And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17
THE
SPIRIT’S
SWORD
Volume 17, Number
39
04/05/2015
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
Rick Holt
Deacons
Aaron Bass
Rich Brooks
Mike Finn
Dan Head
In this issue:
Gospel Meeting April 26 - May 1, 2015
The Mt.
Baker
Church of Christ
1860
Mt. Baker Highway • Bellingham WA
Invites you to our
GOSPEL MEETING
With Evangelist
Jesse Flowers
(Baytown,
Texas)
April 26 - May 1, 2015
Monday-Friday at
7:00 PM
Sunday,
April 26th at 9:30 and 10:30 AM; 6:00 PM
Bring your Bible and join us in learning God’s word and will for our lives!
(From
I-5 take Exit # 255 and go East 4.2 miles)
For more information please call (360) 752-2692
The word “mercy” is found hundreds of times in the Bible, and is translated from a number of different Hebrew and Greek words.
The English word “mercy” is defined as:
The definition above helps us to see that mercy is a beautiful combination of an attitude and an action: the ability to be touched by the plight of another and the desire to help them out of their affliction.
Our knowledge and understanding of mercy comes from God. He is called the “Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3). God’s mercy is abundant (Ps. 86:15), faithful and trustworthy (Ps. 13:5), and endures forever (Ps. 136).
While God is merciful towards all of mankind, the Bible teaches that His continued mercy is conditional. In order for us to continue to receive God’s mercy we must acknowledge Him in our life (Ps. 86:5), confess and forsake our sins (Prov. 28:13), possess a penitent and contrite heart (Luke 18:13-14), fear the Lord and keep His commandments (Ps. 103:17-18), and show mercy to others (Matt. 5:7).
It should be no surprise to learn that a merciful God expects His children to be merciful. Through the prophet Hosea, God told Israel of old that He desired mercy and not sacrifice (Hosea 6:6). Jesus quoted this Scripture and applied it as a stinging rebuke to the Pharisees (Matt. 9:13, 12:7). God commanded sacrifice, but He expected the exercise of His religion to be useful and helpful to mankind.
The actions of the Good Samaritan were summed up as “he who showed mercy,” to which the Lord replied, “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37).
God requires us to “love mercy” (Micah 6:8). We are not to dismiss mercy as a weak or useless emotion, but cherish it, honor it, and uphold it in our lives.
There is coming a day in which each of us will stand before the Lord to be judged. We will want mercy on that day. The one way to ensure we will receive mercy when we need it the most is by showing mercy to others today.
-Knollwood Reminder, March 29, 2015
You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS
Things You Won't Have To Do In Hell
Scripture Reading: Revelation 21:3-8
1. Hell is
real and is described by Jesus as a place no one wants to go.
2. Facts about hell: Torment, Matt. 25:30; Outer darkness, Matt. 25:30;
Place of unquenchable fire, Mk. 9:44-48; Rev. 21:8; Everlasting
punishment, 2 Ths. 1:8-9; Rev. 20:10, 14-15.
3. Things you will not have to do in hell.
I. YOU WON’T HAVE TO ATTEND WORSHIP SERVICES, Heb. 10:24-27; Acts 2:42; 1 Jno. 5:4.
II. YOU WON'T HAVE TO WORSHIP GOD IN HELL. Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; 1 Ths. 5:17; Lk. 18:1; 2 Tim. 4:2-4; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 1:21; Isa. 30:8-11.
III. YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR, Gal. 5:13-15; Matt. 7:12; 1 Tim. 6:17-19.
IV. YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO LOVE GOD, Jno. 14:15; 1 Jno. 5:2-3; Rom. 12:1-2; Psa. 119:104; 2 Cor. 5:7.
V. YOU WILL NEVER HAVE TO STAND UP FOR THE TRUTH AGAIN, 1 Pet. 4:4; 1 Tim. 6:12; Jude 3; Eph. 6:10-17.
Conclusion
1. Of course, you do not "have" to do these things on earth. If you go
to hell it will be your choice; God is trying to save you.
2. What will you and I inherit: Rest or anguish? Rev. 21:4-8
You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS
Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:1-6
1. Satan
deceives the whole world, Rev. 12:9.
