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The Father’s Photo Album

Posted on March 5, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

Isaiah 49:1-6 (KJV) Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. [2] And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; [3] And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. [4] Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God. [5] And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. [6] And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

When each of our children were born Sherry and I took pictures of them that we placed in our family album. You can go through the numerous photo albums that we have and see our babies, our toddlers, our children, our adolescents, our young adults. We took pictures of them in parks, on trips, sitting with their grandparents and great grandparents, on vacations, and even when my oldest son was married with his new bride. Times have changed. We used to take pictures on Kodak Film in Kodak cameras. Today there is no Kodak. I still have negatives of all our old pictures. Not sure how I’d develop them … everything is digital now. But even though the medium changed, we still take pictures. We take them so we can look back and remember. That’s because we are parents who love our children.

God the Father loves His Son. When God takes a picture, He doesn’t use Kodak or digital cameras, and certainly doesn’t use film. God shows us pictures through His Word, painting us word pictures, describing His Family. In Isaiah 49 today we have one of God’s photo albums. We have pictures that He has given us of His Son Jesus Christ.

We take pictures to look back and remember.
The Father takes pictures to look forward and proclaim.
Isaiah 49 is a Prophetic Picture Album of Jesus Christ.

In our picture albums we had no voice. Our parents took pictures of us – sometimes embarrassing (like when we are in the tub) – sometimes celebrating (like birthday parties). In Isaiah 49 our Lord Jesus speaks. The Word Who was WITH God and the Word Who WAS God speaks.

John 1:1-3 (NKJV) … the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

Our Jesus Is Unique Among Men

What does Jesus say?
First He proclaims His uniqueness to the whole world.

Isaiah 49:1 (KJV) LISTEN, O ISLES, UNTO ME; AND HEARKEN, YE PEOPLE, FROM FAR; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.

Jesus Christ is the uniquely called Son of God. He is unlike any other. He was not named by Mary His earth nor by Joseph His stepfather. The LORD, the Great I AM called Jesus from the womb. Before He was even concieved the Virgin Mary was told:

Luke 1:31-33 (KJV) And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. [32] He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: [33] And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Once concieved and yet still in His mother, unborn but Eternally Immortal, the Angel told Joseph:

Matthew 1:20-21 (KJV) … fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. [21] And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

He and He alone shall save His people from their sins. There is no other Savior. There is no other solution to our sin problem but Christ. As He cries out from this Prophetic Photo He and He alone shall save His people from their sins. There is no other Savior. There is no other Way unto Heaven but reliance on Him.

J.D. Greear related how he tried to witness to a young lady on a plane one day. When he told her that faith in Christ is the only way to be saved she said “Surely you are not saying that your way is the only way to God”. When he pointed out that Jesus said this in Scripture:

John 14:6 (KJV) … I am the way, the truth, and the life: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY ME.

She replied “That has to be the most arrogant, closed minded thing I’ve ever heard someone say. I can’t believe anybody today would be so bigoted as to think that there is only one way to God. What kind of God is that? That’s not a God I want to know.”

As the plane began to descend Pastor Greear said “I’m sure glad the pilot of this airplane doesn’t look at the airport the way you look at truth. … Say he announces, ‘You know, I’m sick of this arrogant little “control tower” always saying I’ve got to land this 737 on a narrow little strip of cement they call a “runway”. That’s their way, not mine. I am an open minded pilot, so today I’m going to land on the interstate. Or try to balance this aircraft nose first on the tip of the Bank of America building downtown.’ Personally I’m glad that our pilot chooses to enter the airport along that narrow little way the control tower lays out for him”. (from “You Don’t Get To Choose Your Own Personal Jesus, pp 9-10)

Christ is “the Word made flesh Who dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Jesus Christ was the One of Whom it was prophesied He would be “born of a Virgin”

Isaiah 7:14 (KJV) Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Matthew 1:23 (NKJV) Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Jesus warned us that “false christs and false prophets shall arise and show great signs and wonders to deceive” (Matthew 24:24). We are not to believe this, nor to even consider it. Though all the world be against us, there is but ONE Savior, ONE Christ, ONE Jesus Who came to save the world. All others who came before Christ were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them (John 10:8). Christ came to save His people.

Isaiah 49:2 (KJV) And He (the LORD) hath made MY MOUTH LIKE A SHARP SWORD; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;

Jersus came to clearly speak the Word and Will of the Father. He was protected by the Father as He spoke. If you have been here on Sunday nights as we have studied the Book of Revelation we saw Jesus described as the One Who…

Revelation 1:16 (NKJV) … had in His right hand seven stars, OUT OF HIS MOUTH WENT A SHARP TWO-EDGED SWORD, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.

Revelation 19:15 (NKJV) Now OUT OF HIS MOUTH GOES A SHARP SWORD, that with it He should strike the nations….

When Christ came His Word would cut the the very soul of those who heard Him (see Hebrews 4:12). The religious but lost Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes, as well as the Priest of the Temple, were so incensed by His Words that they plotted to kill Him (see Matthew 26:4). But Jesus spoke the truth of the Father in love.

Though the word often cut, Jesus like a surgeon cut in order in order to heal.
Until the heart looks upward, broken and repenting,
There is no salvation.

Jesus Is The Israel Of God – The Savior

Isaiah 49:3 (KJV) And (the LORD) said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

This verse confuses many people, because here the Messiah is called “Israel”. Why does the Father call Him Israel? First because “Israel” as a name means “The Prince of God”. Jesus came to do His Father’s will, to serve Him by revealing the Father in His life. When God named a nation “Israel” that people was supposed to be obedient and loving, revealing God the Father in their daily lives. Israel the nation never came close to this mark. Israel was supposed to shine as a light to the world, telling others of the Coming Christ. But Israel refused to believe. The Bible says of Jesus:

John 1:11 (NKJV) {Jesus} came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

God sent His Son – The Prince With God – to save Israel first. Jesus was born a Jew because God is faithful to His Promises. He promised Abraham that:

Genesus 12:1-3 Now the Lord had said to Abram:
“Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
2 I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

It was God’s intention to “bless all the families of the earth” through Abraham. But first God would “make of Abraham a great nation”. This was Israel the nation, a nation that should have loved God but did not.

No nation that hates God and His Word can ever truly be great.
No nation that hates God and His Word can ever truly be great.
No nation that hates God and His Word can ever truly be great.

For God to make His promise true to Abraham He had to save Israel the nation. So He sent Christ to Israel FIRST. When Jesus called His disciples He told them:

Matthew 10:5-7 (NKJV) … Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

The modern liberal mind would read this and think Jesus to be racist or Samaritanphobic. They would be wrong. When a Samaritan woman came to Jesus pleading that He heal her daughter He said:

Matthew 15:24 (NKJV) … I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

He was not being racist, but He was doing the Father’s will. Jesus came to the Jew first. He was sent as Israel to redeem Israel. We read this earlier …

Isaiah 49:5-6 (KJV) And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, TO BRING JACOB AGAIN TO HIM, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. [6] And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be MY SERVANT TO RAISE UP THE TRIBES OF JACOB, AND TO RESTORE THE PRESERVED OF ISRAEL: ….

Christ came first for the Jews. He came as a Jew to save the Jew, to save Israel, to redeem Abraham’s nation. He was not racist, nor gentilephobic. Jesus was given an orderly mission, to come and present Himself as the Servant of YAHWEH, the MESSIAH that Israel so desperately needed. As the Apostle Paul said:

Romans 1:16-17 (NKJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, FOR THE JEW FIRST and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

Though Jesus would tell the Samaritan woman:

Matthew 15:26 (NKJV) … “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”

When she persisted in faith, saying “But Lord, even the little dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the children’s table” our Lord commended her faith and healed her child. Christ was not racist. He came for Israel first. But when Israel – through the Scribes, Pharisees, and Priests rejected Christ He told His disciples

Later on in His ministry Jesus would tell His disciples to go to the Gentiles. In His Great Commission to the Church Jesus specifically commanded that the whole world hear of His Gospel. He said:

Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV) Go therefore and make disciples of ALL THE NATIONS, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

and before Jesus ascended into glory He said:

Acts 1:8 (NKJV) But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE END OF THE EARTH.”

Racism is of the devil, not of God. God sent His Son into ALL the world to save ALL who will believe in Him. We even see this in Isaiah. The Father says to the Son:

Isaiah 49:6 (KJV) And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I WILL ALSO GIVE THEE FOR A LIGHT TO THE GENTILES, THAT THOU MAYEST BE MY SALVATION UNTO THE END OF THE EARTH.

Jesus was to “raise up the tribes of Jacob and restore Israel”. But the Father said that Jesus was also “to be a light to the Gentiles, to be God’s salvation to the end of the earth”. Jesus came for the Jew first. When Israel rejected Christ, the Apostle Paul says the the Gentiles …

Romans 11:19-24 (NKJV) You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

God always intended on saving the world through Christ His blessed Son, but He sent Jesus to Israel first. Once He presented Himself to Israel, Jesus went on to present Himself to the Gentiles as the Savior of the world.

John 4:42 (NKJV) … “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”

1 John 4:14 (NKJV) … we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.

How Then Does Christ Save Us?

Isaiah 49:8 (KJV) Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give Thee for a Covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

How did Christ save whosoever will? How is salvation possible through Him and only Him? He Himself became the Covenant of the people. How did Jesus become the Covenant of the people? We read:

Isaiah 49:16 (KJV) Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

we start with the word BEHOLD! The word BEHOLD is a word of wonder, of admiration, of excitement. Found in 1275 verses in the Bible BEHOLD was used by God when He presented Paradise to Adam and Eve:

Genesis 1:29 (KJV) And God said, BEHOLD, I have given you…

Behold Him. Behold the Jesus, mocked and beaten,

John 19:5 (KJV) … WEARING THE CROWN OF THORNS, AND THE PURPLE ROBE. And Pilate saith unto them, BEHOLD THE MAN!

Behold Him! Behold Him Who said “I have graven thee on the palms of my hands”. Jesus said:

John 10:17-18 (NKJV) …. I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I LAY IT DOWN OF MYSELF. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

Jesus says “I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands”. He was not murdered, but sacrificed. He was laid upon the altar of the Cross so that – dying and bleeding – He could pay for your sins and mine.

Jesus died for SINNERS.

Romans 5:8 (KJV) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US.

Jesus died for SINNERS.

Mark 2:17 (KJV) … They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Jesus died for SINNERS.

God manifested Himself in the flesh for all people, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). He chose the nails. He chose to die. He died to pay my way into glory. Jesus says:

I have engraved YOU.

There will come a day when you will stand before God. Perhaps the Lord will ask,

Why do you deserve to enter My Heaven, My Paradise?
Adam enter My Paradise because He was born it it.
Why should YOU deserve My Paradise?

What will you say? What work will you rely on to enter Heaven. I am told that a few weeks ago someone left the service complaining because the preacher went 15 minutes over time. Will grudgingly given attendance at a worship service get you into Heaven? Will the little bill you put in the offering plate get you entrance into Heaven? Will your twice a year visits to the Church at Easter and Christmas get you into Heaven.

Why do YOU deserve to enter MY Heaven, My Paradise?

On the day that I am asked this question I will not note the number of sermons I preached, nor my tithe, nor my attendance, nor my work in nursing homes and hospitals. When I stand before God and hear this question asked I will look for my Jesus, and find Him faithful. He will speak for me. He will point to the nail scars in His hands and say “Father, here is David. These wounds are David. They are His sins. My Blood covers them. I paid the penalty. He is engraved in My hands!”

