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051 - THE CROSS OF JESUS The cross (stauros) was instrument of death. Death by crucifixion originated somewhere in the East. Alexander the Great learned of it from the Persians. The SPQR borrowed the idea from the Phoenicians through Carthage and perfected it as a means of capital punishment. The Romans reserved crucifixion for slaves, assassins, and for those who committed heinous crime like rebellion and sedition against the SPQR. Only rarely were Roman citizens subjected to this kind of treatment. Upon receiving the death sentence the condemned person was flogged with Roman’s lashes or a whip loaded with sharp metal, bones and stones. He was then required to shoulder the cross bar upon which he was extended and carry to the place of his crucifixion. At the crucifixion site he was stripped and tied or nailed to the cross bar, which then was fastened to an upright post. A projecting peg gave the condemned a place to sit his feet to relieve the strain on his arms. Death therefore was slow in coming, except when it was hurried by soldiers breaking the crucified man’s leg [John 19:31]. Crucifixion was abhorrent to the Jews [1 Corinthians 1:23, Galatians 3:13], as much to the Romans (Cicero, in Verses 1, 5, 66). The Jews considered crucified men accursed by God [Deuteronomy 21:22-23]. In the New Testament, when the term STAUROS (cross) refers to Jesus Christ the term has both a literal and figurative meaning. Literally, it meant the physical instrument by which Jesus was put to death [John 19:17, 20:25, Matthew 27:35 and 2 Corinthians 13:4]. Figuratively, the cross of Jesus became the mark of God’s redemptive action in history. It was symbolic of the means God employed for releasing into the world a power that is sufficient to save men for good [1 Corinthians 1:18]. Since the cross was reserved for the criminals, it symbolized the sufferings and humiliation Jesus endured with joy for the Royal Family of God [Hebrews 12:2]. It indicates the depths to which He was willing to go to lift up the worst and lowest of men. The cross of Christ also stood as the symbol of God’s unique purpose for Him [Acts 2:23, Matthew 16:21, John 18:11]. The is a metonym for Christ's mission, a symbol both of God the Father will for Jesus Christ and His voluntary submission to the will and purpose of God. In relation to Christ, the literal and the figurative cross has spiritual meaning to us His beneficiaries. There was only one cross where Christ died and the cross that saved us through His death. The cross is just the instruments not the cause and source of redemption. Jesus Christ is the only cause and source of salvation and redemption of the human race. The cross is just like the electric chair or lethal injection today. Wearing a cross as in pendant is like wearing an electric chair. The Lord Jesus Christ did not remain on the cross. He was buried but rose from the death. To depict Him still hanging on a cross is to say that He did not raise from the death and that is blasphemy. 052 - AN IDOLATROUS CROSSIn one of the military campaign of Israel to free Edom from heathenism, they became impatient of the terrible journey and so they grumbled against God [Numbers 21:4-5]. The Lord sent fiery serpents to bit the Hebrews, so that many of them died. They asked Moses to intercede and the Lord told Moses to make a bronze serpent, mounted it on a standard (a measuring rod) for every one to see. Everyone who was bitten but looked at the bronze serpent did not die [Numbers 21:6-9]. Numbers 21:8 was an exemption of Exodus 20:4 for several reasons: The Hebrews repented prior to the making of the bronze serpent. The purpose of the bronze serpent was to remove the effect of poisonous venom in the bodies of those bitten by snakes. The bronze serpent was to serve as a reminder of their disobedience and the resulting divine discipline that lead to their sin unto death (1 Corinthians 10:9). The bronze serpent was not designed to be an object of worship. No personal faith was involved in the part of those who were bitten, but only obedience to take a look. 100 years later, Hezekiah broke into pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made. For almost 100 years, the Israelites burn incense to it. The idol was called Nehushtan, the name given by King Hezekiah [2 Kings 18:4]. There was no time in the history of Israel that they did not worship idols. They were never free from attraction of idols worship. When they went out of Egypt, they brought the idols of their Egyptian masters and worshipped them [Joshua 24:14, Ezekiel 20:8-18, 23:3-8]. The worship of idols was an abomination to the protagonists of Hebrew monotheism. The prohibition against idolatry found expression in the Decalogue [Exodus 20:4] that forbade the representation of God in any form. The commandment was not an attack to artists or sculptors but on the idolaters. To worship idols to go a whoring after other gods, therefore idolatry was described as adultery [Hosea 1:2,9:1, Ezekiel 16:15-17, 23]. Idolatry degrades both God and man. It denies the existence of the only true God whose glory cannot be adequately captured in any tangible form. A visible representation of the deity tends to restrict a person’s concept of God, for he will base his concept of God, consciously or unconsciously upon the image or idol. The crucifix or cross is lifeless, powerless and cold. It cannot bring hope or real comfort to anyone. It cannot drive away demons or spiritual beings since they are not threaten by material objects that have no power. If Hezekiah destroyed the bronze serpent because the Israelites offered incense to it, then all the assumed representation of the true God must be destroyed also. Anything can be an object of worship whenever a person ascribe to it any form of adoration, veneration, praise, worship, reverence and honor that truly belongs only to God. 053 - CARRYING YOUR CROSS DAILYThe cross was used also of the followers of Jesus Christ, both literally and figuratively. Literally, because crucifixion was a frequent occurrence and the spectacle of condemned men carrying their crosses to the place of execution was very common. Christ’s words about taking up the cross daily and following Him must first of all have been interpreted literally. These words must have been understood as a prediction of the same physical means of death for His disciples. It was fulfilled in the early Church early history [Matthew 23:34, Romans 5:3]. Metaphorically, it was for Christ, the symbol of our sacrifice that His followers must bear the cross [Mark 8:34-35]. To bear the cross means a growing progressive life under the control of the Holy Spirit- that is to reside inside the plan, will and purpose of God. To deny self means to live and function under the power of the Holy Spirit and to reject the leadership or dictatorship of the old sinful nature. The cross means the will, the plan, and the purpose of God for every regenerated believer. The cross is not our personal problems, self-made miseries, poverty, injustice, hardship in life. To take up your cross and deny yourself is to live under the power of the Holy Spirit and to accept the leadership of the Holy Spirit in all aspects of your life while advancing toward the goal of spiritual maturity, which is the will of God. If in the experience of Jesus the cross was a metonym for His mission (death on the cross), the believer is called upon to do the will, the plan, and purpose of God in positive volition. The cross symbolizes His life under the will of the Father. The cross has become a symbol of full obedience and positive volition for the Lord Jesus. The bearing of literal cross has nothing to do with repentance or obedience, humiliation, self-sacrifice of the person doing it for God. God despise it no matter how sincere it maybe. There is no need to imitate the cross- bearing of Christ, because we cannot duplicate His redemptive work on the cross. God the Father accepted His once and for all sacrifice not because of the cross but because of He is the One and only God-Man. If Christ would die today to redeem men, He will die by lethal injection or by electric chair. Then, some people will be wearing a miniature lethal injection or of an electric chair. The cross does not symbolizes Christianity but criminality, not salvation but deception, not the power of God but the power of the Roman Empire. The cross of Calvary must be printed in the soul of every regenerated saint not in any where in the house or building. The house is not a believer Jesus did not die for the house. It nice to see crosses of many variations in the cemetery since it symbolizes death not life. The cross of the believer is to do the will and purpose of God. The cross of every believer is invisible but glorious. The result is far greater than anything in this world the glorification of God in time and in eternity.
