And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17
THE
SPIRIT’S
SWORD
Volume 20, Number
29
05/13/2018
Published
by
Mt. Baker
church of Christ
Location:
1860 Mt. Baker HWY
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 30821
Bellingham, WA 98228
(360) 752-2692
Sunday:
Bible Classes..........9:30 AM
Worship..10:30AM; 6:00PM
Wednesday:
Bible Classes.........7:00 PM
All sing last Wednesday
Web sites:
Mt. Baker church
Bible Answers
Editor......Joe R. Price
Elders
Morris Bass
Rich Brooks
Deacons
Aaron Bass
Shane Bass
Mike Finn
Dan Head
In this issue:
God Speaks Through The Bible
Kyle Campbell
Spiritually minded people want to experience God, and to that end, God speaks to you, revealing Himself, His purposes, and His ways. The most obvious questions people ask about God’s speaking are, “How does God speak to me?” and “How can I know when God is speaking?” Although it is hard to get people to believe, the answer is easy: God speaks through the Bible! You may say, “That is too easy!” But God can do whatever He pleases, and the scriptures say He speaks through them to us.
Paul wrote, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). In short, the scriptures are God’s revelation of Himself to humanity. It is a record of God’s dealings with humanity and His words to them. God speaks to you through the Bible!
When you think of this, it makes sense. What if God literally “spoke” to each of us? There are lots of people who make this claim, but they all act in different ways. How could God speak to people in contradictory ways? We know that God does not change (Malachi 3:6), does not lie (Titus 1:2), and does not respect one person over another (Acts 10:34). The only way to reconcile all of this is to admit that maybe God does not “speak” directly the way people claim. Perhaps they are not willing to accept the truth so God sends them a “strong delusion” (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). If someone will accept the fact that God only teaches through His word (John 6:44-45), then they can get on with learning God’s will and obey Him through repentance, confession, and baptism.
-The Gospel Teacher (May 13, 2018) lawofliberty.com
Love Never Ceases
Joe R. Price
8 Love never
fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are
tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when
that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done
away.”
(1 Corinthians 13:8–10, NKJV)
The abiding
superiority of love over the temporarily miraculous spiritual gifts (a
discussion of which Paul had introduced in 1 Corinthians 12:1) is the “more
excellent way” that was to control the use of those gifts (1 Corinthians
12:31). The partial things in this passage are the miraculous gifts given by
the apostles through the laying on of their hands (Acts 8:14-17; 19:6). In
this context, that “which is perfect” is the completed result of those
gifts, namely, the full and final revelation of the gospel of Christ. When
the miraculous gifts served their purpose of revealing, inspiring and
confirming the gospel of Christ, they were “done away” with, like so much
scaffolding around a building whose construction is complete. The “perfect”
in this text is not Jesus, nor is His second coming in view (that is a
forced and arbitrary interpretation). The Corinthian Christians needed to
learn and use love as they exercised their miraculous gifts. The gifts would
cease but love never ends. Love must be the compelling motive of all we do.
Always. Because love never fails. It never vanishes away.
-Sword Tips #1345, April 10, 2018
Are gentle
words,
calming a troubled heart.
Are
reassuring words,
igniting courage in a fainting heart.
Are
correcting words,
guiding little feet in paths of righteousness.
Are kind
words,
influencing the next generation.
Are w
turning you from worldly foolishness and sin.
Are faithful words,
urging you to obey the word of God.
Are
consistent words,
instilling godly values and moral living.
Are
affectionate words,
giving comfort, security and peace.
Are warning words when you go astray.
Are abiding words of love and devotion.
Mothers are a blessing from God! Thank God for your mother, and thank your mother for the blessing she is in your life.
20 “My son,
keep your father’s command, And do not forsake the law of your mother. 21
Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck.” (Proverbs
6:20-21)
You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 31:25-31
1. Honor
mothers, 1 Thess. 2:7; Prov. 19:26-27.
2. Motherhood is learned; it is not instinctive, Titus 2:4; Eph. 5:2; Prov.
31:28-29.
I. GOD-FEARING MOTHERS.
A. Know
their Children are Gifts from God, 1 Sam. 1:20; 2:1.
B. Are
not Perfect, but their Love Overcomes their Sins and Mistakes, 1 Pet. 4:8; 2
Tim. 1:5; Titus 2:4; 2 Cor. 13:5; 2 Tim. 3:16-17.
