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
WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES I like what the Bible says in Proverbs 28:13 (TLB), “A person who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if that person confesses and forsakes those mistakes, another chance is given.” In other words, he gets a fresh start. It is hard to get people to admit when they are wrong. People do not like to admit, I made a mistake, and I blew it. God says that if we admit the mistake, if we admit our failures, and if we admit our sin, then we get another chance in life. Many people blame others for all of their troubles. They make excuses for their problems. And they give up. But we can’t give up. A fresh start is available to us right now. Proverbs 24:10 (NCV) says, “If you give up when troubles come, it shows that you are weak.” It’s always too soon to quit. The Bible says we need to stop making excuses, admit when it’s our fault and get on with life. There is no success without making mistakes. If you’re not making any mistakes, you’re not growing. You had better just resolve in your heart that you’re going to miss it, mess up, fail, fall, get it wrong. You are going to make mistakes every week, probably every day. You need to learn that it’s okay to make mistakes; it’s okay to fail, as long as you take that failure and gain wisdom from it. What you want to do is learn from it, because God uses failure to educate us. That means we tend to get out of life what we expect: “According to your faith it will be done to you.” Psalm 37:24 – Though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand. Proverbs 28:13 – Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. Philippians 3:13 – Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead … The righteous man’s experience need not be the dismal repetition of the same mistakes again and again. He may conquer one evil habit or correct one mistake, but always there are new areas in which he fails and fresh ways in which he misses the mark. But he keeps on trying. The biblical record is full of this kind of picture of man. Man falls—but he does not stay fallen. He who comes to God with a humble and contrite heart can have a right spirit renewed within him (Ps. 51). His past mistakes are steppingstones to a better self. For him the greatest failure is not falling, but failing to rise again. The man who never falls is either a god or a self-deluded creature. The good news of Christianity accepts the fact that men fall because they are human, but it also affirms that men do not need to stay down. A divine hand is always ready to help a man to his feet again if he hungers and thirsts for righteousness. WE ARE NOT PERFECT WE WILL MAKE MISTAKES. DON’T ALLOW YOUR MISTAKES TO CAUSE YOU TO STAY DOWN. REPENT, GET BACK UP AND CONTINUE ON UP THE KING’S HIGHWAY. Romans 8:1 – There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
WE CAN DEPEND ON GOD Psalm 46:1 NIV God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. OUR SAFETY IS IN GOD, GOD IS OUR PROTECTOR. OUR STRENGTH COMES FROM THE LORD. OUR HELP COMES FROM THE LORD. OUR GOD HAS OUR BACK FOREVER!!! GLORY!!! HALLELUJAH!!! 1 Peter 5:6-7 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
A PRAYERFUL SPIRIT Mark 4:24 He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you’re listening to! ⸤Knowledge⸥ will be measured out to you by the measure ⸤of attention⸥ you give. This is the way knowledge increases. Luke 11:9 “So I tell you to ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. Philippians 4:7 Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus. A prayerful spirit is the spirit to which God will speak. A prayerful spirit will be a listening spirit waiting to hear what God says. In the intercourse with God His presence and the part He takes must be as real as my own. I HOPE YOU RECEIVED FROM THIS QUICK REFRESHER. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
GOD IS EVERYWHERE AND GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING “Am I only a God nearby,” declares the LORD, “and not a God far away? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the LORD. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:23–24) Have you ever hoped for a friend who would be there for you no matter what? A friend who knows everything about you, even anticipating what you’ll say next? A friend who never leaves you lonely and who understands you even before you explain yourself? God understands you, he knows everything about you (yes, even the embarrassing parts), and he is always there for you. “Where can I go from your Spirit?” the psalmist exclaims. “Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there” (Psalm 139:7–8). You can’t run away from God. Even your thoughts are known to him. “Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely” (Psalm 139:4). The darkness will never be dark enough to hide you from him. “Even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you” (Psalm 139:12). Nothing surprises God. He created you, and he knows you better than you know yourself! Think of a time in your life when you felt lonely or abandoned, or a time when you thought no one saw what you saw. God was there every time. God is everywhere. He cares for his people across the world, accomplishes his purposes in all places, and sees your hurts and dreams, all at the same time. He hears the prayers you pray. He even hears your prayers that you think don’t make sense. Not only does he know, but he also cares. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS QUICK REFRESHER. Evelastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
Live wisely James 3:13 EASY [13] Do some of you think that you are wise? Do you think that you are clever? If so, show that you are wise by the way that you live. Be kind to other people. Do things that are good. That is what it means to be wise. Micah 6:8 EASY [8] But God has told us what is good. This is what the Lord wants from us: ‘You must be fair to other people,’ God says. ‘You must want to be kind. And you must be careful to do what I show you.’ 1 Peter 3:10 EASY [10] The Bible says this: ‘Do you want to enjoy your life? Do you want to be happy? Then you must be careful not to say evil things. Do not tell any lies. Psalms 34:12-13 EASY [12] Do you want to live a good life? Do you want your life to be long and happy? [13] If so, do not speak any evil words. Do not tell lies to deceive people. ALLOW THESE VERSES TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
