Tag: Immorality

THE SCHOOL OF LIFE

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Shelby G. Floyd

psalm143-10

This is the time of the year when young people begin to think about going back to school. Let us capitalize on this thought and apply it to the Christian life.

From the beginning to the end the Christian life is like a school. In the great commission Jesus commanded his people to go out and “make disciples” of all the nations (Matthew 28:18-20). “Make disciples” is from (matheteuo-μαθητευω) and means “to make a disciple; to teach, instruct” (J. H. Thayer, p.386). Therefore, we are to be teachers and pupils under the master-teacher Jesus Christ.

The secret of learning in this school as in all schools is to teach much, ask much, remember much and do much!

The School of Life perhaps is best summarized by the statement of David,

Psalms 143:10
Teach me to do Your will,
For you are my God;
Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in the land of uprightness
NKJV

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SOWING AND REAPING

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Shelby G. Floyd

Sowing and Reaping

We have all heard it said that you will reap what you sow—the proverb is a true axiom in the physical, moral and spiritual realms of life. It is the law of cause and effect.

ADONI-BEZEK REAPED WHAT HE SOWED

In the history of God’s dealing with his people Israel we have many examples that bear this out. For example, after the death of Joshua, there was still land to be taken and enemies to be subdued. God promised Judah that he had given the land of the Canaanites into their hand. Judah invited the Simeonites to join them in the battle and together they defeated the Canaanites and Perizzites:

Judges 1:4-7
Then Judah went up, and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand; and they killed ten thousand men at Bezek. And they found Adoni-Bezek in Bezek, and fought against him; and they defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites. Then Adoni-Bezek fled, and they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and big toes. And Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to gather scraps under my table; as I have done, so God has repaid me.” Then they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.
NIV

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RUN THE RACE

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Shelby G. Floyd

Run the Race

When Paul was completing his third evangelistic journey by ship, at every stop the Holy Spirit warned him of impending hardship and suffering when he would arrive at Jerusalem. But Paul made up his mind to go there because he also was compelled by the Spirit to do so:

“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:22-24).

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MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS

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Shelby G. Floyd

MYOB

The apostle Paul exhorted the Christians at Thessalonica to increase their brotherly love more and more: “But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another” (1 Thessalonians 4:9; Matthew 22:39).

Then he points out some practical ways brotherly love can be accomplished: “that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). Continue reading “MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS” →

THE FLOOD OF DISSIPATION

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Shelby G. Floyd

Living Gods Will

Shortly before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the apostle Peter wrote two letters to the Christians who were scattered abroad—the [diaspora] or dispersion. These people of God were being persecuted by the Roman government and by the ungodly Jews and Gentiles. The Christian people who were converted to Christ from among both the Jews and Gentiles had drastically changed their lifestyle. They no longer lived the life of a libertine. Those who were unconverted were astonished or shocked that they refused to live like they once had done. Peter reminded his readers that the worldly minded could not understand why Christian people now lived such a self-controlled life free from the profligate excesses that once characterized them:

1 Peter 4:4-5
In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
NKJV

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RESPONSE TO THE SERMON “EYE COVENANT”

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Shelby G. Floyd

Plus Response

It was encouraging to have received so many positive remarks concerning the sermon that I delivered at Heartland last Sunday morning entitled “Eye Covenant.” Immediately on Sunday afternoon I posted that sermon in full text on the website Preach the Word. It was refreshing to me to receive uplifting comments both from other preachers and from the members of the Heartland congregation. Continue reading “RESPONSE TO THE SERMON “EYE COVENANT”” →

EYE COVENANT

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Shelby G. Floyd

Eyes Covenant

In the Old Testament we read about one of the greatest men who ever lived, and that was Job. Job was a very good man. He served God with all of his heart. And yet God tested him. And while he was in the midst of his suffering and trial he had to defend his integrity before his friends. In his defense Job said in reply to Bildad the Shuhite, “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustily at a girl” (Job 31:1). That’s what we are going to talk about today. If you haven’t made a covenant with your eyes you need to do so like Job. Job said, “I made a covenant with my eyes.” A covenant is an agreement and when you make an agreement you should live up to it and keep it.

Sexual immorality was a big problem in ancient times and is even a bigger problem today, especially in America. Sexual immorality causes great pain both to the perpetrators and to the innocent people who are not involved. There are perhaps three or four reasons why a person might want to go out and commit sexual immorality. One could just be their ego. Some people are like that. Another reason might be that person’s inner need for sharing and affection, even though it is unlawful. And a third reason might be just because they have the raw lust of the flesh. Sexual immorality is so common in our society today that we excuse it and we accept it. And it is all because man tends to glorify the body and to belittle the spirit that is within that body. Continue reading “EYE COVENANT” →

LAWFULLY USING THE LAW

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Shelby G. Floyd

lawful2

When our forefathers came over to the land that is now called America, the country was under native law made up of the various tribes and nations of American Indians. This law had been formulated over centuries by the patriarchs, the tribes and the combination of tribes that formed over 500 different nations.

After Columbus discovered America in 1492, the country was flooded over the next few centuries by people from all over Europe and around the world. At various times, different sections of America were under Spanish law, French law, Dutch law and English law. By the time of the American Revolution, and the founding of the Constitution of the United States of America, our founding fathers largely based the laws of America on the political, philosophical and moral doctrine of John Locke and Sir William Gladstone. They believed that a republic could only survive if the citizens were a moral people. Therefore, the laws they put on the books were based for the most part, on natural law and nature’s God, which refers to revealed law. As someone said, “In nature God impressed his laws, but in the Bible God expressed his laws.” Therefore, we have natural revelation and divine (special) revelation.

The Law of Moses was never given to any nation except Israel. None of the Gentile nations, then or now have ever been subject to the Law of Moses. But just as some Spanish law, French law, Dutch law, and English law have been brought over and made a part of American law—so the same thing has happened in the divine law of the New Testament—the law of Christ—the law of the gospel—the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. The church today is not under the 10 Commandments. The 10 Commandments were only given to Israel. But the principles of the 10 Commandments have all been brought over and made a part of the gospel of Christ—the New Testament law. Continue reading “LAWFULLY USING THE LAW” →