God’s faithfulness Numbers 23:19 God is not like people. He tells no lies. He is not like humans. He doesn’t change his mind. When he says something, he does it. When he makes a promise, he keeps it. Deuteronomy 7:9 Keep in mind that the LORD your God is ⸤the only⸥ God. He is a faithful God, who keeps his promise and is merciful to thousands of generations of those who love him and obey his commands. Lamentations 3:21–23 “The reason I can ⸤still⸥ find hope is that I keep this one thing in mind: the LORD’s mercy. We were not completely wiped out. His compassion is never limited. It is new every morning. His faithfulness is great. Luke 1:46–52 Mary said, “My soul praises the Lord’s greatness! My spirit finds its joy in God, my Savior, because he has looked favorably on me, his humble servant. “From now on, all people will call me blessed because the Almighty has done great things to me. His name is holy. For those who fear him, his mercy lasts throughout every generation. “He displayed his mighty power. He scattered those who think too highly of themselves. He pulled strong rulers from their thrones. He honored humble people. Hebrews 10:23 We must continue to hold firmly to our declaration of faith. The one who made the promise is faithful. OUR GOD LOVES US. OUR GOD IS FAITHFUL. IF OUR GOD SAID IT WE CAN BELIEVE IT. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
THINK ABOUT IT. Romans 12:18-19 GNB Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody.Never take revenge, my friends, but instead let God’s anger do it.For the scripture says, “I will take revenge, I will pay back, says the Lord.” DON’T START TROUBLE, LIVE IN PEACE. DON’T ALLOW ANYONE TO CAUSE YOU TO GET INTO TROUBLE. LET GOD FIGHT YOUR BATTLES. GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF IT. 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. WE CAN TRUST GOD TO TAKE CARE OF US. LIVE GODLY, TRUST GOD AND BE BLESSED. FOOD FOR THOUGHT Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
GOD IS WITH US. Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do no fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” John 14:23 “Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.” Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” OUR GOD IS WITH US, WE ARE NOT ALONE. THINK ABOUT IT. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
OUR GOD SPEAKS TO US ABOUT GRIEF AND LOSS When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.… Jesus wept. John 11:33, 35 Expressing sorrow is a healthy response to grief. Even with the full knowledge that He would bring Lazarus to life only moments later, Jesus wept. He was angered to see the ravaging effects of sin on His precious child. Being a Christian does not mean being happy all the time. Jesus Himself was “deeply moved in spirit and troubled” at death. Jesus knows the pain of loss and deep sorrow. He knows the incredible power of death and understands our pain. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25–26 Because of sin, death comes to all of us (Rom. 5:12–14). Though we may try to ignore it, we cannot escape it. Feared or embraced, expected or not, death still occurs. When we are faced with the reality of loss, we begin to grasp that death is not normal. Even in the midst of sorrow, Jesus is life. As believers, we do not grieve as those who have no hope, because death is not eternal for Christians. “The sting of death is sin” (1 Cor. 15:56), but death is no more than a passing shadow between this earth and God’s presence. WHAT AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE IT IS TO BE CALLED HOME TO BE WITH GOD. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
LET US RESPECT, AND TRUST GOD Proverbs 30:5, 6 Agur had great respect for the Divine Word of God. His attitude needs to be embraced by more people today. 1. The Character of the Word (Proverbs 30:5) “Every word of God is pure; he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him” (Proverbs 30:5). The character of the Word is described in a twofold way here. • The purity of the Word. “Every word of God is pure.” It is completely true with no mixture of error in it. No other book can claim this attribute as strongly and surely as the Scriptures. • The protection by the Word. “He is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.” Here the Word is personified in a Person. It is impossible to separate the revelation of the Word from the revelation of God and Christ. If you trust in Him, you trust in His Word. The protection comes from trust. Unbelief in God’s Word will forfeit any protection for you from the Word. 2. The Contents of the Word (Proverbs 30:6) “Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:6). This is a warning to not tamper with the contents of the Scripture • The practice of adding to the Scriptures. “Add thou not unto his words.” This can be done by either addition or subtraction, for in either case it adds a meaning to Scripture that is not in the original. Revising and improving translations is not adding to the Scripture but perverted translations and interpretations can be and are very guilty of adding meaning to the Scripture which is not in the original. The injunction about adding or subtracting from the Scriptures is also stated in Deuteronomy 4:2 and 12:32. Revelation 22:18, 19 has a very strong warning about tampering with that book of the Scriptures. • The punishment for adding to the Scriptures. “Reprove … found a liar.” Judgment comes upon those who tamper with the Word of God. This judgment is stated quite mildly compared to the judgment expressed in Revelation 22:18, 19. To be reproved of God and revealed as a liar by God is judgment one does not want to experience in the slightest. PROVERBS 30:5-6 “All of God’s word has proven to be true. He is a shield to those who come to him for protection. Do not add to his words, or he will reprimand you, and you will be found to be a liar. WE MUST RESPECT THE WORD OF GOD. THE WORD OF GOD IS COMPLETELY TRUE. WE MUS TRUST THE WORD OF GOD. I HOPE YOU ARE WILLING TO RECEIVE THIS WORD FROM GOD. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
The Power of Words 1 Timothy 5:19–22 19 Don’t pay attention to an accusation against a spiritual leader unless it is supported by two or three witnesses. 20 Reprimand those leaders who sin. Do it in front of everyone so that the other leaders will also be afraid. 21 I solemnly call on you in the sight of God, Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels to be impartial when you follow what I’ve told you. Never play favorites. 22 Don’t be in a hurry to place your hands on anyone ⸤to ordain him⸥. Don’t participate in the sins of others. Keep yourself morally pure. Gossip kills churches. And gossip is always painful, especially when disguised as concern. A request to “pray for so-and-so because of this thing they did” is not asking for prayer; it’s gossiping. If you know some personal detail about someone’s mishap, don’t share it with everyone—take it to God. Entire leadership structures have been wrongfully destroyed because of rumors starting this way. Paul warns against rumors when he says, “Do not accept an accusation against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses” (1 Tim 5:19). How often have we heard something and been so influenced by it that we accuse someone on the basis of that rumor? Hearing something may make it feel factual, but it’s circumstantial at best. Although Paul is cautious, he has no tolerance for leaders who sin repeatedly, especially those sinning directly against the community. He tells Timothy to “reprove those who sin in the presence of all, in order that the rest also may experience fear” (1 Tim 5:20). The fear Paul means is a good kind; it keeps people from sinning. It’s not just a fear of getting caught, but an understanding that there are ramifications for the abuse of power or lack of godly conduct. Paul is not creating a legalistic system here; instead, he is focusing on making people feel what God feels when they sin. They shouldn’t be consumed with guilt, but they should feel enough shame in their actions to realize that they need grace—that they need to step out of a leadership position if they misuse their power. Paul doesn’t demand that these people be cast out of the community. He requires that such leaders be reconciled to the faith community and be made an example so that others don’t do the same. Paul’s entire framework is based on his assumption that leaders will be godly; he provided details for determining that standard earlier (e.g., 1 Tim 3:1–12). Leaders who fall short must be held accountable. And above all, leaders must be chosen wisely. If they live and conduct themselves in line with God’s work, they will have no need to fear accusations against them. How can you help establish and support a correct leadership structure in your faith community? How can you help stop any false accusations or gossip? PEOPLE NEED TO STOP SITTING STILL AND BEGIN TO DO SOMETHING. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
OUR GOD IS TAKING TIME TO TALK TO US THROUGH HIS WORD. The Wordy Tongue “The mouth of fools poureth out foolishness” (Proverbs 15:2). Fools talk too much, and since they have little substance in what they say, their talk is an abundance of foolishness. Proverbs 15:2 The tongues of wise people give good expression to knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out a flood of stupidity. Unrestrained Rhetoric “A fool uttereth all his mind; but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards” (Proverbs 29:11). A fool talks too much. Wise men restrain their tongue. Proverbs 29:11 A fool expresses all his emotions, but a wise person controls them. A fool expresses all his emotions, but a wise person controls them. Gossiping Since gossiping betrays a confidence (also stated in 11:13a), a person ought to be careful with whom he shares secrets. Gossiping is also denounced in 16:28; 18:8; 26:20, 22. So people who talk too much should be avoided because they will probably divulge information that should be kept confidential. Proverbs 20:19 Whoever goes around as a gossip tells secrets. Do not associate with a person whose mouth is always open. DON’T BE ONE THAT TALKS TOO MUCH AND BE CAREFUL OF DRAWING TOO CLOSE TO PEOPLE THAT TALK TOO MUCH. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
OUR GOD IS STILL A MIRACLE WORKER Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:27 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Mark 9:23 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Luke 18:27 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” Luke 8:50 For no word from God will ever fail. Luke 1:37 OBEY, TRUST, BELIEVE, AND RECEIVE. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
OUR GOD WILL GUIDE US IF WE ALLOW HIM TOO. Psalm 25:5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day. Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. Psalm 48:14 For such is God, Our God forever and ever; He will guide us until death. Proverbs 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Exodus 23:20 “Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 2 Thessalonians 3:5 May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ. ALLOW GOD TO GUIDE YOUR FOOTSTEPS. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
HOW CAN WE WHO HAS DIED TO SIN STILL LIVE IN IT? Romans 6:1-7 GW [1] What should we say then? Should we continue to sin so that God’s kindness will increase? [2] That’s unthinkable! As far as sin is concerned, we have died. So how can we still live under sin’s influence? [3] Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? [4] When we were baptized into his death, we were placed into the tomb with him. As Christ was brought back from death to life by the glorious power of the Father, so we, too, should live a new kind of life. [5] If we’ve become united with him in a death like his, certainly we will also be united with him when we come back to life as he did. [6] We know that the person we used to be was crucified with him to put an end to sin in our bodies. Because of this we are no longer slaves to sin. [7] The person who has died has been freed from sin. AGAIN, HOW CAN WE WHO HAS DIED TO SIN STILL LIVE IN IT? THINK ABOUT IT. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
