Getting Used to Exchanging God’s Justice for Mercy

GETTING USED TO EXCHANGING GOD'S JUSTICE FOR MERCY

• Romans 2:5
  
• Charles E. Whisnant, Pastor/Teacher
  
• April 25, 2010
  

Romans 2:5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Romans 2:5

"BUT after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God: who will render to every man according to his deeds:"

People see themselves as deserving. "Well, I am not so bad!" They never are thankful for life. They just take it for granted and get the idea that they deserve it all anyway.

RESULT IN TODAY'S MODERN CHRISTIANITY: It's all about self image, worth and value. How I look, how big my house is, the brand of car I drive, the clothes that I wear.

GOD'S POINT OF VIEW ABOUT US WOULD BE? Sinners.

• Today salvation is viewed as "what can it do for me, and not how it affects God.
  
• Too many of us are indulging ourselves in God's mercy
  

HOW DO WE SEE THE JUSTICE OF GOD?

• Child dies? Wife/Husband dies? Sickness? Can't find a job? Too many things are going wrong?
  
• As a result, we question God's love, mercy and goodness.
  

MY QUESTION IS "HOW CAN PEOPLE QUESTION GOD'S GOODNESS?"

TAKE A NOTE OF HOW GOD WORKED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT DAYS

• He turned Lot's wife into a pillar of salt.
  
• Told Abraham to burn up his son.
  
• Sent a bunch of snakes into the camp of Israel.
  
• Fire kills hundreds in Elijah's time.
  
• 35 sins in which God prescribed the death penalty.
  

We misunderstand the SIN principle. We don't see what we do as sin against God. We don't see SIN as a blow at God's character, or misrepresentation of God's image, or His intention for us. We don't see it as insulting to God.

• Originally all sin required death. But God being merciful, by the time of the Mosaic Law you have only 35.
  

We have gotten so used to God's mercy and grace, getting away with our sins, not being punished, getting accustomed to Grace, we have just abused it. So when God does act in justice, we believe He is unjust.

GOD DOES CHOOSE AT TIMES NOT TO BE MERCIFUL

• If God didn't choose to act in justice, think how much worse this world would really be.
  
• Truth of the matter is, more of God's justice should be seen.
  
• If there were no examples of the consequences of sin we would go on joyfully, without a thought of His mercy. We get used to exchanging God's justice for mercy.
  
• I Corinthians 10:11: "for our example."
  
  • To build into our hearts an attitude of thanksgiving.
    
  • "Every day we live we should say "Thank you God for your mercy, and for overlooking my sin today, which should cause my death."
    
  • Never allow yourself to tolerate insubordination and disobedience just because God does show us mercy.
    

  Luke 13:1-5 The Jews of the first century believed that all suffering was due to God's judgment on sin. This concept is shared by some Christians today when they ask, "Why do the righteous suffer? The Scripture teaches that God allows temporal disasters to happen for various reasons-one of which is to lead people to repentance. Why God Permits Accidents? One answer would be to lead to repentance.
  

SO WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU KEEP ON BEING STUBBORN ABOUT YOUR SINS?

• God's wrath, though it comes not on you yet, is like a stream that is damned up. Every moment it gathers force. It bursts not the dike, yet every hour it is swelling it. Each moment of each day in which you remain an unbeliever you are treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath when the measure of your iniquity is full.
  
• You are storing up divine fury that will be turned loose on that day of wrath. The Great White Throne of God. And you keep trading on God's mercy and you will feel the eternal damnation of God for ever in Hell.
  
• So be grateful for God's mercy today and come to God in a repentant heart and turn to Christ.
  

  
   

• Today if you sense the wind of God's Spirit coming over you, today is the day of salvation.
  

What Does Spiritual Service Look Like 1

What Does Spiritual Service Look Like Part One from Charles E. Whisnant on Vimeo.

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO TEACH THESE PRINICPLES / TRUTHS TO YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AND MAKE APPLICATION TO YOUR DAILY LIVING. LET'S NOT BE NOTES RICH, APPLICATION POOR.

