Today's Discussion – Proverbs

Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise – Proverbs 6:6

We live in rare age of the world, in which slothfulness has become not only common, but even a goal for many. Young people grow accustomed to doing just enough work to "get by." Older folks look to their retirement as the end to all their problems.

But the solution that Solomon gives us is this: go to the ants, you who wish to forsake work, and consider their ways in order to become wise.

Go to the ant: be humble enough to learn, even from an ant. The ant has no guide or supervisor, no encouragement or accountability…and yet she is faithful to fulfill her duties day in and day out.

Ants do not procrastinate; they do what they can, when they can. In contrast, we often do not do anything, because we can't do everything at once. The ant labors little-by-little to get each job accomplished, each need met, each provision made. In fact, she is so slow and methodical in her duties, many won't have even have the patience to watch and consider her, as Solomon instructs us to.

Both success and failure come little-by-little. Like a garden, it just takes a little neglect to grow a lot of trouble. A little neglect has cost teams their victory, people their lives, kings their power.

What little thing can you do today to heal your marriage, help your children, draw closer to God? Learn from the ant, and do it now. 

UNFEIGNED FAITH

By MARVIN DUNCAN, Pastor

Scripture Reading: I Timothy 1:5; II Timothy 1:5

Much of what men believe today is what they want to believe instead of what God's Word teaches. Faith is somehow taken to mean just being sincere in what you want to happen, or being sincere in what you think God would have you do and if your faith (your belief in your own idea) is strong enough, it will come to pass. This is far from what God's Word teaches about faith. Romans 10:17 tells us that the faith that pleases God comes from hearing, that is believing, the Word of God. God will only do that which He has said He will do and God will accept a person only on the basis He has proclaimed. Anything beyond what God has said is not faith--- it is wishful-thinking.

 

It is this taking God at His Word that Paul speaks of as "UNFEIGNED FAITH" in our text verses. This word, unfeigned, means genuine or sincere. It is the sincere trust in what God has said about Himself and about how a man can be justified in His sight that Paul was speaking about when he wrote Timothy that "the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith that is genuine and sincere" (I Timothy I:5). This genuine faith does not go beyond what God has said, but takes every word God has spoken and sincerely believes God will do exactly as He has promised.

Paul was confident that this was the kind of faith Timothy had and his sincere faith had been encouraged in him by his mother and his grand-mother who both had this same genuine faith in what God had said (II Timothy 1:5).

 

Is your faith based solely upon what God has said, or do you have some areas of wishful-thinking involved in your faith? If there is any area of your faith that is not exactly what God has said, you do not have "UNFEIGNED FAITH."

JUST A THOUGHT

Adversity is not simply a tool. Its God's most effective tool for the advancement of our spiritual lives. The circumstances and events that we see as setbacks are oftentimes the very things that launch us into periods of intense spiritual growth. Once we begin to understand this, and accept it as a spiritual fact of life, adversity becomes easier to bear.

Help My Unbelief

by John Piper

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (Romans 12:3)

In the context of this verse, Paul is concerned that people were “thinking of themselves more highly than they ought to think.” His final remedy for this pride is to say that not only are spiritual gifts a work of God's free grace in our lives, but so also is the very faith with which we use those gifts.

This means that every possible ground of boasting is taken away. How can we boast if even the qualification for receiving gifts is also a gift?

This truth has a profound impact on how we pray. Jesus gives us the example in Luke 22:31-32. Before Peter denies him three times Jesus says to him, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Jesus prays for Peter's faith to be sustained even through sin, because he knows that God is the one who sustains faith. So we should pray for ourselves and for others this way.

Thus the man with the epileptic boy cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief” ( Mark 9:24). This is a good prayer. It acknowledges that without God we cannot believe as we ought to believe.

Let us pray daily: “O Lord, thank you for my faith. Sustain it. Strengthen it. Deepen it. Don't let it fail. Make it the power of my life, so that in everything I do you get the glory as the great Giver. Amen”

The Sins That Are Past

by Pastor C. R. Stam       

In Chapter 3 of St. Paul’s letter to the Romans he declares that God has set forth Christ as a satisfaction for man’s sin and that redemption is obtained by faith in “His blood,” or His payment for sin at Calvary, entirely apart from works, religious or otherwise (Rom.3:21-26).

