The Spirit of Wisdom Ministries extends our best wishes and prayers to our online Church family. This is a time to enjoy family and friends. We will return January the 8th with new and current messages. God Bless you and always remember, God loves you the best. Have a great and blessed holiday season. We are looking forward to seeing you again on January 8th, 2012.
God Bless You,
The Spirit of Wisdom Ministries
Brother Bob Baker, Victoria Baker,
Justin Rocque
Special Notice: We are presenting a special Christmas music video, "Oh Holy Night" sung by Celine Dion. You do not want to miss this one!!
Another year has passed us by, and once again we find ourselves one week before Christmas. Let the games, the fun and the stress begin. My suggestion to each of you is this: Look at your budget closely and however much you plan to spend on gifts, cut it in half. Gifts always look good on Christmas day, but some of the glow seems to disappear when the bills start rolling in. Well, am I right or wrong on this? Let me welcome everyone to your 24/7, weeklong, online church service. Everyone is welcome in this place.
Thank you for taking the time to read or listen to this message. I trust you will be blessed by the Word of God that we preach to you this week. My second suggestion is this: Put all the trappings of Christmas aside and put the birth of Jesus front and center. Please parents, read the Bible account of the birth of the son of God to your children. Notice I did not say ‘read the story.’ The reason for that is the Bible account of Mary, Joseph and the birth of Jesus is not just a story. In fact, the Bible puts forth a historical and factual report of the Savior of the world coming to this earth; the ultimate expression of God’s everlasting love for us.
An interesting experiment would be this. Start today and actually take note of the percentage of time you put toward gifts, Santa Claus, parties and decorations. Now, compare that with the amount of time and consideration you actually give to the birth of Jesus Christ. You know, folks, even people who complain about Jesus being left out of Christmas might be surprised about what the percentages say about them. This is not a rebuke, church, this is said to point out the obvious. What you do with this message is up to you.
Let’s take a look at the Word of God and really read or listen to what the scripture has to say. This is important information for us all. Turn with me to Luke 1:26-28 and let’s read it together.
“And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, “Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: Blessed art thou among women.”
So there is the beginning. A number of things can be brought out here. The first thing to note is that there really were angels back then, and if you really study the Bible you will see angels are still here to minister to us today. The second thing to notice is that Mary really was a virgin. There should be no dispute about this. The birth of Jesus truly was a supernatural and a true miracle of God. The Bible identifies this young virgin as Mary. A young virgin woman who was engaged to Joseph. You can begin to see where this could be a point of dissension between Mary and Joseph, but hold on, I am now getting ahead of myself.
The angel Gabriel goes on to say “Hail”, which by the way is a form of greeting. “Mary, you are highly favored, the Lord is with thee.” Well, that makes sense, doesn’t it? Do you really believe God would choose someone out of favor with him to become the mother of his only begotten son? Of course not. Gabriel says, “Blessed art thou among women.” Listen folks, sometimes Catholics exaggerate this proclamation by Gabriel while at the same time Protestants often times try to diminish the importance of what the angel Gabriel was telling Mary and us.
Now, let’s continue reading Luke 1:29-33. Listen church, I know you have heard this before, but I want you to really open your spiritual ears and hear the importance of what God is imparting to you here. Luke 1:29-33 states:
“And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the Angel said unto her, fear not, Mary: For thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the son of the Highest: And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
There it is, my friends. The prophecy sent forth by God to Mary by way of the angel Gabriel. You will notice the young Mary was troubled at first. But, Gabriel gave her the same message that God imparts to us when we are troubled. “Fear not.” Luke 1:34-35 sums it all up for us. Listen carefully now.
“Then said Mary unto the angel, how shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee: Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”
Do you get this, my friends? That which was born of Mary is the son of God. Now that is something to celebrate, isn’t it? Now just in case you are wondering, an angel also appeared to Joseph and explained to him what was about to happen. Joseph and Mary became husband and wife and the baby Jesus was born. Do you not believe this historical happening to be more important than a mythical Santa Claus? Well, I sure do.
Let me give you some homework for this week. Read the Book of Luke Chapters 1-2. Once you read the full accounting of the birth of Jesus Christ you will truly be blessed. My friends, there are many things about the holiday called Christmas that are not based on Godly foundation or principle, but you can’t go wrong in remembering and telling your friends and family about the birth of the Savior of the world.
Did you read last week’s message entitled, Who is God? Church, we are laying out some very basic foundational truths for you. We have been impressed that many of you need to be introduced to the God above all gods and his son, Jesus Christ. It is also true that some of you believers out there need to be reintroduced to your heavenly Father and to your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Our mission is not to bring you to a point where you know about God, but rather that you know God. Believe me folks, that is a very big difference. Welcome everyone to your 24/7, week long, online church service. Everyone is very welcome in this place.
I am encouraging you to read or listen to last week’s message again. This week we will add to and build upon our teaching and preaching on the subject, Who is God? You stay with me church, and together we will be blessed as we ask and expect to see a God given revelation of who he is.
One of the best ways to find out about anyone is to check out their testimony and what their past record shows us. So let’s start there. We will use the Word of God, which is the Bible, as our benchmark for truth. Is that okay with you? Please, turn with me to the Book of I John and let’s continue our journey toward a full knowledge of God. I John 5:11-12 states:
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his son. He that hath the son hath life; and he that hath not the son of God hath not life.”
That, my good friends, is the record. Let’s look a little closer here. John was talking to believers, but what he says here would also apply to nonbelievers. The truth is God’s son Jesus, paid the full price to set us free from the bondages of sin even before we were believers. This was God’s gift to all of humanity. You see, Jesus didn’t come to this earth to save a select set of people to form a big, private club. No my friends, the gift of salvation is for whosoever would believe in Jesus and receive him into their hearts.
In other words, they would accept the sacrifice Jesus did for them and would repent from their sinful ways and begin to learn and live for him. This scripture does not end there, however. It goes on to spell out the consequences of our decision to receive or reject the only begotten son of God. Let’s be blunt here. Accept equals eternal life with God and his son Jesus, reject equals eternal death and separation from God forever – all this after our physical death. Are you still with me?
