Tuesday, September 30, 2014

The Way to Heaven - by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam




The Way to Heaven
Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

Perhaps you have heard the story of the man who inquired from a mountaineer the way to a certain destination.

The mountaineer stuttered and stammered and finally said: “You can’t get there from here.”
We may smile at this, but the results would be even more amusing — and sad — were we to ask the average person on the street the way to heaven.

What is the way to heaven? It is interesting to read in God’s Word what many think about this. In Proverbs 14:12 we read:
“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
What are some of these “ways” that “seem right” to men, leading them to hope for heaven? Joining a church? Being baptized? Doing one’s best? Keeping the Ten Commandments? Loving one’s neighbor as himself? These are a few of the ways that men follow, hoping to gain eternal life, but they all come under one heading: “Do good.”

But what do the Scriptures say about this? In the Gospel according to John there are recorded for us seven “I ams,” which the Lord Jesus Christ used in speaking of Himself.

One of these is found in John 14:6:
“I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.”
This passage has a double significance, since it was not only the declaration of the Lord Jesus Christ, but at the same time a declaration of the divinely inspired Scriptures. From this verse we learn not only that Jesus is the only way to the Father, but also that He is “the truth” to be believed and trusted in. Thus we can believe the Lord Jesus when He claims to be the way to heaven.








How God Saves Men
Believing Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read Acts 16L31 Romans 1:16, and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4


(A 10 Minute Video)


 Posted By Cecil and Connie Spivey
cspivey1953@gmail.com


E-mail this BIBLE STUDY to all your friends 















Monday, September 29, 2014

What is on my Mind this Morning?- Pastor C. R. Stam



How would you like your safety and your loved ones safety to be completely dependent upon the decisions of our World Leaders?

To be completely without the Help of The Lord Jesus Christ in your life?

To be at the mercy of all the other false Gods!

Even Bill Maher gets it ... there is a big difference between Jesus Christ who teaches .... "Do unto others AS you would HAVE them do unto you" and so fulfill the Ten commandments of righteous behavior for everyone. NOT forced but offered full citizenship in the household of God .. to become the sons of God.

OR

ALLAH "Do it or be DEAD, Or taxed and your reward is to be alive but you will never be anything but a second class citizen "

Most people that will read this have made a decision about Creation by a loving God or Chaos from nothing called Evolution.

I do my homework always and this what I have found. Evolution is not possible because we cannot explain the simple building block that all life starts from i.e. the single Cell. Scientist Good honest ones keep coming back to ... where did the single cell come from ... More and More the tide is turned towards Creation the only answer for such a complex question as the Origins of Life.

That brought me to a conclusion We are Created !

The world tries to say that any God will do!

It did not take me a long time to see that The Bible is very special and the others very ignorant and self aggrandizing in their explanation of Deity .

That being said I give The Bible and What an Amazing Spirit of Truth it is!

The Bible is a very special book that makes one important claim THAT it IS the Word of God.

That it was written by Men that God chose and who where led by His Holy Spirit of Truth.

The bible uses Prophecy as one of the vehicles of proof. Prophecy many more than you OR I have even heard. The bible speaks of :

Abraham who is the father of Ismael who is the father of the people in the Middle East. Mother is an Egyptian! First born of Abraham!
AND of :

Abraham who is the father of Isaac who is the child of promise from God by Sarah His barren wife. Whose Lineage will produce Jesus Christ The Messiah!

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, known as the Patriarchs, are both the physical and spiritual ancestors of Judaism.

The Bible starts the Prophecies with Adam and Eve and goes all the way through the bible. The central theme is Israel and Gods answer The Messiah of Israel ... Jesus Christ the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

Before Jesus came to us as a man. He was the Word of God who created everything . He has made himself known from Adam until now. The Bible says that Jesus is the goodness that is present in very mans life that comes into the world.

The bible gives us an account of the creation in the Gospel of John.

He creates everything the Word! John 1:1.

He becomes a Man Jesus! John 1:14

The bible also gives us a history of Creation starting at Genesis! Genesis 1:1

And Promises the Messiah! Genesis 3:15

Which approach you take if you are really searching for the truth you will come into contact which the Creator.

Jesus Christ!

This truth will open your eyes to the Crisis in the Middle East.




 How God Saves Men
Believing Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4


(A 10 Minute Video)

Posted By Cecil  and Connie Spivey 

    Share this Bible Message with your  friends



















The Path Of A Good Soldier - By Pastor Paul M. Sadler


Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 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.” — II Tim. 2:1,2
If we were to ask the average Christian to write down what they expect in a spiritual leader the list would probably read something like this: A man of God must have completed college and seminary. He should be eloquent and be able to articulate his thoughts well, enthusiastic, insightful, creative, and have a good sense of humor. In addition, he should not have too many shortcomings, and be well dressed.
Interestingly, just the opposite was true of the spiritual leaders found in the Scriptures. Most of the giants of the faith in biblical times were unlearned and ignorant men by the world’s standard. The Bible is a who’s who of shortcomings: Noah’s drunkenness, Moses’ speech impediment, David’s adulterous ways, Peter’s denials, Paul’s repulsive appearance, etc. Nevertheless, God used these souls mightily to the pulling down of strongholds. As it has been said, “God took a handful of nobodies and made somebodies in His sight.”
While we are an advocate of higher education, intellectualism is not a prerequisite to be used of the Lord. God has accomplished great things through those who merely had a willing heart. Timothy, for example, wasn’t educated at the Ivy League Schools of Jerusalem, nonetheless, God chose him to carry the torch of grace after Paul’s martyrdom.

The Two Witnesses - Pastor John LaVier (Click Here)


How God Saves Men
Believing Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.

Read Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4


(A 10 Minute Video)

Posted By Cecil and Connie Spivey
Share this Bible Message with your  friends













Sunday, September 28, 2014

The Apostle Of The Nations - by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam



Not Matthew, Mark, or Luke; nor Peter, James, or John, but Paul alone wrote Romans 11:13 by divine inspiration:

    “FOR I SPEAK TO YOU GENTILES [or OF THE NATIONS] INASMUCH AS I AM THE APOSTLE OF THE GENTILES [NATIONS]: I MAGNIFY MINE OFFICE” (Romans 11:13).

Note well that Paul did not magnify himself, but his office, to which he had been appointed by the glorified Lord Himself. In defending his apostleship before the Galatians he wrote:

    “But I certify you, brethren, THAT THE GOSPEL WHICH WAS PREACHED OF ME is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, BUT BY THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST” (Galatians 1:11,12).

In many other passages the apostle claims to speak as a direct representative of Christ (See I Corinthians 11:23; 15:3; Ephesians 3:2,3; I Thessalonians 4:15; etc.).

To Timothy, Paul wrote concerning his own writings: “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing…” (I Timothy 6:3,4). This could not indicate more emphatically Paul’s claim that his words were “the words of the Lord Jesus Christ”, received from Him by direct revelation.

To the Corinthians, who questioned this, the Apostle wrote:

    “…IF I COME AGAIN I WILL NOT SPARE, SINCE YE SEEK A PROOF OF CHRIST SPEAKING IN ME” (II Corinthians 13:2,3).

The proof of this claim? This was overwhelming indeed, for Paul was used more than any other apostle to found churches and lead men into the knowledge and joy of salvation. To the believers at Corinth he wrote what he could have written to many thousands of others: “The seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord” (I Corinthians 9:2).



 How God Saves Men
Believing Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4


(A 10 Minute Video)

Posted By Cecil  and Connie Spivey 

    Share this Bible Message with your  friends











Joyful Thank Offerings - by Pastor Ricky Kurth




These days it seems most Christians aren’t satisfied with “just” being saved. Many also covet the health and wealth promised to Israel if they were good. But grace believers who have carefully studied all that we have in Christ never cease “giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (Col. 1:12). This is because, as Pastor Stam has well said in his comments on Romans 8:32, salvation is “the gift that includes all other.

