Saturday, February 24, 2018

Those That Have A Spiritual Ear, Listen to The Spirit.


“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Revelation 3:6 

We just had a very long and deep study of the Seven Churches Of Asia Minor. In each of these churches the Lord ended with these words, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches”. Each time the Holy Spirit spoke God said to the Pastors of each church to listen. God said to listen to the Spirit which is the Holy Spirit. Not everyone has an ear to hear God speaking. If a soul is lost and without Christ, then they have no true idea what God is saying in His word. I cannot say this enough, and every time I do say it I get criticized, but God did not write the bible to lost people, He wrote it to His people. Lost people do not understand the simplest thing about salvation. When God says, “He that hath an ear, let him hear” He means to hear the scriptures and to hear the real and true meaning of them are. But it is not that God wants us to hear the scripture, but He also wants us to react to what the scriptures conclude. God also said in Mark 4:9 “And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” See there are worlds of misinformation in the religious world called Christianity. The reason for the misunderstanding is for many reasons, maybe the teachers are lost, maybe the teachers simply teach lies, maybe the teacher doesn’t like the truth, but I think the reason for so much misunderstanding is teachers care to much about what people think of what they teach. Many teachers would rather teach a lie because it is easier to make lost people understand. Lost people hate the sovereignty of God because it puts God in control of everything. Therefore, they just eliminate that teaching, changing it into a lie to glorify the lost person instead of God. But the most harmed by not listening to the Holy Spirit are the churches. Churches are required to follow the teachings of the scriptures, which was breathed by the Holy Spirit himself. It does not matter who penned the scriptures, but rather who’s word it truly is. The Holy Spirit does not have hands to write so He used men inspired by Him to write the words on paper. This concludes that we have the actual word of God and not the words of men. It is the churches who are accountable to God to hear the scriptures, that is to hear them with their spiritual ears. Since the people are the members of the churches that means her membership must hear the teachings of the scripture. Jesus spoke of the false teachers in Matthew 15:9 “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men…And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:” but we, churches of truth must hear and understand. That is to understand the Holy Spirit and what He says to the hearts of the membership. To understand, is to do, and to do is to hear. There are far too many Christians not understanding and doing the teachings of the bible.  It is not good enough to simply attend church and hear the Pastor or teacher, you must understand and react to what the Spirit says in the service. God said “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 this is by hearing, understanding, and reacting to the word of God. If churches fail to teach, listen, hear, understand, and react then they are failing to serve God. If they do not teach the truth, then they are failing to hear God. If they fail God, the Jesus Christ will remove the candlestick and they will no longer be a church. Hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches, because if we do not, we fail God.

Saturday, February 17, 2018

Jesus Talks To Me.

John 10:3 “To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.”
We heard a lot this last week about Vice President Mike Pence making a statement that Jesus talks to him. He was ridiculed by exiting adviser to President Trump Omarosa Manigault for saying that Jesus talks to him. When Omarosa appeared on the T.V. daytime show called The View Hostess Joy Behar mocked our Vice President for saying that Jesus talks with him. It is my biblical and personal experience that our Vice President is correct and that both Omarosa Manigault and Hostess Joy Behar are both spiritually lost and ignorant to God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit, and the scriptures. Now, some may believe my statement about these two women is unjust but let me remind you it is based on scripture. The truth is that if Jesus Christ has not talked to you then you are lost and damned to eternal hell. This scripture is biblical proof of that fact. Jesus said, “…the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name…” If Jesus calls His own sheep by name, then how can one be saved if they have not heard Jesus call them. Jesus went on to say “…leadeth them out.” Jesus not only calls us but leads us to the saving blood. Jesus went on to say, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” John 10:27 This is not some sheep but all His sheep. Now I must admit, I have never heard Jesus speak openly to me through my ear gate, but spiritually I have absolutely heard Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit, and God the Father all speak to me. They that speak are that little voice inside of you that speaks to you. From His Holy Spirit to our living spirit. This is why God said that if we worship Him we must worship Him in Spirit. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” John 4:24 See, this is also a biblical fact, worship is spiritual not an outward experience. It is only an outward experience to those who do not have a living spirit in them to worship. Samuel wrote by God’s Holy Spirit these words, “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 Rejoicing in the Lord (for a saved person) is an inward act of rejoicing not an outward. Now, it may cause one to react outward, but still that outward reaction is guided by an inward reaction first. God does not work with a person outward, nor does God speak with a person outward, but inwardly. People look at outward reactions, people act outwardly who have no inward reaction. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 16:2 “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits...Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.” This is because the Lord communicates to us inwardly and we react inwardly. Now if that reacts on the outwardly with a vocal reaction “Amen” or some other verbal reaction then so be it, but most of what you see from religionist is an outward only reaction. But again, if Jesus Christ has not spoken to you, if He has not led you, if He has not found you and brought you back to the Shepherds fold, then you are not saved. And this little point in closing, if we do not hear the voice of Jesus then how do we follow him? He said in John 10:27 “…they follow me:” how do we follow someone that we do not hear? So, let us understand, we hear Jesus in our hearts, we hear Him in His word, and because He called us, and “the porter openeth” the spirits door, we answer the call of our Saviour. If you have not experienced this call, then you are not saved. You can call yourself, act as if you are all you want, but you are not. So, go ahead and mock Christians, but when they die it is heavens doors they will walk through. I will close with this invitation scripture, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17 Do you hear Jesus calling?  