WHAT DOES A SPIRITUAL SERVANT LOOK LIKE

PART ONE

Philippians 2:17-18

THE SACRIFICIAL SIDE OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
Charles E. Whisnant

April 25 2010

"Nevertheless (you must not think that I regret my toil and pain); if matters should worsen so that I will crown the sacrificial service brought about by your faith (or my sacrificial service for your faith) by being poured out as a libation, I still rejoice and share my joy with all of you. In the same way you should rejoice and share your joy with me." Silva: Philippians 17:18)

Paul's appeal for the church to consider their spiritual condition, as having weighty implication for his work. And we are given an example of what it means to have a sacrificial Christian life, or the model of a Spiritual Servant

INTRODUCTION:

• F.B. MYERS: "I have only one ambition: to be God's errand boy."
  
• John MacArthur Jr. to me is a model of a Spiritual Servant.
  
• PAUL THE APOSTLE: He is the biblical pattern for spiritual life.
  
• 
  
• 
  PAUL would be on the Wheaties Box of Champions
  

  
  

Paul's point in 2:1-16 "We are called to humbly work out our salvation knowing it's the power of God working in us to do so in every situation of life without complaint and arguing. And that is the pattern of our spiritual service.

PAUL GIVES DUTY AND PRINCIPLES:

• Humility of mind
  
• A Non-complaining spirit. Watch your attitude.
  
• A Working out your sanctification in the power of God.
  

HOW CAN WE LIVE OUT SUCH A LIFE:

• How can we get on the outside, what God has put on the inside? Paul's driving force was that in his spiritual race, the race would be won and that the race would not be in vain. Thus Paul was consumed with Christ and not himself and was driven by love and the fear of failure.
  

AN EFFECTIVE SERVANT FOR JESUS CHRIST

Before any of our service for God will have any lasting result, it must be saturated with our heart's blood. Much of our service is nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. Without a pouring forth of soul of sacrifice there is little in the way of spiritual lasting gain. The amount of spiritual worth is gauged by the expending of our spiritual force.

THE SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE ILLUSTRATED IN THE LIFE OF PAUL:

Paul was a model for us to follow as a spiritual servant. He was used by God as a personal illustration of what God saw as a Spiritual Servant.

• Paul's life backed up his words. Much of our words are not in reality what reflects in our real life. Is it?
  
• The decision of John Piper to take a leave from the pulpit for eight months: May 2010 to December 2010 in order to reflect on this service to the Lord.
  
• We should be willing to sacrifice our self to be a spiritual model for others? Are YOU?
  
• But when godliness is present and a person is truly spiritual and godly, deep, and walking in closeness with Christ, there is an utter lack of self consciousness.
  

THE IMAGERY IN PAUL'S MIND:

Vs. 17 Poured
out as a drink offering
⁽⁴⁶⁸⁹⁾ (spendo) means to pour out an offering as an act of worship or ritual observance or as a libation. Paul is alluding to his possible martyrdom (which by tradition did become a reality).

• Paul sees his life as a drink-offering, as a "pouring out". Paul saw his life as an offering pleasing to God. And his life was a willing one.
  

THERE IS A GREATER SACRIFICE: THAT OF THE PHILIPPIAN CHURCH

They were suffering greatly for their faith. Philippians 1:28-29

Paul never said, "Why am I in chains and suffering?" He said, "This is just my drink offering, a small one at that, in comparison to your sacrifice, Jesus."

John Piper

How would you encourage a Christian to resist sin while knowing that God will ultimately work it for their good?
That's really a good question.

Very practically, the devil and our own sin can incline us to use the sovereignty of God to justify complicity in sin. And it's at this point that we need to have a strong commitment to the authority of the Bible and the authority of God telling us how to live with the truth that he has revealed to us.

So many of us learn a fact, like "God is sovereign" or "God loves me" or "God hates sin," and we start spinning implications out of our brain, some of which aren't biblical!

