Selah - A Podcast by Koinonia Fellowship

Pastor Ray Viola
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  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

Pastors Ray Viola and Ben Hiwale go through the Bible line-by-line, precept-by-precept in a series of in-depth teachings. Our prayer for this podcast series is that you would KNOW CHRIST, GROW IN CHRIST, PROCLAIM CHRIST, and bring GLORY TO GOD.

  1. 5d ago

    No Room for Neutrality

    To be a serious follower of The Lord Jesus is not what some people call a “gray area”. In Matthew 5:14-16, The Lord Jesus said to His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." These words of Jesus are contrary to the unbiblical doctrine of the “closet Christian”. There is no such thing taught in Scripture. In Matthew 10:32, 33 Jesus said, "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." In this study in the gospel of John, the lines of separation between those who embrace Jesus as Lord and Christ and those who reject Him are revealed. That same separation is true in our day as well. In Matthew 10:34-39, The Lord Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." The division that a full commitment to Jesus Christ causes is inevitable, because when an individual or a society rejects the final authority of Scripture as the basis of doctrine and daily living and matters concerning holy living, they inevitably will be at variance against those who proclaim the moral darkness of this fallen world system and the truth that Scripture reveals about the I AM claims of Christ. Beloved reader, who or what is your master? Who or what determines what you believe about Jesus? Scripture exhorts you to choose this day whom you will serve. No person can serve two masters. To choose to follow Jesus as Lord and Saviour is to choose eternal life. To choose to reject to follow Jesus as Lord and Saviour is to choose eternal damnation. Those are not my words, they are the words of Jesus Himself. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6). For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23) Selah Koinonia Fellowship Sundays at 8:30a and 10:30a 500 Main St. East Rochester, NY 14445 koinoniafellowship.com

    No Room for Neutrality

  2. Jul 26

    Rivers of Living Water

    Every river has its headwaters. The Ganges River has the Gangotri Glacier, the Amazon River has the melting snow of the Andes mountains, and the Mississippi River has Lake Itasca. These great rivers need their source. Without it, there is no river. It is Lake Victoria and the Ethiopian highlands that eventually converge to form the world’s largest river - the Nile. Take away the headwaters, and you take away the river. Take away the Nile, and you have a barren, uninhabitable wasteland. We are that wasteland. As mere men, we are uninhabitable to any spiritual life because no living water is naturally found in our land. If there is to be any life in us, we must find headwaters - living head waters. There, at the source, it is remarkable how only a single small trickle can quickly accumulate into a raging river. Christ is that singular source. And he bids all the spiritually barren men and women to come to him and drink. One sip of Christ is more than enough to put the Nile to shame. Not only will it nourish the land of our souls entirely, but it will flow out from our souls to others. Koinonia Fellowship Sundays at 8:30a and 10:30a 500 Main St. East Rochester, NY 14445 koinoniafellowship.com

    Rivers of Living Water

  3. Jul 12

    He That Hath an Ear, Let Him Hear

    The Lord Jesus says in John 7:16,17 "Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me . If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." Obedience is the conduit by which knowledge increases. Knowing doctrine is vitally important. It is one of the purposes of Scripture. But the goal of all doctrine is application of Scripture. 2 Tim 3:16,17 says, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Please note with me beloved that all Scripture is useful for doctrine (teaching), reproof (rebuking those in sin), correction (of those in error), and instruction (training) in righteousness. The purpose of the proper use of Scripture is that the man of God may be conformed into the image of Jesus and thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Pastor Titus tells us in verses 11-14 in chapter 2 that "the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Oh precious church family, the fruit of abiding in Jesus that we read about in John 15 is going to be evidenced by the fruit of The Spirit recorded in Galatians 5:22,23 in our lives. It is not until the truth of Scripture is applied to our lives that we truly begin to grow in grace and grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. That is when our lives bring glory to God (John 5:14-16), when we study Gods Word together. Let us not be content with just hearing God’s word academically, let us yield that truth to The Holy Spirit and ask Him to apply it to our lives (John 8:31,32) . Selah Koinonia Fellowship Sundays at 8:30a and 10:30a 500 Main St. East Rochester, NY 14445 koinoniafellowship.com

    He That Hath an Ear, Let Him Hear

  4. Jun 28

    Will You Go or Will You Stay?

