WITNESS ~ INSTRUCT ~ NURTURE / Volume 1 Issue 27
Oct 5, 2005
Hi !
In this issue, you'll read:
THE BOOK OF 1st CORINTHIANS - PART TWO
ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD
A WORD FROM THE EDITOR - TWENTY SEVENTH EDITION Destiny of Hope Fellowship is pastored by Rev. Dellhue Johnson, Jr. and The Connection Point is pastored by Rev. Aaron B. Greene. Both of these FCGM Ordained Ministers have proven themselves to be true servants of God and have a heart for the people. Each of them, together with their ministry teams will be starting services this month in their respective cities and I would like to ask everyone to be in prayer for the Holy Spirit to move in these new works of God. Until next time...God bless you in all that you undertake! In Jesus Name, All editions of The W.I.N. E-Mail Newsletter are available on the Internet. To find them, navigate to www.fcgm.org and click on the "Newsletter" link. Feel free to copy as many as you want and pass them out to family and friends. If you would like to be added to our mailing list, send an e-mail containing your name and e-mail address to winsubscribe@fcgm.org. Each morning, read a Scripture passage of your choice. Talk with the Lord as you read his Word. When you are finished, go back and select one or two verses which you believe God is using to speak to you and meditate thoughtfully and prayerfully on what he is saying. II. Bible Study In our last lesson, we read through the first six chapters of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. Now we will begin to look at this section closely. In chapters 1-6, Paul deals with the divisions that have arisen in the church, and the flagrant sin - incest, lawsuits, immorality - that is being condoned. This section can be divided into three subsections. Read each subsection and answer for yourself the questions associated with them. Type out your answers, or jot them down on a piece Read 1 Corinthians 1:1-2:16 1. What was Paul appealing to the Corinthians for? (1:10-17) Read 1 Corinthians 3:1-4:21 1. Why did Paul say the Corinthians were still "mere infants in Christ," "worldly," and "acting like mere men"? (3:1-4) Read 1 Corinthians 5:1-6:20 1. Why did Paul not want them to associate with the immoral brother? (5:1-13) III. Memory Verse Here are a few suggestions that may help you to memorize your memory verses: 1. Ask the Lord to help you remember his Word (see John 14:26). 2. Use the version of the Bible you are most familiar with. What you normally read in your Bible is what you need to be memorizing. 3. Don't just memorize the contents of the verse; memorize its "address" (the verse reference) as well. You can do this by following this pattern: Step 1: reference; Step 2: verse content; Step 3: reference. Then repeat steps 1-3. Note that you are quoting the reference twice as many times as you quote the actual verse content. This gives the verse a clear "reference tag." 4. After you have read your memory verse out aloud several times, try going through your memory verse without reading your computer screen. 5. Look up your memory verse in your Bible. Look at its immediate context and read the verses that come before and after your memory verse. 6. Print out your memory verse or jot it down on a piece of paper. Take this paper with you when you go to work or do other daily activities. Meditate on the meaning of the verse throughout the day. 7. During your noon appointment with the Lord, take out your memory verse and go over it again. Talk to the Lord about what this verse means to you personally. 8. In the evening (at either your evening study or your evening devotions), see if you can quote your memory verse from memory. Then, without looking at the memory verse itself, see if you can find it in your Bible. 9. The next day, before you begin committing a new verse to memory, rehearse your previous day's memory verse and see if you can remember it (without cheating!). 10. Finally, at the end of the week (possibly on Sunday), collect all your week's memory verses, rehearse them and see if you can recall them without reading them. Spend a little extra time on any verses you have difficulty recalling. 11. Remember: Don't just memorize a verse. Put it into practice (James 1:22). It is not being able to quote a verse from memory that counts. It is His Word abiding in your heart that counts (John 15:7). When you actually apply a verse consistently to your daily life; that is when you truly know that verse! This article is Copyright © 1999, The Online Bible College. It is used by permission and formatted for presentation in this newsletter. The problem is that when we are going through the attacks, it is sometimes hard to stand strong and face the enemy head on because of our humanness. Sometimes, it even becomes difficult to pray through and believe God because of our weaknesses. And one of the biggest mistakes we make is trying to put up a brave front so that our friends and family will not think less of us. At times like these, we need to be reminded of the following from the Word of God. Romans 8:26-28; " But what does this mean, you ask? To help us with this understanding, let's take a look at what Matthew Henry (1662 - 1714) says in Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible. Read his dissertation very carefully and meditate on it before discounting it as "easy for you, but you just don't understand what I am going through!" "Rom 8:26-28 - The apostle here suggests two privileges more to which true Christians are entitled: - I. The help of the Spirit in prayer. While we are in this world, hoping and waiting for what we see not, we must be praying. Hope supposes desire, and that desire offered up to God is prayer; we groan. Now observe, 1. Our weakness in prayer: We know not what we should pray for as we ought. (1.) As to the matter of our requests, we know not what to ask. We are not competent judges of our own condition. Who knows what is good for a man in this life? Ecc_6:12. We are short-sighted, and very much biassed in favour of the flesh, and apt to separate the end from the way. You know not what you ask, Mat_20:22. We are like foolish children, that are ready to cry for fruit before it is ripe and fit for them; see Luk_9:54, Luk_9:55. (2.) As to the manner, we know not how to pray as we ought. It is not enough that we do that which is good, but we must do it well, seek in a due order; and here we are often at a loss - graces are weak, affections cold, thoughts wandering, and it is not always easy to find the heart to pray, 2Sa_7:27. The apostle speaks of this in the first person: We know not. He puts himself among the rest. Folly, and weakness, and distraction in prayer, are what all the saints are complaining of. If so great a saint as Paul knew not what to pray for, what little reason have we to go forth about that duty in our own strength! 2. The assistances which the Spirit gives us in that duty. He helps our infirmities, meant especially of our praying infirmities, which most easily beset us in that duty, against which the Spirit helps. The Spirit in the world helps; many rules and promises there are in the word for our help. The Spirit in the heart helps, dwelling in us, working in us, as a Spirit of grace and supplication, especially with respect to the infirmities we are under when we are in a suffering state, when our faith is most apt to fail; for this end the Holy Ghost was poured out. Helpeth, sumantilambanetai - heaves with us, over against us, helps as we help one that would lift up a burden, by lifting over against him at the other end - helps with us, that is, with us doing our endeavour, putting forth the strength we have. We must not sit still, and expect that the Spirit should do all; when the Spirit goes before us we must bestir ourselves. We cannot without God, and he will not without us. What help? Why, the Spirit itself makes intercession for us, dictates our requests, indites our petitions, draws up our plea for us. Christ intercedes for us in heaven, the Spirit intercedes for us in our hearts; so graciously has God provided for the encouragement of the praying remnant. The Spirit, as an enlightening Spirit, teaches us what to pray for, as a sanctifying Spirit works and excites praying graces, as a comforting Spirit silences our fears, and helps us over all our discouragements. The Holy Spirit is the spring of all our desires and breathings towards God. Now this intercession which the Spirit makes is, (1.) With groanings that cannot be uttered. The strength and fervency of those desires which the Holy Spirit works are hereby intimated. There may be praying in the Spirit where there is not a word spoken; as Moses prayed (Exo_14:15), and Hannah, 1Sa_1:13. It is not the rhetoric and eloquence, but the faith and fervency, of our prayers, that the Spirit works, as an intercessor, in us. Cannot be uttered; they are so confused, the soul is in such a hurry with temptations and troubles, we know not what to say, nor how to express ourselves. Here is the Spirit interceding with groans that cannot be uttered. When we can but cry, Abba, Father, and refer ourselves to him with a holy humble boldness, this is the work of the Spirit. (2.) According to the will of God, Rom_8:27. The Spirit in the heart never contradicts the Spirit in the word. Those desires that are contrary to the will of God do not come from the Spirit. The Spirit interceding in us evermore melts our wills into the will of God. Not as I will, but as thou wilt. 3. The sure success of these intercessions: He that searches the heart knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, Rom_8:27. To a hypocrite, all whose religion lies in his tongue, nothing is more dreadful than that God searches the heart and sees through all his disguises. To a sincere Christian, who makes heart-work of his duty, nothing is more comfortable than that God searches the heart, for then he will hear and answer those desires which we want words to express. He knows what we have need of before we ask, Mat_6:8. He knows what is the mind of his own Spirit in us. And, as he always hears the Son interceding for us, so he always hears the Spirit interceding in us, because his intercession is according to the will of God. What could have been done more for the comfort of the Lord's people, in all their addresses to God? Christ had said, “Whatever you ask the Father according to his will he will give it you.” But how shall we learn to ask according to his will? Why, the Spirit will teach us that. Therefore it is that the seed of Jacob never seek in vain. II. The concurrence of all providences for the good of those that are Christ's, Rom_8:28. It might be objected that, notwithstanding all these privileges, we see believers compassed about with manifold afflictions; though the Spirit makes intercession for them, yet their troubles are continued. It is very true; but in this the Spirit's intercession is always effectual, that, however it goes with them, all this is working together for their good. Observe here. 1. The character of the saints, who are interested in this privilege; they are here described by such properties as are common to all that are truly sanctified. (1.) They love God. This includes all the out-goings of the soul's affections towards God as the chief good and highest end. It is our love to God that makes every providence sweet, and therefore profitable. Those that love God make the best of all he does, and take all in good part. (2.) They are the called according to his purpose, effectually called according to the eternal purpose. The call is effectual, not according to any merit or desert of ours, but according to God's own gracious purpose. 2. The privilege of the saints, that all things work together for good to them, that is, all the providences of God that concern them. All that God performs he performs for them, Psa_57:2. Their sins are not of his performing, therefore not intended here, though his permitting sin is made to work for their good, 2Ch_32:31. But all the providences of God are theirs - merciful providences, afflicting providences, personal, public. They are all for good; perhaps for temporal good, as Joseph's troubles; at least, for spiritual and eternal good. That is good for them which does their souls good. Either directly or indirectly, every providence has a tendency to the spiritual good of those that love God, breaking them off from sin, bringing them nearer to God, weaning them from the world, fitting them for heaven. Work together. They work, as physic works upon the body, various ways, according to the intention of the physician; but all for the patient's good. They work together, as several ingredients in a medicine concur to answer the intention. God hath set the one over against the other (Ecc_7:14): sunergei, a very singular, with a noun plural, denoting the harmony of Providence and its uniform designs, all the wheels as one wheel, Eze_10:13. He worketh all things together for good; so some read it. It is not from any specific quality in the providences themselves, but from the power and grace of God working in, with, and by, these providences. All this we know - know it for a certainty, from the word of God, from our own experience, and from the experience of all the saints." As you can see, the Spirit helps us when we pray. But remember, we must be praying. He tells us in His Word, "Pray without ceasing." So even if we don't know what or how to pray, we must continue to pray. Even if we are too weak, we must continue to pray, keeping in mind that the Spirit will help us in our infirmities and weaknesses. And even though a lot of things that happen in our lives are not His perfect will, but are His permissive will, if we will stay on our face before His throne, He can and will use all things that happen to us for our benefit. But remember, for this to happen, we must be fully committed to Him and allow Him to move through every situation in our lives. God bless you all, Unless otherwise noted: All Scripture is taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Greetings and welcome to the twenty seventh edition of the W.I.N. E-Mail Newsletter. We are so excited to officially announce the latest editions to the FCGM family of Churches with the chartering of Destiny of Hope Fellowship in Aberdeen, Washington and The Connection Point in Marysville, Washington.
Rev. Sam T. Leigh
Presiding Bishop
Freedom Covenant Global Ministries
E-mail:
Website: www.fcgm.org
Bishop's eCorner: www.fcgm.org/ecorner/
Back to top
THE BOOK OF 1st CORINTHIANS - PART TWO
I. Devotional Reading
of paper and place in your Bible for further study and meditation.
2. What results if you preach the gospel with "words of human wisdom"? (1:17-31)
3. What is the secret wisdom of God that has been revealed to us in Christ? (2:6-10)
2. How does Paul describe ministries? (3:5-23)
3. What effect was "tak[ing] pride in one man over against another" having on the Corinthians? (4:6-21)
2. How should disputes between believers be handled? (6:1-11)
3. In Christ, what has our physical body become? (6:12-20)
1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Back to top
ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD
As some of you have commented, the Spirit of God is moving within the ministries of Freedom Covenant Global Ministries. It is exciting to have new ministers and churches become a part of our ministry team, however, as the Holy Spirit brings increase, the enemy, Satan, the devil, tries to rob and steal that which the Lord has ordained. We have received reports almost daily of what the enemy is trying to do. But I am here today to tell you all the devil is a liar and thief! And not only that, he is already defeated.
Bishop Sam T. Leigh
Back to top
This newsletter Copyright © 2005 Freedom Covenant Global Ministries. All Rights Reserved. Individual articles displaying copyrights from other ministries are used by permission, have been formatted for use in this publication, and remain the property of respective ministry. Permission is granted to copy, print, and distribute this newsletter for ministry purposes, whether whole or in part, so long as ALL copyrights remain in place and no copies are printed or distributed for sale or commercial purposes.
Back to top