Listen Now

We could think of our current affairs of the nation to see that this scripture is for today. How difficult is it to not speak out when something or someone comes against you.   Exodus 21:23; is there Matthew 5:38 is referring to. The law was Exodus however what Jesus was telling us that this is not true. This law was meant to place a limit, if a person had been wronged in one matter then that matter they would be punished with. One can’t take a tooth for an eye, etc. It was merely limits and instructions for how to punish a person under the law or court. The people took it completely out of context and felt that it gave them the right to act out these rules in retaliation. God has never been a god of retaliation. God is the only one that can cast vengeance.   In this scripture it doesn’t give a person to just lay down and take it. So if a person comes into your house to cause harm, one must protect the persons within. What the scripture is talking about is a direct attack not necessarily by physical force but by verbal. It takes a bigger man to love an enemy than to attack their enemy.   As children of God, we have the responsibility to stand against sin. So how do you fight against it? First one must stand, Ephesians 6:10. One must understand that the enemy likes to use Gods children to attack other children of God. The snare has been set and we must understand what the enemy wants to do and that’s to destroy the work of God and anything related to Him. So we must stand, what does this mean, 1 Thessalonians 5:15, Ephesians 4:27, James 4:7; If God has told us to stand against these things what does this mean? When we are done wrong we are not allowed to be vengeful or to retaliate. This doesn’t seem fair does it? Think about Christ, was it fair that He was sacrificed? No! We should have been the ones that were put to death not the innocent One. They mocked Him. They beat Him.    Romans 12:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:15; the first temptation is for us to open our mouths and give it right back. This is the human nature and it is wrong. We lie if we say we have no problem with this one issue. We are not the judge and therefore should not be acting like it. How many have attacked someone back because they first attacked you? Was your excuse in acting this way, “they deserved it” or “they did it to me”?    In this world we will be attacked. It’s because the lost in this world doesn’t understand what being a Christian means. They call the Christian narrow minded. When one responds like the lost then what’s the difference? If you act like the lost, what’s the difference? The Christian is NOT going to Heaven because they deserve it or they figured it out.    2 Corinthians 10:3-4; Just because we walk in the flesh doesn’t mean we war in the flesh. The battle not a worldly, fleshly battle but a spiritual one. If one acts out with a fleshly attack then all that they are doing is pushing them further away. Christ defeated death by yielding to it and once He was there is defeated it. So what weapons do we have? Ephesians 6:12-13, once again we are not battling against flesh and blood. Our battle is with principalities, powers, rules of darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness.    Romans 12:21, one must fight the spiritual evil with good.

The greatest of vows or oaths is that of marriage. It’s not only sealed on earth but also in Heaven.    Exodus 20:7, Leviticus 19:12 and Numbers 30:2; is where these scriptures relate to. Don’t write them off because they are in the old testaments. These apply today just as they did before Christ.   Forswear: To never falsely swear of unnecessary swear. In courtrooms one usually laid their hand on the Bible and swore to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. One is doing this under Gods witness.    Is a mans word still his bond? Should your life be enough in order to give your word? A lot of times we think we have to commit to something because we feel that the person doesn’t believe you. At times we bring Gods name into it and swear to it. Have you ever heard the saying, “I swear to God…”? We should use Gods name a simple by-word nor His son or anything related to Him. We don’t have the power to keep a swear. Jesus Himself said never to swear.  In the setting of a marriage the officiant will ask the two to repeat and if they promise to keep them. They usually say “I do” and this is the swear, commitment between all parties, witnesses and God Himself. When you evoke the name of God He will not forget that. So the best thing to do is to not swear at all. Some will even swear by themselves and yet we can’t even control our own lives. Just don’t swear at all. If you promise to do something or give your word, KEEP IT!   Now James speaks that we shouldn’t  promise things that we can’t keep or control. This is like saying, “I’ll be there tomorrow.”. You can’t control tomorrow or your life and therefore you don’t know if you can promise that or not. We should be saying, “If the Lord allows” or “Lord willing”. These are things that God controls, not you.   Simply put, your communication should either Yes or No. There isn’t a single thing that we have control over. We should never be swearing by anything because there is nothing that we can control. Think back in your life of the men or women that kept their word. Most of those people didn’t say much but they always kept their word. Strong men and women.   Why should your word mean something? Because Gods does. His word never fails. He’s never broken a single promise. God wants you to be like Him. We are to be Christians, Christ-like. We should be reflecting His image and therefore never lie.