Praise God for this unspeakable Gift of salvation. Oh, how I love Jesus. Oh, how I hope you love Jesus. If you are engraved on His hands, if He was pierced for You, He says:

Isaiah 49:16 (KJV) Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; THY WALLS ARE CONTINUALLY BEFORE ME.

Jesus cares for His own. He protects His own. He is able to protect me now, and throughout eternity … blessed be the Name of Jesus!

May God touch your hearts with His Word!

Posted in Isaiah, salvation, Sermons Preached, sin, singing | Tagged Calvary, crucified, Jesus Christ, salvation | Leave a comment

Walking Without Fear In Smyrna

Posted on March 5, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

Revelation 2:8-11 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; 9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

We have been studying through the Book of Revelation, so named in the first verse of the first chapter:

Revelation 1:1 (KJV) The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

John was given this Revelation of Christ while suffering for the faith on the Isle of Patmos. The Christian is well acquainted with suffering. The Christian and the Church that suffers for the Name of Jesus will be persecuted by the world. Tonight we look at a Church called Smyrna, the Suffering Church.

Of the seven Churches that the Lord Jesus Christ addresses in the Book of Revelation, two Churches – Smyrna and Philadelphia – are not rebuked.
Only four verses of Scripture were written to Smyrna, and every bit of it is encouraging.

If you examine the name “Smyrna” you’ll see three letters “MYR” in the middle. The city of Smyrna was famous for producing Myrrh. Myrrh was one of the three gifts – gold, frankincense, and myrrh – that were brought to the baby Jesus by the wise men from the east (Matthew 2:11). Myrrh comes from a shrub like tree that produces a bitter gum. It is made by stripping the leaves from this tree and then pressing or crushing them until the gum came out. Though the gum was bitter, it was very fragrant, and was used in the practice of embalming. When a loved one died the Jews would mix myrrh and aloe, and then use this paste to wrap the body to prepare it for burial. When Jesus died the Bible tells us that:

John 19:39-40 (NKJV) And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. 40 Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.

Myrrh became associated with suffering and death. Our Lord was aware of Myrrh, and He was aware of Smyrna. As Jesus speaks to His suffering Church He tells them:

Revelation 2:8 …. These things saith THE FIRST AND THE LAST …

Jesus is “The First and the Last”. This is an Old Testament name that God applied to Himself. He said:

Isaiah 44:6 (KJV) Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Isaiah 48:12 (NKJV) … I am He. I am the first, I am also the Last …

Jesus Christ is God. He is the One of Whom the Father says:

Hebrews 1:8-9 (NKJV) Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.

Jesus is God, God in the flesh, God manifest. And yet even God suffers. He says:

Revelation 2:8 … These things saith the first and the last, WHICH WAS DEAD, AND IS ALIVE;

Jesus was dead. He suffered on Calvary. He suffered the whip. He was beaten and bruised for the faith of God. He died …. but He now lives forever. Jesus is not a perpetual Victim, but the eternal Victor. He was killed. He was wrapped in Myrrh and Aloe. He was buried in a borrowed tomb. But Jesus rose again on the third day, and is alive forever more.

The Working Christian Suffers

Revelation 2:9 ^(KJV) I know thy WORKS, and TRIBULATION, and POVERTY, (but thou art rich) ….

The Church that does nothing will not suffer.
The Church that compromises with the darkness will not suffer.
The Church that exalts itself and not God will not suffer.
But the Church that works for Christ will suffer.
The Church that acts as the hands and feet of Jesus will suffer.

If Jesus had entered this world and never did anything contrary to the world, then you would never have heard of Jesus. Jesus was not mediocre. He did not blend. He came to “work the works of God” (John 6:28). Jesus came to “be about My Father’s business” (Luke 2:49). Jesus worked so hard for the Father that He said “If you have seen Me you have seen the Father” (John 14:9).

Christ was persecuted because He stood for the Father.
The Church that stands for the Son will be persecuted.

Jesus said in John 15:18-19 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. (19) If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

The Church that lives on GIMME will never suffer or be tried. But the Church that lives for Jesus will be tried. Jesus said

I know your WORKS …
and your TRIBULATION …
and your POVERTY…

To stand for Christ costs us something, and it should cost us something. Are we willing to stand for Him though it lead to TRIBULATION? Are we willing to stand for Him though it lead to POVERTY? Will we follow His Word regardless as to whether it is fashionable, even if they call us …

Bigots
Haters
Whateverphobes

Will we stay the course with Christ while the false churches prosper? Jesus told Smyrna:

Revelation 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which SAY THEY ARE JEWS, AND ARE NOT, but ARE THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN.

There were people in “Synagogues” or local Church buildings that said “We are Jews. We are Christians”. They had Christian names posted on their signs and doors. They had creeds and covenants hanging up in frames behind wooden, quite Christian looking pulpits. But God was not in them. They were of the Church of Satan. Where is the Church of Satan today? There was a formally constituted “Church of Satan” founded by Anton Szandor LaVey on April 30^th 1966. Chelsea Clinton tweeted to the Church of Satan wishing them a Happy New Year this very year. But the Church of Satan that is dangerous is not LaVey’s Church, but the Church that professes Christ but is not possessed of Christ. They “say they are Jews – God’s people – but ARE NOT”. Christ is not honored in their midst. God’s Word is not elevated in their practice. They do not love Jesus, but love the trappings of godless religion. These false churches destroy the witness of God throughout the nation.

The Church at Smyrna SHINED for Jesus. They were not ashamed of Him or His Word.
They stood up for Him, believing His Gospel and His Spirit.

Jesus told the saints at Smyrna …

Revelation 2:9 ^(KJV)I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty,
(BUT THOU ART RICH) …

Smyrna was rich because these believers had their treasure in Heaven. They loved one another and loved the Lord Jesus. The other pretend Christians who said they were of the Jews were in reality like Judas Iscariot. They were of the synagogue of Satan, advancing not the Kingdom of God but helping the devil.

The Shining Church Will Suffer

As our Lord spoke to the Church of Smyrna He didn’t tell them “I know you’ve suffered. Don’t worry – it’s going to get better”. That’s the kind of preaching that everyone loves to hear. You’ve suffered, but it’s almost over. You’re suffering. Here’s how to get out of it. This is the preaching you’ll hear in many pulpits today. Notice what Jesus said:

Revelation 2:10 … FEAR NONE of those things which thou SHALT suffer …

Trials are coming for every Church in America that is doing the will of Christ. True Christians are fair game in our society. Years ago I said:

“I believe the day is coming when same sex marriage is not only legalized,
but forced upon us.”

I said this just four years ago. Today it is legalized, and people are being forced to cater to those who believe in same sex marriage. I believe there will come a day when Churches and Pastors will bew forced to acknowledge what the Scripture says is wrong.It’s coming.

I believe there will come a time when the Gospel is outlawed as hate speech. We will not be able to preach …

Acts 4:12 (NKJV) Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

or … John 14:6 (KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus was quite specific that faith in His finished work is the only Way to the Father. The early Christians were accused of being Atheists by the worshippers of the Roman gods and goddesses. The world will attack the claims of Christ. What does Jesus tell Smyrna?

Revelation 2:10 ….. behold, the devil shall cast some of you into PRISON, that ye may be tried; and ye SHALL HAVE TRIBULATION TEN DAYS

Note two things in this text. You shall have tribulation. It is coming. It is certain. The darkness hates the light, and will fight the light. BUT … TEN DAYS tells us that GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL!

When God created our world and our solar system in Genesis 1 the phrase “God said” occurs TEN times. Creation did not come out of nothing, but from our God. Our God is in charge. He is in control.

Psalms 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

Ten plagues were placed on Egypt.
Ten commandments given to the Children of God.
God is in control!

Psalms 46:1-3 ^(KJV)God [is] our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 [Though] the waters thereof roar [and] be troubled, [though] the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

Grow in your knowledge of God. Know that He is with you. Love Him. Focus on Him, not on the threat that is to come.

Back in the days of the Old West the townspeople were warned that there was going to be an Indian attack, so the people left their homes and moved inside of the walls of the nearby Fort. Once everyone was safely inside the Commander of the Fort called for his Indian tracker. He asked the man, “Can you find out how badly the Fort is going to be attacked?” The tracker said nothing, but knelt down and put his ear to the ground. The tracker, a native American with broken English, said “Bad attack coming. Four chiefs. Four tribes. Many horses. Many guns. Many people. Very bad!” The Commander looked at the tracker and said, “Good grief, you can tell all that just by putting your ear to the ground?” The tracker said, “No! Just looked under gate!”

Jesus told us that we would be persecuted. He told us in the Gospels, and tells us tonight. Yet in the persecution Christ will be with us. Let us look to Him and love Him, remembering that we are His Ambassadors. He has promised to us …

Romans 8:35-37 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? …. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

When tried …. keep your eyes on the Lord!

Dr Charles Stanley spoke of the time early in his ministry when he was surrounded by the bulls of Bashan in his Church. People were attacking him daily. One little old lady in his Church asked for him to come and see her, but he kept putting it off. He figured it was just one more attack. Finally, after many calls, he went to her house. When he got to her house she led him into the living room and pointed to a picture of Daniel in the Lion’s Den that hung on her wall. She asked, “Young man, what do you see?” Charles said “Well, I see Daniel and the lions”. She said “No, no. Look closely. What do you see?” Not knowing what she was looking for and weary from attacks Charles said “I’m sorry. My mind is just not focusing today. What do you want me to see?” She said, “Brother Stanley, look closely at Daniel. What is he looking at?” Charles said “It hit me like a ton of bricks. Daniel was not looking at the lions, but he was looking upward through an opening into Heaven!”

Jesus told His poor, beleagued little Church:

Revelation 2:10-11 ^(KJV) …. be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Jesus said, “He that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death”. The false believer of the Church of Satan will not stand for Christ, and therefore will never enter Heaven. Hell is where Satan and his followers will go, a place called the “second death”, that terrible Lake of Fire. Those who have not accepted Christ as Savior end up in this place of terrible torment. The Bible says:

Revelation 20:14-15 ^(KJV) …. the lake of fire. THIS IS THE SECOND DEATH. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

If Christ is yours and you are Christ’s then your name is written in the Book of Life.
If Christ is yours and you are Christ’s then His Spirit indwells you.
If Christ is yours and you are Christ’s then you know you are His Child.

If Christ is yours and you are Christ’s then you will not collapse when tried.

Bless God for the trials that wake us up. When Jacob wrestled with God he was made lame – and discovered he needed to be saved. When Job was tried though he suffered greatly he said, “I know my Redeemer liveth!” (Job 19:25).

2 Timothy 3:12 ^(KJV)Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Are you His? I pray that you can answer yes with both lips and heart this very day!

Posted in Revelation, Sermons Preached | Tagged fear, Revelation, Trusting God | 1 Comment

Why Not Admit The Error?

Posted on March 3, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

I got angry today.

No, I didn’t lose my temper. I didn’t curse. I was not unreasonable. But I got angry. Why? Let me tell you.

Last year I got my oil changed by the people at Hyundai of Columbia (1370 Nashville Hwy, Columbia, TN 38401). They did an EXCELLENT job. I was in and out in less that 15 minutes. They were professional, and though busy, took the time to do the job right. Since it was time to go get my oil changed again I decided to go back to where I was treated right. So I headed to Hyundai. 15 minutes is no big deal.

