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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

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

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

First Baptist Church Geneseo, Il 61254 Pastor, Dave Murphy Website: https://www.firstbaptistgeneseo.com.

First Baptist Church Geneseo, Il 61254 Pastor, Dave Murphy Website: https://www.firstbaptistgeneseo.com.

First Baptist Church Geneseo, Il 61254 Pastor, Dave Murphy Website: https://www.firstbaptistgeneseo.com.

First Baptist Church Geneseo, Il 61254 Pastor, Dave Murphy Website: https://www.firstbaptistgeneseo.com.

First Baptist Church Geneseo, Il 61254 Pastor, Dave Murphy Website: https://www.firstbaptistgeneseo.com.

? Temple Baptist Church - 5-19-2024Psalm 119:137-144? Introduction: Reiteration or Reinforcement! The work of the Pastor.? A. Psalm 119: 176 verses broken down into 22 stanzas with each stanza correlating with one of the 22 letters in the Hebrew Alphabet. Each stanza is made up of 8 verses which, in the Hebrew Bible, each verse begins with the associated letter of the Hebrew Alphabet forming an Acrostic. What a wonder that we hold in our hands tonight!? B. Psalm 119 was written for two reasons: 1) To Magnify the Word of God and 2) To show the importance of each believer having a relationship to the Word of God so that the Word of God can have a relationship with each believer. God has magnified His Word above ALL His name, and we are to magnify the Word of God also!? C. I know that we do not have to know Hebrew and Greek to understand the Word of God, but Psalm 119 gives us Hebrew letters in each of the 22 stanzas. This leads me to understand that the interpretation of each of these letters is important in understanding where the stanza is leading us.? D. Tonight, we will look at TZADDI? ץ? (pronounced Sau-di), the 18th? letter of the Hebrew Alphabet. TZADDI means “righteous” and “the path of the righteous.” In the Hebrew, by righteous it means man in his original state before sin. The goal of the Word of God is to help fallen man be restored back to God through salvation spiritually, and back to a righteous state through sanctification.? E. To put TZADDI (Sau-di) in perspective, I want to look at two passages in the New Testament that beautifully describe the ultimate goal of the Word of God.? Romans 8:28-30 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. (29)? For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.? 1 John 3:1-3 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (2) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear,? we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (3) And every man that hath this hope in him? purifieth himself, even as he is pure.? F. The will of God for His children is that:? 1. They be scripturally saved. I know this is a little factious since you cannot become a child of God with a spiritual or new birth. So many church people never have a relationship with God through His Word because, as unsaved, they have no desire to read what they cannot understand.? 1 Corinthians 2:11-14 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. (12) Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (13) Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (14) But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.? 2. They continue to grow spiritually.? 2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.? 3. They systematically conform to the image of Jesus Christ.? Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.? G. This stanza is broken down into 3 parts when speaking of a righteous path.? 1. Verse 137. The Righteousness of God's Path.? a. “Righteous art thou, O LORD” The Righteousness of God is manifested in His Person and His path is a righteous one.` God never leads in an unrighteous way because of His name's sake.? b. God is completely righteous as holiness in all His works are displayed. This creation declares the glory of God in both the heavens and on the earth. Perfectly designed to meet every need of billions of people. As knowledge on earth grew, the resources were already there to carry out their progress.? c. “and upright? are? thy judgments.”? The Righteousness of God is manifested in His Judgements. The judgements of God perfectly set for the wicked's punishment and for the godly's protection. Israel used a system of “Retribution” instead of “Incarceration” and the penalty suppressed the lawlessness.? d. The path of righteousness begins with Salvation and ends with Death.? Psalms 23:1-3 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. (2)? He maketh me? to lie down in green pastures:? he leadeth me? beside the still waters. (3)? He restoreth? my soul:? he leadeth me? in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.? Psalms 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for? thou art with me;? thy rod and thy staff? they comfort me.? 2. Verses 138-140. The Righteousness of God's Word.? a. Verse 138. “Thy testimonies? that? thou hast commanded? are? righteous and very faithful.” The Word of God holds testimonies to be read and observed; testimonies to be followed; faithfulness to be found. We can trust the Word of God to always led right.? b. Verse 139. “My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.” A zeal to exercise. We live in days of apathy and spiritual carelessness. Zeal: enthusiasm, passion, intention, and fanaticism. We are called fanatics (devoted, followers, zealots) simply because we have a zeal for God's Word. In a world that has “forgotten thy words,” fanatics stand out. We may be nuts, but we are screwed onto the right Bolt!? Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.? c. Verse 140. “Thy word? is? very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.”? You will never follow the Word of God fully until you recognize it for what it is, THE WORD OF GOD! Every child of God needs to love the Word of God! And “thy servant loveth it!”? 1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.? d. We that stand for an unchanging Bible. The path of righteousness found in salvation continues in God's Word.? 3. Verses 141-144. The Righteousness of the Believer. Now that we have gotten our salvation right, the Word of God right, the believer has a clear path to personally follow.? a. Verse 141. “I? am? small and despised:? yet? do not I forget thy precepts.” God's people who follow the Word of God do not forget its precepts as they are right. The poor are rich in faith and God chose to use “ignorant and unlearned men” in Acts, chapter 4.? Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.? 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: (27) But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; (28) And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: (29) That no flesh should glory in his presence.? b. Verse 142. “Thy righteousness? is? an everlasting righteousness, and thy law? is? the truth.” The righteous path of God NEVER changes. Often, people tell me how times have changed and that we need to change with the times. Religions are changing and I have seen much of that change in my short lifetime. I do not find the precept of change in my Bible. Right is still right and wrong is still wrong. The Word of God is truth!? John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; (32) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.? c. Verse 143. “Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me:? yet? thy commandments? are? my delights.” There will be days of trouble ahead for the Biblical believer and there will be anguish (pain and suffering) because of it, but we need to understand that God's ways are right and following the path of righteousness brings delight instead of shame and guilt. Remain in the Old Paths of our Fathers and you will be alright in the end.? d. Verse 144. “The righteousness of thy testimonies? is? everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.” Through understanding of the Scriptures and the following thereof, we find life more abundantly.? True rightness has a path that begins with salvation in a Righteous God then trusting in a Righteous Word of God and ending up following a clear, righteous path for God!