In this day and time, divorce runs rampant and it doesn’t matter whether a person is a church goer or not. This is a sad subject and a horrible statistic.   We should always take to heart what the scripture says. When the “I AM” speaks, we should always listen and do.   Sin begins in the heart, so it goes further than the act of. In verse 31 we see 2 points. We see that they have already heard something and then we see Jesus say something  different. Israel had taken the law and had made it a literal fact. Just like murder, they only looked at the act and not the heart. In this day and time we know that anyone can get a divorce for any reason or no reason at all. This is the act but Jesus is dealing with the heart.   Deuteronomy 24:1-4 This is the law in which they took literally. This was to protect the innocent in most cases. In this time frame the woman got the bitter end. The Old Testament decree is that a divorce is not allowed under Gods rule. Matthew 19, God intended no divorce was to take place. One man, one woman, married together forever, till death do they part. But, sin took this holy union and split it into.   Jesus explains a deeper meaning to divorce and was one reason only, infidelity. Matthew 19:1-6; The Pharisees knew the law of Moses and tried to stump Jesus. Jesus then answered them by going right back to the beginning and gives them the law of God. Now a saved person, are not they all married into God? Are we not Gods bride? Is it not true that God has said that He will never leave us or forsake us? How faithful have you been to your “husband”, God? Matthew 19:7-9; Jesus explains why Moses had this law and to protect the innocent. He then goes right back to what he said prior in verses 31 and 32.   On a marriage certificate there is only 2 signatures. The officiant and a witness. These two people agree that they witnessed 2 people make a vow, a commitment to each other. They gave their word and these two people witnessed it. Now God made a vow to us and yet we are so hypocritical wanting Him to not change or to keep his vow to us and yet we can’t keep ours to Him. We see many make a vow to each other and then break it like it wasn’t even anything to begin with. They do this all the time, all day long. It’s better to not even make a vow than to make one and then break it.   Your word is your bond. God says that this is an important thing. Have you really gave thought to your promises that you’ve given to others? Our culture says that not even a contract is important. In this world we see the worldly but God see’s the spiritual and not only are the commitments made to each other, but they’ve been made to God as well. Marriage was instituted by God and not by man therefore when the vows are made, they are being made to God above.   In 1 Corinthians we see that Paul states many things about marriage. He states that if a person is married to an unbeliever and the unbeliever wants out, let them go. One can’t make someone stay that doesn’t know what true love is.   Two people that are in a marriage can’t get a divorce just because they want to or they can’t get along. A Christian is to love one another, drop the pride, and repent. This goes further than the act of marriage.   We live in a land now that everyone says we need to love each other no matter what or who, and yet we see divorce and hate on every corner. This is because they’ve left their first love, God. Living with each other to “try it out” is plain and simple fornication and is an abomination to God.   God told Hosea to go and marry a harlot, a whore. He thought this was crazy but he did was he was told. They had a family and she went back to what she knew. She came to her end she thought and ended up on the auction block to be sold as a slave. God then told Hosea to purchase her back. He did and purchased her as a free person, not as a slave. he paid for her to be free when he had every right to punish her for what she had done because in that day she was to be stoned, killed. Hosea showed mercy, just like God does for us each and every day. He knows we are a filthy sinner and yet He calls upon us to be His bride. We then accepts His invitation and likely run right back to the sin we were in or others sins (backslid). All the while God loves us and shows us compassion, picks us right back up and loves us beyond what we deserve.

Jesus told this to many at that time about keeping sheep. He told this because they all knew how shepherds worked their sheep. Sheep could mingle with other hearts of sheep and when the shepherd called for his sheep, his sheep knew his voice and they would come out from amongst the other sheep. The sheep would obey their masters voice and wouldn’t follow another shepherd.   Now is the time to step out for Jesus. If you’ve been born again then you know the difference between good and bad. You know what brings death and destruction and you know what brings growth.   Psalm 9:13-14 Jesus opened the gate when He came and fulfilled His promise. Gates are important because they keep the bad out and the good in. They offer a state of protection.    Leviticus 21 There was a law where many people were not allowed to be “Christian” people, godly. They had to be of a type of perfection in order to be godly. Jesus fulfilled the law and made it a way that no matter the imperfections of a person, they are free to come to Him.   There is a 2-way traffic for the redeemed in the gate. The redeemed are free to go out into the world to seek those that need Jesus. Then they are free to enter back thru the gate to Jesus. The lost can only live on the outside of the gate because they are denied access to the side of Jesus but ONLY because they’ve chosen that life.   Jesus told us that we operate on faith. Those that are evil and corrupt look for a sign and operate with fleshly goals. Those that do not have faith, not saved, are looking to the saved for their “signs” of a larger being. God deals with the spiritual and with faith and not the materialist side of things.    Jesus is the resurrection from the death gate. You’re either lost or saved. You’ve either been washed with the blood of Christ or not. Many people think that they are fine, good with their life. They think that as long as they live a life of good, they are all going to Heaven. They think that as long as they say they know God, it’s alright with their soul. Some think they can do works, acts to get into Heaven. There is but only ONE way into Heaven and that is thru Jesus Christ, the one and only gate.

