Being Faithful

Counted Faithful

Book of 1 Timothy 1:1-20

Paul, the ambassador for Jesus Christ our King, is writing to his dear son in the "Gospel", Timothy.

The most important job of the Church is to make disciples just as Paul has made a disciple of Timothy and then went further in his teaching when God called Timothy to be a Pastor.

Anything else is secondary to this function.

1) The disciple must first believe the doctrine of Jesus Christ.

2) The disciple must rest on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

3) The disciple must be absorbed with the Holy Spirit.

4) The disciple must imitate the example of Jesus Christ so close, that he resembles Him. (This is what Christ-Like means, a Christian)

Timothy became such a disciple and then he was called of God to become a Pastor.

*****1Ti 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

The authority to call anyone into the service of God must come from God Himself! We cannot call ourselves to be a Pastor!

We can rest assured that Paul was truly an apostle specifically called by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Also notice that Paul knew that it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is God and Savior, one person of the Holy Trinity!

Paul also new that all our hope lies in the truth of the "Gospel" and in all the Word of God!

So, we must clearly understand that Jesus Christ is our only hope for salvation!

Jesus Christ is the love of God shown to us in His Son!

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jesus Christ is the author of our hope.

Jesus Christ is the object of our hope.

Jesus Christ is the foundation of our hope!

God has provided the only means of salvation to every person since the resurrection of His Dear Son.

If God had not loved us and have a plan of salvation from the beginning, then no one could be saved!

Paul spoke with such authority because these epistles to Timothy and Titus will be considered the Pastoral Epistles and this is a specific calling of God.

Paul expected young Timothy to share these epistles with all the church.

All the epistles of Paul were passed from church to church!

The question comes up many times by those who are full of pride, why should the church make disciples?

The answer lies in the truth that all the world is enslaved by sin!

These people are gripped by spiritual death and are too blind to see it.

These people are doomed to face the judgment of God and they need someone to tell them the truth!

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.

Timothy needed to hear these things from Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ, who was also the same messenger of God who had led him to the Lord.

*****1Ti 1:2 Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

Why is it so important that our children be taught the Word of God? Because on occasion you get a Timothy!

His mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois had prepared this young man in the Old Testament Word of God at a very young age as it was written in the laws of Moses. They had also been converted on Paul's first trip to Lystra.

2Ti 1:5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

Timothy was just a child when Paul had first come to Lystra. He was probably no mare that 10 to 12 years old when Paul led him to the Lord. He was no more than 18 when Paul returned on his second missionary trip and had grown so much in the Scriptures that Paul took Timothy with him and treated him as his son.

1Co 4:17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

Timothy became so likeminded in the Scriptures as Paul, that Paul said his mind was at one with Timothy.

Php 2:19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.

Php 2:20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.

From this point on, Timothy would travel with Paul or would be sent by Paul to other locations.

Timothy may not have reached the age 30 years old, when Paul left him at Ephesus to correct the errors in doctrine that had made their way into this church.

The problems in Ephesus was not only from the Judaisers but many of the Greeks tried to bring parts of their pagan worship into the Church

**Timothy had been saved by the "Grace" of God just like every Christian is saved.

The "Grace" of God is revealed in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ died, to redeem us from all our sin.

Jesus Christ died, to raise up a peculiar people a people set apart for His use.

Jesus Christ died, to stir us into good works like the works that He did.

All these came because of the '"Mercy" of God.

The "mercy" of God came to us because of His compassion for us, His love for us, and His pity for us!

God has mercy for us because He truly cares about all His creation, especially we of human race..

God sees our needs and provide our needs and the greatest need we had, was to be in harmony with our God!

Because of God's "mercy" He has withheld His judgement of us, even though we deserve His wrath.

All those who do not know the mercy of God do not know God at all!

The peace of God means, we are bound together with the Lord Jesus Christ and secure in the love of God!

If we know the peace of God, we can then be at peace with God!

Timothy knew all these things and was a willing young Pastor to serve God, wherever he was sent!

*****1Ti 1:3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

1Ti 1:4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

What was Timothy's job at Ephesus? Timothy was charged to defend the truth of the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ.

This must be the charge of every Pastor, Missionary, and Evangelist!

This must be the same charge to every "Born Again" child of God!

It is a fact, that all false teachers teach a false doctrine because, they cannot know God. Only those filled with the Holy Spirit who will only come by acknowledging the truth of Jesus Christ that can have such knowledge

Paul had gotten the Macedonian call at this time and the Holy Spirit was at work in Paul, yet he felt Ephesus could not be abandoned at this time, so it was Timothy who had to stay there to lead this church back to the truth.

Paul had warned this church that false teachers would come, and it is also a fact that we need to understand, false teachers will make an attempt to cause problems in every church!

We simply must guard against all those who attempt to corrupt the Word of God!

We must demand that our teachers and preachers teach the truth of the Word of God and the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ!

We can see that Timothy even at this young age, was strong enough in the Word of God, that Paul trusted him to work that truth into this church.

