Category: Subject Index
Study Material Categorized by Subject
Invitation: No Partiality with God
Invitation delivered by: Stan Cox
Paul, in Colossians 3:18-25, gives numerous exhortations, emphasizing that a man’s standing with God is dependent upon his obedience. There are no exceptions to this, because God does not show partiality.
Sermon: The Good Fight of Faith
In order to fight the good fight of faith (cf. 1 Timothy 6:6), we must first identify the enemy, and second utilize all of the help and weapons at our disposal.
Sermon: “I have set the Lord always before me”
The lesson takes its premise from Psalm 16:8. We are helped in setting the Lord before us by:
* Meditation
* Study
* Prayer
In so doing we receive “fullness of joy” and “pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).
The Preacher’s Authority
Mark records the preaching of Jesus in His home town of Nazareth in Mark 6. When the Sabbath day came, Jesus went to the synagogue in Nazareth to teach. So, His audience was made up of individuals who knew Him and His family. They knew him as “the carpenter, the Son of Mary and brother of James, Joses, Judas and Simon” (vs. 3).
The text indicates they were astonished at Jesus’ teaching. However, such astonishment was not a good thing. They were incredulous. They could not believe that this man before them could legitimately be speaking with the authority of God. They exclaimed, “Where did this man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!” (vs. 2).
The danger of false perceptions
I am writing this short article while Debbie is driving on the highway between Diboll and Fort Worth. On Texas highways it is common for the speed limit to be 70-75 miles an hour. If you were to be driving in a residential area at that speed, it would be considered very reckless. If you were driving your car at 75 miles per hour, and had to weave in and around other cars going only 35-40 miles an hour, your perception of your own speed would probably scare you.
However, when everyone is going 75 or 80 miles an hour, (especially if you have been going that speed for quite a while), the perception is very different. It just doesn’t seem that fast! As a result, you have people who drive in an unsafe manner, despite the speed. They may tailgate, give insufficient space between cars when changing lanes, fail to use turn signals, etc. At 75 miles per hour!
From the Preacher’s Pen: Why are the wicked that way?
The Psalmist provided some interesting insight into the motivation of wicked men in Palm 36:1-2:
“An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes, when he finds out his iniquity and when he hates.”
The wicked man does not fear God. It may be that he is in denial concerning the existence of God. It may be that as judgment will come in the final day, he erroneously thinks he is getting away with his wickedness. It may be he has a false impression concerning his own abilities, or holds to the false perception that God is impotent. Whatever the reason, the fear of God in no way constrains him.
The wicked man flatters himself. He thinks more highly of himself than he ought. It may be that others flatter him as well, building him up to a degree that he begins to believe his “press.”
But, the wicked man is a fool! The wise man of Proverbs wrote, “For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord, but His secret counsel is with the upright. The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the just” (Proverbs 3:32-33).
Don’t be foolishly prideful, and rail against God. Instead, heed His will, and received the blessings that come upon the home of the just.
Invitation: Woe is Me!
Invitation delivered by: Stan Cox
In 1 Corinthians 9:3-16, the apostle notes that the preacher is worthy of support. But, Paul’s motivation was not money. As he wrote, “woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! (16).
Sermon: DANGER Signs of Apostasy
The lesson identifies four danger signs that signify the possibility one may fall from grace:
* Isolating onself from God’s people
* Listening to bad counsel
* Being corrupted by ungodly companions
* A faltering prayer life
Sermon: Who is the minister at your church?
This question is commonly asked, and is answered scripturally in this sermon by referencing the work of the evangelist, the deacon, and the required service (ministry) of every Christian.
“Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord”
In Exodus 14, God’s people were fleeing the wrathful Egyptians, and were hemmed in by the Red Sea. They cried out in fear, saying, “…it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness” (vs. 12).
Moses responded to their cries, saying, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace” (vs. 13-14).
God indeed did deliver Israel from her enemies. He parted the waters, and after the Israelites had crossed the sea safely, God utterly destroyed the army of Pharaoh. “Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained” (vs. 28).
Continue reading ““Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord””
Sermon: The Word Became Flesh
Sermon 9 of 9 by Carl Allen.
Brother Allen examines numerous scriptures that affirm that Jesus Christ, while on earth, was God incarnate.
Sermon: Developing the Inward Man
Lesson 8 of 9 by Carl Allen.
In this lesson, brother Allen discusses the lust of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, as he exhorts us to develop and mature the inward man of 2 Corinthians 4:16.
Sermon: Women in the Church
Sermon 7 of 9 by Carl Allen.
The lesson deals with 1 Corinthians 11 and 14, as well as 1 Timothy 2, as brother Allen discusses the regulations regarding a woman’s role in the church.
Sermon: The Seed of Abraham
Sermon 6 of 9 by Carl Allen.
This study demonstrates from the New Testament scriptures that the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 comes through Jesus Christ. All who believe in Him, both Jew and Gentile, are a part of that fulfilled promise.
In the News: Red Cups & the Holidays
Have you heard the latest controversy here in America? This year, Starbucks eschewed the traditional Christmas themed red cups they serve, revealing instead a plain “ombre red” cup on November 1. Starbucks’ vice president of design and content Jeffrey Fields said that the cups, “usher in the holidays with a purity of design that welcomes all of our stories.”
