A Faithful Saying

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:11-13

Song: I Know Whom I Have Believed

"For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him." To die with Christ is to be baptized into His death - "...who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death" (Romans 6:3; NASBU). He died for us that we might live for Him and with Him.

"If we endure, We shall also reign with Him." To endure is to abide up under whatever burden comes our way because of Him - "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12; NASBU). He endured on our behalf so that we might reign with Him.

"If we deny Him, He also will deny us." To deny is to disavow, to reject - "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23; NIV). He would have us treat Him as we would long to be treated by Him.

"If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself." To be faithless is to betray the trust of the Faithful One - "...for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day" (2 Timothy 1:12; NASBU). As faithful as Jesus is to save those who believe in Him, He is equally faithful to judge those who do not.

A faithful saying...am I faithful to the saying?

Jason Cicero

Overcoming With the Lamb

Song: Victory In Jesus

Scripture: Revelation 17:14

"These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful." (Revelation 17:14; NKJV)

Whoever the "These" of Revelation 17:14 are...they will lose. The Lamb will overcome them because of who He is. Of lords He is the Lord. Of kings He is the King. It is wise to be "with Him."

Called. "...to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thessalonians 2:14; NKJV). The Lamb calls us to Himself through the gospel. He is calling...will you answer and overcome?

Chosen. "...just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love..." (Ephesians 1:4; NKJV). The chosen are those who accept the call of Christ. Have you chosen to be chosen?

Faithful. "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Revelation 2:10; NKJV). The chosen overcome in Him because they are faithful to Him. The Lamb is faithful, be faithful to the Lamb and overcome with Him.

Have you answered the call? Are you in Him? Are you faithful? Will you overcome?

Jason Cicero

Sunday Morning Starters

Practical Pointers From Proverbs:

“Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth” (Proverbs 4:5).

Getting a good Sunday start is so important. Here’s how

1. Get wisdom. You can’t effectively handle life’s problems without it.

2. Get understanding. If you’re going to get there you have to know the way.

3. Don’t forget what you know. Re-member it, re-call it, re-collect it or you can’t apply it.

4. Don’t turn back. There’s nothing good where you came from, so why turn back?

Dee Bowman

Get Yourself Ready to Worship

Practical Pointers From Proverbs:

“20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh” (Proverbs 4:20-22).

1. Verse 20—Pay attention.Be inclined to hear. You’ll enjoy the services more.

2. Verse 21—Keep paying attention Don’t let your mind wander. It’s hard to catch a mind that’s constantly on the move.

3. Verse 22—Think about what you’re getting out of the experience Life and health. Look toward it; find hope in it.

Dee Bowman

Mary's Psalm

Scripture: Luke 1:46-56

Song: Glory To His Name

Scholars call this psalm the Magnificat because of Mary’s opening declaration, “My soul magnifies the Lord.” Her words of praise in view of the Savior’s advent still bear repeating. “He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave.” We find evidence for the promise of God related by James, “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you” (4:10). It’s true. Mary is a witness to its truth. All generations have indeed counted her blessed.

“For the Mighty One has done great things for me.” The God of Heaven is mindful of persons. He is mindful of the sparrow’s antics and the lily’s dress. He is mindful of my physical needs and spiritual condition. He has provided for both.

“He has scattered those who were proud.” Where is Darwin? Where is Freud? Where is Nietzsche? He confounded the wise men of Jesus’ age and appeared to a poor maiden in Nazareth. He still confounds wise men, kings and conquerors.

“He has filled the hungry with good things.” Man has a built-in vacuum. He is made to feel empty without God. It is planned obsolescence. Man just doesn’t function satisfactorily without God in his life. The man who recognizes this void, and comes to God to fill it, will not be disappointed.

“He has given help to Israel… as He spoke to our fathers.” God doesn’t forget His promises. He didn’t then. He doesn’t now. To Him be praise. My soul magnifies Him.

Jason Moore

Hail, Mary

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38

Song: Take My Life, And Let It Be

Mary, the mother of our Lord, is not to be an object of worship, though she is an object of admiration. To revere her is to dishonor the Savior she bore. To consider her character is to learn from her humble disposition.

She was a virgin.Though engaged, She had not known sexually the man she would marry, nor any other man. They didn’t live together nor sleep together before marriage. She honored the sanctity of the marriage bed and her own body as a temple of God and so God made her body the maternal tabernacle for David’s heir and His only begotten Son. The humble person yields their person to the reign and will of God. So did Mary.

She was engaged to Joseph Had Mary chosen another man she might not have been chosen by God as the mother of Jesus. Her choice of Joseph further demonstrates her quality of character. The humble person recognizes his own strengths and flaws and discriminates between associates that make him better and make him worse. Mary chose wisely.

She believed What might people say about Mary—an engaged woman, now with child? Will they believe the story of a visiting angel and the news of a Messiah? “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word,” she said. The humble person accepts the word of God—its responsibilities, its challenges, its reproach, its incredulous statements and predictions. So did Mary accept God’s plan for her.

Jason Moore

The Word Became Flesh

Scripture: John 1:1-18

Song: Living For Jesus

Jesus is the Word He is the communication, or revelation, of God to man. He is not just one of God’s words. He is all the words of God considered together in the expression the “word of God.” All that God has ever spoken is embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.

As the Word, Jesus is the explanation of God We know people by their conversation. Their vocabulary, their syntax, their habits of speech and topics of conversation reveal their personality and their character. In just such a way Jesus explains God. When man observes Jesus—His words and His conduct—he sees God. Jesus is the perfect expression of His character. He came near that man might not just read about God and His love and His mercy but see Him close up. God’s justice and holiness were explained by the Mosaic Law. His grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ so that the fulness of His character is seen.

As the Word, Jesus not only explains God, He explains man In the flesh, He is the picture of what the revelation of God is intended to produce in the human frame. No man can say, “I don’t see it.” No one can argue, “God is not clear on this point.” God did not just give orders. He gave us a picture, a living Word, so that we might fully know what He has in mind for us.

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory.” Behold Him today. To see Him is to see God and to see yourself as you ought to be.

Jason Moore