Faith Baptist Church of Newborn GA

Psalm 1:1-6

1 ¶ Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4 ¶ The ungodly [are] not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

As we look at this beautiful portion of the Bible we can discern many important lessons. The Word of God is infinite in its beauty and wisdom. We can always learn from any part of the Scriptures, even when it is a passage that we have read and studied many times. What we will expound in this message are a few simple points. There will be nothing new or startling, but that is Ecclesiastes 1:9 The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is done [is] that which shall be done: and [there is] no new [thing] under the sun. When someone finds a new thing in the Bible, my advice is to run and hold tight to your money! When we returned to the U.S. after being in Mexico for language school for a year, a book titled 88 reasons Jesus will return in 1988 had been published and someone asked me about it. My answer was that none of the reasons came from the Bible because Jesus said: Matthew 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. We don’t need something new from the Bible, we need to relearn and obey what we have been taught for many years already. With that introduction we will consider:

I. The choice that faces us. Most of the decisions that we make are inconsequential, such as what we will have for Sunday dinner or perhaps which restaurant we will go to. I’m reminded of a restaurant called It Don’t Matter, so when someone is asked which place to eat and the stock answer of it doesn’t matter, the answer is clear! The most important decisions of our life are binary, that is we must decide between two options. In verse one of this Psalm we see a choice that one must make. We will either:
A. WALK with God – what does this mean? Well consider Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed? We must be in agreement with God. If we are to be in agreement with God, we must be changed, because God doesn’t and will not change. Malachi 3:6 For I [am] the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. God is not going to change so it is our responsibility to change to agree with God and His Word. We have to change our ideas about:

1. Sin – Sinful man will always make excuses for his sin or will try to deflect blame on to others. Adam in the Garden of Eden tried to blame Eve and even implied that God was at fault because He had give Eve to Adam for a wife. Eve then attempted to shift the blame to the serpent If we are to repent of our sin, we must own the sin. We must allow the Holy Spirit to show us our sin. He will do this by the use of the Word of God. Paul tells us in Romans 7:12-13 12 Wherefore the law [is] holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. To be saved we had to recognize our sinfulness, confess and repent of our sins. As born-agin believers we must recognize that sin is sin. We want to treat our sin as small and insignificant but all sin is an offense against God. When we see the reality of sin as being exceeding sinful then we can deal with it as it merits.
2. Self – We like to think of ourselves as being the center of the universe, that we are something special. The truth is that we are special to our Creator, but He is to be the center of our world. John the Baptist said in John 3:30 He must increase, but I [must] decrease. His will, His desire, His thoughts, He must grow each day in our hearts if we are to be blessed. If we allow the flesh (the self) to rule we can only expect to end life with an empty heart and a misspent life. Jesus said that The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly. John 10:10. Life comes from the Lord, to have life in abundance it is necessary to receive it from God. John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: Jesus is not only the source of life, He is life, without Him one only has a perishable physical life that is of short duration and without eternal meaning.
   B. WALK in the Flesh – The Scriptures are clear about the fruit of the flesh and it’s not a pretty picture. Galatians 5:19-21 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. This life produces:
3. Death Romans 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. The death here is much more than the physical death that all men face. It is describeed in Revelation 20:14-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
   15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Satan, the god of this world has deceived many with the lie that the ‘good life’ involves sin in its manifold forms, see the list of examples in Galatians chapter 5. The Devil makes it look so appealing but the fruit of it is very bitter. How many die alone, frightened and rueing a wasted life? 2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
4. Destruction – Drug use, including alcohol, sexual sins, greed, hate, envy and may other sins have wrought the destruction of lives and families for all of time. It is a sight thing to see a man or woman of talent and ability brought low by the addiction to whatever substance they have chosen. They are truly enslaved by the desires of the flesh. It not only destroys their lives but the corrosive effects reach out to family, friends and community. The most serious destruction is that the person that God created to fellowship with Him has destroyed that possibility by his or her rebellion.
5. Disgrace – People are ashamed of their sin, this is the reason that most evil is done under the cover of darkness. Places that are safe in the daytime can be a very dangerous place at night. The conscience that God has placed in all men gives testimony of the shame of sin. The world can see it, even if it takes some time for it to manifest itself. You see healthy, beautiful young folk in the ad for beer, but in a few years you would see the beer belly and perhaps the bloated belly that comes from cirrhosis of the liver from alcohol abuse It is not a pretty sight.
   II. The COURSE – Sin is a progressive disease, that is, it gets worse until life ends or until it is addressed. Sin is a disease of the soul. People often try to treat the symptoms without dealing with the true disease. The problem is not that someone is a drug addict, a thief, child molester or whatever. The problem is sin. Paul tells us of his own experience, which is that of all men. Romans 7:23-24 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? His cry of desperation reflects the futility of trying to treat symptoms without dealing with the true disease. One who suffers from tuberculosis is not helped by merely treating the cough, the disease must be eliminated or the patient will die. The same is true for a sinner, he may stop drinking or stealing, but if his sin is not dealt with death, eternal death will be the result. Also in many if not most cases it has been my experience and the experience of many whom I have talked with that the cease of the symptoms of sin is only temporary. With the understanding that the end of sin is eternal death. This death is much more than the physical death that awaits us all. We find it described in Revelation 20:11-15 11 ¶ And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. We will look at the course of sin that we see in verse one of our passage. Experience and observation will show us that just as people grow and change through various stages of life so does the sin which drives so much of the world. Think of:
   A. WALKING in the counsel of the ungodly. It is a sad fact that our young people often learn from many ungodly sources. They are taught by the popular culture (movies, music etc) to reject that which is pure and holy and embrace that which is perverse and evil. The more wicked and perverse a person is, the more honors and praise it seems is heaped on them. Again we read in Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed? the company that we keep has a great influence on us. It influences our ideas and values and then our actions. If we walk with the world we agree with the world. Our walk is our way of life, the places we go, the tv and movies we watch, the music we listen to, the conversations we have, in other words our walk is our life. Think about how you spend your time, it will tell you a lot about your walk.
   B. STANDING in the way indicates that the association has advanced from friendship to now it is more intimate companionship. While walking in the counsel might be seen as friendship with sinners, considering their ideas and learning from them. Standing in the way of sinners I think is a picture of one who, due to the influence of the world, now the association is more intimate. The situation has gone from friendship to participation with the sinners. Lot is a good illustration of this. Genesis 13:12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched [his] tent toward Sodom. Then we see Genesis 19:1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing [them] rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; He is sitting in the gate of the city, this means that he has joined himself with those of the city and has acquired a position of importance. He has become one of them! the transition was nearly complete. We see then that the next step is:
   C. SITTING in the Seat of the Scornful – The word translated scornful carries the meaning of arrogant, boastful and scornful. This perfectly describes so many of our present generation.. They boast of their wisdom, accomplishment and self-sufficiency. They think they have no need of God nor are they subject to any law but that of their own making, and then exempt themselves from their own law so they can follow their basest impulses. I’m afraid that our present society is filled with this type of person.
   III. What do youCHERISH – We see the man who is blessed. He:
   A. CHERISHES the Word of God. He realizes that the most precious thing in our possession is the Word of God. He loves and treasures the Word more than his own life. It is by that Word that we learn of the precious things that can be ours by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of these things are:
6. The Love of our Creator. So many in our world are merely going through life waiting for something that will make their lives meaningful. Some seek only oblivion. They seek this in dissipation and debauchery. They know not how to love nor how to receive love. Most of what the world calls love is simple animal lust and if this is what love is then the animals of the field are as capable of love as any person is. True love is not an emotion that is beyond our control. It is an act of one’s will, an act that is a decision to do the best for the object of one’s love regardless of the cost. Jesus sacrifice on the Cross is the supreme example of true love. We will not go into the different Greek words translated love in the New Testament, it is enough to say John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us. When there was nothing lovely in us Jesus loved us and gave Himself to save us from our sins. We learn this in greater depth as we love and study His Word.
7. The Salvation that is our in Jesus Christ. Romans 1:16 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. We learn of our guilt for sin by the Word of God, we learn of the penalty for sin by the Word of God and we learn of salvation by the Word of God. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The things that the world counts as precious shall all be burned up someday. Have you ever considered that gold which the world seeks with such fervor is nothing more than paving material and it’s of greater purity than has ever been seen on Earth Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
8. The Wonder Future that awaits the saved.1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. We cannot imagine neither the wonders of Heaven nor the horrors of Hell, but those who are in Christ Jesus can say along with Paul: 2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
   B. CONTEMPLATES the Word. The Word of God should be:
9. Read – In our fast paced world the sad truth is most Christians find it more and more difficult to make time for simply reading their Bibles. I mean to read it with attention. It is very common for people to read the words of a chapter and after reading every word not to have understood a single thought contained in the chapter. We are trained to multitask, but the Word should have our full attention when we are reading it.
10. Study it – It is not the job of the pastor or teacher only to read and study the Word of God. We are so blessed to have so may resources to help us understand the Bible. When we come to a word that we are familiar with, a dictionary should be used. When we encounter customs or ceremonies that we don’t understand we should seek out help, perhaps from our pastor or a trusted teacher, but we have access to many books that are of great help. But in any case a concordance should be used to help find verses that can shed light on the subject at hand. The best commentary on the Bible is the Bible itself.
11. Obey it – It seems so simple, but it’s the simple truth that reading and knowing the Bible is of little use if we don’t obey. We learn by the Scripture that among other things, this list is by no means complete but will serve to illustrate, we are to:
    a. Be baptized in a scriptural manner
    b.Pray
    c. Attend church
    d. Tithe
    e. Witness
    f. Seek the will of God for our lives
    IV. The CARE of the Lord – We see that our safety and our very lives are in the hands of God and He cares for us. Any success we have is a gift from God to be used for His honor and His glory. The place we live, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, our health, everything we have and everything we are is because God has given us it.

