Mill Creek Church: Recent Episodes
Trials and tribulations are not accidental, but are the way God sanctifies us to Christ like maturity for His glory. We must submit to God's plan , knowing that He works all things according to His purpose.
God permits broken economic systems to exist due to human sin. He ultimately accomplishes His sovereign will in spite of flawed earthly governments that are temporary until Christ reigns eternally.
Faithful parenting requires rejecting cultural norms to persistently share biblical truth with their children. God will accomplish His purpose in His time.
Honoring family is central to Christian living. Disobedience to parents is harmful to the individual and to society. Godly respect toward parents is a reflection of your faith.
We must confess our sins and repent to Christ for His forgiveness. We then have the freedom to pursue holiness and reflect His character in a way that honors Him.
Remembering our spiritual legacy as we celebrate 250 years of America. Prayer and worship was dominant in the life of the signers. If we correct our ways God will forgive us and heal our land.
Sanctification is the process where we are transformed to look more like Christ. God's grace is a mystery to us and yet He chooses us to participate in the Kingdom of Heaven.
We are to model marriage on Christ care for His Church. Husbands are called to lead their families toward worship and spiritual growth. Embracing the scripture that transforms the family to look more like Jesus.
We are separated from God due to sin. Facing judgement from a Holy God, who provides a plan through repentance and receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. We are then to live a life in obedience that glorifies God.
We are called to be Christ centric in our marriage. The husband is to love the wife as Christ loves the Church. God calls us out to pursue holiness. We are reconciled through the death of Christ to present ourselves in splendor when we stand before Him.
A biblical husband is to love his wife as Christ sacrificially loves the Church. He encourages godly growth through Scripture, prayer and discipleship, so that marriage becomes a testimony for Christ.
Love originates in Christian faith. Our example is Christ who willingly gave Himself up to death so we can have a relationship with Him. Sacrificial love in a marriage becomes a beautiful testimony to Christs redeeming power.
God is sovereign and a God of order. He divinely ordained the husband as head of the family to lovingly guide and protect them full filling his Biblical role.
We must submit to God and willingly to the divine order He has structured for us to live by. Sin distorts this order, but Christ empowers us to live in the fruit of the Spirit.
Christians are compelled to live a life of biblical order and wisdom rooted in the transformative power of Scripture and the Holy Spirit. Every believer should examine their life to reflect God's word.
Christ's victory over sin by His death and resurrection enables us to anticipate our eternal home with God. We are called to have an active faith, hope in Him, serve Him with our gifts, and grow to be more like Him
We must prioritize time for worshiping God amid the distractions of this world. It can't be about an emotional experience but a real relationship that begins with faith, self-examination, and confession.
The Church is a unified body, where each believer is equipped with unique gifts for the common good. Christians serve one another to reflect Christ's sacrificial ministry.
Christians walking in the Spirit have a deep, ongoing appreciation for God's forgiveness of sin, for fellowship with Him, and for the hope of eternal life in God's kingdom.
The practice of singing praise to the Lord goes back to biblical examples from the Red Sea deliverance to Paul and Silas in prison. Producing hymns and making music that glorifies God is an act of worship now and into our eternal home in Heaven.
In a world longing for truth and peace, we must surrender to God's presence. By reading His word, praying, having a thankful heart, and fully submitting to God, we will experience victory.
The sermon emphasizes that true Christian living involves dedicating oneself to pursuing godly wisdom and rejecting conforming to the world. Daily choose the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, and self-control.
Faith is a pursuit of God, understanding, and obeying God's will. Our lives are shaped by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which enables believers to discern what pleases the Lord.
Store up your treasure in Heaven by glorifying God in your life. Christianity is active obedience in a moral and spiritual progression towards holiness.
Christians are to redeem the time by walking in God's wisdom, as clarified in Scripture. We are commanded to boldly share Christ in a culture that has abandoned the truth.
The transformative power of Christ can be contrasted with the deceptive emptiness of a false profession. Christians must stand firm on divine truth and live as children of light.
A saved life is a transformed life. The evidence is in how we live our lives and respond to the trials we walk through. Showing the fruit of the Spirit to an unsaved world sets us apart as saved.
If Christians are friends with the world, we will become weak and enemies of God. We are vulnerable to the world's sins. The Church must stand firm against sin so that Christ may be exalted.
As our society decays, many preachers are increasingly embracing moral relativism. The Church is called to be a beacon of truth and actively confront those who distort the gospel.
God transforms us to live as children of light. Our obedience to His word is a testament to our relationship with Christ.
A genuine Christian faith always produces spiritual fruit as a natural consequence of abiding in Christ.
Through the power of the light, we live out our lives pursuing Jesus. Therefore, do not become partners of darkness but live as Christ did and walk as children of the light.
Christianity is displayed in our lives as God transforms us from darkness to light. We are chosen and set apart because we have been redeemed to serve and glorify God.
Believers in Christ are transformed from darkness to the light. We must walk in His holiness and truth to not drift away or become lukewarm.
Salvation has a transformative power. Producing a faith that leads to holiness through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Christian life is divinely triumphant as we are changed into the image of Christ.
Christ gave His life sacrificially while we were still sinners. Gratitude for delivery from this life to a transformed life should be our testimony to the world.
If we know Christ, we will be filled with joy and peace. He causes us to live as light in a dark world. We must uphold the gospel's command to repent and to examine ourselves through the lens of the Bible.
Don't be a lazy Christian; pursue Christ by serving Him sacrificially, spending time in God's word, and praying. Know Jesus so you can imitate His character that produces good works for the Church and the world.
All of God's children are to love and imitate our Father. A Christians path to victory is to pursuit Christ. He is the answer to experience peace and joy.
True salvation involves a renewal of the mind and heart. Christians are to love and forgive as Christ forgave us. We should reach out to others who have offended us and seek forgiveness.
Christians are to love one another, by this we will be known. The more you commit to serving one another you will experience peace and joy. A sincere sacrificial life that loves one another is a true Church.
Believers have victory over their sin because of the Holy Spirit actively guiding, directing, and teaching us the things of God. Christians should desire to be in step with the Holy Spirit as He changes us to look more like Christ. We must not grieve the Spirit by choosing sin. Our testimony is a changed life.
Christians encourage and share each others burdens. Our mouth should speak out of love and not evil to our brothers and sisters. Christians speech should be grace-filled honoring God and strengthening the Church.
The transformative power of Christ's sacrifice redeems us from a life of darkness and despair. Through repentance of our sin, turning towards God and in His grace and mercy we are forgiven to live a life of peace.
Before Christ our old life was deceptive and evil. When we are redeemed and transformed by God we rejoice in Him. Seek first the Kingdom of God and contentment will follow.
We should exhibit anger when the truth is maligned. Christ is either the stumbling block or the cornerstone of truth for us. Our passions should be about Christ, He will never disappoint.
Christians are unified in Jesuses words by speaking truth to one another in godly love. We are His mouth and feet, ambassadors for Christ, encouraging one another and glorifying God.
The sermon explores the transformative power of Christ, contrasting the lives of believers with those who remain alienated from God. Drawing on passages from Ephesians and referencing the conversation between Jesus and Pilate, it emphasizes the importance of embracing truth and recognizing Christ as the way, the truth, and the life. The message underscores that salvation is not merely a ticket to heaven but a call to ongoing repentance, spiritual renewal, and a life characterized by goodness, righteousness, and a desire to please God, ultimately leading to a glorified state of being in His presence.
The sermon explores the transformative power of repentance and the ongoing process of spiritual renewal in the life of a believer, drawing heavily from Ephesians 4 and John Calvin's definition of repentance. It emphasizes that true repentance involves both mortification – putting to death the deeds of the flesh – and vivification, the strengthening and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, which leads to a renewed mind and the production of spiritual fruit. The message underscores that sin originates in the mind and progresses outward, while righteousness and holiness also begin in the mind, guided by the Holy Spirit, ultimately leading to a life characterized by love, joy, and other fruits of the Spirit, all pointing to a complete reliance on God's grace.
The sermon explores the transformative power of God's grace, emphasizing that salvation is not achieved through self-effort but through a turning away from a life of futility and a renewed commitment to Christ. Drawing from Ephesians, Romans, 1 John, and 2 Corinthians, the message highlights the importance of repentance as a continual process, not merely a one-time event, and underscores that true repentance involves a heartfelt desire for restoration to a relationship with God, ultimately leading to a dynamic faith characterized by conformity to Christ's image and an experience of abundant joy.
We must spend time in prayer and Scripture to gain more of Christ. Christ transforms us from darkness and despair to victory in Jesus.
Godless people suppress the truth. Their actions work through the heart causing pain through lies. The ungodly sear their conscience and their hearts are darkened. Put on God and make no provision for your desires.
When we become a true follower of Christ He pours out on us all wisdom and understanding of Scripture. God removes the veil and opens our eyes to have the mind of Christ.
When we come to a saving knowledge of Christ we are transformed. A veil lies over the heart until God removes it. We have a new understanding which makes us peculiar to the world. When we turn away from the world and turn towards God we experience true peace.
The Church is effective when each person does his part. When one member suffers we all suffer. When one member rejoices we all rejoice. The atmosphere of a normal, growing Church is love.
The power of Christ builds His Church. When we focus on the truth and study God's word we will grow in stability, peace, joy and grace through Christ.
A strong foundation is found in Jesus Christ. When we drift from the Church we will be blown apart and unstable. Study the Bible , know the truth and be a good representative for Christ, proclaiming the gospel and demonstrating Christ's love and grace.
The word of God is the sword of the Spirit. If you become a regular reader of Scripture you will achieve a richness that is found nowhere else. We are ambassadors of Christ therefore we should be passionate about the things of God.
What is salvation? Submitting your life to Christ while being transformed in His image.
The Church is built upon Christ and He gives us unity through salvation. When we are unified we give a beautiful testimony of Jesus.
As the Church works together it will flourish . Christians are to edify Christ through their work allowing us to lay up treasure in Heaven.
We need to pray for faithful men in the pulpit who preach the truth in season and out of season.
No one comes to the Father except through Jesus Christ. Christ laid His life down for His friends. Now we are being conformed in His image as we serve Him.
The Old Testament prophets had to be accurate or it was a death sentence. The New Testament apostles validated they were sent by God when they performed miracles while speaking God's word. Therefore, we can boldly claim to the world that the word of God is true.
Pick up the Bible and read it because truth is beauty. Power through the indwelling of the Spirit gives us an understanding of God's word.
When we focus on the cross we dwell and come together to glorify God. A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each believer for the common good. When we use our talents and gifts to glorify Christ we are unified in purpose and Spirit.
God redeems us to walk with Him and He gives gifts to each believer to be used in the Church. These gifts are in harmony creating the bond of unity as we serve Him in His Kingdom.
We have a difficulty staying steadfast with the one Christ in Scripture. We want the easy Jesus of no truth. Christians must empty ourselves of the world and fill it with faith.
A Christians hope is the expectation of the working of God's plan. As servants of Christ we share His gospel with those who need to hear it. Our peace comes through Christ and the cross.
God gives a peace that is different than the world offers. Christ makes us whole through sanctifying us by His word. Jesus endured the wrath of God so we can have peace with God.
God gives our faith as a gift. We are saved in the image of Jesus Christ, therefore, we must be gentle, patient, and bear one another as we grow in the Lord.
Christians are to walk worthy of our calling. We should walk humbly in the surrender to God. Cleansing and purifying our hearts, giving all glory to Christ.
Paul describes himself as a prisoner of Jesus Christ. He encourages us to be like him and recognize we serve God with a purpose. Christians are chosen by God, purposed by Him, serving together faithfully.
We give credit to Christ because we are no longer our former self. We obtain mercy through Him and are bound together with fellow believers as a Church to glorify God.
The power of the Holy Spirit is what makes us a new person, set apart to glorify God. As Christians, we should have a passion for working as a congregation in the Church. As we work towards a common goal we experience a peace that you can't get anywhere else.