Sunday, February 11, 2018

See You In The Morning Dear Servant!


His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matthew 25:23



This week we salute Missionary Curtis Pugh. Brother Pugh went to be with the Lord Last week and his funeral was yesterday Saturday February 10, 2018. Normally we do not use our space to salute people, however to me personally Brother Curtis was a very special Missionary. I love Missionaries, but selfless and life-giving Brethren ought to be recognized for their grace and mercy in their works for the Lord. Brother Pugh gave the majority of his adult life to the service of the Lord in Canada and Romania. I first met he and Sister Janet in Sulphur Springs, Texas when they were about to head to Canada for a mission work. Brother Pugh visited with me again several years back when he lost his home supporting church as he was looking for a church to call home when he found it in Denham Springs, La. at Grace Bible Baptist Church and Pastor Jerry Dodson. As Brother Curtis health began to fail he and Sister Janet moved back to America to Poteau, Oklahoma where he lived until he passed. I have had the pleasure through him to meet Brother Sergey Mochalov in Russia and Brother Raul Enyedi who took the Romanian work after Brother Pugh returned to the USA. I have always labeled Brother Curtis “the most selfless missionary” I have ever known because he and Sister Janet gave everything they had to the work in the field and took little for themselves. So, it is for this cause, we say goodbye to a greatly loved man in Brother Curtis Pugh.



God tells the churches in the great commission to go into the world and preach the gospel to every person on the earth, (Mark 16:15) and Brother Curtis did his share of that work, along with his faithful companion sister Janet. I last spoke to Brother Curtis a few months back on the phone. I have to say it was a true blessing to speak to him, a man with such grace and wisdom. Brother Curtis helped greatly to solve our issue. He loved the Lord’s churches and the Lords churches loved him. I know that Brother Curtis has now seen the Lord Jesus Christ and that he is rejoicing greatly in the kingdom of God, and I cannot be happier for him. So, from this pastor and from our church here in Texarkana, Tx we say goodbye to a good and faithful servant of Jesus Christ and many of the Lords churches in getting the gospel message to as many people as the Lord would graciously allow him. Brother Curtis, we will see you again in the morning!!   

Saturday, February 3, 2018

The Truth Shall Set You Free.

John 8:32 “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
It amazes me at the amount of ignorance surrounding this phrase. Please understand this TRUTH, there is only one truth, and only one Truth that will set you free and that is The Truth, Jesus Christ. No one will ever be free until they believe in Jesus Christ as Saviour. People use this passage of scripture in an attempt to get people to tell the truth, but that truth will not set you free. The freedom you receive in Jesus Christ is from the sin and power of sin. If you still sin, then you will live in that sin. John 8:34 “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” But because God has graciously saved you, you have been washed in the Blood of Jesus Christ and you are free from the punishment of sin and the power of sin. The question is, what are going to do with the freedom that God has given you through the blood of His Beloved Son? If you continue to sin, then you will live in those sins. However, the bottom line fact is, you have been set free by the Son of God, you need to live like it. John 8:36 “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” So if God is truth, then Jesus is truth and that means His word is truth. The word of God will also set you free if you take it as truth, and as it truly is. The word, which is the bible is only truth if it never changes, in words or context. The context of the word is so important because changing it’s context is the same as changing the words. You cannot change truth and perfection except to non-truth and lies. God’s word will also set you free, free from unbelieving and ignorance of God. It will also set you free from error in life’s walk. The Apostle Paul wrote to young preacher Timothy in his second letter and told him, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  2 Timothy 3:16 The bible is “profitable for doctrine” meaning - to learn of God and what God does and what God teaches us. He also included “for reproof” meaning - conviction or evidence, of God, who He is and that He is truth, His Son is Truth and we can totally trust them both that they are God. He went on to include “for correction” meaning - a straightening up again, or setting right – that is to set you upright in God’s eye so that you can live a life that is pleasing to Him. And Paul conclude with this thought, “for instruction in righteousness” this means - to be convinced of error – so that we can walk an upright state. Folks, this is the truth that will set us free, not only free from sin in Jesus Christ but also free from error in living life and serving God. The Lord said in 1 Timothy 4:15-16 “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all…Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” And if we do then we truly understand what freedom is, it is in Jesus Christ and God’s word. Paul finished completed 2 Timothy 3 with verse 17 “That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” Or to be set totally free. Sin is what we need to be set free from, free from its damning punishment and from its affects on our daily life. Sin separates from God, this is why god said “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24 and God told us why in the same verse “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.” Either you serve God in truth or Satan and evil and lies, and it is certain that one will cause you to hate the other. You may not hate God, but it will cause you to hate the Truth of God which is the Truth of God. And by this you are no longer free from the effects of sin, and you are a weak Christian.