May God Bless You

Mike Scott, Pastor
Faith Baptist Church

Daniel 3:1-30

1 ¶ Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height [was] threescore cubits, [and] the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
5 [That] at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:
6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

I. What the image REPRESENTS. we see here displayed many similarities to our present day. Here in the empire of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar put out an edict that all people bend their conscience and will to his. In our society today it may come in the form of governmental regulations or laws, it may be by the pressure of the mob mentality that would force us to conform to whatever is the current crisis or fad. Think about:
A. The demand to KNEEL before the altar of the world. We are pressured by:

1. Government with demands such as churches must be closed but abortion clinics and liquor stores must remain open. Some jobs are considered ‘essential’ and others ‘non-essential’. There seemed to be no standard except the whim of those in charge. This is just the latest example of the tendency of government to assume more and more power over our lives.
2. Science is one of the gods of this age. The problem with faith in science is that it’s constantly changing and often contradicts itself. We could go back many centuries to the time when the consensus was that the Sun orbited the Earth. Many were forced to ‘kneel’ before the altar of official dogma even though they didn’t really believe it. Galileo was reported to have said “and yet it moves” in reference to the Earth after he was forced to recant his belief that the Earth travels around the Sun and not the Sun moves around the Earth. It’s an interesting phenomenon that the science text books have to be rewritten every few years because of the changes in ‘science’. While the Word of God never changes. The Bible is clear that we are made either male or female. The current idea that sex is fluid is just so much modern silliness. It does not matter how many ‘experts’ tell me different God has settled the matter long since.
3. The PROMOTERS – We are to give unreasoning. unquestioning obedience to whatever new edict or theory is popular at the moment. It was not long ago that we were told it was not only unhelpful for the average person to wear a mask in public, why it might even be dangerous! Now it’s a requirement in many places, and in almost all you can be shamed and ostracized for not wearing one. The very same experts and government officials held both positions within a matter of a few weeks. The pressure to conform comes not only from those in positions of governmental power but also from tv celebrities, news announcers, sport stars and such. these are the heralds of the present age and they cry out twenty four hours a day. Their message is CONFORM, CONFORM!

8 ¶ Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.

12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in [his] rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.
14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, [Is it] true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
II. The REACTION of the world and the powers that be. Let’s look at the reaction of the informers and the king. The three jewish men posed no danger to the king or anyone in his kingdom, on the contrary they were the most honest, loyal and productive in the reign. Their great crime was to not subjugate their hearts and minds to the worship of Nebuchadnezzar’s idol. The image has prophetic meaning. We have much the same situation today the popular culture, the media, the government all demand conformity to their beliefs and pronouncements. You must confess belief no matter how much evidence and common sense tell you that it’s not true. We are told that biological sex is not a real thing, that man is destroying the planet just by living (some have suggested that the population of the Earth should be reduced to one billion, that would mean eliminating over six billion people). We were told that the whole nation had to be shut down and people basically confined under house arrest because of the danger
A. The INFORMERS, there are always those who will work with the powerful regardless of the harm that they cause to others. There may be many motives for their actions. We will deal with the following:

1. Guilt – God has made us all with a conscience. Some have so abused their conscience that it is almost without voice, but it’s still there. A guilty conscience causes discomfort to its owner It seems to make people feel better to see others in trouble.
   2.Anger – It is human nature to become angry when our faulty behavior is exposed by the correct behavior of someone else. History has many examples of this type of thing. Look at 2 Chronicles 18. It is the story of a prophet named Micaiah, who despite the opposition of the king and a host of other ‘prophets’ remained faithful to God and His Word. He suffered for his faithfulness, but was vindicated in the end. His obedience generated anger because it highlighted the falsity of the prophecies of the mass of the ‘prophets’.
2. Some act out of a mistaken belief that they are doing right. Think about Paul, then called Saul, who persecuted the church
   B. The INCREASING Persecution – The process seems to begin with an attempt to persuade then moves to intimidation and then to violence We see it here in the account of the demand made to fall down and worship the image. There was no demand for sincerity only compliance. A reflection of this same demand today. If someone voices an opinion that the cultural elite deems unacceptable they are then ‘persuaded’ to offer up an apology. No importance is placed on the reality of the apology, but there must be conformity. When persuasion doesn’t work, one is subjected to greater and greater pressure up to and including violence. Technology may change, but the nature of sinful man can only be changed by the power of God in the new birth. Today those who seek to impose their will use a multitude of technological means but in the end will always resort to physical violence. We have seen this in the history of our nation various times. If you are to stand you must be prepared for the struggle that most certainly come. 2 Timothy 3:12 “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Ephesians 6:13 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
   15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; [well]: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who [is] that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
   16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we [are] not careful to answer thee in this matter.
   17 If it be [so], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver [us] out of thine hand, O king.
   18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
   III. The RESPONSE of the faithful. When the three believers would not be ‘persuaded’ or threatened into denying God then Nebuchadnezzar was furious and resorted to physical violence. But consider the response of the three men who could see the terrible fate that awaited them. They:
   A. Were STEADFAST in their obedience to God. They were not deterred from the path of faithful obedience. The Scriptures make it clear that they fully understood the possible consequences of not bending the knee before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. They basically said “look king, God can prevent us from being thrown into the furnace, He can save us from the furnace or He can save us by the furnace.” In other words we may not go into the fire, we may go in and come out whole or we may die in the fire. In any case we will be delivered from your hand! I am reminded of the story of John Huss, a priest that lived in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. He was burned at the stake for preaching the truth of the Bible. As he was burning he could be heard singing Psalms!
   B. COUNTED the COST – Knowing the possibilities they were faithful. Another man who can serve as an example for us is Jim Elliot, a missionary martyred for the Gospel in 1956 while trying to reach the native people in the jungles of Ecuador. His journal entry for October 28, 1949, expresses his belief that work dedicated to Jesus was more important than his life. He wrote in his journal, “he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” God always has a faithful few who by His power can change the world. We should all work so that we can hear “well done thou good and faithful servant.”
   C. They gave a CLEAR testimony of God’s power, love and salvation. The duty of a Christian is to be a witness for the Lord. Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. We must always be ready to share the good news with the lost of the world. 1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and [be] ready always to [give] an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Paul expressed it well we are in debt because of what Jesus did for us. Romans 1:14-15 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
   15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
   19 ¶ Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: [therefore] he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
   20 And he commanded the most mighty men that [were] in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, [and] to cast [them] into the burning fiery furnace.
   21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their [other] garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
   22 Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
   23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
   24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, [and] spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
   25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
   26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, [and] spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come [hither]. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
   27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
   28 ¶ [Then] Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed [be] the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
   29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.
   30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.
   IV. The RESULT of faith and obedience
   A. SALVATION – Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. Faith is defined in the Word of God: Hebrews 11:1 ¶ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. It could be described as trust or confidence in God’s love, ability and promise. I often use the illustration of a parachute. When I was asked if I believe in parachutes, my reply; yes, but I don’t trust parachutes! I don’t want to jump out of an airplane with one. In my mind I know that they work, in my heart I don’t have any confidence in them. Many people know about Jesus but in their hearts they trust many other things other than or instead of the Lord.
   B. SET FREE from:
3. The Power of:
   a. Sinful flesh, Paul was well aware of the problem of sin in us. Romans 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. The evidence of sin’s destruction is visible all around us. Drug addiction, sexual immorality, child abuse, pornography, violent crime and many other societal ills are overwhelming our nation. These are all the result of the sin nature that we all inherited from Adam. It causes a man to do that which is against his own best interests.
   b. Society (the world) The popular culture flows in the direction of evil. Think about the music, films and other forms of amusement. They all glorify the carnal and ungodly. The more profane the performance the greater the fame and acclaim. it’s hard to travel against the tide but it’s possible. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
   c. Satan, who is the god of this age and is behind the problems that afflict the world. Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
   C. SPLENDID Glory for God. God is glorified by obedience of His children here in the World. Our lives should be a shining light leading others to the Saviour. We can only be that witness if we are faithful, bold and clear in our testimony, whether it be by word or action. May we be as bold and faithful as those heroes of the faith had it said of them “they died well”. We may not be called upon to die for God but let us live for Him. Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

May God bless you,

Mike Scott, Pastor
Faith Baptist Church

2 Timothy 1:6-10

6 ¶ Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

9 Who hath saved us, and called [us] with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

We are going through a period where we see fear on all sides. People are fearful of the virus, of the financial consequences that will ensue from the shutdown that has taken place to combat the illness. They are afraid because of the uncertainty they feel. However for the Christian none of these things should move us. Let’s think about the truths found in these few verses. Consider:

I. The PROBLEM of fear – fear has several bad influences in our lives such as:

A. It’s PERSONAL – it make one put himself.before the Lord. I certainly don’t promote that we take foolish chances but we must always remember that …ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:20

B. PARALYZING – Fear can cause us to become indecisive and inactive We must always follow the Word of God and simply obey The way to be ready for a crisis is to live in obedience/. It will become the default reaction to any situation When soldiers are trained, it is not only to teach them how and what to do, but also to instill the reaction in such a way that it becomes ‘automatic’ If we train ourselves to concentrate on obeying the Word of God, we won’t have time to concentrate on the fear. Uncontrolled fear comes from a lack of faith I do not know what the future holds, but I do know the one who holds the future Paul says it best: For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 2 Timothy 1:12

C. PROVOKES us to Error – Think of the Apostle Peter. He was a man of action and of great courage We often hear of him sinking in the sea when he tried to walk to Jesus on the water. It’s true that he sank when he saw the storm instead of Jesus, but he was the only one who left the boat! Also he was quick to take up the sword at the arrest of Jesus. His failures all came when he looked at the dangers and difficulties, taking his eyes off of the Lord The advice that a coach gives his players is applicable here “keep your eye on the ball”. We need to decide before the crisis that we will simply obey

II. Our PROVISION We have the spirit of power, love and a sound mind.

A. The DEFINITION of spirit – the disposition or influence which fills and governs the soul of anyone In other words what it is that motivates us to do what we do. Why do people act as they do? maybe for money or adulation or fame or love. What moves a Christian should be a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. Let’s look at:

B. POWER – the word power can have different meanings, among those that are applicable to our study are:

1. Power or Strength – There is physical strength. As I get older I have to cope with the reality that I’m not strong enough to do many of the things I did in my youth. I may have the knowledge to perform many of the tasks that were once so simple and easy, but not the strength needed. There is also the power of wealth or the influence that money can bring to bear This is a constant reality in our nation There is the power of fame, many who have little to offer, but have fame can wield great power. But the power that we have is the power of God or it could be called moral power. God’s will and plan will be done in the end Our problem is that we often don’t see the whole view. We are limited by time and our physical senses. We must learn to see with the eyes of faith and not with our earthly eyes. 2 Kings 6:15-17 15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that [be] with us [are] more than they that [be] with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain [was] full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. We have all the power or strength that we need. We need to learn how it is to be used

2. Moral strength Dr. James W. Crumpton often said that a lie can run around the world before the truth can put its shoes on, but the truth will have its boots on and will come marching in. Again we make the mistake of seeing only the physical and only regarding the apparent present situation/ As someone once said “It’ll be okay, I read the last chapter!” How many victories in history would have been forfeited if the warriors on the battle field had given in to the “obvious” defeat they faced. Romans 8:35-38 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 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.

C. LOVE – love is a very much over-used and misunderstood term today; Without going into a lengthy explanation, I will give you my short definition. Love is an act of one’s will where by one decides to do the best for another regardless of the cost or reward he receives from his actions. Love is not an emotion that is beyond our control. Love certainly produces emotion, but emotion is the result and not the cause. Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He that is born again is a new creation 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Our logical response to such great love should be to seek to express our wonder and gratitude in every way possible Jesus tells us how in John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. Love makes sacrifice not be a burden but a privilege and a pleasure. 1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. There are many other Scriptures that teach us that whatever God choses for us is the best we could seek.

D. SOUND MIND – We are to guard our minds from the attacks of the enemyPhilippians 4:4-8 4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: [and] again I say, Rejoice. 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord [is] at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things. When we consider what it is that God has done for us it is only reasonable, logical, to be expected that we serve Him with all that we have. Many think that a Christian is ignorant and has a blind faith that refuses education. The truth is that belief in God and His creation is supported by much more evidence and logic than the so-called theory of evolution. All Christians should study. If your faith is so fragile that the things of the world can destroy it, it is far too weak to hold up in the storms of life. There are so many examples that we could cite to support the truth of creation, but just the human eye should be sufficient. How could all of the different parts of the body necessary for sight have evolved? If any one of the elements is missing then there is no advantage to having all the rest. No God made our marvelous bodies in all their intricate detail.

III. The PROMISE

A. LIFE ETERNAL John 3:16 John 3:16 [16] 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. How long is eternity? How do we even measure it when time is no more?

B. LIBERTY from sin’s:

1. Penalty- Jesus paid my debt for sin I can say with Paul: 2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. I know one thing for sure my sins are gone

2. Power – I, like all sinners, was a slave to sin But Jesus came to save His people from their sins. Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, [and] to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

3. Presence – Ephesians 5:25-27 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

IV. The PROVIDER We sing a hymn that says Jesus Christ is made to me all I need. I hope that is reality in your life. We find this truth expressed in John 15:1-8 [1] I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. [2] Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. [3] Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. [4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. [5] I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. [6] If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. [7] If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. [8] Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. The battle is not ours, it is the Lord’s. Psalm 20:7 [7] Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

1 Corinthians 6:1-8

1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather [suffer yourselves to] be defrauded?

8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that [your] brethren.

The age we are living in has been call a ‘litigious age’. We have seen lawsuits over the most inane things. Already I have seen ads for lawyers ready to sue about the corona virus. While there are times when we can and should resort to the law, it should not be our first impulse to sue anyone. When the problem is between believers the matter should never be taken to the courts of the world Let’s look at a few aspects of what’s in view here. Consider:

A. The INSOLENCE on display It’s a trait of the flesh to be presumptuous. It is a manifestation of pride. The attitude is that I’m more important than anyone or anything, why, I’m more important even than God and His will. Our culture teaches us to hold ourselves above all. It shows in many ways, for instance you often hear things like look out for number one. Another indication is the way our government is borrowing and spending. We, as a nation, are basically stealing from our unborn descendants. We are in so much debt that it will take lifetimes to pay it all back. I don’t know the total at the moment, but for some perspective think of how much a trillion dollars really is. It is a stack of $100 bills 10 feet high 160 feet wide and 270 feet long. It would weigh 11,000 tons. We have placed a burden of over 23 trillion dollars on the backs of our children, grandchildren and perhaps even those farther into the future. It is a selfish thing to do. We think that our present is more important than the future. It may be legal but it’s a moral crime, to quote Thomas Jefferson “I “ believe… that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity under the name of funding is but swindling futurity on a large scale.” This is a symptom of selfishness that considers only oneself

II. The INCORRECT venue Going to the world to settle spiritual disputes in the church (all things in the church are spiritual in essence) is akin to going to the graveyard for judgment in civil matters. Those without the family of God do not have the ability to understand the issues therefore they cannot make a proper judgment 1 Corinthian 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. Our founders knew and warned of the tendency of government to grow and usurp power in areas that are not in their purview. This encroachment can be clearly seen in our present day. More and more functions that in the past were done by churches or other civil organizations have be taken over by government. We have become unwilling helpers in many projects, often those which we find contrary to our beliefs. In the same way many church members have abandoned the Biblical way set out here in this passage to go to the secular authorities to obtain what they want. God has established the church as the institution through which He will work in this age and we should respect His will.

III. The INSIGNIFICANCE of earthly concerns. I well remember my pastor and his wife singing “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”. Part of the lyrics read “and the things of earth shall grow strangely dim…”. When we realize that the things that we spend most of our time on are things that will not last, we see the foolishness of many of our actions and decisions. I read somewhere that when John Rockefeller died someone asked “how much did he leave?” The answer “ALL OF IT.” If you get all of the gold in the world, I suspect that would be in thousands and thousands of tons, if you are saved when you see Heaven it would not even make a paving material for the streets of Glory. It is not pure enough. Why worry about things that are of not ultimate value. Let’s think about the famous quote from Jim Elliot “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”. Paul tells us “1 Timothy 6:7-8 [7] For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. [8] And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” Don’t confuse your wants with your needs.

IV. The IMPERIAL Flesh. The actions shown in this passage are a sure indication that carnality was rampant in the church there at Corinth. We see that our present age is in the same condition. The popular culture is obsessed with sex and all the possible perversions of it. I have yet to understand what a scantily dressed woman has to do with the performance of a car, but if the commercials are any indication, there is a great connection. Beer and liquor ads show people so happy while indulging the flesh, but never show the poor alcoholic dying in his agony with the diseases brought on by his life of dissipation. The flesh never surrenders, it may seem to relax it hold for a time. That simply is to gain a stronger hold after it has lulled us into a state of inattention. Remember that the flesh has some allies, the world and the devil. Peter warns in 1 Peter 5:8 [8] Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: The truth is that which seems so important to us today will lose its luster very quickly, but the things of God are alway pure and bright. Another thing is our pride will get in the way of accepting the loss. Perhaps it might be a loss of money or of standing. Maybe we don’t want to be made out to be a ‘sucker’. No matter, we should be willing to suffer the loss of any earthly thing for the one who died on the Cross for us that we might have eternal life. Romans 12:1 [1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. We rightly celebrate the sacrifice of those martyred for the Lord. But we should consider that sometimes it’s harder to be a living sacrifice than to give our lives in God’s service. God will remember 1 Corinthians 15:58 [58] Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

V. The procedure to be EMPLOYED

A. RECOGNIZE the issue

B. REALIZE its triviality

C. RECEIVE the wrong, if necessary

D. RESPECT the judgment of the “least esteemed” in the church. (This emphasizes the transitory nature of the material things)