They look rational. They look like they should be believed. "Well, if God is sovereign, then he is responsible for evil. Therefore we can't be responsible. Therefore let us sin that grace may abound," blah blah blah, and it's all unbiblical!

If we're going to latch on to big truths like the sovereignty of God, we've got to latch on to them the way God ordains for us to latch on to them. We've got to latch on to them biblically. That is, we have to see them in connection with all the other biblical truths.

Among those biblical truths is Paul contemplating the thought in Romans 3 and 6, "Shall we sin that grace may abound?" He just said in Romans 5:21 that where sin abounded, grace much more abounded. And here goes somebody with their logic: "Cool! I'll just make grace abound everywhere! I'll just click on as much pornography as I can, and commit as much fornication as I can, and steal as much as I can, and be as greedy as I can. Praise God's grace!"

And Paul answers that in chapter 3 that those people deserve to be accursed. And he says in chapter 6, "Shall we sin that grace may abound? God forbid! For how can you who died still live in it?"

Now there's a truth as important as the truth of God's sovereignty.

Christian, you're dead. You've got to come to terms with what that means. You can't just say, "Well God is sovereign, therefore all my sins are his doing. Therefore I can sin." No! Be biblical. Think God's thoughts. This is complex. Don't depend on your own brain. Depend on God's brain. And God says, "Dead people don't sin" (Romans 6:3).

So you need to figure out what it means to be dead. And put to death what is earthly in you. "If we live according to the flesh, we will die. If we, by the Spirit, put to death the deeds of the body, we will live." That's a truth as big as the truth of God's sovereignty. You can't throw that out and just go do your own logical thing.

So my answer is, Be biblical. We're working here with infinite realities that our brains are not capable of managing on our own. You can't learn one truth from God and then manage it with your brain. You have to constantly submit every thought that you have about God to other thoughts about God so that God manages your brain. Otherwise you will take a truth and distort it in some sinful way.

This is really big. Bottom line: be thoroughly biblical. Test everything by the Bible.

What Is The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts

The Significance of Spiritual Gifts from Charles E. Whisnant on Vimeo.

This video is the first of three parts of the same lesson from April 21, 2010. This video is uncut and is as it was presented on Wednesday Night. Now that is not always good I guess. But it is what the people heard when they were present. I wish I could edit the message but I don't know how.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS

CHARLES E. WHISNANT, APRIL 21, 2010

ICORINTHIANS 12

INTRODUCTION

1A    THE BODY PRINICPLE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS

    1B    THE MANIFESTATION OF THE BODY

Jesus Christ in His incarnation, revealed Himself in a human body. Through that body, all the attributes of deity were made manifest and God became visible in human history. Christ is Body 1 and the corporate assembly of believers is Body 2.

Christ wants to leave Himself in the world. He wants us to be Christ's in the world. Christ wants to reproduce in us His very essence, His very life, his very personality, His very character.

    2B    THE MEMBERS OF THE BODY

        Each person who knows the Lord Jesus Christ is a vital member of this Body.

        Ephesians 2:21-22, Ephesians 4:7,8, 11.

        1C    MATURING

Ephesians 4:12: Gifted men are for the maturing of the Saints for the work of the ministry.        

        2C    MASTERING

            Ephesians 4:12-13

2A    THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS

    1B    THEY ARE ESSENTIAL

        1 Corinthians 12:1, Ephesians 4:12

    2B    THEY ARE COUNTERFEITED

        1C    FLESHLY COUNTERFEITS

            2C    SATANIC COUNTERFEITS

    3B    THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE SOURCE

All spiritual gifts are supernaturally empowered, energized, and given by the Holy Spirit. They are beyond the natural. It is not like singing, playing an instrument, or clever with a certain art. They are supernatural enablements. They are "spiritual". They are controlled by the Holy Spirit.

    4B    THEY WILL ALWAYS UNITE

        They will always unite the body, never divide it.

    5B    THEY ARE NOT A SIGN OF SPIRITUALITY

        Some are carnal, but they did have spiritual gifts I Corinthians 3:1

6B    THEY ARE NOT FOR THE POSSESSOR, BUT FOR THE GOOD OF OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BODY

    1 Corinthians 12:5 gifts are called "services." Something I do for you.

    12:7 they are called "manifestations" Something that is made public, and given to every man to profit for the good of those gathered together.

7B    THEY HAVE THE PROMISE OF DIVINE ENERGY

    I Corinthians 12:4, 5, 6. I Peter 4:10-11

8B    THEY COME IN VARIETIES

    1C    A UNIQUE POSITION

y        No two Christians are alike. Each has a unique place and position in the Body

    2C    A UNIQUE COMPOSITION

1 Peter 4:10; Ephesians 4:7. Yes. One gift, but that gift is a composite of all the various kinds of enablements.

        1D    THE ILLUSTRATIONS

        I Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6

        2D    THE INCREASES

    When God puts you in the Body, He gives you what you need to minister based on your personality.

        3B    THE IRRESPONSIBILITY

    We really are to minister in all areas. Some have greater responsibilities than others.

9B    YOUCAN HAVE A GIFT AND NOT BE USING IT

    1 Timothy 1:6

10B    THERE ARE SEVERAL TERMS TO DESCRIBE THESE DIVINE ENABLEMENTS

    They are called energizing, services, manifestations, grace gifts and spiritual gifts.

11B    THE LIST IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE

    We say there are 7 or 8 major gifts but there are many other kinds of gifts.

12B    ALL GIFTS ARE TO BUILD THE BODY

    Ephesians 4:12 and 1 Corinthians 12:7

13B    SOME GIFTS ARE ALSO SIGN GIFTS

14B    THE GIFTS ARE DISTINCT FROM THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT

Vacation 2010

Today Sunday, we are in Arlington Texas, and going to church in Arlington. We will be leaving for home later in the day. The trip is only 914 miles. We have had a great time this week.

So How Do We See People Saved, Born Again

T4G 2010 -- Session 5 -- John MacArthur
- Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

If you want to know my position about Evangelism and the preaching/teaching of the Gospel, and how to present the Gospel, John will explain my position. He does it so well.

Vacation in Texas

I took these phone from my cell phone and down load from Ellen's PC,

Today Charity and I are in Midlothian Tx with Mom and Ellen and Stephen. Mom is doing better than I believed. She is doing rather well. We made the trip with Becky and Kyle and Brittney and Briley some 950 miles.

Its good to be able to take time away from work and have people to carry on for you. Charity has very good workers at Union Mills who will do a great job. And I have some great people at Rivers of Joy who will do a great joy while I am gone, and do a great great job when we are there. Its good to be able to relax and have a great vacation..

VACATION IN TEXAS

I guess you are not to tell people you are on vacation, but since the thief has been by our house three times, there is not much left for him to take. Nevertheless you are not to live in fear of what could happen.

We are visiting my Mom on her 88th birthday in Texas for a few days and will be back soon. We are happy that my Assoc Pastor Bill Bower will be preaching for me Sunday.

Mom is doing very well I found out this week. Ellen is doing a wonderful in taking care of Mom. Stephen her son is really a great help to Mom too.

We are reporting from Ellen house tonight, after a great birthday dinner for Mom.

God Is Good and Longsuffering

WHAT IS THE STANDARD FOR JUDGMENT

Pastor/Teacher Charles E. Whisnant

Rivers of Joy Baptist Church On April 11, 2010

I have come to the reality that this Bible is in fact God's very message to you and me. We're not dealing with some second hand commentary on what God thinks. There is no panel of commentators who give us their opinion of God. But this is His own precious word and scripture claims that every word of God is pure and all scripture is given so mankind will know the thinking and will of God. The word is for our maturity and growth.

