Date: 09/18/2023

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to Him be the Glory, Power, and Dominion forever and ever and to the Holy Ghost that is yet abiding in the body. This month’s key phrase is “Be Different”.  Second Corinthians 6:17a tells us, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, …”. As Believers we must be different because the world rebels against God. Paul describes the world’s rebellion against God, and what it represents in Ephesians the fourth chapter.

Paul says that people of the world live in the “futility of thinking” (Ephesians 4:17). Futility means waste, emptiness, or vanity. The world tries to find success and happiness through money, education, sex, entertainment, and pleasure, yet continually find themselves empty. Our thought process as believers must be saturated with God. The world is “darkened in their understanding” (Ephesians 4:18). Paul is referring to the knowledge of God and the things of God.  First Corinthians 2:14 tells us . “The man without the Spirit does not accept things that come from the Spirit of God”. Our world today is still without true understanding because it rejects God. The world is separated from God. In Ephesians 4:18, Paul says the world is separated, or alienated from God. He describes the Ephesians as dead in transgressions and sins. Death means separation. Spiritual death means separation from God because of sin. The world is ignorant “without knowledge” (Ephesians 4:18).  Why, because the world rejects God’s revelations.  God  makes himself known through creation. The sun, moon, stars, earth, plants, animals, and humanity all boast of a Creator (Psalm 19:1). 

In closing, My brothers and sisters, God is powerful and divine (Romans 1:19). The world willfully reject His revelations because the world is ignorant.  The world is hardened and calloused to sin.  Paul describes the heart of unbelievers as hardened and having lost all sensitivity. This can happen to all of us if we rebel against God. The world is consumed with sensuality. Ephesians 4:19 tells us, “ Having lost sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality.  Sensuality refers to licentiousness, the absence of all moral restraint, especially in the area of sexual sins. This is the pagan world described in Romans 1:24-27. The world is greedy for sin, and therefore makes an occupation of it.  They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, and greedy to practice every kind of impurity. In actuality the world practices sin as a business. Paul essentially says as, “Believers, you must live differently than the world, because God commands it, and because the world is in rebellion against God”. Therefore, as Believers, “Don’t live like the world!” Until next week, remember, “…with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26b).

In His Service,

Bishop Dr. Calvin Worthem

General Chief Overseer/Senior Bishop

Date: 09/04/2023

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to Him be the Glory, Power, and Dominion forever and ever and to the Holy Ghost that is yet abiding in the body. This month’s key phrase is “Be Different”.  Second Corinthians 6:17a tells us, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, …”.

My brothers and sisters, we once were among them (world). What did it accomplish for us?

Apostle Paul is referencing the Old Testament scriptures to demonstrate how God has called His people to be separate from sin. In Isaiah 52:9-12, God rescued the Israelites and warned them not to bring the idolatrous practices of the land of their exile with them.

As believers we are to be “in the world but not of the world.”  We are to “come out from among them”  and be separated from the sins of the world. Second Corinthians 5:17 instructs us to, “ not mix the evil worldly system  (being used, abused, adultery, fornication,  drinking alcoholic drinks, clubbing  and immoralities) with our new nature in Christ. Rather, we must live as new men and women who are being transformed.  Paul  reminds us in Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service”. Hence putting to death our sinful ways and living instead in the ways of Jesus Christ.

In closing, clearly God’s call is not for us to avoid the world, because we are His ambassadors in the world, to spread the truth of the gospel (see Matthew 5:13-16, 28:1-20; 1 Peter 3:15-16). My brothers and sisters we cannot do His will if we avoid all contact with the world. However, God does call us to avoid participation with sin and unrighteousness. We are to be separate from that which is against God. Until next week, remember, “…with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26b).

In His Service,

Bishop Dr. Calvin Worthem

General Chief Overseer/Senior Bishop