Now, I’m sure some of you may disagree with me on this point, but if you do, you also disagree with the very literal interpretation of this scripture. That having been said, I would love to hear your viewpoint on this subject. My email address is at the right side of this message, just above the featured music video. I John 5:13 goes on to say:
“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the son of God.”
John clearly states that he is talking to believers by letter. But, I surely believe if you nonbelievers out there make a decision to believe on the name of Jesus, this scripture can also be applied to you. Let’s back up this point with another scripture. Remember, we are talking about the attributes of God. Number one being he is love and he shows his love to us. You know, sometimes when we are reading a good book we can’t help ourselves. We look at the back of the book because we desire to know what happens. Well, tell you what. Let’s go to the last book of the Bible right now. Let’s check out Revelations 7:13-14. Judge for yourselves if this scripture doesn’t line up what we have already given to you in this two part message. Revelations 7:13-14 states:
“And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, which are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they? And I said unto him sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, these are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (The Lamb being Jesus).”
This elder was talking to John. The elder basically explained to John this was a very specific people that came out of tribulation. Anyone out there in tribulation at this time? In fact, the elder was talking about those who were saved by trusting in Jesus and what he did at the cross. As believers, that would be you and me. God is a rewarder to those that believe in him. Revelations 7:15-17 goes on to say:
“Therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple: And he that sitteth at the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
Oh my, church, the true picture of our God is becoming more clear, isn’t it? You have just had a glimpse of eternal life with our heavenly father; God dwelling right in the midst of us, not only spiritually but physically as well. God will see to it personally that no longer will we struggle with things like poverty or thirst that cannot be quenched. Jesus will feed us. All of our needs will be met in person by the Lamb of God.
I want you to get this, my friends. The last sentence in Chapter 7 of Revelations says “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” In other words, all things that have ever caused us sorrow will be forever gone and forgotten. All because of God’s love for us and by our returning his love by receiving his son, Jesus, into our hearts and confessing him as Lord of all. So the question is, do you know God a little better now? If you do, we have done our job.
Well church, Thanksgiving has come and gone, hasn’t it? That is the day set aside to give thanks to God for our blessings. Thanksgiving Day has passed, but in truth, giving thanks to God should never be set aside, should it? Maybe we should take this week to take another look at our heavenly Father. It may answer some questions as to why we should be thankful to him every day of our life. Welcome everyone to your 24/7, weeklong, online church service. We must emphasize again, everyone is welcome in this place.
The question might be asked, who is God? What are his attributes? What does he mean to us and why? You know folks, oftentimes this online church talks about God’s love, mercy, grace and peace. The reason we talk about these things is to show who God and his son Jesus really are. The Book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament is a good place to start. Please, turn with me to Deuteronomy 4:29-31 and let’s read it together.
“But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things have come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (for the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) He will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he swear unto them.”
What a great description of God’s love for us. God is saying from the first time you look to and for him, he will show himself to you. My friends, God is not hiding from you at all. My prayer for each of you is that God reveal himself to you in a very real and personal way. Why? So that you may be saved from the bondages of sin and that you may walk with him in victory right here on this earth.
This scripture clearly says that God is a merciful God. He sees your human flaws, yet he says “I will never forsake thee, neither destroy thee.” Do you get this, church? God is a God of life and not death. He desires us to know him and to follow his ways so we can have a better life today and forever. Why, if you listen to some people, you would think God is ready to strike you with a bolt of lightning, when in fact, all he really wants is to show his unending love for you.
Now, read these scriptures again. Take special notice of the “ifs” in the scripture. Remember, I always tell you to circle the ifs, buts and lest when reading the Bible. They give you instruction on how to receive the blessings of God. They also help you to avoid destruction and defeat. I have often referred to the Bible as the Handbook of Life. With good reason, don’t you think?
Another important aspect of God is his Word. How many here remember the old saying – “He is a man of his word?” Talking about men who would do everything they could to back their words with action. Well church, let me put it to you this way – no one keeps their word more than God. That is why you can trust the Bible. It is the Word of God in written form just for you. Let’s take a look at Psalms 119:89-91 for confirmation.
“Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to thine ordinances; for all are thy servants.”
I hope you are getting this church. It is these truths that will build your confidence and faith in the Lord. So now, we know God is always available to us. We now understand God is not out to destroy us, but to give us abundant life in him. We have pointed out once again that God is merciful toward us and isn’t that something to be thankful for?
Now, we clearly see that God’s Word is settled in heaven, not just for the saints of old, but for all of us today and for all future generations. Who would that include? Well, how about our children, grandchildren and all future great-grandchildren? The 90th verse says God will be faithful to perform his Words of Life to all generations.
You know folks, we all desire our close relatives and friends to be faithful to us and us to them, don’t we? But the truth is, that just doesn’t happen as much as it should. But with God, it is just the opposite. He is always faithful and he always will be. Another scripture that highlights these aspects of God comes from Psalms 89:2, let’s check it out. This scripture says:
“I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever: With my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, mercy shall be built up forever; thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.”
Oftentimes when I pray, I thank God for his love and mercy that endures forever. I understand one thing for sure, my friends, God’s love and mercy does endure forever. But that love and mercy is not just for me. No. It is for all of you. I am asking you to allow yourself to receive God’s love and mercy into your life today.
This goes for you no matter what spiritual condition you find yourself in at this time. You may already be saved, yet far away from God. You may not know or believe in God at this time. But, just remember how Deuteronomy 4:29 starts: It says, but if from thence – so what does that mean? It means from the time your thoughts begin to focus on God, he is there to help you.
God has given his son Jesus Christ to die on a cross to pay for your and my sins. He loves us that much. The very least we can do is to accept that love and mercy so generously given to us. Some of you need to email me today for further instructions, don’t you? After all, this is your online church.
I'm sure by now most of the leftovers are gone. We certainly hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I hope your time with family and friends were fun and something to be thankful for. Welcome back to your 24/7, week long online church service. Everyone is welcome in this place.
We pray your holiday was filled with true thanksgiving for all of the blessings God has provided you during this past year. What a great God we serve!
As we enter the rest of the holiday season, let us always put God first. Let us always look to Him for guidance and direction. The past holiday (Thanksgiving) reminded us of how thankful we should be for our God and what He has done for us through His Son Jesus Christ.
