THE TIME BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS
Second Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Question: What is “All Scripture?” It is the Bible composed of sixty-six books of the Cannon, from Genesis to Revelation. Are their other books in the world inspired of God? No! The Bible is God’s Word to man.
Second Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
When the prophet Malachi ceased preaching, there was silence from Heaven until the prophet John the Baptist appeared.
Between the close of the book of Malachi in the Old Testament and the beginning of Matthew in the New Testament around four-hundred years elapse. This time is called the “silent years” when God did not speak thorugh a prophet on earth.
Why didn’t God speak through a prophet? Because he had already spoken and given to Israel and the world everything they needed to know in “The Law and the Prophets.”
What was the law and the prophets? The Law and the Prophets were the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament. This was the inspired word of the Living God. The Jews called it he Tenakh.
A great transition is under way that nobody understands yet!
The Jewish religious leaders of the day are blind – Luke 16:14-16.
14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
“Until John” – reveals to mankind that nothing was inspired by God till John came and then things were about to change.
What is the change? There is going to be a transition period from law to grace.
Jesus said in the book of Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. The shadows of the Old Testament will now become reality (Col 2:13-17).
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
hThe nation of Israel in 400 B.C. is free from bondage and is back again in the land of Palestine after the Babylonian captivity. However, they are under the dominion of the great Medio-Persian Empire.
In Jerusalem, the temple had been restored, although it was a much smaller building than the one that Solomon had built so elaborately.
hIn the beginning of this era, within the temple the line of Aaronic priests were still worshipping and carrying on the sacred rites as they had been ordered to do by the Law of Moses.
There was a direct line of the priesthood that could be traced back to Aaron. But the priesthood was corrupt. They were blind and deft to the words of God for so preached the prophets which had already come (Isaiah 6:10; Jeremiah 5:21. Malachi 1:7-10)
h The royal line of David had fallen on evil days. The people knew that the rightful successor to the throne had to come from the linage of Abraham, Jacob and David. The last ruler of kinship was Zerubbabel spoken of by Haggai, Zechariah, and Ezra.
But there was no king on the throne of Israel from this linage. They were a puppet nation, under the domination of Persia.
There nation was weak, their religion was formalism as the prophets have shown us, yet they were united at the beginning of the “silent years.” There were no political schisms or factions among them, nor were they divided into groups or parties at this time.
SILENCE -- FOR -- 400 -- YEARS!
h Four-hundred years later when you open the New Testament in the book of Matthew, you discover an entirely different atmosphere -- almost a different world. It is the story of Rip Van Winkle. Winkle fell asleep when King George of England ruled and woke up when George Washington was president. There is a new king!
Rome is now the dominant power of the world. The center of power has shifted from the East to the West, all the way to Rome.
Israel (Palestine) is still a puppet state -- the Jews never did regain their own sovereignty -- but now there is a king on the throne. But this king is not the descendant of Jacob and David. He is the descendant of Esau and his name is Herod the Great.
hTo make matters worse, the high priests who now sit in the seats of religious authority in the nation are no longer from the line of Aaron.
They cannot trace their ancestry line; rather, they are hired priests to whom the office is sold for political gain.
h The temple (Herod’s) is still to be the center of Jewish worship, although the building has been partially destroyed and rebuilt about a half-dozen times over the pass four-hundred years; but when Jesus comes to the temple he sees that it was now used as a den of thieves (Matt 21:13).
hSomething new has transpired. There are:
1 -- Sects and Parties:
hScribes – These men were held in high esteem by the Jewish people. They were considered the teachers of the Scriptures. They arose during the Babylonian captivity. Ezra, himself was both a priest and a scribe. However, these scribes were bitterly opposed to Christ and denounced Him.
Pharisees – These men were an influential Jewish sect that arose during the Maccabees. They were extreme legalist and traditionalist.
Sadducees – The Sadducees were the rationalist, the liberals of their day. They denied the supernatural, resurrection, immortality…
Herodians – They were not a religious sect but a political party that followed the Herod’s. They looked on Christ as a revolutionary.
Zealots – This group of extremist were fanatical defenders of the theocracy and engaged in acts of violence to so defend their faith.
2 -- Sanhedrin: In the New Testament days this group was the supreme civil and religious body within the Jewish nation. The president of the Sanhedrin was also the high priest. This group was formed at some time during the 400 years of silence; possibly under the Hasmonean Dynasty. (Page 7 u)
They had the right, granted to them by the Romans to pass sentence of death but they not have the right to execute it.
3 -- Synagogues: The synagogues began probably during Babylonian captivity. They sprung up in every Jewish city and seems to have become the center of Jewish life even more than the temple. This was the way the Jews tried to keep alive the knowledge of the Scriptures. (Page 8 v)
4 -- Scattering: The scattering of the Jews or the dispersion was evident. The Jewish people were living all over the world.
hWhy did God wait 400 years to speak? He wanted his people to spread his teaching across the known world so that all would know the true God and the Christ that would soon be born. It was a time for the Word of God to sink deep into the hearts of His people, just as today our love and life should be built around the teachings of the Bible. And we should tell others of the Christ who is to come.
h Now, what happened in these four hundred so-called "silent" years? And is there Scripture foundation for what happened?
Yes and No. The only prophet that gives us insight is Daniel (Daniel 7, 8, 11).
Yes - Daniel predicted the shift of power from the east to the west.
He foretold of Babylon’s defeat by the hand of Persian.
He then reveals the quickness of the Greeks and their power to conquer Persia.
A tremendous battle between the Persians and the Greeks entirely altered the course of history. Alexander the Great at the age of twenty led the armies of Greece in victory over the mighty Persians and completely demolished the power of Persia. Alexander began his reign around 336 B.C.
The center of world power then shifted farther west into Greece, and the Grecian empire was born.
h Legend: A year after that historic battle Alexander the Great led his armies into the Syrian world toward Egypt. On the way, he planned to destroy the city of Jerusalem.
As Alexander’s victorious armies approached the city and word was brought to Jerusalem that the armies were on their way, fear filled everyone’s heart. The high priest at that time, who was an old man took the sacred writings of Daniel the prophet and, accompanied by a host of other priests dressed in white garments, went forth and met Alexander some distance outside the city.
Alexander left his army and hurried to meet this body of priests. When he met them, he told the high priest that he had a vision the night before in which God had shown him an old man, robed in a white garment, who would show him something of great significance to himself, according to the account, the high priest then opened the prophecies of Daniel and read them to Alexander.
In the prophecies Alexander was able to see the predictions that he would become that notable goat with the horn in his forehead, who would come from the West and smash the power of Medio-Persia and conquer the world. He was so overwhelmed by the accuracy of this prophecy and, of course, by the fact that it spoke about him, that he promised that he would save Jerusalem from siege, and sent the high priest back with honors (Daniel 8:5-8).
***All this is from the report of Josephus, the Jewish historian.
hAlexander died in 323 B.C. when he was only about thirty-three years old. He had drunk himself to death in the prime of his life, grieved because he had no more worlds to conquer. After his death, his empire was torn with dissension, because he had left no heir. His son had been murdered earlier, so there was no one to inherit the empire of Alexander.
After some time, however, the four generals (predicted by Daniel) that had led Alexander's armies divided his empire between them (Daniel 8:8). Two of them are particularly noteworthy to us. One was Ptolemy, who gained Egypt and the northern African countries; the other was Seleucus, who gained Syria, to the north of Palestine.
Again, Israel was caught in a meat-grinder of the unending conflicts between Syria on the north and Egypt on the south.
Now if you have read the prophecies of Daniel, you will recall that Daniel was able, by revelation, to give a very accurate and detailed account of the highlights of these years of conflict between the king of the North (Syria) and the king of the South (Egypt) in Daniel 11.
During this time Grecian influence was covering the world and becoming stronger in Palestine. A party arose among the Jews called the Hellenists, who’s goal was to bring Grecian culture and thought into the nation and to liberalize some of the Jewish laws.
h This forced a split into two major parties. There were those who were strong Hebrew nationalist, who wanted to preserve everything according to the Mosaic order. They *resisted all the foreign influences that were coming in to disrupt the old Jewish ways. This party became known as the Pharisees, which means "to separate." (*Acts 7:51)
They wanted to preserve traditions, the old ways. As they grew stronger they became more legalistic and rigid in their requirements, until they became the target for some of the most scorching words our Lord ever spoke.
Our Lord called them serpents and hypocrites because of their traditions. Matthew 23: 33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? (Matthew 23:33-37).
They had become religious hypocrites, (Matt 23:13-29) keeping the outward form of the law and traditions, but completely violating the spirit.
h On the other hand, the Hellenists -- the Greek lovers -- became more and more influential in the politics of the land. They formed the party that was known in New Testament days as the Sadducees, the liberals.
The Sadducees turned away from the strict interpretation of the law and became the rationalists of their day. They did not believe in the supernatural in any way. We are told in the New Testament that they came again and again to the Lord with questions about the supernatural, like "What will happen to a woman who has been married to seven different men? In the resurrection, whose wife will she be?" (Matt. 22:23-33) They constantly looked for fault.
Greek culture had covered the world but the power of Syria and Egypt were still strong.
h Around 175-180 B.C., Antiochus Epiphanes of Syria, became one of the most vicious and violent persecutors of the Jews ever known.
In fact, he is often called by Judaism and Christianity alike the Antichrist of the Old Testament, since he committed some of the same atrocities that the Antichrist of Revelation will commit (Daniel 8:9).
hIt was Antiochus that disposed of the Aaronic priesthood. This ended the long line of succession, beginning with Aaron and his sons through the many centuries of Jewish life.
Antiochus Epiphanes sold the priesthood to Jason, who was not of the priestly line. Jason, sold it to his younger brother Menelaus, who then sold the golden vessels of the temple for gain.
Epiphanes overthrew the God-authorized line of priests. Then, and under his reign, the city of Jerusalem and all the religious rites of the Jews began to deteriorate as they came fully under the sadistic power of the Syrian king.
h In 171 B.C. Antiochus invaded Egypt and once again Palestine was caught in the middle of war.
Palestine is the most fought-over country in the world, and Jerusalem is the most captured city in all history.
It has been pillaged, ravished, burned and destroyed more than 27 times in its history.
While Antiochus was in Egypt, it was reported that he had been killed in battle, and Jerusalem rejoiced. The Jews organized a revolt and overthrew Menelaus, the pseudo-priest.
When report reached Antiochus (who was very much alive in Egypt) he organized his armies and swept like a fury back across the land, falling upon Jerusalem with terrible vengeance.
He overturned the city and regained his power. Some 40,000 people were slain in three days of fighting during this terrible time.
He restored Menalaus as high priest and then forced his way into the Holy of Holies. He destroyed the scrolls of the law and, to the absolute horror of the Jews, took a pig and offered it upon the sacred altar.
He then took the blood of that pig and completely defiled and violated the sanctuary. It is impossible for us to grasp how horrifying this was to the Jews. They were simply appalled that anything like this could ever happen to their sacred temple.
It was that act of defiling the temple which is referred to by the Lord Jesus as the "abomination of desolation" which Daniel had predicted (Matt. 24:15), and which also became a sign of the coming desolation of the temple when Antichrist himself will enter the temple, call himself God, and thus defile the temple in that time.
h An edict was passed to desecrate every temple in the land. Altar after altar was defiled with a pig sacrifice. In the town of Modin the Syrians came and demanded all the towns people come to the temple to make a sacrifice or die. In that crowd was Judas Maccabees. The general of the Syrians that day was Appelles. He called Judas’ name and told him that priest everywhere were making sacrifices in obedience to the king, now would he make this sacrifice. He kindly refused. Another priest volunteered to make the sacrifice. As he approached the altar with knife in hand, Judas Maccabees lunged at him, took the knife and killed him. He then turned and killed Appelles. That began the “Maccabean Revolt” that lasted for 100 years.
They captured the attention of the Israelites, summoned them to follow them into battle, and in a series of battles, in which they were always an overwhelming minority, they overthrew the power of the Syrian kings, captured Jerusalem, and cleansed the temple.
The day they cleansed the temple was called the Day of Dedication or Hanukkak. It fell on or near December 25. On that date Jews still celebrate the Feast of Dedication each year.
u The Maccabees, who were of the Hasmonean family, began a line of high priests known as the Hasmonean Dynasty. Their sons, for about the next three or four generations, ruled as priests in Jerusalem, all the time having to defend themselves against the constant assaults of the Syrian army who tried to recapture the city and the temple.
v During this time, one of the Hasmonean priests made a league with the rising power in the West, Rome. He signed a treaty with the Senate of Rome, providing for help in the event of Syrian attack. Though the treaty was made in all earnestness and sincerity, it was this pact which introduced Rome into the picture and history of Israel.
A fierce battle was waged on Israel (Palestine). It grew hotter and hotter.
Finally, the Governor of Idumea, (Edom) a man named Antipater and a descendant of Esau, made a pact with two other neighboring kings and attacked Jerusalem to try to overthrow the authority of the Hasmonean high priest.
This battle raged so fiercely that finally Pompey, the Roman general, joined forces with Antipater. Pompey came down from Damascus, entered the city of Jerusalem and again with a terrible slaughter, overthrew the city and captured it for Rome. That was in 63 B.C. From that time on, Israel was under the authority of Rome.
Now Pompey and the Roman Senate appointed Antipater or Antipas as the Procurator of Judea, and he in turn made his two sons kings of Galilee and Judea. The son who became king of Judea in 40 A.D. is known to us a Herod the Great. Thus, the king that sat on the Throne over Israel was from the descendant of Esau, not Jacob. "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem saying, 'Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?'" (Matt. 2:1, 2)
Meanwhile, the pagan empires around the world had been deteriorating and disintegrating. Their religions had fallen upon evil days. The people were sick of the polytheism and the emptiness of their pagan faiths. There was a growing air of expectancy that the only hope they had left was the coming at last of the promised Messiah.
In the East, the oriental empires had come to the place where the wisdom and knowledge of the past had disintegrated and they too were looking for something. When the moment came and the star arose over Bethlehem, the wise men of the East who were looking for an answer to their problems saw it and immediately came to seek out the One it pointed to. Thus, "when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son."
It is amazing how God utilizes history to work out his purposes. Though we are living in the days that might be termed "the silence of God," remember we are to live what He has already written in the Scriptures.
God's purpose and plan is in full swing. You must choose if you will be one who will stand and fight for right and truth. Will you be a Christian or will you be like the Pharisees, or the Sadducees or Herodians or Zealots.
Choose you this day whom you will serve?
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007
DR. LAW AND DR. GRACE
DR. LAW AND DR. GRACE
The doctrinal of law and grace presents one of the greatest truths in the Bible.
There is an unbreakable relationship between law and grace.
This is an allegorical message presented in Scripture and Sermon and Song.
What we will discover is our Standing and Security in Christ.
Grace is the free and undeserving favor of God.
Grace is God paying a debt that we could never in a million years pay.
I – THE SCRIPTURES - on Law and Grace:
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Romans 5:13, “For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.”
Here the word imputed means to charge. The law was given to charge man as being sinful. If a criminal is guilty but declares he is innocent the judge will pose the maximum sentencing on him. But, if he admits his guilty then the judge can show mercy.
Romans 5: 20 - 21, “Moreover the law entered, that the offense (disobedience, lies, pride) might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
That as sin (that is man’s chronic and fatal spiritual disease) hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 7:5, "For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sin, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
The Law reveals our diseased proud and selfish life – v 5.
6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held: that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. Dr. Grace does what Dr. Law can not do.
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin (or sinful)? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Dr. Law reveals our standing with a holy God. We are lost!
That terrible chronic and fatal disease man has called sin was not known to me until God’s Law revealed it to me. In other words, I thought I was OK until the Law of God showed me what I really was.
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.”
In other words, before I met Dr. Law, I thought I was alive. I thought I was OK. I didn’t know that I was dead.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Galatians 3: 22 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.
II -THE SERMON -- on Law and Grace:
g Years ago I was having some serious problems but I just didn’t know exactly what my problem was. I was unhappy. I was lonely. I was cantankerous, angry, and just down right miserable.
Was it physical or mental, I don’t know? Things bothered me and people bothered me.
Anyway, I had a neighbor that was always joyful and peaceful in life. He had a light, a love, a kindness about him I couldn’t explain.
I asked him for advice. He talked to me but I couldn’t understand what he was saying. Finally he said, “Go see my doctor.”
So, I ask him who his doctor was. He said, “If you want help you have to first go to “Dr. Law.” Then he said, “You really ought to go and see him, he was the only one that could help me.”
I said, “Where is he located? He said, “Take the road called “Strait” to the corner of OT Blvd and NT Drive.
He said, “Dr. Law is located in the Romans building, floor 3 and room 23.” And his associate is located in an adjoining building called the Ephesians Building on floor 2 in rooms 8-9.
“Now listen,” he said, “Down the street from them on the road called “Broadway,” there are many MEDICAL PRACTICES. They are phonies. They look good, sound good but they won’t get to your root problem.”
“They will offer as many remedies as the people want and change many times to satisfy their patients.”
Well I, like most men postpone going for a while but it seem that whatever it was inside of me was growing and growing and I got kind of scared.
Finally, I went down to OT Blvd to the Romans building, floor 3 and room 23 and went inside.
-As I walked in his office, I noticed that it was quite old fashion.
-I didn’t see anything new in there; everything was just old.
-Even the music was in a minor key playing.
-I said to the secretary, I would like to see Dr. Law.
With a cold stare she handed me I guess a survey paper or something and said fill this out.
It said something like this: “Have you realized that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God? I answered “No, I didn’t really know what it meant.”
The second question was: “Have you realized All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way?” Again I answered, “No.”
The third question was, “Do you realize There is none that doeth good, no, not one.” because “There is none righteous, no, not one.” Again I said, “No.”
I handed the paper back to her and without a smile she said, “Go on in you need help.”
I stepped inside his office and started to tell him how I had been feeling and he stopped me before I could get started.
“I will not need your help,” he said.
I said, “Do you think you can diagnose what is wrong with me without me telling you my symptoms?”
And he said, “Yes, sir, I KNOW what is wrong with you.
You have heart trouble. You’re just like all the rest of my patients.”
My old flesh got a little hot and it didn’t make sense to me that every one of his patients would have the same disease.
He handed me a piece of literature to read. It said, “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
He asked me if I understood that and I said, “No.” Then I said, “Dr. Law I’m going to tell you my symptoms because I don’t think you understand me.
f I’m having trouble with my HANDS. I take things that aren’t mind. My fingers like to throw the dice and they deal a good poker hand. They even deal off the bottom of the deck. These hand like to fight. They reach for money. My hands are giving me trouble. I can’t control them.” Sometimes I would like to strangle people. I need to know how to control my hands.
Dr. Law placed his big hand on mine and looked at my hands for a few moments and said, “Son, you have heart trouble.
I said, “Doc, I don’t know about that. I’m going to have to argue with you. You may be a doctor, but still you don’t understand me.
f Let me tell you more. I’m having trouble with my eyes. It’s nothing for me to sit three or four hours in one night and watch Hollywood and another hour read worldly magazines and newspapers.
I like those girly magazines. Matter of fact every thing I see my eyes want; a new gun, a new golf club, a new fishing pole, a new car, a new wife.
I think it is my eyes. They are never satisfied. I must be having eye trouble.”
Dr. Law took a light and looked into my eyes with his deep dark eyes and said, “Son it is plain to see.” I said, “What?” He said, “You have heart trouble.
f I glared at him for a moment then said, Doc be reasonable about this thing. Let me tell you something else. I’m having trouble with my tongue.
It says things that are sharp and ugly and critical and uncontrollable.
It says things like, “I hate him and I would like to kill her and it loves to argue.
It say things to my wife I shouldn’t say. I find myself condemning and sarcastic. I believe there is something rotten about my tongue.
Please examine my tongue.” Dr. Law rubbed his chin with his hand and took out a little popsicle stick and said open up. He looked at my tongue and said, “Yep, hum, just what I thought.” I said, “What, Doc?” He sighed and said, “Son, you have heart trouble.”
f By this time, I felt like he just wasn’t listening to me. I was getting angry. I said, Dr. Law maybe it is my ears. Sometimes my neighbor tells me stories about the Bible and I can’t hear him. I mean it doesn’t make sense. I can’t understand a thing he is saying. But when my friends gossip and tell dirty smut I understand it all.
On the radio, I can’t understand that “Christian music stuff. I don’t even like to listen to it but I love my rock and rap. It really moves my flesh. I love to hear things that give me a better opinion of myself.
Dr. Law took that little light and looked in my ears and groaned a little. I said, “What is it doc?” Do know what he said to me? Yep! “Heart Trouble.”
f Then I said, “Doc do you think it might be my feet. They take me into bars and dance halls and place I know I shouldn’t go. They get me in trouble. I think something is wrong with my feet.
Dr. Law never raised his eye brows. He never smiled. He only looked at me. He took a deep breath and with his base voice said, “Son, O Son, you have heart trouble.”
f Well, doc, I have one more symptom and maybe this will help you diagnose what is wrong with me. There is something wrong with my taste. I really like the taste of liquor and intoxicating beverage and even dope. I think there must be some way you can change my taste.”
And Dr. Law said, “That will be taken care of when your heart is fixed.”
g I blew up, “You’re a quack, a nut.” I said. In anger I said, “Dr. Law, I’m going to another doctor,” to which he said, “The woods are full of them, but you’ll never get well until your heart is made right.”
I said to Dr. Law, “Could you recommend any other doctor for a consultation?” He said, “There is only one doctor I would recommend and if you won’t listen to me, you won’t listen to him.”
f So I went home. My neighbor asked how things went. And I went off on him, “Your doctor is a quack.” I told him I’ll find a more modern doctor that knows modern medicine.
My neighbor said, “I tried the same thing and after many years I found that nothing satisfied me till I listened to Dr. Law.
I said, “Not me, that guy is crazy.” So I went down the road called, “Broadway” and saw this beautiful building. There I found Dr Religion.
I knocked on Dr. Religion’s door and walked in. Everything was so pretty and modern. I like the upbeat music. I related to that.
I then met Dr. Religion. He seems just like me, just a good old Joe and he said, “Come on in here, Roland, I’m glad to see you!”
And I said, “Yes I’m glad to see you. I’ve been up to see old Dr. Law.” To which Dr. Religion said, “Oh, he’s ancient; he’s an antique.
Modern folks don’t go to him. He hasn’t had the latest training.
He doesn’t know anything about the latest approaches to meeting man’s needs.” He leaned over in a whisper and said, “Personally, I don’t like Dr. Law.”
“Well “Dr. Religion,” I said, “I think there is something wrong with me?”
He said, “Why there doesn’t look like there is anything wrong with you.”
I said, “Would you give me a check up anyway?”
He said, “Sure!” After his examination, he said, “Why, there’s nothing seriously wrong with you that going to church wouldn’t fix.”
And I said, ‘Which one?” “Oh,” he said, “just any of them will be all right.
Find one convenient and entertaining.”
