Month: February 2024

Jude 1:1-4 (KJV)  “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

I would like to share with you today what I believe Jude was talking about here in this book that he has written. I think at this time it would be beneficial to remind ourselves as to who Jude was. He only identifies himself as the servant of Jesus Christ and the brother of James. I like to let the WORD of GOD be the authority of all things and then look and study other writings, what some call profane writings, and let them be the side notes of a statement of proof. In Matthew 13:55 (KJV) the Holy Spirit tells us this fact as his own countrymen discuss who Jesus was: “Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?” So we see that Jude was the brother of James and the half brother of JESUS. So you might ask the question, why didn’t Jude just say I am the half-brother of JESUS. Well, I believe it could have been out of REVERENCE for JESUS the CHRIST and also that Jude did not want anyone to think that he was claiming any part of being DIETY. There could have also been an element of shame there on Judes’ part, because at the first he and his brothers did not believe that their oldest brother was the MESSIAH. While JESUS “WALKED” in Galilee, which simply means that HE had begin to take HIS ministry into HIS homeland, so in John 7:3-5 (KJV) it is recorded in the Bible: “His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. For neither did his brethren believe in him”

In the book of Mark and the 3rd chapter in verse 21 it is recorded also in the (KJV) “…And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.” Now before we judge his friends and family too harshly, let’s remember they were not privy to the facts that Joseph and Mary knew.

Jude wrote to those who had been “SANCTIFIED” by the FATHER and “PRESERVED” in JESUS CHRIST and “CALLED”. Each one of us that have been “BORN AGAIN” by our BELIEF(FAITH) in the sacrifice on the cross by JESUS have been “SANCTIFIED” or made HOLY or “CLEANSED”. Each one of us have been “PRESERVED” or “SEALED”. And each one of us have been “CALLED” or “APPOINTED” as a special SAINT to carry the GOSPEL to the WORLD! That’s why Jude also said that “…ye should earnestly contend for the faith…” He said that we should do as Paul said “…fight the good fight…” “…run the race…” “…finish the course…”, why you may asked? Because Jude said in the 4th verse: “For there are certain men crept in unawares,…”. These that are teaching false doctrine are out to destroy the GOSPEL or dilute it so much that it will come to nothing, they have only a “…a form of GODLINESS but deny the POWER of it…”.

Listen my brothers and sisters in CHRIST there is POWER in the “BLOOD”, there is POWER in HOLY SPIRIT, there is POWER in the WORD of GOD, and there is the available POWER in every “BORN AGAIN” believer. Release that POWER that is in you and let it do the WORK that GOD has made it AVAILABLE for. Do not quench the SPIRIT of GOD but allow HIM to speak and live through you. Paul said in Romans 12:1 (KJV) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of GOD, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” If you have been “BORN AGAIN” place yourself in HIS service, begin or return to “…earnestly contending for the FAITH” by being available to be used by HIM, because time is running short, TIME IS AT HAND, be about your FATHER’S BUSINESS!

Colossians 4:1 (KJV) “Masters, give unto your servants THAT WHICH IS JUST AND EQUAL; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.” Now let’s look at a few words in this verse.

Master: It is where we get our title MR. from. A title of respect, it is one who is given authority over others. 

Give: Which means to reach out to, to grant, to give, to offer to, also it means to take in your hand and provide something to those who are under your authority. If God has allowed us to be in a position of authority, we ought to serve in that position with great “COMPASSION AND LOVE”. We should pray and seek God’s strength, and direction in how we serve in that capacity.I want us to look at 3 things we should give to those under us. 

#1: That which is “JUST AND EQUAL”: Paul uses the Greek word translated “JUST” to mean “RIGHT” or “MEET”, and the Greek word translated “EQUAL” to mean in the same proportion or likeness to all the same for the work that they do. It does not mean that each servant gets the same amount, but in proportion to the amount of work they do or the type of work that they do. We have a saying to day that if you don’t work you don’t eat which actually comes from one of Paul’s epistles. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (KJV) “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”  Paul is saying that those that are able bodied should help and not just lay around and let others take care of them. The statement JUST and EQUAL actually supports the custom of sharing what we have with those that are unable to work like others who are healthy enough to labor. Please don’t forget that Paul also wrote in:

Romans 15:1 also in the (KJV) “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” The answer to Cain’s question “….am I my brother’s keeper..” is YES!!!  A resounding YES!!!  So, “That which is just and equal”

Now in  Acts 17:31 (KJV) “Because he 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.” So:

#2. That which is “ASSUREDLY the TRUTH”: All that masters do and see to, what is done, should always be the TRUTH. Jesus as HE journeyed here on earth, was always about the truth, and in fact if you remember, when HE was answering Thomas’ question of “….how can we know the way?” Jesus said in John 14:6  (KJV) “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Most of us have sought GOD at one time in our life, but sadly, some have overlooked HIM when they had the opportunity, by not seeking HIM for the right reason. They wanted to find GOD on their own terms, wanted GOD to be what they wanted GOD to be. In the last statement in the verse we just read JESUS said: “…no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” People, when they come to JESUS must come, repentful of their sins, know that HE is GOD in the flesh and that HE CAN and that HE WILL forgive them of those sins! Jesus said to other doubters, just before he spoke this statement in John 8:24 (KJV) “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” So! We who are masters must always remember we represent the “TRUTH” we must always remember, also, that we may be the last representation of “CHRIST” that some may see, because the next time they lift up their eyes, “IT MAY BE IN HELL”. Always show people that JESUS has changed you and you are now a different person, that you have been “BEEN BORN ANEW” or “BORN AGAIN”. So always remember we must always give those under us the TRUTH! Then in:

1 Timothy 6:17 (KJV) The Apostle Paul says: “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who  GIVETH US richly all things to enjoy;” so another thing MASTERS’ must give is:

#3. That which they or we can “ABUNDANTLY ENJOY”: Listen, please, whatever you have, you did not get by your own strength, your own power, but GOD gave it to you. The things we enjoy today that are in our lives, “GOD GAVE US”, richly, and HE wants us to enjoy it while we are on our journey here. JESUS said: John 10:10 (KJV) “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”  And I will reiterate that GOD wants you to enjoy your life down here as you continue on your JOURNEY. I always like to emphasize that we are on a JOURNEY, because this is NOT our home, we are just PASSING through to our heavenly home with JESUS, that is if we have been “BORN AGAIN”!  I must say here that I AM NOT one of these preachers that declare that GOD will give you a million dollars, or all that you would ever want or that everything will always go smoothly and you won’t have any problems while on that JOURNEY. BUT I will DECLARE unto you that GOD will GIVE you all that you need and that “HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU” the biggest problem we have, as GODS’ people, is calling out to HIM in our times of NEED, but instead we try to rely on our own strength. It does us all a lot of GOOD to always refresh our memory with the story of NICODEMUS, who really needed some strength and directions from GOD. If you will remember the story of NICODEMUS in the 3rd chapter of the GOSPEL OF JOHN. He was a Pharisee, which meant he was highly educated and highly respected, but also highly close minded. So JESUS kept him on track about a simple fact about the KINGDOM of GOD, and how to get there, by telling him, 3 times in fact, that you must be “BORN AGAIN”. But of course NICODEMUS thought he was already there, because he was a Pharisee and had all of the attributes he needed through his fleshly strengths. NICODEMUS  thought it was by all of his attributes that he would see GOD. HE had failed to see the fact that it takes FAITH to please GOD. I am going to close with some last instructive suggestions, if, first, you have performed the necessary action of being “BORN AGAIN”. Continue to do these 4 things.

#1: LOVE GOD SUPREMELY! “…THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME…”

#2: LOVE YOUR FAMILY! BOTH YOUR HOME  FAMILY AND YOUR CHURCH FAMILY! LOVE is what is needed in our families today!

#3: LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR! We have got to love our neighbor, he must see JESUS in us!

#4: LOVE YOURSELF!

Colossians 3:20-22  (KJV) “Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:”

Now then the APOSTLE PAUL talks to the CHILDREN, and it might be fitting that I remind all of us that we were at sometime in our life considered “CHILDREN” did we always “OBEY” our parents? Did we always make them feel well LOVED? But now, we can learn from our past mistakes as we are raising our children. CHILDREN, it is a BIG SCAREY WORLD out there but you must be able to get around in it, and live successfully in it. No one can walk your JOURNEY for you, nor live your life for you, but you can have the LORD, walking along beside you to help you FIND your way. HE is your GUIDE, your PROTECTOR, your PROVIDER, HE is your STRENGTH, and HE will be your CLOSEST FRIEND, if you will allow HIM to be. Choose carefully when things, people and opportunities, come into your lives. To obey your parents is paramount or the “most important” rule in your life. The word “PARENT and PARENTS” here mean your Mother and Father, but also means your “GRANDPARENTS and GREAT-GRANDPARENTS” or your ANCESTERS. Let the WORD of GOD RULE in your hearts also, KING DAVID of the BIBLE is a GOOD example to look at, in his ways, but always remembering that HE was HUMAN just like you. He made mistakes, and you will make mistakes. But use the mistakes that you make as a tool, as an example of some things that you shouldn’t have done, use them as lessons to teach you and also learn from others’ mistakes so that you don’t have to repeat them. Always remember, NEVER LIE! Always tell the truth, it is not easy sometimes to tell the TRUTH, and it actually hurts to reveal what you did wrong. But, the TRUTH is easily fixable, but it is very hard to fix a lie, almost impossible, untill you get forgiveness for it and then tell the truth, then GOD can help you make it right. Your PARENTS are there to FORGIVE and COMFORT you. To OBEY your PARENTS you must first “PAY ATTENTION” to what they are saying and LISTEN very closely, and look them right in the eyes. Because how can you OBEY, if you have not even HEARD what they are telling you. Your parents have been right where you are at, and they, most likely, have done what you have done, and are trying to correct you because they love you enough to stop you from doing the WRONG THING. Do you want to be “WELL PLEASING TO THE LORD”, and I am sure you do, SO, OBEY YOUR PARENTS!! When the Apostle Paul wrote to those Christians at Ephesus about the FAMILY structure and responsibilities in Ephesians 6:1-3 (KJV) “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother;(which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” I want to remind you of this scripture that is of JESUS when he was a young’en, please listen attentively as I read from the book of Luke, in Luke 2:46-52 (KJV) “And it came to pass,” and I want to interject right here that when you hear this phrase, that the BIBLE is fixing to tell you a very important story about an EVENT that happened in the PAST that you really need to pay close attention to. Now, “the rest of the story about this JESUS”, “that after three days they found nim in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them , and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.” Now, please listen “YOUNG’ENS” I don’t have to explain to you or to tell you what the meaning of the word “OBEY” is, but I’m going to tell you anyway. In the Greek, the word obey is a compound word, and actually means to “HEAR UNDER” as a subordinate, that is to “LISTEN ATTENTIVELY” to. The word demands a response from you, to “HEED” or “CONFORM” to a command, that someone , that has “AUTHORITY” over you, has said. Your parents LOVE you, and you probably won’t realize how much until you get a little older and have some children of your own. This “OLD PASTOR” loves you, and stands up here and preaches and teaches you all, because I LOVE you, but most of all it is because of what you hear me say up here EVERY SUNDAY MORNING, and that is that “GOD LOVES YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE”. I know that sometimes you think, and I know you think this, because Satan wants you to think it, that you’ve done something wrong and that because of that wrong that GOD doesn’t LOVE you anymore. But listen to your old pastor now! That won’t ever happen, because you can’t do anything or enough of bad things, that will cause GOD to stop LOVING you. Go to GOD when you do something wrong and GOD will FORGIVE YOU, and strengthen you and, if you willl let HIM, HE WILL LOVE YOU ALWAYS.

The next charge in this passage of scripture, is to the FATHERS, I believe I can just hear you young’ens saying, WHEW! Finally, I believe he is going to leave us alone and get on to our daddies. Well I am not going to do exactly that. But what I am going to do is tell us what the Bible says about raising our children. In Colossians 3:21 (KJV) the Bible says: “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.” and again in Ephesians 6:4 (KJV) Paul says this “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” In the Old Testament in the book of Proverbs, in Proverbs 22:6 the Bible says in the (KJV) “Train up a child in the way he should go: and  when he is old, he will not depart from it.”  Listen FATHERS, it is our duty to TRAIN our children, not to be their FRIEND. It doesn’t hurt or is not wrong to be a friend to your child, because, of course GOD and we all, want HARMONY in our FAMILY, but there also has to be layer of RESPECT from the CHILD to the FATHER, and from the FATHER to the CHILD. They have to know and to understand that you are not only their FRIEND, but also their DISIPLINARIAN, and that you WILL correct him or her if they do wrong, or break the rules that you or your wife have SET for them to follow.

You or WE as a FATHER, should not, and must not provoke our children to anger! Now, that does not mean that your children are not ever going to get mad at you. For they surely will, but they will respect you if your disicipline is fair. But if you treat them unfairly, or have one that you don’t treat the same, you either are more lenient or more harsh than you are to any of the others. They will not only become ANGRY but will also become so discouraged, they will give up on trying to please you or your wife, and will become unmangeable. Let’s look at a couple of words that we have used here. First off let’s look at the word PROVOKE: There are several different Greek words that are translated “PROVOKE”. The Greek word that the Apostle Paul used here was (er-eth-id’-zo), the word was only used twice in the whole New Testament and the other place, it was use, was when Paul wrote to other Christians in Corinth. Where he said in 2 Corinthians 9:2 (KJV) “For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.”

Paul was just trying to get those a Colossae, to TAKE their Christian belief into their home lives, and their new found teaching’s into their families. To train up their children in the nurture and the admonition of the LORD but not to the point of continuely proding them, if you continually keep proding a bull, he is going to get mad and then he won’t be controllable at all. You keep proding, or poking at your children they are going to become discouraged, and begin to think “what the heck”, and lose respect for you, so train them, as the Bible says, but not to the point of provoking them. Explain to them, what you want them to be and how you won’t them to become that way. There are times for “not sparing the rod” but there are also times to show RESTRAINT and teach and coach your children by words and other actions. You have to show the same kind of teaching and training in your life; or it won’t mean anything to them, we FATHERS have to lead with our lives, by the way we conduct our life, which by the way ain’t easy, but we need to show them what we mean when we are teaching them by living it in front of them. Sometimes we think our children are grown, when in real life they are not grown. Just because the “GOVERNMENT” says that they are grown at 18 does not mean that they are. I have found, that you will be teaching and training your children all of your lives, and you that have adult children have already found that out also, and even when they are in their 50’s and 60’s they still need your support and directions, they need you to continue to lead them, continue to correct them and continue to give them directions in their lives. Don’t cause your children to become discouraged while trying to live a life that will be pleasing unto you, FORGIVE them, when they fail, and continue to explain and point your children in the right way, even though that they are trying to rebel against the way you are trying to show them. I know that when I was in my 50’s I needed my dads LOVE and UNDERSTANDING, even more then, than when I was 5 or 6, and when I became older, I still needed my dads gentle guiding, and also his frank, and honest opinion.

Now, let’s look, very quickly at verse 22 of our text: Colossians 3:22 And still in the (KJV) “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh: not with eye service, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:” Some Christian teachers and preachers think that this part of these instructions are not REVELANT in our day and time, but I beg to differ with them. So, let’s look at the word SERVANT to help us better understand. The Greek word Paul uses here is the same Greek word that we get our English word “DEACON” from. Even though it is an OFFICE of our present day churches, Paul is not talking to JUST DEACONS, but to all who are “born again” believers in CHRIST who work under other bosses in their place of employment or they are bosses themselves, or those who are their own boss and serve CUSTOMERS of their own. ALWAYS remember that if we are “BORN AGAIN” that we always, represent CHRIST whereever we are at and whatever we are doing. SO! Let’s look at a few words quickly:

Obey: Same word we looked at when we were talking about CHILDREN. We have “BEEN THERE, DONE THAT”. The next word is:

Eye-service as menpleasers: Which simply means, only doing what we have been told to do when the boss or JESUS is physically watching. Enough said, because JESUS is always watching!

Out of Singleness of heart, fearing GOD: The word here simply means with sincerity, or doing the right thing since we know GOD is watching and we always want to please GOD. Let me read this scripture and I will close

 1 John 5:3-5 (KJV) “For this is the love of GOD, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God OVERCOMETH the world: and this is the victory that OVERCOMETH the world, even our FAITH. Who is he that OVERCOMETH the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”

I will ask us all this simple question ,

ARE WE, OR AM I, AN OVERCOMER OF THE WORLD; OR ARE WE OR AM I A CONFORMER TO THE WORLD?

Colossians 3:23-25  (KJV) “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inhereitance: for ye serve the Lord CHRIST. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.” 

Whatsoever: Simply means “all things at all times” not just every now and then, and not in just some things but at every time and in every thing that you do. This is so interesting, so SWEET, the GREEK word that the APOSTLE PAUL used here, (pas) was the exact same word that was used when the APOSTLE JOHN recorded what JESUS had said in John 3:16  (KJV) “For GOD so loved the world, that he gave is only begotten son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” ANYONE! ANYBODY! ANY MAN! ANY WOMAN! ANY BOY, OR ANY GIRL, THROUGHOUT THE AGES TILL CHRIST COMES BACK, can be SAVED, can be “BORN AGAIN” by placing their HEARTFELT BELIEF IN JESUS THE CHRIST. I don’t care if they are from ALABAMA, AFRICA, ARIZONA or from ALL POINTS NORTH SOUTH EAST OR WEST. Don’t that excite you today, don’t that just make you want to wave your arms, jump and shout and holler HALLELUJAH!!!! WELL!!! IT DOES ME and I BELIEVE IT DOES YOU IF YOU KNOW JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOR!

The next word I want us to look at is HEARTILY:

 The word HEARTILY means: Out of the WHOLE MAN, to do it, whatever you do, do it WITH everything you’ve got, put everything you got into it! Don’t hold back anything, to do it with every BREATH you have, with every OUNCE of strength that you possess, right out of your SOUL. It  means SPRINGING from your inside. Putting your heart into it. We might say in this day and time “WITH GUSTO“, not half-hearted. And not to or for men or because men are around, but to the LORD because HE is ALWAYS around, ALWAYS with you, ALWAYS available. THANK YOU JESUS that we know you will never leave nor forsake us!! The next verse of Chapter 3 of Colossians, the 24th verse begins with the word “KNOWING”. I have had people tell me that you can’t know for sure if you are saved, that you can’t know till you get to that day and see if you are saved, I really hate it that some people believe that, and live their lives in fear, thinking that JESUS’ THE VERY SON OF GOD can’t save you to the uttermost.

Paul said when he was writing to a young preacher named Timothy at the Church of EPHESUS in 2 Timothy 1:12 (KJV) “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” Paul was confident, wasn’t he. He also said to those at Rome in his letter to the Romans in Romans 8:38-39 (KJV) “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ JESUS our Lord.” Paul says “KNOWING” “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the LORD CHRIST.” The word “SERVE” here is (dool-you’ oh) the same word that we get “DEACON” from, that actually means “SLAVE FOR”. But we are all to “serve” the LORD JESUS CHRIST. After that we are “born again” we are to “SERVE” to continue the work that JESUS started while HE was here on earth. That is why HIS followers were called CHRISTIANS, Those that were Antioch, didn’t name themselves, but the people that observed the way they acted, the way that they were different than other folks, the way that they were always honest in their dealings, the way they were forthright, and how they truly loved each other, and they seem to love helping everybody and helping others out when they could.

Listen to what the Bible says in Acts 11:19-26 (KJV) The Bible records “Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”

Again, we don’t call ourselves CHRISTIANS, but the greatest compliment that the world can give us is by calling us CHRISTIANS, because of the way we live. “LIVE YOUR LIFE SO THAT THE WORLD WILL KNOW, THAT THEY CAN TELL THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WITH CHRIST”. Isn’t that something, wasn’t that a miracle, here, this mixture of people, working together and preaching and teaching and forming Churchesand many people were being saved, dedicating there lives to the LORD, to work and to keep the mission of SPREADING THE GOSPEL going forward and moving on from city to city, country to country just like JESUS had commanded them to do. Man, don’t you just love it when a plan comes together. AIN’T GOD GOOD!!! Each one of us that has been saved, has been given this same mission, to preach, teach and talk about the GOSPEL so that others might come to know the truth and receive CHRIST as their SAVIOR! Man!!! That excites me, doesn’t it you? Then the Apostle Paul reminds them all, But!!! He that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done and there is no respect of persons. There’s that “old time” message, that old time truth, that, you will reap what you sow, and that is true today just as it was back then. But always remember what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:15 (KJV) “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” There it is folks “PROOF POSITIVE” of ETERNAL SECURITY we are not saved by works but by the very GRACE of GOD. A lot of US, may have a lot of our works burned up, BUT WE WILL STILL BE SAVED and enjoy the inheiritance, the eternal life in heaven, that CHRIST JESUS PURCHASED FOR US WITH HIS SHED BLOOD ON CALVARY’s CROSS. HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH!!

Colossians 3:18-22  (KJV) “Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. Servants, obey in all things your masters according, to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:” Think with me on this, why does Paul write to the Church about the lifestyle of the FAMILY, I think it is because the church is made up of families and is like a family it’s self. I believe that the FAMILY in Paul’s day was already coming to the point of the FAMILY of our day. Satan was already attacking the FAMILY in these new born churches in hopes of destroying the CHURCH, just as he tried to destroy the things of GOD at the beginning during the GARDEN of EDEN. When Satan caused CAIN to be JEALOUS of his brother, even to the point where Cain KILLED his brother because he was so JEALOUS of Able and caused the banishment of the first FAMILY from the GARDEN. Jealousy has no place in the FAMILY and has no place in the CHURCH!! I have seen FAMILIES and CHURCHES completely destroyed because of JEALOUSY that really was based on nothing but GOSSIP. So let’s look at the FAMILY and see what the individual parts of the FAMILY should look like, how they should conduct themselves. So let us begin by looking at the WIVES and HUSBANDS and what Paul says to them. Please listen closely and/or follow along in your Bibles. Here in verses 18 and 19 of Colossians the 3rd chapter. “Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.”

Wives and Husbands: The Apostle Paul here gives us some “duties” for the wife and the husband, or some “actions” that they should be taking towards each other. I am quite sure that you that are present here and those that are reading this would like for me to tell you what this means, but I am NOT going to do that, what I am going to do is take you to more scripture that the Apostle Paul wrote about WIVES and HUSBANDS, when he compares it with the CHURCH and the relationship that is between JESUS THE CHRIST (who is the HEAD) and the Church (which is the body of Christ), then each of you can obey GOD’s WORD in your “actions” towards your SPOUSE. I won’t to read more of Paul’s writings and other apostles to confirm what Paul is trying to get across to the people that are hearing or reading his letter to the Church. So, turn with me and read along with me what Paul says in Ephesians 5:21-33 (KJV) “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it: That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” Now I want us to reparse these verses by looking at the definitions of some words and phrases to determine what PAUL is actually saying: Let us start with the phrase “SUBMITTING YOURSELVES”

So, Submitting Yourselves: I really like the way Paul starts out this set of scriptures, don’t you? He makes it clear here that he is talking to both the Husband and the Wife, and that he is not just singling out or lecturing the Wife or the Husband. He is not taking the side of either one but is addressing all factions of the FAMILY structure as it is in his day and it fits very will with the FAMILY or our day. So each one of them HUSBAND and WIFE have made a commitment by submitting themselves to the other one. Lets look at the word SUBMIT and see what it actually means.

Submit: The word submit in the Greek, in this instance, means to willingly place yourself in subjection to the other one in the union, that you have made. To “submit yourself unto”. For the woman to place herself under subjection to this one man or the man should have placed himself under subjection to this one woman,  that the two, man and woman, have joined themselves together with each other and become ONE FLESH. Please, never forget that. That is a very, very IMPORTANT part of the union, as part of the, if you will, MARRIAGE. The man and woman coming together become as one and should conduct their lives as MAN and Wife as one. Now I would like for us to look quickly at the next phrase “IN THE FEAR OF GOD”.  

