by Terry Laughlin | Apr 29, 2016 | Evidence of Salvation
The Pharisee, Nicodemus, was not able to perceive Jesus’ teaching on the most important truth for all mankind. Our Lord gave him the key truth to hearing from God and living for Him. Jesus said, “No one will see the kingdom of God unless they are born again…” You must be born again.” (John 3:3, 7b) Born again is the key truth:
“The birth of a baby is a wonderful thing! Doctors, nurses and parents regularly speak of the miracle of the birth of a child. News of a child’s birth is often reported by newspaper and radio, especially in rural areas.
Exciting as it is, however, no natural birth of a child can compare to the awesome supernatural birth of a child of God. Though the birth of Jesus Christ was announced by an angel of the Lord and though people were amazed at what the shepherds told them about Jesus, only a few gave glory to God as the angels did. In the same way today, few note the birth of a new child of God. It will probably not be announced in the newspaper or on the radio and few, even in the church will rejoice over this miracle of God. Nevertheless, Jesus said, ‘I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.'” (Luke 15:7)
In the Greek, born “again” means born “from above.” Many Scriptures describe what God will do in the life of a person who, through true repentance, accepts Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord. Ezekiel 36: 26, 27 is one of the clearest, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws.”
A heart of stone is inflexible, unyielding and insensitive. It is not apt to receive from or have any devoted affection toward its Creator. A man with a heart of stone has no fellowship with the Lord. He does not do the will of God. He does only what seems right in his own eyes which will lead to his destruction.
When God supernaturally gives you a heart of flesh and puts His Spirit in you, you become sensitive and alive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Only then are you able to determine and do the will of God. Thus knowing the joy that comes from obedience to the Word of God. Once the Holy Spirit of God has entered your heart to implant the life of Christ within you, you will never be the same! Guaranteed!
by Terry Laughlin | Apr 29, 2016 | Evidence of Salvation
In the Book of John, we read of a conversation between Jesus and a Pharisee, Nicodemus. They were talking about spiritual truths. Nicodemus is confused and has no understanding of what Jesus was saying. Jesus made a profound statement that should bring concern to all in ministry. Jesus said, “You are Israel’s teacher, and you do not understand these things? As they continued their conversation, Jesus points out, “…you do not believe.” (John 3:10, 12) The beloved John makes it clear that the Pharisees could not understand what Jesus was teaching. (John 10:6) A Pharisee (Φαρισαῖος Pharisaios) is a member of a Jewish religious sect. Pharisees were educated (Nelson’s New Testament Bible Manners and Customs) The Pharisees are described by two first century sources, the New Testament and Josephus, a Jewish Historian who wrote for non-Jews in the Greek language. The picture of the Pharisees in the Gospels often present’s them as legalistic, hypocrites and were blind to Jesus’ message.
To “believe (πιστεύω pisteúō) means to imply trust. (Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) This trust causes you to live out what you believe. Pisteuo belief is like: I can say I believe there is a game of golf. Golf is real, many play it and there are some that make a lot of money playing golf. My belief in golf does not move me to participate in it. As a matter of fact, when I played golf in high school, I got board. I started chasing ground squirrels with the golf cart and golf clubs. That is not the type of belief in golf one should have. Many have that type of belief in God, Christ and the Holy Spirit. They are reckless in there living for self, while claiming to believe in Jesus.
There is a Arabian Horse trainer, David Boggs. He has pisteuo belief in the Arabian Horse business. He does whatever it takes to make the business work by investing money, time, and strength. He studies and applies what he believes will work in getting Arabian Horses ready for the show ring, he understands the genetics for future generations and disciples others in the business.
Christians who believe in Jesus will do whatever it takes on their part to get done what He says to do. They invest money, time and strength. They study to show themselves approved to be teachers of the Word, they have tasted the Lord is good, they teach the Word to younger generations and they disciples other in the truths of Lord.
Hearing from the Lord requires that you have Biblical belief.
