Building up your faith community

1 Thessalonians 5:12-22

On my daily travels to and from work, I notice seemingly unending construction taking place in all the cities I pass through. The multiple groups of workers in each location contribute equally in an effort to construct their project according as it was planned. From the foundation, to the final product, each person has a responsibility to not only handle their own duty, but also build up those working with them to make the project a success. In the same sense, the body of Christ works together to build the kingdom of God in the earth, and its important that all members of the body keep unity at the forefront of their hearts and minds. In our text, the apostle Paul admonished the Thessalonian believers to strive for togetherness, and take advantage of every opportunity to encourage each other. The people were also advised to show more respect to leadership as well, because leaders endure more than lay members are aware of. As the world becomes more divided, the church should become more of a single unit. Only through unity, can the kingdom of God be established, and men can witness the power of God in the lives of all believers. Spend more time studying God’s Word, tending to the needs of your fellow brethren, and proving to the world your love for God is genuine, and unshakable!

Walk in love,

Ell

Weigh the evidence carefully

Deuteronomy 19:15-20

If all members of the body of Christ loved each other as they were commanded to, according to Scripture, then there would be no reason to establish matters concerning false witnesses and reports. This is because, the love of God that dwells in each individual would permeate so deep in their hearts, until any thought of evil, or deception would be clipped at the root, before being birthed from the lips. Rather than seek to deceive, or manipulate a brother or sister, members would instead look for opportunities to bless them at all times. God is giving, and gracious in doing so, and those who abide in His love have the capability of operating in like manners. Unfortunately, men are fickle, and tend to give in to the pressures of sin, which cause them to turn against the brethren in the church.

In those moments, when someone brings up a false report against another, our text teaches that the two involved parties are to come before those in charge of handling such matters, in order to find the truth of that matter. In addition, one man’s word alone isn’t enough to convict the accused, but two or three witnesses are required to validate the alleged report. This is similar to our court system today, where it takes more than one man’s word to convict another, because witnesses and evidence must be presented to prove the assumed claims. God stands for truth, and shuns lies, so in order to rightly justify, or sentence a man for a claim, the matter was to be carefully investigated by judges, who were instructed to make “diligent inquisition” of, or carefully and thoroughly seek the truth of reported cases. It’s never a good thing to quickly condemn someone based on a false accusation, without thoroughly seeking the truth, because you could be responsible for wrongfully judging an innocent man, and according to this text, if it’s discovered that the accusation was indeed false, then the one who presented the lie would be judged by the same judgment he intended to be brought upon the innocent.

This example was intended to bring fear in all who were present at the hearing of such cases, so that they would think twice about making the same mistake of falsely accusing their brother or sister.

Bearing false witness sucks on so many levels because, if you claim to have the love of God in your heart, how could you even imagine thinking evil of your own people? Love covers a multitude of faults, so even if you witnessed a fellow believer fall, or make a mistake, you don’t put their fault on blast, instead you approach them in brotherly love, and hope they receive your rebuke in love as well.

“Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:25-32).

Walk in love,

Ell

Faith saves

Luke 7:37-48

No matter what color you paint a lie, it will always be a lie, and liars won’t stand long in the sight of God. In the same sense, all sin requires repentance, whether they be few, or many, and only by grace, through faith, can those sins be forgiven. There are people all over the world who live good lives, yet have few sins that need to be forgiven. Also, there are many who behave contrary to holiness consistently, and must be saved from their many sins, in order to see God in peace. Whether our lives are stained with a few sins, or too many to count, all sin must removed, so that we can receive the fullness of God’s salvation in this life, and the next.

It’s easy to tell when a man or woman is tired of living in sin, because their actions begin to change from selfish and prideful, to acts of humility and kindness. A hardened heart lacks the ability to feel the love of God, but a heart that’s been turned to flesh, is primed to experience salvation in all its fullness.

The woman in our text was aware that she was in need of salvation, then came to the only one who could give her the change she desired. The Bible mentions she was a sinner, but didn’t specify what she was guilty of. It mattered not to Jesus what condition the woman approached Him in, but her selfless acts of kindness and sacrifice proved to Him the seriousness of her desire to be saved, and delivered from her past.

