Church with teaching but no love

Church with teaching but no love

We have a very large, large church in the town I live, the minister gives very interesting and not fall asleep sermons.  He uses very little Scriptures, some principles from the Scriptures, but not much about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I have been told by a number of different individuals, that when someone who is down and needs help, they will get very little help. If this is a right or wrong perception, who really knows, but this church has this perception from individuals. 

To show love for Jesus, our Lord and the Father, we know we are to obey his commands.  We know one of His commands is to serve others.  This is an outward sign to the work and the membership of the body, just like baptism. 

There is another smaller church, but how they put their love for others, every year around spring time, they will build a complete home on their property and then move the home to a vacant lot for a needy family.  This church opens up their church building for others.  Now, to be honest, their doctrine is not completely in line with the Scriptures, meaning, they do not really follow a lot of the commands that Jesus gave, but they do show love to others.

The bottom line, is how many churches really show their love for God by obeying His commandments, when many churches says the commandments are done away with.  Jesus gave us the commandments and His commands.

The way I see it at this time, it is the actions of a church on loving God and we know the only way we can show God we love him, is by obeying His commands.  Then we are to love others as we love ourselves, by giving ourselves to others.

Blessings

Steve

Mar 12:29-30 NKJV  Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'HEAR, O ISRAEL, THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE.   (30)  AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' This is the first commandment. 

Mar 12:31 NKJV  And the second, like it, is this: 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these." 

Gal 5:13 NKJV  For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 

Exo 20:1-2 NKJV  And God spoke all these words, saying:  (2)  "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 

Joh_14:15  "If you love Me, keep My commandments.  

Joh_14:23  Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.  

Joh_14:24  He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.  

Joh_15:10  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

 

 

 

Jesus suppressed His anger

When the lecture said that Jesus greatness is often revealed in what Jesus suppressed.  I had to stop and think about that statement.  How many times was Jesus, our Lord was going to destroy the Nation of Israel and an interceder had to come forward.  Even when Jesus got angry, He took on the Pharisees in the Temple and others, threw the money changers tables over and drove the animal out.  Even then, He had to suppress his anger.  I can really think of many cases like this.  The best one and real meaningful to me, is when I sin, God suppress His anger with me and have mercy on me.  I had not thought of this way before.  It is a real comfort that Jesus, our High Priest, our interceder on our behalf before our Father.  That is what older brothers do.

Blessings

Steve

Mat 26:53 NKJV  Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? 

Mat 21:12-13 NKJV  Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  (13)  And He said to them, "It is written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER,' but you have made it a 'DEN OF THIEVES.'"

 

What God wants me to do

What God wants me to do 

What does God want me to do.  There are two things that comes to mind on what our Lord Jesus wants me to. First, realize that the Lord is One.  Then I am to love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind and with all my strength.  

But how do I really do it, Jesus our Lord tells me:  Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is why I am here.  As we already know, the only way we can show we love Him, is by obeying His commands or commandments. We are to reverence and be in awe of Him and to serve Him in all things.   

Interesting side, when looking at places in the Scriptures where fear is covered, doing His commandments are included.  This is why we are here alive right now, to love Him and to serve Him. 

Steve 

Ecc 12:13 NKJV  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. 

Psa 111:10 NKJV  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever. 

Mar 12:29-30 NKJV  Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'HEAR, O ISRAEL, THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE.   (30)  AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' This is the first commandment.

Different forms of idolatry today

Different forms of idolatry today 

What really is idolatry today?  Is it the statutes in Churches, movies, money, personal things, homes, property, people (stars of sports, movies, etc.) and many more things that can be added?  Yes, but no.  These are but an example of what is idolatry.  The Apostle Paul tells us what is idolatry and there are 5 different areas in our lives that idolatry is located and we are to avoid these areas and to put them to death in our personal life (worldly impulses.)   

What are these 5 areas: 

1. Fornication (sexual sin):  porneia  por-ni'-ah

From G4203; harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively idolatry: - fornication. 

2. Uncleanness (impurity): akatharsia   ak-ath-ar-see'-ah

From G169; impurity (the quality), physically or morally: - uncleanness. 

3. Passion (inordinate affection):   pathos  path'-os

From the alternate of G3958; properly suffering (“pathos”), that is, (subjectively) a passion (especially concupiscence): - (inordinate) affection, lust. 

4. Evil desire:  kakos  kak-os' 

Evil: Apparently a primary word; worthless (intrinsically such; whereas G4190 properly refers to effects), that is, (subjectively) depraved, or (objectively) injurious: - bad, evil, harm, ill, noisome, wicked. 

Desire: epithumia  ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah

From G1937; a longing (especially for what is forbidden): - concupiscence, desire, lust (after). 

