Tried? Look Unto Jesus!

Posted on February 11, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

1_Reveal_BannerRevelation 1:1-3 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: 2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Sermon Audio:

The REVELATION of Jesus Christ

The Revelation of Jesus Christ. These are the first words in this glorious Book. I have heard people call this book “Revelations”. Though I don’t mean to be nit picky, it is not REVELATIONS plural but REVELATION. The Book reveals Christ. Every interesting part of it reveals another aspect of our Lord Jesus. The singular focus of this Book is Jesus.

This Book was written by a disciple named John who dearly loved Jesus. When Jesus met Simon He gave him a new name Cephas or better known as Peter (see John 1:42). But John gave himself a new name. He called himself “the Disciple whom Jesus loved”. John immersed himself in Jesus. He clung to Jesus. At the Lord’s Table we read:

John 13:23 (NRSV) One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him

When Christ hung on the Cross the Bible says:

John 19:26 (NRSV) When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.”

On the day that Christ rose from the grave John the Beloved Disciple was the first to get to the empty tomb (see John 10:1-10), though Peter was the first to go into the tomb. SIX TIMES in John “The Disciple whom Jesus loved” is mentioned. John gave up his own name – it seems – just to dwell on our Lord Jesus.

Let us be like our brother John.
Let us lose ourselves in Christ.
Let us embrace this REVELATION of our Savior.

The Built In BLESSINGS Of The Book

You can only be blessed by this Book if you do what it says. You must …

Revelation 1:3 “Blessed is he that READETH, and they that HEAR the words of this prophecy, and KEEP those things that are written therein: for the time is at hand.”

The Book is to be READ Each week I ask you to read the chapter I am preaching, to incorporate it into your daily walk with God. It will take me several weeks to preach through the Chapters of this great book. So READ the current chapter. If you’ve read it once, read it again. Read it prayerfully. Read it seeking a revelation of Christ.

The time is at hand. We live in the last days, more-so now than at any other time. As we study Revelation we will see that Satan’s end game is to dispose of national entities and establish a singular, one world government. This has been the gradual drift of the world since the beginning of time. In my lifetime I have seen the rise of the United Nations, a one world entity that seeks to control all nations under it’s umbrella. We have had one world conferences and Presidents of the United States who have tried to give away our national power in place of a one world governmental control.

We have had Presidents try to give away America.
Britain had Prime Ministers try and give away that nation.
Satan wants world domination.
When Satan takes anything and merges it to one, it becomes dark.

The big news of the decade is Great Britain and Brexit where our mother country is pulling out of the European Union. Both Great Britain and America have installed leaders who put their nation first above others, to the howl of the liberal media and liberal politicians. The Book of Revelation prophesied many years ago of the rise of a one world government and a one world leader, a god like man who would rule every nation. It is when we READ the Book that we understand the danger of NOT PUTTING AMERICA FIRST. If we give in to a one world government – no matter how rosy the picture may be painted – we open the door to the Beast of Revelation 13 “having seven heads and ten horns”, a ten nation confederacy seen in Daniel 2:41-42. The ruler of this vast empire has authority given to him by Satan himself (Revelation 13:2), as well as a one world Church (Revelation 13:3-4). The end game is to establish a one world currency in the mark of the Beast which, if you do not have it, you cannot buy nor trade (Revelation 13:16-17).

Reading the Book makes us watchful, not foolish. Satan will do everything he can to destroy Christ and His Gospel. This is the focus of the one world government. God established nations to maintain world order. Multiply and fill the earth means spread out and control. Anything that moves us toward a one world government moves us from Christ and toward Tribulation, a great and terrible Tribulation.

The Book is to be HEARD You must invest time in it not only PERSONALLY but also PUBLICLY. Come to Church with ears wide open to God, to HEAR what He has to say to you in this Book. When we gather together in Christ’s name He promises:

Matthew 18:20 (KJV) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

When God’s people gather together in obedience and seek His Word the Spirit of God blesses us. We hear from the Lord. The Christian is a part of the Body of Christ and a member in particular:

1 Corinthians 12:27 (NASB) Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.

When you come together focused on His Word, The Spirit guides us into all truth …

John 16:13-14 (ESV) When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

The Book is to be KEPT The Book of Revelation is not just a novelty item. Jesus said:

Luke 11:28 …. blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

Matthew 7:24-25 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Your life is not founded or seated on the Rock that is Christ unless you take His Word and apply it to YOUR life. Every week we give an invitation and inevitably I see people looking around to see who else is going to move. No one else can live the Christian life for you. No one else can hear the Gospel and be saved for you. What God speaks to your heart to do, DO IT. Trust Him. Live for Him.

John Was Suffering Because He Loved Jesus

Revelation 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in TRIBULATION, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

John loved Jesus, but this love for Jesus did not raise him above suffering. In fact I have found that the more you love Jesus, often the more you are tried. When you love Jesus then you stand in direct opposition to this present fallen world.

If you are never at war with the world then you may be OF the world!

Jesus warned us …

John 15:18-22 (NKJV) If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.

God gave His Law to the world to convict the world of sin.
Today there are no sinners, just different lifestyle choices.
What does God say in His Word? To whom was the Law given?

1 Timothy 1:9-11 (NKJV) the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.

If you read carefully through this list of sins that the LAW IS AGAINST you will see FORNICATION or Heterosexual sin and SODOMY or Homosexual sin. You will see LYING and PERJURY (we had a President a few years ago who perjured himself before a Grand Jury). We see UNGODLINESS and INSUBORDINATION – those who have no respect for vested authority. We see MURDER and LAWLESSNESS. Many of the things in this list are not only winked at in the fallen world but are also heartily endorsed. When you lovingly deny the lifestyles so rejected by the Word of God the world will hate you.

BUT a true friend speaks the truth in love!

John was imprisoned for intolerance. The world accused him, I am sure, of hate crimes and bigotry, but this is but the world. John dared believe that no one can be saved and go to God’s Heaven unless they receive Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. This infuriated the world. The Roman world allowed people to worship their gods and goddesses as long as you worshiped the Roman gods and goddesses equally. You had to be inclusive – or else. But John believed what Jesus taught:

I am the Only Way to God (John 14:6)
I am the One you must believe in (Matthew 7:21-27)
I have the words of Life (John 6:63)
I alone give eternal life (John 3:14-15)
I am the gate of the sheep (John 10:7)
I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35)
I am the Resurrection (John 11:25)

The world doesn’t like this. The world loves tolerance unless you are intolerant of their tolerance, then the world becomes intolerant. The world is for inclusiveness. How dare John and the early disciples say that Christ is the Only Way to God? How dare they?

This is why John was on Patmos. It was a prison Island. We will suffer when we stand for God’s truth. A Christian Baker has lost his business, and stands before the Supreme Court of the United States. He has suffered and will suffer. When you stand for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ you will suffer. But remember this …

It Was In Suffering That Jesus Was Revealed To John

Revelation 1:4-6 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 5 AND FROM JESUS CHRIST, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

John is writing here, but he also says “and from Jesus Christ”. Jesus is with me. Jesus reveals Himself in our trials no matter what they might be.

The Christ Follower Is Never Alone – EVER! If you’re following Jesus, Jesus is watching you. That’s just common sense! This first AMEN statement of John celebrates not the trial John is going through but that Jesus is with His people.

How do I know that Jesus is with me?

Revelation 1:5 AND FROM JESUS CHRIST, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us,

Because Jesus Christ is the FAITHFUL WITNESS. He stays the course. He was sent to this earth by the Father, and so perfectly mirrored the will of the Father that to see Him was to see the Father. Philip asked Jesus one day:

John 14:8 (NKJV) … “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

Jesus replied … John 14:9-10 (NKJV) … “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

Jesus is the faithful Witness. He was sent to do the will of the Father. Though He went through TREMENDOUS SUFFERING on Calvary He never backed down. He will not abandon you, dear Christian. He cannot. God is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9).

Jesus loved us. 1 John 4:19 (NKJV) We love Him because He first loved us.

How did Jesus love us? Before we ever loved Him He went to Calvary for us. Before we were aware of our sin He gave Himself for you and for me.

Revelation 1:5 (KJV)… Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Jesus suffered a blood bath so we could be bathed in His Blood!

He died for us so that we could be elevated from sinner to saint. Jesus paid a great cost for each believer He redeemed. He paid the greatest price that could be paid. This is why He promises …

Hebrews 13:5 …. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Jeremiah 1:8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.

Matthew 28:20 …. lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Jesus is with us in the trial. Dear ones, if you belong to God then God is with you – Father, Son, and Spirit. God is with you! If, when the trial comes, you find yourselves looking everywhere BUT to Him them, dear ones, your heart is not right. Repent. Turn to Him. He will be with you.

My Trial Does Not Diminish What Christ Is Making Me To Be We read again …

Revelation 1:5-6 Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Christ made us on purpose for a purpose. On Patmos John was not diminished, but was given an opportunity to be a king and a priest unto God even in the midst of suffering. God did not make you to be trash, but treasure. Because of Christ we are elevated. So as we suffer we praise God for it. We cry out with John …

to HIM be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Christ has made us kings and priests unto God and his Father. We are not without worth – we are of the Royal Family because of Him.

We are kings because He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords – and we are part of His Family.

Galatians 4:4-7 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then AN HEIR OF GOD THROUGH CHRIST.

You are heirs of God, children of the King. You are also priests unto God, having direct access unto Him. God is shaping you through the trials. He is molding you for service to Him now, and life with Him throughout eternity. The scripture 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.

I heard a wonderful illustration by Pastor Tony Evans today, one I want to share with you. A man is lost in a desert, and is on his third day without water. He’s dying. He desperately needs water. When he is about out of hope he sees a shelter, a little shack, off in the distance. Staggering he gets to the shack. Opening the door he sees a dusty water pump. He pumps and pumps the handle but nothing comes out. Nothing! Oh how his thirst grows with every squeak of the handle. In desperation he looks around the shack and sees a mason jar filled with water, and on it a note:

Use This Water To Prime The Pump
Refill If After Use For The Next Traveler

The man is on the horns of a dilemma. He is so thirsty. Should he drink the water and get a temporary blessing, or should he have faith in the Word written and prime the pump.

This man is us.

Do we believe God’s Word? If so, we will do as He says no matter what our circumstances. We will not deny God’s Word but trust it, trust Christ as the Living Word, and embrace and DO what He says no matter what we feel. Feelings change. Popular opinions change. But the Word of the Lord endures forever (1 Peter 1:25). John didn’t look around at his helpless and hopeless circumstances but he looked upward …. and there was Jesus.

Look To Jesus And We Will Win

Revelation 1:7 (KJV)  Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

Jesus is coming. He died for our sins at His first Advent, but there is coming another Advent where every eye shall see Him. Those who mocked will mock no more. The unrighteous shall see. Those who crucify Him afresh with mockings and cursings shall WAIL because of Him. John was being persecuted for doing the right thing, but what comforted him was the sure knowledge that Jesus was coming again. He is coming again! He is coming again! When He comes, the scales of justice will be balanced. The backbiter and manipulator will be revealed. His Children will be magnified, and the children of Satan cast into hell forever more.

Praise His Holy Name!

