Who Is On The Lord’s Side?

Posted on August 6, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

image courtesy of publicdomainpictures.net

Exodus 32:26 (KJV) Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD’S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.

God’s People Must Rely On God

Moses had been on the mountain top with God. In fact, as I studied this, I found out that Moses went up the mountain a total of eight times (see Exodus 19:2-7; 19:8; 19:10; 19:20-25; 20:21; 24:1; 32:32; 34:1-2). Moses wasn’t alone many of those times that he went up the mountain.

On the third day of the third ascent Israel heard God come down
On the fourth ascent God had Moses bring Aaron with him
On the sixth ascent Moses took Aaron and his sons (Nadab and Abihu) along with 70 elders

Exodus 24:9-11 (KJV) Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: [10] And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. [11] And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.

They experienced God in all His glory. I believe this was the manifest Presence of Christ, our Beloved Savior. Jesus said that Moses wrote of Him:

John 5:46 (KJV) For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me.

Israel experienced God. The leadership of Israel experienced and saw God. Moses and Aaron saw God. On the seventh day of this sixth ascent the Bible tells us:

Exodus 24:17-18 (KJV) And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. [18] And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

The Moses who had been coming and going up the mountain, who was always with the people, disappeared for 40 days and 40 nights. The peoplke should have been looking upward at the mountain and trustinbg in God. The leaders who had been introduced to God, who saw God in all His glory, should have trusted in God. Aaron the High Priest and his sons should have trusted in God.

But they were not reliant on God.
Their faith was not in Christ.
Their faith was in Moses.
They were too dependant on Moses.

It is wonderful to trust and follow your leaders … but YOU must have a relationship with the Lord. Your Pastor praises God for every member of Christ’s Body who loves Jesus and serves Him. Your Pastor appreciates those who give without having to be begged, who serve without having to be chased, who are ENCOURAGERS instead of DISCOURAGERS. I praise God for those who work within their calling. Praise God for the workers. But never let the work make you believe that the work is enough. YOU must have a growing relationship with the Lord. YOU must be saved and secure in His hand. YOU. YOU. YOU. I cannot do it for you. We read:

Exodus 32:1 (KJV) And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

A faith in man will not last for very long. Moses has been gone into the mountain with God for forty days and forty night. I’m sure the drift started out small. First a few people talked. “Wonder where Moses is? Have you seen the fire on the mountaintop? It’s been over a month now, and I’ll bet Moses burned alive in that fire! What are we going to do?”

Unbelief begins with a whisper,
and as it gains a hearing moves to a shout!

Fear began to creep in. The people had forgotten the first sermon Moses ever preached to them, standing at the Red Sea with the Egyptian Army bearing down on them:

Exodus 14:13-14 (KJV) …. Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. [14] The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

It was a short sermon, but sometimes the shortest sermons are the best. Fear like a snake slithers in, making us imagine so many “what if” scenarios. Moses is gone. We are all alone. But Beloved, God did not bring you to the foot of Sinai through the Red Sea to abandon you. Trust God.

Psalms 9:10 (KJV) And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

Psalms 20:7 (KJV) Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

Psalms 56:3 (KJV) What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. [6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

The people had put their trust not in God, but in Moses. So now without Moses they come to the closest thing they can find – Moses’ brother Aaron. They tell Aaron:

the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him,
Up, make us gods, which shall go before us

Unbelief Works Best With A Manufactured God

The word rendered “gods” in the King James is the Hebrew (אֱלֹהִים) ‘Elohiym, which is the first name of God mentioned in the Bible. In Genesis 1:1 we read:

In the beginning ‘ELOHIYM created the Heaven and the earth.

It was ‘Elohiym who said in …

Genesis 1:26 … and ‘ELOHIYM said “Let US make man
in OUR image after OUR likeness”…

‘Elohiym is the Triune name of God.
It represents our God in three Perfect Persons, Father, Son, and Spirit.

The people said “Get up Aaron. Let us make ‘Elohiym – God in all His manifest Glory. Let us manufacture our own Trinity. Let us make a ‘Elohiym that WE can control. Oh, what a horrible thing this is, yet it is so common in the Church today. Rather than trust the God Who has the power to save us, we want to manufacture a god or gods that we can manipulate like a puppet. This cannot be, but it is.

And it seems there is always a willing Preacher who will help the misguided.

There is always a compromiser who is willing to take things from the congregation,
Melt it down, and make a golden Calf ‘Elohiym.

We who are saved by the Blood of the Lamb are not to manufacture our own Elohiym. We are to follow Him Who loves us, and gave His life for us. The crowd came threatening Aaron. Here is a mob. “Get up, Aaron. Make us ‘Elohiym!” The love of God saved Israel, and saves us. What does the Scripture say:

Ephesians 5:2-5 (KJV) And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. [3] But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; [4] Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. [5] For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

1 John 3:16 (KJV) Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Titus 2:13-14 (KJV) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; [14] Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

The Triune God saved us.

The Father PLANNED our salvation from the foundation of the world. Jesus was foreordained by the Father to go to the Cross from the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:20; Ephesians 1:4; John 17:24).
The Son PERFORMED our salvation. He knew that He was destined to fie for us, but went anyway. Jesus set Himself to go and finish the work of the Father, no matter how horrendous it might be. Jesus chose the nails.
The Spirit POWERS our salvation. It is He Who indwells the believer. It is He Who seals us to eternity.

How sad it is that any of God’s people would manufacture a replacement god for the Perfect God Who is! How sad that Aaron would allow this! Yet many Churches do this. The people direct the preacher, who takes what the people give and melds it into a god that in no way is represented in Scripture. Enter Aaron, the compromising preacher.

Exodus 32:2-4 (KJV) And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. [3] And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. [4] And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

The people cast into the god pot. They cast their ear rings, their jewelry, and threw it into the pot. The preacher built a fire and went along with it. He’s such a nice man! The whispered unbelief of just a few days ago has gotten momentum. Now evil has permeated all of Israel. So it is in our day. A whispered lie – an untruth that the Word of God rejected – has become acceptable. The Aarons have taken it in. The “Reverends” and “Doctors” and “Fathers” have taken from the people. Not wishing to offend, they stir it up, heat it up, take an opinion poll.

And God is not pleased!

God told Moses …

Exodus 32:7-8 (KJV) And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: [8] They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

God is not pleased!
God is not pleased with our compromise with worldliness.
God is not pleased with our rejection of His Word.
When we turn out of the way that He has commanded
We walk a dangerous path.

Moses showed his love for the people and for the Lord. The Lord was going to destroy Israel, but Moses asked God to save Israel for His own sake. God did. But when Moses came down the mountain the Bible says that Moses:

Exodus 32:20 (KJV) …. took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

How did one man restore order where there was only chaos? He stood in the power of God. Then Moses stood in the GATE of the camp – the place where business was often transacted – and asked Israel a simple question.

Who Is On The LORD’S Side?

Moses did not ask “Who is on MY side?”, but “Who is on the LORD’S side?” He asked all who could hear him to make a decision. The Bible tells us:

Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

There is a spiritual battle going on all around you. On whose side are you on? Are you on the Lord’s side? If so, then you will put God first in your life. What did Solomon say, the wisest man that ever was?

Ecclesiastes 12:13 (KJV) Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Do you say you love Jesus? Do you? Then what has Jesus said?

John 14:15-21 (KJV) If ye love me, keep my commandments. [16] And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [17] Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. [18] I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. [19] Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. [20] At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. [21] He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

We are saved by faith in Christ. Jesus Christ died for my sins. Jesus Christ rose again for my justification. This is true. We are saved not by works of righteousness …

Titus 3:5-7 (KJV) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; [6] Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; [7] That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Justification is a free gift. Yet once saved, we obey the One Who saved us. We love Him with all our hearts. We strive to know of Him. We are on the Lord’s side.

We are not on the side of self righteousness, but on the side of Grace.

We are saved by His Gospel, not by the superstitions of Rome, a rosary bead, a priest’s genuflection, nor by a statue of Mary. It is to God we look, and Christ we magnify. When we sin, we do not seek PENANCE but REPENTANCE. I said this the other day and will say it again. When I went to school there were THREE R’s we had to learn:

Reading
Riting
Rithmatic!

For the Christian saved by Grace there are three R’s we must learn:

RECOGNITION of sin.
REPENTANCE under Christ’s Blood.
RETURNING to a correct walk with God.

If you are on the Lord’s side you will walk with God. You will not get naked with Aaron, but you will love and support the Lord Who saved you. We will read and cherish God’s Word. Remember that it was the serpent who crept into Eden and said:

Hath God really said …

What has God said about human sexuality?
Let God be God!
What has God said about marriage?
Let God be God!
What has God said about hatred and love?
Let God be God!
The Spirit will not abide where God’s Word is not loved.

Who Is On The Lord’s Side? Let Him Come Unto Me!

The children of Israel were not ashamed to dance naked before a golden calf. So now Moses calls out to the people. Who is on the Lord’s side. LET THEM COME UNTO ME. Stand up for Jesus. Make known to all that you are on Christ side. The Apostle Paul wrote:

Romans 1:16 (KJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

And Jesus declared Mark 8:38 (KJV) Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

I am reminded of a movie I watched several years ago called The Patriot. At one point in the movie the American forces began to retreat from the British forces. One of the American generals grabbed the American flag and, holding it above his head, said “Follow me! Follow me!” The American forces turned and defeated the numerically superior British forces.

The banner Moses held – and I hold today – is not me, but my Christ. Will you follow Him? He is a magnificent Savior, a gracious Lord. Let us not follow the world and its faithless ways, but let us follow Jesus. Yes, you will be in the minority. But no, we will not be defeated. Our God is greater than all the forces of Satan combined.

Who is on the Lord’s side. Let him come to me.

And All The Sons Of Levi Came

Those who stood with Moses would late be deemed the priests of Israel. A priest stands up and out for God. If you are saved by faith in Christ, then Christ is your High Priest. You are to live for Him, representing the Lord Who saved you.

Are you on the Lord’s side?

Posted in Exodus, Sermons Preached | Tagged disciples, discipleship, Following Christ | Leave a comment

Revival with Bob Pitman

Posted on July 29, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

8:30 AM Message Mark 3:20-26

11 AM Message Matthew 7:13-14, 21-23

6 PM Message Psalm 32:11

Monday at 7 PM Luke 18:35-43

Tuesday at 7 PM Mark 12:41-44

Wednesday at 7 PM 1 Corinthians 1:15

Our Revival Services were a wonderful success at Riverview Baptist. Hope you enjoy the messages!

Posted in Revivals, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bob Pitman, revival | Leave a comment

Jesus Loves Me

Posted on July 26, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

image courtesy of publicdomainpictures.net

John 6:32-36 (KJV)32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

One of Jesus’ greatest sermons was one He preached from Capernaum. The sermon was not just great because Jesus preached it (and everything Jesus preached was great), but it was great because of the wonderful illustration Jesus gave the crowd the day before.