5. Covetousness (greed): pleonexia  pleh-on-ex-ee'-ah

From G4123; avarice, that is, (by implication) fraudulency, extortion: - covetous (-ness) practices, greediness. 

Idolatry:  eidōlolatreia  i-do-lol-at-ri'-ah

From G1497 and G2999; image worship (literally or figuratively): - idolatry. 

These are the different forms of idolatry we have to contend with in our lives today.  No different from the time the Apostles lived.  Nothing changes under the sun. 

Steve

Col 3:5 NKJV  Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 

Col 3:5 ISV  So put to death your worldly impulses: sexual sin, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 

Ecc 1:9-10 NKJV  That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.  (10)  Is there anything of which it may be said, "See, this is new"? It has already been in ancient times before us.

 

 

 

How to deal with temptation

 How to deal with temptation

Oh, I wish it was so easy to deal with temptation.  I have been tempted outside my body with things that I knew was wrong and inside my mind from Satan transmissions over the air, example:  moods, thoughts, etc.  Only with the Holy Spirit leading and correcting me is when I do wrong, then I feel the guilt and shame from not obeying the commands of my Lord Jesus, which when I sin: I am telling Him I do not love him by my actions. Yes, my spirit is willing to obey, but my flesh is weak. 

Asking forgiveness and knowing I am forgiven, takes the burden off my mind and body.

Something I have not really notice before, the Apostle John said Jesus is faithful and forgive me of my sins and most important, cleanse me from all unrighteousness.  All unrighteousness.

Our Lord and Creator tell me what I am to do to combat temptations.  Matthew wrote, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.  What did Jesus tell me, watch out for temptations, worldly things, moods, etc. and to pray.  Prayer is the most important factor on not sinning. 

Being tempted is not a sin, but acting on it, then it becomes sin and we need to repent.  Only immersing myself into the Scriptures and prayer, will relieve any fear of sinning and what the future brings, which will bring me closer to our Lord Jesus and then be in Walk with Him.

What a wonderful Father and Elder Brother we have.

Steve

Mat 26:41 NKJV  Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." 

Joh 14:15 NKJV  "If you love Me, keep My commandments. 

Joh 14:23-24 NKJV  Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.  (24)  He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me. 

1Jn 1:8-10 NKJV  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  (9)  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (10)  If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

 

 

 

Gnostic “lost books” of the Bible?

Gnostic “lost books” of the Bible?

Gnosticism is a heresy which is made up of a diverse set of beliefs. It is the teaching based on the idea of gnosis (a Koine Greek word meaning "secret knowledge"), or knowledge of transcendence arrived at by way of internal, intuitive means.  (Theopedia).

We find that the early Christian Gnostics did adopt their own books of religion to go along with the Holy Scriptures given to us from our Father and our Lord.  These false teachings are still intermingle in our churches today.  The early church leaders provide in their writings information regarding Gnostic beliefs, teachings and instructions.

There is a reason these books are call, Gnostic books.  The Apocrypha, which some say should be in the Bible, are individuals still trying to change God’s Word through these false books.  These books, each one for a specific reason, were not included in the final layout of the Bible.  They might be good for history, but not for doctrine or teaching. 

We have to remember, these lost books were never last, they were known by the church leaders and they were never considered Scriptures to be included in the final version of the Bible and was never in the Bible in the first place for several different reasons. 

These books did not meet the criteria to be included set by the early church, written by an apostle or associate, etc.

Steve

Joh 7:16-17 NKJV  Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.  (17)  If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.

Are Nicolaitans with us today?

 Are Nicolaitans with us today?

Who are the Nicolaitans, which is somewhat explains in the Book of Revelation.  Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, the sect of the Nicolaitans was derive from Nicolas the deacon according to both Irenaeus and Epiphanius.   He was a Greek, received circumcision to become a proselyte.  Nicolaitans believe salvation was by grace or mercy only, but did not have to follow the Commands (Law) of our Lord Jesus.  The only way we can show our love for God is to obey His commands in our lives.  James  said “there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe” and “faith without works is dead” and  “a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

If any church, organization and a Christian profession organization teaches that the Law is done away with, is following the teaching of the Nicolaitans.  Yes, the Apostle Paul told us “grace you have been saved through faith”  and “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good work” and “we should walk in them.”

It is a shame that the Bema Seat is not taught in these churches about the rewards of a Christian.

Steve

Rev 2:6 NKJV  But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 

Rev 2:15 NKJV  Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 

Act 6:5 NKJV  And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 

Jas 2:19 NKJV  You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 

Jas 2:20 NKJV  But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 

Jas 2:24 NKJV  You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 

Eph 2:8-10 NKJV  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  (9)  not of works, lest anyone should boast.  (10)  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.