The Pillar and Ground of Truth

04 January 2011

Subjects of the King - E. S. Harper

Bishop Edwin S. Harper preaching to the congregation he presides over - Apostolic Life Cathedral - in 2010.

Subjects of the King (mp3)

Also:
http://k007.kiwi6.com/hotlink/6df4c4cux9/Subjects_of_the_King

Or:
http://kiwi6.com/file/6df4c4cux9

2011: Advance

Happy New Year! I trust you had a great holiday. I enjoyed time with my family and some friends. Most of all, I enjoyed some time with God and was able to hear from Him regarding this new year.

I believe that 2011 will be a year in which the Apostolic Church will Advance. I think we will make great strides in all areas.

As I was praying the other day about what 2011 would be like the Holy Ghost seemed to speak one word to me, "Advance." Along with that word, I also read a powerful verse that I believe goes with it: "Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him."

Let's sow into this new year and allow God to bless us -- perhaps even an hunderdfold. "Impossible," you might be thinking, but if God could do it in the natural for Isaac then He can do it for us in the natural and in the spiritual as make great strides for God and move forward into this year. We don't need to wait until next year, but we can advance today, tomorrow, next week, next month, and see a great time of growth and harvest.
There can be so many ways that we move forward, but of primary interest to me today is that of the souls we need to reach. I believe a great harvest of souls is in our future for 2011. Take time each day to sow the Word of God into the lives of people and watch as God blesses that Word, your effort, and this year.

20 December 2010

Dogma

Our dogma revolves around the great biblical truth that there is One God, also called “monotheism.” In his book, The Oneness of God, David K. Bernard, J.D. defines monotheism in this manner: “The belief in only one God is called monotheism, which comes from two Greek words: monos, meaning alone, single, one; and theos, meaning God.” Ralph V. Reynolds simply stated that “there is only one Supreme Being who is God; He cannot be multiplied nor pluralized.” He further declared, “There are over fifty passages of Scripture that teach that God is one and that there is no other.”

In fact, the Word of God naturally assumes this universal truth. Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created..." God here is the transliterated form of Elohim, which means “plenitude of might,” or more simply, “one God whose characteristics are many.” This thought is carried further in Deuteronomy 6:4, "Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD." In Colossians 2:9 we are told that in Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead (all the characteristics of God) bodily, and we (the Church) are complete in Him (Jesus).

When addressing Timothy, Paul wrote of a mystery, but then he further explained what that mystery was, "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” (1 Timothy 3:16). Only Jesus Christ fulfills those six points. Therefore, Jesus Christ of the New Testament is Elohim of the Old Testament, which further explains why we are told that Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God and that all things exist and consist by him, Colossians 1:12-17.

So, we are dogmatic in our belief that there is only one God and Jesus is His name. He is our Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and Savior. Isaiah 9:6, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Only Jesus fulfills this messianic prophecy. He is the Father in Creation, the Son in Redemption, and the Holy Spirit in us today. Keep this great truth in mind and heart as you celebrate this Christmas season. Merry Christmas!

____________
SOURCES:

Bernard, David K. J.D. The Oneness of God. St. Louis: Word Aflame Press, 1983.

Reynolds, Ralph V. Truth Shall Triumph. Hazelwood, MO: Pentecostal Publishing House, 1965.

18 December 2010

Engraved In the Palms of His Hands - E. S. Harper

Christmas is nearly upon us and I have been remiss in actually writing anything this year. So, in the spirit of the season and in consideration of my lack of literary presence, here's my gift to you this Christmas -- a sermon, which my pastor (Edwin S. Harper) preached earlier this year.

Title:
Engraved in the Palms of His Hands.mp3

Also:
http://k007.kiwi6.com/hotlink/08338g98sb/Engraved_In_the_Palms_of_His_Hands

OR:
http://kiwi6.com/file/08338g98sb

Speaker:
Rev. E. S. Harper

Text:

Bishop & Mrs. E. S. Harper

Isaiah 49:14-16, "But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me."

John 20:25, "The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe."