Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 

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Paul’s Greatest Failure In Ministry

My message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

–1 Corinthians 2:4

Just as salvation cannot be obtained through wealth, education, or power, salvation also cannot be presented through wealth, education, or power. God uses the weak and not the strong. And in 1 Corinthians 2, Paul said, in essence, “If you do not believe that, just look at my own example.”

The biggest failure of Paul’s ministry occurred just before he came to Corinth. It happened in Athens at Mars Hill. In Athens, there were shrines to all kinds of pagan gods. So Paul stood before the elders of the city and said, “I observe that you are very religious in all respects” (Acts 17:22). Then he mentioned a shrine he had seen to an unknown god, and he very eloquently explained that this unknown god was the true creator God. But never in this beautiful, philosophical speech did Paul mention the name of Jesus Christ or talk about the cross of Jesus Christ. And when the message was over, some people believed, but Paul left Athens without establishing a church there.

Today, there are Christian organizations built around the Mars Hill philosophy. They say, “If we are going to engage this culture in conversation about Jesus Christ, we cannot talk about Jesus and the cross. We have to use philosophical arguments.”

But building a ministry around the sermon at Mars Hill is kind of like founding a naval academy called the Titanic School of Navigation. Mars Hill was not the zenith of Paul’s ministry; it was a dismal failure. With all of Paul’s oratorical and philosophical skills, he failed to talk about Jesus Christ, the cross, and redemption. That helps us to understand what Paul was saying to the Corinthians. Look at 1 Corinthians 2:1, 3-4: “When I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. . . . I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.”

Paul was saying, “After that Mars Hill disaster, when I came to you with my tail between my legs, I purposed I was not going to make the same mistake again. I was not going to come in the power of my own reasoning but the power of the gospel.” God is not impressed with our philosophy or our rhetoric; He is impressed with our faithfulness and our commitment to Him.

 

The Diabolical Duo

Numerous novels and movies through the years have been based on the subject of a future world leader commonly called the Antichrist. But as we will discover today, that leader — and the one who will assist him in his rise to power — are real persons who will serve as Satan’s instruments for worldwide deception and damnation. Listen

“Let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” James 5:20

You Are What You Eat – Part 1

Although the future event we are going to examine today involving a mighty angel seems strange, far-removed from our everyday...

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The Danger Of Laziness

Through indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks.

–Ecclesiastes 10:18 Listen

08.10.23
WALKING BY FAITH
TWO’S COMPANY BUT THREE’S A CROWD! LISTEN NOW

08.21.23 The Greatest Revival The Church Has Ever Seen! – Part 1

Throughout history there have been great movements of God such as the day of Pentecost, the Reformation, and the Great...

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You can see Lucifer in the eastern sky shortly before sunrise. It varies a lot from year to year, but i’m writing this in July 2023 and it will appear as the morning star until sometime in September.

“Lucifer” is the Latin form of the Hebrew word “hêlēl” or “light bringer” and was used as the name of the planet Venus as it appears in the morning sky. “Lucifer” is often mistakenly thought to be a name for the devil, but this is not the case. The mention of the name in Isaiah is referring to a Babylonian myth about the morning star proclaiming itself king of the heavens but falling (fading) from view as soon as the sun rises.

08.04.23
WALKING BY FAITH
THE PROBLEM WITH PROSPERITY – PART 2

Something to ponder..
I was shocked, confused, bewildered
As I entered Heaven's door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
Nor the lights or its decor.
But it was the folks in Heaven
Who made me sputter and gasp--
The thieves, the liars, the sinners,
The alcoholics and the trash.
There stood the kid from seventh grade
Who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
Who never said anything nice.
Bob, who I always thought
Was rotting away in hell,
Was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
Looking incredibly well.
I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal?
I would love to hear Your take.
How'd all these sinners get up here?
God must've made a mistake.
'And why is everyone so quiet,
So somber - give me a clue.'
'Hush, child,' He said,
'they're all in shock.
No one thought they'd be seeing you.'
JUDGE NOT!!
Remember...Just going to church doesn't make you a
Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car.
Every saint has a PAST...
Every sinner has a FUTURE!

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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. 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..

Ephesians 6:11-13

WALKING BY FAITH

ABRAHAM: A MOST UNLIKELY HERO – PART 2

https://ptv.org/broadcast/abraham-a-most-unlikely-hero-part-2/?popup=true

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July 24, 2023

WILL HEAVEN BE THE SAME FOR EVERYONE? – PART 2

A PLACE CALLED HEAVEN

Many people believe heaven will be a divine commune where everyone shares the same experience. But as we will discover today, the kind of heaven we experience in the next life will be determined by how we live as Christians in this life.

 

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July 19, 2023

WHO WILL BE IN HEAVEN?

