Get Moving!
One thing that is apparent to those who have been involved in any type of public project is that there are a number of attitudes. One attitude is that of a person who is trying to destroy the project. The second attitude is one that complains about the project. The final one we will consider is one that will seek to forward the project. When one examines the Bible it is clear that God will be with those who are seeking to do His will. (Romans 8:28) The will be obstacles from time to time. Satan will try and oppose us at every turn, but we can accomplish God’s will if we persevere. To illustrate the point of this lesson please consider Exodus 14:5-18. In this text the project under consideration is Israel leaving Egypt and traveling to Canaan. The one who seeks to destroy this project is Pharaoh. “And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.” (Exodus 14:5-9) Pharaoh decides that he shouldn’t have allowed the project to begin and determines to do whatever he can to stop the project. Violence is even considered to be an option. Too many times there are those who oppose the work of God. Sometimes this type of opposition will even come from within God’s camp. This type of destructive attitude is contrary to accomplishing the goals set forth by our Lord. In our text we also see the attitude of the complainer. “And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.” (Exodus 14:10-12) When adversity presented itself on the project those who were not dedicated to it faltered. Often times there are those who will start out supporting a project but will pull back when something doesn’t go according to plan. Remember, Satan will always oppose that which is good. Because of that we must not allow ourselves to become discouraged. Some of those under the care of Moses would have given up and become slaves to Pharaoh. Will you serve God or give up and serve Satan? Not proceeding with the project meant the goal would never be reached. The attitude for which we must strive is exemplified by Moses. “And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:” (Exodus 14:13-15) Moses was told by God to instruct the people to go forward. Prayer is a powerful thing but there are times when God wants us to take action on a project. If the world is going to be evangelized it will be by men and not by prayer alone. Yes, we need God on our side but don’t forget we fight together with God, not hide behind God. We are to be active in the Kingdom of God. Let us fight the good fight and be rewarded by our master for moving forward instead of giving up. -Pete Ward Responsibility
When the apostle Paul embarked on his first missionary journey he established several congregations along the way. After they had journeyed to a certain point they retraced their steps, confirming the souls and ordained elders in every church. “And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.” (Acts 14:21-23) This was a very important task for the missionaries. Often times we fail to see the importance of the leadership of our congregations. The leadership is so important that the apostle Paul gave this charge to Titus: “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:” (Titus 1:5) So that one might understand the importance of this charge please note the responsibilities that each of us have in regard to the work of the church. First, let us consider the elders. These are the shepherds of God’s flock. “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” (Hebrews 13:17) Elders have a huge responsibility. They have to answer to God for how they cared for the church. You and I can make their jobs easier or much harder. That is why we are told to obey them and submit to them. They have our best interest at heart and have to answer to God for how they do their job. It is a major responsibility! Next, consider the deacons. Because of the enormous responsibility that the elders have, it has become necessary for them to be able to delegate some responsibility to others. This same problem was present in the early church and was alleviated by the appointing of deacons to perform certain tasks. “Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.“ (Acts 6:2-4) Deacons today can be appointed to head many different aspects of local work. Among them are maintenance on the building, benevolence and many other things. We should never overlook the importance of the work they do. Another worker that can be listed is the local preacher. In some congregations this man has been saddled with many responsibilities that, in many instances, should be delegated to others. The idea is that he is on the payroll and has more time than others to do the tasks. Biblically, he has a great responsibility, preach the word. “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (Second Timothy 4:2) Timothy was a preacher and this is his charge. Remember the words of the apostles in Acts 6; “It is not reasonable for us to leave the word of God, and serve tables.” If the work of the church is done the way that the Bible teaches then everyone will be involved. The picture of the church in the New Testament is one of a body of people working together as one; the preacher teaching the Word of God, the elders overseeing the flock and the deacons taking care of day to day business matters. But don’t forget the members. We all have the responsibility of teaching the gospel to the lost. (Matthew 28:18-20) The bottom line is that if we are as involved in the work of the local congregation as the first century Christians were then we will be a stronger, closer congregation of the Lords people. And as such we will be better able to follow the Lord’s command. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) -Pete Ward The Grace of God
