Iron Sharpens Iron: The Urgent Need for Fellowship

Iron Sharpens Iron: The Urgent Need for Fellowship

by | Feb 2, 2023 | Daily Encouragement | 0 comments

It is absolutely crucial that, as members of the body of Christ, we fellowship with each other. Especially now, when Christendom is witnessing unprecedented abject rebellion against the truth of God’s word. The apostle Paul warns us what the world will be like as we get closer to the Lord’s return in 1 Timothy 4:1–3. And we are very close!

 

‘Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times* some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. ‘

I Timothy 4:1-3

*“the latter times” refer to the time period of the Lord’s first coming and His return.

 

As believers, we are called to stand firm in our faith and remain steadfast in the face of deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. Proverbs 27:17 reminds us that “iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” In other words, just as iron sharpens iron, we can strengthen and encourage one another through sharing God’s word and building each other up in our faith.

 

Hebrews 10:23-25 says, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

 

These verses emphasize the importance of not only holding fast to our faith but also of coming together (In a local church, Bible Study, or Prayer meetings, anywhere) and exhorting one another as we see the day of the Lord’s return approaching. When we share God’s word and build each other up in our faith, we are able to stand strong in the face of adversity and remain steadfast in our walk with the Lord.

 

Devotion:

Dear Lord, help us to remember the power of sharing your word and building each other up in our faith. May we not neglect the importance of coming together and exhorting one another, so that we may remain steadfast in our walk with you. Help us to hold fast to our faith and to stay strong in the face of adversity. Amen.

 

 

 

Rejoice! Our Inheritance is Guaranteed and Sealed with the Holy Spirit – Ephesians 1:13-14

Rejoice! Our Inheritance is Guaranteed and Sealed with the Holy Spirit – Ephesians 1:13-14

by | Feb 1, 2023 | Daily Encouragement | 0 comments

Ephesians 1:13-14 states, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

 

These verses remind us of the incredible spiritual inheritance that is guaranteed to us as believers in Christ. Paul is explaining that after we heard the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and believed by faith alone in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit, who is the deposit guaranteeing our ultimate redemption. This means that we can trust that either by rapture or death, we will be with the Lord Jesus forever in glory.

 

The Holy Spirit Gives Us Power

In the meantime, we have the privilege of living in the power of the Holy Spirit and experiencing the blessings of our spiritual inheritance in this life. We can rest in the knowledge that we have been redeemed and that we are a purchased with a guarantee which is the Holy Spirit indwelling us. Our salvation is not based on our own merit or effort, but on the finished work of Jesus on the cross. We can approach each day with confidence, knowing that we are loved, valued, comforted, and strengthened by God the Holy Spirit that lives in us.

 

The takeaway for the Day:

Take time to reflect on the incredible inheritance that is yours as a child of God. Read Ephesians 1:13-14 again, and allow the words to sink in. Meditate on the fact that you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit, and that you can trust in the fullness of your ultimate redemption.

Remember that you are a purchased possession of God and that your salvation is not based on your own merit or effort.  Allow this truth to fill you with confidence, peace, and joy.

Praise God for His love, grace, and provision for you. Thank Him for the indescribable blessings that are yours in Christ. Ask Him to help you live each day in the fullness of your spiritual inheritance, and to empower you to share this good news with others.

 

God Knows You – “O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me” Psalm 139:1

God Knows You – “O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me” Psalm 139:1

by | Jan 31, 2023 | Daily Encouragement | 0 comments

Psalm 139:1 reads, “O Lord, you have searched me and known me.” This Bible verse is a powerful reminder of the inward knowledge and love that God has for us. The Psalmist recognizes that God knows every detail of our lives, from the thoughts and emotions that we experience to the number of hairs on our head. This understanding of God’s knowledge and care is deeply comforting and encouraging, especially in times of uncertainty and worry.

 

Despite the challenges and difficulties that we may face, God’s love and knowledge of us never wavers. He is always present, always watching over us, and always ready to guide and sustain us through any circumstance. This truth is a source of peace and comfort, and it helps us to trust in God’s faithfulness and goodness.

 

So today, take some time to reflect on the wonder and awesomeness of God’s love and knowledge. Allow yourself to be reminded of His presence in your life, and allow His love to fill you with hope, peace, and joy.

 

The takeaway:

Dear God, thank you for your never-ending love and care for me. I am in awe of your omniscience and the way that you know every detail of my life. Help me to trust in your love and knowledge today and every day. Give me the courage to face any challenges that come my way, knowing that you are always with me and always have my best interests at heart. Amen.

 

 

Don’t Be Deceived: Unprecedented Deception in the Church

Don’t Be Deceived: Unprecedented Deception in the Church

by | Jan 30, 2023 | Daily Encouragement | 0 comments

‘Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.’

Acts 20:28-31

 

It’s crucial for every Christian to be aware of the deceptions that exist in our world today. Especially within the “Church”.  The apostle Paul warned us multiple times not to be deceived, and in II Timothy 3:13, he writes, “but evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

 

Attacking the Literal Approach to Reading Scripture

 

The Bible is constantly under attack, with some trying to ridicule the idea of taking it literally. Origen was the first to promote the idea of taking scripture figuratively, and this has led to almost 2000 years of deception. Replacement theology, which teaches that Israel disappeared after the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, has permeated the majority of Christendom and has led to almost no teaching or knowledge about end-time prophecy.

 

Deception is also nullifying the wonderful gospel of grace in so many mainline denominations worldwide by overtly or subtly adding works to salvation. It’s the Jerusalem church’s Judiazers all over again: “You can’t be saved unless” you do this and that.

 

Paul wrote in II Thessalonians 2:3, “Let no man deceive you.” It’s crucial to stay with the truth of scripture and not be misled by false teachings. Peter wrote in II Peter 3:15-16, “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest (they twist), as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

 

The apostle Paul also wrote this strong warning to us. God’s word speaks for itself. Beware! Satan transforms himself into an angel of light and he does the same for ministers in the pulpit.

 

‘For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.’

II Corinthians 11:13-15

 

Takeaway

Deception is a major issue that should be taken seriously. We must stay vigilant and avoid false teachings and interpretations of the Bible. Stick with the truth of scripture and don’t let anyone deceive you.

 

CONTEXT DETERMINES INTERPRETATION

 

Most problems in interpreting Bible passages arise from neglecting the context of a bible verse. The guiding principle of sound interpretation is to take a passage literally. Not maintaining this discipline, makes interpreting Scripture man’s idea, fantasy, and the passage can mean almost anything. The result is erroneous and ridiculous interpretations.

To be a good bible student one must maintain a literal, grammatical and historical (in-time) hermeneutic. There has been much too much of man’s theology governing Scripture when it is God’s Word alone that reigns over theology.

 

Get your Bible out and read these Bible verses. Read them twice, three times. The power is in God’s words.

 

Ephesians 5:6 (KJV)
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Ephesians 4:14 (KJV)
that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

2 Thessalonians 2:3 (KJV)
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Romans 16:18 (KJV)
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Galatians 6:7 (KJV)
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

2 Timothy 3:13 (KJV)
But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Titus 1:10 (KJV)
For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

2 Corinthians 6:8 (KJV)
by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;

2 Thessalonians 2:10 (KJV)
and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

1 Corinthians 6:9 (KJV)
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

 

 

 

 

The Mind-Boggling Unfathomable 4 Dimensions of Christ’s Love in Our Lives

The Mind-Boggling Unfathomable 4 Dimensions of Christ’s Love in Our Lives

by | Jan 29, 2023 | Daily Encouragement | 0 comments

‘that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— ‘

Ephesians 3:17-18

 

The Vastness of God’s Love

Ephesians 3:17,18 teaches us that Christ can dwell in our hearts through faith and that being rooted and grounded in love allows us to comprehend and appropriate the fullness of Christ in our lives. This is not just for a select few, but for every single believer.

 

Ephesians 3:18-19 tells us that Christ’s love is beyond our understanding and goes beyond knowledge. This love is so vast that it is described as having four dimensions: breadth, length, depth, and height.

 

This mind-boggling love can only be provided by God and we can only understand it through and by love itself. It is a love that fills us with the fullness of God and roots us in His love, making us grounded and secure in our faith.

 

In addition to Ephesians 3:18-19, Colossians 2:2-3 reminds us of the abundance of knowledge and wisdom we can gain through Christ: “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge’.”

 

The Key is to “Study the Bible”

 

The key to grasping this vast, unfathomable, four-dimensional love is to study the Bible. Only by immersing ourselves in God’s word and through prayer can we begin to comprehend the mind-boggling, four-dimensional love that God has to offer. By reading and meditating on the scriptures, we allow the power of the word to flow through us via the Holy Spirit, who will then guide us in understanding the breadth, length, depth, and height of God’s love.

 

When we seek to understand the love of Christ (by studying His word) and allow it to fill us, we tap into the fullness of God and gain a richness of understanding that surpasses all human knowledge. So let us embrace this four-dimensional love and rest in the fullness of God’s grace.