When we pray for God's will rather than mine, our prayers become more powerful. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us as we pray, petitioning the perfect prayer for you and me. And all glory goes to God.
The Spirit Himself bears witness that we are children of God. Brothers and sisters, joint heirs in Christ, we share communion. The Spirit leads our lives in obedience to God.
Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. You will experience the peace of Christ when you turn your life completely over to Him. We must see the world through the lens of the Bible.
When we come to the Lord and repent, He makes us new. Through the gift of God, we have the mind of Christ. He changes our hearts and desires and causes us to be more like Him.
The Holy Spirit calls us to Christianity. As we read the Bible and apply it to our lives, we will experience a transformation that leads to joy, satisfaction, and peace.
We should pursue Christ, discovering who He is in Scripture and prayer. We don't think the way God does. His ways are not our ways. God moves hearts and minds to accomplish His will.
How can we know the fullness of God? Read His words that He spoke to us in the Bible. Petition Christ and speak to Him as a friend. The more we know God we will experience joy and peace in our lives.
It is Christ's desire that we know and comprehend His love for us. As we submit to His authority and experience God through faith we will be filled with the wonder of His love.
We love Christ because He first loved us . We are His ambassadors rooted and firmly established in God, and we share this salvation that we have.
The indwelling of Christ makes us different. Faith is embracing Christ. God gives us peace when we truly know Him. We must reorient our lives and place Him first in our hearts to truly be in tune with God.
We cannot hide from God because He is all-knowing. Since God knows us, we must make our hearts His home by keeping His commandments.
When we pray, our desires must be reflected in God. We must believe in His ability to answer prayer and submit to His authority over the outcome to achieve peace.
No matter what happens in this life it is in God's plan and He is in control . Many followers will be hated for serving Christ but He will use that pain to glorify Him.
You cannot hide from God. He knows everything about us. The more you engage God, the more peace and contentment you experience. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.
Our eternal purpose is to worship Jesus Christ. To believe in Him, we must confess our sins, have faith that He is Lord, and we will be saved from our sins.
Paul became a minister through God's calling. He consumed himself with preaching Jesus Christ to make all see the meaning of the mystery that was previously hidden, to be revealed to the Gentiles.
Through Israel, all the people will be blessed. The Holy Spirit revealed to His apostles and prophets that the Gentiles would come alongside the Jews and become fellow heirs of the same body.
As Christians we will suffer persecution for living out our faith. As Paul spread the gospel, magnifying his ministry he was put in prison, yet he still experienced joy in serving the Lord.
God dwells among us. The Church, designed by God, not man, is where we repent and worship. It is where we find refuge and support for one another. We should be passionate about the Church.
Holiness cannot be separated from Salvation- God saved us to be Holy. We must pursue peace with all people and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. We must be intentional and commit to be holy.
Jesus is the cornerstone of the Church. He is either the one who holds up the house, or it falls. He can be your stumbling block if you reject Him. Christ builds His Church. He must be our focus on how and why we do anything.
God moves within the men and women of the Church. We are to love one another, do good works, worship Christ together, and encourage one another as we wait upon the Lord.
There was enmity between Jews and Gentiles. The middle wall of the separation was the law. The Jews had a promise of the covenants, but in the New Testament, we find the Gentiles included in the covenant. We are reconciled through the path of the work on the cross. He is our peace, both Jew and Gentile.
We have peace with God, but not as the world gives. The world gives us temporary peace. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
There is glory only in the cross. Christ on the cross is the apex of all centuries. Christ was slain on the cross to redeem every tongue and tribe. May the work of the cross never leave our minds.
Christ is the Messiah of Jews and Gentiles. He impacts Christians lives transforming, cleansing, and forgiving us as children of God. We exalt and express ourselves in worship of Him.
Jesus shed His blood to take the wrath of my specific sin. Christians have a precious relationship with Christ because He gave us life through Salvation.
We cannot boast in our faithfulness because God gave us even our faith. We can boast in nothing except Jesus Christ. None are righteous, no not one. We can only exalt Jesus Christ.
God redeemed us from chaos and purified us for Himself as His special people for good works. Serving in the Kingdom is a grace given by God, and we are to use the gifts He gave us.
If we exalt ourselves, we will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Understanding that it is God who saves and not ourselves produces peace and joy everlasting.
By God's grace and mercy, we are made alive together with Christ. If we are raised up as Christ's followers, we will suffer as Christ suffered. But if we endure to the end, we will glorify Christ into eternity.
Sin starts in the mind, so we must bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. We have to pick up the word of God and use it to instruct our minds.
Before Christ, we are dead. If we walk in Christ we experience joy. To be spiritually minded is to pursue holiness and live joyfully.
We are dead without Christ. The lost cannot comprehend the truth of the gospel. Only through regeneration can God make us alive.
Christ reconciles us through His wounds, presenting us Holy and above reproach in His sight. Christians come to Church to pursue Christ and have a relationship with Him.
Christ works out our salvation through His power. He uses trials to move us into holiness. God's strength is sufficient when we are weak. He works in us for His good pleasure.
The world was changed in the 3 days of Christ death, burial, and resurrection. The empty tomb proves He is the Son of God. Embrace Christ and die daily to Him. He wants a relationship with you to fill your soul daily.
Life without Christ is dark and painful. Christ called us out of darkness into His light. We are being transformed to be more like Him. Christ redeemed us- we are His possession and God's inheritance.
Christians have hope in God's word and are confident of better things to come. Christ transforms us to desire holiness as He is holy. Those who are called are saved.
God saved us to glorify Him in our lives. To walk in the ways of the Lord, we must seek the wisdom of God. Without faith, we cannot please Him. We must listen and look to God to be spiritually minded.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. We respond by our faith, which is a gift from God. He is at work in us until we stand before Him in glory.
Christians have a relationship with God because He bought us at the price of His son, Jesus. Our body and spirit are Gods, and we must glorify Him through our lives.