He fed 5000 men with two fish and five little barley loaves.

Now I’m not going to preach this text again. I preached it on Sunday, and if you were here you heard it – if you weren’t asleep! I do want to emphasize the great truth that Jesus taught us in the feeding of the 5000.

If you give what you have to Jesus, He will multiply it.
If you surrender to Him and let Him work in you, you will be blessed.
Those who looked to Jesus in faith were fed, blessed beyond measure.

After feeding the 5000, Jesus walked to Capernaum while His disciples rode in a boat. He preached another sermon to His disciples while they were on the sea.

Jesus Our Shepherd Is Never Far From Us

Jesus separated from His disciples. We read

John 6:16-21 (KJV) And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea, 17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. 18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. 19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. 20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. 21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.

In order to understand all of what happened, we have to compare John’s Gospel with Matthew’s Gospel. John gives us part of the story, and Matthew another part. John tells us that the disciples went down to the boat and started rowing away without Jesus on board. But Matthew tells us that this was Jesus’ idea. Matthew writes:

Matthew 14:22-23 (KJV) {following the feeding of the 5000} Jesus constrained (commanded) his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

Jesus sent the disciples on to Capernaum while He prayed. As Jesus prayed, Jesus watched His disciples. Now why did Jesus send His disciples away?

Faith demands that we step out where Jesus says.
Faith demands that we believe Jesus loves us.
Our Shepherd Is Never Far From Us!
Our Shepherd watches over us!
Our Shepherd prays for us.
Our Shepherd loves us.

Jesus was teaching His disciples that He is faithful. Though He was alone in prayer, He watched over His own. There are times in our lives when it seems as if God is far away, but He is not. Jesus is praying for us. We are told in …

Hebrews 7:24-25 (KJV)24 But this {One}{Jesus}, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing HE EVER LIVETH TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR THEM.

My salvation has permanence because my Jesus ever lives to pray for me … and for YOU, too, if you are His. Jesus watches over His people. He prays for you, and prays for me. He was praying on the mountain, praying for His people. The Apostle said:

Romans 8:34-35 (KJV)34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, WHO ALSO MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR US. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

No matter what may come in our lives, no matter what valley we go through, Jesus makes intercession for us. He prays for us. He loves us. Fear is what we often foolishly do. We worry. We need to stop worrying and fretting, and trust the Lord.

If He put us in the boat, the waves won’t get us!

Matthew writes ..

Matthew 14:24-26 (KJV) But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And IN THE FOURTH WATCH OF THE NIGHT Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

The sea is tossing and turning. The disciples are not in a ship with sails, but a boat that was rowed. A row boat!

John 6:19 (KJV) So when they had rowed about FIVE AND TWENTY OR THIRTY FURLONGS

They had rowed twenty five to thirty furlongs, which is equivalent to 3-3.5 miles. It’s dark. It’s scary. Matthew tells us ..

it is the fourth watch of the night

which is the last part of the night between 3 am – 6 am. The waves are rolling the boat, tossing it to and fro just like a rag doll. Then the disciples see something walking on the water. Matthew tells us that they thought it was a spirit – a ghost. The scary movie music is playing in their heads. I suspect they began to row faster and harder, trying to get away from this “creature”.

John Expected Jesus To Come

If you read verse 16 again you will see this.

John 6:16 (KJV) And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea, 17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.

When we read those words before we didn’t pause over them. The disciples have gone on ahead of Jesus. They are 3.5 miles from shore, and it is between 3-6 am. And John says:

and Jesus was not come to them

John expected Jesus to come. That’s what it sounds like to me.

John is known as “The disciple whom Jesus loved”. This was a title that John gave to himself. John never called himself by name in his Gospel, but referred to himself as:

The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved

We see John at the Last Supper with Jesus:

John 13:23 (KJV) Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES, WHOM JESUS LOVED.

Jesus is trying to eat, and John is laying all over Him. John is on Jesus’ bosom. You would expect Jesus to say

“Get off Me, I’m hungry”

but He doesn’t and never will. Jesus loves John more than He loves Himself. Jesus loves us more than He loves Himself. Jesus will go to Calvary for John, and John knows it. When Jesus hangs dying on Calvary He looks down from that terrible Tree and what does He see?

John 19:26-27 (KJV) When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and THE DISCIPLE STANDING BY, WHOM HE LOVED, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Jesus is bleeding out. He sees the disciple whom He loved standing with His mother Mary. As a good Son He wished to take care of His mother. John, this is now your mother. Mama, this is now your son! Oh beautiful love of our Savior! He loved John and John knew it. John wrote in another place:

1 John 4:18-19 (KJV) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. [19] WE LOVE HIM, BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US.

John knew that he was loved of Christ. That was why he stood at the foot of that Cross when so many others ran away. John knew that Jesus loved him.
Jesus was dying because Jesus loved him.

When Jesus was buried, and Mary Magdalene found the tomb empty on that blessed Sunday she ran and told Peter and John. The Bible says:

John 20:2-4 (KJV) {Mary Magdalene} runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and TO THE OTHER DISCIPLE, WHOM JESUS LOVED, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the {tomb}, and we know not where they have laid him. 3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the {tomb}. 4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the {tomb}.

Though Peter, it seems, had a head start in that foot race to the tomb that day, the “disciple whom Jesus loved outran Peter”. What gave him the strength to do so? It was that he identified himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved. Oh yes, John loved Jesus, but more than this John reveled in the truth that Jesus loved John.

Following the resurrection of our Lord from the dead Simon Peter got up a fishing party, and asked all the disciples to attend. This was a busted fishing party. All day long they fished, and caught nothing. But then from the shore a fellow hollers out.

“Children, have you caught any?”
“No” they holler back.
“Put the net on the other side of the boat”

They did so, and caught 153 great fishes the Bible says. What do we read?

John 21:7 (KJV) Therefore THAT DISCIPLE WHOM JESUS LOVED saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

The disciple whom Jesus loved recognized Jesus FIRST. Peter jumped in the water to get to Jesus on the shore, but John recognized Jesus first. He was the disciple whom Jesus loved. Now Jesus loved all His disciples, but John was more keenly aware of the love of Jesus than the others. This is why when they were in 3.5 miles off shore John expected Jesus to be there.

And I think John is the reason that Jesus came.
The text doesn’t say this, but it’s my belief.
Why else would John write “Jesus had not yet come”
and they are 3.5 miles from shore.

John knew Jesus was coming.
Because Jesus loved him!

John 6:19-21 (KJV) … they were afraid. 20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. 21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.

When Jesus got in the boat “immediately the ship was at the land whither they went”. Jesus has already preached a message to His disciples. His message is:

“I love You”
I will watch over you”

Now Jesus Preaches His Love To The World

I haven’t forgotten our responsive reading, part of a sermon our Lord preached at Capernaum. In this sermon Jesus reminds the Israelite how much that they are loved of God.

John 6:32-33 (KJV)32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

When Israel was in the wilderness God gave them bread from Heaven. He gave them “manna”. Why was it called “manna”. The Bible says:

Exodus 16:15 (KJV) And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.

“Manna” literally means “What Is It?”. It was bread from God, but they had no idea what it was nor how it came about. Moses didn’t give the manna … God did. The Israelites didn’t know what “manna” was, but manna is easy to define.

Manna represented the love of God to His people.
Manna = LOVE!
But Manna also represented the coming Christ.

In order to benefit from the Manna Israel had to go and gather it. It was there for all, but only those who received it would be blessed. Jesus Christ is the Manna of God. He is the

Bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world

Bread is made by gathering and crushing wheat. The wheat must die in order to become bread to feed us. Jesus was the wheat of Heaven come down to earth. The Prophet wrote of Him:

Isaiah 53:2-6 (KJV) For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Jesus loves us. Jesus loves you. Jesus loves me. This is why we come to Him surrendered. Jesus told those in Capernaun that day:

John 6:35-36 (KJV) … I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

Many see the Christ but never come to Him believing in His love. He loves you, and calls you to His side. If you will receive Him as He is, believing that He loves you, then you will be saved. Jesus said:

John 6:40 (KJV) And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

He has made a promise to us. Will you believe in Him. Will you go to Him? Will you believe He loves you? Will you?

Posted in John, Sermons Preached | Tagged God Loves You, Jesus loves me, life, truth | Leave a comment

An Unholy Alliance

Posted on July 24, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

Revelation 13:1-18 (KJV) And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. 11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

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For everything God has, the devil has an imitation. We studied last Wednesday the Trinity of God. We talked about how the God we love and Who saves us is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We saw the Trinity revealed in Jesus’ Baptism, and discussed how:

The Father Planned
The Son Performed
The Spirit Powered

in salvation. I’d love to ignore this chapter and just preach the Trinity and the Christ all over again. Those are glorious truths. But there are dark truths we also need to understand. God is Triune, the Three Persons working in one accord and in one love. But during the Great Tribulation there will be another trinity revealed. A dark trinity. A trinity not of love and light, but a trinity of evil. This trinity mimics in an evil way the good that is God.

The Dragon (That Old Devil) Plans
The Anti-Christ Performs
The False Prophet Powers

This evil trinity (and I refuse to capitalize this false godhead, or to give it any respect whatsoever) rises up not to benefit humanity but to enslave it.

The First “Beast” Is The Anti-Christ

The Scripture declares:

1 Timothy 4:1 (KJV)1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

That is where we are today. The world has become darker and darker as it has turned farther and farther from God.

As John stood on the sand of the sea – exiled for his faith in Christ, left to die – he saw the first beast rise up.

Revelation 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

Word Study John saw a “Beast” rise up “out of the sea”. The word translated “Beast” is the Greek word THERION, which means “A VENOMOUS or WILDLY DANGEROUS Creature”.

This Creature is the anti-Christ.

– This Wild Beast Rising Is The Anti-Christ. He Rises Up Out Of The SEA. What does the “Sea” represent? In the ancient world the sea was the source of food as well as the source of commerce. The Beast could then be someone of great financial power, a financier, having much power in business.

Further, the sea or waters are used in Revelation to represent a multitude of people. For instance, the angel tells John in …

Revelation 17:15 And he saith unto me, The WATERS which thou sawest …. are PEOPLES, and MULTITUDES, and NATIONS, and TONGUES.

The “Sea” could represent the people of the world, a people who will not worship God. In the midst of the violence and conflicts along with natural catastrophes, these God rejecting people do not look UPWARD to God but look AROUND. The anti-Christ shows up!

The Anti-Christ is described as ..

Revelation 13:1 … having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

Now this is very symbolic, but not literal. The Anti-Christ when he comes will not have seven heads and ten horns with ten crowns. He will be a man who looks like any man. But this text describes his power.

The anti-Christ has SEVEN heads. Seven is the number of God. The anti-Christ will be tied into false religious worship. In Revelation 17 we are given the description of the false religion of the Tribulation called

Revelation 17:5-9 (KJV) And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. [6] And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. [7] And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. … [9] And here is the mind which hath wisdom. THE SEVEN HEADS ARE SEVEN MOUNTAINS, ON WHICH THE WOMAN SITTETH.

The Anti-Christ will be worshiped, and the world religion of that day will promote him.

The anti-Christ has TEN horns. These are not musical horns but horns like animals have. He will be backed by ten powerful nations.
On his heads the name of BLASPHEMY. He will be in direct opposition to God, unholy, unjust.
The anti-Christ will be backed by SATAN. We read last week in the previous chapter (Revelation 12:3) that the DEVIL has SEVEN heads and TEN horns. The anti-Christ will mimic his god and get his power from Satan.

Revelation 13:2 … the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

The anti-Christ will mimic Christ. We read:

Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

The people of the world who would NOT receive Christ embrace the anti-Christ. He is the savior who saves man IN his sins, not FROM his sins …. and the world WORSHIPS this perversion of Christ! We read:

Revelation 13:4 And they WORSHIPED the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they WORSHIPED the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

the lost world is astounded, and worships the Dragon that old Devil and worships the anti-Christ.

Revelation 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to CONTINUE FORTY AND TWO MONTHS.

This pretender to Christ’s Throne will rule for 42 months – 3 ½ years. His time will be limited to that period of time, but during that period he shall stand against everything that is God. We are told that:

Revelation 13:6-8 And he opened his mouth in BLASPHEMY AGAINST GOD, TO BLASPHEME HIS NAME, AND HIS TABERNACLE, AND THEM THAT DWELL IN HEAVEN. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8 And ALL THAT DWELL UPON THE EARTH SHALL WORSHIP HIM, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

During that 3 ½ years the anti-Christ will mock everything holy, whether it be God, His people, or His Heaven. He will kill the saints on the earth, martyring them so that the world can see. As the righteous are killed what will be the reaction of the world? They shall worship Him. Those whose names are written in the Book of Life of the Lamb will not worship the anti-Christ not Satan, but all others shall. This will be a tremendously hard time for believing Israel. Christians are often persecuted. Jesus told us in …

Matthew 10:22-23 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

Persecutions for our faith will come. The Great Tribulation will be the greatest time of persecution for God’s People. Yet in the end the Lord will overcome. The innocent will suffer because of the Anti-Christ, but his days are numbered.

The Second Beast Is The False Prophet

Revelation 13:11 And I beheld ANOTHER BEAST coming up OUT OF THE EARTH; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

The anti-Christ rises up out of the SEA, and the False Prophet comes up out of the earth. The False Prophet is less charismatic than the Anti-Christ, but he is part of the same system.
The False Prophet has two horns like a lamb. No one fears a little Lamb. He’ll look innocent, harmless, attractive, sweet – a cuddly little lamb. He will be the wolf in sheep’s clothing that Jesus warned us of:

Matthew 7:15 (KJV) Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

He speaks as a DRAGON. His word is the devil’s word. The Holy Spirit of God lifts up Christ and His Word. The False Prophet is like an unholy spirit. He lifts up the Anti-Christ and the Devil, promoting his agenda. He demands that the world worship the Anti-Christ.

Revelation 13:12-16 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to WORSHIP the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image (AN IDOL) to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as MANY AS WOULD NOT WORSHIP THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST SHOULD BE KILLED. 16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

The False Prophet will be able to do miracles of sorts, to draw fire down from the sky, and will look like an emissary of God. His intent is to have the world worship the Anti-Christ. John wrote of the Anti-Christ and the many anti-christs in …

1 John 2:18-23 (KJV) Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. [19] They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. [20] But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. [21] I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. [22] Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. [23] Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

The False Prophet will promote the Anti-Christ as if he were the Christ. His purpose is to deceive the whole world, and to enslave the world in the false religion he promotes.

Religion Is Tied To Survival

The False Prophet requires all of mankind receive the IMAGE OF THE BEAST as proof that they love his master. We read:

Revelation 13:17-18 And that NO MAN MIGHT BUY OR SELL, save he that had the MARK, or the NAME OF THE BEAST, or the NUMBER OF HIS NAME. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

What is the purpose of this “mark”? That “no man might buy or sell”. Worship the anti-Christ or starve! Here is the mark of false worship:

False Worship Always Removes Free Will.
The Bible Shouts “Whosoever Will”.

John 3:14-17 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

During the latter half of the Great Tribulation the saints on the earth will be martyred, but the unbeliever shall be fed. As Pastor Greg Laurie describes it:

“Take my mark and worship me, or starve to death. No mark, no merchandise. No seal, no sale”.

There are three different markings offered by the False Prophet to the lost world, described as:

The Mark, OR
The Name of the Beast, OR
The Number Of His Name

People have been debating over this section of scripture since John first released it to the Church. What is this mark? Years ago, people thought that the mark was a bar code, and there were numerous Bible Prophecy teachers that spoke of how bar codes were the sign of the end of times. On June 1, 2012 the New York Daily News headline stated “Human Barcode Could Make Society More Organized”. The article went on to say “Microchip implants have become standard practice for our pets, but have become a tougher sell when it comes to the idea of putting them in people”. The Food and Drug Administration in the United States has approved the use of RFID chips in humans. The technology is there for the marking of humans and the coming cashless society.

People have wondered about the “number of his name” aspect of this text, and that the “number of his name is 666”. If you look up “666” on the Internet you will get 465 MILLION returns. For years people have been trying to put together the name of the anti-Christ from the number “666”. In ancient Greece and Rome letters of the alphabet were often used as numbers, so some believe that they can figure out who the anti-Christ will be based “on the number of his name”. Good luck with that!

People have tried to make popes, presidents, and politicians into the anti-Christ. No one will know the anti-Christ before the time by his name …. the anti-Christ will be known by his actions. HE WILL DEMAND WORSHIP THAT BELONGS ONLY TO GOD!

Matthew 24:15-16 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

How will the anti-Christ be known? He demands worship. He will go into the Temple of God in Jerusalem and exalt himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped … showing himself that he is God”. No one will figure out the anti-Christ before he is revealed by his actions and his False Prophet. When he is revealed he will demand that all receive his mark in their forehead or right hand.

Why in the forehead or right hand? Because what starts in the HEAD comes out in the HAND. Worship in the HEAD comes out to work in the HAND. It is the RIGHT hand because – in the Far East – the RIGHT hand is used for interaction with others. The LEFT hand is the TOILET or PERSONAL hand, whereas the RIGHT hand is the hand that others shake or do business with you.

What you worship matters. We will read next week:

Revelation 14:9-12 …. If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The SAME SHALL DRINK OF THE WINE OF THE WRATH OF GOD, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. 12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

God designed you to worship Him. We were made to walk in peace with God. We were made to live in Paradise, the Garden of God. God wants to bless each and every one of us …. but we must not worship the wrong thing. Those who belong to Jesus worship Jesus.

Revelation 13:8-9 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

I thank my God that – though life here is often brutal – there is coming a day when I will be with Him forever. Before the anti-Christ rises my God shall take me, and all those who are His, into glory. While hell is on earth we shall praise and worship the God of Heaven. Do you know Him? Do you know Him? If not, today is a great day to believe on Him, for whosoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13).

Posted in Revelation, Sermons Preached | Tagged anti-Christ, unholy trinity | Leave a comment

Servants

Posted on July 22, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

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Exodus 21:1-6 (KJV)1 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. 2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. 3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself. 5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: 6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever.

Israel had just come from terrible bondage in Egypt. The Israelite had experienced – nearly every Israelite including Moses – the terror of Chattel Slavery. Chattel Slavery is a horrible evil. There is no justification for Chattel Slavery! It takes people who are made in the image of God and turns them into property. The slave in Chattel Slavery is treated like a beast of burden rather than with the dignity due every human. The Chattel Slave had no choice.

God allowed slavery among the Jews, but not Chattel Slavery. A person could voluntarily sell themselves into slavery or servitude, and if that person did this they were not to be beaten or mistreated. Why would somebody do this? We do the same thing today.

How many of you have credit cards? If you aren’t careful with those things, you will sell yourself into slavery. I know. When Sherry and I were first married we were living on an Airman’s pay, which is next to nothing. We would see the fine things that others had and – and I put this on myself – I violated the Tenth Commandment many times. Do you remember this commandment?

Thou shalt not COVET or DESIRE what others have!

God knew that if we coveted what others had, we would get in trouble. I allowed our credit card debt to get too high because of coveting. When I advanced in rank and I made more money we still had no more money because I had allowed the credit card companies to enslave me. We lived paycheck to paycheck until one day God gave us a way to pay off these terrible little plastic handcuffs (thank You, Jesus). Otherwise we would still be enslaved today … and we did that to ourselves.

The Bond-Slave sells himself into slavery. He makes this choice. There are other ways we sell ourselves into slavery.

If you’re hooked on cigarettes, you are its slave.
There would be no alcoholics if the first sip of alcohol was never tasted.
The alcoholic was not forced to sup that first sip.
There would be no drug addicts if the pusher was told “no”.
The drug addict was not forced to take that first hit.
The person enslaved by HIV or AIDS made a choice to get there.
No one forced that person to that choice.

The Servant that we see in our text today made a choice.
That person chose to sell themselves into servitude.
Perhaps they were in debt.
Perhaps their family was hungry and they were jobless.

So they made a decision to sell themselves – to exchange their service for a set period of time – in order to come from debt. God established limits on this type of transaction. God told His people – the Hebrews –

Exodus 21:2 (KJV) …. If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

If THOU (the Hebrew, for the Law was written to the Hebrews) buy an Hebrew servant then there is a limitation set on this. I wish there were limitations set on CREDIT CARDS (Father, how I hate them!). The Lord said six years shall he serve – and in the SEVENTH (the Number of God in Scripture. On the Seventh Day He rested) he shall GO OUT FREE FOR NOTHING. God did not want His people taking advantage of one another. In fact, God told His people in …

Leviticus 25:39-42 (KJV) And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a (SLAVE ^{Hebrew ‘ebed}): 40 But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubilee: 41 And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return. 42 For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen.

God wanted none of His people enslaving one another, compelling one another to forced servitude. If your neighbor came to you in need and offered to sell themselves to you then you, as a Hebrew, were allowed to do so. However the person who became your bond slave was to be treated as a hired servant, and a sojourner or temporary member of your household. When the seventh year or the Year of Jubilee came that person was freed, both he and his children with him, and shall return to his own family and his own lands. God ended with these words:

For the Hebrews – The Ones I Redeemed – Are MY SERVANTS
Which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt.
They shall not be sold as SLAVES^{Hebrew ‘ebed}

You could sell yourself to another as a bond-servant for six years, and then you went free. God did want His people enslaving one another because THE HEBREW ALREADY BELONGED TO GOD. The Hebrew could not be forced into slavery. The Hebrew was saved from slavery to serve God. What did God tell Moses to tell Pharaoh?