But in this same passage he states that this “remission”concerns the “sins that are past” (Ver. 25). What does he mean by this? Some have taught from this verse that when a sinner turns to God for salvation all his sins are forgiven up to that time and now that he is saved he is henceforth responsible for himself. But this would mean that God saves men by His grace only to turn them over again to their own weak and sinful natures. If this were the case, the converted sinner would be lost again the same day, for what Christian believer is wholly free from sin?

Paul rather looks back here at past ages and declares that we now know and proclaim that men like Abel, Noah and Abraham, and also like Moses,David and Daniel (who lived under the Law) were actually saved by the redemption wrought by Christ, although Christ’s death was still future in their day. In other words, Christ died, not only for the sins which we have committed, but also for the “sins which are past.” The believers of past ages simply believed what God told them then, and God counted them righteous (Gen. 15:6) on the basis of Christ’s coming payment for sin.

We have the same truth set forth in Hebrews 9:15, where we are told that Christ’s death availed also “for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant,” i.e., the Law.

How blessed we are to live at a time when God’s plan of salvation has been fully revealed, and that we can now look to the Lord Jesus Christ and exclaim with Paul:


“He loved me, and gave Himself for me!” (Gal.2:20).

UNDER LAW OR UNDER GRACE?

By Pastor Joel Finck

Scripture Reading: Romans 6:14

People are always looking for an excuse to sin. If they can somehow justify their sin with Scripture, so much the better --- or so they think. Paul knew that God's super-abounding grace would probably be misused by some to become lax about sin. Therefore, immediately after informing us that we "are not under the law, but under grace," he quickly added, "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid" (Romans 6:14,15).

We should thank God we are not under the law! No longer are we required to bring animal sacrifices as an offering for sin. No more do we live in the bondage of the Mosaic code, which spelled out every detail of life and threatened death for those who slipped. What freedom we have in Christ!

Yet Christian liberty was never designed to give us freedom to sin; rather, it was meant to give us freedom to serve. "For brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another" (Galatians 5:13).

Indeed, when we exercise genuine Christian love, we actually fulfill in a practical way that which the Law could never produce; that is, experiential righteousness. "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10). While so many today are trying to live by law, let us who know the grace of God live by grace, and thereby demonstrate to a dying world what the power of God can do in the life of a yielded believer.

THOUGHT FOR THIS WEEK

Our worst days are never so bad
that you are beyond the reach of God's grace.
And your best days are
never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace.
 -- Jerry Bridges

God's Free Gift Part 2 of 2

By Pastor Ken Lawson

The second reason is closely related to the first. Because of sin, our so-called good life (outside of Christ) is simply the fruit of a fallen nature. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (I Corinthians 15:22) While the unregenerate life may be highly esteemed by men, it is an abomination in the sight of God. We stand before God in Adam condemned and worthy of death! Such a life in the flesh does not have the glory of God as the driving motivation or the Spirit of God as the empowering force.

What we need is a new birth-the imparting of divine life from above. This regeneration by the Holy Ghost makes us new creatures in Christ and able to produce good works toward God. Paul, the apostle exclaimed, "I have been crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith (faithfulness) of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) "By the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not 1, but the grace of God which was with me." (I Corinthians 15:10)

Thirdly, trying to live a good life in the flesh to merit heaven is a manifestation of pride and unbelief-not faith. There were those in Paul's day (as well as ours) who, while religious and zealous for God, were - ignorant of-God's righteousness. They went about to establish their own righteousness and did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God. "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth." How sad that all of this self-righteousness is leading countless souls to destruction when God plainly told us "by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight." (Romans 10:3,4; 3:20)

Finally, if righteousness comes by obeying the law (living a good life) then Christ died for nothing. (Galatians 2:21) The whole reason for Christ shedding His precious blood on the cross is because our lives are sinful and we are spiritually bankrupt-unable to pay the sin debt. This truth is no more graphically shown to us than in Christ's agony in the garden of Gethsemane. There while facing the horror of the cross, He prayed saying, "0 Father, if it be possible, let this cup (of suffering) pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." (Matthew 26:39) And what was the Father's reply? Did He say, "This substitutionary suffering plan is too costly to Me and My believed Son. I am instituting my alternate plan for man's redemption?" It is evident that God did not alter His plan, for Christ did drink of that cup. "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquities of us all." (Isaiah 53:5, 6)