 

What have we been learning thus far in chapter two of Romans:

God will judge all men, you and me, and through Jesus Christ. That's the Divine Plan:

• ³¹Because God hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man (Jesus) whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He (God) hath raised Him (Jesus) from the dead." Acts 17
  
• ²²For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: John 5
  
•  ²⁷And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. John 7
  
• ⁴⁸He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. John 12
  

 

SIX PRINCIPLES FOR DIVINE JUDGEMENT

 

1A    KNOWLEDGE:
vs. 1 If you know enough to judge someone else, then you khow enough to be held responsible for what you do.

• Romans 2:1 Therefore you have
  ^(2SPAI) no excuse, ^{(KJV= "O man} ) everyone
  * of you who passes judgment
  ^(PAPMSN) , for
  in that which you judge
  ^(2SPAI)  another, you condemn
  ^(2SPAI) yourself; for you who judge
  ^(PAPMSN)  practice
  ^(2SPAI) the same
  things.
  

2A    TRUTH: vs. 2-3. Judgment will fit the facts. God has the books which keep a perfect record of the truth about us, words, thoughts, deeds are perfectly kept.

• Romans 2:2 And we know that the judgment of God
  rightly
  falls upon
  those who practice
  such
  things
  
• Romans 2:3 But do you suppose
  this, O
  man, when you pass
  judgment) on those who practice) such
  things and do
  the same yourself, that you will escape
  the judgment of God? ^{(NASB )}
  

3A    GUILT: vs. 4-5. All of us have been or are guilty of despising the goodness of God.

• ⁴Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?  ⁵But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; kjv
  

 

• Romans 2:4 Or do you think lightly
  ^(2PAI)
  of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing
  that the kindness of God
  leads
  ^3SPAI) you to repentance?
  
• Romans 2:5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant
  heart you are storing up
  wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous
  judgment of God, ^(NASB:
  )
  

By God's goodness He has been leading us to repentance. But as Hosea 11:4, 7 says

• ⁴I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love:
  
•  ⁷And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.
  

Despisest: or Think lightly
⁽2706)

• To think, have understanding = mind, faculty of perceiving and judging, literally means to think down upon and so to despise, scorn, hold in contempt, not care for because it is thought to be without value. It means to "think little of". The idea is to look down on someone or something with contempt or dislike, with the implication that one considers the object of little value or as unworthy of one's notice or consideration.
  
• Is present tense indicating that this contemptuous attitude is continuous and not just a one time thought. Active voice emphasizes that this attitude/action is a personal conscious, willful choice and thus they are fully accountable.
  

Of The Riches
⁴¹⁴⁹

• properly denotes abundance, plentitude, and literally is used to refer to material wealth or prosperity (abundance of earthly, temporal goods) which is the meaning in the parable of the seed and the soils (Matthew 13:22) Material riches are deceitful and choke out reception of the Word of God
  
• Experiencing God's benefits so very much every day.
  

Of His Kindness or Goodness
⁵⁵⁴⁴

• 
  Furnish what is needed, to providing that which one needs. This word includes the idea of so called "common grace" which speak of the benefits God bestows on all. And is kindliness which disposes God to do good.
  

Forbearance
⁴⁶³
or Tolerance

• To be patient with in regard to errors or weaknesses = "put up with") describes self-restraint, a holding back, a pause, a temporary cessation, a state of respite from something onerous or disagreeable. Forbearance refers to a refraining from the enforcement of something (as a debt, right, or obligation) that is due.
  
  • One who ignores all of God's riches is acting in contempt
    
  • God could in a flash wipe out nations, cities, towns, homes, you or me.
    
• GOD IS JUST GOOD YOU KNOW.
  
  • ¹Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. Psalms 52:1;
    
  • ⁵He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD. Psalms 33:5;
    
  •  ⁹The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. Psalms 145:9;
    
  • 
    ⁸Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Psalms 107:8
    

But the sad fact is most people don't see God as GOOD. Most wonder how it is that God is so bad to good people. People will often say: "How can God allow this or that?"

 

LET ME TELL YOU THE ANSWER:

And Patience
³¹¹⁵

• Is literally a "long-temper.
  Means patience with people, the ability to bear long in the face of disappointment and opposition.
  