American Bible Society study finds majority don't trust technology with spiritual matters.Ask ChatGPT how to improve your spiritual life, and the natural-language processing artificial intelligence chatbot has plenty of suggestions.But Americans are skeptical that artificial intelligence, or AI, has much to offer in the way of reliable religious guidance.Sixty-eight percent of people don’t think AI could help them with their spiritual practices or “promote spiritual health,” according to the latest research from American Bible Society (ABS). Fifty-eight percent say they don’t think AI will “aid in moral reasoning” and only one out of every four people say they feel optimistic about the impact the technology will have.“Americans are more fearful than hopeful about artificial intelligence,” said John Farquhar Plake, an ABS program officer and editor-in-chief of the State of the Bible series. “People don’t know how AI will change the culture—but they’re mildly uneasy about it.”ABS surveyed about 2,500 people for its annual report on Scripture engagement and related topics. While technology has been a regular part of the survey, this is the first year ABS dedicated a set of questions to the topic of technology that performs tasks traditionally associated with human intelligence.AI is rapidly evolving, and currently includes everything from Amazon’s “virtual assistant” Alexa to chatbots running large language models that can pass the bar exam. People are pushing the technology further every day, and some Christians who work in tech are excited about the possibilities—dreaming of algorithms that might one day help people grow, learn, and go deeper in their faith.“It is not difficult to imagine how pastors and ...Continue reading...

