Estill Springs Church Of God

09/07/2026

“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21 KJV

For any force to be stopped, it must be met with an opposing force. This is called the “law of motion” developed by Sir Isaac Newton. The law states that an opposing force will serve to slow down the inertia of the object. This is what Paul is writing about and it is the same that Jesus taught over and over in His ministry. We are not called to fight against the world’s culture with an equal opposing force of hostility. Even though we recognize that the world’s culture is a hostile force trying to stop the message of the gospel. The effect of the church is not seen in how loud and obnoxious it can be; the effect is seen in our remaining Christ like when we are facing hostility. We are called to serve rather than to be served. We are called to love even the most unloveable. This is not an easy task to do. It goes against our nature to be passive in the violent world we are living in. Jesus put it in extreme terms - “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.” (Matthew 5:38-42 KJV) Jesus is making a radical call to love our enemies; the call demands us to be proactive rather than reactive. Which is where the “Comforter” (the Holy Ghost) comes into the picture. To be baptized in the Holy Ghost is to be baptized in the love of God. Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans - “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (Romans 5:5 KJV) Jude even wrote along these lines - “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” (Jude 1:20-21 KJV) To be able to love our enemies to the degree that when we are persecuted we still treat them good is a supernatural grace given to us by the Holy Ghost. As long as we are in this world, we are going to find ourselves constantly being challenged by this world’s culture. The desire will be to get just as loud and obnoxious as they are. Don’t. That is counterproductive for the kingdom. It is vital that we always remember where we came from and just how powerful the grace of God was and still is in our lives. Paul wrote - "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:11-13 KJV) When we reflect on where we have come from and how sin was destroying our lives, we become mindful of the calling on our lives to not just oppose the world’s culture, but to oppose the culture in a way where the world sees the love of God working in us. Just like the “law of motion” states that all it takes is an opposing force to change the inertia of the object, all we have to do is oppose quietly with love for the souls of men to start making an impact on the world. That is our calling. The supernatural grace of God is sufficient to enable us to follow the leading of the Holy Ghost to accomplish that. Have a blessed day.

09/06/2026

09/04/2026

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:9=10 KJV

Two very important topics are being dealt with here. Weariness and how are we to respond when we someone who is growing weary and tired. Most people just don’t want to get involved with other people’s lives. They sense that they are becoming intrusive into someone else’s personal lives and don’t want to be repelled. This is understandable as most people will resist when they sense someone being intrusive. Their lives are theirs and they don’t want anyone imposing themselves on them. Again, that is understandable. But weariness can be a dangerous place to be. It can lead to discouragement and a sense that there is no hope. This leads to depression which is dangerous. It would be much better for someone to take the risk of being repelled when they approach someone than to learn that that same person became self destructive just because they felt that no one cared. The truth is that we all deal with weariness; this life can be over taxing at times. The world is broken and it is full of broken people. Deep down they long for companionship, for a real friend that cares enough to become intrusive. Solomon wrote - “A friend loveth at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17 KJV) The words of Paul are words of hope even in the times when it seems hopeless. His words are for us to hold fast, to not give up, to walk in the understanding that your moment isn’t permanent. But he does not ignore the need for some to surround you with their faith, their steadfastness and not allow your being weary to overwhelm you. If you can’t stand on your own, lean on them. Let them prop you up. We have a wonderful illustration of this in the life of Moses. When the Amalekites attacked Israel from behind, Moses stopped the journey, commissioned Joshua to marshal an army and drive the Amalekites away. Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of a hill overlooking the battle. As long as Moses’ hands were lifted, Joshua and Israel prevailed. When his hands began to grow tired, the Amalekites began to prevail. Aaron and Hur held up the hands of Moses when he became so tired that he couldn’t hold his hands up any longer. Then something important happened. Moses became so weary he could not stand. Aaron and Hur led Moses to a rock and he sat on the rock. That rock was a type of Christ and Aaron and Hur represent us. When we see a brother or sister growing weary, hold them in your prayers, lead them to the only resting place we have which is Christ. Then and only then will we have successfully brought encouragement, hope and faith back into their hearts. That is our responsibility one to another. Solomon also wrote - “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 KJV) Have a blessed day.