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God Our Savior

Posted on February 11, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

1Isaiah 43:1-7 (KJV)1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and SebaNE Africa – Meroe for thee. 4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. 5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; 6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; 7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

Audio of Sermon: 

God founded His Church in Israel. His Church was called out of Abraham’s seed. Abraham – originally called Abram – lived in Ur of the Chaldees – heard the call of God to salvation and followed Him. From Abraham God brought about the nation of Israel, and from Israel God called His Church. I have heard Israel called God’s Old Testament Church, and we who are His by faith in Christ His New Testament Church.

Whether Israel or the Church, God calls to a people to be “in the world, but not of the world”. God created this world and loves this world, but from Adam onward this world has wandered far from God. But God is our Savior. Though we wandered from Him, God was not satisfied with this … and neither are we.

We are not satisfied unless we are in God.
We are not satisfied unless we love Him and His Word.
We are not satisfied unless we are following His design in our lives.
We are not satisfied until we are resting in God or Savior.

Why are we not satisfied unless we are in Him because it is HE that MADE US.

Isaiah 43:1 (KJV)1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob,
and he that formed thee, O Israel,

Just as God created Jacob in his mother’s womb, and formed Jacob into Israel, God created you. God has a design and a purpose for your life. He wants to elevate you from Jacob the thief and wanderer to Israel the Prince of God. He wants to bring joy to your life, joy unspeakable and full of joy.

The way of Adam is not the way of peace!

I was reading the news on the internet the other day when I came across several articles that address “Inclusiveness”. Years ago we were a society that had two genders of people, “men” and “women”. Then a vocal and somewhat angry group of people decided that this wasn’t enough, that we should have other “genders”. We were told if we had other “genders” and we were allowed to legally marry any “gender” then it wouldn’t effect the rest of us raised to believe in two genders. So the courts struck gavels and legally we decided to be more “inclusive”. Colleges and universities are now releasing what they call “new gender pronouns” because the pronouns we grew up learning are not inclusive enough. Instead of “he” or “she” we say “(f)ae”, and instead of “him” or “her” we say “(f)aer”. Instead of “himself” or “herself” we say “(f)aerself”. Don’t you feel better now? There is no standardized pronoun replacement, by the way. Some use one of these: “ze” “xem” “xyr” “verself” “perself” “eirs” “em”. I feel much better now. The departure from God’s design has gone so far that in Canada now it is against the Law to use non-inclusive language.

At a town hall meeting a voter asked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a question and used the phrase “future of mankind”. The Prime Minister told her “We like to say peoplekind not necessarily mankind because it’s more incluisive”.

My spell checker on my computer went crazy when it saw the word “peoplekind”, offering about a dozen different words in place of this foolishness. Sadly, a machine knows better than we do.

Nancy Pearcey, a teacher at Houston Baptist University and the author of Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions About Life And Sexuality was recently interviewed by The Christian Post. In the interview she stated truthfully:

“… no one really denies that on the level of biology, physiology, and anatomy, males and females are counterparts to one another. That’s the way the human sexual and reproductive system is designed. So when someone adopts a same-sex identity, they are contradicting their own biological design. Implicitly they are saying, “Why should my body inform my psychological identity? Why should my biological sex as male or female have any say in my moral choices?” This is a profoundly disrespectful view of the body. It creates inner conflict between a person’s physiology and their psychological identity, leading to fragmentation and self-alienation.” (underline mine)

The farther we get from God, the more confused we get. Feelings change. That which is popular changes. But what does not change is that it is God Who made us. He formed us. We are of His design.

God Made You And Will Redeem Imperfect You

The source of our confusion is that we think we made ourselves.
Even a test-tube baby does not make itself.
We do not make the egg, nor do we make the sperm.

Life has never been created in the laboratory. Life is from God. God equips and we enjoy what He has given us. It was God Who looked from Heaven and said:

Genesis 1:26-28 (NKJV) Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

God formed us. God made us male and female. He made us in His image. He made us according to His likeness. He gave us dominion over the earth, His earth. And God in His blessing said “be FRUITFUL and MULTIPLY and FILL THE EARTH”. The commission of God is not possible if we do not see His design as male and female. The two became one, and out of the one became the many. This is God’s design. While we are in Him we …

Fear not!

God did not make us to fear, but to rejoice in Him. God offers redemption to His children. He offers us salvation from Adam’s failure. God said:

Isaiah 43:1 (KJV) … Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

The world and all that was in it was given to Adam. But Adam rejected the will of God. The Scripture says that ..

Romans 5:12 (NKJV) … just as through one man {Adam} sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned …

Adam was given the world and all that was in it, but turned from the Lord of Life to the snake of death. He ate that which was forbidden, and just as God said, “that day that you eat of it, you shall surely die”. But God was not satisfied with this, but planned to redeem man from the snake of satan.

Romans 5:19 (NKJV) For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

Adam sold himself and his progeny into sin, but God planned our redemption. God is our Redeemer. God sent His Son to this earth to give Himself in our place. The Scripture declares the beautiful story of God’s love in Christ, how that we are blessed by the Father’s sending of His Son for us.

Ephesians 1:3-7 (NKJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. 7 In Him {our blessed Jesus} we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

God – Who cannot lie – promised Adam death the day he sinned. God kept His Word. Adam did not, but God did. God – Who cannot lie – promised even after the Fall of Adam that He would send a Redeemer to us. Jesus would come. Jesus would be born of “the seed of the woman”, the Virgin Mary. Jesus would be flesh as we are flesh, but without sin. Praise be unto God …

Psalm 111:9 (NKJV) {God} has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: Holy and awesome is His name.

Out of His love God sent His Beloved. We are told in

Psalm 130:7 … hope in the Lord; for with the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is ABUNDANT redemption!

God is our Redeemer. He sent His Son to give Himself for us. Christ paid the penalty we could not pay. We are …

Romans 3:24 … being justified freely by His Grace THROUGH THE REDEMPTION THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS …

If you have received Christ then God chose to redeem you.
He chose to call you.
He chose to save you.

The Perfect God chooses to save imperfect you

Isaiah 43:1 (KJV) … Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

He did not call you by an Angel. He did not send an emissary to you, a lackey, a save a gram. God says “I have called YOU BY YOUR NAME”. I knew you, and know you, and will always know you. God knew you before you were ever born. God told Jeremiah …

Jeremiah 1:5 (NLT) I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.

God had a plan for his life, and has a plan for yours. He called the Saul the self righteous to be Paul the Apostle. He calls you, and keeps calling to you. Are you lowly. Then listen to Him. Are you a sinner as I am? Listen to Him. Hear His Voice. He calls you to redemption asking you to receive His Son. Those who are saved were not saved of merit. What does the Scripture say?

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (NKJV) For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”

If you are called of God, o Jacob, He knew of your Jacobness. Hey, if a politician can invent the alleged word “peoplekind” I can invent the word “Jacobness”. My word makes better sense.

Jacob was not the best in morality.
Samson was not the best in chastity.
David was not the best son of Jesse.
Abraham did not perfectly obey God.
Moses was humble, but not enough.
Though Rahab did well, she was a whore.
Ruth was from the cursed Moabites.
Saul started out in the Church killing Christians.

When you look at anyone of stature in the Scripture they only became great when they gave their lives to the Lord. Very few in the faith of Christ are mighty, noble, or wise on their own. We glory, but we glory in the Lord. And God says to us that He loves:

Isaiah 43:1 (KJV) … Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

When We Call Upon Christ The Father Saves Us

God says “I have redeemed you … you are MINE”. He saved us by His dear Son on Calvary. Christ shed His Blood for us that we might be His, that God might cover our sins. We read:

Isaiah 43:25-26 (KJV)25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. 26 Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.

The problem in our day is that humanity has been taught that there is no sin nor sinners. But we know in our heart of hearts this is not true. We are sinners … and God has promised to blot our sins out. We confess our sins, and He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, to cleans us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:8-10)

God says “I will not remember your sins … I’ll blot them out”. Why does the Lord do this? He does it for His own dear Son’s sake. When we remember – think upon – what He did, and cry out to Him by faith – then God commutes the righteousness of Christ to us. God says:

Put Me in remembrance
Let us PLEAD together – come together in prayer
Declare thou – Confess Christ
That you may be justified.

The New Testament puts it this way:

Romans 10:9-13 (ESV) …. if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

When God saved Israel from Egypt they were in no wise perfect. And yet God looked after His Children by faith who followed Him. He carried Israel through the waters of the Red Sea and the Jordan. He took them through many trials. God promises to look after His Children.

Isaiah 43:1-7 (KJV) When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and SebaNE Africa – Meroe for thee.

God looks after His Child. If you are His, you are His Witnesses by how you live your lives. As we come to the Lord’s Table today we are witnesses for Him. As He has said:

Isaiah 43:10-12 (KJV) Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no savior. 12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.

As we come to His Table we cast away all strange gods and goddesses. We reject every pleasing murmur of the world. We focus our minds on Him Who gave Himself for us. We recommit ourselves to follow Christ and only Christ. We do not like Jeshrun (Deuteronomy 32:15) “forsake the God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.” We now lay our sins and our burdens down at the feet of Christ. We come wholeheartedly to the God of our Salvation.

Psalms 24:3-5 (KJV) Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Isaiah 12:2-6 (KJV) Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. 4 And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. 5 Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. 6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

Let us now turn our eyes upon Jesus as the Deacons come forward to prepare His Table.

Posted in Isaiah, Jesus, Sermons Preached | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Ambassadors

Posted on February 8, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

2_Corinthians_5_20_n_Proverbs_13_17_Ambassador_BIBLENOTES.odt

2 Corinthians 5:9-11 (KJV) Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (KJV)And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Proverbs 13:17 (KJV) … a faithful ambassador is health.

Audio of sermon: 

Every believer in Jesus Christ is an Ambassador from Heaven.

I looked up the word “ambassador” in Webster’s and found this definition:

“an official envoy; especially : a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the resident representative of his or her own government or sovereign or appointed for a special and often temporary diplomatic assignment”

The Ambassador Is SENT To A Foreign Country

Though you may have been born on this earth and have a Social Security Number and a license with your address on it, the day you were born again things changed. You changed. You were dead in sin and in trespasses, but now have been made alive. The Scripture says:

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (KJV)14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Before we knew Christ we lived for ourselves in selfishness and deceit. We justified our sin. We made ourselves the center of the universe. But once we received Christ as Lord and Savior our lives changed. We became new creatures – the people of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

If you are a Christian, saved by the Blood of the Lamb, then you are a new creature. You are not like the Child of Adam, but you are now a Child of God. When Jesus prayed for His Church He prayed … listen to His Words now …

John 17:15-17 (KJV) “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. {16} They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. {17} Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. {18} As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.”

An Ambassador is SENT. Jesus was SENT from Heaven to tell us of the Father’s Will. Jesus came not representing Himself but the Father. He said “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father”. A good Ambassador is SENT to REPRESENT the desires of His Country’s leaders. Jesus said “as You (Father) have sent Me, I send them”. We are Ambassadors of Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

… a faithful Ambassador is health

If God left you on this earth as His Ambassador (and the Scripture seems to teach this) then when you do as you are called you will spread health. A lost person is not healthy. A lost person is in bondage to sin, to satan, to self. The Bible says:

Romans 6:23 (KJV) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The good Ambassador carries the message of the Heavenly Kingdom to this world so that others may enter into His Kingdom.