You know, as we go forth during this year and next and beyond, we must not only give thanks, but we must always be mindful of who our strength is and who our praise should be directed to. By being thankful and walking in praise, our strength will see us through everything we have to face now and in the future. Let's look at the written Word of God for direction. Who is our strength? Psalms 28:7.
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.”
You know, often times I would ask God to give me strength, not realizing strength doesn't come from outside but from within. God is my strength and I pray God is your strength. Because our hearts trust in Him, we are helped. Anyone need any help out there? Because we know this help comes from our heavenly Father, why wouldn't we greatly rejoice in Him? And yes, my friends, we will praise Him forever and forever. Praise is the key to success in the upcoming New Year. Psalms 29:11 backs this up.
“The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.”
Think about what this is saying. God is our strength and the above scripture says He shares His strength with us. Therefore, we must conclude God shares Himself with us. Is God great or what?? Our heavenly Father is worthy of all our praise. Glory be to God!!
Our prayer for you, my friends, is that God reveals Himself to you in a mighty way. That He gives you eyes to see and ears to hear. God is a present time God. He is not just a thought, or a God of history. He is and wants to be your strength in this present time and place. One burden I carry is for professed believers who either do not know, have been deceived, or choose to ignore that our heavenly Father desires us to receive His spiritual help in their present time problems of life.
It is so bad that even some major denominations and preachers do not preach the hope that God provides for today. What are your problems of life? Is it financial? Is it your family life, joblessness, sickness? Is it doubt and unbelief? Do you get the drift, my friends? If you listen to many believers today, you would think there was no present time help from God at all. Truthfully, I know believers who will not even ask God for help, because in truth they do not have faith to believe He will answer their prayer. What a shame! What a disgrace! What a lie from the pit of hell! Turn with me to Psalms 46:1.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
That is not me saying this, my friends. That is the Word of God!! God is our refuge, a place of safety to turn to, but most of all a very present help in trouble. What is the matter with these preachers who do not preach this? Jesus died on that cross for the joy that was set before Him. What was that joy, my good people? The answer – it was us – redeemed and set free from sin and death. Let's take a look at Hebrews 12:2.
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Jesus is the source of all of our help. Why anyone would teach or believe that His sacrifice was not sufficient enough for us to believe that God is with us in this present time is beyond me. My friends, Jesus said “It is finished.” God is here today to help you just as He always has been. Salvation is for you today. Healing is for you today. Deliverance from evil spirits is here for you today. Financial help is here for you today. Help with your family situation is here for you today. God is the same today as He was in the beginning. He is all sufficient for you. Turn to Him this day in your time of need. Believe what He says in His Word is true, and praise Him in all things. Psalms 40:1-4 helps sum it all up.
“I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me and heard my cry. (That is our God!) He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings (Through His Word) and he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.”
There it is, my friends. Don't believe the lies. God is here for you in every area of your life if you believe and trust Him. What does it mean to trust in Him? Turn to Habakkuk 3:17.
“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.”
This scripture says no matter what, trust God. So what do you say? How about saying “My God, I believe you and I trust you and I praise you all the days of my life. Amen!!”
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Do you really believe another year has gone by already? We know everyday is a day of thanksgiving, don't we? I am especially thankful to God this year for you. God has allowed me to be a servant to you. He has given me the honor of preaching His Word to you. I can honestly say, I welcome each and everyone of you to this 24/7, week long online church service. Our motto, or lead slogan and truth is everyone is welcome in this place!
Last week we preached an anointed message to believers, talking about how to have peace and joy all through the upcoming holiday season. Thank God that through our belief in Jesus that peace is available to us, but what about the unbeliever? This has been on my mind all week. So this message is mostly geared to those that do not know God, are not believers and followers of Jesus Christ (the only begotten Son of God), and who do not know anything about the leading of the Holy Spirit.
There will be millions of families gathering together this upcoming Thursday for food, football and enjoying each others company. Many of these families will give God thanks for their meal and the blessings God has given them in the past year. The sad fact though, is that thousands of families will eat, laugh and drink without even saying a prayer of thanks over their meal. There will be no acknowledgment of God or His Son. Yet, they have gathered for Thanksgiving. How sad is that, my friends?
So the question is – who or what are you giving thanks to on this Thanksgiving Day? You know, at one time there was an effort by many misguided people to call Thanksgiving – Turkey Day. The truth is, if you are not a true believer in God and His son Jesus, Turkey Day is a better title for your celebration this Thursday. My question to you, my unbelieving friends is: On this Thanksgiving Day, who if anyone are you giving thanks to? Your job? Your friends? Your mate? Which I might add, my good people, are all subject to change. Perhaps you give thanks for or to nothing or no one. Welcome to Turkey Day!
You know, one of the benefits of preaching to an online church is that I really never always know who is tuning in and who is benefiting from the message God has given me to share with you. I do know this one thing. God gives me anointed messages that are intended for someone. His Word never returns void. Please turn to Isaiah 55:11.
“So shall my word be that goth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
My friends, God has impressed me to give forth this message to unbelievers, the unsaved, so I know there will be at least one unbeliever and perhaps more who will be reading this message this week. God loves you so much that He is addressing you right now. He wants to save you from your sins today. Why? Because the wages of sin is death!! Please turn to Romans 6:23. This is for you, my unbelieving friends.
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
What better time to accept this gift from God than this holiday season? Talk about something to be thankful for! All, let me repeat All of your sins forgiven and eternal life with God through His Son Jesus Christ. This is backed up by John 3:14-16. John speaking through a letter to the churches near Ephesus around 90 AD. Now, please read this with me.
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, (refers to Numbers 21:5-9. The serpent represents Satan, who is the originator of sin). even so must the son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him (Christ and what He did on the cross) should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Can it be more clear? God, the creator of all that is, even you, loves you so much He has provided the way for you to have eternal life with Him. The peace and joy I talked about with the believers can also belong to you.
You want something to be thankful for, my friends? You can have all the above for free. This could be the best Thanksgiving Day ever for you. Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior today. I guarantee this Thanksgiving Day will be like no other as you sit down at the feast, you will really know what being thankful means. You will be so fulfilled with the love of God, you may not even recognize yourself. The love for your family and friends will be like never before. If no one else says the prayer over the food, I bet you will. Why? Because finally, you will know who you are giving thanks to: Your, and I did say correctly, Your heavenly Father. You will give thanks to Jesus for dying on that cross and rising from the dead so you may be saved. He was the only substitute acceptable to redeem you.
You will be more thankful than you can ever imagine for everything God has done for you. And, guess what? The food will taste better, you still can watch the football game and you can still enjoy your friends and family. This message is just for you, unbeliever. Take it to heart!! You are not in this online church service for nothing. This is your date with destiny. Don't let it pass you by.
Thanksgiving or Turkey Day? Which one do you want to observe this week? It is your choice. I would suggest you go to the very first message ever given by this ministry, entitled “Choose Wisely.” This is your week, my friend. God is speaking to you. Why? Very simple. He created you, He loves you, He wants to count you as one of His children and not just one of His creations. He wants you to have eternal life with Him. He does not want you to perish and be separated from Him forever.
This church will be praying for you and we believe this will be the best Thanksgiving ever for you. The turkey will taste good, but no longer will it be Turkey Day for you. Do you want this? Turn to Romans 10:9,13-14.
“That if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how, shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" God is using this preacher to give you this Word.
That is how you do it. Now, confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord. Ask Him to cleanse you and to save you from your sin and you will be saved. Did you do that, my friend? If so, give thanks and what a great Thanksgiving you are about to have!!
Well church another holiday season is upon us, isn’t it? In contemplating and meditation regarding this week’s message, I believe the Lord brought to mind a message I presented to you a couple of years ago. The title of that message was “Peace be with you.” Something we all need during the holidays, don’t we? Welcome everyone to your 24/7, week long, online church service. Everyone is welcome in this place.
This week’s message will be based on the message I mentioned above. I know you will be blessed by the anointed preaching of the Word of God. What was true two years ago is still true today. So let’s get started. Thanksgiving should be a daily occurrence. Let me say this to you – I am very thankful to God for allowing me to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to you. I am also thankful for your faithful attendance. Your comments and emails are an inspiration to me.
This is not a one way ministry, my friends. The message of Jesus that we offer is not a mandate or a command from a pulpit that feels our viewpoint is the gospel. But, rather a sharing of the gospel of Jesus Christ, based only on the Word of God (The Bible). We preach the revealed word of truth given to us by the Holy Spirit and the Bible. If our preaching is not based on the Bible, it is not truth but opinion. In other words folks, this is a two way ministry. We preach words of life to you and we ask you to share your words of life with us. Let’s discuss God’s Word together. We would be more than happy to share your testimonies, your thoughts and your love for Jesus in the salvation he has freely given to you.
We are entering the holiday season and we all know that as much pleasure that we derive from seeing family and friends during this time of year, there is a spirit of stress and anxiety that always tries to invade our thoughts and actions. Most psychologists will tell you that loneliness, feelings of depression (another evil spirit) and suicides leap upward during the holiday season. We miss our loved ones and friends who are far away and those who have passed on. All this designed by Satan to destroy us and to take away the fun and love the holidays should be.
Is there an antidote to these negative and destructive feelings? I am very happy to say a very emphatic yes. Let me repeat myself – Yes, Yes, Yes!! The answer in short form is the joy and peace that Jesus gave you the very day you accepted his free gift of salvation. Remember that day, my friends? Remember the peace that came over you? Remember the joy that flooded your soul? It is still there waiting for you to once again tap into it. God loves you, church. You are his family. You are his kids. He wants you to always experience his peace. Turn to John 14:27. These are the words of Jesus to you.
“Peace I leave to you, my peace I give unto you: Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Jesus gave these words at the last Passover feast before his death. Words spoken to the followers of that day and to the present and future. Peace be with you, my friends. God’s peace. The only true peace men will ever know. Be encouraged during this holiday season, my believing brothers and sisters. God is with you because of your belief in his son and what he did on the cross and his resurrection from the dead. When I think of you, my online church family, I see you as God sees you - blessed and righteous with peace and joy in your soul. I know God sees when we fall. After all, with all that holiness we are still human. But I also see the hand of our Father reaching out and lifting us up and setting us back on the right track. Wouldn’t we do just that for our kids? How much more would our heavenly Father do for us? Rejoice in your salvation, my friends. Be thankful to God for who he is and what he is doing in your lives. Please turn with me to Philippians 4:4-7.
“Rejoice in the Lord always: And again I say rejoice. Let your moderation be known to all men the Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in everything in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
What a great encouragement the above scriptures are. God is saying in these verses that he is with you always. He is at hand, my friends. During the holiday season and each day of your life , give thanks and don’t worry about anything. The peace of God, which passes all understanding will keep you strong, loving and steadfast in him. This Thanksgiving season let’s exercise our God given right to thank God for all he has done for us. I think of a song that says “Thank you Jesus for saving me and keeping me from what I might have been” We have victory over the spirits mentioned earlier in this message. The peace and joy that God gives us will always trump the devices of Satan and his demonic influences. Remember, we have the fruit of the Spirit abiding in us. Oops, I know sometimes we forget the basic things we were taught, but let us remind ourselves of these truths again. What is the fruit of the Spirit that we are to display and share with the world? Turn to Galatians 5:22-23:
“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: Against such there is no law.”
That is what this ministry prays for you. The ability to display the fruit of the spirit that you possess no matter what circumstances or conditions you find yourself in. There is nothing that can prevent you from displaying these attributes. They are you!! Just be who you are in Christ. Don’t get beat down by what the world system says about you or even what some misguided churches and preachers say. My friends, you are under grace, not the law. Be yourself during this holiday season. Be the believers you are. Show the love of Christ. Show the same mercy to others that God freely gives to you.
My friends, be what God has made you to be. A blessing and a light to all, both saved or unsaved. You are going to do just fine during this holiday season. You will have peace and joy in your heart and soul. Your heavenly Father will see to it. As we begin this season of sharing, our prayer for you is the same prayer Paul had for believers at Ephesus. Turn to Ephesians 1:16-23:
“(we) Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power. Which he wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places. Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church (us) which is his body, The fullness of Him that filleth all in all.”
