For Us, Against Us

 Mark 9:40
 For he that is not against us is on our part.

All doctrine is not critical to having eternal life. The Doctrine of the Church concerning Jesus Christ, who He is, and why He came to earth is essential to salvation. There are other teachings that are important and hinge on the person of Christ, but it is important to know that knowing Jesus to be God and coming to save sinners through His death and resurrection is crucial and essential to our beliefs and eternal salvation. “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers” (Titus 1:9). A church that does not hold to this sound doctrine, is not part of the universal church of Jesus Christ that encompasses all who believe that Jesus is Lord and Savior of the heart. They are against sound doctrine and people should be warned of their false teachings. God has a plan for each believer to fulfill the mission of the gospel of Christ. The world is filled with churches that seek to fulfill that mission. As believers, we desire to fellowship with those who are like-minded and share the same core values. Therefore, we may choose to attend and be a part of a particular church. If you don’t agree with those core values, then it is probably best to find a place where you can be effective in ministry to do what God has called you to do. We are too close to the end days and Jesus will soon be returning. We have kingdom work that needs to be done. We don’t have time to be fussing over non-essential doctrine. He that is not against us is on our side.

Keep the Holy Faith

 Jude 1:20,21
 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost…Keep yourselves in the love of God.

Whether it is the end days or the sunset days of our personal lives, we are constantly aware of mockers, who desire to bring division and twist the word of God to appease their own appetites for the sinful things of this world. The last times or in the last days will be similar to the days of Noah. The teachings of the world will seep into the church, and many will be deceived by the grain of truth that is embedded into the teaching. The admonition is to pray that the Holy Spirit will give us discernment to see what is truth and what is false. The center of truth is to stay in the love of God, be grounded in sound doctrine of the teachings of Jesus. His word is truth and our faith is holy because He is holy. We are to resist and denounce the works of the devil, and proclaim the gospel to all who will hear it. Many have turned from the truth and have become reprobates in their minds and hearts, and refuse to accept Jesus as God and the Savior of the world. We may not be able to successfully change the political climate and social perversion of our culture, but we can stand against the evil of the day, share the grace and love of God, show others the way to the cross and lift up Jesus in this messed up world.

Rooted and Grounded

 Eph 3:17
 that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love. 

Like a tree planted close to the river banks, our spiritual roots go deep into the ground of God’s love. Because Christ lives in our hearts, His abiding presence is what allows us to live a life that is surrounded by His love and grace. The dwelling presence of Christ is not made possible by adhering to church sacraments, or intellectually agreeing with the teaching and doctrine of the church. The church plays a vital role in the building up of our faith, but it is our faith and belief in Christ that we have been saved from sin and made right before God. This firm belief is the ground on which we grow and become established in God’s love. Love is the ground that we begin to truly grow healthy in being what God wants us to be. Our roots take up what is good, giving us the strength and power to live each day in Christ. Living a Christian life goes beyond the formality of conforming to a religion. Our religion holds us to Bible doctrine, but it is not the ground on which we are rooted to be like Jesus. To be like Jesus requires that we be saturated in His love and allow the roots of our life to take up His love and be manifest in the way we live our lives.

Simplicity in Christ

 2 Corinth 11:3

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

It is possible to be deceived even when you have good intentions. Not everyone that says, “Lord, Lord.” will be true followers of Christ. Paul continues to warn believers that there will be those out there that will not be teaching sound doctrine, that they will preach Christ, but not the simplicity of His teachings and the purpose of His coming. The sound doctrine of Christ is that He was born of a virgin, His Deity as the Son of God, came to die, to pay the penalty for the sins of man, providing salvation to whosoever will believe in Him. He rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, and sits currently at the right hand of the Father. He is more than a good prophet, teaching us how to live. He is the only way to heaven. “I Am the truth and the way, no man comes to the Father except by me.” This is the simplicity that is in Christ.

More Than A Religion

 Matthew 16:16

 “You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of the living God.”

