LET THE BIBLE SPEAK.

The Christian Virtues  Mike Willis Danville, Indiana And beside this, giving diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. And N these things be in you, and. abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and bath forgotten that he was purged from his sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 1:5-11). Many who have been baptized into Christ fall away from serving Jesus. Some become so wrapped up in the cares of this world that they bear no fruit for Christ...

The Bible and Man's Spiritual Needs Mike Willis Danville, Indiana Every generation has some who think that a new revelation is needed for a new age. The old Bible is viewed as outdated and unable to meet the spiritual needs of the new enlightened generation. There is an element of chronological snobbery inherent in such ideas, for this "enlightened" age will be the next generation's outdated age. The Scriptures are not tied to one era of time. They are timeless in that they meet the needs of every generation. "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations" (Psa. 119:89-90). "Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever" (Psa. 119:160). "The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting" (Psa. 119:144). Consequently, we should expect that the Bible is just as fitted to the spiritual needs of this generation as it was fitted to meet the needs of...

Personal Responsibility in Salvation: Growing in Faith with Fear and Trembling . Bro. Popoola Olufemi. Scripture References; Philippians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 13:5. Introduction: The Call to Grow or Die. 1. Brethren, we stand at the threshold of a message that demands our full attention. We have spent weeks learning about: a. Evangelism—Our Duty to Spread the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-16). The world is lost in sin, and we are God’s messengers. b. Building One Another Up in Love and Fellowship (Hebrews 10:24-25, Acts 2:42-47). The church is only as strong as its members. c. Spiritual Growth and Maturity (2 Peter 1:5-10, Colossians 1:9-10). We must add to our faith or risk falling away. 2. And now, we come to the final charge—the personal responsibility of every Christian: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12) a. This is not a suggestion, nor is it optional. It is a divine command. b. God has given us salvation, but He wi...

Never Take a Leadership Role Without Solid Soft Skills Before stepping into any leadership position — whether as a supervisor, head of department, manager, or accountant — ensure you possess strong soft skills. What Are Soft Skills? Soft skills are personal attributes and interpersonal abilities that help individuals interact effectively with others and navigate diverse situations. Often referred to as “people skills” or emotional intelligence, these skills are crucial for workplace success. Why Are Soft Skills Important? Soft skills are highly valuable because they’re transferable across different industries and job roles. They make individuals more adaptable, flexible, and capable of thriving in various professional environments. Key Soft Skills: Communication: Active listening, clear verbal and written expression, and the ability to present ideas effectively. Interpersonal Skills: Empathy, conflict resolution, and relationship building. Teamwork: Collaboration, delegatio...

Yesterday, as I watched the National Geographic Channel, I came to learn of the fish called the Electric Eel for the first time. Its actual name is Electrophorus electricus. The fish is commonly found in the Amazon and generally in fresh waters. In the narration of the documentary, Electric Eels are mostly blind, although they are not born blind. To me, they are such beautiful creatures, and I was wondering how they came to be blind? I then read about them and came to understand that these animals have three pairs of abdominal organs that produce electricity as a form of defensive mechanism against predators. Whenever the animal is under attack, it activates an electric field of up to 860 volts (that is nearly four times the 220V electricity supplied to our homes) to electrocute its attacker. The Eel also requires rising to the surface of the water every 10 minutes in order to take in oxygen before going back under the water. Due to this routine, the fish has developed a mi...

FACTS ON ISLAM. 1. Does the Qur'an define the word "Allah"? No. 2. Was the name "Allah" revealed for the first time in the Qur'an? No. 3. Does the Qur'an assume that its readers have already heard of "Allah"? Yes. 4. Should we look into pre-Islamic Arabian history to see who "Allah" was before Muhammad? Yes. 5. According to Muslim tradition, was Muhammad born into a Christian family and tribe? No. 6. Was he born into a Jewish family or tribe? No. 7. What religion was his family and tribe? Pagans. 8. What was the name of his pagan father? Abdullah (Abd + Allah) 9. Did Muhammad participate in the pagan ceremonies of Mecca? Yes. 10. Did the Arabs in pre-Islamic times worship 360 gods? Yes. 11. Did the pagans Arabs worship the sun, moon and the stars? Yes. 12. Did the Arabs built temples to the Moon-god? Yes. 13. Did different Arab tribes give the Moon-god different names/titles? Yes. 14. What were some of the names/titles? Si...

The Conditions For Salvation Man’s need for salvation is clearly established. He is guilty of sin and doomed to the eternal punishment for sin — damnation in hell. However, God acted in his grace and mercy toward mankind to save man from his sin. His grace is displayed in the gift of Jesus Christ who shed his precious blood on Calvary for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). What must man do to be saved by the grace of God as manifested in Christ Jesus? Conditional Salvation Salvation is either conditional or unconditional. In the event that salvation is unconditional, then salvation is universal. All men will be saved inasmuch as the grace of God has been manifested toward all men (Tit. 2:11). In that event, no one has any reason to fear eternal damnation for all will be saved. And if the grace of God is given unconditionally but is not universal, there is nothing one can do about his being saved or being lost because salvation occurs by the predetermined and unconditional act of the w...

What Must I Do To Be Saved? The most important question which any man faces is the question pertaining to his eternal destiny, "What must I do to be saved?" Jesus has said, "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free" (Jn. 8:32). Hearing, believing, and obeying the truth will free one from the damnation of sin; hearing, believing, and obeying false doctrine will leave one in the damnation of sin (Matt. 7:21-23). Hence, knowing the correct answer to this question can make the difference in eternal damnation and eternal life. Where Do I Find The Answer? In order to find the correct answer to the question, "What must I do to be saved?" one must find the one who is qualified to answer the question. Sometimes I have automobile problems which I am unable to repair. I have found that some mechanics are not able to repair my automobile because of incompetence. In a similar fashion, many who claim to know the answer to the question relating to everla...

What Must I Do To Be Saved? The greatest question ever ask by man is, "What must I do to be saved?" It is a great question because it involves man's greatest possession - his own soul! Jesus said, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul" (Matt. 16:26)? The Question The question, "What must I do to be saved?", is of great significance. A simple study of the words in the question will help us see the importance of the question. 1. What. The word what shows that one is inquiring about the value or nature of a matter. 2. Must. The word must means that a thing is necessary. 3. I. I points to the individual. It is not a question of what others must do, but what must I do? 4. Do. The word do indicates there is something to be carried out, or executed. 5. To be. To be shows there is something in the future. 6. Saved. To be saved is to be delivered from. So far as th...

What Must I Do To Be Saved? The answer you get to the above question depends on who you ask! The Universalist will tell you: "Everyone is going to be saved, because God is too good to let anyone be lost." The Calvinist will say: "If you are predestinated to be saved, you will be, so just wait for the direct operation of the Holy Spirit." The "faith only" advocate says: "Pray the sinner's prayer and accept Christ into your heart as personal Savior." In this article we will not review these incorrect answers, but the truth that will be presented will show that they are wrong. First, let us notice that the question itself implies that there are two parties involved in salvation. The first half, "what must I do?", shows that there is something the individual must do. The second half, "to be saved," shows God's part. It is not "what must I do to save myself?" but "to be saved. " We are saved by God's...

The Holy Spirit is not the Author of Confusion Simply stated, "No." Paul wrote, "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace" (1 Cor. 14:33). We see in the immediate context that God (inclusive of the Holy Spirit, Acts 5:3-4) was not responsible for the disorder, confusion, and tumult that would arise through the improper exercise of spiritual gifts. Neither is he the author of the confusion that exists in the religious world today. Rather, as the same inspired writer shows from Ephesians 4:1-16, the Holy Spirit is the author of unity, there revealing the attitudes, effort, and teaching necessary to "keep the unity of the Spirit." The Holy Spirit Desires Unity The religious world in general does not view diversity as such a bad thing. A Methodist preacher once stated to this writer that diversity is not a bad thing in that it allows each one to find teachings and practices which suit him. Like countless others, he overlooked the fact that what is ...

What The Holy Spirit Was Not Given For. The Holy Spirit is God. Jesus promised to send his apostles the Spirit of Truth. He told them what the work of the Holy Spirit was going to be. The Bible tells us a lot about the work that the Holy Spirit came to accomplish. Many people today have altered, changed or distorted the work of the Holy Spirit. Here I would like to write about seven things that the Holy Spirit was not given for. 1. The Holy Spirit was not given to make people brag. Simon, the ex-sorcerer, wanted the Holy Spirit so people would applaud him saying he was a great one. He was not given the Holy Spirit because he had a wrong motive - his intention was to boast (see Acts 8:9-11; 18:23). If Simon was not given the Holy Spirit, it is obvious that God cannot give anyone his Holy Spirit for the sake of boasting. You will hear many people saying that the Holy Spirit drives them to do their mighty deeds - In denominational tent meetings you will hear someone saying, "I can pe...