Exodus 7:16 (KJV)… The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.

God saved Israel to serve Him.
God saved YOU so that YOU might serve HIM.

No Hebrew should force his neighbor into slavery. To do so would be to mimic the Egyptian – the world – which is a terrible practice! But the Lord told His people this:

Exodus 21:5-6 (KJV) And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: 6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever.

If the bond-servant willingly chose to stay with his master – if he plainly said “I love my Master” – then a public pronouncement occurred. The Master took the bond-servant to the Judges who would verify that the servant wanted to do this. Once he said that he wanted to stay with his Master before the judges, then the servant was taken to the Master’s home. He would willingly lay his ear against the doorpost of the home, and the ear would be pierced with an awl. Once pierced, that person would serve the Master forever. Again, not as a slave, but as a hired servant, and a member of that household. From that moment on the Master was responsible for the care and feeding of the servant and his family. And the servant was to serve his Master faithfully for ever.

There Is A Spiritual Application To This Text

The Scriptures are not only historic, but they speak of Christ. Jesus said to the Pharisees who refused to believe in Him:

John 5:39, 45-47 (KJV) Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and THEY ARE THEY WHICH TESTIFY OF ME. … [45] Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. [46] For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for HE WROTE OF ME. [47] But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

The Word that Moses received from God on Sinai spoke of Christ. There are spiritual truths related to Christ and the Christian Way of life behind every sacrifice and every ordinance. The Apostle Paul in referencing the Old Testament said:

1 Corinthians 10:11 … all these things happened unto {Israel} for examples,
and they are written for our admonition {nouthesia, to teach us}

Are there spiritual truths that we can learn from this Scripture? Absolutely! What are some of these truths?

We Have All Been In Bad Situations

The Hebrew who chose to sell himself into servitude didn’t do so just because.
He did so because he was in a bad situation.
He was in a hole he couldn’t crawl out of.
He had no resources to get better and, in the end, all he had was himself.

We have all been in trials and tribulations. We are told in …

Job 5:6-7 (KJV) Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; 7 Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

There are times in our lives when we are doing nothing wrong, but trouble seems to find us like an old hound dog. Things we need break. Our bodies break down. It is in times like these that we realize we need a Savior and Master Who will take care of us. The Scripture says:

Psalms 55:22 (KJV) Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

When we come to God on bent knee in prayer, worshiping Him (for He is worthy) He can take our burden away. He can remove us from the helpless situation. Throughout the Scripture we see Jesus being approached by people in helpless and hopeless situations. We see a woman with an issue of blood …

Matthew 9:20-21 (KJV) And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: [21] For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

This dear lady had been afflicted twelve years. The Bible says that she had tried all manners of physicians and healers, but none could help (Luke 8:43-38). She had spent all of her money seeking solutions, but none were to be had. Then one day Jesus came to town. She thought “If I could just touch the hem of His garment … just a fringe … I know Jesus could heal me.” So she creeps into the crowd, eases close to the Lord, and with head bowed reached out to touch the hem. The Bible says:

Matthew 9:22 (KJV) But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

Oh how Jesus loves you. Oh how He loves me. Oh how He loves to bless those who will come surrendered to Him. He is LORD! He is able.

Isaiah 41:13 (KJV) For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

Christ will help us and heal us if we would be submit to Him as Lord. He is LORD. He is not lord, but LORD. He is not our servant, but we are His if we wish His blessings. Two blind men came pursuing Jesus, tripping and stumbling in their eternal darkness, seeking the Master. They cried out …

Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on us!

We are bound in darkness. Jesus, will you take us and make us see light? Jesus asked them (Matthew 9:28):

“Do you believe I am able to do this?

What was their reply? “Yes, LORD”.

YES, YOU are my LORD! You are the Master. Take hold of my life. Make me see. Jesus told them “According to your faith, so it shall be”, and these men were given sight from that day forward. Oh, the Lord can heal you. Oh, the Lord can bless you.

But you must come to Him as Lord and Master.

Many Only Want A Temporary Master

In our text today a person came to a Master and sold himself for relief. He sold his services to pay his debt. Yet a time limit was placed on the selling. He sold himself for six years, a temporary amount of time. There are many who come to Jesus for what He can do for them, and Jesus is so gracious. How many times do we see in Scriptures people who Jesus healed who went away, and did not stay with Him. One such instance comes to my mind of the ten lepers who came to Jesus. Jesus had just passed through Samaria and Galilee when He came to a small village, an unnamed place. There were no famous landmarks here, no reason to visit it as a tourist attraction. The Bible says that

there stood far away ten lepers

Leprosy is a horrible disease because it not only destroys your life, but infects those you get around. It destroys families. Like sin, it harms communities. These men stood FAR AWAY from Jesus, but they cried out:

Luke 17:13 … Jesus, MASTER, have mercy on us

Oh Master, we come to you. We are in a hopeless and helpless situation. We don’t know what to do. Jesus, MASTER, have mercy on us. Take our lives and do something better with it. Jesus looked at these men, and said:

Luke 17:14 (KJV) …. Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

Did you notice the text? As they WENT (obeying their Master Jesus) they were CLEANSED. They surrendered their will to the Lord. They did as the Master said. And they were made whole. The Bible says:

Luke 17:15-19 (KJV) And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, [16] And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. [17] And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? [18] There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. [19] And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Nine of the lepers went their way. Oh, they were healed just as the tenth was healed. But they served the Master only for a limited time. On the seventh year you shall go free. There are many who come to Jesus temporarily by their choice. They seek what Jesus not only can but will do. I believe that Jesus knew that nine would depart healed, but that only one would glorify Him. I believe Jesus knew this BEFORE He healed anyone. Yet our God is gracious. Our Jesus is loving. He is so loving.

I can think of another instance in the Gospel of John in Chapter 6. In this wonderful chapter we are told the story of the feeding of the five thousand men who followed Jesus. Taking five small barley loaves and two little fishes Jesus blessed them, and fed not only 5000 men, but women and children as well. Following this wonderful feast that Jesus gave the Bible says:

John 6:13 (KJV) Therefore {the disciples} gathered {the leftovers} together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

What a wonderful story is in this. The Bible says

Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. [6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

When we trust God, God will will bless us. He must be LORD. He must be the MASTER, and we the SERVANT. Shortly after this incident Jesus moved to Capernaum, and the crowds that were fed the day before followed Him for FOOD. Jesus told them:

John 6:26-27 (KJV) Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. [27] Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

When Jesus refused to feed these temporary disciples and rebuked them for what was in their hearts, the Bible says:

John 6:66 (KJV) From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

They chose a temporary walk with the Master. They used Jesus to get what they wanted, then they left the Master to return to where they came from. Of all the people Jesus blessed do you know that there were only 120 disciples in the Upper Room praying on the Day of Pentecost? So many come to the Lord temporarily to have their lives stabilized. And the Lord will bless, and release them if they so desire.

But Then There Is The Christian

The Christian often comes to the Lord because of bad stuff happening in the life. But the Christian comes to stay. The Christian indeed willingly choose to serve the Lord.

Exodus 21:5 (KJV) And IF the servant shall PLAINLY say

The Christian is not coerced nor forced to receive Christ as Lord and Savior. We hear His invitation. Jesus calls us:

Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Jesus calls out to those who are burdened. Take MY YOKE upon you. Let Me be your Master. My yoke is EASY and My BURDEN LIGHT. Jesus will love you, and bless you as you come to Him. But you do not come to Him on a temporary basis. You choose to surrender to Him. You choose to openly and publicly be in His service. The Bible says:

Romans 10:9-11 (KJV) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [11] For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

To believe on Him is to believe He is Lord and Savior BOTH PUBLICLY AND VOCALLY. No one is saved in secret. He is Lord, and others see that Lordship in you.

You shall PLAINLY – not SECRETLY but PLAINLY say!

Exodus 21:5 (KJV) And if the servant shall plainly say, I LOVE my MASTER

The Christian serves Jesus because he loves Jesus. He declares his love to both the Lord and the world. We love Him because He freed us. We love Him because He gave Himself for us. We love Him because He brings us into the Family of God, indwells us, and promises to never leave us not forsake us. Jesus promises to be with us in bad times and in good. He is MY MASTER, and responsible for my well being. When He says:

Romans 8:28 (KJV) And we know that all things work together FOR GOOD to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

I trust Him because He is a good Master. He has been good to me – and will be good to you, if you let Him.

Exodus 21:5 (KJV) And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children;

I acknowledge my debt to Him. All the blessings I have, I have because my Lord has given them to me. Yes, I have had bad times. But Jesus has been there through it all. His Spirit has comforted me. My Father has held me.

Exodus 21:5 (KJV) … And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:

I am committed to serving Him with all my heart to the best of my ability. I will love Him and stay with Him. I am not using Him for a temporal blessing, but wish to remain with Him forever.

And I am not afraid to declare this before men.

Several years ago I got a call from someone – I forget their names – who once came to this Church. Don’t ask me who they were – I won’t tell you if I could remember. Anyway, this person wanted to be baptized on a Saturday in a private ceremony. It was just to be him and his parents. I told him NO, I will not do that. When you are saved, you PLAINLY DECLARE “I love my Master”. Then the Master takes you to the judges. You are to baptized. Why? BECAUSE JESUS SAID SO.

Exodus 21:6 (KJV)Then his MASTER SHALL BRING HIM UNTO THE JUDGES; …

When we are saved it is not a private affair. We declare our willingness to be with the Lord by our very public BAPTISM. Jesus commanded:

Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

The Christian yields his obedience to the Lord. You do what Jesus says. Finally, I want you to notice the last part of this text.

Exodus 21:6 (KJV){the Master} shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever.

An awl – a sharp rod – is passed through the servants ear and into the doorpost of the Master’s home. The servant didn’t stay pinned to the doorpost. This was a symbolic ceremony. He pierced the servant’s EAR. We hear the commands of our Lord and obey them. We belong to Him, not to ourselves. Jesus said:

John 10:27-28 (KJV) My sheep HEAR my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: [28] And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Luke 11:28 (KJV) But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

The blessing of eternal life comes to those whose ears are crucified, nailed to the House of God. “If you love Me, keep My Commandments (John 14:15)” is what Jesus said. People come to the Lord for a variety of things:

To escape hell
To be delivered from a trial
To gain healing
To fill their bellies

And the Lord will bless you. But if you want to be His forever then your ear must be crucified.