It’s of great importance that the body of Christ develop a mature understanding of how to treat those who seek God for change. Although every man was dealt the measure of faith, not all of them express it in the same way. The woman who came to Jesus had the reputation of a sinner, yet Jesus paid more attention to her works, than what men judged her by. We must also be careful how we view men and women who may have lived ungodly lifestyles, but take strides to be better, because if God can see the slightest bit of faith in someone who has a bad past, and still save them, we should be more willing to encourage them to come to God, rather than judge them, and cause them to turn away from Him. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Walk in love,

Ell

Leaders reject God’s messenger

Luke 7:25-30

Many churches today are plagued by the negative effects of being led by ungodly leadership. When God is in the heart of a man, his actions and motivations are led by the Holy Spirit, thus allowing them to provide the necessities of spiritually the people need to grow and mature in God. God is righteous, and His ways holy, so those He places in leadership positions should always keep those truths in mind. Modern churches are prone to implementing worldly schemes and methods in their ministries, for purposes of keeping with the times, and making the people feel comfortable. On the contrary, leaders who are true to God, preach the Word in season, and out of season. They refuse to hold back the truth of the Gospel, whether it offends some, or not. Weak leaders give in to pressure, and adjust their messages to please the itching ears of the members, and so their offerings will remain consistent.

In our text, Jesus mentioned how the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God, and refused to be baptized of John. Their refusal of baptism proved that they didn’t agree with the message John brought forth, which was revealed in the manifestation of Christ. The very thing John preached on, was right in their faces, yet they still refused to believe. Many people suffer in their spiritual growth, when their leaders refuse to accept the Bible in its entirety. Some even pick and choose certain scriptures to teach their people, that only builds hype, while leaving out the verses that would bring them deliverance.

Rarely do you hear good ole’ fashion Holy Ghost preaching these days, because the true and unadulterated Word of God would offend all those who are weak in their faith. In addition, you hardly see, or hear real preaching and teaching on television, because the truth of God’s Word must be watered down to accommodate all audiences. If God called you to lead, do it under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Never back down, nor give in to the pressure of wicked men who may dress the part of elder, pastor, or whatever, but have no true affinity with godliness.

Walk in love,

Ell

Treat each other like Jesus does

John 13:12-20

Some of the hardest things for men to do is deny themselves, render unselfish services to others, and prefer the least honor for themselves. Today’s society focuses more attention on self-promotion, rather than unified efforts, and men often boast in themselves, rather than uplift those who truly need encouragement. While the world is expected to behave according to its master (money/satan), the church was commanded to love God and keep His commandments, love their neighbors as themselves, and do unto others, as they would have others do unto them.

In our text, Jesus gave the perfect example of self-denial, when He washed the disciple’s feet. Jesus used the example of foot washing to teach his disciples the importance of service to others. Earlier in the chapter, Jesus arose from supper, laid aside His garments, then prepared Himself to wash the feet of His followers. In Bible days, foot washing took place when visitors entered a person’s home, because sandles were the typical footwear, and hosts would offer water for their guests to wash their filthy feet. When Jesus approached Peter, the often strong-willed disciple refused to allow the Son of God to wash his feet. It’s not difficult to understand why Peter felt the way he did concerning His master condescending to his level, because He considered himself unworthy to have Jesus wash his feet, but Jesus wanted to teach a valuable lesson His disciples would find of great importance, after His departure. Jesus quickly changed Peter’s mind when He said, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me”. Jesus knew His position on the earth, as well as in Heaven, so rendering a selfless service to those who served Him, did nothing to taint, or diminish His authority as their Master and Lord.

Even during this age of selfishness and pride, the body of Christ is to continue performing selfless acts to mankind. Just as God is no respecter of persons, we shouldn’t be too proud, or consider ourselves too good to serve others as well. WWJD (What Would Jesus Do)!

Walk in love,

Ell

All who call will be saved

Romans 10:5-13

I share like passions with the apostle Paul on many things recorded in his letters, but most importantly his heart’s desire and prayer that Israel be saved. Despite how rebellious the people had become, Paul continued to pray that they submit themselves to God’s righteousness, in place of their own. Submitting to God always becomes challenging when men begin to entertain unholy influences, such as desires for fame and fortune, status and prestige, and lust for other things that displease God.

Like Paul, my desire is that every man, woman, boy, and girl surrender their hearts to God, while they have time, because once God’s patience runs out on the earth, eternal torment and sorrow will be awaiting those who willingly rejected His free gift of salvation. I could understand a person’s hesitation to submit to God, if salvation was based on works (like the righteousness of the law according to Moses), because all men were condemned by the law, and it was impossible to be saved by it. The law required perfect obedience, which no man could accomplish, thus cursing and condemning everyone by it. Working to be saved, or maintain salvation would be a big mess, for many reasons. For one thing, everyone matures at different rates, and it wouldn’t be fair to expect a babe in Christ to perform the same works as someone who’d known God for years. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast”(Eph. 2: 8-9). I can only imagine how many people who outworked others for salvation, would brag and boast in their efforts, while leaving those who couldn’t keep up, sad and ashamed.

Thanks to Jesus, and His unprecedented sacrifice, all who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Works are not required to receive salvation, but they are necessary to validate one’s confession. Many who get married, use and abuse the word “love”, while neglecting to attach action with their professed confession. Our lesson plainly explains that confession is made with the mouth, but there must also be belief in the heart. I often say, “you can make your mouth say anything, but talk is cheap”. More than confessing the Lord Jesus Christ, we must also believe in our hearts that He is, who He says He is. Jesus is our Savior, Redeemer, and Superman! Not one person rescued by Superman was ever ashamed. Even more so, those saved and delivered by Christ will not only avoid shame, but will receive access to all godly inheritance.

In Christ, everyone is equal, and has the same privileged opportunity to be saved. Once a person finally realizes the true value of time, life, and love, they’ll put themselves in a position to receive the goodness God intended for them to enjoy.

Walk in love,

Ell

Salvation requires enduring witness

Mark 13:9-13

Signs of the end-times are all around us. From wars, and rumors of wars, to men claiming to be the resurrected Christ, the Bible is surely fulfilling its words as prophesied. Jesus often encouraged His disciples, along with multitudes that followed Him, of impending persecution they would face, but many didn’t take His wise counsel serious, until such times had come to pass. Even in our text, Christ warned Peter, James, John, and Andrew to be prepared for times of sorrow, where nations would rise against nations, kingdoms against kingdoms, earthquakes would began to occur in various places, and there would be famines and troubles all over the lands. What makes Jesus’ warning worse is, those would only be the beginning of sorrows.

While salvation is free, and living for God is the preferred choice, believers are still assigned to certain persecution. I would love for life to be easy for everyone, but we all must suffer, for Christ’s sake. Enduring hard times for the purpose of fulfilling God’s plan, will guarantee rewards in Heaven you’ll never attain otherwise. While it’s one thing to suffer, just for the sake of suffering, standing strong during persecution, so that the name of the Lord can be glorified and magnified, will no doubt net us Heavenly treasures, that nothing can ever corrupt.

In all we experience in this life, the Gospel of Jesus Christ must still be preached to all the world. The world needs to know that Jesus is the Son of the true, and living God. Also, men and women need to be made aware of the fact the Jesus was the way by which their sins were forgiven. I strongly dislike how those on platforms get praise from the masses for singing, dancing, playing sports, or even “preaching”, while the Savior of the world is shunned away into forgetfulness. Jesus’ sacrifice was the single-most important event in human history, and we, His disciples, must make the world aware of this truth.

Even during our suffering, and preparing for what’s to come in the end, our salvation is sure, as long as we endure. Be strong in the Lord, and in His power, even while working, shopping, or handling day-to-day duties. Also, never let a moment go by without sharing the goodness of God with someone you meet. Whether it be subtle, or direct, be bold in sharing the goodness of God with others, because you could be the change they were praying for. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”
(Ephesians 6:10-12). “And the gospel must first be published among all nations. But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Mark 13:10-13).

Walk in love,

Ell

Your sins are forgiven

Luke 5:20-26

Why is forgiveness so important to God, and why can’t we be joined to Him, except our sins be removed? First of all, God is holy, and cannot be joined to that which is contrary to His very being. The glory of God shines bright, and His righteousness exudes with holiness, but sin stains that which is holy, and makes it defiled in the eyes of God. The Bible teaches, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). In order for God to get the most out His most prized creation, He had to make a way for them to be cleansed spiritually, and redeemed back to Himself.

Sin separates man from God, and causes Him to turn a deaf ear to them. Forgiveness is important for many reasons, but most importantly, to keep man in a position to be used by God, and receive His goodness continually.

In our text, Jesus was presented an opportunity to put the power of God on full display, as His fame began to spread across the lands. During a time when He revisited Capernaum, Jesus took a moment to teach in the midst of a mixed crowd, including Pharisees, doctors, and men from every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. Verse seventeen of this chapter mentions, “the power of the Lord was present to heal them.” That’s an interesting verse on many levels, and I’d love to break it down, but I’ll digress on that topic until another lesson. As Jesus taught, with God’s healing power present, His environment was abruptly disturbed by men who broke through the roof of the house, so that they could lay their paralyzed friend before Him, to be healed. The men tried entering the house through other ways, but were unable to, because of the multitude of people surrounding the place. They were fully convinced, by faith, that if they could only reach Jesus, then their friend would be healed. How many friends do you have, who would go to the extreme, so that you could be delivered from something? Are you that friend who would break through tradition, and social barriers, so the ones you care for can find peace and relief? After the men lowered their friend from the roof, and in the middle of where Jesus was teaching, He saw THEIR faith, then told the man his sins were forgiven. Jesus knew the man needed healing, but more important than physical healing is soul salvation. Once the soul is saved, God can work wonders in the physical. There are countless men and women who have excellent physical health, but will find themselves in eternal damnation. After gut-checking the scribes and Pharisees for doubting that Jesus shared the same power as God the Father, He then told the redeemed man to rise up, carry the couch that once carried him, then go home. The man immediately sprung up, took his couch, then glorified God on the way to his house.