SHOULD WOMEN BE PASTORS The Word of God proclaims, “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent” (1 Timothy 2:11–12). In the church, God assigns different roles to men and women. This is a result of the way mankind was created and the way in which sin entered the world (1 Timothy 2:13–14). God, through the apostle Paul, restricts women from serving in roles of teaching and/or having spiritual authority over men. This precludes women from serving as pastors over men, since pastoring definitely includes preaching, teaching publicly, and exercising spiritual authority. There are many objections to this view of women in pastoral ministry. A common one is that Paul restricts women from teaching because in the first century, women were typically uneducated. However, 1 Timothy 2:11–14 nowhere mentions educational status. If education were a qualification for ministry, then the majority of Jesus’ disciples would not have been qualified. A second common objection is that Paul only restricted the women of Ephesus from teaching men (1 Timothy was written to Timothy, the pastor of the church in Ephesus). Ephesus was known for its temple to Artemis, and women were the authorities in that branch of paganism—therefore, the theory goes, Paul was only reacting against the female-led customs of the Ephesian idolaters, and the church needed to be different. However, the book of 1 Timothy nowhere mentions Artemis, nor does Paul mention the standard practice of Artemis worshipers as a reason for the restrictions in 1 Timothy 2:11–12. A third objection is that Paul is only referring to husbands and wives, not men and women in general. The Greek words for “woman” and “man” in 1 Timothy 2 could refer to husbands and wives; however, the basic meaning of the words is broader than that. Further, the same Greek words are used in verses 8–10. Are only husbands to lift up holy hands in prayer without anger and disputing (verse ? Are only wives to dress modestly, have good deeds, and worship God (verses 9–10)? Of course not. Verses 8–10 clearly refer to all men and women, not just husbands and wives. There is nothing in the context that would indicate a narrowing to husbands and wives in verses 11–14. Yet another objection to this interpretation of women in pastoral ministry references women in positions of leadership in the Bible, specifically Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah in the Old Testament. It is true that these women were chosen by God for special service to Him and that they stand as models of faith, courage, and, yes, leadership. However, the authority of women in the Old Testament is not relevant to the issue of pastors in the church. The New Testament Epistles present a new paradigm for God’s people—the church, the body of Christ—and that paradigm involves an authority structure unique to the church, not for the nation of Israel or any other Old Testament entity. Similar arguments are made using Priscilla and Phoebe in the New Testament. In Acts 18, Priscilla and Aquila are presented as faithful ministers for Christ. In verse 18, Priscilla’s name is mentioned first, suggesting to some that she was more prominent in ministry than her husband. (The detail of whose name comes first is probably inconsequential, because in verses 2 and 26 the order is reversed from that of verse 18.) Did Priscilla and her husband teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to Apollos? Yes, in their home they “explained to him the way of God more adequately” (Acts 18:26). Does the Bible ever say that Priscilla pastored a church or taught publicly or became the spiritual leader of a congregation of saints? No. As far as we know, Priscilla was not involved in ministry activity in contradiction to 1 Timothy 2:11–14. In Romans 16:1, Phoebe is called a “deacon” (or “servant”) in the church and is highly commended by Paul. But, as with Priscilla, there is nothing in Scripture to indicate that Phoebe was a pastor or a teacher of men in the church. “Able to teach” is given as a qualification for elders, but not for deacons (1 Timothy 3:1–13; Titus 1:6–9). The structure of 1 Timothy 2:11–14 makes the reason why women cannot be pastors perfectly clear. Verse 13 begins with “for,” giving the “cause” of Paul’s statement in verses 11–12. Why should women not teach or have authority over men? Because “Adam was created first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived” (verses 13–14). God created Adam first and then created Eve to be a “helper” for Adam. The order of creation has universal application in the family (Ephesians 5:22–33) and in the church. The fact that Eve was deceived is also given as a reason for women not serving as pastors or having spiritual authority over men (1 Timothy 2:14). This does not mean that women are gullible or that they are all more easily deceived than men. If all women are more easily deceived, why would they be allowed to teach children (who are easily deceived) and other women (who are supposedly more easily deceived)? The text simply says that women are not to teach men or have spiritual authority over men because Eve was deceived. God has chosen to give men the primary teaching authority in the church. Many women excel in gifts of hospitality, mercy, teaching, evangelism, and helping/serving. Much of the ministry of the local church depends on women. Women in the church are not restricted from public praying or prophesying (1 Corinthians 11:5), only from having spiritual teaching authority over men. The Bible nowhere restricts women from exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12). Women, just as much as men, are called to minister to others, to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23), and to proclaim the gospel to the lost (Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15). God has ordained that only men are to serve in positions of spiritual teaching authority in the church. This does not imply men are better teachers or that women are inferior or less intelligent. It is simply the way God designed the church to function. Men are to set the example in spiritual leadership—in their lives and through their words. Women are also to set an example in their lives, but in a different way (1 Peter 3:1-6). Women are encouraged to teach other women (Titus 2:3–5). The Bible also does not restrict women from teaching children. The only activity women are restricted from is teaching or having spiritual authority over men. This bars women from serving as pastors to men. This does not make women less important, by any means; rather, it gives them a ministry focus more in agreement with God’s design. I HOPE YOU FOUND THIS QUICK STUDY TO BE HELPFUL. WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
? Are only wives to dress modestly, have good deeds, and worship God (verses 9–10)? Of course not. Verses 8–10 clearly refer to all men and women, not just husbands and wives. There is nothing in the context that would indicate a narrowing to husbands and wives in verses 11–14.