? Temple Baptist Church - 5-19-2024Acts 4:13; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31? Introduction:A.? What man thinks impresses God normally does not!? 1.? We do not see as God sees nor what God sees!? Therefore, our “Measuring Stick” must be the Bible!? ? 2.? In Acts, chapter 2, we find the amazing portion of Scripture that records the fullness and power of the Holy Ghost that fell upon, indwelt, and impowered men to finish the word of the Messiah, Christ Jesus.? John 14:12? Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.? B.? We are making a short study of the word “ignorant” in the Bible.? ? 1.? The word “ignorant” is found 17 times in your Bible: 3 times in the Old Testament and 14 times in the New Testament.? I guess that the Old Testament saints were not as ignorant as the New Testament saints.? 2.? Ignorance defined: a lack of knowledge or information.? In our days, the word “ignorance” has become a word for lack of intelligence.? ? 3.? The Bible does not use “ignorance” in that way.? Ignorance can be importance if the ignorance is not willful.? 4.? Ignorance is the foundation for discovery and invention.? Without ignorance, there would be no desire to learn and obtain knowledge.? C.? Our verse for this morning tells us of the astonishment of these highly revered and educated men: the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, and Lawyers.? There amazement in that God would use “ignorant and unlearned men” is found in Acts 4:13.? 1.? God could not use these men who prided themselves as “students of the Word of God” who MISSED the coming, death, burial, and resurrection: the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, their MESSIAH, and our LORD Jesus Christ.? 2.? God could not use these men of great knowledge and education but rather chose the men in question who had no formal education.? They “marvelled” at them!? This morning, I want to take a biblical look at the people that God chooses to use in the Bible.? 3.? Though they saw the power of God upon these men and knew that they had been with Christ, their education and pride still would not accept the words that these chosen men of God spoke.? 4.? As often as not, education has become a? “stumbling block”? with men and women, not a? “steppingstone.”? Look at the results of this in secular colleges and universities of our day.? Anti-God, anti-Israel, and anti-America.? Let me be political for a moment.? Look at the difference between Blue and Red states or the “fly over states.”? The ruckus is being found in the Blue states, not the Red ones.? ? 5.? Look at this in so-called Bible Colleges and Universities of our day.? Many mock Bible believers, calling us cultic while correcting and changing the Word of God without knowledge of what they are doing or no care for what they are doing!? 6.? I am not just “going off” on people this morning, but we need to see that God has never used many wise, noble, or mighty people in the Bible.? ? 7.? If God did not use them in the New Testament, I believe that we can justly say that He does not use many in our day either.? D.? In I Corinthians 1:18-31, we find that the wisdom of the world is foolishness to God and the wisdom of God is foolishness to the world.? 1 Corinthians 1:18-31? For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.? (19)? For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.? (20)? Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?? (21)? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.? (22)? For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:? (23)? But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;? (24)? But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.? (25)? Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.? ? (26)? For ye see your calling, brethren, how that? a)? not many wise men? after the flesh, not? b)? many mighty,? c)? not many noble, are called:? ? (27)? ? But? God hath chosen? the? foolish? things of the world? to confound the wise;? and? God hath chosen? the? weak? things of the world? to confound the things which are mighty;? ? (28)? And? base? things of the world, and things which are despised,? hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:? ? (29)? ? That no flesh should glory in his presence.? (30)? But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:? (31)? That, according as it is written,? He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.? E.? I want to look at these three classes of people in reverse this morning.? 1.? Verses 26, 28.? God chooses to use the “base things of the world” instead of the “noble.”? ? a.? The “noble” are people of social and political status that cause them to rise above the “base” people.? The words “base things” in the underlying Greek mean “without kin” or “without descent.”? There is an old saying, “The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.”? ? b.? Believe it or not, America is quickly developing a “caste system” such as is found in many third world counties.? c.? God has chosen to use the baser sort of people because the socially and politically elite believe that their social and political elevation trumps the poor and hard working people of this world.? ? d.? God chooses the baser sort of people.? The “noble” people choose the “First Churches” instead of the smaller Bible believing churches that are “getting the job done.”