Charity Baptist Church - Greensboro, North Carolina

AMERICA, A CHRISTIAN NATION

2010-06-01T12:30:00.001-04:00

THE BLESSED NATION
The title of the message today on this memorial day weekend is "The Blessed Nation." In Psalms 33:12-22 King David wrote these words about a blessed nation. I'll give you a simple outline as I read them:
I - HE ADDRESS THE PEOPLE OF THE NATION 12-15
12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
13The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.
14From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
15He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.
II - HE ADDRESS THE KING OF THE NATION 16-17
16There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
17An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
III - HE ADDRESS THE GOD OF THE NATION 18-19
18Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
19To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
IV - HE ADDRESS THE SPIRIT OF THE NATION 20-21
20Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.
21For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
22Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.

The world "blessed" means to be joyful and happy. A nation, a church, a people that truly is blessed will cause others to desire to have what they have and to become what they are.
In this message we will look at three thoughts taken from verse twelve.

I - A Blessed Nation -Ps 33:12a
II - A Blessed God -Ps 33:12b
III - A Blessed People -Ps 33:12c

I - A Blessed Nation -Ps 33:12a
The Lord promised to bless the nation who would make Him their God.
In the begging of our nation Benjamin Franklin challenged our forefathers to build this nation on the principles of the Word of God.
It seemed to be an unusual proposal but nearly everyone present in the founding meetings of this country were Christians, not by word but by life style.
Franklin said, "The nation that would do so, would become the greatest nation in the world."
Our Christian forefathers chose to base our constitutional principles upon God's holy word and the rest is history. No country was so blessed, so quickly as America.
Our country was blessed because it was built on three eternal building blocks:
1. The Prayers of Christians
2. The Principles of God's Word
3. The Person of Jesus Christ

1. We have a blessed nation because of... The Prayers of Christians
Let me give you some examples:
a. George Washington would often write his prayers in a prayer book and then meditate on them as he communed with God. When he was a young man in 1752, he prayed, “O most glorious God, in Jesus Christ…let me live according to those holy rules which Thou hast this day prescribed in Thy holy Word… direct me to the true object of worship, Jesus Christ, the way, the truth and the life."
b. Before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, upon which there were hundreds of meetings between 1774 and 1776, all of those meetings began in prayer. All 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence were professing Christians. They spent three hours in prayer alone, just before the signing.
c. Eleven years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence in in 1787, representatives met in Philadelphia to write the Constitution of the United States. After several weeks of no progress, Benjamin Franklin, now, 81-years-old, arose and addressed those who were weary and confused.
He said this, “In the beginning of the contest with Britain (he was referring to the Declaration of Independence), when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for Divine protection.”
“Our prayers, Sir, were heard and they were graciously answered.”
“All of us who were engaged in the struggle remember the frequent instances of God’s providence and power through prayer.”
“Have we forgotten this powerful friend?”
“Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?”
“I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proof I see of this truth: that God governs in the affairs of man. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable than an empire can rise without His aid?
We have been assured in the Sacred Writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this.”
“I therefore beg leave to move that henceforth, prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven and its blessing on our deliberation be held in this assembly every morning.”
These, our forefathers, who wrote the Constitution of the United States, bowed in prayer to Almighty Jehovah God in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ.
-They did not have a prayer meeting inviting all religions of this world.
-They rejected the Hindu faith. They rejected the Muslim faith.
-They even rejected the Church of England which our forefathers left because of the traditions of the church that imprisoned them. Our forefathers wanted freedom to worship Jesus Christ.
1- Our nation was a blessed nation because of the prayers of Christians
2 - Our nation was a blessed nation because of... The Principles of God's Word
Here are a handful of examples out of thousands of what our forefathers thought of the Holy Bible.
a. In 1620 when the Pilgrims sailed for America, they sailed for the purpose of establishing a government based on the Bible. The New England charger signed by King James stated their purpose, “..to advance the Christian religion for the glory of God Almighty…
b. When the Pilgrims landed Governor Bradford wrote, “being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, we fell upon our knees and blessed the God of heaven…”
c. The Rhode Island Charter of 1683 states, "We submit our persons, lives and estates unto our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords and all those perfect and most absolute laws He has given us in His Holy Word."
d. In 1777 England ceased shipping Bibles to America due to the Revolution. The Congress of the United States was notified and recommended that 20,000 Bibles be ordered from Holland, Scotland and elsewhere in the world.
Each year new Bibles were sought for. Finally, in 1781 Robert Aitken, a publisher, petition congress to let him print the Bibles in America. And in 1781, 20,000 copies of the "Bible of the Revolution” came off the press. It was a small Bible that would fit in the pocket of a soldier. It was 4X6.
e. From 1620 till 1870's the main textbook of our country was the Bible.
1 - Our country was a blessed nation because of prayers of Christians,
2 - Our country was a blessed nation because of the principles of the Bible and lastly...
3 - Our nation was a blessed nation because of... The Person of Jesus Christ.
George Washington, John Adams, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and all who signed the Constitution of the United States did not pray to Allah. They did not worship Confucius. They did not bow to Mohammed. They did not pray to Mary or a saint. They prayed to God the Father through Jesus Christ.
We were a diverse nation but we had one God. America was a Christian nation, founded on the teachings of Jesus Christ.
If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will become a nation without God.
Many of our forefathers spoke of Jesus Christ in their writings. They worshipped Jesus Christ. They wrote gospel tracks about the Lord Jesus Christ and they died for the freedom of this country so the Gospel of Jesus Christ could be shared with the generations to be born in America.
And so they were willing to sacrifice their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor for a cause greater than life, freedom.
Erwin Lutzer tells this story in one of his books: In the first 300 years of Christianity, Christians suffered greatly for their faith. A Roman leader by the name of Alexander declared it was a time to put to rest the persecution of the Christians. He vowed to the Christian people that he would take Jesus Christ and make an image of him and put him in the Pantheon and make him a god like all the other great gods of Rome and the Christians cried, "No way." Thus ,the Christians continued to suffer and die under the whip of Rome.
One day, the antichrist will offer the same idea to this world.
Why did these earlier Christians not take the compromise? They knew our Lord has no equal. He sits above all gods. Jesus Christ sits alone as God. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. There is none but Him.
He is higher, greater, more glorious than man's futile image of some Greek or Roman god. He is One God to be worshipped.
--What made America a blessed nation? We had Christian leaders that feared and loved and reverenced the God of heaven, Jesus Christ and built our country on Bible principles and the teachings of Jesus Christ.
--We were a Christian nation that prayed to one God and worshipped one God. We believed in one book and we worshipped one Savior.
Listen: Many of you will ask, "Then why are we so far from God today? There has been many wars fought and many lives taken, but the greatest war waged, that has destroyed not just lives but the souls of men is a war called "the propaganda war."
Propaganda is a means of persuasion, in an attempt to influence a people by emotions (fear or pity), attitudes (bias or unbias), opinions or actions of a ideological, political or religious belief by using one-sided messages. Those who use propaganda leave out facts, tell half truths and justify lying.
Though America was a country founded on Jesus Christ, the people of our country has fallen to believe the propaganda of the unsaved.
Let me give you a few examples:
a. One great propaganda lie today that is destroying America is "diversify and be tolerant of everybody and everything. Accept everybody's belief, accept everyone's lifestyle, and let's all united and get along." That is not taught in the Bible.
Jesus did not teach that. Jesus said, "Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean things and then I will receive you." He did not say join up. He said separate.
b. Another deadly misconception is "all religious roads will take you to heaven, so unite together."
The Bible teaches there is one God and one way to Heaven and that way is through Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh to the Father but by me."
This may shock you but had I been invited to go to the National Day of Prayer in Washington DC this past April, I would not have gone. Why?
For one reason, there were 220 religions represented from Jews to Muslims and Hindu to Catholics to Protestants.
Pope Benedict XVI told a gathering of Jewish, Muslim and other religious leaders, "Followers of all religions must "stand together in defending and promoting life and religious freedom everywhere."
Jesus did not tell the religions of His day, you stand for your religious beliefs and I'll stand for mind and we will all strive to live in religious freedom. He said to the religious people of the world in John 8:44, "Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do."
That doesn’t sound to tolerant to me.
If you listen to the media today, you would think that the Muslim religion is just another religion and the terrorist are just a few fanatics within.
I want you to know that the Koran is the Muslims Bible. It states that those who will not convert to the Muslim religion are infidels.
Jews and Christians are classified as unbelievers and infidels.
The propaganda media tells you that is not so. Let me read to you from the Koran:
Allah is an enemy to unbelievers. - Sura 2:98
On unbelievers is the curse of Allah. - Sura 2:161
Slay them wherever ye find them... - Sura - 2:191
Allah has cursed the unbelievers and proposed for them a blazing hell. - Sura 33:60
Now listen to what Jesus says about unbelievers in Matt 5:39, ""..whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."
He said, “They that live by the sword shall die by the sword.”
He said, “Forgive and you shall be forgiven.”

II - A Blessed God -Ps 33:12b
Psalms 33: 12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
Look at the word, “God.” A person’s “god” is an object, a hobby, or a deity that, that person depends upon, desires, and is dedicated too.
A person looks to his "god" for protection, provisions and peace.
A person’s “god” is the entity a person’s bows before, weeps before, loves and adores.
A person gives most of their time, attention, talents and treasures to his god. A person lives to please and serve his "god."
Therefore, blessed is the person whose God is Jehovah.
"Blessed be the Lord thy God" is used often in the Bible and refers to God being holy and righteous and sacred and virtuous.
Jehovah God of the Old Testament is the Lord Jesus Christ of the New Testament.
The Bible does not say "Blessed is the nation who accepts all gods of all religions. It doesn't say, "Blessed is the nation that is tolerant of sin and evil and wickedness.
For God to be Lord of a nation, a nation must accept the God of the bible who is holy and just and righteous and virtuous.
George Washington said, "It is substantially true that virtue and morality is necessary for our government to succeed."
Samuel Adams said, "It is not possible that any state can remain free, where virtue is not supremely honored."
John Adams said, "Virtue must be the underlay beliefs of our democracy we will be destroyed as human nature is corrupted."
Of the 1st 46 charters established in the United States of America, including North Carolina we find in each of its contents these words, “We establish this colony for the spreading of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
America is suffering today because most of the people have lost virtue. Virtue is honesty, morality, integrity, truthfulness. Isaiah 5:20 says, "Woe to those who call good evil and evil good."
We are living in a day from our President to our politicians to the press, to most people in our country, statistics shows corruption and deceit.
These, our leaders to not "bless God." They do not see Him as holy and virtuous. Sadly, most of our leaders in our country today are unsaved, building our nations on the sands of time.
The bias Media will not to print the truth. So, you ask, "How do we know truth?"
Jesus said, we must know the Bible, for it is truth.
He said to know people, inspect their fruit, not their words.
Over the past fifty years in America, there has been an all out assault against Christianity. There has been an all out assault against prayer and the Bible principles and righteousness.
-- In 1962 prayer was deemed unconstitutional.
--Then, Bible teachings was completely thrown out of education.
-- And the Ten Commandments were removed from the walls of the public educational buildings of America.
It was not the vote of public opinion but the corruption in the press and political leadership of this country.
America was founded as a Republic. That means America was a system of self-government by the consent of the governed.
Our country, founded on God, was slowly becoming a humanistic country bent on the whims of the minority and not the majority. Thus, as far back as the fifties and sixties, America ceased to be a Republic.
With Bible principles no longer being taught to our children, Marxism, humanism and evolution became the main teachings in our schools.
The main reason for these teachings was to encourage the youth of America to turn away from Bible principles. Now, that that has happened. The next step is to socialize America. We are there!
The youth of the sixties cried "freedom from God and government." Today, that cry is costing America their freedom.
You see the Bible was a measuring stick for American children and adults for 200 years. It brought God's blessings to America.
When it was removed from the lives of our children, man's heart became his own measuring stick.
The great danger is the eternal God of the universe declares that the "heart is deceptive above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it."
John Jay, the first Supreme Court Justice in American history was a Christian. He said, "A man who was not a believer had no business making decisions in the political affairs of this country."
The statesman and the godly founders of America have died off. We have mostly politicians running our country. It is no secret that most of them lie. And the clique today is, "I misspoke." No friend, to misspeak is to tell a lie.
These politicians have no knowledge of what this country was built upon. They do not want the Bible, prayer or Christ to be exalted in America.
I have agreed and disagreed with many presidents. But, President Obama, really troubles me. What I am about to say is my opinion based on the fruit of his life, not the words he speaks.
His words are propaganda.
His fruits reveal he is anti-Christian, anti-American, anti-constitution and anti-Israel.
His fruit reveals he does not believe in America as a Republic. He is a socialist who hopes to socialize America with his Totalitarianism form of government.
An example of anti-America took place, when our Senator Obama, in 2008 would not cross his heart when the National Anthem was sung when everyone else on the platform did. That told me he was anti-American.
An example of anti-Constitution is what has happened the past months with Arizona.
Over the last few weeks, President Obama and many of his followers have refused to honor their oaths of office, which involves keeping the constitution of the United States of America. It is their constitutional requirement is to enforce existing laws.
America's existing immigration laws states that a person cannot be in America without proper documentation. Our President says that he doesn't like the Arizona law and calls it misguided and wants our justice department to review it. Our President is anti-constitution.
Right before the mid-term election, a movie, that was made a year ago, is coming out in theaters called, "Machete." It pictures a brutal war against those in Arizona that will not give a free pass to illegal immigrants.
I don't mind people coming to America from any country in the world. But, they need to come legally.
Another vivid memory I have of Obama is a book he was carrying when a photo was taken of him. It was entitled, “The Post America World.” It was written by a fellow Muslim. It tells of the world after America crumbles.
When he says we are not a Christian nation but more like a Muslim nation, 100 years ago he would have been called a traitor., and rejected by the media, the politicians and the people of this great country. The reason today, he is accepted is because he is part of the propaganda machine to make America part of the one world government one day.
Americans are faced with an unresponsive and unaccountable one-party political system that rules all three branches of government. They have voted into law the Health Bill against the will of the people. That is anti-American.
The governing party has established a propaganda machine posing as a free press.
They run an educational program that teachers their socialistic and humanistic, anti-God views.
They hate Christianity, the Bible and righteousness.
They have been seduced by their hearts to worship materialistic gods.
1- They vote themselves raises.
2- They give themselves a paycheck for life.
3- They give to themselves a healthcare plan paid for by you and me, but feel they are too good to live by the healthcare plan the voted for the rest of America.
We got slack as Christians. We quit praying. We quit living by Bible principles and America began to roll in its luxuries. She has rollick in pleasures. She has revolted in morals and she is rotting in her sin.
We were once a blessed nation, but to stay blessed we must bless God. We must turn back to God with all our hearts.
The last point in Psalms 33:1 is...
III - A Blessed People -Ps 33:12c
Psalms 33: 12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
God chose Israel to be His people. They were to love Him, live for Him and be a light for Him in this world of evil.
Israel was to be faithful to God, but, they forsook God. God, then called His Church to be His faithful witness in these last days.
You that are saved, were not an afterthought of God. The Bible says in Ephesians 1 that God chose you before the foundation of the world.
God formed and allegiance with us. As He has been loyal and committed to us, we need to be loyal and committed to Him.
In 1892, Francis Bellamy wrote the Pledge of the Allegiance. Words were added and in 1954 we had this pledge, “"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all."
Two thoughts in our Salute to Flag:
1) Republic
He was reminding Americans that America was to be a Republic.
That means America was a system of self-government by the consent of the governed.
A Republic came with individual liberty, elected representatives and limited government.
A Republic was a government checked by balanced devices designed to stop tyranny, the three sections of government.
Today, we don't have a balance and check system in America. Today, one party controls all three branches.
In America our forefathers believed that after God, the individual came first. They believed that only by the consent of the governed, could government govern.
And then the purpose of a Republic was to protect man's life, liberty and property, not take it away.
2) Pledge
As a blessed people our pledge was not to a "flag" but the idea of what America was built upon, 1) The Prayers of the people 2) The Principles of God’s word 3) the Person of Jesus Christ.
America and Americans have been blessed from shore to shining shore with bounty and wealth and freedom and liberty, with prosperity and blessings because those who knew God blessed God..
I still love America because of what it was build upon and what it stood for.
If the people of America are to be blessed, they cannot go down the path of our present political leaders, the propaganda of the press or the direction of the president.
They must turn back to being a people of prayer, a people of principle and a people that worships the person of Jesus Christ.
******************
Proverbs 13;34, "Righteousness exalteth a nation but sin is a reproach to any people."
We must return to the Faith of our forefathers.
We must knee in humility and prayer.
We must go back to the cross.
The crisis is acute.
The danger is imminent.
Time is running out.
The choice is clear: Repent or perish, revival or ruin, Christ or chaos.

