Tag: God

GOD BLESS AMERICA

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Shelby G. Floyd

Note: I proclaimed this sermon forty four years ago when I was thirty nine years old. And today I affirm these bedrock truths as strongly as then! Wake up America before it is too late!

In view of the transformation of the American culture, it is proper to ask, “Will God continue to bless America?” Whatever has made America great in the past and the present will make America great in the future.  We love to sing the prayer song, “God Bless America.”  Truly that song expresses our fondest hopes and desires that God will continue to bless America in the future like he has in the past.  I am quick to tell you that I am proud to be an American.  I am grateful to God that I was born in this country and that I have citizenship in this great nation.  I don’t think that it is contradictory to be proud to be an American and to be a Christian at the same time.  I wouldn’t equate Christianity with Americanism.  I believe that a person can be a Christian and live in another country and not be an American.  But on the other hand, I don’t think it is wrong to be proud to be an American and also to be a Christian.  I believe that you can be both. Continue reading “GOD BLESS AMERICA” →

THE HARDENING OF PHARAOH’S HEART

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Shelby G. Floyd

Good morning church. We are glad to see a good number present for worship today, even though this is the two-week break for the schools in this area. In our adult class this quarter we have been studying the book of Exodus. Jerry Stephens did a good job teaching the class on the subject of the Passover. Therefore, many of you will be somewhat familiar with the topic that I am discussing today, which is, THE HARDENING OF PHARAOH’S HEART.

FREE WILL OF MANKIND

I think most of you would agree that God created mankind with free will. We are not robots! We are free to make our choices, and when we make our choices, we must live with the consequences. According to the Bible, we have all chosen to be sinners. But we do not need to live with the eternal consequences of our sin. Because God Almighty sent his son Jesus Christ into the world to be our Passover Lamb—the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Therefore we do not need to suffer the eternal consequences of our sin. God is merciful, loving and forgiving. Continue reading “THE HARDENING OF PHARAOH’S HEART” →

THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST

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Shelby G. Floyd

In Colossians 1:18, the apostle Paul expressed the preeminence that Christ should have over His church when he said, “And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead: that in all things He might have the preeminence.” We must give Christ preeminence in all things and especially we must give Him first place of importance in the church.

When Paul said He is the head of the church, the word “head” means originator, source, leader and ruler. Christ is the head of the church in the sense that He brought the church into being. He is the originator of the church. Christ is the head of the church in the sense that He is the source of the life of the church.

Christ is the head of the church in the sense that He is the ruler of the church. He has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). He has executive authority: He proposes. He has legislative authority: He disposes. He has judicial authority: He judges. So we must give preeminence to Christ as the head of the church, the originator of the church, and the source of all life in the church, the legislator, the executor and the judge of the church.

Concerning Christ Paul says, “Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.” The word “beginning” there does not mean that Christ had a beginning. Christ existed before the creation (John 1:1-4). Christ is the firstborn from the dead. He was not the first to rise from the dead, but the first and the highest rank to rise from the dead. This means he holds the preeminence or highest rank over the church.

Shelby G. Floyd
Heartland Church of Christ
1693 West Main Street
Greenwood, Indiana 46142
shelby@thefloyds.net

BE RECONCILED TO GOD

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Shelby G. Floyd

We’re glad to announce today that little Scotty Doss is a year old, and he’s a mighty fine-looking boy. In fact, he’s a big boy for a year old. A lot bigger than I thought he’d ever be, from the way that he started out in that incubator for so long in the hospital. We’re proud of him, and hope all of you will take a look at him on his first birthday this morning (April 23, 1978, SGF).

Every person is accountable for their actions and needs to be reconciled unto God. This is because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

In 2 Corinthians chapter 5, the apostle Paul declared,

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:17-20 KJV).

From that reading you will notice that the words “reconciled,” and “reconciliation,” are used several times. Our topic this morning is “Be Reconciled To God.” Continue reading “BE RECONCILED TO GOD” →

USING ACADEMIC TITLES AS RELIGIOUS TITLES NO. 2

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Shelby G. Floyd

In the gospel, according to Mark, we read the following conversation,

Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him,

“Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God” (Mark 10:17-18 NKJV).

