by Ken Focazio | Apr 29, 2025 | Articles, Mentors Corner
By Ken Focazio I was driving home about two years ago, and a song came on the radio called “Love Me As I AM” by King and Country. I was struck by the simple message that God loves us just the way we are– the good, the bad and the ugly. You know how you know something intellectually or at a conscience level but then something happens, and it penetrates down to the very soul? And consequently “you know” what it means that God loves us and accepts us, his perfect creation and what we as depraved sinners do with what God gives us. Well, that got me to thinking how simple God’s provision of salvation really is, just three components: Justification, Sanctification and Glorification. Those of you who know sales have probably heard of the KISS method, “Keep It Simple, Stupid”. Man’s greatest talent is to overcomplicate things until they are unrecognizable. For example, the Jews and the expansion of the Law: the Ten Commandments grew to over 602 additional laws! In the New Testament Jesus tells us the simple way of salvation (Mark 12:29-30); “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength”. The second is this: ”You shall love your neighbor as yourself”. There is no other commandment greater than these. To the extent we keep these keep these commandments perfectly, we can anticipate the promise of salvation. Doesn’t get much simpler than that! However, since none of us have managed to accomplish these commands, God, out of...
by John Hartshorn | Apr 14, 2025 | Articles, Mentors Corner
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed as it is written, “HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE POOR, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ENDURES FOREVER” (2 Corinthians 9:8,9). 10 “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; 11 you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. 13 Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for [your] obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, 14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:10-15). Note that I have created an arbitrary new paragraph at v.10. Verses 8 and 9 are often used as further substantiation that compliance to “every good deed” should then further the message that the realization of one’s financial dreams and aspirations are a simple matter of you “investing in God” by faith. This has been used as the justification for the dangerous, heretical doctrine of the “prosperity gospel”. This is the concept that God’s purpose for us is to temporally prosper us. ...
by Ed Allen | Apr 1, 2025 | Articles, Mentors Corner
“LORD, make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days; Let me know how transient I am. Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Surely every man walks about as a phantom; Surely they make an uproar for nothing; He amasses riches and does not know who will gather them. And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.” (Psalm 39:4-7) Three Questions: Considering your own view of the world in this present time, how do you answer the question “for what do I wait?” Do your thinking and actions affirm your confession? What are your thoughts? Read More Articles By This...
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