    When Jesus finished teaching in John 6, many of His disciples walked away. It is one of the saddest scenes in the Gospels. They had witnessed miracles. They had eaten the loaves and the fishes. They had heard the greatest Teacher who ever lived. But when His words became difficult, they decided they had heard enough. Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked a haunting question: "Do you want to go away as well?" Peter perhaps answered for all of us when he said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." (John 6:68) Notice that Peter doesn't say, "Lord, I understand everything You said." He was probably just as confused as everybody else. He simply knew there is no place else to go. Every believer reaches moments when God's Word confronts us instead of comforting us. There are teachings we wrestle with, prayers that seem to go unanswered, seasons that test our faith, and voices all around us inviting us to walk away. In those moments, the question is not whether we understand everything. The question is whether we believe Jesus is still the only One who has life. The world offers endless substitutes. Success. Comfort. Self-help. Entertainment. Even religion can become just another way we try to improve ourselves. But only Christ raises the spiritually dead. He is not a crutch for people trying to walk a little better. He is the Savior who gives life to those who could never save themselves. Stay with Jesus. Even when His words are hard. Even when the road is narrow. Even when others turn back. Because there is nowhere else we can find life. Koinonia Fellowship Sundays at 8:30a and 10:30a 500 Main St. East Rochester, NY 14445 koinoniafellowship.com

    Will You Go or Will You Stay?

  5. Jun 21

    Rise Up O Men of God

    One of the remarkable attributes of God is His design and order as it relates to creation, the home, and the church. Within those God-ordained designs and order in creation, there are spiritual laws, like the law of gravity, that cannot be defied without suffering consequences. Paul writes in Ephesians 5:23 "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church." This is as true today as it was when the ink of divine inspiration hit the parchments of Scripture. The Bible teaches that the principle of submission to headship is best understood and illustrated within the Trinity as something that is to be believed and embraced. 1 Cor 11.3 "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman (in marriage) is the man; and the head of Christ is God." Even though Jesus Christ is God (John 1:1;14), Paul tells us that the head of Christ is God. Philippians 2 says that even though Jesus Christ was equal with God, He made Himself of no reputation, humbled himself and became submissive to the Father according to the design of God as Son of Man. Thus, when God’s Word says, “Wives, submit to your husbands and husbands lay down your lives for your wives, contrary to popular opinion, that’s not degrading wives nor is it exalting husbands. Nor is that hateful. Those are the words of Our gracious, loving, all wise, all knowing Heavenly Father in heaven talking to His children Who only wants the very best for us. God has an ordained order to be followed within the Godhead just as He has established God-ordained order, for the home and the church for functional purposes. When I first came to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, I remember singing this chorus in church, “Rise up O men of God, Have done with lesser things, Give heart and soul and mind and strength, To serve the King of Kings To serve the King of Kings.” I believe with all of my heart and soul that those lyrics are the cry of our Heavenly Father to every father, grandfather and husband. A God fearing, Bible believing husband and father is one of the most unsung, upraised, unnoticed, and unappreciated individuals in today’s fallen, upside down society. I cannot think of a more critical time in the history of the church or the history of our nation than right now for husbands and fathers in the Body of Christ to rise up and take the lead in their homes and their biblical, God ordained places in the church than right now. Unless you live in a cave, I do not need to tell you that the church is living in a society that is at war with the very biblical foundations regarding manhood and fatherhood. Sadly that very same spirit has crept its way into the church as well, and the apostle John calls it the spirit of anti-Christ. The doctrine of male headship in the home has stood without question for over 2,000 years. But in the past 75 years or so and up to the present hour, a strange wind called the feminist movement challenged all and any male domination. That spirit has not only swept through our nation's educational systems, but has crept its way into the church under the banner of progressive or liberation theology. Beloved, God’s design for order in the home and church has not changed. When His Word is submitted to and embraced, there are blessings and fruit that bring the glory of God and satisfaction to the home and church. The challenge of God to all husbands and fathers today is to take your role seriously. Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit and the power, grace, strength and courage to this high, holy and honorable calling of design and order for the glory of God. SELAH Koinonia Fellowship Sundays at 8:30a and 10:30a 500 Main St. East Rochester, NY 14445 koinoniafellowship.com

  6. Jun 14

    Eating Is Believing

    This section of John’s gospel is one that has been another source of discussion and even debate amongst Christians, and it all revolves around the verses, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed (John 6:53-55). Based on these verses that we are studying this morning, the critics of the early church said that Christians were actually condoning a form of cannibalism. Based on these very same verses, other interpreted them to mean that Jesus was using these verses to teach transubstantiation and the sacrament of communion. Keep in mind that according to passages like Lev 7:26–27, the Jews were forbidden to drink blood, and in the upper room teaching on what we call The Lord’s Supper on Passover, the apostles would have understood that Jesus was referring to the bread and the cup symbolically, not literally. He was revealing to them that He is The Lamb of God Who would replace the Old Testament types and shadows. Since Jesus is revealing in this chapter that He Himself is the Bread of Life, what does He really mean by “eating His flesh” and “drinking His blood?” Eating the living Bread is a figure of speech meaning to believe on Him, like the figures of speech: coming to Him (v. 35), listening to Him, (v. 45), and seeing Him (v. 40). What Jesus is clearly teaching here is that He going to give Himself on the cross as The Lamb of God for the sins of the world. Jesus is speaking prophetically to His impending sacrifice upon the cross. 2 Cor 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 1 Pet 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. The gospel message is that the atonement of sin and salvation for sinners is by grace alone, through faith in the the sacrificial death of the Lamb of God (John 1:29). While I would not be wrong to say that what Jesus is saying here could be seen as foreshadowing the Lord’s Supper, but when you look at the totality of Scripture and the context of His words here, Jesus is clearly and simply teaching that He is The True Bread from heaven and that the eating and drinking of His flesh and blood is a metaphor for believing on Him submitting of our lives to Him as Lord. Does that describe you, my dear readers? SELAH Koinonia Fellowship Sundays at 8:30a and 10:30a 500 Main St. East Rochester, NY 14445 koinoniafellowship.com

    Eating Is Believing

  7. Jun 7

    Elated by Election

    This passage is filled with Scripture that has been a source of theological debate for centuries, and it all centers around two biblical truths: the sovereignty of God and human responsibility when dealing with soteriology (the doctrine of man’s salvation). John 6:37 reads: "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." There are some people who put all their eggs in the basket of election, and that is based upon the first part of the verse, which is absolutely true. There are others who put all their eggs in the basket of human responsibility, and that is based upon the second part of this verse and is also absolutely true. Divine election and human responsibility are both in this verse. It was once said that to try to comprehend the infinite mind of God with the finite human mind is like trying to pour all of the water in the ocean into a thimble. Charles Spurgeon once said this: “If the Lord had put a yellow stripe down the backs of the elect, I’d go up and down the street lifting up shirttails, finding out who had the yellow stripe, and then I’d give them the gospel. But God didn’t do it that way. He told me to preach the gospel to every creature, that ‘whosoever will may come.’ The bottom line, beloved, is this. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable, and the totality of Scripture clearly reveals the undeniable sovereignty of God and the undeniable fact of human responsibility. The glorious truth that is tucked away in our study today is the doctrine of the eternal security of those who place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation of their souls. The souls that truly repent and trust in the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ will all be raised from the dead on the last day! (John 6:39,40;44;55). Jesus Christ, The Good Shepherd declares that not one soul who believes in Him will be lost. Preaching this message outdoors to a mixed multitude of people with mixed hearts regarding Him, Jesus identifies Himself as The Bread of Life and He that believeth on me hath everlasting life (John 6:47,48). The question that every person who is reading this devotional has to ask themselves is this. Who do I believe that Jesus Christ is? If you can answer that by grace alone through faith alone, I have chosen to follow Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior, then both you and I can be elated by the fact that foundation of the world, God has chosen us in Christ. SELAH Koinonia Fellowship Sundays at 8:30a and 10:30a 500 Main St. East Rochester, NY 14445 koinoniafellowship.com

    Elated by Election

  8. May 31

    The Motives of the Multitudes

    The writer to the Hebrews said this. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Heb 4:12-13 Motives matter to God, beloved. Nothing can be hidden from Him. The Lord God knows the true thoughts and secret motives of our hearts. This truth of Scripture is revealed in the motives of the multitudes who saw firsthand the miracles that Jesus did (John 6:2) as well as the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Jesus knew that the people were fixated on the product of the miracle, not The Person Who performed the miracle. The multitudes were fixated on the bread that satisfied their earthly need instead of The Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus told the multitude back then and the multitude who may be reading this devotional, Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed (John 6:27). Does that mean that Jesus does not care about our daily physical needs? Of course not. Read Matthew 6. Jesus simply does not want us to be neither anxious about them nor covetous for them. Jesus wants our hearts. He does not want anything or anyone to take His place in our heart. The multitudes were craving the miracles from Jesus instead of a relationship and intimacy with Jesus. Can the church fall into the same sin as the multitude? Is it possible that the church or individual Christians can be doing the right things with the wrong motives? In Revelation 2:2&3, we read that the church of Ephesus did many wonderful things, but The Lord Jesus said that they did them with the wrong motives. Listen to Jesus what Jesus Himself said to this church. Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left (not lost) thy first love. Paul had once commended the church at Ephesus for its love for God and others (Ephesians 1:15), but here they are many years later and according to Jesus they were heartlessly going through the motions. They were a very busy church, but they were “serving God” with wrong motives. Beloved, whatever we do “in The Name of The Lord” must be motivated by love for God and for His glory or it is nothing more than wood, hay, and stubble at the Judgement Seat of Christ (1 Cor 13:1-4). Jer 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. My dear church family or my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, motives matter. Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him (Col 3:17). And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ (Col 3:23,24). May God give unto us as a church family the grace that we need to do whatever we do with thankful hearts of worship and praise to our Glorious King. Selah Koinonia Fellowship Sundays at 8:30a and 10:30a 500 Main St. East Rochester, NY 14445 koinoniafellowship.com

    The Motives of the Multitudes
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About

Pastors Ray Viola and Ben Hiwale go through the Bible line-by-line, precept-by-precept in a series of in-depth teachings. Our prayer for this podcast series is that you would KNOW CHRIST, GROW IN CHRIST, PROCLAIM CHRIST, and bring GLORY TO GOD.

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