CHRISTIANS OBEY GOD'S COMMANDS, PERIOD

JANUARY 27, 2012

CHRISTIANS OBEY GOD'S COMMANDS, PERIOD.

Most of the people I meet (especially church people), believe that Christians do not (cannot) keep the commandments of God. They basically believe God saves us IN our sin rather than FROM our sin. Of course, God's word contradicts such false doctrine. Consider a few things Jesus said, Paul said and John said.

PASSAGES...
JESUS SAID...
Matthew 12:47-50
(47) Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
(48) But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
(49) And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
(50) For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Luke 11:27-28
(27) And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.
(28) But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

John 14:15
(15) If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:21-24
(21) He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
(22) Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
(23) Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
(24) He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

John 15:10-14
(10) If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
(11) These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
(12) This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
(13) Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
(14) Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

PAUL SAID...
Romans 6:1-2
(1) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
(2) God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Romans 6:7-22
(7) For he that is dead is freed from sin.
(8) Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
(9) Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
(10) For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
(11) Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
(13) Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
(14) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
(15) What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
(16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
(17) But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
(18) Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
(19) I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
(20) For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
(21) What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
(22) But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Romans 8:2-3
(2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
(3) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

Romans 8:8-13

(8) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
(9) But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
(10) And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
(11) But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
(12) Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
(13) For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

JOHN SAID...
1 John 3:4-10
(4) Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
(5) And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
(6) Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
(7) Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
(8) He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
(9) Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
(10) In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

1 John 3:22-24
(22) And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
(23) And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
(24) And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

1 John 5:1-5
(1) Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
(2) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
(3) For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
(4) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
(5) Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

SHARING GREAT TRUTH

Recently I spent a couple of hours with two brothers in the Lord, sharing with them the claims of Christ on our lives. This includes living without sinning, perfect love from a heart purified from all sin, power to live victoriously every day. How exciting to share the Good News of full salvation with people who want to follow God fully.

Yet, how sad that they have never heard about salvation from all sin. It is disturbing for people to find out they have been misinformed all their lives. They have not just been UNinformed, they have been MISinformed. They have been told the lie that God does not deliver from all sin in this life; that they cannot love with perfect, holy, Godlike, self-denying love; that they cannot have their hearts purified completely by the infilling and indwelling of the Holy Spirit and that they cannot live victoriously every day.

It must be equally disturbing to meet one person in a lifetime that tells you what the Bible actually says concerning holiness of heart and life. But we should not be surprised. After sharing the Gospel with people on the streets, in the market place, in my social encounters, I sometimes ask them how many other people have told them about Christ that week, that month, that year or in their lifetime. More and more people are responding that I am the first to ever tell them. With so few people being offered salvation, it is understandable that so few people who are saved are being told the truth about full salvation (holiness of heart and life, entire sanctification).

After I had given the basic principles of full salvation to my two friends, one of them said incredulously, "But that sounds like you are saying we will not sin." I said, "Exactly." However, Christians do not give up sinning when they get Entirely Sanctified. They quit sinning when they got Saved (or they did not get saved). Justification saves is from sinful behavior and Entire Sanctification saves us from sinful nature. It is that clear and that basic.

Upward and Onward in Jesus,

Pastor David L. Gould

BOUNCY BELIEVER

JANUARY 16, 2012 
Bouncy Believer waved good-bye to loved ones as he jumped on board the Good Times Express, pulling out of Decision Station. The "GTE" promised fun, friends and freedom from accountability, but its destination was Corruption Chasm. The intoxication raged as the "GTE" sped farther from the fading call of loved one who had boarded The Old Gospel Train, bound for Glory. The deeper the "GTE" rushed into eternal darkness, the more horrific the trip became, with fewer opportunities to transfer to the The Glory Line. One of the great losses in a wrong decision is the loss of hope and the ability to change direction.

PASSAGE and a NOTE...
Proverbs 6:12-23 (NLT*)
12 What are worthless and wicked people like? They are constant liars,
13 signaling their deceit with a wink of the eye, a nudge of the foot, or the wiggle of fingers.
14 Their perverted hearts plot evil, and they constantly stir up trouble.
15 But they will be destroyed suddenly, broken in an instant beyond all hope of healing.
16 There are six things the LORD hates— no, seven things he detests:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent,
18 a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong,
19 a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family.
20 My son, obey your father’s commands, and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
21 Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk, their counsel will lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up, they will advise you.
23 For their command is a lamp and their instruction a light; their corrective discipline is the way to life.

