AUDIOS OF SUNDAY WORSHIP MESSAGES
SERMONS AND TEACHINGS FOR YOUR EDIFICATION, EXHORTATION AND SPIRITUAL COMFORT
Our Sunday audio messages can be accessed from here. These are messages and teachings recorded in the course of our weekly meetings. Each audio is preceded by a synopsis of the message.
We pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to you as you listen.
Guarantees When You Pray: Your Heavenly Father Will Give You Good Things If You Ask Him (1)
When the Lord told us that "Your Father Who is in heaven will give good things to those who ask Him", He was passing across to us a definite guarantee of God's delight, desire, and determination to give to those who ask Him, good things. In this first part, we look at our heavenly Father in relation to us, with a view to being resolute in our faith in Him.
Guarantees When You Pray: Your Heavenly Father Will Give Good Thing to Those Who Ask Him (2)
As we continue with the 4th Guarantee when we pray, we need to understand that God will give (not may, could, or perhaps may give) good (not bad, evil, harmful, unbeneficial, nor detrimental) things to those who ask Him. Our focus ought to be more on spiritual and eternal things; rather than on unbeneficial carnal things.
Guarantees When You Pray: Your Heavenly Father Will Give Good Things to Those Who Ask Him (3)
In this third and final installment, we note that good things from God come to those who ask Him for them. There are things which God gives to all men, but there are those which God gives to those who ask Him! Also what you call "good" may not be what God calls "good". Furthermore, there is the sovereignty of God at play when we ask. The sovereignty of God simply means that God does as He pleases and He answers our prayers in a manner that is best suited to our eternity with Him in heaven.
What Is Your Reaction?
We react to situations and circumstances in different ways. One is a negative reaction, which includes, murmuring, complaining, threatening, etc.; all the way a carnal, natural man would respond to life's challenges. Another way to respond is positive, which includes remembering God's past faithfulness, and expressing our trust in Him, as well as utilizing the resource of praying; and this is how a Christian exhibits his response to life's challenges.
Critical Issues When We Read The Bible (1)
When we read the bible, if we are not careful, we may think that the bible is just an ordinary book written for our reading pleasure; whereas, it is a documentation of events as documented by God. And because God cannot lie, everything that is documented in the bible, is truthfully stated. We can rest assured of the veracity of the bible. Also, we need to understand, that the bible was written by God to help us live right, as the Lord Jesus came to show us.
Critical Issues When We Read The Bible_2
As we continue to look at some critical issues that we need to consider when we read the bible, we want to note that no portion of the bible should ever be subject to private or personal interpretation. For the bible gives interprets itself, and can does not contradict itself--it may build on something written earlier on, but it will not contradict itself. Also, the human authors wrote what God wanted them to write. Again, as we read the bible, we must note that there is one major theme out from which all other themes emanate--Jesus Christ.
Critical Issues When We Read The Bible_3
Another critical issue that we need to note is "What Really Is Being Said". In order to do this successfully, we need to dissect what is being said, noting that the bible interprets itself. We commence here, to look at the word "leaven", and what it means in relation to what the Lord is telling us.
Critical Issues When We Read The Bible (3.2)
What really is God saying to us when we read the bible. The Pharisees did not understand the Spirit of the word of God, and so concentrated on the letter, which kills; while the Sadducees, who were the religious/political leaders of the people did not even know the Scriptures. So the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, corrupted the people. It made them to live in sin; it strengthened the evil doers; it made nonsense of the word of God which ought to have helped people to live right, etc. For these reasons, the Lord warns us to beware of what we are imbibing into our spirits; to not allow just anybody tell us things, just because they have some religious title, and so on.
Critical Issues When We Read The Bible (3.3)
We summarize what the Lord Jesus is telling us when He said, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees". This is a warning to all Christians to be careful and be on guard, with regards to what they receive and imbibe as the word of God. imbibing the wrong doctrines have given rise to Christians who have strayed from the path of righteousness.
Critical Issues When We Read The Bible_4.1
We not turn to why the Lord said what He said. One major reason is that a little leaven (a slight deviation, a little false doctrine, etc.) can set off an entire assembly or whole denomination on the wrong path.
Critical Issues When We Read The Bible (4.2)
In summary, the reasons why the Lord Jesus warns us to beware of the 'leaven' of the Pharisees and the Sadducees is because they spread like wildfire, they are corruptive and corrupting, and they make us vain or worthless. Hence, the next time you read the bible seek to know why God is telling you what He is telling you from the pages of the bible.
Critical Issues When We Read The Bible_5.1
If all you know is what was said in the bible, and why it was said, then, your reading the bible is fruitless. You must also be able to apply what you have read, which you know thoroughly, and which know the reason for which it was said. In applying the Scriptures, we must ensure that we apply them correctly and appropriately. We must also be clear about the fact that the scriptures are applicable to us today, no matter how old, and how seemingly irrelevant. Ask God, after reading the bible, and He will tell you how relevant the portion of the bible you have read is; and remember that God may be speaking to you about the past, the present, or the future.
Critical Issues When We Read The Bible_5.2
As we conclude this segment, what is crucial is to apply what we have read or studied in our lives. Two critical bases are required if we are to be effective in our application of Scripture in our daily lives: (1) We must gladly receive and retain the word of God which we have read or studied; and, (2) We must be willing to do the word which we have received and retain--not only are to begin to do, but we must also complete what we have begun to do. Therefore, as we read and study the word of God, we must seek to know exactly what God wants us to do; hence, we must be open to the Holy Spirit, and follow His leading in everything that we seek to do.
This Book of the Law
What really is God saying to you and I through Joshua 1:8? When you read "This Book of the Law shall not depart ...", what really is "This Book of the Law"? This is what we want to look at as we begin this study of Joshua 1:8.
The Old and New Testaments
There is a confusion in the use of the word "Testament". The word "Testament" generally means the sub-divisions of the bible--that is, the Old and New Testaments. However, in the Old King James Version of the bible, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, the word translated "testament" in Chapter 9, should really be translated "covenant" or "will". Because of this translation in the Old KJV, which was understood at the time of its translation to mean covenant, will, agreeement, or testament, as it may relate to its usage, many modern preachers have inadvertently said that the Old Testament has been abrogated, whereas, what they should have said is that the old covenant has been abrogated--and even then, only the provision that was made for dealing with sin and transgression; that is, the sacrifices of animals for the remission of sin. All such aspects have been taken away in Christ. But the moral, health, civil, and other aspects of the law for our daily living, and relationship with God, they remain in force--and it is as we are in Christ that we are able to perform all that is required of us by God.