We pray that prayer for you, we know our Father answers our prayers . Stay strong and in Him. You truly are a blessed people, church. We give thanks to God for putting you in our lives and we say, in Jesus name, during this holiday season peace be with you.
You know church, I believe God is moving us to another level. The intensity of the messages God has given us to share with you over the past two weeks is almost overwhelming to me. God in his love for you is pouring out of his Word and Spirit, words of life to you and for me. I sense we are moving from the milk of the Word that causes us to grow. We are now moving to the meat of the Word which will cause us to be strong and victorious in him, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Welcome everyone to your 24/7, week long, online church service. Let us say clearly, everyone is welcome in this place.
To those of you new to the faith, the milk of the Word is still good for you. But, to those of you who are now strong in Christ by the renewing of your mind, God is ready to feed you the prime spiritual meat of the Word that will strengthen you for service in God’s kingdom. As you all know by now this ministry always backs up what we say by giving you evidence based on the Bible, which is the Word of God, don’t we? Please turn with me to I Peter 2:1-2 and let’s read it together.
“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As new born babies, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”
Do you get that, my friends? What God’s Word is talking about is repentance and a sincere desire to serve and love him. Setting aside all these things (talking about sin) and receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. He tells all of you who are learning God’s way that he will be gentle with you. The Holy Spirit will guide you as you read the Bible. As you receive the milk of the Word you will begin to grow stronger, and stronger spiritually.
The important thing is this – when you are ready the Holy Spirit will guide you in the Bible to the spiritual meat of the Word. This Word will prepare you to face and overcome every obstacle of life and help you to be the witness for God that he desires you to be. Yes, my friends, there is quite a journey ahead just for you. Hebrews 5:14 explains further what we are talking about here. I want you to listen and meditate upon this.
“But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."
Let’s talk about this a little bit. When the Bible says those who are of a full age, it is not talking about being a senior citizen. It is in fact, talking about those who are solid in the faith and mature in the Lord. This only comes by the renewing of your mind according to the Word of God. A person who is ready for spiritual meat is someone who is walking after the Spirit and not, let me repeat this – NOT after the flesh.
If your faith is truly in Jesus and what he did on that cross for you and not on the things of this earth, you are ready for the spiritual meat that God is prepared to provide for you. When this online church first started over two years ago, we began by preaching the milk of the Word to you. But as time has gone on, we have provided more and more spiritual food, layer by layer. Milk to meat to help you grow strong in the Lord. We promise to always provide milk for the babes in Christ and meat for the strong and mature ones because of their faith in Jesus Christ. In other words, this online church is here by the grace of God to minister to everyone. That is the reason we always say that everyone is welcome in this place.
Many of you who have been with us for a while have been growing strong in the Lord. God sees you have been renewing your mind by reading or listening to the anointed messages we give, but mostly because you are reading and meditating on God’s Word. I believe that is the reason God is giving this ministry the awesome responsibility of feeding you spiritual meat at this time. Renewing of the mind is not just some fancy phrase I picked out to impress you. No, my friends, renewing of the mind is a Bible instruction. Please turn with me to Romans 12:1-2. The apostle Paul is talking to us all here, folks – babes and the mature alike. And this is what it states:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”
You see, folks, this is good advice and instruction for everyone. God is telling us whatever we do for him is just our reasonable service. The serious point here is by renewing our mind to the Word of God, we will be able to walk in all his ways. As we first scoot, then crawl, finally stranding straight and walking tall in the Word of God, we will prove to others it can be done.
I just can never forget telling a friend of mine, who did not know God, that I was going to serve Jesus as Lord of my life. I planned on turning away from the ways of the world and back to God. This friend said “I am going to watching you, Bob. If you can make it, maybe I can.” That, my friends, is why God wants to feed us spiritual meat. Because he loved the world so much, he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). What an important meal we will be partaking of. Don’t forget to say a blessing over the meal.
“My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.”
That, my friends, is the perfect instruction for us today. Welcome everyone to your 24/7, week long, online church service. No one is excluded from this place. This Psalm is giving us as believers the perfect recipe for success on the earth. There are a lot of things going on all around us everyday we live. It is easy to be distracted and drawn away from the love of God and his son, Jesus Christ, isn’t it?
Sometimes without even realizing it, we find ourselves giving into temptation or agreeing with the ways of the world, even though many of those ways are in opposition to and against the Word of God. Well, isn’t what I am saying the truth? What the above scripture is saying is – catch yourself. Remember who created you. Remember who loved you so much he died for you so you could spend eternal life with him (Jesus) and our heavenly Father, the God above all gods. Fix your heart on God. Fix your heart on Jesus Christ.
Stop whatever you are doing and thinking and sing and give praises to your heavenly Father who loves and cares for you. You know folks, sometimes preachers (including myself) preach and teach doctrines of the Bible but neglect the love and kindness of God toward us. So today, we are going to think upon these things. Love, kindness, mercy and grace.
You know, if you talk with most folks they believe the harder you try to be good or succeed in life, the closer you are to God. In other words, they are trying to get to heaven by good works. However, being human, as we are, we know deep within ourselves we just can’t do that. No matter how hard we try our failures plague us and discourage us, don’t they? Well my friends, that is where God’s love and kindness takes over. You see, God loves us so much he will save us in spite of ourselves, flaws and all. Please, turn with me to Titus 3:4-7. The picture will become more clear to you. This scripture says:
“But after that the kindness and love of God our savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our savior; that being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Oh my friends, can you not now see why we must on purpose always fix our hearts on God and sing and give him praise. Do you now see how worthy God is of your love and praises? Through God’s kindness and love for us, he has taken us just as we are and issued an invitation to come to him. He gave us just one way to come to him, and that is through his son, Jesus Christ.
But, what I want you to see is this – this scripture states clearly it is not by our righteousness or good works that saves us. It is by God’s mercy that he shed upon us in abundance through Christ Jesus who is savior to all who trust and believe in him. You know what folks? I am preaching myself happy here. What a wonderful God we serve.
I think back to how my mother used to tell me how much God loves us. She always said that God was gentle and kind in his love toward us – not always in those exact words. But, now I get her point. Parents, do yourself and your children a favor. Always tell your children about God’s goodness and his love for them. In other words, fix your heart on the Lord and teach your children to do the same.
