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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | "and so much the more" Heb. 10:25 Part 1 | Heb 10:25 | PastorPaul | 75453 | ||
Part 4: The same is true, for those of us who profess faith in Christ, when we are at work. A co-worker will tell a dirty joke, and we will laugh with them instead of speaking to them through the love of Christ. I’m as guilty of this as any one else, and I constantly call out to the Lord asking for strength to stand for the truth, and not to hide from it. I see professing believers who will go to the strip clubs with their buddies, Christian women who will gossip. I see Christian teenagers fall into sexual temptation because they don’t know how to stand up for purity. All of this is partly due to the falling away of fellowshipping with other believers. All of this is because we fail to go to our brothers and sisters in Christ in prayer, and praise. We are afraid that we will be rejected by those of a like mind because of the sins we have fallen tempted to. God knows even I have struggled with that. Not only are there times we fail to go to fellow believers, but also there are times, when we push each other away. We get so tied up in what we are doing, that we don’t see our bothers and sisters in need. We as believers are not asking the question, “What Would Jesus Do?” Today Pastor Scot was speaking on Gen. 5 as I mentioned at the very beginning of this message. It was a wonderful sermon, especially when he got to the part where it speaks about Enoch, who walked with God. Back about eight years ago I also preached on Enoch. Fortunately I still have this sermon, as I was wise enough to save it. Mind you it is not near as good as it sounded eight years ago, nor as good as the message I heard today, but it gave me some information I had come across when I wrote it. “Who was Enoch?” The Enoch I’m speaking of was the great-great-great-great grandson of Adam, through the line of Seth. (There is another Enoch in the line of Cain; this is not the Enoch who walked with God). The name Enoch means “consecrated”. It appears that Enoch’s father, Jared, had wanted Enoch set aside for a particular purpose. As Enoch grew he began to walk with God, in fact Gen. 5:22 says Enoch walked with God 300 years after he begat Methuselah. Now the name Methuselah can be translated “at his death, judgment” which could possibly, and most likely mean that Enoch walked with God even before he begat Methuselah. (If one adds up the dates, the year of the flood would have been the year of the death of Methuselah because Methuselah was born exactly 969 years before the flood.) There is some background information on Enoch, now let’s move on to some of the points of applications that Pastor Scot made, that I believe falls in line with our joining in fellowship, and in exhorting one another. He first asked the question; “What does it mean to walk with God?” The two points he made with this are as follows. 1. We need to move in the same direction as God. 2. We need to be in agreement with God. As I look at these two points I wonder how this is done. Very simply, as we join together in fellowship and in exhortation we encourage and strengthen each other in following the plan that Christ has for us. Prov. 27:17 states: “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” Pastor Scot then went on to ask another question. “What are non-believers looking for in the life of a Christian? He gave three answers to this one, and they are as follows. 1. They are looking for evidence of a changed life. 2. They are looking for consistency. 3. They are looking for people who show the compassion of Jesus. This also goes into the context of joining together in fellowship with each other. As we join together we can encourage our brothers and sisters through prayer. James 5:16 states: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Fellowship with others of a like mind has been God’s intention all along. When God created Adam and Eve, they were of a like mind, and they walked together in the cool of the day. Enoch walked with God all of the days of his life, and because of this he did not see death. Noah and his family, alone, were found righteous in the days of the flood. In Gen. 6:9 the phrase walked with God is again used in regards to Noah. In the Old Testament fellowship was stressed as well. They had a tabernacle so that they could gather together and worship God, then they had a temple. All throughout scripture we see how important fellowship is to God. As one reads the Book of Acts one again sees how important it was to the 1st. century believers to gather together continuously for fellowship and worship. |
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2 | "and so much the more" Heb. 10:25 Part 1 | Heb 10:25 | PastorPaul | 75455 | ||
Part 5: Once again I stress. What has become of America? Why do the believers not gather together in all things with a like mind? I’ve visited several Christian Chat rooms since I’ve been blessed with access to the Internet, and instead of sharing our faith we argue. Instead of praying for those who come in to the chat rooms to cause division, we argue with them. Instead of encouraging one another we will talk about the weather, or what our personal views of the scriptures are. So many people will twist the Holy Scriptures so that they will fit into their idea of God, not truly who God is. My dear brothers and sisters I cannot stress enough how close the end times are. Can I give a date or a time? No! However, I do know that our time is short. It is time that we, who are in the Church, rise up and speak out for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to be in regular fellowship with each other, but not just on Sunday mornings. It is time that we joined together every way that we can. The Internet has been used by many as a great evil, and now is the time that we turn it around and use for good. Through the Internet we do not have to fellowship face to face, in the same building, or in the same town. We can pass emails along which include prayer requests, praises, and thoughts or revelations we have received through the scriptures. We can exhort one another even from thousands of miles away, half across the globe, etc. Through the Blue Bonnet Ministries Web Site, the Lord has blessed me in getting in contact with professing believers in India, Africa, Pakistan, and so many other places. More then that, many of you have struggles and trials. Through email or the phone, or even snail mail we can spread those along, and encourage one another. I started my group in Yahoo with the simple desire to share, and spread the Word of God, and I’m sure that many of you in the other groups online, which I partake in, had the same purpose when you founded your group or message board. We are not bond anymore to just meet on Sunday. We are no longer bond to be in contact on rare occasion with each other. Let us join together in fellowship so much the more, as we see the day (The second coming of Christ) approaching. Let us as believers not just here in the USA, but throughout the World join together to preach and spread the Glorious, Gospel of Jesus Christ! As I’m typing this letter/message I’m listening to some praise/worship music, and as I’m near the finish of this I’m listening to the song “Yes, We All Agree”. There is a line I’m going to share in this song, and this is what I’m hoping is shouting in your heart as you read this. “Oh Lord, we agree, in the power and strength, of unity.” God bless, and may the Lord be with you in all that you do! In Christ, Pastor Paul Is. 6:8 PastorPaul79@hotmail.com Pastorpaul79@yahoo.com http://www.bluebonnetministries.50megs.com “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.” -Hale |
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3 | "and so much the more" Heb. 10:25 Part 1 | Heb 10:25 | EdB | 75462 | ||
PastorPaul Good preaching, but your preaching to the choir! This is a Christian Forum therefore we are already aware of what your saying. You need to preach this message to non Christians! Also I think you may have been a little self serving with all the plugs for you website and chat groups. EdB |
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4 | "and so much the more" Heb. 10:25 Part 1 | Heb 10:25 | PastorPaul | 75777 | ||
Thank you very much for your input on my posts I do appreciate it. I always put plugs in for my website only as an option for people to see my personal testimony which is on the site, no other reason. I don't get any money for people going to my site, nor do I ask for money, and Lord willing, I never will. I will disagree with you to a point however. Even Christians need to hear the Word of God. This may be a Christian group for the most part, but I'm sure, like so many churches, there are people who are not saved, or people who need encouragement from the Lord. Never did I hear Christ say not to "preach to the Choir" in fact if anything, He taught them more then he did the multitude. God bless, and may the Lord be with you. In Christ, Pastor Paul Is. 6:8 "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something." -Hale |
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