So, here we go: In the fear of GOD:  This phrase simply means, out of reverence for the Authority of GOD and our LOVE and Obedience to HIM and all that HE is. Knowing that the union that they are about to engage in or have engaged in, is in the sight of GOD and under HIS AUTHORITY and HIS RULE! If you take GOD out of the equation the marriage is most likely to fail, to crumble, to collapse. So most of our FAMILIES,  in our day and time, are reaping the consequences, of one of or both parties of the UNION deciding to not let GOD’s AUTHORITY, RULE in their union, their marriage or in their FAMILY. When SOCIETY began to leave GOD out of their lives, everything began to crumble, the FAMILY UNIT, THE CHURCH, THE SCHOOLS, THE GOVERNMENT, and LIFE as we used to know it. When IMMORALITY, LIES, WORLDLY PLEASURES, DISHONESTY,  and really SINS of all kinds began to REIGN in the midst of the FAMILY unit and replace, the LOVE FOR GOD. Then it was just a matter of time until everything of the FAMILY structure would begin to DISSOLVE and turn into something else other than that which GOD meant for it to be. With the DISSOLVEMENT of the FAMILY UNIT it was only natural that our GOVERNMENTS, our CHURCHES, and our SOCIETY would be MELTED and turned into something hardly recognizable. Have you ever seen how a plastic toy car, or any plastic object looks after it has been melted in a fire, you can not tell what it looks like, you can not recognize it. That is the way it is when you leave GOD out of your FAMILY, out of your GOVERNMENT, out of your life, it becomes nothing but a BLOB or matter. You can’t tell what it was, before you removed GOD from it. Now let us look at the word “OWN”: 

Own: So!!! I think that this word was used because GOD’s HOLY SPIRIT actually gave the verse that way to the Apostle Paul because of the times and customs of that area that it was written in, and some of the things that men were doing in those times, men were trying to teach to all of the wives that they had to submit or subject themselves to them or to any man, or any husband. I think that it was given that way so that MEN could not demand submission from any WOMAN whom HE might want or visa versa. I have talked with some who say and really seem to be bragging about it, and I will quickly interject here that it was not anyone from this church or community, that they have an “OPEN” marriage and that they and their spouse can submit to anyone they please. Of course that is not according to what is taught in the confines of the BIBLE. But doesn’t that sound just like Satan, always twisting the Word of GOD trying to make it different than it really is. The next word I want to look at is the HEAD.

Head: In some marriages this has caused some controversy. But, it simply means the leader, but as any good leader, that person should respect the opinion of those that he is leading, and decide what would be best for everyone involved, therefore he should respect the opinion of his own wife, and give it the same WEIGHT that he places on his own opinion. I believe that means that the HUSBAND AND the WIFE should discuss family decisions together and should come to an agreement, in what to do, in what to have, in all things pertaining to the functioning of the FAMILY! Now, I am not bragging, or meaning that that is what I always done it but just saying that that’s the way we should or leaders should do. Let’s look at our next word which is SAVIOUR:

Saviour:  I believe that this word was put here to stress what CHRIST was to the CHURCH and how that HE cherished and LOVED the “BODY OF CHRIST”. Next word is SUBJECT.

Subject:  This is the same Greek word that was, just a few lines before this one, translated as “SUBMIT”. Stressing the need for the wife to be willingly subjecting herself to her husband, and also just before that where he said that both Husband and Wife were to submitting themselves to each other. I believe that it shows that Jesus, who is the Christ, is sitting at the right hand of the Father to LEAD and GUIDE us and not STANDING over the CHURCH cracking a whip over our heads forcing us to do things, so because of the nature of the word every husband should always be a willing leader, willing to be open to his own wife to be helping him to make the decisions, and to help his wife with all things of a family matter. Again not forgetting that HE and SHE have become one FLESH, one PERSON. The next word is LOVE.

