The Primary Duty of a Preacher of God

2/23/2019 18 Comments

How a Preacher Influences Faith in Men

People who had gotten the chance to attend our congregational gatherings couldn’t help but express their amazement at the deep faith that our brethren display, and at the efforts they exert just to abide by the biblical teachings to Christians – things which they do not see in other religious groups, not even in their own religions.

For instance, our sisters in faith wear modest apparel, they do not cut their hair, they do not apply excessive make-up, and they do not wear any jewelry – because all these are biblical teachings which they had understood and are now embedded in their hearts. That is why they do not care even if they are ridiculed by others for being old fashioned and plain-looking. What they care about is their obedience to God’s words, which had awakened their spiritual awareness.

I TIMOTHY 2:9-10 says,

9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array. 10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

I PETER 3:3 says,

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

As a preacher, it is my duty to instill, or inculcate, in the minds and hearts of our brethren the words of God for them to develop love for God and spiritual awareness.

ACTS 26:18 says,

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

It is the preacher’s primary responsibility to open the eyes of people. Their eyes need to be opened so that they would see the light. So that they turn from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to the power of God. Other preachers deprive their member.

JEREMIAH 23:30 says,

Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbor.

And which is that light being referred to? It is the word of God.

And it is the word of God that I instill deeply in the minds and hearts of our people, not my story, not my person, not my opinion, because it is the word of God that will save their souls.

JAMES 1:21 says,

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

According to James, lay apart all filthiness: filthiness of the flesh, filthiness of the spirit, filthiness of the mind, even the superfluity of naughtiness. The world today is overflowing with naughtiness – drugs, terrorism, broken families, infidelity of husband and wife, premarital sex, etc. We are admonished to throw them away and remove them from our hearts. And so that our souls will be saved, we have to receive the word of God with meekness. This is the reason why we always advise our members to read the Bible. Our knowledge of the word of God would make us realize how great He is, and how good it is to be good. To be good, you have to know the word of God; all the goodness spring forth from the book of God.

II TIMOTHY 3:16-17 says,

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

The Scriptures will thoroughly furnish us with all the good works. All the good works come from the word of God. Therefore, the preacher, or the minister, has the obligation to furnish the people with all the words of God for them to know what is good.

JEREMIAH 26:2 says,

Thus saith the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:

The preachers are instructed to preach the word of God. Unfortunately, preachers today do not do that, instead they simply tell stories about their experiences, about their travels, their thoughts, etc. 

On my part, whenever I speak, I see to it that I speak what the Scriptures say; I speak the word of God, not my stories, not my opinions, not my thoughts.

As stated previously (in II Timothy 3:16-17), the inspired Scriptures are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. And for the man of God to be perfect, he must be thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 

The words of God in the Scriptures could make man perfect. Actually, it is the Lord’s commandment that we be perfect.

MATTHEW 5:48 says,

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

We must be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect.

There is no truth to what some pastors say that no man is perfect because all men commit sins. That is ignorance of the Scriptures. Are they implying that if a man has sinned he cannot be perfected anymore? In the history of God’s people, were there people of God who had been made perfect by God’s word?

Had there been people who had attained perfection?

HEBREWS 12:23 says,

To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

The just men who lived in the olden times were made perfect by God’s word. Always remember that it is the word of God that can make one perfect. How?

JAMES 3:2 says,

For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

It doesn’t matter if somebody committed a sin, especially so if it was committed unintentionally. God may still forgive him. So long as that person believes in the words of God and he tries to live by them, he may still be considered perfect. As mentioned by James, if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man. For a man to be perfect, he must not offend in the word of God.

Biblically speaking, there are people who had been considered by God as perfect. Job was one of them.

As written in JOB 1:1,

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and the man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

The parents of John the Baptist, Zacharias and Elisabeth, were also considered perfect. Both of them were blameless in the eyes of the Lord.

LUKE 1:5-6 says,

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zecharias, of the course of Abijah: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

If you receive the word of God in its entirety, you are considered by God as perfect, just like Zacharias and Elisabeth.

Another person who had been considered perfect was Noah.

GENESIS 6:9 says,

These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation, and Noah walked with God.