II. THE LOVE OF A GOD-FEARING MOTHER IS ALWAYS ACTIVE, 1 Cor. 13:4-8.
A.
God-Fearing Mothers…
1.
Are patient, Prov. 1:8-9; Titus 2:4.
2.
Are kind, Eph. 4:32.
3.
Are not envious, Gen. 30:1; Psa. 127:3.
4.
Are not boastful, Prov. 31:26.
5.
Are not arrogant.
6.
Are not rude, 1 Tim. 2:10.
7.
Are not selfish, Eph. 5:22-24; 1 Pet. 3:1-2.
8.
Are not irritable (provoked), Gal. 5:23.
9.
Are not resentful.
10.
Do not approve of sin.
11.
Rejoice with the truth, cf. 3 Jno. 4.
12.
Patiently continue to always love their children, Gal. 6:2; Prov. 23:22.
Conclusion
1. God urges mothers to embrace your God-given place of honor and
responsibility, and love your children as a God-fearing woman.
2. Children: Honor your mother every day. Don’t take her for granted, but
show her your love, care and gratitude.
You can find the complete outline of this sermon
plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files
at
BIBLE ANSWERS
Scripture Reading: Matthew 10:24-28
1.
Housetops in ancient Palestine.
2. Let’s go up on the housetop for spiritual strength and warnings.
I. A PLACE OF PERSISTENT (UNYIELDING) FAITH, Mk. 2:1-5.
A. Faith
at Work Blessed the Lame Man, Jas. 2:14-18.
B. We
Must Patiently Persist in Faith through the Obstacles and Trials of Life,
Jas. 1:2-4; 1 Pet. 1:5-7.
II. A PLACE OF PREACHING, Matt. 10:26-27.
A. The
Housetop Signifies an Open and Public Opportunity, Rom. 10:13-15.
B. We
Must Get on the Housetops and Proclaim the Gospel, Mk. 16:15; Acts 8:4; Rom.
1:15.
III. A PLACE OF PRAYER, Acts 10:9-10.
A. Make Time to be Alone with the Lord, Mk. 1:35; Lk. 5:17; 6:12; Jas. 5:16.
IV. PLACE OF SINFUL PASSION, 2 Sam. 11:2-5.
A. An Isolated Place can also become a Stumbling-Block (Occasion for Sin); 2 Sam. 12:7, 13 (Psa. 32:3-5); Heb. 4:13; 1 Cor. 4:5.
V. A PLACE OF PAINFUL PRIVACY, Prov. 21:9; 25:24.
A.
Husbands and Wives Need to Overcome Contentiousness and Strengthen their
Marriages.
B.
Peaceful Harmony in the Home is a Great Blessing, but the Disruption of
Discord and Conflict is a Curse, Col. 3:18-19.
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the light of Scripture)
Let Freedom Ring
Three Americans returned home this week from North Korea, where they had been held captive for alleged subversion, espionage and other unspecified hostile acts. When they landed in Alaska they released a statement which said, “We would like to express our deep appreciation to the United States government, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and the people of the United States for bringing us home. We thank God, and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return. God Bless America, the greatest nation in the world.” (“Trump says he will meet freed Americans when they land in DC area early Thursday morning,” foxnews.com). We are also thankful for their release.
Let me pose a question about their freedom. Does their freedom now mean they are not under answerable to the laws of America? Because they have graciously received freedom, can they violate U.S. laws with impunity? You would rightly say, “Of course not!”
Yet, this illustrates the concept some have concerning spiritual freedom in Christ. They mistakenly think they are free from (any) law because they have obtained liberty from sin in Christ. They twist Galatians 5:1 to justify their broadened view of grace, while conversely vilifying obedient faith (Rom. 3:27; 1 Cor. 9:21). Paul wrote, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1). The bondage in view is sin’s bondage, a bondage that was amplified (not remedied) by the law of Moses (Gal. 3:10-14; Rom. 3:20). Freedom from sin in Christ does not give one liberty to abandon obedient faith to Christ. Being “under grace” frees us from sin’s bondage and its reign over us. Thus saved by grace through faith, we are now “slaves of righteousness” (Rom. 6:14-18).
Freedom in
Christ is not liberty from careful obedience. And, careful obedience is not
legalism. Indeed, our liberty from sin enables us to be blessed by carefully
obeying our Master’s teachings (1 Tim. 4:6; 2 Tim. 3:10; Heb. 5:8-9).
Created by Chuck Sibbing, last updated. 05/13/2018
The Spirit's Sword is a free,
weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA
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