Following the Plan of God

 The Gospel of Grace and Paul's Plans

Book of Romans Chapter 15

What is the message that the Lord leaves with us?

Rom 15:1  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 

We are to learn from all the Word of God which includes the Old Testament.

Rom 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 

We are to receive every child of God!

Rom 15:7  Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. 

We must listen to the Holy Spirit!

Rom 15:13  Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. 

What was the great quest of the Apostle Paul?

Rom 15:20  Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: 

Rom 15:21  But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand. 

You see as the Born-Again children of God; bought by the blood of Jesus the true Messiah, we see those we need to reach with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

All those who have never heard the Words of Salvation!

*****Rom 15:22  For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you. 

Rom 15:23  But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you; 

We know who hinders the cause of Christ. It is that nasty Satan who will try to hinder us as we become witnesses the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ and the message of God's Grace.

We also know that the Holy Spirit will send us in the direction He wants us to go, rather than allow us to just take off to a place where a Church is already working and growing.

It does not matter if we become a Preacher, a teacher, or just someone witnessing for Jesus, we all must have the same message!

We all have a ministry for the Lord Jesus!

The Apostle Paul stuck to the ministry the Lord Jesus had given to him, rather than take a trip to Rome to a diligent church.

We are to complete the job the Lord Jesus has given us to do while we are still able.

It seems that Paul had been to all the areas that were assigned to him by the Holy Spirit, yet he knew all those churches that had been planted needed some guidance.

The Apostle Paul was a church planter and a true evangelist.

*****Rom 15:24  Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company. 

Again look at verse twenty. It was not part of our lesson.

Rom 15:20  Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:

If we witness to some lost soul, we may go back and witness to them one or more times, but once we have planted the Gospel seed it may be time to reach out to some other lost soul and encourage some other child of God to return to that one who is resisting the Holy Spirit.

As Christian witnesses, we need to have a worldwide view of the ministry, but the Holy Spirit keeps most of us close to where we live. This would be our mission field.

We must still have that passion to reach every lost soul for Christ all around the world!

Spain at this time of Paul was on the outskirts of what was called the civilized world and Paul felt that if he could reach Spain then the Gospel message would be in place to travel throughout all the world, but he had already reached Europe and the Gospel message was spreading.

Remember the Church in Rome had never seen an Apostle.

This was a lay church that began from those who had visited Jerusalem at the Pentecost just after our Savior returned to Heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father

Spain would be somewhat like New York where we have a missionary been working for more than 20 years. 

If you reach a lost soul in New York, there is a good chance the Gospel message could go to many places because New York is visited by so many from other places.

In reality, it is the same for most places where the Holy Spirit will lead us.

Every lost soul is precious to Jehovah God, and He sent His Son to die for us all!

We just need a like passion as that of the Apostle Paul!

Col 1:25  Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 

Col 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 

Col 1:28  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 

Col 1:29  Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

We are to be this sort of minister!

Paul was called by the Holy Spirit for a specific mission which was to come first.

*****Rom 15:25  But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. 

Rom 15:26  For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. 

Rom 15:27  It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. 

We as Christians are not to start some new mission until the one, we are working on is complete and that according to the Holy Spirit!

We should realize that though the Israelites are blind to the truth of the Gospel, they did preserve to Word of God so that it is available to all the world, and we owe them a great debt, but this is not what Paul is talking about here.

When a Jew converted to Christianity, they were abandoned in their community many losing any way to make a living and they truly struggled in the cause of Christ, and it is these Christians that the Holy Spirit made a way for assistance by these Gentile Churches.

These Jews were suffering in poverty and still many are today in Jerusalem.

After all, we are all one Church. 

No matter where we come from, and God never looks at the color of our skin or our standing in a community, or the nation in which we live. 

God does not show favoritism. We are all the children of God!

No matter our plans for the Gospel, God has a far greater plan than any of which we could think.

If we have not met the needs of the local Church, then we have no cause to get involved in the needs of those in other nations except for prayer and financially.

If we have met the needs of the local Church, then we are obligated to reach out to the poor Churches in other nations, either as an individual or as the whole Church.

Act 20:35  I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. 

If we have not helped those Christians close to us, there will be no reward for helping those in other nations.

We are indeed debtors to help other believers when they face critical needs.

Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 

Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. 

When we cannot help financially, we must at least add our prayers or we need to pray and help with spiritual gifts.

*****Rom 15:28  When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain. 

Rom 15:29  And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. 

Notice it is for the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that we have become servants.

Every ministry must come to its end before a new ministry can begin!

But we see we must always have a worldwide vision for evangelism!

We are not out to convince anyone of the Gospel, we are to present the Gospel and allow the Gospel to do its work and the Holy Spirit to do His work.

Until the Gospel has reached around the world the Church Age will not end.

Mat_24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 

2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 

We see both these things happening at the same time in this same Age today, the Church Age.

In reality the Church has failed!

We still have this same command from the Lord Jesus Christ, and it must remain our goal, just as it did with the Apostle Paul till the day his head was removed for preaching the Gospel.

Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

What has happened?

Eze 34:8  As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; 

Eze 34:9  Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 

Eze 34:10  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them. 

Much of the Church is now led by false shepherds!

These things happened in the Old Testament and the same thing is happening today and this is why the wrath of God will be so severe not just upon the world but more severe on these false shepherds.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the most important message that needs to be heard in this wicked world that is growing eviler every day!

Joh 11:25  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 

Joh 11:26  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? 

Why is the Gospel so important?

1Pe 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.

It is by the Gospel that we can be reconciled to God!

We must lay aside all the differences of the denominations and reach for the work of Christ as a unit and renewed determination!

*****Rom 15:30  Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; 

Rom 15:31  That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; 

Rom 15:32  That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. 

Rom 15:33  Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. 

As the Apostle Paul and the Holy Spirit bring an end to this great Book of the Bible, he writes what we already know, that prayer works.

Prayer was the key to the early Church, and it is still the key to the Church today.

We need more prayer and not less prayer, but it is fervent prayer that works the best.

Jas_5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

The prayers of those who do not have the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ cannot help at all!

Those that pray without being a home to the Holy Spirit are wasting their time.

God only wants to hear one prayer from them, and it is what is known as the sinners prayer. "Lord forgive me for I am a sinner"

All God's children should be in daily contact with our Heavenly Father.

How can we expect success if we refuse to talk to our Heavenly Father through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ?

Those prayers must be according to the will of God, or He will not answer!

Those prayers must be for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, or they are meaningless!

The Lord Jesus Christ must be praised.

The Lord Jesus Christ must be worshipped.

The Lord Jesus Christ must be served.

What did Paul need?

He needed deliverance from unbelievers.

Most of those were the hypocritical Jews at this time who had also rejected the Messiah.

Those that reject the Lord Jesus Christ are simply saying they had rather live in their sinful ways and have no plans to ever change!

You see, we need prayer that the message of the Messiah will be received, but it must first be received by the Church without deviation and without compromise.

The truth does not ever change, and the Word of God is the truth!

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the truth!

This truth is for all those who believe there is much more to life than these few years we live in these old bodies that age until they die!

Eph_1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

It is only after we are saved and then filled with the Holy Spirit that we can realize the truth of salvation!

We need to pray for God's help to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in every way that we can!  

This is being in the Will of God the Father!

To be in the will of God is the safest place we can be upon this earth!

We must pray for all these things while still praying for all our brothers and sisters in Christ everywhere.

We must pray that they too are doing the work that Christ has given us to do.

We must also pray for them that they will succeed.

We must also pray for their safety as persecution against all the saints of God is increasing worldwide!

We must never forget that our Savior knows what we are going through, and He has felt the pains that we feel, for He was also rejected and persecuted.

We should always remember we are not being rejected; it is the "Gospel" that most of this world is rejecting because they would rather live in sin!

Salvation is a personal choice, and it will always be a personal choice!

The greatest prayer we can have is for someone to receive the Gospel and welcome the truth of a Holy God!

Peace in this life can only come by our Creator and His Savior!

Our plans to serve the Lord should be similar to this plan of the Apostle Paul.

Amen

Grace and Christian Liberty

 The Gospel of Grace and Christian Liberty

Book of Romans Chapter 14

What is Christian Liberty? It is when sin no more has control of our lives.

Rom 6:14  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 

Rom 6:15  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 

How do we obtain Christian Liberty?

Jas 1:21  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 

Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 

Psa 119:101  I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word. 

Psa 119:102  I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me. 

Psa 119:103  How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 

Psa 119:104  Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. 

Psa 119:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. 

Christian Liberty comes by being guided by the perfect law of God!

Christian Liberty is not a license to sin!

*****Rom 14:1  Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 

What are doubtful disputations?

First we are never to argue with anyone about the Word of God. 

The Word of God speaks for itself and the Word of God is settled in Heaven!

Psa_119:89  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven

Sometimes we can be so determined to glorify God that we act like the the Devil.

Those that reject the truth of God are not our friends even though we need to always pray for them.

2Jn 1:9  Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 

2Jn 1:10  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 

2Jn 1:11  For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. 

There are also those who are just weak in their faith.

We must certainly not place burdens upon those who are weak in their faith that the Lord Jesus did not place upon any of us!

We must always receive those who are weak in their faith just as Christ has received us when we were first saved.

This happens many times with those who are babes in Christ.

There are babes in Christ who have been saved for many years because they failed to study the Word of God which is actually a commandment to us all.

We are not to argue with them, just receive them and when the opportunity arises, then we can point out their misunderstanding.

1Co 9:22  To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 

In the early Roman Church there were many disputes in most cases because of the laws given to the Jews by Moses that have nothing to do with the Law of Grace.

We should understand this passage as it deals not with the express commandments of God which deal with the "Grace of God".

This passage is dealing with differences of opinion of the Word of God.

We are never to dispute the Word of God, again the Word of God speakes for itself and is indisputable!

Christian maturity is measured by our obedience to the Word of God!

Listen to Jesus:

Joh 15:10  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 

Joh 15:14  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 

For instance:

*****Rom 14:2  For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 

There are some Christians who become strict vegetarians and practically condemn those who add meats to their diet and vice-versa.

The one who just eats fruits and vegetables could be looked upon as a weak Christian yet, they both are subject to criticizing and condemning each other.

When the Apostle Paul was facing this issue, he was very careful to keep the differences of Judaism and Christianity.

For instance Paul had Timothy to be circumcised which conformed to the law of Moses because he was a Jew yet, he would not allow Titus to be circumcised. Titus was a Gentile (heathen)

Gal 2:3  But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: 

Gal 2:4  And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: 

Gal 2:5  To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 

It was not necessary for Timothy to be circumcised to be a Christian, but he would never have been allowed the time to preach the Gospel to the Jews had he not done so.

The lesson with Titus was to prove to the Jews that those other than Jews would not have to be obedient to the Laws of Moses to be saved.

These things were done in order to reach as many lost souls as possible, either Jew or Gentile with the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

No one has ever been saved by the Laws of Moses!

Rules and Observing old doctrines can never save and are in fact heresy!

There is only one way to approach God and it is by and through the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is that Christian who has become weak and judgmental, who is also weak in their faith!

*****Rom 14:3  Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 

Rom 14:4  Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. 

When we become judges then we have forgotten we are to be witnesses!

We see it is the vegetarian who has become the judge in this passage, yet God received them both.

1) The strong believer, who walks in the Liberty of Christ and does not live by strict rules such as those Laws of Moses, is also accepted of Christ no matter what that weak Christian thinks.

2) No one has the right to judge the servant of the Lord! 

Both of these people belong to the Lord, both are servants of the Lord because the Lord has already judged them and accepted them because of Grace, and not by laws.

They have no reason to judge nor pass judgement upon each other!

No believer has the right to play God!

3) God will hold up every believer!

*****Rom 14:5  One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 

Rom 14:6  He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

If we have a God who cannot keep us saved then we do not have much of a God!

2Ti 4:18  And the Lord "shall deliver me" from every evil work, and "will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom": to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

In the time of Paul these things caused havoc in the early Church!

If we truly believe the Word of God, then we must be persuaded that we are right and not wrong because God said we are!

We are to live as we understand the will of God!

We must dedicate everyday to the Lord!

What was the only difference between the saved Jew and the saved Gentile.

One set aside a few more days to celebrate God than the other, who gave everyday to the Lord.

Certainly nothing to cause a dispute as long as they both understood that salvation comes by Jesus Christ!

The hearts of both these men were given to the Lord!

*****Rom 14:7  For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 

Rom 14:8  For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. 

Rom 14:9  For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

The truth is that, no one can tell Jehovah God what to do!

No one can tell the Lord Jesus Christ what to do!

No one can tell the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) what to do!

Only prayer can move the hand of God and this according to His will!

As Christians, we are to act like Christians according to the Word of God expressing that Jesus Christ is our Lord.

This is a Divine fact that is never to be questioned!

This being true, then we are independant of the world's judgement because we are subject to the rule of Jesus Christ!

We belong to the Lord in this world and we will still belong to the Lord in the world to come.

We belong to the Lord forever if we belong to Him in this life!

This being fact, then we live for the Lord by completing the work He gave us to do!

The Lord Jesus Christ has proven that He is the Master of Life, but because of His death it proves that He is also the Master of Death because he arose from that death.

Satan holds no control over the life or the death of those who love the Lord!

This is the reason the Lord Jesus laid aside His glory to come to this earth and bled and died for our sins and He rose again in that same body that we may live with Him throughout eternity.

Yes, the Lord Jesus Christ is Lord of the living and of the dead in Christ because He is the Master of both worlds.

The Lord does not give up His ownership of the Church when a member dies!

Php 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 

Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 

Php 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 

If we are to fear anything in this life, then we need to understand what the Lord is saying here!

What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

1Co 15:1  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 

1Co 15:2  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 

1Co 15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 

1Co 15:4  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 

Gal 2:20  I am 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 of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 

So we can readily see that we have One Judge and that Judge is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Not Allah, not Buddha, not any false deity!

So why even as Christians do we try to judge anyone in the Church or even outside the Church.

The Lord has already taught us that we can tell by the way they live their lives.

*****Rom 14:10  But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 

Rom 14:11  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 

Rom 14:12  So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

The Holy Spirit demands us to answer these simple questions ourselves!

Knowing these things, then why do we judge another brother or sister in Christ?

Why would we despise and look down upon a brother or sister in Christ when we know the only Judge is the Lord Jesus Christ who can see into the heart

The pure fact is "I know I belong to the Lord" but in reality I cannot know the truth of anyone else because I cannot see into their heart!

If you are a true Christian, then you have already been judged by the Lord Jesus Christ because He is the only Righteous Judge!

Php 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 

Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 

Php 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

I got news for you, at the Judgment Seat of Christ, we will not be judged for our salvation!

We will not be at the Judgment Seat of Christ, unless we already belong to the Lord!

At the Judgment Seat of Christ we will be judged for what we have done since our salvation.

It is a "judgment" for rewards or loss of rewards.

Notice that phrase "every tongue shall confess to God". This does not leave anyone out!

If we have noticed the Holy Spirit began with teaching the weak Christian and now He is speaking to the strong Christian.

The fact remains we will not reach full maturity until we reach the "Judgment Seat of Christ"!

Everyone will give an account for themselves!

We will not be called to testify about others!

We will only be held accountable for our selves!

We will not be held accountable for what any other person has done!

We will stand alone before God at this judgment if we are one of God's children!

Joh 5:22  For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 

Joh 5:23  That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. 

Joh 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

We must understand that we are to never become a stumbling block for any child of God!

*****Rom 14:13  Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. 

 So now we see that having Christian Liberty, it does have it's limits!

We must never be an obstacle standing between someone and our Righteous God!

We must avoid any offence.

Php 1:10  That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; 

Php 1:11  Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. 

We must respect the convictions of others.

We must remember that conviction is the first stage of repentance.

We must promote the work of the Lord in all others.

We must guard against any appearance of evil upon ourselves.

It is a full time job trying to be a good Christian which leaves no time to judge others.

Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 

Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 

Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 

When we are seeking the prize of Jesus Christ, there should nothing else have a greater importance!

We must remember the Lord Jesus Christ died for us all, not to judge us, but to save us!

Amen

The Word of God and Civil Government

 The Gospel of Grace and Civil Government

Book of Romans Chapter 13

No matter what nation we call our home, we are to be subject to that government or those civil authorities.

God expects each and every believer to live as a testimony of righteousness (doing what is right) while we are upon this earth.

Remember we are only visitors our home is in Heaven and we are as Ambassadors representing Heaven.

We may ask why, but the fact remains those in power in any nation are put there to fulfill the will of God.

It does not matter how those authorities were appointed or by whom, if they have this power it was given to them by our Heavenly Father!

Whether it be by vote, or by military, they are ordained of God

Whether legitimate or illegitimate, they are ordained of God.

Whether they be just or unjust, they are ordained of God.

If we have questions about this, then we must believe the Word of God!

These things are written for us to learn and obey and are put here by the Holy Spirit just as the rest of the Word of God!

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 

2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 

We must understand the Word of God as it is written!

*****Rom 13:1  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

We must understand Civil Obedience!

