THE BIBLE SPEAKS TO US ABOUT DECISIONS (IT’S UP TO US TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS.) PayPal.me/donatetochurch Following God fully. Numbers 32:12 Only Caleb (son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite) and Joshua (son of Nun) will get to see the land. This is because they wholeheartedly followed the LORD. Necessary to the service of God. Luke 9:62 Jesus said to him, “Whoever starts to plow and looks back is not fit for God’s kingdom.” Seeking God with the heart. 2 Chronicles15:12 They made an agreement with one another to dedicate their lives to serving the LORD God of their ancestors with all their heart and soul. Keeping the commandments of God. Nehemiah 10:29 They joined their relatives, the nobles, in binding themselves with a curse and an oath to follow God’s teachings given by Moses, God’s servant. They also bound themselves to follow all the commandments, rules, and regulations of the LORD our Lord. Being on the Lord’s side. Exodus 32:26 he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “If you’re on the LORD’s side, come over here to me!” Then all the Levites gathered around him. Loving God perfectly. Deuteronomy 6:5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Blessedness of. Joshua 1:7 “Only be strong and very courageous, faithfully doing everything in the teachings that my servant Moses commanded you. Don’t turn away from them. Then you will succeed wherever you go. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com ALLOW THESE VERSES TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE. PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
ETERNAL DEATH The necessary consequence of sin. Romans 6:16 Don’t you know that if you offer to be someone’s slave, you must obey that master? Either your master is sin, or your master is obedience. Letting sin be your master leads to death. Letting obedience be your master leads to God’s approval. Romans 8:13 If you live by your corrupt nature, you are going to die. But if you use your spiritual nature to put to death the evil activities of the body, you will live. James 1:13–15 When someone is tempted, he shouldn’t say that God is tempting him. God can’t be tempted by evil, and God doesn’t tempt anyone. Everyone is tempted by his own desires as they lure him away and trap him. Then desire becomes pregnant and gives birth to sin. When sin grows up, it gives birth to death. The wages of sin. Romans 6:23 The payment for sin is death, but the gift that God freely gives is everlasting life found in Christ Jesus our Lord. The portion of the wicked. Matthew 25:41 “Then the king will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me! God has cursed you! Go into everlasting fire that was prepared for the devil and his angels! Matthew 25:46 “These people will go away into eternal punishment, but those with God’s approval will go into eternal life.” Romans 1:32 Although they know God’s judgment that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do these things but also approve of others who do them. Christ, the only way of escape from. John 3:16 God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but to save the world. Acts 4:12 No one else can save us. Indeed, we can be saved only by the power of the one named Jesus and not by any other person.” ALLOW THESE VERSES TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
WE MUST TESTIFY ABOUT JESUS Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com 1 PETER 2:24 AMP He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross [willingly offering Himself on it, as on an altar of sacrifice], so that we might die to sin [becoming immune from the penalty and power of sin] and live for righteousness; for by His wounds you [who believe] have been healed. THANK’S TO JESUS, SIN DOESN’T HAVE POWER OVER US. STOP SINNING, LIVE A RIGHTEOUS LIFE. Acts 4:33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all. WE MUST CONTINUE TO TESTIFY TO THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS. WE MUST TELL PEOPLE THAT JESUS GOT UP, AND THAT JESUS IS ALIVE. JESUS IS ALIVE IN US. GLORY!!! HALLELUJAH!!! PASTOR: ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
Proverbs 8:17 I love those who love me. Those eagerly looking for me will find me. Matthew 7:7–8 “Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find, and for the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 2 Chronicles 15:1–2 God’s Spirit came to Azariah, son of Oded. Azariah went to Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all you men from Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you will dedicate your lives to serving him, he will accept you. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you. Psalm 119:2 Blessed are those who obey his written instructions. They wholeheartedly search for him. Psalm 34:8–10 Taste and see that the LORD is good. Blessed is the person who takes refuge in him. Fear the LORD, you holy people who belong to him. Those who fear him are never in need. Young lions go hungry and may starve, but those who seek the LORD’s help have all the good things they need. God’s desire is that all people should seek after him and find him. Those who seek God with all their heart are rewarded, but those who fail to seek him do so to their eternal loss.
Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com In the previous verse, Christ said, “Abide in Me.” He then announced the great, unalterable law of all branch-life, on earth or in heaven, “not…of itself,” “except it abide.” In the opening words of the parable, He has already spoken, “I am the true vine.” He now repeats the words. He wants us to understand—note well the lesson, simple as it appears, it is the key to the abiding life—that the only way to obey the command, “Abide in me,” is to have our eyes and heart fixed on Him. “Abide in Me…I am the true vine.” Yes, study this holy mystery until you see Christ as the true Vine, bearing, strengthening, supplying, and inspiring all His branches. He will be and do in each branch all that it needs, and the abiding will come of itself. Yes, gaze upon Him as the true Vine, until you feel what a heavenly mystery it is and are compelled to ask the Father to reveal it to you by His Holy Spirit. He to whom God reveals the glory of the true Vine—he who sees what Jesus is and waits to do every moment—can do nothing but abide. The vision of Christ is an irresistible attraction; it draws and holds us like a magnet. Listen continually to the living Christ still speaking to you and waiting to show you the meaning and power of His Word: “I am the vine.” How much weary labor is involved in striving to understand what abiding is! How much fruitless effort goes along with trying to attain it! Why is this? Because the attention is turned to the abiding as a work we have to do, instead of the living Christ, in whom we have to abide. He is Himself to hold and keep us. We think of abiding as a continual strain and effort—we forget that it means rest from effort to one who has found the place of his abode. Notice how Christ said, “Abide in Me. I am the Vine that brings forth and holds and strengthens and makes fruitful the branches. Abide in Me, rest in Me, and let Me do My work. I am the true Vine. All I am and speak and do is divine truth, giving the actual reality of what is said. I am the Vine; only consent and yield your all to Me. I will do all in you.” And sometimes it happens that souls, who have never been especially occupied with the thought of abiding, abide all the time, because they are occupied with Christ. Not that the word abide is not important. Christ used it so often because it is the very key to the Christian life. But He wants us to understand it in its true sense. “Come out of every other place, and every other trust and occupation; come out of self with its reasoning and efforts; come and rest in what I will do. Live out of yourself; abide in Me. Know that you are in Me; you need no more. Remain there in Me.” “I am the vine.” Christ did not keep this mystery hidden from His disciples. He revealed it—first in words here, then in power when the Holy Spirit came down. He will reveal it to us, too—first in the thoughts and confessions and desires these words awaken, then in power by the Spirit. Let us wait on Him to show us all the heavenly meaning of the mystery. Let our chief thought and aim each day in our quiet time—in the inner chamber with Him and His Word—be to get the heart fixed on Him. Let us be assured that all a vine can ever do for its branches, my Lord Jesus will do—is doing—for me. Give Him time. Give Him your ear, that He may whisper and explain the divine secret: “I am the vine.” Above all, remember, Christ is the Vine of God’s planting, and you are a branch of God’s grafting. Stand always before God, in Christ—waiting for all grace from God, in Christ. Yielding yourself to bear the “more fruit” for which the Husbandman asks, in Christ. And pray much for the revelation of the mystery that all the love and power of God that rested on Christ is working in you, too. “I am God’s Vine,” Jesus says, “All I am I have from Him; all I am is for you; God will work it in you.” I am the Vine. Blessed Lord, speak that word into my soul. Then I will know that all Your fullness is for me. And I can count on You to stream it into me. My abiding is so easy and so sure when I forget and lose myself in the adoring faith that the Vine holds the branch and supplies its every need.
THIS IS A VERY POWERFUL REFRESHER. I URGE YOU TO STUDY IT, READ IT MORE THAN ONCE, AND I PROMISE YOU WILL BE BLESSED BY IT.
What God expects of Christians is made clear throughout the NT. Nearly forty exhortations appear in Rom. 12 alone. The apostolic creed found in Tit. 2:11–14 outlines the Christian life as the denial of ungodliness and worldly lusts, accompanied by self restraint, righteousness, godliness and the expectation of the return of Christ. Another such outline in Heb. 10:19–25 calls for prayer, public testimony, a good example to others and assembly for worship. It is reasonable, or spiritual, RV, to present one’s body to God as a living sacrifice to serve Him, Rom. 12:1. This service must be exclusive, Luke 16:13; given with the spirit, Rom. 1:9; rendered with reverence and godly fear, Heb. 12:28; motivated by love, Gal. 5:13. It calls for following Christ, John 12:26, whom all Christians serve, Col. 3:24, as they serve God, Acts 27:23. Believers are described as persons who have turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 1 Thess. 1:9. This service may take the form of fasting and prayer, Luke 2:37, or ministering to the poor and needy, or giving oneself to prayer and the ministry of the Word as did the apostles, Acts 6:1–4. When Christian service is rendered in righteousness, peace, and joy, the believer is acceptable to God and approved of men, Rom. 14:17, 18.
Blessed is the one who finds wisdom and the one who obtains understanding. The profit ⸤gained⸥ from ⸤wisdom⸥ is greater than the profit ⸤gained⸥ from silver. Its yield is better than fine gold. ⸤Wisdom⸥ is more precious than jewels, and all your desires cannot equal it. Long life is in ⸤wisdom’s⸥ right hand. In ⸤wisdom’s⸥ left hand are riches and honor. ⸤Wisdom’s⸥ ways are pleasant ways, and all its paths lead to peace. ⸤Wisdom⸥ is a tree of life for those who take firm hold of it. Those who cling to it are blessed.
IN ORDER TO HAVE COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF THESE VERSES ONE MUST KNOW WHAT WISDOM IS. ASK YOURSELF DO YOU KNOW WHAT WISDOM IS? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING? HOW DO YOU OBTAIN WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING? FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
GOD KNOWS HIS CHILDREN Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com 2 Timothy 2:19 GNB But the solid foundation that God has laid cannot be shaken; and on it are written these words: “The Lord knows those who are his” and “All who say that they belong to the Lord must turn away from wrongdoing.” GOD KNOWS IF YOU ARE HIS. IF YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD, YOU TURN AWAY FROM DOING WHAT IS WRONG (UNGODLY).
IF YOU WILL ALLOW GOD TO GUIDE YOUR LIFE, YOU CAN LIVE A LONG LIFE, FILLED WITH GOOD DAYS. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com 1 Peter 3:10-11 GW “People who want to live a full life and enjoy good days must keep their tongues from saying evil things, and their lips from speaking deceitful things. They must turn away from evil and do good. They must seek peace and pursue it. Jeremiah 17:5 GW “This is what the Lord says: Cursed is the person who trusts humans, who makes flesh and blood his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord . Jeremiah 17:7 GW Blessed is the person who trusts the Lord . The Lord will be his confidence.
DO NOT LIVE YOUR LIFE IN A MANNER THAT WILL CAUSE YOUR LIFE TO BE CURSED. LIVE YOUR LIFE IN A MANNER THAT WILL CAUSE GOD TO WANT TO BLESS YOU. ALLOW THESE VERSES TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE.