The Ambassador Is Sent To CARRY THE KING’S MESSAGE

No good Ambassador makes up his or her own message, but carries the message given by God to this world. We are like the Angel Gabriel who announced the birth of Christ:

He shall save HIS PEOPLE from their sins

The message we carry to the world is not the simplistic message that “God is love”. God is love. God loves. But sin separates us from God. The Apostle said:

2 Corinthians 5:11 (KJV) Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

We know the terror – the TERROR – of the Lord. What does this mean? The word TERROR is the Greek φόβος phobos which means FEAR. What does the Bible say about fearing God? I’ve heard people say that “fear” just means to “respect God”. The Bible uses the word FEAR in reference to God some 300 times, so we shouldn’t minimize it. It is true that “perfect love casts out all fear” (1 John 4:18) but this is a reference to those who are born again by faith in Christ, born into the family of God. When people have no fear of God they do foolish things.

They live as if they will live forever without eternity.

They make themselves gods, ignoring the Creator.

They never consider the next life which is certain.

They do immoral things and mock God’s Word.

Jesus spoke of a certain rich man who lived in luxury, heartlessly ignoring the poor around him. He lived “clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptiously every day” (Luke 16:19). When that man died he “lifted up his eyes in hell, being in torments” (Luke 16:23). He had no fear of God in this life – and no fear of being blessed by God in the next. Our Lord Jesus said:

Matthew 10:28 (NKJV) And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

I was reading an article by Pastor Greg Morse of Desiring God Ministries the other day called “Over Our Dead Bodies – Embracing The Cost Of Warning The Lost”. In the article he spoke of a funeral where a woman was being buried. Greg wrote:

“The woman before him lived as worldly as they come, blaspheming God and His Word whenever the opportunity presented itself. … the Pastor proclaimed that – deep down – she was a good person and was with the Lord in Heaven. It was at that moment when all sat pleased at the Pastor’s words that a young woman {in the audience} spoke up.

“It’s a lie! Do not believe him. We will not all be in a better place! That hope is false. Only those who believe in Christ, the son of God, the One Who died and was raised, will be saved! Only those who repent and believe and follow Him until the end will be in a better place. Wrath awaits all who die in sin! He stands ready to forgive you!”

What courage this took! People tried to quieten her. The usher tried to expell her. But she spoje the truth in love.

God is love, but as HE defines love. If we leave this life without being reconciled to God then we go to a place of eternal torment, a place without peace or without hope, a terrible place, a place of judgment. God has left us ambassadors in this world to share His message of reconciliation to whosoever will believe.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (KJV) And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself BY JESUS CHRIST, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

We who are reconciled to God by faith in Christ are to invite others to be likewise reconciled. Jesus Christ laid His life down for this fallen world. He calls all who will to lay their lives down for Him.

Salvation is entirely attained by receiving Christ. What does the Scripture say?

John 1:12-13 (NKJV) But AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

He died for this world so that this world might live.
This is the message we preach and teach.
There is no life in denominations.
There is no life in works.
There is no life in the keeping of the Law.
Wherein is life? It is in Christ alone. In loving Him.

Romans 3:23-24 (KJV) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

We are justified – made upright – by the grace of God that is available in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:1-4 (KJV)1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 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.

We are with condemnation before God because we follow after Christ and are in Christ. Look at the Scripture:

2 Corinthians 5:9 (KJV) Wherefore we LABOR, that, whether present or absent, we MAY BE ACCEPTED OF HIM.

Salvation is all of faith in Christ. Jesus Christ is the …

1 John 2:2 (KJV) ….. propitiation (covering) for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

But the saved love Jesus and love to work for Jesus. Ambassadors are honored to be called. They are not forced into service, but love Him with all their hearts.

The Ambassador Is Sent To Carry The King’s Message FEARLESSLY

As good Ambassadors we do not add to nor remove from the message we have been given. God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16). We as Ambassadors represent the Kingdom of God, and we others to come into this Kingdom while there is time. They must come by Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (KJV)14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

The way of life of the world is dead.

Proverbs 14:12 (KJV) There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

The way of the world is the way of selfishness, lovelessness, and death. There is no life in this world, but there is life in Christ. Jesus was very clear when He said:

(John 10:8-11 KJV) “ALL THAT EVER CAME BEFORE ME ARE THIEVES AND ROBBERS: but the sheep did not hear them. {9} I AM THE DOOR: BY ME IF ANY MAN ENTER IN, HE SHALL BE SAVED, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. {10} The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. {11} I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD: THE GOOD SHEPHERD GIVETH HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP.”

The only way to life is through Christ. This is the message we carry. It is not a popular message. The Apostle Paul asked the Church at Ephesus to PRAY for him, saying:

Ephesians 6:20 (KJV) For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

He was an ambassador in BONDS – in chains – for preaching the Gospel. Nonetheless Paul did not fear. He knew that God was in charge, and God was in control of what happened. Paul focused on the message, not the mess he was in.

As good Ambassadors we must NOT bend nor compromise. We do not belong to this world, but to Another. We are not citizens of this country permanently, just temporarily. We are “strangers and pilgrims” (1 Peter 2:11; Hebrews 11:13) on this present earth.

My heav’nly home is bright and fair,
I feel like traveling on;
Nor pain nor death can enter there,
I feel like traveling on.
Yes, I feel like traveling on,
I feel like traveling on;
|My heav’nly home is bright and fair,
I feel like traveling on.

We are here as long as God needs us here to be His Ambassadors. As Ambassadors we speak for Him and for our only Home. The Bible says:

Philippians 3:20 (KJV) “For our {citizenship} is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:”

Our citizenship is in Heaven. We are but visitors to this planet offering God’s peace to whosoever will receive it. We obey the Laws of our land as long as they do not conflict with the Laws of our King. But our King’s Laws are NEVER replaced by the Laws of mortal man. The Pharisees came to Jesus one day to try and entrap Him. They asked:

Matthew 22:17-21 (KJV) “Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? {18} But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? {19} Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. {20} And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? {21} They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”

No Christian has the right to break the Law of the land he is in unless the law of the land is contrary to God’s Law. We obey God first. We as Ambassadors represent God first. The Apostle wrote:

Romans 13:1-4 (KJV) Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. {2} Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. {3} For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: {4} For he is the minister of God to thee for good.

The Ambassador Will One Day Be Judged For His Or Her Stewardship

Again in our text we read:

2 Corinthians 5:9-10 (KJV) Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

As Ambassadors we will never stand before that terrible Great White Throne of Revelation 20.

Revelation 20:11 (KJV) And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

The Great White Throne is a place where TERROR will reign. People will run from the Judge on that Throne. Another name for the Great White Throne is “The Terror of the Lord” as we mentioned before. When we return home – our real home in Heaven – our works will be judged. Let us be good Ambassadors for Him. Let us live our lives knowing that our destiny is with Jesus. Let us work to please the One Who saved us.

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 (KJV) Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

There will come a time when God will call His Ambassadors home. No Ambassador stays forever in the place he is sent. There will come a time when we – each and every one of us who are His – will go into yonder glory. If we live until the Time God will remove all His Ambassadors at once from this earth in an event we call “The Rapture”. When all Ambassadors are removed from a country it is tantamount to a declaration of war. Our removal will start the Great Tribulation, the Great Purging of the earth.

But until that day we honor our God by serving as faithful Ambassadors. We are to always remember the words of our Lord:

John 16:33 (KJV) “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Jesus Christ has and will overcome the world. Be His Ambassador. Live for Him. Let Him live through You. Pray. Read His Word. Do good. Love. Share. His. Gospel.

May God touch your hearts with His Word.

Posted in 2 Corinthians, Church, Following Jesus, Sermons Preached | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

They know they won’t live forever. Yet they spend their days as if they are never going to die.

Posted on February 6, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

very interesting blog. Thought provoking. Well done.

Rinata's avatarrinatalov

via Daily Prompt: Puzzled

Leo Tolstoy’s novella “The Death of Ivan Ilych” explores the inevitable occurrence of demise.  It is one of the human concerns, which crosses cultures and historic ages.  Tolstoy asks his readers to experience the process of dying and examining life with his protagonist Ivan Ilych.  The author is convinced that without death, life loses its meaning.  He compels Ivan Ilych to examine his life before he dies.  Olney (1972) writes that Tolstoy does not mean to frighten his readers with death, but rather to cause them to reflect on how they live.  Most do not live as if they will live forever.  Yet they spend their days as if they are not going to die.  At the end of his life, Ivan Ilych realizes that he spent his life chasing a social deception, which left him with nothing to show for.  Therefore, each must strive to…

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Behold God’s Servant

Posted on February 5, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

1.jpgIsaiah 42:1-7 (KJV)  Behold My Servant, whom I uphold; mine Elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.  [2]  He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.  [3]  A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench: He shall bring forth judgment unto truth.  [4]  He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till He have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for His law.  [5]  Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:  [6]  I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;  [7]  To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Audio of Sermon 8:30 AM:

Audio of Sermon 11 AM:

Sermon Notes: A young couple sat watching the Superbowl Game together for the first time since they had been married. The young bride watched quietly with her husband. Every now and then he would jump up and shout at the screen of the television, sometimes startling her. When intermission came he asked her “How do you like the game so far?” She replied “It’s all right, but I don’t understand why they’re trying to kill one another over a coin.” He looked at her puzzled and asked, “What do you mean?” She said “At the beginning before they started playing they flipped a coin. Now you keep shouting at the television get the quarter back!”

Many people love to watch the Superbowl, but many don’t understand the excitement. Two teams play to see who is the best, and the winner will get a Superbowl ring and bragging rights. But like most things the victory won will be forgotten in a few years. As the Bible says,

James 4:14 (NIV) … What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes..

The young bride didn’t understand the excitement that her husband was having. Many people today don’t understand why any of us get excited over coming together as a Church.

Christ Our Sabbath Rest

When God’s people come together our Jesus comes together with us. When we are in one accord seeking His face and His Word then He fulfills His promise:

Matthew 18:20 (NKJV) For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.

When we gather together in His name seeking His face Jesus shows up. He speaks to our hearts. His Holy Spirit touches lives. We come together so that we can see Jesus.

Our Isaiah text today is about Jesus. Isaiah was given a vision of Christ as the Servant of God. How do I know this text is about Jesus? The Bible says so.

If you turn for a moment to Matthew 12 you’ll see the testimony of Scripture. In Matthew 12 Jesus was once more attacked by the self righteous Pharisees. They caught the disciples picking corn off the stalk and eating it on the Sabbath day, the day of rest. This started a dialogue between Jesus and the Pharisees as to why the Lord created the Sabbath. Jesus told the Pharisees:

Matthew 12:8 (NKJV) For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.

As Jesus entered the Synagogue – the local Church of that town – we read:

Matthew 12:10 (NKJV) And BEHOLD, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they {the Pharisees, the Self Righteous} asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him.

Do you see that BEHOLD?
BEHOLD! Stop, look.
We had a BEHOLD at the beginning of our Responsive Reading, our focal text.
BEHOLD My Servant.

These Pharisees knew how much Jesus loved people, people who were broken, people in need. BEHOLD there is a man with a withered hand. BEHOLD here is a broken person, suffering, that the world cares nothing for. To the Pharisees this man is no more than just an object to be used to try and entrap Jesus. BEHOLD! What about this man, Jesus? Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?

Matthew 12:11-14 (NKJV) {Jesus} said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. 14 Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.

The Pharisees were excited by Jesus – they wanted to kill Him for doing good. Self righteous people feel that they are self made good, that they need no one, especially Jesus. They watch the Christ like that woman watched the Superbowl. They do not understand because their eyes are focused in the wrong place.

