SELF-CHECK We may have attended church—but have we ever really worshipped God? We may have said prayers—but have we ever really prayed? We may have read the Bible—but have we ever let God speak to us through it and have we done what he said? It is no good approaching God with our lips if our hearts are far from him. To do so is sheer hypocrisy. THINK ABOUT IT. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
OUR GOD IS GOOD In spite of evil, God is working out his good purposes. It’s in the Bible, Genesis 50:20, TLB. “As far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil.” God can use all things, even the bad, for a good purpose. It’s in the Bible, Romans 8:28, NIV. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” OUR GOD IS GOOD TO US. OUR GOD CONSTANTLY PROTECTS US AND BLESSES US. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
GOD SPEAKS TO US ABOUT ENTERAINMENT Here are the criteria for choosing any entertainment: Including books, music, television, and movies. It’s in the Bible, Philippians 4:8, TLB. “And now, brothers, as I close this letter, let me say this one more thing: Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about.” Avoid inappropriate activities. It’s in the Bible, Psalm 101:3, TLB. “Help me to refuse the low and vulgar things; help me to abhor all crooked deals of every kind, to have no part in them.” You cannot enjoy many of the entertainment pleasures this world offers and still be a friend of God. It’s in the Bible, James 4:4, TLB. “You are like an unfaithful wife who loves her husband’s enemies. Don’t you realize that making friends with God’s enemies—the evil pleasures of this world—makes you an enemy of God? I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy the evil pleasure of the unsaved world, you cannot also be a friend of God.” What are some of the evil pleasures of the world? It’s in the Bible, Galatians 5:19-21, TLB. “But when you follow your own wrong inclinations your lives will produce evil results: impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, spiritism (that is, encouraging the activity of demons), hatred and fighting, … murder, drunkenness, wild parties, and all that sort of thing. Let me tell you again as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the kingdom of God.” The definition of worldly pleasures and entertainment expands: It’s in the Bible, I John 2:15-17, TLB. “Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love these things you show that you do not really love God; for all these worldly things, these evil desires—the craze for sex, the ambition to buy everything that appeals to you, and the pride that comes from wealth and importance—these are not from God. They are from this evil world itself. And this world is fading away, and these evil, forbidden things will go with it, but whoever keeps doing the will of God will live forever.” Everything we do should be done in harmony with the name of Christ. It’s in the Bible, Colossians 3:17, NIV. “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” ALLOW THIS WORD FROM GOD TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
Trusting God means publicly acknowledging him. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Ps. 91:2, NIV) Part of trusting God is telling others. It’s being public (but not obnoxious) about it. Here are some more excerpts from the Psalms in which the psalmist makes it clear to the people around him that he’s put in all his chips on God. Psalm 25:1-2 says, “In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me” (NIV). Psalm 31:14-15 says, “But I trust in you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me” (NIV). In Psalm 40:3, the psalmist declares, “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him” (NIV). Bible Verses about Trusting God: “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust” (Ps. 91:2). Jeremiah 17:7-8 But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. James 1:6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. Psalm 62:7 My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. ALLOW THESE VERSES TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE. TRUST GOD. LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU TRUST GOD. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
WE MUST TAKE ACTION James 2:14-17 ESV What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 1:23-25 GW [23] If someone listens to God’s word but doesn’t do what it says, he is like a person who looks at his face in a mirror, [24] studies his features, goes away, and immediately forgets what he looks like. [25] However, the person who continues to study God’s perfect laws that make people free and who remains committed to them will be blessed. People like that don’t merely listen and forget; they actually do what God’s laws say. 1 John 3:18 ESV Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. James 2:26 GW [26] A body that doesn’t breathe is dead. In the same way faith that does nothing is dead. FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD. DON’T JUST PRAY FOR A PERSON HELP THE PERSON. A HUNGRY PERSON CAN’T EAT YOUR PRAYER, GIVE THE PERSON SOME FOOD ETC. IT IS GOOD TO PRAY FOR SOMEONE, BUT IT IS ALSO GOOD TO HELP THE PERSON WITH THEIR NEEDS. TAKE ACTION!!! HELP SOMEONE!!! Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
WE MUST REPRESENT GOD 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 GW [18] God has done all this. He has restored our relationship with him through Christ, and has given us this ministry of restoring relationships. [19] In other words, God was using Christ to restore his relationship with humanity. He didn’t hold people’s faults against them, and he has given us this message of restored relationships to tell others. [20] Therefore, we are Christ’s representatives, and through us God is calling you. We beg you on behalf of Christ to become reunited with God. [21] God had Christ, who was sinless, take our sin so that we might receive God’s approval through him. LET US REALIZE THAT WE ARE ALL MINISTERS TO BE USED BY GOD. WE ARE TO LEAD OTHERS TO GOD. WE ARE TO REPRESENT GOD. LET US THANK GOD FOR JESUS. IT IS BECAUSE OF JESUS THAT WE CAN HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND MAY HAVE GOD’S APPROVAL. PayPal.me/donatetochurch Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
GOD WILL JUDGE US 1 Corinthians 4:3–4 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Ecclesiastes 12:14 God will certainly judge everything that is done. This includes every secret thing, whether it is good or bad. IT’S MORE IMPORTANT TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW GOD WILL JUDGE US, AND NOT HOW MAN JUDGES US. THANK ABOUT IT. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
PART 1 Trusting God means not leaning on my own understanding. “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.” (Pr. 3:5-6, NIV) I can smirk at Disney’s “follow your heart” narrative—all the while trusting my own gut when it comes to navigating life. Yet, trusting God means not leaning on my own understanding. This doesn’t mean seeing myself as an idiot (I’m made in God’s image, after all). It does mean seeing God as infinitely smarter than I. And it means I’m acting intelligently when I’m following his lead. The truth is, my gut leads me in multiple contradictory directions at once, so much unlike the “straight paths” that come from submitting to God’s ways. Proverbs 3:6 ESV In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Hebrews 11:6 ESV And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. TRUST GOD AND BE BLESSED BY GOD. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
PART 2 Trusting God means calling out for His help. “Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long.” (Ps. 86:2-3, NIV) Trusting in God means both that I stop leaning on my own intelligence and that I lean wholly on him. It’s when the struggling swimmer lifts his hand above the surface of the water in order to flag help. 1 Chronicles 5:20 narrates, “They were helped in fighting them, and God delivered the Hagrites and all their allies into their hands, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him” (NIV, emphasis added). Psalm 62:8 encourages us, “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge” (NIV). Lamentations 3:55-58 ESV [55] “I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit; [56] you heard my plea, ‘Do not close your ear to my cry for help!’ [57] You came near when I called on you; you said, ‘Do not fear!’ [58] “You have taken up my cause, O Lord; you have redeemed my life. Romans 10:12 – For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, Psalm 86:5 – For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE CALLING ON THE WRONG ONE WHEN THEY NEED HELP. WE MUST CALL ON GOD, OUR HELP COMES FROM GOD. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
