A church full of people who have been delivered from their sins will do this.

Gifted by God, each person would serve using his or her particular gift/s.

Preaching, teaching, and pastoring would be for the building up and equiping of the saints. The gifts of service would be used accordingly.

Agape love would be demonstrated in the serving.

Worship would flow from hearts yielded to the Lord. God would be glorified.

We would grow in our faith, and in the grace and knowledge of the Lord, and witnessing to a lost world would naturally flow from hearts filled with adoration of the Savior.

And, God would add to the Church as He did in the days of the Apostles.

chav wrote:
Sermonaudio is excellent and the best thing on the internet
May I encourage more folk to listen to more sermons and post comments that encourage those ministries? It is good to post in the forums but surely 45 minutes hearing God's word is more profitable and worthy of making a comment too?
One suggestion would be a place on the forum where one can mention particular prayer requests. Those with different doctrinal views(where there is sometimes too much heat in the comments ) surely would be pleased to be united in prayer to remember their brethren's needs.
A place where those who know not Christ yet who may have begun to read the bible might see the love of christians in action...and more importantly the power and reality of God in answering such requests or do we not believe that our God answers such requests?

Hey, Yamil,

Yamil wrote:
Hi.
Since I am a firm believer in prayer, I ask that some would pray for me as I am going through a deep trial of despair. Sometimes hope can only be attained through the prayer of the saints.
This I covet.
Thanks in advance.

As I have been praying for you this morning, two verses which have been a great source of comfort to me during times of despair, came to mind, and I would like to share them with you.

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

"I would have despaired unless I had known the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."

Yamil wrote:
Hi.
Since I am a firm believer in prayer, I ask that some would pray for me as I am going through a deep trial of despair. Sometimes hope can only be attained through the prayer of the saints.
This I covet.
Thanks in advance.

I'm remembering you in prayer.

"Dear Lord, Have mercy on Yamil as he looks to you for strength. In this time of despair, let him "lift up his eyes unto the hills from whence cometh his help. His help cometh from Thee."

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is in within me, bless His Holy Name."

"The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?

When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war arise against me, in spite of this I shall be confident.

One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple.

Mrs. J Dawson wrote:
I wish I could have more children sometimes, my husband and I are not intimate any more. I am crippled and am in terrible shape. Sometimes I wish my husband's heart would soften and that my husband and I would have more children. I don't even know if I am fertile any more. I am sad we didn't have more children and that we haven't been more godly in our lives. I had three childhood head injuries and my many illnesses has made my grown son's life hard. Please pray for my husband, son and I to walk in The Light and have no fellowship with darkness, may this be all the days of our lives!

Michael Hranek wrote:
When a sinner comprehends how utterly and inexcusably they have sinned against a very good God who loves them and cares for them and desires none to perish and who has provided in Jesus Christ an almost unspeakably wonderful Savior, a Great High Priest, who will weep with those who weep over their sins and who has willing shed His blood to make them right with God...Wow!!! Do they ever have reason to repent and to trust in Jesus alone to be saved from sin!!

Like celebrities or politicians whom we see on t.v. We know about them, but have not personally met them; in the same manner, many people who talk about Jesus know ABOUT Him, but they have never met Him, especially those in churches. When we meet Him in Salvation, we become like the woman at the well, or those healed of their physical diseases by His miraculous power, we cannot stop talking about Him. That is what it means to be a witness for Christ. We tell others what He has done for us. "From our innermost being flows springs of living water" given to us by the Holy Spirit.

Heavenbound wrote:
You know what I find saddening. Every nation that ever rejects God, says goodbye to God, spirals downwards.

After a while, I looked around, and the building was filled with the homeless and destitute seeking a warm place. I couldn't help but think "for these Jesus came," and yet, this building no longer was a place to hear the gospel, but for social functions.

That picture is so remarkably clear in my mind.

My prayer is that the TRUE Gospel would be presented to a lost and dying world.

Mark M. wrote:
When some "activist" attacks a church or bambs an abortion clinic, it only serves to solidify the position of the very organization that the "activist" is against. How many legitimate Christians are now going to get heat because of this? The true Christian gets villified by the mainstream media, while the "innocent" fringe groups get free publicity.

Michael Hranek wrote:
In my opinion this grieveous false Southern Baptist "minister" would have been the kind of person to join right in with dialogues with the Muslims. And please don't think I am making light of it but now terribly after his death, this man who was warned by people like Adrain Rogers and other Southern Baptists of his stature now knows they were right to warn him that he was wrong to deny the Truth of the Word of God.

