The Open Word (Audio)

It’s the foolishness of the cross that causes many people to resist salvation. But it is the same message which causes men to be saved. God’s love for us will never change, nor will His method of salvation. Although men have invented a number of ways to say can be saved, it is the foolishness of the cross that remains the only way to God. In today’s program with Pastor David, we’re encouraged to continue in the simple truth that God lived, died, and rose again to restore relationship with fallen men.

The way to God is paved with good intentions, right? Absolutely not! The Bibles clearly states that “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” In today’s program with Pastor David, we’ll be encouraged by the simplicity of the gospel. Yet while many will be saved, more will choose to reject such a simple message of reconciliation. The way to God is narrow, and it is only through the Lord JESUS Christ that we must be saved.

Baptism is a wonderful thing. But it can also be a divisive issue in the body of Christ. In our time with Pastor David, we’ll consider how we can overlook our differences to avoid division within the church. There are some things that are just not worth battling over… so when issues arise, like the ones surrounding baptism in Corinth, it would be wise to keep the main thing the main thing, and not allow differences to divide us. Let us maintain unity by keeping our focus on the Lord JESUS Christ.

There are a number of reasons why a church experiences division. But certainly, not having patience for one another can be a very divisive thing. The Word of God exhorts to strengthen each other and encourage one another to love and good deeds, but as Pastor David points out, it often doesn’t work out that way. Every church, out of obedience to Christ, must learn to follow JESUS example by growing in love and putting personal differences aside to further God’s work for the glory of Christ.

The church was never meant to be as divided as it is today. Even the Apostle Paul dealt with divisions emerging within the early church. In today’s program with Pastor David, we’re encouraged to put our differences aside and walk in unity. The body of Christ was designed to live as one. So when we allow preferences, offenses, or misunderstandings to separate us into from one another, we only end up dividing His Bride. Let us put aside our differences to restore the unity of the body of Christ.

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, he didn’t write to commend them for their holiness. Yet while his letter was written for the purpose of correction, he greeted them with grace and peace as was customary in his letters. In our time with Pastor David, we’ll hear about the purpose of the letter Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers. We are called to be set apart, holy, and sanctified unto God, rather than living according to the basic principles of this world. Believers are to walk in the truth.

Paul didn’t baptize many people in the city of Corinth. But one of the men he did baptize was an important leader in the synagogue by the name of Crispus. As we’ll hear in today’s program with Pastor David, we just never know how God will choose to work in a region. It’s interesting to think how Crispus may have been used to further the work of God after Paul left the city of Corinth. While Paul didn’t baptize many at that time, the testimony of Crispus greatly advanced the gospel in that area of the world.

Saul of Tarsus was destined to become the Apostle Paul by the calling of JESUS Christ. In fact, as Pastor David points out, God called him long before his name was changed from Saul to Paul. In today’s message, we’ll hear about the importance of every life as made evident through the Word of God. Long before we do anything as a follower of Christ, God has called us to live up to our created destiny to fulfill the plans and purposes of God. It’s too wonderful for us to comprehend the amazing plans of God.

We cannot take the supernatural out of the Bible and expect to advance the Kingdom of God. Yet much of the church as we know it has done that very thing. As we get into today’s teaching with Pastor David, we’ll hear how people throughout history have done away with or ignored Scriptures pertaining to the supernatural. We simply cannot ignore the supernatural and expect to take back territory from the devil. The gospel advances through the supernatural power of the Word of God.

During the times of the early church, God used even the most hardened sinner to advance the message of the gospel. Even today, the sovereignty of God continues to guide, protect, and move His people into positions of influence all over the world. In our time with Pastor David, we’ll hear how God works through the lives of people to continue to advance the gospel message across the face of the earth. Nothing can stop the increase of His Kingdom through the gospel message of JESUS Christ.