DLG note... The journey into darkness becomes more and more tumultuous and the final destination is eternal misery. There will come a time when you cannot make the change, you will not hear the voice of God. Call upon Him now, while you have the opportunity.

*New Living Translation: I chose this translation for this passage because it clarifies some of the terminology. The following shows the KJV word and the meaning as found in Strong; Brown-Driver-Briggs (Hebrew Definitions); Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament and assorted commentaries (Barnes; Clark; JFB). I have only given a few verses, to validate of my use of NLT in this passage.

Vs. 12 Naughty means worthless.

Vs. 12 Froward means distorted, crooked, perverse, lying.

Vs. 14 Frowardness means perversity, fraud.

Vs. 14 Mischief means evil.

Vs. 14 Discord means strife, contention, litigation, contest, quarrel brawling.

Vs. 15 Calamity means oppression, ruin, destruction, (literally) crushing weight.

Upward and Onward in Jesus,

Pastor David L. Gould

THE POWER OF LOVE

JANUARY 14, 2012
The Power of Love. Ever notice how a child will obey someone because of love, when they are not motivated by either punishment or privilege? Yes, we should still reprove and reward them, but when they have love for us, it is stronger than discipline. We cannot make them love, but we can provide an atmosphere where love lives (is alive). Love comes more easily to a child. Don't miss that window of opportunity, and don't beat yourself up if they abandon that love as they get older.

And see, this is true in the believer's life also. If we love Him, we keep His commandments, love is the fulfilling of the law.

John 14:15
(15)  If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:21-24
(21)  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
(22)  Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
(23)  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
(24)  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

John 15:10-14
(10)  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
(11)  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
(12)  This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
(13)  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
(14)  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

Romans 13:10
(10)  Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

1 John 5:3
(3)  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Upward and Onward in Jesus,

Pastor David L. Gould

POOR MULE

JANUARY 12, 2012
So, I was training my mule not to eat or drink. He was doing so well, and then all of a sudden he died. Go figure. (Just something to think about). I posted this on my Facebook, as a teaser and then I gave the following explanation.

BASIC TRUTH...
The same thing would be true for my dog, my cow, my goldfish, my parrot, my chicken, my friends, my enemies, my family and myself. This would be true concerning your mule, dog, cow, goldfish, parrot, chicken, friends, enemies, family or yourself. This is also true for sheep, no matter who owns the sheep.

Too often, the sheep of God think they can eat one time and live forever. In fact, if we do not feed our spiritual man (our inner man, inward man, hidden man), then we die spiritually. If our spirit does not draw from the well of life or drink from the river of living water, then we die. Just as the branches that do not receive nourishment are cut off from the Vine, so we will be cut off.

Some people think they can be strong Christians even if they are not feasting on the word of God, and the Lord Jesus, when, in fact, they will not even be weak Christians, because spiritual existence depends on spiritual subsistence.


Matthew 4:4
(4)  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

John 6:27
(27)  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

Hebrews 5:12-14

(12)  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

(13)  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

(14)  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

John 4:14

(14)  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 7:37-38

(37)  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

(38)  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Launch Out and Hold Fast,
Pastor David L. Gould

TWO THOUGHTS CONCERNING THE REVELATION

JANUARY 11, 2012
FOUR VIEWS OF INTERPRETING THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Preterism places the fulfillment of the prophecies of Revelation in the past, specifically during the time of Nero and the Jewish wars with Rome in the first century.

Historcism teaches that Revelation's prophecies have been fulfilled throughout Church History, rather than after the Church Age.

Symbolism teaches that the events of Revelation are allegorical explanations concerning spiritual realities.

Futurism teaches that most of the events of Revelation (from ch. 4) are going to happen after the rapture of the Church. This view obviously espouses the most literal interpretation of the Book of Revelation (actually, the only literal interpretation).

There are variations within each one of these four views. Each view is related to other doctrinal points of view, including Roman Catholicism, Reformed Theology, Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism, among others.

I am a Futurist.

THE OLD TESTAMENT, A MAJOR KEY TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Revelation is the last book of the Bible, the final installment of Divinely inspired Scripture, closing out the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments.

Though Revelation is a New Testament book, it cannot be properly understood without a knowledge of the Old Testament, likewise, the Old Testament prophecies cannot be understood without final pieces found in The Revelation. The  Old Testament quotes, imagery, events, character and prophecy are found throughout Revelation.

Matthew, the most Jewish of the four Gospels, has about 90 references from the Old Testament.

Hebrews, the most Jewish of the Epistles, has just over 100 references from the Old Testament.

