May 28, 2018

Do it NOW! by Gary Rose



We bought a new bed the other day and we were amazed at how much prices had increased. The first one we liked cost more than my first new car (twice as much in fact)!  We did NOT buy that one; instead, we purchased a bed we could afford that would still do the job.
As we were checking out, we mentioned that we had just celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. The saleslady responded with: "I was married 25 years" and then "he was only 47 when he died".
We left the store feeling blessed, but also understanding that life is short and that we had better make the best of every single day.
Somehow, this picture has a new meaning to me. Don't put off things; you may never get the chance to do them. Well, to get the most out of life, one needs to prioritize. Consider this...



2 Corinthians, Chapter 6 (World English Bible)
  1 Working together, we entreat also that you do not receive the grace of God in vain,  2 for he says, 

“At an acceptable time I listened to you. 

In a day of salvation I helped you.”

Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. (emphasis added)



Over the course of my life, I have known literally thousand and thousands of people. But, I can never really know everything about them, especially what they are thinking. Are they spiritual people? Have they ever read the Bible? More importantly, have they ever obeyed the Gospel?
What about yourself? Would you consider yourself a spiritual person? Have you ever read what the Bible says about the Gospel? Have you obeyed the Gospel and become a Christian?
As the emboldened part of the verse above says .."now is the acceptable time. now is the day of salvation". Why not make today the day you changed your life to follow God? Why not? Time is a wasting...

Do it NOW!

Bible Reading May 28, 29 by Gary Rose


Bible Reading May 28, 29
World English Bible
May 29
Judges 15, 16

Jdg 15:1 But it happened after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father wouldn't allow him to go in.
Jdg 15:2 Her father said, I most certainly thought that you had utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to your companion: isn't her younger sister more beautiful than she? Please take her, instead.
Jdg 15:3 Samson said to them, This time shall I be blameless in regard of the Philistines, when I do them a mischief.
Jdg 15:4 Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between every two tails.
Jdg 15:5 When he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing grain of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks and the standing grain, and also the olive groves.
Jdg 15:6 Then the Philistines said, Who has done this? They said, Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he has taken his wife, and given her to his companion. The Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.
Jdg 15:7 Samson said to them, If you behave like this, surely I will be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.
Jdg 15:8 He struck them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and lived in the cleft of the rock of Etam.
Jdg 15:9 Then the Philistines went up, and encamped in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.
Jdg 15:10 The men of Judah said, Why have you come up against us? They said, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he has done to us.
Jdg 15:11 Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, "Don't you know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?" He said to them, As they did to me, so have I done to them.
Jdg 15:12 They said to him, We have come down to bind you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines. Samson said to them, Swear to me that you will not fall on me yourselves.
Jdg 15:13 They spoke to him, saying, No; but we will bind you fast, and deliver you into their hand: but surely we will not kill you. They bound him with two new ropes, and brought him up from the rock.
Jdg 15:14 When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him: and the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily on him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands dropped from off his hands.
Jdg 15:15 He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put forth his hand, and took it, and struck a thousand men therewith.
Jdg 15:16 Samson said, With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps on heaps, With the jawbone of a donkey I have struck a thousand men.
Jdg 15:17 It happened, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand; and that place was called Ramath Lehi.
Jdg 15:18 He was very thirsty, and called on Yahweh, and said, You have given this great deliverance by the hand of your servant; and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised.
Jdg 15:19 But God split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out of it. When he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: therefore its name was called En Hakkore, which is in Lehi, to this day.
Jdg 15:20 He judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

