GOD IS LOVE THAT WON’T FADE In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37–39) All around us we see love fail. We see relationships end in breakups. We see marriages end in divorce. We see friendships end. Some love us based on our performance. They love us as long as we look good, keep it together, and do what they want. We love people who don’t love us back or maybe they love us but do a lousy job showing it. We let people down and miss opportunities to love well. We think we love, but we doubt our love when our feelings go away and the relationship has challenges. God’s love is nothing like those “loves.” His love endures forever. God’s love is not based on what we do or don’t do. Our choices bring consequences, and they must be faced, but they won’t change God’s love for us. God pursues us no matter how much we reject him. His love for us is unconditional and permanent. “You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Psalm 86:15). The love of God changes who we are and how we relate to other people. His love is unfailingly patient, kind, protecting, merciful, and hopeful. His love seeps into us, and then it pours back out of us onto the people around us. His love gives us strength to do things that seem impossible. LET US BE THANKFUL THAT OUR GOD LOVES US. WHERE WOULD WE BE, AND HOW WOULD WE BE WITHOUT THE LOVE OF GOD? Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT THE FALL (Gen. 2:8–3:24) 1. Where did God place man when he had created him? In the Garden of Eden. Gen. 2:8–17. 2. Where was this garden? Probably near the present river Euphrates, in Asia. 3. What description have we given to us of this garden? That God made to grow in it the tree of life, the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. 4. How was it watered? By a river that flowed to the sea in four branches, one of which was called the Euphrates, and may very likely be the river now known by that name. 5. Was man idle in the Garden of Eden? He was put into the garden to dress it and keep it. 6. Were there any restrictions in the use of the garden? Man could eat of every tree or plant of the garden save of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 7. Did man obey God’s command? He did not; he ate of the forbidden fruit. Gen. 3:1–24. 8. Who was the first transgressor? Eve. 9. How came it about? The devil, in the form of a serpent, deceived her by a lie, saying that they would not surely die, as God had said, but be as gods, knowing good and evil. 10. What foolish plan did they adopt to hide their shame? They hid themselves amongst the trees of the garden. 11. Can any place conceal us from God? None. “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?… Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.” Ps. 139:7, 12. 12. What is it that makes us fear to meet God? The consciousness that we have sinned and that he knows it. 13. What ought we to do when we know that we have sinned? To confess and be truly sorry for our sin; to come to God, through Christ, for pardon; and to forsake it. 14. How did God clothe the bodies of Adam and Eve? In coats of skin. 15. What punishment came because of this sin? Satan and the serpent in whose form he appeared were to be finally conquered; Man was to be driven from Eden, and forced to work for his support, and finally to die; and Woman was to endure suffering, and be ruled by man. 16. How was man to know that the ground also was cursed? By the weeds it brought forth, and the labor required to till it. 17. Was there not a special mercy granted to the woman? Yes, that she should be the ancestress of Christ. Gen. 3:15. 18. Why could man live no longer in the Garden of Eden? Lest they should eat of the tree of life, and live forever upon earth in their fallen condition. 19. Is the tree of life ever mentioned again in Scripture? In Revelation, as standing by the river of the water of life, in the midst of the paradise of God. Rev. 2:7; 22:1, 2. 20. How did God guard the gate of Eden? By cherubim and a flaming sword. 21. Why did Adam name his wife Eve? Because she was the mother of all living; and the word means “living” or “life.” LET ME KNOW IF YOU ENJOYED AND RECEIVED FROM THIS QUICK STUDY. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
SOME OF THE THINGS WE ARE TAUGHT IN PROVERBS. What is the beginning of wisdom? The fear of the Lord. Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. Stubborn fools despise wisdom and discipline. What reward is promised those who seek diligently after Wisdom? That they shall find. From what will Wisdom preserve them? True wisdom preserves from the ways and society of the wicked, from all folly and sin, and from all real evil. Have those anything to fear who put their trust in the Lord? Why not? No, because the Lord has promised it. Proverbs 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths smooth. Proverbs 3:21-26 My son, do not lose sight of these things. Use priceless wisdom and foresight. Then they will mean life for you, and they will grace your neck. Then you will go safely on your way, and you will not hurt your foot. When you lie down, you will not be afraid. As you lie there, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the destruction of wicked people when it comes. The LORD will be your confidence. He will keep your foot from getting caught. What chapter teaches the qualities of the virtuous woman? Chapter 31. JUST A QUICK REFRESHER, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