Galatians 2:20 (KJV) I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

He was nailed to the Cross for you. He wants you to be nailed to that Cross with Him. He will save you, He will bless you, but to be blessed we must submit to Him as Master Forever.

May God touch your hearts with His Word.

Posted in Exodus, salvation, Sermons Preached, serving God | Tagged Jesus is Lord, masters, serving God | Leave a comment

Salvation Is God’s Family Business

Posted on July 21, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

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John 5:19-24 KJV “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. {20} For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. {21} For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. {22} For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: {23} That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him. {24} Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

The Jews were angry at Jesus because He healed a man on the Sabbath Day. The man was crippled, unable to move for many years. Jesus told him:

Take up your bed and walk

When the Lord healed him and the man did so the Jews – particularly the Pharisees – sought to kill Jesus for healing someone on the Sabbath. How foolish is sin and how blinding is the Law! The Pharisees were so focused on their rituals that they couldn’t see that it is God that heals. If a person was healed by Jesus on the Sabbath it was because God wanted that person healed. Jesus told the Pharisees:

John 5:19 KJV Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Jesus did nothing without the Father’s approval. When Jesus said “the Son can do nothing of Himself but what He seeth the Father do” He was not saying that He was less God than the Father. What Jesus was saying was that ALL that He did, He did in unison with the Father. This is what makes Christianity unique among all the other imitators out there. Some religions like the Hindu or Buddhist faiths are polytheistic – believing in multiple gods. Some religions like the Muslim faith are extreme monotheistic – believing there is but one god. Some religions like Mormonism believe that man can become a god. But Christianity is unique in that we believe there is but One God Who is in Three Distinct Persons: Father, Son, and Spirit.

These three Persons are bound to one another with perfect Love, Unity, and Agreement. Jesus said “The Son can do nothing of Himself but what He seeth the Father do” not because He is limited in power, but because within the Trinity God is One. God is of one Mind, of one Purpose, of one Intent.

Both Father, Son, and Spirit have existed together in union and harmony forever. The Gospel of John begins with:

John 1:1-2 (KJV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God.

The “Word” is Jesus Christ. We know this for the text later states (John 1:14):

The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us..

Jesus is called “The Word” because He is the manifest member of the Godhead. We are told:

Colossians 2:9 (KJV)9 For in him {in Christ} dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily.

The Son is the seen member of the Godhead. When Jesus was going to begin His ministry God showed up at His baptism.

Mark 1:9-11 (KJV) And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. 10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

When John brought Jesus out of the water the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, and the Father spoke from Heaven. THOU art MY BELOVED SON in Whom I am well pleased! Father, Son, and Spirit united together in Christ’s mission.

God came to save mankind.

When mankind was created, it was created by the Triune God. In the Book of Genesis when God looked upon His newly created world the Bible says:

Genesis 1:25-27 KJV “And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. {26} And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:

God did not say “Let ME make man in MY image”, but rather “Let US make man in OUR image after OUR likeness”. God was not speaking to Angels, as Angels have no power to create. The Bible says:

Nehemiah 9:6 (KJV) Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

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

God created all things by Himself. Yet in Genesis He says “Let US make man in OUR image after OUR likeness”. This is God. This is Father, Son, and Spirit working together in perfect harmony. In Genesis 1 we read:

Genesis 1:2 (KJV) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

The Holy Spirit was at creation, moving in union with Father and Son.

John 1:3 (KJV) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

The Son was at creation, fully participating in everything the Father did. Father, Son, and Spirit created earth and humanity. When mankind fell through sin God moved to reach out and save whosoever would believe in Christ.

Jesus Came To Fulfill The Father’s Plan Of Salvation

The Jews were upset with Jesus because He violated one of their rituals. But Jesus declared:

John 5:19 KJV “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.”

There is a unity in the Godhead. The Son agreed to come and walk among us. Everything that Jesus did, He did in perfect agreement with the Father.

Jesus did the Father’s will at all times. He worked so closely in unison with the Father that every action He performed was exactly what the Father would have Him do. One day Philip told Jesus:

John 14:8-11 KJV “… shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. {9} Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Shew us the Father? {10} Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. {11} Believe me that I [am] in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.”

The Father did the works – the miracles that Jesus did – through Jesus. When Jesus healed a leper, it was because the Father did so through Him. When the blind were made to see, it was because the Father willed this through the Son. But here’s something even more incredible. Jesus said:

Luke 11:20 (KJV) But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

And in another place:

Matthew 12:28 (KJV) But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

Both Father and Holy Spirit operated through Christ as He walked this earth. But this was nothing new. Father, Son, and Spirit all worked together at all times, and do so even now. When Jesus came to save the lost, the Father and Spirit came with Him.

Salvation is a family affair!
Salvation of the lost is the Family Business!

Oh, how God wants to save the world! Jesus told the Pharisees – THE PEOPLE WHO TRIED TO KILL HIM –

John 5:34-38 KJV But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. (35) {John the Baptist} was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. (36) But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. (37) And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. (38) And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.

Jesus did not receive His testimony¹ or His evidence or witness from man. The message that Christ brought to earth with Him was not something that He devised. His message was a message that came from God, from the Godhead – and was given that ye might be saved. The witness or evidence or Gospel that Jesus preached was no man’s gospel. Furthermore, the works which He did were not arbitrary decisions that He made on His part.

The Jews had taken the Perfect Law of God and, like most unbelievers do, twisted the Word of God into something it was never meant to be.

The Law was never meant to keep a cripple on his bed.
The Law was never meant to force the man with a withered hand to wait.
The Law was given in love by God to convict of sin.
So that the Convicted Sinner might see the love of God in Christ and be saved.

Jesus came to finish the works of the Father. The Law was a Teacher to bring us to Christ:

Galatians 3:24-26 (KJV)24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

The Jews could not grasp this. God never gave the Law to hurt anyone, but to lead whosoever will to come to Christ seeking His salvation.

The Father PLANNED Our Salvation
The Son Took Our PLACE So We Could Be Saved
The Spirit Is PRESENT In The Saved

Abiding Faith In Christ Saves The Sinner

John 5:21-23 KJV “For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. {22} For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: {23} That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him.”

God has committed ALL JUDGMENT unto the Son. The Father will not be the Judge as to who enters Heaven or not following this life. The Son is the Judge. It is the Son Who sits on the Great White Throne of Revelation 20 to judge the unbeliever. The Bible says:

Revelation 20:11-15 (KJV)11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. … 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

“The Father judgeth no man”. It is Jesus on this Great White Throne. Those who stand before Him spent a lifetime ignoring Him and His Word, spent a lifetime ignoring what He said and refused to believe on Him. Now they stand before His Throne in terror, and rightly so. They would not receive the Lamb of God Who taketh away their sin, so now they must receive the Lion of God Who will judge their sin.

Romans 14:11-12 (KJV) For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Philippians 2:9-11 (KJV) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Oh, that all would come to Christ now. It is only in Christ there is life. Jesus declared:

John 5:26 KJV “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself“

Jesus alone has the power to judge, and Jesus has power to give eternal life to whom He will. Again we see the necessity of having a working relationship with Jesus Christ. It is not enough to have a knowledge of Him – you must know Him. It is not enough to know Him doctrinally, but you must know Christ in that intimate, believing way that only a born again Christian can.

The Jews had no excuse for not believing in Christ, for the whole of Scripture speaks of Him.

It was Christ Who walked with Adam in the Garden every morning.
It was Christ Who sat and drank coffee with Abraham in the desert.
It was Christ Who died in Isaac’s place.
It was Christ Who wrestled with Jacob.
It was Christ Who walked with Enoch until the two entered glory.
It was Christ represented when the Lamb was slain and sin covered.
The High Priest was but a poor representation of Christ our High Priest.
It was Christ Who called Samuel to service.
The whole of Scripture sings of Christ.
Shall we not sing with Him?

Jesus said:

John 5:44-47 KJV “How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only? (45) Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. (46) For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. (47) But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?“

Moses wrote of Christ in Deuteronomy 18:18-19, and Peter preached this text in:

Acts 3:19-23 KJV “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; (20) And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: (21) Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. (22) For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. (23) And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.”

God will destroy those who reject Christ.

Jesus Christ Is The Only Means By Which We Are Saved

John 5:24 KJV “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

If you do have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ then you shall not come into condemnation; but are passed from death unto life. This relationship is the most important thing you will ever have in your life.

Do you know Him? If you do not, today is the day to run to His embrace.

Appendix – The Trinity In Scripture

	God the Father	God the Son	God the Spirit
Is Called God	Philippians 1:2	John 1:1-14, Colossians 2:9	Acts 5:3-4
Is Called Creator	Isaiah 64:8	John 1:3, Colossians 1:15-17	Job 26:13, 33:4
Resurrects The Dead	1 Thessalonians 1:10	John 2:19, 10:17	Romans 8:11
Indwells His People	2 Corinthians 6:16	Colossians 1:27	John 14:17
Is Everywhere	1 Kings 8:27	Matthew 28:20	Psalms 139:7-10
Is All Knowing	1 John 3:20	John 16:30, 21:17	1 Corinthians 2:10-11
Sanctifies or Sets Apart Us	1 Thessalonians 5:23	Hebrews 2:11	1 Peter 1:2
Is The Life Giver	Genesis 2:7, John 5:21	John 1:3, 5:21	2 Corinthians 3:6-8
Fellowships With Us	1 John 1:3	1 Corinthians 1:9	2 Corinthians 13:14, Philippians 2:1
Is Eternal	Psalms 90:2	Micah 5:1-2	Romans 8:11, Hebrews 9:14
Has Power	Luke 22:42	Luke 22:42	1 Corinthians 12:11
Speaks With Authority	Matthew 3:17, Luke 9:25	Luke 5:20	Acts 8:29, 11:12, 13:2
Exemplifies Love	John 3:16	Ephesians 5:25	Romans 15:30
Searches The Heart of Man	Jeremiah 17:10	Revelation 2:23	1 Corinthians 2:10

1 G3141 (Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries), μαρτυρία, marturia, pronounced mar-too-ree’-ah, From G3144; evidence given (judicially or generally): – record, report, testimony, witness.

Posted in John, Sermons Preached | Tagged Father, Holy Spirit, Son, Trinity | Leave a comment

Living the Christian Life

Posted on July 16, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

wonderful presentation

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Whence The Law?

Posted on July 16, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

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Exodus 20:1-6 (KJV)1 And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

When God brought Israel out of Egypt He did so by Grace. Israel was supposed to love and follow God. Yet over and over again Israel rejected the love of God, blaming Him and His chosen Moses any time life was difficult.

So God gave His Israel the Law.
The Law was not given to a Spirit filled loving people.

The Law was added, according to the Apostle:

Galatians 3:19 (KJV) …. It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made …

The Law was added because of TRANSGRESSIONS. What transgressions? Transgressions against God. Transgressions against your fellow man. The Law was a diagnostic tool to show what God’s standards were, and how far short Israel fell from that standard. The Apostle said:

Romans 5:20 (KJV) Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

The Law is like a mirror showing humanity as it is. The Apostle said that …

Galatians 3:22-26 (KJV) But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

The Law of God was never given to save anyone. Israel was saved from Egypt without the Law. The Law was given to establish order over a spiritless and rebellious people. The Law was given to keep order in God’s Israel. Not all of Israel is Israel, just as not all the Church is the Church. The Law was not given to Spirit Filled faithful believers. The Scripture says:

1 Timothy 1:9-10 (KJV) Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers ^{sexually immoral}, for them that defile themselves with mankind ^homosexuals, for men-stealers ^enslavers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

The Law is not made for a RIGHTEOUS person, a person who loves the Lord Jesus, who follows after Him. The Law was made for the UNRIGHTEOUS, for the person who is not saved by faith. We who are Christians walk not by the Law but by the Spirit of God.

Romans 8:1-4 (KJV) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

God Gave The Law To Teach Mankind Grace

God gave the Law – beginning with the Ten Commandments – to Moses. The Ten Commandments were written on tablets of stone. The Law was given to Israel to teach Israel that they needed the Lord. Every one needs to love the Lord. Moses loved the Lord, but the Law was not made for Moses, nor for any righteous saved by faith person in Israel. The Law was delivered to teach the unbeliever that there is a God Who made them. The Law was delivered to the faithless to let them know what is most valuable in life. The Law was given to the disobedient to show them what God’s standard is. The Law starts out with God’s declaration:

Exodus 20:1 (KJV) And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

I am the God that made you.
I am the God Who designed you.
I am the God Who gave you life and liberty.

We enjoy spectacular liberty in these United States, a freedom that many people in many nations around this world wish they had. We live in such a way that even our poor people are rich in comparison to the poor of other countries. It is God Who made this great Nation. It is God’s people who founded this nation.

The Ten Commandments Teach Our Need
To Love God And Love Others

The Ten Commandments that have been ordered out of courthouses, schools, and public places are the basis of our legal system today. The Ten Commandments are divided into two parts.

The first FOUR commandments direct us to LOVE GOD.
The last SIX commandments direct us to love others as we would be loved.

We Desperately Need FIRST To Love God Without Reservation

It is significant that the first four Commandments focus on loving God. A person without God first in his or her life is likely to be very self centered, selfish, narcissistic. A person without God is declared to be foolish. The Bible says:

Psalms 14:1 … The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

If there is no concept in the mind that there is a Great God and that one day we shall answer to Him then a person becomes a free agent, immoral, without any ties to humanity. People ask why so many school shootings are occurring in America today. I tell you it is because we have removed the Ten Commandments, a diagnostic tool to point the unbeliever toward Christ. Look at the Commandments.

The First Commandment is

Exodus 20:1 (KJV) Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

God is to be first and foremost in your life.
YOU are not God.
Your STUFF is not God.
There is but One God, and He is.

You shall have no other gods besides the God Who has revealed Himself to you. A Christian doesn’t have to be told this. A person who is walking in the Spirit knows that the most important relationship you have is to your Lord. He is first.

There are no other gods besides Him.
He saved me. He bled for me.
He suffered and died in my place so that I could be His son by adoption.
God has but one Begotten Son, Whom He gave to die for us.

Galatians 4:4-6 (KJV) But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

If you live in the Spirit then your daily walk is to say with the Prophet:

1 Samuel 3:10 (KJV) …Speak; for thy servant heareth.

We have life because God gave us life through His Son.
We are sons because God gave us His Son.
We are His for life because God indwelt us with His Spirit.
We have eternal life because we go Him Who is eternal and unchanging.

If we put God first, it is natural that the Second Commandment would declare:

Exodus 20:4-6 (KJV) Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

While Moses was on the mountain receiving the Law from God Israel was in the valley breaking this Commandment. They took their jewelry off and, melting it down, turned it into a golden calf to worship. If you are saved by faith you have no desire to worship any God other than He Who saved you. Yet in our world today there are many who wear the cloak of Israel and the cloak of Christianity but who worship false gods. They take their money and use it for things which are shameful. They do not honor the Lord as the Scripture commands,

1 Corinthians 10:31 (KJV) Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

God saved us, and God is not glorified by us when we worship:

money
power
fame
sex
science

Oh, there are many false gods in the world today. Many make their own bodies false gods, and declare abortion – the murder of the innocent – to be righteous. Others glorify sex in any form as acceptable because – as they say – “at least they are happy”. We are not to bow down to the golden calf nor to anything that does not glorify our God. He is worthy. He alone is worthy. If He is worthy we will bow to Him and only Him.

Glorifying God, the Third Commandment declares that our lips shall speak only praises to Him.

Exodus 20:7 (KJV) Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Our lips shall honor our God. Our prayers and our praises will magnify His name. God is worthy of all praise:

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

We dishonor God when we address Him in vain. We should cry out to Him as children. We should praise Him and thank Him. We should honor Him in our families, and speak well of God to our friends and neighbors. When a proposed Christian begins to speak well of Darwin and so called Evolutionary Science you are dishonoring the Lord Who made all things in Six Days, and Rested on the Seventh. The Scripture declares that God created all in six days:

Exodus 20:9-11 (KJV) Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Which brings us to the Fourth Commandment, the Day of Rest

Since God made all things in six literal days and rested on the seventh literal day, the Law declared that Israel was to rest on the Seventh Day. The Seventh Day Sabbath is the Fourth Commandment of God. It was a day set aside to honor God, to rest, and to remember all the good that God did for us.

I have been asked why we as Christians now do not rest on the Seventh Day but the First Day of the week. My response is two-fold. First,

Romans 6:14 (KJV) …. ye are not under the law, but under grace.

The Law was given to the disobedient and the lawless, but not to the righteous person. Israel was given the Law. We worship on the First Day of the Week because this is the Day that Christ rose from the grave (see John 20). The early Church started to do it’s Communion and worship on the First Day of the Week:

Acts 20:7 (KJV) And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

And offerings were collected on the First Day of the week:

1 Corinthians 16:2 (KJV) Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

Being under Grace there is no mandate that we worship on any particular day. But the community of believers called the Church should meet at least once a week to look upward and worship the Lord Who saved us. God must be loved with all our hearts.

If God is loved first, then we will love others best.
If we love God in word and deed, we will love others.

The Apostle said:

1 John 4:19-21 (KJV) We love him, because he first loved us. [20] If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? [21] And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

Why is there racism in our world today? Because racists do not love God. Why is there sexual sin in our world today? Because that sinner – homosexual or heterosexual – does not love God. Why is there the legalized murder of babies in our world today? Because the woman who allows such things does not love God. Every sin that man or woman commits, no matter how big or small, is because of our rejection of God. He alone defines morality. He alone sets the standard.

The Law Demands We Love Others
As We Would Be Loved

If you love God, you will love your Father and Mother:

Exodus 20:12 (KJV) Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

This commandment reminds us that God designed the family to be male and female, and that the children born of this union are supposed to honor those two who gave them life. If a child is not taught to honor their parents, then that child will grow up to be a bad citizen. Order and respect for authority are taught by the parents – or NOT taught by the parents. This commandment also destroys the progressive nonsense that teaches that a child doesn’t need a father. The child is taught by father AND mother. My heart goes out to mothers who are forced to raise their children alone because the father was a deadbeat. Children need their parents – regardless as to how politically incorrect this statement is today.

Those who are raised to be good citizens keep the sixth commandment:

Exodus 20:13 (KJV) Thou shalt not kill.

Which is the Hebrew ra-tsakh’ or “You shall not MURDER”. The Bible mandates killing when people do murder. Noah and his descendants (of which we are):

Genesis 9:5-6 (KJV) And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man. [6] Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

It is a CAPITAL OFFENSE to murder someone, and the Bible mandated death for murder as well as for other grievous God dishonoring crimes. The Sixth Commandment prohibits murder, the unlawful taking of a life, because every life is precious. Every life is created in God’s image.

The Seventh Commandment:

Exodus 20:14 (KJV) Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Prohibits sexual sin in which the marriage vows are violated. The Eighth and Ninth Commandments:

Exodus 20:15-16 (KJV) Thou shalt not steal.
[16] Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

Prohibit taking that which does not belong to you from your neighbor. And the Tenth Commandment:

Exodus 20:17 (KJV) Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s.

Addresses the heart. We are not to dwell on what our neighbor has in comparison to what we have. The Bible says

Hebrews 13:5-6 (KJV) Let your {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.

If you are a Christian walking with your Lord you know that you are called to love God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself. The questions we should ask of ourselves before doing anything toward our neighbor is:

Does my action honor the Lord Jesus?
Is this something Jesus would assist me in doing?
Would I want what I am doing to another to be done to me?
Is the glorious Gospel of Grace promoted by my actions?
Are my actions loving and respectful of God and others?

There are many who profess salvation by faith in Christ but are not saved. Like the Pharisees they look good externally. But Beloved, I repeat the words of my Lord Jesus when He was asked what was the Great Commandment in the Law. He replied:

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

Love God with all that you have. Love your neighbor as yourself. This is the foundational teaching of the Law our schoolmaster. BUT – you say – I DON’T KNOW HOW TO DO THIS. You can’t do it. But God can do it in you. You need Jesus in you lives. You need to realize you are sinners, and so very much need the Savior. Call upon Him. Trust in Him.

Posted in Exodus, Following Disciples, Following Jesus, Law Of God, Living God, Sermons Preached | Tagged law, tten commandments | Leave a comment

The Devil Is A Loser

Posted on July 9, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

red dragon

image courtesy of publicdomainpictures.net

Revelation 12:1-5 (KJV) And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

As we come to chapter twelve we see past and future war between the Righteous and Satan. We start out with two signs – called WONDER in the King James. In verse 1 we read:

And there appeared a great WONDER in heaven

and in verse 3,

And there appeared another WONDER in heaven

The word WONDERis the Greekσημεῖον (sēmeion)which means “a sign or object with a special meaning”. The word is used in:

Matthew 12:38-39 (KJV) Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a SIGN from thee. 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a SIGN; and there shall no SIGN be given to it, but the SIGN of the prophet Jonah:

This chapter starts with two significant events – a WOMAN and a DRAGON. Let’s look at these two signs.

The Woman With Child Is A Sign

Revelation 12:1 (KJV) And there appeared a great WONDER in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

Who is this woman who is clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, with a crown of twelve stars on her head. The Roman Catholic Church believes that this is the Virgin Mary, the Queen of Heaven(as they call her). They worship Mary. But Mary is not to be worshiped. When Mary was told that she would bear the Christ Child she sang praises unto God:

Luke 1:46-49 (KJV) … Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in GOD MY SAVIOR.48 For he hath regarded the LOW ESTATE OF HIS HANDMAIDEN: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

Mary gave glory to God and recognized her LOWLY ESTATE, and the fact that GOD WAS HER SAVIOR just as He is our Savior. She praised God, for He had graciously BLESSED her to carry the Messiah, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Mary is not the Queen of Heaven.
She is not to be worshiped, nor prayed to.

Mary should be respected as an honorable child of God – much like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, King David, and so on – who did as the Lord required of her. Let us glorify our God in all things, and not ourselves. He alone is worthy.

So who is this Woman? She is a woman who carried a very significant Child. We read:

Revelation 12:2, 5 (KJV) And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. … 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

The Child she carried would rule all nations with a rod of iron, be caught up to God, and taken to His Throne. This is Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. He is the One that the Psalmist spoke of, saying:

Psalms 2:7-9 (KJV)7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

He is the King of Kings that is coming again, as we read in:

Revelation 19:13-16 (KJV) And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Christ comes forth from the Woman. This Woman is persecuted by the Dragon. We read later in the chapter:

Revelation 12:13-14 (KJV) And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. 14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a TIME, AND TIMES, AND HALF A TIME, from the face of the serpent.

The phrase “time, times, and a half time” is a reference to the three and one half year period of suffering Israel will undergo at the latter half of the Tribulation.

Time = 1
Times = 2
Half Time = ½
__________
3 ½

The Woman (Israel) is clothed with the sun and standing on the moon because through her would come the Light of the World. The Israel that is hidden and protected during the Great Tribulation is the remnant who are saved by faith in Christ. He is the Light He shines light through His people.

John 1:4 (KJV) InHimwas life, and the life was the light of men.

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

John 9:5 (KJV) As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

John 12:46 (KJV) I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

Israel is the Woman who brought forth the Child, the Son of God. But she is not the only SIGN we see.

Then There Is The Sign Of The Dragon

Revelation 12:3(KJV) And there appeared another WONDER in heaven; and behold a GREAT RED DRAGON, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

There is a Great Red Dragon. The Dragon is GREAT because he thinks himself so. He is arrogant. He has power, but his power was given to him by God. The Bible says that this Dragon – who was once an Arch-Angel called Lucifer – rebelled against God. Isaiah speaks of his fall:

Isaiah 14:12-14 (KJV) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I WILL ascend into heaven, I WILL exalt my throne above the stars of God: I WILL sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I WILL ascend above the heights of the clouds; I WILL be like the most High.

With his five I WILL statements Lucifer rejected the Grace of God (5 is the number of Grace in Scripture) and the Goodness of God. Lucifer rebelled against Heaven. He ceased being the glorious arch-angel Lucifer and instead devolved to become Satan, the Accuser of the Brethren. He is GREAT in power because he was made so by God, but GREAT in arrogance. I have had people ask me before:

“Doesn’t the devil know he can’t defeat God?”

When I’m asked that question I don’t think of the devil, but of all the much lesser beings called HUMANKIND who reject God’s Word and refuse to do His will. My mind then responds:

“Don’t we ALL know that God will triumph?”

The arrogance of sin blinds us to reality. God will win in the end. We should all bend the knee to Him NOW! I am reminded of a recent news article I read of a certain senator who did an interview on television saying we must be careful not to let a conservative judge go to the Supreme Court, lest Roe vs Wade and all of the women’s rights we overthrown. Dear friends, there is a court far Superior to our Supreme Court, and all – even this foolish politician – will stand before one day. She and all who have murdered the innocent will have to give an account to Him Who is the Great I AM. The Dragon may be Great, but God is GREATER still.

This Dragon is RED, for he has a murderous bloodthirsty character.
This Dragon is RED, for he is false religion incarnate, hiding the Blood of the Lamb.
This Dragon is RED, for he is of the flesh and of the world.

Revelation 12:3(KJV) having SEVEN heads and TEN horns,
and SEVEN crowns upon his heads.

The Dragon wants to be God.
He appears to have the authority of God –note the SEVENS used for his description
(SEVEN heads and SEVEN crowns)
He has Ten Horns – Great Authority

He will have a child called the Anti-Christ or the Beast. The Beast, like his father Satan, will have seven heads and ten horns (Revelation 13:1). The Dragon will cause a rebellion and a war in Heaven:

Revelation 12:4(KJV) And his tail drew the THIRD PART OF THE STARS OF HEAVEN, and did cast them to the earth

The word “Stars” in Scripture can refer to the heavenly stars that we see in the night sky, but can also refer to angels. We saw this earlier in this very Book:

Revelation 9:1 (KJV)1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a STAR fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.

When Lucifer revolted against the Creator he led a third of the angels of Heaven to follow him. The Dragon goes even farther than this. We are told:

Revelation 12:4(KJV) … and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for TO DEVOUR HER CHILD AS SOON AS IT WAS BORN.

The Dragon – that old Devil – did his best to destroy Jesus when He was born. He inhabited Herod and his jealousies. If you remember Herod told the Wise Men who were looking for the Christ:

Matthew 2:8 (KJV) …. Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

The Dragon did not want to worship the Child, but to KILL HIM. The Dragon has a son called the Anti-Christ or Beast that he wishes to rule the earth. The Christ must go! The Bible says:

Matthew 2:16 (KJV) Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

Yet the Dragon did not win. The Lord warned Joseph to take Mary and the Christ Child to Egypt (Matthew 2:13)where they stayed until Herod died. The Dragon could not defeat God’s Christ.

her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne

The Christ finished the work that the Father set before Him, and has ascended unto the right hand of God the Father. Unable to destroy the Christ the Dragon now turns his attention to Israel.

Revelation 12:6 (KJV) And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

Here is a wonderful parallel to the Old Testament. When Jesus was born the Lord had Joseph take the Lord to Egypt, the wilderness, to protect and keep Him until old Herod died. When Israel was just a family and not a nation God had Joseph (of the coat of many colors) sold into slavery, then exalted as Regent of Egypt. Israel and his family hid in the wilderness of Egypt until they became a mighty nation. During the Great Tribulation, God will have His True Israel – the Israel that had received the Messiah – hidden for 3 ½ years. The Lord will preserve His Israel. Why? Because God WANTS to preserve His Israel. The Apostle Paul clarified:

Romans 9:6-7 (KJV) …. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: [7] Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

During the Tribulation, there will be a PHYSICAL Israel and a SPIRITUAL Israel. The SPIRITUAL Israel, those who are redeemed by faith in the Messiah – will be hidden as a nation in the wilderness. The PHYSICAL Israel will be inhabited and tread underfoot of the forces of the Anti-Christ. But God’s true Nation will be preserved.

The Dragon will not be able to destroy Israel because God will protect her. Since the Dragon cannot destroy Israel (for she is protected of God) he, like a mad dog, turns his attention to Heaven.

Revelation 12:7-9 (KJV) And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

The Dragon Has Six Names

In verse 9 we see all the names by which the fallen angel Lucifer now goes by. While he followed God he was “Lucifer” which means “The Shining One”. But now we see in verse 9:

The Great Dragon – fierce and destructive
That Old Serpent – the deceiver in Eden (Genesis 3:1)
The Devil – mostly evil
Satan – the accuser of the brethren
The Deceiver – he deceives the whole world

There is one more title given Lucifer in this chapter. He is the LOSER.

He could not destroy the Christ. He could not destroy Israel. He went to Heaven, and could not defeat Michael the Arch-Angel nor his forces. He is literally cast out of Heaven and forced to stay on the earth. There is rejoicing in Heaven:

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.

Do you know how the Dragon-Serpent-Devil-Satan-Deceiver wins? He wins when we stop following God and start following the flesh. When we use the tactics of the world to do battle we bring shame to our God. The Bible says:

Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

The ongoing and future battle which all of God’s people are in is not against FLESH AND BLOOD but against SPIRITUAL FORCES. We cannot win the battle by misusing our tongues, by screaming at the darkness. We cast out Satan the same way that they will cast out Satan in the future:

Revelation 12:11 (KJV) And they OVERCAME him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

What defeats Satan?
The Blood of the Lamb.
The Word of our Testimony.
By a Willing Self Sacrifice.

The Dragon’s power is defeated by The Blood of the Lamb. It is the Blood that defeats SIN, which is Satan’s chain on the earth. What did we read at the beginning of this Book?

Revelation 1:5 (KJV) … Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

His Blood cleanses us from ALL SIN. His Blood POSITIONALLY CHANGES us:

Revelation 1:6 (KJV) And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

We are no longer slaves to SIN but are Children of the LIVING GOD by His Blood. The Dragon-Serpent-Devil-Satan-Deceiver has no hold on a Child of God.

The Dragon’s power is defeated by The Word Of Our Testimony. We have a witness that we can share with the world. We can testify that HE IS IN US, and

1 John 4:4 (KJV) {you} have overcome them: because GREATER is He THAT IS IN YOU that HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD

I know that I am saved because I was there the day that Christ inhabited me. The Evil One is no longer my father, but I have a Father Greater than any – and you do, too.

Finally, the Dragon’s power is defeated by a Christ-like sacrifice of self. The Scripture says “they loved NOT their lives unto death”. If you belong to God, you will not be selfish but sacrificial in your lives. True Religion serves God and others, not self.

James 1:27 (KJV) Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

When the Dragon is cast to the earth during the last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation we read:

Revelation 12:12 (KJV) Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

The evil that he has instituted before will be nothing compared to the evil he will institute now. The last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation will be horrific because Satan will do all he can to destroy Israel, to kill the saints left on the earth, and to take over humanity. He will not be able to destroy the True Israel, though he will try.

Revelation 12:14-17 (KJV) And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Who is the True Israel?
Who is the True Christian?
The Scripture says“Which KEEP the Commandments of God”
“And Have the Testimony of Christ”

If you are His you do as He says.
You walk by His Spirit.
You love Him and others.
You also have the testimony of Christ!

There are many who profess to be Christ’s but who are not. They go to Church, but do not walk with God. These are no threat to Satan. But God – and Satan – knows who are Christ’s.

Posted in Revelation, Sermons Preached | Tagged devil, dragon, Great Tribulation, Jesus Christ, Joseph and Mary | Leave a comment

The Water Tests Of True Faith

Posted on July 9, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

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Exodus 14:15-16 (KJV) And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: [16] But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

I was reading an article the other day where the Author suggested that the God of the Old Testament was different from the God of the New Testament. The reason – he said – is because if you read the New Testament you read about

the BLIND seeing
the LEPERS cleansed
the LAME made to walk
The LUNATIC restored to a proper mind
The DEAF can hear
and the DEAD are raised

The New Testament seems to be filled with love and hope. Yet he said as you read through the Old Testament you read how that:

the Egyptians are drowned
the firstborn not under the Blood are killed
Nations undergo suffering
Canaan is invaded, and all are ordered dead

There are parts of the Old Testament that shock our modern permissive sensibilities. But I want to stress to you all that God is God. He has not changed from the Old to the New Testament. He is, He was, and He will be the same forever.