We are all but broken things.
This man was a broken thing, desperately needing Jesus.
The Pharisees – self righteous ones – were broken and blinded, needing Jesus.

The Bible says

Psalm 34:18 (NASB) The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

The saddest thing is that the self righteous ones needed Jesus most of all, but rejected Him. Their sinful pride kept them from being blessed by His presence. But to those who loved the Lord, who needed His blessing, BEHOLD, He was there. The Bible says:

Matthew 12:15-16 (NKJV) {Jesus} withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. 16 Yet He warned them not to make Him known,

Here is why we come to Church, why we read from this Book of Books, why we listen to preaching of Christ. Because when multitudes come together in His Name He is here. He heals. And He blesses. Matthew went on to quote from our Responsive Reading:

Matthew 12:16-21 Yet {Jesus} warned them not to make Him known, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

(and now we come to our main text in Isaiah)

18 “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen,
My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased!
I will put My Spirit upon Him,
And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not quarrel nor cry out,
Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed He will not break,
And smoking flax He will not quench,
Till He sends forth justice to victory;
21 And in His name Gentiles will trust.”

How do I know that Isaiah 42:1-7 is about Jesus? Because the Apostle Matthew tells me it is about Jesus. Matthew ties the prophecy of Isaiah to Jesus. Jesus is the Servant of the Living God.

Let Us Behold Jesus

Jesus Christ is the Servant of God the Father. He is the Son of God sent to save the world. The Apostle said:

1 John 4:9, 14 (NKJV) 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. … 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.

The Servant of God the Father is Jesus Christ our Lord. He was sent to this earth. Mohammed was not sent. Buddha was not sent. The Hindu gods were not sent. But Jesus Christ was sent.

Isaiah 42:1 (KJV)  Behold my Servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth;

The Father upholds the Son in all that He did and does. The Father calls the Son “My Servant”. The Son is the Father’s representative. He is the “elect” or chosen of God to do His will. God delights in His Son. We are told in Hebrews:

Hebrews 1:1-9 (NKJV) God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5 For to which of the angels did He ever say:

“You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”?
And again:
“I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”?

6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.” … 8 But to the Son He says:

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom …

BEHOLD Him and only Him.
BEHOLD Him, For He Alone is God’s Atonement For Sin.

He is the one and only Servant of the Father. Jesus Christ came to do His Father’s will. What was His Father’s will but to save those who were lost. To reach out to the broken. To lift up the fallen. To save from hell the hell bound, and to lighten those entrapped in darkness. Jesus Christ came as the Servant of God. We read:

Hebrews 10:4-10 (NKJV) For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. 5 Therefore, when He {Jesus} came into the world, He said:

“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,
But a body You have prepared for Me.
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin
You had no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—
In the volume of the book it is written of Me—
To do Your will, O God.’”

8 Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), 9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Jesus Christ came into this world to make payment for our sins. The blood of bulls and goats could not pay for sins, they were but temporary shadows of that which was greater. The great Gospel of Scripture is this, that

1 Timothy 1:14-15 (ESV) … and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

Jesus Christ is God’s Chosen Servant. He is the Suffering Servant giving His life for us. The Superbowl games are but temporary victories. Who remembers who won the first Superbowl, or the tenth Superbowl? These victories are cheered by the world. But what Christ has done is eternal, and blessed, and never forgotten. For He has won victory over death and sin. He has, by His willing service, defeated the devil and secured salvation for whosoever believes in Him.

Isaiah 42:1 (KJV) … I have put my Spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 

The Holy Spirit rested on Christ at His Baptism, and Jesus promised to send His Spirit to those who believed in Him. Those who have believed in God’s Suffering Servant are indwelt of the Spirit just as Christ promised. Jesus told His Church:

John 16:7-14 (NKJV) 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.

Isaiah 42:2 (KJV) He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.

Many times Jesus healed people and asked those whom He healed to “tell no one”. Jesus did not come to promote Himself, but He came to do the Father’s will. He did not want people chasing after Him for His ability to heal. No, Jesus called people to follow Him so that He could transform their lives. He called people to walk with Him so that they could walk with God.

Isaiah 42:3 (KJV) A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

Jesus came to help, not to hurt. The bruised reed is a picture of a tender shoot of bamboo that has been trampled underfoot. Bruised but not broken, Jesus would not add to the suffering of that person, but would come to tenderly assist them. The smoking flax is the picture of a lamp wick that – being burned nearly up – can barely hold a flame. For those who are nearly extinguished from the horrors of this world Jesus – unlike the Pharisees – did not come to add to the burden of man. Jesus would not blow the tiny spark out, but would through His Spirit and His Word gently breathe on the exhausted until they burst into the flame of new life.

He is the Servant of the Most High God, the Son Who loves. His Word will stand forever!

Jesus Is The Servant That Cannot Fail

Isaiah 42:4-5 (KJV) He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.  [5]  Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: 

Jesus is the Servant of God, the Son of God by Whom all things have been created, and through Whom all things consist. In Christ we shall prevail because Christ cannot fail. The isles shall wait for His Law. The Father created all things through Jesus, and the Father will bring His Kingdom to this earth. We read in …

Colossians 1:12-17 (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.

15 {Jesus} is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

Gods is building a Kingdom on this earth, and Christ is the tireless Servant Who is bringing this Kingdom about. As we preach His Gospel and as people receive Him as Lord and Savior His Kingdom grows. He delivers all who believe in Him from the power of darkness and brings whosoever will into the “Kingdom of the Son of His Love”. We are redeemed from sin, Satan, and this fallen world by receiving the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” as our Savior.

The Covenant Of God’s Kingdom Is Jesus

Isaiah 42:6 (KJV) I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

The Father says of the Son His Servant:

“I have called You in righteousness” – Jesus Christ is the manifest Righteousness of God.

“I will hold Your hand and keep You” – the Father loves and protects His Son.

“And give Thee for a Covenant of the people” – A Covenant is a contract between God and man. Christ is our Covenant. When we receive Him as Lord and Savior we enter into a Contract with God.

“For a Light of the Gentiles”. Christ is the Light of the world. When you receive Him as He is God promises to give you Light.

1 Peter 2:9 (ERV) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Until the day that you receive Christ as God’s Covenant to you you will be in darkness. But when you receive Him He promises to give light to your eyes. He promises

Isaiah 42:7 (KJV)  To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

To those who say “I am saved, but remain in my sin” God says “You Lie”. You have deceived yourself. Those who sin habitually are servants of sin, not of the Savior. God calls us out of darkness and into His marvelous light. He calls us out of the world to walk in the Light with Him. If you are born again, Christ is your Covenant. Christ is with you, and you are with Him. And this is the very best of places to be.

May God touch your hearts with His Word.

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In Earthen Vessels

Posted on February 1, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

2_Corinthians_4_5t7_Earthen_Vessels.jpg

Audio of Sermon: 

Bible Notes: I was watching something disgusting on television the other day, not because I wanted to watch it, but it was forced on me in the middle of the show I was watching.

It was called – I think – a commercial.

It was a new commercial for one of these diet drinks I never drink because – quite frankly – they taste like battery acid. Anyway this young woman came on and told me how good her diet soda was — that it was “delicious” — then proceeded to tell me that

“If you want to live in a yurt, live in a yurt”

I thought at first she was saying “If you want to live in the dirt live in the dirt” which I thought was weird. But with people and their belief structure today – who knows? At least I know what DIRT is. I had to look up YURT. It’s a round, portable tent made of animal skins that Turkish nomads invented.

I don’t want to live in a YURT. I want to live in my house sitting in my recliner loving my wife. The young lady went on to say

“Life is short. Just do what you want. Just DO YOU!”

That is the attitude of most of the world today, and most of the world of yesterday. Jesus asked the question one day:

Mark 8:36-37 (NKJV) For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

What indeed. People have given up their souls for money, food, sex, fame, and have done so since the beginning of human history. The attitude of this and the previous generations of people is that I should live to do what I MYSELF want to do.

Live in a YURT.
Eat DIRT.
Do whatever YOU want because life is short.
This life is short.
But life itself is not really short.

Life Is Not A Commercial

God tells us that there is another life beyond this life. That life can be light in the Lord for those who love the Lord:

Psalm 89:11-16 (NKJV) The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all its fullness, You have founded them. 12 The north and the south, You have created them; Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name. 13 You have a mighty arm; Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face. 15 Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance. 16 In Your name they rejoice all day long, And in Your righteousness they are exalted.

But there is a life beyond this one of eternal darkness for those who do not live in the light of God’s love:

John 3:19-21 (NKJV) 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. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

Life is short NOW, but not THEN.
Every human is created in the image of God, and as such our souls are eternal.
Where will I go when I depart this place?
I go to Whom I love.
If I love Jesus I will go to Jesus.
If I love ME I will go to a place where people only love themselves and God is not in it.

The Gospel is in direct opposition to every commercial – I say EVERY COMMERCIAL – on television today. The Gospel shouts out to all who say “Life is short – do YOU” and says “No, this is not life. Life is in God. Life is in Christ.”

Commercials preach US. Every commercial is about YOU. YOU should buy this car. YOU should drink this drink. YOU should come to this bank and get our credit card. YOU deserve it. This is the message that the world brings to us. When you watch a television show and it says just prior to your show:

This show is brought to you by …

and they fill in a company or manufacturer telling you who the sponsor is, what they should tell you is that …

This show is brought to you by the devil and his servants.

You say “But brother, that seems a bit harsh”. Maybe it does. But the Scripture says:

Read Together 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (KJV) But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

The devil – the god of this world, the one that the world worships – blinds the minds of the lost. He tells them just as this young girl did on the commercial

“Life is short!”
“Just do YOU”

Jesus told a parable one time about a rich man that had all kinds of things. Rather than praising God for what he was given he wanted more and more. As he accumulated stuff – buying whatever the crappy commercial was selling – he said to himself:

Luke 12:19 (NKJV) … Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.

Jesus said that this man was rebuked by God Who said:

Luke 12:20 (NKJV) … you Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?

Everything belongs to God. Everything. This is why:

Read Together 2 Corinthians 4:5 (KJV) For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.

Jesus is LORD. We preach “Christ Jesus the Lord”. What does this mean?

  • We preach CHRIST. Not OURSELVES, but CHRIST. He is the Messiah sent from the Father, the Only Atonement for sin. Jesus is THE Christ. The Bible tells us that there is but One Christ, and that He was sent from God to be both King of His people. Daniel called the Messiah …

Daniel 9:25 (NKJV) …. Messiah the Prince

and the Angel Gabriel told Joseph that Mary would …

Matthew 1:21 (NKJV) … bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will SAVE His people from their SINS.

He is Lord.
He is Lord.
He has risen from the dead, and He is Lord.
Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord.

He is Christ the Lord. We preach Him as Lord, the Lord Who saves His people. Christ Jesus saves us from our sins – and from the PENALTY of sin.

Romans 6:23 The Wages of Sin is DEATH …. but the gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE through Jesus Christ OUR LORD!

When you die in this life without Christ you go to a place of DEATH where sin’s wages are paid. But you need not go there, for

Romans 5:8 (ESV) God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ DIED FOR US.