Walk with God, the way Noah did, and you will be found perfect.

In other words, the very reason why we are trying very hard to teach our people the word of God is because, it is the word of God that will enrich their souls, their minds, their hearts, and their entire beings. The word of God will teach them to do what is good. And, accepting the word of God wholeheartedly, in its entirety, would make them perfect in the sight of God.

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Is Your Marriage in Trouble? "Learn the Christian Way"

2/16/2019 , 38 Comments


Marital relationship is not always a bed of roses; it is not always a smooth sail. There are times when the going gets tough and shaky, and there are problems and conflicts that arise that test the couple’s endurance and love for each other.

Good if the couple decides to sit down and talk about their issues and concerns with prudence. What if the couples would really clash and hurl hurting words against each other? What if they go beyond the “word war” and resort to the physical and emotional battle? Surely, the next thing we’ll see is that one of them would be packing his things and moving out of the house.

But will stepping out of their dwelling place resolve the problem? In the first place, will that gesture be in conformity with biblical admonition for husbands and wives?

Biblically, it is improper for a Christian couple, both husband and wife, to leave their abode. Instead, they must dwell together; they must live together.

I PETER 3:7 says,

Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

That is the Christian way of life. A Christian husband is commanded by God to live with his wife, bearing in mind that she is the weaker vessel that needs protection which only he, her husband, could give. A Christian husband is the protector of his wife.

EPHESIANS 5:23-25 says,

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it:

The Bible is telling us of a great relationship between Christ and the Church. A husband must love his wife the way Christ loved the Church. He must not leave his wife inasmuch as Christ did not leave the Church either. In fact, when He was about to ascend to heaven, He told the Church, I will not leave you. I will be with you up to the end of the world. 

MATTHEW 28:20 says,

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Very clearly, as far as the Bible is concerned, it is untoward for the husband to leave his wife primarily because he is duty-bound to protect her.

There are instances in the Bible wherein the wife leaves her husband but never the husband leaving his wife. And if his wife leaves him, then he becomes free. He is now at liberty.

I CORINTHIANS 7:15 says,

But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

According to the Bible, if the unbelieving spouse decides to leave, let her go. Especially if the husband had already exhausted all means to make his wife stay, and still he failed to convince her, he may let her depart. And when she leaves, the husband is no longer under bondage.

This is one particular situation wherein the husband, or the wife, is not being held very tightly by God’s law. When the wife leaves, then the husband becomes free; when the husband leaves, the wife likewise becomes free. But God’s will is for husband and wife to dwell together until death.

38 Comments:

Live-in Relationships and Civil Marriage in the Bible

2/09/2019 , 52 Comments

Choosing Civil or Church Wedding

In the society where we live in today, it is a common thing that we come across single parents – either they had failed marriages so they separated, or they just happened to beget children out of wedlock.

Whichever is the case, these single moms or single dads usually look for another partner, and then they live together even without entering into marriage at all. Given this situation, the question that might arise is, is it wrong for a man and a woman to live together outside marriage, specifically a marriage that is officiated by a priest or a pastor?

Actually, a civil wedding is much better than a religious wedding. In wedding ceremonies officiated by priests or pastors you would be required to give offerings and you have to pay a certain amount. They make money out of it. But biblically speaking, it is not really the marriage certificate that matters most but the sincerity of both parties to live together as husband and wife.

GALATIANS 3:15 says,

Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.

It is very clear that, if both parties come up with a mutual agreement to live together as husband and wife, it is already acknowledged by God – even if they were not married by a priest. You see, there is nowhere in the Bible will you find that Joseph and Mary got married, or that there was a wedding ceremony that took place at all.

MATTHEW 1:18-20 says,

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

It means that they were betrothed or engaged to be married. But before the actual wedding ceremony took place Mary was found with a child because God made her an instrument for the birth of Christ. At first, Joseph decided to put Mary away because he thought that she became unfaithful to him. Until the angel told him, “fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife . . .”

But what was clear was that Mary was already acknowledged as Joseph’s wife even if they were just engaged then. And even if there was no formal wedding ceremony yet, God regarded Joseph and Mary as a couple already.

