Morning Devotional September 25, 2022

 

1 Corinthians 2:1-8

“1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

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

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

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

Have you ever noticed in the letters the Apostle Paul wrote in the New Testament how he never lords his Apostleship over the churches? Paul always comes across in a humble manner. Never bragging of his role in the Lord's work. Paul understood how wretched a man he truly was and it was only by the grace of God he was what he was.

Paul was sent out as a missionary under the authority of the Church at Antioch to preach the gospel to the lost and to organize churches where the Lord led. There was no mission board or conference or fellowship that held authority over Paul or the mission work he was entrusted with. Only his sending church. Then once those mission works were organized into churches themselves, they were totally independent, answering only to the Lord Himself. Yes, Paul was often times called upon to help settle disputes within the churches as he did in Corinth.

Remember, Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles. He had a certain authority no one before or since has had with the Lord's churches. This notion of a “modern day Paul” is false and any man who accepts such a title should be shunned as a heretic and he himself should be leery of those who would place such a title upon him.

Please understand, there is nothing wrong for a church or group of churches to seek guidance from a man/men who are wise in the Word of God and able to help with disputes or just apt to teach on certain doctrines. We often times call a man to come preach a special meeting or a revival or Bible conference. But when a man claims he has authority over organized churches, especially those who have pastors and/or elders, he needs to take a lesson from the Apostle Paul and humble himself before God and God's people.

The Lord's churches have no need of a man who is so high-minded and self-centered he thinks he has more authority than the Lord Himself.

I John 4:1:

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional September 24, 2022

 

Psalm 3:8

“Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.”

Praise God our salvation belongs to the Lord!!! What horrible shape would we be in if our salvation belonged to us? The fact of the matter is, no matter how intelligent man becomes or how much more enlightened he claims to be than his forefathers, the salvation of God's elect will always belong to the Lord. It is only through the blood of Jesus Christ that our salvation is made possible. It is only by the grace of God through the faith He gives us and nothing we could do ourselves that gifts us salvation. And only to those God has chosen before the foundations of the Earth.

Man, in his finite wisdom, thinks he can replace God with himself. Yet, all around us every second of every day God proves through His creation many things man has no control over and can never control. Many claim to control their own destiny, but every day there are situations and circumstances that arise they cannot control.

As God's people we must praise God for His blessing upon His people. For without that blessing we would be just as the unsaved. Consumed with our-self, trying to save our-self from eternal destruction and living life to the fullest while we can.

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional September 18, 2022

 

1 Corinthians 2:5

“That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

We often hear this verse quoted by those who think they can properly worship God outside of one of His churches. On one hand there are those who refuse to have anything at all to do with the Lord's churches. These people will try to say there is no need for organized churches in our day. These people falsely believe that all those who are saved are part of the Lord's Universal/Invisible church. Therefore, there is no real need to join and be an active member in any kind of church whatsoever.

Then there is the group who believes in church membership and may even believe they should be the members of a true New Testament Baptist Church. But, for whatever reason that's as far as their belief takes them. They will attend a church for a time, request membership, and may even be faithful in that membership for a time. When asked by friends and family where they are members, they proudly state the name of the church and maybe even the pastor. As time goes by they fall away from the church they are so proudly a member of. During the week and maybe on Sunday too, they are able to go and do their normal routine about town and family and friends but when it comes time for the service time they are nowhere to be found. When asked about these things, oftentimes our text verse is quoted or one similar.

Both groups mentioned will claim their faith is in God and not in the institution our Lord established while on this earth. And they are partially correct. Our faith must be grounded in the power of God. But, how often we forget who the Apostle Paul was writing to when he penned this verse. Paul was writing to one of the Lord's churches.

Where are you today? If you are a member of one of the Lord's churches where are you when the doors are open and the membership has gathered to worship together? Where are the desires of your heart? On the things of the Lord or on the things of man? Are you a faithful, outstanding member or a member standing outside with more faith in the world than in the Lord?

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional September 17, 2022

 

Romans 8:35-39

“35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

How often we forget these glorious words. No one, no thing, no serious of events, even torture nor death can separate us from the love of Christ. No, not even our own thoughts and actions can separate us from the love of Christ.

If we are His and have been saved by Christ Jesus, we can not be separated from the love of our Heavenly Father. Yet, how often we forget that He chastises His own. How often we forget that the trials and tribulations in this life may be because we have sinned against our Heavenly Father. Does He not tell us in His Word and give multiple examples of His chastisement on His people down through the ages in His Word?

Why are we so prideful today to think we are going through trials and tribulations and persecutions because we are the children of God? Are we so prideful we cannot see the reason is rather because we refuse to follow His commandments and/or because we have sinned against our Lord?

Are we bragging about our torments or are we examining ourselves and seeking His face in our time of chastisement?

We should be praising God He loves us enough not to separate us from His love.

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional September 11, 2022

 

Matthew 16:24

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

Who are you following today? Have you denied yourself or have you denied Christ?

If we desire to be His disciples we must follow His commandments. We must deny ourself, and take up his cross, and follow Christ!!!

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional September 10, 2022

 

Hebrews 10:24-25

“24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

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.”

It has often puzzled me how when talking to other “Christians” about end times things and especially about our Lord's return for His Bride that so many see no importance for church attendance. Yet, if the church they are a member of will exclude them for nonattendance, all of a sudden the church and/or the pastor are at fault.

As members of the Lord's churches we are commanded to “Not forsake the assembling of ourselves together”. Why? How else is the Bridegroom to prepare His Bride to be His wife if she is not willing to come together to learn more about her future husband? It is through faithful church membership and attendance that Paul spoke of in Ephesians 5:26-27:

“26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Are you a member of one of the Lord's churches? Are you faithful in attendance and/or faithful in fellowship with your brothers and sisters in that church? Why not? If not, then what is the purpose of you continuing your membership there? If you are brought under church discipline for being unfaithful to the Lord and His church will you blame others for your own sin and unfaithfulness?

In reference to our text verses; What better way to “provoke unto love and to good works” and “exhorting one another” than “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together”. And especially as we “see the day approaching”. The day of our Lord's return.

Praise ye the Lord!!!