When we look upon another Christian, we must see them as an object of God’s love!

We are all brethren because we are all the object of God’s “Grace”.

When visitors come into our Church, they should be able to see that our members act like the beloved of God.

They should see clearly that each member treats each other member as the beloved brethren of God.

The “Gospel” is not just a bunch of words written down on paper!

*1Th 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
1Th 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

What is the greatest trait of the Christian? We believe the Word of God and it is this language that we speak. It is the language of Heaven!

The “Gospel” came in power! Not miraculously but persuasively because it came from the heart of God.

The “Gospel” came to us by the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth.

When Paul preached, he was not concerned if he were a good preacher or not.

When Paul preached his only concern was sharing the “Gospel” of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only in these terms that the Holy Spirit can do His work of conviction.

God honors His Word and His Word only!

If we do not believe the Word of God is from Heaven, then we cannot stand before any group in the power of God!

Even as teachers we have no power unless the Holy Spirit is with us and He will not be with us if we have no faith in God’s truth!

Those that believe that our creation came in the process of evolution, have no power.
Those that believe that we are not to teach against sin as described in the Bible, have no power.
Those that believe that the Word of God is not the complete truth, have no power.
Those that say the Jesus is not the Messiah who is coming again, have no power.

The truth of God must be taught by example!

Those that are chosen of God are the same ones who have accepted the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The “Gospel” cannot be received without joy!

Our afflictions come by some man, but our joy comes by the Holy Spirit!

The “Gospel” will always bear fruit!

We must all guard our lives to be sure we are following in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ.

*1Th 1:7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
1Th 1:8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

How were these Thessalonians examples of the Apostle Paul?

In their faith.
In their hope.
In their brotherly love.
In their good works.

We must not get caught up in what will people think of us!

It is not a terrible thing to be seen as a peculiar people!

The Church at Thessalonica became an example to other believers.

The new established church was so committed to the Lord Jesus Christ that their testimony spread all over Greece and then all over the known world.

This shows us that the Lord will use us if we just given Him control through the Holy Spirit.

This church was not afraid to show their faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We must understand that if we do not have the Spirit of Jesus Christ in us, then we do not belong to Christ!

Rom_8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Having the Spirit of Christ in us will show up in our daily life.

This is one of the greatest testimonies of witnessing in all the Bible.

Our greatest work we can show to those around us is that work for Jesus Christ.

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Rom 10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

When we speak with the voice of the Lord, His message will spread everywhere.

Psa 29:4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

When we do not speak with the voice of the Lord then we are not in the will of God!

When our church does not speak with the voice of the Lord, then we need to close the doors of the church and go home because we are not who we say we are!

*1Th 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

The world sees the Bible as just a book of fables as they serve their idols of this world.

The Christian sees the Bible as the revelations of the True and Living God who lives in Heaven.

Jer 10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
Jer 10:11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.

Exo 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

Once we have accepted the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, then we have turned from the idols of the world to the True and Living God.

This is the time we begin standing on the truth of the “Gospel”.

We might try to clean our lives up by ourselves but we will find this is impossible. We cannot reform ourselves!

We cannot turn away from idols and seek God.

We must turn to God first and then with God’s help and God’s strength we can repent and turn away from idols.

It is after we accept the truth of the Gospel that we can repent and be baptized.

Idols are dead images of some imaginary beings, but my Savior, My God is alive and will never die!

Conversion means we have turned completely around.

We begin to hate the things we loved and love the things we hated.

Conversion is to turn to God distinctly by an act and deed of our mind and our will because we see the truth of creation.

We begin to see that there is a purpose to our being on this earth.

This lost world will worship anything and those who say this is not true worship themselves and this is the worst of all false worship.

Every person has an opinion of what God is and what God is like and what God allows and what God does not allow.

The lost world will take these ideas and make themselves an imaginary god out of wood, or silver, or gold, or some other object of this world.

Others just have a picture in their minds of what a god should be.

Some have made this planet to be their god.

Others have made the stars or some alien to be their god.

So an idol is any image created in the mind of man other than the God who gave us the Scriptures that reveal the truth.

Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Many of those in Greece had heard of the man Jesus and knew the truth of His crucifixion but were acceptable of His resurrection, but when they heard of His return they sought Him out for the truth.

You see, it is God’s Son who is returning to earth, the One who died for us all.

We that know the Lord want to be acceptable to Him and live with Him forever.

This is the reason we are waiting upon the return of Jesus Christ so we can go home and leave this wicked world behind.

Joh 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Joh 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

*1Th 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

How do we know that the Lord Jesus is coming to take us home?

Because God raised Him up from the dead.

By resurrecting Christ Jesus God proved he is the God of all power and not some imaginary God.
God proved He has the power to raise all the dead in Christ.
God proved that He is going to do everything that the Lord Jesus has taught us.

The truth; God will raise some to eternal life but some will be raised to eternal death.

Eternal death is to be separated from the Living God for eternity, which is what they wanted and strived for, but it will be a terrible thing.

By turning to the Living God we will escape the wrath of God that is coming to this world.

Since all the world has now turned against Israel, including my own nation we can see that this day of God’s wrath is very close.

Gen_12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

The USA has just come under the curse of God by the works of administration that is in office today.

God will reward those who are in rebellion to His Word with eternal death!

The world is already condemned but all those who turn to God in any nation from idols that are all imaginary can still be saved.

I can assure you that you do not want to see the wrath of an angry God toward those who reject His Son!

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

Amen

The Pleasure Mad Society

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

A New Church in Corinth

Book of Acts Chapter 18

No matter what happens during mission work we must see that all the work done for the Lord Jesus Christ is honorable work.

Manual labor should never be seen as beneath the hands of God’s people!

God’s people must always be seen as unblameable in the way they behave in this world.

We know that the Apostle Paul is now on his second missionary journey.

We know that Timothy and Luke will be with him with Barnabas and Mark going in a different direction.

Paul had been to Athens, but he had been laughed out of town because of his message on Jesus Christ, but not before at least a few Athenians got saved.

This is how important it is that we preach and teach the “Gospel” and not some other message, because at least a few will always understand the truth and others will have the “Gospel Seed” planted within them, and the Holy Ghost can convict them of the truth of Christ from time to time.

Paul had now arrived in the city of Corinth.

Corinth was a major city in Greece at this time and was located at the southern tip of Greece.

Corinth was located on a piece of land that was only five miles across and bordered by two harbors, one on its east coast and another one on its west coast.

It is said that there was a means to drag a ship from one coast to the other to speed up the shipping process, probably a canal.

All traffic from north to south passed right through the city.

This made the city of Corinth a city with immense wealth.

People from many nations could be found at Corinth.

Corinth was home to a pleasure mad society!

The temples in Corinth were dedicated to Aphrodite the so-called goddess of fertility.

Corinth was also a sport minded society being the home for the Isthmian Games which was second only to the Olympic Games.

The city of Corinth was a place for much sin, but Corinth was also a place where the Gospel could be spread around the world.

The Apostle Paul had become discouraged in Athens and it showed as he entered into Corinth.

Paul, just like we all are, was at the mercy of God and we see right off God would supply his need.

Athens had been a place of closeminded people.

This is the normal results of philosophical and intellectual teaching!

Intellectual pride closes a person’s mind to the truth of God!

As witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ, we must choose to use our time where it can produce more fruit, unless directed by the Holy Spirit in a case such as Phillip, who was called out of a revival to witness to one man.

Once some are saved, we must spend some time to disciple them according to the Word of God or most of them will fade away and be useless to God.

*Act 18:1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;
Act 18:2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.

God knew that Paul had been discouraged in Athens and immediately and God gave Paul two new friends.

Aquila and Priscilla were two Jewish believers that had left the Church at Rome because of the persecution of Christians caused by the Emperor Claudius.

Claudius had demanded that all Jews leave Rome.

All who were Jews by birth, whether they were Jews or Christians were commanded to leave Rome.

Some say this happened because of attacks of the unbelieving Jews on the believing Jews.

Aquila and Priscilla became two of the best friends of the Apostle Paul and they were active Christians.

Rom 16:3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:
Rom 16:4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
Rom 16:5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

Paul had entered Corinth with fear and trembling and until he met Aquila and Priscilla, Paul had truly little strength and was most probably broke and broken.

1Co 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
1Co 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
1Co 2:3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

The Jews were all taught a craft as they grew up and Paul’s craft was tentmaking and God sent Aquila and Priscilla who were also tentmakers, and they formed a business together.

These two Christians later traveled with Paul to Ephesus where they settled.

One thing we see about these two Christians wherever we find them, we find their home is a center for Christian worship and Christian fellowship.

Remember they met a young preacher named Apollos who they brought into their home to instruct him as he had known no one but John the Baptist and knew nothing of Jesus Christ.

Act 18:24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
Act 18:25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
Act 18:26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

They held church in their home in Corinth.

1Co 16:19 The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

They held Church in their home in Rome.

Rom 16:3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:
Rom 16:4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
Rom 16:5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

They had certainly been Paul’s helpers.

They had risked their own lives in order to save the Apostle Paul!

Paul encouraged them all to get back to the work of the Lord.

*Act 18:3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
Act 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

Paul was never too good to work in support of himself to do the work of the Lord!

Paul was not always supported by the churches he had formed and sometimes those churches that did support him was just slow in getting to him.

When Silas and Timothy arrived, they brought some support from the church in Philippi.

Php 4:15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

The church at Philippi supported Paul all his remaining days because it was a mission minded church from the start.

Paul did not ever hesitate to work with his own hands to further the Gospel, it just took some of the time he could have been preaching.

Paul did what was necessary to reach people for Jesus Christ.

Paul reasoned with the Jews on every Sabbath.

Some may frown on this, but this was the only time the Jews would be gathered together in one place.

Paul presented sound, thoughtful, logical points and Paul answered all reasonable questions.

Paul did all he could to convince these Jews and these Gentiles the truth of Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

We should never be demanding, or argumentative when witnessing for Jesus Christ!

Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Paul never got tired of talking about the Lord Jesus Christ!

Act 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Paul became more relaxed and excited when Silas and Timothy returned to him.

*Act 18:5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
Act 18:6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

There should be no doubt in our minds that the Lord Jesus Christ is God’s Messiah whom the entire Old Testament speaks of.

All the Bible and all the Scriptures reveal Jesus Christ from Genesis to Revelation!

Paul had been discouraged yet Paul would never quit on God!

Silas and Timothy had brought wonderful news about the churches in Macedonia.

Silas and Timothy had also brought financial support which allowed Paul to devote full time to the work given to him by Christ.

Those in the Jewish synagogues opposed and blasphemed the Lord Jesus Christ and rejected the teaching of the Apostle Paul.

Paul turned his ministry into a ministry to reach Gentiles.

This turning point began in the ministry to the Corinthians.

Note that Paul was not pronouncing a curse upon these Jews.

Paul was just stating that his obligation to the Jews first was over, that he had met his responsibility to them.

Paul was free of their blood if they never repented.

We have this same responsibility to the lost, but if the salvation plan of the Lord Jesus is rejected then we are free from their blood.

Mat 10:12 And when ye come into an house, salute it.
Mat 10:13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
Mat 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Mat 10:15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

As we witness to the lost, we can turn from those who continuously reject the Gospel and continue on to others who have not had that same opportunity.

*Act 18:7 And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.

Notice how the Holy Spirit works.

Paul would no longer preach in this synagogue, but without a doubt there would be times that the Word of God could be heard through the sharing of walls.

