The Carnal ChristianWritten by Rev.Anthony R. Smith
The Carnal Christian. by Anthony Smith Romans 8:35-8:35 The Carnal Christian. This Sermon deals with Christian in peril and Lazy Christian that is always complaining. Before we start, I would like to share a letter that I received today from one of My Associates in Phillippiens. The words and spelling are His and I decided not to correct them. Dear Rev. Smith, Please help praise Lord for me, I was at point of dead, I met dead face to face on saturday night as I journeyed to be with a church at lagos our former capital.We ran into an armed robbery gang of about 42 in numbers with sophisticated riffle,our bus entered thier midst unknowingly.Several shots were fired into our bus,the bus conductor died instantly,tyre burst,radiator blast off,and bus went into bush,and they pursued us to a standstill.They ransacked all our luggages,took valuable items including cash. Finally commander ordered that those that have paid their tithes for last 3 months should stand one side,some thought it was a joke,i quickly obeyed and a sister join me.Those who were not on our side gang leader said they have robbed God,and that there is only one sentence for robbers,dead sentence.It was at that point they fired everybody to dead,and they ordered 2 of us to go.we were helpless,we slept there till daybreak,about 6 buses were involved in saga,at same time they raped nearly all women.My heart is very very sorrowful,this incident has been reported in our national news and newspapers.God kept me alive to write you this day,may His only name be blessed. His Grace in Ecclesia, Bishop Dr.Joseph Rankin. Now lets look at Scripture. Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? The word of Lord is true and eternal. Many are recieveing tribulation, distress, persecution and even threat of death for their belief in Gospel. But still they go on. They go on believing in God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The problem today, as I have seen it, is that there are too many Christians that are sitting around waiting for rapture to take place and not being concerned with state of their other brothers and sisters in harms way, who are promoting Gospel to rest of world. Being comfortable with one or two services a week, giving church money when its convienuent for them, not really paying ties but expecting their say at business meetings. And Church, not using money for propagating Gospel, but rather building on instead of building up. Where has compassion of Christian gone? Rom 15:27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. Romans 15:27 is not just a passing thought by Paul, but a commandment from Christ, for establishment of all members of body. 1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 1Co 3:1 is a warning to Christians that there are times that Church loses its way and becomes carnal, instead of Spiritual. Not being able to receive Spiritual insight into Gospel because they have become carnal minded. 1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 1Co 3:3 is stating that when members of body become carnal minded, they start walking as man instead of as Christian, Christ like, in
| | THE WATER WELLWritten by Irvin L. Rozier
Numbers 21.7: "Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it." I received a call from a friend of mine. He wanted me to help him dig a well for a small church in edge of next county. Over years, this church had many troubles, including wells going dry. When he asked me to help, I felt presence of Lord so I knew that Lord had just given me another mission. I loaded my tools on my old Datsun pickup (it was using so much oil that I just poured oil over motor and let it leak through cracks! Not really; just kidding, although it did use much oil). I drove 16 miles to church where some others had gathered to help dig well. Before we began, we all joined together in a circle of prayer and asked Lord to bless our efforts and church. After prayer, I said, "Let me go down in that old open well to see if it could be cleaned out." I climbed down a ladder, and at about 12 feet, saw that well was clogged up with all kinds of debris. I climbed up ladder and stated, "This well represents what has happened to this church over years. It needs a new refreshing spring of water...a new well." One elderly gentleman there stated, "Well, you can try to dig a new well but you probably won't be successful. All of other five wells have been failures." These wells had been dug at places where someone had used a divining stick to determine where underground source of water was. I knew use of divination was not of God (Deuteronomy 18.10). I prayed and asked Lord to show me where to dig. I know God knows where everything is located. He answered my prayer, and showed me a spot and told me we would hit water at 29 feet. We began to dig and things started going wrong. Pipes broke. Pumps tore up. The enemy sure didn't want us to get water!
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