I get to the service department, drive in, and ask how much an oil change is. “It’s $29.95”. Sounded great. So I said “I’ve been here before, I should be in the system”. The Service Manager said “We switched our computers over, so you need to fill out this sheet”. I did. No problem. Took about 5 minutes. “Please step inside and have a refreshment. I’ll call you when we’re done”. So I do.

As there are no other cars in the oil change bay I figured I’d be out quickly. I checked in at 11:55 am. Around 12:30 pm the service manager comes in the waiting room. “We do a 25 point inspection on all vehicles, and you need new plugs and plug wires. We can get them from O’Reillys Auto for”… and he quotes a figure. I tell him no, I just need the oil change right now. “We’ll be done shortly”. So I wait. At 12:40 he comes back in. “You’re finished. Let’s step outside.”

I get the bill. It isn’t $29.95, but over $40.00. He said “Whoever changed your oil last time stripped out the oil plug, so we had to charge you for it.” I initially paid him cash, but when he went inside I thought “Wait a minute. Hyundai changed my oil last time.” When he came out I reminded him Hyundai changed my oil last time, so if the plug was stripped they stripped it. I still had the receipt. His reply was “Oh, o.k. I didn’t go over there and see what the technician did, but I’ll refund you the $7.55.” He goes back inside, gets my refund, then comes back out. I’ve been here almost an hour.

Taking my change I get in my van and head toward our Church. But as I’m driving I look at the Hyundai sticker they always post in the window on the driver’s side. They put 5w30 oil in my car. I get to the Church parking lot, pop the hood, and there it is on the valve cover in bright yellow letters. Can you see it? I can. My van runs on 5w20 weight oil. You might think “No big deal” but it is a big deal. Though the wrong weight oil will not immediately damage an engine, it reduces the life of the engine. The ONE thing I went to Hyundai for was an oil change, not for a 25 point inspection. So then I look at my bill. It states on it:

“The customer requests a 25 point inspection.”

No, I did not. So I head back toward Hyundai and the service manager lets me in again. I tell him “I did not ask for a 25 point inspection, nor did I want you to mess with my spark plugs and wires. I did ask you to change the oil, and you did that wrong.” I show him the oil cap. He then proceeds to tell me that all cars automatically get a 25 point inspection whether I request it or not, and then he looks at the technician and with a straight face asks…

“What grade of oil did you put in? It was 5w20 wasn’t it?

The young man said “Yes, that is just a typo. We REALLY put 5w20 in.” I asked “How do I know that. It’s on the receipt, and on the window sticker. Let me speak to a manager.” After a few minutes a manager named “John” came out and I explained the whole thing to him. He turned, looked at the service manager, and said “Change the oil”. Then he walks away.

I watched from the lobby as they changed the oil, hopefully putting the right weight in the engine. I came away from the whole incident angry still. Why? Because NO ONE ADMITTED FAULT. No one APOLOGIZED for my unnecessary wait time. Even John the Manager just said “Change the oil” then walked away, almost disinterested in the whole process. Does this post have a reason other than venting? Yes, it does.

Businesses stay in business when they take care of the customer. If Hyundai would do what they did the first time I went to them they wouldn’t need to manufacture jobs by doing unnecessary 25 point inspections. A business that does not do what it says it will do …. and they PROMISED in writing …

Oil changes done fast! Get in. Get out. Get back to your life.

An hour and 20 minutes is not fast. I could have done it myself in that amount of time. If a business does not satisfy its customers it goes out of business. There is a BoJangles restaurant in town barely staying in business because they make customers wait an inordinate amount of time. There is a Churches Chicken place that sells overcooked chicken. But not far away from both businesses there is a Hardees that is swamped with business. Why? The people are friendly, fast, and the food tasty. People go to businesses to be served. When the service is off – and everyone has off days – APOLOGIZE. An apology would have doused the flame of my anger. We all err. But do NOT try and hide the mistake, or try and manufacture an excuse. Just say I’M SORRY, admit the error, and move on. I had an oil change done at Walmart one time when they forgot to put the oil cap on the valve cover. They apologized and steam cleaned the oil off of my engine. It’s fine. We all err.

There is one other lesson in this post. When we fail in life – no matter who we are – we should apologize to the one we failed. This is adult behavior. As adolescents we blamed our brother, our sister, or the monster under the bed. Adults admit their mistakes. I have been called on mistakes many times and I have apologized many times, sometimes from the pulpit in front of the whole Church. I am not diminished by apologizing. After all, we are all sinners that Christ gave His life for. When we fail others, ourselves, or God, we should apologize for the wrong. This is called REPENT. To turn, to apologize, to do the right thing. If we don’t people will not trust us. I may never go back to Hyundai because – quite frankly – if you can’t tell the right weight of oil on a clearly labelled engine like mine, are you reliable? And if you don’t care enough about the customer to apologize, do you REALLY care about my engine?

I don’t know.

I just don’t know.

Posted in General | Tagged businesses, customer service, honesty, responsibility | 1 Comment

Sorrow and Sorrow by C.H. Spurgeon

Posted on February 27, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

read by David Buffaloe

Posted in General | Leave a comment

Loving Jesus In Ephesus

Posted on February 26, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

(Revelation 2:1-7) 1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Audio of Sermon:

The Book of Revelation is …

Revelation 1:1 (KJV) The Revelation of Jesus Christ…

Though there are a series of visions found throughout the Book every vision reveals truth about Jesus Christ, As we come to chapter 2 of the Book we see seven different types of Churches. Some of these Churches are rebuked by Jesus, and others praised. There is one thing that is overwhelmingly true for every type of Church.

Jesus Loves His Church

He wants only the best for every Church. Of the seven Churches addressed few are without flaw – yet His love and concern is equal for each Church. Jesus addresses the Church at Ephesus first, saying:

(Revelation 2:1) Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

Jesus is intensely in love with His Church. The Church belongs to Jesus. The leadership of the Church belongs to Jesus. Jesus is the Builder of the Church. The Bible says:

Psalm 127:1 (ESV) Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.

The Lord builds His Church. The Lord builds His Church on the knowledge that He and He ALONE is the Christ. When Jesus walked this earth He was always building, always teaching, always preparing His Church to stand following His ascension to glory. One day Jesus asked His disciples:

(Matthew 16:13) …. Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

The world varies in its opinion of Christ. In that day some said that Jesus was John the Baptist. Others Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. Today people think Jesus is a great Teacher, a mortal man just as important as Buddha or Ghandi. The world sees a little Jesus. But then our Lord asked the key question:

(Matthew 16:15) But whom say YE that I am?

YOU are the Church I am building. YOU are the people I am walking with. YOU are the ones that I am going to die for. Who do YOU think I am? Without hesitation Peter spoke and said the finest thing he had ever said:

(Matthew 16:16) Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Peter said a lot of things in Christ’s ministry, many times wrong. But this time he got it right! Jesus told Peter:

(Matthew 16:18) And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

If Christ knows YOU as His Child, then YOU know Christ as the Rock.
There is no other Christ, no other Messiah.
The Church is built on this unique foundational truth.
The Church not built on Christ as Messiah – Savior – Lord is no Church at all.
Christ is the Builder of His Church.

Jesus loves His Church. Jesus builds His Church. The Church belongs to Jesus. Christ purchased the Church with His shed Blood. The Apostle said to the leaders of Ephesus:

(Acts 20:28) Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to FEED the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

The Church is a collection of BLOOD BOUGHT BELIEVERS. Jesus did not spill His Blood – He SHED His Blood, purposely, for you and I. He invested Himself in the Church, intimately Himself. The Church is founded on the suffering Savior, on the cries of Calvary, on the beaten and bloodied Savior, on the Crucified Innocent.

1 Peter 1:18-20 (KJV) Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; [19] But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: [20] Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

Because Christ shed His Blood for the members of the Church, and because the members of the Church have “called upon the Name of the Lord and are saved” (Romans 10:9-10), we are precious to Him.

Psalms 72:14 (KJV) He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.

Is it any wonder that Jesus is in the midst of His Church? Jesus speaks to His Church and His Christian. Jesus said in John 10:27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me”. Jesus was speaking to John. Jesus speaks to His Children. This is not psychosis, but Christ personally talking to those who talk to Him.

Jesus came to John on Patmos, and Jesus will come to you!

Jesus spoke to John. If John were psychotic, then the whole of Scripture is psychotic. The Word of God in Scripture was spoken to Prophets and Apostles so that they could WRITE the Word for us.

(Revelation 2:1) Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write;

The Bible was not written by God to the lost of this world.
God gives a Gospel to the Lost, but His Spirit & Word to His people.

Yes, there is the promise of salvation in Christ given in this Grand Old Book. But the Bible is the Word of God to the people of God, the Church. When the early Church formed what did they do? We are told that the members of the newly formed Church …

Acts 2:42 (NKJV) ….continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

The Church understood the Book was written to them. The Apostles wrote “doctrine” and shared the Word of God. They “fellowshipped”, loving one another because they were loved of Christ. They “broke bread”, enjoying the Lord’s Table together, reminding one another how much Jesus loved them all. And they “prayed” not out of habit, but to make spiritual contact with one another and with the Lord Who was with them. Christ was in the midst of the Church He loved and loves still. The Bible says:

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

Acts 2:46-47 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

They fellowshipped daily, not incidentally, not once a week or once a month or only on Easter and Christmas. The members of the Church loved Christ and loved one another because they were members of Christ.

(Revelation 2:1) … These things SAITH he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand …

The leadership of the Church – called “stars” by Jesus – knew that they were in Jesus’ nail scarred hands. Too many pastors today are shining for the world to see. Jesus expects His “stars” to shine for Him, to share Him, to declare His love to the Church. To speak of the Jesus ….

(Revelation 2:1) … who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

Jesus SAITH.
Jesus WALKETH.
He is in the MIDST of His Churches, ALL of His Churches.

He does not RECLINE in our midst. He WALKS. He is active, and actively watching His Church. Jesus through His Word is continually refining His Church. The Scripture declares

(Ephesians 5:25-27) … Christ … LOVED THE CHURCH, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR IT; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Christ loves His Church. He wants it to be “glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing”. He wants His Church to be holy and without blemish. He loves us so much He died for us, and Jesus wants His Church to be built up, to grow, to reach. To not be a tiny light but a tremendous light. So He addresses His Church through sermons, through the Word of God.

Jesus Christ Watches What His Church Does

The Lord begins by commending the Church at Ephesus. He says:

(Revelation 2:2) I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

There are THREE THINGS Jesus commends the Church at Ephesus for:

Works
Labor
Patience

You might ask “aren’t WORKS and LABOR the same thing?”. Not in the original Greek language. The word translated “works” is the Greek ERGON which refers to labor, effort expended, toil. We are saved by faith in Christ, but once saved we are to work for Him. Jesus did not call us to salvation to just sit on our hands. We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ. When the disciples saw Jesus following the resurrection – when He appeared to the ones He gave Himself for – He first showed them His nail scarred hands and His side. Then Jesus told them:

John 20:21 (KJV) Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

As Jesus was sent to do the Father’s business, His Church is sent to do the Father’s business. What did Christ do? He reached out to the suffering. He comforted, loved, and lifted. Jesus rebuked sin and preached the Gospel. As the Father sent Me, even so I send you (or ya’ll, if you want to be Southern). The Church was sent to do for Christ as Christ did for the Father. The Church was sent to LABOR in the fields of the Gospel. Every member was and is sent to share Christ to others. Jesus told the Pharisees:

John 5:17 (KJV) … My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

The Triune God works to save mankind. The Church that is Christ’s has members that work for Him, sharing His love to a lost and dying world. Jesus saw the WORKS of Ephesus, and sees our WORK (or lack thereof) and notes it.

