Personal Thoughts and Ministry - Preachr34

If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth

12/31/2014

But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many. (Mat 20:25-28)

    A call to serve. Not as lords, masters, or any other sort of hierarchy of leadership over others, but the servant of all. We are called to serve Christ, serve one another, and serve those without that are in need. We are called to give ourselves as a living sacrifice to our Lord. We are called to disciple and minister to one another in love and in the Word. We are called to go with the Gospel to this lost and dying world in service and in love.

    We are not called to a job, a career, or for the world's accolades. Our retirement is out of this world. We are called to a lifetime of servant-leadership that glorifies our GOD and equips and encourages GOD's people to exercise their faith. Just as Jesus Christ came to serve His people, and to offer Himself in our place and to pay our sIn debt, so we are to offer ourselves to GOD and in service to others.

    GOD's people are to serve Him by serving others, as His ambassadors, we minister to those in need. We serve one another in ministry and education in the Word that we may grow as His disciples. We share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with every one, so those who hear the Good News and believe on Him and in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary might have life in His Name.

    For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

The Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in Him

12/30/2014

And He said unto him, Why callest thou Me good? there is none good but one, that is, GOD: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the Commandments. He saith unto Him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto Him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. (Mat 19:17-21)

    In this conversation with the rich young ruler, Jesus confronts the man with two problems that he has. One, his pride; in his riches and in himself. Jesus redirected his thinking about who alone is 'good', not from our point of view, but the perfection that GOD requires. Second, his faith in what he possessed and what he could do. Because he had an unhealthy and unscriptural view of Salvation, and himself, he trusted that he could either buy or earn his way into eternal life. Neither is true, for only by grace through faith can we receive the free gift of eternal life from GOD.

    Two other points I want us to consider. One, even if this young man had kept all those commandments, he still wasn't perfect, which is required. Second, when he could not depart from his riches, because he trusted them more than GOD, Jesus didn't chase him down and alter the requirements for the money that could be added to the treasury. It is important that we understand the perfection that GOD requires, that we can only achieve in Christ, and not of any of our own works. It is also important that the Church not look to the riches of unbelievers and alter the Gospel, just so they will join our congregations.

    Jesus, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, GOD in the flesh, understood both the heart and faith of this seeker, who trusted his riches, and what he could accomplish, more than he trusted GOD. His faith, which was not in GOD, but himself, was not saving faith, and therefore kept him out of the Kingdom. If we are trusting any other system, religion, church, or even ourselves to get and keep eternal life, which is the free gift of GOD, we are revealing a serious flaw in our understanding of Scripture, and we may not be the Christian we think we are. Only in Christ can we be made perfect, and fulfilled, through our faith in who He is and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, having received forgiveness of our sins and justified, we now have peace with GOD through our Lord Jesus Christ.

    That peace, and the Liberty that comes from Christ and Him alone, is not a license to sIn, for we still follow His moral and eternal Law, not because we have to, but because He makes it possible and we are complete in Him. We love GOD with all our ourselves, offered as a living sacrifice, and we love our neighbours as ourselves, as GOD loves them and shed His blood for them too.

    We love GOD alone, for He alone is GOD, our Saviour and Lord. We don't worship or bow down to any other gods, idols, or graven images because GOD alone is worthy of our worship in Spirit and in Truth. We don't take His Name in vain, either as a curse, for it is Holy, or in misusing His Authority, for He is our Lord and King. We remember the Sabbath, remembering both His creation and His resurrection and resting in Him, with corporate worship together at least every seventh day.

    We honour and respect our parents, in this world and in the faith, for the responsibility and sacrifice they have made. We, as people, do not take other people's lives, from the very young to the very old, for He is life, and we are made in His image. We honor the marriage vows, one man and one woman, for life, as GOD instituted marriage, and consecrated the union. We do not take what others have, for we trust GOD for our needs. We do not lie or gossip, for GOD is Truth, and hates lairs and talebearers. We do not desire that which others have, but trust GOD for all our wants, needs, and provision, for He is our GOD and will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus, whom we have trusted alone for Salvation.

