Help me save the morality of the Boy Scouts of America.

Good Morning, this is a day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it !!! But it is also a sad day in our Nation.... When a group known for moral stances are starting to listen to the views of a few... That group is the: Boy Scouts of America, there is a petition going on from certain groups to end the Boy Scouts long stance on having gay scout leaders (openly gay). Therefore I would like to start another petition that supports their long standing stance to continue. To the Christians: lets stand for Jesus right now!!!! We know what our GOD can accomplish with the help of a few. (remember Chick fil-A last yr ?) The Scouts Oath is: On my honor I will do my best To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight. With this oath to God and also to be morally straight how can they allow gay leaders or any immorality (leading our boys !) ???? Let's make a stand !!! Who will stand with me ?

To Mr. Harold Camping...

An open letter to Mr. Harold Camping:

Dear Mr. Camping, So, Saturday the 21st is the day the world comes to an end?! I cannot wait for that day. To be honest, I have been looking forward to it daily.

But... What troubles me is that you seem to know something that the divine Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, did not claim to know. He said that only the Father knows the hour. But... It is okay by me if you want to make a prediction. I will give you the benefit of the doubt and I promise you now that if you are proven wrong, and we are all still around on Sunday the 22nd of May, I will not write anything against you. However....

I would like to present an offer to you. If you legitimately believe that Saturday is the end of the world, please transfer your entire net worth to Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef by Friday, May 20th. Please do not worry about liquidating the $86 million in radio assets you have from Family Radio.

We will use them beginning May 22nd for our own broadcasting needs. I would offer you a tax-deductible receipt for your generous gift, but I don't suppose you will really need it. My contact details are as follows:

Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef P.O. Box 20100 Atlanta, GA. 30325 Phone 1 800 337 LEAD I look forward to hearing from you, Mr. Camping. Michael Youssef Ph. D.

Paradise

Luke 23:39-43

Q) Why 3 crosses on some Church’s lawns ?

1) Everybody talking about Heaven, but everyone isn’t going there….. (Matthew 7:13)

Background (v.39)
Save Yourself & (mainly us !) (Some people just want the benefits of Christ: the blessings/ to be rich/ to be healed, but 1st. we must accept His free gift of Salvation and live for Christ)

Other Gospels say both were blaspheming Christ.

But….after hours of being on the cross w/the Lord of lords & King of kings. (Conviction, started to settle in his heart )

Finally; One of the thieves ended up saying; “ Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom
(Total repentance here) (repeated)

(look again at: v. 43)
So in this verse, (the word) Paradise Where is Jesus talking about ?

Paradise (original lan.) garden/park. (like in the garden of Eden)

Remember the parable Jesus gave, back in (Chap 16 of Luke) (Many Scholars believe this is a real story)

(Rich man & Lazarus)

a) Poor man was in Abraham’s bosom (righteous)
Paradise

b) Richman in Hades- torment (un-righteous)
(had to look up)

Now in Matthew’s gospel (27:51-53)

Saints who had fallen asleep (died) were raised & appeared to many in Jerusalem.

Guess where they came from ? Abrahams bosom !

Now after the resurrection there’s no one in Paradise or Abraham’s bosom.

Christ did NOT go to Heaven w/ the Father until after the Resurrection… (Remember that Mary tried to cling to Jesus, but what did Christ say to her ? “I haven’t ascended to My Father yet.”) On the 1st. day of the week.

Because, we know that, absent w/the body, present w/ the Lord…..amen ?

Straight to Heaven we go w/ the Lord Jesus. Where is Jesus now ? look at: (Acts 7:56)

Lastly: So when Jesus told the thief on the cross “Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” That’s where they went on Friday.

This tells us that even a sinner at the last moments f your life, after all that was done in this man’s life can still be saved by the (blood) of Christ !

But don’t wait till your on your death bed !!

Because no one knows the hour that you will breath our last breath…..
Amen ?
Praise God

Is Salvation on a time limit ?

It's not too Late!

The beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
Luke 16:22

Recommended Reading
Luke 16:19-31


The same Bible that teaches about heaven warns of hell. In our Lord's story of the rich man and the beggar, the latter served God faithfully on earth, but suffered an incurable skin disease and had to beg for food. The rich man, on the other hand, fared sumptuously every day but evidently had no relationship with the Lord. In a flash their respective earthly lives ended, and their roles were reversed in eternity.