Many times when we teach on the plan of salvation we quote John 3:16. This passage is cited as a proof text that one must believe that Jesus is the Son of God. While this is correct, we miss a great opportunity to teach about the grace of God by focusing in on a single aspect of the verse. If not for the grace of God, salvation would not be possible for anyone. Grace has been defined as unmerited favor. No one can earn salvation; instead it is made available to us by the goodness of God. To further illustrate this point, please consider another passage where we often stop short in our teaching. In First Corinthians 15 the apostle Paul presents us with a great lesson on the resurrection. He begins his lesson by teaching about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (First Corinthians 15:1-4) The facts of the death, burial and resurrection are key in the lesson Paul is teaching. Some in Corinth were denying that there was a resurrection and Paul states that the whole basis of salvation depends on there being a resurrection. For this reason Paul continues and provides proof of the resurrection. “And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.” (First Corinthians 15:5-8) Paul proves the resurrection to be a fact by citing that there are witnesses to it. Cephas, the apostles, more than five hundred brethren (many of whom are still living) and Paul himself witnessed the resurrection! Any who would deny need only seek out the witnesses of the facts! Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead! Oftentimes we culminate the lesson at this point and by doing so we lose an opportunity to teach about the grace of God. Notice what Paul says next, “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (First Corinthians 15:9-10) Paul says in verse eight that he was born out of due time. In verse nine he says that he is the least of the apostles because of his persecution of the church. But the apostle Paul is what he is by the grace of God! First and foremost, he is a Christian. Second, he is an apostle. Paul never let the fact that he persecuted the church get in his way of being obedient to the will of God nor did he let it stand in the way of his work in the kingdom. We, like the apostle Paul, are what we are today by the grace of God. Not a single person can say they are a Christian except for the grace of God. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Ephesians 2:8) God demonstrated His love for us in sending His only begotten Son to die for our sins. (John 3:16) Not a single human being, other than the Son of God, could have been the sacrifice that would have satisfied the justice of God. It is by his blood that we are washed from our sins (Romans 6:1-4, Acts 22:16). Anyone who is a Christian is what they are by the grace of God! -Pete Ward The Love of God
Recently we noticed the importance of the grace of God and how that no one could be saved except for that grace. This week we will deal with another aspect of God that we should never overlook and that is the love of God. There are three things of which everyone should be aware concerning the love of God that will bring us to a deeper appreciation of our Maker. First, the love of God has made it possible for us to be redeemed. The concept of redemption arises from the fact that something is lost. The thing, in this case, that is lost is a soul. When one transgresses God’s laws he becomes separated from God. “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” (First John 3:4) “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”. (Romans 3:23) Because of the transgressions of man it became necessary for a sacrifice to be made on his behalf that would satisfy the justice of God; that sacrifice was the Son of God. “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.” (John 3:16) The love of God provided the cost of redemption and paved the way for man to be reconciled to God. Second, the love of God seeks after those who are lost. Jesus taught us that a good shepherd will go after a lost sheep. “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.” (Luke 15:4-7) God not only provided a way for man to be redeemed but He provided instructions for those who have been redeemed to help find others who are lost. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:19-20) If God had not provided instructions for us to seek the lost then He would have been leaving it up to the lost sheep to find their own way. The love of God would never allow that to happen! Third, the love of God has given us an opportunity to return to God. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (Second Peter 3:9) Sometimes people look around at the world and wonder why God hasn’t destroyed it. Wickedness resulted in the death of all living creatures except those in the ark in the days of Noah. So what is preventing God from destroying the world now? The answer is the love of God. God is giving the lost ample opportunity to repent of their wickedness. But don’t confuse the long suffering of God with a refusal to punish the wicked. God has appointed a day in which the world will be judged. “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30:31) Judgment has been delayed because of the love of God! Love oftentimes is taken for granted. We assume that the sun will rise tomorrow but one day that will not be the case. It is true that the love of God will always be there, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 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.” (Romans 8:28-29), but the opportunity to repent will one day be lost. “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. (Second Thessalonians 1:7-10) Don’t miss your opportunity to take advantage of the love of God. -Pete Ward Confession
The subject of confession is one that is often times overlooked. Failure to give the subject the proper attention will make for a weaker Christian. Let us notice two aspects of confession and enhance our understanding on the subject. First and foremost we need to notice the place that confession has in the plan of salvation. It is important to know that each of the requisite parts of the plan of salvation is connected to being saved. Belief and baptism are connected with salvation in Mark 16:16; “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Repentance is connected to salvation in Second Corinthians 7:10; “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” So it should not surprise us that the apostle Paul connects confession to salvation in Romans 10:10; “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” So having been connected to salvation it naturally follows that we should be able to see the role of confession in the book of Acts and we do in Acts 8:37; “And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” The conclusion one must draw from these passages is clear; one must confess their faith in Jesus Christ in order