Jesus also saw the LABOR of Ephesus. This is the Greek KOPOS which means “anguish or suffering in labor”. When a woman goes through “labor” she suffers. KOPOS is suffering in labor. Ephesus like most of Christ’s Churches suffered for the sake of the Gospel. There is no suffering in compromise with worldliness. The Apostle said:

James 4:4 (KJV) Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

The world will constantly try and modify the Church to suit its own lusts. It did so with human sexuality, and did so with the sacrament of marriage. The Bible says:

John 3:19 (KJV) … light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Where there is light, there will always be darkness. Jesus did not hate the darkness, but shined against the darkness with His sacrificial love. We are not to hate the darkness nor to befriend the darkness, but are to “walk in the light as Christ is in the !!br0ken!!

1 John 1:7 (KJV) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

John 8:12 (KJV) Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

The darkness hates the light, so we who live for Jesus will suffer. Jesus said we would suffer. He said “If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you” (John 15:18, 24). Even though persecuted, the Church at Ephesus kept on living as Christians should live. They kept laboring for Him, doing what they had been taught.

Furthermore, the Church at Ephesus was a PATIENT Church.
Jesus told them “I know thy patience”.

I have known many young men who approached me to sponsor them in the ministry. I have sponsored many, but few have stayed. Why? Because they entered thinking it would be a cake walk. It is not. To work for Christ requires patience. We are to be patient as God is patient, to keep on going, keep on because He said so. The Bible promises:

(Galatians 6:9) And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

(2 Thessalonians 3:13) 13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

The Church at Ephesus kept working, even though it was painful and, at times, seemed as if there was no hope. The Lord said of His Church that “you cannot bear those that do evil”. In so many Churches the devil hides in the crowd, whispering and backbiting, sneaking evil. The Church of Ephesus could not and would not bear evil.

thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

The Church was attacked by false teachers and false apostles but continued on. Ephesus rejected all truths that were not Bible truths. The Lord commended them, saying

(Revelation 2:3) And hast BORNE, and hast PATIENCE, and for my name’s sake hast LABORED, and hast NOT FAINTED.

They did not quit.
They honored Jesus’ and His name.
They persisted in faith in Christ!

Work Without Love Is Good But Not Great

Ephesus seems to be a fantastic Church. What could be wrong at Ephesus? They worked for Jesus. They labored though persecuted. They stood true to the Light of Christ. Like an elite military unit they honored the Kingdom of God. But they fell short in one area.

(Revelation 2:4) Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee,
because thou hast left thy first love.

Jesus loves His Church, but they had fallen out of love with Him. They were doing the right things, but out of habit. It’s an easy mistake to make. We go through the motions of the calendar year. At a certain time we will have a Blood Drive and a Sunday for the Cure. We have a Memorial Day celebration, Veteran’s day, special days. We come for Christmas and Easter services. We do Vacation Bible School, Children and Youth Ministry – but it becomes routine. We have and do programs, but are we doing them because we love Jesus.

The Lord got on me about this. I was going through my weekly routine: three sermons to prepare, people in hospital and nursing home to visit. I was making a list, doing each thing, checking it off as I went. Then the Lord spoke to my heart:

Why are you doing this?
Are you doing this because you love Me?
Or is it just thing that must be done?

When Jesus was asked the question “What is the greatest commandment of all?” Jesus told the asker:

Matthew 22:37-40 ^(KJV) …. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with ALL thy heart, and with ALL thy soul, and with ALL thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

When we sing the final hymn tonight, will we be singing TO Jesus or ABOUT Jesus? One way is appropriate. The other is not. Jesus told Ephesus – this hard working, faithful bunch of believers:

Revelation 2:5 REMEMBER therefore from whence thou art fallen, and REPENT, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will REMOVE thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Jesus told His Church to remember, repent, and return (do the first works) to loving Him, or else He would remove their candlestick out of his place.

Jesus said of the Pharisee:

Matthew 15:8-9 ^(KJV)This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with [their] lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me…

It is those who love Jesus that end up in the Paradise of God. God calls His Church to love Him.

(Revelation 2:7) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

A heart not in love with the Lord cannot please the Lord, no matter how hard it works! It is possible to work really hard for God, yet never be saved. That is the tragedy that the Spirit warns against. He who overcomes …. Who is born in love of the Overcomer Christ – that person has promise of the Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God.

The question before us all is, Do we love the Lord?

May God touch our hearts with His Word.

Posted in Revelation, Sermons Preached | Tagged Church, Ephesus, loving Jesus, works | Leave a comment

The Furnace Of Affliction

Posted on February 26, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

Audio of Sermon:

This past Wednesday, February 21 2018 the Evangelist Billy Graham went to be with the Lord. He lived 99 years on this earth. He now lives eternally with Jesus in glory, the place where all of God’s Children will one day be. Before Billy left this earth his eyesight and hearing began to fail him. He was wheelchair bound and had respiratory problems. Like most Christians Billy was tried, but kept his faith in the Lord Who saved him and loved him. Billy said:

“Nowhere does the Bible teach that Christians are to be exempt from the tribulations and natural disasters that come upon the world. It does teach that the Christian can face tribulation, crisis, calamity and personal suffering with a supernatural power that is not available to the person outside of Christ. Christians can rejoice in tribulation because they have eternity’s values in view. When the pressures are on, they look beyond their present predicament to the glories of heaven. The thought of the future life with its prerogatives and joys helps to make the trials of the present seem light and transient. “The early Christians were able to experience joy in their hearts in the midst of trials, troubles and depression. They counted suffering for Christ not as a burden or misfortune but as a great honor, as evidence that Christ counted them worthy to witness for Him through suffering. They never forgot what Christ Himself had gone through for their salvation, and to suffer for His name’s sake was regarded as a gift rather than a cross. … Christ told His disciples that they were not to count it a stroke of affliction when they were reviled and persecuted. Rather, they were to count it as a favor and a blessing. They were to ‘rejoice, and be exceeding glad’ (Matthew 5:12). Just as Jesus had overcome the world, so they through His grace and strength would overcome the world. Thus they were to be of good cheer.” (Billy Graham, Joy In Tribulation)

I Have Chosen Thee In The Furnace Of Affliction

Following the terrorist attacks of September 1, 2001 Billy Graham spoke to our nation. He said:

“I’ve been asked hundreds of times in my life why God allows tragedy and suffering. I have to confess that I really do not know the answer totally, even to my own satisfaction. I have to accept by faith that God is sovereign, and that He is a God of love and mercy and compassion in the midst of suffering”.

When trials come the most asked question is “Where is God in the midst of this?” We wonder if there is a reason for the trial. Yes, dear ones, there is a reason. We may not understand – like why Billy Graham suffered from Parkinson’s Disease – exactly why trials come. We’ll understand these questions better when we enter eternity with our Jesus. It’s like that old song:

Tempted and tried we’re oft made to wonder
Why it should be thus all the day long
While there are others living about us
Never molested though in the wrong
Farther along we’ll know all about it
Farther along we’ll understand why
Cheer up my brother live in the sunshine
We’ll understand it all by and by.

The Bible addresses trials and why there are trials. But Jesus speaks to His people today offering us a wonderful truth. Read with me our focal text:

Isaiah 48:10 (KJV) Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

The Lord Jesus speaks to us through His Israel. He tells us that afflictions have purpose, and gives us who are His two reasons for afflictions (though I am sure these two are not exhaustive).

It is through affliction that Christ chooses us.
It is through affliction that Christ refines us.

The Lord says:

I Have Chosen Thee In The Furnace Of Affliction

Jesus Christ calls His people to salvation through trials and tribulations. Why are trials necessary to draw us to the Living God manifest in the flesh? Because we are born with sin hardened hearts. From the cradle we cry and demand “Look at me. Give to me. Care for me.” The child does not request the bottle, but demands it. The sin nature is fully developed in a child who cannot even crawl. You do not think so? Then think on this. The first words that every new parent teaches their baby is

Da – Da (Daddy)
Ma – Ma (Mommy)

and … wait for it … NO!

You do not have to teach a child “Yes”, for children are born with a “Yes”. Give me that. No! YES! I want it right now. The parent that does not teach NO and does not reinforce NO with suitable discipline will raise a child to be a monster. Children must be taught NO. And NO is often reinforced by discipline.

Children do not have to be taught to lie. Who got in the cookie jar? Not me!

Who broke the lamp? Must have been someone else.

Who put the Playboy under your mattress? It must have come with the bed.

Who stole all my money? A thief broke in the house!

We are born rebelling against authority.
We are born into this world rebelling against parents.
We are born wanting our own way.
It is through affliction we learn obedience.

It is in our first nature to be like Adam who, when he was caught in sin, hid it and then blamed someone else. Our fallen natures are ruled by sin.

Jesus Christ came to this earth to die for our sins so He can save us from our sins.

Romans 6:6 New King James Version (NKJV) … knowing this, that our old man was crucified with {Jesus}, that the body of sin MIGHT BE DONE AWAY WITH, THAT WE SHOULD NO LONGER BE SLAVES OF SIN.

Our Lord is Sovereign. He is able to do anything. The Lord Jesus called out to His Old Testament people, saying:

Isaiah 48:12 (KJV) Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.

How do we know this is Jesus? Because God tells Jacob and Israel “I am the first, I also am the last”. This is a title that can only be applied to God. In the Book of Revelation Jesus Christ tells the Apostle John (who is also being afflicted):

Revelation 1:11 (NKJV) …. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last …

The Lord identified Himself as “the First and the Last”, but also declared “I am He”. NINE times throughout Isaiah the Lord identifies Himself as “I am He”:

Isaiah 41:4 (NKJV) … I, the Lord, am the first; And with the last I AM HE.

Isaiah 43:13 (NKJV) … before the day was, I AM HE; And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?”

The First and the Last, the I AM HE Who is Jesus Christ said in the New Testament:

Mark 13:6 (NKJV) … many will come in My Name saying I AM HE and will deceive many …

John 8:24 (NKJV) … you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I AM HE you will die in your sins.

Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh. He said:

Isaiah 48:13 (KJV) Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.

There is nothing that Jesus cannot do. He Who laid the foundation of the earth and Whose right hand spanned the Heavens can remove any trial any time. But Christ will force no one to salvation. Thus He allows the furnace of affliction that, in the trials, we might turn to Christ.

I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction

God promised of His servant Abraham that from him would come a mighty nation, and from that nation all the nations of the world would be blessed. God would become manifest in the flesh through Israel. But God chose Israel in the furnace of affliction.

Affliction Draws Us To Christ

Not every person who is afflicted turns to God, but affliction draws our attention godward. God’s people are born of affliction. The very first murder the occurred in human history was when Cain slew Abel. Brother kills brother, yet both men were not children of God. God said to Cain:

Genesis 4:10-11 (NKJV) …. The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11 So now you are cursed from the earth

The one unharmed was Cain, the child of the flesh. But there is God’s child whose blood is crying out to the Father from the ground. When the young Joseph bragged to his brothers about the coat his father gave him – a coat of many colors – his brothers cast him into a pit then sold him into slavery. Thirteen years a slave Joseph looked to Jesus. Then the Lord spoke to him, and raise him up to plant Israel in Egypt so they could grow into a mighty nation.

Israel in Egypt grows into a mighty nation, and eventually come under the taskmaster’s whip as slaves. God’s chosen are in the fires of the furnace. Did God save Israel immediately? No.

Exodus 2:23-24 … Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. 24 So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.

Why doesn’t God immediately respond when we are tried? Billy Graham said “We need God’s help – and yet in our pride we refuse to turn to Him, and we try to improve our lives without Him.”

We groan under the burden, yet refuse to turn to God in Christ. We think we can make it better by our own efforts. We try this, then try that. God says:

Isaiah 48:11 … For Mine Own sake, even for Mine Own sake, will I do it: for how should My Name be polluted? And I will not give My glory to another

God will save, Christ will save, His Spirit will empower us but only when we come to God with empty hands. The furnace of affliction burns up anything that we can count on. It takes away everything so that we can come to Christ in faith. Then He and only He will bless us. Who were those that Jesus healed? Was it those who were able? No. But Jesus came to heal the broken, the sick, the crippled, the blind, those afflicted by death, those at the end of their ropes.

God blesses us when He allows trials to crush us so that we will look up. The Bible says:

Isaiah 48:22 (KJV) There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.

The wicked have a temporary pleasure. They are much like the young man that Christ spoke of in Luke 15:11-32. This young man went to his father and demanded his earthly inheritance. The father complied, and the young man went off to “waste his possessions with prodigal living” (Luke 15:13). When he ran out of money and was starving he found himself a job feeding pigs, one of the worst jobs I can imagine. The Bible says that:

Luke 15:16 (NKJV) And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

Where was God while this young man ruined his life? God was where God always was. God allowed him to run rampant. God allowed him to ruin his life. God allowed the young man to run to the furnace of affliction, willfully doing the wrong thing. The Christ Who loved this young man said:

Isaiah 48:18 (NKJV) Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

But in our arrogance and self righteousness we, like this prodigal and wayward boy, will not heed God. God allows the furnace of affliction until one day …

Luke 15:17-19 (NKJV) … How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.

It is in the furnace of affliction that we arise from our own foolish selves and go to our Father. We look for and find Jesus Christ in that moment.
We look from ME and turn to THEE!

Ezekiel 33:11 (NKJV) … ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways!

That young man, hungry, starving turned from his wicked ways. He ran home and there found the Father waiting to receive Him in love. Jesus calls all who will to come to Him. Our Lord cries out to those in the furnace of affliction:

Matthew 11:28 (NKJV) Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

In ease we often ignore the Lord Jesus, but in suffering we are drawn to Him. Draw to Him, Beloved, and be His Chosen Child. The Lord also said:

I Have Refined Thee, But Not With Silver

God does not make us like Christ by giving us money and our heart’s desires. No. He refines us not with silver or gold, but in the furnace of affliction. When God made His Covenant Promise to Abraham, the Father of our Faith, what did God do? God had Abraham make a sacrifice, then cut the sacrifice in two (Genesis 15:10). When a Covenant was made in ancient times both parties of the Covenant passed between the pieces. Abraham arranged the pieces, but never passed between them. Jesus Christ Himself passed between the pieces of the Covenant. We read:

Genesis 15:17-18 … when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. 18 On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram

When Christ walked between the sacrifice of the Covenant He appeared as “a smoking oven” (a furnace hot and burning) and a burning torch (a light). Jesus Christ is the Light of the world, the Light that God sent into the world:

John 8:12 (NKJV) … Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

His Word is the lamp unto my feet, and the light unto my path (Psalm 119:105). Jesus presented Himself to Abraham as a lit torch, the flashlight or lamp of that day. But Jesus presented Himself also as a smoking oven. Jesus Christ is not only the Savior of His people, He is the Redeemer of His people:

Isaiah 48:17 (KJV) Thus saith the LORD, thy REDEEMER, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which TEACHETH THEE TO PROFIT, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

It is a fact of nature that all precious things must be refined and tried. A found diamond may be worth a million dollars, but it is worth many times more when tried by the diamond cutter. Every blow and every facet formed multiplies its value. Gold too must be tried. In its found state it looks like trash. But placed in the furnace and heated in the crucible the gold separates from the dross. Silver too must be refined. All things of great value must be refined to bring out the best in them.

Jesus Christ saves whosoever will by the great cost of Calvary. He shed his Blood on Calvary to save us and to bring us to God. He hung on that Cross, Precious Beloved of God. He suffered, oh how He suffered, so that we might be justified by His Blood. Our sins separated us from God. The Scripture says:

1 Peter 3:18 (NKJV) For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

Jesus Christ was sent by the Father and the Spirit to do what no man could do. He came to this earth to endure the furnace of affliction for us. As Jesus addressed us throughout the 48^th chapter of Isaiah He said:

Isaiah 48:16 (KJV) Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

The Eternal Christ, the Son of God, became flesh and died for our sins on Calvary. Dying for us, this makes us the most PRECIOUS thing on planet earth. You, dear Christian, are precious because the Blood of Christ was shed for you. And He who died for you refines you through the furnace of affliction. This is why the Apostle says:

James 1:2-4 (NKJV) My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

It is through the furnace of affliction that God the Son makes us sons of God. It is through the furnace of affliction that the dross is burned off, and we become more like Christ. Or as Job – a man well accustomed to suffering said:

Job 23:10 (NKJV) But {God} knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.

The furnace purifies us. The furnace molds us. If we are Christ’s the furnace does not destroy us, but if we are but dross we will burn up in that affliction. Our faith is proved by the furnace. And if our eyes are on Christ, then Christ’s eyes will be on us no matter what.

One of my favorite stories in Scripture is one I love to tell over and over. It is the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, three young Christians imprisoned by an evil king. The king one day decided to create a god, and demand that everyone worship that god. There was only one problem. When he called for all to worship his god, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to do so. The king had them seized and brought before a tribunal. “Have I got this right? You refuse to worship my golden god? Do you want me to throw you in the fiery furnace?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego did not hesitate to answer.

Daniel 3:17-18 (NKJV) … our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.

The king was infuriated. “Throw them in the fiery furnace!” And they threw the three young men into the furnace. As King Nebuchadnezzar looked into the flames and listened, hoping to hear the dying screams of those brave believers, he saw something that astonished him.

Daniel 3:24 (NKJV) … he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”

The king said (Daniel 3:25) “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

Where is Christ when the trials come? Where is He when we are in the furnace of affliction. He is right there beside us. He is with us in the darknesses of life. Lie down in Christ’s arms. Rest in Him. Trust Him. Call on Him. For the unbeliever God promises:

Isaiah 47:14 (KJV) Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: …

but to His Child by faith in Christ He says “I will deliver. I will bless. You are my precious!” May God touch your hearts with His Word.

Posted in Isaiah, Sermons Preached | Tagged affliction, Jesus Christ, living for Jesus, trials | 1 Comment

The Purpose Of Promise

Posted on February 22, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

2 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV) Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Audio of Sermon:

Last week the Apostle told us not to receive the Grace of God in vain or to no purpose, and we discussed what that meant. Grace is given by God to us to bring us into His Family, to empower us to live our lives daily in Christ. Grace saves us, and keeps on saving us. Tonight the Apostle applies the promises of God to our lives.

Promises, Promises

God makes promises to His Children, promises that we are to secure for ourselves, to apply to our lives, and to grow to be more like Christ. God makes TWO PROMISES to the lost. His Grace promise is that

Romans 10:9-13 (NKJV) … if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

None are excluded from the whosoever will of the Gospel call. Praise Him, Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world …

1 John 2:2 (NKJV) … And He Himself is the propitiation (the atonement or covering) for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

The Blood of Christ is sufficient to save whosoever will believe on Him. That is a promise from God. But God also promises that the one who rejects the Son and refuses to believe on Him is in a state of condemnation. God promises eternal judgment against the one who rejects the Christ as Lord and Savior.

1 John 5:10-12 (NKJV) He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

John 3:36 (NKJV) He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

Two promises to the unbeliever – but MANY promises to the believer. The Apostle says:

2 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV) Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved

We who are God’s children by faith in Christ are dearly beloved. Christ is God’s Beloved …

Ephesians 1:6 (NKJV) {God the Father} made us accepted in the Beloved

Christ is “The Beloved Son, in Whom the Father is well pleased” (Matthew 3:17; 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 3:22). He is the Eternal Beloved, forever loved of the Trinity. Because He is Beloved when we receive Him we become Beloved. He is the Natural and Supernatural Son of God, but we become adopted sons of God because of Christ (Ephesians 1:5). Because of Christ we are

chosen of God
Holy
Without blame before Him
In love (Ephesians 1:4)

Because we are beloved of God the Father has given us precious promises. These promises are not offered to the lost world, but to those who are IN CHRIST:

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NKJV) For all the promises of God IN HIM are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

God has made precious promises to we who are His Beloved Church, His Beloved Children, His Beloved Christians.

Promises Serve A Purpose

2 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV) Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

You will never find a promise of God that does not have a purpose to it. Every promise of God has purpose. Every promise of God calls us into PARTNERSHIP with God. When we are saved the Holy Spirit comes to INDWELL us and GUIDE us into ALL TRUTH. Jesus told His disciples:

John 16:5-14 New King James Version (NKJV) But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

Christianity is a PARTNERSHIP with God. When you receive the promise of salvation by believing and receiving Christ as He is, then God’s Holy Spirit comes to live in the framework of your life. He INDWELLS you, so much so that the Scripture declares:

Romans 8:9 (NKJV) But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

God lives in the lives of His people. The Christian is indwelt by God. The Spirit indwells us to speak of Christ, to guide us into Christ’s truth. We are in partnership with God. Certainly we are minority shareholders in this partnership, but are nonetheless called to work with God if we want to be blessed.

When God saved Israel from Egypt His message to them was the same message He gives to us. “Come and follow Me to blessing”. If the Israelite followed the way of Egypt and refused to kill the lamb without spot or blemish, when the LORD came whoever was in that uncovered home died just as surely as the Egyptian died (see Exodus 12:13, 23). If the Israelite refused to follow God as a Pillar of Fire by night and a Pillar of Cloud by day (Exodus 13:22; 14:19) then they would not be under God’s protection. If the Israelite refused to cross the parted Red Sea when God said to do so then they would have drowned just as surely as the Egyptian Army drowned (see Exodus 14). God calls a person and a people into partnership with Him.

When God promised Abraham a son He did not say “lounge here where you are and I’ll drop the promise on you like fairy dust”. What did say to Abraham? Follow Me.

Genesis 12:1-3 (NKJV)

“… Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
2 I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

For the promise to be fulfilled Abraham had to leave what he knew and go where God told him to go. God had to become the most important Person in his life, greater than father, mother, or brother. Abraham did not receive the promise immediately, but was driven to a greater partnership with God trusting Him no matter what might come.

Hebrews 6:13-15 (NKJV) For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

The belief came first. Not just a belief of the MOUTH, but a belief of the WHOLE MAN. Abraham believed God, the Scripture says …

James 2:22-23 (NKJV) Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.

God partners with His people. Salvation is a free gift of God. Come to Him believing and you shall be saved. But saved, you are called to follow Him.

“Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19)
The Spirit and the Bride say “Come” (Revelation 22:17)
Not “Stay where you are” but “COME”.
Follow Christ.
Follow God.
Heed the Spirit.

There is nothing in this life more important than following the Lord. Jesus told an individual …

Luke 9:59-62 (NKJV) … “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” 61 And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

If you will not partner with Christ you are not fit for the Kingdom of God. The person who must be begged to partner with Christ is a person who perhaps is not saved. If Christ is last and least in our lives, our lives are not where they need to be. We are called to partner with Christ, to follow Him, to heed His Spirit, to feed ourselves on His Word, to communicate with Him in prayer. This is not a chore for the believer, but a blessing.

The Promises Of God Draw Us To Christ

2 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV) Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Since we have the promises of God and are beloved of God:

let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit

The word translated “filthiness” is the Greek μολυσμός molysmós, (pronounced mol-oos-mos) which literally means that which stains or defiles. What are the things that defile? Jesus said:

Matthew 15:10-20 New King James Version (NKJV) {Jesus} had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” 12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” 15 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.” 16 So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

What defiles a person is a heart that is fleshly, focused on satisfying self. Jesus said that out of the heart proceeds:

evil thoughts
murders
adulteries
fornications
thefts
false witnesses
blasphemies

If you’ll notice all of these things are PLURAL. Sin draws to sin. If we belong to God we are not to wallow nor focus on sin. God does not save a person to keep on sinning. God saves a person to remove us from satan’s kingdom and transfer us into the Kingdom of God. Being saved, being the beloved of God, we are to cast off the old works of darkness. Not in our power, but in the power of Christ. The Apostle says in another place:

Ephesians 4:17-24 (NKJV) 17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

We no longer walk in darkness. If we have received the promise of salvation, and if we are blessed by the promises of God in Christ, then we are to live accordingly. We put off the old man, the old way of being. We put on the new man, the Christ image, and love as He loved, walk as He walked. We walk in the Spirit of Christ,

cleansing ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit

What the flesh does impacts the soul. If we are filthy of soul, we will do filthiness of the flesh. If we do filthiness of the flesh, we damage our souls. Christ did not save us so we could be IN the world. Christ saved us so that we can be like our Father and our Savior.

IN CHRIST we are raised up to sit with Him in Heavenly places.

Ephesians 2:6 (NKJV) {God} raised us up together, and made us sit together
in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus

BY CHRIST everything I need will be supplied.

Philippians 4:19 (NKJV) … my God shall supply all your need
according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

THROUGH CHRIST the peace of God guards and protects my heart and mind.

Philippians 4:7 (NKJV) … the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

IN CHRIST I shall never see death nor defeat.

1 Corinthians 15:22 (NKJV) … in Adam all die,
even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

2 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV) Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

The words “perfecting holiness” means to take upon ourselves the Word of Christ. As He is, we strive to be. As the Father is holy, we are holy. As the Son is holy, we are holy. We strive toward this mark in the power of God’s Spirit and God’s Word. What He has forbidden we put off. What Christ has modeled we put on. We do this not to be saved, but because we are saved. We do this because we love Him and want to be like Him. We are not driven by feelings nor foolishness, but by the fear (respectful awe) we have of our God. Jesus said:

John 10:10 (NKJV) The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Jesus came to give us life. It is life to live like Jesus. “I have told you these things so that IN ME YOU MAY HAVE LIFE” (John 16:33). There is no life apart from Christ. There is no life in chasing after the things of the flesh. So many refuse to come to Jesus and follow Him for life (John 5:40). It is not life to come to Christ halfway. Follow Him. If you are God’s Beloved, cleanse yourself from the filthiness of this world (Galatians 5:19-21). Let Christ rule in your lives.

May God touch us all with His Word!

Posted in 2 Corinthians, Sermons Preached | Tagged disciples, discipleship, Loving God, promises of God | Leave a comment

Alpha And Omega

Posted on February 20, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

Revelation 1:12-18 {KJV} And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Last week I emphasized the name of this Book is REVELATION, from verse 1:

Though the book has a series of visions in it, the INTENT of the Book is to REVEAL CHRIST, to show His majesty and power to us. We are tempted in the Book to look away from our Lord to other things, but to do so is to lose the vision. For instance, last week I spoke of the future ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT revealed in the Book in Chapter 13. I angered at least one on line reader who declared that I was politicizing the Bible and promoting the Republican Party. That’s not true. I am an Independant voter, and have always been so. But truth is truth whether it hurts your feelings or not. The One World Government draws away from God’s established order, and the only time a One World Government will work is when JESUS is at the head of that government.

Jesus Makes Golden Candlesticks

John heard a Voice in the midst of his suffering. We read:

Revelation 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

John turned, and the FIRST thing he saw was Seven.
Golden.
Candlesticks.

We’ll find out in a minute that these are seven Churches.

Some view these as local Churches.

Some believe these to be the seven types of Churches that are always on the earth.

Others believe these to be the seven Church Ages.

The text doesn’t tell us exactly which category these Churches fall into, but I myself believe these are the seven TYPES of Churches that are always on the earth. We’ll find out as we go through this Book that each of these Churches have a different focus.

The Church focused on CHRIST is praised of Christ.
The Church focused on ITSELF is rebuked of Christ.

Please notice that all of these Churches are GOLDEN CANDLESTICKS. There are SEVEN of them.

What is the significance of SEVEN? The number SEVEN is the number of REST. God created the world in SIX days and then RESTED on the SEVENTH. Israel was supposed to keep the seventh day as a day of rest:

Deuteronomy 5:12-14 (NKJV) ‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work

Man was created on the SIXTH day and commanded to rest on the SEVENTH. Six is the number of man but seven the number of God. Seven shows completion.

When leprous Naaman wanted to be healed the Lord told him to dip himself in the Jordan seven times (2 Kings 5:10).
When Joshua was to destroy Jericho God told him to march around that fortified city seven days, and on the seventh to make seven circuits (Joshua 6:3-4).
There were seven pairs of clean animals on Noah’s ark (Genesis 7:2)

The number 7 is used in the Bible over 700 times, and more than 50 times in the Book of Revelation. The number represents REST, RESTORATION, and RECONCILIATION. The Church of Christ is commanded to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all who will hear.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (NKJV) Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

The Church carries the message of the Gospel Rest. Only in the authentic Church of Christ isa salvation by faith in Christ preached. The false or pseudo-Church teaches a works based salvation. But the Church is where we REST, knowing that …

Titus 3:4-6 (NKJV) But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

What is the significance of GOLDEN? Gold is a precious metal, very rare, and is mentioned throughout the Bible starting at Genesis 2:10-11. Gold is mentioned 22 times in Revelation. Gold was a gift given to kings. The Baby Jesus was given gold, frankincense, and myrrh not long after His birth. Gold was used throughout the Temple. In Heaven gold is a common theme:

Revelation 21:18, 21 (NKJV) … and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. … 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

Gold is interesting because it is often found in rotted quartz. The quartz must be crushed and heat applied until the gold separates from the dross.

The Church of Christ is not perfect, but is filled with members that have various failings of the flesh. But the Church is gold to Christ because He purchased it with His own Blood, and He will refine it until it becomes what He wants it to be.

What is the significance of CANDLESTICKS? These are not CANDLES but CANDLESTICKS, things designed to hold candles. The candlestick in itself has no light of it’s own, but holds the candle which is lit. Jesus said to His Church:

Matthew 5:14-16 (NKJV) “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

The Church does not possess light of its own, but our light comes from the Presence of Jesus. John sees these Seven Golden Candlesticks and quickly turns his attention back to who matters:

Revelation 1:12-13 …. I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man

Jesus is in the midst of His Church, whether it be perfect or imperfect. He is watching His people, just as He watched John on Patmos. He is never far from us. When John saw Jesus he was overwhelmed with love.

Jesus Must Be The First And The Last

Revelation 1:17 …. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.

John is surrendered to Jesus.
He knows in whom his power rests.
Our strength is in Jesus, not in ourselves.
The dying Church is the one focused on ITSELF.
The VIBRANT, LIVING Church is the Christ focused Church.
A Church is not a fishbowl nor the Pastor the aquarium keeper.
The Church is where JESUS IS EXALTED.

The Bible does not say “I can do all things through Me”, but rather

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) I can do all things THROUGH CHRIST who strengthens me.

The best place to be is at Jesus’ feet.
John fell down.
O dear God, make us fall down!

I’m reminded of the story of the time that Jesus went to visit His friends Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Martha was trying to be a good hostess, running about and trying to make a meal for Jesus and the disciples. Mary, on the other hand, “sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His Word” (Luke 10:39). After a while Martha got tired of this. She went to Jesus and interrupted the lesson. “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!” Jesus said:

Luke 10:41-42 (NKJV) …. “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

When John saw Jesus he completely surrendered to Him. When he did the Lord blessed him. We read:

Revelation 1:17-18 And he laid his RIGHT hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST: 18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

He laid His right hand on John. That’s the hand of blessing. Dear friend, if you love the Lord and He loves you, though you may be tried there will come a day when you will see Him face to face. He will lay His right hand on you. He will say “Fear not! I am the first and the last”. Jesus has conquered death. He has the keys of hell and death.

Jesus told us:

John 3:16-18 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Jesus Christ IS The First And The Last

Revelation 1:11 (KJV) Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last …

The language of the people of John’s day was common Greek language. ALPHA was it’s first letter and OMEGA the last letter of that Greek alphabet. Jesus is the FIRST and the LAST. He was at the beginning of all things, and will be at the end of all things. It was through Christ that the Father created all things.

John 1:1-3 (KJV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] The same was in the beginning with God. [3] All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Jesus is God Incarnate, God manifested to us in the flesh. In the Old Testament the Lord declared:

Isaiah 44:6 (NKJV) Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God.

Isaiah 48:12 (NKJV) Listen to Me, O Jacob, And Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last.

Jesus Christ is God Revealed.
He is the First and the Last.
He will be first and last.
Jesus does not want your left overs, but YOU.

He was at creation making all things, and is the Creator Who will make all things new. It is through Jesus that the Law is fulfilled (Matthew 5:17) and Jesus alone is the One Who secures our salvation.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV) Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus Christ Is The First And The Last. We have a tendency to make ourselves first. In fact, that’s what gets us into trouble. When God made Adam He put him in a perfect environment, gave him a perfect job, a perfect wife, a perfect diet. Everything was perfect. But then Satan came and whispered:

Genesis 3:4-5 (NKJV) … “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Though perfect, Adam thought that he was missing out on something. And so he tried to be like God and failed terribly. Only Jesus Christ is the Beginning and the Ending. Only God is God.

Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 18:10-14, KJV).

There is no blessing to the life that does not recognize Christ to be beginning and ending, first and last. Those who humble themselves and bathe in Grace will discover that God will lift them up. But those who make life about themselves will not ultimately be blessed, but cursed.

The way to blessing is to humble yourselves under the mighty Hand of God – and HE will exalt you in due season (1 Peter 5:6)

Jesus Is The First And Last Who Directs His Church

I love the Jesus that John saw. He said …

Revelation 1:13 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire ..

The white hair on His head shows Him to be abundantly wise. The wisest man who ever lived was Solomon … until Christ came down! His flaming eyes symbolize that He is discerning in judgment. What He has seen, He speaks of it in both love and truth.

Revelation 1:15-16 … and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

The Word of Christ is a double edged sword. It conquers. It strikes. If offends. The world loves the Jesus of its own imagination, but despises the Jesus of the Bible. His voice is calming, but His Word conquering. His gaze is life giving. Jesus loves His Church. Jesus spoke …

Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. (Revelation 1:11, KJV).

As Jesus spoke to John He told him: “What you see, write in a book”. The Lord was going to show him a Revelation – and John was to write it as presented. Once John wrote this material it was to be given to Angels or Stars, symbolic of the Pastors to the Churches.

The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. (Revelation 1:20, KJV).

Christ was in the midst of His Church, watching, seeing what she needed. The seven stars or angels were the messengers to the Churches – the Preachers Jesus chose – and they were all in His hand. Angels are messengers. The faithful angel carries the Word that God has given. The unfaithful angel is a demon, harming the Church of Christ.

1 Corinthians 4:2 (NKJV) Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

Where believers gather together to hear and do Christ’s Word the Lord is in their midst. Let us be faithful to Him as good stewards. Let us live for HIM, not for ourselves.

Posted in Following Jesus, Revelation, Sermons Preached | Tagged Revelation | Leave a comment

The Life Look

Posted on February 19, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

Isaiah 45:21-23 (KJV) Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Savior; there is none beside me. 22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. 23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

Audio of Sermon:

Since Jerry made this “Fanny Crosby Sunday” I thought I’d talk about her for a moment. Few Christians today know about Fanny. Frances Jane van Alstyne or Fanny was a great worker for God. In her earthly life she wrote more than 8000 hymns and Gospel songs. She was so prolific in writing that many of the publishers she worked with were hesitant to post so many hymns by one person, so Fanny used close to 200 different pseudonyms during her career. Her songs all focused – LOOKED – toward God our Savior. A few of her most known were …

Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior
Blessed Assurance
Jesus Is Tenderly Calling You Home
Praise Him, Praise Him!
Rescue The Perishing
To God Be The Glory

all hymns we know and love. Fanny was a long time member of Sixth Avenue Bible Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York.

What makes her life so interesting is that for all her accomplishments, Fanny was blinded – according to Christianity.com – when she was but six weeks old. Though accounts vary most state that she had an eye infection that a doctor tried treating with a hot mustard poultice. Whether the poultice or the infection blinded her no one truly knows, but she was blind her entire known existence. If anyone had a right to be bitter against the world and God it would have been Fanny. But she was not bitter.

Though blinded physically, spiritually she looked unto Jesus.
She kept her spiritual eyes on God her Savior.

Fanny was quoted as saying:

“It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank Him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me.”

She also said “when I get to Heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior”.

Though she had no physical sight, Fanny used what she had for the glory of God. By the time Fanny was 10 years old she was memorizing 5 chapters of the Bible each week. At 15 years old she memorized the Gospels, the Books of Moses, Proverbs, Solomon, and many of the Psalms. Fanny not only wrote hymns, but published four books of poetry. She played the piano, organ, harp, and guitar, and had a beautiful Soprano singing voice.

How could a blind person see so much better than
many of us who were born with eyesight?
She looked unto God.
She heard His Call, the command to …

Isaiah 45:22 (KJV) Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

Fanny was blessed by doing what God said. Let’s take this command, break it down, and apply it to our lives.

The SOURCE Of Salvation

The great sin of man is IDOLATRY. This has been our sin from the beginning. God made man and placed us in a perfect Garden. “You may eat of anything growing, but do not eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil” God said. “The day you eat of it, you shall die!” The command was heard, and God was seen. But when God left man and woman to choose, they chose to follow not the God Who made them, but their own hearts.

The snake looked to Satan.
Eve looked to the snake.
Adam looked to himself.

Because their spiritual eyes were not godward, they lost Paradise.
Because our spiritual eyes are not Christward we lose Paradise.

In the recent School shootings our nation is understandably in turmoil. Our politicians are choosing sides on how to make this a Democrat or a Republican problem. Lawmakers are discussing creating new laws to control or restrict guns.

The question that ought to be asked is how a
disturbed 19 year old boy got hold of
an AR-15?
The other question is “Why did so many know he was disturbed
and do nothing about it?”

I doubt he got it through any legal channels. The other “elephant in the room” is that many interviewed knew that the boy was disturbed, but ignored the problem. Then when he shot 17 people the talking heads of television wonder and examine and talk not to solve the problem, but to inflame it so that other disturbed young people will want their 15 minutes of fame. What is the problem?

It is a spiritual problem.
The boy was not looking unto God.
The school was not looking unto God.
We all – ALL – need the Lord.

God says “Look unto Me … I am God and there is none else”. In America we have created idols to look to. The Lord spoke of idols in the previous chapter of Isaiah. He said:

The Lord has said:

Isaiah 44:8-9 (KJV) … Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any. [9] They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

Rather than come to the God of the Scripture people create idols, “graven images” that they worship instead of God. These things are “vanity” – literally “emptiness”. An idol cannot help you. An idol like money is fleeting. Beauty passed. Young girls worship Beyonce or the Kardashians. These idols cannot save you. This young man who murdered many was worshiping himself. How many people worship themselves? This is but emptiness. “Their delectable things shall not profit, but they deceive themselves” …

They see not, nor know, that they may be ashamed!

In our day we have renamed and excused sin and wonder why sin is so prolific. If you rename sin and make it NOT sin then you remove the shame. This is what we have done in America. If it is popular and accepted on television and movies it is NOT sin. If it goes against popularity and the wants of the crowd then it IS sin. We define sin not by God but by what WE think. This is idolatry.

Illustrate We have all gone the way of Israel who, when Moses went up in the mountain:

Exodus 32:1-4 (NKJV) … the people gathered together to Aaron, and said … “Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” 2 And Aaron said to them, “Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!”

Many pastors like Aaron succumbed to the pressure and allowed that which God forbade as sin. They took the blessings that God gave, melted it down into a false god, and the people now dance around it. Yet the idol brings no satisfaction. We can dance around idols and let congress be our god, or our political party be our god, or our own desires be our gods, and nothing will be changed.

Idols are not gods.

Isaiah 44:17-18, 20 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god. [18] They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand. … [20] He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

If we will be saved as people, if we will be saved individually and as a nation we must look unto GOD. He alone is the Source of Salvation. False gods deceive us, making us think everything is fine when it is not. We must look unto God. He alone is the Source of Salvation. Jesus has said:

John 14:6 (NKJV) “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

The SCOPE Of Salvation

LOOK UNTO GOD. God says

“LOOK unto ME, and be saved, all the ends of the earth”.

God doesn’t call just a select few to salvation, but everyone. God loves everyone. If you are broken as I am and will acknowledge your brokenness, God calls you to salvation. When Jesus walked this earth who pursued Him? The disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus one day and asked the question:

“Are You the Messiah, God’s Son, or should we look for another?”

What did Jesus reply? Was it “I sit in a comfortable palace with a crown on My head, on a cushioned throne, and gathered around Me are my disciples resting in ease”? Was it “I have pleased the religious and the secular crowd, and popular opinion has been my rise to fame?” No. No. Jesus said:

Matthew 11:5-6 (NKJV) The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

Jesus came to save the whosoever will. He came for the broken. His harshest words were not to the prostitute, the drunkard, the impoverished, the hurting. Christ’s harshest words were to the Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees. Why? Because these people were self righteous as many are today. The Apostle spoke of these who:

Romans 10:3 (ESV) … being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

The unholy trinity of self righteous people feel that THEY are fine but EVERYONE ELSE is messed up. These are a “smoke in God’s nostrils” because their attitude is “Do not come near me … I am holier than thou!” (Isaiah 65:5). They cannot be saved for they will not acknowledge their need. They cannot be blessed because they judge they know better than God Himself.

God loves all, regardless as to sin.
God loves the heterosexual, and the homosexual.
God loves the liar and the thief.
God loves the vandal, the thief, and the murderer.
God released Barabbas from the Cross,
But sent His Son to it to die for us all.
And God will save whosoever will come to Him repenting.

John 3:16 (NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER BELIEVES in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Revelation 22:17 (NKJV) … the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. WHOEVER DESIRES, let him take the water of life freely.

John 10:9 (NKJV) I am the door. If ANYONE enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

Hebrews 2:9 (NKJV) But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might TASTE DEATH FOR EVERYONE.

Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world. He died for you, and He died for me. God says “Look unto Me and be saved, ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH”. You are not left out of that promise. Whoever you are if you come, God will save you.

The SIMPLICITY Of Salvation

“LOOK unto ME, and be saved, all the ends of the earth”.

Salvation is not found in doing penance, nor doing religious things. Fanny Crosby – a woman blinded from 6 weeks old – was able to LOOK unto the Lord. Salvation is found in LOOKING unto God. To turn our eyes from the ways of the world and our own wandering ways, and to turn our hearts to Him Who loves us so. The Bible says …

Isaiah 44:2 (KJV) Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee …

God says “I made you. I designed you. I know what makes you tick.” It is this God Who made you, Who designed you, that is able to show you blessing. God loved you at birth, and loves you now. When we look to Him, to the Christ Who gave Himself for us, He promises to bless our lives. He says …

Isaiah 44:3-4 (KJV) For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: [4] And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.

God promises to POUR WATER upon the THIRSTY. Are you thirsty? Are you unsatisfied with life? Does it seem as if you are just spinning your wheels, just existing rather than living? The solution is to come to Him. God sent His Son to this earth to call whosoever will to His side. We read in:

John 7:37-39 (NKJV) On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive …

The reason we are unsatisfied is because we try to LOOK to the wrong things. God says “Look unto ME”. God is the only God. Christ is the only Way. Look to Him. Follow Him. Jesus came preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom saying:

Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men!

When we turn our eyes upon Jesus, God’s only Son, and believe that He gave Himself for us, then God blots out our sins and write our names in the Book of Life. God says …

Isaiah 44:22-24 (KJV) I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. [23] Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel. [24] Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

The God Who made us is the God Who will save us. If a person is to be saved, he must turn to God and God alone. We are in a helpless and hopeless state without our Creator. Nothing can save you but the Love of God found in Christ Jesus.

As you look to God you see how much He loves you. There is His Son Jesus. This is the Child in whom God has said “I am well pleased”. This is the Son that the Father said “Is My Beloved”. Oh how the Father loves the Son! And yet …

Galatians 4:4-6 (NKJV) But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

God sent His Son to redeem us. How? By paying for our sin. Jesus stood in my place, bearing my sin, so that I might be saved. We are told:

1 John 4:8-11 (NKJV) He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Jesus died for me, and died for you. His Blood became the propitiation – the covering for our sins. When we look unto God we look unto Jesus, God’s Messiah.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV) Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 LOOKING unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Oh Beloved, look to Christ for life both now and into eternity. He will save you from yourselves. He will save you from sin. Look unto Him. Go where He goes. Do what He says. Trust Him. Receive Him as Lord and Savior.

The SECURITY Of Salvation

Look Unto Me and be ye saved …

God in Christ saves us three ways from sin.

When you receive Christ as Savior you are saved from the PENALTY of sin

You can enter Heaven without money.
You can enter Heaven without power.
You enter Heaven without health.
You can enter Heaven without fame.

You can enter Heaven fat or thin,
beautiful or ugly,
white collar or blue collar,
rich or poor.
BUT you CANNOT enter Heaven without Christ.

Heaven belongs to Christ. The Bible says:

John 3:17-18 (NKJV) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

If you have received Christ as Lord and Savior you are no longer condemned. The penalty for sin was paid by our Jesus on Calvary, and we stand before God as His Children.

When you receive Christ as Savior you are saved from the POWER of sin God translates you from darkness to light. He brings you into His Kingdom.

1 Peter 2:9-10 (NKJV) But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Ephesians 5:8 (NKJV) For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

When a child of God is saved he or she is baptized – not to be saved but because we are saved. It is a ceremonial and symbolic washing that emphasizes we have moved from darkness to light. The Scripture declares:

Romans 6:14 (NKJV) For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Praise Him, for God defeats sin in His children. Let us not cloak sin but admit it, and trust Him to replace it with His righteousness.

