Tag: God

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Devotionals

OUR YOUTH AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

September 25, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

OUR YOUTH AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

“And [take] the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Eph. 6:17

Jesus was particularly emphatic regarding the treatment of, welfare, and salvation of the tender, receptive and yes, vulnerability of the children and youth during His three and half year ministry on earth. He declared some of His  strongest words of rebuke and warnings ever against those in authority who would mislead and/or become stumbling blocks to the youngest members of His spiritual kingdom in earth! They are both literally and spiritually the helpless lambs of His flock!

“God’s holy, educating Spirit is in His Word! A light, a new and precious light, shines forth from every page. Truth is there revealed, and words and sentences are made bright and appropriate for the occasion, as the VOICE OF GOD speaking to the soul [the whole, living, rational person].

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Devotionals

THE SWORD FOR THE BATTLE FOR OUR SOULS

September 24, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE SWORD FOR THE BATTLE FOR OUR SOULS

“And the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

Eph. 6:17, A.V.

“For the Word of God is living (quick, KJV) and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division (‘dividing asunder,’ KJV) of the soul and the spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we have to do.” Heb. 4:12.

“God has provided abundant means for successful warfare against the evil that is in the world. The BIBLE is the armory where we may equip for the struggle. Our loins must be girt about with truth. Our breastplate must be righteousness. The shield of faith must be in our hand, the helmet of salvation on our brow; and with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, we are to CUT our way through the obstruction and and entanglements of sin.” Acts of the Apostles, p. 502.

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Devotionals

THE SHIELD OF GENUINE FAITH

September 20, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE SHIELD OF GENUINE FAITH

“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked [Satan].”

Eph. 6:16, KJV.

“Satan watches his opportunity to seize the precious graces when we are unguarded, and we shall have a severe conflict with the powers of darkness to RETAIN them, or to REGAIN a heavenly grace, If through lack of watchfulness, we lose it.

“But it is the privilege of [genuine] Christians to OBTAIN strength from God to hold every precious gift. Fervent and effectual prayer will be regarded in heaven. When the servants of Christ take the shield of faith for their defense, and the sword of the Spirit for war, there is danger in the ENEMY’S camp!

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Devotionals

LEST WE DRIFT AWAY

September 16, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

LEST WE DRIFT AWAY

“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest we drift away.” Heb. 2:1, NKJV. (The KJV says, “lest at any time we should let them slip.”)

“Lest at any time we should let them slip,’ or more literally, ‘lest we be floated past them,’ or ‘drift away from them.’

“The picture is that of a boat being carried along with the current, the occupants unaware of the fact that they are drifting. Before they realize it they are nearing the cataract, far pat the OLD LANDMARKS, and danger is at hand, and possibly, destruction.

“Drifting is one of the easiest and pleasantest means of locomotion, but it is also a most treacherous one. NO EFFORT IS NEEDED TO DRIFT, and as one glides down the river toward sure death, the FEELING is that of well-being with contentment with accompanying delightful DROWSINESS. The downward movement is hardly perceptible, for as the boat moves down the river it seems to remain MOTIONLESS. The water moves with the boat and APPEARANCES ARE DECEITFUL. Unless one awakens in time, the danger is very real.

“This was the condition of the church to which the author [Paul] was writing. They were drifting SPIRITUALLY, and did not sense their danger. Slowly they were nearing the precipice, and soon it would be too late.” M.L. Andreasen, The Book of Hebrews, pp. 81, 82.

The global deterioration at every level and endeavor of human society is God’s “voice” warning mankind that earth’s probation is soon to close! Soon it will be too late for those who have persistently resisted heaven’s invitation to repent of and turn away from their sins! “Be not deceived; God is not mocked; whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap.” Sow seeds of righteousness, reap the fruits of righteousness! God bless all, NMF.  

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Devotionals

CHRIST’S HUMAN NATURE

September 14, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

CHRIST’S HUMAN NATURE

Please find time to prayerfully and unhurriedly read verses 1-18 of Hebrews chapter 2. Here are the first 4 verses(emphasis mine):

“Therefore we must give the MOST EARNEST HEED, to the things we have heard, LEST WE DRIFT AWAY. For if the word spoken through angels, proved steadfast, and every TRANSGRESSION AND DISOBEDIENCE received a just reward, HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE IF WE NEGLECT so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God AlSO bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?”