054 - CHURCH HOPPINGA NEW TREND IN SELECTING A LOCAL CHURCH has arise not base on doctrinal position but for many humanistic reasons. People hop from one church to another looking for their most perfect church. PEOPLE GO FOR CHURCH STYLE OF WORSHIP – worship that satisfies their carnal senses, emotion and ego. They ignored the theology of worship as long as it exalts the worshipers rather than exalting God. The name, denomination, doctrines and leadership are not important to many ignorant churchgoers. They go for church that has sensational worship. PEOPLE GO FOR CHURCH THAT PROMOTES UNITY OF ALL CHURCHES. In the late 70s the compromise of many churches was in the issue of soul winning. In the 80s was in the issue of mission work. Churches then joined and cooperate with the task of soul winning and mission regardless of their doctrinal stands. Today the compromise is the area of unification of all churches that is ecumenism. Churches today are all unified in church style of worship that leaves out Bible doctrine and God. Churches today are music centered and man-centered. Music and the so-called music ministers have dethroned God and have taken away the role of the preacher. Pastors are now taking the role of praise and worship leaders. PEOPLE GO FOR CHURCH THAT THE ONLY ACCEPTANCE IS ATTENDANCE. The gauge of success in the churches today is big attendance. Big crowd is the bait that keeps people coming back. Big attendance is the center of their success. The gimmick is how to make the attendance keep growing climbing and increasing regardless of teaching and leadership. They care less about Biblical rejection and doctrinal heresy or massive corruption. PEOPLE GO FOR CHURCH WITH HUMAN LEVEL OF PERCEPTION. People go for easy to understand Bible, easy to understand messages that are always out of context. Such people are hypnotized not think and search the validity of the teaching. PEOPLE GO FOR CHURCH THAT ENTERTAINS rather than edify the body of Christ. They sacrifice the Truth for performances centered worship. PEOPLE GO FOR CHURCH WITH MULTI LEVEL PROGRAMS FOR EVERYONE. They have something for everybody. There are endless activities for the whole year. PEOPLE GO FOR CHURCH WHERE THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE DOING. They are sincere and faithful but they are sincerely and faithfully wrong. If only they will come to the point of realization that what they are doing are wrong. PEOPLE GO FOR CHURCH THAT GIVE WAY TO THE CLAMORING OF THE PEOPLE. The leaders are listening to the demands and requests of the people. PEOPLE GO FOR THE CHURCH WHERE THE PREACHING IS ALWAYS MAN-CENTERED AND GOOD FOR THE EARS. PEOPLE GO FOR THE CHURCH WITH DYNAMIC MAN-PLEASING PASTORS. If the Lord Jesus and the apostles are here today, they will not make the mistake of going to any of these local churches.
055- IDENTIFYING THE CULTSA CULT is a group of people, which claiming to be Christians embraces a particular doctrinal system taught by an individual or group of leaders, which denies one or more of the central doctrines of the Christian faith. A CULT is a deviant group from orthodox Christianity that deviates from one or more of the fundamental teachings of the Christian faith. A CULT is professing Christianity but denies and rejects the major doctrines of the Bible. The cults are professing Christians. Islam and Buddhism for example are not cults because they never claimed or called themselves as Christians. The major cults in our country are the Jehovah’s witnesses, the Mormons, the New Age movement, the Moonies, the Freemasons, the Christian Science, the SDA, the INC, the RC and most of the Full Gospels and Charismatic groups. The cults deny intensely or cleverly some or all of the doctrines of the Christian faith while at the same time profess themselves as Christians. The cults normally have a dogmatic and legalistic leadership structure with a closed ecclesiastical system. The cults have some secrecy about their leadership personalities and people behind, organizational system, dogmatic teachings, and meetings. The cults openly or clandestinely deny salvation by grace through faith alone. They undermine the saving work of the Lord Jesus Christ by requiring additional works or co-operation effort. The cults are reducing the absolute authority and sufficiency of Scripture. They expressly accuse the Bible of containing errors. The cults are using the Christian vocabulary-but they mean different things. The cults redefined biblical terms with different meaning for their own gains and benefits. The cults have their own exclusive belief system and practices. The cults by large, rejects and denies the doctrine of eternal punishment. Some says that hell and its fire is not literal fire or punishment. Some are teaching universalism –that all will be saved at the end. Some are teaching annihilation- that God will destroy into nothing. They teach that there is no conscious eternal suffering. The cults emphasis on direct revelation or vision from God and that God spoke to their leaders. The cults claimed signs and wonders in various forms. Some claims that they have raise a large numbers of genuine Christians from the death. The cults put strong appeal to the false knowledge of the future. Because of widespread ignorance of the Bible, many are attracted to the one who seems to know what is ahead and are able to convincingly promote it. The cults thrive on their inaccurate prophecies of the future events. According to the record of the major cults groups, majority of their converts are from mainline denomination churches who are ignorant of the Christian doctrines. Let us take the warning of Hosea 4:6 seriously and take the radical steps to prepare for spiritual battle ahead of us [Ephesians 6:10-18]. We must be vigilance and discerning [1 Peter 4:7-8] proving all things related to our faith [1 Thessalonians 5:21].
056 - MONEY Money was designed as medium of exchange. Coined money was unknown until the middle of 7th century B.C. Before the invention of coins, gold and silver metal was measured in terms of ingots or rings. Croesus king of Lydia was the first to preserve his money in form of coins. When Cyrus the Great captured Lydia, he adopted the concept of coinage. Cyrus spread the concept throughout the Persian Empire and beyond. Monetary transactions are a legitimate function of life. Barter trading was not only burdensome but also inaccurate in transacting the values of goods. Money makes life easier and better in many aspects [Genesis 23:9, Jeremiah 32:44]. Money at this point is a useful servant and effective tool. The giving of money is an expression of the believer’s royal priesthood [Hebrews 13:15-16, 1 Corinthians 16:2, 2 Corinthians 8-9]. It replaces the animal sacrifices and offerings of the Old Testament believers. Money has no credit with God meaning to say, the amount we give is not the issue, but the mental attitude of the believer in giving [Proverbs 11:4, 13:7, 11]. The love of money is the head of the materialism lust and slavery to details of life [Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:9, 11]. The desire for money is very perilous for any believer. No amount of money can purchase the salvation of our souls –the Lord Jesus paid for it in full by His blood (that is his spiritual death), so that we can live for God [Mark 8:36-37, 1 Peter 1:8-19]. The love of money can cause the rich man to put his trust in the wrong things [Mark 10:23-25]. It can hinder the unbeliever from seeking salvation [Luke 16:19-31]. The love of money can become part of slavery to the details of life [Ecclesiastes 5:10-6:2]. The love of money will become the root of kinds of evil in the soul of a person [1 Timothy 6:6-12,17-19]. Money can destroy the grace orientation of a believer and contribute to his carnality and reversion of his mental attitude [Acts 5:1-10, James 4:14-5:6]. Money can be a source of deceit [Jude 11, Numbers 22-23]. Money at this point has become a cruel master and a dangerous enemy. Money is the means for happiness. For the believer there is no happiness from the details of life, including money. The believer’s happiness is built on his progressive advancement and growth toward spiritual maturity. Money is never the means for security. Grace provides a security for which there is no substitute [Matthew 6:24-33]. Money has wings and it can fly away. Money cannot guarantee anything. God is the best security in life –He guarantees everything. Few can pass the test of prosperity for money can easily change the mental attitude of a person for the worst. Money cannot buy salvation, happiness love, spirituality, stability, tranquility and the grace of God. Some, instead of using their money and loving people are actually, loving their money and using people.
057 - NATIONAL DEGENERATION DEGENERATION is the process of spiritual deterioration of a nation, which leads to the loss of national identity. God use armed conflicts to execute the highest degree of divine discipline to a nation, which continually reject His plan, purpose and will. THE 5 CYCLES OF DIVINE DISCIPLINE: ONE. National spread of diseases and big percentage of the population are in decaying health status. There is a brisk decline in agricultural prosperity. There is terror and fear everywhere –the government is disabled to control the raising criminality. There is steady death in combat, and loss of personal freedom. TWO. There is a repeated economic recession and depression. The market is falsely stabilizes by the government. There is an increasing personal and national discipline because of continuous negative volition. THREE. There is a widespread violence and breakdown of law and order. There is disorder everywhere starting from the high-ranking government officials to the poorest of the poor. There is also a chain of national disasters. The nation as a whole is very insecure The insecure husbands will result to insecure wives. Insecure parents results to insecure children. Insecure children produce an insecure generation. Insecure generation will demands security from insecure government. Insecure officials will offer entitlements to insecure people. Insecure generation becomes arrogant people who are divorced from divine establishment and divine institutions. Insecure generation becomes slaves to false theories and human viewpoints. They resolve to breaking the family system and trying to replace it with something else of which they are not sure what. They resolve to break the government system and trying to replace it with their unrealistic ideologies. Insecure people dwells in unreality, false hope, and false solutions to human problems. They are often disillusioned and without spiritual integrity. FOUR. The fourth cycle of discipline comprises of military conquest or aggression of foreign or local or both working for the overthrow of the government. There is widespread famine, separation of families, poverty and political dissolution. FIVE. The fifth cycle of discipline comprises of the destruction of a nation due to maximum rejection of Biblical and established principles [study: Deuteronomy 28:15-48, Hosea 1:2-3:5, and Leviticus 26:14-39]. Some factors that contribute for the degeneration of a nation:
058 - EARTHQUAKE EARTHQUAKE is the shaking of the ground resulting from the release of stored elastic strain energy due to sudden deformation of a region of the earth surface. The destruction with which earthquake are commonly associated is caused by seismic waves that travel outward in all direction. The focus of most earthquakes is less than 100 meters below the earth’s surface. The Bible contains numerous facts about earthquake (RA’ASH), the Hebrew word for earthquake, which literally means CRASH [Amos 8:8, 9:5]. The increase of the number of earthquakes is notable: In 1970s – 40,000 earthquakes /year In 1980s – 55,000 earthquakes /year In 1990s – 76,000 earthquakes /year During the Old Testament times, very destructive earthquakes had occurred in the ancient Palestinian area and most part of the Middle East [Joel 3:16, Amos 1:1 and Zechariah 14:5]. The shaking of the earth is always attributed to God [Psalm 68:8] and to His presence [1 kings 19:11] and to His anger [Isaiah 13:13]. There are several scientific reasons for earthquakes like volcanic and tectonic in origin. An earthquake is the sudden release of elastic strain energy in the earth’s crust, caused by movements deep beneath the surface. Earthquakes occur where sizeable stresses build up in the rocks along fault lines, which are associated with movements of the tectonic plates. From time to time, this build up is discharged in zones where the rocks are weakest causing a series of shock waves known as seismic waves. These waves can have high destructive effects on the earth’s surface as they caused the ground to roll or undulate and shake from side to side. Earthquakes are divine instrument of judgment for the unbelievers who are ignoring or has rejected God’s plan of grace [Amos 1:1, 6:9,11]. Earthquakes are instrument of divine discipline for the carnal and backsliding believers who continue to reject the Bible doctrine. Earthquakes will increase in numbers and in magnitude as Rapture and the Great Tribulation are nearing it realization. The worst earthquakes are yet to come during the Great Tribulation. It will break all the record of the strongest earthquakes. Believers must overcome the fear of future crisis and national disasters such as strong earthquakes. Spiritually mature believers are not exempted from the effects of destructive earthquakes. For them it is undeserved suffering or disaster testing for blessing not for destruction. No place on earth is safe from earthquakes. No man-made structure is earthquake proof for the coming series of earthquakes to come. The only secure and safest place in the world against anything is in the center of God’s will, inside the plan and purpose of His grace. God is our refuge in times of “earthquakes”.
059 - THE HOPE OF THE BELIEVERSThus says the Lord, (being) Curse is the man who put his confidence (trust) in man and makes flesh (old sinful nature) his strength, so that his heart (KARDIA kardia) turns away from the Lord, for he shall be like TUMBLEWEED in the desert [Jeremiah 17:5-6]. Blessed (being made happy) is the man whose confidence (trust) is in the Lord and whose confidence (trust) is the Lord [Jeremiah 17:7] Fearful people are like tumbleweeds in the desert, they live in the parched places (stony wastes). Tumbleweeds have no roots, they are vulnerable to any wind that blows, and they are being carried in many different directions. Dried or parched places refers to spiritual condition of the souls that turned away from God. It refers to souls that have chosen to trust in man rather than in God and souls that constantly ignores and rejects the Word of God. It refers to the souls that failed to wait upon the Lord and resolved to seek help from man. Believers who remain negative towards Bible doctrine will not see prosperity (Christian values) when they come [Jeremiah 17:6]. Prosperity in this context refers to spiritual maturity not material wealth. Tumbleweed is a Christian of the world living without God in his life and without Bible doctrine in the soul. Tumbleweed is a person living in fear and insecurity who is always seeking help from just anybody, even from the Devil. Tumbleweed is a person without confidence in God but most of the time confident and dependent on human resources. Most of the unhappiness of believers is the results of direct involvement of his soul in the affairs of the world. His soul is saturated with the things of the world [Ephesians 5:11, Colossians 3:2a]. Genuine happiness is the result of the fortification of the soul with Bible doctrine. Believer with confidence on God is like a tree planted by the water (Bible doctrine), that extends it roots by a stream (metabolized Bible doctrine). Such person will not fear when the heat (sufferings) comes, but its leaves will be green, (progressive spirituality) and it will not be anxious in a year of drought (suffering for blessing), nor cease to bear fruit (reach maturity), [Jeremiah 17:8]. Genuine happiness is sharing the joy and happiness of God, and any other source of happiness from the world will bring nothing but pure unhappiness. Satan is like a partridge that hatches eggs, which he has not laid. He promises happiness that he cannot give [Jeremiah 17:11]. Satan is without integrity, without moral values and without satisfaction and therefore forever unhappy. If Satan is very unhappy, how do you expect him or his world systems to make you happy? To deceive people Satan initiates continuous changes that produce nothing but false hope. Cosmic people (like politicians) can give nothing except change that produce worse results.
060 - INNER HAPPINESS Genuine happiness is a by-product of grace orientation in the life advancing believers. The grace of God fills the emptiness in the soul through the resident EPIGNOSIS. SHARING the happiness of God has nothing to do with our surroundings or circumstances like the details of life. It is the result of knowing God and being saturated with HIS THINKING. The more we know God, the more we know His thinking. The more we know His thinking, the happier we become. Inner happiness is the result of continuous spirituality and spiritual advancement toward maturity of the believer. It is not based on our present conditions, surroundings or situations in life. Inner happiness is based on Bible doctrine resident in the soul called EPIGNOSIS and not on our emotional conditions. Inner happiness is dependent on our relationship with God and our spiritual standing not on our success in life. Our material, physical, sexual, and emotional conditions have nothing to do with true happiness. Inner happiness is not the enthusiastic joy that is trigger by emotions like the so-called HOLY LAUGHTER. Inner happiness is from the grace of God and not from our emotion. Inner happiness is not laughter. Laughter can be empty of happiness. Inner happiness is something you cannot command or dictate to happen. It is the fruit of continuous spirituality and growth of the believer. Inner happiness is something you cannot beg or ask God. The justice of God initiates the inner happiness when the believer has reach the maturity mark. Inner happiness surpasses all human understanding because the believer can possess it even in the midst of severe sufferings and crisis. Inner happiness is a sign of spiritual maturity and spirituality not a sign of outward joy. It is peace within the soul and mind of the believer. Inner happiness is not boasting of self or man but of Christ. Not of the great things you wanted to do for God but of things Christ has done. The unspiritual and immature believer cannot fake the inner happiness that comes from God. No amount of prayer or fasting can produce it. LAUGHTER is not inner happiness for several reasons: Laughter is an expression of ecstatic delight but inner happiness is not an ecstatic experience [Psalm 126:2]. Laughter is often the expression of disdain or derision against somebody rather than expression of inner happiness. Our God is not a God of laughter [Psalm 2:4]. Laughter can be a manifestation of deep sorrow [Proverbs 14:13] or an expression of rebelliousness or defiance of the soul [Job 5:22]. Laughter can be expression of joyful wonder [Genesis 17:17] or disbelief [Genesis 18:12]. Laughter is easy to fake, easy to emote or imitate, it is from man, not from God. J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine ministries
061 - GENUINE REVIVALREVIVAL (anathallo), meaning to flourish anew, used metaphorically for mental change of attitude [Philippians 4:10]. REVIVAL (anazao), meaning to live again, to regain life, used of moral revival from sin [Luke 15:24 and Romans 7:9]. The term revival appear only 4 times in the Old Testament and 5 times in the New Testament is never applied to physical or spiritual death. There is no revival for the unbelievers because you cannot revive the spiritually death person. Man cannot bring about authentic revival because revival can come only from the hand of God. Revival is not something you ask or demand from God. It is something you do as an act of obedience to the word of God. It is the decision of the soul to return back to God. Revival is the work of God. No human being can bring revival in the life of another person, either in particular or by group. Only the person involved is capable of making decision for himself as express in rebound. It is a personal decision. Genuine revival is free from human manipulation, gimmick, trickery, power or utilization of human resources. True revival is free from people’s power, human program and political machinery. Genuine revival is never divorce from the proclamation of the genuine Bible doctrine. There is no genuine revival without Bible doctrine in the souls of the believers. Only Bible doctrine can change the thinking or mental attitude of a person. The sovereignty of God chooses the proper time for the revival of every believer. No human timing or program and arrangement can decide for the time of revival. Collective revival is the result of divine intervention in the life of believers under the state of reversionists who individually decided to rebound after hearing the proclamation of Bible doctrine. Genuine revival comes from the work of the Holy Spirit in convicting and restoring the carnal believers. Revival is for believers under the state of operational and temporal death, not for those under the spiritual death. Revival is the result of rebound and the act repentance and not of prayer and fasting, penance and sacrifice of the rebellious in hearts. The dynamic praise and worship leader has nothing to do with genuine revival because they are not vital for such revival to take effect. The cults of praise and worship has deceived the ignorant of Bible doctrine into believing that music is the key factor in modern day revival. The religious ecstatic experiences of the charismatic are mistaken for true revival. Genuine revival is the work of the Holy Spirit deep in the souls of spiritually sleeping and inactive believers. The Word of God change their mental attitude not the pleading, urging and influence of the preacher or musicians. The Holy Spirit will use the Word of God to change the mental attitude of the believer. Nobody can take that capacity to revive anybody except God. J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine ministries
062 - PRESERVATION OF THE WORLD THE moment a person step out of the kingdom of Satan [Colossians 1:13] and transferred into the kingdom of Christ, he declared war against the devil- his former father [John 8:44]. The believer is never safe in the devil’s world from that time. God provides trained and always available special invisible forces to back up every believer in the world [Hebrews 1:14]. It is improper to always pray for your protection while in trouble waters when God has already settled everything –for the protection of His beloved. Satan chose the planet earth for his place of exile and GHQ during the angelic conflict [Genesis 1:1-2]. The fall of Satan and the resultant angelic conflict led to the desolation of earth. The earth and the whole universe with its laws of operation will not always exist as it does at the present time [2 Peter 3:10-12]. The preservation of the world, including the human race depends exclusively on the omnipotence and immutability of the Lord Jesus [Colossians 1:17]. The reason for the preservation of the world and the human race is to resolve the angelic conflict in human history and to bring many sons into glory [Hebrews 2:10]. Jesus Christ holds the universe together by the power of his Word [Hebrews 1:3]. And especially, He holds the life and welfare of His sons in the hallow of His hand. Divine protection guarantees that any place is a safe place because God is in control of everything – if the believer is in His will, plan and purpose. He postpones eternity, meaning to say that God delays the destruction of the planet earth, to give the human race ample opportunity to appropriate the grace of God [2 Peter 3:3] The earth will be preserved until the end of the millennial kingdom of Christ. No weapon of destruction made by man will demolish the world. During the Great Tribulation, Satanic forces will cause terrible damage to the planet but it will survive. At the Second Coming of Christ, great physical changes on earth’s surface will occur. All the man-made structure will disappear. Christ will dispose all the garbage of the planet. No trace of the old things will be visible. The preservation of the planet is not the priority of the believers. The so-called ecological gospel is nothing but garbage. There are 5 INDESTRUCTIBLE THINGS with permanent values: The soul of every person is permanent and indestructible. The salvation of every person is permanent. Nothing can destroy the everlasting life we receive from God [Romans 8:38-39]. The Word of God-the Bible doctrine in the soul is indestructible [Isaiah 40:8]. The resurrected glorified body of all believers is everlasting [1 Corinthians 15:40, 49-54]. The historical records of spiritually mature believers (including his blessing in time) are indestructible [Philippians 4:3, Psalm 69:28]. J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine ministries
063 - BIBLICAL SEPARATION Several words are important for this doctrine. First, the Greek aphorizo, that means “to mark off by bounds or to put asunder. Second, the word chorizo, that means to separate oneself or to depart. Third, the word apodiorizo, that means to make separation. Biblical separation refers to several things: THE DIVINE ACTION IN CALLING MEN apart for Himself, that separation for God’s own possession [1 Peter 2:9-10] God’s imputation of divine perfect righteousness and eternal life carries with it the privileges of election and positional sanctification. THE DIVINE ACTION IN SETTING MEN apart for the work of the Gospel. They are separated for the ministry [Acts 13:2]. They are called, prepared and send by God not by men [1 Corinthians 1:1, Colossians 1:1], but trained among men [1 Timothy 5:22]. THE DIVINE JUDGMENT UPON THOSE who would reject Christ for eternal separation from God [Matthew 13:49-50, 23:32-33]. THE DIVINE COMMAND TO SEPARATE FROM UNBELIEVERS:
THE VOLITIONAL SEPARATION the believer must do in order to reach spiritual maturity. That is to separate from any form of distractions or to fully concentrate in learning the Word of God. This is not necessarily physical separation but the concentration of the soul in learning Bible doctrine [2 Timothy 2:21, 15]. THE SEPARATION THE BELIEVER MUST AVOID: 1. Separation in marriage of both believers because of immorality [1 Corinthians 6:13, 18, Hebrews 13:4]. 2. Separation that causes division or faction in the church [1 Corinthians 3:3]. THE SEPARATION OF BELIEVERS BY UNBELIEVERS:
THE SEPARATION THE BELIEVERS MUST prepared to suffer –maybe not a physical separation but emotional. That is being alone in a crowd because Of his faith, calling and beliefs [2 Timothy 1:8, 12, 3:11-12]. THE DIVINE COMMAND TO SEPARATE FROM COSMIC BELIEVERS who are living in the world without God [Romans 16:17-18 and 1 Corinthians 5:11-12]. Every believer must be prepared to encounter most of the 14 categories of separation and to apply the divine problem solutions to each case. Such separations are often painful and disheartening. J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine ministries
064 - PEACETHERE are 14 Greek terms for peace in the Bible that can translate in English as soundness, safety, security, welfare, harmony, concord, assurance, prosperity, good health, completeness, and peace. The Old Testament widely used the term SHALOM, which describes prosperity of material sort, regarding welfare [Genesis 43:27]. The word SHALOM also means prosperity of all wealth and health [Exodus 18:7, Isaiah 38:19, Psalm 38:1] or the safety of a person [Job 5:23]. When someone says, SHALOM it is like saying “Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good day, happy New year, happy birthday!” All in one word. The PEACE OF GOD [Philippians 4:7, Colossians 3:15] refers to Christ’s finished work of redemption. That is the reconciliation with God, the justification in His sight. The PEACE WITH GOD is the result of His finished work on the cross for man [Romans 5:1]. All the recipients of the free gift of salvation through their simply and non-meritorious faith have PEACE WITH GOD –that is the effect of Christ’s spiritual death for the human race [Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:3, Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Titus 1:4, Philippians 1:2]. The GOD OF PEACE refers to the only source of peace for the believers trapped in Satan’s cosmic system. The PEACE in this context is not something men derive from within the man, from others or from something. GOD IS GOD of peace whether there is peace or wars in the world [Romans 15:33, 16:20, Philippians 4:9, Hebrews 13:20]. The PEACE OF GOD is not dependent on the situation of the world but on perfect character of God. GOD IS OUR PEACE regardless of our situations, and we cannot expect peace from anyone else but from the KING OF PEACE alone [Ephesians 2:14, Hebrew 7:2]. The peace of 2 Thessalonians 5:3 is pseudo peace, that is human good works motivated by old sinful nature and inspired by Satan. God will frustrate this man-made peace during the Great Tribulation. All the man-made peace in this world can produce only more troubles rather than provide genuine peace. God cannot provide the kind of peace familiar in the world –the peace that comes from material success and prosperity. Genuine inner peace that comes from God is available to every believer at the point of spiritual maturity. It is the peace that comes from knowing God and His happiness [John 14:27, 16:33] Ecumenicalism cannot provide peace but division and faction. No political body can provide peace to antagonistic people around the globe. Genuine maturing believers are the targets of more satanic assaults than the unbelievers but at same time, they experience the peace that comes from God. The peace of God is not restricted to any place, even in the middle of chaos and conflict; the believer can experience the peace that passes all understanding. The Muslims will traditionally enter a room (empty or with people) by greeting with "peace upon you" referring to bad spirits or jinn. J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine ministries
065 - THE DAY OF THE LORDGod always accomplishes in time what has to be done in time as part of His plan for man. Therefore everything will come as decreed by God- and that is without doubt. Since time is a line of procedure as far as man’s perspective is concerned, everything is in order of events according to divine decree. Apostasy, a sign to watch is now a reality. The term apostasy in this context refers to collective and world -wide apostasy and not to individualize or small group of falling away, which is on going since the beginning of the Church Age. The day of the Lord refers to the massive and collective falling away or apostasy before the rapture of the Church. All false Christian churches and all false Christians around the world will join the ecumenical church or the UNITED RELIGIONS. The United Religions is a charter of the United Nations – a community of faith united for the sake of peace and healing among religious sects. People from all nations united for the sake of peace and prosperity toward all men, regardless beliefs and doctrines. The UN and the Roman Catholic Church is responsible for the birth and growth f the United Religions. The United Religions or One World Religion will revealed the Antichrist, the MAN OF SIN (lawlessness), the son of destruction and demand that all the people of the earth to worship him as the “Christ” [2 Thessalonians 2:3]. The ecumenical church has started condemning the fundamentalists and separatists claimed for exclusivity and uniqueness of the independent local churches. The ecumenists are condemning the genuine Bible doctrine as hostile toward the unification of all religions into one-world religion. The One World Religion is the “NEW CHRISTIANITY” comprising of cults, humanists, occults, atheists, and all kinds of antichrist bounded together for “creating an inclusive process” that will work for world peace [1 Thessalonians 5:3]. The day of the Lord refers to the Great Tribulation when everyone will greet anyone with “PEACE BE WITH YOU” while killing each other. The day of the Lord refers to the ANTICHRIST reigns on earth. The antichrist is the worst kind of dictator in the entire human history. The son of destruction will be a Jew by blood with dynamic personality and super IQ and born politician. He will deceive the world with his very charismatic personality and articulate linguistic ability [2 Thessalonians 2:10, Revelation 13:8]. He will assume the role of Jesus Christ as the Messiah by deception and intrigue. He will be the greatest impersonator of Jesus Christ because he will imitate His life and works. He will claimed Himself as the Christ. He will not deny the existence of Jesus Christ but rather claim that he is the Christ. He will work upon the expectation of his appearing by through mystical manifestations like visions, dreams, apparitions, and some extra-biblical heresies. Satan is preparing his followers in some fellowships by singing “This is the day” of the Lord affirming that they are part of the Tribulation. J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine ministries
066 - REBOUNDREBOUND is the recovery from carnality. It is the only problem-solving device from God that function outside spirituality. Rebound is not operation by human power or human resources. Rebound is the non-meritorious and non-emotional acknowledgment of sins. Rebound is not sorrow for sins but the decision of the soul to follow divine instruction. Rebound is the trend reversing decision and the only solution provided by God for carnal believers to recover from sins. Rebound is a decision because the believers use his volition to sin and enter the state of carnality. Likewise, the believer must use his volition to recover from sin. Volition is the decision of the soul not of the brain. Rebound is not emotional because emotion is never a criterion for the spiritual life, and it has no value for God’s forgiveness. SYNONYMS FOR REBOUND: BE HEALED: [Hebrews 12:12-14] means that rebound transform you from weakness of carnality to spiritual strength of restored spiritual life. The dreadful curse has turned into blessing and its weakness become the strength of the suffering for blessing. Those who come short of God’s grace are those who respond to discipline with bitterness. CONFESS: [1 John 1:9], the naming of your personal sins in the privacy of your Royal Priesthood. Naming your sins does not require a lot of guts and faith. Confession with a man is a big traditional error, since all men have sins and fall short of the glory of God [Psalm 38:18] JUDGE YOURSELF [1 Corinthians 11:31] is the act of acknowledging that your personal sins were crucified on the cross and that Christ paid the full demand for penalty. Christ paid every sin in the world. YIELDING is the act of surrendering your ego and self-righteousness by admitting that you have sin [Romans 6:13, 12:2]. Rebound is the admission of guilt. LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT is to cut-off by your volitional the state of your carnality and reversionism. To cut off is to enforce a radical mental change of attitude toward his personal spiritual status [Hebrews 12:1]. BE SUBJECT TO THE FATHER is the decision of the soul to return to the Father under the authority of the Lord [Hebrews 12:9]. LIFT UP THE HANDS THAT HANG DOWN is to remove the shackle that bondage you from doing the will and purpose of God [Hebrews 12:13]. MAKE STRAIGHT PATHS is the decision of the soul to choose the divine viewpoint and reject the human viewpoint and solutions [Matthew 3:3, Hebrews 12:13]. ARISE FROM THE DEATH is to stand up again out from temporal or operational death [Ephesians 5:14]. PUT OFF THE OLD MAN is to put the old sinful nature out of control of your soul and make the Holy Spirit the president instead [Ephesians 4:22]. There are many synonyms for rebound in the Old Testament like Jeremiah 3:13, Psalm 32:5, 38:18, 51:3-4 and Proverbs 28:13. J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine ministries