A PLACE CALLED HEAVEN

 

July 18, 2023
WHAT WILL WE DO IN HEAVEN?
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Is heaven an actual location or simply a state of mind? If heaven is a physical destination, where is it located and what will it be like? Today we will turn to both the Old and New Testaments to discover the answers to those questions–and more–as we learn about that “place called heaven.” Listen






Listen to the implosion of America
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES >>



1: John 2

Let us stand in the presence of the Lord and know his desires for us, which will ultimately transform the direction of our lives.

The Way Up is Down

Jack Hibbs and Charlie Kirk look at Genesis 11 and how it speaks to current-day events happening all around us.

If you are a Christian, your old sin nature has been crucified. It is still there, but it has no more power than you choose to allow it to have. But to truly experience the power of the Holy Spirit in times of temptation, Paul said you need to understand the power of your new nature.

In Romans 6:11, he wrote, “Consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” 

8/2/2023 WHEN GODLY PEOPLE DO UNGODLY THINGS (Listen)

You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
–James 4:14

There is no Lucifer in the Bible, that's a mistranslation by Jerome of the Hebrew הֵילֵ֣ל, shining one, found at Isaiah 14:12. Jerome used the Latin words lux and fer, light and bringer, and created a proper name, Lucifer. There is no such name in the Bible.

The Holy Spirit Explained

If you are a parent, you have probably been through this before: Your child is having difficulty with a homework assignment and says, “Can you help me?” You agree to help, but pretty soon you find yourself doing the homework assignment while your child is off playing a video game. Or maybe you have found yourself in this situation: You are a supervisor at work, and you give one of your employees a task to complete. Two days later, the employee says, “I am not sure how to do this. Can you help me out?” And you end up doing the task yourself.

If you have ever had an experience like that, you are a victim of what managers call “upward delegation.” Upward delegation occurs when a subordinate gives back to a superior an assignment the superior had given to the subordinate. Many times you and I are not just victims of upward delegation; we actually practice upward delegation, especially in our relationship with God. We try to give back to God responsibilities that He has given to us.

For example, let’s say there is a single mom in your Sunday school class or small group. She shares, “The transmission in my car has gone out, and it is going to cost $600 to repair. Would you pray that God will send the money?” So you pray, “Lord, we have a dear sister in need. Please send her the $600 she needs.” Now, everybody in the group could have coughed up fifty dollars and paid for the woman’s transmission. In fact, James 2:15-16 says if we see a fellow Christian in need, we are to be the ones to help. We do not give that responsibility to God; He has given it to us.

Or maybe you have a relative who is not a Christian, so you pray, “Oh, Lord, please send the gospel to them somehow. One night when they are watching television, please miraculously change the station to Pathway to Victory so they can hear the gospel and be saved.” That is upward delegation–in Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commissioned you and me to share the gospel.

Or maybe you are tired of a mediocre Christian existence, tired of being addicted to sin, so you pray, “Lord, fill me with Your Holy Spirit so I can experience the new life You have for me.” As wonderful as that prayer sounds, it is upward delegation. Being filled with the Spirit is not God’s responsibility; it is our responsibility. Ephesians 5:18 says, “Be filled with the Spirit.” It is a command: you, be controlled by the Spirit of God. There is a lot of confusion among Christians about what things are God’s responsibility and what things are our responsibility. So this week, we are going to look at three works of God and who is responsible for each.

***

How  many people seen jesus after resurrection?

  • Mary Magdalene saw Jesus near the tomb and spoke with him (John 20:11-18)
  • Two disciples encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus and had a conversation with him (Luke 24:13-32)
  • Jesus appeared to the disciples, including Thomas, who had doubted his resurrection (John 20:19-29)
  • Jesus appeared to a group of his disciples while they were fishing and had breakfast with them (John 21:1-14)
  • Jesus appeared to more than 500 people at once (1 Corinthians 15:6)

These are just a few examples, but they suggest that many people saw Jesus after his resurrection. These appearances are a central part of Christians and are celebrated in the Easter Sunday holiday.

Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

What is Palm Sunday?

Palm Sunday is a Christian holiday that commemorates the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, which is described in the Bible in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. According to the accounts, Jesus rode into the city on the back of a donkey, while crowds of people waved palm branches and shouted "Hosanna!" to honor him as the long-awaited Messiah.

Palm Sunday is celebrated on the Sunday before Easter, which is also the first day of Holy Week, a period of religious observance and reflection leading up to Easter Sunday. In many Christian churches, the day is marked with special services that include the blessing and distribution of palm branches, which are often shaped into crosses or other decorative designs.

The palm branches are symbolic of the ones used by the crowds who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem, and are often kept by the faithful as a reminder of the solemnity of the occasion.

John 3:6,7,8

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.