Under the Law, a man could simply say he was thankful, but if he was really thankful, he also brought a costly thank offering (Lev. 7:11-15). Today, while God is no longer interested in animal sacrifices, a truly thankful believer will present his body to God as a living sacrifice. This kind of sacrifice costs us our time, our labor and our money, but it is only “reasonable” that we afford Him this service (Rom. 12:1) in light of all that He has done for us in Christ.

Psalm 69:30’s reference to thanksgiving is especially significant since this is a psalm about Calvary (v. 21 cf. John 19:29,30). Because of this, we believe Verse 30 is a prediction of the thanksgiving the Lord gave in the very shadow of the Cross (Luke 22:19). We conclude from this that the Lord was actually thankful for the opportunity to serve His Father by giving His life a sacrifice for our sins. How thankful was He? Psalm 69:30 predicted He would be thankful “with a song,” something confirmed by Mark 14:26. This suggests we should similarly present our bodies as living sacrifices to God with joy and singing, and not with grumbling and complaining!

Thanksgiving is a great way to edify other believers, but only if they can understand it (I Cor. 14:16,17). While God once gave the gift of tongues to help with this, that gift has been withdrawn. But thankfully, like the universal languages of math and music, every believer can understand and be edified when they see us walking a walk that is “worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing” in grateful appreciation for all He has done for us (Col. 1:10).

In closing, it should be pointed out that the thank offering was a “free will” offering (Lev. 22:29). Even under the Law, God did not require His people to be thankful. He has always rather longed that thank offerings would be the spontaneous response of our hearts to His goodness.

Grace Bible Church  (Click Here)

Video Archive - Les Feldick Bible Study


How God Saves Men
Believing Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read Acts 16L31 Romans 1:16, and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4


(A 10 Minute Video)


 Posted By Cecil and Connie Spivey
cspivey1953@gmail.com


E-mail this BIBLE STUDY to all your friends 















How Monkeys Loose Their Freedom! - By Connie Spivey



Salvation is so simple but to a lot of people it is hard to understand, so they can’t believe salvation is free for them! They don’t realize that they can be saved, just by believing. They feel like they should do something to save themselves. In other words pride always believes that everyone has something good in him or her. But John 5:24 says Verily, Verily, I say unto you, he that hearth my word and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation: but is passed from death unto life. That verse says to us we cannot do anything to help save ourselves! Isaiah 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 inequities, like the wind have taken us away. I am not comparing us with monkeys at all, just making an illustration. I understand the way they capture monkeys in Africa; they put something that the monkey likes to eat in a jar that is large enough at the top so they can put their hand into the jar. But it will not come back through the top of the jar! So the monkey will not let go of the food, so he holds on to it! That way, they are trapped and all they have to do is let go of it and pull out their hand. But the jars are fastened down so they capture them and they loose their freedom. That is the way a lot of people are, they will not let go of their own works and so they are trapped by the Devil, and hang on to their works instead of being set free. They can trust the Lord for their free Salvation by accepting the work that Christ did on the Cross-when He died for their sins. He paid the sin debt and it cost God His son, but it is free and did not cost us anything!



 How God Saves Men
Believing Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4


(A 10 Minute Video)

Posted By Cecil  and Connie Spivey 

    Share this Bible Message with your  friends

























Shadow and Substance - By Weldon Rightmer


"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect." (Hebrews 10:1)

"Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." (Colossians 2:17)

"Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation (a making thoroughly right)." (Hebrews 9:10)
In the matter of salvation it is very important that we arrive at proper conclusions. However, we feel that even here many men miss the mark. They try to impose upon us some of the things which belong back in the shadow days. One should never be satisfied with anything less than the real substance.

For instance, a wrong interpretation is placed upon Ephesians 5:26 and Titus 3:5. Those who believe in baptismal regeneration make a big to do about the meaning of the word "washing" in these two passages. The word is "loutron," meaning "laver" or "bath." This immediately reminds us of the truth brought out in Exodus 30:17-21. It was necessary that the priest and his sons wash at this laver before entering the Tabernacle. Because of the connection between these words, many insist that sinners are saved by submitting to baptism in water. A careful reading of Hebrews 9:8-12 and 10:1 will show the folly of such a notion. The washing in Ephesians is accomplished by the Word. It takes place in the sphere of the Word, not in some baptistry. The washing in Titus could not be by water; for God says, "Not by works of righteous -ness which we have done." The word "regeneration" means "re-creation" or "rebirth." This washing, or cleansing, takes place when we are created anew in Christ Jesus. We feel sorry for those who would rather have the shadow than the substance.

