How do you win Jethro Jr?

What's going on?

What are you pursuing?

James 1 Doers of the Word parts 31-32

Christians and Judging by Thomas Leake Pastor-Teacher

Enjoy!!!!

Christians and Judging Part 1
Christians and Judging Part 2
Christians and Judging Part 3

Don't Waste your Time by Jordan McRae aka Young Soldier

I just love the post this young brother keeps putting on his Facebook. I have to share these with you. Think about what this young teenager is saying. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ, enjoy..


Don't Waste your Time
You see it in the news everyday, whether someone has been shot, in car accident, or even committed suicide, you see it. The thing that you hear about or see is death, and we see it so much that we get desensitized, we feel as if we aren’t going to die, because nothing has happened to us. We need to snap out of that stupor, and face the fact that death is real. The sad fact is that at least one person dies everyday, whether it be from health problems, an accident, or a lethal weapon. We get so wrapped up in our everyday lives, and we think things will just stay the same, but things won’t. Death is a real thing, and at one point in time it will affect all of us. Please do not waste your time on this Earth.

For my fellow believers out there, Christ is coming back. I don’t know when, nobody knows, only God knows that. We should be exuberant about that! Our Lord and Savior is coming back for us, to take us into His Kingdom, so that we can live with him for eternity. That will be a glorious day! Sadly, we aren’t as excited as that, because we are trapped up in the things of this world. God gave us this world, and the things in it for us, but this world will not last forever. As believers we are called to be in the world, but not of it. Some of us have become of the world, some of us just put God off to the side, and worry about the other unimportant things while we neglect the Creator. For those who have, you need to wake up, because Christ is coming back to judge the world, and ultimately destroy it. As I have stated many times before, you can’t play with God, because He knows everyone’s heart, and you can’t hide anything from God. I urge you don’t fake with God, and don’t waste the time that he is given you. Use your time wisely to settle any disputes you have with anybody, more importantly use your time to glorify God. We have been given a chance that people not willing to believe don’t have. We have the chance to live forever with the Creator of this World. Why would you want to pass up an opportunity like this!? I hope that those who don’t know God, will repent of their sins, and start believing in him, because the day that the Lord comes back will be a wondrous day, but it will also be a day full of destruction. We can see some signs of the Lord returning, but we never know for sure. The Scriptures say that the day of the Lord will come upon the world like “labor pains to a woman with child”, and “like a thief in the night”. Nobody knows when this will happen, so don’t play around, be alert and on guard for the things of this world.

Personally, I know that I have not used all the time I have been given wisely, as I should have, but I am trying to change that. With God’s grace, and much prayer we all can do that. I want to go where He wants me to go, and follow His commandments. For those reading this are you ready for the Lord to come back, or will you go your own way and stay transformed by the world? If you are ready, than be glad, because God is going to save us one day. For those who want to go their own way, I pray for your soul, because for you the Lord will come back, and judge you, and if you have not lived up to His standards, the ultimate death is where you are headed. Finally, don’t waste your time, because it is a gift from God, and he intends for you not to waste a gift that he gave you. Death and the Last Days is an unpopular topic, but it wouldn’t be right if I failed to mention this crucial topic. Don’t fake with God, and don’t waste your precious gift of time…

James 1 Doers of the Word - LOVE MOTIVATION

James 1 Doers of the Word Series Parts 11 12 13

James 1 Doers of the Word Series

A Word of rebuke - How good is it?

Love For One Another

I have said before, I’ve seen Christians (true ones) defending their beliefs tooth and nail, almost and even sometimes destroying the dignity of other fellow brethren. I applaud Christians who are dogmatic about their view of theology, and doctrines they hold to; especially when they trust in the Holy scriptures to back them up. That’s great. For me, over the past year I have been taught by the scriptures about loving the brethren. I am considered to be a 5 point Calvinist, a premill dispensationalist who holds strongly to the literal interpretation of the Holy Writ. Right there it could be said I am argumentative and lacking in love with anyone who disagrees with my views. I’ve seen this stereotype amongst some of my brethren in the past year as well. People being shut off because they don’t do or believe what someone else might believe. Yet, both believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Amazing how we constantly are fighting over things to prove our points as the scripture admonishes us to love the brethren.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:34-35)

Now we know in this text, Jesus Christ is speaking to His disciples. He is addressing them to love one to another just as He had loved them. Jesus Christ had exemplified His love (agapao) and told His disciples that others would recognize them as His followers by the love they show one to another. Now fast forward to this Christian society today. Is this commandment really truly being obeyed amongst us today? I have watched myself become so angry at other believers who don’t see texts the way I may regard them. I even saw this come out of me last night with my wife, who asked a question about Peter, and I went off the total deep end because she wasn’t seeing what I was seeing. I repented, and sought to restore the fellowship with my wife, my sister in Christ. Are we doing this today with our brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ? I believe the Lord Jesus Christ smiles upon those brethren willing to restore fellowship with their brother, even if they are not likeminded in doctrinal issues (those issues that are not in direct contradiction with Jesus Christ. I am not agreeing with a Jehovah’s Witness, or a Mormon, they directly contradict Christ Jesus the Lord).

[Let] nothing [be done] through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. (Philippians 2:3)

I was reading p207 of The Doctrines That Divide: Predestination of Free Will: Whitefield v Wesley, when I was struck by a statement made in the chapter. Doctrines That Divide stated that before his death, Whitefield asked Wesley to preach his funeral as a sign of unity among believers. Wesley accepted and gave Whitefield an outstanding tribute. What an outstanding display of Christian love? To drive home the point, the book further states both Arminians and Calvinist believe their stands are correct; each Christian from their camps is used of God.

So that is why we must seek to love our brethren. If they are true blood bought believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, they are used of God. Christ cares for them and they are your brother or sister in the Lord. We must remember that. Let’s say you lived in Africa, and the ONLY CHRISTIAN congregation available was a Christian charismatic tongues-speaking church which had the correct Gospel. Would you send men and women seeking the Lord to that church? Think about that, is your love from the body of Jesus Christ willing to go that far? This is not compromise, don’t get me confused here. Do you have the understanding that the Lord Jesus Christ loves them and uses them? Are the arguments and debates that we win mean anything? Do we want to spend the rest of our Christian lives arguing and fighting? Or should we be loving the brethren and loving the world by sharing the Lord Jesus Christ?

By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:35)

What is it that all shall know that we are followers of Jesus Christ? The love for one another! Ginōskō is the transliteration for the word ‘know’. This 3^rd person verb is in the Future Middle (deponent) Indicative and denotes a personal and true relation between the person knowing and the object known, that is to say to be influenced by one's knowledge of the object, to suffer one's self to be determined thereby. A quote from A.W Pinks Commentary puts it well:

Love is the badge of Christian discipleship. It is not knowledge, nor orthodoxy, nor fleshly activities, but (supremely) love which identifies a follower of the Lord Jesus. As the disciples of the Pharisees were known by their phylacteries, as the disciples of John were known by their baptism, and every school by its particular shibboleth, so the mark of a true Christian is love; and that, a genuine, active love, not in words but in deeds.

The world sees we love Jesus when we love the brethren the same. But is the world seeing that? Are they seeing a lot of defending, bickering and fighting? Talking with one non-believer, he told me that he just wants to see something real in Christians, not all this arguing and fighting.

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also [do] ye. And above all these things [put on] charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. (Colossians 3:12-15)

I encourage us to continue loving, loving the brethren in Jesus Christ. Yes, stand for the truth, but love those in the truth as well!!!!

Who's Your Hero?

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (Titus 2:13)

A young brother in the Lord challenged me by an article he wrote on “heroes”. He asked the question to himself (in the note on Facebook): “Who is your hero?” Jordan (the young man’s name) said some things that really blew my mind as he pointed out all the human heroes he could think of in his life, none could stand with him in all things like the Lord Jesus Christ.

That same question I ask to myself and to you: WHO IS YOUR HERO? There’s a thing in Christendom we Christians and even non-Chris alike hold to; we love to see a human we can look to. Listen, let’s be real about it, there is at least one person that you hold dear to your heart. He may faithfully teach the Word of God, or says many things that you just absolutely agree with, and because of this you only listen to them. You only take what they say as truth and anyone who says anything against them (biblical or not), is shot down. I confess this sin of myself. Certain guys that have spoken truth in my life, I hold high regard in my heart, because they have been there for me. But is that how the Lord feels about it? Is He my Hero?

Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, [It is] truth. Ye [are] my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I [am] he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. (Isaiah 43:8-10)

Now who in this text wants to be believed? The Lord. Who wants to be the object of our affection? The Lord Jesus Christ, God Almighty; our Great Hope should be our Hero!!! Many times looking at the messenger is what we do. We look at the messenger and other messengers as well and get confused. Why? We are not focused on our Hero. We are not looking at the One who is with the Christian. For the non-Christian, he looks not at Christ for salvation. Why, because we are focused on our earthly heroes. Some may say, “I have no heroes?” You’re lying; there is someone in your life that you’ve looked at and hold in high regard. I said this very thing, and each time the Lord has shown me where I have fallen. Here’s a working definition of what hero means:

1. a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.

2. a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal: He was a local hero when he saved the drowning child.

Think about it for a minute now in Christendom. Is there anyone you have as a hero? Yes there is somewhere and the Lord says to get rid of them as you’re hero. Turn your worship to them off.

Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me; (Exodus 20:3-5)

How do you do that? Well, we take our focus off of the messengers and look to the one who sends the message! Look to the Sender, He’s your Hero, your Lord, and your Savior (Psalm 118:8-9).

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by [his] Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (Hebrews 1:1-2)

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

God now speaks through Jesus Christ. We have the scriptures to help us understand what Jesus Christ is saying (2 Timothy 3:16-17). No one else can do this. Am I saying God doesn’t send pastors? No, I am saying God sends them, but God should be the focus, not the pastor. This goes for you who have claimed certain men to be your internet pastor. No, no, the bible alone speaks to the things of Jesus Christ; focus on the Word of God, not the one sending the Word.

It is not wrong in listening to a pastor on the internet. There’s no sin in having favorites that you go to. But why are you listening to them? Who is your hero? Is it Jesus Christ or is it the pastor? You know, last night my wife was speaking to me about her desire to be more firm of what God says in the bible. She basically said she doesn’t want her beliefs to come from our pastor nor our church, but what Christ Jesus says in His Word. That’s the correct focus, that’s the Hero we should be looking to.

It’s sometimes difficult not to make a hero out of someone. This sinful country, which is full of hypocrisy and wickedness, needs some righteous men to stand up for the Lord Jesus Christ. There have been, and there will be until Christ Himself returns. But let’s not make man the truth, God is still on the throne. JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, He is our hero. AMEN!!!!

And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. [Which] when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard [of], they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: (Acts 14:8-15)

Suffering For Christ

and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.
(Acts 5:40-41 ESV)

What will you do when they tell you to stop speaking in the name of Jesus Christ?

Remember the Word of God:
And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. (Acts 4:18-20 KJV)

Answering The Call Part 1 - John 19:25-27

This will be a small teaching I will be doing for awhile, maybe over the next couple of weeks. Part 1 is up enjoy.

Dealing with sin...let the light shine on it!!!!

Conduct Devtion by Pastor Sean Nelson

Thought this devotion would be helpful. Enjoy and stand strong in Jesus Christ:

Your Christian living matters!!!!!!!!

Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe {them,} glorify God in the day of visitation.(1 Peter 12 NASB)

Who do I imitate?

Abide In Christ Jesus