“The Whole Story”

Everyone has a life story and unfortunately, there are times when others focus only on half of a person’s story.  Many people highlight the faults of the early apostles.  However, that is not the END of their story.  As we study history we discover that each of the apostles, with the exception of John, were killed because of their refusal to reject their faith in Christ.  It is common knowledge that Peter denied Christ three times before Jesus was crucified but in the end, Peter was crucified upside down because he refused to deny Christ.  Thomas is frequently referred to as “doubting Thomas” because of his skepticism regarding the resurrection of Jesus.  But he was stabbed with pine spears and burned to death by the enemies of Christ because he fully believed in the risen Savior.  The other apostles abandoned Jesus while He was being held as a prisoner, but in the end they were beaten to death, stabbed to death, stoned, crucified, and beheaded because they would not abandon the Gospel of Christ. 

Paul was known to imprison and murder Christians prior to his encounter with Christ.  However, the second half of his life was spent evangelizing in order to lead more people to Christ than he had killed because of their belief in Jesus.  God sees us as the individuals He created us to be and forgives us of the sins we have committed along the way when we are repentant.

Romans 3:23-26

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness,  because in God’s merciful restraint He let the sins previously committed go unpunished; ²⁶ for the demonstration, that is, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Romans 8:28-30

²⁸ And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; ³⁰ and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

 

“The Knowledge of God”

No one can ever obtain true knowledge of God until they have first submitted themselves to His righteousness. Having zeal alone will not give us the ability to know or understand God.

Romans 10:1-3

¹ Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.

² For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 

³ For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

 

“The Importance of Self Denial”

When Steven was being stoned, he prayed that God would not charge the men with their sin:  his murder. 

Steven was a humble man and full of the Spirit.  If he had requested that God avenge him instead of denying himself, God may have obliged him.  If that would have happened, we would not understand the requirement of salvation, or recognize that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:18, 10:9).  We would not understand that the most important attribute to have and display is love (1 Corinthians 13).  We would be oblivious of the fruit of the Spirit that God requires us to have (Galatians 5:22-23).  We would not be aware of the armor of God that is essential for us to wear while engaging in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:13-17).  We would not know to meditate on the things that are noble, pure, just, true, lovely, and of a good report (Philippians 4:8).  We would not understand how to address sin and the necessity of avoiding sin (Colossians 3:1-17).  We would not understand that not only do we need to avoid evil; we need to abstain from all APPEARANCES of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22).  We would not understand that we are to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  And we would not understand sound doctrine (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus). 

The reason we would be ignorant of all of this DOCTRINAL information is because Paul is the person who instructed us in these areas.  He was present at the time of Stephen’s murder and would have suffered God’s wrath if Stephen would have prayed for vengeance and God would have honored his request.  Stephen’s self-denial has benefitted the Body of Christ for the past 2 millennium.

It is difficult to experience ill treatment by others and refrain from retaliation.  Although we may desire to “handle” the situation our way, God expects for us to respond righteously.  We have to remember that our vision is myopic, but God has a panoramic view.

Romans 12:17-21

  ¹⁷ Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. ¹⁸ Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

¹⁹ Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.

²⁰ Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
    If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
    burning coals of shame on their heads.”

²¹ Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

 

“Spiritual Gifts”

Staying in Our Lane

When a construction company gets a contract to build a building, that is their main function.  While they may be responsible for painting and other duties, they only build the building.  They will subcontract a painting company, electrical company, plumbers, and other companies to fulfill specific tasks.  Painters do not install drop ceiling or work on the foundation, they paint.  Plumbers are not responsible for ensuring that there is sufficient lighting throughout the building, they handle the plumbing. 

God expects each of us to function in the gift that He has given us.  When we operate out of our specific gift, we do not function very well.  Everyone is not called to the mission field and everyone is not qualified to teach.  It is essential that we LEARN or DISCOVER what OUR gift is.  We also need to understand HOW God expects for us to function in that gift.  The gift is perfect and flawless and when used properly, it will fulfill all that God intends for it to fulfill.

