Truth or Consequences New Mexico (NM)

What The Bible Says - Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

What The Bible Says - Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

Chapters 10 and 11 – 30 Minutes

What The Bible Says Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

Faith Baptist Homosassa, FL.

Faith Baptist Homosassa, FL.

Live from Sewickley Lighthouse Baptist Church in Sewickley, Pennsylvania.

Pastor Jonathan Pyle.12-13-2023.WN.

Pastor Jonathan Pyle.12-10-20123.AM.

? Temple Baptist Church - 4-10-2024John 15:1-11? Introduction:? A.? Last week, we saw the Prophecy of the True Vine.? Jesus Christ is the Root of the Vine and the Vine itself along with being the Branch.? This tells us several things about Christ: He was before all things, He made all things, He sustains all things, and He will be after all things.? B.? Tonight, we will look at the Purpose of the True Vine.? God does everything both Perfectly and with Purpose.? 1.? verse 1.? The Personality of the True vine.? a)? As the Root, Christ is the Anchor that holds the Vine.? He is the Chief Cornerstone of salvation.? He is the Rock of the believer.? As the Vine, Christ sustains the believer.? The Root supplies the nutrients along with the water necessary for spiritual growth and productivity through the Vine to the branches.? b)? As the Vine, Christ is Attributer that feeds the branches.? The sap flows through the vine to the branches.? The vines do not produce anything other than branches.? It is the branches that are responsible for bearing fruit.? c)? As the Branch, Christ is our Example of both life and fruit bearing.? 2.? Verse 2.? The Purpose of the True Vine.? Fruit!? Without fruit, the True Vine would have no reason to exist.? Jesus Christ has a reason for His being and we are that reason.? a) The Vine gives birth to the branches.? We are born again through the finished work of Jesus Christ.? b) The vine gives the necessities of fruit bearing to the branches.? c)? The Lord has and is doing His part because we are both saved and capable, as long as we abide in Him, of producing fruit.? C.? The Priority of the True Vine.? 1.? The Importance of Abiding in the Vine.? ? a)? These verses do not speak of being Attached to the True Vine.? Each of God's children get their live through Christ Jesus and are a part of the True Vine.? If you are saved, you are and always will be a branch.? b)? But not all branches continue to draw life from the vine for various reasons.? After a storm, we all find a lot of dead branches in our yards.? God uses storms and strong winds to prune trees and other plants.? Gardeners prune their plants to help the plant to produce maximum fruit.? 2.? How do we Abide in the True Vine.? ? a)? By drawing all that we need for life and godliness from the sap that flows from God to usward.? I use these verses often because of their importance to all of us that are saved.? 2 Peter 1:2-3? Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,? (3)? According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:? b)? God gives us everything that we need so it is Available.? 2 Peter 1:2-3? Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,? (3)? According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:? c)? There are two aspects of our spiritual drawing from God.? To ignore either of these will cause the believer to become unproductive.? 1)? The Word of God.? I cannot over emphasize the importance of our Bible!? I do not “major on a minor” as it is the “MAJOR!”? It is the “sap” that we draw from reading, studying, listening to, and rightly applying the Word of God.? God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.? 2)? The Spirit of God.? The second way that we draw “sap” from the True Vine is through the presence of and obedience to the Holy Spirit which indwells us.? He is our Teacher, Comforter, Guide, and Friend.? 3.? The branch that does not produce fruit is broken off by men and cast into the fire.? ? John 15:6? If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.? (Notice that it is still a branch and the men who break them off and burn them shows the chastening rod of God.? “And many sleep!”? D.? Verses 2-11.? The Product of the Abiding Branches.? We now understand that failure to abide in Christ causes lack of fruit and possibly physical death.? ? John 15:5? I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.? 1.? Verse 2, 4-5.? ? The Qualification of the Fruit.? The branch must be attached to the Vine!? ? If you are not in the Vine, then there is no way for you to share in the Vine's life. This is all about a vital union between the believer and the Lord Jesus Christ, the True Vine.? a.? The Purging of the Vine.? John 15:2-3? Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.? (3)? Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.? b.? We must have a close relationship with the Vine.? Prayer, Bible reading and study, self-denial.? c.? We must be available for use by the Vine.? Availability and dependability are the greatest abilities.? This in all God needs.? 2.? The Quality of the Fruit.? Fruit!? The grace extended is all the same.? The faith exercised is all the same.? The salvation given is all the same.? a.? The quality of the fruit is not necessarily the responsibility of the branch.? The quality of fruit depends upon the quality of the Vine.? ? b.? God reproduces His life through our lives.? As salt and light, the world sees our good works and glorify the Father in heaven.? c.? This has been called a “Liberating Truth!”? We are free from the consequences of their personal choice.? We cannot save, we can only give savor and light.? 3.? The Quantity Of Our Fruit.? ? a.? ? So many people whip themselves because of a lack of visible results but there are those who plant, those who water, and only God can give the increase.? This? is not the responsibility of the branch. Some will produce much; some will produce little.? b.? The fruit, more fruit, and much fruit depend upon the will of the Vine. I have known some of the godliest, best missionaries and pastor who have spent their lives with little seeable fruit.? ? 4.? The Quandary of the Branches.? ? John 15:5? I am the vine, ye are the branches:? He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.? a.? Not every branch is what God intended for it to be.? Our relationship to the Vine is what we make of it.? b.? This branch is still attached to the Vine but is not abiding in the Vine.? Let me explain.? ? 1)? It is the Husbandman who Purges the branches: to wash them through the Word of God.? 2)? It is the Husbandman who Prunes the branches by breaking the branches OFF from the Vine.? c.? Our duty is to abide in God and allow God to abide in us!? Conclusion:? Not abide in Christ:? a.? Loss of Fellowship – “cast out”? b.? Loss of Living – “withered”? c.? Loss of Reward – “burned'

