orchestra

What Is Biblical Fellowship? Everyone Contributes!

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If we ask ourselves the question “what does scripture say should happen when believers gather together” (i.e. the weekly service) we might be surprised. One thing that dominates the various passages (Rom. 12:6-10; I Cor. 11:17-24;I Cor. 14:26-33; Gal. 6:2; Eph. 5:19-21; Col. 3:16; Heb. 10:24-25; James 5:14-16) is that there should be the mutual exercise of gifts to edify one another. This may not seem radical at first, but it is rare and it is biblical fellowship. How many Sunday services have you been to where many different people exercise gifts to edify others in a mutual way? Usually the preacher does nearly all the ministry. Preaching is important but is this biblical fellowship? It is true that the worship time is a time when people other than the pastor exercise their gifts. But where are the different people exercising the various gifts in Romans 12 (e.g., exhorting, teaching, Continue Reading →

weekly words of encouragement

The World Is Passing Away – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” I Jn 2:17 (NIV) Worldliness is always a temptation and it comes in many forms, but we can take comfort in the knowledge that the world is passing away, along with all its ungodly desires. In general, worldliness is whatever harms anything good. Another way of saying this is that anytime we make something in the world a higher priority than what God desires, then we are being worldly. If we embrace something worldly, then we are embracing vapor, because the the world is passing away. It certainly takes inspired willpower to resist the temptation to join with others in their worldliness. We are especially tempted to avoid the pain of being devalued by others. But the promise of God is that the world is passing away, so we can resist it, knowing that Continue Reading →

patience patient

Be Patient With Others

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We should be patient with the faults of others as well as our own faults. If we want to learn to be patient with others, we can pray that God will give us strength to be patient and kind. We can remind ourselves that others have to bear with our faults. We can remember that we usually cannot correct our own faults without great effort; why should we be impatient with the habitual faults of others? Besides, human faults are an opportunity for us to allow our character to be refined, especially learning to be patient with others. If it is our place to say something about someone’s fault, and we have mentioned it more than once then we should not nag someone so that we get into a dispute over it. We can just fulfill our proper role without becoming angry or aggressive. We should not take the situation Continue Reading →

weekly words of encouragement

You Can Get Through This Challenge – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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The Apostle Paul explained how you can get through this challenge you are facing. Listen to his words to the Philippian church: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:11-13). Paul explains how he has discovered the secret of facing hunger as well as abundance, dishonor as well as honor. So Paul delivers to us a promise from God – you can face anything and you can get through it because God strengthens you! We can do all things we need to do and still retain integrity and our relationship with God. Even Continue Reading →

temptation

How To Resist Temptation – Part 2

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This is the second of two posts on how to resist temptation; the first one can be found here. All temptations stem from our unstable passions and from lack of trust in God. When we do not stick to our convictions we are like a ship without a rudder tossed around by a storm. Instead, temptations should refine us like a fire refines gold. Temptations should be resisted as soon as they knock on our door. We must not let them into the home of our heart, but rather go outside door and prevent them from entering at all. This is the first key to resist temptation. Once they enter they start to grow. A poet has said: In the beginning You might have won It’s past your skill now No more can be done Temptation progresses from a suggestion and moves into our imagination. Then we have thoughts of its Continue Reading →