E. REJECT any thoughts of bitterness or hard feelings regardless of the outcome. God will have the final judgment.

God bless you

Pastor Mike Scott

Matthew 5:33-48

33 ¶  Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

34  But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:

35  Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

36  Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

37  But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

1. The DEFINITION 
   1. The MODERN Understanding
      1. To affirm or utter a solemn declaration, with an appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed. This is the sense that Jesus forbids in these verses. Does it make a false statement true if we say ‘I swear on the Bible’ or ‘I swear to God’? No, it does not change the the veracity of the statement in the least. It is only done to try to sway the opinion of the hearer. The reality is that if it’s a lie, it remains a lie no matter the oath that is used in the utterance. 
      2. To promise on oath. This also should be unnecessary for our word to be reliable. If we simply tell the truth and keep our word then the use of oaths is rendered needless. 
      3. To give evidence on oath – to swear to the truth of a statement. This is something that is done in a solemn and official manner and is not what is in view in these verses. 
      4. To be profane; to practice profaneness.  To be profane does not require the use of ‘curse’ words. It is the irreverent or abusive treatment of holy things. Certainly the most familiar example is using the Lord’s name as a curse word. But to treat God or the things of God in a light manner is to profane His name and His person. We should always be very reverent when speaking of God. It is deeply ingrained in our language and culture to use expressions of amazement or surprise that invoke the name of God or His Son. This is one of the thing that are in view in this passage. 
   2. The Biblical Sense 
      1. The Meaning of the word
         1. One meaning in the OT is that of imprecation (to call a curse upon someone, that is to call for harm or ill upon another)  
         2. Another use is that of a sworn covenant ie: a binding and solemn agreement
      2. The Nature of the oath – An oath had two elements 1. an affirmation or promise 2. an appeal to God, as the Omniscient one and the punisher of falsehoods  This can be seen in Hebrews 6:16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation [is] to them an end of all strife.  Men always call on that which is greater than themselves  Often men, when under pressure, will exclaim “I swear to God”.  They do this to emphasize the veracity of their statement or the sincerity of their promise  The oath is held to be binding because of the majesty of the Almighty whose name has been invoked  
      3. The Occasions – The Hebrews used oaths for various reasons and on various occasions and was done in different forms  It is beyond the scope of this study to go into all the different aspects of the subject  
      4. The Sanctity of the oath  How seriously the crime of perjury was taken can be seen in the punishment meted out for it.  The punishment for perjury was that which was specified for the crime in question  If the person on trial was in danger of the death sentence, then to perjury oneself was to be exposed to the same penalty.  
   3. The Christian practice is that your yea is yea and your nay is nay. What does this mean?  It means that you tell the truth all the time. God is every where and hears all. Christians are to be aware that God is present with us at all times. The injunction against swearing does not mean that we should not testify in court or take a oath of office, but that we should not use God’s name in vain with such expressions as ‘my God’ or ‘I swear to God’. These things are said in a light and flippant manner and should not be part of the practice.of the Christian. We should live in such a manner that our word is our bond. 

We will deal with the matter of cussing or the use of swear words. The vast majority of people would say that using God’s name as a swear word is wrong, but will often use the name of Jesus in a light manner and this is the same thing in God’s sight. We should say what we mean and mean what we say. There should be no need for profanity to make people believe what we say.  

2. The DANGER – When we disregard the instructions of Jesus found in these verses we run the danger of: 
   1. Being profane.  We should always be aware of the caution of Scripture. Matthew 12:34-37 [34] O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. [35] A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. [36] But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. [37] For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.  James 1:26 [26] If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.  
   2. Blaspheming by the use of God’s name or His person in an abusive or irreverent manner. It goes without saying that if you are a Christian not only should you not do such but should not watch movies or TV that uses God’s name is this way. I know that it will limit the movies, TV, and even the music that you watch. But we put our stamp of approval on the behavior when we sit and watch. 
3. The DEFENSE is very simple.  Jesus tells us to speak truth, let your yea be yea and your nay nay. It seems to be so simple so it must be too simple. The Christian life is really very simple, we teach a song to children in Sunday School or VBS that has the lyrics of O B E D I E N C E obedience is the very best way to show that you believe. That not only goes for kids but for adults as well!

May God bless you,

Pastor Mike Scott

This is a Bible study from the ministry of my pastor of many years He was a true servant of God I praise the Lord for all that he taught me and the example he set for his flock

The Ministry Of Jeremiah

The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. It also came in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month. Jeremiah 1:1-3

Introduction – Jeremiah’s ministry continued for over 40 years in Judah. It is difficult to read the account of his life and work without noticing that he saw little outward success in the days of his ministry, especially if you measure success by current standards. The way we fundamentalists measure men and judge their success and methods is, I believe, very contrary to the principles of scripture. Paul, responding to those who questioned his calling, motives and methods, said in 1 Corinthians 4:5 ……. ‘Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God’. Now, it is clear that he is not talking here about refusing to identify and rebuke those false teachers and leaders who clearly are unscriptural in their message and method. But he is saying, that when it comes to judging between servants of God…as to which one is greater or better, we are to leave that to God at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Most of this judgment is very subtle, and those who judge are reluctant to call it so….but just look at the Hero worship that has been rampant among our churches in the past 10-15 years or so.

Just like the c at Corinth, we are divided into small groups with our own heroes, whom we believe do everything right. You might say, But preacher, it sounds like you’re just jealous! I hope you are wrong about that! My concern is genuine….My day is fast drawing to a close, and my ministry will have to speak for itself when I’m gone. But how should we measure the ministry of a man of God? The answer is…..NOT! But many today do judge a man of God by….

1. Growth in membership and attendance.
2. Number of baptisms.
3. Size of Church facilities.
4. What group of preachers you fellowship with.
5. What seminary or Bible College you attended.
6. Meetings where you are asked to preach.
7. Preaching and ministry style.

I wonder how Jeremiah would stand in our day when compared to our ‘heroes’. He was….

CALLED WITHOUT CONSENT

God called Jeremiah, and like so many before him (and since), he tried to ‘weasel’ out of the job. Notice Jeremiah 1:6….’Then said I, Ah, LORD GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child’. He seems to have taken a page out of Moses book of excuses when he used this one! Jonah caught a ship going down to Tarshish. Saul hid among the camels. One common thread among them was their reluctance to immediately follow God’s call. However, God still used them all greatly. I heard a preacher more than once say from the pulpit that he had little use for men who run from God. I’m glad God doesn’t agree! Some would immediately classify Jeremiah as a coward, and say he’ll come to nothing. In fact, God didn’t accept their refusal….he said to Jeremiah….’Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all I send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak’. In v.17, he made a real threat. But doesn’t the scripture say a man ought to ‘desire the office of a bishop’? Yes, but God has a way of putting that desire into even the most reluctant prophet. Notice what he said to Jeremiah in v.17….’Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them’. Think he got the message?

CURSED WITHOUT CAUSE

Several times his life was threatened by those who hated his message….Notice Jeremiah 11:19….’But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter: and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered’. Here is a poor preacher, fearing God more than man….telling the truth…and they placed a curse of death on him.

JAILED WITHOUT JURY

Notice in Jeremiah 38:6, he was cast into jail without the formality of a trial or a jury to hear the evidence. It was no ordinary jail either….’Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire’. Folks are quick today to assume a man of God is guilty if so many people say he is, or think he is. How many good men have been abandoned by the people of God because they don’t want any association with someone who is in trouble with the authorities?

PREACHED WITHOUT POPULARITY

Jeremiah preached the truth, but he was not appreciated. He wouldn’t be invited to preach at any of the big meetings we have every year, eh? I saw a great preacher speak out at the Southwide fellowship against a prevalent error in churches today….clapping for the entertainers. He was openly rebuked and derided, and has been openly criticized by the ‘establishment’. I wonder if Jeremiah would have been very popular TODAY? He said in Jeremiah 20:7 O Lord , thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.

DISCOURAGED WITHOUT DESERTING

Many, filled with pride, have declared….I have never wanted to quit! Well, I have! The difference is that he didn’t quit! He tried, but couldn’t. Notice in Jeremiah 20:9….’Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay’.

