On Prayer

Thoughts on Prayer

Luke 11:1-4 NASB
[1] … It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples." [2] And He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. [3] 'Give us each day our daily bread. [4] 'And-forgive us our sins, 'And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And-lead us not into temptation.'" …

Verse 2a
Reverence and recognize our Heavenly Father, the holiness of His name, those He is in us He is so high above us and apart rom us but we still have the privilege of calling Him our Father.

Verse 2b
Seeking His kingdom, we have an anticipation of a day when Satan's work will be done and he will literally be toast but we should seek God's kingdom to be established and expanded upon earth.

Matthew 6: [10] 'Your kingdom come Your will be done, Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. …
Seeking God's will can include the physical healing of someone, someones salvation, God's guidance. As we seek God's will we surrender to His will, knowing that He works all things for the good of His true children.
.
Romans 8:28 NASB
[28] And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Verse 3
We seek God or our provision. Though God knows what we need, I think prayer is for our benefit. Not to let God know what we need but to remind us of how dependent we are upon Him

Verse 4a
God's forgiveness.

1 John 1:9 NASB
[9] If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The need to forgive others.

Matthew 6:13-15 NASB
[13] 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]' [14] "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. [15] "But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. …

I do not believe we experience the forgiveness of God until we extend forgiveness to others. I believe it hinders our fellowship with God.

Verse 4b
A prayer for deliverance from evil. God does not tempt us with evil but He may allow us to go through situations that may tempt us. We should pray that God would keep us from those temptations that might cause us to stumble. I believe God already has a path He is leading us down, prayer helps us to open up our mind to that path.

The more we open up ourselves to God in prayer, reverencing Him and acknowledging Him as our Heavenly Father, seeking His kingdom and His will, depending on Him for provision, forgiveness and guidance I believe the more we allow Him to work in our hearts and lives and I believe we will see more of His glory and others will see more of His glory in us.

!st Corinthians 5: 1-13 Applying Discipline within the Church

1 Corinthians 5

Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)

5 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4 in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

6)Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

The immoral actions of this individual were repugnant but in the context I believe the main issue here is the attitude of this fellowship, primarily the leaders. The boasting or their glorying in overlooking this sin was not a good thing. Just as a little bit of yeast can cause the bread to be leavened or to rot due to fermentation, the wrong attitude towards God and His church can drastically affect the whole body, we are all connected. Here we see a boastful attitude towards loose living, what should have caused grief they were glorying in.

Application: If we are not careful as a body of believers we can ourselves turn a blind eye towards unbecoming conduct so as not to be thought of as a judgmental group. We may do it in the name of love and acceptance but true love will address the sin in hope of the sinner repenting.

Galatians 6:1 KJV
[1] Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

1 Corinthians 5:7-8 KJV
[7] Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: [8] Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. …

Lose that boastful flippant attitude about sin since you are in Christ, I believe Paul is reminding them of their position in Christ which should be reflected in their attitude and life. While some might argue that Jesus loved and accepted people as they were, they might even cite the woman brought to Him for adultery, but let us look close at what He told her,

John 8:10-11 KJV
[10] When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? [11] She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. …

Jesus loved the woman where she was at but told her to lay aside the sin. I believe Paul also was encouraging these believers to lay aside their old ways and any evil intent or wicked ways and walk in truth (Truth of God or in honest living) and sincerity.


1 Corinthians 5:9-13 KJV
[9] I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: [10] Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. [11] But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. [12] For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? [13] But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. …

The administration of discipline. It is an uncomfortable reality that sometimes within a fellowship you may have those who though they have named the name of Christ still indulging in sin, Paul gives a short list that covers most things. He says not to eat with them, this could be referring to the Lord's supper which implies withdrawn fellowship or could mean not associating with them, not making them your best buddy. This may mean both things, the point is that we distance ourselves from a brother or a sister who is willfully, openly,  living in sin. This is towards those who have laid claim to Christ not those outside the body, we do have to live in this world.


