Category: Truth

Subject: Truth

Sermon: Sitting at the Feet of Jesus

Those who are suffering, sorrowful, guilty of sin, and are seekers of truth, all turned to Jesus during His ministry on earth, to sit at His feet, and receive what they needed for healing, comfort, forgiveness and enlightenment. We can and should do the same today.

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In the News: Queen of Vampires No Longer a Christian

ImageNEW YORK – Anne Rice has had a religious conversion: She’s no longer a Christian.

“In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control,” the author wrote Wednesday on her Facebook page. “In the name of … Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen.”

Rice, 68, is best known for “Interview With a Vampire” and other gothic novels. Raised as a Catholic, she had rejected the church early in her life but renewed her faith in recent years and in 2008 released the memoir “Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession.”

Hillel Italie
Associated Press

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Sermon: Sermon Series, Micky Galloway

After some delay, all eight sermons preached by Micky Galloway during his April 2010 meeting are now available online. These can be accessed in this post, or by going to the 2010 Sermons Archive page.

Sunday Morning Class: My People Love to Have it So

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Sunday AM: The Soundness of God’s People

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Sunday PM: The Promise

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Monday PM: Committment to Family

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Tuesday PM: A Marriage That Will Not Fail

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Wednesday AM: Jesus, The Master Teacher

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Wednesday PM: What God Expects of Us as a Family

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Thursday PM: Victory in Jesus

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From the Preacher’s Pen: A Complete Idiot

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While reading a golf magazine, of all things, I came across this gem of a quote.

“The only thing more infuriating than a complete idiot is a complete idiot that you agree with.”

How true! I recently received one of those email forwards (from a gospel preacher), in support of the controversial Arizona immigration legislation recently passed. Trouble is, the email was blatantly racist!

As Christians we believe that husbands are the head of the family (cf. Ephesians 5 & 6). Unfortunately, misogynists feel the same way. As Christians we believe the sense of entitlement that so often accompanies our welfare state to be ungodly (cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:10). Unfortunately, that is a common refrain of the racist. As Christians we believe homosexuality to be a sin (cf. Romans 1:24-32). The same sentiment is used by some to express hatred for the sinner, rather than a desire to bring them to repentance. As Christians we champion the view that truth is objective and singular (cf. John 14:6). Unfortunately, this has been the excuse for centuries of wars, genocide and intolerance.

In other words, some idiots agree with us. We can’t help that, but we must be sure that we are not one of them! Truth sets man free (cf. John 8:32). It uplifts and ultimately saves mankind. It is also commonly wrested by men “to their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:16). The moral is… Don’t be a complete idiot!

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Sermon: The Juxtaposition of Love and Truth

Too many religious people believe that Love and Truth do not go hand in hand. If you insist on obedience to truth, you are unloving. If you claim to love, you must be tolerant of error and sin. John, in his epistle reveals this view to be wrong.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Mining the Scriptures: 2 John 1-3

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2 John 1-3

2 John 1-3

The apostle John begins his epistle to the “elect lady and her children” by petitioning God on their behalf. His request? “Grace, mercy and peace” from the Father and the Son.

A most interesting juxtaposition is made in this text. Truth and Love are combined several times. John loved the elect lady “in truth” as well as all others who “have known the truth.” For Christians, truth is the foundation for our love. Abiding in truth is necessary for maintaining our relationship with God (cf. 2 John 9-11).

In contrast, many in our day believe truth and love to almost be antithetical. Those who contend for truth are called hatemongers for that very reason. John shows us here that truth and love go hand in hand.

John here promises us that “grace, mercy and peace” will come to Christians in “truth and love.” You can’t receive God’s mercy unless you abide in truth and love. It is a lesson we all would do well to learn.

Sermon: Sound Doctrine

The phrase “sound doctrine” appears several times in the New Testament, always in Paul’s epistles. This sermon examines the meaning and usage of the phrase.

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Sermon: Open Our Eyes That We May See

Sermon based in part on a text from 2 Kings 6:11-18. Open our eyes that we may see the:

  • Power of God
  • Power of Truth
  • Power of Love
  • Power of Unity in Christ
  • Power of Forgiveness

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Sermon: A Watchman in Israel

The lesson points out that one important purpose in preaching the gospel is to warn the sinner of his sin, that he may repent. Those who are unwilling to serve as watchmen in Israel will be held accountable.

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Defending the Truth

It is extremely important that brethren everywhere contend for the truth and refute error. When such is done, because so many are tolerant of error and antagonistic toward the truth, there will be conflict. Some will say “Who set you up as brotherhood watchdogs, or arbiters of truth, or modern day prophets.” We have heard such, and the whining we hear when the false teacher is exposed is indicative of the whiner’s arrogance. Concerning the intellectual arrogance that can beset Christians, Paul warned, “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us; a sphere which especially includes you” (2 Corinthians 10:12-13). Paul also wrote, “…Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know” (1 Corinthians 8:1-2).

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The Word of Christ

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:16-17)

Here in the Colossian epistle, Paul gives several exhortations which are rather closely tied together. Simply, they are:

  1. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly with all wisdom.
  2. Teach each other by singing spiritual songs with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
  3. Do all things by the authority of Jesus Christ.

Underlying each of these is an emphasis on the importance of doctrine in the life of those who name the name of Christ. Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Interestingly, a search in the New King James version of the New Testament reveals three other times where the phrase “know the truth” is used. The way in which the phrase is used is significant.

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Mining The Scriptures: Philippians 1:9-11

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Philippians 1:9-11

This prayer of Paul is interesting in that it is on behalf of the Christians at Philippi, and expresses his desire for their continued growth.

He prays for their love to “abound more and more”, but notice how the apostle links love to knowledge and discernment. Why is it that love must be with discernment? So that “you may approve the things that are excellent.”

In our day, love is undiscerning, and tolerant even of error and evil. When evil is tolerated by God’s children, it has the unhappy effect of compromising purity and godliness. It is Paul’s desire that the Philippians (and we) be “sincere and without offense.” In order for that to happen, discernment had to accompany their (and our) love.

We must avoid being influenced to evil. Christians should be careful to develop sufficient knowledge of what God approves, that we might instead be “filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Christ.”

Sermon: The Voice of God

God’s existence and voice are sounded out in various ways. As discussed in this lesson, through His creation, His Word, His Son and His People.

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Mining The Scriptures: 3 John 1-4

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3 John 1-4

Some of the greetings in the epistles of the New Testament are wonderful expressions of praise to the faithful. This is a grand example of such a commendation.

Gaius was an exceptional Christian. John’s words were not false flattery. These are inspired words, and Gaius here received praise from the Holy Spirit.

What was Gaius commended for? He walked in truth! Where many today put little emphasis on the truth of God, Gaius was notable because of his allegiance to it. As John said, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (vs. 4).

Here is the key. Gaius not only familiarized himself with God’s truth, but he walked in it. He was obedient to it. He lived his life by it. “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25).

In The News: The Promises of Modern Science

scienceWhile doing some research on the internet this past week, I came across the poster reproduced to the left. (The text reads: “Modern Science will save the world – or kill us all”

The poster is designed to dramatize that science/technology is commonly a two edged sword. The same technology that has produced nuclear power also produced the nuclear bomb. The invention of the combustible engine allows us to travel hundreds of miles in a day, but also has led to a number of potentially serious environmental problems—to say nothing of nearly $4.00 per gallon gasoline prices! The internet allows us access to almost unlimited information instantaneously, yet its largest tenant is the pornographer.

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