Mike wrote:
Even in the face of tragedy, she imagines they are above it all. She thinks that their liberalism is somehow isolated from the mold its spores grow.
If we were to probe Mz. Harper's thoughts deeply enough, she wouldn't be able to present a reason why what the shooter did was morally wrong. Her philosophy wouldn't allow it.

Mike wrote:
Michael, regarding Warren- I speak of him in an uncomplimentary manner whenever the opportunity comes up. I do get some strange looks, so I must be doing something right!

You may have heard about the Sunday killing of 2 and others injured at a Knoxville Unitarian Universalist Church. A gunman whose ex-wife had attended the Church opened fire on the congregation because of their liberal beliefs.

Well, the reason that I mention it is because the response of the Christian community has been to comfort and support the members through an ecumenical service at First Baptist downtown. They are coming together in the "power of Love, in a community that believes in a God of Love."

It is one thing to offer comfort - it is entirely different to support a false belief system, and align "Christianity" - lite though it be - with an anti-christian based religious/philosophical system.

Just another example of the false religious system coming together as "one."

Obama is the most liberal left-leaning senator ever. He supports the gay agenda, voted against the ban on partial birth abortion . . .He is for every left leaning group out there. His supposed "Christianity" is unrecognizable to the true Believer. He is a brilliant politician. He is stunning in his utter lack of conviction, and, contending for the most powerful position in the world. He has accomplished nothing of significance. Apparently, knees buckle, and worshipers swoon when they are in his presence.

Surely, Barack Obama will be a devastating judgment of God on America, if he gets the office.

If I did not know the "goodness of the Lord in the land of the living," "I would despair." His Sovereignty, alone, allows me to be at peace.

For example, if one judges in saying, "that person is living in open rebellion to God, (for the sake of argument let's say it is an on-going immoral relationship), and refuses to repent; therefore, he cannot be a Christian." The person saying that is then judged to be intolerant, and not in accordance with the Scripture that says, "judge not, that you be not judged." How's that for illogical reasoning?

However, if you quote John 7:24 "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment," they do not want to hear that. They want to err on the side of tolerance for sin and use "judge not, that you be not judged" to justify their position.

The Scripture talking about women having their heads covered was more symbolic of her coming under the authority of her husband. Likewise, the husband's head uncovered was symbolic of his submission to the Lord.

These are positional relationships that God has established for a purpose - namely, order in the Church.

However, the good news is "there is neither male nor female in Christ Jesus." We are all one in Him - He being the Head, we being the body.

Becky wrote:
After watching my daughter repeatedly battered and beaten by the evil man she calls her husband, there is no doubt in my mind that divorce is NOT sin in some cases. For the sake of her and her children's mental and physical well-being, she cannot remain married to this person.

Of course your daughter cannot stay with an abusive husband. Separation is necessary. Even Scripture calls for a time of separation when there are problems in the marriage. 1 Cor. 7:5

During this time of separation she can pray for his salvation. Her faith will be proven as she trusts the Lord to intervene. This may mean reconciliation or the husband may choose divorce. God is Sovereign.

Paul says in 1 Cor. 7:10,11 "But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband (but if she does leave, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and ...." Paul acknowledges that there are times for leaving, but also gives instruction concerning the time of separation.

I'll be praying for your family concerning this.

Michael Hranek wrote:
It was a cold day and initially I forgot to remove the Yankee cap. Still I am amazed at the grace of God of what He gave me to say and that it was broadcast.

Anyway, I did visit the youtube clip with you getting to share. Bravo!

We need to pray for those in the darkness of the islamic religion (which is totally anti-Christ)that God would open their eyes.

I've had to pray that I would not group them all together as radical and militant. When I see women covered head-to-toe, to show modesty, and yet shopping in women's stores that I would not shop at, I have a general disdain for them. So, I've had to pray for God to change my heart. We are born sinners and if we are saved, it is only by the Grace of God.

There are those in that culture that God is bringing to Himself. The preaching of the Word is essential. It is foolishness to those being lost, but salvation to those who believe.

Thanks again for sharing the clip. Nice to see your face.

The Lone Wolf wrote:
Moses and Elijah? How can that be? Where did they come from? I thought under the dispensational scheme they aren't to be raptured until after the tribulation.

I have never heard any pastor expound on these verses; but, are they not powerful?

Other cultures report One having appeared to them, and this has been passed down even to today. Could it be that native Americans, and pacific islanders, to mention a couple of cultures who make such claims actually were witnessed to at that time. Are these the "firstfruits" that Jesus mentions?