Month: March 2023
The bible teaches us about the things of God
In 1 Corinthians 1
1. The Will of God—v. 1. God’s will is revealed in God’s Word, and we know it experimentally as we walk in His ways.
2. The Church of God—v. 2. Some affirm, “It is the Church which makes Christians,” but God’s truth declares, “It is the Christians (Christ’s own) which make the Church.”
3. The Grace of God—v. 4. Grace stands for favour, strength, and beauty—God’s favour towards us, Christ’s strength in us, and the Spirit’s beauty upon us.
4. The Power of God—v. 18. God’s power comes in several ways. The Blood has power to cleanse, the Word has power to assure, His love has power to constrain, His peace has power to keep, His joy has power to gladden, His grace has power to enable, and the Spirit is the power of all power.
5. The Wisdom of God—v. 21. Wisdom is the right application of knowledge. The Lord knows how to apply His blessings to us. He tempers His blessings to each temperament and displays His wisdom especially in the Cross of His Son.
6. The Foolishness of God—v. 25. God could not be foolish in a positive sense, but comparatively it is so, for what seems foolish in the eyes of foolish men turns out to be the greatest and profoundest wisdom.
7. The Weakness of God—v. 25. There is more strength in God’s little finger than in all the combined hands of men.
DID YOU FIND THIS QUICK REFRESHER TO BE HELPFUL?
DO YOU ENJOY THESE QUICK REFRESHERS, SHOULD I CONTINUE SHARING THE QUICK REFRESHERS?
PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
EVERLASTING SALVATION CHURCH OF GOD MINISTRIES
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Church link:
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GOD TEACHES US ABOUT VIOLENCE:
1:8–19
My son, if sinners entice you …
PROVERBS 1:10
THE BIBLE DOES NOT DESCRIBE how life ought to be. It matches how life is. The wisdom of Proverbs is reality-based counseling as we live in this fantasy-world of human invention. We see the blunt realism of the Bible in Proverbs 1:8–19.
Why are we in the book of Proverbs at all? Because so much of life is a series of nuanced judgment calls. The Ten Commandments say, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). Are you struggling with that decision today? Probably not. But even at this moment we are all creating social dynamics both subtle and powerful, and those dynamics are either life-depleting or life-enriching. What makes the difference is the wisdom of our life together as the church of Christ. Have you ever done something with the best of intentions, but then it exploded in your face—like pathetic Wile E. Coyote in the Road Runner cartoons? Good intentions and wishful thinking can be oblivious to reality. But wisdom helps us create the chemistry—not rules but chemistry—of life at its best together in the new community of Christ.
Wisdom does not theorize. Wisdom pays attention to the realities built into us by God our Creator. Wisdom humbly gives in to God’s design; it adapts and adjusts. A wise person notices, picks up on the clues, cuts with the grain, tears along the perforated line. Unwise people can be gifted, but they are trying to be healthy on junk food, or run high RPMs on low-octane gas, or get home by the wrong road, or swim against the stream of the universe. Sin is trying to succeed by ignoring reality. And that makes the devil the ultimate fool. He wants to reengineer the creation his own way. He is both evil and dumb. C. S. Lewis wrote, “The Devil is (in the long run) an ass.” But the book of Proverbs is where God speaks to us as our life coach, guiding us into the only real success that’s out there.
In Proverbs 1:8–19 we hear two voices—the wisdom that is reality-based and the folly that is in denial. Wisdom is speaking here as a loving father. Fools are speaking here too. Their message is a kind of reverse-evangelism. They are inviting us into their dead-end lives. But God is calling us into the beauty of real human relationships. Here is what God is saying in this passage: Refuse violence. It is tempting, but it will destroy you. Wisdom will beautify you.
But hold on here. Violence? That is a bad thing, we all know. But why is that message here? Has anyone ever said to you, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood” (v. 11)? In certain neighborhoods, that might happen. But still, this passage can seem surprising. As we have already seen, the book of Proverbs opens with a mini-introduction in 1:1–7, and then the rest of chapters 1–9 is the mega-introduction. Chapters 1–9 are a series of poems in praise of wisdom, preparing us for the actual proverbs in chapters 10–31. So, now we come to 1:8. We probably come to this verse thinking, “Okay, Mr. Super-Smart Wise Man, we’re ready. Tell us the positive difference wisdom can make in our lives.” And the first thing he says is, “Don’t join a gang!” Why that? Let’s get inside this and dig out the wisdom. There are three points here: the offer of wisdom, the warning of wisdom, and the promise of wisdom.
