A: The Bible is very clear that God created mankind male and female, with no third option. It is also clear that at the same time He gave us mankind, He gave us the marriage relationship… “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:26 – 28, NIV).

Male and female, together, gives us the likeness of God. Male and female together, gives us the only means to “Be fruitful and increase in number.” Even Jesus said “he which made them at the beginning made them male and female” (Matthew 19:4).

The president says that his understanding of unnatural marriage is based on knowing a same-gender parenting couple. The vice-president says that his understanding of unnatural marriage is based on a television show.

While it may be fine to have friends who consider themselves gay (I have friends and family who consider themselves gay) or while it may be fine to watch television, there remains only one source as the basis of truth – to me – and that is Scripture.

I choose to accept the word of God as the standard for defining marriage – not feelings, experience, or what other people say or think. Isaiah 8:20 gives us this insight: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”

How about you? What will be your standard of truth on this topic?

“Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.” -Ecclesiastes 3:16 NASB

In our last Breakfast & Bible Study gathering we read through the 3rd chapter of Ecclesiastes and I stated at that time, the verse that grabbed me the most was Ecclesiastes 3:16. There is evil and sinful deception in the halls justice and the government. There is evil and deception in the pulpits of religion. There is wickedness even in the places and with the people that we should least expect it to be, and it was there in Solomon’s time, too.

I am reminded of this verse with news bits from the presidential campaign, with the reports of Christian persecution across the globe, and news coverage of crimes against the innocence. I am also reminded that Solomon was making the point that there is no justice or righteousness in any of us, and the only One worthy of trust is the Almighty God of Scripture.

Let’s all be reminded that our Lord is coming soon, and Revelation 19:11 says “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.”

We will be back together on Sunday, May 20 for our Breakfast & Bible Study on Ecclesiastes 4:4-5:7 What Attitudes Should We Embrace?

1. Church News – updates, meeting news, etc.
2. Devotional Thoughts – insights from our Breakfast & Bible Studies
3. Questions Answered – your biblical questions

The blog served as a good way to keep in touch with our community, before we began the process of changing our church name from Apostles Fellowship to West Mobile Bible Fellowship and the website, and I hope it will resume that ministry, too.

Looking for where God is working and joining Him there, can be a “Damascus Road Experience.” Just as Saul thought he was going about doing God’s will, even in God’s way, he soon realized that it wasn’t God’s will, but his will, it wasn’t God’s way, but his way.

Our Experiencing God study has been changing my perspective, too. Not as drastic as Saul’s, but similar in regard to stopping and getting refocused on where my Lord is working and not just where I am working. I tend to set out plans before God and ask Him to bless them, rather than laying myself out before God and asking Him where I should go to bless His plans.

I believe plans, goals, and objectives are all necessary tools to defining our future and being proactive about accomplishing something for the Lord, but the key is to be open to the Holy Spirit’s leading, even in the midst of our plans!

This week, I’m praying that the Holy Spirit will lead me to see where God is working and allow me to join Him there. Can I pray for you in this, too? Prayer Requests.

Salvation is by faith alone, in Jesus Christ, in His blood, His sacrifice on Calvary’s cross, His faithfulness to His Father’s will, His grace upon humanity, His life and substitution as the second Adam.

Jesus Christ is like a vine and unless we are connected to Him, we are as severed branches left by the pruning knife on the ground at mercy of the wind, those passing-by, or to decompose into the soil.

Jesus Christ gives us a life to the full, an abundant life, and a fulfilling life in faith, hope, and love. As the branch to the vine we enjoy bearing that fruit by simply staying connected to Him. The Christian life is not as complicated as the sinful human mind may try to make you believe.

This week, why not abide in Him through prayer, meditation upon His word, and an intention to stay connected through obedience?

Can I pray with you about that? Share your prayer request here.

Live in Mobile, Alabama? Why not plan on joining us at our Sunday gathering?

As we conclude our first year as Apostles Fellowship with the celebration of the Lord’s birth and the communion service, I want to share my favorite commentary on this Christian practice, from the book The Desire of Ages, pages 652 – 653…

“Christ was standing at the point of transition between two economies and their two great festivals. He, the spotless Lamb of God, was about to present Himself as a sin offering, that He would thus bring to an end the system of types and ceremonies that for four thousand years had pointed to His death. As He ate the Passover with His disciples, He instituted in its place the service that was to be the memorial of His great sacrifice. The national festival of the Jews was to pass away forever. The service which Christ established was to be observed by His followers in all lands and through all ages.

The Passover was ordained as a commemoration of the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. God had directed that, year by year, as the children should ask the meaning of this ordinance, the history should be repeated. Thus the wonderful deliverance was to be kept fresh in the minds of all. The ordinance of the Lord’s Supper was given to commemorate the great deliverance wrought out as the result of the death of Christ. Till He shall come the second time in power and glory, this ordinance is to be celebrated. It is the means by which His great work for us is to be kept fresh in our minds.”

May we look forward to the days ahead in 2012 and to the great blessed hope when our Lord returns. Amen.

See you on January 8 when we begin our new study series, Experiencing God. Learn more by visiting our Bible Study Series page.

We say Merry Christmas for a reason, because Scripture tells us that the event it celebrates is “good news of great joy…for all people.”

It isn’t a surprise that our world hates good news, or that it is increasingly shunning Christmas. Some retail stores have omitted “Merry Christmas” from advertisements and the United States House of Representatives has instructed our government leaders not to include the words “Merry Christmas” in any of their official communications with constituencies back home.

You, however, should take note of the angel’s words in Luke 2, that a Savior has been born for you! Jesus came to earth that you may go to heaven, by and through His life, grace, and merits!

That’s good news and great joy, so I say to you Merry Christmas!

____________________________________________

Christmas Eve Celebration - We’ll gather on Christmas Eve at 6:00 PM for potluck, communion, and a special “concert” from Payton.

Holiday Schedule - We won’t be gathering together on December 25 and January 1, but we’ll be back together on January 8 for a new Bible teaching series.

Starting January 8, 2012 will be going through the Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God series in our Sunday Gatherings. The workbook is free to you for participating, but we will need to order yours, so please contact us about your interest in joining in this series. There is no cost in taking part of this study with us.

When I first became a Christian, a little old saint told me that “the Christian walk is a march and a battle.” She would tell me to keep my spiritual armor on even when I didn’t think I was in any spiritual warfare, because Satan was always prowling around seeking ways to tempt.

It’s been 30 years since she told me that and it’s been 30 years of proving  that statement true. We move forward in our faith, and we sometimes slip. We make progress in spiritual growth, and we sometimes get stagnant. The secret to faith is marching in our Lord’s strength, not ours.

We battle our own nature in yeilding to temptations, we battle trials that seem instigated by evil doers, and we battle unexpected sufferings that blind us with dispair – all of these are battles in the march of our Christian faith.

This week, I pray that you march in Christ’s armor, and be strong in Him.

 ____________________________________________

Christmas Eve Celebration - We’ll gather on Christmas Eve at 6:00 PM for potluck, communion, and a special “concert” from Payton.

Holiday Schedule - We won’t be gathering together on December 25 and January 1, but we’ll be back together on January 8 for a new Bible teaching series.

Starting January 8, 2012 will be going through the Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God series in our Sunday Gatherings. The workbook is free to you for participating, but we will need to order yours, so please contact us about your interest in joining in this series. There is no cost in taking part of this study with us.