Let’s explore God’s love, mercy and grace a bit more. Sound good to you? Actually, we are going to get to the heart of things now. We’re going to look at the book of Ephesians for some clarification here. We are really going to explore God’s love, mercy and grace and how it all pertains to you. Ephesians 2:4-7 is a good place to begin this journey into knowledge of God and his love for us. This is what Ephesians 2:4-7 states:
“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus.”
Do you get this, my friends? This scripture not only talks about God’s love for us, it talks about God’s great love, mercy and kindness toward us. These scriptures point out clearly that God isn’t waiting for us humans to work our way to perfection before he saves us. No, just the opposite. Even when we were flat out dead in sins, as many still are today, God sent his son Jesus to this earth to die for us. A full payment for our sins so that we could be saved, not by our own works, but by his grace. Now, if we continue on to Ephesians 2:8-9 it becomes even clearer to us.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
There it is, my friends. God’s mercy, love and grace explained to you in a very simple fashion. Because of God’s love for you, if you put your faith in Jesus Christ, wait – let me explain this. This is for both nonbelievers and believers. You will be saved by God’s grace not because of your being good, but because of God’s love for you. So, where’s your faith today? Let me say this to you – if you are not a believer, if you are not putting your faith in Jesus, why not? What are you waiting on? Today is the day of salvation. Why? Because you are not promised another day of life. Remember the invitation we talked about earlier? God’s invitation to you?
If you desire to come to God by receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, now is the time to accept the invitation. Just cry out - Lord save me. I am a sinner. I believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and I confess Jesus as Lord of my life. Jesus cleanse me from all my sin. I receive you now into my heart and life and I know by faith that I am saved. If you said these words and meant them, you have accepted the invitation and you are saved. I will be waiting for your e-mail to reach me at BrotherBob@TheSpiritofWisdom.org. I am excited for you and I want to hear from you.
Now, as for you believers out there, I pray I have stirred something up in you. It’s time for all of us to return to our first and foremost love. God and his son Jesus. This invitation is for all. And all includes us. Let me conclude in the same manner in which we started. We will fix our heart on you, O Lord, we will fix our heart on you. We will sing and praise you forever.
A while back we did a four part series on spiritual warfare. Today, I am encouraging you to go back to the archives and read or listen to that series of messages again. The series began February 13, 2011 and continued for three more weeks concluding on March 6, 2011. Now I am telling you to do this for a reason. Welcome everyone to your 24/7, week long, online church service. Everyone is welcome in this place.
Listen to me, church, this may be one of the most important messages I have ever preached to you. To tell you the truth, I am fed up with the devil and the demonic spirits that he is dispatching to hurt and destroy the children of God. It is obvious to me that Satan has stepped up his efforts to draw believers away from God. I am convinced his demonic evil spirits have been fully dispatched to destroy the body of Christ.
In recent weeks I have communicated with a number of you who have experienced these attacks personally. The attacks range in scope from sickness and disease to financial problems and family disruptions. Not even mentioning addictions to alcohol, drugs, gambling, cigarettes and sexual perversion such as pornography and fornication. All in the body of Christ. It has to stop and it has to stop now.
God is more powerful than Satan. It’s time to pull the rug out from Satan and his very evil and despicable demons. This ministry believes we have victory through and by the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Now it is time to live and walk in that victory. You know, David the psalmist talked about this in Psalms 3. Let’s take a look at this Psalm verse by verse. Psalm 3:1 states:
“Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! How many are they that rise up against me.”
You know folks, people today including some of you are asking the very same question, aren’t you? Lord, how can this be happening to me? Where are all these attacks coming from? Marital problems, financial problems, I’ve lost my job, I’ve been struck with sickness and doctors and medicine don’t seem to help. It appears I am being hit from every side. My friends seem like enemies to me. My family doesn’t understand me. God, what is wrong?
Now be truthful with yourself and God. Have not some of these questions entered your mind? If they haven’t, this message isn’t for you. But, that doesn’t get you off the hook. Pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ. They need your help and support. Psalms 3:2 states:
“Many there be that say of my soul, there is no help for him in God. Selah.”
You see, there is a lie of the devil right there. I guarantee you folks, while you are fighting these battles, Satan will send people to you with negative attitudes toward God. There could be spirits of doubts, anger and deceptions operating through them and they don’t even know it. What’s even worse is that the devil will use your friends, your family and even strangers to try and get you to give up on God. I’m telling you, church, there is a spiritual war going on for your soul. I told you this was an important message for you, didn’t I?
So, what is the solution? It is your decision to trust God or throw him overboard that will make the difference. I am believing you will make the right choice. Psalms 3:3 gives you the instructions. The question is, will you follow them? David says:
“But thou O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. “
Oh my, church, you want to turn things around? Start speaking the Word. No matter how bad it looks or feels, God is on your side. Tell God and the devil that you believe that. State as David did - you my Lord, are my shield from all attacks of the devil. When I begin to hang my head in defeat, you lift me up. You hold my head high when I can’t. Thank you Lord. Psalms 3:4 goes on to say:
“I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.”
Do you get this, church? When you are at your wits end, don’t give up. Cry unto the Lord. I promise that he will hear you. So once again, what is the way to run the devil off? Speak the Word and cry unto the Lord!! Remember Psalms 46:1? We have presented it to you many times in the past.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
That, my friends, is why we cry out to him. I believe you are beginning to get this, aren’t you? God loves you so much, church. He knows how desperately Satan desires to destroy you. But, if you will just trust God, he will bring you through it all. In Psalms 3:5 David says:
“I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.”
What David is teaching us here is to trust God. I mean, really trust God, and you will be able to sleep knowing that God is with you and that he will sustain you. Look folks, I know by the Spirit of God some of you are not sleeping well lately. That is exactly the reason I am presenting this message to you. Psalms 3:6 states:
“I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.”
Let me say this to you, my friends – fear not!! Do not be afraid. If the devil was to send ten thousand demon spirits against you, you speak the Word of God to them. Cry out to the Lord and he will hear you. And then just lay down and get some good sleep. God is with you. Psalms 3:8 states:
“Salvation belongeth unto the Lord; thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.”
Are you a child of God, my friends? Well then, follow the instructions and be blessed. The truth is, when it is all said and done, God loves you. You are still his child. Jesus is still Lord of all and his name is the name above every name. He is your Lord and Savior and he will not let you down.
God Bless You,
Bro. Bob
Congratulations are in order. The Spirit of Wisdom Ministries would like to send out congratulations to Joel and Michelle Garcia. They were united in marriage yesterday. Joel has just recently begun to read or listen to our online church services. We wish him and Michelle the very best and we pray for a great marriage.
New Prayer Request: Please pray for Russell Pandolph. Russell needs a good place to live and is seeking a better job with good pay and benefits to help provide for his needs. We are agreeing with Russell that his every need will be met.
Would it seem strange to you that a ministry entitled the Spirit of Wisdom Ministries would preach or teach on wisdom and what it means to you? Well, today I want to talk to you about wisdom. To be honest, you can be the most intellectual person alive, but without Godly wisdom, I guarantee you will do stupid things. Welcome everyone to your 24/7, week long, online church service. Everyone is welcome in this place.
Please turn with me to Proverbs 9:9-10. This scripture clearly tells us where the beginning of wisdom comes from. Proverbs 9:9-10 states this:
“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: And the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”
Now, let’s look at this scripture a little closer. What God is saying to us folks, is regardless of how “wise” a man or woman may be, the Bible will make them even wiser. You see, the first line of verse 9 states “Give instruction.” Well, where do you think that instruction comes from? Those of you who have been a part of this ministry for the last two years, you know the answer. However, if you are new to this online church, I will go over it again for you.
The Word of God, which is the Bible, is the instruction book of life. So, you want God’s wisdom in your life? Blow the dust off of your Bible and get to reading. A question that comes to mind is this: Is there really a beginning to wisdom, or has it always been with you? Well actually, verse 10 gave you the answer, didn’t it? It very clearly states that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of the Lord does not mean being afraid of God. The acknowledgement of God and what he did for you, sending his only begotten son to this earth with one mission – to die on the cross, to pay the penalty, not for his sins for he had none, but for yours and for mine. In other words, God desires for you to know who he is. That, my friends, is the beginning of wisdom. There are so many benefits to knowing and using Godly wisdom. Proverbs 9:11 continues:
“For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.”
This is the point I am making here. As you read and meditate on the Word of God, your understanding of God and all things around you will be increased. God says here – by doing this your days shall be multiplied and the years of your life increased. Now, that’s a pretty good promise, isn’t it? I personally believe your extended life will also be a better quality of life for you. Why? Because you will have God’s wisdom to guide you.
So, why am I telling you all of this? Church, I want you to be the best you can be. I want you to be the best father or mother you can be. But also young people, and I know you are out there, I want you to be the best daughter or son that you possibly can be. I truly believe as you acquire Godly wisdom in your life, your life will become better for you. Look my friends, I know this is not a jump out of your seat message, but it can be a life changing message for you. Wisdom is very important to God and that should make it very important to you. Proverbs 4:5 lays it all out for us. This is what it says in no uncertain terms.
“Get wisdom, get understanding: Forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.”
Now, is that not clear enough for you? Really folks, it doesn’t get any more clear than that. These are God’s words to you. Tell you what, let’s look at Proverbs 4:7-8. I want you to read or listen to these scriptures very closely.
“Wisdom is the principle thing; therefore get wisdom: And with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her (wisdom) and she shall promote thee. She shall bring thee to honor when thou dost embrace her.”
Do you know anyone who doesn’t like to be promoted and receive honor from God? Listen folks, you know we all love to be honored for our accomplishments by men, right? How much better to be honored by God just for embracing wisdom. What God is telling you in the above scripture is so important for you to grasp. How often have you heard people say they don’t understand God? Oftentimes they say they can’t understand the King James version of the Bible. So what do they do? They turn to men instead of the Word of God.
Many, many believers and nonbelievers are led astray by reading so called new versions of the Bible, which are in fact just men’s attempt to make God’s Word say something it does not say. Be careful, church. God has given you wisdom so you can understand who and what is from God and who and what is not from God.
Ask God to show you his truth in every area of your life. Ask for wisdom and get understanding through the Word of God. I told you folks, this is an important message for you to grasp. My desire for you, church, is the same as Paul had for the believers in Ephesus. He wrote them a letter and here is part of what he said. Ephesians 1:15-17.
“Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love to all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.”
Believe me, my friends, the above scripture is my true desire for you. I pray daily for you and I believe the spirit of wisdom and the revelation in the knowledge of God is available for you. So now, you have knowledge that you may not have had before. The question is, what are you going to do with it? Remember, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Today I am giving this message with a heavy heart. We just found out that a very good neighbor of ours, Otis Marshall, has passed on. Otis was a believer and a faithful member of our online church. In fact, Otis and his wife Geraldine always listened to our online message and then went on to attend their local church.
You know church, one of the things we have preached to you from the beginning is just be yourself. Otis was like that. A soft spoken believer who always seemed to put others above himself. You did not have to ask Otis if he was a believer. He showed it everyday of his life. Otis was ninety-three years of age, but had the zip and zeal of a much younger man. This online ministry asks you to pray for Geraldine and the rest of Otis’ family. As for us and the rest of his neighbors, Otis will surely be missed. He is now with Jesus and what greater place is there to be?
Welcome everyone to your 24/7, week long, online church service. Please let it be known that everyone is welcome in this place. All this reminds me of the original and still the mission of this online church. To present the gospel of Jesus Christ in a way that is so simple that everyone can understand it. As the old saying goes, sometimes we are so heavenly minded, we are no earthly good.
Often times the Word of God is preached in a hateful and condemning way. But let me say to any nonbelievers or strayed away believers – love, mercy, peace and grace should still rule the day. Doing good works comes naturally when you truly believe the Word of God. I understand there are times when the circumstances of life get us down. But the truth is, even in bad circumstances we must be who we are in Christ and not back away even one inch.
My friends, I implore you to never grow weary in doing good. The apostle Paul told the Galatian church the same thing I am telling you. Please, turn with me to Galatians 6:9-10. Here’s what Paul said:
“And let us not be weary in well doing: For in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we therefore have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
I believe the key words in the above scripture are - if we faint not. I have often told you, church, when reading your Bible, always circle every if, but or lest. They will lead you to the conditions that apply to that scripture.
