The Church Within You!

Love and faithfulness are important character qualities. Both involve actions as well as attitudes. A loving person not only feels love; he or she also acts loyal and responsibly. A faithful person not only believes the truth; he or she also works for justice for others. Thoughts and words are not enough, our lives reveal whether we are truly loving and faithful.   In the Book of Proverbs wit...

“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is I heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’” “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiv...

Reading Luke 14:7-15 The Parable of the Honored Guest . In ancient times the best seats at a meal were those next to the host. Here, Jesus takes occasion to reprove the guests for striving to sit in [the most important place], and this gives us a lesson of humility. Jesus observed how these lawyers and Pharisees loved the highest seats toward the head of the table. He marked how they chose out the...

Bags of gold sometimes translated as "talents," this was a large sum of money, about six thousand denarii. The parable of the bags of gold illustrates the faith required of God's servants.  The parable describes the consequences of two attitudes to Christ's return. The person who diligently prepares for it by investing his or her time and talent to serve God will be rewarded. The person who h...

LOVE . 1st Corinthians 13 "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." This episode speaks of love, love within a family actually within generations of a family, my family, and your family.  I was going through a few of my older sermons and happen upon a few notes I had gathered for a sermon on the topic of "love" . Thi...

I WILL BLESS THE LORD . This episode is a reading from Psalm 34 a psalm of David when he changed his behavior before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed. The writer of this psalm praises the LORD for a miraculous deliverance from great trouble. His testimony encourages all afflicted believers to believe that they may also experience the goodness of the LORD. 7. The angel of the LORD pro...

 The Questioned About Fasting: When questioned about fasting, Jesus provided an answer with a nod towards the believer of today. Jesus expected believers to fast after He was gone. The days of the “bridegroom’s” absence is the period of this age, from the time of His ascension until His return. The church awaits this return of the bridegroom. Therefore, fasting in this age is (1) a sign of th...

This story must have happened before the events recorded in chapter 5 because the seven-year famine must have ended before Gehazi was struck with leprosy. This shows Elisha's long-term concern for this widow and contrasts his miraculous public ministry with his private ministry to this family. Elisha's life exemplifies the kind of concern we should have for others. Performing an act of kindness ca...

The story of The Shunammite Woman provides us with the results of one that show kindness to another. This woman lived in the town of Shunem, a village near Jezreel. She was a prominent woman with a husband. They lived in their own house, a home to which she not only opened her doors but requested her husband to build an additional room. This Shunammite woman realized that Elisha was a man of God,...

This reading is taken from 2nd Kings 4:1-7 and tells of the story of the Widow whose husband was in the company of the prophets under the Prophet Elisha. After the death of her husband, the creditors came around demanding that the debts owned by her husband be paid. She inturned cried out to Elisha that the creditor was coming to take her children as slaves to work off what was owed.  Poor pe...

Powerful, Strong, I'm every woman! Proverbs has a lot to say about women. How lifting that the book ends with a picture of a woman of strong character, great wisdom, many skills, and great compassion. Verses 10—31 describe the ideal woman, wife, and mother. Her whole life is centered around a reverent fear of God, compassion for those in need, and faithfulness and loves toward her family. The woma...

LORD, LORD. This 4m episode of "WHEN THE FLOOD WATERS CAME," provides you with the readings taken from the Book of Luke verses 46 to 49. The commentary presents an insight into what the heart should say in response to the question, "Why do you call me, 'LORD, LORD', and do not do what I say?" Jesus pointed out that those who called Him by this title of respect acknowledged submission to Him. Howev...

This 3min episode informs those who are blessed by God not only turn from evil but also build their lives around the words of the LORD. They seek to obey God's will out of hearts that genuinely take pleasure in God's ways and commandments whereas the wicked perish because they refused to love the truth.  What motivates their actions are their redeemed spirits and emotions, captivated by the t...

What does the blessed person do? He/she delights in the LORD's instruction!  This 5m episode serves as an introduction to the entire book of Psalms. It contrasts the only two kinds of people recognized by God, each with a distinct set of life principles:   (1) The godly, who are characterized by righteousness, love, obedience to God's Word, and separation from fellowship with the wo...

Please note that this 17m episode provides you with a view of the O.T. Prophets, including their place in Hebrew history and as the men and women servants of the Most High. The Hebrew word for the Prophets is Ro'eh .  This Hebrew noun, translated as "seer" in English, indicates a special ability to see into the spiritual realm and foresee future events. The title suggests that the prophet was...

The Conclusion of Matthew 5's readings provides the listener with an inside view of the attitudes of the heart. In Matthew 5, Jesus took six important Old Testament laws and interpreted them for His people in the light of the new life He came to give. He made a fundamental change without altering God's standards:  He dealt with the attitudes and intents of the heart and not simply with extern...

This episode of the book of Matthew begins his account by giving Jesus' genealogy (Matthew 1) . He then tells of Jesus' birth and early years, including the family's escape to Egypt from the murderous Herod and their return to Nazareth.  The conception and birth of Jesus Christ are supernatural events beyond human logic or reasoning. Because of this, God sent angels to help certain people und...

This episode is taken from the Book of Isaiah 9th chapter verses 6 and 7. The prophet's announcement of the Child "Immanuel"!  The occasion of this prophecy, states Haley, is the invasion of Judah by the kings of Syria and Israel. They first attacked Judah separately, then together. Their object was to replace Ahaz (one of Judah's evil kings) with another. However, Ahaz appealed to the king o...

This episode of Matthew chapter 5 speaks of the heart in regard to adultery in the heart and of marriage which is supposed to be sacred and binding, but not always the case.   The marriage ordained by God: God's will for marriage is one mate, one marriage for life. To this Jesus gives an exception namely, "fornication." Fornication is marital unfaithfulness and includes adultery or any kind o...

The final readings of Matthew chapter 5 provide us as the hearers of the Word of Jesus His guidance in regard to Oaths, Going the Second Mile, and the importance of Loving Your Enemies.  Jesus not speaking against the administration of proper justice toward those who are evil. He is referring to loving one's enemies. We are not to react to the wrong done toward us in a spirit of hate, but in...

This episode speaks of murder that begins in the heart of man. The commentary of the Full Life Bible states; To call one in anger ... raca ... fool; Jesus is not speaking of righteous anger at those who are wicked and unjust but is condemning the vindictive anger that would unjustly desire the death of another. "Raca" is a term of contempt and probably means "empty-headed fool." To call a person a...

These verses of Chapter 5 of the Book of Matthew provide you an insight into The LAW... TO FULFIL. It is Christ's intention that the spiritual requirement of God's law is fulfilled in the lives of His followers (Rom. 3:31; 8:4). The believer's relation to the law of God involves the following points: 1. The law that the believer is obliged to keep consists of the ethical and moral principles of th...

This episode presents The Sermon on the Mount from the 5th chapter of the book of Matthew. The main theme in the Sermon on the Mount is true righteousness. The religious leaders had an artificial, external righteousness based on law. But the righteousness that Jesus described as a true and vital righteousness that begins internally, in the heart. The Pharisees were concerned about the minute detai...

The reading of Matthew 5:13 is the beginning of a series presented with commentary flow. Matthew 5 speaks of the Salt & Light. Salt is valuable to give flavor and to preserve from corruption. If salt should lose its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?  Hence, the believer and the church are to be godly examples in the world and to resist the moral decay and corruption that is evid...

Matthew 13:44 says this; The kingdom of heaven is like a [very precious] treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again; then in his joy he goes and sells all he has and buys that field [securing the treasure for himself]. This episode of The Church Within You! , is presented by the men's meeting group of Iron Sharpen Iron out of Rochester, NY under the leadership of Bro. J.E. Booker....