I HOPE YOU WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE FROM THIS QUICK STUDY.
PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
EVERLASTING SALVATION CHURH OF GOD MINISTRIES
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Church link:
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DO YOU HAVE THE ASSURANCE THAT YOU ARE SAVED?
DO YOU HAVE THE ASSURANCE THAT YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD?
The confident belief that one is truly saved, that he is already a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, destined to eternal life in glory, is not to be confused with the doctrine of security. “Quietness and assurance forever” are the effect of righteousness, Isa. 32:17. The NT speaks of full assurance of hope and of faith, Heb. 6:11; 10:22. The gospel came to the believers in Thessalonica in much assurance, 1 Thess. 1:5. Assurance comes to Christians when they understand the revelation God has given, Col. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:18.
Many of the occurrences of the word “know” in the NT emphasize the doctrine of assurance, Rom. 8:28; 1 Cor. 2:12; 15:58; 2 Cor. 5:1. It is normal for all Christians to know they are saved. 1 John was written so that believers may know they have eternal life, 1 John 5:13. The saints are exhorted to examine and prove to themselves that they are in the faith, 2 Cor. 13:5.
Among the revelations which provide a basis for assurance is 1 John 3:14 , “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren,” cf. 2:3 , 5; 3:19 , 24. Assurance is the work of the Holy Spirit. “The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God,” Rom. 8:16. Assurance is therefore not presumption; it is faith.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT, THINK ABOUT IT.
PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
EVERLASTING SALVATION CHURCH OF GOD MINISTRIES
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Church link:
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LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER
ROMANS12:10
“Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other.”
You don’t have to be related to someone to show them the same care you’d show your parents or siblings. Everyone is worthy of love.
EPHESIANS 4:32
“Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each other, in the same way God forgave you in Christ.”
Forgiveness comes out of the love you have for one another, and even in the hardest times, we remember how Christ forgives us for our own sins, too.
EPHESIANS 4:2-3
“Conduct yourselves with all humility, gentleness, and patience. Accept each other with love, and make an effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit with the peace that ties you together.”
Love goes hand-in-hand with things like patience and kindness and being humble. Embrace all of those Godly traits.
DEUTERONOMY 7:9
“Know now then that the Lord your God is the only true God! He is the faithful God, who keeps the covenant and proves loyal to everyone who loves him and keeps his commands—even to the thousandth generation!”
The Lord is the ultimate form of love and loyalty. He forgives and cares about His people even when they make mistakes. His love should be modeled towards everyone in your life.
LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER SAME AS GOD LOVES US. STOP THE HATE, STOP THE ENVY, STOP THE RACISM, STOP THE JEALOUSY.
LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
EVERLASTING SALVATION CHURCH OF GOD MINISTRIES
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Church link:
Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com
THE TEACHINGS OF GOD
Psalms 19:7-8 GW
The teachings of the Lord are perfect. They renew the soul. The testimony of the Lord is dependable. It makes gullible people wise. The instructions of the Lord are correct. They make the heart rejoice. The command of the Lord is radiant. It makes the eyes shine.
WE MUST NOT FORGET THE TEACHINGS OF THE LORD.
PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
EVERLASTING SALVATION CHURCH OF GOD MINISTRIES
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Church link:
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HAVE FAITH IN GOD
Philippians 4:13 ESV
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Mark 9:23 GW
Jesus said to him, “As far as possibilities go, everything is possible for the person who believes.”
Job 42:2 GW
“I know that you can do everything and that your plans are unstoppable.
Matthew 17:20 GW
He told them, “Because you have so little faith. I can guarantee this truth: If your faith is the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Proverbs 3:6 ESV
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
ALLOW THESE VERSES TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE.
PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
EVERLASTING SALVATION CHURCH OF GOD MINISTRIES
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Church link:
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WE MUST BE A BLESSING
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
Proverbs 19:17 ESV
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
Proverbs 28:27 ESV
Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
Proverbs 11:25 ESV
Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.
SOME PEOPLE ARE TOO SELFISH, GREEDY, AND SELF-CENTERED, DON’T BE LIKE THEM.
LET US BE A BLESSING UNTO THE ONES THAT STAND IN NEED, AND GOD WILL BE A BLESSING UNTO US.
WE CANNOT OUT GIVE GOD. AS WE GIVE TO OTHERS GOD GIVES TO US.
PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
EVERLASTING SALVATION CHURCH OF GOD MINISTRIES
PayPal.me/donatetochurch
Church link:
Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com