Paul Ellis's Blog, page 29

How to read the Bible

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The actor Charlie Chaplin once entered a Charlie Chaplin lookalike contest and lost. True story.

Why did Charlie Chaplin go unrecognized? Surely it was because we see what we expect to see. No one expected the real Charlie Chaplin to show up, so no one saw him when he did.

Even so, it was quite an oversight. It’s not like Charlie Chaplin was unknown. At the time, he was the most recognizable person on earth. Along with the other contestants, he would have been scrutinized to see how much lik...

How to be content

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Are you a contented Christian? Or do you have a quiet unease that God is displeased with you and unhappy with your performance? Are you resting in his righteousness? Or are you striving to make yourself acceptable to God?

Many churchgoers are zealous for God with a zeal based on ignorance and unbelief. They are working like slaves but in God’s eyes their deeds are incomplete. Like the church in Sardis they have soiled their clothes through works of filthy self-righteousness.

What is the reme...

Is my brother going to hell?

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I get a lot of mail, much more than I can respond to. But occasionally when reading something I sense the Lord saying to me, “Hit reply and start typing.” This happened to me recently, after a reader asked me the following question:

My brother (a lifelong Christian) was diagnosed with cancer over the last year, and deteriorated to the point he couldn’t eat, talk, or use the bathroom by himself. He couldn’t even drink water without choking. A few months ago, he ended his own life. He was suff...

Who are the Nicolaitans among us?

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The Nicolaitans are the boogeymen of the Bible. Since the scriptures say almost nothing about them – except that they were false teachers whose deeds Jesus hated (see Rev. 2) – they are a blank sheet onto which we can write just about anything. If there is a group in the church that disagrees with the pastor, you can just about guarantee they will be dismissed as divisive or Nicolaitan.

So who were the Nicolaitans?

They were false teachers who taught grace as a license to sin. They were not...

The secret to successful Christian living

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There is a secret to living this Christian life, and it’s a secret most Christians don’t know. If you knew this secret, it would set you free from dead works and insecurity. Here it is:

This is a faithful saying: For if we died with him, we shall also live with him. (2 Tim. 2:11, NKJV)

If you don’t know that you have died with Christ, then you won’t really live. Instead, you will spend your life trying to die; dying to self, dying daily, and crucifying the flesh.

“But isn’t following Jesus a...

Good news for small churches

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Jesus said the Philadelphians were doing well, “because you have a little power, have kept my word, and have not denied my name” (Rev. 3:8b).

What does it mean to have little power? A church with little power is a small or weak church. The Philadelphians weren’t anything special. They lacked the resources of their Laodicean neighbors, and they didn’t have the reputation of the Sardians. Like David, the shepherd boy, they were of little account in the eyes of man. But weakness is no barrier t...

The accepting church

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Freedom is found in knowing that God loves and accepts you. When you know beyond all doubt that you are your Daddy’s delight, you will be free from the need to please others. The pressure to perform will lift and the unholy expectations of men will seem ridiculous. My Father is pleased with me. I don’t have to prove a thing! If thoughts of rejection should enter your head, you will dismiss them without a care. God is for me! Who can be against me?

Religion says you have to work hard to make...

The high cost of free grace

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The gospel of grace is not a philosophy to debate or a lifestyle to adopt. It is the power of God that saves those who receive it.

Grace is God blessing us for no other reason than he loves us. The good news reveals that the grace that sets us free is entirely free – there’s nothing to pay because Jesus paid it all. But buy into this message of grace and you will surely pay in other ways. You may experience rejection, hostility, and possibly persecution.

It’s normal to experience trouble as...

The High Cost of Free Grace

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The gospel of grace is not a philosophy to debate or a lifestyle to adopt. It is the power of God that saves those who receive it.

Grace is God blessing us for no other reason than he loves us. The good news reveals that the grace that sets us free is entirely free – there’s nothing to pay because Jesus paid it all. But buy into this message of grace and you will surely pay in other ways. You may experience rejection, hostility, and possibly persecution.

It’s normal to experience trouble as...

Why did Jesus send letters from heaven?

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The letters from Jesus found in Revelation 2 and 3 contain two things everyone of us needs to navigate life’s trials: a picture of Jesus and a promise from Jesus. When you’re going through hard times, you need to see Jesus, who is above your circumstances, and when you’re battling fear and anxiety, you need a promise you can cling to.

Why did Jesus send these letters from heaven?

The immediate reason was the church in Asia was going through tough times. Bad teaching was circulating inside th...