? 2.? Verses 26, 27.? God chooses the “weak things of the world” instead of the “mighty.”? a.? By “mighty,” we are not talking about physical strength but rather powerful clout.? You would think that the rich would be thankful to God for the possessions, but they are not.? They normally use their financial clout to leverage their will over others.? b.? By “weak,” we are talking of people without the financial means or political pull of the “mighty.”? There are not many millionaires in small, Bible believing churches.? But Gods uses the tithes of the poor and the offerings of the faithful to do the work of the church and missions!? Matthew 19:23-24? Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.? (24)? And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.? Luke 21:1-4? And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.? (2)? And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.? (3)? And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:? (4)? For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.? c.? I often tell people of how God has used a small church in Laurens, SC to support almost 200 missionaries and put millions of dollars on the mission field.? It amazes the church going people, but they never come to our church to see and have a part of such an amazing work.? James 2:5-6? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?? (6)? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?? 3.? Verses 26, 27.? God chooses to use the “foolish things of the world” instead of the “wise.”? In our text, God used “ignorant and unlearned men” to confound the wise men of that day.? Matthew 23:7-8? And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.? (8)? But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.? a.? Rabbi, Rabbi!? Doctor, Doctor!? These are used to show the education of men and tend to elevate these men over the uneducated.? Today, we find many who precede their names with this title, Doctor.? Our Lord said, “But be not ye called!”? 1)? Education is not to Exalt Position.? 2)? Education is there to Enhance Preaching.? b.? In the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, we find the “deeds of the Nicolaitans” turned into the “doctrine of the Nicolaitans” during the Church Age.? This “doctrine” simply explained is the clergy over the laity.? The elevation of the clergy in the human sense is to bring division between the pulpit and the pew!? c.? Secular so-called Wisdom.? Secular Colleges teach Evolution instead of Creation.? God calls their wisdom foolishness.? The Fool? d.? Spiritual so-called Wisdom.? Seminaries today teach Errancy instead of Inerrancy.? Multiple “bibles” teach lack of inspiration through preservation which makes ALL “bibles” the work of men.? They are all different which teaches of errancy instead of inerrancy.? 1 Peter 1:23-25? Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.? (24)? For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:? (25)? But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.? e.? These liberally educated people do not believe these verses.? I do!? ? Their teachers want them to have confidence in them as to what the original autographs said or meant when they do not own one and have never seen one.? All that they correct are preserved documents.? I do not want your confidence in me but rather in the precious Word of God, the King James Bible!? It is your final Authority for both faith and correction.? ? f.? The wisdom of the least esteemed in the church.? 1 Corinthians 6:4? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.? Conclusion:? ? 1.? Many people are ignorant of whom God chooses as the want to fill the church with the wise, mighty, and noble.? I have heard it said that these are the kind of people that we want in our churches.? These are not the people (though God can use those of them who get saved and right with Him) that God has chosen to get the work of the ministry done.? God has always used small things such as the woman with the cruse of oil in the Old Testament and Mary Magdalene who anointed the feet of her Lord with oil in the New Testament.? (26)? For ye see your calling, brethren, how that? a)? not many wise men? after the flesh, not? b)? many mighty,? c)? not many noble, are called:? (27)? ? But? God hath chosen? the? d)? foolish things of the world? to confound the wise;? and God hath chosen? the? e)? weak things of the world? to confound the things which are mighty;? (28)? And? f)? base things of the world, and things which are despised,? hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:? (29)? ? That no flesh should glory in his presence.? (30)? But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:? (31)? That, according as it is written,? He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Does a self-medicating orangutan tell us anything about our supposed evolutionary past?

So why do they keep looking? Well, because evolutionary scientists, in their own foolish wisdom, think they can use the present to explain the past.