Tag: Accepted in Christ

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The Local Church

It cannot be over-emphasized that the Church is not a building, a tent, or a home. On the contrary. The Church is the “Ekklesia,” which literally means a “called out group” or an “Assembly” of “born-again” Christians who have placed their faith in the shed blood, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Church is the “body” or the “bride” of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible explains that “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without […]

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A Name above all names

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the father” (Philippians 2:9-11).  Most of us have heard the phrase, “What’s in a name.” Studies have revealed that names play a significant role in peoples’ lives. Parents give their new-borns names that will stick for life. Some people feel that their names define them and does affect their […]

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Is preaching the Gospel old-fashioned?

I chose this topic for a very important reason. Based on my keen interest in the gospel, it is evident that some preachers are not specifically preaching about sin and repentance as they should. The gospel is and always has been “that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). Also, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Any truly “born again” believer […]

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Why is forgiveness important?

The Bible is replete on the subject of forgiveness. Our greatest example of forgiveness is the Lord Jesus Christ. While on the Cross, Jesus prayed to God, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Divine forgiveness is an attribute of God. In the “model” prayer the Lord Jesus taught His disciples, it says in part, “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:11,12). The death of Jesus on the Cross was required by God to forgive man’s sins in order for him to be reconciled to God. […]

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Hunger and thirst

In His Sermon on the Mount, the Lord Jesus said, ”Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6). As human beings, it is natural to be hungry and thirsty for physical food and drink. God created us this way. We also develop a “hunger and thirst” for various things that are neither food nor drink.  In this context, Jesus is speaking about “spiritual hunger and thirst for righteousness.” Righteousness is one of God’s great attributes. Righteousness has to do with God’s holiness and character. In David’s Psalm of praise to God, he said “The LORD is righteous […]

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God our Creator

The Holy Scriptures, the Bible, begins with God and not with an exchange of views about His existence. Neither does the Bible gives any data to determine how long ago God created the universe. Although there have been some speculation on the subject. The Bible declares. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep” (Genesis 1:1,2). This tells us there was nothing that existed before God created the universe. The text specifically states, “The earth was without form and void.”   William MacDonald makes an insightful commentary […]

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Prayer Means Waiting

One of the great disciplines of prayer is “waiting on God for His answer.” God says to us “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known” (Jeremiah 33:3). So we pray and God answers our prayers. No time line given when answers will be forth coming. An important point to consider is that God answers prayers in accordance to His will and purpose. In the model prayer Jesus taught His disciples, it  says “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Also, God’s timing must always be […]

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The Christian’s God

The Christian’s God is the God of the Holy Scriptures. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16,17).       The God of heaven is He “who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever” (Psalm 146:6). There is no other God. “For I am God and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times […]

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Lordship of Jesus Christ

One of the foundational truths of the Christian faith is the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul declared, “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11). Jesus Christ as Lord we gladly own, now seated on His Father’s throne. Paul also makes it clear that because of the atoning death of Christ on the […]

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Be Strong!

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love ” (1 Corinthians 16:13,14). Thus says the Word of God. Christians are being exhorted to “be watchful, stand firm in the faith . . . be strong.” Is has become increasingly difficult in our beloved America, land of the free, to stand in the faith and be strong for God. “Political correctness” is one of the main culprits. Politics, corruption, greed, lawlessness, and confusion appear to be at all levels of society.    One only has to listen to the rhetoric and false promises […]