Tag

cross

Jan 08 2018
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Where You Started

By | Eyesalve

“And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. 2And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. 3And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; 4Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.” Genesis 13:1-4

 

If you have wandered off into Egypt you need to get back to where you started (the cross is our altar). Then you must call on the Lord God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.

Aug 17 2015
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Eyesalve: Nick of Time

By | Eyesalve

“But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Lk. 23:40-43

Scoffers would complain how unfair it is for a convict to live a whole life as a scoundrel and then get to go to heaven at the last few hours of his life. The person with a heart of mercy would rejoice that a convict could still get to go to heaven right up to the closing hours of his life. God is always willing to save a soul, even to the point where He has to have them hung on a cross next to His Son’s cross. That is what you call, “in the nick of time.”

Apr 22 2015
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Eyesalve: The Resurrection

By | Eyesalve

“And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.” I Cor. 15:17

It is true that Jesus nailed our sins to the cross. It is true that we find redemption through His blood. But the cross and the blood alone are not sufficient. There is one more thing of the utmost importance, THE RESURRECTION. The scriptures are clear, if Christ was not raised, then we are all still in our sins. In the blood of Christ we find forgiveness for our sin, but it is in the resurrection that we have victory over our sin. Hallelujah!

Jan 30 2015
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Are We Just Sinners Saved By Grace? (Continued)

By | Articles

As I stated in last month’s article, I will continue to expound on, what I consider poor theology, Christians considering themselves sinners. I will be the first to admit that I have sinned since I have been saved, and I do not know of any believers that have not sinned since they became a believer. However, sin must not be our habit. You are what you practice. If you practice righteousness, holiness and faithfulness, then that is what you are. If you practice or have a habit of sin, then you are a sinner.

In last month’s article I closed with the suggestion that some may ask, “what about Paul claiming to be chief of sinners?” I would like us to take a look together at this portion of scripture where Paul makes that statement. It is found in I Timothy 1:15; “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” No doubt that the way this is translated into English it appears Paul is claiming to be the foremost sinner. Before I continue to look more into this verse I want you to consider a few things. If Paul is really stating that he is not just a sinner, but the worst of them all, why would he rebuke the Corinthians for allowing that man to have an incestuous relationship with his father’s wife? If Paul told them to remove that man from the church should they not remove Paul too, especially if he is a worse sinner than that man? If Paul was the worst of sinners, should he not heed his own warning to the Corinthians about the Lord’s Supper when he said, “For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” (1Co 11:29). The worst of sinners would most certainly drink in an unworthy manner.

Again I ask, do you think the great apostle Paul was the worst of all sinners after he became a believer? I am sure he wasn’t and I am sure you don’t really believe he was either. I am a stickler when it comes to reading the bible. I believe, for the most part, we must believe the bible for the simple words it says, but every once in a while something is said that seems contradictory. When that happens we have to take a closer look at the passage(s). One of the most important rules of good bible study is to take the verses around a verse and let it help bring a clearer understanding to the passages in question. I tell my church often, “let the scriptures interpret the scriptures” Of course we cannot leave out the biggest factor of true bible study and that is the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit. As we apply the rule of keeping scripture in context, not just with the verses around it, but the text of the whole teaching of the bible, we can get a clearer understanding of what Paul was really saying. Let’s look at the few verses that surround what Paul said in regard to being a chief sinner. Notice how often he talks in past tense in I Timothy 1:12-16.

“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; (13)Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. (14) And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. (15)This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (16)Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.”

In verse 12, Paul acknowledges that God found Him faithful. In verse 13 he states that he “was before” a blasphemer and persecutor, who at that time obtained mercy. In verse 14 he states that grace “was” exceeding abundant. Then going on to verse 16, Paul tells us he obtained mercy (past tense). When you read these verses together you can come to a simple conclusion that Paul wasn’t considering himself a sinner at the writing of this epistle, but that his life prior to his conversion was when he considered himself to be chief of sinners. Don’t forget, Paul persecuted the church of Jesus Christ and that is one reason why he felt he was such a sinful man. If there is one verse that I would think summed up Paul’s life after his road to Damascus experience it is, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2:20). I am certain none of you would argue against the point that if Christ’s life is being lived out in Paul and his natural life is reckoned dead, then he is not a sinner. The same is true for you as well. This truth helps bring clarity to what John meant when he said, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” (1Jn 3:9). That seed of Christ, which is in us, cannot sin. When we live according to the Spirit of God that is in us, we live the life of a saint, not a sinner. This is what is called walking in the Spirit.