There was 2 things that Joshua was instructed to do. One was to pick 12 men, one from each tribe to lead. The next was for these men to chose a stone, a large stone that was to be carried upon their shoulders, 12 stones. For every tribe a person was chosen and those 12 men were to carry 12 twelve stones. These men were a representative of their family, tribe. Just in that time, we have men that should be a representative  of their households. Why should this take place? To show glory to God for eternity. The church building you attend, the foundation that was dug and poured, the pews that you sit in when you attend, people pass it everyday. When they look upon the building they wonder and think what goes on inside of it. Just in our lives, we might have a bible and that bible is what one stands on. When someone passes that bible is what’s left behind and it reminds those of what that person stood on. One must be careful what they choose in life and if they will be washed away when the troubles in life come along. The memorials of your life shouldn’t be set out to remember yourselves but to honor God.  What are you leaving behind? What’s the legacy that you’re leaving? The stones are heavy to bare for Christ but it’s something that must be done. Money will quickly fade away but God will always provide the riches that will sustain. There have been pillars in our lives of folks that have attended church. Those pillars is what has kept us moving forward because of the legacy they left. Carry those large stones of Christ so that others know and can see where you stand with God. This is a commitment that you must make and keep. Forever be visible for God.   God instructed Joshua to get the men and and the stones yet there was something that God didn’t tell him to do. Yet, Joshua went and did something in honor of God. He took for himself 12 stones and build his own memorial. He built his memorial on dry ground at the bottom of the Jordan River when God dried it up. When God allowed the water to return the memorial remained unseen by anyone but by Joshua and God. He made a covenant with God. No one can build a memorial about God for others to see until you’ve built one to God. One must be saved in order to understand the love of God.  Where is your spot where you made a commitment to God? You better have a spot. No one else may not have a clue where that spot is because that spot is a personal spot between you and God.    The memorials of the world rarely mention the designers or creators and that’s because it’s not about them. Just in this story, the 12 men are never mentioned. The work you do at that job you hold will amount to nothing in the end if it’s not for God. Yet the work you do for God and in His name will be a memorial for the rest of your life.

We should be grateful for those things that can’t be changed. The earthly things of this world will soon pass away, here today – gone tomorrow. However, the promises of God are things that will never go away.   There has never been a time where we have done anything. Most think that with their own selves has enabled them to do great things. If it was not for God then that ability would not be able. God has enabled.   God could have easily called us a blasphemer, but He doesn’t. If you’ve been born again He calls you faithful, loved.   Now God didn’t have to love us and count us as His but He did. His grace is abundant with faith and love which is in Jesus Christ. He extends His grace not because we deserve it but because He wants to forgive. The saved deserved death but God gave us His grace.   The saved were saved for a cause. There are some that get saved and sit and do nothing with their salvation. In the life of David we know the story of him and Goliath. There were others that were saved in that time but God had a plan for David. The others that were there could have done something but didn’t. For Gods cause David fought Goliath. He saved you for a cause, make sure you’re listen and working for Christ.

Annual Christmas Program.