But wait! Won't the teaching of salvation by grace through faith alone produce a lax attitude toward good works and the Christian life? God forbid! The commands which speak of glorifying God in the Christian's life are all given to those who have already become children of God by faith in Jesus Christ. Having become the recipients of eternal life by faith alone, a realization of the love of Christ for the believers should now motivate them to live not for themselves, but for Him which died for them and rose again. This is far from inducing a negligent attitude toward Christian behavior. The grace of God that brings salvation teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. We do this as we look for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of the great God, who is our Savior, Jesus Christ. This is our purifying and confident expectation. (II Corinthians 5:14,15; Titus 2:11-14)

How different is the grace-faith way from the law-works way! We who are in Christ serve God and man out of love and gratitude for the gift bestowed upon us freely by God. How tragic to see religious but lost people hoping against hope that their good works will outweigh the bad and that they will finally be received into heaven.

Let us not be like the foolish girl who thoughtlessly insulted her man by trying to help pay for his gift of love. But let us reach out with the hand of faith and receive by grace the free gift of eternal life. Then we can truly say we have experience something of the romance of redemption.

God's Free Gift Part 1 of 2

By Pastor Ken Lawson

Years ago, the story was told of a service man who, being stationed in a foreign land, fell in love with a beautiful girl. After a brief romance, he was transferred to another country but promised to return the next year. Throughout his absence he took out a substantial portion of his paycheck each month to purchase a gift which would be a worthy token of his love.

When the day finally came when they were united again, he removed a box from his coat and presented her with the most beautiful jewel she had ever seen. A troubled expression came over her face and she began digging through her purse. "What are you doing, dear?" he asked. "Oh honey, that is a very expensive gift and I think I should help pay for it." Shocked and hurt, he stood there speechless, not knowing what to say. She had missed the whole point. He didn't want her money, he wanted her!

Like the foolish young girl in our illustration, many people today have a distorted view of God's free gift of eternal life. Rather than receiving it by faith alone, they insist on helping pay for it. As a result they insult the grace of God and dishonor the blood of the cross. Any attempt to add human works to God's plan of salvation only mars it, so that it loses the character of a free gift and is rendered void. While some may even acknowledge the fact that Christ died for our sins and rose again, they maintain that it is still necessary to do their part to complete God's plan of redemption. All the while being ignorant of the fact that our Lord Jesus cried from the cross, "It is finished!" There on that cruel tree God the Father was making our Savior's soul an offering for sin-yours and mine!

God's holiness was so thoroughly satisfied with our Lord's substitutionary death, for us, that He proved it by raising Him from the dead, in power and great glory. This is our "canceled check" verifying that the sin debt has been fully paid. Our responsibility is to honor God by receiving the free gift. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:31) The writer of Hebrews understood something about this finished transaction when he wrote, "For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified." (Hebrews 10:14)

The ways people say we are to help pay for our salvation are many and varied: obey the commandments, follow the Golden Rule and the Sermon on the Mount, give money to the church, be baptized and partake in church sacraments, etc. But God says, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." (Titus 3:5) "For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8, 9) "Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." (Romans 3:28)

Grace means that God delights to grant us special favor apart from personal merit or worthiness. That is why salvation and eternal life are so often spoken of as a gift in God's Word. No loving parent would expect their child to earn or pay for their birthday presents.

But why can't I get to heaven by living a good life? Why does my acceptance with God hinge on my faith in Christ's shed blood only? First of all, you are making an assumption that it is possible to live a good life. Our minds need to be reeducated concerning the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man. The problem is our perspective. When we talk about living a good life, we are thinking in comparison to others---other sinners! Such a comparison is unwise, for Christ is holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. That is why Adam and Eve were expelled from Eden for only one sin. When compared to Christ's holiness, even the best children of Adam have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. To enjoy eternal fellowship with God in heaven, we must share in Christ's righteousness, acceptance, and life. That is where the free gift comes in.

THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

by C. R. Stam  
  

"The Sword of the Spirit... is the Word of God" (Eph. 6: 17).

Of all the spiritual armor which believers are told to "put on" in Eph. 6:11-18, there is only one offensive weapon. This is "the Sword of the Spirit... the Word of God." The Bible is called "the Sword of the Spirit," because the Spirit of God is its Author. It is called "the Sword of the Spirit" because, thus written by God who knows all, it can cut deeply. This makes it, for the believer, a formidable weapon against Satan and the forces of evil. We are told in Heb. 4:12,13:

"The Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do."

As David said long ago:

"O Lord, Thou hast searched me, and known me.
 "Thou knowest my down sitting and mine uprising; Thou understandest my thought afar off" (Psa. 139:1,2).

It is because God knows and understands us so thoroughly that His Word can sometimes cut us so deeply. How wise, then, to bow before that Blessed Book, acknowledge its condemnation of sin and trust the Savior it presents! And, having done this, how wise to "put on the whole armor of God" in our stand against Satan and sin, not forgetting to "take... the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God"!

You will not die before God's time, for any reason,
come what may. Nothing can put an end to you until God
decides that it is time for you to be at home with Him.
---– Selwyn Hughes

The Difference Between Belief and Faith

By Pastor Timothy F. Conklin

The Bible is very clear - saving faith originates through hearing the Word of God. The Bible knows no other avenue or supply for faith which saves. People cannot produce or will biblical faith. Only the Bible produces saving faith. And Romans 10:17 makes it plain and clear that biblical/saving faith comes specifically by hearing the Word of God.

     Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God

One must appreciate that the Bible itself is a gracious gift of God. The Divine revelation of the Scripture cannot be found anywhere else. What God has revealed in the Bible is not knowable in any other way or from any other source. In parallel with the gift or Scripture, one's initial faith-when a person first believes- is likewise God's gracious gift.

     For it is by grace you have been saved through faith-and this not from yourselves it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8, 9)

     To all who received him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-children born of natural descent, nor of human decision, or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:12,13)

We know from Hebrews 11:6, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." The one thing a person absolutely must have in order to please God is faith. More definitely, one's faith must be in His Son, Jesus Christ. It is simply Satanic fraud to think a person can please God without faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, understanding who He is and what He did.

     God has given us eternal life, and thus life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1st John 5:11, 12)

God responds to faith because that is how he made us. He created us to be a people of faith; a people centered and dependent on him, not independent and self-centered.

God has chosen to limit his interaction with human beings by the law or principle or element of faith. Faith in God is essential, irreplaceable. Pleasing God is just not a matter of enthusiasm, dedication, education, discipline, experience, will power, et al. It is a matter of faith.

But it is imperative one recognizes the subtle difference between belief and faith. Merely "believing" is not enough! James 2:19 says the "Devil himself believes ... and trembles." Do you believe you can get on a plane and fly to Florida in just a few hours? Do you truly believe that? Alright then, you are in Florida, yes? Of course not! That's silly.

Just believing doesn't accomplish anything.

Consider an electric lamp. The lamp is designed to give light. It is structured and wired to do that very thing. But if it simply sits or hangs in a room without the electricity plugged in and turned on, it does nothing. Without electricity the lamp is useless as far as its intended purpose is concerned.

Just so, God's purpose in creating humankind was for them to have faith in his instructions and promises revealed in the Bible; to have faith and obey his Word. This is why God created humankind. Do you believe in John 3:16?

     God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

I mean really believe it? Well, so what? Merely believing it won't do you a bit of good.

How about horrible deadly, poison, some fatal neurotoxin? Do you believe if you drink it or ingest it in some way you will surely die? You really do believe that? Well then, are you dead?

You see, only when you act in faith in what you believe does it become actual and effective. Only by acting upon your belief and allowing the object of your faith to do what you believe it is capable of doing, only then can you turn your belief into faith.

Note very carefully, your faith does not do anything to the whatever it is you put your faith in. It simply allows your act of faith to permit the object of your faith to accomplish its nature; the electricity gives light, the poison kills.

When I have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, it is not my faith that accomplishes anything but Christ's accomplishments, who by the power and authority to do what he alone can do, does it; namely, become your Savior from sin and death.

Do you believe in benches and chairs? There is only one way for you to turn your belief into faith - sit on a bench or a chair. Understand, your faith does nothing for the bench or chair. Your faith in the bench or chair only allows the bench or chair to accomplish its benchness or chairness; its ability to support you when you sit down on it.

And note this well - the more confident you are in the object of your faith, the less conscious you are of the faith you are exercising in that object.

For Christians, where does saving or biblical faith come from? Ah yes, faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). The more you "hear" the word of God, the more your faith will develop, because the Word of God produces faith.

This was a lesson unheeded in Hebrews 4:2 ...

     The message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.

The Word of God, the message of the gospel, the good news that Jesus saves, cannot profit you unless you "combine it with faith." Indeed, the Bible will tell you what to believe, but you must put into action by God's grace through faith what that belief is all about.

This is how God has decided to operate. He does not involve himself or interact personally with people apart from faith. God restricts his personal relationship with people to the issue of faith. To believe in God may be a good thing, but to have faith in God is essential.

You say you believe in God? Very well, do you have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as YOUR Savior from sin?

The message of the gospel is that Jesus Christ is God's only Son who became human --- the God-man --- to live, to die, to be buried, to be raised from the dead and ascend into heaven in order to become YOUR Savior from sin! Do you have faith in this!

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. (Ecclesiastes 3:14)


Are you Saved?
 
     And that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)

Is Christ the person they see in you?

GOD-CENTERED OR SELF-CENTERED

By Paul Hume

Scripture Reading: Ezek. 44:15-31; 2 Cor. 5:14-17

For centuries men believed that the sun was not the center of our solar system. They thought that the sun revolved about our planet, and the Earth was the center of our universe. Since the 16th century and the discoveries of Copernicus, men have recognized that the sun, not the Earth, is the true center of our solar system. The Earth, as everyone now knows, revolves once a year about the sun. We have a system which is "sun-centered."

By nature we are intensely self-centered. Even after becoming saved, we still tend to be self-centered. Only as we "grow in grace," and experience the working of the Lord in breaking us from our innate selfishness do we gradually move from being self-centered to being Son-centered! This is why the ministry of the sons of Zadok in Ezek. 44:15ff is so unique. Did you notice it? "They shall enter into My sanctuary, and thy shall come near to My table, to minister UNTO ME, and they shall keep My charge."

The Apostle Paul therefore declares that as the result of the "new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17), "they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but UNTO HIM which died for them, and rose again." This is God-centered living: living to please HIM; living to know more of HIM; living to make HIM known to others; living to do HIS will. Is this your heart's desire? Or are you still in "prison"--the prison of self?

"0 the bitter pain and sorrow, That the time could ever be, When I proudly said to Jesus, All of Self and none of Thee. But He sought me, I beheld Him, Dying on the accursed tree, And my feeble heart said faintly, Some of self and some of Thee. Higher than the highest mountain, Deeper than the deepest sea, Lord, Thy love at last has conquered, None of self and ALL OF THEE."

The Hope of Our Calling

By Jim Roberts

The Apostle Paul wrote to Titus whom God had called as a pastor over the Church which is the Body of Christ. In Chapter 2 Paul said:

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you." (Titus 2:11-15)

Paul was reminding Titus that the hope of Abraham had passed away. No longer were believers to look for the heavenly city of God to come down to the earth (Hebrews 11:16), but believers were to rejoice in the hope of their calling, namely, the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ. Paul taught the believers at Colosse that:

"When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." (Colossians 3:4)

Paul explained to Titus that all believers today share this same hope for the grace of God has now appeared to all men. However, Paul knew that this message had to be taught with zeal for it was a new message. The program for the Church had been kept as a secret in the heart and mind of God since before the creation itself. Therefore, Paul told Titus to "speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority." Paul told the Ephesians about this great hope and was very concerned that they understand the importance of the message. He prayed:

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints." (Ephesians 1:17-18)

In Ephesians 1:14, Paul referred to the catching up of the Church, the Body of Christ, as the redemption of Christ's purchased possession.