FAITHFUL WITHOUT FRIENDS

It seems Jeremiah’s friends had deserted him, just as Paul’s had in 2 Timothy 4:16….’At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge’. Jeremiah, too, was deserted by all. Notice Jeremiah 20:10….’All my familiars watched for my halting, saying peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him’. Many consider a lack of friends to be the result of bad character, but sometimes it is because a man is standing for truth against all.

RIGHT WITHOUT RESULTS

It can be seen in Jeremiah 44:15-17 KJVS
[15] Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying, [16] As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord , we will not hearken unto thee. [17] But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.
, that the people did not respond to his preaching…..though it was the truth. They responded by saying Jeremiah 20:10 For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they , and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying , Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.
If a man is judged by the number of his converts, or the number who make ‘decisions’ in his meetings, Jeremiah will be found a failure.

Conclusion – As long as a man does not depart from the Bible and sound doctrine, or use methods which are unscriptural, it is best to let God be the one to decide who is greater! The real results of our labors will not be fully known until after we stand before HIM at the Judgment Seat!

Bro. Ken Jacques

1 Corinthians 5:1-13

[1] It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. [2] And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. [3] For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, [4] In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, [5] To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. [6] Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? [7] Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: [8] Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. [9] I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: [10] Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. [11] But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. [12] For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? [13] But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. 

The church at Corinth had many problems that were related to the culture of the city, the past religious life of the people and a failure to understand and apply the principles taught in the Scriptures. It is a timely study for us, because of the similarities between their situation and ours today. This passage deals with a serious sin that was being practiced by one of the members there. The sin was of a sexual nature and was one that even the pagans would not condone or even understand. That the sin was accepted and not condemned was a problem of equal gravity. We are living in a culture that exhibits many of the same characteristics of Corinth. Let’s consider:

1. The PROBLEMS
   1. GRIEVOUS sin – The sin of fornication is terrible for several reasons.
      1. It is a sin of Terrible consequences – 1 Corinthians 6:18 [18] Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. I have seen some statistics that are astounding and frightening about the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases.  We often tend to focus on young people and the sin of fornication is certainly epidemic among our young people, but it’s not limited to the teen years or to young adults. Consider the following quote from the Home Helpers Community Blog by Debbie Humphrey on March 31, 2018. “In an article by Derrick Y. McDaniel, “Mr. Eldercare 101,” “STD transmission among the elderly is unfortunately a common and growing problem…”. It seems that age does not necessarily impart wisdom!  Even if one escapes the terrible consequences of an STD, there is the innate knowledge that the action is wrong and the guilty conscience takes a toll on the health. 
      2. It is a sin of Theft – 1 Corinthians 6:13 [13] Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. When the Christian uses his body for fornication it is a case of theft. 1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. The price of our salvation is the death and shed blood of Jesus. Men have spent their lives searching for things such as money or fame.  All of the things of the Earth pale in comparison to the value that was paid for us!  Because we are bought we cannot use our bodies outside of the will of God without sinning. 
      3. It is Spiritual Adultery against God – Our allegiance and fidelity belong to God. When we disobey Him it is infidelity or put in other words it is adultery in a spiritual sense. Our bodies, our minds, all that we are and all that we have belong not to us but to God. We are His by right of creation and by right of purchase. If you are saved you have been purchased by the blood of the Lord Jesus. We will all answer for our lives. Those who have been saved will have to answer for our stewardship; that is what did we do with all that God put in our power.  We will answer for all, money, time, talents and other things. We will also answer for how we use our bodies. 
   2. GENERAL ACCEPTANCE – When the church as a whole accepts the sin of one of the members it creates a number of destructive problems. Consider:
      1. When sin is not clearly named and condemned, it encourages others to think that they can sin without consequence. 1 Timothy 5:20 [20] Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.  One of the motives for discipline is to teach that our actions have consequences. Good actions have good consequences and bad actions have bad ones. 
      2. The one who is committing the sin is not deterred and therefore has less reason to repent of his sin and seek the forgiveness of God.  Another motive for discipline is the recovery of the sinner. When a parent disciplines a child it should not be done as mere punishment but an attempt to correct the bad behavior through training that what was done was wrong in itself. Discipline and discipleship are two sides of the same coin. 
      3. The testimony of the church is brought in disrepute, this makes evangelism more difficult. People look for a reason to believe that they don’t need to confess and repent. If they can say that there is no difference between my way of life and those in the church or perhaps I’m living a better life that those hypocrites down at the church. To be a Christian is to be a follower of Christ, to take Him as our model and seek to live as He did. 
      4. God is robbed of the glory due Him. 1 Corinthians 10:31 [31] Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.  The goal of our lives should be to glorify God in all that we do.  Our lives should be a reflection of the Lord. Obedient children are a glory to their parents and Christian that obey are a glory to God. 
2. The PRESCRIPTION Notice:
   1. The PRIORITY – The spiritual is the priority. Our earthly lives should show that we are citizens of Heaven. While we lived in Peru, there was rarely any doubt that I was a ‘gringo’, not only by my complexion and my accent, but also by my actions.  In the market place I could often tell what country a person was from just from observing their speech and mannerisms. We should live by the precepts taught in the Word of God so that those without can see the new man. We see in this passage that Paul says it’s better for the flesh to be destroyed so that the spirit may be saved. The flesh is corrupt. It shall perish in the end. It’s much better that the flesh perish sooner in order that the spirit be saved. I have dealt with people who were facing death after a lifetime of dissipation they finally realize the waste and hopelessness they face some come to Christ.  This life is at best short and then there’s an eternity that one will spend either in Heaven or Hell.  
   2. The PROGRAM – Sin is a very serious matter and requires a serious response. Because of the harm to the church, to the individual who is in sin and to the work of the Gospel God has mandated a strong remedy. Let’s look at:
      1. The Separation – Among the  purposes of separation from the unrepentant brother are:
         1. To emphasize the seriousness of the transgression and its consequences. It’s incredibly easy to allow the flesh to convince us that whatever we are doing isn’t all that bad. It is often the reaction of people that we are close to that makes us realize the wrongness of our actions. Vengeance is not the object of church discipline, the recovery of the errant brother is the object. 
         2. To quarantine the problem to prevent the spread of the sin to others in the congregation. The condemnation of the sin and the separation of the wayward member is a caution to the other members of the church. In this way the purity of the church is maintained. 
         3. To glorify God by keeping the church pure. The world is watching. There is little that happens in the church that those outside are unaware of. People will criticize the church when disciplined, but they will respect that what is proclaimed is practiced. When I was a missionary, I had an appointment at a small country church. I was looking for the church, this was the days before GPS. I stopped at a country store to ask directions. There was a group of teenage boys outside the store. I asked if they could tell me where the church was, they all said they didn’t know. I then asked if they knew the preacher. One young man said “he’s a crazy old man”.  Another boy said, “he may be crazy, but he lives what he preaches” AMEN! What a testimony. I would be proud to have that on my tombstone. Whose opinion is more important to the church, that of the world or that of God?  Our actions tell the tale. 
      2. The Salvage of the erring brother – the best outcome is not the expulsion of a church member but that he comes to himself and returns to the fold. The story of the prodigal son has a happy ending because of the hardship that the prodigal underwent we see him say: Luke 15:17-18 [17] And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! [18] I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, The picture of the father joyfully receiving his son again is a picture of God rejoicing over His errant child coming back to Him. 