We must be careful about the importance of Joseph. We can’t put light upon anyone but Jesus. Jesus was conceived NOT thru sin. In order for Him to be a man He had to be born of a human. However, He was born sinless unlike the rest of the world. God chose a man to be His earthy father. Joseph was a just man, an upright man. The just shall live by faith. Their faith must be real for a just man. James 2:20-24 Now thinking about Joseph and thinking about when he found out about Mary being pregnant, what an emotional roller coaster he must of went on. One couldn’t help to think that he. Must have felt let down. The woman that he was supposed to be with came up pregnant. However, Joseph didn’t feel these things of anger towards her. He had made up his mind that he couldn’t marry her. He didn’t want to put her on public display but thought about divorce privately. he wasn’t going to put her thru death due to the law. Then something happened in his life. In your times of trouble and you take the time to seek God, He will always make a way. Joseph stayed calm and trusted unto God. God sent an angel to Joseph and the angel knew his name. The angel told Joseph what he was supposed to do and what was going on. Joseph was to take Mary as his wife like nothing had ever happened. He was to name the unborn baby, Jesus. Luke 2:1-7, 21-27 Joseph was born in Bethlehem and he was to take his new family back to his home land. Now we know the story that Jesus was to be born not in Nazareth but in Bethlehem. In Bethlehem the baby was born, his name was then given, Jesus. Now, they had to go to Jerusalem because Joseph had to offer sacrifice because a man child was born. Jesus was only a child at this time, 8 years old. He couldn’t do anything for Himself. Yes, He was God incarnate but His parents were responsible for Him. Joseph had to obey God in this matter. Just in this time, the men of the house, the fathers are responder their families and are held accountable for their upbringing. Matthew 2:13- The Bible doesn’t tell us but for whatever reason Mary and Joseph stayed in Bethlehem. They didn’t stay in the manger, they went to a house. Then one day they received some visitors, Magi. There is not mention as to how many showed up but we do know that they brought at least three gifts. Then we pick up in Matthew 2:13. Joseph did not know that Jesus was in danger until God told him in another dream. The angel told Joseph to go with his family, flee into Egypt and then not to leave from there until he’s told something different. Joseph immediately awoke, took up his family and left, no questions asked. A 300+ mile journey that they were to take. The Magi had already paid for the trip with the gifts that were brought. Then another angel came to Joseph to leave Egypt, he left again right away to Israel. Yet in Israel, another angel came to Joseph and to them to flee to Nazareth. He awoke, and took his family that instant.

If you’ve been born again then you are no longer condemned. The lost person is condemned already.    What if… Have you ever asked the “what if…” question? Usually the what if is usually destruction. What if you lose your job? What if you die?   Even if… Start saying even if and your life will turn around. Even if you lose your job, God is still in control. Even if you die, God is still in control. Jesus Christ will never leave you astray.   Each time you take you eyes off of the light, Jesus Christ, darkness will begin to creep in. The darkness is the enemy and he will take over your life quickly. If one could have their spiritual eyes opened to see the warfare going on around us, it would space you to death.   Our life that we have right now is a blessed holy life. it started out to be perfect but sin came in. Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the devil but it was both that were tricked. How many times do we blame the devil for it and all awhile it was our choice not his that caused us to do it. Stop blaming the devil and take ownership of your sins, choices. 

Trust is the action, work that is tied directly to faith.   Is there anyone that doesn’t have any problems? What about being perplexed? Anyone have no problems with being persecuted? Likely everyone has some sort of issues in their lives.   Each and every person has a gift that has been given by God. No there are those that we do not see or know what that gift is yet others we clearly know. Remember, that being a born again believer doesn’t mean that we live on top of the mountain. It means that we know who is in control. Often times Christians lives are spent within the valley, being taught how to grow in Christ. This is because there isn’t anyone that is holy but actually the opposite, fleshly. There isn’t a single person that can get to Heaven on their own. Without Christ, you’re lost.   We are human and often try to complete a task ourselves making sure it perfect in our own eyes. This is the couture in which we live. The enemy will have you to believe that you are responsible for your own self. This is pride and arrogance that’s not learned but is simply there because we are human.   One can feed the poor and house the homeless and claim that you are doing to please God but, without Christ in your life you’ve done it all in vain. Our country lives in it’s pride and conceit and yet we are not in a place where we can say that. Our country is in so much debt and hate that we are lucky to be alive today.   We have NO control, we can not change it. Yes it’s disturbing! However, we must get it into our heads and hearts where our help comes from. There is but only one that is in control and has ever been in control. The problem is not that you are in trouble, it’s that you feel distressed. The reason as to why God put us in flesh is for us to realize and be reminded that we have no strength without Him. He uses the struggles and weaknesses to prove that He is God. We often sing about how we love Jesus yet we truly live a life of distress. One will always have trouble but, God said to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world. He gave us peace and gave us hope when there was no hope.   Are you perplexed? Yes, because most all people have no idea what is going on. Does it cause you to also be despaired? Usually yes! No matter what happens in our political race, God is ALWAYS in control. We see in history where politics had no control over God and we see thru that history how it turned out. God was and is in control yet we are quick to forget what we already know.   Most of us have never been persecuted for Gods name. We also see in history that there were those Godly men that WERE persecuted and what happened to them? They were often beat for trusting in God and yet they rose up victoriously. Most all of us can’t even get thru the trouble and perplexity and then we think we are ready for persecution.    These fleshly issues are not what is truly going on like the enemy wants you to think. If you’ve been born again then you are a winner. A winner because God is in control and we all know who is the victor. God has made us weak to show us that He is made strong. Gods grace is sufficient for our troubles. Grace will also lead us home. If God is for you who could be against you? You might agree with you head but your heart doesn’t say that. Your stress doesn’t say you believe.

How to Know When Someones Saved? When the spirit bears witness. A testimony is great but it doesn’t mean much because anyone can have one.   Hebrews 3:6, 14   Once you’ve been saved, you’re always saved. One does get into Heaven because they persevere but because they are saved.    The 7th Articles of Faith Religion will not get you into Heaven. Going and attending a church or churches nonstop will not get you into Heaven. The Children of Israel were in the middle of nowhere and God proved to them over and over again who He was. Food fell from the sky daily and yet they wouldn’t believe in God.   Once you’ve been saved you will be a different person than what you were before. You will leave those sinful things behind because they can’t be of God, the one living inside you. Now this does not mean that a saved person can not backslide. We know of a story in the Bible of the prodigal son that left what he knew. However, he came to the end of his money and knew what he needed to do and go back home. There is something (God) that lives on the inside that is stronger than that which is on the outside (flesh).   Matthew 7:20-23 Many of folks just want to join the church, membership. There will be many that will say they know God but they’re not saved. They’ve created a form of god in their own mind and believe in that thinking it will get them into Heaven. Many of religion will bust Hell wide open. There have been many that they’ve made a profession of being saved. Some we have seen walk the aisle, bow at the altar, pray, cry, weep and can then tell you their testimony. Yet they show no fruit. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done, how you’ve done it or when, if you’ve not been changed on the inside then your lost.   Some don’t get it at all and just will not accept Christ.   Rocks have no depth therefor nothing will live long if it’s planted in rocks. It will quickly grow but will die the first time something is thrown it’s way. A person that just goes thru the motions of being saved.   The thorns will snuff out the growth. The thorns are the lusts of the world and if a person is not changed (saved) they will quickly fall back into their sinful way.   The seeds that flourish in the good ground are the ones that are actually saved. Rooted in good ground as to where they grow and become strong. When the storms come and the thorns of lust come around they continue to grow and are not changed by them but made stronger.   Many have made a profession of being saved but look around, they are missing, they are not here in attendance.   There are many out there that claim they are saved and yet they live like they want outside of church or church attenders. You’re living a life of a deceiver and are in great danger with God. Stating that you’re saved and never going back to church does not line up with Gods Word.   Colossians 1:21-23 21. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22. In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23. If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;   This is not about works. One could work themselves to death but you’re own works will not get you into Heaven.  One can’t get lost after their saved, they will always know where their Father is.

The love of Christ is what moves, motivates and keeps. There are certainly folks that when we see or know we think highly of them due to their dedication to God. We must be careful not to raise the man but the one that made the man, God. Even though Christ’s love binds us we still have a choice to live that way. Thus, we must deny ourselves daily. Give up your own life to gain Christ. Once you’re born again you’ve sold out to Christ. You are no longer your own. In 2 Corinthians 6; the writer is dealing with fornication and the sin that it is. If you are bought with a price, born again, and commit fornication then not only are you sinning against yourself but against Christ that lives inside you. Romans 14:7-9 There is not a part of you that He does not own as a Christian. Many of times we forget that and try to take it back. Think of it this way: If Christ owns you and you take it away from Him, that is stealing. Taking something that’s not yours. Haw many times do we wake and do what we want without asking what He wants from us? Direction for the day, His will. Even though once your saved Christ then owns you, He still gives you a free choice. He could certainly force you to love and follow Him, but He doesn’t. Reminders of Salvation: His love for you. We were all dead. He died yet He rose again. If you’ve been saved then you’ve been bought with a price by Christ, He owns you. No matter what you do, do it unto the Lord.

Annual communion and foot washing services being held at New Providence Primitive Baptist Church, June 2018.