The problem wasn't primarily economic but spiritual. The rich man had previously had access to the Scriptures--"Moses and the prophets" (verse 31)--but had paid no attention. He was too busy buying things.

We only have a few remaining hours in this year to think about heaven and hell, only a day to make a lasting decision for Christ. Listen to Moses, the prophets, the Lord Jesus, and the voice of the Holy Spirit. Give yourself wholeheartedly to Christ today, while you still can and while there's still time.

What does it profit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?

The saddest road to hell is the one that runs under the pulpit, past the Bible, and through the middle of warnings and invitations.
J. C. Ryle

Are you going to your local church ?

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Hebrews 10:25 - “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Do you know what is happening in America today? People who claim to be Christians are not getting involved and becoming faithful to a church — the local fellowship of believers. Such a thing was unheard of in the Bible. If you were a Christian, you were faithful to the fellowship. You attended when everyone gathered together. If you stopped attending, they assumed that you were an apostate. What is more important than the local visible expression of the body of Christ? It is the way we stay “plugged in” to the needs of the body of Christ. It is the way we show honor to Him in worship. It is simply the way.

ACTION POINT:
What do you have on your schedule this week that is more important than being a part of the blood-bought body of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Grace we have been saved

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Ephesians 2:8-9 - “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
If you think you’re going to get to heaven by your good works, I guarantee you will always wonder if you’ve done enough. You will not have a “know-so” salvation. You will have a “hope-so” salvation. Rather than standing up straight in confidence like an exclamation point, you will be bent over and wondering like a question mark. That is, until you understand that it’s all by grace. Suppose everybody who wanted to be saved had to run around the block. Some can’t run. What if you had to read a chapter in the Bible to be saved? Some can’t read. But there is one thing that can make the promise sure, and that is grace.

ACTION POINT:
Who can you share this Good News with today? Think of at least one person, and ask God to give you a bold love and a divine opportunity to do just that. We also invite you to read “You Can Be Sure” for more insights on the eternal security of the believer.

Who's righteousness do you have ?

Romans 4:6 - “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works”

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
God imputes righteousness to you through His Son. What does “impute” mean? It means “to put on your account.” At the moment you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, God makes you righteous. Romans 4:8 says, “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” A woman was asked one day what it felt like to be saved, and she replied, “It feels as though I’m standing in Jesus’ shoes and He is standing in mine.” A scholar or theologian couldn’t have said it any better. “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

ACTION POINT:
If you’re saved, thank God that though you are a sinner, He doesn’t impute it to you, and though you are not righteous, He does impute that to you!

Selfishness.....

And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Galatians 5:24

Recommended Reading
Genesis 4:1-16


Cain, the son of Adam and Eve and brother of Abel, is mentioned nineteen times in Scripture. Sixteen of them are in Genesis 4 where his story is told, and the other three occur in the New Testament where he is used as a negative example. Not a sterling legacy to leave behind!

What tarnished Cain's reputation? The Bible says only that God "did not respect Cain and his offering" (Genesis 4:5). Something in Cain's response to God--he became "very angry, and his countenance fell"--provides a clue. Anyone who gets angry when corrected legitimately by an authority reveals a selfish streak, caring ultimately only about self. Perhaps Cain was expected to bring an animal sacrifice like Abel did, but he brought fruits of the field instead, something that was handy for him. Leviticus 3:16 says it is the fat part of the animal sacrifice that becomes a "sweet aroma" to the Lord.

Submitting to God means exchanging selfishness for selflessness, living for Christ instead of living for self. Christians should be selflessness, not selfishness, personified.

Selfishness is never so exquisitely selfish as when it is on its knees.
A. W. Tozer

Do you have a close friend ?

A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24

Recommended Reading
Psalm 55:12-14


There is no consensus as to the origin of the question, "With friends like these, who needs enemies?"--but we all know what it means: Sometimes those we thought were our friends act like we would expect enemies to act. Anyone who has experienced such a reversal of "friendship" knows the pain and perplexity it can cause.

Job experienced such pain. When he was at the worst point of his life, his friends came to accuse and lecture him about his dishonesty before God, his failure to repent of whatever sins caused God to heap suffering upon him. They were not the kind of friends described in Proverbs 18:24--friends who stick closer than a brother. Anyone who has a brother or sister knows that siblings can act like enemies at times. But there is a friend who never does what even a sibling will do, a friend who loves at all times. That's the kind of friend Job needed, the kind of friend we need--and need to be to others in pain.

