Isaiah 55:11 Message So are the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They'll do the work I sent them to do, they'll complete the assignment I gave them.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 Message Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another--showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way.

Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

2 Peter 1:19-21 Message We couldn't be more sure of what we saw and heard--God's glory, God's voice. The prophetic Word was confirmed to us. You'll do well to keep focusing on it. It's the one light you have in the dark time as you wait for daybreak and the rising of the Morning Star in your hearts.

The main thing to keep in mind here is that no prophesy of Scripture is a mater of Private opinion.

And Why? Because it's not something concocted in the human heart. Prophesy resulted when the Holy Spirit prompted men and women to speak God's Word.

How to hear and understand the Gospel

GOD Confronts Job

Have You Gotten to the Bottom of Things?

Job 38:1-2 And now, finally, God answered Job from the eye of a violent storm. He said:

"Why do you confuse the issue? Why do you talk without knowing what you're talking about?

God's Second Set of Questions

I want Straight Answers

Job 40:6-7 GOD addressed Job next from the eye of the storm, and this is what he said;

"I have some more questions for you, and I want straight answers.

Job 42:4-7 I admit it, I was the one, I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head.

You told me,"Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.

I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand-- from my own eyes and ears! I'm sorry--forgive me. I'll never do that again, I promise! I'll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor."

GOD Restores Job I will accept his Prayer

After GOD had finished addressing Job, he turned to Eliphaz the Temanite and said, "I've had it with you and your two friends. I've fed up! You have not been honest either with me or about me--not the way my friend Job has.

Romans 10:14-17 But how can people call for help if they don't know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust, if they haven't heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them?

And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it? That's why Scripture exclaims, A sight to take your breath away! Grand processions of people telling all the good things of God!

But not everybody is ready for this, ready to see and hear and act. Isaiah asked what we all ask at one time or another; "Does anyone care, God? Is anyone listening and believing a word of it?"

The point is; Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ's Word is preached, there's nothing to listen to.

Acts 26:17-18 "'I'm sending you off to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between dark and light, and choose light, see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God.

I'm sending you off to present my offer of sins forgiven, and a place in the family, inviting them into the company of those who begin real living by believing in me.'

Here is Today's Message

Don't Believe Everything You Hear

1 John 4:1-3 My dear friends, don't believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world.

Here's how you test for the genuine Spirit of God. Everyone who confesses openly his faith in Jesus Christ--the Son of God, who came as an actual flesh and-blood person--comes from God and belongs to God.

And everyone who refuses to confess faith in Jesus has nothing in common with God. This is the spirit of antichrist that you heard was coming. Well, here it is, sooner than we thought!

1 Corinthians 14:26-33 So here's what I want you to do. When you gather for worship, each one of you be prepared with something that will be useful for all; Sing a hymn, teach a lesson, tell a story, lead a prayer, provide an insight.

If prayers are offered in tongues, two or three's the limit, and then only if someone is present who can interpret what you're saying.

Otherwise, keep it between God and yourself.

And no more than two or three speakers at a meeting, with the rest of you listening and taking it to heart.

Take your turn, no one person taking over.

Then each speaker gets a chance to say something special from God, and you all learn from each other.

If you choose to speak, you're also responsible for how and when you speak.

When we worship the right way, God doesn't stir us up into confusion; he brings us into harmony. This goes for all the churches--no exceptions.

Spiritual Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:1-3 What I want to talk about now is the various ways
God's Spirit gets worked into our lives. This is complex and often misunderstood, but I want you to be informed and knowledgeable.

Remember how you were when you didn't know God, led from one phony god to another, never knowing what you were doing, just doing it because everyone did it? It's different in this life. God wants us to use our intelligence, to seek to understand as well as we can.

For instance, by using your heads, you know perfectly well that the Spirit of God would never prompt anyone to say "Jesus be damned!" Nor would anyone be inclined to say "Jesus is Master!" without the insight of the Holy Spirit.