Question:
How can we grow spiritually? What are some of the things that prevent spiritual growth in our lives?

Answer:
We grow by READING the Word and PRAYING daily (Romans 12:1, 2). If we are not occupied with the Lord and His Word, we will be occupied with Satan, the world, and evil thoughts (those “strongholds”—2 Corinthians 10:4—that hinder us). “Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11). We need to be close to the Lord first and then He will give us the strength to get rid of other things. We are not to turn first from idols and then to God, but turn “to God from idols” (1 Thessalonians 1:9). If we turn to God first, we will then have the strength to turn from idols. We must do the following things to grow spiritually.

READ THE WORD OF GOD – First Peter 2:2, 3. We must read the pure mind food that is found in the Word of God, the Bible. But we need to desire it in order to read it every day. We will desire the Word if we but taste “that the Lord is gracious” (v.3). The Lord is gracious because He gives us the very opposite of what we deserve. If each of us would but “taste” His great love for us personally, we would want to hear His voice in the Word and learn more and more of His love. We will be “as [like] newborn babes” with increasing desire for the pure mental milk of the Word, and thus we will “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Read your Bible whether you feel like it or not for you need it for your spiritual food.
PRAY – Listening to His voice by reading His Word will cause us to draw close to Him. “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you” (James 4:8). John 15:1-4—if saved, you’re in Christ, but you need to abide in Him by walking with Him daily. We need daily communion with Him, depending on Him. Prayer is something we need along with reading the Word to grow spiritually.
FELLOWSHIP – Fellowship with other Christians over the Scriptures, in the assembly (Acts 2:42), in the gospel (Philippians 1:5), in affliction (Philippians 4:14), etc., help us in our growth spiritually.
WITNESS – Telling non-Christians about Christ and His love for them can help us spiritually as well (2 Corinthians 2:14-17). The Lord is the prime example of how to act around non-Christians, and how much time to spend with them (Luke 15:1, 2).
OBJECT – “Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). For the unsaved, “For me to live is money, power, etc.” But for the Christian, “For to me to live [is] Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
HINDRANCES – Things in the world can affect our spiritual growth. What we put into our minds will be what we think about. Music, movies, activities, books, wrong friends, will all adversely affect our spiritual growth (2 Corinthians 7:1).RESULT – Growth in Christ will cause us to “walk” in Him (Colossians 2:6). The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23) is the result of fellowship with Him and dependence on Him, and will be manifest by the life of Christ being seen in our lives. We cannot grow unless Christ is the object of our hearts. “For without Me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). We are a new creation in Christ positionally from the moment we receive Christ as our personal Saviour (2 Corinthians 5:17), but the Spirit of God will transform us to act like Christ when we are occupied with Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Question:
What does 2 Corinthians 10:4, 5 mean?

2 Corinthians 10:4, 5: “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

Answer:
Verse 4 – The weapons God gives Christians are not fleshly, but powerful enough to defeat Satan’s strongholds in our lives. Christians are in a battle to keep Satan from having control in our lives! Those unsaved are in a battle for their souls, with Satan.

Verse 5 – Satan tries to get control of our thoughts, but God’s weapons will do what we can’t do in our own strength of casting down imaginations—arguments or reasonings against God—and bring all our thoughts captive to “the obedience of Christ.” If we are occupied with Christ’s obedience to His Father, we will be “changed [outwardly] into” His image (2 Corinthians 3:18). All our actions come from our thoughts,       so it is most important that we think on whatsoever is “true,” “honest,” “just,” “pure,” etc….and the God of peace shall be with you” (Philippians 4:8, 9).  
We must “put on the whole ARMOR OF GOD” Ephesians 6:11-18 if we are going to be victorious over Satan’s tricks.
1. We must first have “the loins of your minds” (1 Peter 1:13) girt with the BELT of TRUTH (v.14).
2. Then we are to put on THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (v.14) by doing what is right, and our hearts will be protected by having a good conscience “void of offence toward God, and toward men” (Acts 24:16).
3. Our feet must then be protected by the SHOES of being prepared to spread the gospel of peace wherever we go (v.15).
4. THE SHIELD OF FAITH is big enough to protect us completely from Satan’s darts, and allow us the rest we need in the battle by simple trust in God (v.16).
5. We then are to put on THE HELMET OF SALVATION by knowing for sure by the Word that we are saved (v. 17). Satan will attack our minds if we have doubts that we are saved, but God has “written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).
6. We should also take THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT which is the special word of God for the time which will defeat the enemy. We must be in communion with our Commander and Chief, the Lord Jesus Christ, to use this sword.7. PRAYER is possibly the most important part of the armor for it is the life-line of dependence to Headquarters so we can have His direction and thus be victorious in our Christian lives. We are told, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7), but he will come back, so we must continue to resist Him by having the armor on and using it.

Question:
How can I avoid and run away from a lady bully without saying anything to her? How can I avoid her threatenings and comments about me at work and in the van? How can I stop my mouth before saying anything nasty to her? Why can’t I be quiet about my beliefs? If I don’t tell her, who is going to lead her to Christ? She does not want anything to do with the things of the Lord and His Word and His people. I have two lady bullies. One of them has a nasty temper and holds grudges against me. What can I do to stop thinking about her, and fear that my attitude will be wrong? How can I stop thinking about the situation, and stop having bitterness and wrath and anger toward these two lady bullies? How can I forgive them if I feel bitterness and wrath, and anger flares up in my bones?

Answer:
You desire to have a good testimony before them which the Lord can use to their salvation. We are very thankful for your desire for we know that the Lord has given this to you.

I would like you to ask the Lord to give you the answer you need as you read and meditate on the following passages of Scripture that teach us how to deal with the situation you are in. You will notice as you read them that we must be occupied with Christ if we are going to receive the power we need to act as Christ would have us act.
“For CONSIDER HIM that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Hebrews 12:3).
“For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men…For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should FOLLOW HIS STEPS: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but COMMITTED HIMSELF TO HIM THAT JUDGETH RIGHTEOUSLY” (1 Peter 2:15,19-23).The only way you can keep from having bitterness and wrath toward the bullies is to consider the Lord Jesus as He suffered at the hands of wicked men, and follow the steps He took. He did not defend Himself, did not speak with guile, did not threaten to get even, but He committed Himself to His heavenly Father. When you are bullied you also can commit yourself completely to your heavenly Father, dear one, and allow the Lord to take care of the situation. The Lord will then use your testimony to His honor and glory, “to silence the ignorance of foolish men” and women, and to the blessing of many.

Question:
I have an older brother. I love him. How can I get him to leave me alone? He hurts me when we play and I’m not sure if he really cares if I get hurt or not. He really likes to tease me most of the time. We get along well together but it usually ends up with me getting hurt and I cry. What can I do to stop him from playing so hard. He doesn’t know what the word “stop” or “no” means. Help!

Answer:
A few of the things you can “do” about a problem like this are highlighted in capital letters. The first thought that came to me after reading your question was, “Should you not ASK YOUR PARENTS to help with this serious problem?” But you do not mention your parents, and it is wonderful to know that you can cry to the Lord and trust Him to deliver you even if you don’t have parents or others to help you. “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord” (Psalm 27:10, 13, 14).

You realize that you are powerless in this situation, but if you have trusted the Lord for your eternal salvation from sin, the world, and Satan, you can surely TRUST THE LORD to deliver you from harm from your brother, and trust Him to change your brother in His own way and in His own time.
It will help you if you realize that though things seem to be out of control, the Lord is in full control and since He loves you He will not allow you a needless tear (Ephesians 1:11; Romans 8:31-39). He has allowed your brother’s teasing to bring honor and glory to Him, and to teach you valuable lessons that you may not learn in any other way. The Lord wants you to learn to trust Him and WAIT ON THE LORD. This way you will learn that “God is faithful” to you, and that He will either give you deliverance from the teasing or give you the strength to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13). Your brother may have fallen into the trap or habit that some older siblings sometimes fall into of teasing younger siblings for their own enjoyment with little or no thought for the feelings of the one teased. And this is wrong for the Scriptures teach us “…not to please ourselves. Let everyone of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not Himself; but, as it is written, ‘The reproaches of them that reproached Thee fell on me’” (Romans 15:1-3).
Even though your brother is not being kind to you, you still should BE KIND TO YOUR BROTHER. “Everyone of us” should be sensitive to those around us (which would include you being kind to your brother), and be careful to do always that which is good so he is edified or built up. When people do evil against us, we have the opportunity to overcome evil with good. “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (see Romans 12:19-21). “Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing: knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9). We can only keep from returning “evil for evil” by keeping in mind that Christ “pleased not Himself,” and that He bore the reproaches that we deserved to bear for our sins!

Not only should you be kind to your brother, but you should FORGIVE YOUR BROTHER for all the unkind things he has done to you. And God can use your forgiveness possibly more than anything else to help him stop being selfish and become kind to you. “And be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). We should forgive those who wrong us even if they do not confess their wrong. God has forgiven us of our sins, and you should forgive your brother “for Christ’s sake,” Who was wronged for our sins. There is nothing that burns the conscience like the white-hot light of forgiveness. So try it! Forgive your brother right now.

Question:
Are we held responsible for unsaved people who die when we at one time had the opportunity to preach the gospel to those individuals?

Answer:
Basically we are not responsible for the eternal destiny of others. They are responsible to God for their own sin and will suffer in hell because they have not believed in Christ, not because we failed to witness to them. We need to obey the Lord’s command to do the work of an evangelist (2 Timothy 4:5) and to preach the gospel (Mark 16:15). If He gives us opportunities to preach to others, then we should make good use of the opportunity out of love for our Lord and love for their lost soul.

Our motivation for witnessing should not be a fear of being held responsible for someone else’s soul. First Corinthians 3:6 says, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” We do not save people, God does. We are merely signposts, pointing the way to Christ. God can save someone without any human intervention, or He may choose to use 100 different people who witness to one person and then they finally get saved. But even in that case, it is God who does the work of saving them, not the people who did the witnessing. We are not responsible for the salvation of people’s souls. We are responsible to obey our Lord’s command to preach the gospel. May we be more diligent in doing that and if someone dies whom we had the opportunity to witness to at one time, let that spur us on to witness more to those who are in our lives right now. It may help to make a list of people to whom a witness is long overdue and begin witnessing to them right now.

Question:
Should you date someone that isn’t saved, because you think you can change them?

Answer:
There are a number of definitions to the word “date,” but I believe that dating is when two people are interested in each other and are corresponding frequently or getting together a lot in order to get to know each other better with the idea always in mind that they might someday get married.

The Bible speaks of marriage as the only romantic long-term relationship between a man and a woman. It does not speak of a man and woman living together and having a physical relationship outside of marriage. Therefore, all romantic relationships should have marriage as a goal.
Second Corinthians 6:14 says to not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. Marriage is definitely a binding yoke. Dating would not be a binding yoke in the same way, but there is a yoke there because there is always pain involved when the dating yoke is broken and the two people break up.
I don’t think that it is a wise thing to get into a dating relationship with an unsaved person with marriage being the goal ahead of you. Once the emotions get involved, it is a very difficult thing to break the relationship because your partner is not saved. I believe that it is better to not get into it in the first place, but instead encourage someone of the same sex as that person to help them spiritually.
Another reason for staying away from a dating relationship with an unsaved person is that your primary goal will be to change that person or try to convince them of their need for salvation. A healthy relationship is based on acceptance of another person, not on trying to change them. If that person would get saved while you are dating them, it may be difficult to ever know whether they just said some words in order to make you think they got saved or whether they truly did get saved.
The same holds true for someone who is not in fellowship with you. They could desire to be in fellowship with the assembly in order to please you, instead of having the truth revealed to them of the one body of Christ and our responsibility to express our membership in that body.These thoughts are not hard and fast rules, because the Lord has blessed people who have entered dating relationships with unsaved people, and then the person got saved and are happily married now. It may save a lot of heartache though, to wait until the Lord brings someone into your life who loves the Lord and desires to walk with Him.

Question:
Is the fear of God more like appreciation and faith? Is it bad to have no fear of God? Or are you supposed to fear?

Answer:
To have a “fear of God” is to revere [to regard with awe] Him. God is an awesome God and is deserving of everyone’s deepest respect. Thus, it is fitting to “fear God.”

Proverbs tells us that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (1:7). The world, at large, does not fear God, as is evidenced by Paul’s words describing everyone outside of Christ in Romans 3:18, “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” But the believer should always hold God in the highest esteem, which will serve as a controlling motive in his life (spiritually and morally). Joseph feared God (Genesis 42:18) and it kept him from sinning against Him (Genesis 39:7-9). May we each be characterized by the “fear of God.” “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28).

Question:
How can one be sure they are not interpreting the Bible correctly?

Answer:
One way that this will become evident is by running into verses that seem to contradict each other. For example, let’s say that you believe that Mark 16:15, 16 (“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”) is teaching you that BAPTISM IS NECESSARY TO BE SAVED. Then you run into 1 Corinthians 1:17, 18, which reads, “For Christ sent me NOT TO BAPTIZE, but to preach the
gospel…for the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”
These two passages seem to contradict each other because of your belief that Mark 16:16 is teaching the necessity of water baptism, but in reality your interpretation of Mark is wrong. Mark states emphatically, “He that BELIEVETH NOT shall be damned,” thus it is the lack of faith, not baptism, which damns the soul. Believing the gospel is the only necessity for salvation, as 1 Corinthians 1:21 goes on to say, “…it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching [the gospel] to SAVE THEM THAT BELIEVE.”
When one makes such a discovery, they must then rely on the Spirit of God (Who alone can give us the true interpretation for any Scripture—1 Corinthians 2:9-13) to reveal to them the true interpretation of the Scripture which is not clear. (In the case above, they would want to know why baptism is mentioned in Mark 16:16 when it is not necessary for salvation.) And we must remember that “Scripture interprets Scripture'” that is, we can only learn what one Scripture means by comparing it with other Scriptures. Second Peter 1:20 reads, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.” This is telling us that in interpreting prophecy, prophecy must be taken as a whole by comparing prophetic Scriptures with other prophetic Scriptures. But in principle this is true of the whole Bible—no verse should be interpreted by itself, but in the light of the context and of all the rest of Scripture.

Question:
When people praised the Lord in Old Testament times, what practices were done then that are not acceptable in today’s assembly? Would clapping be considered Old Testament worship?

Answer:
Let me begin this answer by quoting the words of Jesus to the woman at the well, “Woman, believe Me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:21-24).

These words of our Lord Jesus on the subject of worship reveal three great changes that were to occur in worshipping God: (1) The PLACE of worship; (2) The PERSON to be worshipped; and (3) The PRAISE in worship. Let us look briefly at each one.
(1) God’s earthly people, the Jews, worshipped God in JERUSALEM (vs. 21). This was the Divine Center for worship where God had chosen to place His Name (see Deuteronomy 12:10-14; 1 Kings 8:1, 13, 27-29). But today God’s heavenly people, the church, can by faith “enter into the holiest [heaven] by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19). We can do this ANYWHERE on earth. Matthew 18:20 says, “Where two or three are gathered together [unto] My Name, there am I in the midst of them.”
(2) In Old Testament times, the Jews worshipped God as JEHOVAH. Today He has been revealed to every child of God as the FATHER (John 4:21, 23) and we are privileged to worship Him with the assurance that we are “children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26). Believers in the Old Testament were children of God, but they did not have the knowledge of this relationship with God as Father.
(3) Israel’s worship [praise] of God was fleshly; the church worships “in spirit and in truth.” By FLESHLY we mean that it was a form of worship which appealed to man’s five physical senses. They had musical instruments to appeal to the sense of HEARING, incense for the sense of SMELL, animal sacrifices for the sense of TOUCH and TASTE, and a beautiful temple and priestly garments for the sense of SIGHT. In contrast, the church worships by faith, with nothing ritualistic or sensuous to distract the heart from being taken up with worshipping the Father (and the Son). To worship “in spirit” implies this.To touch on your question about “clapping,” I suggest you read Psalm 47. It starts out, “O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.” The whole Psalm describes the time when Israel shall be redeemed (after the rapture of the church) and will be the nucleus of Christ’s Millennial kingdom. Their praise, and that of the saved Gentiles, will take on much of the same character as in Old Testament times (which will appeal to the five senses).

Question:
Why doesn’t the assembly have a preacher or pastor? Is there scriptural backing?

Answer:
Here are a few of the reasons why each assembly doesn’t have a preacher:

(1) God has made Christ the Head of the church (Colossians 1:18), and it would be wrong to allow any man to take the place that is Christ’s alone over His people.
(2) The Holy Spirit has put every believer into the “one body” which is the church, and has given each one different gifts or abilities to be used for the good of the body (1 Corinthians 12:12-14). Hiring an educated man to do the work of ministering the Word would limit the others the Lord has fitted to function as the Spirit of God leads them for the good of all in the assembly.
(3) We do not need to go to college to learn how to become a preacher or to do the function the Lord has given us to do in the assembly. Each believer is anointed by Spirit of God, “And ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie” (1 John 2:27). God’s college is the assembly where the Spirit of God is allowed to lead in the ministry of the Word through whomsoever He will.(4) As we have no say as to how we are saved from our sins, for God tells us we are saved by grace through faith in Christ; likewise, we have no say as to how we are to gather together as Christians. Christ, as Head of His church, directs His people by His Word as to what meetings we are to have and what we are to do when gathered as an assembly. On the first day of the week, which is the Lord’s Day, we are to remember Him in the breaking of bread (Acts 20:7). The Spirit of God is to lead each one in the assembly meetings. “Every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying” (1 Corinthians 14:15, 26).

Question:
How do you know when the Holy Spirit is leading you to do something? For example in a remembrance meeting? What age is old enough?

Answer:
First Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no man despise thy youth.” Age should not hinder brothers from praising and praying publicly. We need to simply be taken up with the Lord and His love, and be sensitive to the Spirit’s leading in order to praise the Lord in prayer, give out a hymn, or read a Scripture in the remembrance meeting.

There is no gift for prayer or praise, for this privilege is given to every Christian, and should be as easy for us as taking a breath. A young brother with the freshness of the Lord’s love should feel free to offer praise just as readily as older brothers. Being concentrated on the Lord, as Mary was in John 12:3, is what is needed in order to be led of the Lord.

Question:
Does God care what we do with our lives? Does He care what we do with the Saviour?

Answer:
We may also ask, “Does God want to make us happy? Does He want to bless us? Does He tell us how?” He certainly does desire our blessing, and we have no idea nor can we imagine the wonderful blessings He has in store for those who have put their trust in Him. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

God love is fully seen in that “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not WITH HIM also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). The key words here are “with Him.” God freely blesses those who are in communion “with Him.”

Question:
Since no man can love as Christ loved us, are we to love as much as we can? How can we love?

Answer:
Ephesians 5:1, 2: “Be ye therefore followers of God…and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us.” Christ left “us an example, that ye should follow His steps” (1 Peter 2:21). We are not told to follow “in” Christ’s steps—we cannot do that—for He is God, but we are told to “follow” His steps. The more we are occupied with Christ’s love, the more we will walk in love ourselves (1 John 4:19). Jesus showed His love for His Father by keeping His commandments (John 15:9-12), and love for the Lord will cause us to keep His commandments as well (John 14:15). We are taught to increase in love “more and more” to all the brethren (1 Thessalonians 4:9, 10).

We do not have God’s love by occupation with our love to others or by trying to love in our own efforts, but His love is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), and is shed abroad in the heart of every believer by the Spirit (Romans 5:5). Laying down our lives for the brethren is not just a onetime thing, but an everyday self-sacrificing for others. This self-sacrificing love can only be manifest in our lives by occupation with Christ who laid down His life for us (1 John 3:16). There is no greater love than laying down our lives for our friends (John 15:13).

Question:

What does it mean to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” as Romans 13:14 tells us to do?

Answer:
Romans 13:14: “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” – This verse is not talking about our position in Christ, but of showing Christ in our lives practically. To put on Christ we must have Christ on the throne of our hearts. And then, with no will of our own, make every decision led by Christ and act as He would act.

Water baptism is an outward appearance of putting on Christ (Galatians 3:27), but Romans 13:14 is speaking of the fruit of the Spirit in a very practical way of putting on Christ as a garment so all can see Him in our walk or actions. If we are saved we have Christ inside, but putting on Christ means to cover yourself up with Christ. “Putting on” indicates close communion with Christ. If we are taken up with the love of Christ, we will automatically put Him on.Putting on Christ includes everything we do, and we put Him on by wearing “modest” apparel (1 Timothy 2:9; 1 Peter 3:3, 4). “Modest apparel” would not draw attention to ourselves so Christ can be seen in us. Boys put on Christ by not having long hair, and girls by having long hair which is her glory (1 Corinthians 11:14, 15). What do we want people to see? Me or Christ? Any healthy Christian wants Christ to be always seen by him or her. Therefore, “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.”

Question:
Speeding? Isn’t this as much a sin as stealing? Shouldn’t we confess this to the Lord? Why don’t we consider this bad and stop doing it?

Answer:
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers…the powers that be are ordained of God….Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake” (Romans 13:1,5).

There may be emergency situations when for safety’s sake we must go over the speed limit, but it is easy go over the speed limit because everyone else does, it, and get into a habit of doing it without even thinking about what we are doing. We should be before the Lord as to how fast He wants us to go each time we drive, and ask Him to convict us if we are doing wrong. It is most important that we have a CVO which is a Conscience Void of Offence. Paul told Felix: “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a Conscience Void of Offence toward God, and toward men” (Acts 24:16). A CVO is essential for communion with God, and to be a good testimony to others.

Question:
Should we give the first-fruits always to the Lord or just sometimes?

Answer:
When deciding how much the Lord wants us to give to Him each week, we should give Him the “first-fruits.” We should give Him and His interests first consideration regarding dividing up our income. For the Scriptures instruct us to: “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come” (1 Corinthians 16:2). The Lord directs us to have systematic giving, and “not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Christians today are not told to give ten percent as the Jews were told in the Old Testament. The key words to help us discern how much the Lord wants us to give to Him are: “As God hath prospered him.” The thought is, “How much does the Lord mean to me this week?” The “poor widow” cast into the treasury of the temple but “two mites” but since it was “all her living,” the Lord valued it very highly for he said she had cast in more than everyone else (Mark 12:41-44).
We must consider first of all that we cannot give more than the Lord has entrusted to us. “If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not” (2 Corinthians 8:12). And we may have other responsibilities, bills that are due, and these should be paid, for we are to “owe no man anything” (Romans 13:8).It is very important that we set up a budget for our finances, and make sure the Lord gets His money first before other purchases. We may have to buy a cheaper car in order to give what is due to Him. But “with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Hebrews 13:16).