  • We preach CHRIST, and we preach JESUS. God the Son took upon Himself humanity so that He could pay for our sins. The Scripture declares:

1 Timothy 1:15 (NKJV) This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

He Who was eternal God the Son became temporal but perfect Man. Jesus came preaching Himself as the One and Only Anointed Savior.

Luke 4:17-21 (NKJV) {Jesus} found the place where it was written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” 20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Jesus is God lowered to human flesh. The Son came to do His Father’s will. What was the Father’s will?

John 6:29 (NKJV) Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

John 6:40 (NKJV) And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

We preach that Christ is the promised Messiah, and that Jesus died for us. We preach salvation as a gift of God. And where Christ Jesus is preached as the only Savior and only Lord, God works.

We Are But Earthen Vessels – The Potter’s Creation

2 Corinthians 4:5-6 (KJV)  For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.  [6]

Read With Me For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

It is God Who reveals Christ to the lost, Who opens the mind of the darkened, Who brings light to the darkness. The same God Who in the beginning:

Genesis 1:3 (KJV) …. said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Is the same God Who saves the soul of the lost. He must open the eyes. Every part of man is corrupted by the old sin nature. The Bible says that …

Ephesians 2:4-5 (NKJV) But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when WE WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) …

The Bible makes it clear that WE WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES – totally unable to do anything to help ourselves. Sin enslaves and entraps. Jesus told the self righteous Pharisees (which are populating many Churches today):

John 8:31-34 (NKJV) Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

People are enslaved by sin. But Jesus said “If I MAKE YOU FREE you will be free indeed”. It is through Christ Jesus that freedom is found. As Christ is preached lives are changed. It is through the glorious Gospel that Christ calls to the dead to make them alive. That is how I was saved. That is how you were saved. That is how all are saved – through His Work in our lives.

There is no personal merit in salvation. But once we are saved, we are bound to Him by love. Read with me:

Read Together 2 Corinthians 4:7 (KJV)  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

The TREASURE of eternal life and the Gospel that secured it is IN EARTHEN VESSELS. I want to think about this for a moment. What is an EARTHEN VESSEL?

  • An EARTHEN VESSEL is FOUND by the Potter.

When I was a young boy I used to play near a creek with my friend Benny. We wallowed in that creek, and often slipped and fell on the clay banks. I can remember that clay, gray, with its stink. What we played on would be a gold mine for a true artist, a Potter to find. The Potter finds the clay then shapes it into a work of art, or an item of use. The Bible says:

Isaiah 64: 6-8 (NKJV) But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away. 7 And there is no one who calls on Your name, Who stirs himself up to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us, And have consumed us because of our iniquities. 8 BUT NOW, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.

The Father found us in Christ. We heard the Gospel, He called to us, and dug us out of this broken world.

We are IN the world but not OF the world (John 17:14-16).
We are not the clay of the bank of the creek, but found by Father.

  • An EARTHEN VESSEL is FORMED by the Potter.

The Bible says in Romans 12:2 “Do NOT be CONFORMED BY THIS WORLD”.
It is not the hand of the world that shapes God’s clay, but God Himself.

Galatians 1:4 Christ gave Himself FOR OUR SINS that He might DELIVER US FROM THIS PRESENT EVIL AGE!

We are not the mud of the bank, nor children of darkness, but creatures of His light. God forms us just as a Master Potter forms the lump of clay.

Our world spins. Sometimes we are tossed, beaten, deluged with water, pressed down. Read with me:

Read Together 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (KJV)  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;  [9]  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;  [10]  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

As we are pressed down, afflicted, troubled, we never despair. We see every rough action that occurs in our lives to be the work of God in us. We bear about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus. We are ever mindful that He died for us so that we can live in Him. Let me say that again:

He died for us so that we can live in Him.
He died for us so that we can live in Him.
He died for us so that we can live in Him.

  • An EARTHEN VESSEL is FIRED by the Potter. You cannot allow an earthen vessel to just air dry then expect to use it for anything substantial.

It must be placed in the kiln.
It must be fired to convert it from gray clay to white porcelain.

Matthew 16:24-26 (ESV) Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him DENY HIMSELF AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS AND FOLLOW ME. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

There needs be MORE Cross Preaching and less Prosperity Preaching if the Church will grow as Christ intended. The Church today is preaching a welfare Gospel, a Gospel with a little “g” and not the glorious Gospel the Apostles preached. Trials will come. Tribulation will come. The world will hate us. Let it. Let’s quit trying to please the world and let’s please our Lord. Let’s be as clay in His hands, but to the world let us be IRON.

  • An EARTHEN VESSEL has it’s FUTURE determined by the Potter. Though afflicted in this life God saved us so that we will one day have eternity in Him. Let’s read together:

Read Together 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (KJV)  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.  [17]  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;  [18]  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

The Apostle saw the trials that he was presently undergoing as “light afflictions” and “but a moment”. He viewed all things through the lens of eternity.

If you look through the binoculars through the BIG LENS everything you see out there will be tiny. But if you look through the binoculars through the LITTLE LENS – as it was designed to be – then you can see very far away. Too many are looking through the binoculars through the wrong lens.

You need to turn your binoculars around.

God has made you for eternity. This current EARTHEN VESSEL is FRAGILE, but the soul He is working on will one day be deposited in an ETERNAL VESSEL. You are God’s Masterpiece if you are saved by faith in Christ Jesus. You have an eternal destiny.

This world is not my home – I’m just a passing through,

My treasures are laid up – somewhere beyond the blue,

The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open door,

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

Oh Lord you know I have no Friend like you,

If Heaven’s not my home then lord what will I do,

The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open door,

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore!

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The Friend’s Gospel

Posted on January 29, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

Audio Message: 

Isaiah 41:8 (KJV) But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

I have often heard preachers say that the reason God created man is because God needed a friend. God was lonely, and in His loneliness He took the dust of the ground and

calvinhobbes_friends

of it formed man, then woman. I believe it is blasphemy to even believe such a thing. To say that God was lonely or was somehow deficient in an area of life is to lower God. God is ALL MIGHTY and SELF SUFFICIENT. He does not need us. He says:

Psalm 50:12 (NKJV) If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.

God owns everything and holds everything together.

Colossians 1:17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

God owns everything – even us. That which gives us presence is our SOULS, and God says:

Ezekiel 18:4 (NKJV) Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.

God does not NEED our companionship. God does not NEED a friend. As Eternal Triune God, our Lord has an eternal friend in Himself. The Father loves the Son Who loves the Spirit.

1 John 5:7 (NKJV) For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.

Our God needs nothing. “The God who made the world and everything in it … is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything” (Acts 17:24-25). God made us “in His image and after His likeness” (Genesis 1:26) so that we could reflect His glory by imitating Him. Our God is love. He said in Jeremiah 31:3 “I have loved you with an everlasting love”. God loved us before we were ever made. We need Him. It is our best interests to ruin to Him, to love Him, to exalt Him, to magnify His Name.

God made us to be like Him.
To rule the earth as His representatives.
To shine for Him as He shines on us.
The highest ideal for a human is to be a Friend of God.

Abraham was a Friend of God.

God created us for His pleasure. We see in Revelation the Throneroom of God, and around that Throne twenty four “Elders” who cast their crowns before the Lord, saying:

Revelation 4:11 (KJV) Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

We were created FOR GOD’S PLEASURE. He made us to please HIM, not ourselves but HIM. So when we come across a passage where GOD HIMSELF calls Abraham “My Friend” I can say without any hesitation that Abraham fulfilled his purpose in life. HE PLEASED GOD. When God spoke to Abraham just as He spoke to Moses:

Exodus 33:11 (NKJV) … face to face, as a man speaks to his friend …

God continued to treat Abraham as a dear friend his entire life.

God Invites Us To Be His Friends

James 2:23 (NKJV) 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.

How does one become a “Friend of God”? Is this something only for a select few? I believe that you cannot be a Friend of God until you BELIEVE GOD. The Bible tells us that

“Abraham BELIEVED God and it was counted to him for righteousness”

Abraham believed God. God came to Abraham and said,

“Abraham, just go along with the crowd.
Stay where you are.
Blend in.
Be an undercover Christian, and we’ll be buddies!”

You’ll find this passage in the Book of First Opinions 1:1-3. I’ll wait while you write this down, or try and look it up. Can I give you a hint – it’s not in the Bible. Abraham believed God. Abraham didn’t believe his feelings but his God. God told Abraham:

Genesis 12:1-4 (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.” 4 So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him

Abraham believed God. He left his comfortable home and traveled to where God told him to go. He believed God. When Abraham got to a place where there was friction between his household and the household of his nephew Lot that precious believer said:

Genesis 13:8-9 (NKJV) … Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”

Lot looked with his EYES, but Abraham with his EYES ON GOD. Though Abraham could have chosen the “greener pastures” of Sodom and Gomorrah, he let Lot choose. Lot chose badly because he chose not of God but of his flesh.

Abraham believed God. Because he believed God the Lord told him:

Genesis 13:14-17 … Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.

A later King of Israel, King Jehoshaphat, said:

2 Chronicles 20:7 (NKJV) Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?

God gave Abraham the land that would later become Israel because Abraham loved God above all else. Abraham believed God.

When Lot’s bad choice got him and his family captured by the armies of four nations Abraham believed God. He took his small band of 318 men (Genesis 14:13-14) against a numerically superior force and, refusing to fear, trusted in the Lord his God. Abraham believed God. God told Abraham that he was going to have a child, and that he was going to own some land. Neither promise had yet been fulfilled, so Abraham knew God was not going to lie nor renege on His Word. Abraham went against these nations and came back in victory.

When Abraham came back victorious in faith two kings presented themselves to him,

Melchizedek the King of Righteousness & Peace
Bera the King of Sodom & Wickedness

Abraham proved himself the friend of God. He accepted Melchizedek’s food and blessing, and paid a tithe of all he had to what many believe is an Old Testament manifestation of Christ. But Abraham rejected any help whatsoever from Bera, a worshiper of false gods and fleshly sinful lusts. He wanted nothing of Sodom but distance. Abraham believed God.

Abraham believed God when the Lord told him:

Genesis 22:2 (NKJV) … Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.

Abraham – the Bible says – “Rose EARLY in the morning”. He did not debate God. He did not offer other solutions. Christ has said:

Luke 14:26 (NASB) If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.

God calls us to love Him MORE than we love anyone else. MORE, not less. To trust Him. To believe Him. To magnify Him. Abraham, take your only son Isaac – I know you love him – but sacrifice him to Me. Abraham said nothing. No words nor groans were recorded in Scripture. Just doing. He took his son to the mountain, tied him down.

“Father, where is the sacrifice?”
“Son, God will provide Himself the lamb for a burnt offering”

God had promised Abraham, and Abraham believed God. God cannot lie. He cannot fail. James said:

James 2:21-24 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 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. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

Abraham believed God. He did not need to sacrifice his child, but God provided the sacrifice. Abraham did instinctively what Christ taught us to do:

Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV) Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

God was Abraham’s treasure, his Friend, his Love. Friends support one another. Friends enjoy one another’s company. This brings me to a main point:

Do You Want God For A Friend?

Is God first place or last place in your life? For Abraham God was first place. God wasn’t an occasional Visitor to Abraham, but He came often because Abraham wanted to see Him. The Bible says:

Genesis 15:1 (NKJV) … the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

When God is your Friend He is your shield. Friends take care of friends. Friends support one another. Abraham loved and looked for God – and the Lord loved and looked after Abraham. He made sure that Abraham was cared for:

Genesis 12:7 (NKJV) …. the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

Genesis 18:1 (NKJV) … the Lord appeared to {Abraham} by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.