"In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14)

According to Ephesians 1:7, we already have spiritual redemption through His blood, but we are waiting for the redemption of our bodies which will occur at the appearing of the Lord and the rapture of the Church.

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself." (Philippians 3:20-21)

The Church which is the Body of Christ is the purchased possession which is now waiting for its final redemption. In the mean time, we live on this earth learning how to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, all to the praise of the glory of His grace.

The truth behind atheism

by Dr. Jack Graham

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds,

there is none who does good.

Psalm 14:1

Perhaps you’ve noticed as you’ve looked at the Bible that within its pages, there’s never once an argument for the existence of God. In fact, today’s Scripture is the only verse that directly addresses anything close to the subject. But it tells us much about the mindset behind the atheistic worldview: it’s definitely mistaken.

You see, the atheistic worldview tells us that long, long ago, a chance event happened where life came into being. And through an innumerable series of other random events, over millions of years, inanimate matter evolved into the life we have today.

Now, I don’t know about you, but to me, that’s absolute foolishness. And the reason many people adhere to it isn’t because of the plausibility of the arguments. Behind the atheistic mindset is a rebellious spirit that wants to take God out of the picture. That’s because if there’s no God, there’s ultimately no accountability.

But if we look at what’s most logical, we know that creation requires a transcendent Creator. And that Creator, I firmly believe, is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. We know God by the relationship we have with His Son, Jesus. Acknowledge God today as your Creator and King by affirming your faith in Jesus!

THE ATHEISTIC WORLDVIEW IS FOOLISHNESS. SO EMBRACE GOD AS YOUR CREATOR BY AFFIRMING YOUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST TODAY.

Not Every One

by Jimmy DeYoung - Matthew 7:21

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

For further study - Matthew 7:15-23 

 Chapter 7 of Matthew's Gospel is the last of the "Sermon on the Mount", Matthew 5, 6 & 7, which is a sermon to the Jews who were expecting the Kingdom to be set up on the earth by the Messiah, Jews who reject the fact that Jesus Christ was the long awaited Messiah. 

The Lord Jesus Christ was rejected by the Jews; however, His sermon given on the slopes of the mountains at the northern end of the Sea of Galilee was a warning that is applicable to the Jews during the time leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus and has "spiritual application" for all of us today.

 Verse 15 is a warning for today and into the future, "be aware of false prophets". In the Gospels and the Epistles, in the New Testament, over and over again we are warned of false prophets, false teachers.

In fact, Jesus, in His Olivet Discourse, a message given during "Passion Week", the week leading up to His crucifixion, Jesus said that "deception" was the most important indication of His Second Coming, Matthew 24:4,5,11 & 24.

In His Sermon on the Mount, the Lord even warned that the "false prophets" could come disguised in "sheep's clothing". These "false teachers" would be posing as believers and even as ministers, II Corinthians 11:13-15.

Notice verse 22 where Jesus reveals that these "false teachers" will preach, prophesy, in His name and do miracles, cast out devils, demons, all in the Lord's name.

The truth be known, we see what Jesus warned us of, happening today. We have a proliferation of "false teachers" and "false prophets" doing "miracles" in the name of Jesus, many of them on so-called "Christian television".

Make sure what you listen to and see happening is truly the Lord's work. Jesus says, verse 23, that these "false prophets" and "miracle workers" He does not know and He tells them to depart from Him.

This portion of the Lord's Sermon on the Mount is so important for us today as we quickly approach the time of the return of the Messiah Jesus Christ.

What we see today, that which Jesus warned us would be the case before He returned, is evidence that the Rapture, Jesus calling Christians into the heaven lies, at least seven years before His Second Coming, could happen today.

Prayer Thot: Lord, help me to use Your word of warning about "false prophets" to recognize the times in which we are living today.

How You Can Inspire Confidence from Others

by Dr. Jack Graham

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

Proverbs 28:13

A young man was coming home late one night, well after his midnight curfew. He didn’t pull into his driveway until almost 2 in the morning. So he took his shoes off, opened the door quietly, and slipped up the stairs as softly as he could.

He had almost made it to the top of the stairs when, all of a sudden, his parents’ cuckoo clock struck 2, “Cuckoo, cuckoo.” He heard his parents stirring in their room, and had the boldest idea he’d ever had. He stood there on the stairs and cuckoo-ed 10 more times!

