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Be Careful What Carries You

Posted on August 4, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Sarmad Mughal: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-car-305070/

Hebrews 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

Illustrate: I love to watch horror movies. Not the bloody type – that’s disgusting. But the scary type. I watched a movie the other day about a serial killer who drove an Uber. Uber is a company that hires private citizens to pick people up in their cars, kind of like a taxi. The problem is, Uber drivers aren’t checked out like a commercial taxi driver is. You don’t whose car you are getting into. And yes, you could get into the back seat of a serial killer’s car. Or worse! Be careful what you choose to carry you through life, or it may carry you to death.

That’s what our Scripture is about today.

Be Careful What Truths Carry You Through Life

God’s command to the New Covenant Christian – to all of us – is quite clear:

Be not carried about with divers (diverse, many types of) and strange doctrines

If you are a Christian, you need to be careful what ‘truths’ carry you through this life. No, let me modify this last statement. If you are human, saved or unsaved, you need to be careful what ‘truths’ carry you through this life. Listen Beloved,

If the devil cannot DAMN you, he will DECEIVE you.

Word Study: We are warned not to be “CARRIED ABOUT” (Greek peripherō [pronounced per-ee-fer’-o]) by many types of “STRANGE” (Greek xenos [pronounced xen’-os], meaning “alien or novel, concepts that are new but not part of the plan”) “DOCTRINES” (didachē, [pronounced did-akh-ay’], meaning “teachings, directives, instruction by which you live your life). Let’s break this down further. When people heard that Jesus was nearby, the Scripture says:

Mark 6:55 … {they} began to CARRY ABOUT [peripherō] in beds those that were sick, where they heard {where Jesus} was.

There are false doctrines in the world, false teachings that have nothing to do with the Biblical New Covenant nor scripture. Avoid them.
False truths will RUN AND RUIN your life.

What Do You Believe About DOCTRINE?
BIBLE DOCTRINE is so important.

One of the greatest LIES the devil ever spread through the Church is that you can be saved, but do NOT have to follow Christ and the Bible. Those who are saved MUST follow Christ and His Word. Period.

Repentance: Jesus came preaching REPENTANCE as the door to salvation. REPENTANCE means to turn from following your golden calves, and turn to following Jesus and His Word. Jesus said, “I am not come to call the righteous, but SINNERS TO REPENTANCE” (Matthew 9:13; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:32; 24:47). Jesus taught His disciples to “preach that men should REPENT” (Mark 6:2), and declared:

Luke 13:3, 5 I tell you, Nay: but, EXCEPT YE REPENT, ye shall all likewise perish.

The first sermon preached in the Church Age was:

Acts 2:38 … REPENT, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

You cannot be saved and retain your false doctrines. When you come to Christ, you come committing yourself to Him and His Word. You are committing yourself to His Kingdom, both now, and into eternity. Salvation is a complete commitment of the disciple’s life to the Lord of Glory. Salvation is NOT a buffet!

The Lie Of Solo Christianity

Hebrews 13:1 Let brotherly love CONTUNUE (Greek MENO, remain).

Some people have said, “I can be a Christian by myself. I need no “church”. I am a “church” unto myself”. This is a lie from Satan. Jesus Christ established the Church. The Church is built upon the rock of truth that Jesus is THE Christ, THE Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16, 18). Jesus said “I will build MY CHURCH, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”. The Bible says “the LORD added to the Church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47, NKJV). God gave command to the Pastors at Ephesus:

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

The Church belongs to Jesus. The reason that Christ has given us the Church and its spirit filled leadership is to keep us from being carried about by false doctrine. The Apostle writes of this in:

Ephesians 4:11-14 (ESV) And {Christ} gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

God has given us His Word and His Spirit, along with His called Bible teachers, to feed the believer, to teach the truths of the Scripture. The Church itself is built on the premise of LOVE:

Hebrews 13:1 Let brotherly love CONTUNUE (Greek MENO, remain).

The mark of a healthy Church is that LOVE is what holds it together. Not selfishness, but love. Not pride, but love. The Apostle wrote in:

Romans 13:8-10 (ESV) Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

You OWE it to your brother or sister in Christ to LOVE them. When Christ made His Church, He filled it not with perfect, always good natured people. Christ filled His Church with broken creatures saved by the Grace of God. We are given two great Commandments in Scripture by Jesus:

Matthew 22:37-40 (ESV) … You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.

We love God with our ALL. We love those in proximity to us, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is not just an emotional thing, but a physical thing. We are to DO GOOD to those we love. We are told:

Hebrews 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain STRANGERS: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

We are to avoid STRANGE doctrines, but not STRANGERS in our midst. We are to LOVE VISITORS to the Church. You might have an angel beside you!

Jesus defined LOVE as DOING the right thing. He said:

Matthew 5:44-45 … Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you … that you may be the CHILDREN OF YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN …

Be kind to the unkind. If your brother of sister treats you badly, DO GOOD to them anyway. You say, “But Brother David, I don’t FEEL like it!” It’s not based on FEELING, but on OBEDIENCE. Do it because Jesus said do. There are CONSEQUENCES for NOT LOVING as Jesus said. Jesus said:

Matthew 6:14-15 (ESV) … if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Christ put His Church together as a team, a group to do battle TOGETHER. We read:

Hebrews 12:3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

The unity of the Church is to be so close that, as the Apostle said:

1 Corinthians 12:24-27 (ESV) … God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Those who say “I can be a Christian without the Church” are either very confused, or are lying to themselves. If you can walk away from Christ’s Church, dear friend, you may be DAMNED and not know it! The Bible tells us that:

Ephesians 5:25-27 (ESV) … Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

If you are a Christian, you need the company of other Christians. You need the Church.

The Lie Of Lawlessness

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge (krinō, pronounced kree’-no)

Some have taught the twisted doctrine that “since I am saved by Grace, I can live any way I want to live”. This is not a new concept. In the early Church this false doctrine was called

Antinomianism, which teaches that Grace rejects any laws of God, and supplants the law with freedom to behave any way you feel is best.

Antinomianism is found in the local Church flying the “rainbow flag”. It is sad that a segment of our society has taken the Biblical Rainbow – which is a reminder of God’s judgment of the Noahic flood, and of His graciousness (the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh, Genesis 9:15) – and have turned it into licentiousness. God still judges sin. We are told:

Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled

God is not against human sexuality. God is against human sexuality being used in the wrong way. God approves of sexuality in MARRIAGE as God has defined marriage. How did Jesus define “marriage”? When asked about it, Jesus referred to Genesis:

Matthew 19:4-6 (ESV) … Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

It is God Who created marriage in the Garden of Eden. Biblical marriage is one man and one woman bound together for life. God directed that in the marriage that they “be FRUITFUL and MULTIPLY and FILL THE EARTH and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28). Two men cannot “be fruitful”. Two women cannot “multiply”. Jesus recognized this. Heterosexual as well as homosexual sin is Biblically forbidden. We are told in:

1 Corinthians 6:9 (ESV) … the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality …

We are told that God’s Law condemns …

1 Timothy 1:10 … the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine …

God is not against sex. He is against misuse of sex. Misuse of sex has introduced a plague of abortion – the murder of an innocent baby’s life – in this country. We are told:

whoremongers and adulterers God will judge (krinō, pronounced kree’-no)

Word Study: Those who misuse their sexuality will be JUDGED of God (krinō, pronounced kree’-no), What does that mean? It means that those engaged in such behavior – a behavior that is NOT love but self satisfying LUST – will be condemned of God. They do not have to be. Those engaged in sexual sin can repent and turn to Christ. The Bible says:

John 3:17-18 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn (krinō, pronounced kree’-no) the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: (krinō) but he that believeth not is condemned (krinō) already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Those who come to Christ by faith, believing in His Grace, repenting of their former lives are “WASHED, you are SANCTIFIED, you are JUSTIFIED in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). Those who come to Christ by faith are changed, brought under and into the Kingdom of God. But to those who insist that they can remain in sexual sin and yet be saved, I refer you to the last two books of Scripture. It is here that God tell us who will NOT be in Heaven, but cast into the lake of fire forever and ever:

Revelation 21:8 … But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Revelation 22:15 … For without {Heaven} are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Beloved, those who are in sexual relationships without marriage – Biblical marriage – are headed toward the judgment of God and eternal damnation. The grace of God does not free us from the command of God. The Grace of God frees us from religious ceremonies, feasts, animal sacrifices, dietary laws and sanitation ordinances. Grace frees us from the Old Covenant shadows – but nonetheless brings us into God’s Kingdom and the rule of His Word.

The Lie Of The Prosperity Gospel

Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conversation {Greek tropos, literally “way of life”} be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

One of the more insidious lies that has crept into the Church is the lie of the Prosperity Gospel. They take Bible verses like

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

“You see, God wants to PROSPER you. He wants Christians to be RICH, to have LOTS OF MONEY”. Those who teach these things are doing their best to get your money. The three richest Pastors in the world:

Kenneth Copeland (Eagle Mountain Church, $760 million)
David Oyedepo (Living Faith Church, $150 million)
Joel Osteen (Lakewood Church, $100 million)

have gotten rich preaching a Prosperity Gospel. Others like Benny Hinn ($70 million) and Steven Furtick ($55 million) have found riches by telling their listeners to give generously to God so that He can make you rich. But is this what God is talking about when He speaks of “Prosperity”? When God said “I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3 John 2), was God saying we who are Christians are supposed to be rich in money and lands?

No! Our Lord Jesus was not rich. Judas Iscariot, the man who betrayed Jesus with a kiss, kept the purse of the disciples. It is not a sin to be rich. It is a sin to love money. The Bible says,

1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Love of money has drawn many away from salvation in Christ. There are rich believers. Abraham was a rich believer. Job was a rich believer. Both had money and materials far beyond those around them. Solomon was not only the wisest person in the world, but he was the richest. But God also has poor believers. Jesus said, “The POOR have the Gospel preached to them” (Matthew 11:5; Luke 7:22). Though God allows believers to have wealth, He wants us to love Him and live for Him whether we are rich or poor. God does not want us to “covet” or desire what someone else has. He says,

be content with such things as ye have

What do you have? You have genuine riches. You have a God Who gave His life for you. You have an inheritance stored up for you in Heaven. You have eternal life. You have Jesus, the Good Shepherd, Who will never leave you nor forsake you.

And Jesus never changes. We read:

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Jesus never changes. He has said,

John 10:9 I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Jesus is the Door to Heaven, the Door to salvation. You have a Savior, a Shepherd, who “GIVES HIS LIFE FOR HIS SHEEP” (John 10:11). Jesus has said to those who receive Him as Lord and Savior:

John 10:28-30 … I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one.

Jesus has said to those who believe in Him, “I have you IN MY HAND. My Father has you IN HIS HAND. You are His possession. You are My possession. You are bought with a price. You belong to Me, and the Father – and we are ONE and in ONE ACCORD that no one will take you out of our hand”. Oh Beloved, you may not be rich in the material possessions of this world, but if you are in Christ you are spiritually rich. You are God’s, and God is yours. God watches over you daily, for you are His child.

Heed The Word Spoken

Hebrews 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation {way of life}.

17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

I am sure there are some who are thinking, “Who are YOU to tell me anything?”. Truthfully, I am no one. I have “spoken unto you the word of God”. I “watch for your souls”, and must one day stand before God and give an account of this stewardship He has given me. I want to see you prosper and grow. I pray you will prosper and grow. But it will not happen if you do not heed the Word of God.

There are no shortcuts to salvation. You must REPENT, and confess yourself a sinner. You must turn to Jesus Christ, and trust Him as your Lord and Savior. From the moment of salvation, you become HIS sheep, HIS possession. You are to walk with Him, heed His Word, obey His commandments till the end.

You are not under an Old Covenant of animal sacrifice and dietary restriction. You are under a New Covenant, secured by the Blood of Christ, and insured by His resurrected glory. He makes intercession for us continually. Let us serve and love Him with all our hearts.

May God the Holy Spirit draw you to His side today. Amen and Amen.

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Saved vs Lost People

Posted on August 3, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Finding Dan | Dan Grinwis on Unsplash

Proverbs 10:24 The FEAR of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the DESIRE of the righteous shall be granted.

I have heard it said that …

The Righteous person, saved by faith in Christ, fears God so he doesn’t fear the future. However the Wicked person who rejects salvation in Christ has no fear of God, but fears the future.

The Christian need not fear what tomorrow may bring, because we live our lives for the God Who holds tomorrow in the palm of His hand. It’s like that old hymn I rarely hear sung in Church anymore:

I don’t know about tomorrow,
I just live from day to day.
I don’t borrow from its sunshine,
For its skies may turn to gray.
I don’t worry o’er the future,
For I know what Jesus said,
And today I’ll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.
Many things about tomorrow,
I don’t seem to understand;
But I know Who holds tomorrow,
And I know Who holds my hand.

The Bible says:

Psalm 145:19 (ESV) He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.

God loves His Children, and do not want them living in fear over the things of this world. “Greater is He Who is in you, than He that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). This comes upon us who believe because God called us to salvation, and we answered. But to those who chase after darkness and mock God, the Lord says:

Isaiah 66:4 (ESV) I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight.

God will not beg a man to the Cross of Christ. He showed His great love for us by sending Jesus to die on the Cross for our sins. But if you choose wickedness and reject righteousness, if you choose darkness over light, God will BRING YOUR FEARS TO YOU. Because you have rejected salvation, “in prosperity the destroyer will come upon you” (Job 15:21). Or as we previously studied in the Book of Hebrews:

Hebrews 10:26-31 (ESV) … if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Proverbs 10:25 As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.

The Whirlwind A Blessing To God’s People,
A Curse To The Lost

Word Study: The Bible uses the “whirlwind” (Hebrew sûp̄â, pronounced soo-faw’) to describe the storms of life (Job 21:18), the night terrors (Job 27:20), and the various trials that afflict every living creature. The WHIRLWIND is destructive, frightening, and PASSETH or lasts but a little while. Trials come to every person, whether righteous or unrighteous, holy or wicked.

Illustrate: Not too long ago a “whirlwind” came to Maury County, destroying homes and land. The Bear Creek area was particularly hit hard. The Office of Emergency Management will be using our facilities August 23-25, 2025 as they bring volunteers in to help clean up debris and restore homes to a livable condition. The whirlwind that hit us hit both Christian as well as non-Christian. To those who are Christians, the whirlwind is an opportunity to grow in our faith, and to share our faith with others. Though tough, the whirlwind is a blessing to the child of God by grace in Jesus. To those who are lost, maybe it will be a blessing to them as well – particularly if they heed Jesus in the aftermath of the wreckage.

God uses the WHIRLWIND to punish, as in:

Isaiah 66:15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a WHIRLWIND, (sûp̄â) to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

The WHIRLWIND can refer to the “wages of sin, which is death” (Romans 6:23), as in:

Hosea 8:7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the WHIRLWIND …

God controls the WHIRLWIND. “The Lord has His Way in the WHIRLWIND” (Nahum 1:3). A WHIRLWIND for the believer in Christ is a blessing. It strengthens our faith, draws us closer to God, and removes the dross from our lives. When Elijah was at the end of his ministry, and he had obediently called Elisha to take his place, the Bible says:

2 Kings 2:11 (AP) As Elijah and Elisha went on, and talked to one another, there appeared a CHARIOT OF FIRE that carried Elijah away from Elisha, and ELIJAH WENT UP TO GOD BY A WHIRLWIND (saʿar, pronounced sah’-ar)

When Job, at the end of his time of suffering, cried out to God for relief, the Bible says:

Job 38:1 … the LORD answered Job out of the WHIRLWIND (saʿar, pronounced sah’-ar)

God is in the WHIRLWIND. God is there in the trials.

Our God is always in the midst of every trial we may suffer, and the trials have the purpose of growing us. Just as Jesus calmed the storm of the Sea of Galilee, saying “Peace, be still” (Mark 4:39), our God is the God of the storms. “He maketh the storm (WHIRLWIND, saʿar) a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.” We are told in the New Testament writings of …

James 1:2-4 KJV – My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers TEMPTATIONS (peirasmos, trials … like a WHIRLWIND); [3] Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience. [4] But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

The trials, the whirlwinds that confuse us are times for us to look to our God, our True North. To focus on His power, and trust Him.

The whirlwind will destroy the wicked, but it will not destroy the righteous, the ones who keep their eyes on Jesus.

Jesus brought this great truth out in:

Matthew 7:24-27 KJV – 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. [26] And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: [27] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

The winds come to everyone. The floods come to Christian and non-Christian. The trials of life beat on us all. But to those who not only HEAR but DO the Word of Christ, their lives will be built on a solid foundation. The whirlwind will not destroy the believer focused on the precious Savior! But the flippant, the wicked, the apathetic and lazy, those who ride the fence of faith and unbelief, those will find the whirlwind removes all their gods.

God Wants Us To Have A Vibrant Faith

Proverbs 10:26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.

The “SLUGGARD” is mentioned several times in Proverbs.

Proverbs 6:6 (ESV) Go to the ant, O SLUGGARD; consider her ways, and be wise.

Proverbs 6:9 (ESV) How long will you lie there, O SLUGGARD? When will you arise from your sleep?

Proverbs 20:4 (ESV) The SLUGGARD does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.

I am often struck by the young and otherwise healthy person who stands on street corners begging for food or money. There are so many jobs available now. It can’t be easy to stand out in the rain and heat, on a corner of a busy road, begging. Though I do give food packets to these people, I will never give money. They are, for the most parts, sluggards.

As bad as physical SLUGGARDS are,
the SPIRITUAL SLUGGARD is worse.

There are also spiritual sluggards. If you have never noticed, life is not all a mountain or all a valley. Life goes in cycles. Sometimes you are on the mountaintop, and your life is at peace. When this is the case, like the ant in the proper season you should gather sustenance for the coming winter. Beloved, winter or the valley is always just around the bend. Those who are spiritual sluggards sleep when their bellies are full. In fact, many are, as the Apostle said, those who …

Philippians 3:18-20 (ESV) … walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven…

Your life is a stewardship from God – spend it wisely! Those who are true citizens of Heaven understand that this life and this time is a stewardship. Use it wisely. Draw near to God while you can. Get in a Bible study. Be faithful to your Church meetings, and bring a Bible with you. The sluggard counts on someone else to bring the shovel, because the sluggard does not want to dig. But we are encouraged to remember that …

Proverbs 13:4 (ESV) The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.

God blesses those who walk with Him, and treasure His commandments. But God will not reward the spiritual sluggard. The Kingdom of Heaven is not a welfare office, and Jesus is not the Social Security Administration. The spiritual sluggard irritates God.

Proverbs 10:26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.

God has given to us, His Church, a Great Commission. We are SENT. We are to share Christ and the Gospel with others. In ancient times wine was made by natural processes, and was very low in alcoholic content. Those who drank wine often found themselves drinking vinegar, which is what spoiled wine is. Vinegar wine is sour and acidic, and attacks the teeth of the drinker. Smoke in the eyes is also an irritant. Ptahhotep an ancient Egyptian author and right hand of the Pharaoh wrote:

“if you are a man of trust sent from one great man to another, adhere to the nature of him who sent you, give his message as he said it…”

We are not to be spiritual sluggards, but are to deliver God’s Word as He has given it to us. “We are ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Contrasts Between The Righteous And The Lawless

As one commentary notes:

“Though each is a distinct proverb, these four proverbs contrast the righteous and the lawless regarding both their present and their future condition. In this world the fear of the Lord prolongs life; whereas the indiscretions and iniquities of the lawless break their physical strength and shorten their days. In eternity, gladness will be the fulfilled hope of the righteous; while the expectation of the wicked will perish and his reward will be endless judgment.”

Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

There are some people who fear the Lord, but who die young. Some Christians die young for their faith. An early Christian woman named Perpetua died when she was 22 years old. Roman Emperor Severus offered to spare her if she would renounce Jesus, but she refused. Though still breastfeeding her child, she died in the stadium by a gladiator’s sword.

Lady Jane Grey died when she was 16 years old. Executed by Catholic Queen Mary Tudor for the sin of being Protestant, just before she died she told the watching crowd “I look to be saved by no other means but the mercy of God in the blood of his only Son, Jesus Christ”.

The writer of many hymns. Augustus Toplady died of tuberculosis at just 38 years old. He wrote the hymn we often sing:

“Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood,
from thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure;
save from wrath and make me pure.”

There are many Christians who died young, others who died in their elder years. The Evangelist Billy Graham went to see Jesus at 99 years old. But whether young or old, the Christian has the promise of eternal life. Jesus said:

John 3:36 (ESV) Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

And again,

John 5:24 (ESV) Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Proverbs 10:28 The HOPE of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.

The Bible often speaks of the believer’s HOPE. For the world, HOPE means “to be lucky, a WISH to get the best outcome somehow, someway”. But for the Christian, the word HOPE means:

“A confidence in and expectation of what God has promised, but we have yet to receive. Our confidence is based on the veracity and faithfulness of God our Savior.”

The world’s HOPE is anchored in NOTHING. Our HOPE is anchored in CHRIST. The Prophet said:

Jeremiah 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

Since our HOPE is based in the Lord, we have assurance that what He has said, He will do. Jesus is our “Blessed Hope” (Titus 2:13), Who was resurrected from the dead. Our hope is not dead, but is LIVELY (1 Peter 1:3). The world’s hope is a wish based on nothing – our hope a certainty based on His empty tomb.

Proverbs 10:29 The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

The way of the godless is to walk through this life in their own power, their own abilities. The way of the Christian is to walk through this life reliant upon God our Savior. The Apostle Paul, confronted by “a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan who beat him” (2 Corinthians 12:7), sought the Lord three times to have this thorn removed from his life. Three times the Lord told Paul, “My Grace is sufficient for you, for MY STRENGTH is made perfect in YOUR WEAKNESS” (vvs 9). Paul responded by saying,

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (KJV) … Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

It is in our weakness and in our surrender that we find the limitless power of God. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).

Proverbs 10:30 The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.

One day we who are Christ’s by faith shall inherit a new Heaven and a new Earth. The wicked may temporarily own much, but in the end:

Psalm 37:11 … the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

Our Lord Jesus repeated this truth in His sermon on the Mount:

Matthew 5:5 … Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

It is not the prideful that will inherit God’s Kingdom, but those who adhere to and honor God’s Word. The prideful or perverse – those who speak not God’s Word but evil and human tradition – they shall lose their voice. In the last two verses:

Proverbs 10:31-32 (KJV) The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the FROWARD tongue shall be cut out. 32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh FROWARDNESS.

Word Study: The word FROWARD is the Hebrew tahpuḵôṯ (pronounced tah-poo-kaw’), which means “that which is perverse or fraudulent”. Those who speak God’s Word will continue to speak in eternity, but the perverse who reject God’s Word are CUT OUT. We were given tongues to speak God’s Word, to glorify Him. The Righteous know what is acceptable to say. The wicked are inclined to speak crooked or twisted “truths”. Misusing their tongues, there will be a time when they lose their voice and their platform.

But God’s people will be blessed forever. As Matthew Henry’s Commentary notes:

“The wicked would be glad to have this earth their home for ever, but it cannot be so. They must die and leave all their idols behind. … A good man discourses wisely for the benefit of others. But it is the sin, and will be the ruin of a wicked man, that he speaks what is displeasing to God, and provoking to those he converses with. The righteous is kept by the power of God; and nothing shall be able to separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.”

May God touch your hearts with His Word.

Posted in Proverbs, Sermons Preached | Tagged Following Christ, God Is Faithful, gospel, Proverbs, Proverbs For Life, salvation | Leave a comment

Faith Not Feelings

Posted on July 30, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Tomáš Malík: https://www.pexels.com/photo/blahylur-lake-on-iceland-27244378/

We come to a very interesting place in our study of the Book of Hebrews. We read:

Hebrews 12:15-22 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. 18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) 22 BUT …

We stop reading at the word “BUT”. We’ll come to that in a few moments, if God so allow. What causes a person to be forever lost? What causes a person to lose the blessings of God? We are told:

Hebrews 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God

Word Study: We are told to be “Looking diligently” lest we “FAIL OF THE GRACE OF GOD”. The word translated “FAIL” is the Greek hystereō (hoos-ter-eh’-o), which means “to fall short of, to fail to reach the goal, to suffer for lack of”. The same word is used in:

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and COME SHORT OF (hystereō) the glory of God.

Because we all have sinned and hystereō the glory of God, we all deserve eternal separation from God. None of us deserve entrance into God’s wonderful Heaven. None of us deserve to be born again, nor to be adopted into the family of God. All of us deserve eternal damnation.

But God offers us GRACE!

Grace is when God gives us what we do not deserve. To receive grace, we must have faith in God. To receive grace, we must TRUST God to be honorable, truthful, and faithful. Grace turns from my ability to God’s ability. Grace looks to the Cross of Christ and the empty tomb. We are told …

Word Study: We are told to be “Looking diligently” lest we “FAIL OF THE GRACE OF GOD”. The words translated “Looking diligently” are very interesting. It is the Greek episkopeō (pronounced ep-ee-skop-eh’-o), which means “to look upon your life, to carefully inspect it, to OVERSEE yourselves”. This word is often used in the Scripture for the Office of the Pastor, as in:

1 Peter 5:2 (KJV) Feed the flock of God which is among you, TAKING THE OVERSIGHT (episkopeō) thereof …

The Pastor is to feed the Church, and to carefully watch over its members to insure that they stay on the path of God’s Word. But in our text today God is tell YOU to PASTOR YOURSELVES. To carefully examine your lives. Because Beloved, if you miss the boat of Grace, YOU WILL NOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

The blessings of God are fully dependent upon His Grace and our reception of it!

Faith Leads To Grace, Feelings To The Flesh

What can cause us to fall short of the Grace of God? The Bible gives us a perfect illustration.

Hebrews 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator (pornos), or PROFANE (bebēlos, pronounced beb’-ay-los, the wicked) person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

Word Study: What is it that keeps us from the Grace of God? It is FEELINGS. The text speaks first of the FORNICATOR, the pornos or sexually driven person. People today chase after sex in all forms because of the good fleshly feeling that it brings. They do not heed what God says, but their flesh is their god – or as the Apostle encouraged and warned us:

Philippians 3:17-20 (CSB) Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us. 18 For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame; and they are focused on earthly things. 20 Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Word Study: Those who are Christ’s are not focused on sexual satisfaction, but on Grace. Our focus is on Jesus, and on the glory of God. Those who are into PORNOS or PORN are devoted to the flesh, not to God. Then we see the text refer to the bebēlos, or the wicked or unholy person. What is interesting about this word is that the Hebrew word bāḇel (don’t they sound about the same? Yes, I know they are two different words, but I don’t think its a coincidence!) takes us back to the descendants of Noah, in particular the man named NIMROD:

Genesis 10:8-10 (ESV) Cush (the grandson of Noah through Ham) fathered NIMROD; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. … 10 The beginning of his kingdom was Babel …

God gave Nimrod the ability to be a mighty hunter and a man’s man. But Nimrod was not focused on God’s Grace. He created eight cities in his glory, the first of which was Babel. It would be at Babel that the people would get together with a horrid plan:

Genesis 11:4 (ESV) … Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.