Jdg 16:1 Samson went to Gaza, and saw there a prostitute, and went in to her.
Jdg 16:2 It was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come here. They surrounded him, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, Let be until morning light, then we will kill him.
Jdg 16:3 Samson lay until midnight, and arose at midnight, and laid hold of the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and plucked them up, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.
Jdg 16:4 It came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
Jdg 16:5 The lords of the Philistines came up to her, and said to her, Entice him, and see in which his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will each give you of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.
Jdg 16:6 Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, Please, in which your great strength lies, and with which you might be bound to afflict you.
Jdg 16:7 Samson said to her, If they bind me with seven green cords that were never dried, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.
Jdg 16:8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green cords which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.
Jdg 16:9 Now she had an ambush waiting in the inner chamber. She said to him, "The Philistines are on you, Samson!" He broke the cords, as a string of tow is broken when it touches the fire. So his strength was not known.
Jdg 16:10 Delilah said to Samson, Behold, you have mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, Please, with which you might be bound.
Jdg 16:11 He said to her, If they only bind me with new ropes with which no work has been done, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.
Jdg 16:12 So Delilah took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said to him, The Philistines are on you, Samson. The ambush was waiting in the inner chamber. He broke them off his arms like a thread.
Jdg 16:13 Delilah said to Samson, Until now, you have mocked me and told me lies. Tell me with what you might be bound. He said to her, If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web.
Jdg 16:14 She fastened it with the pin, and said to him, The Philistines are on you, Samson. He awakened out of his sleep, and plucked away the pin of the beam, and the web.
Jdg 16:15 She said to him, How can you say, I love you, when your heart is not with me? you have mocked me these three times, and have not told me in which your great strength lies.
Jdg 16:16 It happened, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, that his soul was troubled to death.
Jdg 16:17 He told her all his heart, and said to her, "No razor has ever come on my head; for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If I am shaved, then my strength will go from me, and I will become weak, and be like any other man."
Jdg 16:18 When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he has told me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and brought the money in their hand.
Jdg 16:19 She made him sleep on her knees; and she called for a man, and shaved off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
Jdg 16:20 She said, The Philistines are on you, Samson. He awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free. But he didn't know that Yahweh had departed from him.
Jdg 16:21 The Philistines laid hold on him, and put out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he ground at the mill in the prison.
Jdg 16:22 However the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaved.
Jdg 16:23 The lords of the Philistines gathered them together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for they said, Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.
Jdg 16:24 When the people saw him, they praised their god; for they said, Our god has delivered into our hand our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, who has slain many of us.
Jdg 16:25 It happened, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. They called for Samson out of the prison; and he made sport before them. They set him between the pillars:
Jdg 16:26 and Samson said to the boy who held him by the hand, Allow me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house rests, that I may lean on them.
Jdg 16:27 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were on the roof about three thousand men and women, who saw while Samson made sport.
Jdg 16:28 Samson called to Yahweh, and said, Lord Yahweh, remember me, Please, and strengthen me, Please, only this once, God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
Jdg 16:29 Samson took hold of the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and leaned on them, the one with his right hand, and the other with his left.
Jdg 16:30 Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. He bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell on the lords, and on all the people who were therein. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than those who he killed in his life.
Jdg 16:31 Then his brothers and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burial site of Manoah his father. He judged Israel twenty years.


May 28, 29
John 7

Joh 7:1 After these things, Jesus was walking in Galilee, for he wouldn't walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him.
Joh 7:2 Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was at hand.
Joh 7:3 His brothers therefore said to him, "Depart from here, and go into Judea, that your disciples also may see your works which you do.
Joh 7:4 For no one does anything in secret, and himself seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, reveal yourself to the world."
Joh 7:5 For even his brothers didn't believe in him.
Joh 7:6 Jesus therefore said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.
Joh 7:7 The world can't hate you, but it hates me, because I testify about it, that its works are evil.
Joh 7:8 You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, because my time is not yet fulfilled."
Joh 7:9 Having said these things to them, he stayed in Galilee.
Joh 7:10 But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly, but as it were in secret.
Joh 7:11 The Jews therefore sought him at the feast, and said, "Where is he?"
Joh 7:12 There was much murmuring among the multitudes concerning him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others said, "Not so, but he leads the multitude astray."
Joh 7:13 Yet no one spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews.
Joh 7:14 But when it was now the midst of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and taught.
Joh 7:15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, "How does this man know letters, having never been educated?"
Joh 7:16 Jesus therefore answered them, "My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.
Joh 7:17 If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is from God, or if I am speaking from myself.
Joh 7:18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory, but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
Joh 7:19 Didn't Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill me?"
Joh 7:20 The multitude answered, "You have a demon! Who seeks to kill you?"
Joh 7:21 Jesus answered them, "I did one work, and you all marvel because of it.
Joh 7:22 Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a boy.
Joh 7:23 If a boy receives circumcision on the Sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me, because I made a man completely healthy on the Sabbath?
Joh 7:24 Don't judge according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment."
Joh 7:25 Therefore some of them of Jerusalem said, "Isn't this he whom they seek to kill?
Joh 7:26 Behold, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is truly the Christ?
Joh 7:27 However we know where this man comes from, but when the Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from."
Joh 7:28 Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, "You both know me, and know where I am from. I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you don't know.
Joh 7:29 I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me."
Joh 7:30 They sought therefore to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.
Joh 7:31 But of the multitude, many believed in him. They said, "When the Christ comes, he won't do more signs than those which this man has done, will he?"
Joh 7:32 The Pharisees heard the multitude murmuring these things concerning him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to arrest him.
Joh 7:33 Then Jesus said, "I will be with you a little while longer, then I go to him who sent me.
Joh 7:34 You will seek me, and won't find me; and where I am, you can't come."
Joh 7:35 The Jews therefore said among themselves, "Where will this man go that we won't find him? Will he go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?
Joh 7:36 What is this word that he said, 'You will seek me, and won't find me; and where I am, you can't come'? "
Joh 7:37 Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!
Joh 7:38 He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water."
Joh 7:39 But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn't yet glorified.
Joh 7:40 Many of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, "This is truly the prophet."
Joh 7:41 Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "What, does the Christ come out of Galilee?
Joh 7:42 Hasn't the Scripture said that the Christ comes of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?"
Joh 7:43 So there arose a division in the multitude because of him.
Joh 7:44 Some of them would have arrested him, but no one laid hands on him.
Joh 7:45 The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, "Why didn't you bring him?"
Joh 7:46 The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this man!"
Joh 7:47 The Pharisees therefore answered them, "You aren't also led astray, are you?
Joh 7:48 Have any of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees?
Joh 7:49 But this multitude that doesn't know the law is accursed."
Joh 7:50 Nicodemus (he who came to him by night, being one of them) said to them,
Joh 7:51 "Does our law judge a man, unless it first hears from him personally and knows what he does?"
Joh 7:52 They answered him, "Are you also from Galilee? Search, and see that no prophet has arisen out of Galilee."
Joh 7:53 Everyone went to his own house,