The instructions in this scripture are very clear. We are to do good to all men. Well, surely that doesn’t include Muslims or homosexuals does it? The answer is – oh yes it does. Does that include drunkards, druggies, obsessive gamblers? Well, church, what part of ‘all’ do you not understand?
Doing good to people does not mean you condone their viewpoint or actions. Your doing good to all is exactly what will draw them to the spirit that is operating in you. Am I making this clear to you, church? Well, I sure hope I am.
Look, I know what I am preaching to you may be different than your former teaching. But I just believe following the Word of God is the perfect way to be. Anything I am preaching to you comes directly from the Holy Bible by way of the Holy Spirit. Tell you what, turn with me to Psalms 18:30-32. It says:
“As for God, his way is perfect: The word of the Lord is tried: He is a buckler to all those that trust in him. For who is God save the Lord? Or who is a rock save our God?”
Do you trust in the Lord? I mean, do you really trust in the Lord? If so, become a doer of the Word instead of a hearer only. Just be yourself believer. Show the love of God in whatever you do. Let your everyday actions in life be your testimony. People are tired of words only. Action is what counts to most folks. If it sounds like I am calling you out here, it is because I am. But not only to you is this message intended, it is intended for me also. We must set aside false denomination and seminary teaching and come back to the Word of God for instruction of life.
Folks, we serve a faithful God. His rewards are true and just. As you are faithful to share the Word of God, not only by words but by action, God is faithful to reward you with blessing. This has been true since the beginning of time. Deuteronomy 7:9 in the Old Testament sort of lays it all out for us:
“Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.”
In other words, God’s faithfulness and mercy is unlimited and forever to you as you show your love to him and keep his commandments. Jesus’ main commandment to us is to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. So, who is our neighbor? Does the word used in the earlier scripture come to mind? Do good to “all.”
This message is not a message of reproof or condemnation, my friends. No, it is a message that is calling all us of back to following God through his son Jesus. When we do that, doing good will take care of itself. Isaiah 40:31 shows us how to serve God and not grow weary. Isaiah 40:31 states.
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
That’s what Otis did, my friends. The Lord blessed him with long life on the earth and eternal life forever with him. Please, do not tell me that God isn’t faithful.
I am starting this week’s message with a very direct and truthful statement, totally based on the Word of God, which by now, we all know is the Bible. God is a good God and his love and mercy endures forever. Listen to me believer, when you trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you must understand he is with you in good times or bad times. I often put it like this, God is a present time God. Many look at God and his son as historical figures. They do not even believe the Bible speaks to today’s lifestyles, troubles or trials. But here is the truth, my friends, they are believing a lie.
Welcome everyone to your 24/7, week long, online church service. Everyone is welcome in this place. I understand there is trouble on every side for many of you. Believe me folks, I do not live high on a cloud floating above the troubles of life. Oftentimes, when I am preaching to you, the Holy Spirit will point out to me “This message is for you too, big boy.” When I preach to you about trusting God in difficult times, I am acutely aware that I must do the same.
God pointed out to me many years ago, that what I preach to you goes for me also. Just as Paul said – only follow him as he follows Christ. Well, I say the same thing to you. Let me tell you a story that happened in 625 B.C. that still relates and is relevant to today. God sent a preacher named Nahum, actually he was a prophet. God sent him to a despondent people who were suffering many afflictions – poverty, poor health conditions, a controlling and out of control government. Now here was the message. Turn with me to the book of Nahum in the Old Testament. Read or listen to this scripture carefully. In Nahum 1:7, Nahum states this to the people:
“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”
Now, that was in 625 B.C. (Before Christ). And God has sent preachers from that time to this time with the same message of love and hope for us all. I must tell you folks, I have been saved through the shed blood of Jesus Christ since 1976. In all those years I have gone through many trials and difficult situations. Many of them seemed hopeless. In truth, most of them came from my opening the door to defeat all by myself.
Believe me, church, you open the door to the devil and he will enter in quickly and he will bring his evil spirits with him. That is why we teach spiritual warfare on this online church. The thing that has brought me through the sad and bad things of life is this – I know, that I know, that I know that God loves me and his mercy endures forever. He is my stronghold and he is always present in times of trouble. Psalms 46:1 shows us this truth in no uncertain terms, so let’s read it together:
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Is this not also the message of Nahum? As well as all truly called preachers of our heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ. There are some key thoughts here, aren’t there? Let’s review these two scriptures. Nahum says that the Lord is good, he is our stronghold. Does anyone out there know what a stronghold is? It is something you can hold onto for safety in the midst of your storm. No matter what that storm may be. The storms of life come in many varied ways, don’ they? The storms may come as sickness, serious health problems, bad family or friend relationships, financial problems that seem to be endless, the loss of loved ones to death. Such sadness and heartbreak, but God says I am your stronghold. I know you are trusting in me and I will not let you down.
God says he is present in trouble. Now why would that be, my friends? The answer – to bring you through the storms of life victorious in him. I have often told my children that it is not what happens to you in life that matters, it is how you react to them. Things will always happen to us, but if we speak God’s Word and walk in his ways we will win. Why? Because God knows we trust in him and he will bring us through the storm.
Jesus himself used storms as an example of how he would protect us if we trust and follow him. Matthew 7:24-25 states:
“Therefore, whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: For it was founded upon a rock.”
Now, let me ask you folks, who is that rock? It is Jesus!! I wanted to deliver this message to you this week because in many ways we are in the same condition in this world as they were in 625 B.C. The preachers today, wait let me revise that. The truly called preachers of today that preach only from the Word of God will tell you the same thing that Nahum preached. The Lord is good, he is your stronghold. He knows you are trusting in him and he will be your present help in trouble.
Be encouraged, church, God will bring you through it all. How do I know that? Nahum and the Word of God says so.
God Bless You,
Bro. Bob
Urgent Prayer Request: Betty Sue Mauspfrom
Dothin Alabama. Betty Sue has been diagnosed with cancer. Please pray
for a complete and total healing. Church, we need serious prayer for Betty Sue!