God had told mankind to “be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28; 9:1). But man followed FEELINGS RATHER THAN FAITH. Humanity did not say “Let’s glorify God and do as He says”, but instead we said “Let’s MAKE A NAME FOR OURSELVES. Let’s do what makes US FEEL GOOD, regardless of God”. It was at Babel that God confused the language of mankind, causing us in our discomfort to scatter. Later in the Bible Babylon would become the place where wicked, man made religion was developed. Babylon is the place of sexual immorality (Revelation 14:8), the place where the wrath of God would one day destroy (Revelation 16:19), a place of DEMONS AND UNCLEAN SPIRITS (Revelation 18:2).

A place where FEELINGS are placed above faith.

In chapter 11 God gave us a look at the heroes of the faith. But in chapter 12, God gives us a look at the heroes of FEELINGS. We are re-introduced to Esau.

Hebrews 12:16 … as ESAU, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

ESAU is a PROFANE PERSON, a child of Babel.

He was his daddy’s favorite child. Just as Nimrod was a mighty hunter, Esau was a mighty hunter. And Esau as the firstborn, was the next child who would inherit the blessings of Grace from his father Isaac. But Esau was a greedy, self centered, self absorbed man. His brother Jacob was not much better, and if there was a picture of “dysfunctional family” in the dictionary, it would have shown these twin boys. One day when Esau had been unsuccessfully hunting, he came in from the field and found his brother Jacob cooking a red (lentil) stew. Jacob told his brother:

Genesis 25:31-34 (ESV) … “Sell me your birthright now.” 32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” 33 Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Esau relied on FEELING rather than FAITH. He was not going to die of hunger. The birthright that was his, was his by GRACE. He should have trusted in God. But Esau instead trusted in his FEELINGS, and sold his birthright to Jacob.

Hebrews 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when {Esau} would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

Esau despised the Grace of God, and chose SELF over the SAVIOR. Later when he sought out his birthright, Esau NEVER REPENTED and turned to God, but begged his father Isaac to bless him (Genesis 27:30-41). Why did this happen to Esau? He caused it by choosing self over the Savior. And God knew that this was going to happen. God told Esau’s mother Rebekah “The older will serve the younger” (Romans 9:12). God would tell Rebekah while the children were still in her womb, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated” (Romans 9:13). Why did God love the younger Jacob, but hate the older Esau. Because God, Who knows “the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things not yet done” (Isaiah 46:10).

God knew that, though Jacob was initially as bad and self centered as his brother Esau was, that Jacob would eventually receive the Grace of God and become Israel, the Prince of God, a Child of God. But Esau and his descendants would become enemies of the faith, Edomites who would loot the Temple.

It is FAITH, not FEELINGS that bring us into the love and Grace of God. As the great Evangelist D.L. Moody once said,

“Satan can change your feelings, and make you feel almost any way; but he cannot change the Word of God.”

What Is Your Faith In? Yes, It Matters.

Hebrews 12:18-21 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

What is this mount that burned with fire … blackness, and darkness, and tempest? This terrible place where God told Israel:

Exodus 19:12-13 (ESV) … ‘Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death. No hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot; whether beast or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds a long blast, {only then} they shall come up to the mountain.

Where is this place? A place of condemnation, a place of fear. Not only did all the “people of Israel tremble with fear” (Exodus 19:16), but Moses himself, a mighty man of God, said “I was afraid of the anger and the hot displeasure that the Lord bore against you” (Deuteronomy 9:19).

This was Mount Sinai.

Mount Sinai was a horrible place, the very mountain of God. Why did God lead Israel to Mount Sinai? Because Israel rejected the grace of God, and trusted in their feelings rather than faith. God saved Israel from Egypt by GRACE. Israel followed God, and left their slavery behind. Israel went through the Red Sea by GRACE. They followed the Lord. Israel was given manna and meat in the wilderness by GRACE. Israel was given water by GRACE. And yet, at every instance where there was the slightest lack, the leanest of suffering, Israel reverted to FEELING rather than FAITH.

So God brought Israel to Sinai, a terrible place. A fierce place. Why? Because Israel would not follow God by faith. They kept defaulting to FEELINGS. So God gave Israel the Law, a harsh, unkeepable Law. The Law illustrated the absolute holiness of God. The Law convicted of sin. The Apostle wrote:

Romans 3:19-20 (ESV) Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Though the Law offered a “sacrament” of animal sacrifice, it did not actually save. As we learned through Hebrews,

Hebrews 10:1-2, 4 (AP) … the Law was a SHADOW of good things to come … with animal sacrifices offered year by year that could not make you perfect. If they could, they would have been ceased … it is NOT POSSIBLE that the blood of animals take away sins …

God gave the Law – a harsh Law of circumcision, and ceremony, and sacrifice – to teach Israel and us that we cannot by our own efforts make ourselves right before God. If we want to be saved, we must follow God in faith. God sent his Son Jesus into this world to teach us that we are all sinners in need of the Savior.

Jesus came calling us to repent and follow.

Jesus explained the difference between the Law and Feeling and faith in:

Luke 18:9-14 (ESV) {Jesus} also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Don’t miss the introduction to the parable. Jesus specifically spoke to “some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt”. They “TRUSTED IN THEMSELVES”. They were centered on THEIR feelings, what THEY thought, what THEY did. But they never secured the Grace of God. Who did? The hated tax collector who, contrary to most people, abhorred himself, humbled himself, and called upon God’s Grace as a sinner devoid of hope.

It is not my ability that will get me to Heaven. It is not your ability that will get you to Heaven. It is the Grace of God that saves us, and keeps on saving us.

We Procure Grace By Faith (TRUST)

Hebrews 12:22-23 But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect …

If you are recipients of the Grace of God, then you are not where Esau was. Further, you are not standing at the base of Mount Sinai. The Bible says “ye are come unto mount Zion”. What is Mount Zion? Mount Zion is the highest point in Jerusalem, a holy place that overlooks the city of David.

Abraham offered his son up to God on this mountain. (Genesis 22:1-24)
Here Jacob had his dream of a ladder to Heaven. (Genesis 28:11)
And Solomon built the Temple here (2 Chronicles 3:1)

Mount Zion speaks of the Presence of God. You enter the Presence of God not through FEELINGS like Esau, or SELF ASSURANCE like the Law would test. You enter the Presence of God through His Door, through Grace. You come unto “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem”, that place we call Heaven by Grace, by faith in God’s goodness. We will one day look at the home of the “angels” of God. We will one day stand with “THE CHURCH OF THE FIRSTBORN”, those whose names are “WRITTEN IN HEAVEN” in God’s Book of Life. How do you get your name in that Book? By having faith in God, by believing on Him Whom God has sent. One day we will see “God the Judge of all, and … the spirits of just men made perfect”. We will stand before God cleansed on all sin. How will we get into His Book?

By faith in Christ.

Hebrews 12:24-25 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh.

How is a person saved? It is by FAITH in Jesus. It is not by FEELING, but by FAITH. What does it mean to have FAITH.

Faith means to TRUST GOD.

God entrusts salvation to those who trust HIM. The Apostle said:

2 Timothy 1:12 (ESV) … I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.

Trust means I believe that GOD IS ABLE. Not me, but God. I do not trust people, but I trust God. As the Psalmist said, “It is better to TAKE REFUGE IN THE LORD, than to TRUST IN MAN” (Psalm 118:8). In the New Testament the word FAITH is frequently used. But throughout the Old Testament God used another word.

TRUST!

Jeremiah 17:5, 7 (ESV) Cursed is the man who trust in man, and makes FLESH HIS STRENGTH, whose heart TURNS AWAY FROM THE LORD … 7 BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO TRUSTS IN THE LORD, WHOSE TRUST IS THE LORD ..

I have heard people say, “There is a member of such and such a Church, and that person cheated me out of some money. I won’t have anything to do with Churches or Christians again”. Your very words convict you. Your trust is not in God, but in man, in people. Those who are God’s children put their trust in Him.

Psalm 9:10 … Those who know Your Name will put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You …

Isaiah 12:2 .. Behold, God is my Salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord God is my Strength and Song, and HE HAS BECOME MY SALVATION …

Salvation is all of God. Salvation is placing your trust, your hopes, your very life into the hands of Jesus.

When our Lord Jesus was in Bethsaida the Bible tells us in:

Mark 8:22-23 (ESV) … some people brought to {Jesus} a blind man and begged Him to touch him. 23 And {Jesus} took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village…

Before Jesus can save us, He has to get us to the place where our trust, our faith, is totally in Him. Jesus “LED THE BLIND MAN OUT OF THE VILLAGE” before He ministered to him and gave him his sight. When you are saved, you follow Jesus.

I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

The Christian puts his or her faith in Jesus Christ, in His finished work of Calvary, in the empty tomb. We believe the Word of God because Jesus believed the Word of God. And we follow Him, albeit imperfectly. But it is in Him we trust!

A group of explorers wanted to get a few eggs from a nest on the side of a steep precipice. They asked the local villagers if there was anyone able to reach the area, and there was a young boy who said “Yes, I can”. The explorers said, “We’ll lower you down by a rope, and pay you well for your time”. The boy refused. He didn’t trust them. But he told the explorers, “I’ll go, but only if my Father holds the rope. I know He won’t let go.”

Beloved, that is where faith should be. Not in man, not in our strength, but in the power and majesty of God. Our faith must rest full in Jesus, the One sent to mediate the New Covenant. Do you know Him? Oh, that God would draw you to Jesus this very day! Amen and Amen.

Posted in Hebrews, Sermons Preached | Tagged Following Christ, gospel, Jesus Christ, Mosaic Law, salvation | Leave a comment

Working For Christ’s Kingdom

Posted on July 25, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

on the Kingdom with Jesus — Photo by Craig Adderley: https://www.pexels.com/photo/concrete-road-between-trees-1563356/

As we continue through Proverbs 10, we will continue to see the contrast between the child of God and the lost person. There is a reason for this contrast, as we shall shortly see.

Proverbs 10:14-16 Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. 15 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. 16 The labor of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.

Believers In Christ STORE UP The Right Thing

These three proverbs actually work together. They speak of “storing up”. The proverbs are introduced with:

vs 14 Wise men lay up knowledge

Word Study: The word men is not in the original text. It states that the WISE (ḥāḵām), the person who makes it a practice to follow God and His Word, these believers ṣāp̄an (pronounced tsaw-fan’) “gather as a treasure, protect as something valuable” knowledge (Biblical knowledge). The wise person treasures knowledge of God and Christ, seeking it out. Jesus described the Kingdom of Heaven – the rule of God though His Word and His Spirit – as a PEARL OF GREAT PRICE:

Matthew 13:45-46 KJV Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: [46] Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

People put God’s Word on the back burner, and treasure all else. Yet the Word of God and the rule of His Spirit through that Word is a hidden treasure for it brings both eternal as well as a better life:

vs 16 The labor of the righteous tendeth to life…

That which you KNOW is that which you DO. Treasuring the Word of God, the wise person DOES what the Lord says. The actions of the wise lead to LIFE, not death. In many churches today, the godless get the reigns of the flock. Recently the Presbyterian Church USA has directed that they will no longer ordain anyone who does not affirm the LGBTQ+ lifestyle. The evil have become elders in that Church, and are demanding that others – in order to become elders – affirm the same evil. Their actions will not lead to life, but to death. “The labor of the righteous tendeth to life”. Jesus put it this way:

Matthew 13:52 Then said {Jesus} unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

In Jesus’ day the SCRIBES were those who wrote and re-wrote the Scripture so that others could read and enjoy it. Through repetition the Scribes had memorized vast portions of Scripture. They knew what the Bible said – but did not understand its intent. The Lord gave us the Bible to foster and grow the Kingdom of God – the Kingdom of Heaven on the earth. The intent of the Word of God properly applied is to bring us closer to God now, and into God’s Heaven in eternity.

The Word of God supplants the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It directs us how to live the way GOD created us to live.

Those who do not heed the Word of God and His Spirit are not led to life, but to death.

Vs 14 the mouth of the foolish is near destruction

Word Study“NEAR DESTRUCTION” is the Hebrew qārôḇ mᵊḥitâ, “the neighbor of terror or ruin, the kin of dissolution”. What the Godless (the “fool”, Psalm 14:1; 53:1) have stored in their souls is more godlessness, more darkness. The focus of the believer in Christ is “it is written”. These are the words of life.

Matthew 6:21-23 KJV – For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. [22] The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. [23] But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great [is] that darkness!

What you are regularly focused on – what your mind’s eye is dwelling on – will effect your whole body. The fruit of your body will be death, if you mind’s eye is focused not on God’s Word but on cultural and human tradition.

Vs 15 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city

The rich person cares little for the treasures of God’s Word, but they LOVE MONEY. The Bible tells us that (1 Timothy 6:10) “the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows”. Money itself is not evil, but it is a tool. But when money is LOVED, those who do so have little care for others. This is why the rich are often guilty of “destruction of the poor”. They take advantage of those who have little, robbing them of their funds to fill their accounts with money. Yet the destruction they bring on the poor will one day be “THEIR POVERTY”. I am reminded of the story that our Lord Jesus told of a beggar named Lazarus, and an unnamed rich man (Luke 16:20-31). The rich man had little care for Lazarus, and never noticed him as he begged at his doorway. When Lazarus died, the Bible says:

Luke 16:22-23 KJV – … the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; [23] And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Though the beggar had nothing in this life but his faith, when he died he was transported to the riches of God’s Paradise. But the rich man who helped keep Lazarus in suffering, his money did not go with him after death. His riches became his poverty – his loss. The Bible tells us:

Numbers 32:23 … behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.

There will be a payday, someday. The …

Vvs 16 labor of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin

The unbeliever, rejecting the Word of God, lives in the power and promise of sinful flesh. As a result the wicked seek excuses and reasons to ignore the Word of God.

Those Who Hear The Word, Speak The Word

Proverbs 10:17-21 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth. 18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. 19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. 20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth. 21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

Those who love God and His Word appreciate the truths they are taught of His Word. “He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction”. Those who not only hear but DO God’s Word is actually following the “WAY OF LIFE”. The righteous use their mouth to teach others “the WAY of salvation” (Acts 16:17), “the WAY of God” (Acts 18:26), “the WAY of peace” (Romans 3:17), “The WAY of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:21). The Christian wants others to find Christ, to come from the Kingdom of Darkness and into the Kingdom of Christ. But ..

vs 18 hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool

Those who promote lies and spread untruths about others are godless, not Christlike. It is a tactic of the devil to slander. In the Book of Revelation John saw the eventual fall of Satan. We read:

Revelation 12:10 (KJV) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

It is the nature of Satan to slander, to accuse the children of God. This is why Jesus equated mis-judgment of a brother or sister with damnation. We are to lift one another upwards toward good citizenship in Christ’s Kingdom – not to tear one another down. Jesus said:

Matthew 5:21-24 KJV – Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: [22] But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. [23] Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; [24] Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Believers in Christ are members of His Kingdom of Light, and we strive to invite others into that Kingdom. We do not tear down a brother or a sister, but realize that God wants us to –

Romans 12:18 … as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Our Lips Are Tools To Build His Kingdom

Proverbs 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

We have all been guilty of “motor mouth syndrome”. We let our tongues run away, speak too quickly, and speak without regard to what God’s Word has said. It is always wise to delay in responding to others. When challenged by others, Jesus did not rush to respond, but refrained speaking until He knew the right thing to say. The Bible tells us:

Ecclesiastes 5:2-3 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few

James 1:19-20 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God

Proverbs 10:20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.

The righteous person controls their tongue, whereas what is in the heart of the wicked is vain, empty. “CHOICE silver” is silver with the DROSS, the impurities, removed. The righteous person’s words are worth listening to, whereas the heart of the wicked contains little of value. We are told in:

Ecclesiastes 5:2 … God is in heaven and you are on the earth, therefore let your words be few …

We are to speak God’s Word, but let OUR words be few. It is His Word that brings blessing. Believers are to lead others to Christ through God’s Scripture.

Proverbs 10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

Those who are saved by Grace are stewards of Grace. The Apostle wrote:

1 Peter 4:7-11 KJV – But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. [8] And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. [9] Use hospitality one to another without grudging. [10] As every man hath received the gift, [even so] minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. [11] If any man speak, [let him speak] as the oracles of God; if any man minister, [let him do it] as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

As we have been given Grace, we act as STEWARDS of that Grace. Grace is what God has entrusted us with. When we think of STEWARDSHIP, we think of money, or material things. But God’s STEWARDSHIP that He has given us is Grace. When He saves us, He leaves us on this earth to reach others.

The Apostle Paul understood this principle.

When Paul wrote the Church at Ephesus, he wrote:

Ephesians 3:1-2 (ESV) For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you

Paul said “The reason I was saved by Grace was FOR YOU EPHESIANS”. God always saves us – not for our sake – but for the sake of those around us. When God saved Israel it was not just to bless Israel – though He did – but to FULFILL THE PROMISE He made to Abraham, and to BLESS THE GENTILES through Israel.

We are saved for a greater purpose than just ourselves. We are saved so that we can lead others to the same Grace that saved us.

Paul went on to write:

Ephesians 3:7-11 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord

We are saved and brought into Christ’s Kingdom so that others might be saved and brought into Christ’s Kingdom. The LOST ARE DYING FOR LACK OF WISDOM. They need the Lord.

Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

God’s Grace makes a life rich, “AND HE ADDS NO SORROW WITH IT”. Though we have trials, we who are His never walk alone. God is with us. Though our bodies fail, our souls are eternal, and we now are possessors of everlasting life. When we leave this life, we go to eternity.

Let’s take others with us when we go.

May God the Holy Spirit touch us all by His Word!

Posted in Proverbs, Sermons Preached | Tagged building the Kingdom, Faith, Following Christ, God Is Faithful, Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven, salvation | Leave a comment

The Reason For Suffering

Posted on July 23, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Deepu B Iyer: https://www.pexels.com/photo/lake-surrounded-with-green-leafed-trees-40465/

Hebrews 12:5-11 KJV And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: {6} For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. {7} If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? {8} But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. {9} Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? {10} For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. {11} Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

No one likes to suffer. When we go through suffering, our first response as humans is to seek to avoid or repair the suffering. We all do it. When God took Israel out of Egypt, He took His people through a series of water tests.

At the Red Sea, Israel experienced too much water (Exodus 14:10-12).

At Marah, God led Israel to bitter water (Exodus 15:22-26).

At Rephidim, God led Israel where there was no water (Exodus 17:1-7).

At each encounter, Israel responded exactly the same way. They muttered and moaned and complained and blasphemed God and His servants. Israel did not respond to the tests in faith, paying attention to how God saved her each time. Because Israel repeatedly failed the tests and did not turn to God in the midst of their need, their faith never grew. Since their faith never grew, when Israel got to Kadesh Barnea

Deuteronomy 1:26-28 (Author’s Paraphrase) Israel would not go up into the land, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord our God. They murmured against God, saying that God HATED them and sought to destroy them. They feared the Anakim, the giants in Canaan, but did not fear God

They failed the earlier water tests – the trials that God sent their way to grow their faith – and because of this they were unable to go into the Promised Land. The first generation of Israel was condemned to die in the wilderness. Why? Because God is watching, and said:

Deuteronomy 1:34-40 (KJV) the Lord heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying, 35 Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers. 36 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the Lord. 37 Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither. 38 But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. 39 Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it. 40 But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.

God is in control of all things. There is no trial, no tribulation, no thing that comes your way that is not under God’s purview. God says:

Deuteronomy 31:8 (ESV) It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

Illustration: The God Who sends the tests and trials is the God Who guides us through the tests and trials. As our Heavenly Parent, God is not a mother Hen, but an Eagle. The Mother Hen makes her nest as comfortable and pleasing as possible to the young chicks. The Mother Hen is overprotective of her brood. As a result her chicks grow up unable to fly very far or very high. The Eagle, however, builds its nest in high places. When Eagles build their nests, they start with thorns and prickly material, then put softer material and even their own feathers over top of this. As their eaglet chicks grow, the Mother Eagle begins to remove the softer parts of the nest. In time, the chicks are bedding on thorns and pricks. In discomfort they leave the nest – and SOAR. That is what God wants of His Children:

Isaiah 40:31 (ESV) they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Amnesia Is So Dangerous

Hebrews 12:5 KJV And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Word Study: Here God speaks to His Children AGAIN. He says “ye have forgotten the exhortation”. The word “EXHORTATION” is the Greek paraklēsis. Paraklēsis is a very interesting word in the Bible. It means “to call alongside so as to encourage or uplift, to comfort”. A very close word to paraklēsis is the Greek paraklētos, translated as “Comforter” in our New Testament (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7; 1 John 2:1). The word is used four times to describe God the Holy Spirit and one time to describe Jesus our Savior and Lord. The Comforter, the Holy Spirit is the paraklētos, and the Word He speaks to us is the paraklēsis.

God Himself – the Holy Spirit – has spoken words of encouragement, and consolation, words to uplift all throughout Scripture. He has told us over and over again that God sends trials and tribulations to us as a loving Father, to grow our faith. God spoke to us through Solomon:

Proverbs 3:11-12 (ESV) My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of His reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

And the oldest book of Scripture speaks to us in:

Job 5:17-18 (ESV) Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. For He wounds, but He binds up; He shatters, but His hands heal.

King David wrote in Psalm 94:12, “Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law”, and again in Psalm 119:75, “I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me”.

God sends trials our way to grow us, to make us more like Christ. It is very true that “God is love” (1 John 4:8), but love does not coddle. Those of you who are considered “parents”, but who coddle your children, you are not loving them. You are setting them up for failure in life. Children must be disciplined. They must know that there is a higher standard than their wants and desires. They must know that they are held to a greater calling.

Hebrews 12:5-6 KJV And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: {6} For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

When trials come into our lives, we are commanded to “NOT DESPISE” (oligōreō), not to MINIMIZE it or FAIL TO REGARD it. Israel lost the Promised Land because, when the trials came, they paid little attention to how the trial was resolved. They minimized it. But they also “FAINTED” (eklyō), that is, they collapsed into exhaustion, became despondent and accusatory, faint hearted.

When a trial comes to us, we are to regard it as something a Loving Father sent our way. We are not to let the trial become bigger than God, but we are to seek to learn from the trial.

Hebrews 12:6-7 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Two words are used in the King James text to describe God’s discipline to the believer. The first word is chasteneth, the Greek paideuo {pronounced pahee-dyoo’-o}, meaning “to discipline, correct, reproof, admonish as a child”. Paideuo means that God sets limits and then corrects us according to those limits, just as a parent should do with a child. The second word is scourgeth, the Greek mastigoo {pronounced mas-tig-o’-o}, means to strike with a whip or belt. God sends trials to us on two levels:

1. God sends trials to test and grow our faith. These trials are NOT punitive.

2. God sends trials to punish us when we step outside of family boundaries.

These trials, whether to strengthen or to punish, are not sent to us because God hates us or is mad at us. “whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth”. It is His love that wants us to draw close to Him, and to depart from sin. Old time Pastor Thomas Watson wrote:

“God brings us into the valley of tears, that He may bring us into the valley of humility … When men are grown high, God hath no better way with them, than to brew them a cup of wormwood. … God’s thorns are to prick the bladder of pride .”

Trials teach us to look to God our Father, and to turn away from sin. When Jesus came to the Pool of Bethesda, He went to a man who had been an invalid for 38 years (John 5:3). For 38 years this man had laid in front of this pool, crying out that someone would get him down to the water so he might be healed. Jesus told him, “Get up, take your bed, and walk”. The man was healed. But later that day Jesus told the man:

John 5:14 (ESV) … you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you …

The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Sin can bring sickness to us. But when we sin and refuse to repent, God Himself punishes us with chastisement because He loves us. As His Children under the New Covenant, God wants us living in step with Him, not in sin.

Here is a test as to whether you are saved or not. If you can sin, and the Father not punish you if you will not repent, then you are Unsaved!

That’s what our text tells us:

Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Word Study: The word translated BASTARDS is the Greek nothos, which means “one not born in the family, one born of a concubine or a female slave”. This was the case of Ishmael, the son of Abraham born of Hagar, not of Sarah. Though Abraham was willing for Ishmael to be considered his son, God told him “through ISAAC your descendants shall be named” (Genesis 21:12). Who is the “Child of the Promise”?

Romans 9:7-9 KJV – Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, [are they] all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. [8] That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these [are] not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. [9] For this [is] the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.

The Child of God is not the person who “keeps the Law”. The Child of God is the person who came to Jesus on bended knee:

Ephesians 3:14-15 (KJV) For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (15) Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named

You do not enter the family of God by your works, but based on faith in the finished Work of Christ. Jesus said:

Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV) Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. {14} But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Jesus Christ is the “Door of the Sheep” (John 10:7). Faith in Jesus Christ is “THE Way, THE Truth, and THE Life. No one comes to the Father but by Him” (John 14:6). Oh Beloved, we have repeatedly stated:

Galatians 2:16 (KJV) Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

You cannot work your way into the Family of God. Entrance comes by faith in Him, the Savior Who died for our sins and rose again for our sanctification. It is true that salvation is by faith in Him, not by works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation comes only when we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in our heart that God has raised Him from the dead … this is what brings eternal life (Romans 10:9- 10). Salvation is a wondrous, supernatural event that comes to us as a free gift of God. But once saved, God begins to shape us, to mold us. God is making us who are His more like His Son Jesus.

It Is The Nature Of A Good Father
To Mold His Children

The next words we read are foreign to our current “let the child rule” culture. We read:

Hebrews 12:9-10 (KJV) Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

In America today many young men and women grew up without “fathers of our flesh which corrected us”, much to the detriment of our society. God bestowed upon fathers the requirement to raise up children to be good citizens of this earth. When children raise themselves, and are NOT disciplined, they grow up to consider civil laws to be optional. They grow up believing that anarchy and self pleasure to be king. Past civilizations that have done this have fallen forever. Civilization requires law abiding citizens who respect the lives of others.

Word Study: God uses trials – CHASTENING – to make us better citizens of HIS Kingdom. When you were saved by faith in Christ, God imputed His Holiness to your spiritual account. But once we are saved by faith, God works in our lives “we might be partakers of his holiness”. The word rendered “PARTAKERS” is the Greek metalambanō, which means “to RECEIVE so as to ENJOY”. This speaks of practical righteous.

God wants you to be not just “saved” by Jesus,
but to BE LIKE JESUS, a citizen of His Kingdom.

Hebrews 12:11 (KJV) Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Trials teach us to rely on God.

There’s an interesting story in Acts chapter 12. We are told:

Acts 12:1-5 (ESV) Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

Now here’s a question. Who put Peter in prison? The simple answer is Herod. But couldn’t God have kept Herod from imprisoning Peter in the first place? Beloved, God allowed Herod to do as he did, imprisoning Peter. Why? We see in verse 5:

earnest prayer for {PETER} was made
to God by the church

The Church did not murmur, nor curse God for the trials. The Church drew near to God and prayed for Peter. James, the brother of John was martyred. James was the leader of the Church in Jerusalem, and suddenly the Church was without a human leader. It was like when Moses went up into Sinai to receive the Law – but in this case no golden calf was made.

The Church cried out to God.
The trials of Herod brought those who loved God closer to God.

Acts 12:6-17 (ESV) … when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. 11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” 16 But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison.

What amuses me when I read this is that – though the Church was EARNESTLY PRAYING for Peter – they didn’t believe it when God answered their prayers. This is why God uses chastisement and scourging to grow our faith. There are times we are thick as stumps, and about as lively.

Pray That The Trial Will Glorify God

When trials come, we want them to end quickly. But rather than this, let us pray that God will use the trials to grow His Kingdom and glorify His name. The stepbrother of Jesus wrote:

James 1:2-4 (ESV) Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Peter was not the only Apostle imprisoned and released, but in Acts chapter 16 we read about Paul and Silas. Beloved, the God Who allowed Peter to escape from prison could have kept him from prison in the first place if He had so desired. The God Who allowed Paul to be imprisoned with Silas expected these dear believers to focus, not on the prison, but on the Lord Who saved them. Rather than groan and grumble, as they were imprisoned Paul and Silas focused on glorifying God while in the midst of suffering. We read:

Acts 16:25-26 (KJV) And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. (26) And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.

Paul and Silas didn’t murmur. They looked beyond the trial, and realized that God is in control. Paul and Silas PRAYED to God. In between prayers, they PRAISED God. And as they did this, the PRISONERS in the jail with them heard it. When the doors were opened, and the bonds that held them were loosed, they did not run away. God was glorified even more when neither Paul nor Silas attempted to escape, but remained in that broken jail. Why do such a thing? They were faithfully focusing on God and not focusing on their trials. God rewarded their efforts by bringing the Philippian jailer to salvation, he and his whole house. The Kingdom of God grew.

Trials from God test our mettle.
Are we HIS, or are we still OURS?

If we belong to God, then we know that …

1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

I want to end with these words from the great C.H. Spurgeon:

“Faith sees that in her worst sorrow there is nothing penal; there is not a drop of God’s wrath in it; it is all sent in love. Faith sees love in the heart of an angry God. Faith says of her grief, “Why this is a badge of honor, for it is the child that must have the rod, ” and she sings of the sweet result of her sorrows, because they work her lasting good. Nay more, says Faith, “These light afflictions which are but for a moment do work out for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” So Faith sits down on the black throne, out of which she has expelled reason and carnal sense, and she begins to the praise of divine wisdom, to lift up her voice in a joyous song.”

If you are not saved and are being tried, I pray that the trial will drive you into the arms of Christ. But if you are saved, know that the trial has a purpose. God is making you more like Jesus, a better citizen of His Kingdom. Trust Him as you go through the storm. The God Who sent the storm is the God Who is your Father.

May the Holy Spirit speak to your hearts today. Amen and Amen.

Posted in Hebrews, Sermons Preached | Tagged Following Christ, God Is Faithful, gospel, salvation, testing, trials, Tribulation | Leave a comment

No More Golden Calves

Posted on July 23, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Stefany Fernanda Parada: https://www.pexels.com/photo/golden-ornamented-buddha-figurine-26926707/

This past Friday thousands of flights with American, Delta, and United Airlines were canceled or delayed. Emergency services reliant on 911 calls were disrupted, and court trials delayed. The U.S. Customs service was delayed. Hospitals were unable to do diagnostic tests like X-Ray, CAT Scan, or MRIs. Some surgeries had to be rescheduled. United Parcel Service and FEDEX reported issues, and Wall Street as well as banking services across the nation were effected. What happened? A routine update to Microsoft Windows customers contained a defect that crashed computers nationwide.

Sometimes it seems as if the world has gone crazy. Yet in the midst of all this craziness (including what they call AI – which I think is very dangerous … have you never seen the Terminator movies?) our God is still in control. Sometimes we forget this, and start to make golden calves. We have a lot of golden calves in America today, things we rely on instead of God.

Computers
Health Care
Man Made Religion
Human Sexuality
Money
Political or National Alliances
Family
Businesses

Anything we put in front of God in our affections, anything we rely on more than God is a “golden calf”. And God will not bless that.

God Hates The Golden Calf

Tonight we’re going to see how God blesses or curses a nation. We’re going to go back to the Old Testament, to the Book of 2 Chronicles, to the reign of King Asa of Judah. At this time in history Israel has gone through a Civil War, and the Ten Northern Tribes of Israel have split off from Judah and Benjamin. Though God decreed that the ruling Tribe of Israel would always be Judah, the Ten Northern Tribes rejected the rule of King Rehoboam the son of King Solomon, and set up their own kingdom and place of worship in Samaria. Read with me:

2 Chronicles 16:7-9 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. 8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand. 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.

“Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah”. A “SEER” (Hebrew rā’â, pronounced raw-aw’) means “someone who looks, sees, perceives, a watcher who is caused to see”. This is another word for a “preacher”, someone who studies and ministers the Word of God. Asa, the rightful King of Israel, of the Tribe of Judah, has gotten off course of God. What has happened?

2 Chronicles 16:1 (KJV) … Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

Baasha the King of Israel (the Ten Northern Tribes) – of the Tribe of Issachar, has decided to attack Judah or Southern Israel. My commentary notes:

“Baasha gained the upper hand in the days of Asa because he effectively blocked a major route into Judah at the city of Ramah. He hoped this military and economic pressure on Judah would force Asa into significant concessions. … “Baasha’s aim in fortifying Ramah was probably to prevent access to Jerusalem for religious or trade reasons. Ramah is usually identified with er-Ram, on the main road just five miles north of Jerusalem.” (Selman)”

The “enemy is at the gate”, so to speak. King Asa, the rightful ruler of Israel, panicked. Rather than turn to God in prayer and seek Him, Asa turned to Ben-Hadad king of Syria. At this point in history Syria was a powerful world leader who lived in Damascus. We are told:

2 Chronicles 16:2 … {King} Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord and of the king’s house, and sent to Benhadad king of Syria

King Asa went “TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD”, the Temple of God, and took treasures out of God’s Temple to give to a pagan king. In his panic and fear he robbed God to build a golden calf, an alliance with Syria. When Asa proposed the alliance – with God’s property – we are told:

2 Chronicles 16:4-5 … Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel … 5 when {Northern Israel’s King} Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease.

It worked! The alliance between Judah and Syria frightened King Baasha away from Ramah. He stopped building his fortress in Ramah. What is the significance of Ramah? One of the greatest Prophets who ever lived, Samuel, was born, lived, and died in Ramah. When King David fled the wrath of Saul, he met Samuel at Ramah. The only female Judge Israel ever had, Deborah, was based in Ramah. Ramah (which means “a high place”) was also about five miles from Bethlehem, where Jesus Christ would be born (Matthew 2:18).

Once King Baasha of Israel abandoned his fortress at Ramah, we read:

2 Chronicles 16:6 … Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.

It appears that King Asa’s trust in a pagan king worked. Asa now orders Judah to tear down the fortress at Ramah, and take the materials to build up two other fortifications in Geba and Mizpah. Geba guards the north-east approach to Jerusalem, and Mizpah the northern approach. Asa has done a great thing in banding together with this pagan king.

Or has he?

Pastor C.H. Spurgeon, “Now, many people in the world judge actions by their immediate results. If a Christian does a wrong thing, and it prospers, then at once they conclude he was justified in doing it; but, ah! Brethren, this is a poor, blind way of judging the actions of men and the providence of God. Do you not know that there are devil’s Providences as well as God’s Providences?”

Even if a “golden calf” seems to make things better, anything that dishonors God in the life of the Christian is a false good. When the Bible says “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), this standard does not just apply to the unbeliever, but to all people. Anything that dishonors God and robs Him of glory will not, in the long run, prosper. God says:

Isaiah 42:8 (ESV) I am the Lord; that is My name; My glory I give to no other, nor My praise to carved idols.

Did Asa Act In Ignorance?

Sometimes God’s people turn to a golden calf because of ignorance. When Moses delayed coming down from Mount Sinai (Exodus 32:1), the people in ignorance turned to a golden calf. Is that what happened with Asa?

Absolutely not!

Asa’s daddy was King Abijah of Judah. In 2 Chronicles 13 (turn with me if you will) King Jeroboam of Israel (the Ten Tribes in revolt) came to attack Judah and Abijah. Before the battle began Abijah stood on Mount Ephraim and quoted the Word of God to Jeroboam and his men:

2 Chronicles 13:4-10 … Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; 5 Ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? 6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord. 7 And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them. 8 And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude, and there are with your golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods. 9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods. 10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the Lord, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business:

King Abijah – Asa’s daddy – stood his ground. He called out the Word and the Promise of God, and declared that the Northern Kingdom of Israel was “children of Belial” who rejected “the kingdom of the Lord”, and who worshiped “golden calves”. King Abijah did what every Christian should do when confronted by evil and godless culture. We are to “STAND FAST IN THE FAITH, and ACT LIKE GROWN MEN” (1 Corinthians 16:13). We are to “STAND FAST IN THE LIBERTY WHEREWITH CHRIST HAS MADE US FREE, and do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1). We are to “STAND FAST IN THE LORD” (Philippians 4:1), to “STAND FAST AND HOLD THE BIBLICAL TRADITIONS YOU HAVE BEEN TAUGHT” (2 Thessalonians 2:15).

Oh, that God would give us spines like Abijah! He stood fast on the Word and Promises of God.

Abijah said (2 Chronicles 13:12) “God Himself is with us for our Captain, and His Priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the Lord God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.”

Did Abijah win the battle that day?

2 Chronicles 13:16-18 … God delivered them into their hand. 17 And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. 18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers.

Judah prevailed “because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers”. Not because they had superior numbers, or because their men were better trained. Because they trusted the Word and Promise of God.

When King Abijah died, his son King Asa took over the throne. We read:

2 Chronicles 14:2-6 (KJV) And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God: 3 For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: 4 And commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. 5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. 6 And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the Lord had given him rest.

King Asa had watched his father, King Abijah, reign. He saw that Godly man trust in the Lord and defeat all the enemies of God. But if you serve the Lord, it won’t be long before the devil will rear his ugly head. Asa has an army of 580,000 “mighty men of valor” (2 Chronicles 14:8). But we read:

2 Chronicles 14:9 … there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah.

King Zerah brings the vastly superior army of Ethiopia – one million troops with 300 chariots – against Judah. They are nearly outnumbered two to one! Does King Asa seek out a treaty with a neighboring nation? No! We read that he goes to God in prayer:

2 Chronicles 14:11-12 … Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let no man prevail against Thee. 12 So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.

After this great battle, a Seer by the name of Azariah the son of Oded (2 Chronicles 15:1) went to King Asa. He told him:

2 Chronicles 15:2-4 Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. 3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. 4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.

Though “Israel” or the Northern Kingdom had been without true worship of God (for they would not go to Judah and the Temple to worship), when the Northern Kingdom called upon God in their troubles, “and sought him, he was found of them”. The Bible tells us that:

2 Peter 3:9 {God} … is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

God blessed the Northern Kingdom when they turned from their golden calves and turned to Him. God’s policy is very simple. It is “if ye seek Me, I will be found of you; but if ye forsake Me, I will forsake you”. Put away the golden calves!

Asa listened – and obeyed!

2 Chronicles 15:8-13 … when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the Lord, that was before the porch of the Lord. 9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. 10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. 11 And they offered unto the Lord the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. 12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; 13 That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

There was a national revival throughout Judah, so much so that many of those who broke away to the north returned to worshiping in Judah and at the Temple. The golden calves were destroyed. In fact, King Asa’s mother Maachah was removed as queen of Judah because she worshiped a golden calf in a grove (2 Chronicles 15:16).

But Asa didn’t go far enough.

When God gave His law to Israel, He said:

Exodus 22:20 (ESV) Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the Lord alone, shall be devoted to destruction.

Though King Asa removed his mother Maachah as Queen of Judah, he failed to do as God said. According to the Law of Israel, the idolator was to be taken outside the gates of the city and “stoned to death with stones” (Deuteronomy 17:2-5). Harsh? Yes, it is. But God hates golden calves. They rob Him of His glory, and divide the faith of His people. Since King Asa failed to follow God’s Word – making a golden calf of his mother – we read:

2 Chronicles 15:17 … the high places were not taken away out of Israel

Since King Asa made an exception in the case of his mother, this opened the door to more golden calves. This is why in chapter 16 Asa compromises and reaches out, not to God but to King Ben-Hadad of Syria.

God Calls Out King Asa For His Compromise

2 Chronicles 16:7-8 … at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. 8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand.

God reminded King Asa that when he was vastly outnumbered by the “Ethiopians and the Lubims” (the Lubims or Libyans are an African nation mentioned in Nahum 3:9 and Acts 2:10), that He intervened and Judah destroyed this multitude. God said “because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand”. When King Asa made a covenant with Syria, his action actually robbed Judah of future blessing. God told him:

vs 7 the host of the king of Syria escaped
out of thine hand

God would not only have defeated Northern Israel for King Asa had he called out to Him, but God would have defeated Syria as well. But Asa made a deal with the devil. When we make golden calves, we rob ourselves of the blessings that God wants to give us. Think about it. Because the Methodist Church made a deal with the golden calf of wokeness, that Church is splitting and dissolving. Beloved, we need to rely on God and His Word.

Hanani the Seer goes on to say:

2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.

The phrase “eyes of the Lord” occurs 92 times in the Old Testament. The phrase is used to describe the omniscience of God, the fact that nothing is hid from our Lord:

Proverbs 15:3 (ESV) The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

God watches what we do. Speaking of another King of Israel, we read:

2 Chronicles 34:2 … [Josiah] did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.

God watches over His children.

Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.

God was watching over King Asa when Northern Israel tried to build a fortress at Ramah. He should have called out to God.

Pastor John Piper put it this way:

“I love this verse. … it put the sovereignty of God in the service of His eagerness, like you said — the eagerness of God to help me if I simply trust him. Not to help me if I work for Him, but if I trust Him, He’s going to work for me. He’s going to be strong on my behalf if I look away from myself and look to my heavenly Father — His broad shoulders, His huge biceps, His strong back, and those bright eyes just full of eagerness to show Himself powerful on behalf of those who simply trust in Him.”

The peace that King Asa should have had to the end of his life was gone. Hanani the Seer told him, “from henceforth thou shalt have wars”. How did King Asa respond?

2 Chronicles 16:10 Then Asa was wroth with the Seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.

Rather than repent, King Asa fired the preacher! He imprisoned Hanani, and anyone else who disagreed with his decision. How did King Asa’s life end? In misery. We read:

2 Chronicles 16:12-13 Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians. 13 And Asa slept with his fathers

King Asa refused to repent, so God brought disease – a painful, lingering disease – into his life. And Asa died in misery. Why? Because he compromised with the golden calves. And even suffering, he refused to repent and call upon the name of the Lord.

Beloved, I pray that God will speak to your hearts this very day. We must live our lives reliant upon the Word and promise of God. We must trust Him no matter what enemy may come our way. And we must repent, and turn from any golden calf. If you want to finish well, reject the golden calves.

May God touch your hearts with His Word.

Posted in 2 Chronicles | Tagged glorify God, God Is Faithful, Jesus Christ, obey God, salvation, trust God, Trusting God | Leave a comment

Blessed or Cursed Of God

Posted on July 19, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Proverbs 10:6-12 (KJV) Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. 7 The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. 8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall. 9 He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. 10 He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall. 11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. 12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Those who are “righteous”, that is, those saved by faith in Jesus, born again children of God, are generally blessed if life. However those who follow their own path, who reject the Word of God in order to be their own gods, in time these people are cursed.

Proverbs 10:6 (KJV) Blessings are upon the head of the just…

God told Israel before they went into the Promised Land,

Deuteronomy 28:1-2 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

The way to blessing is to heed the Word of God, and to DO what He has said. In the ancient world, blessings were always passed on from father to sons by placing his hand upon the head of the child. As Jacob – now called Israel – prepared to die, he called for his sons. Joseph came, bringing his sons Ephraim and Manasseh. The Bible says:

Genesis 48:14-19 (ESV) Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn). 15 And he blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day, 16 the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys; and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” 17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”

Jacob (Israel) led of God, crossed his arms so that he put his right hand of blessing on Ephraim, and not Manasseh. He did this knowingly. Ephraim would be the largest leading tribe of Northern Israel. While Ephraim followed God, it was blessed in this life. The second part of this proverb states:

Proverbs 10:6 (KJV) … but VIOLENCE covereth the mouth of the wicked.

God puts His blessings on those who are “JUST”, that is, they are “justified by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). But those who reject the Word of God, the fruit of their lives is “VIOLENCE”.

Word Study: What is very interesting about this verse is that the word translated “VIOLENCE” is the Hebrew ḥāmās, which is eerily like the spelling of the terrorist organization Hamas. Hamas is an acronym of Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya, a Palestinian Sunni Islamist terrorist group dedicated to the destruction of Israel. The wicked are characterized by God as those who “cover their mouths with ḥāmās (pronounced khaw-mawce’)”, which means “cruelty, injustice, oppression, wrongness, unrighteousness”. Life is sacred, because “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27). All human life is made in God’s image, and God despises the shedding of innocent blood. It was an evil gunman that climbed on a roof just the other day in an attempt to assassinate President Trump. It is evil newscasters and pundits that mocked the attempt, crying out that it was a shame that the man missed.

Such people are purely evil!

Regardless as to your political leaning, the way of righteousness is the way of Christ, the way of peace. The “god of this world (Satan) blinds the minds of those who will not believe in Christ, lest His Gospel, the Gospel of Christ, the Image of God, shine into their hearts” (2 Corinthians 4:4, AP).

Proverbs 10:7 The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.

Those who are evil will get their just reward. The “name of the wicked shall rot”. The man who evilly attempted to kill President Trump, twenty year old Thomas Matthew Crooks, did kill firefighter Corey Comperatore (pronounced com-PER-tore). Mr Comperatore, on hearing the gunshots, threw himself over his family to protect them. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro stated in a press release:

“Corey was a firefighter. Corey went to church every Sunday. Corey loved his community. Most especially, Corey loved his family.” His wife Helen said, “He’s my hero. He just said, ‘Get down!’ That was the last thing he said.”

Though everyone knows the name of Crooks, he has departed this life to a place of everlasting torment, a place where those who hate the Lord of Life go. But Corey Comperatore departed this life protecting life and love. By all indications he is in glory with the Jesus that he loved enough to worship on Sundays. But the man who with murderous intent killed a righteous man, this fellow named Crooks, in time his name will rot and be forgotten. People remember the names of the righteous, like George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. But the murderous and evil are assigned to hell, and their names are retired.

Has anybody named their child “Adolf”?

The Fruit Of The Tree Proves It’s Salvation

Proverbs 10:8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.

Those who are “WISE IN HEART” are those who are “just”, that is “justified” by God through faith. Justification before God does not come by keeping His Commandments, His Law. The Bible says:

Romans 3:20 (ESV) For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

The Law of God is like a spiritual CAT Scan or an MRI. The Law is diagnostic, proving we are sinners in need of the Savior. We are:

Romans 3:24, 28 (ESV) … JUSTIFIED BY GOD’S GRACE, through the redemption that is IN CHRIST JESUS … 28 JUSTIFIED BY FAITH apart from the works of the Law …

We are JUSTIFIED by God Himself, once we repent and call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus. Once JUSTIFIED, we become children of God, willing to KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.

Proverbs 10:8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a PRATING fool shall fall.

The “WISE IN HEART”, those who are born again by faith in Christ, will “RECEIVE COMMANDMENTS”. We who are saved will heed what God says. We do this out of love for the God Who saved us. Our Lord Jesus said:

John 14:15 (ESV) If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

John 15:10 (ESV) If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

The willingness to receive God’s Words and DO them is the fruit of the Christian life. In incomparable C.H. Spurgeon preached:

“The man whose spirit is selfish has not the spirit of Christ and, “if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of His. The man whose spirit is that of envy and contention is evidently no follower of the lowly and loving Jesus—and those who do not follow Jesus are none of His. They that are Christ’s are filled with His love. “Everyone that loves is born of God, and knows God. He that loves not knows not God; for God is Love.” God is the center of the Believer’s love. The saints are an inner circle specially beloved and all mankind are embraced within the circumference of the ring of love.”

Those who are saved, the “JUSTIFIED” or “WISE IN HEART” receive the commandments of God because we know them to be life. We are told in Proverbs 19:16 (AP), “Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises {God’s} ways will die.” The justified of Christ heed God’s Word. But …

BUT a PRATING {śāp̄â} FOOL shall fall.

Word Study: The word translated “PRATING” is the Hebrew śāp̄â (pronounced saw-faw’), which means “the one who mouths foolishness, who speaks godlessness”. There are many in our world today who mock God and His Word, who reject His Commands and His Wisdom. God says that these shall ultimately “FALL”. God knows what is best – ALWAYS. God’s commands bring life.

In the Old Testament King Nebuchadnezzar, the second King of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, let the sin of pride lift him up. God let madness come on Nebuchadnezzar, and the Prophet Daniel told him:

Daniel 4:25 (ESV) … you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.

Psychiatry calls this state Boanthropy, a psychological disorder where the sufferer believes they are a cow or an ox. God caused Nebuchadnezzar to graze in the fields like an ox for seven years, after which the King repented and honored God. The King said:

Daniel 4:34-35 (ESV) At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation; 35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and He does according to His will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

Sadly, the King that followed Nebuchadnezzar was not as repentant. This “PRATING FOOL” was known as King Belshazzar, the last King of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. God sent a hand to write on the wall, and Belshazzar called for Daniel to interpret the words that were written. Daniel reminded the King that his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar was humbled by God for his pride, and warned Belshazzar to repent and turn from the false gods that he served. Rather than repent, Belshazzar had a drunken party, though he celebrated Daniel for interpreting the words on the wall. The Bible says:

Daniel 5:30-31 That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. 31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

The “PRATING FOOL” will always, in time, fall. But those who receive God’s Commandments will live!

Proverbs 10:9-10 He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. 10 He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.

These verses could be summarized as “Honesty is the best policy”. To “WALK UPRIGHT” is the Hebrew tōm (pronounced tome), which means “to live your life in integrity and simplicity”. We who are saved are to live what we believe. We are to be

Ephesians 4:15 …. speaking the truth in love …

Those who “PERVERT THEIR WAYS”, that is, say they believe one thing, but twist and do the opposite, in time they will be found out. Our Lord Jesus tolerated the Scribes and Pharisees hypocrisy only so long before He lowered the boom on them, exposing them for what they actually are. In Matthew 23 Jesus called out the Scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy.

“WINKING WITH THE EYE” is a clue to insincere speech or behavior. It is always best to say what you mean, to be sincere and truthful. There is coming a judgment day for all. Jesus tells us not to be fearful of the hypocrite, but to trust that God will bring all to light. Jesus said:

Matthew 10:26 (ESV) have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

Proverbs 10:11-12 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. 12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Believers are to speak the Word of God, to be wells of living water. Jesus said:

John 4:14 … whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

Our words are not to corrupt, but to lead others to Christ. When King Saul sought to kill God’s man, David, David went to Nob to Ahimelech the Priest. Seeking help and provision, David got Ahimelech to give him and his men the Show Bread and the Sword of Goliath.

Doeg the Edomite saw the priest help David, and reported this to King Saul. When Saul ordered the death of the priests for helping David, none of his soldiers would do so, as they were priests of the Lord. But

1 Samuel 22:18-19 (ESV) Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore the linen ephod. 19 And Nob, the city of the priests, he put to the sword; both man and woman, child and infant, ox, donkey and sheep, he put to the sword.

The evil that Doeg did was written of in:

Psalm 52:1-7 Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day. 2 Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit. 3 You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah 4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. 5 But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah 6 The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, 7 “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

God watches what we do. Thus we are to speak life, not hatred and strife. Believers are to be wells of grace, ministering the Gospel through our lives to others.

Ephesians 4:29 (ESV) Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

The Apostle Peter quoted the last line of this proverbs when he wrote:

1 Peter 4:7-10 (ESV) The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace…

May God bless and keep you as you serve Him Who saved you by His Blood. Amen and Amen.

Posted in Proverbs, Sermons Preached | Tagged Following Christ, God Is Faithful, Jesus Christ, love, salvation | Leave a comment

Will All Jews Go To Heaven Without Jesus?

Posted on July 16, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Romans 11:22-29 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? 25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father’s sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

We’ll come back to this verse in a bit.

Israel, and the battle that nation is having with Hamas (a terrorist organization) and the Palestinians is in the news. Around 1139 people were killed when Palestinian armed forces went from the Gaza Strip into the Gaza envelope of Southern Israel. One source noted:

“One of Hamas’s goals was simply to kill Israelis—many of them. The Washington Post reported that instructions found on dead Hamas fighters included, “Kill as many people and take as many hostages as possible.” Among other weapons, Hamas also equipped its fighters with thermobaric grenades, which can quickly cause massive fires in a home. The fighters also had enough ammunition and food to keep going into Israel if they were able to do so, as well as maps, suggesting an even higher death toll was possible.”

This is not the only time in history that the nation of Israel has been attacked. Israel has been bullied and attacked throughout history. And yet God has promised “ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED”.

Why Has Israel Been So Often Attacked By Other Nations? Because Israel Has Not Honored God.