So the next Sunday, I went to church and people shook my hand and said how glad they were to see me. Well I felt great but after a while I didn’t think people were treating me right so I went back to Dr. Religion and I said, “Dr. Religion, I don’t believe I’m any better.” He said, “Well, did you start going to church?” I said, “Sure. I’ve been going every Sunday.”
Well he said, “Did you pray the prayer?” I said what prayer? He said you got to pray the prayer. You have to say “Jesus save me.” I said, “Is it that simple?” He said sure. So I prayed the prayer right in his office.
And he told me I was going to heaven. Well that sounded good. I felt better. I believed Dr. Religion. I put my faith in what Dr. Religion told me.
Things went well for a while but then I felt the same again, I felt empty again, so I went back to Dr. Religion. And told him how I felt.
Then he said, “Did you join and get baptized?” “Why,” I said, “no.” He said, “Do that and that will make you feel better.” I said, “I’ll sure do it and get my wife to also.”
So I went down to the church and joined it and got baptized. Well people came by and patted me on the back and called me Brother. And I felt really good for a long time but that same old empty and dark feeling came back.
I went back to Dr. Religion and I said, “Dr. Religion, there’s something wrong I’m not really any better.” “Well,” he said, “have you taken a job in the church and started helping others. Teach Sunday school. Get involved.” And so I did.
At first it was kind of fun having authority and having children look up to me. I got certificates and recognition and I felt really good but it wasn’t long before I just was the same old guy I has always been. It seemed I had never changed.
So I dropped out and only went once a week for a while and then dropped out all together.
g One day on the “Broadway” I saw Dr. Be Good’s church. So I went to Dr. Be Good. He had a kind face and he always smiled.
He told me to “Be Good.” “Be positive.” “Be tolerant of everybody.” “Be happy.” “After all,” he said, “We are all going to heaven.” We don’t want to talk about hell and sin. Because sin isn’t really sin; everything is relative.
So let’s just be good and one day we all will be in heaven.
I thought, well that sounds good. So I’ll just “be good.”
You know what? After a few weeks, I found out I can’t be good. It just isn’t in me to read the Bible. Church and Bible study just wasn’t something I liked. I couldn’t obey God’s word. I couldn’t be a good husband. I couldn’t be a good dad. I couldn’t be a good guy. I felt miserable and my “Be-Good” days ended.
g --So back to the “Broadway” I went. I found Dr. Do Good. As I talked with him, he told me, Roland it isn’t enough to try and be good, you must do good. “Explain that doc?” I said. 1) Give money to various charities. 2) Help the poor. 3) Join a club in your community. 4) Help the kids. He said, “You know what the Bible says, “Do Good and you will feel good!” Well I tried and again it lasted for a while only to leave me high and dry.
g I tried four or five other doctors only to go home one day and sit in my recliner and have the same of symptoms I always had. I wasn’t satisfied in life. Something was missing. There was an empty void in my heart and I didn’t know how to fill it. I decided I’d go back to Dr. Law.
I knocked on his door and the Secretary said, “Come in.” I said I want to see, “Dr. Law.” She said he was waiting for me.
As I walked in he sat there in his chair with the same stern, obstinate look on his face.
I said, Dr. Law I tried them all but none of them could help me. What do you recommend? He looked me straight in the eye and said, “Son, you have heart trouble.” You are a sinner.
“You are right doctor. I agree. I am a sinner. I have heart trouble,” I said, “What do you recommend?”
He said, “You have to have heart surgery. You must have an operation. Your heart will have to come out and a new one put in.”
I said, “Dr. Law, when will you operate?” And he said, “I don’t operate.” To which I said, “You mean I’m going to have to die. Do you mean you can tell me what is wrong but you can’t cure me?” That’s right,” He said. “Then is there no hope?” I cried. Trembling and perspiring I looked at Dr. Law and said, “Can’t you please help me.”
Dr. Law. I said, “I can’t help you from this point on. I will have to recommend you to my associate. His name is Dr. Grace. He does all the operations.
Where is he? “Adjacent to this building is the Ephesians building,” Dr. Law told me. You don’t even have to go back on the street to get to his office.
He led me down the hall to the second floor and room 8-9. When he opened the door a light hit me in the face and knocked me to the ground.
I looked up and saw a handsome, loving, doctor smiling as he came to the door. Dr. Law said, “Dr. Grace, this is Roland Shepley, and he’s got the same trouble all my other patients. He has heart trouble and he needs a new heart.
f Dr. Law slipped away and went back into his office and left me standing alone in the presence of Dr. Grace and with fear and trembling, the questions began to come.
First, “Dr. Grace, are there a team of doctors to help you operate?” And he said, “No, I’ve never had any help.”
I said, “Dr. Grace, have you some good nurses or assistants?” He said, “No, sir. I’ve never had a nurse - I do it all.”
I said, “Dr. Grace, will you give me a good anesthetic and put me into a deep sleep?” He said, “No, sir. I never give anesthetics because you must fully know everything I do for you so you can tell the world about it.”
I said, “Dr. Grace, will you let me call my wife and let her come and stand by me?” And Dr. Grace smiled and said, “No, son, this is a personal matter just between me and you. You can tell her after it’s all over.”
I said, “Dr. Grace, I’m scared,” and he said, as he placed his big hand on my trembling shoulder, “You don’t have to be afraid - I’ve never lost a case. This will be a successful operation.”
I said, “Dr. Grace, what about the charges and the expense of this tremendous operation?” He said, “It’s already paid for.” I said, “Who paid for it?” He said, “A Friend of yours.” “Oh,” I said, “I’d like to meet Him.” He said, “After the operation, I’ll let you meet Him, I’ll introduce you to Him.”
I said, “Dr. Grace is it true that you are going to take my old heart out and put in a new one?” He said, “Yes.” I said, “Where are you going to get the new heart?” He said, “You’ll find out after the operation.”
And so just by faith, I surrendered completely to Dr. Grace, Just like I admitted I was a sinner to Dr. Law. I lay down on the operating table and the great surgeon, Dr. Grace, took a two-edged sword and cut my heart out.
f I smelled the foulest odor. I looked and my heart was dripping with filth. It was petrifying. It was sickening to look upon. I saw pride and anger and bitterness and sin.
And for the first time, I realized that Dr. Law was right. I had heart trouble. I was a great sinner.
In a moment Dr. Grace had thrown that old heart away and put a new one within my body. It was so pure and clean.
I felt the flow of a new life. I now had a love for God flowing in my veins.
I had a joy unspeakable and full of glory. I had a peace that passeth all understanding. I had a forgiving heart. I had a love for the brethren. I was a new man.
In a moment with a smile on my face and tears of gratitude coursing down my cheeks, I said, “Dr. Grace, when shall I come back for the check up?” He said, “Son, no check up will be necessary, the operation is permanent”
f I said, “What do you recommend?” He said, “Just take some good exercise each day.” And I said, “Do you have any particular exercises?” To which he said, “Yes, kneeling and even raising your hands and praising God and at times, especially in privacy, stretch out on your face and thank God for what he has done for you.
Take some good walks through the community, knocking on doors and tell others what has happened to you.
And one important thing; all those who have had Heart-operations gather together Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night to show honor to the one who gave them a new heart. Do that the rest of your life and you will be very healthy.
Dr. Grace, “I need to know something. Who gave me my new heart?” “Who sacrificed their life so I could live?”
Dr. Grace took me to a mirror, called the Mirror of God’s Word and as I looked in that mirror I saw the loveliest Friend I’ve ever met. When He raised His hands, I saw nail prints. On His brow I saw scars caused by thorns. When His lovely robe fell apart, I saw the spear print in His side.
Dr. Grace said, “Jesus” I want you to meet Roland Shepley. And as I looked at that scar in His side, I said, “Dr. Grace, I now understand where my new heart came from. He gave me His.”
And I fell on my face and said and started my exercises.” After a season of praise and thanksgiving and adoring the One who died for me, I walked joyfully and victoriously down the sidewalk of life.
I went back to visit the old doctor that I first hated. When I walked inside, he met me with a smile. I extended my hand and his big strong hand gripped mine and I said, “Thank you, Dr. Law, for being my school master and telling me what was wrong with me.”
I was amazed that Dr. Law looked so handsome and attractive. He seemed so different now that I had a new heart and we have had sweet fellowship for many years.
Not only did I have a new heart, but a new song, even praise unto our God.
Song:
Once in the stillness of the late midnight hour
I felt the presence of the Lord’s saving power.
I fell on my knees and I cried to him there,
O merciful Savior, Hear the lost sinners prayer.
Now every hour and every day,
In every moment and in every way,
I’m leaning on Jesus, He’s the rock of my soul.
I’m singing His praises wherever I go.
I’ll never forget, that night on my knees,
Oh the joy of that hour, it never left me,
Of Life’s sweetest memories, time can’t erase,
I’m saved by His mercy, redeemed by Dr. Grace.
Now ever hour and every day,
In every moment and in every way,
I’m leaning in Jesus, He’s the rock of my soul.
I’m singing His praises wherever I go.
Sinner friend, I can now recommend these two great doctors.
Dr. Law will show you where you’re wrong and Dr. Grace will make you right. Commit your case to Dr. Law and Dr. Grace, dismiss all other hopes of being saved and come God’s way.
Now Christian friend, “Do the exercises but be mindful, the exercises are ineffective if you have never received a new heart.”
The doctrinal of law and grace presents one of the greatest truths in the Bible.
There is an unbreakable relationship between law and grace.
This is an allegorical message presented in Scripture and Sermon and Song.
What we will discover is our Standing and Security in Christ.
Grace is the free and undeserving favor of God.
Grace is God paying a debt that we could never in a million years pay.
I – THE SCRIPTURES - on Law and Grace:
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Romans 5:13, “For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.”
Here the word imputed means to charge. The law was given to charge man as being sinful. If a criminal is guilty but declares he is innocent the judge will pose the maximum sentencing on him. But, if he admits his guilty then the judge can show mercy.
Romans 5: 20 - 21, “Moreover the law entered, that the offense (disobedience, lies, pride) might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
That as sin (that is man’s chronic and fatal spiritual disease) hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 7:5, "For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sin, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
The Law reveals our diseased proud and selfish life – v 5.
6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held: that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. Dr. Grace does what Dr. Law can not do.
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin (or sinful)? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Dr. Law reveals our standing with a holy God. We are lost!
That terrible chronic and fatal disease man has called sin was not known to me until God’s Law revealed it to me. In other words, I thought I was OK until the Law of God showed me what I really was.
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.”
In other words, before I met Dr. Law, I thought I was alive. I thought I was OK. I didn’t know that I was dead.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Galatians 3: 22 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.
II -THE SERMON -- on Law and Grace:
g Years ago I was having some serious problems but I just didn’t know exactly what my problem was. I was unhappy. I was lonely. I was cantankerous, angry, and just down right miserable.
Was it physical or mental, I don’t know? Things bothered me and people bothered me.
Anyway, I had a neighbor that was always joyful and peaceful in life. He had a light, a love, a kindness about him I couldn’t explain.
I asked him for advice. He talked to me but I couldn’t understand what he was saying. Finally he said, “Go see my doctor.”
So, I ask him who his doctor was. He said, “If you want help you have to first go to “Dr. Law.” Then he said, “You really ought to go and see him, he was the only one that could help me.”
I said, “Where is he located? He said, “Take the road called “Strait” to the corner of OT Blvd and NT Drive.
He said, “Dr. Law is located in the Romans building, floor 3 and room 23.” And his associate is located in an adjoining building called the Ephesians Building on floor 2 in rooms 8-9.
“Now listen,” he said, “Down the street from them on the road called “Broadway,” there are many MEDICAL PRACTICES. They are phonies. They look good, sound good but they won’t get to your root problem.”
“They will offer as many remedies as the people want and change many times to satisfy their patients.”
Well I, like most men postpone going for a while but it seem that whatever it was inside of me was growing and growing and I got kind of scared.
Finally, I went down to OT Blvd to the Romans building, floor 3 and room 23 and went inside.
-As I walked in his office, I noticed that it was quite old fashion.
-I didn’t see anything new in there; everything was just old.
-Even the music was in a minor key playing.
-I said to the secretary, I would like to see Dr. Law.
With a cold stare she handed me I guess a survey paper or something and said fill this out.
It said something like this: “Have you realized that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God? I answered “No, I didn’t really know what it meant.”
The second question was: “Have you realized All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way?” Again I answered, “No.”
The third question was, “Do you realize There is none that doeth good, no, not one.” because “There is none righteous, no, not one.” Again I said, “No.”
I handed the paper back to her and without a smile she said, “Go on in you need help.”
I stepped inside his office and started to tell him how I had been feeling and he stopped me before I could get started.
“I will not need your help,” he said.
I said, “Do you think you can diagnose what is wrong with me without me telling you my symptoms?”
And he said, “Yes, sir, I KNOW what is wrong with you.
You have heart trouble. You’re just like all the rest of my patients.”
My old flesh got a little hot and it didn’t make sense to me that every one of his patients would have the same disease.
He handed me a piece of literature to read. It said, “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
He asked me if I understood that and I said, “No.” Then I said, “Dr. Law I’m going to tell you my symptoms because I don’t think you understand me.
f I’m having trouble with my HANDS. I take things that aren’t mind. My fingers like to throw the dice and they deal a good poker hand. They even deal off the bottom of the deck. These hand like to fight. They reach for money. My hands are giving me trouble. I can’t control them.” Sometimes I would like to strangle people. I need to know how to control my hands.
Dr. Law placed his big hand on mine and looked at my hands for a few moments and said, “Son, you have heart trouble.
I said, “Doc, I don’t know about that. I’m going to have to argue with you. You may be a doctor, but still you don’t understand me.
f Let me tell you more. I’m having trouble with my eyes. It’s nothing for me to sit three or four hours in one night and watch Hollywood and another hour read worldly magazines and newspapers.
I like those girly magazines. Matter of fact every thing I see my eyes want; a new gun, a new golf club, a new fishing pole, a new car, a new wife.
I think it is my eyes. They are never satisfied. I must be having eye trouble.”
Dr. Law took a light and looked into my eyes with his deep dark eyes and said, “Son it is plain to see.” I said, “What?” He said, “You have heart trouble.
f I glared at him for a moment then said, Doc be reasonable about this thing. Let me tell you something else. I’m having trouble with my tongue.
It says things that are sharp and ugly and critical and uncontrollable.
It says things like, “I hate him and I would like to kill her and it loves to argue.
It say things to my wife I shouldn’t say. I find myself condemning and sarcastic. I believe there is something rotten about my tongue.
Please examine my tongue.” Dr. Law rubbed his chin with his hand and took out a little popsicle stick and said open up. He looked at my tongue and said, “Yep, hum, just what I thought.” I said, “What, Doc?” He sighed and said, “Son, you have heart trouble.”
f By this time, I felt like he just wasn’t listening to me. I was getting angry. I said, Dr. Law maybe it is my ears. Sometimes my neighbor tells me stories about the Bible and I can’t hear him. I mean it doesn’t make sense. I can’t understand a thing he is saying. But when my friends gossip and tell dirty smut I understand it all.
On the radio, I can’t understand that “Christian music stuff. I don’t even like to listen to it but I love my rock and rap. It really moves my flesh. I love to hear things that give me a better opinion of myself.
Dr. Law took that little light and looked in my ears and groaned a little. I said, “What is it doc?” Do know what he said to me? Yep! “Heart Trouble.”
f Then I said, “Doc do you think it might be my feet. They take me into bars and dance halls and place I know I shouldn’t go. They get me in trouble. I think something is wrong with my feet.
Dr. Law never raised his eye brows. He never smiled. He only looked at me. He took a deep breath and with his base voice said, “Son, O Son, you have heart trouble.”
f Well, doc, I have one more symptom and maybe this will help you diagnose what is wrong with me. There is something wrong with my taste. I really like the taste of liquor and intoxicating beverage and even dope. I think there must be some way you can change my taste.”
And Dr. Law said, “That will be taken care of when your heart is fixed.”
g I blew up, “You’re a quack, a nut.” I said. In anger I said, “Dr. Law, I’m going to another doctor,” to which he said, “The woods are full of them, but you’ll never get well until your heart is made right.”
I said to Dr. Law, “Could you recommend any other doctor for a consultation?” He said, “There is only one doctor I would recommend and if you won’t listen to me, you won’t listen to him.”
f So I went home. My neighbor asked how things went. And I went off on him, “Your doctor is a quack.” I told him I’ll find a more modern doctor that knows modern medicine.
My neighbor said, “I tried the same thing and after many years I found that nothing satisfied me till I listened to Dr. Law.
I said, “Not me, that guy is crazy.” So I went down the road called, “Broadway” and saw this beautiful building. There I found Dr Religion.
I knocked on Dr. Religion’s door and walked in. Everything was so pretty and modern. I like the upbeat music. I related to that.
I then met Dr. Religion. He seems just like me, just a good old Joe and he said, “Come on in here, Roland, I’m glad to see you!”
And I said, “Yes I’m glad to see you. I’ve been up to see old Dr. Law.” To which Dr. Religion said, “Oh, he’s ancient; he’s an antique.
Modern folks don’t go to him. He hasn’t had the latest training.
He doesn’t know anything about the latest approaches to meeting man’s needs.” He leaned over in a whisper and said, “Personally, I don’t like Dr. Law.”
“Well “Dr. Religion,” I said, “I think there is something wrong with me?”
He said, “Why there doesn’t look like there is anything wrong with you.”
I said, “Would you give me a check up anyway?”
He said, “Sure!” After his examination, he said, “Why, there’s nothing seriously wrong with you that going to church wouldn’t fix.”
And I said, ‘Which one?” “Oh,” he said, “just any of them will be all right.
Find one convenient and entertaining.”
So the next Sunday, I went to church and people shook my hand and said how glad they were to see me. Well I felt great but after a while I didn’t think people were treating me right so I went back to Dr. Religion and I said, “Dr. Religion, I don’t believe I’m any better.” He said, “Well, did you start going to church?” I said, “Sure. I’ve been going every Sunday.”
Well he said, “Did you pray the prayer?” I said what prayer? He said you got to pray the prayer. You have to say “Jesus save me.” I said, “Is it that simple?” He said sure. So I prayed the prayer right in his office.
And he told me I was going to heaven. Well that sounded good. I felt better. I believed Dr. Religion. I put my faith in what Dr. Religion told me.
Things went well for a while but then I felt the same again, I felt empty again, so I went back to Dr. Religion. And told him how I felt.
Then he said, “Did you join and get baptized?” “Why,” I said, “no.” He said, “Do that and that will make you feel better.” I said, “I’ll sure do it and get my wife to also.”
So I went down to the church and joined it and got baptized. Well people came by and patted me on the back and called me Brother. And I felt really good for a long time but that same old empty and dark feeling came back.
I went back to Dr. Religion and I said, “Dr. Religion, there’s something wrong I’m not really any better.” “Well,” he said, “have you taken a job in the church and started helping others. Teach Sunday school. Get involved.” And so I did.
At first it was kind of fun having authority and having children look up to me. I got certificates and recognition and I felt really good but it wasn’t long before I just was the same old guy I has always been. It seemed I had never changed.
So I dropped out and only went once a week for a while and then dropped out all together.
g One day on the “Broadway” I saw Dr. Be Good’s church. So I went to Dr. Be Good. He had a kind face and he always smiled.
He told me to “Be Good.” “Be positive.” “Be tolerant of everybody.” “Be happy.” “After all,” he said, “We are all going to heaven.” We don’t want to talk about hell and sin. Because sin isn’t really sin; everything is relative.
So let’s just be good and one day we all will be in heaven.
I thought, well that sounds good. So I’ll just “be good.”
You know what? After a few weeks, I found out I can’t be good. It just isn’t in me to read the Bible. Church and Bible study just wasn’t something I liked. I couldn’t obey God’s word. I couldn’t be a good husband. I couldn’t be a good dad. I couldn’t be a good guy. I felt miserable and my “Be-Good” days ended.
g --So back to the “Broadway” I went. I found Dr. Do Good. As I talked with him, he told me, Roland it isn’t enough to try and be good, you must do good. “Explain that doc?” I said. 1) Give money to various charities. 2) Help the poor. 3) Join a club in your community. 4) Help the kids. He said, “You know what the Bible says, “Do Good and you will feel good!” Well I tried and again it lasted for a while only to leave me high and dry.
g I tried four or five other doctors only to go home one day and sit in my recliner and have the same of symptoms I always had. I wasn’t satisfied in life. Something was missing. There was an empty void in my heart and I didn’t know how to fill it. I decided I’d go back to Dr. Law.
I knocked on his door and the Secretary said, “Come in.” I said I want to see, “Dr. Law.” She said he was waiting for me.
As I walked in he sat there in his chair with the same stern, obstinate look on his face.
I said, Dr. Law I tried them all but none of them could help me. What do you recommend? He looked me straight in the eye and said, “Son, you have heart trouble.” You are a sinner.
“You are right doctor. I agree. I am a sinner. I have heart trouble,” I said, “What do you recommend?”
He said, “You have to have heart surgery. You must have an operation. Your heart will have to come out and a new one put in.”
I said, “Dr. Law, when will you operate?” And he said, “I don’t operate.” To which I said, “You mean I’m going to have to die. Do you mean you can tell me what is wrong but you can’t cure me?” That’s right,” He said. “Then is there no hope?” I cried. Trembling and perspiring I looked at Dr. Law and said, “Can’t you please help me.”
Dr. Law. I said, “I can’t help you from this point on. I will have to recommend you to my associate. His name is Dr. Grace. He does all the operations.
Where is he? “Adjacent to this building is the Ephesians building,” Dr. Law told me. You don’t even have to go back on the street to get to his office.
He led me down the hall to the second floor and room 8-9. When he opened the door a light hit me in the face and knocked me to the ground.
I looked up and saw a handsome, loving, doctor smiling as he came to the door. Dr. Law said, “Dr. Grace, this is Roland Shepley, and he’s got the same trouble all my other patients. He has heart trouble and he needs a new heart.
f Dr. Law slipped away and went back into his office and left me standing alone in the presence of Dr. Grace and with fear and trembling, the questions began to come.
First, “Dr. Grace, are there a team of doctors to help you operate?” And he said, “No, I’ve never had any help.”
I said, “Dr. Grace, have you some good nurses or assistants?” He said, “No, sir. I’ve never had a nurse - I do it all.”
I said, “Dr. Grace, will you give me a good anesthetic and put me into a deep sleep?” He said, “No, sir. I never give anesthetics because you must fully know everything I do for you so you can tell the world about it.”
I said, “Dr. Grace, will you let me call my wife and let her come and stand by me?” And Dr. Grace smiled and said, “No, son, this is a personal matter just between me and you. You can tell her after it’s all over.”
I said, “Dr. Grace, I’m scared,” and he said, as he placed his big hand on my trembling shoulder, “You don’t have to be afraid - I’ve never lost a case. This will be a successful operation.”
I said, “Dr. Grace, what about the charges and the expense of this tremendous operation?” He said, “It’s already paid for.” I said, “Who paid for it?” He said, “A Friend of yours.” “Oh,” I said, “I’d like to meet Him.” He said, “After the operation, I’ll let you meet Him, I’ll introduce you to Him.”
I said, “Dr. Grace is it true that you are going to take my old heart out and put in a new one?” He said, “Yes.” I said, “Where are you going to get the new heart?” He said, “You’ll find out after the operation.”
And so just by faith, I surrendered completely to Dr. Grace, Just like I admitted I was a sinner to Dr. Law. I lay down on the operating table and the great surgeon, Dr. Grace, took a two-edged sword and cut my heart out.
f I smelled the foulest odor. I looked and my heart was dripping with filth. It was petrifying. It was sickening to look upon. I saw pride and anger and bitterness and sin.
And for the first time, I realized that Dr. Law was right. I had heart trouble. I was a great sinner.
In a moment Dr. Grace had thrown that old heart away and put a new one within my body. It was so pure and clean.
I felt the flow of a new life. I now had a love for God flowing in my veins.
I had a joy unspeakable and full of glory. I had a peace that passeth all understanding. I had a forgiving heart. I had a love for the brethren. I was a new man.
In a moment with a smile on my face and tears of gratitude coursing down my cheeks, I said, “Dr. Grace, when shall I come back for the check up?” He said, “Son, no check up will be necessary, the operation is permanent”
f I said, “What do you recommend?” He said, “Just take some good exercise each day.” And I said, “Do you have any particular exercises?” To which he said, “Yes, kneeling and even raising your hands and praising God and at times, especially in privacy, stretch out on your face and thank God for what he has done for you.
Take some good walks through the community, knocking on doors and tell others what has happened to you.
And one important thing; all those who have had Heart-operations gather together Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night to show honor to the one who gave them a new heart. Do that the rest of your life and you will be very healthy.
Dr. Grace, “I need to know something. Who gave me my new heart?” “Who sacrificed their life so I could live?”
Dr. Grace took me to a mirror, called the Mirror of God’s Word and as I looked in that mirror I saw the loveliest Friend I’ve ever met. When He raised His hands, I saw nail prints. On His brow I saw scars caused by thorns. When His lovely robe fell apart, I saw the spear print in His side.
Dr. Grace said, “Jesus” I want you to meet Roland Shepley. And as I looked at that scar in His side, I said, “Dr. Grace, I now understand where my new heart came from. He gave me His.”
And I fell on my face and said and started my exercises.” After a season of praise and thanksgiving and adoring the One who died for me, I walked joyfully and victoriously down the sidewalk of life.
I went back to visit the old doctor that I first hated. When I walked inside, he met me with a smile. I extended my hand and his big strong hand gripped mine and I said, “Thank you, Dr. Law, for being my school master and telling me what was wrong with me.”
I was amazed that Dr. Law looked so handsome and attractive. He seemed so different now that I had a new heart and we have had sweet fellowship for many years.
Not only did I have a new heart, but a new song, even praise unto our God.
Song:
Once in the stillness of the late midnight hour
I felt the presence of the Lord’s saving power.
I fell on my knees and I cried to him there,
O merciful Savior, Hear the lost sinners prayer.
Now every hour and every day,
In every moment and in every way,
I’m leaning on Jesus, He’s the rock of my soul.
I’m singing His praises wherever I go.
I’ll never forget, that night on my knees,
Oh the joy of that hour, it never left me,
Of Life’s sweetest memories, time can’t erase,
I’m saved by His mercy, redeemed by Dr. Grace.
Now ever hour and every day,
In every moment and in every way,
I’m leaning in Jesus, He’s the rock of my soul.
I’m singing His praises wherever I go.
Sinner friend, I can now recommend these two great doctors.
Dr. Law will show you where you’re wrong and Dr. Grace will make you right. Commit your case to Dr. Law and Dr. Grace, dismiss all other hopes of being saved and come God’s way.
Now Christian friend, “Do the exercises but be mindful, the exercises are ineffective if you have never received a new heart.”
Friday, November 16, 2007
REVIVAL THANKS!
Dear Folks,
Praise the Lord for meeting with us each night during Revival.
God saved four precoius souls and touched our hearts again and again.
I know many of you were tired and weary but thank you so much for your faithfulness.
Dr. Burrell was the Lord's man, whom God greatly used for our church.
Pray that God will meet with us Sunday in a special way.
In Sunday School we will be preaching on the "400 Silent Years."
In the main service God has laid on our heart to bring the message "Dr. Law and Dr. Grace."
Sunday evening will be a special Thanksgiving service. I hope you will come will a gratefull and thankful testimony.
God bless,
Pastor Shepley
Praise the Lord for meeting with us each night during Revival.
God saved four precoius souls and touched our hearts again and again.
I know many of you were tired and weary but thank you so much for your faithfulness.
Dr. Burrell was the Lord's man, whom God greatly used for our church.
Pray that God will meet with us Sunday in a special way.
In Sunday School we will be preaching on the "400 Silent Years."
In the main service God has laid on our heart to bring the message "Dr. Law and Dr. Grace."
Sunday evening will be a special Thanksgiving service. I hope you will come will a gratefull and thankful testimony.
God bless,
Pastor Shepley
ORIGINIAL SIN
ORIGINIAL SIN
First Corinthians 15:22, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” This is a verse of bad news and good news. It is a truthful verse that helps man understand original sin, its consequences and its remedy.
Psalms 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
David understood original sin. Sadly most of the world today does not understand original sin.
We will look at a four-point outline that will open our eyes to Original Sin.
I - THE EXAMPLE
II - THE ENORMITY
III - THE EXPRESSION
IV - THE EXONERATION
I - THE EXAMPLE
Genesis 1: 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
God created this world and then He created the first couple. Their name was Adam and Eve.
-They of course were created in the image of God.
-They were sinless, pure and innocent.
-They reflected God’s love and life.
-They had the opportunity and ability to live forever.
-They were alive spiritually.
-They walked and talked and fellowshipped with God.
-God told Adam and Eve that they were to dominate the world and everything was for their pleasure, except one thing.
-They were not to eat of one tree: Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
A - In Genesis 3 we have the story of the ACTIONS of original sin?
1 – Doubt – Satan will first befriend you. I personally don’t believe this was the first time Eve saw Satan as a serpent in the garden. Nor was he hideous to look upon. He was a most beautiful creature. He probably had wings and hover in the air more meticulousness than a humbling bird and more majesty than an Eagle.
His familiarity brought a sense of acceptance and fellowship and communication. As Satan questioned Eve about what she could and couldn’t do in the Garden He sowed the seed of doubt. He said, “Has God said?” (Genesis 3:1)
The first step to sin is doubt always. He’ll tell you to doubt your parents, your authorities, God’s word. He’ll get you to doubt to why you should be chase and pure in all things.
2- Denial – Then Satan simply sowed with confidence the seed of denial. He said, “Ye shalt not surly die” (Genesis 3:4).
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Satan sowed two seeds here; denial and curiosity.
You see, God did not create man to know evil, only good. When we receive our glorified bodies, we will know no evil then, only good.
3 – Death – God said to Adam in Genesis 2:17, “Ye shall die.” Satan said to Eve in Genesis 3, “Ye shall not die.” 200,000 times a day, God’s word is proven true. 200,000 people die every day.
Satan tempts Eve and she succumbs to his temptation. She eats of the tree God said, “Don’t eat of it.” She then gives to Adam and he eats.
The great ORIGINIAL SIN was the act of “disobedience.”
Genesis 5:3 - 6:5 - Job 14:1 – Isaiah 6:5 – Jeremiah 17:9 – Rom 5:12
Illustration: When I was younger I bought an apple. I picked out the prettiest apple I could find. I shined it up on my shirt and dug my teeth into it. I chewed and tasted that sweet red delicious taste. I bit again deeper into the apple and waited again for that sweet red delicious taste, but it didn’t come. I looked at the apple and there was a huge brown rotten center in the apple with a worm. How did that worm get there? I discovered that an insect can lay a worm in the apple blossom and when the apple grows that larva is inside the apple and feeds on the inside until it comes out.
And that is mankind. He has been born a sinner. Man is not born good as the humanistic world claims to dead, but man according to God’s Word is born spiritually dead.
II - THE ENORMITY OF IT:
This sin brought a curse upon the whole world:
- The physical creation would suffer with thorns and thistles and poisonous plants; lightening, earthquakes, typhoons, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, floods, burning heat and frozen tundra’s.
- Mutations in the insect and animal world would bred poisonous creatures. Those creatures that once were dominated by man would one day thrust fear in man’s heart.
- Man died the day he sinned. His spirit died to the sweet fellowship he had with God. Man who died without God would now go to hell.
- A physical cursed fell on Adam and Eve and one day they would die physically.
- Because of this sin for the next six thousand years disobedience would turn to jealousies, envies and hate.
- Hate would turn to bitterness and anger and murder.
- Pride would turn to disobedience and rebellion and anarchy.
- Lust would fill man’s heart and turn to pornography, fornication and adultery.
- From nature would come diseases, pestilences, famines and floods.
- Greed would lead to war and mass murder, catastrophes, lawlessness.
- Children would rebel against parents, husbands and wives would hate each other, man would kill man and husband would kill their wives and wives would kill their husbands.
- Deadly philosophies and false religions would be taught across the globe that would destroy the souls of our children and send them to hell.
- Pride would bring contentions, debate, arguments, division and divorce.
The enormity of sin is greater than the devastation of a thousand nuclear bombs exploding on the American Continent.
Question: if sin is so enormous and dangerous, why doesn’t the world or the Christian view it that way today?
Because sin has been played down, water down and painted grey by the media, the government, the church and many preachers.
Society teaches from the humanistic ideology that as taken over our culture that everything is relative. That means that with time everything changes. What was sin for mom and dad is not necessairly sin for you and me.
It is not necessarily sin to steal, to lie and at times even to kill.
This is subtlety be taught to our children and adults in society today.
When Adam and Eve sinned, they tried to hide from God.
Understand friend it is normal to be ashamed of sin.
It is normal to want to hide from God but it is sin to hide from God.
It is normal to not want to confess and admit that you have sinned but it is a greater sin to not confess and admit you have sinned.
The longer you bury your sin, the more seeds it produces. And those seeds are seeds of destruction and death.
Sin is like the story of the boy who had a baby anaconda. As the boy grew, the snake grew. At first to touch the snake was eerie to the boy, for the snake’s body was cold. But, after touching it often, the boy became familiar with the death feel. As he played with the snake, the snake would crawl around the boys arm and then unravel itself. The boy thought he would try to train the snake by giving the command to coil around his arm and then uncoil. As the snake grew, the snake was commanded to coil around his leg and after many years the twenty foot anaconda would coil around the man’s entire body.
He had traveled and had become very popular. Giant crowds would gather to see the amazing stunt. Show after show was booked. The crowds would watch as the man stood on the stage and commanded the giant snake to come. The snake would coil his body around the man’s feet and work his way up to his neck. The crowds stood in shock to see such a sight.
Then one day, something went wrong. After the snake coiled his body around the man and the crowds cheered, the man gave the command for the snake to uncoil. Rather than uncoil the snake tighten his grip again and again. In moments the man was crushed. The crowds scream in fear.
Do you see the analogy of sin? At first, you sense, you feel that it is wrong, but your body becomes accustomed to it. You play with it and proudly think, other may have fallen, but not me. I can handle it. I can play with it. I can keep it in the closet of my heart and it won’t destroy me. Don’t be silly friend. You can’t gamble with Satan and win. Every night before the sun sets confess your sins and clean your heart. (Eph 4:26)
Satan will say, “Bury your sin, hide it, cover it up, don’t confess it.”
And when your world is turned upside down, don’t blame God.
God gives you till sunset to make things right. The only reason you take longer is because of pride in your heart.
Christian, learn to hate sin. Learn that it will destroy you. It will steal your love from God. It will steal your joy and peace. It will break up your marriage. It is hideous. It will make you the very thing you hate.
I know it is unpopular to preach on sin and therefore many will not. But, man is in the trouble he is in and the world is in the trouble it is in today because of sin. Man suffers the heart ache he suffers and you and I suffer the heartache that we suffer because of sin.
III – THE EXPRESSION OF SIN
If any one expressed a close description of sin it was King David.
He had committed the sin of adultery. He first tried to cover it up and sweep it under the carpet. He thought he had succeeded. He thought he had hid his secret sin. He thought no one would ever find out. Then the Prophet Nathan comes into David’s chambers and points his bony finger in David’s face and reveals David’s hidden sin.
David falls on his face before God, tears streaming down his face and he cries out in Psalms 51.
1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
David realizes his sin is against God and he takes full responsibility for his actions.
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
David recognizes that he was born a sinner. He was not blaming his mother, but was admitting that He was a sinner from birth.
That is important to know because in the days of Christ, the Jews denied that they were sinners. They boasted that they were born of Abraham. Thus, until one admits that they have sinned against the holy God, they cannot be saved.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
David made it clear that he wanted to walk in truth.
David wanted every part of his soul to be perfect in God’s eyes.
David admitted that God had chastened him and broke some bones.
9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
David was ashamed of his sins. Many folks today carry their dirty sins in their heart to church with them. They carry them to the store. They carry them to work. David was ashamed to carry his sins with him. He wanted a clean, pure heart and he wanted again God’s sweet loving spirit.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
David knew apart from complete confession and purity of heart, there was no fellowship with God. One sin keeps you from sweet fellowship with the God of heaven.
You say, “But, I am mad at someone.” You say, “Someone treated me wrong.” You are not right with God. Your pride and sin is keeping you from walking with the Lord.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
David knew that revival began within. Psalms 85:6 reads, “Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
That is why David prayed, “Restore unto me the joy of my salvation.”
15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.
When we walk with the Lord, we can offer praise to God. Could you stand up tonight and praise God for his goodness or would the Holy Spirit arrest your heart and remind you that you have some unfinished business.
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
David reveals truthful repentance of sin here. It is a humble, repentant, remorseful and apologetic spirit and the desire to be in sweet fellowship with Almighty God.
In India a flood caused the residents to flee to higher ground as the water rose. Nightfall over took the people as they scampered for safety amidst the darkness. Exhausted and having on the clothes on their back they collapsed to the ground for rest during the night. As the sun peaked over the eastern sky the following morning, some of the children and young people were admiring a beautiful Bengal tiger lying on the grass near by to where they were standing. They were admiring its beautiful stripes and masculine muscles as it peacefully stretched in the sunlight. In a moment of time a shot rang out and the tiger was dead.
“Why did you do that,” cried one of the youth.
“Because it is the nature of the tiger to kill,” said the wise adult.
He was just resting, when he had his strength back you would have been his breakfast.
Remember the expression of sin is still death. Sin never reaps good. It never reaps that which is beneficial. You may try to justify it. Don’t! Call it what it is – Sin. For it will bring death and disease, sadness and sorrow.
IV - THE EXONERATION
Augustine of Hippo declared, “that all are born in sin and therefore infants must be baptized to wash away that original sin or they will go to hell.”
This doctrine was adopted by the Catholic Church and many protestant churches of today such as the Lutheran and Presbyterian churches under John Calvin and Martin Luther.
That is not Biblical founded. That is a man’s opinion. Yet many denominations believe and preach that infant baptism is a must for original sin to be forgiven.
Ill. If man committed three sins a day, only three, in fifty years man would have to give account to the Judge of the Universe for over 53,000 sins. If man stood before a judge having broken the law 53,000 times do you think he would be exonerated? No way!
To exonerate legally is to relieve one of there debt forever.
Man owes a debt to God. That debt is so great that man cannot pay it. He can not pay it with a thousand times the amount of Gold in the world.
If the stars were gold and you owned them all, it would not be enough payment for God to forgive you of one sin.
2 Cor 5: 21 tells us that God made payment to exonerate us from this great debt. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
But just because he paid the debt for us doesn’t set us free.
We must come to Him.
John 10: 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
We must cry to Him.
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
The poet Elizabeth Barrett married Robert Browning in 1846. In her youth, Elizabeth had been watched over by her tyrannical father. When she and Robert were married, their wedding was held in secret because of her father’s disapproval. After the wedding the Browning’s sailed for Italy, where they lived for the rest of their lives. Even though her parents had disowned her, Elizabeth never gave up on the relationship.
--Almost weekly she wrote them letters. Not once did they reply.
After 10 years, she received a large box in the mail. Inside, Elizabeth found all of her letters; not one had been opened! Today those letters are among the most beautiful in classical English literature.
Had her parents only read a few of them, their relationship with Elizabeth might have been restored.
God wrote his love letters over 1500 years telling the world of His great love. If they would but read them, what a relationship could be restored.
First Corinthians 15:22, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” This is a verse of bad news and good news. It is a truthful verse that helps man understand original sin, its consequences and its remedy.
Psalms 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
David understood original sin. Sadly most of the world today does not understand original sin.
We will look at a four-point outline that will open our eyes to Original Sin.
I - THE EXAMPLE
II - THE ENORMITY
III - THE EXPRESSION
IV - THE EXONERATION
I - THE EXAMPLE
Genesis 1: 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
God created this world and then He created the first couple. Their name was Adam and Eve.
-They of course were created in the image of God.
-They were sinless, pure and innocent.
-They reflected God’s love and life.
-They had the opportunity and ability to live forever.
-They were alive spiritually.
-They walked and talked and fellowshipped with God.
-God told Adam and Eve that they were to dominate the world and everything was for their pleasure, except one thing.
-They were not to eat of one tree: Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
A - In Genesis 3 we have the story of the ACTIONS of original sin?
1 – Doubt – Satan will first befriend you. I personally don’t believe this was the first time Eve saw Satan as a serpent in the garden. Nor was he hideous to look upon. He was a most beautiful creature. He probably had wings and hover in the air more meticulousness than a humbling bird and more majesty than an Eagle.
His familiarity brought a sense of acceptance and fellowship and communication. As Satan questioned Eve about what she could and couldn’t do in the Garden He sowed the seed of doubt. He said, “Has God said?” (Genesis 3:1)
The first step to sin is doubt always. He’ll tell you to doubt your parents, your authorities, God’s word. He’ll get you to doubt to why you should be chase and pure in all things.
2- Denial – Then Satan simply sowed with confidence the seed of denial. He said, “Ye shalt not surly die” (Genesis 3:4).
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Satan sowed two seeds here; denial and curiosity.
You see, God did not create man to know evil, only good. When we receive our glorified bodies, we will know no evil then, only good.
3 – Death – God said to Adam in Genesis 2:17, “Ye shall die.” Satan said to Eve in Genesis 3, “Ye shall not die.” 200,000 times a day, God’s word is proven true. 200,000 people die every day.
Satan tempts Eve and she succumbs to his temptation. She eats of the tree God said, “Don’t eat of it.” She then gives to Adam and he eats.
The great ORIGINIAL SIN was the act of “disobedience.”
Genesis 5:3 - 6:5 - Job 14:1 – Isaiah 6:5 – Jeremiah 17:9 – Rom 5:12
Illustration: When I was younger I bought an apple. I picked out the prettiest apple I could find. I shined it up on my shirt and dug my teeth into it. I chewed and tasted that sweet red delicious taste. I bit again deeper into the apple and waited again for that sweet red delicious taste, but it didn’t come. I looked at the apple and there was a huge brown rotten center in the apple with a worm. How did that worm get there? I discovered that an insect can lay a worm in the apple blossom and when the apple grows that larva is inside the apple and feeds on the inside until it comes out.
And that is mankind. He has been born a sinner. Man is not born good as the humanistic world claims to dead, but man according to God’s Word is born spiritually dead.
II - THE ENORMITY OF IT:
This sin brought a curse upon the whole world:
- The physical creation would suffer with thorns and thistles and poisonous plants; lightening, earthquakes, typhoons, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, floods, burning heat and frozen tundra’s.
- Mutations in the insect and animal world would bred poisonous creatures. Those creatures that once were dominated by man would one day thrust fear in man’s heart.
- Man died the day he sinned. His spirit died to the sweet fellowship he had with God. Man who died without God would now go to hell.
- A physical cursed fell on Adam and Eve and one day they would die physically.
- Because of this sin for the next six thousand years disobedience would turn to jealousies, envies and hate.
- Hate would turn to bitterness and anger and murder.
- Pride would turn to disobedience and rebellion and anarchy.
- Lust would fill man’s heart and turn to pornography, fornication and adultery.
- From nature would come diseases, pestilences, famines and floods.
- Greed would lead to war and mass murder, catastrophes, lawlessness.
- Children would rebel against parents, husbands and wives would hate each other, man would kill man and husband would kill their wives and wives would kill their husbands.
- Deadly philosophies and false religions would be taught across the globe that would destroy the souls of our children and send them to hell.
- Pride would bring contentions, debate, arguments, division and divorce.
The enormity of sin is greater than the devastation of a thousand nuclear bombs exploding on the American Continent.
Question: if sin is so enormous and dangerous, why doesn’t the world or the Christian view it that way today?
Because sin has been played down, water down and painted grey by the media, the government, the church and many preachers.
Society teaches from the humanistic ideology that as taken over our culture that everything is relative. That means that with time everything changes. What was sin for mom and dad is not necessairly sin for you and me.
It is not necessarily sin to steal, to lie and at times even to kill.
This is subtlety be taught to our children and adults in society today.
When Adam and Eve sinned, they tried to hide from God.
Understand friend it is normal to be ashamed of sin.
It is normal to want to hide from God but it is sin to hide from God.
It is normal to not want to confess and admit that you have sinned but it is a greater sin to not confess and admit you have sinned.
The longer you bury your sin, the more seeds it produces. And those seeds are seeds of destruction and death.
Sin is like the story of the boy who had a baby anaconda. As the boy grew, the snake grew. At first to touch the snake was eerie to the boy, for the snake’s body was cold. But, after touching it often, the boy became familiar with the death feel. As he played with the snake, the snake would crawl around the boys arm and then unravel itself. The boy thought he would try to train the snake by giving the command to coil around his arm and then uncoil. As the snake grew, the snake was commanded to coil around his leg and after many years the twenty foot anaconda would coil around the man’s entire body.
He had traveled and had become very popular. Giant crowds would gather to see the amazing stunt. Show after show was booked. The crowds would watch as the man stood on the stage and commanded the giant snake to come. The snake would coil his body around the man’s feet and work his way up to his neck. The crowds stood in shock to see such a sight.
Then one day, something went wrong. After the snake coiled his body around the man and the crowds cheered, the man gave the command for the snake to uncoil. Rather than uncoil the snake tighten his grip again and again. In moments the man was crushed. The crowds scream in fear.
Do you see the analogy of sin? At first, you sense, you feel that it is wrong, but your body becomes accustomed to it. You play with it and proudly think, other may have fallen, but not me. I can handle it. I can play with it. I can keep it in the closet of my heart and it won’t destroy me. Don’t be silly friend. You can’t gamble with Satan and win. Every night before the sun sets confess your sins and clean your heart. (Eph 4:26)
Satan will say, “Bury your sin, hide it, cover it up, don’t confess it.”
And when your world is turned upside down, don’t blame God.
God gives you till sunset to make things right. The only reason you take longer is because of pride in your heart.
Christian, learn to hate sin. Learn that it will destroy you. It will steal your love from God. It will steal your joy and peace. It will break up your marriage. It is hideous. It will make you the very thing you hate.
I know it is unpopular to preach on sin and therefore many will not. But, man is in the trouble he is in and the world is in the trouble it is in today because of sin. Man suffers the heart ache he suffers and you and I suffer the heartache that we suffer because of sin.
III – THE EXPRESSION OF SIN
If any one expressed a close description of sin it was King David.
He had committed the sin of adultery. He first tried to cover it up and sweep it under the carpet. He thought he had succeeded. He thought he had hid his secret sin. He thought no one would ever find out. Then the Prophet Nathan comes into David’s chambers and points his bony finger in David’s face and reveals David’s hidden sin.
David falls on his face before God, tears streaming down his face and he cries out in Psalms 51.
1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
David realizes his sin is against God and he takes full responsibility for his actions.
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
David recognizes that he was born a sinner. He was not blaming his mother, but was admitting that He was a sinner from birth.
That is important to know because in the days of Christ, the Jews denied that they were sinners. They boasted that they were born of Abraham. Thus, until one admits that they have sinned against the holy God, they cannot be saved.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
David made it clear that he wanted to walk in truth.
David wanted every part of his soul to be perfect in God’s eyes.
David admitted that God had chastened him and broke some bones.
9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
David was ashamed of his sins. Many folks today carry their dirty sins in their heart to church with them. They carry them to the store. They carry them to work. David was ashamed to carry his sins with him. He wanted a clean, pure heart and he wanted again God’s sweet loving spirit.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
David knew apart from complete confession and purity of heart, there was no fellowship with God. One sin keeps you from sweet fellowship with the God of heaven.
You say, “But, I am mad at someone.” You say, “Someone treated me wrong.” You are not right with God. Your pride and sin is keeping you from walking with the Lord.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
David knew that revival began within. Psalms 85:6 reads, “Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
That is why David prayed, “Restore unto me the joy of my salvation.”
15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.
When we walk with the Lord, we can offer praise to God. Could you stand up tonight and praise God for his goodness or would the Holy Spirit arrest your heart and remind you that you have some unfinished business.
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
David reveals truthful repentance of sin here. It is a humble, repentant, remorseful and apologetic spirit and the desire to be in sweet fellowship with Almighty God.
In India a flood caused the residents to flee to higher ground as the water rose. Nightfall over took the people as they scampered for safety amidst the darkness. Exhausted and having on the clothes on their back they collapsed to the ground for rest during the night. As the sun peaked over the eastern sky the following morning, some of the children and young people were admiring a beautiful Bengal tiger lying on the grass near by to where they were standing. They were admiring its beautiful stripes and masculine muscles as it peacefully stretched in the sunlight. In a moment of time a shot rang out and the tiger was dead.
“Why did you do that,” cried one of the youth.
“Because it is the nature of the tiger to kill,” said the wise adult.
He was just resting, when he had his strength back you would have been his breakfast.
Remember the expression of sin is still death. Sin never reaps good. It never reaps that which is beneficial. You may try to justify it. Don’t! Call it what it is – Sin. For it will bring death and disease, sadness and sorrow.
IV - THE EXONERATION
Augustine of Hippo declared, “that all are born in sin and therefore infants must be baptized to wash away that original sin or they will go to hell.”
This doctrine was adopted by the Catholic Church and many protestant churches of today such as the Lutheran and Presbyterian churches under John Calvin and Martin Luther.
That is not Biblical founded. That is a man’s opinion. Yet many denominations believe and preach that infant baptism is a must for original sin to be forgiven.
Ill. If man committed three sins a day, only three, in fifty years man would have to give account to the Judge of the Universe for over 53,000 sins. If man stood before a judge having broken the law 53,000 times do you think he would be exonerated? No way!
To exonerate legally is to relieve one of there debt forever.
Man owes a debt to God. That debt is so great that man cannot pay it. He can not pay it with a thousand times the amount of Gold in the world.
If the stars were gold and you owned them all, it would not be enough payment for God to forgive you of one sin.
2 Cor 5: 21 tells us that God made payment to exonerate us from this great debt. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
But just because he paid the debt for us doesn’t set us free.
We must come to Him.
John 10: 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
We must cry to Him.
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
The poet Elizabeth Barrett married Robert Browning in 1846. In her youth, Elizabeth had been watched over by her tyrannical father. When she and Robert were married, their wedding was held in secret because of her father’s disapproval. After the wedding the Browning’s sailed for Italy, where they lived for the rest of their lives. Even though her parents had disowned her, Elizabeth never gave up on the relationship.
--Almost weekly she wrote them letters. Not once did they reply.
After 10 years, she received a large box in the mail. Inside, Elizabeth found all of her letters; not one had been opened! Today those letters are among the most beautiful in classical English literature.
Had her parents only read a few of them, their relationship with Elizabeth might have been restored.
God wrote his love letters over 1500 years telling the world of His great love. If they would but read them, what a relationship could be restored.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Angels IV
LUCIFER – THE LIGHT BEARER
To many in this world Satan is visualized as a man in a red suit with horns and a pitch fork. To others he does not exist and still to others, he is worshipped and feared. In actuality he has many names and hundreds of faces. He can appear as anything from a red dragon flying across the sky to a preacher preaching from the Bible.
Satan first appears in heaven and called Lucifer, the light-bearer.
After his fall God changed his name. He is never called Lucifer again.
He is called the accuser, the adversary, the angel of light.
He is called the deceiver, the devil and the dragon.
He is called the father of lies, the god of this age and the king of the bottomless pit.
He is called the man of sin, the murderer, the power of darkness and the prince and power of the air.
He is known as the roaring lion, the ruler of darkness, the ruler of demons and the ruler of this world.
He is called the serpent, Satan and the wicked one.
Everything evil is comprised in his names. I won’t go into detail but Halloween is to Satan-worshippers as Christmas is to Christians.
In this study we will examine four thoughts about the greatest enemy of the Church of Jesus Christ and the greatest enemy of mankind, Satan.
I – His Personification:
As Jesus Christ is seen in many types and shadows in the Old Testament, especially in the Priest, Melchizedek; Isaiah pictures Lucifer as the king of Babylon in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel paint a picture of Lucifer as the king of Tyrus in Ezekiel 28.
Isaiah 14:
12 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!
First, look at the word, “Lucifer.” It means “light-bearer” in the Greek and “the bright one” in the Hebrew.”
You must realize that over the centuries, Satan’s greatest means of deceiving the world has been through religions; the main religion being, Babylon. Last week we saw just briefly how Babylon’s false doctrines have infiltrated so many religions of today.
Second Corinthians 11: 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
You that know the scriptures know that the doctrines of Catholicism, the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches, which comprise the majority of protestant churches, have succumbed too many Babylonian doctrines that are contrary to God’s holy Word.
Next in Isaiah 14:12 he is called, “son of the morning.” Some scholars believe this is in reverence to the fact that Lucifer may have been the very first created angelic being of God.
Then Isaiah asked Satan a question, “How did you fall?” The answer is “pride.” Maybe the greatest sin in the heart of all of us is pride.
Be ever more humble for pride has crippled many a good man and toppled many a kingdom and destroyed many a marriage.
You would be smart to not think to much of yourself and you would wise not to think of yourself at all.
Then he asked another question, ‘How did you weaken the nations?” The answer is, “He drew them away from God inch by inch, little by little.”
David wrote in Psalms 18; 2 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.
Psalms 1: Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
God gives individuals and nations strength. When we meditate on His Word He becomes our rock, our fortress, our deliver, our every thing. When we disobey, we become weaker and weaker. We open our lives up to demonic activity, individual lives corrode and nations crumble.
Ezekiel reveals the person of Satan like no one else in the Bible.
Ezekiel 28: 13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
Ezekiel reveals to us the beauty of Satan’s makeup. Heaven was and is a place of extraordinary beauty. With all the angels of fire and beauty there was one with unique beauty hovering above the throne of God. Lucifer’s very makeup was glorious lights of thousands of colors shining in amazing beauty. And when he moved music flowed from his body.
If you were to have seen him in his original state you would have bowed before him and worshipped him. Yea, billions do today and don’t know it.
You could describe Satan as a chameleon. He changes with his environment in order to hide himself so he may catch his prey.
He will become whatever he must to keep you from drawing closer to the Lord.
Ezekiel 28: 14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
Ezekiel 28: 15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
He was perfect till iniquity was found in him. We know the iniquity was the sin of pride but how do you think it happened?
Could it be that for billions of years of time in our feeble minds, Lucifer gave glory to God, but then suddenly, his great downfall came because he forgot why he was create?
Is that not true with mankind as well? We must remember our talents, our treasures our time was given to us that we might give them to God.
Are we so proud that we think that now I can use what I have for myself? No! We are to live for God.
-In a moment of time Lucifer became as ugly as he was once beautiful.
-He became as rebellious as he was once obedient.
-He became as unfaithful as he was once faithful.
-He who once hover above the throne of God and gave glory and praise to the one who sat upon the throne, now reigns over demons in blaspheme and rebellion against the One who gave him life.
II - PRIDE
Isaiah 14:13 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:
Isaiah 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
God uses his creation to reveal to mankind many of man’s iniquities.
For example God tells us not to be slothful. The sloth is the laziest creature in the world. He won’t work, he won’t bathe, and it takes him days sometimes to a few feet.
The Bible says a slothful person can give you seven good reason why he can’t work. That is the character traits of a sloth.
The eagle is the great monarch of the sky. He says, “They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles.” An eagle pictures one who lives in victory. He says that we who mediate on Scripture are like eagles. We will soar above the problems of this world and have victory in our hearts and lives.
When God describes Satan, he reveals that his character trait is pride. He convince people that they are little better than the best and a little smarter than the smartest and a little wiser than the wisest.
Whereas the Apostle Paul, the man closest to God in the New Testament cried, “I am the least of the apostles” (I Corinthians 15:9).
Whenever one gets closer to God, they do not feel they are better than another but less than another.
Study the history of Kings, Pharaohs, Caesars, Tsars and all world rulers. You will find that in their pride many thought they were like a god only to be brought down to the very pit of hell.
The Pharaoh’s died and went to hell. The Caesars died and went to hell. Many of the kings of this world died and went to hell because of pride. In the book of Acts Herod was lifted up in pride and the angel of the Lord smote him and he was eaten of worms.
The reason is they forgot God and the one who fell from heaven drew the rulers and people so far from God that God brought judgment which destroyed them and their governments.
Satan topples individuals, marriages and churches the same way he topples governments.
He puts the spirit of pride within some that will sow discord and doubt and division. Be wise friend and don’t let Satan use you to destroy the work of the Lord.
We have not been given life to build our kingdom but to build God’s kingdom.
Pride causes a man to swear and cuss – Psalms 59:12.
Pride cause people to argue and fuss – Proverbs 13:10.
Pride cause people to rebel – Hosea 7:10.
Pride makes people lie – Psalms 119:69.
Pride makes people critical Proverbs 28:25.
Pride cause people to reject Bible doctrine – I Timothy 6:1-4.
God says, ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 6:33) Why don’t we? Man often ignorantly seeks pleasure, position and possessions. These things will draw you away from God.
God says, “Love me with all your heart.” (Mark 12:30) Man often loves his self, his hobbies, his children more than God. It is wrong. It is sin.
God says, “Delight thyself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of our heart.” ( Psalms 37:4) Many men seek for the desires of their own heart and blames God if he doesn’t have them.
Pride always leads to blame and rebellion.
III – HIS PIT
Isaiah 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Satan was cast out of heaven and became the prince and power of the air or atmosphere. His ruling perimeters are the atmospheres around the nations of the world. From here he inflicts his lies and deception, his doubts and fears.
One day he will be cast down to this earth during the tribulation where he will be very angry about his defeat and will unleash his bloody murdering ways across this world until Jesus Christ returns.
Revelation 20: 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Satan means “false accuser or slanderer.” His job is to accuse the brethren. That is what he has been doing for 6,000 years. He tells people God isn’t God. He tells them God doesn’t love them. He tells them God doesn’t care. He tells them God doesn’t answer prayer. He has a thousand accusations against God to give you if you will believe.
He will then accuse your brother to you and you to your brother.
He will tell you that so and so doesn’t like you. He will whisper a whopper of a lie in your ear. That is his job. Jesus said, “Satan is the father of lies.”
Revelation 12: 10 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.
He has broken up hundreds of millions of marriages. He has toppled many a governors and kings and presidents. We are no match for him, he is far too powerful. We simply must stay close to God and walk in His ways and do His will and learn His Word.
Isaiah 2: 5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.
I John 1: 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
IV - HIS PREY
Isaiah 14: 16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
Who is Satan’s prey? Why you are!
I Peter 5: 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Satan hates God’s creation. He hates mankind. He hates Christians. He hates the Jewish nation.
He hates the unsaved. He has subtlety convinced the lost to believe false religions and false ideas to drag them to hell.
And, he tactfully tries to convince God’s children not to honor and obey and love and adore the Lord.
If he can’t stop us with persecution, he will stop us with prosperity. Be wise!
He is also the great enemy of Israel and always has been.
Revelation 12:1 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:
This passage covers thousands of years of history. Verse one begins with a vision God gave Joseph in Genesis.
2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
Verse two describes the heart throb of the Jewish people as they desire that the Christ come.
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.
Verse three reveals the enemy of God’s people.
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.
Verse four describes Satan’s fall from heaven and how he fought against the Israel and he deceived her and blinded her to truth.
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.
Verse five reveals that when Christ came they rejected Him and killed him.
6 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.
Verse six tells how God will protect Israel from Satan during the tribulation period.
Keep this in mind. Like Israel, from the day you are born till the day you die you have an unseen enemy. He wants to weaken you.
In weakening you he will weaken your family and your church.
He wants to stop you from praying, worshipping, and loving God.
In doing this he will bring judgment upon our nations.
Wake up O child of God. Seek the Lord while it is day for the night cometh when no man can work.
He weakened Abraham with fear.
He weakened David with covetousness.
He weakened Peter with shame.
He weakened John Mark with homesickness.
He weakened Elijah with self-pity.
If we are to win for Christ, we must stay close to the Lord.
To many in this world Satan is visualized as a man in a red suit with horns and a pitch fork. To others he does not exist and still to others, he is worshipped and feared. In actuality he has many names and hundreds of faces. He can appear as anything from a red dragon flying across the sky to a preacher preaching from the Bible.
Satan first appears in heaven and called Lucifer, the light-bearer.
After his fall God changed his name. He is never called Lucifer again.
He is called the accuser, the adversary, the angel of light.
He is called the deceiver, the devil and the dragon.
He is called the father of lies, the god of this age and the king of the bottomless pit.
He is called the man of sin, the murderer, the power of darkness and the prince and power of the air.
He is known as the roaring lion, the ruler of darkness, the ruler of demons and the ruler of this world.
He is called the serpent, Satan and the wicked one.
Everything evil is comprised in his names. I won’t go into detail but Halloween is to Satan-worshippers as Christmas is to Christians.
In this study we will examine four thoughts about the greatest enemy of the Church of Jesus Christ and the greatest enemy of mankind, Satan.
I – His Personification:
As Jesus Christ is seen in many types and shadows in the Old Testament, especially in the Priest, Melchizedek; Isaiah pictures Lucifer as the king of Babylon in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel paint a picture of Lucifer as the king of Tyrus in Ezekiel 28.
Isaiah 14:
12 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!
First, look at the word, “Lucifer.” It means “light-bearer” in the Greek and “the bright one” in the Hebrew.”
You must realize that over the centuries, Satan’s greatest means of deceiving the world has been through religions; the main religion being, Babylon. Last week we saw just briefly how Babylon’s false doctrines have infiltrated so many religions of today.
Second Corinthians 11: 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
You that know the scriptures know that the doctrines of Catholicism, the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches, which comprise the majority of protestant churches, have succumbed too many Babylonian doctrines that are contrary to God’s holy Word.
Next in Isaiah 14:12 he is called, “son of the morning.” Some scholars believe this is in reverence to the fact that Lucifer may have been the very first created angelic being of God.
Then Isaiah asked Satan a question, “How did you fall?” The answer is “pride.” Maybe the greatest sin in the heart of all of us is pride.
Be ever more humble for pride has crippled many a good man and toppled many a kingdom and destroyed many a marriage.
You would be smart to not think to much of yourself and you would wise not to think of yourself at all.
Then he asked another question, ‘How did you weaken the nations?” The answer is, “He drew them away from God inch by inch, little by little.”
David wrote in Psalms 18; 2 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.
Psalms 1: Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
God gives individuals and nations strength. When we meditate on His Word He becomes our rock, our fortress, our deliver, our every thing. When we disobey, we become weaker and weaker. We open our lives up to demonic activity, individual lives corrode and nations crumble.
Ezekiel reveals the person of Satan like no one else in the Bible.
Ezekiel 28: 13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
Ezekiel reveals to us the beauty of Satan’s makeup. Heaven was and is a place of extraordinary beauty. With all the angels of fire and beauty there was one with unique beauty hovering above the throne of God. Lucifer’s very makeup was glorious lights of thousands of colors shining in amazing beauty. And when he moved music flowed from his body.
If you were to have seen him in his original state you would have bowed before him and worshipped him. Yea, billions do today and don’t know it.
You could describe Satan as a chameleon. He changes with his environment in order to hide himself so he may catch his prey.
He will become whatever he must to keep you from drawing closer to the Lord.
Ezekiel 28: 14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
Ezekiel 28: 15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
He was perfect till iniquity was found in him. We know the iniquity was the sin of pride but how do you think it happened?
Could it be that for billions of years of time in our feeble minds, Lucifer gave glory to God, but then suddenly, his great downfall came because he forgot why he was create?
Is that not true with mankind as well? We must remember our talents, our treasures our time was given to us that we might give them to God.
Are we so proud that we think that now I can use what I have for myself? No! We are to live for God.
-In a moment of time Lucifer became as ugly as he was once beautiful.
-He became as rebellious as he was once obedient.
-He became as unfaithful as he was once faithful.
-He who once hover above the throne of God and gave glory and praise to the one who sat upon the throne, now reigns over demons in blaspheme and rebellion against the One who gave him life.
II - PRIDE
Isaiah 14:13 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:
Isaiah 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
God uses his creation to reveal to mankind many of man’s iniquities.
For example God tells us not to be slothful. The sloth is the laziest creature in the world. He won’t work, he won’t bathe, and it takes him days sometimes to a few feet.
The Bible says a slothful person can give you seven good reason why he can’t work. That is the character traits of a sloth.
The eagle is the great monarch of the sky. He says, “They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles.” An eagle pictures one who lives in victory. He says that we who mediate on Scripture are like eagles. We will soar above the problems of this world and have victory in our hearts and lives.
When God describes Satan, he reveals that his character trait is pride. He convince people that they are little better than the best and a little smarter than the smartest and a little wiser than the wisest.
Whereas the Apostle Paul, the man closest to God in the New Testament cried, “I am the least of the apostles” (I Corinthians 15:9).
Whenever one gets closer to God, they do not feel they are better than another but less than another.
Study the history of Kings, Pharaohs, Caesars, Tsars and all world rulers. You will find that in their pride many thought they were like a god only to be brought down to the very pit of hell.
The Pharaoh’s died and went to hell. The Caesars died and went to hell. Many of the kings of this world died and went to hell because of pride. In the book of Acts Herod was lifted up in pride and the angel of the Lord smote him and he was eaten of worms.
The reason is they forgot God and the one who fell from heaven drew the rulers and people so far from God that God brought judgment which destroyed them and their governments.
Satan topples individuals, marriages and churches the same way he topples governments.
He puts the spirit of pride within some that will sow discord and doubt and division. Be wise friend and don’t let Satan use you to destroy the work of the Lord.
We have not been given life to build our kingdom but to build God’s kingdom.
Pride causes a man to swear and cuss – Psalms 59:12.
Pride cause people to argue and fuss – Proverbs 13:10.
Pride cause people to rebel – Hosea 7:10.
Pride makes people lie – Psalms 119:69.
Pride makes people critical Proverbs 28:25.
Pride cause people to reject Bible doctrine – I Timothy 6:1-4.
God says, ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 6:33) Why don’t we? Man often ignorantly seeks pleasure, position and possessions. These things will draw you away from God.
God says, “Love me with all your heart.” (Mark 12:30) Man often loves his self, his hobbies, his children more than God. It is wrong. It is sin.
God says, “Delight thyself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of our heart.” ( Psalms 37:4) Many men seek for the desires of their own heart and blames God if he doesn’t have them.
Pride always leads to blame and rebellion.
III – HIS PIT
Isaiah 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Satan was cast out of heaven and became the prince and power of the air or atmosphere. His ruling perimeters are the atmospheres around the nations of the world. From here he inflicts his lies and deception, his doubts and fears.
One day he will be cast down to this earth during the tribulation where he will be very angry about his defeat and will unleash his bloody murdering ways across this world until Jesus Christ returns.
Revelation 20: 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Satan means “false accuser or slanderer.” His job is to accuse the brethren. That is what he has been doing for 6,000 years. He tells people God isn’t God. He tells them God doesn’t love them. He tells them God doesn’t care. He tells them God doesn’t answer prayer. He has a thousand accusations against God to give you if you will believe.
He will then accuse your brother to you and you to your brother.
He will tell you that so and so doesn’t like you. He will whisper a whopper of a lie in your ear. That is his job. Jesus said, “Satan is the father of lies.”
Revelation 12: 10 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.
He has broken up hundreds of millions of marriages. He has toppled many a governors and kings and presidents. We are no match for him, he is far too powerful. We simply must stay close to God and walk in His ways and do His will and learn His Word.
Isaiah 2: 5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.
I John 1: 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
IV - HIS PREY
Isaiah 14: 16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
Who is Satan’s prey? Why you are!
I Peter 5: 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Satan hates God’s creation. He hates mankind. He hates Christians. He hates the Jewish nation.
He hates the unsaved. He has subtlety convinced the lost to believe false religions and false ideas to drag them to hell.
And, he tactfully tries to convince God’s children not to honor and obey and love and adore the Lord.
If he can’t stop us with persecution, he will stop us with prosperity. Be wise!
He is also the great enemy of Israel and always has been.
Revelation 12:1 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:
This passage covers thousands of years of history. Verse one begins with a vision God gave Joseph in Genesis.
2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
Verse two describes the heart throb of the Jewish people as they desire that the Christ come.
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.
Verse three reveals the enemy of God’s people.
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.
Verse four describes Satan’s fall from heaven and how he fought against the Israel and he deceived her and blinded her to truth.
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.
Verse five reveals that when Christ came they rejected Him and killed him.
6 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.
Verse six tells how God will protect Israel from Satan during the tribulation period.
Keep this in mind. Like Israel, from the day you are born till the day you die you have an unseen enemy. He wants to weaken you.
In weakening you he will weaken your family and your church.
He wants to stop you from praying, worshipping, and loving God.
In doing this he will bring judgment upon our nations.
Wake up O child of God. Seek the Lord while it is day for the night cometh when no man can work.
He weakened Abraham with fear.
He weakened David with covetousness.
He weakened Peter with shame.
He weakened John Mark with homesickness.
He weakened Elijah with self-pity.
If we are to win for Christ, we must stay close to the Lord.
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