Romans 12:4-8

⁴ Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, ⁵ so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

⁶ In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. ⁷ If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. ⁸ If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

 

“Blessings of God”

Recognizing Godly Prosperity

Many times we have become discouraged because we have observed ungodly individuals or lukewarm Christians obtain what we believed to be blessings from God.  There have been times when we have wondered why it seems that individuals who lack reverence for God prosper more than those who make an effort to live righteously.  As we learn more about the character of God and how He operates, we will stop wondering. 

First of all, if people receive anything that diverts or removes their attention from God, it did not come from God.  In Luke 5:1-11, Peter, James and John spent all night fishing, but failed to catch any fish.  Jesus instructed Peter to take his boat into the deep water and let his net down to catch some fish.  After Peter obeyed Jesus, he caught so many fish that he had to call James and John to bring their boat and assist him in bringing the fish to land.  Both boats almost sank and the net were barely strong enough to secure the fish.  Peter, James, and John caught more fish than they had ever caught in their lives because they obeyed what Jesus had instructed them to do.  However, after their most successful day on the job, they left EVERYTHING to follow Jesus.  God will NEVER give us anything that will immediately cause us to focus our attention somewhere other than on Him.  What He gives us will cause us to INCREASE our focus on Him.  God gives us what He knows we are mature enough to handle. 

Secondly, if people receive anything that did not require them to live by God’s standard in order to obtain, it did not come from God.  In Deuteronomy 28:1-14, God told the Israelites that if they were faithful to obey His commands, He would cause blessings to overtake them.  Satan is a deceiver and he will do whatever is necessary to keep us from drawing closer to God and living by His standards. 

Jeremiah 17:11

As a partridge that hatches eggs which it has not laid,
So is a person who makes a fortune, but unjustly;
In the middle of his days it will abandon him,
And in the end he will be a fool.”

Proverbs 11:18

Evil people get rich for the moment,
but the reward of the godly will last.

 

“Purpose”

God’s Design

Everyone was born with a specific purpose, but our purpose is not determined by us; it is uniquely designed and defined by God.  Our purpose is not determined by how hard we work toward a goal.  It is also not determined by the quality of our character.  Sometimes tragedies or unpleasant events are used to develop us and position us so that we can function as God desires us to. 

There are times when we may question the reason for us experiencing some of things that we go through, but a better question could be why did He let us SURVIVE?  God already knows the end result of the lives of each individual that visits this planet and nothing happens without His knowledge or approval.  God’s decisions display His POWER and brings Him the greatest GLORY.

Romans 8:28-30

²⁸ And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; ³⁰ and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

Romans 9:9-12

⁹ For this is the word of promise:  “At This Time I Will Come And Sarah Shall Have A Son.”

¹⁰ And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac;

¹¹ for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls,

¹² it was said to her, “The Older Will Serve The Younger.”

Romans 9:17-18

¹⁷ For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For This Very Purpose I Raised You Up, To Demonstrate My Power In You, And That My Name Might Be Proclaimed Throughout The Whole Earth.”

¹⁸ So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.

 

“Proper Perspective”

False Evidence Appearing Real

Fear can paralyze us when our perspective is faulty.  While we should be AWARE of the events that are occurring on earth, our FOCUS should not be a slave to these events. 

In 1 Samuel 17, the Israelite army was being terrorized by Goliath from the Philistine army and they were frightened of him.  During one of his visits, David came on the scene and inquired about the reward for disposing of this man who had the audacity to defy the army that belonged to God.  While the soldiers feared Goliath, David saw a defeated foe. 

After David assured Saul that Goliath would die like the bear and the lion that he had previously killed, he went out to engage the giant in combat.  When Goliath squared off with David, he may have been baffled by David’s confidence since he was almost five feet taller than David.  However, 1 Samuel 5 provides some history which could explain David’s lack of fear.  In that account, the Philistines captured the ark of God and took it to the house of Dagon, their god.  The next morning, they found Dagon on his face bowing down to the ark of God.  They set Dagon upright in his previous position.  The following morning, they saw that Dagon had once again fallen before the ark of God.  This time his hands and head had been broken off.  Following this incident, God afflicted the Philistines with tumors which caused them to realize that they needed to return the ark of God to the Israelites. 

