Grace Fellowship Baptist Church

1 Corinthians 15:1-4: “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye  have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

The foundation of a true and genuine profession of faith in Jesus Christ is the gospel. The Apostle Paul, in Romans 1:16-17 wrote: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it, (the gospel) is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein, (that is, in the gospel) is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”

1 Corinthians 1:17-18: “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it (the gospel) is the power of God.”

1 Corinthians 2:1-5: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing (or persuasive) words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

The power of God is in the gospel message; the gospel message is Jesus Christ and him crucified. The Spirit of God will use no other means; no other message; no other instrument to save a sinner.  Salvation is by One Man alone, and through One Man alone, that Man is the Son of Man, Jesus Christ. And yet, in our day and age many “professing” Christians cannot answer the fundamental question, What is the gospel? Or if they can answer, the gospel to them is only a system of words which they have memorized or been taught but which have no meaning to their souls. Brethren, if we are believers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we MUST know the message that brought “glad tidings” and “good news” to our souls. Paul told Timothy, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

FIRST: the great problem of every soul is sin. Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” 1 Chronicles 6:36 adds the statement, “For there is no man which sinneth not.”

Beloved reader, these statements alone prove, as it is written in Psalm 39:5 that every man in his best state is altogether vanity. The best of men are still sinners in the eyes of God; the best we can ever be before God misses the mark; falls short; is not good enough to please God. All of the strife that exists in our families, our neighborhoods, our nation, and yes, even in our churches is the result of sin and wickedness in the heart of man. Job 14:1 says, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.”

What is sin? 1 John 3:4: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” This is the bottom line, every one of us are born into this world as sinners.

Where did sin originate? In the garden of Eden. It was found in our first parents, Adam and Eve, who represented all who would follow and be born into this world. Romans 5:12: “Wherefore, as by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” What we must see about this portion of scripture is this; you and I sinned in Adam; that is, when he sinned, it was just as if we had done it. So 1 Corinthians 15:22: “for as in Adam all die.” That is, because of Adam’s sin, death was passed to all who would come into the world after him. Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death.”

When Adam was place the garden of Eden by God, Genesis 2:16-17 says: “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”  Now we know from the scriptures that Eve took the fruit after being tempted to do so from the serpent and gave it also to Adam, and they ate of the fruit.  They did not drop dead at that moment, but they were immediately brought into a state of enmity with God. What had previously existed in man’s fellowship with God was now broken and cut off. Adam disobeyed God having sinned against His command to not eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam clearly rebelled against God. Sin had entered into the world, and therefore, since we are all descendants of Adam, we are all sinners. Psalm 51:5: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

Now we know what sin is, and we know where it came from, now what does sin do to our relationship with God? First, as in the example of Adam and Eve it separates us from God. No matter what you might think about yourself and your personal values, you are a sinner; and that means that you are not close to God, you are not God’s friend, but you are at a great distance from Him, for your sins have separated you from God. Genesis 3:24 tells us that the LORD then drove the man out of the garden of God because of his sin.

Isaiah 59:1-2: “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

But not only are we separated from God, we are enemies of God because of our sins. In fact, the scriptures teach that God is angry with the wicked every day. Many have never heard of this, God’s anger? But it is written in the Bible.

Consider Romans 1:18-19: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness (the first 4 commandments) and unrighteousness of men, (the second 6 commandments) who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (suppressing it out of their minds) Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; (or to them) for God hath shewed it unto them.”

John 3:36: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Psalm 7:11-12: “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry at the wicked every day. If he turn not, (that is, from his anger against the wicked) he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, (with His arrow ready to fly) and made it ready.”

Nahum 1:2: “God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.” Verse 6: “Who can stand before his indignation? And who can abide the fierceness of his anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.”

Up to this point, we have heard nothing but bad news concerning our sin. We are born sinners, our sins have separated us from God and have brought us into a state of condemnation and enmity against God, and God is angry with us as sinners. I need some good news on how I can be right with God; how I can be forgiven for my sins and saved from my sins, and from the wrath of Almighty God.

What sinners need is reconciliation with God. The good news is, Jesus Christ, the Son of God accomplished reconciliation for all those who believe. Romans 5:6-11: “For when we were without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”

Ephesians 2:13: “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

Colossians 1:20-23: “And now having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.”

In reconciliation, the Lord Jesus Christ propitiated, or appeased and satisfied the wrath and anger of God against sinners.  1 John 2:2: “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

1 John 4:9-10: “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

The Sinner’s Responsibility now is to repent! What does it mean to repent? It signifies to change one’s mind or course of life for the better; such a change of mind and heart so as to reverse the direction of our current sinful life.

The Word of the Lord by the Prophet Ezekiel: 33:11: “As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn (or repent) from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”

Why will you die in your sins O sinner?!

And so in the message of the gospel is repentance from sin and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 24:46-47: “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

It was the first message from the lips of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Matthew 4:17: “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

It was the message of the prophets: Jeremiah 26:1-3: “In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word of the LORD, saying, Thus saith the LORD; stand in the court of the LORD’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word; If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.”

The words of the Apostle Paul in Acts 20:20-21: “And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you publickly, and from house to house, Testifying both to Jew, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The gospel is not fancy words or speeches, big beautiful buildings or emotional experiences, and it’s not song services filled with glorious music; these things will never bring sinners to repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Only the preaching of the cross saves sinners. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the only means that the Spirit of God uses to open the eyes of the spiritually blind. Psalm 119:130: “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple.”

The gospel must continue to be our ONLY MESSAGE to sinners.  It is the only way to point sinners to Christ. Acts 4:12 says: : “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Acts 13:38-39: “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”

The way to Christ is a narrow path: Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

To those who will believe on Christ, a promise is made: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

John 5:24: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

Finally, when the gospel is believed, the sinner’s life is changed. You will be different! You will no longer live in your sins and you will no longer love your sins. You will now love righteousness and hate wickedness.

2 Corinthians 6:2 says: “Behold, now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of salvation.”

One thing that you’re not promised is tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

Now you have been given a great opportunity, “space to repent.”  Turn from your wicked ways today!

Acts 16:31: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

In Matthew 16:13-19 the Lord Jesus Christ asked his disciples, “Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?  And they said, some say, that thou art John the Baptist: some Elias; and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He said unto them, but whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou Simon, Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed  it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

The Lord Jesus Christ taught us here that His church, not Peter’s church, would be built upon the solid and immoveable foundation of Peter’s answer that the Lord Jesus Christ was the Christ, the Son of the living God. This confession must be at the forefront of every New Testament church. The church’s primary mission is to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ in preaching and teaching of the word for the edification and building up of the saints. She is a table set among her enemies in the wilderness of this world to feed the saints of God. If she depart from her message of the gospel and her mission to be the “pillar and ground of the truth” to become a business or social organization designed to entertain people, she has left her first love.

Matthew 28:18-20, at the great commission just prior to the Lord’s ascension, he said unto His disciples, “And Jesus came and spake unto them sayging, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy  Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.  Amen.”

This commission was given specifically to His Apostles. They were charged with teaching all nations starting at Jerusalem. (See Acts 1:8). And what were they to teach? Note verse 20: “To observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” Now, in the local New Testament church, our responsibility as stewards of the mysteries of God is to continue to fulfill the charge given to the Apostles to observe all of the truths given to us in the Word of God.

• 1 Timothy 3:14-15: “These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”
• 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5: “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast  known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.  I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”

Now let’s go back to the opening passage of scripture in Matthew 16, Christ proclaimed that he would build His church upon Peter’s confession that He was the Christ of God. If we are going to be personally fixed upon the Solid Rock of Jesus Christ, we must be part of a local New Testament Church whose Head is Jesus Christ.  Beloved of God, we are not called in salvation by God the Father through the precious shed blood of Jesus Christ to continue as His children outside of the church, no more could one of our young children survive outside of the protection of our home.

Why would you NOT want to be with the saints, assembling at the feet of Christ to hear His word?  Why would you not desire the eat the bread of life with the saints at the table set by the Lord Jesus Christ? Saints want to be with the saints.

• Hebrews 10:23-25 says. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some of some is, but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
• Acts 2:41-47: “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continued daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking of bread from house to house, did eat their bread with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

The church in its infancy was learning the apostles doctrine, that is, everything that the Lord Jesus Christ commanded them to observe.

If you weren’t gathered together in the assembly on the Lord’s Day, you missed the message given to the saints.

• 1 Corinthians 1:1-2: Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their’s and our’s:”
• Galatians 1:1-2: “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:”
• Revelation 1:4: “John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and Peace from him which is, and which was, and which is to come;”

Some believe they do not need the church to continue in the Christian life. But if that is the case, then why did the Lord appoint pastors and teachers?

Ephesians 4:11-16: “And he gave some, apostles; and some prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up unto him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

We have been given pastors and teachers for the perfecting (maturing, equipping, and building up) of the saints. But if you are not an intimate and participating member of the body of Christ, and member of a New Testament church, you will be tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men. You will not be built up, and edified in the faith of Jesus Christ.

How can you be a member of His body, and not be a member of His body?

• John 10:27-29: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”

It’s very dangerous for a believer to wander outside of the church. Without constant care and feeding at the feet of Christ among the assembled saints of God, you are in danger of drawing back unto perdition. I stand in doubt of one who professes faith in Christ, but says he/she does not need the church. If you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, than you will seek out and find a New Testament church that teaches the truth according to the Word of God.

Jeremiah 3:15: “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.”

The prophet Samuel was commanded to anoint a new king in Israel shortly after Saul’s disobedience to God’s commands in the war against the Amalekites.

1 Samuel 16:1: “And the LORD said unto Samuel, how long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.”

Upon Samuel’s arrival, Jesse had seven of his sons pass before the prophet Samuel, but the LORD refused all of them. Last of all, Jesse’s David was called from watching the flocks, the youngest of his sons. Upon his arrival, the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him: for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.”

One of the next big events in David’s life was the slaying of the Philistine champion Goliath in the Valley of Elah. Afterward when there was a victory parade for the returning soldiers and king, the women sang a chorus that made Saul very angry toward David.

1 Samuel 18:5-9: “And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing to meet king Saul, with tambrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.  And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, they have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.”

By the time we come the 1 Samuel 22, David has tried to hide from the jealous rage of Saul even among the enemies of Israel, the Philistines. The champion of Israel and he whom God had chosen to be the next king in Israel had found himself under a sore trial. He was the anointed king of Israel who was not safe in the midst of the people over whom he would eventually reign. In David’s life, there is no doubt that God would use these trials as discipline and training for the throne of Israel.

What an amazing likeness to another “Anointed King” who was in danger of being killed by his own countrymen. The Son of David, the Lord Jesus Christ was also an outcast in the midst of his own people! On one occasion, those that hated him led to the brow of a hill to be cast down to his death, but it was not His hour.

The Bible tells us, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”

John 7:1: “for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.”

John 11:53-54: “From that day forth they took counsel together for the put him to death. Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence into a country near to the wilderness.”

1 Samuel 22:1-2 tells us: “David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: (from Saul’s rage), and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.”

David finds himself outcast, living in a cave; the Son of David, our Lord Jesus Christ in the days of his flesh said to those who would follow him: “the foxes have holes, the birds of  the air have their nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head.” David and Christ were despised and rejected of men.  David like Christ was an outcast in the midst of the people over whom he would be King. Although let us never forget that the Son of David was impeccable and sinless all the days of His humiliation.

What a strange company of people who sought refuge with the anointed king of Israel?  The distressed, those who were in debt, and the discontented.  Lawless outcasts! Much like those who sought the company of Christ, publicans and sinners; unlearned and ignorant men. Basic nobodies and outcasts of society!

Those who sought David to be their Captain had this in common one with another, their deep sense of personal need with no place to go, and no one to turn to, David was their captain, he would care for them and he would guide them. What an amazing likeness to desperate sinners who finally see Christ as their Lord and Savior and come running to Him for refuge.

What we must not miss is that ALL SINNERS are desperately wicked before God with an insurmountable debt of sin against Him, and if they continue in their sin the distress of their souls will only grow worse.

David was all they had, and David was all they needed; and that is how it is with the Christian. Christ is our portion, He fulfills our every need! He is our all in all! Christ saves us from being desperately wicked before God, the Lord Jesus Christ fully paid for our sins with His precious life and blood, and we are no longer in distress and in danger of the wrath of God.

Furthermore, these outcasts truly believed that David would eventually come into his kingdom, and when he did, they would share in that glory. In Luke 22:28 it is written of Christ and His Apostles: “Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

We also shall behold the glory and Kingdom of our Christ. In John 17:24 it is written: “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.”

And lastly, David became their captain. They were a band of misfits, and David gave them order and purpose. They willingly put themselves under his command. It should be no different for us as followers of Jesus Christ, He is our Captain, we are under His command, and therefore should obey His precepts and His word.

What is very disappointing is what our Lord says to many who profess to be His disciples: Luke 6:46-49: “And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” The mark of a true believer and true disciple is that they have willingly fallen under the command of the Captain of their salvation, Jesus Christ.  He is their Savior and Lord!

When you arrive at your shop or business on Monday morning, who are you to those who are your co-workers? Is your shop talk different than your sanctuary talk? Are you only a Sunday Christian?

In William Gurnall’s book The Christian in Complete Armour, Page 321, he writes: “For the good name’s sake of Christ, which cannot but be dearer to you, if saints, than your lives, look to your walking, and especially your civil converse with the men of the world. They know not what you do in your closet, care not what you are in the congregation, they judge you by what you are when they have to do with you. As they find you in your shop, bargains, promises, and such like, so they think of you and your profession. Labour therefore for this uprightness to man; by this you may win some, and judge others.”

Matthew 12:34b-35 says: “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.”

What an amazing responsibility; what a privilege to be a child of God! Your life Christian might be the only Bible that many a lost soul ever reads!  Do you conduct yourself in a manner that is glorifying to God?  Is your life a result of the work of Christ?

Ephesians 5:15: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.”

Colossians 4:5-6: “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, (that is, gracious and pleasant), seasoned with salt, (so that you would never be at a loss), that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

Finally, Matthew 5:14 tells us: “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, (or its strength and quality), wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”

In Matthew 13:53-58 we read the account of the Lord entering into his own country, (Capernaum), and preaching in the synagogue.  The masses were “astonished” saying, “whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?”

“This man!”  They could not get past Him being one of their own, a neighbor; after all, this was Joseph and Mary’s son; they knew his brothers and sisters.  This was no prophet, and surely not the Messiah, the Son of David!  We watched him do carpentry work with (as was supposed, His father) Joseph for years!  Look at his family; has the royal line of David descended to such a case as poor Joseph and Mary?

“And they were offended in him.”  They stumbled in their minds by what they saw; and this stopped them from listening to him and setting their hearts upon His Word. The sad result of their actions; He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Christian, are you a believer?  Strange question isn’t it?  You say, well of course I am a believer!  And yet there are so many “Professing Christians” today who stumble past genuine Christianity because it doesn’t look and sound like what they “think” it should look and sound like. There are so many who do not believe what God says in His Word.

The Son of God in the days of His flesh was not to the Jews liking. He didn’t come like they wanted Him to come. They didn’t want a humble servant, but an earthly warrior.

So many view the genuineness of Christianity by what it looks and sounds like on the outside. The size of the church building; the number of programs and activities for every age group; the entertainment value of the preacher’s message; and the emotionalism of the song service. And how many leave the “church service” no different than when they arrived?  Never forget that the church of the living God is the pillar and ground of the truth. Romans 10:17 tells us: “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

What ever happened to awaking on the Lord’s Day to prayer and meditation in the Word, and preparation of heart prior to even darkening the door of the place of assembly? How about an expectation that God is going to speak to our hearts through His Word and messenger? He that cometh God must believe that He is!!

The Bible tells us that we walk by faith and not by sight; and yet, we are so often motivated by what we see rather than by what we fail to see spiritually.  The kingdom of God cometh not with observation.  It’s time for us to stop simply going to church; and start assembling on the Lord’s Day as “Believers.” It’s time for you, Christian, to start believing God.