The word of Christ
August 30, 2023
Now he says here, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom,” knowledge. Now friends, what does it mean now to be filled with the Holy Spirit? You’ll have to be filled with the word of Christ also. It’ll have to dwell in you richly, and when it dwells in you richly, then it is inspired by the Spirit of God. Then you’re filled with the Spirit of God. I do not believe that you can serve Christ until you’re filled with the knowledge of His Word. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
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Galatians Bible Companion
Get ready to fight the good fight against legalism in Galatians. When this letter was written, it defended the gospel of Christ from people who wanted to reduce it to rules. Not surprising, Galatians has provided the backbone for several great spiritual revivals around the world. Freedom, we learn, is a serious fight. Allow grace to revolutionize your own life through these seven lessons from Dr. J. Vernon McGee.
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Here is the principle for Christian living: “Whatsoever ye do in word or deed….” Now he doesn’t tell you what to do; He just says, “…whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” My friend, are you able? Whatever you do, whatever your job is, whatever you do in the home, whatever you do in your relationship to others, in your social life, can you say, “I’m doing this in the name of the Lord Jesus”? Now if you can do that, then you go ahead and do it, whatever it is. If you can do it in His name—this is a marvelous standard. This is a yardstick to put down on your life.
August 29, 2023
It’s wonderful to seek the things which are above and think that we’re living above the smog of this world. But friend, you and I have got feet that reach right down to walk in the home, walk on the job, walk in the social relationships, and we’re to live out the fullness of Christ. And that is the Christian life, by the way. It’s not following some little legal system or following some little system today—and I don’t care how good the system might be, it’s only as you and I live out the life of Christ.
August 28, 2023
And then you begin to move by the providence of God. Oh, He wants to lead you today. He wants to guide you directly. I don’t care who you are, but you can know the luxury and the joy of coming to Him, and not just in one act, but moment-by-moment and day-by-day, seeking the will of God for your life. And you won’t have to come down front in some service to do this. You can just begin to walk out from right where you are right now in the will of God. How wonderful it is. What joy it is. He wants to lead you.
August 25, 2023
Many years ago, when I was a young preacher, I heard the late Bishop Moore of the old Southern Methodist Church make this statement. He says, “If Methodists were as afraid of sin as they are of holiness, it would be a wonderful thing.” Well, may I say it doesn’t only apply to Methodists, but it applies to most Christians today. They just don’t like this term “holiness.” It’s a very good word, by the way, and that’s actually what Paul’s talking about. Now if you are “in Christ”—if you have accepted Him as your Savior, it’s going to tell in your life down here. And friends, if it doesn’t tell in your life down here, maybe you’re not in Him up yonder.
August 24, 2023
And we see here that the important thing is that we are made full “in Christ” and “in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,” and that’s to be poured out through us today. We’re to go directly to the Lord Jesus Christ. He’s alive today. You won’t find Him in Bethlehem today, friends. If you’re thinking about a little baby, you’re thinking wrong. He’s up yonder at God’s right hand right at this very moment. He’s on a throne; not in a cradle and not in an inn, but in heaven itself. And He’s there for you and me today.
August 23, 2023
Well, what is dedication? Well, to put it in a definition that’s very brief, dedication is Christ preeminent in our lives. Now you can’t just say, “I’m a dedicated Christian,” and then live as you please, as a great many are doing today. It means that if He is preeminent in your life, that you’re going to live out that life down here because He has already said to us, as you know, in this epistle, “in Him” (that is, in Christ) “dwelleth all the fullness” (the “plerōma”) “of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete (you’re made full) in him….” And, very candidly, the Christian life is to live Christ out today.
August 22, 2023
I know people that have been to Bible conferences where the Christian life is taught, and they’ve got a drawer at home filled with notebooks telling you how to live the Christian life. But they’re not doing so well with it. Why? Because of this one important thing that we need to recognize here. Paul says here that you are joined today to the living Christ. Now if you are joined to Him, my friend, you’re going to live like that. How close are you to Him today? Do you walk with Him? Do you turn to Him in all the emergencies of this life? Is He the one that’s the very center of your life?
August 21, 2023
Now if you follow down the story of philosophy, beginning with Plato and coming on down, and even following many of the church fathers. None of them have a high view of the inspiration of the Word of God. Now a true philosopher is a seeker after the truth. But, you see, Christ is the answer. And that expression, “Christ is the answer,” I always wish they’d ask the question if they’re going to say Christ is the answer. He’s the answer to philosophy. He’s been made to us wisdom. Now false philosophy today, though, it’s like a blind man looking in a dark room for a black cat that isn’t there. That is the hunt of philosophy today. He asks us to beware of that.
August 18, 2023
Then He goes on to say: “Rooted and built up in him….” That’s a very interesting expression. “Rooted,” that means like a tree—that’s a living thing. And “built up” as a house, and that’s not a living thing, but has a tremendous foundation. And that foundation, Paul tells us elsewhere, is Jesus Christ. Now, as you’ve received the Lord Jesus, walk in Him. Doing what? “Rooted.” That means drawing your life from Him as a tree. And then “built on Him,” your faith that rests upon Him. Built up and in the faith is by your faith, I think, would be the proper thing it means—by which you and I lay hold of Christ today.
August 17, 2023
Now that you’ve received Him, now walk in Him. And that, my friend, is a very wonderful thing—that’s what it means to walk in the Spirit, you see, today. Learn to walk through this life. And walking is not a balloon ascension. A great many people think the Christian life is some great, overwhelming experience and you take off like a rocket going out into space. Well, that’s not where you live the Christian life. It’s in your home, in the office, in the schoolroom, and on the street. And the way you get around is walk. And you’re to walk in Christ today. Oh, that you and I might be joined to Him like that.
August 16, 2023
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Galatians Bible Companion
Get ready to fight the good fight against legalism in Galatians. When this letter was written, it defended the gospel of Christ from people who wanted to reduce it to rules. Not surprising, Galatians has provided the backbone for several great spiritual revivals around the world. Freedom, we learn, is a serious fight. Allow grace to revolutionize your own life through these seven lessons from Dr. J. Vernon McGee.