The Sower & Faith

As most will agree, when the Israelites entered the promised land, it was not a picture of us entering heaven, but rather the beginning of our trials in the World as a believer. We also agree that the Israelites leaving Egypt were a shadow of us accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

All that being said, I am of the belief that the years in the desert are a representation of our first days, or Months of being a new Christian. For this is the time when most new Christians fall away, which are represented by the first two of the four seeds in the parable of the sower.

Running The Race To Finish Well (part 1)

by Jose Barajas

Being raised in a Catholic home meant that I was baptized as a child, and would take classes that prepared me for my first communion. Two things that have always struck me as being odd about the ceremonies I went through are A, baptizing a child goes against what scripture teaches us and B, my first communion was performed by a Spanish speaking priest. As a Hispanic family you would think nothing about it, except that I was raised to speak English not Spanish. So as you can guess I was clueless of what the Spanish priest was saying.  For all I know, I confessed to committing adultery and murder. 

All this to say, I don’t believe my sins were ever absolved or forgiven, because my heart was not really into it. Truth is, I know for a fact I was not changed. It never ceases to amaze me how many have, and still do, fall into the same trap of man’s traditions when it comes to confessing their sins. Yet they are never truly believed nor repented of their sins. I, of course, speak from experience and not just from the time I was a Catholic.

Russian Roulette Joke, What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

I originally shared this back in March of 2010, but have since learned more about the situation. So I decided to update the information and repost it. This is a home video of an incident that took place in December of 2009 in Astrakhan, which is in Southern Russia. It starts with a 38-year-old Chechen man who decided to pull a trick at a wedding where he was a guest. He claimed he had an unloaded gun and was going to act like he was playing Russian Roulette. So he puts a gun to his head, when another man with a microphone attempts to stop him.

We are not sure what he told the man with the mike, but whatever he told him alleviated the guys worry and allowed the man to do what he wanted to do. Maybe he told him the gun was unloaded, or just a blank. Either way the man with the microphone allowed him to proceed. Meanwhile, amongst the the group of men standing around is a younger man taking the whole scene in without realizing what is about to happen.  So the Chechen puts the gun to his head and pulls the trigger………. Click………. it does not fire. He then cocks the gun to give someone else a chance at the game.

Now this is the moment where someone has a free will choice to be wise, or foolish. See, like Adam, every human has been given the right to freely choose between right and wrong, wise or unwise. So we can freely decide what want to do, where we want to go, and who we wish to hang out with. Now, while Adam did sin, he was not created with a will to sin. Yet, because he chose with his own free will to eat the forbidden fruit, all men have been handed down to them, from Adam, the will and desire to sin. Today, humans have a 50% chance they will choose unwisely. OH, God could have made us perfect without the ability to sin, but then we would be nothing more than Chatty Cathy dolls repeating and doing whatever was programmed into us. Is that the kind of life you would wish to live?

Well in this incident, there is a young man would have been better if he did not have a free will choice. See, In this video we have many people who are drinking intoxicating beverages of their own free will. Remember, there are consequences for our chioces in life. Yet we can freely chose what we desire to do. So now we have one man who unwisely chose to play a bad joke at a wedding reception. While another man unwisely falls for it. The young man has a 50/50 chance of coming away unharmed. Ultimately it will be his free will choice.

So after the jokster plays his trick, the younger man steps up to prove his manliness by taking the gun from the jokster's hand. Believing this is all a joke and, that the gun is unloaded. He then places the muzzle of the gun against his head and pulls the trigger. The gun goes off, and the guy drops like a sack of potatoes........................

There is no blood splatter, so it does not look like there was a live round in the chamber, but there could have been a blank cartridge in it like starting postols do. However, most people who never use guns are clueless as to the fact that you can kill yourself with a blank starter pistol that has only dummy rounds. Especially if you put it against your head. The percussion of the gunpowder is powerful enough to blast a hole into your head and kill you, or at least do major damage.

I stated earlier that we all have a 50% chance of choosing what is right and what is wrong in this fallen world. However, that’s only if you put your faith in the World. If your faith is in the One who died for your salvation and you always go to HIM when you make important, and even some non important decisions, then you can be assured that your choices can be 100% correct all the time.

The two men in this video both trusted in their own understanding instead of the Lords. It is unwise to drink so much your faculties are not clear. It is unwise to play pranks with a gun. It is unwise to put even an unloaded gun to you head and pull the trigger. Sadly, the young man chose unwisely. When we put our faith in God, and follow His precepts correctly, then we will never allow ourselves to be in a position to chose unwisely as the young man in this video did.

As an aside, I have had my YouTube channel since early 2010, but in the last two years Google has removed 90% of the videos I had posted. I am shocked they have not removed this one, But they still could. I still have some of them on my hard drive, but there are some I am really upset that are lost forever. Gotta love the cancel culture huh? NOT!

This video has been posted to my (OneVike YouTube) account since March of 2010. Below is a comment from about 4 years ago by, a Mike Baxter, which may help shed some light on the situation. His take is as good as any I have read, so I'll let you decide what you want to believe about the incident. Yet know this, the news media reports that is was not a joke, the man lived, but he is brain damaged for life.

(Mike Baxter)

It's not fake ... what happened was, the firearm is a "less than lethal" pistol that shoots 'rubber bullets' and does not need to be registered (many pistol shootings and road rage you see on Russian videos is with this type firearms) .. BUT at closer range it could kill.

The first guy does rack the slide chambering a round (it's easy to see in slow motion) BUT he does not pull the trigger if you look closely its easy to see in fact, the trigger moves FORWARD slightly and he is not touching the trigger ... what he did was use the de-cocking lever to decock the pistol, and it makes a loud click.

Then he racks it again ejecting a live round, (in better resolution videos you can see the round falling to the ground in contrast to someone's black jacket) and then he passes the pistol to the second guy who assumes its empty and shoots himself, he did not die but survived with some brain damage after surgery.

The first guy was changed with mischief and reportedly said he thought the gun was empty, but if so, why did he try to stop the guy at the last second?? ... very weird (suspicious) and unsafe to say the least, reports indicate everyone involved was drunk.

Warning Extremely disturbing.

Faith Of A Mustard Seed

by Chuck Ness

Is there anything you would like to accomplish, but you feel it's just out of your reach? Maybe you are too small to get up on that plateau. or too weak to lift that rock. You have been told your whole life, it's too difficult and you will fail. Settle for less they told you, quit dreaming of silly things you will never accomplish. You will just disappoint yourself, so settle for less.

Well, 2000 years ago Christ told His followers that,

"if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from
here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20

Proverb 3:5-6 Lean Not On Your Own Understanding

by Chuck Ness

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Proverb 3:5-6)

Ever wonder what you would do if your leader told you to drive into the Ocean after he parted the waters? Would you still have enough faith to trust in the God your leader trusts? Would you have enough faith that the waters would be held back until you got to the other side? Well at the time when Pharaoh's army had the Israelites trapped between him and the Red Sea, the faith of the Israelites was very weak. (Exodus 14) At any sign of troubles they were ready to leave Moses and his God to go back to Egypt and the bondage of slavery.

Kind of like so many of us Christians today. At the first sign of trials and tribulations we are so quick to give up on Him, just as the Israelites did time and time again. Moses told the people to have faith and trust in the Lord who brought them out of bondage. Instead they romanticized the life they had in Egypt. Forgetting all about the whips, and drudgery of slave labor they were forced into. All they could remember was the food they ate, not the suffering they endured at the hands of the task masters, while despising the food from heaven God gave them.

“We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!” (Numbers11:4-5)

Their complaining and attitude about their circumstances made Moses so angry that when God told him to speak to the rock to bring water, he instead lashed out with his staff and struck it twice. God then told Moses, because he disobeyed Him that he and Aaron would not enter into the promised land.

Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” (Numbers20:12)

Their lack of faith caused Moses to lose his chance to enter the promised land. Sometimes anger can backfire and hurt you instead of those it's intended for, even if you think they deserve your wrath. Well, the continued lack of faith, caused them to wonder in the desert for 40 years. While their children, whom they claimed to be worried about if they went into the land of Canaan, were the ones to possess the land. As for them? One by one they all died in the desert, as did Moses and Aaron.

Don't be like those who perished in the wilderness.

Be confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

So have faith, look to the future, and never look back. Don't be like the Israelites or Lot's wife, who looked back and longed for the life she had. She became a pillar of salt and lost her chance at salvation from the destruction that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:26)

Never look back longingly for the old days by romanticizing the life you once had when you were in bondage to sin. Understand that this Desert we must travel through has many trials and tribulations, but the promise of a new world is ours for the taking. Continue fighting the good fight, and one day you will possess the promised land.

Proverb 3 (NKJV) Guidance for the Young 01 My son, do not forget my law, 00 But let your heart keep my commands; 02 For length of days and long life 00 And peace they will add to you. 03 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; 00 Bind them around your neck, 00 Write them on the tablet of your heart, 04 And so find favor and high esteem 00 In the sight of God and man. 05 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, 00 And lean not on your own understanding; 06 In all your ways acknowledge Him, 00 And He shall direct your paths. 07 Do not be wise in your own eyes; 00 Fear the LORD and depart from evil. 08 It will be health to your flesh, 00 And strength to your bones. 09 Honor the LORD with your possessions, 00 And with the firstfruits of all your increase; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, 00 And your vats will overflow with new wine. 11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, 00 Nor detest His correction; 12 For whom the LORD loves He corrects, 00 Just as a father the son in whom he delights. 13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, 00 And the man who gains understanding; 14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, 00 And her gain than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies, 00 And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand, 00 In her left hand riches and honor. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, 00 And all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, 00 And happy are all who retain her. 19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; 00 By understanding He established the heavens; 20 By His knowledge the depths were broken up, 00 And clouds drop down the dew. 21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes-- 00 Keep sound wisdom and discretion; 22 So they will be life to your soul 00 And grace to your neck. 23 Then you will walk safely in your way, 00 And your foot will not stumble. 24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; 00 Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. 25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror, 00 Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; 26 For the LORD will be your confidence, 00 And will keep your foot from being caught. 27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, 00 When it is in the power of your hand to do so. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, 00 "Go, and come back, 00 And tomorrow I will give it," 00 When you have it with you. 29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor, 00 For he dwells by you for safety's sake. 30 Do not strive with a man without cause, 00 If he has done you no harm. 31 Do not envy the oppressor, 00 And choose none of his ways; 32 For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD, 00 But His secret counsel is with the upright. 33 The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, 00 But He blesses the home of the just. 34 Surely He scorns the scornful, 00 But gives grace to the humble. 35 The wise shall inherit glory, 00 But shame shall be the legacy of fools.

Why Worry Christian?

By Chuck Ness

It has been said that while money is the biggest stumbling block to the rich, worry is the biggest stumbling block to the poor. However, I have read about many rich people worrying about their money and I have known many poor people who have stumbled with what little money they did have.

We live in the most powerfully affluent society the world has ever seen, not since Solomon ruled Israel has a country been so affluent as America is today. Why even the poor are wealthy when compared to the poorest people in places like Bangladesh. Even with the country in a virtual lockdown over the COVID virus, America is still the country everyone wants to come to for success and tranquility in their lives. Which says something about the rest of the world.

Do You Follow a Religion, ar Christ?

by Chuck Ness

I do not follow a religion, I follow Christ who is the door to the Father, the One in whom I have a relationship with. 

That is why Jesus said he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through Him. He is the One we follow because to get to your destination you must follow the right path.

My Thoughts on the Epistle to the Hebrews

By Chuck Ness

I can truly say that my understanding of the salvation I received from Christ has been made abundantly clearer thanks to this letter. I would love to thank the author for the growth I gained in studying this letter. However the identity of the author is unknown, but there is no lack of ideas as to who wrote it. The list goes on and on as to who the author was. The opinions run the gamut from Barnabas, Paul, and Apollos (whom I personally go back and forth in awarding my vote to) some scholars even suggest that either Priscilla or Mary the mother of Jesus was the author. I have my reasons why I do not think the author was a woman, however even if we knew who wrote this, a most excellent of epistles, it would not add, nor take from, one iota of importance to its contents.

That being said, I shall not get into the many minutia of who the author is, except to say the letter is truly inspired by the Holy Spirit and that is really all that matters.

Proverb 3:5-6 Trust The Lord

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths. 
Proverb 3:5-6

by Chuck Ness

So many times we all wish we had a gift to peer into the future. All men desire that gift so they can live their life accordingly. They want to be able to avoid the pitfalls, and get right to the great things that will happen. They desire the gift so they will make the right choice. Well, we have that gift, it comes from God. All we need to do is have the faith in God to do for us that which He promises. If he gave us a gift to see the future outright, then He would not expect us to live by faith. We need to have faith that God will direct our path.

The desire to take things into our own hands becomes strong at times. Many times I see GOD leading me into a storm and my mind tells me to grab the rudder to steer around it. Yet if I listen to that voice in my heart that tells me to give it to the Lord, my flesh becomes comfortable. Ever notice that when you allow God to control things, that by the time you get to where the storm was, it's calm. That's because sometimes GOD will take you to a place your brain thinks will be a storm, when in fact it's the one place you will be safe. Then you think, "WOW, thanks GOD. Had I taken the path that seemed better, it would have been disastrous." GOD will often times save us from our own stupid self by bringing us into what looks like a storm.

See, God knows the future. All we can do is guess, and without Him in control our guesses are usually wrong. The flesh is a controlling deceiving creature. Through the years, I have learned from my own trials and tribulations, that the Scriptures are always correct. To truly trust in the LORD is love HIM with all our heart, soul, and mind, (Matthew 22:37) because when we put our faith in our own heart and brain, then we are leaning on our own understand, and not HIS.

Today's Proverb tells us that when we give HIM control, "He shall direct our paths." After all, HE is the one who knows the end and has since the beginning of time. HE knows when we will succeed, when we will fail. when we fall in love, and when we will be confronted by tragedies that could break our spirit. This should give us all the confidence we need to boldly move forward, because if we truly have faith and follow HIS direction, then we can know it's the right path. Oh it may not be the easiest path, but it will lead us to the goals HE wants us to reach and thus the blessings HE has waiting for those of us who are good and faithful servants. After all, we all want to hear HIM say to us one day, "Well done good and faithful servant, enter into joy of the LORD and my rest." (Matthew 25:23; Hebrews 4:11)

As evil as the world is, and always has been, we need proper direction and that direction can only come from God. Being in the world without God as your guide is like being out on the ocean without a compass or on land in a white out snow storm. In your life I know you have seen many who have had to go back to square one, because of the bad choices in their life. As a young man I myself was a stubborn as a billy goat as I continuously kept kicking at the goads. I would trudge along until I finally hit a wall, just to ultimately awake to the fact that my way had again lead me to nowhere.

Like myself, there are way too many men and women just sailing along on a course they know not where it will end. They may seem happy and content, but eventually the path they are on will only take them into circles until they end up right where they began. The problem is they are in control, and they are proud of it. Truth is, unless His hand is on the wheel, one's end will be sadness and despair. Even if they get through this life, their end will be a separation from God forever. Many a soul will be singing, "I did it my way," all the way to hell.

"Lean not on our understanding." Ever get into a pickle, or something terrible happens and your mind starts thinking, "I can't understand why God allowed this to happen to me?"People are always trying to second guess GOD by trying to understand all His ways. We should be happy that HE only calls us to trust and have faith HIM and not to understand. If we knew half the trials and tribulations that were in store for us, many of us would be no different than the Israelites who perished in the desert due to their lack of faith.

Imagine if Moses tried to get the Israelites to understand that GOD was going to take them to the shore of the Red Sea, while being chased in the desert by Pharaoh's army? Then your told, it will be OK, because GOD is going part the waters for us and we will walk across an underwater sand bridge HE has been preparing for us for over a thousand years. OH, and don't worry about Pharaoh's s army, because GOD is going to drown them in the same sea you will be walking across. I doubt many would have followed him out of Egypt, even after all the miracles they saw. Many times the Israelite's questioned Moses and HIS God as they traveled through the desert for 40 years. Sadly only two men from that generation had the faith of a mustard seed. The rest were buried in the desert and never saw the promised land.

Our understanding is so limited, and based only on what we know, which is more times than not very faulty. Our understanding is similar to that of those on the Titanic. All they saw was a small iceberg floating in the water. They had no clue that small iceberg was but 5% of what they hit. Even today, men see the temperatures rise and they claim the world is at an end. No matter how smart and educated men get, they still ignore GOD by leaning on their own understanding, and the they claim there is no GOD, the more GOD makes a fool out of them.

"In all your ways acknowledge Him." Not in some ways, but in all ways. Acknowledge Him, by asking Him what you should do in any situation. Acknowledge Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Turn everything over to Him during the day as situations arise. Learn to look to Him for guidance, and "He shall direct your path." Have faith in the One who created you, and HE will direct your steps through the world He expects you to live in. Proverb 16:9 Remember, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 So lean not on your own understanding, but lean on Him and He shall direct your path.

I pray that those who have ears to hear will hear His voice and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Proverb 3 (NKJV)

Guidance for the Young

01 My son, do not forget my law,
00 But let your heart keep my commands;
02 For length of days and long life
00 And peace they will add to you.

03 Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
00 Bind them around your neck,
00 Write them on the tablet of your heart,
04 And so find favor and high esteem
00 In the sight of God and man.

05 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
00 And lean not on your own understanding;
06 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
00 And He shall direct your paths.

07 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
00 Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
08 It will be health to your flesh,
00 And strength to your bones.

09 Honor the LORD with your possessions,
00 And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty,
00 And your vats will overflow with new wine.

11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
00 Nor detest His correction;
12 For whom the LORD loves He corrects,
00 Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
00 And the man who gains understanding;
14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
00 And her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies,
00 And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand,
00 In her left hand riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
00 And all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
00 And happy are all who retain her.

19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth;
00 By understanding He established the heavens;
20 By His knowledge the depths were broken up,
00 And clouds drop down the dew.

21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes--
00 Keep sound wisdom and discretion;
22 So they will be life to your soul
00 And grace to your neck.
23 Then you will walk safely in your way,
00 And your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
00 Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror,
00 Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;
26 For the LORD will be your confidence,
00 And will keep your foot from being caught.

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
00 When it is in the power of your hand to do so.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
00 "Go, and come back,
00 And tomorrow I will give it,"
00 When you have it with you.
29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor,
00 For he dwells by you for safety's sake.
30 Do not strive with a man without cause,
00 If he has done you no harm.

31 Do not envy the oppressor,
00 And choose none of his ways;
32 For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD,
00 But His secret counsel is with the upright.
33 The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,
00 But He blesses the home of the just.
34 Surely He scorns the scornful,
00 But gives grace to the humble.
35 The wise shall inherit glory,
00 But shame shall be the legacy of fools.

Happy Valentines To Everyone from Christ Jesus

by Chuck Ness

True love only comes when you empty yourself of all yourself.
Only then can you experience the love that God has for us

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Statement Of My Faith

A. The Scriptures.

I believe in the full and complete verbal inspiration of the Scriptures, both of the Old and New Testaments. By this I understand that the Holy Spirit not only inspired the thoughts of the writers, but also formulated the very word structure into which the thoughts were cast with the result that the original documents were inerrant as to fact and infallible as to truth (I Corinthians 2:13, II Timothy 3:16-17, II Peter 1:20-21).

B. The Godhead.

I believe in the Holy Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I believe that the Godhead is eternal in being, identical in nature, equal in power and glory. (Deuteronomy 6:4, II Corinthians 13:14).

C. Man's Creation and Fall.

I believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God but through Adam's sin became alienated from God, acquired a sin nature, and came under the judicial sentence of death (Genesis 1:25-27, Romans 3:22-23, Ephesians 2-12).

D. The Person and Work of Jesus Christ.

I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. I also believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the Cross as a propitiatory and substitutionary sacrifice, and that our redemption is made sure to us by His resurrection from the dead in the identical, though glorified body in which He was crucified (John 1:1-2, Luke 1:35, Romans 3:24-25, I Peter 1:3-5). 

I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is now in Heaven exalted at the right hand of God, where as High Priest for His people, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor and Advocate (Hebrews 9:24, 7:25; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1-2). 

I strongly lean towards a belief in the pre-tribulation, pre-millenial return of our Lord Jesus Christ for all true believers and in His Kingdom reign upon the earth. I say strongly lean because as I continue my studies I will admit that I am open to looking at all the evidence for all sides of eschatology, and I could still be convinced otherwise if the evidence is irrefutable. (Revelations 3:10; 1Thessalonians 4:13-18; Zechariah 14:4-11).

However, I also believe that my salvation does not depend upon what my belief of how the end times will come about, and Christ said only His Father (God) knows the time. (Matthew 24:26).

E. The Holy Spirit.

I believe that the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, in the present age indwells all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, baptizes them into the Body of Christ and seals them into the day of redemption, and I believe that every believer is commanded of God to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:13-14, 5:14-20). 

I believe that the true outward manifestation of the Spirit in the believer's life is through his walk and witness (Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:22-26; Acts 1:8).

I believe that the Gifts of the Spirit are irrevocable. God has not changed His mind concerning spiritual gifts. I do think that there are many who claim to have certain gifts that they do not have and thus they are tempting God with their charade. That being said I think it is a matter that we can debate but not divide over. (Romans 11:29; 1Timothy 4:14)

I also do not believe that speaking in tongues is a sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit, and that more Christians should be asking and praying for the gift of prophecy (ability to teach) and discernment instead of tongues (1Corinthians ch 12). 

F. Salvation.

I believe that salvation is the gift of God offered to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that this faith is manifested in works pleasing to God (Ephesians 2:18-20; Titus 2:11-14). 

I believe that all true believers once saved shall be kept saved forever (Romans 8:1, 38-39; John 10:27-30; I Corinthians 1:4-8).

G. Baptism.

I believe that baptism is an outward sign of ones conversion and faith, and while I am not saved because I was baptized, Christ did command his followers to baptize believers in the name of the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit. (luke 23:39-43; Matthew 28:18-20)

So if you claim to be a follower of Christ, then you will want the world to know it, and like Christ was, you too will want to be baptized. (Matthew 13:13-17; John 14:15; John 13:15).

H. The Church (Body of Christ)

I believe that the church (Body of Christ) is a spiritual organism made of all born-again persons in this age, irrespective of their affiliation with Christian organizations (Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:25-27; I Corinthians 12:12-14). 

Two ordinances have been committed to the local church - baptism and the Lord's Supper (Communion). Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the triune God. The Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His atoning death. These two ordinances are to be observed until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:16-20; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 2:41, 10:47-48; I Corinthians 11:23-29).

I. Evil.

Evil is anything that falls short of the perfection of The perfect GOD.

 

I. Who Created Evil.

I believe evil is a by product of freewill. When any entity, other than the perfect ever-loving GOD, has a choice between good and evil there is a chance that evil could be chosen. Like darkness is created when anything blocks the light, so too can evil happen when one turns from the light by leaning upon their own understanding. I admit that this is of my own belief, and do not claim, all must agree. It is a matter for discussion and not for argument. Yet, when one looks at all the facts, I believe one will come to the name conclusion as I have. Here is a commentary I wrote explaining why I believe this, ( Who Created Evil? ).

J. Satan.

I believe that Satan is a person, the first to rebel, and the enemy of God and man (Isaiah 14:12-15; John 8:44; II Corinthians 4:4; I Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:10). 

I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ triumphed over Satan at the Cross. Satan is destined to eternal punishment in the lake of fire and brimstone (Colossians 2:15: I John 3:8; Revelation 12:11, 20:10). 

K. The Final State.

I believe that the condition and retribution of the lost and the salvation and blessedness of the saved are conscious and everlasting (Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 20:14, 22:3-5 & 11).