067 - DIVINE COMMISSIONS God gave the Church Age believers dual commissions
IN THE CHURCH AGE, every believer is a priest [1 Peter 2:5] who represents himself before God [Hebrews 13:15-16]. Our Royal priesthood is the basis for spiritual privacy and the ground for effective prayer [Romans 14:4, 10:2]. Every believer is a priest from the time he is born again, but this priestly function becomes effective only at spiritual maturity. Spiritual maturity is a result of the believer-priest function before God. The only setting for priest function is inside spirituality. The universal priesthood does not imply total independence of believers from one another because priesthood and the spiritual gifts create a balance. Success in the ministry does not belong to the priests but to God alone. We do not count heavenly success in our earthly ministry. The most visible and outward proof that we are rightly related to God is our service to God in season or out of season. The priests are servants of God, and the servants simply obey regardless of his own feelings, moods, health or physical condition. Inspired or not. We do not need any “spiritual inspiration” before we move to obey. The true priests of the Old Testament functioned from reaching the age of 25 until their compulsory retirement at 50 forsaking their personal conditions and situation in life. J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine ministries
068 - THE ROYAL AMBASSADORS God appoints the royal ambassador to be His representatives on earth. No ambassador appoints himself for such position and no ambassador is appointed by just anybody. God supplies all the logistical grace needed and necessary to perpetuate the believer’s physical and spiritual life in the devil’s world. No ambassador has to support himself while working for his country. The royal ambassador operates according to the written mystery doctrines of the New Testament. This is the written instruction related to our function. The royal ambassador of Christ has his citizenship in heaven. They are not the citizens of the country they serve. We are in the world but we are not of the world [Philippians 3:20]. The royal ambassador lives to glorify Christ and personally benefits not by following his own agenda but through fulfilling his royal merit by following the divine protocol. He does not stay behind on this planet to advance his personal interests. The royal ambassador does not take the negative volition of the people as a personal insult but continues to faithfully represent Christ regardless of mockery and offenses he receive. The insults they throw against Christ and His Word is not personally for the ambassador. The recall of the royal ambassadors on earth by rapture will commence the Great Tribulation. That is divine declaration of war against nations. J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine ministries
069 - BARRIERS FOR SPIRITUAL LIFE THE CALL of God to serve him is understood or implicit. It is call for comradeship with Himself for His own purposes. The concern of every believer is spiritual reality not to serve God as soon as possible. Genuinely growing believers set their hearts on God but the religious people sets their hearts on their works and great ambition for God. The only goal of every Christian when it comes to spirituality IS TO DO THE WILL OF GOD and nothing else. COMMON BARRIERS: PRIDE. Christians are not immune to develop the deadly virus of arrogance that desire to do great things for God FAKE OBEDIENCE. Some believers are willing to do great sacrifices rather than do the will of God. They invest on big shows of half-hearted sacrifices for God than to obey God daily. WAITING FOR THE GREAT MOMENT. Some believers are praying and fasting asking God for the big thing to do instead of obeying him in every little details of life. WORLD SYSTEM. Some believers have adopted the world business system into their ministry. They are utilizing all the resources of the world. They baptized it with Christian names and spiritualized the carnal things. ENDLESS ACTIVITIES. Some modern day Christians are thinking that God is demanding for greater production like more tithes and offering, more people, more programs and more activities. Their endless activities are uprooting their faith from the truth of the Word. They are immerse in works for God but not rooted in the Word of God. WRONG DEVOTION. They are devoted to their work and ministries but very unfaithful to God and to His Bible doctrine. NEW MINISTRIES. They always have new ministries born out of impulses and pride. They planned their ministry out of their passion and emotion, which they mistaken for the voice of God. PIOUS GREED. They serve with great anticipation and expectation that God will bless them above the others. They have the burning desire to be promoted and exalted by God. COMFORTABLE MINISTRIES. They are willing to serve God but only in the comfort and luxury of the world. They are unwilling to leave their beautiful and cozy community. They decide where and how to serve God. SPIRITUAL SLUGGARD. They are always praying and praying without doing anything. They defy the plan and purpose of God with their prayer ministry. I MUST DO IT SYNDROME. They are always on the go –doing something for somebody. Their priority is to serve not to know God, not to learn the will and purpose of God. ANOTHER DOCTRINE. They are always hungry for new practices and teaching for the church. Since they are blinded by the ignorance of the Scripture they are always seeking for revelation from the visiting REVERSIONISTS preachers and musicians. The only antidote for the above cases is the act of rebound and the intake of Bible doctrine. J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine ministries
070 - FEARFEAR has many faces and sources. The Greek word PHOBIA (phobia) or fear in English, is a learned response and can be unlearned through the inexpensive fortification of your soul with Bible doctrine. No amount of behavioral therapy or systematic desensitization (that is psychological therapy combined with hypnosis) can successfully eliminate fear in the mind and heart of a person. Satan bombarded the entire human race with humanistic viewpoint since the beginning of human history, making man believe his lies and fearful of his schemes. The primary source of fear is the old sinful nature bombarded with satanic lies (that is the combination of satanic and human viewpoints). Satan is working overtime creating and building up tensions, worries, panic, lies, confusions, and fear in the hearts of men. RELIGIOUS TEACHING, PHILOSOPHY, AND SUPERSTITIONS PASS FEAR TO HUMAN SOULS. Religion has succeeded in creating fear in the hearts of men in a very subtle and unsuspecting manner. Religion is the best instrument of Satan in pulling men into the pit of demonic influence. There is a very long list of fear, most of which are illogical, pure superstition and unreal. YOU MUST DEFEAT FEAR BEFORE IT DEFEATS YOU AND ONLY THEN YOU CAN DEFEAT YOUR ENEMY. When it strikes, it must not be allowed to ignite a devastating chain reaction of mental attitude sins that always incapacitate thinking, decision-making and actions. CATEGORIES OF FEAR:
Fear develops slowly, gradually and progressively until it engulf the whole of your being. Give fear an inch today, and tomorrow, it will destroy everything you have. FEAR FOCUS ON THE PROBLEM but the Word of God focuses on the divine solution to human problems. The only way to solve human problem is by divine solution. Human solutions to human problems are NO SOLUTION but breeds more problems leading to fear. Fear exemplifies human viewpoint and obstructs problem solving. JR Cherreguine Bible Doctrine Ministries
071 - VICTORY OVER FEAR GOD EXPECTS every Church Age believers to overcome his fear through the divine provision and divine problem-solving devices provided at the point of salvation. NO BELIEVER is left without defense and protection in satanic cosmic systems. It is irrational, illogical and useless to pray for some kind of power to overcome your fear when in reality God has already provided everything we need pertaining to life and godliness. God has provided every thing in advance and nothing is lacking or missing. God has provided a ten (10) line of defense in the soul of the believer against the four (4) intense conflicts: 1. Temptation of the old sin nature (OSN) 2. The pressure stress in the soul of the believer 3. The enticement or allurements of false doctrines 4. The tendency to trust in human solutions and human viewpoint The ten problem-solving devices are:
Fear breeds arrogance while the Word of God in the soul nurtures genuine humility. Fear prevents living the spiritual life while Bible doctrine rejuvenates the spiritual life. Fear obstructs problem solving while the Word of God initiates problem solving. How to handle the stress of the battle and pressure of life is something you cannot learn apart from the actual situations. Psychology, psychiatry and hypnosis with positive thinking will not solve the fear that dominates the human souls. No believer will survive the cosmic system without Bible doctrine in the soul. God will not remove the problem or the suffering but God will convert the evil that assails us to our benefits. He will build a wall of fire around the believer and protect him by the power of God [Zechariah 2:5, 1 Peter 1:5a]. There is nothing as accident in the life of the believer-everything is part of His decree, nothing is unknown to God. Nothing we do will ever surprise Him. God deliver and rescue us in His perfect timing. Nothing is too late and nothing is too early- everything is just in perfect timing [Psalm 91:14-16, Romans 8:28]. No believer will die of famine (that is economic recession or depression) or from war (that is disaster, calamity and death) [Job 5:19-20]. No weapon of war will take your life as long as God’s plan for your life is to stay on earth. The believer with Bible doctrine in the soul will survive the scourge of the tongues (that is slander, mockery, insults, unfair dealings). The life of the believer is insured by the Character of God-you are under His security blanket. When you loss everything but not your integrity, your future is secure by the integrity of God –not by anything else. Bible doctrine in your soul is the guarantee. God honors his Word wherever it may be found. The life of the believer is secured and protected by the power of God, which is the best and perfect protection in the entire universe. J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine ministries
072 - SECURITY IN THE MIDST OF FEARYOUR TENT IS SECURE (PERIKRATES- perikrates) signifies having full command and control. The English term secure is from the Latin SECURA meaning free from anxiety. It has the Greek equivalent AMERIMNOS (amerimnos), meaning stability, security [Job 5:24, 1 Peter 5:7, Philippians 4:6-7]. THE ANTONYM of secure is insecurity meaning, loaded with cares. YOU WILL LAUGH [Job 5:22a] means to have humor. It is an indication of inner contentment and peace of mind amidst severe tragedy. His sense of humor is the result of sharing the happiness of God that knows the mind of Christ. The WILD BEASTS is metaphor for the sudden violent disasters. The believer is under instruction not to be frightened by the possibility of violent devastation or changes. God will not drive away the wild beasts but He will make the VENUM or poison totally ineffective against the growing and advancing believers. FOR YOU WILL BE IN LEAGUE with the stones of the field [Job 5:23] refers to the stones that were designed to use as weapon against you. The same stones will be your friends –they will not hit you. There are bullets without your name on it. THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD will be at peace with you [Job 5:23b], refers to the effects of disaster and calamity turned into blessing for your welfare. YOUR DESCENDANT will be many [Job 5:25]; means that life must go on for the believer regardless of his situation or condition, regardless of his pains and sufferings. Life must go on. No one and nothing could destroy the believer until his final appointment to depart from this planet. Likewise, the planet earth will be preserved for the purpose of God until at the end of the millennial reign of Christ. Worldwide destruction is impossible because only God has the right to destroy this planet. God created it and He alone has the right to destroy it [2 Peter 3:10-13, Revelation 21:1]. LIKE THE STACKING OF GRAINS in its season [Job 5:26] is metaphor for the security provided by divine logistical grace –a guarantee from God. ROOT CAUSE OF INSECURITY:
The believer has no entitlement to be insecure in the world because God has provided already the remedy. The believer becomes insecure when he focuses on the crisis not on God. There are seven emotional sins that stems from fear:
J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine ministries
073 - VIRTUES AGAINST FEARTHE Christian life is a life of victory for we have the VICTOR Himself. We are not aiming, aspiring or fighting for victory but FROM VICTORY. THE victory of the Christian life is not goal, not the objective, not the project but the CAUSE, the REASON why we endure, the very purpose why we have to continue advancing. The growing believer who is residing in the will and purpose of God is secured even in the midst of trouble waters-in the worst conflict and disaster. Whenever fear strikes, the believer must resolve to apply the divine solution –that is to totally rely and put your confidence on God [Psalm 56:3]. The Bible doctrine in the soul of the believer is the antidote for fear. God will not remove the cause of our fear but He will reverse the effects of fear by His presence [Psalm 118:6]. DO NOT ANXIOUSLY LOOK ABOUT YOU refers to believers who are seeking human solutions to resolve their problems [Isaiah 41:10]. God in His perfect omniscience knows exactly our problems and the exact solutions. We must look for God who has the solution. Remember, human solution is no solution. VIRTUE AGAINST FEAR: BE STRONG…DO NOT BE AFRAID. The souls of the believers are not immune to fear that affects the human will and effectiveness to keep advancing toward the goal [Deuteronomy 20:1-]. STRONG refers to the power of the spiritual life. Courage is the expression of this strength. Combine strong and courage and you have moral courage. DO NOT BE AFRAID, means that we do not dwell on the possibility of personal injury or death but the objective set before us. As Christians, we do not dwell on losing the battle but we focus on the VICTORY we already possessed. DO NOT PANIC. Some irrational and emotional terror may paralyze the mind and the heart. Bible doctrine alone has the power to clear this panic and fear. Only the ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE WORD OF GOD CAN ERADICATE this kind of panic. But the encouragement from human viewpoint creates pseudo peace and more fear. Tranquility under severe pressure is the overt expression of a courageous soul with Bible doctrine. DO NOT TREMBLE. The fear in the soul cause incapacitating physical reactions or emotional outbursts, that continues to shake the believer for long. Battle courage that comes from the Word of God may not eliminate fear, but allows you to put your training in action in spite of it [Psalm 27:3, 46:6-9, 55:22-23, 140:1-2]. Trembling obscure your focus of divine reality and removes the possibility of good decision. It handicaps the believer from doing the will of God. GOD IS IN CONTROL of human history and of all events in the entire universe. Nothing comes as accident to believers. Everything is part of the divine decree. God in His perfect knowledge of all things related to man keep an eye on every event. Nothing escape His wisdom. Some events happen because God allows it and some happen because He causes it. J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine ministries
074 - OVERCOMING FEAR PRINCIPLES OF VICTORY: 1. OVER FEAR OF DEATH The death of the believer is exactly God’s decision. The divine decision for us to die is victory since God is the absolute authority in life and death [1 Corinthians 15:55-57]. The divine decision regarding the believer’s death includes the manner, the time and place of death [Psalm 116:15]. The believer is always under God’s protection until the Lord takes him home. Since God is perfect, His timing is perfect in all manners of life and death [Job 1:21b]. Death is the wise and gracious choice of God and always the best for the believer. In death, we are face to face with the Lord. We are in a place of perfect happiness, leaving all the troubles and suffering behind. 2. OVER SUDDEN CRISIS GOD is in control of human history. All events in human history are for the benefits of the believers including the worst disaster and calamity. National discipline does not exempt the spiritual believer from sorrows and pains. Sufferings for the mature believers are not designed to destroy them but to accelerate their growth. The saints are expected to use divine solutions and not to seek more miseries for themselves. Disaster or crisis cause sorrows to the believer that leads to repentance [2 Corinthians 7:9-11]. More crisis and disasters are expected before the Second Advent. The believers are expected to endure such sufferings and never give up. 3. OVER SORROW AS believers, we have hope, a real confidence based on the Essence of God [1 Thessalonians 4:13]. Physical death is not the end of their story (the deceased). Enduring grief and sorrow becomes an imperative of the Christian life. You cannot stop normal living because people your love ones have died and gone to heaven (hell). You cannot resent others who are enjoying life when you are in a state of sorrow. You cannot demand your relatives and friends to join your extended grief and mourning. You must not tarnish their memory of the deceased by becoming morbid, bitter, resentful or vindictive. Your grief and loneliness is a private matter between you and the Lord. Your loneliness belongs to you alone, in the same manner; your confidence belongs to you alone. The death of the deceased is a perfect decision of God (no matter how brutal and ruthless the manner maybe). We know very little about them but God is perfectly knowledgeable. To complain and to ask God about His perfect decision is to question His sovereignty and righteousness. Our sorrow (no matter how grievous) is just temporal and personal matter. It is not the affair of the whole community or the affair of the local church. The believer is displaying his immaturity by asking or soliciting sympathy from others. The Christian life is a life of victory and the believer must appropriate or apply that victory from moment to moment of his sojourning in the world. We are fighting and advancing from the VICTORY OF CHRIST not to gain our own victory. J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine ministries