by Terry Laughlin | Apr 29, 2016 | Evidence of Salvation
Are You the Lord’s Sheep
A key step to hearing from God is to take a truth spoken by Jesus seriously, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27-28) Jesus spoke another truth that must be grasped in order to hear from the Lord, “But you do not believe because you are not My sheep.” (John 10:26)
It is imperative that you understand that Jesus is talking to Jews here. (John 10:24) He had been speaking to the Pharisees, (John 10:1) The beloved John makes it clear that the Pharisees could not understand what Jesus was teaching. (John 10:6) A Pharisee (Φαρισαῖος Pharisaios) is a member of a Jewish religious sect. Pharisees were educated (Nelson’s New Testament Bible Manners and Customs) The Pharisees are described by two first century sources, the New Testament and Josephus, a Jewish Historian who wrote for non-Jews in the Greek language. The picture of the Pharisees in the Gospels present them as legalistic, hypocrites and were blind to Jesus’ message. Jesus had a conversation with a Pharisee, Nicodemus. In that conversation, Jesus points out, “…you do not believe.” (John 3:10, 12) In His parable of the “Good Shepherd and His Sheep” Jesus taught, “The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him, because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact they will run from him.” (John 10: 3-5)
“Travelers to lands where old-fashioned sheep herding methods are still used, have noticed the shepherds often give names to their sheep, just like we do our dogs, cats, and horses. They notice the sheep recognizes its own name, and comes when called by the shepherd they know. They even noticed that when the different flocks are mixed, as each shepherd begins to call his flock, travelers are intrigued by the sheep’s readiness to separate and follow the commands given. They notice the sheep paid no attention to the shepherds they did not know.” (Freeman, J. M., & Chadwick, H. J. (1998). Manners & customs of the Bible (p. 518). North Brunswick, NJ: Bridge-Logos Publishers)
Hearing from God in modern times requires that you be a true sheep, a child of God who hears the voice of the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
by Terry Laughlin | Apr 20, 2016 | Pastoral Appreciation
Pastoral Appreciation
There is no greater blessing than to see obedient Christians exercise their gifts under the guidance of agape love. Whether it be the gift of helps, administration, evangelism or any of the other gifts clearly described in the Bible, each one is equally important to God, useful to Jesus Christ and can be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
In 2 Corinthians 1: 11 there is a very special person that pastors are especially thankful for–prayer warriors. The greatest missionary of all time, the apostle Paul wrote, “As you help us by your prayers, then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.” (2 Corinthians 1:11) Paul writes this as a statement of fact proclaiming that it was the power of God in answer to prayer that enabled him and the ministry team he was working with to complete all that God had for them to do.
Paul’s life was often in danger and it was only by the hand of God that he had been delivered out of it. Paul also wrote “…But this happened that we might not rely upon ourselves but on God.” (2 Corinthians 1:9) Yes, Paul knew that it was God who protected them through and delivered them out of their great perils. He also was not so foolish as to deny or undervalue the secondary cause. Having first praised God earlier in this chapter, 2 Corinthians 1:11 shows how Paul remembers with great gratitude the earnest prayers of many loving prayer warriors.
The greatest ministry to the pastor of any Bible-believing church is the ministry of fasting and prayer. The church that looks past the world’s way of doing business and gets serious about praying for their spiritual leaders is the church that God will use to reach the lost and make true disciples of Christ. Your pastor faces great perils every day, the flesh often tempts him, the world continually draws him and the devil attacks in many different ways. Most pastors every week search desperately for times of fasting, prayer, Bible reading and study. Spending time alone with the Lord is the pastor’s food for strength to fulfill God’s calling. Pastors, now and especially in the near future, need the faithful prayers of those they oversee for the Lord.
An American preacher became the pastor of a London Church. On the first Sunday there were many converts. For the next year the Lord’s messages were delivered with power and many lost souls came to Christ. At the end of that first year this pastor was called to the bedside of a vary ill member of the church who told him how she had passed through a period of rebellion and spiritual darkness because of poverty, lameness and sickness. Upon repentance God revealed to her that He had given her the privilege of intercession. On the Saturday night before the pastor’s first Sunday this woman spent the entire night in prayer and had done that every Saturday night since. As her weak voice ceased, the pastor knew that this wonderful child of God had most certainly ministered to him and the Lord.
October is pastoral appreciation month. Will you be the one to uphold your pastor in agape love? Sacrificial prayer warriors have the most appreciation of their pastors.
by Terry Laughlin | Apr 20, 2016 | Patriotism
Intercession for Our Armed Forces
Psalm 33:16-18 says “No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love.”
The great preacher Charles Spurgeon wrote, “The strongest battalions melt like snowflakes when God is against them.” America has been blessed with great and powerful military forces, yet Americans must understand that the Lord is not on the side of those who have the biggest war heads and largest armies. His eyes watch out for those who look to Him as Lord and who fully understand that victory only comes from Him.
The Word of God lays out a format which can be followed in battling the enemies of a nation with a motto, “The People of God” or “In God We Trust.” There are those who are trained to go and fight and there are those who are commissioned to pray.
This is so clearly seen in Exodus 17:10-13. Exodus records the events of a battle commissioned by Moses and anointed by God to fight against the Amalekites who threatened the people of God. The warrior leading the Lord’s army was Joshua, whose name means “Yahweh is salvation.” The Bible says, “So Joshua fought the Amalekites… Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired… Aaron and Hur held up his hands… so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekites army with the sword.”
In Exodus 17:9 we read of Moses telling Joshua that he would be holding the staff of God in his hand. This staff of God was a way of appeal to the Lord. Our appeal today is to enter the throne of grace in the name of Jesus Christ. Christians are not only to be light upon a hill, but intercessors as well. Our nation is fighting an enemy right now and Christians are to be quick and steadfast in prayer as Moses, Aaron and Hur. Our armed forces need God’s intervention as much as Joshua’s army did.
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