Saved by Grace by J. C. Bailey

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Bailey/John/Carlos/1903/Articles/savedbyg.html

Saved by Grace

Before we study this subject we shall define it. Thayer's Greek English lexicon says that “grace is that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm; grace as used of the kindness of a master toward his inferiors or servants, and so especially of God toward man.” Winston's Dictionary: Grace: Biblical meaning: “God's unmerited mercy toward mankind.” As we study the Word of God I think we shall learn that these two meanings are borne out.

Why do we need the mercy (grace) of God? Scriptures teach that all have sinned (Romans 3:23). Is there an intelligent man who will question that statement? In the 1900 years since the New Testament was written man has made great progress in many ways but it is still as sadly true now as then, that all have sinned. How serious is this, that all have sinned? The Word of God assures us that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).

Salvation is in Christ and in none other: “And in none other is there salvation; for neither is there any other name under heaven given among men, wherein we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “For the grace of God hath appeared bringing salvation to all men” (Titus 2:11). Some have contended that Christianity is the Western man's religion. This verse shows that this is not true. Sin is not a prerogative of the West -- all have sinned. So God's grace does not belong in any exclusive way to the West. Grace brings salvation to all men.

I would like to point out here some teaching from the Scriptures: “The flesh profiteth nothing” (John 6:63). Again: “Peter opened his mouth, and said, 'Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is acceptable to him'” (Acts 10:34,35). The scripture further teaches: “Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more” (II Corinthians 5:16). So all have sinned. Grace is extended to all. Grace is for all. Christ is the ruler of all. After He arose from the dead He declared: “All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:18-20). All need grace and all can have grace to be saved.

Some people have the idea that they are good enough to go to heaven, or that they can go to heaven by their own righteousness. We cannot be saved by our righteousness for the Word of God expressly says: “For by grace have ye been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). Thus, no one can save himself without Christ. On the other hand, no one is so bad that Christ cannot save him. “He is able to save to the uttermost those that draw nigh unto God through him” (Hebrews 7:25).

It is true that grace has been extended to all men. It is not true that all men have access to grace. For we have access to grace by faith (Romans 5:1-2). There is no respect of persons with God. God's grace is extended to all believers. Listen to the apostle Paul: “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him. For, whosoever shall call on 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?” (Romans 10:12-14).

It is by faith that we have access to God's grace. The word “justify” means “to pronounce free from guilt or blame.” Now we read Romans 3:24: “...being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” So we see that grace works by faith and the redemption is in Christ Jesus. So we must be in Christ to have this redemption. Our sins have been forgiven in Christ Jesus. All spiritual blessings are in Christ (Ephesians 1:3), we are baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27).

Grace is the gift of God; this we have learned in the Scriptures we have studied. Here is God's unmerited favor. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). So God's grace is extended to the believer. Paul wrote to the Romans and said: “Because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). Grace is extended to those who believe in the shed blood of Jesus as the means of justification: “...whom God set forth to be a propitiation through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of sins done aforetime in the forbearance of God” (Romans 5:25). Grace is for all. That is, it is for all believers.

We must believe in the blood of Christ as an atonement for sin. We must believe in the resurrection of Christ for our justification (Romans 4:25). We must believe that justification is in Christ Jesus. The Scriptures plainly teach that all spiritual blessings are in Christ (Ephesians 1:1).

Finally, we learn that we are baptized into Christ. Let us read together: “Or are we ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death: We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in the newness of life” (Romans 6:3,4). Again, the Scriptures declare: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27).

God's grace has appeared, bringing salvation to all men. That salvation is in Christ and in none other. We must believe in Christ. We must believe that his blood atones. We must believe that He was raised for our justification; that He saves those who obey him: “...and having been made perfect, he became unto all those that obey him the author of eternal salvation” (Hebrews 5:9).

In the light of the above we can understand the significance of what Jesus said: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned” (Mark 16:16). We should have no difficulty accepting the command of the Holy Spirit: “And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

After that we read: “Then they that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls” (Act 2:41). They had believed through grace. They had obeyed through grace. Then God added them to the body of Christ. God's grace is always there if you believe and obey.

J. C. Bailey, 1981, Dauphin, Manitoba

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

SIN SAYS “YES” & GOD SAYS “NO!” by Jim McGuiggan

https://jimmcguiggan.wordpress.com/2017/09/

SIN SAYS “YES” & GOD SAYS “NO!”

I wish to say something about God’s “no” to Sin as He expresses it in the Church.
“For He made Him He who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
In the truth we have embraced, in our trusting God while we share the loss, hurt and anguish of the world—in these and more we reflect our Lord Jesus’ own trust in His Holy Father. From the cross on Golgotha as Luke tells us His last words were “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” (As I write this—this very moment—one of our own (Alan Comer) is dying of cancer, enduring an agonizing exit, who has uttered and is uttering words just like that. “Father, into your hands I commit my very self!”)
Our very existence as the Body of the Living Jesus Christ, is a focused expression of God’s faithfulness to His commitment to the human family; not only to the Church but, through the Church and other of His gifts, to the world.  His goodness to us as sinners makes it clear that He will not allow Sin to have the last word and determine the destiny of humans. To those that Sin would strangle and suffocate and fill with despair the Church as a forgiven People, the Church as a reconciled People has been entrusted with a ministry of reconciliation.
The Church embodies and carries a message of inexpressibly good news and it’s this: “God knows about Sin but He refuses to let it have the last word because He is GOD and not a man (Hosea 11:9).” Even God cannot force a friendship upon people but He insists: “Whatever you want; My heart wants friendship. If you don’t want Me then we can’t be friends but the reason we’re not friends if we aren’t friends is not in Me! Where sin increases so does My grace. There is nothing in Me that keeps us apart. I am the sinned against and I say I am Sin’s enemy and I cancel its alienating power by My love of you.”
(Holy One, help us indeed to embody this truth about you. help those who teach us to teach us about this truth. Open their eyes to it and thrill them with it that they may come to us at times wide-eyed and astonished at you and the truth about you with messages that are worthy of you. Come to the Church’s aid in this that we might be thankful and happy servants of yours to our families and neighbors and to the world. This prayer in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ.)

If YOU Can’t Stand the Heat–Stay Out of Hell by Alfred Shannon, Jr.

https://biblicalproof.wordpress.com/2011/09/

If YOU Can’t Stand the Heat–Stay Out of Hell

If we break man’s law, don’t we expect to be punished if we get caught? Yet, we know God sees, hears, and knows all about us, even the intent of our heart, but for some reason we think we can escape his punishment. A full one third of the world’s population believes in God, and His Word, yet we cringe when anyone mentions the word hell, as though someone just cursed, or spoke of a mythical place that doesn’t exist. Hell is a real place that God has prepared for those who disobey him. It is hot enough to make our eyes weep, our teeth gnash, to beg for water, and to ask for the mountains to fall upon us. It enlarges every day, the devil and his angels will be cast into it, and all those who know not God, and obey not the gospel of Christ. The bottom line is: If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of hell by obeying the gospel of Christ.
Zech 13:9; Mt 25:30; Lk 16:24; Lk 23:30; Rev 6:16; Isa 5:14; Mt 25:41; 2 Thess 1:7-9