These are the type of feel-good stories in Scripture that should inspire all men to reconsider how they’re living. Salvation was made available to everyone, and God doesn’t have favorites, so all can receive redemption. God has the power to save, and to heal, because nothing is too hard for Him to do, but our faith in His power is what makes the difference. While you may be seeking God for healing manifestation in your natural body, check to see if your soul is healed first. Once you have confirmed your salvation with God, through Christ, then you can freely receive all the benefits that come with His absolutely amazing power!

Walk in love,

Ell

God’s salvation for all people

Isaiah 52:7-10

The prophet Isaiah revealed many things that are yet to take place, including the millennial period, when the Jewish missionaries will go from Jerusalem to evangelize the world, telling all men that Christ reigns in Zion. While this prophecy was partially fulfilled in the book of Romans, it will be manifested in full, during that millennial period. During this same period, “all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God” (vs.10b). Salvation is more than simply accepting God in our hearts, but it’s witnessing God’s amazing power, working on the behalf of those who are committed to His will and purpose. The world cannot see the changed lives of all who are dedicated to God, but they will see His “bare, holy arm” manifested in the eyes of every nation.

There is coming a time, when this evil world will be judged, with all the inhabitants in it. God laid the foundation of how man is expected to live, in order to obtain eternal life. While some have taken advantage of the opportunity to dismiss sin from their lives, and exchange it for the mysteries of God, others willingly, and stubbornly reject the only One who can make their eternal existence relevant. God made salvation available for all men, even those who lived consistently in disobedience, because His grace is sufficient, and His love will embrace all who welcome Him into their hearts.

Knowing, and seeing how the Bible has already fulfilled most of what it predicted, men should have a greater desire to only do those things which are pleasing to God. How sad it will be for those who reject God now, to see that His words were indeed true, but on judgment day. In the same way the rich man, who refused to show love to a feeble and destitute Lazarus, asked for help while in hell, I can imagine how many people will beg and plead for God to show them mercy, when it’s too late.

When a hurricane is predicted to hit Florida, I watch how people scurry, and run rampant, in and out of stores to buy supplies that may be necessary to endure the storm, if it hits. People spend money, loading up on food, water, gas for generators, impact windows, and the whole nine yards, just to be sure they’ll last through the storm. I lower my head in sadness, wondering why won’t people prepare the same way for Christ’s return. This life is temporary; more like a dress rehearsal before the main show, so how we live today, will determine whether or not we’ll be on the right side of judgment, during the millennial reign of Christ.

“Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:14-15).

Walk in love,

Ell

Jesus heralds the centurion’s faith

Luke 7:1-10

The older I get, the more I see the values of men change. Gone are the days when character meant something; when men praised each other more for rendering acts of kindness, rather than selfish accomplishments. Men today take more pride in flaunting their muscles, money, and influence, rather than allow their godly attributes like faith and love, to speak on their behalf. God is never impressed by things that bring glory to ourselves, but He takes pleasure in watching us work our faith, so that He can get glory out of our lives.

In our text, Jesus was impressed by a man who had greater faith than anyone in all Israel. How honorable it is to be considered one who has the greatest level of faith, than everyone in your country! Even during Bible days, men were known by their wealth and prestige, yet rarely were men praised for their good name. The man responsible for grabbing Jesus’ attention was a centurion, who had a servant suffering from a near-death illness, and was in need of a miraculous healing. Jesus had a knack of always being in the right place, at the right time (the omnipresent power of God probably led Him where He needed to be), and met the needs of all who came to Him in faith.

A centurion was a Roman military leader who commanded up to 100 soldiers. Unlike many who take pride in their positions of power, the centurion felt unworthy to have Jesus enter his home. He also felt unworthy to come where Jesus was. There first step in receiving a miracle from God is, keeping oneself in the state of humility, realizing that the Lord is more likely to bless those who reverence His power and authority, over those who boast in their own. Jesus moved at the words of the faithful centurion, and sent healing where his servant was. 🎵🎶 Faith, faith, faith, just a little more faith 🎶🎵

Walk in love,

Ell