There is also no one on the face of this earth who has the authority to change the Word of God!

In the day of Timothy there were many of the Jewish faith who made attempts to stop Christianity.

There were also many from the pagan Greeks who wanted to incorporate Christianity intro their own beliefs.

Some say this was the beginning of the Catholic church.

Tit 1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

There were many who taught fables rather than the truth of God.

Tit 1:14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

There were those that wanted the Christians to abide by the Laws of Moses.

Tit 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

The true Word of God, does not contain fables as some say! Fables are any fictional teaching of the Scriptures.

The Lord Jesus taught using with parables, but He never taught using fables and neither should any man of God!

There is nothing contained in the Hebrew or Greek Scriptures that suggest the use of fables!

2Pe 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

2Pe 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

That word "genealogies" is the teaching of those who take comfort in their godly heritage.

As Christians we can look back to the faith of Abraham because the Scriptures point us to him.

The truth is, we cannot be saved just because Abraham had such a great faith.

We cannot be saved just because we have godly parents or godly grandparents.

We must accept the Lord Jesus Christ ourselves in a faith such as Abraham had in trusting God, as our personal Savior and there is no other means of salvation period! *****End of discussion!

What did Jesus say?

Luk 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

It is only because of the love of God, that we get this opportunity to be saved!

*****1Ti 1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

1Ti 1:6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

Those false teachers had put empty discussions of the Law ahead of the "Love of God"!

The church is to teach love for one another, just as God loves each of us!

What had Jesus said?

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.

Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

When there is no love in a church, then there can be no church!

It is also a terrible sin to compromise the Word of God, just to get more members or to keep the ones you already have!

*****1Ti 1:7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

The teacher or preacher must not allow ambition to cloud their understanding of the truth!

To make disciples as preachers and teachers, the church must focus on learning as well as teaching!

When those who do not know the Lord ask why we love the Scriptures, we should just say, "because we have a personal relationship with the Author".

Tit 1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

Tit 1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

Jas 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

We must also understand that the Laws of Moses had their purpose in the day of Paul, just as they do today!

Those laws point out that we are all sinners who cannot measure up to our Savior!

*****1Ti 1:8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

1Ti 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

1Ti 1:10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

1Ti 1:11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

The Scriptures were not written for those who already think they know it all. Nobody can teach these people!

The Scriptures were not written for those who want to do it their own way. That what Elvis said and the theme of humanism!

The Scriptures were not written for those so full of pride, who think they are much better than all others. Pride was the downfall of Lucifer (Satan).

The Scriptures were written for those who know they are sinners in need of a Savior!

False teachers will always put pride and self-righteousness above the Word of God!

False teachers would say, to be saved required you to give yourselves to Christ, but also you needed to add to this the obedience of Judaism to be truly saved!

False teachers will always reject that salvation can come only by the free gift of the "Grace" of God alone!

False teachers will confuse everyone on the gifts of God!

The law is good if it is used properly! The law teaches us what God considers to be sin. There are 613 Jewish laws and not just those 10 commandments.

Those laws can only teach us how far short we come when compared to the goodness of God which was in the Lord Jesus Christ!

False teachers will also teach that God had a set of scales to weigh our goodness against the things we do that are bad and whichever one came out on top would determine if you went to Heaven or to Hell.

But God says we have no goodness, "which is righteousness" to put on our good side.

Isa_64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and "all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags"; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

There is nothing wrong with being good, but no amount of goodness will get you saved!

God is a perfect God and we cannot come face to face with God until we are also perfect!

God gave all those laws to show all of us, that we had a great need of a Savior!

The Law was given to all those who are lawless and disobedient.

The law was given to the ungodly and sinners.

The law was given to those who are unholy and profane.

The law was given to those murderers who are so low that they would kill their own families.

The law was given to all those who commit fornication, and adultery, and homosexuals and all immoral people.

The law was given to all those who trade in slavery, and kidnappers.

The law was given to all liars and those who commit perjury.

The law was given to anything else that goes against the truth of the Word of God.

There is no one left out of this list because we are all sinners!

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

False teachers just do not understand the truth of God or they will reject the truth of God!

God has made a way for every human being upon this earth to join Him in Heaven and that way is by the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We must never be deceived. It is the truth of the "Gospel" that is the only way to become perfect enough to join God in Heaven!

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:

The Gospel is described as "glorious".

The Gospel is described as "everlasting".

The "gospel" is the unchanging, perfect, Word of God!

All those who come to know the Lord Jesus Christ in a personal relationship, will tell you how great it is to know the truth of Jehovah, the saving God!

*****1Ti 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

1Ti 1:13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

There are no true ministers of the "Gospel" unless they are called by Christ Himself!

There are no true ministers unless they came by "faith", trusting the Lord!

It was Jesus Christ who enabled Paul to teach the truth of the "Gospel".

Enabled means to strengthen and give power to.

The power of Paul's ministry came from the Lord Jesus Christ.

The power of every minister of the "Gospel" comes by the Lord Jesus Christ!

The power to continue in the ministry of the "Gospel" comes by the Holy Spirit who is the only path to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joh 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Joh 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

There can be no self-made ministers of the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ!

Those that call themselves, can only serve to a humanistic false religion who will lead people into a false sense of security!

It is Jesus Christ who found Paul to be trustworthy, to teach the wonderful Word of God.

It is Jesus Christ who finds any of us to be trustworthy, to teach the truth of the Word of God!

If you preach or teach the truth of the Word of God, God knows those who are faithful to Him!

*****1Ti 1:14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Paul had spent some time trying to destroy the Church but by the "Grace", he had been forgiven.

Paul had committed blasphemy, hating even the name of Jesus Christ.

Paul was the persecutor who first set out to wipe the name of Jesus off the face of this earth.

Paul was injurious to destroy the rights of others who sought the Lord Jesus to be saved.

By God's "Grace", Paul was forgiven of all these things but all these things continue by others of the world today and yes, they can also be forgiven.

Paul thought he knew God and that Judaism was the true path to glorify God, but he had been wrong.

Judaism is not the way.

Islam is not the way.

Jehovah's Witness is not the way.

Mormanism is not the way.

Religion means death.

Christianity is life and leads to eternal life because Jesus Christ is the God of the Bible and has all the authority of God because He is God!

The Lord Jesus poured out His "Grace" onto the Apostle Paul and Paul was gloriously forgiven of all his sin!

None of us are worthy of the "Grace" of God and we can thank God for giving us the Apostle Paul who remained faithful all his days.

God's "Grace" is sufficient to cover any sin but one and that is the sin of not believeing that The Lord Jesus Christ is the God of the Bible!

We must remain faithful to the Gospel all our days to be of any use to Him!

In fact, when we remain faithful to the Lord, this is when He will pour out blessing after blessing to us all our days!

*****1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

1Ti 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

Why did the Lord Jesus come to this world? Jesus Christ left Heaven to come to this world to save sinners!

**The Apostle Paul is the greatest of examples of just how far God will go to save a worthless sinner!

It is an indisputable fact, that even the worst of sinners can be saved!

Jesus Christ would save the entire human race if they would only believe that His able to do it!

It is still "faith", not just any faith, but "faith" in the "Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ"!

Luk 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

**The Apostle Paul is also the greatest example of God's "mercy"!

Paul was also chosen to be the pattern of mercy to all those in sin!

It was not easy in that day to bring the "Gospel" to the gentile nations.

The truth of Paul was that if God could save Paul, then God could save anyone!

Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

**The Apostle Paul is our greatest proof of God's "mercy"!

*****1Ti 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

When we know of the glorious salvation that Jesus Christ has given us, we to should break forth into praise!

**Our Savior is the unchanging King of all the ages.

Psa 145:13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

**Our Savior is Immortal, which means He is incorruptible, He cannot age, He cannot deteriorate, He cannot decay within His being. He absolutely cannot die! He is immortal!

Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

**Our Savior is invisible! He cannot be seen by people with physical eyes in this physical dimension!

He came, He took all our sin to the lower part of the earth, and He ascended back to His throne!

Joh 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

**Our Savior is the only wise God. "Yes Jesus Christ is the God of the Bible" the stumbling block of this world!

Jud 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

**Our Savior is the only living and true God who can interact with this world!

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Timothy probably had not reached the age of 30 at this time and he needed to be encouraged to become the pastor at Ephesus.

*****1Ti 1:18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

1Ti 1:19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

1Ti 1:20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Each and every believer is called to be in the army of God, but the calling of the Pastor is to do more!

Many a believer fail to realize, that as Christians we are in a great battle, in fact a war and our job is to fight a good fight.

Paul would have had Timothy to be like himself while he was also like Jesus.

2Ti 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

Timothy was sure he was called of God into the ministry and it was now time for him to begin his ministry.

Every Pastor must be called of God. To be a Pastor is not just another profession as many see it today. It is never another place just to make a living.

Just like every new Pastor, Timothy would find himself right in the middle of spiritual warfare. He had witnessed these many times already, but the Apostle Paul and other Elders had taken charge, but now he would be on his own but not forsaken by the Lord.

The truth is when a person is called into the ministry by the Holy Spirit, he or she must not reject the call. They must jump right into the battle and fight a good warfare.

To reject the call of God is to live in misery!

Sometimes we must be stirred up to get into the battle and Paul was doing this to Timothy here in this passage.

Each ministry is a sacred trust, a sacred commitment to the Lord!

The war we fight, is for the minds and the souls of the lost, some even being of our own family. We must jump right into this conflict if we are called of God.

The Pastor, the highest calling, is God's instrument to not only be a fisherman of men but, also God's instrument to teach and make other disciples.

Each Pastor must be faithful to fight a good warfare!

The greatest weapon of defense is the shield of "faith".

Good conscience is that conviction that our course of conduct is right, and it is accompanied by an obligation to the truth of God.

Conscience is our sense of right and wrong!