Continue reading “USING ACADEMIC TITLES AS RELIGIOUS TITLES NO. 2” →

MARRIAGE DESIGNED BY GOD

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Shelby G. Floyd

Credit: Google Images

With the marriage today of Harry and Meagan so visible to the whole world, it is a good time to study the marriage relationship as designed by God in the beginning. The following sermon was presented in 1976, but the truth therein proclaimed is just as true today! Continue reading “MARRIAGE DESIGNED BY GOD” →

BIBLICAL INSPIRATION NO. 6

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Shelby G. Floyd

CHRIST AND THE BOOK OF DANIEL

The book of Daniel is another book which has been the object of much criticism by modernist and liberal writers, but our Lord received the book of Daniel as the inspired word of God, and Daniel as its author.

THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION
While Christ was discussing the impending destruction of Jerusalem, he made reference to the book of Daniel, giving credit to Daniel the prophet, as the writer:

When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains (Mark 13:14).

According to Christ, the abomination of desolation was something that his disciples could see with their eyes. The abomination of desolation was something spoken of by Daniel the prophet. Obviously, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman general Vespasian and his son Titus, fulfills the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel.

DANIEL’S PROPHECY
The reference which Christ makes to Daniel, the prophet, is found in Daniel 9:26-27, which reads:

And after the sixty-two weeks
Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself;
And the people of the prince who is to come
Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it shall be with a flood,

And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.

From what has been said, we can draw the following conclusions: (1) Daniel was a prophet of God, inspired by God. (2) Daniel, as an inspired prophet, made reference to the destruction of Jerusalem, speaking under the figure of the abomination of desolation. (3) Daniel’s prophecy was literally fulfilled about A. D. 70, when Vespasian, Titus, and the Roman Army, completely destroyed the city of Jerusalem, including the temple of Herod with all of its holy places. (4) Christ received the book of Daniel as the inspired word of God, written by an inspired prophet of God. We must also receive the book of Daniel as an inspired book of God.

Copyright © 2011 2017 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved

Shelby G. Floyd
Heartland Church of Christ
1693 West Main Street
Greenwood, Indiana 46142

TEST THE SPIRITS

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Shelby G. Floyd

The author of the letter to the church at Ephesus is Jesus Christ (Revelation 2:1-3). This letter is a part of the Revelation which God gave to Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ gave to an Angel, and the Angel signified it to John, John wrote it down in a book and sent it to the churches (Revelation 1:1-2). A great blessing is pronounced upon those who read (aloud), hear and keep those things which are written in the last book of the Bible (Revelation 1:3). John received this wonderful disclosure while he was on the Isle of Patmos. He heard a great voice behind him as the voice of a trumpet, loud, distinct and clear. When he turned to see who was speaking, he saw seven Golden candlesticks; and in the midst of those Golden candlesticks he saw the glorified Christ, like unto the Son of Man, and he had in his right hand seven stars (Revelation 1:9-19). Continue reading “TEST THE SPIRITS” →

JOINING THE DISCIPLES (CHURCH)

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Shelby G. Floyd

handshake-clipart

What a blessing it is for all of us to come together and worship God. In a congregation where I preached there was a man that visited from time to time. He would fill out a visitor’s card, and on it he would write, “I am a member of the church of Christ at large.” All of us are members of the church of Christ at large. But are we all members of the church of Christ at small? Today I am speaking on the topic of “Joining the Church.” I have never preached on this topic in over 54 years of ministry. All of my life I have heard that you do not join the church. Is it true that we do not join the church? The answer is both yes and no. There is a sense in which we do not join the church. And there is a sense in which we do join the church. Therefore we can have it both ways. Continue reading “JOINING THE DISCIPLES (CHURCH)” →

SOWING AND REAPING

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Shelby G. Floyd

Wheat ears in the hands. Harvest concept

In the beginning, when the Almighty created the heavens and the earth, he established a rule or principle of life which is absolute, and which still holds true to this day; it is the law of sowing and reaping. God ordained that each species of the fauna and flora would always reproduce after their kind. For instance, in connection with the grass and herbs of the field, God said,

“Let the earth bring forth grass, The herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:11-12).

Continue reading “SOWING AND REAPING” →