STAND AMAZED

            Authority without wisdom is like a heavy axe without an edge, fitter to bruise than polish. -A Bradstreet

Luke 4:32, And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.

            It’s one thing to know what you believe; it’s another to know why you believe it. God is the source of all knowledge, so it’s no surprise the wisdom He gives to His children is not only astonishing to hear but it is saturated with the power of God! That, my friend, ought to make you stand proud and proclaim the Good News of the Gospel!

            When was the last time you got a fresh look at the Lord and stood in amazement? Get a fresh look at the Word of God friend! It will be the best thing you have done in a while!

WHO CARES WHAT THE WORLD THINKS?

           It is better to incur the world's hatred by testifying against its wickedness than gain its goodwill by going down the stream with it. -Henry

Matthew 5:10, Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

            When you take a stand for the Lord; you will always have critics. They will come out from every rock you can imagine. The thing about it is, when you take your stand, they normally crawl right back under that rock. They do this because they can’t stand the Light of the Truth of the Gospel.

            Child of God, continue standing for the Lord. Let His Light shine! Who really cares what this old world thinks about us? As long as the Lord is pleased, nothing else should matter!

IT’S TIME TO RISE UP CHRISTIAN FRIEND

            All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. - Edmund Burke

Ephesians 6:13, Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

            Our world is quickly drifting away from anything that can be considered moral. We have come to the point in which that which Bible says is wrong is right and what was right is wrong. For example; there is nothing wrong with homosexuality, abortion, or lying. Homosexuality is a choice in which anyone can decide what gender they want to be attempting to deny the way God created them. Abortion is a nice way of saying someone murders an unborn child. Lying is explained away with situation ethics.

            Christian friend, there is no time to sit down. There isn’t a time to take a break. We must stand up, put on the armor of God, and give account of the hope that lives in us! We must share the Gospel at all cost! We must get the news out! We must rise up and take the world for the cause of Christ! Will you stand in the gap? Will you rise for the glory and honor of God? If not you, then who? If not now, then when? No better day to start than today!

STAND FIRM ON THE WORD!

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2 Timothy 3:16

The value of the Word of God, this side of eternity, is often misunderstood. It has more depth than the deepest sea. It has more height than the highest mountain. It can heal the broken hearted, set the captive free, and save the lowest of the low. A young Christian packing his bag for a journey said to a friend, "I have nearly finished packing. All I have to put in are a guidebook, a lamp, a mirror, a microscope, a telescope, a volume of fine poetry, a few biographies, a package of old letters, a book of songs, a sword, a hammer, and a set of tools."  "But you cannot put all that into your bag," objected the friend. "Oh, yes," said the Christian.  "Here it is." And he placed his Bible in the corner of the suitcase and closed the lid.

Will you read it today? Will you share it today? Will you make it a priority in your life? Will you stand firm on it?

HOW’S YOUR STANDING BEFORE GOD?

A righteous standing before God has always been by faith, through the shed blood of Jesus Christ without the works of the Law.—Dr. Bud Calvert

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6

            If I asked you this question, “Are you going to Heaven or Hell?” what would your answer be? How would you know? What would you base your answer on? Would it be the way you feel? Would it be based on something your mother told you happened many years ago? Would it be based on a prayer you prayed? Would it be because it was written in a family Bible many years ago? How do you know where you will spend eternity? How is your standing before God?

            Here is a simple answer for you… the Bible has the answer. It can be summed up by this one verse: “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:13

WHAT WILL YOU STAND FOR?

Stand for something or fall for anything.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Ephesians 6:14-18

Will you stand for Truth?—Jesus is the only way to Heaven.

Will you stand for righteousness?—Jesus is our righteousness.

Will you stand for the Gospel?—The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Will you stand for the faith?—By faith- it is the only way to please God.

Will you stand for your salvation?—By this others will know the way.

Will you stand for the Word?—The perfectly preserved, immutable, inspired, Holy Word of God.

Will you stand for prayer?—In prayer is the means in which we get the power to stand.

What will you stand for?

Will You Stand?

God is searching for men who are unique, thoroughly saved, and filled to running over with His spirit. God and the world need men who will stand in the gap.... --Frank Carlson

And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Ezekiel 22:30

As time flies on by, more and more men are slipping away from church and into a life of sin! Satan has attacked us at the very foundation of our Belief. The Word of God has been attacked and is being taken out of every day life. We hear it no more in our schools. We see it no more in our courtrooms. We aren't allowed to share it on some streets anymore. How did this happen? How did a once truly Christian Nation ALLOW Satan to have a foot hold in America? Because men wouldn't stand in the gap! Men have become sissys! Men have become cowards!

It's time for men to stand up and take control of their lives back. It's time to get real about the battle before us! It is time for us to stand in the gap for our Lord and Saviour!

God has instituted the man to be the leader of the house. So men, LEAD! Single women and single parent women, take the lead in your house until God gives you a real man that will lead you in the paths of righteousness. Don't settle for Satan's Wimps! Strive for God's Warriors!

Stand Up or Sit Down

Compromise in the Pulpit leads to Compromise in the Pew.

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15

There are many Biblical Leaders that show what it means to stand on the Word of God. I believe if there is compromise in the Pulpit on the Word of God then it will not be long before the Pew will be compromising not just in this area but in areas of modesty, music, morality, and money. Brethren, these things ought not be so!

In other words let me put it this way, I believe if the Pastors, Evangelist, and the Missionaries in the Pulpit compromise on the King James Bible, then it will not be long before they see in the pew; Modesty mixing with the world’s mixed messages, Music that feeds the flesh instead of exalting the Saviour, Morals thrown out the door for the sake of fitting in, and Money the Lord asked for being used for material gain.

We in the Pulpit must decide whether we are for the Lord or for building big churches with our name on the outside. We must STAND UP FOR THE LORD OR JUST SIT DOWN before we lead someone away from holy living or worse lead them to hell.

Consider these verses:

Elijah when he proclaimed, “…How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.” 1 Kings 18:21

The Lord Himself said in Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

SITTING OR STANDING

Sitting is for a person when their work has been accomplished. A person standing has their hands busy doing something for the lord.

Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. Philippians 4:1

To stand fast Matthew Henry says is, “To stand fast in his strength and by His grace; not trusting in ourselves, and disclaiming any sufficiency of our own.”

Are we living by His grace? Are we truly thankful for getting what we do not deserve? I believe when we disrespect others, whether on a field or not, we are in turn being unthankful for the grace God gives.

Do we trust in ourselves? Do you believe you live in your own strength? Do you take for granted the strength God gives you to breathe, get out of bed, to walk, or to talk? It is only by His mercy we are not consumed!

Friend, if you think there is any good in you, you need to read the Bible one more time. We have no sufficiency of our own. If we are not standing in the Lord; standing in His strength, by His grace, not trusting in self, or claiming any sufficiency of your own, we may as well be sitting with satan.

You want to make a difference in this life? Quit sitting around and trust Jesus as Saviour! Get busy serving Him!

Hell is Hot and Heaven is Sweet!

Don't let scoffers laugh you into hell; they cannot laugh you out of it. -D.L. Moody

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Revelation 1:18

People are being deceived by the millions. They sit back and laugh at the Christian who will not smoke, drink, chew, or run with those that do. They mock at their stand against abortion and homosexuality. They ridicule those who take a stance that there is only one way into Heaven.

I’ve got one thing to say…STAND THEREFORE! For those who laugh, mock, and ridicule will be the last ones laughing come judgment day!