    If you are not secure in Christ, GOD desires for you to come to Him, not trusting yourself, but putting your faith in Him and Him alone. For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

In the beginning GOD

12/29/2014

The Pharisees also came unto Him, tempting Him, and saying unto Him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And He answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore GOD hath joined together, let not man put asunder. (Mat 19:3-6)

    This attempt at testing the Authority and knowledge of Jesus concerning the Law centered around marriage, and our Lord, the creator of man and marriage rightly explained that GOD created marriage, from the beginning, as one man, and one woman, for life. He did so before He instituted governments, or nations, or even His Church, because the family is the foundation of all the others. He brought Eve to Adam and established marriage as a single unity, and expects us to continue this practice regardless of what other later institutions may do in rebellion against their Creator.

    A proper marriage, unified and strengthened in Christ, provides a proper environment for raising GODly offspring, and working properly in the community, the Church, and the nation. We must understand this role, not to tear down those that disagree, but to lift up this moral and philosophical standard as instituted by GOD from the very beginning.

    If we, in GOD's Church do not understand the reason, and the permanency of marriage as GOD intended, how can we expect the lost world to do so. The Scriptures teach us Truth about GOD, man, and marriage, and we must be obediently to His Word. His people need to get back to being people of the Book, and hold to His authority from the Word He has given us to follow. GOD warned us that many, even in His Church, would not hold to sound Doctrine, but would after their own lusts, heap to themselves teachers that would tell them what they want to hear, and not what GOD says. Whether it is the denial of Creation, the destruction of morality and marriage, or the redefining of sIn and Salvation, GOD's Word has always been under attack, from without and now from within.

    GOD's people, following GOD's Word, in the power of the Holy Spirit, not only ought to be obedient to His commands, but also must hold to His standard and lift Him up, as Creator, Redeemer, and King. As His ambassadors we are to minister to the hurting, and meet their needs as GOD gives the increase. We are to disciple one another in love and in His Word, so that we know what it says, from cover to cover, and also what it means, and what GOD would have us to do with what He has said. We are to live the Gospel we preach, and go to this lost and dying world with the Truth of faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. As we go, we are to warn of Judgment, and preach Christ and the Good News of Jesus that all may hear and believe, and in believing in Him have life in His Name.

    For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

GOD hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation

12/26/2014

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them. (Mat 18:15-20)

    Reconciliation and Church discipline. One of the most misunderstood and misapplied directives of all church policies outlined in the Scripture. Jesus teaches us that as ministers of reconciliation we should seek the restoration of our fellowship and relationship with another church member as soon as possible, and only elevate the disciplinary steps if necessary. An egregious sin may requires more steps, and also involve a response from the local body against unrepentant sin, especially when the sin is public.

    Above all, the members involved must be in agreement, for disagreements lead to further problems in the church, and standing in unity and in the authority of the Name of Jesus should lead to restoration and reconciliation, or it leads to exposure of a cultural christian, or unbelieving 'church' member, in need of a true relationship with Jesus Christ through faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary.

    We are to seek Christ and work through His Spirit, and do all in love that we may exemplify Him as His ambassadors to those within and without. Always seeking reconciliation, but knowing that those who will not, may be lost and in need of the Saviour, we speak the Truth in love, and living the Gospel we preach, we are to bring all who will receive Him into the unity of the Spirit and the body of Christ.

    As His ministers and ambassadors, we minister to the hurting, and represent Him to others, so that they may see Jesus in us the hope of Glory. We love one another, to disciple, and to grow in the Word, until we all grow up in Him. We proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to all who will hear and believe the Gospel, that in believing they might have life in His Name.

    For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

Thou shalt call His Name Jesus for He shall save His people from their sins

12/24/2014

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His Kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will perform this. (Isa 9:6-7)

Wishing you and your family the very best during this CHRISTmas Season and a Blessed new year.

Jesus Christ is the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son

12/23/2014

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him. (Mat 17:1-5)

    Jesus, the Lord of all, revealed part of His glory to His disciples in this vision of His glorified body and visitation by Moses and Elijah. This precursor to the witnesses of the Tribulation and the Glory that shall be revealed in Christ when He was resurrected gave those who were with them pause for it was beyond their experience. But, when they put Jesus on the same level as Moses and Elijah, who were just men and served the Lord they were meeting with, GOD the Father spoke from Heaven and gave His approval of Jesus and command for us to hear Him.

