Tag Archives: Jesus

Prospecting For Wisdom In God’s Word

Posted on April 26, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Proverbs 3:13-18 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. 14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

Opening: In Sri Lanka a man had hired a well dug in his back yard. While workmen were digging – looking for water – they found a star sapphire cluster. Since it was on his property, it belonged to him. He had it appraised through a gem trader and found out the 2.5 million carat sapphire is worth up to $100 million. The owner named it the “Serendipity Sapphire”. If you found it in your back yard, it wouldn’t look like anything at all to you. You might have rolled it out to the trash pickup. You’d have been wrong!

Gold is much like this sapphire. The inexperienced may find gold, but never know it’s gold, because it looks like dirty quartz until its refined. What looks like gold when you find it is Iron Pyrite, Chalcopyrite or Fool’s Gold. Gold, which isn’t golden until it’s processed, is worth $2336.30 an ounce as of April 23, 2024. Fool’s Gold is worth .55 cents per ounce.

The miner is a person who has studied gold and it’s value. The miner knows how to prospect for gold, and how to ignore the false. Had the man who discovered the Serendipity Sapphire not been acquainted with gemstones, he would have tossed out this Guinness Book of World Records (largest star sapphire cluster ever found) stone.

As valuable as the Serendipity Sapphire is, there is something much greater in value. It is WISDOM…. Continue reading →

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Jesus Is A Priest Forever

Posted on April 21, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Hebrews 5:1-6 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: 2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. 3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. 4 And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. 6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus Came To Lead Israel From Old Covenant
To New Covenant

I do a lot of reading – and studying – because I’m fascinated with the Bible. I read an article the other day from a College Professor (Emeritus, City University of N.Y) named Bernard Starr (Ph.D). This learned man made the statement:

“Christianity began as a Jewish sect and that Jesus was a thoroughly dedicated practicing Jew who never suggested the launch of a new religion … Jesus lived and died a dedicated Jew, as observed by Christian writer Jean Guitton in his book ‘Great Heresies and Church Councils’ … Jesus did not mean to found a new religion. In his historical humanity, Jesus was a devout Israelite, practicing the law to the full, from circumcision to Pesach, paying the half-shekel for the Temple. Jerusalem, the capital of his nation, was the city he loved: Jesus wept over it”.

As many of the “great theologians” of the Scripture have done, they often ignore passages of Scripture while pushing their own doctrines. Jesus was a Jew, born of the lineage of David, of the Tribe of Judah. The Bible says that as Messiah:

John 1:11-12 (NKJV) {Jesus} came unto His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become children of God, to those who believe in his name …

Jesus came to the Jews first, the Messiah, to save whosoever would believe in Him. Jesus followed the laws of Judaism insofar as they were correctly interpreted. Jesus said, Continue reading →

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Your Best Life Is In God

Posted on April 19, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

There is an easy way to determine if something is false and not from God, or if it is true and from God. Ask yourself, “Does it elevate GOD, or elevate MYSELF, my FLESH?” If the “truth” elevates God, it is from God. If it elevates US, it is from Satan.

Follow Your HEART?

For instance, people say “Follow your HEART. Your HEART will always be right?” Is that true? Let’s put that on the Scripture Scales and weigh it:

Proverbs 3:1-2 My son, forget not My law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: 2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

God does not say “Follow your Heart”. In fact, this is what brought sin into the world in the first place. God gave Adam a very clear set of instructions, and a warning against doing what his heart told him to do. Instead of listening to God, Adam listened to his heart. He let his flesh control him, instead of the Word of God. What happened? Paradise was lost.

God said:

“let thine heart keep my commandments”.

Word Study: The word “let” or allow is not in the original text. The word “keep” is the Hebrew nāṣar (pronounced naw-tsar’) which means “to OBSERVE, to PRESERVE as presented, to GUARD from evil, to WATCH CAREFULLY, to DRAW CLOSE TO so as to obey”. We are not to revel or elevate the flesh, our own desires, but are to glorify God our Creator by heeding at doing what He said. We are not to “let” our hearts do God’s Word – that is a poor translation. We are to “KEEP” our hearts focused on God’s Word. We are to put a leash on our hearts, and say to ourselves “What has GOD said and GOD ordered. We will follow GOD regardless as to where our hearts want us to go”. … Continue reading →

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With Whom We Have To Do

Posted on April 16, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Hebrews 4:13-16 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

The past few weeks we have been looking at Israel, God’s Old Testament people. The Word of God led Israel out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, through the deserts, and to the base of Mount Sinai. When God gave His Word to Israel through Moses, His people – saved by Grace – said:

Exodus 24:3 (NKJV) … All the words which the Lord has said we will do ..

The Way To Blessing Is To Hear & Obey God

Yet Israel did not do it. Rather than hear the Word of God and do it, they murmured and complained and balked. In the end the first generation of Israel did NOT go into the Promised Land (other than Joshua and Caleb) because they disobeyed His Word. God had warned Israel:… Continue reading →

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God Delivers From Evil

Posted on April 11, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Proverbs 2:6-15 For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. 9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. 10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; 11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: 12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; 13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; 14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked; 15 Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths …

There is a reason that salvation is based on a relationship with the Lord, and not on your human works. Human works are flawed, suspect. We err. A summary of Romans 3:9-26 makes our position and God’s Grace very clear…. Continue reading →

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God’s Word Our Rest – Hebrews 4:1-12

Posted on April 9, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Hebrews 4:1-3, 8-9 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into HIS REST, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. 3 For we which have believed do enter into REST, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into MY REST: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. … 8 For if Jesus had given them REST, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remaineth therefore a REST to the people of God.

We took a break from Hebrews last Sunday to commemorate “Resurrection Sunday” or what many call “Easter”. We talked about the importance of the Resurrection of Christ, and explained how – without the Resurrection – there is no proof that Jesus of Nazareth is the One and Only Messiah. I brought out last Sunday that there were two very common names in Israel, … Continue reading →

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Knowing God Should Be Our Primary Desire

Posted on April 5, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Proverbs 2:1-5 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

What Value Do We Place On God’s Word?

Why are there so many who profess to be saved who seem to have no more knowledge of God than the lost or the damned atheist? Our text today explains this.

When you are saved, you are saved because you “received” the Gospel of salvation as true. The Gospel is a SEED that is sown on various ground. Jesus said:

Some SEED is RECEIVED by the way side (Matthew 13:19)
Other SEED is RECEIVED in stoney places (Matthew 13:20)
Yet other SEED is RECEIVED among thorns (Matthew 13:22)
But the SEED RECEIVED on GOOD GROUND (Matthew 13:23),

this is the SEED that brings forth the fruit of salvation. Some people harden their hearts to the Gospel of salvation. When Jesus came, the Bible says:

John 1:11-12 … He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

To RECEIVE Christ is to RECEIVE Him as He is – both Lord and Savior. When this occurs, the Holy Spirit of God comes into… Continue reading →

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Resurrection Necessary For Faith: 1 Corinthians 15

Posted on March 31, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

The Sadducees – the liberal crowd of Christ’s day – came into the Church teaching that “the dead rise not”. They did not believe in a life after this life. There are a lot of people like this in our world today. They live in the now, for they believe there is no afterlife. Some of these people will even say that Jesus was a great teacher and a wonderful leader of a moral revolution. But Jesus died, like all founders die. The Apostle tells us:

1 Corinthians 15:16-17 … if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

If Christ is not raised from the grave, then “your faith is vain”. The word “vain” is the Greek (mataia), which means “unreal, unproductive, ineffectual – without any standing in reality”. The fact that Jesus rose from the Grave is imperative to the Christian faith.

If Jesus Did Not Die And Rise Again,
He Is A Liar And a False Prophet

Throughout His ministry, Jesus was very clear that He was going to lay down His life for His people. We read in:

Mark 9:31 {Jesus} was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.”

And again:

Matthew 16:21 (ESV) … Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised…. Continue reading →

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Wisdom Our Helpmeet

Posted on March 31, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Let’s put this into a Biblical perspective. You can KNOW what is true, but not put it into action. Wisdom is the act of putting God’s Truth into ACTION. Jesus preached His “Sermon on the Mount”, and it was recorded in Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7. In this Sermon Jesus told us what God expects us to DO if we are His followers. As Jesus closed the Sermon we read:

Matthew 7:28-29 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

The SCRIBES had knowledge. They knew all about the Bible, and were astounding in how much Scripture they memorized. But Jesus was different. He told His audience just before closing the Sermon:

Matthew 7:24-27 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.

Who is the “wise man”? The person who HEARS what Jesus said, but DOES what He said. The Scribe will HEAR the Word, but not DO it. He is not wise. The wise person both heeds and does what God said, regardless as to temptation to do otherwise…. Continue reading →

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Holy, Not Hardened, Hearts: Hebrews 3:7-19

Posted on March 24, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

Hebrews 3:7-12 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) 12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

All of the Scripture is God Breathed, God inspired, God spoken. The Apostle said in:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV) All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God {the believer} may be complete, equipped for every good work.

We know that all Scripture – this Bible we cherish – is theopneustos, God breathed out. It is the very Word of God. We know that the text we study every week is written by “holy men of God who SPOKE AS THEY WERE MOVED BY THE HOLY GHOST” (2 Peter 1:21). We know this. But here today as we read our text we see the words:

Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith…

The Bible here makes it a POINT that what is being said comes from the Holy Spirit of God. This isn’t something David Buffaloe is saying. This is something God is saying. It starts with “Wherefore”. This refers back to what we studied last week. We saw a comparison between The House of Moses and The House of Christ. Both Houses are led by faithful men. But the House of Christ is SUPERIOR to the House of Moses, because Jesus is superior to Moses. The House of Moses was built by those who had faith in … Continue reading →

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