Jesus declared Himself to be the friend of those who follow Him (John 15:14). If you need a friend today, He is there for you. If you know others who need a friend, be to them one who sticks closer than a brother.

Sinners willfully lose God for a friend.
Matthew Henry

Patience

Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
James 1:3

Recommended Reading
Romans 5:1-5


In our culture, the concept of "testing" immediately brings school days to mind. From the first grade on, we grow used to the sweaty palms and increased heart rate that accompanies these words: "Clear your desk and take out a pencil...." If we were well prepared, the test was an affirmation. If we were poorly prepared, the test was a rebuke--gentle or severe, depending on the grade.

Tests don't end on graduation day, however. God has tests for us as well, like this one: "Describe nine ways to know if you are filled with the Holy Spirit." The answer is whether we manifest the nine dimensions of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Take patience, for instance. God allows us to experience times that test our patience in order to show us whether we are relying on ourselves or on the Holy Spirit. The more we are tested, the more evidence we have of the kind of power we are relying on--self or the Spirit. And the more opportunities we have to say "Fill me with Your presence, Holy Spirit, that I may manifest patience in this situation."

If you are tested today, don't fail by relying on self. Let tests become affirmations of your reliance on the Holy Spirit in you.

Hope is the foundation of patience.
John Calvin

How are you doing on the Great Commission ?

The Saddest Words

And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness."
Matthew 7:23

Recommended Reading
Revelation 20:11-15


Suppose you had been living on a piece of property for twenty years and you decided to sell. When it was time to have an updated survey of the property prepared, the surveyor gave you bad news: You are not the registered owner of your property! Somehow, your name was never entered in the county's book of deeds and registrations. You know you own the property but the county registrar does not.

The absence of a name in a deed book can usually be remedied with supporting documentation. But there is one book of names that, once it is opened by God, cannot be changed. And that is the Lamb's Book of Life (Revelation 21:27). In that book are the names of all who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. For Jesus to say, "I never knew you; depart from Me" will be the saddest words anyone could ever hear. The only thing that could be as bad would be for a Christian to hear those words spoken to a person he had the opportunity to influence toward a decision for Christ. What will Jesus say to such a person?

If you know someone to whom Jesus will one day say, "I never knew you," tell that person how to avoid that sad day.

Every single believer is a God-ordained agent of evangelism.
R. B. Kuiper

Is Stress getting to you ?

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Isaiah 40:31 - “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Stress is nothing new. Noah had it when he was building the ark with no rain in sight. Martha had it when she was preparing a meal for our Lord. Stress is the gap between the demands placed on us and the strength we have in meeting those demands. It is not a sin to be stressed, nor a sin to be weary. It is a sin, though, not to seek a lessening of that stress which tears down the temple of the Holy Spirit, your body. Where is your answer? In waiting upon the Lord — waiting in the midst of demands. When you learn to wait on Him, God steps in to bridge the stress gap with His mighty strength.

ACTION POINT:
Ask God to equip you to be a stress-buster today. Perhaps it will be your boss or your spouse that is “stressed out.” Rejoice in the opportunity you have to share God’s love.

Are you comfortable in a strange land ?

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
1 Peter 5:8

Recommended Reading
1 Peter 1:13-16


Most people have heard the "boiling frog" metaphor: Drop a frog in a pot of boiling water and it will frantically try to climb out. But place the frog in a pot of room-temperature water, then slowly heat the water, and the frog will get used to the change in temperature and slowly succumb to the boiling water. While factually incorrect, the metaphor is useful for pointing out the danger of complacency and inattention.

This metaphor could well be used to warn residents of planet earth about the slow rise to power of the one the Bible calls the Antichrist. Seen first as a savior by brokering peace between Israel and her enemies, this Man of Sin will ultimately consolidate world power and authority by threatening to punish those who do not acquiesce to his demands. By the time he is established on the world stage, it will be too late. Jesus spoke often of signs of the times (Matthew 16:3; 24:3; Mark 13:28). It behooves us to be alert and watchful as God's end-time plans take shape.

