OUR GOD TEACHES US HOW TO HAVE A BLESSED LIFE, AND A LONG LIFE. Matthew 5:6 GW [6] Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for God’s approval. They will be satisfied. Psalms 128:1 GW [1] Blessed are all who fear the Lord and live his way. Jeremiah 17:7 GW [7] Blessed is the person who trusts the Lord. The Lord will be his confidence. 1 Kings 3:14 GW [14] And if you follow me and obey my laws and commands as your father David did, then I will also give you a long life.” Proverbs 3:1-2 GW [1] My son, do not forget my teachings, and keep my commands in mind, [2] because they will bring you long life, good years, and peace. Psalms 55:23 GW [23] But you, O God, will throw ⌞wicked people⌟ into the deepest pit. Bloodthirsty and deceitful people will not live out half their days. But I will trust you. ALLOW THESE VERSES TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
TAKE A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT THIS. Psalm 84:11 The LORD God is a sun and shield. The LORD grants favor and honor. He does not hold back any blessing from those who live innocently. LET US ALLOW THIS VERSE TO BE A GUIDE UNTO OUR LIFE. NOW LET US GIVE GOD A STRONG THANK YOU!!! GLOOORRRY!!! HALLELUJAH!!! Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
BE CAREFUL WHO YOU TAKE ADVICE FROM GOD GIVES ADVICE TO HIS PEOPLE. Psalm 32:8 ⸤The LORD says, “I will instruct you. I will teach you the way that you should go. I will advise you as my eyes watch over you. Psalm 16:7 I will praise the LORD, who advises me. My conscience warns me at night. Psalm 73:24 With your advice you guide me, and in the end you will take me to glory. HUMAN ADVICE CAN HAVE UNSEEN DANGERS Proverbs 12:5 The thoughts of righteous people are fair. The advice of wicked people is treacherous. Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the person who does not follow the advice of wicked people, take the path of sinners, or join the company of mockers. Ezekiel 11:2 Then the LORD said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plan evil and give bad advice in this city. OUR GOD GIVES US ADVICE THROUGH HIS WORD 2 Timothy 3:16 Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God’s approval. STOP LOOKING FOR ADVICE IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES. GOOD ADVICE, THE RIGHT ADVICE, THE BEST ADVICE COMES FROM GOD. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
GOD IS A TRINITY EPHESIANS 2:4–5 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14) God is beyond our full understanding, and it’s difficult to wrap our human minds around him. God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit are each fully God. Does that mean there are three gods? No. The Bible teaches that there is only one God. Does that mean that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are the same? No. As Christians, we believe in one God in a way that doesn’t deny the distinctions between the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. This is the mystery of the Trinity. Together the Father, Son and Holy Spirit do all things. Nevertheless, the Father is generally connected with creation, making the world. The Son, Jesus, is generally connected to redemption, making us right with God. The Holy Spirit is generally connected with growing us to be more like God. The Holy Spirit helps us grow by giving us understanding, by bringing our sin to our attention, so we can repent and be forgiven, and by guiding us to follow the Lord. The Father sent Jesus to earth to be born, die, rise again, and ascend to heaven. Together the Father and Son sent the Spirit, who brings God’s people into relationship with the Father and Son. “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:15–17). The Holy Spirit will give you courage, enable you to hear God’s voice, and give you words to speak when you share Jesus with others. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS QUICK REFRESHER. Evelastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatedtochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
WHY IS THE BIBLE IMPORTANT? All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17) Have you ever drawn a line only to find it’s not straight? Your freehanded line might look good, but when you put a ruler against it, you discover it’s crooked. A ruler helps you realize what’s straight and what’s not. The Bible is like a ruler for us. Something might look right to us, but when know what the Bible says, we can see that it’s actually “crooked.” The Bible is the word of God. We can trust it! It was true when it was written, it is true today, and it will be true forever. The Bible is the standard for Christian faith and action. When we aren’t sure if a belief or action is true, we should look at what God says in Scripture. God never contradicts himself. “The word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). Christians need to know the Bible, to study and memorize it. Psalm 