When God decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of the sexual sin in those cities, He wouldn’t do anything until He talked to Abraham. He knew tghat Lot – Abraham’s nephew – was in that city. The Bible says:

Genesis 18:17-23 (NKJV) … the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, 18 since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” 20 And the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, 21 I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.” 22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

Abraham loved God, and taught his household to love God. Abraham didn’t love God at Church but ignore God when he stepped out the door. God knew Abraham was His friend, and discussed matters with him. “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is GREAT – their sin – SEXUAL SIN – is VERY GRAVE.” It was God’s intention to judge those cities, just as God will eventually judge every sin. “There is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.” (Luke 8:17) “For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:14). “When the Lord comes, He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart.” (1 Corinthians 4:5) Though we may feel that we have gotten away with sin, God eventually judges. Judgment was going to fall on Sodom and Gomorrah. Sin would be punished. Evil would be wiped out lest it, like a canker, spread throughout all the world.

But before God would do this thing He said “I will tell my friend Abraham”. As God began to outline what was going to happen, Abraham began to seek mercy from his Friend. Though Abraham was not part of the sin, he interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah for Lot’s sake, saying to the Lord:

Genesis 18:24-25 (NKJV) Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? 25 Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

God listened to Abraham’s pleading, saying “If I find 50 righteous in the city I will spare it for their sake”. But Abraham was not through. Friends can press friends to do more.

Genesis 18:27 (NKJV) … “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: 28 Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?”

The Lord was not angered. He knew Abraham’s heart. “If there are 45 righteous, I will not destroy it.” Abraham continued to address his Friend:

“Suppose there should be forty found there?”

“I will not do it for the sake of forty.”

“Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?”

“I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

“Suppose twenty should be found there?”

“I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”

“I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?”

“I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.”

As God and His friend Abraham discussed the fate of Sodom, God continually met Abraham’s requests. One Bible scholar once said “Abraham stopped asking before God stopped granting”. The Lord patiently listened to His friend, was never angered, and met his requests with mercy and grace. Why? Because Abraham delighted in the Lord.

The Beginning Of Friendship With God Is Reconciliation

The Bible tells us that we are born into this world separated from God by our sin.

Ephesians 2:1-3 (NKJV) And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

God reaches out to us just as He reached out to Abraham. God calls. He says “Come unto Me all you that are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He calls to us in Christ. He calls to us to be reconciled to Him through His dear Son. As Abraham believed in God – and it was accounted to him for righteousness – we are to believe in God. God extends His hand of fellowship and bids us come to Him and be saved. The Scripture says:

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Titus 3:5-6 (NKJV) 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,

Saved by faith in God, the Lord calls us to follow Him daily. Not just at Church, nor just when it is convenient, but at all times. If you want God to be your friend then you must be a friend to God. He calls us into a daily walk with Him, loving Him, putting Him first and not last. God does not want our leftovers, but our allovers. He wants us to love and obey Him as Abraham did.

It is the blessing of the Christian that we can be friends with God. Jesus declared:

John 14:21-23 (NKJV) He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

Oh Beloved, make God first as Abraham did. Remember the words of our Lord:

John 15:13-15 (NKJV) Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

God would have you for a friend. Do you want to be His friend? Then do so. Believe Him, and put Him first in your lives.

May God touch your hearts with His Word.

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The Worm’s Gospel

Posted on January 28, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

Audio of Sermon: 

1 Isaiah 41:10-14 (KJV) Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. 12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of naught. 13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. 14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

In the midst of all these beautiful promises from God we see the strange words:

“Thou WORM Jacob”

Why would God promise great things to His Children, but then call those children “Worm”? When you think of a WORM what do you think of? I think of something wet and slimy that I often use for fishing.

I was watching an Andy Griffith Show episode one time when Andy was taking a girlfriend fishing. When she saw the worm she went …

“ICK!”

Andy tried to hand her the worm, and she nearly jumped out of the boat. Though it was funny, and some of you might feel that way about worms, worms actually are the most defenseless creatures on the face of the earth. Worms have no real teeth. It’s hard for me to tell which end of a worm is the head and which is the tail. Worms wiggle, wiggle, wiggle through the soil. The best soil is filled with worms, for worms serve a purpose. They are tillers of the soil. Worms ingest soil and organic matter like leaves and grass, and digesting what they eat leave behind casings that are very valuable as fertilizers. 500,000 worms living in an acre of soil will produce 50 tons of castings, while producing a drainage system equivalent to 2000 feet of 6 inch pipe.

But worms are not fierce. They are largely defenseless. Their greatest defense is to do what they were designed to do, to bury themselves in the soil as God intended. I’ve never seen a worm come out of the ground, sit back on it’s coil, and roar like a lion. Do you know what a worm on a sidewalk is? Besides confused, it is also squashed! Worms are defenseless, harmless, and though not ugly, I’ve never seen a pin up calendar filled with worms in bikinis.

Jacob The Worm – Israel The Prince

I’ve never seen a pride filled worm. Have you?

When God spoke and said “Thou WORM JACOB” you won’t understand this unless you understand who Jacob was. God promised great blessings to three men:

Abraham
Isaac
and Jacob

This is the beginning of Judaism and Christianity in our Bibles. God called out Abraham, and ancient Babylonian, to follow Him. “Follow Me, Abram, and I will bless you and bless the whole world through you. I will make of you a mighty nation”. Now Abraham was childless, and past child bearing years, but he trusted and followed God. Tonight I’m going to preach about Abraham the friend of God, so come back if you want to hear more of this. To simplify this message I’ll just say

Abraham put aside his pride and followed God …
And God blessed him with a son Isaac.

Isaac was the Child of Promise, but Isaac was no great man of faith. But God used Isaac. In the Christian faith there are many born into the family of God that do not exemplify Christ, yet God uses them for His glory. God has a purpose for the Isaacs of this world. We may not see it, but God does. And God is in control. Isaac is great because he had a child Jacob.

Jacob was the child that God wanted to turn into Abraham’s Israel. Jacob was not a paragon of faith. He was a plotter – a deceiver who was often deceived himself. His brother Esau was supposed to inherit the biggest portion of Isaac’s estate, and a blessing from his father. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob, but then Jacob schemed and plotted until he robbed his brother of the blessings of his father.

Jacob was a back-biter.
Jacob was a trickster.
Jacob was a plotter.
Jacob was deceitful.
Jacob was not a man of faith, but prideful and self sufficient.
And Jacob often hurt himself in his pride.

Jacob fought with God, and kept fighting God until God crippled Jacob (see Genesis 32:22-32). Some of you are fighting God in your lives, puffed up with pride, filled with yourselves. The Bible declares that ….

Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV) Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.

Pride cost us Paradise. While Adam obeyed and loved God he lived in a perfect environment with a perfect wife in perfect health and doing a perfect job. Then Satan wiggled into the Garden looking like an overgrown worm and said:

“You will not die if you disobey God. God knows that the day you eat the forbidden you will be like Him knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5). Adam, you will be able to set your own standards!”

Convincing Adam that it was a promotion to obey his own desires rather than God sin entered the world, and death by sin. Had Adam remembered that he was but dust (Psalm 103:14) and – in comparison to God nothing but a worm – we would still be in Paradise. God always knows what is best, not us. It is in our trusting of God’s strength and the disavowal of our own that we are blessed.

When Jacob wrestled with God and was crippled it was after this that God renamed him Israel. The strong self sufficient proud one was JACOB.
But the broken, humbled God following believer was ISRAEL.
The PROUD come to God and hear His Gospel.
But it is the BROKEN that come to God and are changed.

The Church Is To Preach The Worm’s Gospel

It is the Worm’s Gospel that saves a person. When we come to God in arrogance and pride God will not do anything with us. But it is the WORM JACOB that God will bless, the one who realizes that we are at best worms, broken things, totally defenseless and unable to reach the majesty that is God. Sadly much of the Church has gone to a PROSPERITY Gospel or a Gospel of SELF ESTEEM where we pump ourselves up. This is not what God tells us to do. We are to magnify God and minify ourselves.

Isaiah 41:13-14 (KJV) For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. 14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

God tells the WORM JACOB that “I will help you. I will hold your right hand.” Have you ever seen a worm with a right hand? I haven’t. But if you come to God He will change you from Jacob to Israel, from handless Worm to a Child that He will lead. This is the Gospel of salvation. We come to God as helpless and hopeless creatures – as worms – and God by His Grace changes us. He gives us a new name (Revelation 2:17) and a new purpose.

Oh that God would bring the Church in America back to where the Worm’s Gospel is preached!

I was reading an article in Outreach Magazine the other day about how one Church found success. This particular Church was tiny and losing members, so they redesigned the Church and made it more friendly to the unChurched. As the Church became accepting and tolerant of the unChurched more and more came into the Church until today this Church has around 1000 members. As I read this I wondered what Jesus would think of it.Though Jesus reached out to the lost – and we need to be doing this – He never compromised the Word of God. In fact, Christ was quite harsh.

“Go and sin no more” (John 8:11)
“Let the dead bury the dead – you follow ME” (Luke 9:60)
“You must love Me and hate your father and mother” (Luke 14:26)
“I have come not for the righteous, but sinners” (Luke 5:32)

The only way to decrease the darkness is to INCREASE God’s Light!

Even among the Baptists we have compromised His glorious Gospel. Back in the 16th century Isaac Watts penned the words to a song in our hymnal called “At The Cross”. The first line originally read:

“Alas, and did my Savior bleed and did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?”

The hymn started out recognizing the lowliness of the saved, that we we were but worms that Christ died for. But by the 19th century the words of the hymn were changed. The text was deemed too demeaning and was changed in our hymnal to …

“Alas, and did my Savior bleed and did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head for SINNERS such as I?”

Along with the change an entire stanza is missing from the original, again because it is too demeaning:

“Thus might I hide my blushing face
While His dear cross appears.
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt mine eyes to tears.”

We do not understand the MAJESTY of the Grace of God until we understand how MINIMAL we are in comparison to Him. We do not understand how great God’s love is until we comprehend how far He is above us, and what He did for us. The Scripture shouts without apology:

Romans 3:10-18 (NKJV) As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; 11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” 13 “Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit”; “The poison of asps is under their lips”; 14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways; 17 And the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Without God we are woefully inadequate. We have heard the preacher say these words many times, but unless we internalize that we are but worms compared to His majestic glory, then we lose the wonder of His love. When John Newton wrote:

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Newton was confronted with his sin, and convicted of it. When he was in the world Newton – like all of us – walked according to the ways of this world, according to satan, the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who works in every son of disobedience. Newton was an ex-slave trader who had used people as merchandise and murdered for profit. He realized that he was a child of wrath deserving damnation – just as we all do (Ephesians 2:1-3). And then God touched Newton with His Amazing Grace.

Grace Is Amazing When We Realize Our Worminess

Isaiah 41:14 (KJV) Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

God cares for us, dear Worm. In the book of Job Bildad Job’s friend asks:

Job 25:4-6 (NKJV) How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman? 5 If even the moon does not shine, And the stars are not pure in His sight, 6 How much less man, who is a maggot, And a son of man, who is a worm?”

Bildad was asking the same question that the Apostles asked our Lord one day …

“Who then can be saved?”

Jesus replied:

“With man salvation is IMPOSSIBLE, but with God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE”
(Matthew 19:26)

When we come to God in our helplessness – as if worms – God becomes our REDEEMER. It is widely understood that Psalm 22 is a Messianic Psalm, one that foretold the Coming of Christ. The Psalm starts with the words of Christ on the Cross of Calvary:

Psalm 22:1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?

Matthew 27:46 (NKJV) And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Psalm 22 is a picture of Jesus on the Cross of Calvary. He Who is “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16) came down from the splendor of Heaven to suffer and die on Calvary for us. Oh how our Jesus lowered Himself. As He hung on Calvary the Psalmist speaks of our Christ Who said of Himself …

Psalm 22:6-8 (NKJV) But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. 7 All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8 “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”

As Jesus hung on that Cross, He hung there being ridiculed. You have saved others. Save yourself! (Matthew 27:42). But Jesus could not save Himself. He became a worm to save us worms. He died a horrible death so that we could have eternal life. C.S. Lewis once wrote:

“When a man is getting better, he understands more clearly the evil that is in him. When a man is getting worse, he understands his own badness less and less.”

We understand our badness by seeing Christ on the Cross. We are born with potential, but sin enslaves us and the world draws us. We are but worms. We are fallen, creatures of the dust. But God in His glory became like us. He Who knew no sin sin became sin for us:

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) For our sake {The Father} made {Jesus} to be sin who knew no sin, so that in {Jesus} we might become the righteousness of God.

Pastor John Piper said, “the good news of the Bible is not that we are not worms, but that God helps worms who trust in Him”.

A tale that keeps coming to my mind is that of Naaman, the commander of the army of Syria. Naaman was a great leader, but he was afflicted with leprosy, a terrible disease. The Bible often uses leprosy to describe the terrors of sin. Naaman was told by one of his wife’s servants that there was a way to be healed – that he needed to contact Elisha the Prophet. Naaman sent word to Elisha, who in turn sent word back to the Warrior-King:

2 Kings 5:10 (NKJV) …. Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.

Naaman puffed up with pride and arrogance. “Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” (verse 12). Here is that old arrogance that is in all of us. God said THIS, but we say THAT. Beloved, there will be no blessing of God unless we realize He is God and we are but worms. Naaman’s servants came to him and said:

2 Kings 5:13 … “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”

Naaman humbled himself, and went to the Jordan and did as the Prophet said. And you know what? He was made clean when and only when he did as God told him.

Trust God, and a man can take the jawbone of an ass and kill the enemy army.
Trust God, and a stone and a sling will defeat Goliath.
Trust God and do as He says and a walking stick can part a sea.
Trust God and walk where He says and the walls of Jericho will fall.
Trust God and cast your nets to the other side of the boat, and you will be filled.
Trust God, and death will be defeated, and eternal life will be yours.
Trust God, and the ax-head once lost will float to your hand.
Trust God and the ox goad will be as powerful as Excalibur!
Do not fear, but trust God and His Word.
Use what God has given you.
Trust His Word, and call upon His Name!

Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV) … that 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.

What does a worm have but a mouth. Let us trust Him, praise Him, pray to Him, honor Him.

What Does God Promise To The Wormy?

Isaiah 41:10-14 (KJV) Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. 12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of naught. 13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. 14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

God promises not to shun us, but to be with us.
“Do not be afraid, for I am with you”.
God promises to give us strength.
“I will strengthen you.”
God promises to hold us up and help us.
“I will help you, and I will hold you up.”
God promises to defeat our enemies.
“Those who attacked you will be ashamed and nullified.”
God promises to hold our right hand.
He promises to Redeem us from sin and death.

Will you, dear one, surrender to Him?

Posted in humble, Isaiah, preaching the Gospel, pride, Sermons Preached | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

An Unexpected Famine

Posted on January 24, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

Sermon Notes:

Amos_8_11t12_OLD WOMANAmos 8:11-12 (KJV)  Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:  [12]  And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.

Amos prophesied during the final days of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The Kingdom was enjoying great power and great prosperity. But the Kingdom had fallen far away from God. Selfishness filled the land. Lovelessness was everywhere. Most tragic of all, many of God’s people no longer loved the Lord.

The very first commandment given by God to man was that we love the Lord. God told His people in the very first four commandments:

You shall have no other gods before Me (Exodus 20:3)
You shall not worship the creation of your hands (Exodus 20:4)
You shall not take My Name in vain (Exodus 20:7)
You shall remember one day in seven for My sake (Exodus 20:8)

These first four laws could bed summed up simply as “You must love the Lord your God above all else”. The Lord reminded His people of this in Deuteronomy 6:

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 (NKJV) You shall love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, with ALL your soul, and with ALL your strength. 6 And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

Prosperity in the Northern Kingdom had an opposite effect on God’s people.
They stopped loving the Lord.
They began to do things not because they loved God, but because the Law demanded it.

In our text we see God’s people:

Amos 8:5 (KJV)  Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?

Like the Pharisees of Jesus’ Day they outwardly were becoming (Matthew 23:27) … “whitewashed tombs which indeed appear outwardly beautiful, but inside are filled with dead people’s bones and uncleanness”. It is as Jesus exhorted in another place:

Matthew 5:13-14 (NKJV) You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

God’s people are to be the salt of the earth – a preservative for civilization.
God’s people are to be the Light of the world.
Nothing but mushrooms grow in the dark.
When God’s people love God the Lord makes them salt and light.
But when love for God decreases, then something happens.

Catastrophe Is Used By God To Bring Repentance

God told His people:

Amos 8:11-12 (KJV)  Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land ….

One of the worst disasters that can come on a land is FAMINE. In physical famine people starve to death.

  • In 1846 a famine in Ireland killed 2 million people.
  • In 1932 a famine in the then USSR killed 10 million people.
  • In 1959 a famine in China killed 43 million people.

When famines happen people ask “Where is God in this terrible time?”
The truth is that God sends famines for a reason.

Proverbs 16:9 (CSB) A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.

Over 400 years before Joseph was sold into captivity by his brothers a famine caused Abram to go to Egypt (Genesis 12:10). God allows trials and tribulation in our lives to teach us to trust in Him, to love Him no matter what might come. God is faithful to His Children, and uses circumstances and even things like famines to teach us to cling wholly to Him. The Scripture says:

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV) No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

The way of escape in trials is to trust in God.

  • It was a famine that caused Israel and his family to be blessed. When Joseph was betrayed and sold into slavery by his brothers, God raised Joseph up so that Egypt could prepare for the coming famine. Because Joseph was faithful to listen to and hear God’s Word the Lord gave Israel and his little family a place to stay and grow until Israel became a mighty nation.

God uses famines for our good, if we but trust His leadership.

  • In the Book of Ruth we see that a man named Elimelech and his wife Naomi were caused by a famine to go to Moab, a place as godless as Egypt. This was a good thing. Why? Because God knew a Moabite named Ruth that He not only wanted to save, but to put in the lineage of Christ our Lord. Ruth entered Naomi’s family when she married Naomi’s son. Later when all the husbands passed on to glory Ruth told Naomi:

Ruth 1:16 (NKJV) .. Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.

Ruth came to know the Lord, and was married into the line of Christ by the will of God! Famines and trials can be blessings when we focus on our God and love Him first and foremost. We need the Lord! We need His Word! We need to love God with all our hearts, to love Him who first loved us (1 John 4:19).

This Catastrophe Was Different From Other Famines

Amos 8:11 (KJV) … I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, BUT OF HEARING THE WORDS OF THE LORD:

The famine that God was going to send was not a famine where food or water were lost, but a famine of the Word of God. The people would not hear the blessing of God’s Word. What is the problem with this? The Bible tells us that …

Romans 10:17 (NKJV) So then FAITH comes by HEARING, and hearing BY THE WORD OF GOD.

As hearing the Word of God decreases, faith in God decreases. When God first said this I am sure that few in Israel were upset.

“Good, we didn’t care for the sermons anyway.
We would just as soon have the feast days, the eating meetings, the celebrations”.

But as people no longer cherished God’s Word the Lord took it away. He gave them what they wanted. The British preacher George Whitefield said:

“As God can send a nation or a people no greater blessing than to give them faithful, sincere, and upright ministers, so the greatest curse that God can possibly send upon a people in this world is to give them over to blind, unregenerate, carnal, lukewarm, and unskillful guides.”

Whitefield was one of the founders of Methodism and the Evangelical Movement.

When God removes His Word – when He stops speaking to His people – then the people of God become like the world. We are told in Timothy:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Word of God equips us to serve the Lord. Our Lord Jesus said:

Matthew 4:4 (NKJV) …. It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ …

In His Word is life and light. It is His Word that gives us doctrine or the way that God have us go. By His Word we are reproved and corrected, instructed as His Children in what is righteous. The word of man is fragile and ever changing, but God’s Word is eternal. Jesus said:

Matthew 24:35 (NKJV) Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

It is a failure to hear the Word of the Gospel that causes damnation and eternal condemnation. Jesus said:

Mark 8:38 (NKJV) For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.

When the Word of God departs the God Who speaks those words departs. God said to the people of Amos’ day “I will send famine in the land, a famine of My Word”. You do not wish to hear God then God stops speaking to you. God is fed up with disobedience.

The same thing happened in the ministry of Christ. He went about teaching the truths of God, but the Pharisees – who loved the rituals of religion – cared nothing for His Word. So Jesus began to speak in parables. The disciples asked Jesus why He

Matthew 13:10-15 (NKJV) And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’

I have heard “Bible Scholars” say that Jesus spoke in parables to make things clearer, but they did not hear His Word. The parable hid spiritual truths that – without Jesus – you could not fathom. You had to love the Living Word in order to understand the Word of God.

When God sends a famine of His Word people become spiritually weak and anemic. There is no power in the Church nor in the Christian. Energy of the flesh rules, but not the Spirit of God. When people refuse to hear God’s Word He can remove that Word from them.

The Consequences Of This Famine

Amos 8:12 (KJV) And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.

When people experience famine of God’s Word they chase after other things to seek happiness and peace. This frantic search for happiness never brings the expectant results.

I remember years ago I had a friend named Sammy Scott, a great Christian man. Sammy lost one of his legs in a terrible accident years before. Sammy told me that the worst part of losing his leg was the phantom pains that came. There were times when the foot on his missing leg would itch, and he would reach out, but there was nothing to scratch. With nothing to scratch the itch would drive him nearly crazy. The doctor had to give him some type of sedative when phantom pain struck.

When God’s Word is not cherished because God is not loved, people – all of whom were designed to walk with God – begin to run around and scratch an itch that cannot be satisfied. They run to and fro seeking what is no longer there. There is no satisfaction. No happiness.

We need God’s Word. We need Him in our lives. We need His presence above all else.

At the very start of our study I shared an illustration with you that Pastor John Piper once used. He said:

“Perhaps, you are looking at a picture of a young woman facing away from you. You may look for hours and not see that her jaw is the nose of an old woman, and her ear is the old woman’s eye, and her neck-band is the old woman’s mouth. Then, in the twinkling of an eye you see the old woman. That’s an analogy of many issues in life and many perplexities in the Bible. We look and we look. We think. We study. We may even discuss and debate. And all we see is a young woman looking away from us. Then, one day, we realize we have not intentionally stopped, admitted our blindness, and called on God for the gift of sight. So we stop and get down on our knees — to say with our body how weak and helpless we are — and ask him for a breakthrough.”