Davidic Covenant: When God made His Covenant with King David (Davidic Covenant, 2 Samuel 7:8-29; 1 Chronicles 17:11-14; 2 Chronicles 6:16), He established Judah as the ruling tribe of Israel, and David’s line as the line where the kings of Israel would be chosen. Speaking of the king of Israel God said:

2 Samuel 7:14-15 (ESV) I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him…

When the King of Israel led his people to love and cherish the Lord, they enjoyed the blessings of God and relative peace in the land. But when the King and Israel departed from honoring God, the Lord “DISCIPLINED WITH THE ROD OF MEN, WITH THE STRIPES OF THE SONS OF MEN”. Beginning with Pharaoh and Egypt, God allowed Israel to be enslaved in Egypt around 400 years (Genesis 15:13; Acts 7:6). When Israel cried out to God in faith, He raised up a redeemer (Moses) who led them out of Egypt. When Israel refused to give God glory, God allowed Babylon to rise up and conquer Israel:

Jeremiah 29:4, 10-13 (NKJV) Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon … 10-13 For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

God caused Assyria, then Medo-Persia to attack Northern Israel because of their idolatry. God prophesied:

Hosea 11:5 (ESV) They {Israel} shall not return to the land of Egypt, but Assyria shall be their king, because they have refused to return to me.

Northern Israel thought that they could make an alliance with Egypt, and escape Assyrian dominance. But God gave Assyria power over them because Northern Israel refused to worship in Jerusalem, and created their own system of worship and nation-state in Samaria. God prophesied of His people:

Isaiah 10:5-6 (NKJV) Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger And the staff in whose hand is My indignation. 6 I will send him against an ungodly nation {Northern Israel}, And against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, To seize the spoil, to take the prey, And to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

Though God would raise up and use Assyria against Israel, He foretold that He would also punish Assyria for the same arrogance Israel had. God said:

Isaiah 10:10-13 (NKJV) As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, Whose carved images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria, 11 As I have done to Samaria and her idols, Shall I not do also to Jerusalem and her idols?’ ” 12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Lord has performed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, that He will say, “I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty looks.” 13 For he says: “By the strength of my hand I have done it…

Every time Israel walked away from God, in time God raised up nations to punish her until she repented and returned by faith to the Lord Who saved her. I believe it is Biblically correct to say,

Every time Israel departs from the God Who saved her, He raises up nations to punish her and bring her to a state of repentance. God, in turn, punishes the nations that He used when they arrogantly believe it was their strength that caused them to overcome Israel. Israel is God’s nation!

Israel The Nation Is Special To God
Because God Is Faithful

When God called Abraham to follow Him, God made certain promises to him, unconditional promises. God promised Abraham:

Genesis 12:2-3 (NKJV) 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.”

Abraham’s descendants were given the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:6-7), the land that Israel claims as her own today. Though Canaanites lived in the land, God owns the earth. He gave it to Israel. It was through the nation of Israel that God promised, “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed”.

Because of this promise God made to Abraham, an unconditional promise, the nation of Israel were God’s Chosen people. God told Israel that when they went into Canaan to take it, that they would destroy false gods, idols, and pillars. Israel was not to intermingle with the pagan world, but was to consider themselves a people who belonged to God. God said:

Deuteronomy 7:6-8 (NKJV) For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. 7 The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; 8 but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

The nation Israel had been chosen by God as “a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth”. Over and over again, Israel was told that they were unique as a nation. When King Solomon dedicated the Temple at Jerusalem to God, he prayed for Israel, telling the Lord:

1 Kings 8:53 (NKJV) For You {O Lord} separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be Your inheritance, as You spoke by Your servant Moses, when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.”

Israel belongs to God. When Israel wandered from the God Who loved it, God punished them severely. He said in

Amos 3:1-2 (ESV) Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt: 2 “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

Why Is Israel So Important To God?
Because “Salvation Is Of The Jews”

When our Lord Jesus walked the earth, He traveled through Samaria and met a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well. As Jesus talked with this woman, she said:

John 4:20-22 Our fathers worshiped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

In these 5 words “SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS”, Jesus explains why Israel is so important to God. Only TWO books of the Bible were written by non-Jews: the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. These books were written by the Physician Luke, and he wrote these books as they were dictated by the Jews. The Pentateuch, also called the Torah or the first five foundational books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) were written by Moses, a Levite, a Jew. Without the Jews we would have no Bible whatsoever.

“SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS”. When Adam sinned and brought the whole world under the mastery of sin, God foretold that He would bring the Messiah into the world to save it. Called the Protoevangelium or the“First Gospel”, God promised the serpent (Satan, Revelation 12:9) that:

Genesis 3:15 (KJV) I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

The Messiah would come as “THE SEED OF THE WOMAN”, which foretold the Virgin Birth of the Messiah. Women do not have “seed”, but eggs. But the Messiah would come supernaturally through the woman, without the intervention of fallen man. The Jewish Prophet Isaiah wrote of this miraculous birth:

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

Matthew 1:23 tells us that “IMMANUEL” means “God with us”. God would come into humanity through a virgin woman. When God came, He would come as a Jew, of the Tribe of Judah, of the lineage of King David, in fulfillment of Bible prophecy. The Bible tells us of the Messiah Jesus:

Galatians 4:4-7 (ESV) … when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

The Messiah would be “BORN UNDER THE LAW” of Moses, born a Jew. Israel is special unto God because of her relationship to the promises of God and the Savior, the Messiah Jesus.

My commentary notes:

“Jesus Christ is the ultimate reason why God chose Israel to be His special people. God did not need to have a chosen people, but He decided to do it that way. Jesus had to come from some nation of people, and God chose Israel.

However, God’s reason for choosing the nation of Israel was not solely for the purpose of producing the Messiah. God’s desire for Israel was that they would go and teach others about Him. Israel was to be a nation of priests, prophets, and missionaries to the world. God’s intent was for Israel to be a distinct people, a nation who pointed others towards God and His promised provision of a Redeemer, Messiah, and Savior. For the most part, Israel failed in this task. However, God’s ultimate purpose for Israel—that of bringing the Messiah into the world—was fulfilled perfectly in the Person of Jesus Christ.”

What Did God Mean By “all Israel shall be saved”?
Do Jews Automatically Upon Death Go To Heaven?

When Mel Gibson’s movie The Passion Of The Christ came out, the Jewish communities in America were upset by it. Some Jewish communities consider any attempt to share the Gospel of Christ with them as an act of anti-Semitism, for the Jews are “God’s People”. Some within the Jewish community believe that they will automatically go to Heaven upon death because “ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED”. What does the Bible say?

In John chapter 8 Jesus is debating with the Pharisees, a strictly religious sect of Jews. Jesus told the Pharisees that “the FATHER SENT ME” (John 8:16). To this, the Pharisees asked:

John 8:19 (KJV) … Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

Jesus was very clear. In order to know the Father (God), you must know the Son (the Messiah). Jesus told these religious, Jewish Pharisees …

John 8:21 … (AP) {you} SHALL DIE IN YOUR SINS. Where I am going, you cannot come.

Jesus is going back to the Father, back to Heaven. These Pharisees and Scribes, Jews well schooled in the Law of God, cannot come to Heaven with Jesus. Why? Because they do not know Jesus. The Pharisees then argue that they are of the lineage of Abraham. Jesus replies,

John 8:39 (KJV) … If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

Then Jesus makes it even plainer.

John 8:42-45 … If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

Do Jews get an automatic pass to Heaven? Absolutely not. Salvation is of the Jews, yes, and the Messiah came to us through Israel. But unless a person receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, that person is NOT SAVED.

Ephesians 2:13 (ESV) But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Romans 10:12 (ESV) 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.

Salvation comes to everyone, regardless as to whether they are Jew or Gentile, the exact same way. We must receive Jesus Christ as the Messiah, our Savior and Lord. The Gospel of Christ is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16, ESV). You must believe in Jesus to be saved. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”. Though Israel is God’s chosen nation, only those who have believed on Jesus have salvation. No one will come to the Father “but by the Son” (John 14:6). Idolatrous Jews will be sent to eternal damnation alongside of Idolatrous Gentiles. There is no automatic ticket to Heaven because of nationality, bloodline, or denomination. You must receive Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior.

God Has A Future Plan For Israel:
All Israel Will Be Saved

When we started this discussion today I quoted:

Romans 11:22-29 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? 25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulLness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father’s sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

As God spoke to the Gentile Church at Rome, He warned the Church not to become arrogant against Israel. It was always God’s intention to save both Jew as well as Gentile through Christ. God tells the Church:

vs 22 if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off

Israel throughout its history has been “CUT OFF” from the blessings of God because they turned from God to idols and worldliness. They rejected the Grace of God for the titillation of sin. God’s standard has always been “Follow Me” (Matthew 16:24-26; 10:38; John 8:12; 1 Chronicles 16:11; Romans 12:1-2; Proverbs 3:5-6). Noah followed God. Abraham followed God. Moses followed God. Salvation entails that we follow God. God says of Israel:

vs 23 if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again

Salvation is of the Jews. God grafted the “wild olive tree”, the Gentiles, into the promises of God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We were grafted into the promises because we received the Lord Jesus Christ. The Jew who receives Christ, the “olive tree”, can be grafted back in. The reason that the nation of Israel is largely blind to Christ is for the Gentiles sake.

Vs 25 blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in

When the early Church started, it was largely comprised of Jews. But as the Church grew and reached out, Gentiles began to come into the Kingdom of God. This was according to the eternal plan of God. God still has a plan and a purpose for Israel, and it is all related to the Messiah, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Vs 26-27 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

Who is this “DELIVERER” Who will come out of Zion? We are told in

1 Thessalonians 1:10 (NKJV) {we} wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

The Deliverer, the Lord Jesus Christ, will one day come from Zion (the Heavenly Jerusalem) to banish ungodliness from Jacob. He will save Israel from the wrath which is to come. As Pastor John Piper stated:

“… let the point be made clearly and soberly today: Salvation comes to Israel and to Gentiles in the same way — through faith in the Deliverer, Jesus the Christ, or it doesn’t come at all.”

vs 28-29 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father’s sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Though at the time of the writing of this text, Israel as a nation was attacking the Church, the Lord wanted the Church to understand that God still has a purpose for Israel. God promised that at the end of time Christ Jesus will return to this earth, and reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords over Israel and over the whole world. When Jesus returns and reigns from Israel, He will bring unprecedented peace on the earth. The Scripture says:

Isaiah 2:3-4 … For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.

Isaiah 42:1-4 (NKJV) Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. 2 He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. 4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law.”

The reign of Christ on the earth – called the Millenniumof the Millennial Kingdom – will be 1000 years of peace on the earth (Isaiah 11:6-9; 32:18). Satan will be bound and cast into a bottomless pit (Revelation 20:1-3). People will worship Jesus, the King of Creation (Isaiah 2:2-3), and as God promised “all Israel shall be saved”. God is not done with Israel. He has a plan for His nation, and we would be wise to pray for Israel, to evangelize Israel, and to get out of God’s way.

But Beloved, the Jew is not automatically saved just because they are Jews, no more than the Baptist is automatically saved because we are Baptists. Who are the true sons of Abraham, the children of God?

Galatians 3:6-9 (KJV) Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Children of Abraham love Jesus. Children of Abraham receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. “They which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham”. May God the Holy Spirit lead you to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior this very day. Amen and Amen.

Posted in Sermons Preached | Tagged Following Christ, God Is Faithful, gospel, Israel, Jesus Christ, Jew, salvation | Leave a comment

Don’t Quit Running, Christian!

Posted on July 14, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

In chapter 11 God defined faith for us. Faith must be in the proper OBJECT, as faith in the wrong thing or wrong person will not save your soul. We read:

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please {God}: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

Faith must come to GOD, believing that He is. Faith must come to Jesus, believing that He is the Messiah. Faith must come to the Bible, believing it is the Word of God. Faith must be in the proper PERSON, the proper OBJECT.

But faith – true faith – is PERSISTENT. We learned that “God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him”. When we believed on Jesus Christ and called upon Him as Savior and Lord, we had all that we needed to enter God’s Heaven. But God left us on this earth to be Ambassadors for Christ. “We are AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST” (2 Corinthians 5:20). We are “MINISTERS OF A NEW COVENANT” (2 Corinthians 3:6). We are “WORKERS TOGETHER WITH GOD” (2 Corinthians 6:1).

We Who Are Saved Run The Race Set Before Us

The best way to lose a race is to focus on the crowd, and not on the goal. We who are saved by faith in Christ were left on this earth to live out our lives for and with Jesus. The Bible says:

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses …

All around us are “witnesses”. They are watching how we are living our lives for Jesus. Who are these witnesses? God is watching us. He watches us when we “walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You O God are with me”. God has promised “I will never leave you, nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). God watches us. Jesus watches us. The Holy Spirit indwells us. “If ANYONE DOES NOT HAVE THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, you are NONE OF HIS” (Romans 8:9). God is with us. God watches us.

Furthermore, the angels of God watch us. The Bible speaks of “Angels, ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14). We are told in the next chapter of Hebrews that angels walk among us (Hebrews 13:2). The angels watch us, and so do the fallen angels.

But also, others around us watch how we live out our faith in Christ. Your children are watching you, your grand children. Your spouse, your friends. Your work acquaintances all watch how we live out our lives. The Bible speaks of the “MIGHTY CLOUD OF WITNESSES”. How you live out your life for and with Jesus will effect whether others hear the Gospel of salvation. If your children hear of Christ on Sunday, but see you living without Christ Monday through Saturday, they realize that this is no more than a ruse, a cloak, and an unreal faith.

Those who are saved by faith RUN THE RACE SET BEFORE THEM. A faith that evidences no relationship with Christ is no faith at all.

