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Why It’s Easier to Encourage a Mature Believer  (Blog – 9/16/22)
As a pastor, I have been given authority to teach Holy Scripture. I have authority to teach obedience. A mature person understands that whenever I’m teaching obedience, I’m actually encouraging them into the sphere of God’s love.

Authority-Orientation
The human flesh hates the idea of submitting to anyone or anything in this world! The fact that God has ordained pastors teaching obedience rubs people the wrong way.

Caution Regarding Your Understanding of Sanctification
You’ve got to make the distinction about God’s PROMISES and your current ABILITIES. If you don’t, you will become discouraged.

The Context of 1Co 14:33
God is not in the business of spreading confusion/chaos/strife in the churches; man is.

Caution Regarding Your Understanding of Sanctification
You’ve got to make the distinction about God’s PROMISES and your current ABILITIES. If you don’t, you will become discouraged.

Regarding Blessings
A blessing from God does not mean that He meets you at your fleshly desires. Instead, He strips you of any notions of satisfying your human flesh and then supplants them with His own doctrines. As a result, you approach Him reverently, seeking to understand whatever His will might be instead of with self-serving demands.

Emotional Salvation Isn’t Enough (blog - 7/26/19)
The demands from God never waver. A person must address their own sinfulness before His holiness. Emotional relief may come with sanctification, but sanctification must begin where it begins with every other human being who’s ever been saved, with repentance.

Regarding Blessings
A blessing from God does not mean that He meets you at your fleshly desires. Instead, He strips you of any notions of satisfying your human flesh and then supplants them with His own doctrines. As a result, you approach Him reverently, seeking to understand whatever His will might be instead of with self-serving demands.

Godliness looks more like a fortress than a rose.

Obedience always implies submission to an authority.

Heb 13:17
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Encouragement
The end goal of worldly encouragement is benefit to self, whereas the end goal of Biblical encouragement is benefit to God.

The greatest thing I can EVER encourage you to do is to OBEY God.

1Ti 1:5
The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.