OUR HELP COMES FROM THE LORD. OUR GOD TAKES CARE OF US. Psalm 121:1-2 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalms 121:7-8 GW The Lord guards you from every evil. He guards your life. The Lord guards you as you come and go, now and forever. Lamentations 3:22-23 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 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. LET US NEVER FORGET THESE VERSES. IT IS OUR GOD THAT TAKES CARE OF US. PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM EVERLASTING SALVATION CHURCH OF GOD MINISTRIES PayPal.me/donatetochurch Church link: Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com
What does the Bible say about associating with bad people? Whether we like it or not, we are influenced by the company we keep. 1 Corinthians 15:33 GW Don’t let anyone deceive you. Associating with bad people will ruin decent people. 2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? Proverbs 13:20 Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. Psalms 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. PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM EVERLASTING SALVATION CHURCH OF GOD MINISTRIES PayPal.me/donatetochurch Church link: Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com
OUR GOD DOES SPEAK TO US ABOUT LONG LIFE: Proverbs 3:1-2 My son, do not forget my teachings, and keep my commands in mind, because they will bring you long life, good years, and peace. 1 Kings 3:14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. Isaiah 46:4 Even when you’re old, I’ll take care of you. Even when your hair turns gray, I’ll support you. I made you and will continue to care for you. I’ll support you and save you. Deuteronomy 5:33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess. Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. ALLOW THESE VERSES TO BE A GUIDE UNTO OUR LIFE. PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM EVERLASTING SALVATION CHURCH OF GOD MINISTRIES PayPal.me/donatetochurch Church link: Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com
THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT ANGER: Ecclesiastes 7:9 ESV Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools. Proverbs 19:11 ESV Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. Proverbs 14:29 A person of great understanding is patient, but a short temper is the height of stupidity. Psalm 37:8 ESV Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. ALLOW THESE VERSES TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE. PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM EVERLASTING SALVATION CHURCH OF GOD MINISTRIES PayPal.me/donatetochurch Church link: Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! John 3:3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Romans 11:36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. FOOD FOR THOUGHT, PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM EVERLASTING SALVATION CHURCH OF GOD MINISTRIES PayPal.me/donatetochurch Church link: Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com
GOD IS OUR PROTECTOR, TRUST GOD. Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. Psalm 32:7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. Psalm 16:1 Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. FOOD FOR THOUGHT. PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM EVERLASTING SALVATION CHURCH OF GOD MINISTRIES PayPal.me/donatetochurch Church link: Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com
Proverbs 18:24 ESV A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. James 4:4 ESV You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 1 Corinthians 15:33 ESV Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” Proverbs 13:20 ESV Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. James 4:8 ESV Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. FOOD FOR THOUGHT. PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM EVERLASTING SALVATION CHURCH OF GOD MINISTRIES PayPal.me/donatetochurch Church link: Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com
OUR GOD IS FAITHFUL: Numbers 23:19 GW 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. Hebrews 10:23 GW We must continue to hold firmly to our declaration of faith. The one who made the promise is faithful. 2 Timothy 2:11-13 GW This is a statement that can be trusted: If we have died with him, we will live with him. If we endure, we will rule with him. If we disown him, he will disown us. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful because he cannot be untrue to himself. Joshua 23:14 GW “Pay attention, because I will soon die like everyone else. You know with all your heart and soul that not one single promise which the Lord your God has given you has ever failed to come true. Every single word has come true. OUR GOD IS FAITHFUL. HOLD ON TO YOUR FAITH, WE CAN TRUST GOD. PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM EVERLASTING SALVATION CHURCH OF GOD MINISTRIES PayPal.me/donatetochurch Church link: Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com
“But I Keep Sinning!” “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts.” (Mal. 3:6–7) Have you ever thought something like “I came to Christ because I saw my sin for what it was and I hated it. I was so happy to be forgiven and set free—but now I find myself doing things that I hate and know I’ll regret. How can I be a Christian if I keep falling into the same patterns?” This is a common trap. You fall into it when you try to prove your justification (the fact that you’ve been set right with God through Christ’s sacrifice) by examining your sanctification (whether you are now living more righteously). Many Christians understand that justification produces sanctification, but it’s easy to forget that, while justification happens in an instant, sanctification is a lifelong process—one that is often nonlinear as you run into roadblocks and experience setbacks. If you expect to see some evidence of the end result (sinless perfection) while skipping over the process, you will be disappointed—and, worse, you will question how effective your sanctification is. Those questions will then lead you to wonder whether you were ever justified. Here’s why you can’t prove that you’ve been justified by measuring your sanctification: on this earth, you will never get to a place of sinlessness (see 1 John 1:8). The sin nature still resides inside you, and it strives against the Spirit of God (see Gal. 5:17). And so even the godliest Christians find themselves doing things that they no longer want to do (see Rom. 7:15–20; Gal. 2:11–13). If sinlessness is a precondition for knowing that we’re saved, then none of us qualify. Our inclination to see things this way is merely another trick of the Evil One to keep us focused on the object of salvation (us) and not on its author (God). Malachi 3:6–7 offers a different focus. God acknowledges that his people have always had a problem being faithful to him. His response is not to be disgusted with us, to throw his hands up and walk away, to threaten us, to tell us to work harder, or to offer us bribes so we will be good. Instead he offers us an invitation. He invites us to turn back to him, despite having sinned just like our ancestors. He doesn’t base that invitation on the strength of how hard we are trying or how successful we are. He bases it on his unchanging nature. He is the God who made us to know him—to love him and be loved by him. He has never wavered from his desire for us to do so, despite the many reasons we have given and continue to give him. He still wants you. What you have done has not changed what he already did for you. Nor has it changed his heart for you. He doesn’t want you to wonder if he has turned from you. Rather, he longs for you to turn to him. I HOPE YOU FOUND THIS TO BE HELPFUL. PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM EVERLASTING SALVATION CHURCH OF GOD MINISTRIES PayPal.me/donatetochurch Church link: Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com