James, the stepbrother of Jesus Christ wrote about the “no faith faith” that the cultural Christians of his day had. He very plainly stated under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:

James 2:17-20 (ESV) faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

A faith that has no fruit is like a dead tree – it is no good whatsoever. Our Lord Jesus said:

Matthew 7:17-20 (KJV) Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. [18] A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. [19] Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. [20] Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

You are not saved by good works – but once saved, you are born again, a child of God, and you are going to bring forth good works. If you don’t, you AIN’T!

The demons at least tremble at the name of Jesus. You must run if you are saved!

We Who Are Saved Put Off Anything That
Hinders Our Race

As we run the race for Jesus, we are to put off or put away anything that hinders us from running.

We Run Our Race With “US”: We are told “Let US lay aside every weight”. You see that little word there? The word “US”. US who? Us who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. We run the race set before us with Jesus, and with other believers.

If the devil cannot keep you from being saved, he will do his best to hinder your race. One of his favorite tricks is to try and get you running the race with or for unbelievers. We are to witness to unbelievers. We are to love unbelievers. But we are not to band together with unbelievers and ask them to run the race with us. Unbelievers are dead in trespasses and sins. We are warned in:

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (ESV) Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

Illustrate: Several years ago Rick Warren came out with his book The Purpose Driven Church. In that book he encouraged churches to be seeker sensitive, to cater to the lost in their midst in hopes of bringing them into the Kingdom of God. We should certainly be loving to the unbeliever in our midst – but Beloved, the lost walk in darkness, apart from the light of God’s Word and His Spirit. You cannot invite unbelievers to become a part of the race.

I run a site called bibleteacher.org, where I post sermons and teachings every week. At present I have around 11,000 visitors every month. I very rarely read comments made on my site. Why? Because I am frequently attacked by unbelievers who come across the site. Why burden my mind with the negativity. I also post to Facebook, Next Door, Linked in and Twitter. Hoo boy the remarks I’ve received for what I’ve shared. Beloved, we cannot run the race with the lost. The lost cannot bind with the Church. They cannot be put on membership rolls, nor be given jobs in the Church.

People are lost, undone, until they meet Jesus as Lord and Savior. And like the world hated Jesus (John 15:18), lost people will hate YOU for loving the Word of God. You cannot run your race to please the lost.

We Run Our Race TOGETHER With BELIEVERS: Another favorite trick of Satan is to bring disharmony in the Church, to get believers fighting over stupid stuff. Believers are commanded to run their race TOGETHER WITH OTHER BELIEVERS. The Scripture says:

Ephesians 4:1-3 (ESV) … walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

I can’t tell you how many times someone comes to me and says “So and so hurt my feelings, and I’m mad at them”. My response is always, “Did you go and talk with them? Did you privately meet with them, and explain why you were hurt?” Inevitably I’ll be told, “Well no, I didn’t talk with them”.

Well why are you talking to me?

Jesus said in Matthew 5:23-24 (ESV) … if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

You cannot run your race while you are carrying a grudge against a brother or sister in Christ. “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone” (Matthew 18:15). Seek to run together as “US”. Christianity is a team effort. “A house divided against itself cannot stand” (Mark 3:25). Why kills a Church? Divisive Christians. Sectarianism. The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 1:10 (ESV) I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

Our standard must always be “what saith the Lord? What does the Scripture tell us?” We bind together as “US” and run together, lifting one another up, helping each other over the finish line.

Illustrate: If you want a Biblical illustration, look to Exodus 17. Israel had been murmuring against Moses because the way was hard, and when they camped at Rephidim there was no water for the people to drink. This set the people even more against Moses. God told Moses to strike the Rock at Horeb (the mountain of God) and water will come out (Exodus 17:5-6). Moses did as God said – and Israel satisfied their thirst.

Then the Amalekites, a warrior people, attacked Israel!

Moses chose Joshua to lead Israel into battle. When Moses held up his staff, Israel prevailed. But when Moses lowered his staff, the Amalekites prevailed. Moses couldn’t do it alone, so Aaron and Hur stood on either side of Moses, and held his hands up. Only by unifying together was God’s people able to defeat the enemy. Beloved, the Church in America is losing the battle because we are not “US”. We need to work together WITH JESUS AND HIS WORD to run the race set before us.

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily BESET us

When we run our race for Jesus we are commanded to “LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT” and “put away BESETTING SIN”. Let’s talk about “LAYING ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT”. What are some of the weights that drag us down?

We Are To Remember We Are Not Who We Were, But Who We Are

If you are saved – born again by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ – then you are no longer dead in sin, a child of this world. You belong to Jesus. You are a child of God. At this point, I’m going to let the Bible preach:

Ephesians 4:17-32 (ESV) …. you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

The Christian is not a lost person, but a child of God. Our Old Man is incompatible with our New Nature. We belong to God. So we put away anything that hinders our race, and heed the Word of God. We are to be:

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith

Keep your eyes on Jesus, and your mind filled with Scripture. Remember that the race only matters if you finish well. The race that God put before His Son ended only when He was nailed to the Cross of Calvary.

Hebrews 12:2-4 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

As Jesus ran His race, as He came toward the end, He did not relish what was coming. Jesus asked His disciples to pray with Him. Jesus said,

Matthew 26:38-39 My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

The race set before us may be hard, but it is no where near as hard as it was for Christ. No one stood with Him. The disciples fell asleep, and the Master prayed alone. Three times He prayed:

Matthew 26:42, 44 O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done.

The Son of God Who had never done sin, never failed His Father, would go to Calvary for us. He Who had no sin would know sin in our behalf. The Father would literally make Christ sin for us:

2 Corinthians 5:21 {The Father} hath made {Jesus} to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Jesus became US on Calvary. As US, every sin we ever committed was poured out on Him and judged. And as He hung on that Cross, it was not the nails that made Him cry out, but our sins and our judgment. At the height of judgment Jesus cried out:

Mark 15:34 …. Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

And Heaven wept.
The Saints of God witnessed, but the Angels wept.

Had Jesus ran part of the race and quit, we would still be damned, children of darkness. But because Jesus ran the whole race, ran till the finish line, He…

endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

No one suffered like Jesus did for us. Let us remember that He did so “for the JOY SET BEFORE HIM”. He saw our salvation. We read in the first part of this wondrous Book:

Hebrews 2:9-10 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren …

Jesus saw the Kingdom of God filled with brothers and sisters in Him, believers all, saved by His precious shed Blood. So we look unto Him. We do not get down, but we run with patience. We’ll end with this:

Hebrews 12:12-14 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Let us live for Him – if we are His. May God the Holy Spirit lead you to Christ Jesus this very day. Amen and Amen.

Posted in Hebrews, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, christianity, Faith, Following Christ, God, God Is Faithful, gospel, Jesus, Jesus Christ, love God, salvation | Leave a comment

Beware Of Idols

Posted on July 11, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Proverbs 10:1-4 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother. 2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death. 3 The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked. 4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

In the first 9 chapters on Proverbs, God made the case that it is better to heed the Word of God (Wisdom) than the whims of man (Woke Foolishness & Cultural Kowtowing). Now we actually come to the Proverbs of Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived. The Bible says:

1 Kings 4:29-34 (ESV) And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, 30 so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. 32 He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. 33 He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts, and of birds, and of reptiles, and of fish. 34 And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.

Now Solomon did not create 3000 proverbs, but “HE SPOKE” 3000 proverbs. Some of the proverbs of Solomon may have been contributed by others, and he repeated them. But as the wisest man who ever lived, what Solomon said was wise was – because of the inspiration of God – wise. The first of the proverbs is:

Proverbs 10:1 The proverbs of Solomon. A WISE son maketh a GLAD father: but a FOOLISH son is the HEAVINESS of his mother.

As we go through these proverbs, we will see them presented as two sides of a coin. On the one side you have blessing, but on the other side you have cursing.

The first proverb warns us against the danger
of idolizing our children.

A WISE son maketh a GLAD father

Word Study: The son who is WISE (Hebrew ḥāḵām, pronounced khaw-kawm’) is the son who has been taught the Word of God and how to apply it. When Joseph was elevated to the right hand of Pharaoh because of his relationship with God (Genesis 41:33), the Pharaoh told Joseph:

Genesis 41:39 … Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and WISE (ḥāḵām) as thou art…

Wisdom comes from God, from God’s Word. And wisdom must be passed down. The fact that Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived is not an accident. Solomon was taught to love God and His Word by his father King David. Though David was certainly not perfect, and made many terrible mistakes in his life (for which God punished him), David always repented and returned to the God he so loved. David wrote:

Psalm 17:7-9 Wondrously show your steadfast love {my God}, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. 8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, 9 from the wicked who do me violence, my deadly enemies who surround me.

David loved God with all his heart, and cherished the relationship he had with Christ. He asked that God guard him as “the apple of your eye”, as a person would guard the pupil of their eyes from damage. My commentary notes:

“The apple was the ancients’ way of referring to the pupil. It was seen as the most precious part of the body that was to be protected above all else. David suggests that God protects his children like the body protects the pupil. High cheek-bones shelter it from incoming blows. Bushy eyebrows keep sweat from the brow from getting in. Eyelashes act like fences, keeping all unwanted intruders out, and eyelids can shut to provide rest and quiet.

God treats his children like that. He is like a mother bird standing, with his mighty wings outstretched, sheltering us chicks from harm (verse 8b). He has already proved this to us by allowing his Son to stretch out his arms on the cross to protect us from the harm of our sin and rebellion.”

David taught Solomon to love God with all his heart, and perhaps chastised his son when he failed to do so. Children who are not idolized, but are taught to love God’s Word and cherish the Lord above all else will grow up to be both good citizens and good Christians. Children are never to be idolized, to be petted and served. Children are not to run the household, but the parents do so under the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said:

Matthew 10:37 Anyone who loves their father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of me

and again in Luke 14:26 (ESV) 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.

People say “How can I love God more than I love my child?” My question is, how can you NOT? God gave you that child. You will not lead your child to Christ as David did Solomon if you have a wishy-washy faith. The first and primary commandment is:

Matthew 22:37-40 … Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment…

The very first of the Ten Commandments is “You shall have NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME” (Exodus 20:3). When you idolize your children you hurt your children. But when you put God first, it will draw your children to Christ.

a FOOLISH son is the HEAVINESS of his mother.

God uses the word FOOL or FOOLISH in Scripture to describe the person who has no relationship with Him.

Psalm 14:1 (ESV) The FOOL says in his heart, “THERE IS NO GOD.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.

Psalm 53:1 (ESV) The FOOL says in his heart, “THERE IS NO GOD.” They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.

Word Study: A child raised without a concept of God and His greater good, the child raised to be self serving and self absorbed, will in time bring HEAVINESS to his mother. The word translated HEAVINESS is the Hebrew tûḡâ (pronounced too-gaw’), which means “deepest sorrow, inconsolable grief, depression”. The parent who idolizes his or her child will one day reap the fruit of the seed they sowed. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen children stand in front of a judge and receive a stiff sentence, while their mother wails and begs that the boy get another chance. Nothing good comes of idolizing a child. Teach them to love God and His Word.

Illustrate: Esau, who was spoiled by his daddy Isaac, disobeyed God when he came of age. He went outside of the faith and married two Hittite women (Genesis 26:34-35), shaming both Isaac and his mother Rebekah. Esau was greedy, disrespectful to both God and his parents, and idolatrous. He lost his birthright and his blessings because he rejected God’s Word. And Beloved, Isaac and Rebekah were much to blame.

Do Not Idolize Money

Proverbs 10:2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but RIGHTEOUSNESS DELIVERETH FROM DEATH.

It may seem that TREASURES OF WICKNESS are a great blessing, but in time that which is evil brings death. People may live comfortable lives with bulging bank accounts – but in the end their riches do not bless them in God is not in it. The Prophets frequently wrote:

Zephaniah 1:18 (ESV) Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the Lord. In the fire of his jealousy, all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.

Ezekiel 7:19 (ESV) They cast their silver into the streets, and their gold is like an unclean thing. Their silver and gold are not able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. They cannot satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it. For it was the stumbling block of their iniquity.

In many ways, those who are rich are to be pitied. Their riches become their gods. Many of the rich get ahead by trodding on the backs of the poor. One of my favorite books of Scripture is the Book of Esther. In that book, the rich man Haman plotted against the Jews, seeking to destroy them as a nation. But Mordecai, a righteous and God fearing man, did his duty and guarded King Ahasuerus from harm. In the end the wicked Haman died, but Mordecai lived on to serve both God and King. “RIGHTEOUSNESS DELIVERETH FROM DEATH”.

Another example? Who can forget that it was “Noah who found grace in the eyes of God” (Genesis 6:8). His righteousness – that is, his willingness to walk with God – saved him and his family from harm, whereas the rest of the world drowned.

Proverbs 10:3 The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but He casteth away the substance of the wicked.

God takes care of His children. King David, in looking back over his life, wrote:

Psalm 37:23-29 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. 25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. 26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed. 27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. 28 For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.

Follow the Lord Who saved you, and you will have abundant life. Jesus said:

John 10:10 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.

The THIEF, the devil and his world system, comes and offers us golden calves and silly idols that cannot truly bless us. But if we cling to God’s Word and do as He directs, we can expect to be blessed. Not just now, but into eternity. We close with:

Proverbs 10:4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

Whether or not you are idolizing money is shown by how you treat it. Those who are stingy with their funds, hoarding and hiding money from righteous use, are idolizing money. As Jesus said, “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). Money is a means to an end. Do not be enslaved by it, but use it for the glory of God.

May God touch your hearts with His Word.

Posted in General | Tagged Bible, God, Jesus, Proverbs, wisdom | Leave a comment

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