• God is longsuffering, putting up with provoking people or circumstances without retaliating. God's long suffering, as if His pouring out of His wrath was on a long fuse, burning slowly but giving time to escape. The "slowness" in avenging wrongs demonstrates His goodness and forbearance—for long periods of time.
  
  • The goodness of God best is demonstrated when men sin, that man doesn't fall down dead on the spot. God has the right to wipe out the human race when nations, people sin against Him.
    
  • God has been specially good to Israel, the pagan in Noah's time,
    
  • God is extremely patient with us today, don't you think?
    
  • The fact that His punishment does not immediately follow sin is not a proof of His powerlessness; it is a proof of His patience.
    
  • If you ever thought for one moment that God is unjust, it only reveals how easy it is to abuse the goodness of God.
    

Lead You:⁷¹

• 
  Means to lead, lead along, bring, carry, to move or impel.
  
• God calls to repentance by the gospel; God leads to repentance by His goodness.
  

To Repentance
³³⁴¹

• Means to change one's mind, which is associated with a corresponding change in behavior.
  
• When you realize what you really deserve and how good God is, you would ever be thankful.
  
• Implies a radical change in one's view of things (specifically a change of mind about sin), and in one's estimate of matters
  and a change in one's purposes, a change in one's thoughts and in one's conduct.
  
• Is a change of mind that results in an action of the will. If a sinner honestly changes his mind about sin he will turn from it. If he sincerely changes his mind about Jesus Christ, he will turn to Him, trust Him, and be saved.
  
• Spurgeon describes repentance as follows...
  
  • A man may hate sin just as a murderer hates the gallows, but this does not prove repentance. If I hate sin because of the punishment, I have not repented of sin. I merely regret that God is just. But if I can see sin as an offense against Jesus Christ, and loathe myself because I have wounded Him, then I have a true brokenness of heart... What if I say that repentance is like the cry of a newborn babe, which indicates that the child is alive? That cry of "God be merciful to me a sinner!" (Luke 18:13) is as sure a sign of life as the song of cherubim before the throne...To hate sin because it caused the brow of Christ to be girt with the thorn crown, and the face of Christ to be dishonored with the spittle, and the hands of Christ to be pierced with the nail—this is repentance—not because I am afraid of hell, not because sin brings pains and penalties with it, but because it made Jesus Christ to suffer for me such pangs unutterable....Repentance and faith are like Siamese twins. If one is sick the other cannot be well, for they live but one life. If ever you are asked which comes first, repentance or faith, you may answer by another question: "Which spoke of a wheel moves first when the wheel begins to move?"
    
•  Spurgeon adds that
  
  • Repentance is not a preparation for looking to Christ. Do you not see that? The looking is put first, and the mourning after-wards. Yet you have said, "We must mourn for sin, and then look to Christ to pardon it." That is not God's order. There will never be a tear of acceptable repentance in your eye till you have first looked to Jesus Christ. If you weep for sin without fixing your gaze on Christ, you will have to weep again over your repentance, for it is itself another sin." And again says "We are to tell of the source of repentance, namely, that the Lord Jesus Christ is exalted on high to give repentance. Repentance is a plant that never grows on nature's dunghill. The nature must be changed, and repentance must be implanted by the Holy Spirit, or it will never flourish in our hearts. We preach repentance as a fruit of the Spirit, or else we greatly err.
    
• "Most people never think like that you know. How about you? What do you think about the goodness of God? Has God's goodness lead you to Repentance?"

(Pastor Charles)

Charles Whisnant

Charles Whisnant, and speakers in March 2010

View more documents from Charles E. Whisnant.

Wednesday Night Report

 

What are "Spiritual Gifts?"

A Biblical Approach to Understanding and Applying that with which God has Called and Gifted You!

What Direction are you going?