If we go back to the previous chapter, we must include that Scripture.

Rom 12:18  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 

Rom 12:19  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 

Rom 12:20  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 

Rom 12:21  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Just that statement "if it be possible" we should realize that it may not always be possible, but we must clearly understand that "Vengeance" belongs to our Heavenly Father and His Son and His Spirit!

We must understand that any government only has power in the Civil Realm and any power they have is given to them by Jehovah God. 

The governments of the world have no Spiritual Power and cannot overrule the Word of God without taking His vengeance upon them!

Just because we do not see it, does not mean God is not in some action of His own and every lost soul has already been sentenced to damnation and governments cannot change this fact.

Wives are to obey their husbands not as masters or kings.

Children are to obey their parents, but parents are not to function as sovereigns over them.

Governments are no different, they do not have absolute power over any people especially God's people!

When the laws of any civil government conflict with the explicit commands of God, then our answer is written down for us in the Scriptures.

Act 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. 

This is the right answer every time if we are obedient to the Word of God.

If we are not obedient to the Word of God, then we have no answer to authoritarian governments.

When governments claim Divine rights, then we are to answer no, because that government has gone beyond the authority given to them by God Himself and God will deal them as we resist.

We should say yes to all matters that do not go against the Word of God and beware of deception. Satan is a Deceiver!

1Ti 2:2  For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 

1Ti 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 

Tit 3:1  Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, 

Tit 3:2  To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

1Pe 2:13  Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 

1Pe 2:14  Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. 

1Pe 2:15  For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 

1Pe 2:16  As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 

Remember God knows what we are going through and remaining obedient to the Word of God is the answer to all the wrongs that come to God's people!

*****Rom 13:2  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 

We must understand that an ordinance of God is not changeable by any human and not the Church.

We are bound to submit to our government as long as our government does not infringe on the Divine Authority of God given to us in the Scriptures.

Any government or ruler who insist on violating the Divine Will of God will suffer the wrath of God and His vengeance!

As the Church of the Living God we are to be good obedient citizens to the laws of the land and only resist those laws that try to counter the Word of God.

Obviously, the Church is not what it should be today because much of the Church has ignored the written Word of God and do not hold themselves to God's standards and God's standard is "Holiness".

What is the duty of each Christian?

Heb 12:14  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

And why must it be this way?

1Pe 1:15  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 

1Pe 1:16  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

When we deviate from this standard we have gone against the truth of God!

We have a task to do as Christians and it is not to start wars.

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 

Remember God has already said He will deal with such governments who violate Divine Power.

This passage is written to the Church.

This passage is written to each Christian and God requires obedience to all the Word of God!

As Christians as many as will, should try to get into the many places of government to be godly influences, but Christianity should never be confused with political power.

If we demonstrate against an immoral government, it should be a peaceful demonstration.

We are never to be identified with murder or assignation and God forbid that we be known as terrorist because of our actions.

God is not in any of these things.

God does expect us to defend our families which would include our Christian family.

1Ti_5:8  But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

This would include providing for the safety of our families.

When rulers begin to exercise personal or immoral mastery over human life, then we are to obey God and not man and we see this happening in our own nation today.

Remember we have no righteousness ourselves! We depend on the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ to one day be in the presence of our Holy Father in Heaven.

World leaders are assigned by God Himself and if they are swayed to go against God in any way form or fashion, God will hold them accountable.

It is not up to some Pope to tell any national leader that they are okay in the eyes of God, when it is obvious that they disregard the Word of God.

All religious leaders will answer to God for their own mistakes, and they have an even higher standard to maintain which many of them have forgotten.

The world and each Christian must see that God has all these things well in hand!

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

No matter how we see the world we must understand that all things that happen are working toward the benefit of the Church and the Israelites.

We need to concentrate on the work the Lord has given us to do and not get caught up in things that cause our work to be irrelevant.

Pro 24:21  My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: 

Pro 24:22  For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both? 

Rulers are put in place to be a terror to good works!

*****Rom 13:3  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 

Rom 13:4  For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 

Rom 13:5  Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. 

So, for what are all governments accountable to God?

They are never to try to stop good works!

Good works are all those things written in the Word of God.

Good works are those things that the Lord Jesus has commanded us to do.

Good works are to live as Christians as described to us by the Word of God.

All rulers are ordained of God to restrain evil!

Evil would be those things described as evil in the Word of God!

God will hold us accountable for those laws we do not obey which do not go against the Word of God!

In most cases civil laws should be according to the ten Commandments not to forget all God's laws on immorality.

And yes, abortion is murder when it is intentional and manslaughter when it is not intentional, just as the murder or the accidental taking of a life when it is not intentional.

We should fear the state to obey those laws.

We should do that which is lawful and good.

Tit_3:2  To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

1Th_5:15  See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men

We should also know that we are in the last days and things are not going to get better in our relationship with our governments or those who are reprobate!

2Ti_3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

We must do everything we possibly can to live in peace wherever God has placed us!

We should ask ourselves, "for what reasons should we disagree with our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ"? That answer is we are never to disagree with the Word of God!

Ecc 8:7  For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be? 

Ecc 8:8  There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. 

Ecc 8:9  All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.

It is a fact that God ordains rulers to maintain the welfare of its citizens and not given in to likes of the few over the many.

God expects the freedom to worship without malice.

God expects us to pay taxes and God expects those taxes to be used to provide all these things for the people including their safety.

If we abuse our citizenship, we are resisting the ordinances of God!

Our conscience determines our state of being.

When we say by our conscience, we cannot support certain laws of our government then we should not!

When we say by our conscience that certain things do not go against the written Word of God, then we should be obedient whether we like them or not.

We should not live in fear of government reprisal or of being caught and punished.

And we should pay our taxes.

*****Rom 13:6  For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. 

Rom 13:7  Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. 

What are rulers? They are officers of God for the good of the public.

Our governments must be supported and as Christians it is our duty to do so.

Not because they demand it, but because God commands it!

Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 

Rulers are ordained of God to provide certain benefits for the citizens of that nation.

We do not have to put any faith in them.

We do not have to accept their policies to direct our lives.

Governments are to provide justice, protection, and services for the citizens of that nation.

It should be the intent of every government to make laws that keep the strong from dominating the weak.

It is to keep us from living in the days of the wild-wild west.

Good governments keep the world from being chaotic when they do as they are ordained of God!

What do we understand of today?

2Ti_3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

We will not live in a perfect peace, but as the children of God we are to strive for peace and influence our government to strive for peace.

We are not so much to be in the politics of our government as we are to be in the workings of our governments.

So we are obligated to pay our taxes and not to try to avoid them.

When governments are biased toward certain groups of its people, that government is not doing the work God has ordain it to do.

When the Jezebels of this world lead any ruler, they are not doing the work God ordained them to do.

It is the duty of our government today to be led by the Constitution put in place by our forefathers and each new leader pledges to uphold that Constitution to the best of his or her ability because it was put in place by the people.

When these things are tampered with, we see what we see today in our own nation, which is corruption.

Still as long as the people of God can live in peace, then we are to support that government with our taxes and our prayers.

God will do as He does to all such governments and each individual ruler will still stand in judgment before God whether they believe in Him or not!

If we expect perfection, then we must think we are already in Heaven the only place where perfection lives, which we are not!

We are to pay our taxes!

We are to pay custom, duties of imports or exports!

We are to observe the authority of our government!

We are to honor those who deserve our honor!

We as Christians are also obligated to pay our debts and try our best to not be obligated to the things of this world!

Pro 14:34  Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. 

Pro 14:35  The king's favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.

Isa 54:14  In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. 

We must remember our God has far more benefits than any nation where we might live in this wicked world, and it grows more extremely wicked every day that passes.

We must avoid being involved in any way in this wickedness!

In the days of the Apostle Paul Rome had an income tax.

There was a ground tax, one tenth or on fifth of all crops that were produced.

There was the Poll Tax paid by everyone between the ages of 12 to 65.

There were then local taxes.

There were import and export taxes.

There were travel taxes for the use of roads, crossing bridges, entering markets, and entering harbors.

There were taxes on carts and wagons.

There was even a tax when you sold or bought your working animals. 

The Holy Spirit knew all these things when He directed Paul to include these passages.

We see not much has changed in taxes except now taxes are collected for illegal drugs.

*****Rom 13:8  Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 

What is the truth? The truth is, if we genuinely love one another then we will never try to harm each other in any way!

When the law of love exists, then there is no need for other laws.

This is the message of the Lord Jesus Christ!

1) We are not to owe no man anything.

This does not mean we are not to borrow which we should not unless we have a need.

This means we are to be an example in the repayment of any debt.

We already know we should not charge interest on loans to a brother and sister in Christ.

We already know we are to be shrewd in business dealings with all others.

None of these things work unless we are examples in the paying of our own debts whether money or any other thing.

In fact we should not purchase things we do not really need.

We should not purchase unless we can meet the obligations of repayment.

We should make all payments when that payment is due.

The people of the world live for the world and its monies and possessions, and we must not get caught up in these things!

We damage the name of Christ when we do not pay our debts!

Jas 5:4  Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. 

Fraud is a serious thing in the eyes of God!

2) The greatest debt we owe is love!

Love will do more to win people to Christ than any other thing!

This entire world could live in God's love if the world would turn to Him.

This world is more interested in riches no matter how they are obtained!

Let us go back and revue the commandments of God to the Jews.

*****Rom 13:9  For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 

1) The truth is love forbids the act of adultery.

We should understand that adultery refers to all forms of sexual immorality.

Sexual immorality takes us down to the level of animals as taught by evolution, when the truth is God has raised the human to a higher standard than animals.

2) Love forbids murder.

Love protects human life when murder is a destructor of human life.

Life is to be respected and cherished.

We should not take our own life nor the life of any other human being.

Notice this does not include war nor the obedience to the laws of God!

Most civilized nations have always considered murder to be a serious crime and worthy of judgment.

God expands upon this.

Mat 5:21  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 

Mat 5:22  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

What do we see today, especially in New York and California? We see Attorney Generals so soft on crime that even the murderer is set free without punishment.

This is then a sign of an "uncivilized nation"!

We see this increasingly right here in America today. Our nation is becoming uncivilized!

We will never know the love of God without being a home for the Holy Spirit and God has been asked to leave the United States and He may never return, so there is a lack of love.

Again a sign we are in the last days before the Rapture of the Church!

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 

2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 

2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 

2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 

Along with murder we also see all crime increasing such as theft.

3) Love forbids stealing.

To steal is to cheat, to take from someone else.

Did you know it is not man's law that determines if someone is stealing or not!

Some people use legal means to steal from others

It is the Word of God that determines if you are a thief!

Tit 2:10  Not purloining(stealing), but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. 

As we have seen during these plagues, hoarding is also stealing!

We can be smart without hoarding!

In God's command to Adam, He was saying we are to love each other enough to share the riches of this earth and in fact the riches of this universe.

Those who hoard are seeking the "Judgment of God" and they will see it!

Luk 12:16  And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 

Luk 12:17  And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 

Luk 12:18  And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 

Luk 12:19  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 

Luk 12:20  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 

Luk 12:21  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. 

Love shares, hoarding is stealing from the people of this world!

4) Love forbids bearing false witness.

We must certainly tell the truth in court when we are called to be a witness, but this means far more than this.

False witness covers any sort of lying.

Just telling lies is bearing a false witness!

There is also slander. Tearing down the reputation of someone.

There is rumor, and gossip, and talebearing, and spreading evil news for the benefit of others. "Watch out politicians"

Just planting in the mind of things that are improper or indecent is bearing false witness.

Deception is bearing false witness.

Accusations not knowing the truth is bearing false witness.

Exaggeration is bearing false witness as is blown up flattery.

It reality we are never to share any bad news about anyone else because it shows a lack of love for that person!

Psa 41:5  Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish? 

Psa 41:6  And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it. 

Psa 41:7  All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt. 

Psa 41:8  An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more. 

Psa 41:9  Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. 

Psa 41:10  But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them. 

6) Love forbids coveting.

If we love each other, we will not covet the things that belong to each other.

We may want something similar to what our neighbor has, but when we want the thing our neighbor has we have forgotten to love them.

*****Rom 13:10  Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 

7) So we see that loves sums up all the commandments.

What did the Apostle Paul write by the Holy Spirit?

1Co 13:4  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 

1Co 13:5  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 

1Co 13:6  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 

1Co 13:7  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 

As we see our world veer away from the commandments of God, and we see a world where there is a lack of affection, we need to wake up to the reality of the Word of God.

*****Rom 13:11  And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 

Rom 13:12  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 

The important message of this verse is that as believers we must be aware of time according to the Scriptures.

As humans we certainly do not want to run out of time.

As believers we also know that when we run out of time here upon this earth, then we begin an endless time with our Savior.

As each day ticks away we are one day closer to going home to be with our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

What the Holy Spirit is describing here is a little different.

The time we are living in today is the Church Age and it is the time of the Church Age that is coming closer to an end.

We should be able to see this if we study the Scriptures.

The most important day we have to look forward to is the day of the Rapture of the Church.

Too many Christians are asleep.

The sleep of false security. (the sleep of works)

The sleep of complacency. (the sleep of awe for the things of this world)

The sleep of neglect. (How can we neglect so great a salvation and neglect the work Christ gave us to do)

The sleep of indifference. (I am saved to heck with all others)

What day is at hand? The day when we will meet the Lord Jesus face to face!

We should be paying attention to what is going on in the world. (Matthew 24)

Too many Christians are neglecting the work that the Lord Jesus gave us to do!

Not only is the day of Salvation (the day that the Lord Jesus returns to take us home), but the day of "Judgement" also grows nearer every day.

The world we are living in will never be better than it is today, until the return of Christ Jesus and this will be after the seven years of terrible tribulation.

You see now is the time we are to be fulfilling the law of love for all humanity and telling the world about the salvation of Jesus Christ.

The is the time that is running out for the lost and for all the witnesses for Jesus Christ.

We live in a world of darkness and the Gospel is that light that is shining for this time that is running out.

There is not much time left for us to reach our family and friends.

We must wake up and put on the armor of God and get busy about the work that Jesus gave us to do.

Heb 1:1  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 

Heb 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 

Heb 1:3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 

If it were not necessary for us to be busy at this time, Jesus would not have said these things!

1Co 15:34  Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. 

What is the armor of light?

2Co 6:7  By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

We must walk honestly in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****Rom 13:13  Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 

Rom 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. 

Since the beginning with Adam and Eve, ignorance has been the cause of sin, but today ignorance is just used as an excuse to sin.

We must be clear in our minds that we are sinners and the one and only way to rid ourselves of this sin, is the fact that Jesus will "pardon" each and every sinner that comes to Him in the truth of salvation!

1Jn 2:1  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 

1Jn 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 

1Jn 2:3  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 

What is a pardon?

It sometimes upsets us when our President pardons certain criminals, yet the Lord Jesus Christ is willing to pardon every criminal.

To pardon is to be no more found guilty of any crime!

This cannot happen unless we put on the Lord Jesus Christ and not allow our flesh to lead us back into sin!

We are to be as tightly bound to the Lord Jesus as the clothes we wear!

We are to be wrapped up in Jesus.

We are to live, and move according to His Words and His ways and not by our own thoughts nor the ways of the world.

We can do this when we know we are clothed with the love of our Savior!

Col 3:14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 

Col 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

We can live in peace in this world even if this world is full of turmoil!

Amen

God's Grace and Christian Service

 The Gospel of Grace and Christian Service

Book of Romans Chapter 12

What is Christian service?

After God has shown to us His Mercy and Grace and saved us from His wrath, we must choose to receive what He has done for us by Jesus Christ, and we must begin our walk of obedience with Him!

We should understand that we will serve this world, or we must accept what the Lord Jesus has done for us and serve Him. 

We cannot have two masters!

Luk 16:13  No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

We must remain faithful in our service until the Lord returns to take us home!

Luk 12:42  And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? 

Luk 12:43  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 

Luk 12:44  Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. 

Luk 12:45  But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 

Luk 12:46  The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 

Luk 12:47  And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 

Luk 12:48  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. 

Luk 12:49  I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? 

Even as Christians serving with a purpose, we must never think too highly of ourselves!

The Apostle Paul describes this for us.

Act 20:18  And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, 

Act 20:19  Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: 

Act 20:20  And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, 

Act 20:21  Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 

There is a particularly good reason to be good servants of the Lord.

Col 3:23  And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 

Col 3:24  Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. 

Col 3:25  But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons. 

As Christians we have a purpose in this life when before the Lord found us, we were miserable and without purpose!

*****Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 

Another way of saying these things to say we must be devoted to the Lord for the work He has done for us to get us saved.

Christian devotion means:

2Co 4:16  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 

2Co 4:17  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 

2Co 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

A Christian doing a work for the Lord will stand out in this world, especially in this day that we are hated so much.

Act 4:13  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. 

Act 4:14  And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 

We owe the Lord all our body can give to Him.

We owe all our energy to the Lord.

All our thoughts need to be on our service to Him!

We live in a world that desperately needs to get right with God!