The best way to avoid the terrible reign of the Antichrist is to be absent from earth, safely at home with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

A wandering heart needs a watchful eye.
Thomas Watson

Tithing

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Matthew 25:21 - “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
A man spoke to his pastor one day and said, “I don’t know what’s wrong, but God is not real to me anymore.” The wise pastor asked, “Is there any sin in your life?” In a moment of honesty the man responded, “Years ago I was tithing regularly to God, but one day I thought, 'God doesn’t need the money as much as I do,' so I stopped.” The pastor said, “Will God say, ‘My child has disobeyed Me. He cannot trust Me with his resources, so I think I’ll bless him with even more financial resources.’ Will God do this?” Absolutely not. If you’re not faithful with little, He won’t bless you with any more.

ACTION POINT:
Are you faithfully tithing your income to the work of the Lord? If not, it’s time to.

Why did Satan fall ?

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.
Isaiah 14:14

Recommended Reading
1 Timothy 3:6-7


You are familiar with this brain twister: "If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to hear it, does it make any noise?" Here's another challenging one: "Does a deceived man know he is deceived?" While the first question is mostly for fun, the second has serious spiritual implications.

The phrase "do not be deceived" occurs five times in the New Testament, and the same warning is reiterated in other words in additional verses. The fact that Christians are warned about the possibility of being deceived means it can happen. And the fact that the warning is repeated means we have to look carefully and continually at our lives to make sure we are "[walking] in the light as He is in the light" (1 John 1:7). The best ways to avoid deception are to continually rehearse the Bible's teachings ("Is this what I believe?" Psalm 119:11), continually ask God to search our heart to see if there is any wicked way in it (Psalm 139:23-24), and be accountable to people who love us enough to correct us (Proverbs 27:6).

Are you practicing all three? Take steps today to establish your defenses against deception.

The fundamental deception of Satan is the lie that obedience can never bring happiness.
R. C. Sproul

Why is their war ?

And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought.
Revelation 12:7

Recommended Reading
Daniel 10:1-21


Many have asked, "Why is there war?" It is simple: Earth has war because there is war in heaven. Ever since God's brightest angel, Lucifer, rebelled against his Creator-God and sought to unseat Him from His throne in heaven (Isaiah 14:12-14), conflict has been ongoing. Just as Satan opposed righteousness and justice in heaven, so he has opposed it on earth. He stirs up greed, envy, and ambition in human hearts, causing others to defend themselves against invasions and attacks. Even sincere Christians differ over how to respond to sinful aggression. The irony is that God Himself will use history's greatest battle to put an end to satanic and human rebellion on earth (Revelation 19:11-21).

As children of God, we have peace in our hearts, and when the "Prince of Peace" returns to rule and reign He will put an end to all war. Until that time comes, we need to keep in the Word, fully armed with the Sword of the Spirit, ready for spiritual battle and Christ's ultimate return.

If you are to have peace with God, there must be war with Satan.
Charles H. Spurgeon

Reversing the Curses in Your Life

Everyday, people live under the curse of defeat, which takes on many different forms. It could be recurring disease, depression, one financial problem after another, family problems passed down from generation to generation.
For the Christian, there is always hope. Jesus came to reverse every curse and give us power to conquer anything that might hold us down. God specializes in making the impossible possible.
In 2 Kings 5:1-19 is the story of Naaman, a valiant warrior who led his country to victory. Cursed with leprosy, an incurable disease that left its victims sick and social isolated, Naaman sought help from the prophet, Elisha. After dipping seven times in the Jordan River at Elisha’s command -- Naaman initially scoffed at – the Syrian warrior was healed. Naaman turned his heart to worship God of Israel, the reverser of the curse.
Like Naaman, commit to see your cleansing through. God will redeem what you thought was impossible to restore.



SCRIPTURE READINGS
2 Kings 5:1-19

Do you doubt the whole Christian faith ?

If you at all doubt that the Christian faith is not athentic.....then I dare you...no I double dare you to do the research of these.....study what they study, if you are sure that there is no God and that this whole Christianity and the Bible is a made up thing by men............

