THE
SPIRIT'S SWORD "All material is written by
Joe R. Price, unless otherwise
noted." |
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"And take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17) In this issue:
God's Word Endures “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35). With these reassuring words, Jesus claims an eternal nature for His words. His words were the very words the Father gave Him to speak (Jno. 8:28; 12:49; 17:8). When we receive the word of Jesus we are receiving the word of God (Matt. 10:40; Jno. 13:20; Heb. 1:1-2). This gives the Christian great confidence. God’s word has not been altered; it is “incorruptible” (1 Pet. 1:23). It has not disappeared from the world. This gives the sinner hope. The word of God is a light from above that shines in the darkness, giving light and direction to every wayward soul as it leads to salvation in Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:6; Jno. 8:12; 14:6). It is amazing that many object to the enduring nature of God’s word, the Bible. Some believe it is no longer relevant to address the needs of men and women. They believe we have outgrown the Bible. To them, its relevancy has not endured. Others deny the enduring nature of its adequacy or completeness. According to them, truth once found in the Bible has been taken away. These believe men have taken away many “plain and precious things” from God’s incorruptible word. Their false doctrine destroys the faith of many, convincing them we cannot be sure we have the word of God. Nevertheless, we are sure the incorruptible seed was not corrupted; we know Jesus’ words have not passed away (1 Pet. 1:23-25; Matt. 24:35). The Bible tells us so. The word of Jesus denies and rejects these doctrines of men and do must we (1 Jno. 4:1, 6; 2 Jno. 9-11). God’s word endures in both its relevancy and its adequacy (2 Pet. 1:3; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). Faith-building conclusions are drawn from the enduring nature of God’s word: 1) It must be trusted, because it is true (Jno. 14:6; 17:17). 2) It is understandable and we must understand it, since by it we will be judged (Jno. 12:48; Acts 3:22-23). 3) It must be obeyed, since by obeying it one’s soul is purified of sin (1 Pet. 1:22; Heb. 5:8-9). Yes, God’s word endures. The question is, “Will it endure in your life?”
Live a Life that Matters
Ready
or not, someday it will all come to an end. There will be no more sunrises,
no minutes, hours or days. All the things you collected, whether treasured
or forgotten, will pass to someone else. Your wealth, fame and temporal
power will shrivel to irrelevance. It will not matter what you owned or
what you were owed. Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies
will finally disappear. So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do
lists will expire. The wins and losses that once seemed so important will
fade away. It won't matter where you came from, or on what side of the
tracks you lived, at the end. It won't matter whether you were beautiful or
brilliant. Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.
What will matter
is not your success, but your significance. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” (Jas. 4:14-15) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matt. 6:33) You can find the complete outline of this sermon at BIBLE ANSWERS Why You Should Become a Christian Scripture Reading: Romans 6:15-23
1. World uses the word “Christian” very
loosely (Acts 11:26; 26:28; Jno. 8:31-32). I. SIN. A. What Sin has done to
you - Jno. 8:34-36 (Acts 8:23) [Rom. 5:12 (Gen .2:17); 7:9-11]. II. JESUS. A. Because of Who He is
(Deity), Jno. 1:1-4, 10-14 [5:17-18, 22-26; 2 Cor. 5:18-21]. III. DEATH. A. Your Death is
Certain - Heb. 9:27; Psa. 90:10 IV. LIFE. A. The Purpose of your
Life, Eccl. 1:13 (12:13); Acts 17:24-28. You can find the complete outline of this sermon at BIBLE ANSWERS Scripture Reading: Acts 13:44-49
1. We are acquainted with
appointments. I. APPOINTED TO ETERNAL LIFE, Acts 13:48. A.
God has Arranged Salvation Based on His Purposes, Fulfilled in Christ, Eph.
1:4-12. Some principles concerning salvation: II. APPOINTED TO DIE, Heb. 9:27. A.
Take Care of your Spiritual Health, 1 Tim. 4:6-11 (1 Cor. 9:26-27). III. APPOINTED TO BE JUDGED, Acts 17:30-31 (1 Ths. 5:9). A.
Day of Judgment is set by the Authority of God, Acts 17:30-31. |
Created by Chuck Sibbing -
03/11/2009 The Spirit's Sword is a free,
weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA |