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A Preacher Contends for the Faith
El Predicador Contiende Por La Fe
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Gospel Lessons provides scripture-based class and personal study materials for teenagers and adults. 
You may download the materials in PDF format. To do this, you will need Acrobat Reader to open the PDF documents. Click on this link to download Acrobat Reader 9.1.

This Month's Article--February 2010
This article will fit a 2 column, 6 inch newspaper advertisement.

 Doing God’s Will Is Important

            The desire for cars, houses, and material things consumes many people.  Entrapped and entrenched by our desires, we see doing God’s will as relatively unimportant.  Why should we be concerned about God’s will?

            First, God’s will is important.  Sometimes even the apostle Peter questioned its value.  On one occasion, Peter asked Jesus if doing God’s will was worth giving up such things as family, home, and career.  “What then shall we have (Matt. 19:27)?”  The Lord’s answer was direct, practical, and powerful.  “And every one that hath left houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit eternal life (Matt 19:29).”  God will richly reward them that do His will and follow His son.

            Second, God’s blessings to those who obey His will are many and wonderful.  There is the great joy of knowing that God forgives our sins (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; 8:36-39).  The doer of God’s will enjoys the fellowship with God and with His people (1 John 1:7).  The Christian heritage includes the peace of mind which comes from knowing that our sins are forgiven, from having a good conscience, and from living daily in God’s favor and under His care (Matt. 5:1-12; Phil. 4:6-7; 1 Peter3:21).  God’s greatest blessing is eternal life to those who obey His will (Titus 1:2; Heb. 11:9-10).

            Third, God tells us clearly in the Bible what we must do to obey His will.  We must love God supremely (Mark 12:28-31), place God first (Luke 14:26-33), and obey God’s will (Matt. 7:21; Heb. 5:8-9).  In order to obey His will, we must begin with His instructions to believe (John 8:24), repent (Acts 16:30-31), confess (Matt. 10:32-33), be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16), and faithfully live the Christian life (Titus 2:11-14). 

            Fourth, God adds those who do His will to the church day by day. These are the saved (Acts 2:47). The church is God’s family (1 Tim. 3:15).  God also translates the saved into the kingdom of the son of His love (Col. 1:12).  God grants his blessing to us in the church, the family, the Kingdom.

            Finally, God expects that we act urgently in obeying His will. “Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Cor. 6:2).”  “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation (Heb. 2:3)?”

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Doing God's Will Is Important PDF

Spanish Version of This Article:

Es Importante Hacer la Voluntar de Dios PDF

A Preacher Contends for the Faith: 60 Newspaper Articles by J.C. Townsend  
 Edited and Revised by Jim Wilsford (68 Pages)
The Orangeburg (SC) church of Christ published these articles monthly in the local newspaper, the Times and Democrat.  Each article is approximately 450 words long and suitable for a six inch, two column spread. The articles focus on creating the New Testament church of Christ by following the Bible in all matters of faith and conduct. The articles deal with various sectarian errors and innovative practices by presenting the true gospel teaching as it is in the New Testament.

Go directly to Spanish page: El Predicador Contiende Por La Fe

Enemies of the Cross of Christ
 A Brief Study of How Change Agents and Innovation Destroy the New Testament Pattern and the Church of Christ
By Jim Wilsford (33 Pages)
This study first appeared in the Orangeburg church bulletin in reponse to those advocating a negative view of the authority of the New Testament writers in estabishing a pattern for the New Testament church.  Modern use of terms like corporate worship, contemporary services, praise worship, and community church are evaluated against the specific teaching of the New Testament scriptures. 

Enemies of the Cross PDF

Spanish Version

Los Enemigos de la Cruz PDF

The Word of Prophecy Made More Certain

Old and New Testament Prophecy Fulfilled in Christ and the Kingdom of God, the Church
13 Lessons
February 7, 2010

2. The Quicksand of False Prophecy PDF

January 31, 2010

1. The Foundation of True Prophecy PDF

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Download PDF Books and Booklets in Their Entirety from This New Page 

All downloads on this page are completely free of charge,  However, to download, you must have, free of charge, Acrobat Reader.

Two Important Questions:

What Must I Do to Be Saved? PDF

What Is the Church of Christ? PDF

Bible Class Materials:  Quarterly Studies for Adults and Teenagers

Marriage, Homes, and Families PDF

Notes on 2 Peter: Verse by Verse

God's Eternal Purpose PDF

Building up the Body of Christ PDF

Marks That Matter--A Complete Lesson Set with Charts and Study Questions PDF

 
 
 
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©2006-2009 James A. Wilsford

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