? Temple Baptist Church - 3-3-2024Psalm 119:73-80? Introduction:? One of the struggles that people have concerning the preservation of the Scriptures is that the teaching that the Bible is a man-made book and therefore is subject to additions, subtractions, and mistranslating.? 176 verses, 22 stanzas with each beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, 8 verses in each stanza with each verse in the Hebrew beginning with the same letter of the alphabet (acrostic).? What a magnificent work of God!? A.? Tonight, the 10th? stanza of Psalm 119, JOD.? “JOD” is the smallest letter of the Hebrew Alphabet and is represented by a “dot . )? ? 1.? Every one of the 22 letters of the alphabet are created by continuous dots ……………... which form the lines that form the letters as letters consist of a continuous line of dots.? ? 2.? When two consecutive JODs or dots are found, they represent the word “God” or Adonai who is an eternal, unchanging God.? Judaism considers the names of God so holy that, once they are written, should never be erased.? B.? Whereas JOD is the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet, “iota,” which is the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet. In Modern Hebrew, the phrase “tip of the YOD” refers to a small, insignificant thing.? God is meticulous!? Precise in what He says.? C.? JOD, of the Old Testament, was mentioned by our Lord Jesus when He said in Matthew 5:17-18: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.? (18)? For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”? ? Of Hebrew origin (the tenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet);? “iota”, the name of the eighth letter of the Greek alphabet, put (figuratively) for a very small part or amount of anything: - jot.? The word “Tittle” means a “horn” and is smaller than the “jot.”? It is a horn like apex on a letter that changes the inflection of a word.? D.? Thus, our Lord said that not even the most insignificant thing in the Word will ever change or disappear.? E.? It would do us good to realize that the Doctrine of Divine Preservation is just as important as the Doctrine of Divine Inspiration.? Without continuance of preservation, inspired manuscripts become a moot point.? ? F.? The Continuity of the Word of God and its importance are found in these 8 verses of the 10th? stanza.? 1.? Verse 73.? Understanding.? The continuity of God's Word is essential to our understanding.? We must continue to have the Word of God for all generations to understand how we got here, why we got here, where we are intended to go, what we are intended to do, and what it takes to suceed.? In our Bible we understand that man was created by God and for God.? ? Proverbs 4:5-8? Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.? (6)? Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.? (7)? Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.? (8)? Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.? Three branches of education are found in the Bible: Knowledge, learning facts – Wisdom, learning to use those facts – knowledge, is learning why those facts work.? Without the continuance of preservation of God's Word, we would have none of the three.? 2.? Verse 74.? Hope.? The continuity of God's Word is essential to our blessed hope.? Our temporal and eternal hope is Bible based.? Through the eyes of the Word of God, we have hope in this world though it is deteriorating.? Through the eyes of the Word of God, we have an eternal hope that is nearing!? ? Romans 15:4? For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.? Titus 2:13? Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;? Without continuing preservation of God's Word, we would have neither.? 3.? Verse 75.? ? Correction.? The continuity of God's Word is essential to our? correction.? Throughout the Bible, we find the righteous judgements of God that are essential to a godly, obedient walk with God and each other.? There will be times that we fail and times when we will fall but God's grace and strength will carry us through.? The Word of God teaches us to walk in the right way wherein is the good way.? Hebrews 12:5-7? And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:? (6)? For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.? (7)? If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?? Without the continuing preservation of God's Word, we would not know right from wrong and the consequences thereof.? 4.? Verse 76.? Comfort.? The continuity of God's Word is essential to our comfort and peace.? ? In the darkest hours of our lives, the Word is a light that shows us the way so that we do not stumble or proceed? down the wrong paths. We have the love of God to comfort us and the promises of God to encourage us.? A peace to trust and hearts to trust when we do not understand.? Romans 8:28? And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.? Romans 15:4? For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.? Without the continuing preservation of God's Word, we would not have comfort in our tribulations.? ? 5. Verse 77.? Life.? The continuity of God's Word is essential to our living.? ? Not merely physical life, though our physical life should be guided by the Bible, but also our life in Christ.? The Bible gives us grace, mercy, and strength for the journey.? The three remaining gifts of faith, hope, and charity are all found within the volume of the Word of God.? Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives.? 2 Peter 1:3? According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:? Without the continuing preservation of God's Word, we would have no parameters to keep us living a life that is right and godly.? 6.? Verse 78.? Confidence.? ? The continuity of God's Word is essential to our confidence.? Our confidence in the scriptures leads to our confidence in God which leads to our confidence in life.? The world lives unto shame, but the child of God lives unto Christ!? The enemies of Christ become the enemies of God's children, but—through the scriptures—we can walk in total confidence.? Hebrews 10:35-36? Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.? (36)? For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.? Without the continuing preservation of God's Word, we can know for certain that everything both works together for good but will also turn out right in the end.? 7.? Verse 79.? Companionship.? The continuity of God's Word is essential to our company that we keep.? ? The Word of God teaches that the world will turn away from us and count us as enemies.? Often, those of our own household will become our foes.? But those of like precious faith will become our friends and family.? We are exhorted to spend quality time with our brothers and sisters in Christ.? I find no greater joy than to visit with our people who are going through trying times.? Oh, what joy!? Oh, what delight!? Acts 2:46? And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,? Without the continuing of the Word of God, we would not be able to properly identify God's people much less have a place called the church where we assemble to bless and worship our wonderful lord Who gave Himself for it.? 8.? Verse 80.? Spiritual Soundness.? The continuity of God's Word is essential to our spiritual soundness which leads to our spiritual boldness.? A song says, “I had rather be an old time Christian, Lord, than anything I know.”? We who are saved are not ashamed of our Lord, the brethren, or our precious local church.? John 17:22-23? And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:? (23)? I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.? Without the continuing of God's Word, our overall spiritual wellbeing would in jeopardy.? The Bible is the measuring stick by which we measure ourselves and the benchmark from which we measure everything else.? Conclusion:? JOD!? A point from which comes continuation.? Since both our physical and spiritual welfare depends upon the veracity of God's Word, there must be a continuity or continuance of preservation of said Word.? All that we need and all that we have is founded upon the Continuity of The Word of God.? Preservation is an act of God, not of man.?

? Temple Baptist Church - 2-18-2024Psalm 119:57-64? Introduction:? ? A.? Tonight, the 8th? stanza of the 119th? Psalm.? The 8th? letter of the Hebrew alphabet is CHETH.? The letter CHETH is interesting as it has a two-fold meaning: it can mean either “sin” or “life.”? 1.? God gives us both the right and obligation of choice.? Calvinism teaches “Total Depravity” as “Total Inability” which is false.? I heard a Calvinist preach this week and he said that the unsaved need to make the right choice.? How contradictory and erroneous.? Shortly, I will preach on “The Landmark of the Sovereignty of God.”? ? 2.? In God's Sovereignty, He has created mankind as free moral agents: that man has the ability to choose either right or wrong.? As God's children, we must learn to trust the guidance of God.? God guides us in the way that we should walk through His Word and the Holy Ghost.? Psalms 32:8-10? I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.? (9)? Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.? (10)? Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.? Our instructions and teaching are found in the Word of God.? 2 Peter 1:3-4? According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:? (4)? Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.? ? God has given us the divine power through His Word to make our choices right and to live full, godly lives in this present evil world.? a)? God guides us through His Word into Salvation.? b)? God guides us through His Word into Safety.? 3.? As we look at this 8th? stanza, we see that the Psalmist has made both good and bad choices which will set the tone for all 8 verses, 57-64.? 4.? Eve, then Adam, made choices, both bad and good, which brought about both the Fall and Faith. Later, Cain and Abel made choices, both bad and good, with the Lord giving Cain another chance to change his choice from bad to good.? “And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door” explained Cain's reason for maintaining his bad choice and dying lost without God.? 5.? We make choices each day spiritually.? We choose to live a life of sinfulness, or we choose to live a life that is godly.? These choices are dependent upon our relationship with the Word of God.? We need to be making biblical choices!? a)? There is an old saying, “Either the bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the bible.”? This is a scriptural saying as your relationship to the Word of God is either sinful or godly.? ? b)? Sinful when we choose to ignore its path and embrace the world, or godly when we choose to embrace its path and reject the world.? B.? CHETH gives the meaning of “sin unto death or chastisement” or “obedience unto life and peace.”? The choice is OURS!? Now, let us look at these 8 verses.? 1.? Verse 57 – “Thou are my portion in life, O LORD!”? Here the Psalmist recognizes the truth of a right choice.? “My portion” means MY part.? The table is set at home and my portion is what I choose to put on my plate.? The table of God's Word is full, and The Lord is my portion!? 2.? Verse 57 – “I have said that I would keep thy words” refers to a past vow made.? The Psalmist did not say “the only choice I have is to keep thy words,” but “I have said.”? The Bible teaches that every newly saved person fully intends to live a life for Christ.? God will not save the person who asks the Lord to save them while fully intending to continue to live their life in sin.? ? 2 Corinthians 5:17? Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.? Ecclesiastes 5:1-2? Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.? (2)? Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.? 3.? Verse 58 – A cry for mercy because of a wrong choice.? “I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.”? Realization of bad choices teaches the believer to seek the mercies of God that are new every morning in both presence and sufficiency.? ? Psalms 23:6? Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.? 1 John 1:8-10? If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.? (9)? If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.? (10)? If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.? 4.? Verse 59 – The Psalmist thought upon his ways and turned in repentance to the right way.? “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.”? His repentance causes his feet to turn unto a biblical path of righteousness.? Thinking on our wicked ways will not get the job done in itself.? The requirement of a right path is making the right choice.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Ezekiel 18:27-28? Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.? (28)? Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.? 5.? Verse 60 – The change in choice was immediate.? I think of Pharoah when Egypt was full of frogs.? He asked Moses to entreat God for their removal.? Then he made a statement that holds true to many.? Instead of asking for the frog's removal right now or today, he said that tomorrow would be fine.? The moment that we find our choices have been wrong is the time to “haste … and delayed not.”? This shows a true repentance and lessens the impending effect of and punishment for sin.? Luke 19:5-6? And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.? (6)? And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.? 6.? Verse 61 – The result of a bad choice.? “The bands of the wicked have robbed me.”? Bad choices not only have bad consequences, but they also rob the believer of the good consequences of good choices.? The things that the believer gets that destroy their lives are manifest but what they could have had will never be known, just surmised.? “But I have not forgotten thy law.”? You can run but you can't hide.? The Word of God that you have heard and learned will always be there.? Psalms 116:3-4? The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.? (4)? Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.? 7.? Verse 62 – In the midst of the storm the Psalmist sought God.? He did not wait for the light of day or the end results of his disobedience to be manifested.? “At midnight!”? He arose from his bed and gave thanks for the love and mercy of God.? He deserved what judgment that he had coming and thanked God for the judgments that were staved off through remembering, repenting, and returning.? Acts 16:25? And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.? 8.? Verse 63 – His return to the fold.? “I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of the that keep thy precepts.”? When the believer gets out of the will of God through wrong choices, he/she will always become a companion of the wicked.? BUT, the believer will never belong there.? The church crowd is OUR crowd.? Thank God for the love, help, and exhortation found in the presence of the saved!? Proverbs 13:20? He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.? 9.? Verse 64 – The mercy of the Lord is available to not only the believer, but also to the whole earth.? “Teach my thy statutes!”? Our personal choices should be bound in the Word of God.? Right choices are a result of a right relationship with God's Word.

Reflecting on the fact that we cannot know the future consequences of present choices, I found myself asking why an all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful God created and allows a world that is so chaotic and unpredictable. Then I realized: he didn't.

The rejection of Biblical morality has consequences in due time.