TCBC family and friends,
Good morning!
It looks like we will have a busy week this week, we have The Ladies Luncheon this Sunday following our service at the Hornet's Nest Grill, 986 Main St., Damascus. We have multiple opportunities to join in community in the Word of God. On Sunday morning at church at 9:00 a.m. we have a Bible Study. On Wednesday night, January 14, we have our Mid-Week Bible Study, at 6:00 p.m. Following that on Friday evening, January 16, there will be a Ladies Bible Study in the Dickey home at 2325 Daisy Road, Woodbine, at 7:00 p.m. If you can't make it to any of these there are different studies on the table in the vestibule in church. Find the Lord in His Word this week.
It looks like we will have a busy week this week, we have The Ladies Luncheon this Sunday following our service at the Hornet's Nest Grill, 986 Main St., Damascus. We have multiple opportunities to join in community in the Word of God. On Sunday morning at church at 9:00 a.m. we have a Bible Study. On Wednesday night, January 14, we have our Mid-Week Bible Study, at 6:00 p.m. Following that on Friday evening, January 16, there will be a Ladies Bible Study in the Dickey home at 2325 Daisy Road, Woodbine, at 7:00 p.m. If you can't make it to any of these there are different studies on the table in the vestibule in church. Find the Lord in His Word this week.
For His glory,
Pastor TJ
Cell: 410-303-5190
Devotion:
“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect."
Matthew 24: 23-24
Real Miracles from False gods
Muhammad sat down in the home in Medina he was staying at when his host brought him a small meal for two. Muhammad turned to his host and said, “go invite thirty distinguished men”. So, he gathered thirty men, and they all ate of the food and were satisfied. Muhammad again said, “go invite sixty distinguished men”. The host full of wonder invited sixty men to come and all ate and were satisfied. Finally, Muhammad requested, “go invite ninety distinguished men”. The host returned with the ninety guests who all ate and were satisfied.
This is the account of one of many miracles attributed to Muhammad. Hearing about such miracles many Christians respond with the utmost incredulity. Muhammad could not have been a miracle worker for after all he was a false prophet! Yet what if he did? What if Muhammad did perform this miracle and many others attributed to him? Would the miraculous signs make you believe his words?
In Matthew 24 Jesus is sitting on the mount of olives teaching his disciples in private. He confers them the signs proceeding his second coming and warns them to be warry of false Christs for they will come “and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray”.
Miracles can be great affirmations of our faith as we see the power of God poured out, but miracles can also come from the evil spiritual forces of Satan. As followers of Jesus, our faith is not based on miraculous signs and wonders, but on our living savior and the truth he has given to us in the Bible.
Paul recognized the great danger of false teachings taking root in the church when he warns the church in Galatian, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8–9)
We do not know if Muhammad performed any genuine miracles, but even if he did, it would not make his words true. These warnings from Jesus and Paul are offered because they knew the powerful allure of miraculous works, and our inclination to wander from the truth. Let us be on guard against any teaching not established by the Bible. Our faith and our beliefs are to be founded on the word of God, affirmed through the Spirit of God, and lived for the glory of God.