by Pastor Ray Viola | Apr 19, 2024 | Devotionals
A person who has trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation is “justified” by God. As Spurgeon wonderfully wrote, “God will never accuse me of owing for a debt that has already been paid.” “But the just shall live by his faith.” This concept, first stated in Habakkuk 2:4,...
by Pastor Ray Viola | Apr 18, 2024 | Communion Messages, Devotionals
A very important part of any communion service is self examination. Of course, it is only by the power of God’s Spirit that we can perform this task. We can very easily “cruise” in our Christianity. By that I mean that it can become a mechanical duty, as opposed to a...
by Pastor Ray Viola | Apr 17, 2024 | Contemporary Issues, Marriage
“… And a three-fold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12) In Ephesians 5, we find a beautiful picture of a Christian marriage. One man and one woman, filled with the Holy Spirit, “submitting to one another in the fear of God.” Thus, if we are encountering...
by Pastor Ray Viola | Apr 16, 2024 | Prayer
Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. The words of this devotional title are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ that were spoken in the context of prayer. Read them again. Now believe those words of Jesus over that need or crisis that you...
by Pastor Ray Viola | Apr 15, 2024 | Contemporary Christianity, Devotionals
The title of this post comes from 1 Thess 5:19. When I read that passage the other day, I ‘flashed’ on another verse, Gal 5:22, where we find that the fruit of God’s Spirit is love. When we act, think, or speak in an unloving fashion, the Holy Spirit is quenched. I...