by MIMADMIN | May 7, 2015 | Articles
And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.” 1 Samuel 22:2 Those who were anguishing, in debt, unhappy with the status quo – these were the kinds of men that gathered around David, eventually becoming his mighty men. You become like the people with whom you associate. Giant killers train giant killers. David killed the giant Goliath. “There was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant.” [150] If you wish to be godly, associate with godly people. If you have a heart for evangelism, spend time with those doing it. If you wish to think biblically, spend time with those who have the same desire. Jesus was the friend of publicans and sinners, and you should emulate the Savior. Christianity is a religion of mission. God wants you involved in the lives of those that do not know and love Him “that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” [151] The sanctified life always calls attention to its source; they know that your goodness comes from being with Jesus. Because He calls you to be the friend of sinners, and because you become like the people with whom you associate, it is imperative that you counter-balance your association with sinners by a band of godly brothers and sisters that will provoke you to godliness. [150]...
by MIMADMIN | May 7, 2015 | Articles
“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 The ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ involves a spiritual battle in which the evangelist is nothing more than an ambassador. Whether a person responds negatively to the “glorious gospel of Christ,” or whether he believes and is given new life, the battle is fought on a spiritual plane outside the control of the messenger. Why do some people reject the gospel? Satan has blinded their minds so they cannot see. Why do other people accept the gospel? “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in their hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 348 For this reason “we faint not.” 349 Paul faced persistent opposition and rejection throughout his ministry. He stayed in the battle, refusing to quit, because he knew that in the final analysis the struggle did not involve him personally. You can easily misunderstand your task as a witness for Christ and take it personally when people reject your message. Conversely, you think too highly of yourself if you take pride in your ability to win others to Christ. In either case you fail to grasp that you are limited to merely sharing the good news. Beyond that point it becomes a spiritual struggle over...
by MIMADMIN | May 7, 2015 | Articles
“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:23 Samuel charged King Saul with the crime of rebellion, and as a result took his kingdom from him. Saul, when given the task of annihilating the Amalekites, decided to save the best for sacrificing later. Nathan charged King David with the crime of murder and adultery without David losing either his kingdom or his life. Although the crime of David seems more serious than that of Saul, the difference lay in their attitude. When Nathan confronted David, he said, “I sinned.”1 David did not seek to excuse himself; he immediately confessed. Saul on the other hand argued with Samuel, seeking to excuse himself by blaming the people. David was disobedient. Saul was rebellious. If you liken God’s Law to a fence, when David broke the fence he freely admitted that he was wrong. When Saul broke the fence, he wanted to argue with God over the validity of the fence. “It was a bad command, an unreasonable expectation. You should have allowed me to modify it in light of my current circumstances.” God will not tolerate the attitude of Saul. Because all are sinners, you find yourself frequently having to confess your wrongs. But that is different from ignoring God’s commands or refusing to recognize their authority over your life. When you find yourself moving in the direction of rebellion, quickly repent. It is not a safe place to be. 1 II Samuel...
by MIMADMIN | May 7, 2015 | Articles
“Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.” II Corinthians 5:16 Viewing people correctly is one of the most important qualifications in becoming Christ’s disciple. To illustrate its importance, Paul says that there was a day when he saw Jesus as a carpenter’s son from Nazareth, the son of Joseph and Mary, a troublemaker who spread discontent and heresy among his followers. Now Paul sees Him as God sees Him: the eternal Son of God who became the propitiation for our sins. Just as Paul now sees Jesus as God sees Him, so also all people. Before his conversion he viewed people from a human perspective. Some were attractive and others not; some were intellectually stimulating and others dull; some were powerful, important people, and others the opposite. Jesus Christ changed all of that. Paul now sees everyone as equal in value and importance, created in the image of God and of eternal worth. This does not mean that you condone sin any more than Jesus approved of the Pharisees. But good or bad, right or wrong, all people bear God’s image and are of eternal worth. You can no longer view people “after the flesh.” All are of equal worth and significance in the economy of God, and you must view them through that lens. This does not come naturally. You must discipline yourself to treat people with the dignity and respect that is theirs by virtue of God’s imputation, the same way that God views...
by MIMADMIN | May 7, 2015 | Articles
“We have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways; we refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:2 You do not commend the gospel message to the logic or intellect of people, but to their conscience. When God says that people are created in His image, in part that means they have a conscience – a moral gyroscope that allows them to know right from wrong. God created the conscience so that it conforms to His standard. Although people cannot reason their way to God, the conscience can assist in affirming what is right. The conscience can identify goodness, and it is this goodness that Paul commends. All people know that dishonesty is wrong. All people can identify hypocrisy. People who preach Jesus and live hypocritical lives become the subject of public ridicule and bad characters in movies. When you communicate the gospel with a life-style contrary to that of the gospel, a life-style that all can identify as wrong, you give the enemies of God an occasion to blaspheme, and you anger God. “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea.” Luke 17:2 When people observe that your life is in harmony with the message, they may not believe, but they know in their conscience that they have met...
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