Posts from March 2021
Be The Best You Can Be: The Golden Principle – Part 4 of 4
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (Traditional) “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.” (AMP) “Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God’s Law and Prophets and this is what you get.” (MSG) Matthew 7:12 – THE “GOLDEN” RULE IS OFTEN STATED BUT RARELY DUPLICATED. 1. For centuries, this…
Paul’s Teaching on Perfection
Mike examines the words and ideas that Paul lays before us in Galatians 5 as he describes the actual perfection Christians can achieve through the power of the Holy Spirit. So far in our study I have explained the ideas of conditional and actual perfection and how these relate to each other. Very briefly then: Conditional perfection is that state of being righteous or justified before God that we receive through faith in Christ (expressed in repentance and baptism). We…
Christ in Every Season of Your Life: The Golden Years
This program is taught by and intended for women. As women who have matured in their faith, raised a family, and have had a godly marriage we are called to be an example to younger sisters in Christ. Through every stage of life there is work to be done for the kingdom. Join Becky Blackmon in this concluding lesson on how women in their golden years can continue to be a tool for Christ and the church.
Reward and Punishment
When I was in Junior High my English teacher taught our class how to write a “precis”. A precis is a shortened version of an essay or article that maintains the meaning of the original piece of writing. He would do this by assigning us a 500-word essay on a particular topic and once completed would require the class to rewrite that same essay in 250 words, then 100 words, and finally 50 words. This exercise trained us to convey…
The Holy Spirit and Perfection
In this lesson, we look at how the Holy Spirit works in creating these states of conditional and actual perfection. So far in our study we have examined two concepts of perfection and how they are related to each other: Conditional Perfection Conditional perfection is referred to as justification, salvation, righteousness or holiness to name just a few ways this idea is expressed in the Bible. This state of perfection is given to us by God based on our faith…
A Son Who Ran Away: A Story About the Prodigal Son
The story of the prodigal son is one of the most insightful, memorable stories that Jesus told while He was on Earth. Through it, Christ brought to light the ravages of sin, the value of true repentance, and the love of the heavenly Father. By putting that story into rhyming verse on a child’s level, A Son Who Ran Away offers an easy-to-understand resource for teaching children the meaning and importance of the prodigal son.
Christ in Every Season of Your Life: Married with Children
This program is taught by and intended for women. The recipe for a happy and successful marriage is to have God the main focus. In a like manner, raising our children to love and obey God is the most important job a mother can have. In this lesson, Becky Blackmon gives encouraging words from the Bible to Christian wives and mothers.
Be The Best You Can Be: The SonShine Principle – Part 3 of 4
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.] In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-16 “SonShine is obviously a play on words – a take-off…
Christian is a Christian
I recently baptized our eldest grandson, Christian. He is nine years old and because of his age I had some hesitation before going ahead with his baptism. There are many examples in the Bible of people who were spiritually sensitive at an early age. Samuel was a young boy when called by God to serve as prophet (I Samuel 3:1-21); and it was said of Jesus as a boy that He grew in wisdom and stature (Luke 2:52); and Paul,…
Conditional or Actual Perfection?
For believers, becoming more perfect in Christ is the essence of life. Of course, this only makes sense if you understand that there are two aspects of perfection in the Christian’s understanding. Conditional Perfection My term for this is the perfect state one enters into when obeying the gospel (obeying the gospel = believe and confess that Christ is the Son of God, repent, baptism). The Bible refers to this (conditional perfection) in various ways throughout the New Testament: Saved…
Christ in Every Season of Your Life: Single
This program is taught by and intended for women. No matter what stage of life you might find yourself, Jesus should be the Lord of your life. As a single lady, you should seek to be like Christ throughout your daily walk. Join Becky Blackmon as she presents a Bible-based lesson on this topic.
A Story about Job: A Patient Man from Uz
Through the life and story of Job, God gives us amazing insight into the problem of pain and suffering. By putting that story into rhyming verse on a child’s level, this video offers an easy-to-watch resource for teaching children how to handle life’s tough times.
Perfection: The Absolute Standard
There is something wrong with the title of this series, can you spot it? Here it is: You cannot have a ‘more’ perfect something or someone. You are perfect or you are not. Once something is perfect (without blemish or error) you cannot improve on it. This title, by the way, comes from the book “God’s Way to a More Perfect You: Living by the Fruit of the Spirit” by Leroy Lawson. The point that Lawson makes at the beginning of…
Be The Best You Can Be: The Compassion Principle – Part 2 of 4
I have come that you may have life and have it to the full. (more and better life than you ever dreamed of)” John 10:10 The Trait That Made Jesus the Best Above All the Rest! It’s difficult for us to understand how our Lord Jesus Christ could have been 100% man and 100% God at the same time. Yet, because of this, you find, in Christ, every good human and heavenly characteristic known to human beings. He had each…
Psalm of Suffering
In Psalm 6, David the king of Israel goes through a range of emotions as he suffers from an undisclosed illness. 1O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, Nor chasten me in Your wrath. 2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am pining away; Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are dismayed. 3 And my soul is greatly dismayed; But You, O Lord—how long? 4 Return, O Lord, rescue my soul; Save me because of Your lovingkindness. 5 For…
Be the Best You Can Be: Extra Mile Principal – Part 1 of 4
John 10:10 NKJV The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. In the Sermon on the Mount, (Matthew 5) Jesus introduces a new way of living. He introduces them to several contrasts of how things “have been” and what they “will be” under his direction. Here are some of his examples of how his followers will live: They will…
Promised / Not Promised
I remember Christmas disappointments; left-winger equipment instead of goalie equipment; toboggan instead of pool table… Does anybody remember theirs? The problem many times as children are that we are not clear on what was promised. I want to go over a shortlist of things we might be confused about when it comes to God’s promises: PROMISED Always be with you (Hebrews 13:5) Provide what you need (Matthew 6:31-33) Execute final justice (Romans 12:17-19 You will not be condemned (Romans 8:1)…