When you walk in the Spirit, you are walking according to the nature, character and righteousness of Christ, in the measure of light He gives you. If you walk in the flesh, you can’t help but to express the deeds of the flesh. That is a sinful life. As I said in last month’s article, this could be the reason some Christians make the statement that they are just sinners saved by grace. It may be because they refuse to walk in the Spirit and instead walk in the flesh. If you walk in the flesh you are not going to feel very saintly; if you live in the flesh you are not going to feel close to God. However, if you walk in the Spirit, you will have the peace and joy of the Lord, and you will go out with confidence and boldness to tell others they too can be delivered from being a sinner.

Let me finish by saying that when we became new creatures in Christ, we received the indwelling Spirit, but there also remained that old fleshly nature. Through the Spirit we have power to overcome our flesh, and through the cross we can reckon our old man dead and crucified with Christ. If you are one that insists that we are still sinners because we have that old nature that we give into once in a while, I won’t really argue that point with you. I am well aware of the battle between the Spirit and the flesh. However, if you would read the New Testament in its entirety, you will see that the title of being a sinner is not given to the saints of the living God. If God doesn’t call us one, I am not going to argue with Him.

Nov 30 2014
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The Power of Preaching

By | Articles

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”  (Rom 1:16)

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”  (1Co 1:18)

“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”  (1Co 1:21)

 

Several years ago, while I was still running my construction business, I had to go collect from one of my customers. It was a Friday evening so my wife decided to come along with me and afterwards we would go get a bite to eat. When I got to my customer’s house I found out she wasn’t home, so we thought we would kill a little time and go visit the shops that were in town a few blocks away. We happened to walk into a joke shop and my wife heard a man that was behind the counter playing a hymn on the mandolin. We asked him if he was a Christian and he acknowledged he was. He then pointed to some brochures that he had on the counter. They were brochures for his ministry, which was visiting churches and doing magic shows for the kids. He would use that as a means to share about Jesus. I am not bringing this up to judge the man, but I will say I would not invite a magician to perform at my church. Anyway, the man told me that quite often when he goes to a church to perform his magic show, the adults that are in the room as well as some that may be watching from the hall will come up to him afterwards and tell him they got more out of his magic show then they did from the sermon the pastor preached. Something happened to me right at the moment he told me that. I would normally get mad and say something in my heart like, “Why are you even bringing that magic show into the church?” but then I realized, the problem isn’t the magic show; the problem is that the preacher couldn’t out preach the magic show. Saints of God, the lack of powerful preaching is an epidemic in some of our churches today. I even heard one pastor say that preaching just doesn’t work anymore. Maybe talking or orating doesn’t work because God never ordained just talking, He ordained men full of the Holy Ghost to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to be the chief means to reach the lost and strengthen the saints. I have heard it said and I am sure you have to, that the message never changes just the method. I use to nod my head in half hearted agreement with that, but today I boldly tell you that neither the message nor the method has changed. If you don’t think preaching the gospel is relevant to our sophisticated generation then consider this; “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”  (Mat 24:14). Did you see that, the gospel is going to be preached right up to the very last of the last days? By another verse we can see that preaching will go on even during the tribulation period; “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 14:6). By the way, skits, entertainment, songs and such are not what is considered preaching. To preach means to announce the good news, but scripture teaches us that it is more than just announcing, it is demonstrating and manifesting Christ through preaching. Real Holy Ghost anointed preaching reveals Christ to the listener. This kind of preaching can only be accomplished through Spirit filled believers. I am not just talking about pulpit preaching, I am talking about anytime anyone of us shares with the lost.

 

Before Jesus ever started His earthly ministry He was filled with the Spirit. It was said about Jesus, “The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.” (Joh 7:46). Jesus spoke like He did because He was endued with power from on high. This same power is promised to every believer that will ask our heavenly Father for the Holy Spirit. We don’t need another invention or gimmick. We don’t need to put on some spectacular show to try to attract and win the lost. The preaching of the gospel is the answer and you can take that with you wherever you go. All that was prescribed to Ezekiel to raise up those very dry bones was to prophesy, which means to speak under inspiration; that is Holy Ghost inspiration. Peter, filled with the Spirit, preached less than a three minute sermon on the day of Pentecost and it cut the heart of 3000 men and made them desperate. Stephen preached a short synopsis from Abraham to Solomon and then identified it with his present age and the crowd couldn’t handle it and stoned him. However, it didn’t end there, Saul, who later became Paul, heard that message. After he was converted he went armed with the gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, and through much opposition, brought thousands to the Lord. At the closing years of Paul’s life, he did not discover a more effective way to win others to Christ. The last verse of the book of Acts tells us he was, “Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” (Act 28:31). Our generation needs you saint of God, to be filled with the Spirit and rise up and preach the gospel. There still is power in the gospel of Jesus Christ when it is preached by Spirit filled saints.