The word, Spiritual Gift, comes from the Greek phrase chrismata or sometimes referred to as Charisma, and is defined as, "a gift of grace." This means we, as Christians, are given a "favor" or a "special gift" to do the work of ministry on behalf of, and empowered by, our Lord Jesus Christ. In ancient Greek, it was a phrase that a conquering general, giving a gift to the people he had just conquered as a symbol of their dependence upon the conqueror, would use. We are not conquered in spirit, but our Will as a Christian becomes less as He becomes more. Thus, Gifts are also a reminder of our dependence upon Christ as Lord.

It is each Believer's responsibility to find, develop, and exercise the Gifts given to him/her!

 
 

Some of the Gifts include leadership, teaching, pastoral care, mercy, giving... there are seven basis gifts and some say as many as twenty of them! How we are to behave and interact with one another is governed by the Spirit working through each of us with these Gifts. We must acknowledge our role in the Body; there are no lone wolves in Christ! We have a duty to fulfill, and a role to play. When we refuse to find and use our Gifts, we not only hurt ourselves, but each other and our Lord! The Church is greatly diminished, the work of the Lord given to us is left undone, and opportunities are missed!

RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH

MINFORD, OHIO

State Route 139 and Shady Lane

Phone:740 353 0525

WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY

BY PASTOR/TEACHER

CHARLES E. WHISNANT

APRIL 2010

 

THIS SUNDAY APRIL 11, 2010

• Bible Study at 10:00 A.M.
  
• WORSHIP: 11 A.M.
  
• SUNDAY NIGHT: 6:00 P.M.
  
  • Our speaker will be JOHNNY EDWARDS
    

WEDNESDAY NIGHT APRIL 14^TH AND SUNDAY APRIL 17^TH BILL BOWER WILL BE SPEAKING IN ALL THE SERVICES.

CHARLES AND CHARITY will be on vacation.

LAST SUNDAY APRIL 4^TH EASTER SUNDAY.

Pastor's are always trying to find the bright spot of each week. We HAD half the attendance of last year. We had half the visitors as last year. Several families for various reasons did not attend and several families from last year had left the church body. Doesn't sound very encouraging does it?

Nevertheless we did have eight visitors, and our offering was $500.12. Bro. Bill and the choir did have a good Easter musical. Charity's class of girls had a great time as well.

We have reworked our Church Insurance Policy and the cost has dropped over $600 a year.

The Resurrection Proved

WHAT DID THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST PROVE AND PROVIDE?

The whole purpose of our ministry is to teach you the Word of God and what the Father would have you to know about Him and His Son.

Christianity more than anything else is a belief about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 

What is it that really proves that Jesus Christ really rose from the dead? Answer: The Bible.    

 

What does the resurrection prove? Answer: The means whereby you can be born again and have eternal life in heaven.

1A    THE TRUTHFULNESS OF THE WORD OF GOD: How?

• Acts2:25-32; Psalms16:8; Acts 13:31-32;
  Acts 26:22-23; John 2:19-22; Luke 14:25-27; I Corin 15:3-4.
  

2A    THE DEITY OF THE SON OF GOD:

• Mark 5:6-7;
  John 9:27; John 11:37; Romans 1:4;
  Acts 13:30; Romans 6:4; Ephesians 1:19
  

3A    THE COMPLETION OF THE SALVATON OF GOD.

• Romans 4:25. When God raised Jesus from the dead, God was saying Jesus satisfied God's holy justice. And God is saying, "I accept the sacrifice".
  

THE RESURRECTION WAS NECESSARY FOR OUR

1. Justification: i.e. we have been justified, made right before God and He granted to us eternal life. John 11:25.
   
2. The sending of the Holy Spirit. John 16:7-9. This means that Jesus comes into our life and we are guaranteed eternal life
   
3. To forgive our sins. Hebrews 2:17
   and 9:26
   
4. For Jesus to ask on our behalf for us. I John 1:1-2; Hebrews 4:14; 7:26
   
5. To grant us spiritual gifts. Ephesians 4:10-1-2
   
6. To grant us spiritual power;
   Matthew 18:18; Acts 1:8;
   Ephesians 1:7
   

To give us a new position of blessings. Ephesians 1:3; 2:7