Conscience does not come by training, because each of us are born with a sense of right and wrong.

Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

Rom 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

Though conscience does not come by training or education, it must still be developed and matured!

A good and healthy conscience comes by living a godly and righteous life before our Savior!

It is Holy Ghost conviction, that works with our conscience for us to discern right and wrong!

It is that same conscience, under conviction of the Holy Spirit, that convicts us of sin.

Rom 9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

Rom 9:2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

The word conscience is used 31 times in the New Testament.

There is the good conscience.

There is the conscience void of offense.

There is the weak conscience.

There is the pure conscience.

There is the seared conscience of which we see more of today.

There is the defiled conscience which has been around since the sin of Adam.

There is the evil conscience.

And the most frightening thing we can do with our conscience, is to put it away.

If we put away our conscience concerning our faith, we will be shipwrecked.

Shipwrecked means our faith is destroyed!

Hymenaeus put away his conscience by denying the true doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Alexander the coppersmith also rejected the truth of God.

Paul delivered them to Satan which means:

1) They were excommunicated from the Church and left out in the world with the hope that they would come to the truth of the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ. (We never read where they made a change)

2) The were given back to the world, which is under the power of Satan.

The church would then pray that some circumstance would happen to them out in the world that they might repent and return to the church and accept the truth of the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The truth is, it is impossible to commit sin and escape the chastisement of the Lord!

The Lord says we will reap what we sow!

There remains also the Spiritual power that inflicts punishment for sin.

Even modern medicine agrees that misbehavior causes physical, emotional and mental punishment.

And we must always remember that church discipline is put in place, in order that those who receive the discipline may return to Jesus Christ for forgiveness.

1Jn 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

1Jn 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

The Lord always knows what is best for His Church!

Amen

Wearing the Armor of God

The Blessing of Standing for the Truth

Book of Ephesians 6:10-24

We are advised many times in the Scriptures to be strong. As Christians our character must have two sides.

We must cease to do evil and have a hatred of all evil while not hating those who do that evil.

We must also learn to do good before all those that hate us.

As we struggle daily between these two things we will realize that the Christian life is a battlefield.

As Christians we will realize we are in a constant struggle in this evil world!

As long as we are in our flesh we will also be in a constant battle with our flesh!

It takes a brave Christian to always do right in every situation.

What is the one thing we must understand? We have a Father that this world can never overcome!

*****Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

We think of the Apostle Paul as the greatest of all Christian missionaries but when he says brethren he comes down to our level.

The Apostle Paul became a very humble man once he came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.

We should also understand that as believers we become Christian soldiers. There are foes outside the church that will seek to cause us harm but there are also foes within the Church who seek to destroy it.

We are at peace with God and we have the peace of God, knowing what lies in our future but day to day we are in a war with evil!

It is the brethren who make up the army of God!

We can be strong because our Lord is strong!

We can be strong because of the power of His might!

Deu 20:4 For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

If we become weak Christians, we will perish in this war. When our strength lies in the Lord, we are never alone at any time and we can never perish because he will never forsake us!

We must overcome the battle we have with our flesh, while we battle with the evils of this world.

We have seen that we must be mature Christians.

We have a renewed mind.

We have a changed behavior.

We understand God's will for us.

We understand our relationship with all our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We have been prepared and it is time we get into this battle! We must stand for the truth!

We are on the road to Heaven, Satan will try to stop us, but our power comes from on high and our Lord witnessed the time when Satan was tossed out of Heaven.

Luk_10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

Satan is on the losing side, but we must dress right, we must wear the armor of God!

*****Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

As I was taught in the military, we must know the strengths of our enemy and prepare to counter act his strengths.

Without the armor of God, we will not be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. This is a simple enough reason to be obedient to the entire Word of God!

God has prepared us armor for every part of our bodies except the back, we are to always face our enemy because to turn and run from the devil means he has won you as his servant.

There are many times in the Scriptures where we are told to wait on the Lord but even while we are waiting on a specific answer from God, we are still to be moving forward in this war with our flesh and this war with the devil.

We already know this armor has been tested and proven because it is the devil who will flee.

Jas_4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

The armor of God is another gift of God's "Grace" because there is no weapon of our own that can defend us!

This may seem to be a form of works to those on the outside, but it is only living the life of the Christian.

The Christian armor is not designed for show but to be put in use for our own safety and God says to take the whole armor which means we are not safe when we just wear the part of the armor that we choose to wear!

Satan does not possess the strength to take on the Lord for he would surely loose and he has already lost every battle, but we do not have the strength to face Satan alone without the armor of God.

Why do we need God's armor? God also gives us this answer. It is because are war is not really with any human being even those that are enemies to the Church.

*****Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

If we cannot obey the Lord in this thing, we will never conquer the greatest enemies of our life!

We must understand we are in a spiritual battle!

To wrestle is to struggle, to strive, to contend and we can add resist.

As we know Paul has used athletic forms many times and to wrestle is a contest between two people, one trying to overcome and pin the other to the ground. We are never to allow Satan or those who possess supernatural powers to pin us down!

What is it that each of us who believe must wrestle and win?

Principalities, the power of that Satan uses to control those that reject the Lord.

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

As we war with the darkness of this world we must not get entangled with the affairs of this life.

2Ti 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

2Ti 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

As Christian soldiers we must always listen to our God our Father in Heaven.

Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

We should understand it is not any man who teaches the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ, it is Christ Himself through the Holy Spirit.

As we look at our world we can see that the forces of evil are very powerful.

The forces of evil are very numerous.

The evil in our world is organized!

These forces of evil are also those who rule the darkness in our world!

Those in the Light of Jesus go to Heaven.

Those who are in the darkness of this world go to Hell and then on to the Burning Lake of Fire.

Those who are in darkness do not know this or they are willingly ignorant of these things!

There are also those who do not know where they are, but they refuse to believe that there are spiritual forces behind the evil in this world!

Most of these are to so-called intellectuals who highly educated.

It is these that say that Christians live in the "Dark Ages".

Satan can only be in one place at a time, but he is constantly moving about in this world.

Job 1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

We must understand that God, just because He is God, must always tell the truth!

God would not say there was an evil force in this world if it was not true!

God would not say that this evil force has access to the spirit of mankind if it were not true!

It is Satan that rules over this evil force and his followers.

Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Satan rules all those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ, but he cannot touch the child of God without God's permission and God will allow this from time to time, but Satan cannot take away the salvation of any child of God at any time!

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

God knows what He is doing!

God provides the necessary armament for each of His children and this armament comes with instructions!

*****Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

The war that we face as Christians is a spiritual warfare, but God will equip us even for this war.

Holy Spirit by the hands of Paul has given us the material we need to remain strong in this war.

We need the armor designed by God, no other armor will keep us safe!

In all the great armies of this world there were deserters and they received heavy punishment in most all cases.

In all great armies there was a time of retirement.

We must clearly understand that in the Army of God there is no retirement date. Every soldier in God's Army is to stand upon His truth!

It is our duty as God's children to put on the armor of God every day. We must with stand this day of evil!

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.

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.

The phrase "having done all" refers the armor of God.

*****Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

We could say we must where the belt of truth! We do not wear the belt of truth unless we understand that it is all the Word of God that is relevant and not in bits and pieces.

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.

The belt is used to hold the soldiers clothing close to his body just as we are to hold the truth of God close to us! The truth of God must be so solid in our inward parts that it shows in our outward parts!

How is our Lord described?

Isa 11:5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

Luk 12:35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;

We must also wear the breastplate of righteousness.

The righteousness of God is the perfection of His nature.

Psa 119:142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.

By ourselves we will never be perfect, but we have the perfect Holy Trinity living within us, if we belong to the Lord.

Righteousness is doing things right and all the right things are listed for us in the truth of the Word of God.

But we must also protect our feet!

We must trust in "Gospel" enough that the "Gospel" will direct our every step which is needed considering the journey we have to go and this race that God has given us to run.

When we stand on these things that time we walk in the valleys will be short and we can spend more time on the mountain top!

The breast plate of righteousness is designed to protect our heart, which holds to the truth of the Lord.

2Co_3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

Above all these other things we have the shield of "faith".

It is our "faith" which will quench the fiery darts of Satan.

It is our "faith" that will cause us to avoid temptations.

It is our "faith" that will give us the strength to just tell the devil to go back where he came from!

When know the truth of God we will never question our salvation.

We will never question the call of the Holy Spirit.

We will never doubt God's ability to save.

We will never become defeated Christians, because we are on the winning side!

We must also realize that our head is that part which must carefully needs to be defended!

One heavy stroke to our head can be fatal.

Our thinking ability is our greatest tool to claim victory and reject defeat!

We must have so much confidence in the promises of God that they become a reality within us!

These all the things that we need to defend against the attack of the devil, but God also equips us to go on offence.

The sword of the Spirit

Satan may know some of the Word of God having been around for so long. He may be even able to quote part of the Scriptures, but the truth is Satan cannot withstand a continuous assault of the Word of God.

When take our shield which covers us head to toe and our sword, the Word of God, Satan will go a running.

It is true that we must defend ourselves against Satan, but we must also attack Satan and hit him where it hurts with the Word of God.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

We attack Satan, when we stand on the Word of God and do not compromise with the ways of the world.

We attack Satan, when we battle our flesh and win every day.

The Word of God is our greatest weapon, our "Faith" is our greatest defense but our prayer to our Holy Father is our greatest tool and will lead to our greatest resource.

It is just a great honor and privilege to step right in to the throne room of our Holy, All Powerful God!

*****Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Eph 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

Eph 6:20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

The Lord by the Holy Spirit has just described to us in words that are easy to understand saying that as Christians and the Saints of God, we had better wake up to the fact that we are in a war with the evil in this world. Our war is not with flesh, those who partake of this evil.

We first must overcome the evil in our own lives and we do this by giving our complete self over to the Lord Jesus Christ.

As we grow in the "grace" of God and face the battles ahead we are to tell the story of Jesus to all whom we contact, while defending ourselves against the evil in this world.

We can have no strength without the Holy Spirit, we cannot have the Holy Spirit with the Lord Jesus Christ, we cannot have the Lord Jesus Christ without acknowledging the plan of salvation from our Father in Heaven.

Every child of God is equipped for this war, but the question remains, will you get into this battle.

These things start with prayer and it will be prayer that will carry us through to victory!

We must pray and then we must pray and then we must pray again, and this prayer must be in the Spirit!

Remember prayer is not always about asking, in most cases we just need assurance. Many times, we just need to talk but every time we need to take the time to listen.

We must realize there is nothing we can say to God that He does not already know. The Lord just wants us to be sure about what we are asking Him to do. and how it is going to affect others.

An answered prayer carries the force of the Almighty God!

Take a look at Paul's request.

Paul said "put me on your prayer list because we must always pray for one another.

We must always pray that the Word of God will reach all this world.

We must pray that the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ reaches all those who are lost so they will get the opportunity to make a choice about accepting the "Gospel" as the truth that it is.

We must pray for all our brothers and sisters in Christ who are all in the same battle with evil that we are!

Act 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

What exactly is our job as Christians? "To boldly make known the mystery of the "Gospel". The same job that Paul had!

The same job the other apostles had!

The same job our pastor has!

Even while Paul was chained to Roman soldiers, he professed the "Gospel".

Even while Paul was locked up in jail, he professed the "Gospel"

Even throughout all the sufferings of the Apostle Paul, he never once stopped professing the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ!

Even Paul could not go himself with his "good news" he sent others that he trusted to proclaim the "Gospel".

*****Eph 6:21 But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:

Eph 6:22 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.

When we face the war with our own flesh every day we occasionally need some encouragement

Notice that Tychicus was a beloved brother.

Notice that Tychicus was a faithful minister.

This is all the information that this church needed if they truly trusted the Apostle Paul.

To this day not much more is known about this godly man. In fact, what else does anyone need to know about any of us other than we are brothers or sisters in Christ and faithful ministers of the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ.

What else needs to be known of any of us?

Even God has chosen not to remember our past. It is the New Man Tychicus that these Ephesians will get to meet.

Tychicus would inform these Ephesians about the Apostle Paul for sure but he would also know if this church was true to the "Gospel" and take that information back to the Apostle Paul.

If we are not faithful to the Word of God, it will show when we have those who come to visit our places of worship.

We can always learn many things from Paul as he closes his epistles.

*****Eph 6:23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Eph 6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

Paul is a spiritual brother to every believer and Paul gave no consideration of himself, but he would always give consideration to all brothers and sisters in Christ.

Paul loved the Church and it showed!

The Apostle Paul was a prayer warrior for the Church.

Paul prayed for the peace of the brethren in this church and we should also do this.

Paul prayed for all to now the love of Jesus Christ.

Paul prayed that love for Christ would come because of their faith in His promises.

Paul prayed that each one of them knew the "Grace" of God that could come only by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Do you know the "Grace" that comes by Jesus Christ?

Amen

Let's Pray!

Being Obedient to God

The Blessings of Christian Relationships

Book of Ephesians 6:1-9

The world may offer many different solutions to have the right relationships but only Jehovah God has the right answers!

Remember that Paul is writing to the Church!

It is hard to have good relationships outside the family until we have the right relationships within the family.

One of the greatest problems we have in America today is with those that are called the millennials.

Those supposedly of higher learning have placed this label upon "our young adult generation".

Who are the Millennials? (The world describes them as) The millennial generation is the generation of children born between 1982 and 2002, some 81 million children who have taken over K-12, have already entered college and the workforce.

Notice in this definition that they are still considered to be "children" rather than "young adults".

This is the beginning of the problem with dealing with this age group!

It reminds me of "DACA" where these people are still called children when the average age of them is 40 years who never made an attempt to become a U.S. citizen. Just like those Millennials they think the world owes them everything.

The millennials are those who have reached adulthood at the beginning of the 21st Century who have not yet grown up or at least the majority of them have not.

This problem came about because the Word of God is no longer in the government. It is rejected!

This problem came about because the Word of God is no longer in the schools. It is forbidden!

This problem came about because the Word of God is longer in the homes. This is the place where the problems with our younger generation could have been corrected!

The greatest problem is, we have allowed the government to dictate the needs of our children and not the parents.

Our generation can be described as the age of problem children and those evil adults who prey on their young minds!

Our generation can be best described as the age of improper parenthood!

We know we live in a less than perfect world and many things may have to just play out, but as Christian parents and grandparents we must do our very best to obey the Word of God in this world and especially in our homes.

Obedience in the home is the place where we can do the most good!

Ephesians chapter 6 verse 1 says

*****Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

All children everywhere are to obey the just commands of their parents!

But we see the root of the problem right here in this Scripture, most parents are "not in the Lord".

That word "obey" means to "submit to".