09/03/2026

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV

Study. This is a word we associated with schools, books and libraries. We study because we are about to take a test and it is vital to our passing, or our job, or maybe a promotion. What Paul is really saying to Timothy is the purpose of our applying ourselves to studying the word of God. And that is application. We must learn to apply God’s word to our lives. But in Timothy’s case, it went even further in meaning as Timothy was the Bishop of the church at Ephesus. His example was vital for the success of the church. How was Timothy going to be able to teach others how to live if he did not practice what he was preaching? The word that Paul uses for “approved” is a strong word that warrants attention. “Approved” is translated from the Greek word, “dokimos,” and it has a rich history in the Greek world. It was a word that was used to mean “integrity and acceptable.” The word was used concerning the commerce of the day, and the coins that were circulated in the markets. There was no banking system as we have today; the currency was all in precious metal coins. The metal would be heated until it reached its liquid state and then poured into molds. When in use the money exchangers would value the coin based on weight. But in some cases, the coins were taken at face value without being weighed, and in those cases the merchant could be swindled. How? Many of the smiths who were making the coins would shave the coin as much as they could without getting caught making the coin weigh less than it should. The merchants who did not weigh or demand currency from the money exchangers wouldn’t be receiving the correct weight the coin was supposed to weigh. So, when the merchant went to the money exchangers to exchange the coins for their local coins, they would find out that the coins were not as valuable as they thought. They looked right, but were less than acceptable. And that is what Paul is saying to Timothy. He is saying to his young protege that he is to apply himself to studying the Word of God, not just for knowledge, but for the knowledge of how we are called to live. And this is why we are called to be a people of integrity. What does the word “integrity” actually mean? It means “whole.” In mathematics, it means a “whole number”; not a fraction or a decimal; a whole number. This speaks so much of who we are to be. The problem is that we are all broken people. How can a broken people become a whole people? This is where the relationship we have with Christ comes into the picture. The Apostle Paul wrote to in Colossians - “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” (Colossians 2:10 KJV) This is where the word “study” comes into the picture. The word is translated from the Greek word, “spoudazō”; and it means “to exert one's self, endeavour, give diligence.” This word means that Timothy was being called to be diligent to the point that he is applying the knowledge he has gained from the Word of God, he is self-examining. And that is what makes us a people of integrity. A person of integrity will not compromise biblical convictions even if it is to his personal advantage. That is the kind of lifestyle we are all called to live. Have a blessed day.

09/03/2026

Wednesday Night 09-02-2026

09/02/2026

“And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:” 1 Peter 1:17 KJV

Where has the fear of God gone? The answer to that question is really simple. The fear of God left when people begin to reject the Bible as being the absolute truth. No one wants to accept a standard of living that has the last say over our lives. This leads to a life without restraints. There has to be a sense of right and wrong; a standard that declares this. And that is what the Bible does in our lives. This is seen in the church as much as it is seen in the world. Christians today are ready to accept what is convenient for their lives, but the moment that the Bible stops being convenient, then the rejection starts. We can’t have it our way all the time. Peter is writing to a church that is in a constant state of transition; the early church faced so many struggles and attacks that the believers did not have a safe place to live out their lives in peace. And that is why Peter makes this statement. What does the word “sojourning” mean? according to the Greek definition, it means “dwelling in a strange land.” The age that we live in is a time of great apostasy; it is a time where we are witnessing mainline Protestant churches abandoning their conviction in the Bible being the absolute truth of God and that Jesus was actually born of a virgin, that He died and has arose from that grave. This apostasy begins with abandoning the Bible as absolute truth. Once that standard is abandoned, the restraints are removed. All types of lawless behavior becomes okay. Any person living in any kind of lifestyle can become a minister. Sin is no longer sin, it is alternate lifestyles. If the Bible calls lying a sin, then lying is a sin. If the Bible calls adultery a sin, then adultery is a sin. If the Bible calls stealing a sin, then stealing is a sin. And if the Bible calls illicit sexual behavior a sin, then illicit sexual behavior is a sin. Once we accept the Bible as the Word of God/absolute truth, then we find parameters to our lives being established. There are things we cannot do as believers; there are places we have no place going as believers and there is language we have no business speaking. It is called “walking in the fear of God.” When Abram (who later would be called “Abraham”) was called by God to leave Ur of the Chaldees to go to a land of promise which God would show you, Abram left. Along the journey, God reiterated time and again that Abram’s lineage would be a great lineage; that God would make the descendants of Abram a great nation. There came a point in Abram’s life that God spoke these words to Abram that would become the defining moment in Abram’s life - “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” (Genesis 17:1 KJV) This was spoken to Abram when he was ninety years old and it would be another ten years before the promised child, Isaac, would be born. It highlights that we must be faithful to the end. It is our faithfulness that brings the favor of God over our lives while we are sojourning through this wilderness of sin. The fear of God is born out of a conviction that the Word of God is just that, the Word of God. It is that reverential fear that creates a faithful person. Let’s recapture that conviction that the Bible is God’s absolute truth and walk in the parameters it establishes. Have a blessed day.

09/01/2026

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Proverbs 18:21 KJV

We are all faced with the job of developing either a positive or a negative mindset in life. But the truth is that both of these mindsets are in all of us. No matter how much you confess positive things over your life or the positive attitude you have in life, there are going to be some negative points along the way. Just like an electrical path has a positive and a negative side for it to flow, life is full of great moments and bad moments in life. The positive side keeps us motivated; the negative side keeps us grounded. The problem so many face is staying motivated in the times when things are going wrong. Life is to be faced. Head-on. Worrying doesn’t help. Anxiety turns things out of control. But getting up every morning and heading to a job and facing the challenges of the job with a positive mindset keeps you advancing. Just what does it mean to have a positive mindset? It is the attitude that when the problem presents itself, you will figure it out and solve it. Not worry about it. Not grow anxious about it. Solve it. Life is full of solving problems. The old adage is that of the glass that is half filled. Is it half full or is it half empty? That depends on how you see it in your mind. In our text, we are seeing that “death and life are in the power of the tongue.” This is not about positive confession. All of us has heard these crazy people talking about ignoring the bad and focusing on the good; speaking positive words over your life and never saying anything negative. As if our words actually had creative power. Your words can determine how you face the moment you are in, but they will never change the circumstances you are facing. You can encourage yourself with words that speak confidence and courage so that facing the moment will be the right course to take. It always is. Solomon makes a statement in the last phrase that is vital to our understanding what he means - “And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Some people love to see life as always being hard, difficult and overwhelming. All they can talk about is how hard things are. Yes, they can be hard. The problem with loving the negative side of life is that you become a negative person in life. The problems are never solved and the worrying never stops. They embrace anxiety and stress. That is no way to live. For the believer, we need to hear the words that God reminded Joshua of that He had originally spoke to Moses. Joshua is now the leader and these advisory words would become life giving words. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” (Joshua 1:8 KJV) Christian, speak the Word of God over your life. Apply the principles of the Word of God to your life. Yes, it rains on the just and the unjust. But we fail to realize what Jesus was really saying concerning the rain. Rain in that time was the blessing and favor of God. Jesus was not talking about how hard life was; He was talking about the blessings and favor God has for all mankind. Our lives are meant to have both the positive and the negative sides; it keeps our lives flowing much like the current in an electrical grid. The positive side is the blessings and favor of God over our lives; the negative side are the problems we face that challenge us, stretches us, and hones our lives into a life that bests represents who Christ is. So, don’t let worry and anxiety control your life; allow God’s word to speak life into you. Have a blessed day.

08/31/2026

“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” Luke 12:15 KJV

How easy is it to become caught up in the vise of acquiring. Acquiring what? Money. Automobiles. Houses. In other words, investments. We are supposed to work and be prudent with our money. There is nothing wrong with acquiring wealth to make life more comfortable. We cannot deny that the Bible teaches us to try and expand and prosper. One of the great promises of the Old Testament is found in the opening chapter of Isaiah - “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:” (Isaiah 1:19 KJV) This was a promise of the blessings and favor of God if Israel would walk in obedience. Jesus is emphasizing the desire of God to bless His people when He taught the Parable of Talents. A talent was a weight equal to 75.4 pounds and the currency of that time was in gold and silver coins. When you do the research you will find that Jesus used a large number to express the value of our time and talents being used in the kingdom of God. Which is what we need to see here in our text. The most valuable commodity you have is your time. We sell our time everyday. We go to work for a wage. We invest time into education to make a good income. We are constantly trading our time without any regard that we are actually running out of time. This is why Jesus says - “…for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he possesseth.” We feel as if the value of our life is measured by what we have acquired in life. Sure, you may be remembered for your aggressiveness in your field of work; how you approached your career with a drive that was unparalleled. And it made you “successful.” But keep in mind, when you are being remembered, you are gone. You did not take any of the money, none of the stuff, not any of your titles into eternity. Job best states this when he was suffering so much - “and said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” (Job 1:21 KJV) He had been at the top of the ladder in his world, the richest man in the east. And in just a single day, it was all swept away. Life is just that uncertain. So how should we approach our lives. Should we just take life one day at a time with no plan or drive to be successful? Absolutely not. Life is about perspective. We need to have an eternal perspective of life that keeps us even keeled in this life. The last thing anyone wants is to find themselves “turtled” in life. That is upside down and no ability to get right side up. When that happens you are going to sink. We won’t find anywhere in God’s word that God calls us to pursue poverty or just barely get by. God instills in all of us a will to work and to advance. But it must be kept in check to where the desire to acquire becomes so addictive that it controls our daily lives. Balance is what Jesus is emphasizing here. Keeping our bearings in line with the eternal perspective of life. Sometimes we can find the lines between an eternal and a temporal perspective becoming blurred. That is when we start applying the Word of God to our lives to find our moral bearings. Have a blessed day.