Another case is found in 1 Peter 3:21.

"The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

This carries us back beyond the shadows of the law. But, in a measure, we see shadow and substance. The word "figure" means "antitype" in this particular passage. If the baptism mentioned here is the antitype, then Noah's experience must have been the type. Noah certainly did not get wet. God shut Noah in the ark, and it was lifted up by the waters, above the judgment sent by Almighty God. The waters beat against the ark, but Noah and his family were safe within. This ark is a type of Christ. The flood waters that beat against our Lord at Calvary will not reach those who are in Him. (See Psalms 42:7). We believe that Peter was speaking of the baptism of suffering our Saviour experienced at Calvary. Read Luke 12:50. This is the baptism that saves.

Even in this dispensation, it is necessary that one be baptized in order to go to heaven. Let us say quickly that we do not have reference to water baptism. In times past there have been "divers baptisms." These were merely shadows. There is "one Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Ephesians 4:5). We believe that a careful reading of Ephesians 1:13 and 4:3 indicates that this is the baptism accomplished by the Holy Spirit. When one accepts the Lord as Saviour the Spirit of God sets His seal upon the work of Christ. Also, the Lord says that He is talking about the "unity of the Spirit." Why should we bring in a foreign element?

Listen to this verse,

"Buried with him in baptism, the baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." (Colssians 2:12)

This is real baptism, administered by God Himself. As someone has wisely said, "We are the ones who have actually been baptized." Those before us had only the shadows.

Is it necessary for one to be circumcised in order to go to heaven? It all depends on whether we are speaking of shadow or substance. Our readers will immediately say, "we are definitely not a circumcised people." In a sense that is true. "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands" (Ephesians 2:11). Compare also Galatians 2:7. We are not the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands. To practice such circumcision for spiritual reasons is to no avail in the present dispensation. See Galatians 5:3-6. It was very important to Israel.

Does this verse contradict what we have just given?

"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Philippians 3:3)

We are the ones who have real circumcision. Israel had merely a shadow.

"In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ." (Colossians 2:11)

This circumcision cuts away the filth of the heart.

"And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you" (Genesis 17:11).

Compare this with the 6th verse. "And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee." Each time a male child was circumcised, Israel was to be reminded that reproduction was by the power of God, and the seed to the glory of God. This shows the sacredness of the marriage vow.

Because of the circumcision of our Lord and His death on Calvary, we are to reckon our old man to be crucified with Him.

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed—that henceforth we should not serve sin." (Romans 6:6)

The body of the flesh is put off by the circumcision of Christ. Only by the power of God can one be born into the family of God. We should also remember that it is by His power that the individual can be fruitful. This is the most sacred relationship of all.

We do not shy away from the above Scriptures just because of the use of the words "baptism and circumcision." We wouldn't think of relegating to Israel the verses mentioned in Philippians and Colossians. Perhaps we are wrong in applying 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 strictly to the Jew. Let us look into this truth.

"For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."
Back in the shadow days the people were required to offer a Passover lamb. It is now in Christ (and because of what He has done) that God passes over our sins. In Him there is reality. Does God see you in Christ? Are you "accepted in the Beloved?" In our dear Lord there is everything the sinner will ever need.

"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things." (Romans 8:32)



 How God Saves Men
Believing Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4


(A 10 Minute Video)

Posted By Cecil  and Connie Spivey  
cspivey1953@gmail.com
 

    Share this Bible Message with your  friends




























Earth's Greatest Day - by Pastor Paul M. Sadler


Earth's Greatest Day
 by Pastor Paul M. Sadler

The incomparable English preacher, Charles Spurgeon, once said, “Every circumstance connected with the life of Christ is deeply interesting to the Christian mind. Wherever we behold our Savior, He is well worthy of our notice….All His weary pilgrimage, from Bethlehem’s manger to Calvary’s cross, is, in our eyes, paved with glory. Each spot upon which He trod is, to our souls, consecrated at once, simply because there the foot of earth’s Savior and our own Redeemer once was placed.