God had already proven that when He intervenes in any situation, there isn’t any force that can contend with Him.  However, as the Israelite soldiers stood in front of Goliath, they feared him because they only saw how big he was.  David was not afraid of Goliath because he only saw how big God is.  It’s all a matter of having proper perspective.

Proverbs 3:25-26

²⁵ Do not be afraid of sudden danger,
Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;
²⁶ For the Lord will be your confidence,
And will keep your foot from being caught.

 

“Devotion”

Who Do We Give Our Allegiance To?

When people choose to follow the world over Christ, we should not keep them as friends or remain loyal to them.  Our devotion is to Jesus and our support is reserved for those who remain faithful to Him.

In Mark 10, Jesus was engaged in conversation with a young man who was financially wealthy.  This man wanted to understand the process to obtaining eternal life.  After reminding the young man of the commandments that had been given to the Israelites to live by, Jesus presented him with a challenge that would reveal where his heart was.  The challenge was to sell everything that he owned and give the money to the poor.  When the young man realized what he would have to do to prove his allegiance to God, he walked away.  Jesus did not pursue him or make him feel better for choosing things over God.  We all have our individual choice to make in regard to giving our allegiance to Christ or the world.   

1 John 2 :15-17

¹⁵ Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. ¹⁷ The world is passing away and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God continues to live forever.

 

 

“Honoring Leadership”

Respecting Authority

We are given biblical instructions to give respect to people who are in legitimate positions of authority.  Legitimate authority refers to people who have been selected by individuals to be authority figure in their lives. This includes, but is not limited to pastors, employers, and husbands.  Legitimate authority also refers to individuals who are elected or appointed such as, governors, mayors, and police officers (Romans 13:1-8).

Respecting authority is required even when the person doesn’t have any reverence for God (1 Peter 2:13-20).  The reason God is such a stickler concerning respecting leadership is because unless you can properly honor a human leader, you can NEVER properly honor God’s position. 

1 John 4:20

²⁰ If someone says, “I love God,” and yet he hates his brother or sister, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

 

“Sound Doctrine”

Is It Written?

There are times when we, as the Body of Christ, differ in some of our practices.  These differences can sometimes place us at odds with one another.  Some of our teachings are not written in the Bible or SPECIFICALLY endorsed by the Word of God.  If the teaching or practice is not written in or eluded to by the word of God, we need to refrain from imposing it on others. 

In Luke 6:6-11, Jesus took time on the Sabbath to heal a man who had a withered hand.  The scribes and Pharisees were outraged by this miracle being performed on the Sabbath because they viewed it as a violation of the Law.  However, none of the laws found in Exodus thru Deuteronomy forbids anyone to heal on the Sabbath.  This was ADDED to the Law after the Israelites returned from Babylonian captivity. 

We may have practices or beliefs that are not found in the Word of God but they also do not conflict with the Word of God.  Although these practices may be beneficial to us, this still does not permit us to attack other believers who do not exercise our principles.  Titus 3:9 instructs us to avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.

 

“Godly Insight”

Proper Interpretation

It is important to take caution in applying the advice or counsel that we receive from others.  In First Samuel 24, Saul is in pursuit of David.  On one occasion, while searching for him, Saul decides to use the bathroom in a cave that David and his men have chosen to hide in.  David’s men advise him that God has caused Saul to be placed in a vulnerable position so that David can take him out.  However David chose to reject the counsel of his men and allow his enemy to live.  And as a result, when the time came for him to become king over Israel, David was blameless of committing any wrong against Saul.  He died in battle against the Philistines instead of dying at the hands of David. 

David’s men improperly assumed that Saul had been gift wrapped by God so that David could eliminate him, but David’s ability to view the situation with godly insight kept him righteous.  Sometimes people believe that the easy way out of a situation displays God’s intervention, but it is important to properly evaluate the circumstance using Biblical insight.

Psalm 1:1-3

Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

² But his delight is in the Law of the Lord,

And on His Law he meditates day and night.

³ He will be like a tree planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers.

 

“Idolatry”

Worship God Only

We have to be mindful that we reserve our worship for God and Him only.  An idol is anything that we honor above God.  It is acceptable to acknowledge the goodness or usefulness of something but we should be careful that we do not adore the object or person above the adoration that we have for God.