Through Christ as Savior you are promised to forever be in the PRESENCE of God Heaven is not promised to all, but only to those who have received Christ as Savior. Have you received Him? Have you looked to Him for salvation? If not, today would be a blessed day to do so.

Jesus will not pass you by. Will you cry out to Him? He is here today. Call on the Name of Jesus and you shall be saved.

Savior, Savior,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

Posted in God's Children, gospel, grace, Isaiah, Law Of God, Living God, Sermons Preached | Tagged gospel, life look, share Christ, tell others | Leave a comment

Now!

Posted on February 15, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

2 Corinthians 6:1-2 (KJV) We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. [2] (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I [helped] thee: behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation.)

The biggest threat to all of us is the time that is not “now”.
To live in either the “then” or the “when”.

As I get older, my mind loves to go back to “then”. That thing we all call the good old days. The days of Mayberry. The times when I ran through the woods and my own back yard, climbed pine trees, rode bikes with my brother Mark and my friends. I get nostalgic for the good old days. As I go through nostalgia, wishing things were the way they used to be, I forget about the bad things. In the good old days we had trouble with disease like polio, small pox, and plague. There were no dishwashers. When I think with nostalgia of the smell of fresh cut grass wafting through the screen window in my bedroom I also forget tossing and turning in a pool of sweat to 98 degree or higher temperature, hoping one small breeze would blow. There was no air conditioning. King Solomon said:

Ecclesiastes 7:10 (NKJV) Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.

Yesteryear had its sin, its failure, its problems. When I was young money was scarce and all we had was hope and pocket lint. Sherry and I – living on an Airman’s pittance – used to walk through K-Mart and dream of what we could one day afford to buy. We had fun window shopping but I often felt bad that I couldn’t provide better for my little family. But I by the grace of God fed them. God gave us what we needed in the “then” – the “Good Old Days”.

So often we get trapped not only in the “then” but in the “when”. We look to the future and dreaming about what might be. We plan, but do nothing about it. We may procrastinate, waiting for a better time, hoping for something better. I never dreamed as a child of living in the year 2000, but I always believed there would be flying cars when that happened – didn’t you? Time has progressed. Amazingly I am still alive in 2018. But there are no flying cars, and if there were I wouldn’t want to be in one. People are texting and driving gravity bound cars NOW … how will it be when cars take to the sky aqnd people fly about with no roads nor lines to restrict them. I can only shudder!

Only God knows what tomorrow may bring. We read in …

James 4:13-17 (NKJV) Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

We lived through yesterday because of God’s Grace. We will make it through tomorrow because of God’s Grace. Yesterday, today, or tomorrow we are to live with our hearts vested in our Creator, our Savior, our Lord. We are to do good TODAY because to fail to serve God TODAY IS SIN. James says “to him who knows to do good but does not do it, this is sin”.

Faith seeks God diligently.
Faith follows Christ.
We were given Grace – second life – spiritual life – so that we can serve our Lord.

… without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that HE IS, and that HE IS a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6 – NKJV)

The Bible does not tell us that HE WAS, or that HE WILL YET TO BE. Our God is the Great I AM. He is ever in the present tense. He is always right now. There is a point to this. We are to serve the Great I AM RIGHT NOW. We are to live for Him and in Him this very moment. We cannot bury our heads in the sands of time hoping things will be better later, or smell the aroma of all our yesterdays. As Spurgeon said back in the 1800’s:

The time present is the only time I may ever have.

Live In The Grace That God Gave You NOW

2 Corinthians 6:1 (KJV) We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye RECEIVE NOT THE GRACE OF GOD IN VAIN.

Life is a gift from God. No one earns life. It comes by His Grace. God gave us our first life as a gift, and gives us our second or spiritual life as a gift. The Apostle says “we BEG you, do not receive the Grace of God IN VAIN”. What does it mean to “receive the Grace of God in VAIN”? The third of God’s Commandments is …

Exodus 20:7 (NKJV) You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

To take something in vain is to take it shallow, to denigrate it, to misuse it. When I was a little boy I found a .22 caliber long bullet on the floor of my daddy’s shop. I took it out behind my house, sat it on a brick, and smack it with a rock. By the grace of God it didn’t kill me, but it went off with with a loud crack. I don’t know where the bullet went, but I do know I hid for a while scared because of it.

I used that bullet in vain.

To use God’s name in vain is to use it in a wrong manner. God gave us His Name so that we can call on Him, worship Him, praise Him. God did not give us His Name so we can frivolously use Him in curses or silliness. God gave us His Name so we can know Him, for by His Name we know His attributes. God’s name is not “God” no more than our name is “Human Being”. The Name has a purpose. It is so we can intimately know Him.

Just as God’s Name is not to be used in vain, we are not to use Grace in Vain. This Grace, this Amazing Grace that was given us was given to us to bring us into the Light of God.

By Grace we enter His Kingdom.
By Grace we are transformed.
By Grace we become priests with access to Heaven.
By Grace we are forgiven.
By Grace we become alive, indwelt by God the Spirit.
By Grace we are saved from hell and condemnation.
By Grace we are new creatures, Children of God.

The Holy Word tells us that Grace transforms in a mighty way:

Hebrews 10:16-25 (NKJV) This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” 17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. 19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

There are many who receive the Grace of God in vain. These who are many cripple the Church of God, drawing its light into darkness.

Some Receive The Grace Of God In Order To Continue In Sin Jude speaks of these …

Jude 4 (KJV) For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lasciviousness or embracing the sins of the flesh (sexual or immoral behavior) is mentioned and condemned by God in Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 4:19; 1 Peter 4:3, 2 Corinthians 12:21 and was directly condemned by our Lord in Mark 7:22. The Grace of God was given to release us from slavery to our sins, not to enable us to sin guilt free. Sin is abhorrent to God. We are told:

Galatians 1:4 (ESV) {Jesus} gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

And in Romans 8:3-6 (KJV) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

This is very clear. Grace was given to every child of God to save us FROM our sins, to release us from the bondage of sin. When any lesser Grace is preached it is no more Grace than a Thanksgiving Turkey made of Tofu is a Turkey. It may look like a Turkey, but that wiggly mess ain’t no Turkey! The Grace that saves is the Grace that frees.

Some Receive Grace Like An Advance Reservation For Heaven They think that since they have been “saved” they need not live in Christ’s Kingdom until later. The reality is that the recipient of Grace is in the Kingdom of God RIGHT NOW. The Scripture says …

Colossians 1:12-14 (NKJV) …. giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Others Receive The Grace Of God Like A Raft On A Lazy River They think that now they are saved that they may drift carelessly on soft mat of ease on the stream of time to Heaven. “Now that I’m saved” think these “I need not concern myself of His Lordship. There’s time enough to serve Jesus in Heaven when I get to that sweet by and by!” What does the Apostle say?

1 Corinthians 15:10 (NKJV) But by the grace of God I am what I am, and HIS GRACE TOWARD ME WAS NOT IN VAIN; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

If the Grace of God is in you it should make you WANT TO LABOR FOR HIM, the One Who saved you. Grace is given to the Child of God to make us workers for God. You were not saved to rot on the vine, but to be attached to Christ, to make a difference for Him and for this world NOW.

We are workers together with Christ.
We are workers together with Christ.
We are workers together with Christ.

Receiving His Grace we are to work for Him to the glory of our God in the NOW. TODAY.

What Is Our Example Of The Grace Of God?

2 Corinthians 6:2 (KJV) (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I [helped] thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

After warning us not to receive God’s Grace in vain the Apostle speaks in parenthesis, beginning with “For He saith”. This tells us that what is in parenthesis is from the Old Testament. The Apostle loved to quote the Old Testament, just as Jesus loved to quote the Old Testament. His quotation is a portion from …

Isaiah 49:8-9 (NKJV) Thus says the Lord: “In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You; I WILL PRESERVE YOU AND GIVE YOU AS A COVENANT to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages; 9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,’ To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’

I preached a similar text about the Promised Messiah Jesus Christ a few Sundays ago:

Isaiah 42:6 I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people.

Jesus Christ was sent from the Father to be the New Covenant of the people. Jesus is the sum and substance of the Covenant. We are to receive Him and only Him if we are to be saved. We recognize Christ alone as the Covenant Maker when we partake of the Lord’s Table:

Matthew 26:28 (NKJV) For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

The Apostle quoted Isaiah, who looked forward cto the Coming of Christ. The Scripture says that in the fullness of time – when it was appropriate – God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons (Galatians 4:3-5). The Father prophesied through Isaiah that Christ would come. When God opened the door and said “Go” the Son went. He did not hesitate, but went to release the prisoners from sin and the blind from spiritual inability. Christ came doing His Father’s business, even when that business was difficult.

We see in Christ that Grace is not easy.
Grace is difficult.
But Grace is in partnership with God.
Christ went forth from Heaven when the Father sent.
And Grace stayed the course.

Jesus never quit. He never gave up. He always moved forward to glorify His Heavenly Father no matter how difficult the task. If Jesus did not shirk His duty, and we are workers together with Him, we must not shirk our duties. What would Christ have us do?

We are to live in the NOW for Jesus. NOW is the accepted time. The Apostle said:

Galatians 2:20 (NKJV) I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I NOW live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Christ did not live for Himself but for the will of the Father. His every moment of every day was “What is My Father’s will? What would He have Me do?” Christ worked in the supplied power of God, and so should we. In everything we do, we do as children of Christ, saved by faith in His Blood.

Ephesians 2:13 (KJV) But NOW in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:19 (KJV) NOW therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

We do not live in fear of standing for Him. We do not live procrastinating because of this fallen world. We step out boldly, serving our Jesus in the NOW. Now is the accepted time. I remember when I was first saved, very new to the faith, when I saw my first Church fight. The Pastor and another member got upset in the course of a business meeting. The Pastor asked the member to step outside so they could settle the problem, and they did. From that day forward I lost all respect for both Pastor and member. No matter who was right or who was wrong, neither had the right to take the NOW of Christ and toss it away, going back to the old man. The Lord tells us in Scripture:

Romans 6:6 (NKJV) … knowing this, that our old man WAS CRUCIFIED with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

Ephesians 4:22 (NKJV) … that you PUT OFF, CONCERNING YOUR FORMER CONDUCT, THE OLD MAN which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,

We WERE enslaved to sin and the flesh. But the day we were saved our old man was crucified with HIM. We no longer belong to evil, but belong to God. We are children of the Most High. We are not to take off Christ and slide back into the filth of the flesh. We were not saved for this, but for His Glory.

I heard of another person who was provoked by someone at Church, who took off his coat and threw it to the floor saying “there is the Christian, lying on the floor. Now we can fight!” Beloved, a salvation that can be put on and taken off like a coat is no salvation at all. It is not your dress nor your current location that makes you Christian, but the fact that NOW WE ARE THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD.

We WERE in darkness, but NOW are children of the Light.
We WERE of Adam, but NOW are of Christ.
We WERE lost, but NOW are FOUND by Him.
We WERE blind, but NOW we see.

And our primary concern as Christians is to share the NOW of salvation.

NOW is the accepted time.
NOW is the day of salvation.

If you die right this moment where would your soul be? If you do not have Christ and the Grace only found through Him then you will be in Hell. That is the testimony of Scripture. No one is promised tomorrow. Seize His promise NOW.

John 3:16-19 (NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

With Christ, no condemnation. None. I beg you, receive Him, the Covenant of God. Receive Him and be saved!