“When He comes to Calvary, the interest thickens; then our best thoughts are centered on Him in the agonies of crucifixion, nor does our deep affection permit us to leave Him, even when, the struggle being over, He yields up the ghost. His body, when it is taken down from the tree, still is lovely in our eyes—we fondly linger around the motionless clay. By faith we discern Joseph of Arimathea, and the timid Nicodemus… drawing out the nails and taking down the mangled body; we behold them wrapping Him in clean, white linen, hastily girding him round with belts of spices; then putting Him in His tomb, and departing for the Sabbath rest.”

On the first day of the week, Christ broke the bands of death and rose again. In the words of the angel who was there that glorious morning, “Come, see the place where the Lord lay” (Matthew 28:6). It is in every sense of the word, earth’s greatest day.

WITNESS OF THE EMPTY TOMB

After the crucifixion of Christ, Joseph begged Pilate for the body of Jesus, that he might give it a proper burial. Once in his possession, Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped the body and placed it in the tomb — they placed the Rock of Ages in a hewn-out rock. Then they removed the object holding the “great stone” in place, allowing it to roll in front of the entrance of the tomb. This stone is estimated to have weighed more than a ton; in fact, it is said that it would have taken the strength of twenty men to move it. According to the Scriptures, there were four believers that day who witnessed the entombment of our Lord’s body: Joseph, Nicodemus, Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary (Matthew 27:57-61; John 19:38-42).

Shortly thereafter, the Chief Priest and the Pharisees requested that Pilate secure the tomb. This was accomplished by doing three things:

“So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch” (Matthew 27:66).

To make the tomb sure meant that the stone would have been removed from the entrance so the religious leaders and the Roman soldiers could confirm the body of Jesus was actually there. Obviously it was present and accounted for, seeing that the soldiers sealed the tomb with the Roman signet. The motto in those days was, “Break a Roman seal, and lose your life.” Finally, they set a watch, which meant sixteen Roman soldiers were posted nearby, four of which were stationed at the door of the tomb. We know for certain that there were more than two soldiers on duty because Matthew clearly states that “some of the watch came into the city” after Christ’s resurrection (Matthew 28:11,12).

As dawn was breaking on resurrection morn, the air, in all probability, was cool and crisp. When Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome arrived at the burial plot, they were amazed to find that the massive stone had been removed and the tomb was empty (Mark 16:1-3). When Peter and John arrived on the scene, they too were puzzled, but eventually realized that the reason the body was gone was because Christ had risen from the dead, as He had promised (John 20:19,20). The secured tomb was empty, which bears witness to the fact that Christ did indeed rise from the dead. Even the unbelieving Roman watch confirmed that the tomb they had been guarding was empty (Matthew 28:11-15).

THE WITNESS OF ANGELS

“And, behold… the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it” (Matthew 28:2).

It is interesting that, according to the four Gospels, there were two different appearances of the angels on the day Christ rose from the dead. As messengers of God, they announced the Savior’s birth, and now one of them announces His resurrection. But is it possible for one angel to move what Mark calls a “very great” stone (Mark 16:4), estimated to weigh well over a ton? The strength and ability of the angels of God go far beyond our comprehension; they are supernatural beings. For example, in the days of Hezekiah, one angel smote dead 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night (II Kings 19:35; Isiah 37:36).

The account given to us by Matthew makes it very clear that the Lord had already risen from the dead prior to the angel of the Lord rolling the stone away from the doorway. You see, the removal of the stone was for our benefit.  It was removed by the angel so we could see the tomb was empty. This is why the angel said to the women present that day, “Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen” (Matthew 28:5,6).


