Synopsis of the Bible, the Word of God

This Book contains the Word of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers.

Its doctrines are holy. Its precepts are binding; its histories are true, and its decisions immutable.

Read it to be wise. Believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter.

Here Paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of Hell disclosed.

Christ is the grand object, our good its design, and the glory of God its end.

It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet.

Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully.

It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of judgment.

It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgments, and be remembered forever.

It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and condemns all who trifle with its sacred contents.

(Found on the fly-leaf of D. L. Moody’s Bible)

Statements Contrary to our Current Political Philosophy

Hmmmmm........ the statements below make perfect sense to me, but I wonder what our "leaders" in Washington, D.C. would have to say about them......

1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.

2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

4. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation.

5. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.

Are You Committed to Your Church???

From God's Word, we know the following statements are TRUE!!!

Jesus Christ started the church.....
Jesus Christ is the head of the church.....
Jesus Christ gave Himself for the church.....
Jesus Christ shed His blood for the church.....
Jesus Christ loves the church.....
Jesus Christ nourishes the church.....
Jesus Christ cherishes the church.......

Therefore, the church is very important to Jesus Christ.

If it is that important to Him, then it ought to be important to us!!!!!

How committed are we to the local church?????

Are you an active and committed member of a local church, or do you find it easy to make excuses about not attending church and instead "worship" and "serve" God in your own personal way???

Now, you do not have to answer to me...... simply tell God about your own personal thinking and committment regarding the church which Jesus Christ Himself established during His days here on earth. Does your thinking line up with the clear instructions for believers outlined in the New Testament Scripture???

Whose Fool Are You???

I Cor. 4:10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

The Bible has much to say about the fool. When a man calls another man a fool, he may or may not be speaking the truth. However, when the Holy Scriptures refer to a man as a fool, we can be sure that the title he is issued is the truth about his identity!

The Scriptural warning in Matthew 5:22 applies to the constitution for the millennial reign of Christ. It is not a mandate for the Church Age. This truth can be easily proven by the fact that both the Lord Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul called several people fools in the New Testament.

"Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?" (Matthew 23:17)

"Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?" (Matthew 23:19)

"Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die."
(I Corinthians 15:36)

There are several types of fools found in the Holy Scriptures.

I. The CORRUPT Fool

"THE fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good."
(Psalm 14:1)

Theology is how a man deals with the concept of God!

A. The Atheist is a Fool.
B. The Agnostic is a Fool.
C. The Evolutionist is a Fool.

II. The CARELESS Fool (Luke 12:16 - 21)

A. He Loved his Possessions. (v. 16 - 18)
B. He Lived for Pleasure. (v. 19)
C. He Lost his Prosperity! (v. 20 - 21)

"But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?" (Luke 12:20)

III. The CONFUSED Fool (Matthew 23:17 - 19)

A. Hypocrites in their Actions

"All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers."
(Matthew 23:3 - 4)

B. Hypocrites in their Appearance

"But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi."
(Matthew 23:5 - 7)

C. Hypocrites in their Attempts

"But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in."
(Matthew 23:13)

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves."
(Matthew 23:15)

IV. The CHRISTIAN Fool "We are fools for Christ's sake..." (I Cor. 4:10)

A. Positive about Salvation

"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."
(I John 5:13)

B. Persuaded about Scripture

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."
(II Timothy 3:16)

-The Scriptures are Inspired!
-The Scriptures are Inerrant!
-The Scriptures are Incorruptible!

C. Passionate about Souls

"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."
(II Corinthians 5:20)

Many of us were not ashamed to be fools for Satan when we were lost. May God help us not to be ashamed to be called fools for Christ's sake now that we are saved by His grace!

A Message by Evangelist Jeremiah Dixon

When We Don't Humble Ourselves, God Will Humble Us

Deut. 8:2-3, 16 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;

1. God does not take pleasure in embarrassing us but He is certainly willing to embarrass us.
2. God is jealous of His good name and will not allow us to disgrace His name. Ex. 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
3. God is no respector of persons. Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: Rom. 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God. 1 Peter 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
4. God does not care what may be your title or position, whether President, Pastor, manager, layman, laborer, etc.
5. If we continually hide sin in our lives we can be sure that it will come out. God is not afraid to humiliate any one of us. Num. 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.
6. God hates pride. Just as surely as Satan fell in his attempt to exalt himself so our pride will lead us to a fall. Prov. 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Are There Different Pews in Your Church???

In most churches the pews look alike. But they are really very different.

THE CRITICAL PEW- This pew watches the pastor of the church with an eagle eye. The singing is too soft or too loud. The building is always too hot or too cold. The critical pew finds everything but the blessings of God.

THE IRREGULAR PEW- Sometimes this irregular pew is full; sometimes it is empty. The problem is that you never know what to expect from this pew.

THE CORDIAL PEW- This pew is always radiant like the sunshine. This pew greets other pews with genuine cordiality, extends a handshake to every visitor and listens with joy to the sermons.

THE PRAYERFUL PEW- This pew spends a moment or two with bowed head in silent prayer upon entering the church. This pew comes to worship and brings the spirit of worship with it into the church.

