Teaching

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Jesus everyday!

It’s Wednesday once again. I’ve prepared for the Bible study and prayer meeting for tonight.

I don’t know where or when the Wednesday evening church meeting came from. Continue reading →

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You can’t win them all – part 5

It’s sad about those that hear the Gospel over and over and never respond to it. They can blame everyone and everything.

Judas may have had a lot of excuses for the way he was and what he did. Continue reading →

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You can’t win them all – part 4

I don’t know about your salvation. I don’t know how many opportunities you have had to accept God’s grace and forgiveness.

He is known as a God of second chances. Continue reading →

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You can’t win them all – part 3

I am by no means perfect but I know the pathway to perfection and have seen a glimpse of it. But keeping my eyes on Jesus all the time is hard in a world that keeps enticing me away.

I am not tempted by all things, yet the adversary knows what temptations will work. Continue reading →

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You can’t win them all – part 1

What do you get out of church, Sunday school, and Bible study?

Some get very much and others very little. There are those that don’t get fed in a church service and others that take lots of notes.

What you get out of it is entirely up to you.

Case in point,

From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.
Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” John 6:66-69

Peter was one of twelve men that traveled with Jesus. Along with the others he witnessed miracles, heard teaching, and watched His lifestyle.
However it was Peter alone that proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ. That’s not to say the others did not think it also.

But among the twelve is one that is of a different nature.

Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” John 6:70

Knowing what Judas will do begs the question as to why he didn’t get anything from the teaching of Jesus.
How is it the others went on to preach, teach, and evangelize and Judas did not?

Let’s investigate this tragedy this week.

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Born to preach and teach

Everyone has something they love to do – something they need to do. Something they were born to do.

You are born to do something and I hope you are doing it.

I have wanted to be a DJ on the radio since I was about 7 years old. Along the way I accepted Jesus as my Savior and then God called me into the ministry.

He also led me into radio broadcasting where I am a DJ.

I am also a pastor and have been for 15 years at my present church; preceded by 6 years at my former pastorate.

I have to talk. It’s what God has called me to do. It is what I love to do. I can take to heart the words of the Apostle Paul,

Yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! 1 Cor 9:16

He may have been saying that he had to preach the Gospel and would be reprimanded by God if he didn’t.
Or, like me, he may have been saying that it was his calling and he had to preach the Gospel – that it was a part of him. That it was his life!

For me, it is what I was born to do. To preach, teach, and talk about the Gospel.

Woe is me if I don’t.

Abba, I am blessed by the knowledge of Your word. I want to know more and share more with others. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Listen to the Holy Spirit

Right after the gentleman died of Ebola in Dallas, I saw a report on Facebook that a family of five were diagnosed with the disease, thus quarantining an entire town in Texas.

I saw this same story shared over and over, which seems to give credibility to it.
But it was a false report.

We tend to believe something we hear over and over, especially from different sources.

This can even take place with false information about the Bible. All it takes is some pastor doing some studying online and seeing the same comments made about a subject.

Recently I taught on the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:16-26. It ends with Jesus mentioning an eye of a needle.

For the last few centuries it has been commonly taught that this refers to a small gate in the city that travelers had to stoop to get through and a camel had to get down on it’s knees to get through.

For years it has been taught as gospel but for me something just wasn’t right about it.

The Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; Heb 10:15

I believe the Holy Spirit checks our spirit and bears witness to us. The Holy Spirit will lead you to the truth.

My thought is why a small door would be necessary. Of course there was an answer for that but that didn’t make since either.
Why a small door that would cause animals such difficulty to enter with their owners?

The main thing that bothered me about the story is this – it wasn’t impossible for a camel to enter such a gate; it was just difficult. It could be done.

When Jesus made the statement that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, the disciples wondered who could be saved!

In my entire ministry I have never taught the small gate theory. Today there are many commentaries that give no evidence that such a gate ever existed.

So listen to the Holy Spirit when you study your Bible. And listen when you read about things outside the Bible.

Abba, give me guidance to discover the truth so I may teach others Your perfect truth! In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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You can’t escape the Word!

I remember one Sunday, not too long ago, I was preaching. Actually I was reading a lot of scripture and I had someone get up and walk out the door.

It happens. It happened to Jesus.

There was a time when some guys wanted to judge, convict, and execute someone that broke the Law of Moses.

Jesus said that if any of them were without sin they should go ahead and do it.

Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. John 8:9

The spoken word of God is powerful.

The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Heb 4:12

The word of God convicts and there are those that cannot stand or sit in its presence.
The reading of the word conflicts with their life and so they must get up and leave.

I fear the day will come for the unrepentant when they shall hear the word and not be able to get away from it.

The Bible says the day is coming when the books will be opened and the dead will be judged by what is written in those books. (Rev 20:12)

I believe the books that are opened are the 66 books of the Bible. Each word is read and there is no escape.
The Law is read along with the penalties for disobedience and there is no escape.
The Prophets are read and tell of the coming Messiah and the re is no escape.
The Gospels are read and there is no place to run.
The letters of Paul are read and there is no place to hide.
When it’s over each person is convicted by their own conscience and by God Himself.

I pray that no one ever walks out again on God’s word. It is the word to change lives if they will listen and heed it.

Abba, I know there was a time I, too, did not listen to Your word. I ignored it. I mocked it. I ridiculed it. But now I live for Your word. It is the very air that I breathe. It is life to me. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Camp Lesson – Boundaries

The lesson at church camp was about boundaries. It’s a subject that touches the youngest to the oldest. Each of us has a boundary.

One teacher put “Caution” tape around the seats where the class would be held. The boys stood around and looked at the tape and tried to decide what to do.

Finally one boy lifted the tape, went under it, and sat down. Another boy followed suit. And another and another until they were all sitting down.

Prov 22:28 Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set.

That’s the way it continues to be with God’s word – it has given boundaries that should not be crossed and slowly, one by one, they have been.

The line has been crossed when it comes to the abortion, same sex marriage, and the respect of God.

Once the boundary has been crossed or moved it is extremely difficult to return.

Do not cross the boundaries Father has given. Others will but you must keep yourself from doing it. When you stand before God and give your account, He isn’t going to accept the excuse that everyone else was doing it.
That didn’t work with your parents – it won’t work with Him either.

Abba, help me to see the boundaries You have given and not cross them. Give me the strength to encourage others to stay also. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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The Flaming Sword

Gen 3:24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. Continue reading →