The way to do this is clearly revealed through the Lord Jesus Christ!

Our "faith" in the work of Christ Jesus is counted to us for "righteousness".

It was the same for Abraham of the Old Testament.

Rom_4:3  For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Rom_4:13  For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Gal_3:6  Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

We are to give our bodies to God while we are still alive!

Sin destroys the body!

We are Born Again now having a new soul.

We are filled with the Holy Spirit of God and need a refilling daily.

God demands we give Him our body for His service.

We are not to do our own thing.

We are not to dedicate our bodies for our families even though this should be a close second.

We are not to dedicate our bodies to our jobs or our possessions.

We are to give our bodies to God to do with them as He pleases!

Living sacrifice means a constant and continuous service.

Living sacrifice means wherever our body is located.

Living sacrifice means without our own desires but for the desires of God.

Living sacrifice means living for God!

1Co 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 

We give our bodies to the Lord because it pleases Him, and we always want to please our Heavenly Father!

2Co 5:9  Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 

What is it that we must give with our bodies? Our Reasonable Service.

God does not ask us to do unreasonable things!

Reasonable means: rational, logical, intelligent.

Service means: worship, ministry.

We once used our minds and bodies in sin!

God now demands we use our bodies and our minds for His glory once we belong to Him!

Humanism says to worship your body. 

No matter what we do this old body will not last forever.

God says give Me your body and I will return to you a new glorified body!

God came to this earth and took Himself a human body when He could have chosen any of His creations or made Himself a new creation.

Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 

Heb 2:15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 

When the Lord Jesus died and was resurrected, He took that same body to the glory world.

Now as we live and breathe and are Born Again, our body is home to God's Holy Spirit.

1Co 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 

1Co 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 

When we see Jesus, we will get a view of what our own glorified body will look like.

1Jn_3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

All this will begin when we are more like Jesus Christ daily!

*****Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

The word conformed means to be fashioned after. Made agreeable to or suited to.

That word world means the way this world operates and serves itself. 

This world is corruptible, so it has corrupted itself!

We see this everywhere in our world today as corruption has taken over this world!

I never would have thought our own government could sink so low as to be in the corruption we see today.

We can say that corruption loves corruption because it is never ending!

As Christians we are to stay as far away from the things of this world as we are able.

We do these things by renewing our mind to have the mind of Christ which is a servant’s mind.

This world is built upon lies!

What is the truth?

The world itself and everything in it will pass away, but the child of God cannot pass away!

1Co 7:31  And they that use this world, as not abusing it: "for the fashion of this world passeth away". 

If we are in the will of God, we are right where God wants us to be!

2Co 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 

It is the will of God that we be saved!

1Th_4:3  For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

It is the will of God that we are obedient to His Word!

1Pe_2:15  For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

It is the will of God we have eternal life!

1Jn_2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

It is the will of God that we try our best to be more like Jesus Christ. This is the meaning of being Christian!

Act_11:26  And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Eph 3:14  For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

Eph 3:15  Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 

There is no wisdom in the governments of this world, especially those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ!

1Co 2:6  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 

1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 

1Co 2:8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 

We are to be transformed into the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Those that reject the Lord are corrupt.

Those that reject the Lord are reprobate.

Those that reject the Lord are carnal.

Those that reject the Lord have been blinded by Satan.

Those that reject the Lord are empty and vain.

Those that reject the Lord think only of this world and are alienated from God and are His enemies.

Humanity has become defiled!

Tit 1:15  Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 

Tit 1:16  They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. 

As Christians we must be transformed to prove to God, we love Him!

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 

Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 

We must become a humble servant to the cause of Jesus Christ!

*****Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 

Rom 12:4  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 

Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 

As Christians we are to think highly of ourselves as God's children and future residents of the New Heaven, but we must know that we are no better than anyone one else saved or lost. 

We are just better off because we know our home is in Heaven because we know we are saved from the wrath of God!

We must always be concerned about our humility!

We must not become conceited.

We must not become prideful.

We must never be arrogant.

We must think soberly which means in one's right mind because we have the mind of Christ and think as He did and as He does.

1Co_2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

What we now possess and what we are, comes from the Lord.

It is God who gave us a measure of faith to believe, and it is God who helps us to grow our faith!

Without this "working faith" we could never be one of God's servants!

This includes the gifts and abilities God has given to us for the purpose He has given to us.

This includes increased faith and drive and confidence to go about the work God has given us to do.

This includes the desire to serve the Living God!

God offers so much more, but He will only give it to us one measure at a time, so we are never overwhelmed with the task that is before us.

Remember God gives all these things along with His guidance, but all results come by Him.

We cannot cause someone to be saved these things are in the hand of God.

We are to just be busy about the work He has given us to do!

God does the ploughing, we do the planting, God does the reaping!

We should remember, the Church is the body of Christ and just as our human body there are many distinct parts of the body of Christ.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head, and we will find our task as some other part of the body.

Not everyone can be an arm or a leg.

Not everyone can be the heart or the lungs.

We should be able to see what part of the body of Christ we are and do this work with all our heart!

Luk 22:25  And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. 

Luk 22:26  But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. 

Luk 22:27  For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. 

Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. 

No matter our place in the Body of Christ we should always be praying for more faith to serve in that position!

Psa_84:10  For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

We must know that our faith grows according to our belief in the Word of God!

Rom 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 

This includes the study of God's Word.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

******Rom 12:6  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 

Rom 12:7  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 

Rom 12:8  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 

God gives to us many physical gifts as we serve, but much more important are the Spiritual Gifts.

A Spiritual gift is a God-given ability given to each believer.

All Spiritual gifts come by the Holy Spirit who lives in each and every believer.

These are separate from the "Fruit" of the Spirit, but together they make each child of God a force to be reckoned with.

Each Spiritual gift is given for Spiritual purposes.

The Fruit of the Spirit is given to every believer to make us be more like Jesus Christ!

All the gifts of God come according to God's "Grace".

The modern-day prophet is of those who preach the Word of God.

The Word of God we have today is complete so there is no need of prophets. We just need to hear what God has given to us and in some cases to make sense of the Word as it relates to the other Scriptures.

There is no one to try to interpret what God has already made interpretation of!

2Pe_1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

The modern-day prophet keeps the Word of God in the context it was written and makes application to our lives today.

The Word of God does not change, the circumstances of our lives may change, but the answers God gives to us, work in any lifetime!

The Living Word is the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Written Word is by the Holy Spirit both given to us by God the Father.

No one can be a prophet of God without first having accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior!

The gift of ministry is what the remainder of God's children have been called to do.

This is the heart of the servant to minister to others!

This is one of God's children being willing to turn their attention to others and not themselves.

Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. 

The gift of teaching is the ability to try to ground all God's children to the truth of the Scriptures.

Not only does a Church need a great Prophet or Pastor, but the Church need teachers also willing to search the Word of God for God's answers to life. 

We cannot teach until the Holy Spirit has taught us!

We all need to be in one mind and in one accord with the Word of God.

After all if God said it and the Holy Ghost preserved it, then it must be important!

The gift of exhortation could be said to be the gift of motivation, but it includes much more.

It takes this gift to get us to be busy about the work the Lord has given us to do.

Every Pastor should have this gift.

Every Pastor should be able to teach.

The Lord Jesus put it this way:

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 

Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

To the Pastor the Holy Spirit put it like this:

2Ti 4:1  I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 

2Ti 4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 

2Ti 4:3  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 

2Ti 4:4  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

If you want to know the truth, then we can see that this time has come where no one really wants to hear the truth of the Word of God.

The gift of giving means sharing our earthly gifts with the Church and the ministries of the Church to promote the cause of Christ and in this can rewards be earned in Heaven.

Giving to charities will never gain you a reward in Heaven unless given to Christian based charities!

The gift of ruling is simply the gift of being a leader, working in the administration of the Church.

It could also be said the ability to work in government for the cause of Christ Jesus.

It takes a great zeal for the cause of Christ and there is no room for laziness and there is certainly no room for compromise.

We are never to compromise the Word of God. 

It must stand as it is written!

Many in government fail in this greatly!

The gift of mercy can be seen in those Christians who are full of forgiveness and compassion.

Every child of God is called to have the gift of mercy by the Lord Jesus Himself!

Luk 6:36  Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 

Even knowing all these things and practicing them according to gifts given by the Holy Spirit, we must do our best to be like the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is a personal drive to be a Christian and be a part of a group of Christians!

*****Rom 12:9  Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 

Rom 12:10  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 

Rom 12:11  Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 

Rom 12:12  Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 

Rom 12:13  Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 

The Lord Jesus Christ made this really easy for us.

Mar 12:29  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 

Mar 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 

Mar 12:31  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 

We see that this is a commandment!

The Holy Spirit decided we need to understand this and explains what Jesus is saying so we can be clear on the Word of God.

We are to love one another without being hypocrites!

We must be completely free of selfish motives.

If I tell you I love you, then I had better be sincere for the Holy Spirit to acknowledge what I say.

These words must never be used just to get a reaction from that person!

We must understand that we must have this love for the saved and for the lost.

Mat 5:43  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 

Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 

Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 

We show love by hating evil! 

This is a hatred with intense feelings, but love must remain for that one who did that evil.

Sounds impossible but it is not.

The Lord Jesus Christ died for us while we were still His enemy!

We must fight against evil!

We show love by fighting against evil and hating all things evil.

Job 28:28  And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. 

Jas 4:17  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. 

We fight against evil when we cling to that which is good!

We are to desire the absolute best for all those we meet and those we know.

We are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ with that special love that Jesus showed!

Eph 4:32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. 

If we have that feeling that we have already reached perfection and these things are too far from us, then we become a larger part of the problem in the Church!

We are to honor, reverence, and respect even esteem, all of God's children.

We can just imagine a house of God where these things were as important as salvation!

Php 2:3  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 

Php 2:4  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 

We are to serve the Lord and not each other, but by serving the Lord, we will serve each other!

We must not be lazy in the things of Christ!

We must show due diligence in the work of Christ.

We must be earnest and not hesitating in our Christian life for Christ!

That word fervent means to be hot for the work of Christ.

Remember what Jesus said of the last days where the Church has become lute-warm rather than fervent.

We see this today in the modern church.

The Church has lost its fervent spirit and has given in to the world.

Heb 5:11  Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 

Heb 5:12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 

We are to serve the Lord Jesus until He returns to take us home with the same zeal we had when we were first saved.

Not only these things, but we must conquer our trials and not allow our trials to defeat us.

God manages trials in only two ways:

1) He can remove that trial we are going through, and He does sometimes.

2) More often than not, God just goes through that trial with us so we can learn some valuable lesson.

Our job is to endure that trial while it affects our life!

We win most all battles with prayer!

We must be ready to pray at all times!

1Ch 16:11  Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.

And last but not least, we are to give to the cause of Christ!

This has nothing to do with the tithe which is a command of God.

These are love offerings.

The more God provides to us the more we should be charitable to others.

To be safe with our giving then it should go through the Church and the ministries of the Church.

Most monies given to the charities of the world end up in pockets of some person and did not serve the charity or the cause of that charity.

We must be hospitable to all when that time arrives.

1Pe 4:9  Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 

1Pe 4:10  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 

Widows have often been in the plan of God, but there are rules.

1Ti 5:10  Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. 

Most of our Christian ladies would be acceptable and many do need help.

If we claim to be Christian, then we should certainly act the part. 

We do not learn this in the world, we learn these things from the Word of God and the Holy Spirit will call upon us to be obedient when the time comes!

Amen