075 - INCESTGOD is the source of perfect morality, but Satan introduced the new morality (part of human viewpoint), which the fallen man (corrupted by old sinful nature) gladly embraces. The big four (Satan, the old sinful nature, the ADAMIC evil trends, and the human negative volition) are campaigning for the promotion of incest. The two daughters of Lot, who were infected with the sin of Sodom, were the first to commit incest [Genesis 19:31-36]. They raped their aged father doubting the ability of God in providing husbands for them. They reasoned from the new morality (that is old immorality) that approved anything that feels doing good. Reuben had sex with his father’s concubine [Genesis 35:22) as proof of his macho-syndrome (machismo instinct) and thereby lost his father’s blessing [Genesis 49:3-4]. AMNON, the son of David by AHINOAM raped TAMAR (the daughter of David by MACAH, the mother of ABSALOM [1 Samuel 25:43, 1 Chronicles 3:2]. AMNON raped his half-sister TAMAR because of mistaken lust and passion mistaken for love. He displayed later on his sexual problems, strong moral corruption, brutality and masculine confusion [2 Samuel 13:10-14]. ABSALOM raped his father concubine publicly [2 Samuel 16:22] showing to all Israel his rebellious leadership, his domineering behavior and ignorance of the Divine establishment. The Corinthian Church tolerated a member who had sexual affairs with his father’s wife (not his own mother) [1 Corinthians 5:11]. INCEST is not new- it is as old as the devil. FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTES TO INCEST: The old sinful nature (OSN) has a new defense counsel (the new morality), which justify incest as long as it feels good and enjoyable. The evil trends are gathering too much support from the media (all sorts of pornographic materials, sex gadgets and products, sexual stimulants like VIAGRA) and indorsed by the New Age Movement, bringing the moral collapse of our society. The public is receiving too much encouragement from prominent people who are preaching the “gospel of sex” through literature and media. The electronic media had added a new leap into what they called the cyber-sex. The public is being bombarded with numerous materials denying any moral values left in the soul of men. The hearts of many are occupied with sex 24 hours a day. The world accepts and encourages the new trends of broken marriages, broken homes, broken relationship. It is becoming normal. Because of this people are lonely and dishearten are searching for some kind of happiness. The search for frantic happiness resolves to commit incest as an expression of antagonism and anger against men and God. Some failed to carry on with their normal living are inflicted with psychosis. The rapid rise in idolatrous worship decreases the interest with Bible doctrine and has given way to more immoral acts. Immorality is the big sister of idolatry. Those who have committed incest are insane, demon-possessed or deceived by demonic doctrines. They are not in the right frame of mind. J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine ministries
076 - NEW MORALITYWE CAN summarize the teaching of the new moralists related to sexual sins by the following: The new morality justified that no church or institution has the right to dictate how to satisfy sexual needs as long as no person is harm. Sex as long as it is good is justified, whether it between the same sex, or opposite sex or between man and beast or just with anybody. Homosexuality and lesbianism is very much welcome and justified as long as it does not hurt any person. To use another person for personal sexual gratification is justified. The failure to apply love is the real injustice. Love of course is define as sex and when it comes to love, there is no limitation. The new morality is more concerned with the “whys” of sexual behavior than sexual sins. They put more stress on motivation and attitude or better attitude for sex than the act of sexual lust or perversion. The new morality defined love as sex. It promotes the sex-saturated society and it honors sexual revolution. It accepts pre-marital sex, extra-marital sex, post-marital sex, virtual sex, and cyber-sex. Sex with anybody is not condemned. It uses sex-exploitation mediums such as pornographic movies, magazines, books, TV shows, and etc. It accepts any form of sex: heterosexual, homosexual and auto-sexual. It advertises safe sex, the use of contraceptives and the use of sexual gadgets and sex energizing drugs. The decay of a nation begins with the collapse of its sex standards (morality related to sex). The new morality is destroying nations silently and sweetly. People are learning to fornicate, create sexual situations, follow modern sexual trends and commit sexual perversion without guilt. Nothing can etch the indelible scars of sexual sins. The ugly memories will come and wrestle with your mind from time to time. Illegitimate baby cannot be unborn. Child rearing and financial responsibility will not just go away and self-made miseries will linger for a long time. The movie and TV personalities are the sex trendsetters and young people are following their reel life without proper evaluation. Following the cosmic standards and life style is very dangerous for the soul of the believers. There are ways that seem rights in the eyes of the believers but are entire disgracing and dishonorable to God. There are things that seems right in the eyes of men but improper in the eyes of God. There are things we called sins but they are not in the eyes of God. There are things we simply ignore or accept but are sins in the sight of God. This is because our standards are relative and bias. We must know what is sin and what is not before God. The new morality is just the revival of the old times morality. There is nothing new under the sun. J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine ministries
077 - TRUE LOVE OR INFATUATIONTRUE ROMANTIC LOVE develops slowly and gradually. Infatuation develops at almost no time. True love always starts slowly. You have to know a person before you can truly love that person. Those who rush into marriage learn it by sad experience of self-made miseries. Infatuation is rushing into a bad decision. True is attracted in the total personality of the one love. Infatuation is mainly interested in the physical features. Infatuation depends on few non-sense things. True love is attracted with most of the qualities of the one love. True love affects your whole personality. Willing to learn, adjust and change to bring out the better qualities. Infatuation is blind and daydreaming –trying to believe that the only thing that matters is their love for each other. True love is not only interested in the whole person but that interest is growing warmer as the day goes by. In infatuation, the interest for each other grows between hot and cold –if not freezing. True love believes that the most important person in the whole world next to Christ is the one you love. Infatuation revolves only around the merry-go-round of fantasy but always searching for someone new. Separation and distance makes true love fonder. Infatuation will not survive the test of separation and distance but will seek happiness in another person. True love always cultivates and never dominates. True love causes two different personalities grow intimately together that when separated even for short time-a part of you seems to be missing. True love will live through quarrels and lots of disagreements-learning how to handle conflicts with poise. Infatuation may do a lot of kissing and making up but later may declare war that may never be solved. True love can easily resolve quarrels and disagreements for healthier relationship. Infatuation can ignite little disagreement into a massive forest fire leading into permanent break-up. True love is concern about giving way to improve and build stronger relationship. Infatuation is concern only about getting and receiving from the relationship for personal gains and interest. True love is always unselfish always giving. Infatuation is always waiting to receive and getting. True love dwells in genuine humility and sacrifice for the one love. Infatuation dwells in human ego and castle of arrogance. True love is always responsible-willing to pay the cost –willing to endure hardship and suffering. Infatuation is always ready to escape into the open sea of unreliability. True love is not love at first sight but the result of knowing and accepting the person just as he/she is. Some people are infatuated (not in love) with God, which they did not know about, as they are infatuated with a man or with a woman that they did not know. |