119 calls the Bible a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. In showing us who to follow, it guides who we are and what we do. It builds up. It corrects us. It trains us in the way we should go. God’s word is powerful. It’s not empty, but instead it accomplishes what God desires. The Bible teaches the history of God’s people and the history of the King and Savior, Jesus Christ. This history is for all believers, even for us today. The Bible shows us who God is and what he has done, still does, and will do. It also shows us who we are and how we should live. Because Christ has already won the victory over sin, death, and the devil, we know that this victory will be ours! THE BIBLE IS IMPORTANT, WE MUST STUDY THE BIBLE. ALLOW THE BIBLE TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE AND BE BLESSED BY GOD. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
WHAT DOES FREEDOM REALLY MEAN? You are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. (Galatians 4:7) Have you ever said, “It’s my life. I’m free to do whatever makes me happy”? After a while, whatever you choose to pursue—popularity, alcohol, relationships, living selfishly, or trying hard to be perfect—becomes something that controls you instead of you controlling it. Soon the choice doesn’t feel like a choice at all. Instead of being free, you’re a slave. Before we commit our lives to Jesus we are slaves to sin. Even if we try to be good, we still aren’t free. Freedom is an illusion. We are tangled up in our sin, and it is impossible to set ourselves free. When we commit our lives to Jesus, we are freed from our slavery. Only God brings real freedom. He frees us from everything we’ve been controlled by. Only God—who is absolutely perfect and all-powerful—can make us his children and save us. Jesus forgives us. Jesus heals us. Jesus makes us whole. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see instant change. The more you know God, the more you will become the person God created you to be. He knows what your purpose is, what is best for you, what you are good at, and how your experiences will be used in the future. He will help you get past what holds you back. He will make you whole. FREEDOM THROUGH CHRIST. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
THE JOURNEY BEGINS EZEKIEL 36:26–27 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. (Romans 10:9–10) During a wedding ceremony, two people make a commitment to be together for life. They vow to choose each other every day from that day forward. They leave behind an old life of living for themselves and move forward in a new life together as they are pronounced husband and wife. It would be ridiculous for the bride and groom to walk back down the aisle, look at each other, and say, “Thanks for the great wedding day, but I’m going to do my own thing now.” Or, “That was a great one-day experience, but it does not change me or my life.” No! The newlyweds celebrate with a honeymoon to grow closer. They share a home and a life together. Their wedding vows are the starting point of their life together, not the end. They commit to continue to grow in unity. If you believe Jesus died and rose again to forgive you and to give you true life, if you have asked him to forgive you, if you have asked him to come into your life, then hooray! You have begun an incredible journey with the Lord of the universe. No longer do you have to worry about whether you’re good enough for God, because in Christ you are God’s own child! Nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus. When you feel alone or when you experience guilt and shame, you can turn to God instead of running away from him. You are forgiven! A relationship with God is better than any other relationship or anything you can buy. It’s permanent and will change you more than anything else in your life. Welcome to the beginning of a lifelong journey. (Spoiler alert: this one ends in happily ever after. ENJOY THE JOURNEY!!! Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch Pastor Andra Higginbotham
Christ and Evil Spirits There are many who are possessed by evil spirits still. 1. The evil spirits of the greed of covetousness—1 Tim. 6:10. 2. The love of the world—2 Tim. 4:10. 3. The inflation of pride—1 Tim. 3:6. 4. The exaltation of self—3 John 9. 5. The blight of error—1 Tim. 1:19, 20. 6. The division of sectarianism—1 Cor. 1:11–13. 7. The demon of envy—Acts 7:9. These are some of the evil spirits around. Christ can expel these, and cure from the ill effects, as He did of old—Luke 8:2. TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE SEARCHING TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN FIND IN SOMEONE ELSE, BUT WE NEED TO CONSTANTLY BE SEARCHING OURSELF. DON’T CONTINUE LIVING WITH THE EVIL SPIRITS THAT HAVE POSSESSED YOU. TAKE THEM TO JESUS, HE CAN FREE YOU FROM THOSE EVIL SPIRITS. CHECK YOURSELF!!! Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