Now that’s creative, but it’s not telling the truth. In fact, one very neglected aspect of telling the truth is admitting when you’ve made a mistake, rather than covering it up. 

Confessing when you’re in the wrong is difficult, especially when a little lie like “my dog ate my homework” or “I put those reports on your desk” can pass the blame to someone else.

But when you mess up and confess it, you not only have the reward of a clear conscience, you build rapport as an honest person among those around you. And, most importantly, you glorify God through your obedience. So admit your mistakes and show others they can trust you to be truthful!

INSPIRE CONFIDENCE FROM OTHERS BY ADMITTING YOUR SHORTCOMINGS AND SHOWING OTHERS YOU CAN BE TRUSTED TO BE TRUTHFUL.

A Pivotal Belief

by Pastor Greg Laurie

"But the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again." (1 Corinthians 15:20)

I read about a person who wrote the following to a local newspaper advice columnist: Dear Uticus, Our preacher said on Easter that Jesus just swooned on the cross and that His disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think? Sincerely, Bewildered.

The columnist replied, Dear Bewildered, Beat your preacher with a cat of nine tails with 39 heavy strokes, nail him to a cross, hang him in the sun for six hours, run a spear through his heart, embalm him, put him in an airless tomb for 36 hours, and see what happens. Sincerely, Uticus.

What sets the Christian faith apart from all other beliefs and religious systems in this world? It might come down to this: If you go to the tombs of any of the prophets on which world religions have been founded, you will find them occupied. But if you go to the tomb of Jesus Christ, you will find it empty, because He is alive. We serve a living Savior.

This is why the resurrection of Jesus is such an important message and also why it has been opposed so much throughout history. The devil knows that the Resurrection spells his defeat. He also knows that if you believe this great truth that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and rose again from the dead, it can change your life.

Not only can it change your life, but putting your faith in Him also means that you will have a new, resurrected body someday. As believers, we have this great hope that we, too, will live again.

Does Your Testimony Really Matter?

by Dr. Jack Graham

“Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

Luke 8:39

It’s funny how people who’ve had life-changing experiences can talk about them as if they happened yesterday. Take a professional athlete, for example, who can describe the great championship game in detail. And old soldiers often get deeply emotional when remembering their comrade who was killed in battle 60 years ago.

When Christ comes into your life, it’s a life-changing experience. So if He really has come, then you’re going to want to tell others about it. I’m not saying you won’t ever struggle to articulate the Gospel. But the truth is that if you’re truly changed, your story of grace is going to be seared into your mind.

Now, there are some believers I know who don’t think their testimony is all that interesting. They say, “I’ve never done drugs or anything like that, so people aren’t really moved by my testimony.” Well, the same grace that saved you is the grace that saved the worst sinner. So your testimony matters!

Your testimony of the Gospel is important. That’s because it’s about God, not about you. Share it with others as evidence that your life is truly changed!

WHATEVER YOUR BACKGROUND, YOUR TESTIMONY MATTERS. SHARE YOUR STORY OF GRACE WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.

God's Plan for the Resurrection

by Dr. Charles Stanley

John 16:16-20

"A little while, and you will no longer see Me." Jesus repeated these words to His disciples several times. But He could tell by the blank stares on their faces that they did not understand what He had said.

At one point, He even overheard them debating what He meant by "You will not see me" (John 16:19). These men had been with the Lord for three years. They had laughed with Him, cried with Him, eaten with Him, and were willing to die with Him, or so they thought.

They had just entered the city of Jerusalem. And instead of being met by an angry legion of guards and protestors, they were met by palm-waving supporters shouting: "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord." Yet as soon as they had settled into the upper room, Jesus broached the subject of His forthcoming death. Immediately, the mood of His followers went from one of celebration to shock and sorrow.

Often in difficult times, we cannot see beyond that moment. The resurrection was a few days away, but they could not fathom its wondrous coming.

God always provides the encouragement we need to stay the course, and Jesus did this for His disciples when He told them, "Your sorrow will be turned to joy" (v. 20). This also is God's message of hope and love for us today. Blessed be the name of the Lord!