THE WITNESS OF THE LORD

Luke records for us that the Lord showed Himself alive by many infallible proofs —undeniable, irrefutable proofs (Acts 1:3). In addition to the aforementioned witnesses, the Lord was seen by over 500 brethren at once in Galilee (Matthew 28:10; I Corinthians 15:6). This was followed by perhaps the most credible evidence of all: He appeared to James and Paul, both of whom rejected Him before His resurrection.

Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus, when He saw the resurrected Christ, was similar to that of Thomas, who couldn’t deny his senses and said, “My Lord and my God!” But there’s still another infallible proof for those who believe: He lives in our heart by faith. Amen!



 Transformed By Grace  -
Kevin Sadler


Transformed By Grace #1 - Unity in Christ
Transformed By Grace #2 - One Body in Christ
Transformed By Grace #3 - The Apostle of Grace
Transformed By Grace #4 - The Gifts of Christ


Posted By Cecil and Connie Spivey



E-mail this BIBLE STUDY to all your friends



 




FACTUAL FREEDOM - By Miles Stanford


"You were set free from the tyranny of Sin" (Romans 6:18.

There are two extremes that keep many of us in bondage. The one is ignorance as to the possibility of freedom; the other, ignorance as to the extent of freedom. Careful attendance to the facts of the Word will solve both these crippling conditions.

"The New Testament teaches that the flesh is represent-atively dead in virtue of the Cross, but it no where says it will become actually dead by standing on that fact. What it does say is that, when reckoning the fact true, self will lose its governing power over me. In Romans Six we find that through the death of Christ, sin shall not have dominion over you --- the idea is of bondage, ruling, governing, dominating. There is no such view presented as the annihilation of the thing, the exclusion of its presence, but the loss of its governing power. So you see if we are looking for the actual death of the old nature in us, we are looking for something that will never come to pass in this life." ---N.D.

"Our Lord has never promised that we shall be able to look within, and say that self is gone. Whilst we really believe God's Word that we have died with Christ unto sin, and count upon Him as the Living One to manifest His life through us, others will see that self is inoperative, whilst we are occupied with Christ."

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty where with Christ hath made us free" (Galatians 5:1).



 How God Saves Men
Believing Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4


Posted By Cecil  and Connie Spivey 

    Share this Bible Message with your  friends











 




Saturday, September 27, 2014

Banners To Display - by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam



Banners To Display
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam


If there is one thing that God would have His people do amid the rising apostasy of our day it is to show their colors. As the enemy comes in like a flood, even Bible-believing Christians are apt to hide a banner which they should unfurl and boldly display. That banner is Christ. How many believers fear to speak up for Him because His name is increasingly despised!

But, as in any war of any size, many and varied flags are carried into battle, this is so in the Christian conflict too, for the Bible, godly living, faithful comrades, etc., are all banners by which we should take our stand, flags we should display.

One such banner is fundamentalism, a slogan, a battle cry, which many believers are putting aside and hiding away just when they should display and wave it boldly. Some, recognizing the spiritual decline among fundamentalists, prefer to be called simply believers or Christians. We can appreciate this point of view but do not feel it is valid in this time of spiritual crisis.

At a time when the fundamentals of the Christian faith are being threatened as never before, we can do much to show that we stand for these basic doctrines, identifying ourselves openly with them by calling ourselves fundamentalists. The rapid pace at which the apostasy is rising about us makes it the more urgent that we display this banner. We believe that there is strong Scriptural support for this view, e.g., in Acts 23:6, where we read that Paul called himself a Pharisee to show that he stood for basic Bible doctrine and against those who denied it.

Bible-believing Christian: show your colors!




   "Why So Many Different Belief Systems?"
Les Feldick
 



 
Posted By Cecil and Connie Spivey
https://www.facebook.com/cecil.spivey

 

E-mail this BIBLE STUDY to all your friends 
 



Thursday, September 25, 2014

EXPERENCE SUPERSEDED - By Miles Stanford EXPERIENCE SUPERSEDED By Miles Stanford



"And they who know Thy Name will put their trust in Thee" (Ps.alms 9:10).

