As Christians, we should ever be growing in our faith. Growing in obedience to the Lord because we love him (1John.5:2-3). Growing in our knowlege of Him through His Word (Col.1:9-10). As a pastor, it is my prayer that the Word of God becomes shoe leather in our life! That we live what we speak! That we walk the talk! That our passion is Jesus!
In this walk of faith, we will run across hard things in the Scriptures as we grow in the Lord. How do we handle them? We will even have hard questions about life, how do we handle them? Where do we find our answers? The Word of God! Having a high view of Scripture, and a high view of God. We need to understand that there will be some things that we will never find the answers too. But the things God has revealed to us are in his Word, that is His revealed will for our lives. And we are to search the Word of God in the personal relationship we have with Him. As we head down this spiritual journey, let me give you some things to help you when you run across the hard things in the Scriptures that are hard to understand.
1. As you read the Scriptures, do it prayerfuly.
2. Always remember, Scripture interprets Scripture.
3. Have a good study Bible and reference tools.
4. Write down your thoughts and questions in a note book as you study.
5. Be diligent and patient as you study, reading the text over and over again.
Tonight I had the privilege to speak to the Senior Class of 2010 at Cleveland High School. What a great opportunity for this preacher to proclaim the Gospel! That is what I did with humility and boldness. I preached the Gospel! The fear is to appease men and to gain their favor. But that is not what God tells me to do. I am not to shrink back from teaching and preaching the Word of God! I, the foremost of sinners and saved by grace, proclaimed the gospel that could save lost sinners and bring glory to God. My heart went out to those Seniors. I had a compassion for their spiritual condtion, and all who were there. In the balance is heaven and hell. And it is all about Jesus and for his glory! So I told them about Jesus, the work of the cross, the only thing that can save their souls. My prayer is that Gospel seeds were planted tonight and it would raise up a people that are new in Christ, ready to live for Him daily.
May We Never Forget about Jesus!
Let us always remember it is about Jesus! This is something that is hard for us to do, even though we say it is not. We claim to brag about Jesus all the day when we do not live it out in our own lives, we do not spend time with him, in stillness knowing he is Lord! Our head is full and our heart is emtpy.
I don’t know about you, but my mind tends to wander. I make life all about me, or I make it all about somebody else. And the sad thing is, I let this world get the best of me. The world becomes my friend! I believe Spurgeon got it right in the above quote. I think when it comes to Jesus, we can have memory loss, and that can get in the way of our walk with Jesus if we are not careful.
Those of us who are born again, Christ should ever be before us, as we live for Him! Through the work of the cross, God brings us into beautiful fellowship with him! Let our lives be full of Jesus’ sweet fragrance and let His praise be on our lips! Our efforts should all be built around the cross. We should see sin as evil and when we fall into it we should be quick to repent, and walk with God. Whatever we do, no matter how busy we get, let it always be about Jesus! May we never forget about Jesus! Let our hearts and minds be full of Him!
2. When he looks more eagerly and industriously after the prosperity of his body than of his soul.
3. When he will not refrain from his pleasures, when God forbids them, or when they hurt his soul, or when the necessities of his soul call him away from them. But he must have his delight whatever it costs him, and is so set upon it, that he cannot deny it to himself.
4. When the pleasures of his flesh exceed his delights in God, and his holy word and ways, and the expectations of endless pleasure. And this not only in the passion, but in the estimation, choice, and action. When he had rather be at a play, or feast, or other entertainment, or getting good bargains or profits in the world, than to live in the life of faith and love, which would be a holy and heavenly way of living.
5. When men set their minds to scheme and study to make provision for the pleasures of the flesh; and this is first and sweetest in their thoughts.
6. When they had rather talk, or hear, or read of fleshly pleasures, than of spiritual and heavenly delights.
7. When they love the company of merry sensualists, better than the communion of saints, in which they may be exercised in the praises of their Maker.
8. When they consider that the best place to live and work is where they have the pleasure of the flesh. They would rather be where they have things easy, and lack nothing for the body, rather than where they have far better help and provision for the soul, though the flesh be pinched for it.
9. When he will be more eager to spend money to please his flesh than to please God.
10. When he will believe or like no doctrine but “easy-believism,” and hate mortification as too strict “legalism.” By these, and similar signs, sensuality may easily be known; indeed, by the main bent of the life.