Deuteronomy 4:35 (KJV) Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.

Deuteronomy 4:39 (KJV) Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.

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

There are hundreds of verses in Scripture that declare God has never changed.
The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament.
The Grace that saved Abraham is the Grace that saves us.
The Grace that saved Israel from Egypt is the Grace that saves us.
We are told in Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, forever
Sin is just as destructive today, but God is just as good.

Our God is good and faithful. He offers His love to whosoever will!

God Proves Himself Faithful
When There Is Too Much Water

As Israel stood at the edge of the Red Sea they needed to look upward and trust the God Who saved them. Moses is their preacher and leader.

God tells Moses to tell Israel to go forward.
Do not look backwards to Egypt.
God did not save you to let the world destroy you, but look forward.
Look up. God is on your side.

God tells Moses to do something strange, something that has nothing at all to do with common sense. He tells Moses to listen to Him by faith. The Lord says to Moses …

Exodus 14:16 (KJV) But lift thou up THY ROD, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

Moses you take that same Rod you used for the sheep in Midia, the same Rod that you used to kill that Egyptian taskmaster … lift that Rod you used (and misused) as I COMMAND and you’ll see a new thing!

Trust God with what He has put in your hand. If God leads you TO it, God will lead you THROUGH it. God has a purpose for you and your things. Let God guide you and you will be blessed.

Now come the words that disturb our modern, politically correct sensibilities. God tells Moses..

Exodus 14:17-18 (KJV) And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honor upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

If you read these words out of context it seems as if God is overly harsh. But Beloved, remember that God gave Pharaoh and Egypt TEN CHANCES to repent, and even now they will not repent.

So God is going to show Egypt something.
God is going to show Israel something.
In fact, God is going to show US something.

The Egyptians will follow their hearts, and suffer for it. There is blessing and promotion in following God, but death in following self and selfishness. God can part the sea for you, or crush you under its waves. Who will you follow? Will you follow God or your desires? Will you follow God or sin? Sins robs of the greatest gift, the Gift of God’s Presence. That is a poor choice.

The Egyptians are following the god of themselves.
They are letting the flesh drive them.

“That which is of the flesh is flesh, and that which is of the Spirit is Spirit”.
“You must be born again”.
The Spirit must govern you, not the Flesh.
To follow God is life and peace.
To follow God is to see the impossible happen.

It happened just as God said. Israel went across on dry land, even in the midst of the sea. But the Egyptians, filled with the flesh, died in the midst of the sea. Why? The Scripture declares that the works of the flesh shall not prosper.

Galatians 5:19-21 (KJV) … the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that THEY WHICH DO SUCH THINGS SHALL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

The Promised Land is not for those who love the world or the things of the world. The Promised Land is for God’s Children. The Promised Land is for those who trust in the Lord and do His will.

Last week I was asked if I was a Pastor by a strange homeless man. When I said I was this individual came up and began cursing me, trying to get me to respond in the flesh. I tried addressing him and telling him that he needed Jesus, but in the end I just got in my van and drove away. God would bless this man if he would turn to the Lord by faith, but he will not. His heart is hardened by sin, and by disobedience to God. He would not hear the Lord, nor His Gospel. And so he drowns in a sea of his own misery. That is what the Egyptians did. They made a choice to charge into the corridor of the parted sea, believing they had power over it. Only God can part the waters. Only God can save. He will save, if we will trust in Him.

When Israel came out of the Red Sea and saw Egypt crushed under its waves they sat on the shore of the sea and sang a song of praise unto God.
In Exodus 15:1-21 we see the first song of the Bible.

Exodus 15:1-2 (KJV) Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. [2] The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

The Red Sea is literally Red with the blood of the defeated. Yet God’s people sing and praise Him. His people unite in song to praise the Lord Who saved them. The Lord took an impossible situation and turned it around. The enemy ended up defeating themselves.

Did you know that most of the songs of praise unto the Lord in the Bible are in the OLD Testament, not the NEW Testament. Why? Because God overwhelmed His people with Grace, even in that “OLD” Book! We should call it the OVERWHELMING Testament!

I wish I knew the tune to this song so I could sing it. Hebrew songs are different from ours. Ideas are rhymed rather than words. Listen to the song (in part):

Exodus 15:3-6 (KJV) The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. 4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea. 5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. 6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

That may seem like a harsh song, but Israel had been bitterly held in slavery for 430 years. Their children had been sold as slaves, molested, raped. God saved Israel with a great Grace, just as He saved us with a great Grace. God would have saved Egypt had they turned to Him. Yet they would not – and were destroyed.

Having been saved by a mighty hand you would think that Israel would trust God no matter what. Yet Israel is fickle. We are fickle. How often has God blessed us when something seemingly bad happens – and we doubt the Lord. God saved Israel from TOO MUCH WATER. Now God will put His people to the test to show us that …

God Is Faithful Even When There Is BITTER Water

Exodus 15:22-23 (KJV) So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. [23]And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.

The word MARAH means BITTER.
MARAH was not Israel’s destination, but VICTORY.

God saved His people from too much water. Now His people do as He commands – they go three days into the wilderness. Israel is obeying God. That’s the right thing to do. Beloved, when we obey God we may be challenged by life itself, but God is in control. We are to trust the Lord.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Psalms 56:3-4 (KJV) What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. 4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

When the people went three days into the wilderness and found no water they began to get bitter in their hearts. They began to QUESTION God rather than trust Him. God knows what they are thinking. God knows what you are thinking. Do not let the trials of life embitter you – trust Him. With bitterness in their hearts they found water in a place called Marah which means Bitterness. What does the Bible say about BITTERNESS?

Ephesians 4:31-32 (KJV) LET ALL BITTERNESS, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And BE YE KIND ONE TO ANOTHER, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, EVEN AS GOD for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Israel became bitter against God, so God let them go to Marah or bitterness. When they got to Marah they found water – but the water was BITTER just as the people were BITTER. When you are bitter then it effects all that God can do for you.

Exodus 15:24 (KJV) And the people murmured against Moses, saying,
What shall we drink?

But Moses went to the Lord. We read:

Exodus 15:25 (KJV){Moses} cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him A TREE, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them

The bitter waters were made sweet when a tree was cast into the water.
The Tree is a picture of the Cross.

Galatians 3:13-14 (KJV) Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, CURSED IS EVERY ONE THAT HANGETH ON A TREE: [14] That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

When the Cross of Christ was cast into my life, the Lord took the bitterness and despair and made my life sweet. When I trust Him and obey Him even in the darkness of life He will be my Sunshine! He will be my Savior!

Now Israel has not yet received The Law at Sinai, and yet Moses says something very significant. I’ve read through this text many times and never noticed this till just now. Moses warned the people – those saved by Grace and not by Law (for the Law was not yet given):

Exodus 15:26-27 (KJV) And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. [27] And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

God tells His people – those He has saved by Grace – “You must hear My Word and Do what I say if you want to be blessed”. Too many times the American Church has preached a salvation by Grace but has called none to RESPONSIBILITY. If you are saved by His Grace like Israel was, then you are His and not your own.

1 Corinthians 6:20 (KJV) For YE ARE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

When Moses threw a tree in the bitter water it was a beautiful image of the Cross of Christ. We enjoy the blessings of God because of the Tree. We drink of His waters because of the Tree. We have life because of the Tree. And we belong to Him because of the Tree. What was the watchword of the early Church?

Acts 5:29 … We ought to obey God rather than men …

It is God Who we follow.
It is Christ Who saved us.
It is His Spirit that leads us.

Right after Moses tossed a tree into Marah to make the waters sweet Israel traveled on to Elim (which means “Palms”) where they found twelve wells of good water and 70 palm trees – a wonderful oasis in the desert. Had Israel trusted God and passed on by Marah (Bitterness) singing they would have come to God’s abundance. The Lord knows what is ahead of us – will we trust Him or our senses? The Lord calls us to trust Him, to love Him, to follow Him, to do as He says. Jesus said:

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.

We are not just to HEAR, but to HEAR AND DO. We are to trust our Lord if He will bless us.

God Is Faithful Even When We Are Not

So Israel leaves Elim, a place of abundance because of the Lord. Do they trust God? No. Coming to Rephidim we read:

Exodus 17:1-4 (KJV) And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. [2] Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD? [3] And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? [4] And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.

The people were moving according to the commandment of the Lord, doing as God told them to do. Then they come to Rephidim … and find no water here. The name of the place should have given them a hint. “Rephidim” means “The Resting Place”. God is not going to bring Israel to “The Resting Place” and let them die of thirst.

They have just left Elim where there was a virtual oasis in the desert provided by God. Now they see no water. Do they trust God? No, they rebel against Moses and the Lord. Moses cries out to God, and the Lord tells him:

Exodus 17:5-7 (KJV)And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. [6] Behold, I WILL STAND BEFORE THEE THERE UPON THE ROCK IN HOREB; and THOU SHALT SMITE THE ROCK, AND THERE SHALL COME WATER OUT OF IT, THAT THE PEOPLE MAY DRINK. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. [7] And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?

Moses is to take his Rod, the same Rod he struck the Red Sea with, and he is to stand before a Rock in Horeb.

What is HOREB?
HOREB is another name for Mount Sinai.
It is the Mountain that Moses will receive the Law from God.
The Law has not yet been given,
But Israel has had an abundance of God’s Grace.
God told Moses,
“I will stand BEFORE YOU at Horeb, and you shall STRIKE THE ROCK”
Do you see the picture of the Cross?
Moses strikes the Rock, but God is BEFORE Moses.
God is struck. God our Rock is struck.

Psalms 18:2-3 (KJV) The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

God led Israel to Rephidim, which means a “Resting Place”. But they refused to rest in Him. Saved from Egypt, they continued to live like the world. God gave them water from the Rock, but Rephidim became Meribah Massah which means “temptation and strife”. Saved from Egypt, they were not blessed. This generation of Israel would receive the Law from Horeb, and wander aimlessly in the wilderness until all were dead.

They would take a knee and run out the clock of life, so close to the Promised Land, but never entering in.

I grieve because so many Christians die never knowing the fullness of God. They leave this life and yes, enter Heaven because of the Blood of Christ. But the only find His joy and peace fully in Heaven. Christ came to save us to take us to His Promised Land. God came to bless us not just in the sweet by and by, but in the NOW. For God is good, and God is able, and God is to be trusted. Oh, that every person would understand that the blessings of life are only found in following the Lord where He leads.

For God is able.
Christ is able.
Let us serve only Him!