Giving – Don’t Be a Show-off by Ben Fronczek

http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?p=544

Giving – Don’t Be a Show-off

After Jesus came into the world He set a standard that was unheard of to the people of His day. They had a religion, they thought it was biblical. It was at least sophisticated and certainly complex, but it was substandard. In a previous lesson I talked about how Jesus raised the bar, or the standard on how they should conduct themselves; that the Christian’s standard of righteousness should even surpass that of the Pharisees and teachers of the Law.
In the Sermon on the Mt. He unveiled the problem with their religion. He tells these so called religious men that basically what they are doing is not much more than a show. He calls them hypocrites and the original Greek word there means, ‘An actor on a stage.’ So He was telling them that ‘You’re nothing but actors on a stage doing what you do for the applause of the people who watch.’ Their religion was a farce.
And here in Matthew chapter 6 Jesus picks out three elements of their religion to attack. #1 is their giving, #2 is how they prayed, and #3 is how they fasted. So this week and the next 2 weeks to follow we are going to look at these three topics in more detail.
Jesus get right down to teaching us our religious responsibility in letting us know that whatever we do in regard to worship, it should be coming from a pure heart not hypocrisy. He tells these men that their giving, their praying, and their fasting is nothing more than a show. And that is not Pleasing to the Lord.
In dealing with these elements, Jesus tell His disciples in chapter. 6, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. (Then He tells His disciples how) But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
In other words, He says, now when it comes to how those Pharisees give, it’s hypocritical, but it ought not to be so. So He tells them what the problem is and then He offers them the solution.
Now when a preacher gets into the area of giving sometimes he open up a can of worms. It seems like we are getting bombardment from people asking for our money from so called “Christian causes:” from numerous requests on the radio, tv and even in our mail boxes.
But in the Bible I only read about only two kinds of giving, basically, two areas or things that they gave to. #1 was their systematic, structured, regular giving to the church. We know the Bible teaches that. In 1 Corinthians 16 it tells us that on the first day of the week we are to lay by and store as God has prospered us. We also see there that those early Christians lay by in store and gave a contribution to the church.
So the teaching there was that believing people gave weekly, every week, not just now and then but every week; a predetermined amount which they set aside to give to their church. I believe in doing so, we learn the importance lesson in stewardship of money. I believe that’s why God wants us to do it every week, so that every week we take stock of what we have as it relates to our funds and learn to be good stewards. It is a discipline.
So when it says in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2  “On the first day of the week lay by and store.” That is a systematic, structured giving as you purpose in your heart. But then there’s a second kind of giving we see in the Biblical text. That is giving to the poor and needy. This giving is an unstructured, unspecified, and spontaneous.  It is over and above giving to the church. Throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament, we read about that kind of giving when a needy person crosses our path and we are encouraged to reach out and help that individual. (eg. Story of the Good Samaritan) Beyond giving to the church and those in need, the Bible is silent.
All too often we don’t like to hear sermons on giving. I believe it is an unpopular subject because #1 it has been abused,  and #2, I believe people don’t understand the blessing of giving that Bible speaks about.
To begin with, you have to begin with this premise; that God doesn’t really need your money. He can get along fine without it. In fact, God got along quite well throughout all eternity before He ever made you me and our money. I think some people forget that God ran the whole universe before there were any people in it, and it didn’t cost Him a penny.
So 1st of all we need to remember that we are not doing Him a big favor by giving Him a big check. God is not at the mercy of us and how much we give.
BUT the thing you and I must realize is that we need to give it. And why do we need to give? Because in giving we find  one of those Christian paradoxes I talked about last week. Like, how we really live by dying, or we become free by becoming a slave, or how we are the strongest when we are weak.  Well in this case the Bible teaches us over and over again that you receive a blessing when you give.
God tell us in scripture to give so that He may give you back even more. It is     a blessing promised by God that most of us forget or don’t even know about. Most people don’t realize that there’s a cycle of blessedness that takes place when we give.
I’d like to illustrate this from Scriptures. In Proverbs 11:24-25 it says, 24” One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. 25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”
See the principle here? It’s like this  If a farmer too cheap to buy few bags of seed to sows in the ground he not going to have tons crops to harvest in the fall.  You see there is a cycle that needs to take place. You buy the seed, you sow it, and God produces the increase, multiplying the seed, producing a crop. If you sell it you get more money back than you paid for the original of bags of seed you bought to plant.  If you feed it to your cows that’s all the less you have to purchase, again money that’s in your pocket.  With that money you buy more seed the following year. You plant it, and you harvest tons of crops again and around and around and around you go. The whole thing depends upon your faithfulness to fork out some cash to buy the seed in the first place and sow it.
Do you realize a farmer takes everything he has and throws it in the dirt and operates on faith that God will give him a big return. God gives him that return and the cycle begins. That’s the illustration. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. In other words, as you give, God blesses. And when God blesses, you, out of His blessing,  you give again.
But if you step out of that circle, that cycle of blessing and don’t give, you don’t get a return. There’s no investment for God to bless and multiply. There’s no return, and that just keeps lending to more poverty. Pretty soon you’re out of resources. Isn’t that what Solomon said there in this Proverbs. He said, another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. “
And mind you, the principle about giving is not just about monetary things. The principle of giving is broader than just giving money. We can give our time, talents and acts of love which God will in turn bless and multiply.  I believe it is important to give because it puts us in a circle of blessing which demonstrates  our faith and reveals God’s willingness to bless us.
You give. God blesses. Out of His blessing you give again. There’s only one way to live as believing people. God says, and that’s to give, because you put yourself in the flow of His blessing.
Now the New Testament says a lot about some basic principles to consider as we give. I want to share some of them with you before I move to our text. Let me give you just eight simple principles to remember as you give. Eight simple principles that’ll help you to give in a non-hypocritical way.
#1 Giving is investing with God. That’s what I’ve been saying so far here. It puts you in the cycle of blessing.
In 2 Corinthians 9:6 says “If you sow sparingly, you reap sparingly. If you sow bountifully, you reap bountifully.” God does not need your money, but you need to invest with Him to get into the flow of His blessedness. Of course that’s not the only reason one should give, it’s not just about our greed and getting ahead with God’s help, but rather it’s investing in what is important to God, glorifying Him and hopefully expanding His kingdom.
2ndly We need to remember that giving should be sacrificial. David said, “I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”   You think or say, “God here, I don’t need this, this is what I have left over, you can have it.” That isn’t an act of love. This is the problem we read about in the book of Malachi. I believe God is please when we give something to Him which is important and valuable to us. Then it is a sacrifice pleasing unto the Lord.
I think of Mark 12 where Jesus sat and watched the Jews as they gave at the Temple. And then along came a poor little widow. All she only had was two mites, hardly worth anything.  And yet the Lord said she gave more than everybody else when she gave them.  Why? Because that’s all she had. It was the essence of her sacrifice that made her offering significant.
There’s a 3rd principle. Giving is never related to how much you have. People say “If I had more, I’d give more.” In Luke 16:10 it says He that is faithful in little will be faithful in much. And He that is unjust and little will be unjust in much.” Giving is not a matter of how much have, it’s a matter of where your heart is and where your commitment is. You can have a lot and be stingy or have just a little and be just as stingy, or you can have a generous heart whether you have a lot or just a little.
#4 How many spiritual blessing we have will be in direct proportion to our attitude about giving and how generous we are.  In other words, if you’re not faithful in what you do with what you have, God’s is not about to give you the true riches. In Luke 16:11-12 it says “So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?”
What are true riches? Spiritual things, Things of God; people, their souls ministry, and God is not about to give a strategic ministry to somebody who can’t handle money or other thing He has given them. There are many men who never made it through Bible school or seminary, some have even left ministry because they were poor stewards and the Lord didn’t want them in a position over His flock.  So depending how you handle what God has given you including your money, God may withhold some true spiritual responsibilities from you if you are not wise. So learn to be a good steward of what you already have now.
5th, What you give is up to you.  In  2 Cor. 9:7 it says, Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver..”  Whatever you purpose in or decide in your heart to give, that’s between you and God.  We read in Corinthians that the Macedonians gave abundantly out of their deep poverty. The Philippians gave because they chose to give out of a heart of love. There is no NT law on how much we should give. It is a freedom we have in Christ.  It’s your personal decision..
6th, We should give in response to particular needs. So then we should be sensitive to and listen to needs that come our way. In Acts 4 and Acts 5, the early church shared its resources because there were people who had a need. Paul went all through Asia Minor collecting money from the Gentile churches to give to the saints of Jerusalem because there was a need due to famine.
#7 Giving demonstrates our love, not law. As I already mentioned, there is no New Testament law commanding us to give a fixed sum. We’re not giving to please some legal system. Our giving should be an act of love and devotion to God and His children. That’s why it’s to be given cheerfully, not grudgingly . It’s not a law. It should be an act of love; a gift of love.
And I might sum this all up with number eight by saying that our giving should be generous, that’s right generous. And I believe how generous we are will be determined by all of these other factors.
It will come down to (How much do you want to invest with God?)
& (How much you willing to sacrifice for Him who sacrificed all for you?)
& (How much spiritual riches do you really want to be worthy of?)
& (How many needs do you really want to meet?)
& (How much love are you willing to demonstrate?)
So the point is God is not saying give because He needs your money.  He’s saying give because it’s a spiritual exercise that blesses your life. Now these principles cover our giving to the church and our giving to the needy, but let’s go to the giving to the needy because that’s the text we’re studying.
The Old Testament made it abundantly clear that the people of God were to give to the poor. In fact, in Leviticus 25:35 it tells people to give to the poor whether they’re a travelers or somebody who belongs in the land. In Deut. 15,  it says if you come across a poor person, make sure you meet his needs.
You can read it in Psalm 41:1, Proverbs 19, Proverbs 21, Proverbs 29, again and again. It says when you give to the poor, you give to the Lord.    Why?  Because this kind of giving put us into the cycle of blessing.
Such giving is investing with God, because this kind of  giving is directed to His children who cross our path who are in deep need. And so the Lord teaches on this matter of giving, because obviously the scribes and the Pharisees and the people following them were not giving with these principles in mind. They weren’t giving  self-lessly or out of a pure heart. They were giving to put on a show.
That’s why in the Sermon on the Mt. Jesus addresses that attitude. He said, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.  “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
So what is He saying?   – Give, but don’t do it to toot your own horn. Don’t do it to show off in front of others to get their praise. If you do that then Jesus tells us that’s the only reward you’ll ever get.
Rather He said, ‘do it in secret,’ in such a way that the person you are helping won’t be embarrassed or humiliated. Do it in such a way other won’t see what you did and pat you on the back. Rather, do it out of love, and then Father God who sees what you have done in secret, will reward and bless you so that you will even be able to help others.
I think this teaching is pretty simple and to the point.
As we study the Sermon on the Mt., more than anything Jesus wants us to know that God is concerned about our heart, and the attitudes we have when we do things in His name.  And He lets us know right up front that there is no room for phony showoffs in His kingdom. Rather He wants His disciples to be humble, and motivated by love…So much so that we are will to make sacrifice in His name. Then He in turn will bless you by multiplying your blessings.
For more lessons click on the following link: http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566

Why I am not a Calvinist by Trevor Bowen

http://www.insearchoftruth.org/articles/notcalvinism.html

Why I am not a Calvinist

Introduction

Although Calvinism is a highly logical and interconnected system of theology, to the outsider it is a complicated and confusing arrangement of ideas. While studying this topic point-by-point, it is easy for us to lose sight of the "big picture" and forget that Calvinism is a subject that demands a conclusion and decision upon our part. For different people, different points may seem more or less convincing. For this reason and to finalize what we have elsewhere discussed, a unique, personal defense is here presented of the points that are most compelling to this author - the reasons why I am not a Calvinist. The purpose is not to summarize our discussion, but to conclude it.

God's Plea for Change

To me, the most convincing point that God has not predestined all events is His constant plea for man to change. If passages were taken out of context, then one would expect to find only one or two references to man's need to change. However, repentance is the underlying theme of all prophetic and gospel messages, which by definition implies man can change. These messages are not addressed to the Holy Spirit but to people, from whom action is demanded.
Whenever repentance is preached, the alternative is typically taught as well. The warnings of sure punishment upon the unrepentant is found throughout the Bible. In fact, Jesus used the phrase "hell fire" more than any other preacher in the Bible. Were these statements from a cruel God mocking those who could not change, or were these encouragement and warnings to the sinner?
Calvinism would have us believe that God did not really mean what He said. We are to believe that these pleas were only the "appearances" of invitation, persuasion, and free will; however, if these straight forward statements of fact were mere "appearances", how can we distinguish the "appearance of truth" from the real truth? Why should we not accept what is written, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16)?
Recall Jesus' statement to the apostle Paul, before his conversion:
"Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' And he said, 'Who are You, Lord?' Then the Lord said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'" Acts 9:4-5
Goads are sharp-pointed sticks that are used to prod cattle in the right direction as they plow a field. Cattle can and do kick against these prods, but they only hurt themselves. God does try to direct our lives so that we will be encouraged to seek Him (Acts 17:25-27), but we can kick against the goads (Romans 2:4-5). Paul had been avoiding the truth that was confronting him. Although it was difficult, he was kicking against the goads, and his conscience must have felt it. The question for us to consider is, "Are we kicking against the goads?".

Calvin's Unjust God

Calvin explained that God's absolute extension and exercise of His authority was the answer to all questions regarding our nature and need for salvation. He nobly sought to answer questions regarding why God saved man, why man needed saving, and why only some were saved. Regardless of its noble intentions, Calvinism seems to have necessarily indicted God with characteristics that He would condemn, even in His creation.
Calvinism teaches that God unfairly condemned the human race for sins that He prearranged and predetermined. Can God fairly condemn man for sins that He made Him do? Calvinism blames God for man's mistakes. It teaches that the guilt for the original sin was unfairly passed down through all generations, condemning children for sins they did not commit. This is also unfair. How can we use the words "equity", "fair", "right", and "just" to describe God's judgment according to Calvin? Compare Calvin's vision of God's judgment with the Bible's description:
"For He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, And the peoples with equity." Psalm 98:9
The Lord despises injustice and unfairness. How can He arbitrarily choose who will go to heaven or hell regardless of their actions? Punishment becomes cruelty if it is inflicted independent of a person's actions.
"Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter. So truth fails, And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Then the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him That there was no justice." Isaiah 59:14-15

Calvin's Egotistical God

Although these words may seem shocking, please consider the following implication. Not only does Calvinism make God to be an arbitrary Savior, but it necessarily implies that God was motivated by glory rather than love. According to Calvin, God never sought man's best interest, else He would have extended salvation to the entire race. Instead, He arbitrarily selected some, condemning others. Why did God do this? According to Calvinism, it was performed for God's glory.
"God's decrees are the wise, free and holy acts of the counsel of His will, whereby, from all eternity, He hath for His own glory, unchangeably foreordained whatsoever comes to pass in time, especially concerning angels and men" The Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 12, p. 97
Nowhere in the Bible are we encouraged to perform good deeds for our glory. In fact the Bible condemns the hypocritical Pharisees for just such behavior (Matthew 6:1-5). Calvinism exalts a God, who condemned man for performing just as he was built to do and then selectively saving some to make Himself look good. This is contrary to all that is in the Bible regarding God and His goals for man. Calvinism bears the marks of all man-made religions. Like Greek mythology, it's gods are imperfect and marred, living up only to the standards of its creators and believers.
The Bible teaches of a God who created man and gave him laws, which were always for man's good (Deuteronomy 6:24). When man sinned, alienating himself from a perfect, holy, and just God, he was given another chance by the God of the Bible - not for God's glory, but because God loved man and sought his best interest (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). This God calls us to become like him (I John 3:3; II Peter 1:4), learning to similarly love others before they love us (I John 4:10-11). God only manifested His glory and power so that man would learn and repent, not to destroy him and build up God's glory.
If Calvinism be true, then no good can come from the glory won by God for unjustly sending men to eternal hell. How could we truly appreciate His power, if He made us appreciate it? How can one truly glorify God, if He has no free will? How can any offering of love or respect be valuable, if it was not freely given? How can love exist without choice? If this was how Calvin's god sought glory, then he failed.

An Army of Volunteers

Why would God entreat man to repent? He could easily force men to repent, which Calvin taught regarding the elect and their salvation. Why would God ask man to change and love Him? The answer is quite simple. Would you prefer a spouse who is forced to love you, bow before you, and serve you as a slave, or would you prefer a partner who chooses to love you and care for you? Just as most people desire, God similarly seeks a people that seek Him:
"Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth" Psalm 110:3
He does not want to force people to do good, but He wants them to choose to do good. Because of our frail condition and subjection to vanity, this desired maturity takes some time to develop, but God never wants good deeds to be forced. The apostle Paul once had an opportunity to "force" a good deed from a fellow Christian. Although he never could truly force a good deed, notice the care Paul took that the right choice would be made voluntarily by Philemon:
"I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary ." Philemon 1:12-14
What reason could Paul possibly have for not compelling Philemon? If Calvinism be true, and if God forces the elect to do good, then why would Paul care that this good deed be done voluntarily? Moreover, how can any deed even be done voluntarily, if there is no free will?

Summary

Two central problems exist with the doctrines of Calvinism. They indite God's character by accusing Him of mass injustice and selfish egotism. These implications are unavoidable and necessarily implied by the beliefs that God arbitrarily judges mankind based on God's predestination and for His own glory.
These beliefs and their derivatives are impossible for me to accept. Why? Not because I personally find them offensive or distasteful, but because God condemns such behavior from his creation. Would Calvinism teach that the creation is more responsible and capable than its Creator? Not without contradicting its fundamental premise of God's absolute sovereignty.
To a Calvinist, life may seem fearful without the unchangeable favor of God, consequently, it is anticipated that many questions would naturally arise in a reader's mind. A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page is offered as a chance to consider miscellaneous thoughts and responses to common questions. Links are also provided that would allow you to e-mail suggestions for comments or questions.
In closing, consider Ezekiel's inspired description of God's judgment. Remember, God has no desire that you be lost. He is on your side, if you want to be on His (Romans 8:23).
20 "The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
21 " But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live.
23 "Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?" says the Lord GOD, "and not that he should turn from his ways and live?
24 " But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.
25 " Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair?
26 "When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies.
27 "Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive. Because he considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
29 "Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair? Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord GOD. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?
32 "For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD. "Therefore turn and live!" Ezekiel 18:20-32
Go back to the Introduction to Calvinism
Trevor Bowen