May God bless,

Pastor Mike Scott

Matthew 5:27-32

[27] Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: [28] But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. [29] And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. [30] And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. [31] It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: [32] But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. 

This passage reveals. four things of great importance to the believer. We will look at these four subjects.  While this study will not be a exhaustive study of any of the subjects it will be sufficient to whet the appetite and give a starting point for those who wish to pursue the study. Let’s look at the following themes. 

1. The SOURCE of Sins – The SINFUL HEART of man. The physical act of sin whatever it may be.  The man who commits adultery doesn’t awaken one morning and say to himself “I’m going to find a woman and commit the sin of adultery today”.  The act of sin is almost always, if not always, the result of a series of decisions that lead one down a mistaken path. A decision that seems small and insignificant at the time may start one down that erroneous path that leads to the act of sin. Proverbs 16:25 [25] There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.  Our capacity to justify ourselves in our own minds is remarkable. We can make ourselves believe that which is contrary to the plain teaching of Scripture doesn’t apply to us or not to our situation. I have often dealt with someone who has come to ask a question, when in reality they were seeking approval of something that they knew was against God’s Word. When I had finished a exposition of the the teaching of the Bible on whatever the matter was the reply was something like ‘I don’t feel that way about it’ or perhaps ‘I know that but’. In others words, what the Word of God says doesn’t apply to me or doesn’t matter to me. I’m right and what I want to do is right, I’m doing right is what the sinful heart says to man, but Scripture says Jeremiah 17:9 [9] The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? You have often heard the bromide “let your conscience be your guide.”  It should be “let the Word of God be your guide.”  
2. The SPIRIT of the Law – Let’s begin with a verse that is often misquoted and widely misunderstood Romans 10:4 [4] For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.  The first eight words are many times the only part of the verse that is quoted. It is important to always take Scripture in context and in complete thoughts. It is a dangerous and misleading thing to take a phrase or verse out of context and whether by intent or by accident twist its meaning. I can quote Scripture that say “Be ye angry…” it would seem that God is commanding us to be angry all the time. but if you look at the context, Ephesians 4:17-32 “[17] This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, [18] Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: [19] Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. [20] But ye have not so learned Christ; [21] If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: [22] That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; [23] And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; [24] And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. [25] Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. [26] Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: [27] Neither give place to the devil. [28] Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. [29] Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. [30] And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. [31] Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: [32] And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” is that we are to live under the control of the Holy Spirit and this includes our anger. The fruit of the Spirit is love not anger. In the same way the Bible does not teach that the Old Testament and the Law is of none effect, but rather we are to learn from the Law. Jesus’ teaching is that the Law shows us the principles involved in God’s will.  It also shows that we are incapable of keeping the Law. 
3. The SERIOUSNESS of sin – One of the principles is that ALL sin is sin. Men think some sins are so minor that God will not notice them. The Scriptures tell us something very different, James 2:10 “[10] For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”  When we are measured against the perfection of God’s standard our sin becomes exceedingly sinful. One sin is all that it takes to condemn us as sinners worthy of death. The Bible says that Jesus is the end of the Law for righteousness to those that believe. Jesus paid our debt on the cross and the requirement for having our sins washed away by His blood shed on the cross is to believe, that is to have faith.  We are not talking about a mental assent or an intellectual agreement, but a complete reliance on Jesus and His sacrifice for us.  
4. The SANCTITY of marriage. Marriage in our culture and society today is disparaged as an obsolete institution. I once heard the best description of the popular feeling about fidelity in marriage or even in a “committed relationship”. The standard is no longer a lifelong commitment to monogamy but rather a life of serial monogamy. You should only have one mate, but when you change or it becomes inconvenient to maintain that relationship, you just drop out of the commitment and pick a new partner. That is not God’s plan for marriage. Look at Romans 7:2 “[2] For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.”  Also consider Matthew 19:6 “[6] Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”  I heartily recommend a short book written by Dr. Andrew Telford entitled Why No Divorce and subtitled Wedlock is a Padlock Without a Key. He presents a clear teaching that we confuse the customs and traditions of our day with those of Bible times to our own detriment.  The exception for fornication, I firmly believe, was for infidelity in the time of betrothal, a time of testing and if one was found to be unfaithful then a divorce would take place.  Consider the case of the Virgin Mary, Joseph was going to “put her away privily” and the Bible calls Joseph her husband. There was a legal commitment in force and could only be undone under the condition of impurity. This is something that our present culture has long since abandoned. Marriage is the first institution that God created and He has said that only death truly ends the obligation. We have seen the institution degraded by no fault divorce, by its redefinition and there is now a push to legalize polygamy and polyamory. God places so much importance on the marriage relationship that it is a picture of Christ and His church. We should respect it and hold it in great esteem. 

Hebrews 1:1-3

[1] God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, [2] Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; [3] Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 

God has always had His prophets and has revealed Himself and His will in various ways.  Many of those ways we no longer see in actions. People often don’t like the answers they get from God’s Word and like a spoiled child seeking a different answer will try a different method.  Let’s look at some of the divers manners that God has used in history to reveal His will. 