Revelation has far more OT connections, with about 280 out of 404 verses referencing the Old Testament (encompassing over 500 OT passages).

Not only is the material in Revelation based on O.T. Scripture, the writing style, viewpoint and use of Greek language is Jewish. John was a Jew, who thought and wrote as a Jew, even when he was using the Greek language. Biblical symbolism is not without meaning, and it is not left to subjective and fanciful interpretation. God chose the symbols and gave us the meaning to the symbols. Most of the imagery and symbolism is found and understood by searching the Old Testament, the rest of it is usually explained in the Revelation itself.

Remember, the name of the book is, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ," indicating the purpose to be Divine disclosure, not "Hidden Message."

Launch Out and Hold Fast,

Pastor David L. Gould

THE END OF THE WORLD, 2012?

JANUARY 9, 2012
YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THEIR FACES

I announced to the church yesterday that I believe 2012 will be the end of the world. I did not set a date. I was not referring to the return of Christ or the Conflagration or the end of the cosmos. The news media confirms my statement every day and the Bible is the basis for my viewpoint.

NEGATIVE REACTION

I have been thinking about the people who set dates for the end of the world and the return of Christ; I have also been thinking about the extreme negativity that those false prophets raise in society. Society not only rejects the false prophets and their prognostications, they also reject legitimate Biblical prophecies concerning the end times. They say the world will not end, Christ will not return, Judgment Day is not coming. I react to their over reaction by saying, “The world is going to end in 2012.”

FOR SOMEBODY

Those of you who know me (and trust me), know that I am not an end times date setter. Still, I really do believe 2012 will be the end of the world... for some people... at least 56 million people... or as I stated on Facebook, the end of the world for 1 out of every 113 people, which is the present day mortality rate. This rate will rise dramatically if war, famine, pestilence and disease takes place in global proportions.

A FACT OF LIFE

The media reports death daily and the obituaries are dedicated to death. The Bible says, it is appointed unto man once to die, and after that, the judgment (He. 9:27). For those who die, the world ends. In fact, for the people who are close to the deceased, the world as they know it also ends. Death is a killer. Death is a destroyer. Death is a terminator. Death is so final, at least until something better or worse comes along. Death is our enemy, our last enemy (1 Co. 15:26).

IT IS PERSONAL

This is a sobering concept. How many friends do you have on Facebook? How many of your FB friends died last year. How many of your non FB friends died last year? The annual mortality rate, worldwide, has been averaging one out of every 113 people. Death took at least 2 of my 140 FB friends last year, and I also had non FB friends die. Make no mistake: Death is not our friend; Death does not respect age, station, gender, race, education; Death is our enemy. The Good News is: Jesus saves us from our final enemy, Death.

So, before you scoff at the idea that the world is going to end in 2012, remember, it is going to end for someone, maybe a friend, maybe a loved one, maybe yourself. It would be prudent to be prepared for the eventuality of death, because it could be today. As Christian, we should be throwing out the lifeline to those who are lost in sin.

VARIOUS VIEWPOINTS

There are several ways people respond to this issue. Here are a few of those responses.They don't believe in life after death, so they ignore the subject or hopelessly cringe at the idea.

They believe that God does not punish anyone for their sins, so they don't worry about death and judgment.

They believe that they are good enough, and will get to heaven on personal merit.

They believe in a false religion, savior or salvation and find comfort in a false hope.

They believe they are going to die, the world is going to end and they are going to answer for their sins, but are not prepared.

They believe they are ready for death and eternity with God, because they have a living and active faith in Jesus Christ (1 Co. 15:54-55).

If anyone has any questions, or needs to talk about these things, let me know. I will try to help you.

Upward and Onward in Jesus,

Pastor David L. Gould

DIG A LITTLE DEEPER

JANUARY 7, 2012
DIG A LITTLE DEEPER...
Have you ever had an itch that needed scratching? Ohhh, that feels soooo good. Sometimes the scratching is more of a pleasant sensation than an itch relief. Some people, and animals, scratch, scratch, scratch until they tear the skin and get infected.

AFFLICTED WITH SELF GRATIFICATION
Spiritually, people do the same. They afflict themselves with self gratification, rather than getting Divine deliverance from their irritation. Scratching is a surface response to a deeper need.

TRUE HEALING
Only Jesus can relieve your deepest misery and satisfy your deepest longings.

Proverbs 14:12-13
(12)  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
(13)  Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.

Romans 10:9-10
(9)  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
(10)  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.


Upward and Onward in Jesus,

Pastor David L. Gould