2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 KJV
[14] And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. [15] Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. …

Now as we withdraw from a so called brother I think our motivation should be out of love, to try and help them in their walk with God. They may be a believer on the wrong path or it could be someone who has not truly gave their life to Christ.

James 5:19-20 KJV
[19] Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; [20] Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. …

Whether it is a saved person or lost, when we confront and take appropriate action we can help them either get saved or be restored to Christ.

How do we do this? Jesus said these words about someone sinning against us, I think it would be safe to use as a basis for administering church discipline.



Matthew 18:15-19 KJV
[15] Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. [16] But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. [17] And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. [18] Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. [19] Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. …

But it is important that it is done in the way Paul outlined in:
Galatians 6:1 KJV
[1] Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Easter Sunday School Notes

John 19:30
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

The payment for sin had been made, the final sacrifice had been made. The price for the sins since Adam and sins yet to be committed had been paid in full by one sacrificial act by the only one who could do it, God Himself in Christ.

1st John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Matthew 27:50-51 KJV
[50] Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. [51] And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; …

I believe this signifies the priesthood of the believer and our privilege of coming into the presence of our high priest, Christ.

Hebrews 4:15-16 KJV
[15] For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. [16] Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. …

Resurrection

John 14: 19
Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.


Revelation 1:17-18 KJV
[17] And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: [18] I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. …
Because He lives we live also. He was victorious over the grave.

1 Corinthians 15:51-58 KJV
[51] Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, [52] In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. [53] For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. [54] So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. [55] O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? [56] The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. [57] But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. [58] Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. …

His victory gives us the victory.

Ascension

Luke 24:46-53 KJV
[46] And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: [47] And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. [48] And ye are witnesses of these things. [49] And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. [50] And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. [51] And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. [52] And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: [53] And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen. …
The promise of the Holy Spirit.

John 16:7
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

Our intercessor

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Hebrews 9: 24
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

John 14:1-3 KJV
[1] … Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. [2] In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so , I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. …

A place prepared and a promised return.





Sent from my iPad

Chimpanzees make a ladder and escape/ Bear Attacks Florida Woman

Chimpanzees make a ladder and escape from Kansas City Zoo, sounds like a scene from the planet of the apes.

Bear attacks Florida women. The bear was a part of a group of bears that had wondered into a residential neighborhood in Orlando. The bear attacked the woman and trie to drag her off into the woods, the woman escaped thus surviving the harrowing ordeal. When authorities came they had to euthanize some of the bears who displayed aggressive behavior towards them.

Now note Revelation 6:8
And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

What do escaping chimps, rogue bears and the bible book Revelation have in common. Note the end of this verse concerning the plaque of death, with the beasts of the earth.

Both chimpanzees and bears can inflict serious injury to a human. Imagine a world where the animals wage war on humanity, smarter animals such as chimpanzees breaking out of zoos, other wild animals roaming around in packs with a taste for human flesh. Is this what what Revelation 6:8 is describing? Will it resemble something like these two recent news stories. I really do not know but it is something to think about.


Sent from my iPad

Death is not the Victor

Once more we are reminded of the frailty of life. Yesterday as one of the more notable and loved preachers of our area was about to be laid to rest, another beloved Fannin County resident went on to meet the Lord. On this the day of Reverend Bill Johnson’s funeral, Ron Newton, Fannin County Chief Magistrate was killed in a fatal motorcycle accident. Ron’s wife Rita was hospitalized with critical injuries. Along with these two deaths, Fannin County lost another local minister, Reverend Ronnie White a few weeks ago who died unexpectedly, Ronnie was in his early fifties. Why did these men die? We do not know the whys of the times God has set for people to leave this world but we know that we all have an appointed time unless we live to the day of Jesus’ return. May we pray for the ones left behind and may we honor their passing and memorialize these individuals by living lives worthy of the giver of life. I honestly believe if they could speak to us now they would say, “Live for Jesus, make God your first priority.”

