Category: Christian Living

Our faith needs to permeate every aspect of our lives.  Our homes, our schooling, our jobs, our interactions socially.  We should emanate the reflected light of our Lord!

Audio
PPTX (Right Click to SAVE)
YouTube Video of Sermon

<<———><><———>>

It is time to take inventory – a new year has begun. There is nothing about the beginning of the new year that is anything special. New Year’s resolutions are entirely arbitrary. However, God does expect us to self-examine and adjust as needed to ensure that our standing with God is as it should be!

“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed are disqualified” (2 Corinthians 13:50).

This is key. We need to consider what is most important. Resolutions about our physical lives have merit and can lead to important lifestyle improvements. However, they do not compare to resolutions that are spiritual in nature. “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8).

Do you pray enough? Are your prayers the “effective, fervent prayer [-s] of a righteous man”? (cf. James 5:16). How about your fervency of faith? How about your Bible Study and reading? How about your worship and attendance habits? How about your love? Faithfulness? Faith? Virtue? Righteousness? Your relationship with your brethren? Your relationship with your family? Your relationship with the world? Are any changes needed?

The Bible makes a very clear contrast between wise behavior, and the characteristics of foolish action.  Don’t be a fool!

Audio
PPTX (Right Click to SAVE)
YouTube Video of Sermon

<<———><><———>>

Having established that “the Lord is gracious” (3), Peter additionally refers to Him as “a living stone.”  This refers to Jesus as a foundation stone promised by God, a Messianic prophecy (cf. Isaiah 28:16). Christ is the foundation upon which God’s redemptive promise is founded, though He was rejected by men.

The key here is to determine our responsibility to the One responsible for our reconciliation with the Father.  We have been told to  put off evil and desire His will (1-2), now Peter tells us to approach Jesus (the foundation stone) as living stones! We are called to action. It is our responsibility as Christians to live moral lives in service to God. The words Peter uses here “to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God” mirror the words of Paul in Romans 12:1-2 calling us to be transformed in the lives we live.  No longer are we to live our lives for ourselves. We are to sacrificial, offering up ourselves in service to the Lord. God saved us through Jesus. Our response to Him should reflect that.

A discussion of Psalm 15.  Who is it that may dwell in the Presence of the Almighty?

Audio
PPTX (Right Click to SAVE)
YouTube Video of Sermon

<<———><><———>>

Each of these articles in past weeks have emphasized our responsibility to help each other. At this point we recognize the importance of expressing love for our neighbor, and the emphasis that the Lord places on our good treatment of other brethren. The imperative of love is what divides the righteous from the unrighteous.  The Lord emphasized this truth, distinguishing between two groups as He talked of future judgment. His statement, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world” (Matthew 25:34), was directed at those who were benevolent and loving to others. A peculiar part of our culture is the pride (or perhaps other motivations) that cause some to refuse the help or friendship of others. This should never be the case with a Christian. Why would we ever put an obstacle in the way of another’s potential reward in Judgment?

Hopefully we will be quick to offer friendship, care, benevolence and hospitality to those we love. We should be quick to ask, “What can I do?” And to “rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). Consider the very next verse of that context, where Paul admonishes the Romans, “Be of the same mind toward one another…” (16). If we are ready to help our brothers, but unwilling to ask for or receive the same from them, how can we be described as being of the same mind? Part of being gracious is our willing reception of the help offered by our brothers and sisters in Christ. We should not let pride, or a desire “not to be burden” to impede their efforts to do what God expects of all of us. Continue reading “(13 of 13) My Individual Responsibility to Accept Your Friendship” →

The book of Esther is examined, noting the similarities to our day, such as immorality and oppression.  It is noted that God’s providence works in every age, and that one righteous person can make a difference in the world.

<<———><><———>>

A discussion of extreme contrasts found in God’s word.  They show us the need to make choices that God’s commends rather than condemns.

<<———><><———>>

Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (4:1). He then goes on to describe aspects of that walk.  Consider:

It is a walk of lowliness: having a humble opinion of oneself, humility, modesty (Thayer).  “…But in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself” (Philippians 2:3).

It is a walk of gentleness: mildness, meekness (Thayer). “To speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men” (Titus 3:2). Continue reading “The Worthy Walk” →

A discussion of the first 10 verses of 1 John 3, detailing the love shown us by God, and the consequences to all the sanctified.

• Audio
• PPTX (Right Click to SAVE)
• YouTube Video of Sermon

<<———><><———>>

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5:1-2).

The idea of imitating God can be a bit daunting. While we know that we can never attain the pristine heights of God’s righteousness, He nevertheless requires that we do the best we can. The idea is effort, change, commitment. And it is amazing what we can accomplish regarding holiness if we put our hearts and wills to it!

There are two major points here. The first is simple —  walk in love. That is encompassed in the keeping of God’s commandments, and treating others with kindness and benevolence in accord with their needs.

The second point is found in verses 3-7. We must avoid sin.  As verses 8-11 say, “For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the world. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”

This is simple to understand. God is for love, and against unrighteousness. To be His, we must be as well!

Paul here called upon Timothy to remind the brethren of the need for steadfastness, even through persecution. He knew the blessings that would come to those who maintain their faith.

He instructed Timothy to rightly divide the “word of truth” (15). It is important to note that handling the word of God loosely will invite error, but a strong appeal to the context and proper understanding of each passage serves well the child of God.

Timothy was to stay away from  discussion of religious topics that were unhealthy (but common) in his day. He called them “profane and idle babblings” (16). We note Paul’s willingness to name names in talking of these things, pointing out Hymenaeus and Philetus as men who claimed the resurrection had already happened, overthrowing the faith of some of God’s people.

Finally, verse 19 shows that God requires those who are His to “depart from iniquity.” His warning shows steadfastness is required of every child of God. We may fall if we don’t persevere!

The text of 1 Peter 2:9-10 reveals that we as disciples of Christ are at odds will the world, antagonized by the flesh, and should consider ourselves as sojourners and pilgrims, as our citizenship is heavenly.

• Audio
• YouTube Video of Sermon

<<———><><———>>

“Then He said to the disciples, ‘It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, “I repent,” you shall forgive him’” (Luke 17:1-4).

Jesus’ warning to His disciples here are words that are applicable to us today. He speaks of offenses as inevitable things. By offenses, Jesus was referring to “sin traps”, things a man or woman might to do cause another to stumble and sin.  Colly Caldwell had an interesting thought about this, “The forms these spiritual sin-traps may take will vary with each person but the effect can be devastating. It may come as a result of immoral influence, pleasurable seduction, false doctrinal teaching, or material gain.” (Truth Commentary). Continue reading “Take Heed to Yourself” →

Who is it that our world celebrates most?  The entertainer, the athlete, the artist. The ones who make a name for themselves. The ones who blaze a path. The ones who standout or amaze. Sometimes these things can be for very scandalous reasons — they may be villainous, outlandish, immoral, seekers of attention, ready to do anything to be famous, to be a figure that the world simply can’t ignore. This indicates values that do not really accord with God and His will. For both the celebrated and those who adore them.

Consider the words of the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, “…that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.” Continue reading “Aspire to Live a Quiet Life” →