2. His lies are so strong and so convincing that many sell their souls
to the devil thinking that serve God, cf. Jno. 16:2.
3. We must know our enemy, 2 Cor. 2:11.
I. SATAN IS THE GOD OF THIS WORLD.
A. He Rules Over All things that Oppose God, 2 Cor. 4:3-4; 1 Jno. 2:15-16; 2 Cor. 10:3; Eph. 6:10-13; Col. 3:1-4; 1 Jno. 4:4.
II. SATAN IS THE GOD OF LIES, Jno. 8:44.
A. All Liars have their Place in the Lake of Fire, Rev. 21:8; Jno. 8:31-32; Eph. 4:25.
III. SATAN IS THE GOD OF PRIDE, 1 Tim. 3:6.
A. He Arrogantly Says, "You will not surely die", Gen. 3:4 (Rom. 6:23); Jas. 4:5-10.
IV. SATAN IS THE GOD OF IMMORALITY, 1 Jno. 2:16.
A. He Entices through the Flesh, Jas. 1:13-16; Gal. 5:19-21; 1 Cor. 6:9-11.
V. SATAN IS THE GOD OF ERROR (FALSE DOCTRINE), 2 Cor. 11:13-15.
A. He Hates the Truth of the Gospel, 2 Cor. 11:2-4 (Isa. 5:20); Matt. 7:24-27; Jas. 1:25.
VI. SATAN IS THE GOD OF PAIN AND SORROW, Prov. 13:15.
A. He Promises Freedom but Gives Only Bondage and Death, 2 Pet. 2:19; Gen. 3:16-19; Heb. 11:25; Matt. 25:41.
Conclusion
1. The Lord gives us spiritual armor for the battle and assures victory
in Christ, Eph. 6:10-17; Rev. 17:14.
2. The devil is a coward, Jas. 4:7.
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the light of Scripture)
What Can the Righteous Do?
Joe R. Price
Cries of intolerance and discrimination were heard this week in an attempt to silence religious conscience in a small Indiana town. It was all hypothetical. Memories Pizza in Walkerton, IN has never even catered a wedding, much less been asked to do so by a same sex marriage couple. Yet, when asked, the owners expressed their faith and were labeled with all sorts of intolerant, hateful words and deeds, forcing them to temporarily close.
How are Christians to react when they are challenged or even attacked for their faith? Does "turning the other cheek" mean remaining silent about one's convictions, if speaking out will offend a particular group of sinners? Hardly. If that were the case, then the gospel could never be preached, since some will always hate the truth!
What are Christians to do in the face of increasing pressure to give in and be "tolerant" of social sins?
1) First, realize the issue is not correctly defined by those who do not know God. Do not be deceived by the one-sided charges of those who do not respect God, as if they are the authorities on all matters civil. The Scriptures are our standard of authority for faith and practice. They teach us how to conduct ourselves, not LGBT activists, the media, politicians, intellectuals, etc. (Col. 3:17; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).
2) Live your faith and stand up for truth. We cannot leave this world of sin; we engage in commerce and many other activities with sinners every day (1 Cor. 5:9-10). That does not mean we must be silent; we must speak (Acts 5:19-20).
3) Like Jesus, lovingly call sinners to repentance. When Jesus ate with sinners He was teaching them and they were following Him. He was calling sinners to repentance (Matt. 9:9-13; Mk. 2:13-14; Lk. 15:1-2). He was falsely charged with tolerating sin when He ate with sinners. He did no such thing. He spoke truth, and these were listening to Him. We should do the same - even when some refuse to listen.
4) Like Jesus, do not have fellowship with sin. Condoning sin instead of exposing it for what it is never saves the lost. By doing so you compromise your faith (Eph. 5:8-13).
5) Pray for
your enemies and be at peace with all as much as it depends on you
(Matt. 5:43-45; Rom. 12:17-18).
Created by Chuck Sibbing, last updated. 04/05/2015
The Spirit's Sword is a free,
weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA
Send all questions, comments and subscriptions to the editor at:
ssword@bibleanswer.com