An idol may even be something that God issued to us to serve a good purpose.  In Second Kings 18:4, we read about Hezekiah destroying the bronze snake that was erected by Moses to save the lives of the Israelites that had been bitten by snakes in Numbers 21.  Hezekiah had to destroy the image because, even though God used it to save the lives of everyone who would look at it, the Israelites decided  to worship what God had provided to heal them rather than reserving their worship for the healer Himself.  Even though God may place people in our path who can supply us with information that may be essential to our success in this life, we are to reserve the highest level of adoration for God.

 

“Grace”

Grace With Others

While we are never to compromise the Gospel of Jesus, or our stand with Christ, we should extend grace to those who have not yet reached the position that we have attained in the growth process known as spiritual maturity. 

Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark travelled together preaching the Gospel.  At one point during the journey, when the going got tough, Mark got going and deserted Paul and Barnabas to return home.  When Paul decided to revisit the cities they had previously preached in, Barnabas suggested that they take John Mark along with them.  Paul was opposed to this idea and after arguing with Barnabas about it, the two of them eventually went their separate ways because they could not agree on this matter.  One thing that Paul had not taken into account was that when HE was a new convert, Barnabas was the one who endorsed him when others did not believe in the authenticity of his conversion.  However, as Paul matured, he recognized the maturity that Mark had developed as a result of being properly mentored by Barnabas.  In his later years, Paul began to once again, travel with Mark in ministry because he recognized Mark’s usefulness. 

When we first give our lives to Christ, none of us are the person we will become by the end of the journey.  Each of us will need to receive grace and EACH of us will need to extend grace.

Romans 15:1

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not just please ourselves. 

 

“The Gospel”

Gospel of Christ

There have been times when Christians have inquired, “How do we reach people?”  The answer is, preaching the Gospel of Christ is only way that we can effectively reach anyone for Christ.  God is removed from the process of Salvation and it dishonors Him when we seek avenues other than what He established in order to win people to Christ.  In order to justify using other creative strategies to inform people about Jesus, some have asserted that people are not receptive to the Gospel anymore.  However, when we review history, we notice that the Gospel has always made people uncomfortable because it is offensive.  The Spirit of God is what draws people as He sets the stage for the Gospel to be preached.

Here are a few examples of times when the Holy Spirit provided the opportunity to distribute the Gospel: 

In Acts chapter 2, the Holy Spirit filled the Disciples of Jesus and gave them the ability to speak in languages that they had not previously learned.  Jews who were staying in Jerusalem gathered around to find out what the noise that they heard was.  During this time, they heard the Gospel preached to them in their native tongues.  When Peter preached the Gospel of Christ to them, they were convicted of their sins and chose to repent.  This produced a conversion of almost three thousand people. 

In Acts chapter 3, the Holy Spirit empowered Peter and John to heal a lame man. This event caused people to take notice and gather around to witness the amazing sight.  As a result of the Holy Spirit drawing a massive crowd, Peter and John were given the opportunity to administer the Gospel and five thousand people were converted.

In Acts 8, an angel gave Philip specific instructions to go to a designated road.  When he arrived in the place that he had been directed, Philip saw an Ethiopian man riding in his chariot.  After catching up to the chariot, Philip heard the man reading Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the crucifixion of Jesus.  Philip taught him about Jesus and what He had done for a world full of sinners and hearing the Gospel caused the Ethiopian to accept Jesus.

God will take care of making the arrangements for people to hear the Gospel.  It is never by chance that a person receives Christ.  He does not want a mass of people to be to be indoctrinated with a watered down Gospel and He will not allow the crucifixion of Christ to be depreciated.  The Gospel is the power of God that leads to Salvation.  When we use anything other than the Gospel to introduce Salvation to people, one of two things will occur:  (1) either they will not be converted, or (2) they will be impacted by something that is too weak to sustain them and it will not last.  We do not have to worry about REACHING people; we just need to be prepared to witness the Gospel to them when the opportunity becomes available.

Romans 1:16

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

 

“Leadership”

Good Leaders

It takes a strong person to be a good leader.  A good leader has the strength to ruffle feathers when it’s necessary because a good leader is not driven to please people.  They have the courage to say what you need to hear instead of what you want to hear. 

We have numerous leaders within the Church, but everyone is not qualified to be a leader.  Good character and wisdom are qualities of good leaders.  Leaders who displays partiality or lack the backbone to correct people that are in error, are unqualified and disqualified from leading.       

Ezekiel 3:8-9

⁸ “Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads.”

⁹ “Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.”

 

“End Times”

Proper Alignment

2 Timothy 3:13

But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Those who align themselves with godless individuals have rejected Christ.  We are not in allegiance with people; we are in allegiance with Jesus.  When people are in allegiance with Jesus, by default, we are in allegiance with them.  But whenever they turn from following Jesus; we are no longer in allegiance with them.     

James 2:19

You believe that there is one God.  You do well.  Even the demons believe – and tremble!

 

"Sound Doctrine"

Disqualifications

When someone teaches errant information out of ignorance, they are unqualified to teach.  When someone teaches errant information in an attempt to deceive others, they are disqualified from teaching.

Titus 1:7-11

⁷ For the overseer must be beyond reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not overindulging in wine, not a bully, not greedy for money, ⁸ but hospitable, loving what is good, self-controlled, righteous, holy, disciplined, ⁹ holding firmly the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it.

¹⁰ For there are many rebellious people, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹ who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of dishonest gain.

 

“Biblical Production”

Discipleship

To disciple an individual means to dedicate a great amount of time training them and explaining the essential details of a specific subject.  When we give our lives to Christ and discover the specific gift(s) that is given to us by the Holy Spirit, and begin to function in the gift(s) according to the desire of the Holy Spirit; we PRODUCE within the kingdom.  When we take the time to disciple someone else, we REPRODUCE within the kingdom. 

Matthew 28:19-20

¹⁹ “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 

 

“Biblical Approach to Life”

Delays

Lettuce takes about 30 days to grow.  Some varieties of potatoes can take between 90 and 150 days to cultivate.  What is the delay with the potatoes?  What takes them so long to produce?  Nothing.  There is no delay and they do not take a long time to grow.  They grow in the amount of time that it takes potatoes to grow.  Many times we believe that there is a delay in the answer to our prayers or we believe that God is delaying our blessing.  God has a time when He desires to do something.  Unless we know God’s timing, we cannot determine that our blessing is delayed or that the answers to our prayers are delayed.  We will get what God wants us to have WHEN He wants us to have it.

In Genesis 40, while Joseph is imprisoned in Pharaoh’s prison, God provides Joseph with the opportunity to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh’s chief cup bearer and his baker.  After interpreting the dream of Pharaoh’s chief cup bearer, Joseph requested that the cup bearer petition Pharaoh to have Joseph released from prison.  However, after being released from prison, the cup bearer forgot about Joseph. 

In Genesis 41, Pharaoh has a dream that no one can interpret and the cup bearer finally remembers that Joseph has the authentic ability to interpret dreams.  So he mentions Joseph to Pharaoh and Pharaoh has Joseph brought to him to interpret his dream.  After giving Pharaoh the correct interpretation of his dream, Joseph’s life changed instantly.  He never returned to his cell and he is placed in a position that requires him to answer only to Pharaoh.

On the surface, it may appear that there was a delay in Joseph obtaining his freedom from prison.  However, there wasn’t any delay at all.  God is the One who gave Pharaoh a dream that required a divine interpretation.  This brought about the need for the only person in Egypt who had been given the divine ability to interpret dreams.  Joseph was released from prison when God determined that he should be released.  If Joseph had been freed 2 years prior, he would have been like fruit or vegetables that are harvested before they are ripe:  good for nothing.  There would not have been any purpose for Joseph to fulfill for Pharaoh.  God determined when the time was ripe and Joseph became beneficial to the Egyptians, his father and his brothers, the Israelites who would come from the lineage of his brothers, and the rest of the world that would have access to salvation because of Christ who came from the Israelites through the lineage of Judah.   

Galatians 4:4-5

  ⁴ But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, ⁵ so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters.

 

“Life Applications”

Deliverance

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 

There are times when God will allow us to stay in a situation beyond frustration.  When we get to a point where we have placed our focus completely on Him and we have to be reminded that we are even in a situation, we have come to a point where God can change our situation.  We are not learning to live with our situation; we have learned to live beyond it.

 

“Spiritual Awareness”

Deception

2 Corinthians 11:14, 15

¹⁴ No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. ¹⁵ Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

Those who will come to deceive us will not come publicly denying Jesus.  They will preach what we preach.  They will speak the way we speak.  And they will do what we do.  

We identify these individuals by holding them up to the Bible.  God will allow us to witness the fruit that they produce.

Matthew 7:15-20

¹⁵ “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? ¹⁷ So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ So then, you will know them by their fruits.

 

“Biblical Application”

Conversion

Romans 12:1-2

Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Conversion requires that there is an internal change of heart and mind that is exhibited by an external change in our actions and behaviors. 

Acts 8:9-24 gives an account of a sorcerer by the name of Simon that was believed to be a man of God because of the magic he performed.  He came to believe in Christ and followed Philip after hearing Philip’s preaching.  However, when he witnessed people receiving the Holy Spirit after Peter and John laid hands on them, Simon attempted to purchase that authority.  His desire was the result of having an impure heart and he was enticed by the actions of his life up to that point.  His lust for this power indicated that no conversion had taken place. 

 

“Life Applications”

Conflict Resolution

Romans 12:17-21

¹⁷ Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people. ¹⁸ If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people. ¹⁹ Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. ²⁰ “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

The only way an issue can be resolved is if all parties involved are willing to acknowledge their fault or the role that they played which factored into the disagreement.  If only one person apologizes for their offense and the other person accepts the apology but never apologizes for their role in the conflict, the issue does not get resolved; it simply gets smoothed over.  In order for a resolution to occur, all parties involved have to take accountability for their actions.  Unless an individual or group chose not to respond negatively to the conflict, each individual involved in the conflict have a share in the disagreement.  If only one person owns their error and expresses regret for it, the issue does not get resolved because, while they may have acknowledged their guilt, they never received an apology for the offense they experienced.  Even though they may never voice it, they understand that they were wronged as well. 

When we are made aware that we have been offensive toward someone, an apology is necessary, even if we do not understand why they feel offended.  We all have things that offend us that may not necessarily offend someone else.  This is because there are many dynamics that make us who we are and what we have experienced in our lives may contribute to how we view and receive words and actions.  Each of us has a responsibility to guard our words and actions to avoid unrighteous offense.  We also have a responsibility to respond righteously when we are offended.

Proverbs 19:11

A person’s discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory to overlook an offense.

 

“Biblical Truths”

Children of God

Romans 9:8

That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, But the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.

Some believe that we are all children of God. However, this statement could not be further from the truth.  While we may all be God’s CREATION, we are not all His CHILDREN. 

 

“Life Applications”

Change

Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

In order to bring change to an individual, the focus must be on changing their MIND.  The INTERNAL has to be addressed before there can be a visible EXTERNAL change.  Mark 5:1-15 gives an account of a man who was demon possessed and living among the tombs.  This man had no desire to wear clothes.  However, after Jesus cast the demons out of the man, the man lost the desire to continue walking around naked.  

God is ultimately responsible for producing change in an individual, but there are times when we can be instrumental in the process of their change.  However, people tend to be resistant to our encouragement of their change if they have not witnessed change in us.  People who are close to us have the opportunity to observe our lives and they witness our flaws.  When they do not observe the same intensity in us to address our faults as they notice in our desire to produce change in them, our efforts will not yield any good results.

 

“Life Applications”

Biblical Illiteracy

2 Timothy 2:15

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

Poor belief is a result of not knowing what the Bible SAYS.  A poor understanding is a result of not knowing what the Bible MEANS.

It is essential that we, as believers of Christ engage in INDIVIDUAL daily study of God’s word to ensure that we become FAMILIAR with God’s desired approach to different subject matters.  An equally important matter is to ensure that we are being taught God’s word by QUALIFIED men of God.

Many people have misinterpreted and misunderstood different passages of Scripture as a result of relying ONLY on their personal interpretation of Scripture.  A QUALIFIED teacher will be able to accurately explain the culture at the time that the Scripture was written, provide sound Biblical cross reference, and teach the Scripture in its proper context.