to be saved. Never underestimate the importance of any of the steps in God’s plan. Next we must notice the role of confession in the life of the Christian. It is inevitable that the Christian, being a finite being, will sin. When sin occurs it is necessary for one to confess their sins in order for them to be forgiven. John writes, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (First John 1:9) James tells us that we should confess our faults one to another in James 5:16; “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Confession is a vital part of the life of any Christian. Jesus said in the long ago; “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3) Being a part of the church means that we recognize our dependence on God and this will prompt us to confess our sins and seek His forgiveness. The old proverb that says “confession is good for the soul” may not be Biblical in origin but our confession to God is good for our souls. May we all humble ourselves before God and realize the importance of confession. -Pete Ward Children of God
One of the greatest days of my life was when my son was born. I remember seeing him for the first time and being able to hold him. It was a wonderful day! These are the kinds of moments that we will never forget. Do you remember the day that you were baptized into Christ? Each of us should remember that day. That was the day that we were born again. “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5) Before you became a child of God you stood condemned. Paul writes, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 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. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” (Romans 6:16-18) When we became a child of God we made a decision to get out of the sinning business and became the servant of God. Being a child of God has some benefits. Paul tells us that as children of God we are also heirs. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:16-17) As adopted children (Romans 8:15) we are heirs of our Father in heaven. Jesus promised us that He would prepare a place for us. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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. 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.” (John 14:1-3) What a wonderful reward! To have a place prepared for us in the estate of our Father! A place, a mansion all our own! Why would one need any other motivation to obey the gospel? Orphans long for the day that they might be taken into a family - to be loved and cared for by a family. In the spiritual realm all have that opportunity waiting for them. But it is up to the individual to take the first step by deciding that they will serve God instead of one who will lead them down the path of destruction. The words of Joshua are still relevant today: “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.” (Joshua 24:15) -Pete Ward When is a Man Saved?
If, as some of our religious friends contend, men were saved at the point of faith alone, we would be confronted with the following unscriptural conclusions: (1) We would be saved before turning unto the Lord, “and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord,” (Acts 11:21). If these people were saved the very moment they believed, they were saved before they turned to the Lord. (2) One would be saved without confessing Christ, John 12:42. Who can accept this conclusion in view of the Lord’s statement in Matthew 10:32, 33? (3) One would be saved without repentance. If it be by faith only that one is saved this excludes repentance, yet Luke 13:3 tells us that “except you repent you shall all likewise perish”. (4) We would be saved before coming to God. The Bible teaches that one must first believe and then come to God. Hebrews 11:6, not that believers had already come to God by the act of faith alone. (5) A man would be saved without obedience because no act before faith would please God and no act after faith would be essential to salvation, Mark 16:16; Hebrews 5:8, 9. (6) All men would be saved out of Christ because baptism is an act which follows faith, and is a translating act by which we come into Christ. We are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, “for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ,” (Galatians 3:26, 27). J. A. McNutt Christian men and Christian women are salesmen and saleswomen in the highest and fullest sense of that terminology. We are striving to sell Christianity, the greatest product on earth, to an unbelieving and often indifferent world. Our success in closing the sale is determined by many factors such as our words, our actions, our sincerity, and our knowledge of God’s word.
What kind of impression are we making on those whom we hope to convert? I once read an article entitled, Adventures in Salesmanship, put out by one of the major industrial firms in America, in which it was suggested that a salesman should not merely sell things. Here are a few of the suggestions offered. Don’t sell me clothes; sell me neat appearance, style, attractiveness. Don’t sell me furniture; sell me a home that has comfort, cleanliness and contentment. Don’t sell me books; sell me the pleasant hours and profits of knowledge. Don’t sell me things; sell me ideals, feelings, self respect, home life and happiness. Please don’t sell me things. WHAT ARE WE SELLING TODAY? As Christians we are not engaged in selling things, rather we are dealing in spiritual values and selling knowledge of the will of God, freedom from guilt, true happiness, the joys of Christian fellowship, a happier home life, a clear conscience, and the bright hope of a home in heaven. Perhaps, if we placed more emphasis on the great blessings that Christianity had to offer we would be more successful in selling our product. QUALITIES OF CHRISTIAN SALESMANSHIP We need to have a thorough knowledge of the will of God, a deep understanding of human nature coupled with honesty, sincerity, and a genuine love for the truth---enough love for humanity to prevent harshness and abuse, enough zeal and enthusiasm to keep us busy, and enough determination to keep us from ever quitting. Are we effective salesmen who properly represent Christ and His church? Think about it and let’s try to improve. -J. A. McNutt |
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