The purpose of God's plan through salvation is a relationship with Him. We need to exalt the name of Jesus and how He took our wrath away. Our mission is about Christ. We are His possession and the reason we have everlasting life.
Our faith is a gift from God. He chooses to redeem us, and then we praise and glorify Him. Our Father gives us wisdom and knowledge to understand His word. God's grace is bestowed on those who serve and call on Him.
Before Christ, we are His enemies. We are worldly and under sin. Man pursues morality but not God. Christ was the transaction on the cross to redeem our sins. It is Christ and Christ alone that we have eternal life.
God chose us to have a relationship with Him. Our salvation is a gift that requires us to obey His word and submit our lives to His teachings. To glorify God, we must be Holy as God is Holy.
By walking with the Lord and being obedient to His word, we experience joy. It's never too late to commit your life to reflect that you are a child of God.
Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him. The truth of God is written in His word, the Bible, and He compels those who are weary and heavy-laden to come to Him, and God will give them rest.
Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Pursue peace with all people and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
God chose us to be His children even as we were enemies to Him. He saved us through the redemption of Christ and seals us by the Holy Spirit. We owe God our total devotion to understanding and serving Him with our life.
Without faith we cannot please God, for he who diligently seeks Him, is a rewarder of spiritual blessing. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Pick up your feet and take advantage of what Christ died and bled for.
Christians are to pursue holiness and grow together being fitted and grow into a holy temple in the Lord. We are to be more like Him through worship, prayer, and the study of His word. Daily we must die to ourselves and pursue Christ.
Paul, an apostle sent by Jesus Christ, was a messenger an authorized agent delivering the word of God. The word of God is eternal and timeless, appropriate today as it was when it was written.
By works of the law, we will not be justified. Christ delivers us from sin, converting us in form, character, and function to make us new in character, more like Christ.
No one can glory or brag about our salvation but instead, we should glory in the Lord. Christ became wisdom for us, He upholds all things by the power of His word.
Let not your heart be troubled- Christ said, I will come again to receive you. If you are not living it, you don't believe it. His promise is real, and He will fulfill the Scriptures.
There is a cost to knowing Christ in a saving faith. We must die daily to ourselves and surrender every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
Everyone is born of the Spirit whom God chooses. John 3-3-8, The Spirit blows where it wishes. You cannot tell where it goes and comes from. We must proclaim the mystery of Jesus Christ.
God keeps and cleanses our hearts through His word so we are holy without blemish. Preaching Christ in scripture is timeless and eternal.
Do not lay up treasures on earth, but treasures in Heaven. We need to be concerned about the Kingdom of Christ. All else is unimportant. Jesus Christ paid for our acceptance. We then must find our work serving Him in the Church.
Apart from God, we can do nothing. Christ overcame the world and through His strength, we can overcome the things of this world too.
We are to search the scriptures for an understanding of who God is. The fruit of the spirit is goodness, righteousness, and truth. Christians must stand on the word of God.
Be aware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. Our standard is the word of God. Christians must be able to discern and judge what is not true based on the word of God.
The church is diminishing because we have lost our love for Christ. We are saved to have a relationship and serve God. We should have a practical faith that shows through our works.
Go to the Lord with confidence when praying specifically for godly things. We must strive together and pray for His kingdom to come.
Good works, apart from knowing God, are not going to save us. Even our faith is a gift from Christ. True faith will produce honest and godly works.
We must abide in God's word if we are to reflect Christ in our lives. Christians will be persecuted and made to suffer just as Christ had to suffer. When we are weak we shall live by the power of God, then we prevail.
In obedience to His word, Christians are to profess Christ and share what He is doing in our life with others. The power of Salvation is a gift of faith God gives us.
If we are to glorify Christ, we must be equipped. Be serious in prayer, have a fervent love for one another, and use our gift of ministry given to us by God.
God saved us to be obedient to His word and glorify Him. People will be offended by His message and there may be a loss of friendship and family. But our reward waits for us in Heaven if we fight the fight and finish the race.
Gods word is living, and powerful, discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart. As Christians live we are to glorify God and show His transformational power.
Hope comes from God with joy and peace in believing in the power of Jesus Christ. We are called according to His purpose, conforming us to the image of His Son. Pursue holiness and glorify God.
God has commanded us to share His word with others. Christians are to be obedient to Scripture, lift up others, and build their faith.
Christians glorify God when we are in unity with God. We are to strive to be more like Christ, recognizing we have been delivered from darkness to doctrine. God will assist us as we move and reorient our lives to glorify Him.
Corinthians 10-12-18 tells us that men compare themselves to their peers. Testing myself against the people I choose is no test. Instead, use God as the benchmark. He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.
Jesus says in John 14-6, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. When your eyes are on Christ, you have unity. Regardless of the cost, we must have a unified heart, mind, and mouth for Christ. He told us to pick up our cross and follow Him.
If we are faithful, God will be faithful. The legacy of your spiritual beliefs lives on. John 4-13 Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst again. Drink from the well of Jesus.
Christians have talents and gifts that glorify Christ. We are to edify and strengthen our neighbor by speaking the truth of God in love and patience. We sacrifice, humble ourselves and pick up our cross to follow Jesus.
As we mature in Christ and have the perfect love of Jesus in us it gives us the desire to love and do for others. John 15-13 Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one's life for his friends.
Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the face and knowledge of ourLord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever-Amen. 2Peter3-17-18
1 Peter1-22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
The Church that is about Jesus Christ is to move immature believers to mature. Paul prays for the maturity of the Saints. We should pray that believers understand the richness of Jesus Christ through His Word.
Christians are to live sacrificially. We must be people of grace bearing one another burdens and fulfilling the law of Christ. We can gently correct without blaspheming the name of God. He molds, changes, and corrects us to progress our spiritual lives.
The blood of Christ purchased us. Redemption is all due to God. Therefore our lives are not our own. Living for the glory of God is much sweeter than living for ourselves.
Jesus Christ, the Son of man, is also Lord of the Sabbath. Man did not create the Church God did. Christians are to gather in Jesus' name, boldly exalting Him and encouraging one another.
