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St. Augustine " Grace"

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  St. Augustine said  “Grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them.” – from "On the Spirit and the Letter (De Spiritu et Lettera"). His writing was merely confirming what the bible stated almost 2000 years ago when Paul the apostle wrote to the church in Ephesus. Paul wrote in Ephesians 2 "7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."  When we read St. Augustine speak of grace he clearly states it is not given becasue of our good works or holiness.  Other religions proclaim sets of rules, systems of meditation , fasting, pilgrimages and even sacrifice of ones own life as savi...
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“SEALED BY BLOOD AND BOUND BY COVENANT” Exodus Chapter 24

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                                                             LESSON  ON                                               Exodus Chapter 24-It's 18 verses.   C hapter 24 in the book of Exodus, and it begins to show us some things that really form the foundation of what we have today as well as regarding our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and to God our Father through him.  OUTLINE:  1. God is near, yet holy and approached according to His order 2. Covenant requires a responsive people 3. Covenant relationship is established through sacrifice and blood 4. God grants covenant fellowship without compromising His holiness 5. God’s word and presence govern covenant life 1. God is near, yet holy an...
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“I Got My Down Payment Sermon summary

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                                                              Sermon summary  “I Got My Down Payment” from Ephesians 1:1–14   Point number one, the Holy Spirit is God's down payment of ownership.  Believers have the Holy Spirit, they belong to God, their inheritance is secure, and God will complete the work He began in them. from Ephesians 1:1–14 Meaning of “Guarantee” The Greek word arrabōn means a down payment, deposit, or first installment. A down payment demonstrates that a transaction is genuine and that the remaining payment will follow. Paul uses this business concept to explain a spiritual truth: God has given believers the Holy Spirit as the first installment of their future inheritance. Point number two, the Holy Spirit is God's guarantee of our inheritance "The Holy Spirit is more than a feeling or an ex...
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Do not dismiss the miracle of Jesus

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    Have you ever seen a miracle? How many people would say that they have seen a miracle? Well, most people would say, "No, I have not seen one," and this makes things problematic when talking about God, Jesus, and the Holy Scriptures. Why? Because the Bible is filled with, well, miracles. People, therefore, say, "Well, I have never seen a miracle. They are not part of normal life or a daily part of reality." So, they dismiss miracles and also the Bible and God.    The reality is that this is a very Western and modern viewpoint. Most societies and people throughout history believe and have believed in miracles, spirits, gods, the afterlife, God, and, of course, miracles. Read the Bible. It is about most nations, even Israel, rejecting the "true God," Jehovah, the Creator of all reality and the universe. Most people in the Bible did not reject miracles or the existence of God or gods.   The nations and people groups we read about in the Word of God chose t...
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Rebuke and Correct

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    Charles Spurgeon is quoted as saying  "We are one in Christ; let us be friends with one another; but let us never be friends with one another’s error. If I be wrong, rebuke me sternly; I can bear it, and bear it cheerfully; and if ye be wrong, expect the like measure from me, and neither peace nor parley with your mistakes." 1*    Yes , he is saying tell me I am wrong, please point out my sin. Do not justify it or claim it is "your truth", Modern society call this " judging or being "self - righteous, but if it is done in a Christ -like way, in true love, it is biblical. The word of God says in James 5:19 "My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins." Done in a firm but gentle and loving way, you are helping and obeying God's command.    What mu...
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A Short Reflection on 1 Corinthians 15

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                                     1 Corinthians 15 speaks on the doctrine of resurrection among other things. We should begin with who wrote the book. Paul the apostle wrote book which is one of three letters biblical historians say he wrote to the Corinthian church. The church was located in the city of Corinth, a major city in the country of Greece. The church had many problems, including sin and doctrinal confusion. Paul wrote to correct the sinful behavior and clarify doctrine, especially concerning the resurrection. Paul was trying to teach and discipline a troubled and doctrinally unstable congregation.  Major doctrinal errors and false teaching had risen. One was deadly the dangerous belief—borrowed from the Sadducees and Greek intellectuals namely that there is no resurrection of the dead. The Sadducees, who rejected spiritual realities and denied resurrection altogether. The G...
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A Call to Responsibility with children and new believers.

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   When we open Scripture, there are both clear and deeper applications that confront how we live. One obvious and important application is the responsibility to bring our children to the Lord in order to ensure they are given the opportunity to know Him from a young age. A  second is proper  teaching and  shepherding of vulnerable new believers  who are "spiritual children" This is not merely about routine, but about spiritual stewardship In the Gospel of Matthew 18:3–7, Jesus  speaks " And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. 6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the...
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