Today, everything is either true or false, right or wrong, good or bad if an individual thinks it is so. There are no "absolutes." Every man has become a law unto himself. A man once told me that he did not agree with all that any preacher said and then he looked at me and said, "I don't even agree with all you say." He never once stopped to think or correct himself in light of the fact that he had never heard what I had to say! He has never once come to hear me preach the gospel nor will he stop telling me what he thinks long enough to listen. He neither knows nor cares that there is a standard by which what he and all men say shall be weighed. It is the same standard by which he shall be judged, the Word of God. Men try to escape any responsibility to hear, believe or obey what God says in His Word by saying "that's what you say it says." But God is such that He not only can say what He means but also says it. Plus, He means what He says! Such ignorant, pathetic individuals as this man are like a man that jumps off a high cliff in defiance of the law of gravity. For a brief moment they enjoy a dangerous liberty and freedom. They can cry loud with their mouths and move their limbs in any direction; but all the time they are falling, falling faster and faster toward an immovable object and an unchanging law! God "hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." (Acts 17:31) Men shall meet the Living God with full responsibility for not only the truth that they heard but also for that which they had opportunity to hear but didn't. This man said that what a TV preacher had said about the book of Revelation was true because he had studied it. But the book of Revelation is the "revelation of Jesus Christ." Those to whom Christ is revealed love Christ, worship Christ, hear the gospel of Christ, assemble with the people of Christ, obey Christ and submit to the righteousness of God in Christ. Self-righteousness they abhor! Hell will be full of men and women who like Satan, say, "I will be as the Most High." I will have my say, do what I want, save my own self....be my own god! Only God can shut their mouths and open their hearts and save them from sin and self.

Gary Shepard

THE DEEDS AND DOCTRINE OF THE NICOLAITANS

The Lord spoke of His hatred of the deeds and doctrine of the “nicolaitans” (Revelation 2:6,15). These “nicolaitans” were an ungodly group who sought to infiltrate the churches of Ephesus and Pergamos. They represent a prevail-ing problem for all true Gospel churches throughout the last days. The only thing within the text to show us who they were is the meaning of the word it-self. “Nicolaitan” is a compound Greek word – “nikao” means ―to conquer,‖ and “laos” means ―the people.‖ We get our word ―laity‖ from the latter. They were more than likely leaders in the church who sought to rule over people with clerical (clergical) authority that went beyond the Scriptures. They sought to conquer and rule the people, gain a following for themselves, rather than acting as Christ’s under-shepherds to lead people to Christ and guide them by God’s Word. Men by nature love to follow other men (cf. 1 Cor. 1:10-13), and certain men love to have it so (3 John 9-11). But this is not the way of Christ. John the Baptist said it best – “HE [Christ] must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Consider how the Apos-tle Paul sought to correct this when the people promoted it – “Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Cor. 10:13). Christ is the Lord and Savior of His church. No minister, not even a true minister, can eclipse Christ or His Word as our life and authority. Consider how the Apostle John sought to correct this when a man promoted himself – “Beloved, fol-low not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God” (3 John 11). Brethren, the Gospel of God’s grace in Christ is a unifying message for God’s people, and whenever men seek to divide, or people divide over men, this is the doctrine and deeds of the “nicolaitans” that our Lord hates (cf. Prov. 6:16-19).

Bill Parker

Definition of COMFORT

If we knew what God knows, we would order every event of our lives just as God is doing it right now!

Scott Richardson

OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IN HEAVEN SITS

By faith we look to heaven’s throne,

And see our glorious dress.

There in the holy Son of God,

The Lord our Righteousness. (Repeat)

Let change what will, let come what may.

He ever sits the same.

And all who plead His blood alone,

Are called by that great Name. (Repeat)

Through falls and fears and every doubt,

Unchanging He abides.

Our Righteousness in heaven sits.

All hope in Him resides. (Repeat)

Accepted in God’s Son beloved.

By free grace justified.

And saved from all the wrath to come,

In Christ the Crucified. (Repeat)

Oh God be praised, and all ye saints,

Remember and recall.

The righteousness we call our own,

Is not our own at all! (Repeat)

86.86

Gary Shepard

( Majestic Sweetness)

There is something infinitely more important than my happiness, my health, my comfort, my will, my importance, my success, my prosperity...all of my life. It is the glory of God. All these things are mine in the fullest sense if God be glorified in all things!