This is just to prove that the pact between a man and a woman is more important than a marriage certificate. Even if you have all the documents signed before a priest, they would all be useless if the contracting parties would not be true to their wedding vows and would just keep on fighting day and night. That is why it would be best to assess everything first before entering into an agreement to live with someone. Foremost, you have to be sure that the person you decide to live with truly loves you despite your past. But if you start to feel that he is taking you for granted, better watch out because that is a manifestation that he doesn’t really love you. Better find a man who would love you very much and who would care for you even if you have a child out of wedlock. If he truly loves you, he would also accept and love your child, and he would provide all your needs, both material and emotional.

I TIMOTHY 5:8 says,

But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

For God, anyone who does not care for his own, especially for his family is considered wicked. Irresponsible fathers and irresponsible mothers are regarded by the Bible as wicked. So, if you see that your partner right now does not care for his household, you are in trouble. There is a big possibility that you might spend the rest of your life in misery if you would stick to that man.

Think very well before deciding to spend your life with someone until death.

52 Comments:

Love and Relationships: How Should Millennials Handle Falling in Love, the Biblical Way?

2/02/2019 68 Comments

Biblical Advice on Young Romance

In what they call digital age, the so-called millennials, or today’s Generation Z, have differing attitudes towards love and relationships. But it’s not only the younger generation that displays a liberal stand on this matter but also those who were born way, way ahead. Many take relationships as a mere game, something that is done for fun only, something that shouldn’t be taken seriously. And being such, they do not settle with just one partner; sometimes they have romantic relationships with more than one person. And fidelity seems to be out of the question.

Is that how God wants us to regard relationships, specifically, the relationship between a man and a woman?

The will of God is for us to be faithful to our partners, or sweethearts. And to show God that you are faithful to your partner, even if you are not married yet, you should no longer flirt with others. You should not even send text messages to another because that is usually how infidelity begins. If you are already engaged in a relationship you should not go out with anybody anymore. Let us not practice what the ungodly people do for they just take relationships for fun.

JAMES 5:12 says,

But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

That is the law of the Gospel. And this law is not just for a group but also for those who are in a relationship. That is why if a woman has committed herself to be in a relationship with a man, she should no longer entertain other men. The same applies with the man. The moment that he commits himself to a woman in a relationship, he should refrain from displaying himself to other women and he should stop hanging out with friends the way he used to.

What is the implication if a man, who is already in a relationship, is found to be in relationship also with another woman simultaneously?

JAMES 1:7-8 says,

7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

When can a man be considered double minded? When he claims that he loves more than one woman. He must be crazy! You can never love two at the same time. Christ said that the two shall be one flesh. Never did He say that the three, or four, or five shall be one flesh. That cannot be! The three, or four, or five can never be one flesh and spirit. There will surely be envy and jealousy and strife. 

When it comes to romantic relationships, God does not permit a third party. It should be between one man and one woman only. A man should not take two women at the same time. During the time of the Israelites, anyone who commits that is burnt.

LEVITICUS 20:14 says,

And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.

That is an example of an unforgivable sin. A man who takes the mother of his wife and makes her his concubine is committing an unforgivable sin. And during the time of the Israelites, all the three of them shall be burnt to death.

Now, what does it teach us? As written in II TIMOTHY 3:16,

All Scriptures is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

You cannot have two sweethearts, or two spouses, at the same time. If you do that, it would mean that you are a “double minded man”. And as mentioned in JAMES 1:7, “... for let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.”

Apparently, that is something very serious. If you are a double minded man you would not receive anything from God – both spiritual and material.

JAMES 1:8 also said that “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” So, ladies, beware! Do not ever fall in love with a double minded man even if he happens to be the handsomest of all. Supposing that you already have a feeling for that man, suppress that feeling. If you insist in having a relationship with that kind of man, it’s just like committing suicide. As the word of God said, that man shall not receive anything from Him. In the sight of God, that man is wicked.

In other words, before you enter into a relationship, think about it very well. Be sure that you are his only one, and will always be the only one. Do not make hasty decisions which, later on, you will regret.

68 Comments: