Salvation is God’s free gift to the world. We don’t need to obey any set of do’s and don’ts to obtain it, we simply accept it by faith. Salvation is not a religion. There is no one religion that can save any person, because religion is all about rules, do’s and don’ts, which no one can completely observe.

Salvation is not a religion, salvation is a relationship. True faith is a relationship with God.

Matthew 4:19 records Jesus’s invitation to a pair of brothers by the Sea of Galilee. When they were casting their nets into the sea, He said to them, “Come, follow me! I will make you fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets, and followed Him.

This precious statement tells us what true Christian Faith is. A person who is truly saved, a true follower of Jesus possesses three very obvious characteristics.

1. Follow Me

2. I Will Make You
– back to basics
– back to the Bible
– back to the Cross

3. Fishers of Men

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The word ‘eulogy’ comes from the Greek words ‘eu’ which means good, and ‘logy’ meaning words. Eulogy means good words.

Let us stop speaking toxic words and begin to speak words which bless other people, words that build them up.

What are good words then? Let me suggest six types of good words we can learn to speak:

1. Appreciation
To express the good things you know about a person.

2. Acceptance
To let others know you accept them, even admire them.

3. Approval
To say “Okay, go ahead.”

4. Affection
To communicate your love so others may know.

5. Affirmation
To encourage someone by confirming that their actions/words/thoughts are good.

6. Admiration
To give others the praise that is due them.

Put It Into Practice

1. Say it in person

2. Send a message

3. Call

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1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

Psalm 1:1
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take nor sit in the company of mockers.

Sermon outline available at michaelcarino.com

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If you have ever joined a Rotary Club, you know that they practice a so-called Four Way Test:
1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

This is a very good test.

Today, we will learn from the Bible Four Spiritual Tests. Is it alright for Christians to use Facebook? May they watch movies? Should they trade stocks? Thousands of years ago, such things did not exist at all, but the Truth is eternal, and the Truth has laid down principles for everything.

We are allowed to do anything which passes these Four Spiritual Tests:

1. The Benefit Test (1 Cor 10:23)
Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial.

2. The Love Test (1 Cor 10:23-24)
Everything is permissible but not everything is constructive.

3. The Freedom Test (1 Cor 6:12)
Everything is permissible but we must but be mastered by anything.

4. The Purpose Test (1 Cor 10:31)
Everything is permissible as long as it glorifies God.

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Today, we’ll be learning a principle called the “Remove and Replace Principle.” Here is a cup filled with filthy water. If I want a cup with clean water in it, I will have to first throw out the filthy water, then pour clean water into it. This is the “Remove and Replace” Principle. We need to remove what is bad, unclean, and negative, and Replace them with that such is good, clean, and positive. In our minds, there are a lot of bad thoughts which must first be removed before the good thoughts can take their place.

1. Remove Negative Thoughts and Replace with Positive Thoughts

2. Remove Fearful Thoughts and Replace with Courageous Thoughts

3. Remove Thoughts of Discontent and Replace with Thankful Thoughts

4. Remove Critical Thoughts and Replace with Thoughts of Praise

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Toxins are anything that can make us sick or cause death. When we become believers in the Lord, our bodies now become the temple of God, and we are to take good care of it so that we can serve God. Yet we often overlook our spiritual health.

Today, I want to study with you the toxins that affect our spiritual life. In the church, there are many toxins that can affect our spiritual life, one of which is having the wrong priorities. We make the most important things secondary, while regarding the secondary things as the most important. Because of this mis-prioritization, we do not make meaningful progress in our spiritual lives.

Let us re-examine the priorities in our spiritual life:

1. “Be with” more than Service

Too many people rush to serve in the church without taking the time to first Be With the Lord through daily prayer and bible reading.

If we do not take the time to be with the Lord, our service will have no power. We must draw near to God before we can serve God well.

2. Motives more than Actions

We must constantly guard our hearts, for all our actions flow from it. (Prov 4:23).

As we make decisions, take action, and serve in the church, we must always examine our own motives. Why are we serving? Why do we do what we do, say what we say? God does look at the man but the motives of the man.

3. Living out the Truth more than Listening to It

It is so much easier to listen to the Word, and much harder to live out the Word, and yet it is more important for us to live the Word. It matters little if we’ve listened to the Word but that knowledge has not led to a life change.

4. Truth more than Feelings

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path (Psalm 119:105)

If we neglect our daily prayer and bible reading, we will lose our way. We must walk in the will of the Lord, in accordance with God’s truth.

Let’s not walk according to our feelings, because the things and situations that make us feel good are not automatically good for us. We must look to the Truth to determine our way.

5. Honesty comes before Growth

If we want to grow, we must first be honest. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.

Only someone who sees himself honestly will realize his own lack, his own deficiencies. A man needs to first acknowledge his own lack to become humble and work to improve himself.

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