The Holy Spirit said, “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18), and “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). Christians should always be thankful for everything!
The Bible teaches that It is NOT “okay to be lost.” There is such a thing as right and wrong. God, in the Bible, has mercifully informed us what the standard is for human behavior, and Jesus has died to save mankind from their sins. His death was absolutely necessary because it is NOT “okay to be lost.”
For those who do not love the truth, but willingly believe lies, whose fault will it be when they are condemned? It will be theirs and theirs alone. Why? Because they were unwilling to examine matters and come to the correct conclusions. Truth matters! Believing lies is consequential! May we each resolve to believe and love the truth and not be deceived.
Not everyone will be qualified to enter heaven. Jesus said that only a few would (Matthew 7:14) and that the lawless would not (Matthew 7:23). We must be faithful if we expect to receive the crown of life (Revelation 2:10).
One who speaks as the oracles of God is one who is saying the same thing that God says. He is speaking with God’s authority and blessing. He is not adding to nor taking away from the words of God, which would not be speaking as the oracles of God but saying something different. Paul said in Galatians 1:6-8, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.”
Jesus is saying in Mark 8:38 is that those who are ashamed of Him in an adulterous and sinful generation, have their values wrong. Jesus is pure, holy, good, and right. We should feel good about knowing Him and associating with His body, the church. If we find ourselves ashamed of Jesus and His people, we need to examine ourselves. The fault is not in Jesus, but in ourselves for honoring the wrong values.
We need more than just the part of God’s word that makes us feel good. We must also wrestle with the parts that challenge us and are a struggle. Paul told Timothy, “For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). How does a congregation get to this point? They just eat cookies.
Jesus came that we may have a life filled with joy. This is indeed a life of happiness, which can be had in Christ when abiding by His word (John 16.24). When we understand the power of the gospel, and see people converting to Christ, great joy should be among us and in our congregations (Acts 8.8). If not, why not? So the next time someone obeys the gospel or rededicates their life to the Lord, let’s rejoice knowing what it took for them to make that decision and aid them along the way.
Please keep in mind the beauty of our God and His awesomeness in our lives. He is the One who justifies us. He is the One who declares us right. He is the One who will save us. God is the Just One, and He is the One we must render full devotion too at all times. May the Lord bless us in all we do as citizens of the kingdom of Christ. Live justified lives this week and bless someone else along the way. God bless and let Him be true.
The church is definitely the beautiful bride of Christ and we should look at her in that manner as we praise God for His bountiful care, comfort and concern.
Brother Bonner will be presenting six lessons to us in this meeting: 1) The Meaning of Truth, 2) The Fundamentals of Truth, 3) The Authenticity of Truth, 4) Enlarge our Jurisdiction FOR Truth, 4) The Truth that Justifies, 5) The Eternal Promises of Truth.
There are plenty of other scriptures that emphasize obedience to God’s commandments such as Hebrews 5:8-9, 1 John 5:2-3, and John 14:15. Whether the text says to wash one's robes or do his commandments, both are things that Jesus desires.
This is a second blessing upon those who keep the words of the book of Revelation. The first was in Revelation 1:3, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand.” This is a blessing upon those who are obedient to Christ and who live for Him every day. Jesus said “If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Jesus saves those who obey Him. “And having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation” (Hebrews 5:9).
Christians were spiritually circumcised when they were baptized. By identifying with Christ, they cut off all their fleshly sins and put them aside. When one is baptized, he identifies with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, and just as God gave Jesus a new life, God gives the baptized new life also. He is forgiven of his sins. “Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new.” This is the first resurrection.
For those who respond to His call, they will participate in the marriage supper of the Lamb. This is a metaphor for Christ's relationship to the church. “For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body” (Ephesians 5:23). Another great discussion of this relationship is in Romans 7:1-4. Christians have become dead to the law so that they may be married to another, Christ Jesus. Their identity comes from Him.
This is a blessing upon the diligent. Jesus refers to the familiar image of the thief that comes in the night who comes suddenly and without notice. Paul uses the same image in First Thessalonians 5:2: “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” The child of God will not be caught asleep. He will be prepared.
The victorious are blessed because they have a wonderful hope. In Revelation 14:13, John recorded, “And I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them.” The Bible gives a lot of instruction on how to live, and this helps the faithful successfully navigate life. Equally important is how the Christian deals with death.
The victorious come together to read and study God's word, and they are blessed. Paul wrote of the blessedness of correctly handling the word, “Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Christians want to give time to the word of God. The victorious are blessed because they read, listen, and obey God's word.
Proverbs 24:16 says, “A righteous man may fall seven times and rise again.” The number seven signifies a complete amount of times that something happens. In other words, this verse is saying that while the righteous may stumble for one reason or another, they will always pick themselves up and keep going. They don’t let adversity keep them down for long.
Now is the time to get involved in the Lord’s work. Perhaps you would consider doing something that you haven’t been involved in until now. There are many things that may be done. Talk to one of our elders, deacons, or preachers to see what needs we have as a congregation. Let’s “rise again,” as the Proverbs say the righteous will do. God is counting on us.