Am I really one of the Elect?

(Sermonette listen above, these things are really taking off! Praise God!!)
Hello everyone, our topic today is posed in a question, "Are you sure your saved?" Sometimes people wonder "if" they are really saved..... Sometimes I hear of some who question if they are truly 'elected' by God. Sometimes they say, "maybe I'm just not one of the elect". Dear reader, it is possible to be saved and doubt it(most likely because of sin), but it is also possible to be saved and KNOW FOR SURE that you are! So come and sit under the feet of the Apostle Peter and let him guide you through self-examination to make sure your one of the blessed Elect.
2 Peter 1:3-11
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, [5] and virtue with knowledge,
6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,
7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
8 For if these qualities [6] are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.
10 Therefore, brothers, [7] be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Don't be Stupid

How I pray that we would love the discipline of the Lord our God! Oh, it is so hard to understand but it is sweet to the soul.

Our sermoneet texts are, (please pray over these texts of Holy Scripture, and may the Lord grant you understanding.)

Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates reproof is stupid.

James 1:2-4
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, [2] when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Hebrews 12:5-11

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”

7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Real Christian Life

Shut up and Listen

Do you talk too much? Or perhaps you know someone who talks so much, you do not even want to be around them, in fact, you do your best to avoid them. We do not hear many sermons about this topic, yet the Bible is not silent regarding this wickedness of talking too much. The one who talks profusely has no love for the person they are talking too, therefore, they sin against the One (God) in whose image they have been made in, due to the lack of value and sense of worth which is endowed in every human being. Talking too much is one of the giant fruits of the root called "prideful spirit."

So shut up and listen to this sermonette.
Proverbs 17:27-28
27 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;
when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

What does it mean to thank God?

What does it mean to thank God? We hear it all the time with Christians and non-Christians alike? All kind people say "I thank God" and yet they don't even believe in Him. Saying thanks to God (for many) is a meaningless thing to say. What does it really mean to thank the One who created all things, and who died for the sins of His people? Christians should be thanking God all the time for just having a loving and caring God. People who are not Christians should be thanking God that He has not sent them to hell forever (at this very moment). What does it really mean to thank God for something? Does it mean to just say “thanks,” like when someone gives you something? No, it is more than that and we need to have a right understanding of the word thanks. The word means to express gratitude for benefits or blessing to thank, thanksgiving, thankfulness. Of course we should thank people for things they do, but we should be more thankful to God and not people. As sinful people we should be on our knees thanking God all the time and showing Him gratitude for what He has done for us. We are so quick to thank God for the good things, but we need to thank God for the bad things too, for all things, even the bad things in our lives. Thanking God should always be on our lips and in our heart. A thankful heart is what we should want to have. We need to expand our understanding of how God is merciful. Thanking God that we all are not in hell right now. If we would understand that we would be thanking God all the time for what He has done for us. Psalms 7:17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High."

DWYL

False Prophets are Everwhere

Our Sermonette (a short sermon, about 8 mins) today is about False Prophets. How do you recognize a false prophet, what is a false prophet? Well, let me first start out by telling you that they are everywhere, even in our midst! Beware, and know what false prophets are like and what they do.

We also want to make sure you know what the marks of a TRUE prophet of God are.

Our Text for today is Jeremiah 23:21-22

21 “I did not send the prophets,
yet they ran;
I did not speak to them,
yet they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my council,
then they would have proclaimed my words to my people,
and they would have turned them from their evil way,
and from the evil of their deeds.

Christ Centered Marriage

Husband and Wife question

Regarding our sermonette today "The Fulfilled Marriage," we have had a couple common questions. The first is (1.) Should a woman literally submit to her husband in everything?(2.) We know that a woman should submit to her husband but doesn't Ephesian 5:21 (the preceding verses to your sermoneete) read "submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ," meaning that the husband should also submit to the wife?

These are good questions, one I will address in here in this blog and the other in tomorrows sermonette. Regarding questing one, yes, a wife should literally submit to her husband in everything in every-way except when he calls for her to flagrantly disobey God's word. In Acts 5:29 Peter was faced with the same type of question and here was the response, "But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men." Yet Romans thirteen is clear in verse 1-2

13:1 "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment"

Make no mistake about this issue, the husband is the governing authority over his house hold. Therefore, this verse is appropriate for the regulation of a marriage also. Christians must obey all (yes that mean speed limit's too) authority up to the point when the authority is clearly contrary to God's word. (Ex 1:15-17; Da 6:4-10)


Until next time, stay Christ centered!

The Fulfilled Marriage

In our sermonette (a mini-sermon that is about 5-10 min's, listen above) today, we discussed the fulfilled marriage. With the divorce rates at soaring numbers, with the disappearing instatution of the home, with the media imposed idea of marriage, the time is long overdo that we return to a biblical position of marriage. The Bible teaches complementarianism. Comlementarianism is very accurately defined by Ligon Duncan when he said 'God has created men and women equal in their essential dignity and human personhood, but different and complementary in function with male headship in the home and in the Church.' May this sermonette bless you in your marriage, consider your ways.

Our text today is from Ephesians 5:22-28

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. [1] 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Are you blameless?

In our sermonette (mini-sermon 5-10 min's, listen below) today, we discussed being blameless or above reproach. Lit." not able to be held" in a criminal sense, meaning that there is nothing valid that can be held onto in order to lay a blame against an overseer. No blatant, flagrant sin can scar the life of a man who is called to be an example to the people of God (Heb 13:7, 1Pe 5:3, Php 3:17, 2Th 3:9, Ps 101:6) Blamelessness (above reproach) is the waving banner for all elders; all the other requirements expound on what it means to live that way.But remember an elder is to be an example for all the people of God to follow. So that means that you too (if you are a lay person) must make these requirements your own. Every believer is called to a priestly type of life, therefore, we all must take pains in the joy of living 1 Timothy 3:1-7, which is truly an exemplary life.

Above Reproach

God or Man centered salvation?

Who did Christ die for? Everyone or Some?

by Nick "slick" Herring
This topic is not talked about much in churches today, because most people believe that Jesus died for every person in the world. Does the Bible really say that or not? The term that is most used by most Calvinists is "limited atonement.” What does that mean and why do we use that word?

Many say that is not a good word to use since it seemingly limits Christ’s work on the cross. Well, whatever people may call it, Christians need to know what the Bible says on this topic and examine the Scriptures daily to see whether these things are true. Limited atonement doesn't mean that the atoning work of Christ was limited in its power to save sinners. Rather, it means that the blood of Jesus was limited in the amount of people it atoned for.

There are many verses that tell about whom Christ died. For example John chapter 10, Jesus says that He lays His life down for "the sheep" and He also says that He has "other sheep" that are not of this fold, and that He must bring them also. Christ died for His "sheep" and not for the whole world. If He died for every person in the world, then everyone to heaven, and most would agree that the Bible does not teach universal redemption.

We need not to trust in our feelings, but in the Word of God. Everyone should think about the concept of "limited atonement" by searching the Scriptures and determining if the Bible says it is true or not. Here are a couple of questions to ask when thinking it over;
Did Christ try to make salvation possible?
Or
Did Christ actually save those for whom He died?

Jesus actually atoned for the sins of those the Father chose. He actually propitiated the wrath of God toward His people by taking their judgment upon Himself, and actually redeemed them. In John 17, Jesus didn't pray for the whole world, but only the ones who the Father gave Him out of the world. I know that this is a strange thing to believe, but as I said before, we need not to trust in our feelings but we need to trust in the Word of God alone. If someone went to hell, then Jesus didn't die for that person, but if He did die for that person, yet they ended up in hell due to lack of faith (as some say), that would be double jeopardy, meaning; Jesus and that person both took on the wrath of God, and that just doesn't make any sense.

There is so much more to say on this, I just hope all who have a problem with limited atonement will read their Bibles to see if this is true.

Do you love your swine more then Jesus?

by Nick Herring

I have been reading the book Knowing the Heart by Jonathan Edwards. This book is very convicting and has given me a better view of the deceitfulness of my ownheart. In his chapter about the Gadarenes loving their swine more then Jesus, I was thinking about all the things that people love more then Jesus. Jesus said, "whoever doesn't hate his own mother and father and yes even his own life can't be my disciple."

Following Jesus may cost you your very life and or everything you own. Too many people are saying today that it is easy to be a Christen and you don't have to give up anything. I would guess that these people don't read their Bibles much and see all the people that were killed for their faith in Jesus. People like the all Apostles, and people who this very day are being killed for their faith in Jesus Christ. We must not put anything before Christ. God is a jealous God and He will NOT be put in second place to anything or anyone.

In the story of the Gadarenes we see that the men loved their earthly things more then Jesus. Even after Jesus cast out the demons they still didn't want anything to do with Him. Men are naturally lovers of the "things" of this world and of the God who made this world. The Gadarenes loved their "swine" more then having the Son of God in their home. Here is the amazing thing to think about, the Son of God was in the Gadarene's home land and they didn't want anything to do with Him. Are we any different today? We have more "things" then any other country in the world, but the obvious question is, how many of the people of the USA would give up their "swine" to have Jesus? If Jesus is not the most important thing in your life, then I commend you to examine yourself and see if you really are in the faith. Make sure you really are saved!!!

Christian's are the ONLY light of the world.

Matthew 5:14

You are the light of the world.

Christ made it clear that Christians are the light of the world. The Greek brings out the force of the statement stronger, it goes like this; you and you alone, are the light of the world!

Though the philosophers ponder much and the scientists test galore, the fact remains; Christians alone are the light of the world. The knowledge of man is purely mechanical and biological, and obviously no avail to the basics of life. Someone may say, "How can you say such a thing, we have more life enhancement inventions than ever before in history?" Yes we do, but, alas, they are no avail to the basics of life. Do not these grow worse everyday, marriage, friendships, virtue, morality, etc? Whenever in History have you seen "Marriage Guidance Classes?" I tell you never have such challenges arisen in any age. We see the Scripture fulfilled that says; God has chosen the base things of this world to shame the wise. Indeed, He has. We use DVD's, CD's, MP3's. Microwaves, Fax Machines, TV's, Internet, Pacemakers and Jetliners, yet over 50% of couples can't even stay married. Yes indeed, much shame.

The reason Christians are the light of the world alone is; God is light. Therefore, know ye not that the Christian's body is the temple of the Holy Spirit? Since God is in us alone, He shines forth and is visibly manifest in our lives, willing and working His light to the world. Thus, I say again; Christians and Christians alone are the light of the world! Amen!

Dirty, broken and bankrupt.

The Primacy of Preaching the Gospel

1 Corinthians 2:2
For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

These days there is a major attack amongst "professing" Christians on the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many of these people who deny Scripture (and consequently the Gospel) are commonly referred to as the "Emergent Church"; a movement within Christendom that denies gospel preaching and replaces it with "sensitive conversations," and replaces the goal of repentance with good deeds. They are not the only ones, nor the first who are involved in this heresy. No, this attack is nothing new, indeed, the Pastor and Theologian Martyn Lloyd-Jones said in the nineteen sixties, "So I would lay it down as a basic proposition that the primary task of the Church is not to educate man, is not to heal him physically or psychologically, it is not to make him happy. I will go further; it is not even to make him good. These are things that accompany salvation; and when the Church performs her true task she does incidentally educate men and give them knowledge and information, she does bring them happiness, she does make them good and better than they were. But my point is that those are not her primary objectives. Her primary purpose is not any of these; it is rather to put man into the right relationship with God, to reconcile man to God. This really needs to be emphasized at the present time, because this, it seems to me, is the essence of the modern fallacy. It has come into the Church and it is influencing the thinking of many in the Church- this notion that the business of the Church is to make people happy, or to integrate their lives, or to relieve their circumstances and improve their conditions. My whole case is that to do that just to put it palliate the symptoms, to give temporary ease, and that it does not get beyond that."

What a dreadful and stupid thing it is to try to comfort dead people. Unconverted people are dead in their trespasses and sins; it does no good to speak of any subject, other than Jesus Christ and him crucified!

Explaining Grace

If your a Calvinist, people may sometimes ask you, "Why has God chosen some people for salvation and not others?" What do you say? I would suggest that you say nothing other than precisely what God has said through the Apostle Paul in Ephesian 2:7.
Your conversation might go something like this,

Question-Asker- Why would God pick some people for salvation and not others?

You- So that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace।

And remember, always be graceful in explaining God's grace.

Agreeing to Disagree?

1 Corinthians 1:10

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no division among you, but that you be united in the same mind and same judgement.

According to this passage, unity is a command of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul throws in some more force to his already authoritative words by adding by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's almost like he is saying, "hey, let me remind you who I am sent on behalf of. You better listen up!" 

What is the issue here? What is Paul's concern?

1. They must agree. 

2. There was to be no division. 

3. They were to be united in mind and judgement.

What can we infer from those three commands?

1. They did not agree.

2. There was division.

3. They were not united in mind and judgement.

This is further supported in verse 11, For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. The issue was that some people constructed the false assumption, which was Apollos, Paul and Cephas (Peter)all taught different doctrines. Therefore, some Corinthians went off into different directions claiming different teachers as their leader. Some people even sought to top everybody off and say, I follow Christ. 

Well, it's quite obvious from this passage of Scripture that we are not to be "people groupies," but rather, look unto God instead of the man sent by God. But something that gets very often over looked is the fist three commands to agree, not divide and be united in mind and judgement. 

Yet, vast amounts of Churches and Para-Church groups seek to rally believers of diverse or undefined doctrinal positions in the name of unity. Another common trend is the belief that doctrine really does not matter that much in the first place. Yet Paul says we must agree and not only agree but be of the same mind. 

I submit to the reader that the cry of "mixed doctrine for Jesus," is not a Christian position and has no place in biblical evangelism or missions. If we are to be an exploding force in the world, we must be united doctrinally. Therefore, away with all the talks of agreeing to disagree. Let us have no part in this fad of confusion. May we stand in the battle bonded with our brothers by the Scripture, and wield the truth with love while the troops gather in line! 

Resolve One

Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God's glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, weather now, or never so many myriad's of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolve to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.