How does the resurrection story relate to you-- Romans 10-9 tells us if we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. The offer is free- just repent by asking for Forgiveness of your sins and pick up your cross to follow Christ.
We cannot measure our life to others but to Christ who is perfect. The Church's purpose is to move the weak to the strong. We put off the old man with his deeds and put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.
Older Christians have a responsibility to disciple younger Christians in the faith. We must present ourself as a living sacrifice by pursuing and progressing with the word of God to strengthen our walk.
Christ is our external benchmark on how to live holy and we should proudly proclaim this truth. We need the world to know the word of God and recognize it never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
In Romans Paul tells us to love others and live a holy life because our Salvation is nearer than when we first believed. He tells us to get out of our spiritual sleep. He is addressing the apathetic Christian. Are you comfortable to stand before God if He callled you home-- The day is near.
Christ is the standard bearer of love. God loves us with an everlasting love. Therefore we are to imitate Him and love our neighbor as we love ourself.
Evil changes but truth never changes. We must know God's word to combat and remain standing on God's truth. As crazy as our times seem, remember God is in control and He is still on His throne.
All governments are in place by the hand of God. It could be for our punishment or for our blessing. While it doesn't make sense now it causes us to look to Christ. The only peace we have in this chaotic world is the cross of Christ.
We live in a time where persecution from government is on the increase. Christians are to be obedient to the government until it is in direct conflict of our faith. We must respond Biblically and realize there are no easy answers.
A Christian is a transformed person. We aren't perfect but we strive to look more like Christ. By reading the Bible, praying and denying ungodliness we continue to grow and conquer sin.
Christians are to glorify God in all that we do. We are to be loving to our enemies and give a soft answer to turn away their wrath. We are to understand and believe God is a just judge who will repay those who offend us according to His standards.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. We must exhaust our ability to bring about peace. We can petition God to change peoples hearts and motive. This will take time, more than likely it won't be instant.
As members in the church we must keep our eyes collectively on Christ , it is who we are. If a member is honored we rejoice. If a member falls in a bad way we should all support that person. When one suffers we all suffer. We share the joys and burdens of one another.
Christians are to bless and not be angry towards others. We are to love sacrificially and rest in the power that all things are made right by God. Our model and standard of loving perfectly is Jesus Christ.
Christianity is a way of life. We are to be busy ministering to the saints. Diligent in serving the Lord, fervent in Spirit, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation and steadfast in prayer. Taking care of each others needs.
Christ is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore Christians should have a fervency about leading others to Christ. We should be diligent and excited to serve our Lord and Savior.
Christianity is built on love not rights. Love suffers long, is kind, hopes and endures all things. The more we serve others, the more we grow closer to God. Christ is our standard.
The vast amount of our society has a distorted view of love, accepting anything outside of God's word. Without a standard of good and evil there will be a societal breakdown. Every believer has the knowledge of what is right and wrong yet man suppresses the truth of God. As for God , His way is perfect- the word of the Lord is proven. He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
We must consider others before ourselves. We can only do this through abiding in God. In spite of our sin God loves us. We must have godly love that helps us to get along with others. We glorify Him when we love based upon Christ.
Many members make the Church and we are all necessary for it to work as intended. We are to encourage one another by bearing each others burdens. Christians are to be faithful to God sharing Jesus with a lost and hurting world.
Christians use many excuses to not prioritize God. There is a cost to not storing up your treasures in Heaven. Let us use our God given gifts in ministering to others furthering His Kingdom.
We are at battle with the darkness of this world. God's will is for you to live a Holy life. That can only happen when you pick up the Bible and read His word daily allowing the Holy Spirit to transform you.
When we have spiritual commonality with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we experience great joy as we assemble to worship our Lord. There is a richness in fellowship when we participate in Church and bear each others burdens.
God is in control and worthy to receive all glory, honor and praise. For He created all things and by Him they exist. His truth will last forever.
We will never completely know the mind of God. His ways are not our ways. We are justified by the blood of Christ. Therefore we are to be about the praise of God.
It is not because of our goodness that He chose as but by the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ. He adopted us as sons and daughters to the good pleasure of His will.
The Lord has an eternal plan to save both Jews and Gentiles. He is a just God who keeps His promises. By His grace God the Father uses His church as a living testimony to bring all who Come to Him through salvation.
We can face this current society with great stress or we can walk with the Lord and rest in knowing He's in control. The future is hopeful and promising to those who accept Him as Savior. The Church is not about defeat but triumphant.
Without God we have no hope. Christ is our peace and He broke down the middle wall reconciling us to become Christ followers. His salvation is a gift. We must consider the goodness of God by meditating on His character and reading His word.
Our society is quickly moving away from the Church. It would be easy to have spiritual pride but like Paul I am the chief of sinners saved through the mercy of God. It is through grace I have been saved, through faith and not of me, it is a gift of God, not of works lest I boast.
Has God cast away His people-- Certainly not- We are blessed when anyone is called to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We will rejoice when the Jews come to know Christ whether it is now or in the end-
How are we acceptable to God-- First we acknowledge God, repent, and receive the blood covering of Jesus. Then we pursue righteousness through the help of the Holy Spirit. In spite of our unworthiness we are given grace to see Christ.
The Jews are God's chosen people. He loves Israel with an everlasting love. There is an election by grace not works and it applies to Gentiles also. We have more joy knowing we are chosen by God through His grace and not by our works.
We don't go looking for God because we love darkness and evil more than light and His goodness. God chooses us and we put off our former ways renewing our mind by His Spirit through the study and application of His word.
Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Christ takes our shame, changes our heart and we experience peace.
The ways of the world are a waste of time. When we are friends of the world we are enemies to God. The carnal mind is against the ways of Christ. We must confess Christ as King and deny ourselves to have victory over sin.
We are all sinners saved by grace. Everyday we need His guidance, intercession and His word because we are weak. We have no righteousness but grace and truth come from Jesus Christ.
We will have clarity and peace when we submit our lives to God. Mans system will only produce failure resulting in pain. Christ followers are transformed and equipped to fight the battles of life.
We move from darkness to light by the Holy Spirit. We cannot earn righteousness it is a gift from God. We must repent of our sin, submit our life to the Lord's will and the Holy Spirit will take over illuminating and guiding our walk.
When we come to know God we have the mind of Christ indwelling in us by the illumination of the Holy Spirit. We then become salt and light that preserves and illuminates the world of His teachings.
We celebrate Easter because God is the conquerer, peace giver, ruler and redeemer. Christ washed us and made us accepted before the Lord. We have been transformed therefore we are accepted before Him.
Romans 4-11 -You are worthy O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power- for you created all things. And by your will they exist and were created.- We have been redeemed and transformed. Therefore we will be humbled before Him.
The Lord takes no pleasure in the death of sinner. He is long suffering with us and offers a way to Him. God commands that we repent of our sin and we will receive a new heart and a new spirit.
We must recognize that God makes the rules and He is in control. The Bible dictates how we will live our life. Our salvation is a merciful gift of God, therefore we give all the glory to Him.
We do not choose God, He chooses us for salvation. His word is being completed in our life and He's using us according to His desires.
God revealed Himself to the Jews and they rejected Him. America is called a Christian nation yet we are turning away from Jesus the same as Israel did in the Old Testament. The outcome of our consequences is grave unless we find our way back to God.
We don't deserve any merit for our salvation. Compassion comes when we realize we are chosen by God. We did nothing to deserve eternal life therefore we should walk in humility and give all praise to Jesus.
God is all knowing and everywhere. His ways are not our ways. He is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. We have no way to completely understand it.
When we live a sinful life satisfying our flesh we separate ourselves from Christ. But when we are obedient to God's word we are faithful to endure this life and reign with Him in eternity.
We experience distress so we might grow and glorify God. We have trials and tribulations to grow in our suffering. God's grace and strength is sufficient and perfect in our weakness.
Romans 8-34 -34 Who is he who condemns- It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
If God is for us who can be against us- Christians can overcome evil by the blood of the Lamb. The blood and power of Jesus Christ is all that can change our lives.
God is working in us by molding and making us into His image. He uses the good, bad, joyful and sorrowful. He gives us the tools to navigate life through scripture, prayer and guidance from the Holy Spirit.
God's counsel stands the test of time. The plans of His heart are given to all generations. God works in us by using our environment to serve His purpose and to meet Him and His intentions for us.
It's no accident that we find ourself in this time. We are here to glorify God. Through the power of Jesus Christ we have the answers to life knowing He is in control. We can rest in His divine wisdom.
Our Salvation is a continuous story. A story built on progression that is active and dynamic. It changes your view and how you interact with Him. God uses the events in our life to shape us. All our life is a progression of events to culminate in Christ-likeness.
You can't get away from Christ when He calls you. Through each link in the chain our lives become magnified until we look like Him. Jesus told His Father I will lose none You gave me.
Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. If we die to self we will be more like Christ. God redeemed you for His glorification and His praise so we may stand with Christ in His glory.
The God of peace chose you before the beginning of time to serve His purpose. It is through trials and tribulations that the God of peace sanctifies you and preserves you blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Before the foundation of the world God chose us. He who glories, let him glory in the Lord. We cannot boast of our salvation because we can do nothing without God.
God chooses us to salvation. We come to Him with childlike faith. He then teaches us through Scripture, prayer and trials to look more like Him.
God saved you for His purpose. The Lord uses men to fulfill Scripture. He has a will and a purpose in our life. We are presently being sanctified for His complete glorification. This produces joy in the Christian.
When we are out of the Fathers will it is not possible to experience full joy. Christians will suffer for righteousness sake. Do not be afraid there will be threats and trouble. It is better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
God does not hear sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will He hears him. John 9-30-31 Our will needs to be aligned with God's will. As we surrender to that truth and pray for His will to be done in our life we will experience joy.
Christians all over the world are brothers and sisters united in Christ. Commonality in a relationship creates a sense of belonging. As Christ faced the cross He was praying for oneness. We need to strive for oneness with Christ.
On earth we are strangers and pilgrims. It will take perseverance to commit to the Lord in a world where many more are anti-Christian. But our belief and hope is a heavenly home with Christ.
The believer has confidence in the unseen. We have reordered our life according to His will and His promises. Everyone who has this hope sees Christ in His perfection and because we will be like Him we must work on purifying ourself now.
After Salvation the Spirit molds us until we are completely changed. We find joy in God's word and we long to be with Christ. The redemption of our body brings the hope and promise to be with Jesus Christ in the presence of the Lord.
Do I believe in the idea of God or do I believe in the God that moves- We must look for God in our life by drawing near to God so He will draw near to us. Our hearts should be longing for the deliverance of the Lord from the corruption of this world.
If we focus ourselves on Jesus Christ we can navigate the trials and sufferings in this world. Our suffering will be dim in light of Him. What we are going through is nothing to what waits for us in Heaven.
The story of the Church is that God chose you before the beginning of time to become heirs with Christ and reside with Him in Heaven. It is a relationship that brings us closer to Him. We go from hating the things of God to loving the things of God.
Mark8- 35-38 -Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.- May we always be faithful no matter the cost.
We are no longer an enemy of God upon the immediate acceptance of Christ. We can cry out Abba, Father showing we are heirs of God.
God saves, picks and adopts His children. He wrote our names in the Lambs book of life. By the grace of God we are saved. We should have an attitude of gratitude.
Obedience Identifies believers. Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven. But if anyone loves Christ he will keep His word and follow His commandments. The Holy Spirit dwells inside Christians and teaches us all things. The Spirit convicts us, mortifies our flesh and transforms us.
If we dare to say we live in the Spirit we must also walk in the Spirit. Those who are of Christ will continually be transforming internally. This is how we have victory over sin.When we submit to the Spirit, we will develop values of Christ.
Out of love God sent His son to die for my sins so I would not have to pay for them. Therefore I should be motivated to keep my eyes on Him and live that life out in the Church.
God declares us believers. It is the Spirit of Christ that changes us. If we are true Christians we will bear the image of the Heavenly man. We must focus on our relationship with Christ until we see Him face to face.
We were chosen before the beginning of time. Salvation is by grace not of yourselves it is the gift of God. As you draw near to God He will draw near to you then you will experience a deeper peace each day.
The natural man thinks on things of this world which leads to death. But the spirit filled man is passionate of the things of God that give us joy peace and love. Jesus Christ is the only one who can transform our minds into purity if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.
We are here by the power of God, therefore the Spirit blows wherever it wishes. God chooses us and moves us for His purpose. The world is hostile against Christians so the more we walk with the Lord the more we will be hated in this world. Our collective prayer should be about our usefulness in His kingdom.
If we say we have fellowship with Christ but live in darkness we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. By focusing on the things of Christ we experience the fruit of the Spirit.
The wages of sin is death. The natural man gets no credit for worldly goodness. When we toss off our past by repenting and reach out for Christ we receive the eternal gift of life in Christ Jesus.
The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. The penalty of sin was removed at the cross. The Lord purged our sins and claimed it is finished. We must walk according to the Spirit and not our flesh.
We as Christians have an ongoing battle with sin. Salvation and Sanctification are wrapped up in our body. We have a battle with our flesh but we don't accept defeat. We cast ourselves on Jesus Christ and He gives us the Spirit to transform us.
We must die daily to our sins and focus on the Lord Jesus Christ. Through our struggles we must cling to Him. He delivers us in our victory today not just in the end for Salvation. He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Blessed is the man who endures temptation. Holiness and sin don't mix. The flesh and Spirit are contrary to one another. The flesh wars against the soul. As a believer we must deal with the sin to get to sanctification.
We must test ourselves so that we are not embracing the worlds view but instead applying the word of God to our hearts. The sign of a true believer is we hate our own sin that we commit. We struggle with sins we do not want to do. With the help of Jesus Christ we must crucify our flesh. Hate evil, love good.
After coming to know Christ the veil is lifted from our eyes and we see the sin in our lives. We become aware of God's holiness and the Spirit moves us through sanctification to look more like Him. Our lives will bear fruit from this transformation.
When we are in the dark all looks right. But when we move to the light it exposes our sin. This is the contrast from sinner to righteousness through the Salvation of Jesus Christ.
Hearing God's Word and understanding His laws convicts the heart. The law is so condemning we cannot plead our case. The natural man is already convicted. Repentance of sin leads to Salvation in Christ Jesus.
Christ is the truth or you deny Him. He is either the cornerstone or the stumbling block. As believers we must rest in the truth and sustainability of Christ.
The Holy Spirit changes our heart and mind. We know God because of the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. He transforms us so we desire to serve others and follow His laws. The heart of God is immoveable , unchanging, steadfast and an anchor for our soul.
The law condemns our sin. Without it we would not know that we are sinners. We all are guilty of breaking the laws of God. Therefore none of us have merit to stand before God.
God's laws make us aware of our sin. They are like a thermometer that determines if you are ill and require medicine. God is the great physician that cures our temptations in this life.
The law causes us to be aware of our sin. All mankind has the law written on their heart. We must repent and be baptized. Salvation is a relationship with Jesus Christ and we must pursue holiness to have joy, peace, and contentment.
Our old life was marked by the flesh, sin, law and death but now our new life is with Jesus Christ and holiness.
To walk in Christ we must put our past life behind us and make all things new. We are made new through the blood and power of Jesus Christ. God picks, sanctifies and justifies us. Apart from Him we are nothing .
To know God we must turn away from sin, forsake our old life and follow Christ. Salvation isn't a destination , it's a relationship with Jesus that is cultivated through studying the Word , praying to God and applying it to our lives. Through this process we are being sanctified until we stand before Him then we glorify Him.
Those who are without Christ think the gospel is foolish. Solomon is an example of someone who had the power and money to pursue happiness. He failed to satisfy himself with worldly pleasures calling it vanity and grasping for the wind. Rather, the pursuit of Holiness brings a depth of joy that only God can give. We must die daily to self and pick up our Bible applying God's truth to our life.
Sin spirals out of control if you don't present yourselves as slaves to righteousness. We can overcome any temptation if we live in the spirit. Through the power of God we should pursue righteousness and flee sin.
Serving and complete obedience to Christ cannot be separated. We must trust and believe in our Masters voice. Christians are saved for His glory and we are to execute His will through our gifts inside the framework of the Church.
You are either a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness. Every slave has a master. In Christianity our master is Christ. A slave doesn't get to choose his master. We have been purchased at a price. We have been restored from a burdensome master of sin to that of lightness and joy.
Don't use God's grace and liberty as a license to sin. Walk in the Spirit and you shall not full fill the lust of the flesh. We have been delivered to a new Master from satin and sin to Christ and liberty.
As a Christ follower can we sin since we are free from the law and live under the grace of Christ- Paul's answer is absolutely not. We are in bondage if we serve ourselves and the darkness in the world. We must glorify Christ and not become entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
Once we are saved Jesus brings a transformative change over us. Our Salvation is a process. I was saved,I am being saved ,and I will be saved. This is called glorification. The Christian life is a walk to be Holy.
Sin is a battle that begins in the mind. You can't go into a battle unless you have the right tools. We must put on the whole armor of God. That is the truth and things of God. Blessed is the man who endures temptation, he will receive the crown of life. Conflict always begins in the mind but if we don't stop the sin there it will become who we are.
After Christ has justified our life we begin our walk in this world of darkness. We must recognize that becoming a Christian will have its struggles in this world of sin. We must be prepared to wrestle with evil. We have to take up the whole armor of God by reading and applying the Bible to our life. Only then can we stand strong and overcome.
When we declare Christ as our Lord and Savior ,God Justifies our life and then begins to sanctify us according to His will. The Christian walk is a daily fight and reckoning where we take His truth and put it into action. We must ask ourselves does my life reflect the truths of God-
After God redeems us and we are saved from eternal damnation we are told in Ephesians 5 to be imitators of God. We are to pursue Christ diligently by reading His words in scripture and applying them to our lives. Our actions and character will prove our life as a true follower.
When you are of Christ you are made new to be like Him. Our old self is crucified and we are transformed with a new character. In Colossians we are told we are baptized in Christ and our old sins are nailed to the cross. Through that faith we are born again.
When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are changed into a new life. Therefore we no longer are the person we were in the past. God transforms us by putting His laws on our hearts. If we truly are believers and followers of Christ we are a new creation.
Our mutual love for Christ is what joins His Church together. Since Christ died in our place the cross is the power of God. Deny yourself and take up your cross.His death is the focal point in all Christians lives. We are immersed in Christ so we are one with Him.
If you know Christ you will be transformed to look more like HIm. God is faithful to deliver us from temptation when we recognize and accept His ways. If we get off His path He chastens us. God continues to work in the life of believers until He returns.
We are beyond rehabilitation We are regenerated. Where sin abounds grace abounds much more. We must recognize we are sinners saved by grace. All followers of Christ are being made perfect by the Spirit not the flesh. The mission of Christ is to deliver His chosen people to the Father.
We are shackled by sin at birth. Even though we have been redeemed by Christ we still struggle with sin. Gods free gift of salvation through Christ draws us to Him and sanctifies us as we navigate a world of darkness.
Whoever commits sin is shackled forever until Christ releases us from that bondage. Through the abundant gift of God we have righteousness and eternal life. Jesus Christ offers Himself as a gift so we can have victory over sin.
What does the Bible say about governmental powers- As Christians we are to recognize the power of the state in obedience to God's Word. -Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and render unto God what is God's.- In Romans 13 God appoints Rulers and in Job 12 He makes nations. Proverbs21-1,-The King's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water He turns it wherever He wishes.-
Through one man's sin we have been declared guilty. Yet by the one act of Christ on the cross our sins are covered and forgiven so that we will have life eternal with Him.
Through one man's act changed the environment of how we act with God. Adams sin led to condemnation for all. When Adam could no longer enjoy his garden he understood what condemnation must be. Adam had a disregard for everything God had to offer. Adams desire was to be God. Through sin mankind was forever changed. Redeemed people are forever transformed because of Christ.
Mans problem is sin. The answer is Christ alone. There are two paths we can take, one leads to eternal death and the other leads to eternal life. Until we surrender to the truth of Christ we cannot and won't change our hearts. There is only one way to glory and that's the cross of Christ.
Adam and Eve had a relationship with God and it was good. But they wanted to be like God so they chose to break His law. Like Adam we desire to create our own world our own way. We desire to go against His laws and create our own truth. Yet we have the grace of Christ in spite of our sin.
As Christians we struggle with sin. Just as Adam chose to walk outside of the boundaries God had commanded, we too have the liberty to choose sin over His commandments. As the veil of darkness is removed from our eyes we have the joy to share our life with Christ. Adam chose the world over God. As believers we must put to death the things that separate us from God.
There is nothing acceptable we can find to do to attain Salvation. We are all sinners, none acceptable to God. Sin came through Adam but through Christ Salvation is offered to all of humanity.
Peace, love, and joy are all given to us after we accept Jesus Christ. Having joy in our hearts is a sign we are believers. As we live in the Spirit we should walk in the Spirit. Joy in the Lord comes through obedience in Jesus Christ. When we truly walk in the Spirit our joy will be full.
Men have exchanged the truth for a lie. When you suppress the truth of Jesus Christ everyone will find themselves acceptable. Men create their own gospel and truth. One where God doesn't chastise sin. Since no one is righteous God does allow a way of escape from wrath through Jesus Christ.
As we live our life as Christians we will face trials and tribulations. We are to stay anchored by committing ourselves to Christ. The message of the cross is the blood covering of Jesus Christ. Christ loved us so much that He died for us in spite of our sins. We must humbly accept this message and commit our life to Jesus.
What's the difference between the natural man and the saved man- At the end of life the saved man does not regret his relationship and adherence to the Lord. The natural man is full of regrets. The Holy Spirit teaches Christians to love God. We love the providential plan of God. The Holy Spirit has poured out His love on the things of this earth to give us comfort. In 1 John 7 Paul says,- I have learned to be content in all things. - The saved man can see why God puts us through trials and is able to celebrate them.
As we stand up for righteousness we will suffer persecution. In the book of James it tells us that a true believer does not turn from his faith when presented with persecution. If we have a steadfastness through our tribulations we prove our loyalty to Christ is real. We will exhibit more of His glory in this life leading us to a greater hope in our eternal life with God.
If we are children of God it will be reflected in our character and how we choose to live our life. Through the power of Christ, and the Holy Spirit it is possible to purify ourself as He is purified. If we are called to Christianity we are to act as children of God. He gives us peace, standing, glory and access to the throne.
One cannot have peace with man until you have peace with God. The world makes himself an enemy of God. We are at war with Him. The natural man loves his sin and darkness. Many on the outside are hostile towards God. Peace with God is the only way to have salvation.
Jesus was sacrificed once because of our offenses. We will stand just for an eternity because of the resurrection of Christ. We believe in the cross of power- Our lives will be transformed through faith and His Word.
Upon Salvation we are given wisdom and prudence. Spiritual wisdom is having the thoughts of the Lord. Having His thoughts should make us rethink our worldly thoughts and line them up with God. We are to take this wisdom and use it to choose those we align ourselves with.
Abraham proves his relationship and faith by loving God and keeping His commandments. Just as we who are called declare and trust Him following His laws daily proving we have salvation through the grace of God.
We have peace with God through our Savior. We are saved and kept by Jesus Christ. He fills us with His perfection so we become a new creation.
Christ followers are chosen by God to glorify Christ Jesus. We are new and complete in Him. This is a gift of grace from the Lord and in His invitation we are made new in our flesh.
John 15-16, -You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go bare fruit and that your fruit should remain.
When Christ was tempted by satan He quoted the word of God and gained strength to resist temptation. We must learn, trust, and put to memory the word of God to combat the sin of this world.