Love: The word is (ag-ap-ah’-o) that was first used by Jesus as he was speaking to Nicodemus and explaining to him about how a person could be “BORN AGAIN”. None of the ancient writers, or any of the profane writers had penned this word or in other words had not ever written it in any of their books. But GOD’s HOLY SPIRIT led JOHN to pen this WORD! So, MEN!! we are to LOVE our wives as JESUS LOVED the CHURCH and gave HIS LIFE for it. A selfless LOVE, a PURE LOVE, a LOVE that drives us to put others first, to put our wive’s wants and wishes before our own. DO WE? Do we put them first in our FAMILY LIFE? Let’s settle in our minds men, that we have got to adjust that LOVE that we have for our wives so it becomes comparable with that same LOVE that caused JESUS to willingly come to this earth and go all of the way to the CROSS ON THE HILL of GOLGATHA, and to allow his enemies to NAIL HIM there on that CROSS , with large SPIKES, so that WE might have LIFE and have it more abundantly. We also have to look at the LOVE that GOD the FATHER had that made HIM able to give up HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, to come and be that sacrifice. These types of LOVE, these examples that the FATHER and the SON have left us is the type of LOVE that we have got to have, that we MUST have for our WIVES. The next words that I want us to look at are SPOT, WRINKLE and ANY THING LIKE IT.

Spot: A word that means no stain, no blemish, no DISGRACE. We should never do anything to, or say anything to our wife that would cause her disgrace, even disgrace in HER own eyes.

Wrinkle:  Which means, just what we think it does, wrinkles in their body that are caused by WORRY or STRIFE that is brought about by our WORDS or ACTIONS. We should always pray, GOD HELP ME TO LOVE AS GOD LOVES. Then next just a quick look at the phrase:

Any such Thing:  Because it simply means “OF THIS SORT” talking about the spots or wrinkles, anything that causes our wifes pain or suffering. Whether that pain or suffering, be PHYSICAL, be MENTAL or even be SPIRITUAL. Then Paul sums it up by saying:

Without Blemish: Now, these words are how our relationship as the BODY OF CHRIST is to be with the HEAD of the BODY, which is JESUS of Nazereth the CHRIST. But they are given as an example of what, we men, should be in our relationship as the HEAD of our UNION with our WIFE. Listen MEN! If we pattern our actions and words after the LORD JESUS CHRIST we will always be doing what GOD wants in our MARRIAGE! The next phrase is ONE-FLESH:

One Flesh:  Where does this idea, this thought come from, that the APOSTLE PAUL uses here. I know that that is a facetious question, but I just wanted to spark a thought in our minds, that GOD is the one that AUTHORIZED this kind of UNION. THAT GOD IS THE ONE that seen the NEED for Adam, or man, to have a “HELP MEET” and took steps, what he deemed necessary steps, to bring this UNION about. This very important step in creation, the forming of the FAMILY UNIT, was made so that mankind could be propagated and advanced in the way GOD wanted it to be. GOD created them, MALE and FEMALE, and that is the way HE meant for it to be. Satan is the one who has, for all of these years, been trying to change that. And, may I remind us of what happened to SODOM and GOMORRAH because of it.  Again, I reiterate, 1 MAN, 1 WOMAN, brought together by GOD as 1 FLESH. So now then another directive for us MEN, the Bible says that a man MUST:

Love HIS Wife as himself:   Men we must LOVE our wives as our self, let me read Ephesians 5:33 (KJV) “Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself;” meaning each one of us individually, of ourself, not what other men are doing, but what GOD through HIS HOLY WORD has told each one of us to be like, sometimes we like to try and shift the blame by saying to ourselves or others, HEY, but look at John, Jim, David, Paul they do it this way or that way, but you know that makes no difference to us, WE, “IN PARTICULAR” know and are responsible for obeying GOD to be the HUSBAND that HE wants us to be! Now let us look at the word REVERENCE:

Reverence:  Now, why should wives do this or why should  wives  reverence their husband, Look at what the Apostle Peter says in  1 Peter 3:1-7  (KJV) “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.” Ladies, you say you want your husband to be saved, you say you believe he is not a “born again” believer! Well! According to Peter, your husband can be WON not by your words, but by your “CONVERSATION” or by your “LIFESTYLE”. Your husbands, that are not saved or are not displaying any interest in “following Christ” are watching you not only because they think you are beautiful, which you are, but to see if you are living as GOD says you are supposed to be living, and watching to see if you are REVERENCING GOD, seeing if you FEAR GOD in the way the Bible teaches. Then they can begin to see that maybe there is something REAL to this CHRISTAINTY stuff, and begin to see that they need it, and that they can have the same type of HAPPINESS and SECURITY that you have in this man called CHRIST.