    The words which Moses and Elijah spoke and wrote into Scripture were the Words of the Lord, and those which they would testify during the judgments of the Lord to come would be that which the Lord had spoken. We are to shout from the rooftops what GOD has told us in our devotions, but only the Scriptures, not our private interpretation or hidden meanings that wrest the Scriptures to our own destruction. GOD says what He means, and means what He says, and if there is any confusion, or misunderstanding, of seeming contradiction in the Scriptures, we are to reexamine our study and our understanding, for we are to hear Him.

    He speaks and we hear, and our faith grows. He has written, and we read, and are blessed. We seek Him in the pages of Scripture, studying to shew ourselves approved unto GOD, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. We hide His Word in our heart, that we might not sIn against GOD. We think on the things of Scripture, and meditate on all the words therein, that we might know Him and the fellowship of His sufferings. We apply all that He tells us, as we live His life, and He in us, that all may know we are His disciples.

    As His disciples, ministers of reconciliation, we minister to the hurting and in need as GOD gives the increase, so others may see Christ in us, the Hope of Glory. We disciple one another in love and in His Word that we may grow thereby and become more like Him. Above all, we proclaim the Good News of forgiveness from GOD by faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to those who will hear. As we go, we share The Gospel of Jesus Christ: His message of love, mercy and grace to those who hear and believe, that in believing they might have life in His Name.

    For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

If we be dead with Christ we shall also live with Him

12/22/2014

Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works. (Mat 16:24-27)

    Jesus Christ calls us to die to ourselves daily and follow Him. We are to put away those things which keep us from obediently following the Master, and be what He calls us to be, committed and disciplined followers of Him. Whatever we try to hang on to, we will lose, and whatever we give to Him, He will bless, though not always in kind, but in abundance and according to His will and our faithfulness. Regardless, those that know Him, are to surrender all to Him, and obediently do that which He calls us to do. Nothing in this world will last, and nothing in the next will fail. Those who know Him are to die daily, that we may live for Him, and in Him, and He in us to the glory of GOD.

    But, most of all, those who do not have a relationship with Christ through faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, must surrender to Him on His terms and receive Him. Those that are seeking fulfillment and the abundant life in any thing and any one besides the Living GOD, will be disappointed. Because all who have never received His forgiveness are under condemnation for sIn, are already judged and guilty, and separated from GOD, those that die without Christ and His Salvation will be eternally separated from Him in the second death, but those that die to themselves and receive Him by faith in what He has already done for them the forgiveness and reconciliation with GOD that He has already paid for, receive eternal life.

    Those of us who know Him, must continue to die daily to ourselves that we may rest in Him, giving our needs to Him which GOD already knows, our wants which may not be for our good, and surrender to our Lord and King. He will supply all our need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus, and He cares for us, and works all things together for our good, that we might accomplish the works we were before ordained to do in Christ.

    Those works include ministering to the hurting around us, as His ambassadors, that they may see Jesus in us. We are to share His love with others and those in need, as He provides. We are to disciple one another in love and in His Word, that we may grow thereby, and all may know that we are His disciples indeed. Committed and disciplined followers of the Master, look to those who have gone before for example, walk with their brethren in unity, and teach and guide those who come behind us, that we all may grow in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, and become more like Christ. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ with all who will hear, that they may believe the Gospel, and have life in His Name.

    For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

On Christ the solid Rock I stand

12/19/2014

He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living GOD. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven. Then charged He his disciples that they should tell no man that He was Jesus the Christ. (Mat 16:15-20)

    The great proclamation of faith, that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son. Peter spoke up, loudly and boldly answering for them all, of the faith and knowledge the disciples had come to know of our Lord. Jesus acknowledges their faith, what it would mean to them all, and its place in the Kingdom, and then tells them to keep it quiet until the proper time to proclaim Him to the whole world. Their faith led them to turn the world upside down with their doctrine. Each a lively stone in the living building GOD has placed us in, standing on the foundation of Jesus.

    Jesus Christ, and our faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, is the bedrock of His Church. We observe to do all that He has commanded because of our faith in Him and His Word. We go where He tells us to go, because of our faith in His power and presence with us. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of GOD, and is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen; but without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to GOD must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. We walk by faith and not by sight.

    Those of us who know Him, and have a relationship with GOD through the Spirit of GOD, because of our repentance of sIn, and our faith in Him, are His Church. We are here to do His work, and accomplish His will, until He takes us Home to be with Him. We are His ambassadors, living here, but residents of another country. We are ministers of reconciliation, lifting Him up so that He will draw other to Himself, that they might be saved.

    We believe, and so we minister to those around us in His Name, that they might see Jesus in us, the hope of glory. We study His Word and learn of Him, that we might be His disciples indeed, and know the Truth of GOD, and exercise our faith unto GODliness. We share our faith with those around us, proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all who will hear and believe. As we go, we tell all of faith in Christ, and forgiveness of sIn, that can remove the condemnation and judgement that GOD has declared against sIn, that those who believe the Good News may have life in His Name.

    For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

This is the work of GOD that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent

12/18/2014

The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired Him that He would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And He left them, and departed. (Mat 16:1-4)

    The religious are always looking for signs, and yet miss the signs that GOD has already given them of Him and His marvelous creation. Jesus confronted these wicked authorities with their hypocrisy, and once again speaking with the Authority that is His, related the sign of Jonah to Himself. Just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the creature GOD had prepared for him, so Jesus would be three days and three nights in the tomb. Just as Jonah preached repentance and the righteousness of GOD, so Jesus preached during His earthly ministry to those that would hear and believe.

    We must not only see the signs and the times around us, but also compare them to Scripture. Precept upon Precept, and line upon line, looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith. All that came before His incarnation, was given as a sign, an example, a type or direct prophecy, for all Scripture speaks of Him. All that has come since, either points back to the Cross, equips and exhorts the Body of Christ, His Church, or points to His second coming, when He returns, not as a humble servant, but as He is, King of kings, and Lord of lords.

    Until the day He comes to take us Home to Himself, we are commanded to minister to those around us as His ambassadors. We are committed and counselled to disciple one another in His Word, that we may grow thereby. And we are commissioned to proclaim the Gospel of repentance and faith in Him to this lost and dying world. As we go, we are to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, buried, and raised again, so that all may hear and those that believe may receive Him by faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary and have life in His Name.

    For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified

12/17/2014

But He answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the Commandment of GOD by your tradition? For GOD commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the Commandment of GOD of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (Mat 15:3-9)

    Our Lord decries those who would add to His commands and precepts, and thereby nullify them. He cries against those who give lip service to Him, and yet in practice, do not follow or obey Him. He chastises those here who worship a GOD they do not know, for they do not worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. They have a form of godliness, but not the power thereof. Having rightly divided the Word of Truth, for He knew the Scriptures well, being its Author, He applied the judgment from the Word of GOD and pointed out their hypocrisy and their wresting the Scriptures to their own destruction.

    Well we should take heed, that our traditions do not add to or take away from GOD's Word, nor should they nullify the Statutes of our Lord. There are many things which some in the Church, and some others in the name of religion, have added, twisted, or ignored, that now it is tradition and we should carefully examine all things whether it be of GOD. Today, for the Church, in this age of Grace, we are not under the Law. That is not a license to sIn, nor should we do those things which are contrary to GOD's Moral and eternal Law, for that would be sIn. Nor should our Liberty lead others who are weaker to transgress in ignorance.

    We have a responsibility, a command, and a mandate, to study to shew ourselves approved unto GOD, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. To know Christ, through His Word; and to know Doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in Righteousness, by our disciplined and committed intake of the Bread of Life. We must let GOD speak to us through His Word, that we might observe to do according to all that is written therein.

    As His ambassadors, we are ministers of reconciliation, to share Jesus Christ with those who do not know Him. We are to reach out in comfort, and as GOD provides, to meet the needs of the hurting, and in need. We are to disciple one another, in Word, and in love, that all may know we are His disciples. We are to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, that those who hear may believe and receive forgiveness of their sIn through faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. We are to live the Gospel we preach, and share His love and mercy, while also telling of the Judgment and condemnation, that those who hear and believe might have life in His Name.

    For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet