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Work Out Your Own Salvation. How do we as sinful beings work out our own salvation? Philippians 2:12,13 speaks of working out... not
working for salvation, which speaks of our christian walk. After you accept Christ, you have the responsibility to work out every
challenge that comes your way by relying upon Christ and His word. This is accomplished by putting on The Mind of Christ. Christian service
requires a walk that is obedient vs. ceremonial or religious. As Proverbs 21:2,3 (KJV) says,”Every
way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.” Samuel said it as well in 1 Sam 15:22 “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD
as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the
fat of rams.” We should rejoice in the service of God instead of murmuring and disputing our circumstances with selfishness just like Israel did in the
desert after leaving Egypt. God asks us to put on the Mind of Christ so we can overcome and be held blameless and harmless by holding forth the
word of life. Timothy and Epaphroditus were examples of believers who worked out their own salvation and became a blessing to others for the work of Christ.   Click here to listen to the lesson on 03-03-2002.
 His way, and not my way
. Paul gives us an example of how we should live our lives in Philippians. Remember, we’ve been given the ultimate weapon with the Mind of Christ to
overcome every attack of the mind that Satan brings. If you’re standing on the Lord’s side,
there is a battle going on with Satan to move you off track. Further, the old nature you have in
the flesh is constantly at battle with the new nature. The comfort and joy we are to experience
as believers comes from putting our trust in Christ. Trust in the Lord with all things by having
your mind constantly in tune with His. This is how we can always rejoice as Christians. When
we start to trust in our own flesh, we fail. Putting confidence in man usually leads to pride and ultimately leads us to fall.
Paul expounded how if anyone could trust in the flesh, he was it. Yet Paul counted all his credentials lost for the
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus. God’s not looking for you us to do something externally... He’s already done
it. What God wants us to have is an internal change of heart when we come to Him. It’s then that the inward trust in God
will manifest itself with external fruit that glorifies God. “Moral Duty” comes out of the heart with inward worship while
“Ceremonial Duty” is what is seen with external show. God never accepts the Ceremonial Duty without the Moral Duty.
Since God looks upon the heart, Ceremonial show without Moral Duty is just like the offering Cain presented to God. The
lesson on 03-10-2002 encourages us to rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. Click here to listen now.
 Righteousness from Christ.
The power of God is different from the mercy of God. Many people may be drawn to God by his demonstration of power but it’s the grace and mercy of God
that should grab your attention. As Paul demonstrated, he said he was in the best position to brag on his credentials as declared in Phil 3:4-7 “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh.
If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the
eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching
the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which
is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.” Yet
when he went to God in prayer with one of his infirmities, God responded that His grace was
sufficient. We like Paul need to realize that our own righteousness is but dung and we need to
have the pursuit of Christ in our lives. We don’t need to be fixed up as we need to be raised up!
The lesson on 03-17-2002 reminds us that no one is righteous, no not one except the man Christ Jesus. Click here to listen now.
There is a joy that is set before us. This week we celebrate Palm Sunday and the
triumphant entrance of Christ into Jerusalem the week before his crucifixion. The cross is
very important to the believer. Everything Jesus does during this week fulfills the scriptures as He became sin for us. 2 Cor 5:21 (KJV) says it all “For he hath made him to
be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” The scriptures foretold of Christ entering Jerusalem on a donkey as demonstrated in Matt
21 however, the first prophecy about the coming Savior of mankind was in Genesis 3:15.
It was there that war was declared against the serpent and sin with victory through the
seed of the woman. God became flesh so He could defeat death at the cross. Therefore, Christ Jesus willingly went to the cross as stated in Heb 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who
for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The key to our joy is set before us in Phil 3:9 (KJV) “And be found in him, not having mine own
righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” The Gen 3:15 war rages on today. Satan either wants the non-believer to stay lost, or he wants the believer to be
a casualty of war. He can’t take your salvation but he can shipwreck your joy if you focus on your own righteousness
and not on Christ. The lesson on 03-24-2002 encourages you to keep you eyes upon Christ and be cognizant of the grace we receive in Christ. Click here to listen now.
 The Greatest Story Ever Told. There are two days every year in the world when we are
reminded that God become flesh and rose from the dead. Christmas and Easter may be full of
commercialism but the testimony is still there... Christ Jesus was born of a virgin, and arose
after His crucifixion a risen Saviour. Why? We’re reminded in 2 Cor 5:21 (KJV) “For He hath
made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” When the elders of Israel refused to accept who he was, they asked for a sign. Matt
12:38-40 (KJV) “Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master,
we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous
generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas
was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Did they receive the sign when Christ arose? Matt 28:11-13 (KJV) “Now when they were going, behold,
some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were
assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.” Instead of the truth, they decided to perpetuate a lie. At
Easter, we emphasize the greatest story ever told in that it’s the only story that gives mankind hope and changes lives, that
Christ arose and is the key to eternal life. Click here to listen to the lesson on 03-31-2002 about
the resurrection. You may also want to visit the Easter holiday page to learn more about Easter. Click here to go there
now.
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Audio Lessons for this Month