 

“Life Applications”

Balanced Teaching

It is essential that we live our lives by balance.  Many teach on the love of God but exclude the wrath of God.  It is essential that we have balance in our teaching.  It is IRRESPONSIBLE to simply focus on the LOVE of God without acknowledging that there is a PENALTY for sin.  In regard to wrongdoing, many believe that we should issue forgiveness without ever holding people accountable for their actions.  The Bible teaches us to forgive others of the wrongs that they have done to us but we need to also acknowledge their inappropriate behavior to ensure that it is not repeated. 

It is also important to provide balanced teaching in regard to the relationship of Christians and unbelievers.  Second Corinthians 6:14 give clear instruction that we should not BOUND ourselves together with unbelievers.  It also warns us that we are to avoid FELLOWSHIP with unbelievers.  However, Romans 12:18 teaches us to live PEACEBLY with all men.  This means that we should not have unbreakable bonds with unsaved people, but we should make ourselves available to them because they need to hear the Gospel and witness Christ’s example through us. 

Finally, as it applies to judging, the Bible does not command us not to judge; it explains the MANNER in which we are supposed to judge.  We should not be JUDGMENTAL, which means to exercise extreme judgment.  However, we should always EVALUATE the lives of others.  The Bible teaches us that the way we judge is the way WE will be judged.  If we fail to correct a person’s actions in love, then when we are in the wrong, and at some point we will be, others will not administer grace when it is time to correct our behavior. 

 

“Life Applications”

Assumptions

There is a difference between the truth and what we assume to be true.  In Numbers 13:33, ten of the spies that Moses sent to spy out the land of Canaan reported that when they saw the occupants of the land, the people saw them as grasshoppers.  But in Joshua 2:8-11, Rahab informed the spies that Joshua sent to Canaan that when the citizens of Canaan heard of everything that God had done to the enemies of Israel, they became terrified. 

The unconfirmed assumption of the ten spies caused the Israelites to spend forty additional years living in the wilderness.  We cannot assume that the things we think about ourselves matches what others think about us or who God has determined we are.

 

“Biblical Knowledge”

Apostasy

John 8:31-32

³¹ So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; ³² and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

When people leave other religions for Christianity, it’s because they have discovered the truth.

When they leave Christianity for another religion, it’s because they never KNEW the truth.

 

“Biblical Knowledge”

Accountability for the Knowledge of God

2 Kings 22 and 23

There are many things that are done by society that conflict with what God expects from His people.  Since we are unaware of the origin of many things, we are not always aware of things that may insult or offend God.  We have incorporated many things in our worship of God and we have done so out of ignorance.  As Hosea 4:6 informs us, God’s people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.  The “lack of knowledge” that Hosea is referring to is rejected knowledge, not ignorance.  The question may arise, “where do we draw the line in what we alter in our lives that may be an offense to God?”  When we become aware or knowledgeable that our way is in conflict with God’s way, we need to make the necessary adjustments to ensure that we are lining up with God’s way.  In 2 Kings 22:11  King Josiah discovered that Judah was in opposition to God’s laws and his actions after that signaled that he was repentant for the actions of the citizens and the actions of his predecessors that were against God.  In verses 22 and 23 he sent men to inquire of God concerning their sins.  In chapter 23 Josiah made a covenant with God to obey His commands.  Then he removed and destroyed every image in God’s house that was an idol to another god.  He removed all of the idolatrous priests who had taken up residence in the house of the Lord.  Josiah destroyed every altar to a false god.  He removed the male and female prostitutes from within the house of the Lord.  Everything that could be burned was burned.  Everything that could be ground into powder was ground.  He completely destroyed everything that was an offense to God.  As a result of Josiah humbling himself and repenting when he discovered that he was in error, God promised not to punish him but He would punish Judah for their many offenses and rejection of God. 

God has provided us with the Holy Bible to teach us what He approves of and disapproves of.  He has also gifted us with men who are qualified to expound on His Word in order to gives us better understanding of what God desires of us.  Therefore, God has eliminated every excuse that we could use to justify our actions when it comes to things doing things that He disapproves of.  If we are repentant for our offenses against God when we become aware of them, God is faithful and just to forgive us of all of our sins.