 

Christianity is more than a doctrinal religion. The fact that it is a belief system and one that is a faith base makes it a religion. Many will say that it is not a religion, but a relationship. I believe it is both. The doctrine of believing that Jesus is the Son of God, Deity in the flesh is grounded in historical religion taught in the Holy Scriptures from the day that Jesus walked this earth. What makes it more than a religion is personally knowing this Christ, Jesus the Son of the living God. Who is He to you? Not what the church says, or what you were taught at home. Who is He to you personally? Jesus has the power to forgive sins, He desires to forgive the sins of anyone who confesses and believes that He is more than just a doctrinal statement. He sent the Holy Spirit to us that He may abide in our hearts and purify our souls. Jesus, yes He is a religion, but it is a religion that can live in your heart. He is the Christ, the Son of the living God!

Whom I Believe

2 Tim. 1:12 But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. (ESV)

In a world that is no friend to grace, it is tempting to fear what others may think or how they may treat you. To stand firm in a secular world view, one must know with conviction what they believe and to whom they believe in. We hold a trust, a treasure of faith within us. Jesus Christ, a treasure more precious than gold.  The Holy Spirit who dwells within us gives us the power to keep that which we have obtained through faith. The Christian world view is being attacked, and many of the truths that we stand for not politically correct. As the day grows closer to the return of Christ, it becomes more imperative that we don’t stray from God’s word. The Holy Spirit is our guide as He leads us into truth and to stay true to sound doctrine and what is right. 

Strong Meat

Heb. 5:12 “ For at the time when ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God, and have become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.”-

The danger of not growing spiritually is not being able to discern what is good and evil. This spiritual apathy of not growing in your faith over time can lead to apostasy, or turning your back on that which brought you spiritual life. It is important that a new born Christian slowly begin to change their spiritual diet from milk to meat. The rudiments of Christianity teaching is to know that Jesus is God, came to this world to save sinners. That all humanity is lost in sin and needs the blood that Jesus shed on the cross to save them from their sins. This is the fundamental of faith and foundation of sound doctrine. Growing in the teaching Christ is to be grounded and totally surrendered to obeying God. Learning the walk of holiness. Coming to a place in our lives where the Holy Spirit can help us consecrate our life to be a servant of Christ. Letting the Holy Spirit deal with the self-life in our hearts. The meat diet will put perfect love in our hearts to love God with all our hearts and our fellow neighbors likewise. The meat diet will does not perfect our humanity, but it sanctifies our motives to always desiring to obey His word and live blameless before God. My prayer is, “Give me more meat Lord.” That I may discern what is good and evil. 

7:00am- 10:00pm

Contend for the Faith

December 1st, 2008
Jude 1-4, 17-25
The battle for our faith never ceases. The devil is out, here and there, seeking whom he may destroy. His objective is to turn us away from the grace of God and depend on the flesh. Jude is writing to all believers in Christ that they not be sidetrack from true doctrine of Christ, be on alerts, keep ourselves clean, live a life of prayer and love for all. Do what we can to warn other of false doctrine, showing them the true grace of God, hence saving them from hell fire. Above all, stay focus on God who is able to give us the victory for every battle.

Profile of Jude (vs.1. brother of James)
• May or may not be related to Jesus- Half brother?
• Servant of Christ
Preserved in Christ (vs.1. Preserved in Christ)
• To those that are set apart for a holy calling
• Kept holy through the blood of Christ
• Keep yourself in the love of God- vs.21
Pressing the Faith (vs. 3. Earnestly contend)
• Exhortation to continue on in the Faith- Don’t give up
• Fight for what is right- in the right spirit
• Hold on to the doctrine of Christ taught by the Apostles
Perversion of Gospel (vs. 4. Turning the grace…)
• Infiltration of ungodly men- they looked the part
• Turning God’s grace to be self serving
• Denying the Lord’s deity and lordship
Praying in Holy Ghost (vs. 20. Praying in the Holy Ghost)
• What does it mean to “pray in the Holy Ghost”
• Outcome: to make yourself stronger in the faith
Pulled out of the Fire (vs. 23. Pulling them out of the fire)
• Saving those from eternal damnation
• Love of God does persuade us to reach out to other
• Conscience of lost souls in need of Christ
Presented Faultless (vs. 24. Present you faultless)
• Sin will not be found in the believer
• Christians are KEPT – sustained by God’s grace
• Kept till the very end.
Praise and Exaltation (vs. 25. Be glory and majesty)
• He alone is worth of our praise- the only
• He has all dominion-control, and power over all-forever