Our experiences must be judged by God's Word, never the Word judged by our experiences. Normally, the Spirit of Truth will reveal a truth to us from the Scriptures and, as we exercise faith in what we have been shown, will begin to take us into the experience of it. Abnormally, a Christian will yearn for an 'experience,' and then attempt to find corroboration for it in the Word.

"Knowledge must carry the torch before faith." Always give God's Word first place, "for the Word of God liveth and worketh, and is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, yea, to the inmost parts thereof, and judging the thoughts and imaginations of the heart" (Heb.rews4:12, Cony.).

"A person may easily know his sins forgiven, but it is a further truth to know that he himself has 'died to sin.' He finds this conflicts with his experience. Suppose I tell you a debt of a thousand pounds which you owed was paid by someone, it would not be a question of experience, but of simply believing my statement. Just so with God. He tells us our sins are forgiven, and it is a question whether we believe Him. But when He tells us we have died to sin, we look inside and say, 'Ah, sin is still at work; how is that?' A person must be taught of God to know really the truth that he has died to sin."--J.N.D.

''It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" (Luke 4:4).

Grace Bible Church  (Click Here)

How God Saves Men
Believing Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4


(A 10 Minute Video)


 Posted By Cecil and Connie Spivey
cspivey1953@gmail.com


E-mail this BIBLE STUDY to all your friends 








The Highest Expression Of Faith - by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam




In Romans 8:26 we read what our hearts must often confess to be true:
    “…We know not what we should pray for as we ought…”
But the Apostle hastens to explain that the Spirit makes intercession for us according to the will of God, adding:
    “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
Believers may not receive whatever they ask for in the darkness of this age, but
    “God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (II Corinthians  9:8).
We may not receive whatever we ask for, but by His grace we may have so much more than this, that the Apostle, in contemplating it, breaks forth in a doxology:
    “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,
    “Unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen” (Ephesians  3:20,21).
In the light of all this the highest expression of faith today is found in the words of Paul in Philippians  4:6,7:
    “Be careful [anxious] for nothing — but in everything — by prayer and supplication — with thanksgiving — let your requests be made known unto God — and…”
“And” what?
“And whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive”?
NO!!
    “…and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep [garrison] your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.


 How God Saves Men
Believing Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4

(A 10 Minute Video)

Posted By Cecil  and Connie Spivey 

    Share this Bible Message with your  friends














Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Anger Management - by Pastor Paul M. Sadler



Anger Management
by Pastor Paul M. Sadler


“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.”

— Ephesians 4:26,27


Around the turn of the century, the Church was graced with an array of great preachers, but none were more tenacious and outspoken than Billy Sunday. He seemed to have a way of driving home a point. It is said that a woman once approached him after one of his meetings who was well known for her bad temper. She sought to defend her actions by saying: “But Mr. Sunday, although I blow up over the least little thing, it’s all over in a minute.”

The evangelist looked her straight in the eye and said, “So is a shotgun blast!! It’s over in seconds, too, but look at the terrible damage it can do.”

God created us with a wide range of emotions, each of which serves a purpose. Yes, even anger can be good. Contrary to popular opinion, anger itself is not sinful. Notice how the apostle words his above statement, “Be ye angry, and sin not.” In essence, Paul is saying that we are well within our rights to be angry over an injustice or unrighteous circumstances.

The recent debate over “partial birth abortion” is a good example. We should be incensed by “abortion” in general and horrified by “partial birth abortions” in particular. Any procedure (usually performed at 7 or 8 months gestation) that allows the infant’s head to remain in the birth canal while the abortionist forces a surgical instrument into the base of the skull to suction out the little one’s brains is nothing short of first degree murder. Here a righteous anger is perfectly justified. In fact, there are scores of times in the Old Testament where the anger of the Lord is said to be kindled against His enemies (Num. 25:1-9; Jer. 12:13).

Surely our Lord is a prime example that anger itself is not necessarily sinful, for He knew no sin. Thus the Lord was well within the boundaries of godly behavior when He exhibited a righteous anger toward those who had made His Father’s house a den of thieves (John 2:13-17). In the future Tribulation Period those who reject God’s anointed and worship the beast and his image, “the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone” (Rev. 14:10).