THE BIBLE SPEAKS ABOUT RACISM The first thing to understand in this discussion is that there is only one race—the human race. Caucasians, Africans, Asians, Indians, Arabs, and Jews are not different races. Rather, they are different ethnicities of the human race. All human beings have the same physical characteristics (with minor variations, of course). More importantly, all human beings are equally created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). God loved the world so much that He sent Jesus to lay down His life for us (John 3:16). The “world” obviously includes all ethnic groups. God does not show partiality or favoritism (Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9), and neither should we. James 2:4 describes those who discriminate as “judges with evil thoughts.” Instead, we are to love our neighbors as ourselves (James 2:8). All forms of racism, prejudice, and discrimination are affronts to the work of Christ on the cross. Jesus commands us to love one another as He loves us (John 13:34). If God is impartial and loves us with impartiality, then we need to love others with that same high standard. Jesus teaches in Matthew 25 that whatever we do to the least of His brothers, we do to Him. If we treat a person with contempt, we are mistreating a person created in God’s image; we are hurting somebody whom God loves and for whom Jesus died. Racism, in varying forms and to various degrees, has been a plague on humanity for thousands of years. Brothers and sisters of all ethnicities, this should not be. Victims of racism, prejudice, and discrimination need to forgive. Ephesians 4:32 declares, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Racists may not deserve your forgiveness, but we deserved God’s forgiveness far less. Those who practice racism, prejudice, and discrimination need to repent. “Present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Romans 6:13). May Galatians 3:28 be completely realized, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” MAKE YOUR MIND UP, YOU CAN BE A CHRISTIAN OR A RACIST, BUT YOU CANNOT BE BOTH. LET US REMEMBER THERE IS ONLY ONE RACE, ALL CREATED BY GOD FROM THE SAME BLOOD. LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER NO MATTER WHAT THE COLOR OUR SKIN MAY BE. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
GOD IS THE GIVER OF ALL THINGS When it comes to having lots of money, the Bible says that God is the one who makes someone wealthy. Proverbs 22:2 states, “Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.” Note that the writer doesn’t say, “Maker of both.” Rather, he says, “Maker of them all.” The declaration here is that God is the giver of all things to all people. When it comes to the skills and abilities that lead to success in various fields, we see the same emphasis in the Bible—God is the giver. Consider 1 Corinthians 4:7, “For who makes you to differ from anyone else? What do you have that you have not received?” The implication in these questions is that our abilities and skills come from God. These are just a few verses declaring that every thing, every ability, and every position is God’s gift. John the Baptist summarizes in John 3:27, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.” If any person can do anything defined as “successful,” it is only because God has given him or her that ability. LET US NOT FORGET THAT ALL GOOD IN OUR LIFE COMES FROM GOD. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
OUR GOD Revelation 1:8 KJV I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. OUR GOD ALWAY HAS BEEN, OUR GOD IS NOW, AND OUR GOD ALWAYS WILL BE ALMIGHTY. IF YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. OUR GOD HAVE OUR BACK FOREVER!!!! GLORY!!! HALLELUJAH!!! OUR GOD IS ALMIGHTY!!! Matthew 6:33, NLT Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. WE MUST LIVE OUR LIFE SEEKING GOD FIRST. WE MUST LIVE A RIGHTEOUS LIFE. IF WE WILL DO THOSE TWO THINGS GOD WILL BLESS US WITH ALL THAT WE NEED. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
TRUST GOD Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. Isaiah 41:13 For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Psalm 18:1-2 I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. OUR GOD IS WITH US, OUR GOD WILL HELP US, TRUST GOD AND SUBMIT TO GOD. MOST OF ALL LOVE GOD, HE LOVES US. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
Conduct Rooted in Character 1 Peter 2:11–12 Dear friends, since you are foreigners and temporary residents ⸤in the world⸥, I’m encouraging you to keep away from the desires of your corrupt nature. These desires constantly attack you. Live decent lives among unbelievers. Then, although they ridicule you as if you were doing wrong while they are watching you do good things, they will praise God on the day he comes to help you. Colossians 3:12–15 As holy people whom God has chosen and loved, be sympathetic, kind, humble, gentle, and patient. Put up with each other, and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Above all, be loving.This ties everything together perfectly. Also, let Christ’s peace control you. God has called you into this peace by bringing you into one body. Be thankful. Conduct is what we do; character is what we are. Conduct is the outward life. Character is the life unseen, hidden within, yet evidenced by that which is seen. Conduct is external, seen from without; character is internal—operating within. In the economy of grace, conduct is the offspring of character. Character is the state of the heart, conduct its outward expression. Character is the root of the tree, conduct, the fruit it bears. I HOPE YOU FOUND THIS QUICK REFRESHER TO BE HELPFUL. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
Proverbs 18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love to talk will have to eat their own words. The Power of the Tongue.—Words have tremendous power for good or ill. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. one can understand why sages and teachers are conscious of the power of speech, since much of their life is given to communication through words. The sages were especially aware of “speech difficulties.” Almost every chapter in the collection of proverbs has something to say about the kinds of speech that get people into trouble, and the kinds that are helpful. Words can hurt or heal those who hear them. Words can harm or help the person who speaks them. Proverbs makes many suggestions regarding the use of the tongue. Restraint in speech is commended. Persons who speak rashly, who pour forth words before they have given themselves a chance to think, will get into trouble. Words cannot be recalled after they have been spoken, any more than arrows can be called back after they have left the bow. “The mouths of fools pour out folly” (15:2). one can almost hear the cascade of words as they fall from the lips of the garrulous individual. When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is prudent (10:19). The rash and voluble talker has the law of averages against him, for sooner or later he will cause damage by some unguarded remark. Silence is better than glib talk. Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips he is deemed intelligent (17:28). I HOPE YOU FOUND THIS QUICK REFRESHER TO BE HELPFUL. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