Mark Hartwig (Challenging Darwin's Myths)
Phillip E. Johnson (Darwin on Trial)
Garret Vanderkooi (A Theistic Approach to Science)
William J. Cairney (Biomedical Prescience 1) (Evidence for Faith)
David Breese (Seven Men who rule the world from the grave)
Ravi Zacharias (Can man live without God ?)
Hugh Ross (The Creator and the Cosmos)
L.I. McMillen (None of these Diseases)

George Park Fisher (Manual of Christian Evidence)
Josh McDowell (Prophecy: Fact or Fiction)
Templeton, John Marks (Evidence of Purpose)
Stoner, Peter W., and Newman, Robert C. (Science speaks)
Habermas, Gary R. (Ancient Evidence for the Life of Jesus)
Pierson, Arthur (Many Infallible Proofs)
Sanders, J. Oswald (The Incomparable Christ)

Ankerberg, John and Weldon, John ( The Facts on Creation Vs. Evolution)
Lubenow, Marvin (Bones of Contention)
Kenyon, Dean and Davis, Percival (Of Pandas and People)
Gish, Duane T. (The Amazing Story of Creation)

Bruce, F.F. (The Books and the Parchments)
Criswell,W.A. (Why I Preach that the Bible is Literally True)
Thiede, Carsten Peter and D'Ancona, Matthew (Eyewitness to Jesus)

Archer, Gleason L (A Survey of Old Testament Introduction)
Vos, Howard F. (Archaeology in Bible Lands)

Who is the Trinity ?

Scriptures: Genesis 1:1, Gen. 1:26, Gen. 11:7.

Intro

Q. If you were asked to explain the Trinity… how many of us would be able to do it ? (and that’s when the enemy will attack us, in our moment of either doubt or maybe we might feel it’s just not that important to know ?)

Now, let me first say that I don’t understand all there is to know about God, not sure if there is anyone that does know EVERYTHING about the only one true God.

Yes, I said one true God, because there is only one God, and He is revealed in Three Persons… I heard a preacher that I admire say “when you get to heaven, don’t expect to see three God’s”(which you won’t see three gods and there aren’t three God’s now) and then he went on to say that God the Father is revealed in Jesus Christ, in other words there is no God the Father/God the Son/God the Holy Spirit, (this is usually called the oneness doctrine), but this doctrine is not accurate….as we will see, because God the Father is not God the Son and God the Son is not God the Holy Spirit !

But let us submerge ourselves in the Scriptures and see what God’s Word says, shall we ? (that’s always worked for me.)

This topic is what the Lord has put on my heart….Because, there are many cults out there, and they are strongly against the doctrine of the Trinity…

So let’s start with the plurality of the Godhead, ok ?
Genesis 1:1
I.
The word God used in Genesis 1:1 in the original language is ĕlôhı̂ym / el-o-heem'/ אלהים
This is the plural name of God, in Hebrew.

The plurality of persons in the Godhead is: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. If you listening say amen. (One God, revealed in three persons) Not three Gods revealed in One person.

(This name was Used in the Old Testament about 2500 times.)

There are at least two times when this name of God was used in the Scriptures, in these two verses, we will see the Trinity…

Like in Gen 1:26: And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: (this is the first talk about man, first discussed in Scripture)

(at the Tower of Babel)
Also another was: Gen 11:7: let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. (this is the arrogance of man wanting to do things our own way, not much has changed since then…)

And that’s when God first changed the language of man, at one time we all spoke the same language.




God the Father


Now, in the Trinity we first have God the Father.

The Scripture where God the Father is actually described of is here in the Book of Daniel Chap. 7 v. 9:

Dan 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

(But wait…isn’t Jesus described similar like this in the Book of Revelation ?)
Well let’s see….

Rev 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

Rev 1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

(so in Revelation, this is speaking of Christ, however in the Book of Daniel, this is God the Father spoken of here, let’s continue.)

(Now, we will see if the oneness doctrine has any weight to it. And we will see if Jesus is also God the Father.)

(Now let’s go back and look at Daniel Chapter 7)

Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

Dan 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

(So as we can see, this description of these are two separate persons, one person is the Ancient of days (God the Father), and the second person is the Son of man (Christ), and we know that there is one that has the Title of the Son of man/ the Man Christ Jesus…) ok, so we see from Scripture that Christ is Christ and the Father is the Father, two separate person’s….

Now, do we pray to God the Father/God the Son or God the Holy Spirit ? and the answer is yes…. Because the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit is God .

But Jesus told His disciples: In Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Now, Jesus does tell us to pray to God the Father. However, because the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is God, it is perfectly alright to pray to either the Holy Spirit,the Son or the Father.





God the Holy Spirit

Now Who is the Holy Spirit ?

The Holy Spirit is God/the third Person in the Trinity, but what does Scripture say…

Well in Psalms 51:11 (David) says: Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

(Before Christ died and was raised from the dead and went to glory, the Holy Spirit came upon men in the O.T./ But now we know that the Holy Spirit comes in to live within the Believer in Christ….)

Ephesians 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,

(This is a verse that really helped me know for a fact that when I got saved, I received the Holy Spirit and was sealed.)

(When I first got saved we were going to a Pentecostal church and some of the teaching was that you had to pray and wait on the Holy Spirit and the evidence was that you spoke in tongues)

And actually a missionary/evangelist told me that you might have a piece of the Holy Spirit, but not all of the Holy Spirit…..
And that you don’t get the full Holy Spirit when you first accept Jesus.
So when I studied the Scriptures I realized, that was not accurate teaching…

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

Q. Another question that came to me is, does the Holy Spirit leave you ? or can you lose your salvation ?

Well, let’s look at what Scripture says:

Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

(We see here that the Holy Spirit seal’s you until the day when Christ comes for his purchased possession/ the day of redemption.)

Also we see that the Holy Spirit can be grieved, because He first of all is a Person and that He lives within the believer…

Q. Now is the Holy Spirit- God ?

Always go to the Scripture, and we must, know when each Scripture needs to be applied at the right time..

1Thessalonians 4:8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.


Act 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Act 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

God the Son

Is Jesus really the Son of God ?

Well, the short answer is yes ! but because the Son of God has many enemies, let’s go to the Scripture’s…..

I saved the Son of God last because He is the target since He came to earth ….the prophecies point to the Lord Jesus the Christ…..

Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

As we just read, Matthew 3:16 was about the Spirit of God, well now the Father is speaking,at least we know that John the Baptist heard this…. So we see that God the Father says who Jesus is.

There are Many other religions that doesn’t believe that Jesus is God, like Muslims they say, that God doesn’t have any children…and the Witness’ say that Jesus is not God, and then we have the Mormons that say, Jesus is the half brother of Satan….

So we MUST (someone say must) be able to defend our faith to the non-believers, amen ?

1Pe 3:15 says: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every everyone that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

But did anyone else know that Jesus is the Christ ?

Well, let’s ask someone who was with Christ for some 3 ½ yrs

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, (listen to this) 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.
2Pe 1:18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

We have so far have God the Father who called Jesus His Son, the apostle who witnessed this on another occasion.

But, someone told me that Jesus never called Himself God… (what do you say to that, if someone asked you that ?)

Well, did Jesus actually call Himself God or the Son of God ?

Let’s go to the Word:
John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
John 8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid.
( The reason the Jews wanted to stone Jesus is because when He said I am, He was saying, the name of God (Exodus_3:14); it speaks of his self-existence; he does not say, I was, but I am, for he is the first and the last, like in (Rev. 1:8); thus he was not only before Abraham, but before all persons that were created, because Christ had no beginning ! like in: John_1:1...

let’s look at some more Scriptures
(woman in Samaria with mulitiple husbands)
John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

John 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
(this is the man born blind)
John 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

John 9:36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

John 9:37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

John 9:38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

Someone else spoke of Christ: John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.


Now, only God is to be worshipped, not even angels (like John in the Book of Revelation tried to do and the angel said, don’t do it, I am also a worshipper of God.

And when someone tried to accept worship… listen to what happened to this guy..

Act 12:22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.

Act 12:23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

And last one, who else said that Jesus is Lord ?
You and not just you, but every soul will, either willing or with no choice !!!
(listen)
Philippians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

Philippians 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;

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


So saints even though the actual word Trinity isn’t in the Scripture’s, it’s still the same /concept/idea, which is:

As we see in Scripture God is revealed in three Person’s….

God the Father/ God the Son/ God the Holy Spirit.
So we must not let noone tell us any different of who God is, there is One God, revealed in three Person’s….amen ?

The Test of Impartial Love

James 2:1-13

Q. Has anyone ever showed favoritism to anyone ?

Intro/ (Now) The writer of this letter is not James, the brother of John (the apostle), but he was the half brother of Jesus….

Because that James, was killed by Herod in the Book of Acts, (12).