Carefully note, Paul adds to the phrase “be ye angry” a warning, “and sin not.” Unbridled anger can easily turn into a fit of uncontrollable rage which normally leaves a path of destruction in its wake. Unchecked, anger that overflows into resentment almost always results in some form of retaliation. This may take the form of verbal attacks, threats, or even physical abuse.

In a worst case scenario, it is much like a volcano that builds pressure over a period of time and finally erupts. Whenever you watch a news report of a lone gunman who enters his former place of employment with a semi-automatic weapon and kills his supervisor and three other fellow workers, you are witnessing the eruption of pent-up anger. Another example is the believer who allowed his anger to get the better of him and shot an abortion doctor outside a clinic down south. With one pull of the trigger, this young man disgraced the name of Christ, labeled all Christians as radicals in the eyes of the world, destroyed his personal testimony, and ended up with life in prison. These are both cases where anger spun out of control with tragic results.


How to Deal with Anger


We are living in a day when philosophy says, “express yourself openly,” “tell it like it is,” “open up,” “let it all hang out.” However, the Scriptures counsel us to exercise restraint.

The fruit of the spirit is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,

temperance: against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22,23). As we walk by grace through faith,

temperance will enable us to keep our anger under control. But how does this work out in a practical sense? Those who fly off in a fit of rage permit their anger to take control of them. Consequently, the energy emitted from this emotion is usually misdirected at someone or something. Sinful anger tears down. Thus, in the heat of the moment things are often said and done which cause irreparable damage to relationships.

Paul adds here in Ephesians, “let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” We should never allow our anger to simmer overnight. This will only cause it to become more deeply seated. “Neither give place to the devil” (Eph. 4:27). You see, if you fail to handle things in the proper manner, you may well be giving Satan an opportunity to drive a deeper wedge in your relationships with others. Surely, we are not ignorant of his devices. Always remember, Satan is an opportunist.




The Two Witnesses - Pastor John LaVier (Click Here)



How God Saves Men
 
Believing Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.

Read Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4


(A 10 Minute Video)

Posted By Cecil and Connie Spivey
cspivey@gmail.com

Share this Bible Message with your  friends


















Tuesday, September 23, 2014

The First Month of the Year - by Pastor Ricky Kurth




The First Month of the Year 
 by Pastor Ricky Kurth


Even a child knows that January is the first month of our calendar year. For the ancient people of Israel, however, the first month of the year was the month of Abib, which roughly equates to our month of April. Speaking of Abib, God said,

    “This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you” (Exodus 12:2).

If you are wondering why God chose April as the beginning of months for His chosen people, we learn the reason in the next chapter:

    “Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt….This day came ye out in the month Abib” (Exodus 13:3,4).

God wanted His ancient people to “remember” that their birth as a nation marked a new beginning for them, so he instructed them to “observe” this month as something special unto the Lord (Deut. 16:1). God’s people today often do the same with their spiritual birthdays. Many who can tell you the exact date they were saved consider the day worth remembering each year.

But what if you can’t remember the day you trusted Christ as your Savior? There are many believers who grew up under the sound of the gospel and were saved at an early age. Occasionally we hear from these dear saints, who tell us they are troubled by the fact that they cannot remember the day they were saved. Since they can’t remember the date, some even wonder if they are truly saved.

When we hear from believers like this, we like to point out that while we can’t remember the day we first understood that we were born an American citizen, now that we know it to be so, we know that all the rights promised to citizens in the Bill of Rights are ours. In the same way, while you may not remember the day of your spiritual birth, now that you believe, you can be sure that the promise of eternal life and all the other blessings found in Paul’s epistles are yours.

The point is, of course, that it doesn’t matter when you first believe something; what matters is what you believe right now. If you believe you can get to heaven by something that you yourself can do, you are not saved. If you rather believe you are going to heaven because of what Christ did for you on Calvary, we’ll see you someday in glory!




   "Why So Many Different Belief Systems?"
Les Feldick

 

  Posted By Cecil and Connie Spivey
https://www.facebook.com/cecil.spivey


 
E-mail this BIBLE STUDY to all your friends