1. The MANNERS – God has ‘spoken’ in the past by:
   1. The CREATION – the natural world and the magnificent universe that we see around us testify of the existence, power, wisdom and care of God. To look at the creation and believe that it is a giant cosmic accident requires more ‘faith’ than to look at a fine watch or beautiful automobile and think ‘what a wonderful convergence of metal, silica, carbon and other elements.  When we see a beautiful building or a even the computer that I’m using to write this and post it on the web it is clear that someone designed and made these things. In the same way the creation testifies of God. 
   2. SIGNS such as the Fleece – Judges 6:37-40 [37] Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. [38] And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. [39] And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. [40] And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground. The main problem we see with this method is that, as in the case of Gideon, God has already spoken by His Word. Judges 6:36 [36] And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,  Gideon acknowledges that God has already spoken. Notice that he says to God that You have said. How many times does God have to say something for us to heed it?  My father was a man who said things one time, it was enough. My brothers and I knew that when he spoke that it was a settled issue. I should certainly heed the Word of my Heavenly Father with much greater attention and obedience than that of my earthly father. 
   3. His Revealed WORD – 
      1. The Written Word of God came in times past as God revealed it to men Romans 1:19-20 [19] Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. [20] For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: We have the Bible, the Scriptures by revelation 2 Timothy 3:16 [16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: All that is necessary for our spiritual life is in the Bible. It is a sad fact that as a nation we have neglected our youth in regard to their education in the things of God.  
      2. The Living Word – Jesus John 1:1-2 [1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] The same was in the beginning with God. [14] And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. Jesus is God the Son. The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself to man. God the Father is a spirit and we could not see Him with the eyes of flesh and survive. Exodus 33:18-23 [18] And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. [19] And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. [20] And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. [21] And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: [22] And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: [23] And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. When Jesus came robed in human flesh, born of the Virgin Mary, He gave a living revelation of God, one that we can see and not only live but have everlasting life. That generation that lived at the time of His appearance saw Him with physical eyes, we can see Him with the eyes of faith through the Word He has given us. 
2. The MESSAGE
   1. Man is a sinner and without hope.  Romans 3:23 [23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; I have dealt with only a very few people who did not know and admit that they are sinners. The knowledge of wrongdoing is innate in the human. The Word of God makes it clear that all are guilty having sinned.  
   2. Because we have sinned we have incurred a debt. That debt can only be paid by death. Romans 6:23 [23] For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.The death is more than just physical death. It is described as the second death in Revelation 20:14-15 [14] And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. [15] And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Jesus paid our debt on the cross by His death. He had no sin and because of His sinless life was able to pay our sin debt for us. 2 Corinthians 5:21 [21] For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 
   3. That we are saved by faith. Acts 16:31 [31] And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. John 3:16 [16] 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.  The message of the Bible is one of love.  God loves his creation. He wants us to be in fellowship with Him.  He wants us to be with Him for all eternity. He loves us so much that even though He knew about all our sins before the creation of the world He still made us and made a way for us to be forgiven for our sins. 
3. The MAJESTY of God. We need to recognize the majesty of God. He is perfect in every way. We can see this in some of His characteristics. Consider His:
   1. Omnipotence – He has all power that means that nothing is beyond His abilities. It is important to remember with whom we deal.  My pastor Brother Ken Jacques used to say that most people think of God as “an old man sitting in a rocking chair on the porch of Heaven, who wouldn’t hurt a fly”. The Bible describes Him thusly Hebrews 12:29 [29] For our God is a consuming fire.  He has all power!
   2. OMNIPRESENCE – Psalm 139:7-8 [7] Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? [8] If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.  I have seen the science fiction movies on time travel, it is entertaining, but certainly a fantasy. But I have never seen or read science fiction that portrays one with the ability to be everywhere at one time and at all times, 
   3. OMNISCIENCE – 1 John 3:20 [20] For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.  Nothing can be hidden from the eyes of God. Men do their sins in a dark corner, thinking that their evil deeds will be hidden.  God knows all and will bring all to light at the time of judgment. 

We all will stand before the Creator God and answer for our lives. If one has not accepted the payment of the blood of Jesus then he must answer for his sins and then hear the sentence of eternity in the Lake of Fire. If one is saved then he will answer for the stewardship of all the things that God has placed in our care, money, time, talents and opportunities. As we live our lives we should always think about the judgment that is to come. 

May God bless you

Brother Mike Scott 

Faith Baptist Church

Romans 6:1-23

[1] What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? [2] God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? [3] Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? [4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. [5] For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: [6] Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. [7] For he that is dead is freed from sin. [8] Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: [9] Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. [10] For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. [11] Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. [12] Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. [13] Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. [14] For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. [15] What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. [16] 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? [17] 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. [18] Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. [19] I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. [20] For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. [21] What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. [22] But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. [23] For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

When we receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord our lives even our very self undergoes a transformation. Romans 12:1-2 [1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. [2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. This passage speaks of a transformation not merely a conformation. We are made something new and entirely different than we were before.  Many times people speak of ‘getting religion’ or some other expression which means merely to experience or effect an outward change but that’s not the new birth that the Bible tells us of 2 Corinthians 5:17 [17] Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  We can see from this verse that it is not just a change of habits or an addition to the old life. Rather it is that the old man has died with Christ on the cross and the new man has arisen to walk in the way that the Holy Spirit leads. Consider the “Death Unto Life”, when we are saved we are:

1.   BURIED with Christ in baptism. Baptism is a picture of a burial. The putting under the water is symbolic of the death of a person and his being put into the earth. We often think of death as the end, but it’s really just a change, the start of a new existence. When a baby is born of its mother it is not the start of its life.  The child has had life since its conception in his mother’s womb. Birth marks an.amazing change. The baby for nine months has been in the safety and comfort of his mother’s womb. I can only imagine the feelings of an unborn child in such an environment. Birth brings him into a world that is completely unknown to him. It’s a world filled with light, sounds, heat and cold.  These are things new and different to him. Because I have no memory of the womb, it’s an unknown to me. Death is very similar, it is not an end to existence but a change. As we were separated from our mother’s womb and body death separates us from this earthly body.  It doesn’t end our existence.  We will exist either in Heaven or Hell after death. When we receive Jesus we receive His death, in God’s eyes we died with Jesus on the cross. What comes after death?  Here it’s burial. It’s a perfect picture of the death of the old man to see him buried in the waters of the baptismal. 
2. BORN AGAIN – As with the physical birth, the new birth brings many changes. We receive spiritual life when we receive Jesus. When we are born into this world as an infant we have physical life, that is we are born body and soul, but we are stillborn spiritually. John 3:1-8 [1] There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: [2] The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. [3] Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. [4] Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? [5] 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. [6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7] Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. [8] The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.  Nicodemus was confused by the idea of a new birth.  He was thinking in physical terms and not spiritual. When we are born spiritually it brings many changes. We have:
   1. NEW LIFE – A body without life cannot experience the sensations of the living. He has no way to perceive sounds or touch or smell or taste or to hear.  In the same way a person who has not been born again cannot experience the things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:14 [14] But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  Those who are born again, those that have spiritual life can then perceive and enjoy the things of God. They can enjoy the fellowship of the Holy Spirit and of fellow believers. 
   2. NEW WAYS – Old habits, desires and thoughts will be replaced by the new things that come naturally to those that have spiritual life. It’s an interesting phenomenon that a new born babe doesn’t have to be taught to suckle, it comes naturally. In the same way a believer knows to praise God and seek His will. As with any babe it’s necessary to be taught many things but the first things of life are there already. 
   3. NEW FREEDOM – Those who have been saved are free from the old life and it’s bondage.  We were in bondage to:
      1. Self – It is readily apparent that the flesh binds the sinner to a life that is destructive and leads to despair and death. How many people kill themselves, some quickly with a gun or by some other method.  Many do so more slowly with drugs alcohol or with other destructive habits. I would think that there are very few or probably none who have not experienced the bondage of habits that we wish we could break.  We know that these things are bad for us yet our flesh compels us to continue them.  It’s by the grace and power of God that we can overcome these things. 
      2. Society or the world – Contemporary society will carry one to places that are destructive to the person and dishonoring to God. The movies, music and fashions of the world are almost without exception wicked.  Popular music glorifies all things that are unholy and evil, movies the same. We see that the most popular stars are the ones who lead the most profane lives. 
      3. Satan.  2 Corinthians 4:4 [4] In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.1 Peter 5:8 [8] Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  Satan is the god of this world and holds the world in bondage,  The only escape is though the shed blood of Jesus. By the power of the Holy Spirit we see the truth and areset free. 
3. We have a BECKONING We have a future that is filled with many wonderful things. Things such as:
   1. FRUITFUL SERVICE – The only way that we can truly serve God is by the power of God. Everything that will matter in eternity is done in the power of God. 
   2. FANTASTIC RECEPTION – We can hear ‘well done’ if we are faithful. It will be beyond our ability to conceive of the joy that will be ours if we hear the Master. Matthew 25:21 [21] His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 
   3. FULFILLMENT of Promises – All the promises of God will be carried out. Whatever He has promised He will do.