As we once more are brought face to face with death, let us go ahead and mourn the loss, but realize that death is not the victor, but Jesus Christ defeated death and tasted death for us all 2000 years ago. Yes, Jesus did die on a cross, for the sins of the world, but that was not the end. Jesus rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and now makes intercession for His children. If you a born again believer in Christ I believe He is up in heaven making intercession for you to God the Father. Because He lives, we shall live also. No, death is not the end, just another part of the story. These men who have passed on have reached that page in their story and us who are left behind have reached that sad part of our story where we bid them farewell. Through the sadness, may we realize that farther on in our story is a day when God Himself will wipe all the tears from our eyes and all that breaks our hearts down here will be gone forever.

Sunday School Lesson 1st Corinthiand 5: 1-5

Today we are going to talk about church discipline, that part of church that most had rather not deal with.

1 Corinthians 5:1-5 KJV
[1] It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. [2] And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. [3] For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, [4] In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, [5] To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. …

Matthew 18:15-19 KJV

[15] Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. [16] But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. [17] And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. [18] Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. [19] Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. …

Galatians 6:1 KJV

[1] Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

  The Text 

1st Corinthians 5: 1-5

In researching for today's lesson I used Dr. Bob Utley freebiblecommentary.org Bible Lessons International.

Verse 1

Apparently this was a well known fact, one that Paul had to deal with radically, lest it influence other churches or lead others to believe this behavior was acceptable. Incest was forbidden by the Mosaic law (Lev  18:8, Deut 22:30. We do not know the exact situation, but the son was having relations with his stepmother. She may have been widowed or divorced or the son may have seduced her away from the father.

Verse 2

Rather than be appalled about this sin the Corinthians were proud. Paul believes it would be better if they had mourned, desiring that the guilty party be removed from them. Exactly what Paul means by taken away is hard for me to discern. The most plausible in my opinion is that the church would judge him and remove him from their fellowship. Another more extreme view, is that God's judgement would fall on him, God removing the sinner from their midst as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. 

However, the Corinthians were proud of their acceptance of the sin. Perhaps they were reveling in the grace of God, mistaking the grace of God for a license to sin, believing the liberty they had in Christ was freedom to do whatever. However, God's moral laws were given for a purpose and believers are still to and would be wise to adhere to them. 

This acceptance of this behavior could have been influenced by gnostic philosophy. 

 *From Julian Spriggs M. A. in an online work on Gnosticism.

"The other extreme was licence, believing that because the body was evil, it did not matter what they did with their bodies, so its appetites could be indulged in and gratified without limit. The libertines taught that the soul within the body was like a pearl, which could not be stained in the mud. Many were involved in gross licentiousness, and boasted in their sin, claiming to be "righteous" irrespective of their behavior."

We need to be careful not to fall into a similar way of thinking. Thinking that we have to sin each day, therefore its no big deal. While we do live in a body that is corruptible, in its essence and desires, we do not have to willfully choose to obey the corrupt desires of the flesh. We have been empowered by The Holy Spirit to live a righteous life.

Verse 3-5

Paul in his apostolic authority had already passed judgement on this individual, now with the authority of Christ, given to him as an apostle and to the church ( refer to Matthew 18:18-19) he writes to execute judgement on the man. This is to be done by an assembly of church. The exact mechanics of carrying out this sentence is not clear but the result is that Satan may be allowed to wreak havoc on this man so that he may spiritually restored. Satan at times though the enemy of a God serves the purposes of God. 

Destruction of the flesh, literal harm to body and or the destroying of the fleshly nature through the hardships imposed by Satan.

From *Dr. Bob Utley online bible commentary.org

" It is also possible that "flesh" may refer to mankind's sensual rebellious lifestyle (i.e., Adamic fallen nature)."

I believe the judgement on this individual was two fold, for the health of the body of Christ and for the individual's personal deliverance. This is the stance we need to take, church discipline should not be vindictive or self serving ( trying to get rid of somebody for our own personal agenda, by the way, we need to lay down our own agenda and fully embrace God's plan), but church discipline should be exercised for the spiritual well being of the church and the restoration of the individual.

*Dr. Bob Utley freebiblecommentary.org Bible Lessons International.

*http://www.julianspriggs.com/Pages/gnosticism.aspx