Follow After Charity

"Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy."  I Corinthians 14:1.  The desire of spiritual gifts was necessary in the early days of the church.  These gifts were used to establish the truthfulness of the word of God as it was taught.  These gifts were also useful as to the revelation and understanding of God's truth.  Today, the truth has been completely revealed, and there is no further use for spiritual gifts.  These gifts were given for a time, and then, ceased.  In the church of today, we use the word of God for all that we need to know in our relationship with God.  However, love remains.  Charity, or love, is the ruling principal of our lives.  We are to love God for He has loved us.  We are to love one another.  This love promotes the unity and work of the church.  When we love God, we do His will.  When we love one another, we engage in the work of God.  Love is faith in action.  Love is a commitment to God and to one another.  Love is to invade our heart and overwhelm our spirit.  Love makes us God like.  Love is the devotion of God working in our lives.  Love does not just happen.  Love must be pursued.

Hear The Son

"And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him."  Luke 9:35.  Jesus has gone into the mountain with Peter, James, and John to pray.  While there, the fashion of Jesus is altered and Moses with Elijah appear with Him.  When Peter suggested that they built three tabernacles for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, a cloud overshadows them.  In the midst of this cloud, God speaks these words in verse 35.  Moses gave the law.  Elijah was the prophet who delivered God's word to a rebellious people.  Their voice has been silenced.  Jesus is the one whom we must hear.  No longer do we hear the law.  No longer do we hear the prophets.  We are to hear Jesus.  Jesus is the beloved Son of God.  Jesus is the redeemer.  Jesus is the mediator.  Jesus has sealed the New Covenant with His blood.  Jesus speaks God's will, and we are to hear Him.  In all ages, God has selected the one through whom He will speak to wayward mankind.  In our age, God speaks through Christ Jesus.  The will of Christ is the will of God.  Hear Him.

The Knowledge Of God

"Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame."  I Corinthians 15:34.  It is indeed shameful for one to be without the knowledge of God.  This is true because of who God is and what God does for us.  God has given us life and the blessings of this life.  God loves us beyond our ability to comprehend.  God has revealed Himself in the world which He has created.  More importantly, God has revealed Himself in His word.  The Bible, which is the name that we have given to the word of God, tells us about God.  In the word of God, we read of the love of God, the salvation of God, the goodness of God, and the wrath of God.  The knowledge of God motivates us to awake to righteousness, and sin not.  Without the knowledge of God, one has no reason to avoid sin.  Without the knowledge of God, one cannot know righteousness.  Our understanding of God is vital to our avoidance of sin.  God is righteous, and therefore, He desires for us to be righteous.  Our knowledge of God can be increased through our reading and studying of His word.  As our knowledge of God grows, our righteousness will grow.

Preach Christ

"Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.  Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them."  Acts 8:4-5.  Persecution against Christians had begun.  As a result, the disciples were scattered.  The reason for persecution was to silence them.  But, they went preaching.  Regardless of the circumstances against us, we are to preach the word.  Preaching is God's way to save humanity.  There will be enemies who wish to silence us.  However, our faith must be as these disciples.  We must preach Christ so that the world may believe and be saved.  The subject of our preaching must always be Christ.  Christ is the anointed one of God.  Christ was sent to save the world from sin.  Preaching against sin is preaching Christ.  Preaching repentance is preaching Christ.  The world will oppose such preaching.  But, our voices must continue to sound the greatest message that the world has ever heard and will ever hear.  These disciples did not scatter because of fear, but they scattered so that the message could be taken to those who had not heard.  Their sound went into all the world.  Our sound must go into all the world.  Go and preach Christ.

Avoid The Way Of Evil

"Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.  Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away."  Proverbs 4:14-15.  The Bible gives a constant warning against the influence of evil men.  Evil is cunning and very deceptive.  There appears to be no decrease in the way of evil.  Evil shall indeed wax worse and worse.  Therefore, let us heed the warning given.  We are not to get close to evil.  Its influence is far reaching.  To travel near unto evil presents the possibility of slipping into its snare.  The way of evil leads only unto destruction.  And so, we must be on guard lest we fall.  Behold, its appearance which oftentimes is very attractive.  But, alas, we must shun its very appearance lest we die.  Its trap is not always visible.  Therefore, we must look with a very cautious eye.  When we sense the way of evil, we must immediately turn from it.  Evil must never be courted in any way.  We are to stay clear, run if need be. Let us not enter into the way of evil for it will stain us and tear us apart.  On the other side of evil is the way of holiness.  This is the road that we must travel.  Its way is bright and clear.  The way of evil is the way of regret and guilt.  Shun it at all costs.  Be vigilant, be sober to avoid the adversary.

Put On Christ

"But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof."  Romans 13:14.  To have new life, one must put on Jesus Christ.  We put on Christ by being baptized into Christ.  Jesus must be put on as Lord.  When one is baptized into Christ, Jesus Christ becomes the Lord of one's life.  We surrender to Christ and willingly become the servant of Christ.  Jesus, as Lord, controls the life.  When Jesus is Lord of our life, we die to sin.  The flesh no longer controls our being.  The flesh ceases to have an appeal.  One who has Jesus as Lord might continue to struggle with the flesh, but the flesh is never able to gain entrance into our heart.  When we give way to the lusts of the flesh, we cease to be Godly.  The flesh wars against the things of God.  Jesus, as Lord, having been put on, helps us to overcome the flesh.  We are able to live as Jesus lived, and we are able to do those things that are pleasing unto God.  We must stay clean of those things that would have an appeal for the flesh.  We must not give the flesh an opportunity for us to sin against God.  The desire of one's life changes when Christ is put on.

A Fountain Of Life

"The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death."  Proverbs 13:14.  Each person has a philosophy of how to live life.  We all have a law by which we live our days upon the earth.  Some are wise, and some are foolish.  Can you imagine a fountain that gives life?  Such is the way of God.  For one to live he must depart from death.  God offers life, and the devil offers death.  Notice the snares of death.  A snare is a trap.  The devil tries to trap us.  His word is not truthful.  Those who hear him are not wise.  His way is the way of death.  It is not easy to escape from a snare.  We must use caution that we do not fall into the way of the devil.  Wisdom hears God, and does as the Lord instructs.  To hear the instruction of God is to have life.  God wants us to live rather than die.  The fountain of life is a prohibitive fountain.  The fountain of life calls for a certain lifestyle.  The wise use this law to govern themselves.  The fountain of life is a constant source of peace and comfort.  Wise men drink so that they might live.