What is so special about this James is that he….(like most of his family) did not believe who Jesus said He was….until after the Resurrection.

I. Chap.2 v.1

Don’t be someone who has this type of faith that looks at someone & shows favoritism……

a.) Why ?....because, we are ambassadors for Christ…this is a high calling, saints !


b.) We shouldn’t look at people and say within yourself, (this person must be Highly Blessed…) look at the way they are dressed !!! (look at the money/car’s/homes..

c.) Because, if (they) are not being a wise steward of what the Lord has given to you…..it’s gonna be trouble…

d.) Because to much is given-much is required…

e.) In Luke 12: 34: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also…

II. (v.2-4)
Gold rings/ (not common, then) here, fine apparel, speaks about a wealthy, rich person….( Bill gates, Oprah) type of person…

a.) Just because your rich, doesn’t mean that you’re closer to God…..

b.) And there’s a flipside to that….just because you’re poor….doesn’t mean, you are closer to God, because you are poor, either…

c.) I heard a comedian say once….he thinks that Blacks and because of Slavery…should automatically….go to heaven…..(well, that contradicts the Bible) and if that was true, then ever Hebrew in the wilderness went to heaven even though they didn’t believe in God…..

d.) Now let’s also remember not to get this passage twisted either, because there is room for respect, honor to certain leaders in the church…

e.) I Timothy 5:17, says: Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor , especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.

III. (v.5)
In general (the poor ) of this world: meaning those that are generally considered poor to us…/more likely to be used to advance the kingdom.

a.) Now, this doesn’t mean, just because your poor, you will ingerit the kingdom….(No)….listen….

b.) look again at (v.5) last part of that verse….(to them that love Him)

c.) Cause, there are poor people who hate God, for different reasons…

- some because they look at the rich driving (the Bentley’s)/living good..
- someone like a drug dealer or someone who isn’t a God-fearer..

d.) It’s to those who endure the testing of our faith until the end….(amen)
e.) And this is not just someone entering the kingdom, but ruling w/ Christ… ( II Timothy 2:11,12 read)


IV. (v.6,7)

It is the rich that are mostly the oppressors…..

a.)
The poor is waiting for that blessed hope & better things in the Lord Jesus…

b.) So respecting a person of this (sinful) world on account of their riches or outward appearance is a sin…

c.) Why ?, because if you (we) have a misunderstanding of thinking that this World’s goods are what life is all about….then we are missing the purpose of the kingdom of God.

d.) Because, so many of the rich in our society….have No place for the Lord Jesus in their lives…

e.) He is the farthest part of their life..

f.) Look at who put’s the law’s in place that’s against almost every part of God’s Word….those in Power positions..

g.) So as ambassadors for Christ/ it makes us look exceedingly sinful and foolish to support & look up to those who are against the Word of God…..

h.) That name of Christ…..what does that name mean to you ?...

i.) Because that name reflects, Honor, gives worth to us that wear that holy name !!!!

V. (8-11)
Royal law….basically is the law of love/ a law superior to all other laws…
Read ( Leviticus 19:15)

a.) What did Jesus say was the 2 greatest Commandments ?

-Love the Lord your God w/ all your heart, soul and mind…
-and the Second is like unto it/
you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

b.) God isn’t in favor of selective obedience…

c.)We as Christians must (someone say must) practice the law of love the (agape type/unconditional)

VI. (v.12,13)
Everyone in the day of judgment will fall into 1 of 2 categories…

a.) Either you will be among the vessels of wrath or vessel of mercy.
Which will you be ?

b.) The Bible says: Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy…..

c.) So, what we must do for our own good is to show love and mercy to all people..
-Especially when they don’t deserve it, now, is that right ?

Q. How much love are we to have to our neighbor ?


- ok, well the reason I ask is this, Can you think of the worst thing someone can do to you ?...& then think of the worst/most hurtful thing someone can say to you….
The worst….got it?

Now, could you share the gospel to that person?....w/ loving intentions?!

Because, if you can, at that moment….then the Love of Christ is reigning in your heart….but if not, then maybe you are still a babe in that area of your life…..not all area’s…. But maybe in this area of your growth/maturity…

We must not be judges on appearance alone, but observe the character of a person, regardless of appearances… Let’s love God w/ all our heart & love our neighbor as we love ourselves...Amen?


The Test of Impartial Love…let’s not fail this test…