THE SLEEPY PEW- This is the pew usually occupied by those who watched the late show. There are many "nods" in this pew but there are seldom "nods" of approval.

THE BORED PEW- This pew is occupied by those who take no mental or spiritual preparations for the service. It seldom offers a prayer for the pastor or singers or that the message will be helpful. This pew is located very near the Critical pew, usually in the back of the church. Not much music comes from the bored pew and when the services ends, it complains that the spiritual meal was blah.

Which of these pews will you occupy when you come to worship in the Lord's house next Sunday?

NewsWithViews Excerpts Worth Reading

Just catching up some of my email tonight, and I thought I would pass a thought or two (or three) your way from my reading of several articles from the NewsWithViews.com mailing list I received this week. Comments are welcome but I am sure the article authors would appreciate your feedback just as well.... and allow me to say I do not agree 100% with the entire views and language and theology of these authors, but most of the time, they do make me think!!!!!

"SOCIAL JUSTICE" IS NOT CHRISTIAN CHARITY by Paul Proctor
http://www.newswithviews.com/PaulProctor/proctor204.htm

You will find the word “justice” in scripture, as you will the word “gospel” – but you won’t find the word “social” in front of either of them because “social justice,” like the “social gospel,” is the wily work of men, not the Will and Word of God. Jesus Christ did not suffer and die on a cross so we could repair, remodel and rehabilitate a wicked world for Him to rule over, but instead to redeem us from it for a “kingdom not of this world.”

If someone doesn’t speak up and point this out, the issue will be forever confusing, controversial and divisive and the Church will continue to be swayed off course by those with political ambitions.

Scriptures containing the words “justice,” “justly,” and “judgment” that progressives handily quote to try and validate “social justice” as a Christian concept and mandate for the Church are predominately from the Old Testament, which is ironic considering progressives by and large prefer to dismiss or discount much of the OT and its so called “legalism” because it inconveniently clashes with their no-absolutes and no-authority philosophies, theologies and lifestyles. Frankly, it is God’s justice and judgments throughout the Old Testament that confound and offend progressives the most about the Bible resulting in the sleazy greasy grace they preach and practice as “Christianity.”

DOUBLESPEAK: THE LANGUAGE OF DECEPTION PART 4 by Martha West
http://www.newswithviews.com/West/marsha189.htm

Christendom has its fair share of doublespeak within its ranks. Conservative Christian apologists and those involved in the counter cult and discernment ministries who dare to expose apostates are accused of being divisive. For example, if a conservative attempts to combat the spread of the social justice gospel that emphasizes good deeds without the power of the gospel, their liberal critics cry “Pharisee!” Implying that these critics are Pharisees is another way of saying that they are narrow-minded, mean-spirited and unloving -- and yes, even intolerant and bigoted.

Word Faith (false) teachers use “heresy hunter” to define the opposition. But in reality discernment ministries are “truth-seekers.”

Most mature Christians recognize heresy when it rears its ugly head. But when they speak out against prominent false teachers who are leading the Body of Christ astray, their bamboozled followers invariably play the Matthew 7:1 card:

“Judge not, lest you be judged.”

This is doublespeak for: Shut the heck up!

First of all, discernment demands that we make judgments. As my pastor, Stan Way, said in a recent sermon, faithful Christians live their lives in a new center of gravity — the biblical worldview. Serious Christians must stand up and speak the truth with conviction and courage. We must be willing to lose our life for Christ and the gospel. In other words, for truth! Further, we must be willing to be treated with contempt by the world. Jesus said, “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38).

I don’t know about you, but I’m not ashamed and I will not be bullied into shutting up!

INTELLECTUAL BIGOTRY By Coach Dave Daubenmire
http://www.newswithviews.com/Daubenmire/dave187.htm

Bigotry—a stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own.

Am I the only one who is sick of it or are we just so conditioned to sit obediently in the pew that we have forgotten how to stand up and fight? How long are we going to allow ourselves to be treated as second-class citizens in the land for which our fathers fought and died?

My blood boils over the way Christians have permitted the elitists to have silenced us. I can think of no other people-group who has permitted their system of beliefs to be so totally disregarded as those of us who proudly espouse Faith in Jesus.

In America, the new caliphate are the scientists and the academicians. They are the one’s who determine what will and will not be permitted. Anyone who stands on the authority of the Word of God is automatically written off as “religious.” Holding firm to faith in Jesus is secular apostasy and requires censorship so that the public will not be influenced by such fables.

They are very subtle, these secular bigots. They know that they can not get away with attacking the Truth of Christianity, but they can get away with a “reclassification” of Christianity. In their particular form of bigotry it is not that Christianity is “wrong” but that it is “religious” and religious views are not to hold equal sway with “science”. Science is head-knowledge (facts) while Christianity is heart knowledge (faith).

If you even hint of bringing Christian beliefs into the discussion you automatically become the law breaker and deserving of rebuke. “Religious beliefs belong in church, not in public discussion.” The “tolerant” intellectual bigots are only protecting innocent minds from “religious indoctrination” while they preach their secular gospel free of opposition. Soon we will be able to demand a Christian-history month in our schools.