Paul also knew it would be easier to find for those converts who were seeking to hear the Word of God.

This passage proves that the physical location of a church remains important!

The Apostle Paul was now identified as the missionary to the Gentiles.

Paul could associate with them because they were now his true brothers and sisters in Christ!

Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Rom 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

There was one man in particular that came to know the Lord Jesus Christ and all his family believed also.

*Act 18:8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.

Notice again how the Gospel works.

Crispus, who was the chief of this synagogue came to know the Lord Jesus and then his entire family also believed.

This is the power of a godly father.

Today in America the father is a missing ingredient in far too many families!

Inside this new church would be others who were saved from a lifetime of immorality and corruption because this was the population of Corinth.

Rom_10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

We have no reason to be ashamed of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Rom_10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

The strongest churches have members from all levels of society!

The words of the Lord always prove to be the truth!

Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

The Lord said he would never forsake us, and He meant what He said and He always means what He says.

How did the Lord Jesus help Paul?

*Act 18:9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:
Act 18:10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

We already know there is a lot of difference between a vision and a dream.

Because of the riches in the City of Corinth, this city was full of rich and powerful people.

It could be rather intimidating to witness to most of them.

The Jews had already rejected the message of Christ Jesus.

Paul did not know how long he would be able to preach to these Gentiles.

We can also see that the Lord Jesus Christ always has His eyes upon us and He sees what we are going through.

It is easy to get discouraged when witnessing for the Lord.

Here where I live in the Bible Belt everyone you meet will say they are saved when this cannot be true.

Paul was human as we all are, and we all are dependent upon the Lord Jesus for His presence and His encouragement.

We do not have to be afraid!

We do not have to feel intimidated!

Paul’s life had been threatened many times.
Paul had been persecuted relentlessly.
Paul had been stoned to near death.
Paul had been opposed even by some in the Church.
Paul had been beaten by rods which would be like a fiberglass fishing rod.
Paul had been cast out of many cities.

Paul thought upon these things as he faced the unknown in this city of Corinth.

Yes, he needed the help of the Lord, and the Lord is always right on time.

The city of Corinth was one of those places where we wonder if it is really worth the effort to tell such people about the Lord.

The storms of life will come and they will be numerous and it will never be easy to be a Christian in such places as Corinth, but it is the Lord who decides where we live and where we are born and He has His purpose.

We are to be missionaries to the place that the Lord has placed us!

There are no accidents in this world.

If you accept the providence of God then you now that this is true so, everything happens for a reason.

If we do not believe in the providence of God, then we are missing out on reality!

Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Act 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.
Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

The Lord Jesus knew exactly what Paul needed to hear.

There would certainly be those who would try to cause Paul harm, except for the fact that the Lord was not going to allow this to happen.

We sometimes forget the absolute power of God!

There were more Christians in Corinth than Paul realized.

The Lord said: be not afraid. Paul had the ability to preach boldly, and he needed to continue to do so.
The Lord said: speak. All Paul had to do was to speak the words that the Holy Spirit would give to Him.
The Lord said: Hold not thy peace. Preach the Word.

Certainly, Paul might be attacked for his stand on the Lord, but this same Lord has said Paul would come to no harm from them.

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2Ti 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Paul was faithful to the Lord’s calling!

*Act 18:11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

How can we say we have “faith” if we give up or cower down every time things get a little tough or even a lot tough.

We cannot lose our salvation because of our faith!
We cannot live on spiritual highs; we live on faith!
We must endure some things because we have this faith!

We must walk by “faith” and not by our “feelings”!

What many do not realize is, that during this time of Paul’s teaching, he also wrote the two epistles to the Thessalonians.

Authoring the books of the New Testament that Paul wrote, were just as important as his preaching to the plan of God.

1Ti 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
1Ti 1:13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

We do many foolish things when our faith is lacking!

We need to stay as close to Jesus as we can possibly get!

The Lord Jesus loves it up close and personal with each of us!

Amen