Articles

By Garry Maddux

July 16, 2023

Opening Scripture: Mark 12:29-31

I have taught public speaking and interpersonal communication at the college level for the past 15 years. Most textbooks on interpersonal communication use theories or ideas from the Bible. I am still learning ways to speak that represent that I love my brother. Every time I teach a class, I learn something new or reaffirm my biblical beliefs.

In this lesson, I believe it’s important for Christians to know how to speak in a healthy way biblically. I will give some theories on communication and scriptures to reaffirm these ideas. Additionally, I will give examples of poor and healthy communication.

Copied from the sermon notes of Pastor Don Elmore

July 9, 2023

Scripture Reading: Revelation 20:7, 8

History is fascinating.  If you just had a little idea about who is who, it will be harder for the media to fool you.  They still can, but it would be harder. 

When ex-president Trump left his indictment hearing, he went to a Cuban restaurant and bought everyone who was there a meal.  But there was something strange that happened after he made his announcement to provide this service.  What was it?  A prayer was said for all the participants in themeal bought by the ex-president.  But it wasn’t just the prayer that was said, it was who said the prayer.  It was a Jewish rabbi.  Which god was he praying to?  For he is an antichrist!

I’ve heard Republicans say that the southern border is wide-open, and the Biden Administration wants it that way.  Then they add, I don’t know why they are doing this?   The answer to their question is easy.  They want it that way because they are Communists.   Communists want open borders.

By Pastor Jim Jester

July 2, 2023

SCRIPTURE READING: Nehemiah 8:1-6, 8

In today's scripture reading,  the words understanding, understand and understood appear. The first two, according to context, likely mean that the people could audibly hear clear enough to understand. In the last “understood” (v 8) it means to comprehend because of the words “clearly” and “they gave the sense.”

Also in this passage we can see things that we do today when Christians meet for a worship service. Ezra stood on a “wooden pulpit” (a raised platform) so his voice would reach greater distances by not being obstructed by the crowd. They did not have electrical amplification back then. Also, the people stood up for the reading of the words of God. We do that too; and we also say “Amen,” raise our hands (sometimes) and bow our heads (but not usually to the ground lying flat). More from this passage as we continue.

My opening thesis regarding a genuine spiritual revival is this. I see two prerequisites for true revival. 1) Revival is born out of truth; and 2) Revival is born among God’s people.

by Walter Giddings

June 25, 2023

Sermon Scripture: Psalm 106: 4-8 

(The 23rd Psalm, verse 3).  Whose name?  What is in a name?  In the Hebrew of The Bible we are told that this is “A Psalm of David”: 

                3 He restoreth my soul:  he leadeth

              me in the paths of righteousness for

              his name’s sake.  The Twenty-Third Psalm. 

It is “The LORD”.  “He” it is who restores our souls; “He” it is who leads us in the paths of righteousness “for his name’s sake”.  In this instance “The LORD” translates the Hebrew tetragrammaton H3064, Yod, he, vav, he, a repeated form of the Hebrew verb “to be,” the I Am that I Am, or the Great I Am, for short. (Exodus 3:13-15). All Israel did not know “his name” until Moses asked God this question at the Burning Bush: 

WORLD WAR I

Copied from the sermon notes of Pastor Don Elmore

June 18, 2023

Scripture Reading: Revelation 20:7, 8

7) “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

8) And [Satan] shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, God and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.”

When in the past, present or future is this verse talking about?  In other words, when will the devil deceive the nations?  It is clear from verse seven that it will occur after the 1000-years of his imprisonment are terminated.  But when did that happen: the past, or in the present, or is it in the future? It is after his 1000-year prison term is over that the devil deceives the nations.

By Pastor Jim Jester

June 11, 2023

SCRIPTURE READING: I John 3:1-6

Who are the “sons of God” and the “sons of men?” These terms should be the same; but sometimes there are variations in meaning which reveal certain types of men. The sons of God should be identical with the sons of men, if men refer to Adam, correct? Adam is called the “son of God” in the genealogy given in Luke 3:38, “The son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.” And, sons of God automatically imply there are daughters of God as well. The “children of God” should also be added as synonymous with the other two phrases: sons of God and sons/daughters of men. But strangely enough, the first time “sons of God” appears in Genesis chapter six, it seems a bit odd, as if it were a mistranslation. And that appears to be the case. But, there are times when these phrases reveal different characteristics of men.

Copied from the sermon notes of Pastor Don Elmore

June 4, 2023

Scripture Reading: Revelation 20:1-3

The book of Revelation, chapter twenty, is one of the most controversial apocalyptic passages of the whole Bible in Christian theology.  Is Daniel’s seventieth week separated from the other sixty-nine weeks by over 2000 years or has the seventy weeks been finished 2000 years ago?

Key References that Reveal Racial Context

A Survey and sampling of the “R U Woke” sermon series. This list is not comprehensive; only one reference per book in the Old Testament (certain books excluded for lack of racial significance).

The Minor Prophets

by Pastor Jim Jester

May 28, 2023

SCRIPTURE READING: Hosea 2:1-7

INTRODUCTION

First of all, the minor prophets are not “minors” — they are adults. [I couldn’t help it…] They are called minors simply because of the length of their writings. They each are just as significant and important as the major prophets. And, like in a church, we all have our contributions to the whole.

As you will see, not all of them have anything to say of racial significance; other than what has been translated as the word “Jew,” which is a racial term. Of the twelve minor prophets, only one contains the word “Jew;” and of course there it is a wrong translation.

Copied from the sermon notes of Pastor Don Elmore

May 21, 2023

Scripture Reading: Luke 13:6-9

Christianity is not a religion with no disagreements.  It is full of them.  Here are some examples. 

There are churches that teach that:

• The earth is flat,
• The universe is only 6,000 years old,
• There were no giants on the earth; Goliath was only seven or eight feet tall,
• There were dinosaurs on the earth, but there are churches that don’t know exactly when they were on the earth,
• Noah’s flood was world-wide; the earth’s population was reduced to eight people 4500 years ago,
• The entire population of the world lived in the land of Shinar and spoke only one language about 4300 years ago,
• All creatures of the earth are created equal,