TEXT: ‘But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses’ (1 Timothy 6:11-12). Some people want to make Christianity complicated, when it’s very simple, so that everyone can benefit if they want to. One sales technique is K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, stupid!) and that can help us understand God’s salvation for ourselves and be able to explain it to others. Once we are a Christian, there are certain things to do and our text highlights three things that form the basis of Today’s Teaching. 1. Flee – ‘But you, O man of God, flee these things’v11 Jesus said, ‘Remember Lot’s wife’ (Luke 17:32). That was when the angel told her to flee and not look back, but she did look back and perished instead of being rescued (See Genesis 19:12-29).The Bible warns, ‘Flee from the wrath to come‘ (Matthew 3:7). These are not idle words, but a real warning of future judgment. Thankfully we can escape the consequences of that judgment through faith in Jesus. The preceding verses to our text reveal two...
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TEXT: ‘But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; redeem me and be merciful to me’ (Psalm 26:11). Paul said, ‘I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes’ (Romans 1:16 NLT). Unfortunately, many Christians are embarrassed to witness and create the impression their faith is private, not something to be talked about. Jesus said, ‘Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all’ (Matthew 5:16 TLB). Walking with integrity is one way of letting the world know who you belong to. It will also create many opportunities to share your faith. 1. Walk with Integrity – ‘Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy man? A righteous man who walks in his integrity’ (Proverbs 20:6-7 NAS). It’s difficult to stay untainted in a world full of compromise. Striving for excellence doesn’t mean we will live sinless lives, but when we fall short, we’ll know who to go to – Jesus! Be a person of your word, even if it costs you more to do it than you first expected. If you make a promise, keep it, whether it’s to tithe, serve, or help in some other way. Churches suffer when Christians...
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TEXT: ‘For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me’ (John17:8 NIV). Christianity is not designed to be a means of personal blessing only. God said to Abraham, ‘I will bless you … and you shall be a blessing’ (Genesis 12:2). Being a blessing to others by passing it on, is usually where Christians come unstuck, claiming to be tongue-tied when it comes to evangelism. Strangely, the very same people can talk endlessly about the weather, work, recreation, holidays and any other subject they want to! It’s only when we take on board the necessity to share our faith, will we ever do it. The famous quote, “If not now, when? If not me, who?”, is as true concerning sharing my faith as any other burning issue. It’s a lie of the devil that people are not interested to hear about Christianity. Of course, not everyone wants to hear about Jesus, but you will never discover the ones who want to, unless you start the conversation in the first place. 1. The Example of Jesus – ‘I have given them the words you have given Me and they have...
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TEXT: ‘We are not people who turn back and are lost. Instead, we have faith and are saved’ (Hebrews 10:39 GNT). Our text is the last verse before the great chapter on faith’s exploits (Hebrews chapter 11). We all want the accolade of having great faith, but usually we want to avoid the difficulties we would have to go through to receive such praise. If every person who made a decision for Christ were faithful and in church regularly, how different our churches would be. 1. Everyone faces the temptation to turn back from following Christ – ‘If they had wanted to, they could have gone back to the good things of this world’ (Hebrews 11:15 TLB). When Jesus said, ‘Many are called but few are chosen’ (Matthew 22:14), He was not implying God would only choose a select few. God wants everyone to respond to His call, but not everyone responds in a way that makes them suitable. One minute they are on fire with enthusiasm, the next minute they are heading back into the world. Whatever God has called us out from, whether a country, lifestyle, crisis or the consequences of bad choices, there will always be the temptation to turn back to it. ‘A pig that...
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TEXT: ‘When Jesus heard it, He marvelled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! ’ Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour (Matthew 8:10,13). The Bible says, ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God’ (Ephesians 2:8). What a wonderful gift faith is. Without it we cannot be saved. With it we can please God (See Hebrews 11:5-6). The encounter of Jesus and the Centurion shows how faith acts. These principles are there for us to imitate, so we too can experience miraculous answers from God. 1. Faith sees Faith sees that situations beyond human help can be changed. The Centurion saw how sick his servant was, ready to die with no remedy in sight or medicine to prolong his life, but he believed that his servant’s life didn’t have to end that way. The Centurion had heard about all the miracles Jesus had been doing which caused faith to spring up to believe that his servant would experience a miracle too! The impossible situation you are facing, can you...
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