Heb. 2:1-4, NKJV.

SYNOPSIS OF CHAPTER: “This chapter opens with a warning against INDIFFERENCE. It is the first of many admonition scattered throughout the book, which evince the author’s [apostle Paul] anxiety for the SPIRITUAL WELFARE of his readers. From the nature of the exhortations we learn that, unlike the Corinthians, the DANGERS threatening them were NOT MORAL DELINQUENCY but a GRADUAL DRIFTING AWAY from the things they had heard, COUPLED WITH a lack of desire to apply themselves to a SERIOUS study of the Word.

“The larger part of the chapter is devoted to a discussion of the HUMANITY of Christ. In the first chapter the author brought indisputable proof of the DEITY of Christ. In the second chapter he shows that it is NEEDFUL for Christ to BECOME A MAN IF He is to be a merciful and faithful High Priest.

“How else could He deal gently with the weak and erring? He MUST be TEMPTED IN ALL POINTS LIKE AS WE ARE for it is only by passing through the EXPERIENCE to which [all] men are subject that He can succor [save, deliver, empower] those who are weak!

“This section contains a warning against the SUBTLE SINS of apathy and carelessness. Paul was greatly concerned about the SPIRITUAL condition of the people. There were TROUBLOUS TIMES AHEAD for the church. Persecution would soon break out anew; in a very few years the Roman armies would take the city, the Temple would be destroyed, and the Christians would be compelled to flee for their lives.

“Despite this, THE CHURCH WAS NOT FULLY AWAKE. They were ADRIFT with no anchor. Their condition was critical, and MOST SERIOUS OF ALL, they did not sense their danger!” (Andreasen, The Book of Hebrews, 79, 80).

This is same condition we are facing today! The very signs taking place right now in America and the world are already announcing, in trumpet tones, that we entering the prophesied early time of trouble! Are we adrift or are our hearts and minds firmly anchored in the Rock, Christ Jesus and His Word—“It is Written,” “unto the law and the prophets,” “to the law and the testimony.”  Bless all, NMF 

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Devotionals

GRACE IS FOR FALLEN MEN, NEVER FALLEN ANGELS

September 9, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

GRACE IS FOR FALLEN MEN, NEVER FALLEN ANGELS 

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men.”

Titus 2:11, KJV.

“Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Rom. 5:!

  1. “Have sinned,” is not the same as “will.”

“By disobeying the commands of God, man [beginning with the first Adam], men fell under [the condemnation] of His Law. This called for the GRACE of God to appear in behalf of sinners. We should never have learned the meaning of this word, grace, had we not fallen!

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ANGELS: DO WE REALLY KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY DO?

September 6, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

ANGELS: DO WE REALLY KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY DO?

“Who maketh His angels spirits.”

Heb. 1:7, KJV.

“The angels are God’s ministers. They are His servants, doing His will. As the wind and the waves obey His will, as the fire accomplishes His design, so God uses His angels as they are needed.”

“Some see in this verse a reference to the cherubim and the seraphim. ‘Spirits’ is the same word  elsewhere used for ‘winds,’ and of the cherubim it is written. ‘And He rose upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, He did fly upon the wings of the wind.’ Ps. 18:10.”

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Devotionals

TO ALL WHO REJECT OR DOUBT THE DEITY OF CHRIST, CONSIDER THIS

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

TO ALL WHO REJECT OR DOUBT THE DEITY OF CHRIST, CONSIDER THIS

“And again, when He (the Father) bringeth in the First-begotten into the world, He saith, Let all the angels of God worship Him.”

Heb. 1:7, KJV

“Let all the angels of God worship Him.’ These words are not found in our present Hebrew Bible, but are recorded in the Greek Septuagint [LXX].”

“This command to the angels is confirmatory of the Deity of Christ. As one of the Godhead, Christ was worshipped before He came to the earth. When He became man the question would naturally arise among the angels as to their right to worship Him; For if He was man, and ONLY man, He had NO right to receive worship.”

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