If we have not submitted to the Lord, how can we expect our children to submit to us!

These Scriptures are written to the Christian family, so as parents, the greatest example we can be to our children and our grandchildren, is submit to the Lord and follow in the ways of the Lord.

If we as parents or even grandparents are not obedient to the Lord, then why should we demand that respect from our children?

We must correct our children, but this does not mean physical abuse!

Small children may require a spanking but there are many forms of discipline for the older children, but none include physical abuse!

Pro_22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Pro_23:13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

Pro_29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

That word "rod" in these Scriptures means "a method of correction" because what works for one child may not work for another child.

If our "words" do not work, then some other method will be required.

We must understand that most all children will hold onto their wrong doing with great tenacity! They are born with the same sin nature that we have.

The key to discipline is to be sure that the child is aware of why he or she is punished!

The parent must be aware that the real reason for any punishment, is to prevent the destruction of that child by this evil world we live in.

One of the greatest problems with our children is that they are left alone much too often while both parents or even a single parent tries to provide for them.

We must also remember our children are never to obey the parents in anything that goes against the Word of God.

This is another Scripture that says, God will hold the parent accountable for that child if we go against the Word of God!

The child has every right to get away from the ungodly home!

Remember the Lord Jesus Christ came to this world to free us from ungodly abuse and the Lord is very serious about these things!

Mar 9:42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

God will not tolerate the abuse of any child!

If those parents are godly parents, then that child is to obey them!

Col 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

As godly children, they also need to be familiar with the Word of God and be taught the Ten Commandments, so they will begin to have an understanding of what God considers to be sin.

Those commandments were given to this world, to see how we measure up to the sinless Son of God, who had no sin in His life!

*****Eph 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)

Eph 6:3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

To honor our parents is to realize the great value of having Christian parents!

We also see in this passage that God makes very real promises to those children who honor their Christian parents.

We must know that when the Lord makes a promise it is a binding declaration!

When we toss out the promises of God, then how can we say we have "faith"!

To honor our parents is just the beginning of realizing of a long life that could lead to an eternal life if they also give their hearts to the Lord!

Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: "that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee".

There is a second promise here.

God says, things will go well for the children who honor their parents!

This means that the Lord will help those children to live a victorious life again, if they give their heart to Jesus!

It is the godly family at home that will also realize the importance of the Church, where all the family of God will gather together.

To honor means that those parents or grandparents must be very precious to each of us!

To honor our Lord Jesus Christ, is to know that He is very precious in this life and holds the gift of eternal life, because He is life!

Jas_1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, "which the Lord hath promised to them that love him".

When we honor someone, we will do the things that make them happy!

We should also realize that when this passage talks of children, it does not refer to any age group because even as we age, we are to honor our Christian parents as long as they live!

A child who honors their parents and grandparents will not do any wrong!

God also has many other promises.

Deu 27:16 "Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother". And all the people shall say, Amen.

The parents also have obligations!

*****Eph 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but "bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord".

As parents we have this great responsibility!

Children are a blessing given to us from God Himself!

Gen 33:5 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, "The children which God hath graciously given thy servant".

As Christian parents, we are to love our children and remember, love is an action word and not just words that come out of our mouths.

Tit 2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, "to love their children",

As Christian parents, we are to lead our children to the Lord no matter their age!

Mat 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

We are to do for our children, just as the Lord does for each of His children!

Isa 38:19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: "the father to the children shall make known thy truth".

We must realize that family life has its origin in Heaven!

Each family is to be little world reflection of the family of God!

Each family is to be a little world reflection of God's church!

God will punish His own children who show open defiance of His Word and as parents we must punish our own child who show open defiance to our words, but our words must be according to the Word of God!

We must not over control any child. Remember God gives each of us the freedom of choice, but He also cautions us to know that choices also bring consequences that we will have to endure. This is a great lesson for the child to learn early in his or her days! Choices bring consequences!

There should be a balance between home life and life outside the doors of that home.

We are to train up that child in a godly manner and pray that they will use that training in every decision that they make when they are out in the world!

If we are over protective of our children, they will become discouraged and through this discouragement make bad choices.

The other side of this this is, if we to over control our children they will take advantage of us!

This is the biggest problem in the family today. We pamper our children. We try to give them anything they want. We give in to their desires without questioning them.

It is also true that the parent needs some free time but never at the expense of losing that child to the world!

We must live our lives according to the Word of God if we expect our children to live by our words!

When we tell a child not to do something and then we turn around and do those things in their sight, we will certainly cause problems with that child and in that home!

Jer 9:14 But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, "which their fathers taught them":

We are to raise our children according to our own thought and ways, we are to raise our children according to the Word of God!

The Word of God is to be the guide for the entire family and not just the children!

If we have the fruit of the Holy Spirit, then our children will realize that this is the way they should be.

And if our children have given themselves to the Lord, then we need to disciple them as well as being taught ourselves.

Life is full of pitfalls and temptations which can destroy the family, and this must be the thing that we try to avoid the most!

Lam 2:19 Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: "lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street".

As Christians we must pray that our children will be hungry for the Word of God just as we must also be.

Col 3:16 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.

Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

God wrote these words not just for the adult but also for the children.

All these things should follow us in every facet of our lives!

*****Eph 6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

Eph 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

Eph 6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

We must clearly understand that the problem with this world we live in is not an economic problem, but it is a spiritual problem and it begins in each home.

There were millions of slaves in the Roman Empire in the days of the Apostle Paul. It is said, that the number could be as high as 60 million slaves.

This leaves us no doubt that many of these slaves became Christians and the Holy Spirit caused Paul to address these things.

Most all the things we learn here in these Scriptures we can carry over into the work place of today!

The Lord did not allow the Jews to have slaves and we can understand that this is still the same for all Christians today, but it cannot be denied that slavery was a large part of the world of that day and slavery is much more widespread today than is covered by any news source, or reported by any governments, including the United Nations!

The New Testament has a lot to say about slavery!

As we go through these things lets also consider that slaves of that day had no rights at all, they were considered nothing more than a piece of merchandise!

It is not proper to change anything in the Bible but let’s just think of the word "employee" in the place of the word "servants" as we look at this passage.

As employees, we are to follow the instructions of our employer.

"According to the flesh" means that these employers are to be obeyed in the workplace.

The phrase with "fear and trembling" does not mean to work with the fear of men but to work with the "fear of God" which really means to understand what God is teaching in this passage.

As Christians, no matter our positions in the workplace or any other place, we are never to bring reproach upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in the things that we do!

Psa 31:19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them "that trust in thee before the sons of men"!

No matter who we are or what we do, when we undertake to serve individuals or even the public for any sort wage or payment, we must do so according to the will of God in our lives!

As Christians, if we receive a payment for some service we are providing, then we are to work with singleness of heart as if we are providing that service for Jesus Christ.

We must be devoted to our work and not just pretending to be a good workman!

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 do not quit being owned of God no matter what we do! We are bought and paid for with the blood of Jesus Christ!

We are never to do anything to please men, all our work is to please God!

Whether our boss is looking at us or not looking at us while we work, we should accomplish our work as if the Lord is watching "because He is".

We are to work from our heart that has been changed by the Lord, no matter what we do or who we do it for!

Exo 23:25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

We must realize that it is an honor and a privilege to serve the Lord even while we are serving others!

We must realize that the "Grace" of God makes us servants of God even while we are servants of men!

Grace enables us to do the business of Heaven, while we are attending to the business of earth.

This may sound funny, but we are to come out from the evils of this world, even while we are still among them!

No matter where we are, or what we are doing, as long as it is not immoral or unjust labor, we are to work diligently as if we were working for the Lord!

1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, "forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord".

The result of such a diligent work habit will reflect on an equal reward from the Lord!

We will always receive our rewards based upon effort no matter who we are, because God is no respecter of persons.

2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

We must also remember, God is not going to hold these things over our head, God is truly wanting to bless each and every one of us, but He does expect us to do right after He has given us the gift of His "Grace" which came by our "faith".

*****Eph 6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

It does not matter if we are a slave or a CEO of some large company, we are to be diligent in our workplace!

No matter how hard our job, no matter how difficult our job, God rewards us for the effort in doing that job right!

Jesus Christ gave of Himself in everything He did, even giving His life for all of us!

We must also remember craving recognition for our service, can become a disease.

Isa 3:11 Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

Even today, there are many Christians who cannot do anything unless the world knows about it. They will then have lost any reward they could have had!

Pro 11:18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.

We should remember the slave, who would work in hope of a future day of freedom and release from that bondage.

It should be the same for the Christian, we should work for the future, that day of perfection when we will meet the Lord in the air.

Nothing upon this earth has the importance of that day!

It is the day the Lord gathers His redeemed! After all, as Christians we know that this is the next thing on God's agenda.

1Co 7:22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.

Mat 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

The Lord has given the workman many things that become the Christian service, even at his workplace and to those who serve, and even to those who are the slaves in this modern-day world, but the Lord also has instructions for those who are masters.

*****Eph 6:9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

Notice the master is to do all the same things as the worker, or the slave!

The master is to treat the workman in the same way as they are to treat him!

These masters, or foremen, or supervisors, and all such people, are to follow the same principles of God as the worker!

We are all humans created by the Jehovah God, through Jesus Christ!

We all have the same Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, who sits on the throne in Heaven, taking account of all things upon this earth.

To the Lord, the master on earth and the slave (the worker) are one and the same, when they belong to Him.

Col 4:1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

The Lord will reward, or He will punish according to the character we have shown here on earth no matter who we are or what place in society we are a part of!

As Christians we must be loyal to all our responsibilities until the Lord takes us home. This includes the family, including our Christian family, the workplace, the community and especially the Church where God has placed us.

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.

There is to no one and in no place, are we to be in a threatening manner. We are all accountable to the Lord for every action we take!

Amen

Let's Pray!