We need the Word of God. We need the Word of God more than anything else in life. We need the Spirit leading us along the Highway of Righteousness. We need the Word of our Lord! We need His Presence and His Word guiding us. His Word is a lamp unto our feet, and the light unto our path!

Posted in Amos, Sermons Preached | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

On Wings Of Eagles

Posted on January 22, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

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Isaiah 40:28-31 (KJV)  Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.  [29]  He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.  [30]  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:  [31]  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Audio of Message: 

We all have times when discouragement and trials seem to weigh us down. The difficulties of life drive happiness from us like a hawk drives a little mouse underground. We are tempted to run from the trials, fearful and uncertain. To hide in bed, to pull the covers up over our heads. To seek self medication and self solace in the trial. But then the Word of God cries out to us:

Have you not known?
Have you not heard?

We are not alone on this earth. The godless person is the hopeless person, for they have no one to turn to. But we who know the Lord do. As W.A. Criswell once preached:

“The world is either a place where there is no God anywhere, or it is a place where there is everlasting God everywhere. And there’s no middle ground: this earth in which we live is without purpose and is nothing but a vast graveyard; or else it is our Father’s house and He keeps watch over His own.”

God Is Alive And He Is Able

Do you not know that God is there and He is not silent? I cries out through His creation that He is.

Isaiah 40:28 (KJV)  Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth,

Our God is EVERLASTING and ETERNAL. His immensity is seen in the creation all about us. We are told:

Isaiah 40:25-26 (KJV)  To whom then will ye liken Me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.  [26]  Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

It is God Who made the stars above, the earth below, the very body you occupy. Stand outside at night – God says – and lift up your eyes. Look at what I made. I bring out the host – the multitude of stars – by number. I have created all these things. I call every star by name, and know them, for they are My work.”

On a clear cloudless night a person can see about three thousand stars with the naked eye. In 1608 German-Dutch lensmaker Hans Lippershey invented the telescope, a design that Galileo Galilei improved in 1610 and with that instrument was able to see thirty thousand stars. Years passed, and man increased the strength of the telescope till he could see six hundred and forty thousand stars. Then from 1785-1789 Sir William Herschel invented a Great Forty Foot Telescope that could see twenty six million stars. Following this Sir Robert Ball improved the telescope to where fifty million stars could be seen. Now with the Hubble telescope we can see an estimated 170 billion galaxies or as astronomers now say a septillion stars in the observable universe. I had to look up “septillion”. This is a “1” with 24 zeros following it – or a thousand raised to the eighth power – or a trillion trillion. God not only made these stars, but has named every one of them. God is immense in power. He is the Creator of all things. The Psalmist says:

Psalm 147:3-6 (NKJV) {God} heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds. 4 He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. 5 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite. 6 The Lord lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground.

Our God is immense in power – and yet has time for the smallest and most broken. Our God is our Creator, and He is not compassionless and dull concerning His creation. God cares. The Scripture declares:

Psalm 145:8-9 (NKJV) The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy. 9 The Lord is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works.

God cares. The God Who made the immensity of the stars cares for you, and cares for me. Jesus said of God:

Luke 12:6-7 (NKJV) Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Of all the birds sold in the market in Jesus’ day the sparrow was the cheapest, with five being worth just a few pennies. Men considered the sparrow worthless, but God created the tiny sparrow just as He created the timy human and the tiny hairs on our heads. God created everything with purpose and value. Without sparrows the poorest people would not have been able to eat. God cares. God loves. God is compassionate toward all of His creation.

Isaiah 40:28-31 (KJV) … the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

The Creator God does not get weary, nor does He pass out from use of energy. God is ALMIGHTY. He is El Shaddai, the God of all might and all power. God told Abraham our father:

Genesis 17:1 … I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.

We can know God by His names. God is:

  • Almighty (Genesis 49:25)
  • Creator of heaven and earth (Genesis 14:19)
  • Builder of everything (Hebrews 3:4)
  • King of Heaven (Daniel 4:37)
  • God of all mankind (Jeremiah 32:27)
  • Eternal King. (Jeremiah 10:10)
  • The only God (Jude 1:25)
  • The Eternal God (Genesis 21:33)
  • The Everlasting God (Isaiah 40:28)
  • Maker of all things (Ecclesiastes 11:5)

The Bible tells us that our God is …

Ephesians 3:20 (NKJV) … able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

There is nothing that our God cannot do.

Job 9:6-10 (NKJV) {My God} shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble; 7 He commands the sun, and it does not rise; He seals off the stars; 8 He alone spreads out the heavens, And treads on the waves of the sea; 9 He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south; 10 He does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without number.

Our God is able! His power is without limits.

Psalm 115:3 (NKJV) But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.

The Prophet Daniel – who experienced the power of God in a lion’s den and in Babylon – declared:

Daniel 4:35 (NKJV) All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, “What have You done?”

God is able. He is awesome in power and yet loves us who are His. Are you His?

I heard a story told by a former Sergeant for the Los Angeles Police Department. He would demonstrate bulletproof vests to rookie officers by placing them on mannequins – then live firing rounds at them. After shooting the vests the rookies were then asked to examine them to see if any rounds had penetrated. The vests all passed with flying colors. Then the sergeant would turn to the rookies and ask them, “So who wants to wear a vest and let us test how it works on you?”.

The only way you can have confidence in a bullet proof vest is if YOU put it on and feel it stop the live rounds. Otherwise there is always doubt. God allows trials and tribulations to come into our lives to allow us to test Him and ourselves. Have I done as scripture says? Is Christ mine? Is God my Father?

Romans 13:12-14 (NKJV) The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

Let us cast off the darkness. Let us reject depression and suicidal methods. Let us not rely on the darkness nor on the ways of this world, but let us rely on our God. He is able! He is able! He is able!

God Is Able To Make Us Able

Isaiah 40:29-20 (KJV)  He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.  [30]  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 

When we are young we thought we were immortal. But even young people grow old. In time human energy is expended, and we become faith and weary and utterly fail. But God is able to give power to the faint. When we bring our nothingness to Him He is able to make it into something. The broken life given to Christ becomes whole through Him. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increases strength.

When we come to God as God then God can give us power for abundant living. The Apostle Paul said:

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NKJV) … lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

It is in our weakness that we surrender to God – and surrendered to Him we discover His power living through us.

Pastor Vince Gergardy wrote:

One of the great movies of all time was the 1959 epic Ben Hur. One of the movie’s most riveting scenes where Charlton Heston (who played Ben Hur) defeated his arch enemy in an extremely realistic chariot race. The scene required 5 weeks of filming, 15,000 extras, and 18 chariots. To add to the spirit of authenticity Charlton Heston actually learned to drive the chariots he’d be using in the race. But after weeks of practice, Heston was worried about the shoot. He confided in the stunt coordinator: “I can drive the chariot, but I’m not sure I can win.” The stunt man smiled and replied: “Chuck, you just make sure you stay in the chariot, and I’ll make sure you win the race.” You see, Heston had made the mistake of thinking that he actually had to win the race by his own power and skill. He had forgotten that the outcome had already been decided. It was in the script He couldn’t lose!

When we come to God and surrender to Him our weaknesses as well as our strengths God rewrites the script! The Church began on the day that Christ’s disciples did what Jesus told them to do. Jesus told them:

Acts 1:4-5 (NKJV) {Jesus} commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

They were to WAIT on the Lord. WAIT for the Promise that Jesus made. WAIT.

Isaiah 40:31 (KJV) they that WAIT upon the LORD shall renew their strength;

What did it mean to the disciples that they should WAIT. Did it mean to do nothing? No! For after Jesus ascended into Heaven we read:

Acts 1:12, 14 (NKJV) Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. … 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

They WAITED upon the Lord. They prayed. They sought God’s face. They obeyed God’s Word. They did as Jesus said to do. And they WAITED. They did not procrastinate. They did not play video games, nor go on vacations, nor go out to eat. They did not host “Super Bowl Parties” at the Church. They did not form a praise band and jam, dancing in the aisles. They WAITED. They did as Abraham did when he did not know which way to go. He sat up his tent and then prayerfully sought the Lord on the horizon. He did as Moses said. God told Moses:

Exodus 33:14-17 (NKJV) … “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 Then {Moses} said to {God}, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.” 17 So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”

It is the PRESENCE OF GOD that proves the salvation of His people. If God is not Present, then we are not His. So we WAIT upon our Lord. We PRAY. We seek His will in His WORD. If God does not lead us to it, we will not go. We PRAY. We TRUST. We hear the words of the Apostle:

1 Thessalonians 5:12-23 (NKJV) … we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. 23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Do good, for God is good. Trust God. Do not avenge, but trust God as avenger. Rejoice always. Praise God in the valleys as well as the mountaintop. God made everything, and controls all things. Trust Him, and praise Him, for He is your portion, a Portion that cannot be removed.

Pray without ceasing. Have you prayed about it, or is it just your opinion? Will what you want to do glorify God, or is it all about YOU?

James 4:10 (NKJV) Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.

When the world drives you down, go down on your knees before God and look up. He can lift you up, and will lift you up. He will defeat the enemy. Pray!

1 Peter 5:6 (NASB) … Humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand that He might exalt you at the proper time …

Seek Him in prayer. Trust and read His Word. Believe what He has said no matter what the world might say – His Word is truth. Do you remember the precious passage:

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NKJV) But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.

The Apostle is quoting Isaiah 64:4 in the Spirit, which says:

Isaiah 64:4 (NKJV) For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, WHO ACTS FOR THE ONE WHO WAITS FOR HIM.

If you love Him, you wait on Him. You seek His face in prayer and adoration. You heed His Word.

Those Who Wait Are Rewarded

Isaiah 40:31 (KJV) But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

A CHICKEN hides from the wind. An EAGLE rides the wind. He stretches his wings and flies, gliding on the wind effortlessly. When the CHRISTIAN waits on God He sends His Spirit to us. Like the wind, the Spirit of God lifts us up, blessing us, taking us high above the cares of this world.

The eagle RESTS upon the wind.

The Christian RESTS upon the Spirit.

The eagle spreads it’s wings to rest.

The Christian spreads the wings of faith to rest.

The eagle RESTS on the wind above the darkness of the earth.

The Christian RESTS on the Spirit far above the fallen world.

The eagle does as it is designed to be blessed.

The Christian does as he is designed to be blessed.

The eagle is seeking prey.

The Christian is seeking the lost.

To WAIT on the Lord does not mean to do NOTHING. The word MOUNT UP is a verb which means “to go forth, ascend, climb, rise up”. We RISE UP by serving our God, by doing as He says. We seek His face if we are His, and He promises to renew our strength, to empower us, to give us victory over our enemies.

Pastor W.A. Criswell said:

“For those who wait upon the Lord, there abides a certain victory: the glory, the good thing, the best thing that is yet to come for those who wait upon the Lord. This same great preacher Isaiah, in 64:4, says: “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside Thee, what He hath prepared for him that waiteth for Him.” Listen to Habakkuk: “The vision is for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; it will surely come . . . ” [Habakkuk 2:3]. And Daniel 12:12: “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.” They that wait upon the Lord shall achieve a certain victory. God hath prepared for them – some better and more precious thing.”

Victory is ours in Him and Him alone. He is our God, and He is able! May God touch your hearts with His Word.

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