As your pastor, I ask from you this: I ask that you give to God and His Church, what our founding fathers gave to America.
They dedicated their lives to defend the Declaration of Independence.
They wrote and sign their names to a pledge that cost some of them their lives, all of them heartache and sorrow and many of them everything they owned.
They said, "with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our Sacred Honor. The word sacred means blessed, or holy.
SO FREEDOM IS NOT FREE. WAKEUP AMERICA!

FEEDING THE 5,000

2010-06-01T12:29:00.001-04:00

DINNER WITH THE LORD
Mark 6:30-44
Jesus Christ performed many miracles. He did so to prove to the world that He was the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Thus far in the book of Mark Jesus healed a possessed man in Capernaum (1:23-28). He healed Peter's mother-in-law (1:29-31). He healed a paralytic in 2:1-12 and cure a man with a withered hand 3:1-6, He calmed the storm at sea in 4:35-41, cure the woman with a hemorrhage (5:23-34) and raised Jairus' daughter from death (5:35-43).
All four Gospel writers record many miracles Jesus performed. But, the only one that is recorded in all four Gospels is the feeding of the 5,000.
This is one of the greatest miracles of our Lord, but there is much, much more to this story than the feeding of the 5,000. Everybody knows what goes on in the kitchen before the meal is what makes the meal so good.
In the story we see the might, mercy and multiplication.
Most people make a big-to-do out Jesus feeding the 5,000, that took him maybe 2 or 3 hours. But, few people think of the fact that Jesus at taught them truths all day long. It shows that people are often more amazed with the signs then the Savior.
In this message today, the first important thought we see is:
I - JESUS CONCERN FOR HIS MEN, THE DISCIPLES (v 30-32).
Mark 6: 30And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
31And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
32And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.
Two things are clear in these verses:
1 - The excitement of the disciples: (v 30)
-They were excited because Jesus gave them power over the devils.
-They were excited for they had power to heal the lame and the sick.
-They were excited over their spirit's boldness to teach God's word.
The reason Jesus gave the disciples these special powers was for a witness to who He was. Soon, Jesus would die and rise again. Thus, His powers and the powers he gives the disciples were signs for the Jews, so they would believe that Jesus was the Christ the Son of God, the Savior.
After Jesus' resurrection His power is given to His Church. John tells us in First John 4:4, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. "
The believer is given special power today also, but not to tread on serpents and raise the dead. After Jesus rose again, His new command was and has been for 2,000 years to go and witness to the world.
Matthew 28:18-20 reads, 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
What do we teach people? Well, before you baptize them, they must first be saved. So, evidently we tell them that Jesus Saves. 1) We tell them, Jesus loves them and died for them. He was buried and rose again.
2) We tell them all have sinned and come short of God's glory.
3) When they see themselves as lost and God's Spirit convicts them, if they will humbly come to Jesus and believe on Him, they may be saved.
Yes, we need to love people, help people and care for people, but our first priority should be to pray for people and proclaim Jesus.
So, the disciples were excited about Jesus.
2. The exhortation of the Lord is the second thing we see (31-32). Jesus saw beyond the disciples emotions, He saw their need. Do you know what they needed? They needed to rest physically and mentally.
So, they boarded their boat and left Capernaum and headed up the northeastern side of the Sea of Galilee to Bethsaida.
If you give yourself to the service of the Lord, you must have time alone with Jesus to regain your strength. But that is true in any work.
Your body both physically and spiritually needs refreshing.
A great theologian, once sat down with Martin Luther, the reformer and said, “I have come by today so you and I might discuss how God governs the universe.” Luther looked at him and said, “Today you and I will go fishing and leave the governing of the universe to God.” There are sometimes God's people need to go fishing, go on a picnic and just rest. There are times, you need to turn your cell phone off, lock your doors or get in a car and go off for a few days and just rest.
In the third century BC there lived an ancient Greek philosopher named Aesop. He was known for his wise stories. Aesop told stories about nature, plants, or animals that illustrates a moral or even a divine truth.
One day as he was talking with a stressed out fellow Athenian, he picked up a bow, loosened its string, and placed it on the ground., Aesop said, “Answer the riddle, if you can. Tell me what the unstrung bows implies.”
The man looked at it for several moments but had no idea what point Aesop was trying to make. Aesop explained, “If you keep a bow always bent, it will eventually break; but if you let it go slack, it will be more fit for use when you want it.”
Jesus knew that people needed rest. He knew His children needed rest. That’s why we all need to take time to rest.
In today’s Scripture, Jesus prescribed time off for His wearied disciples after they had returned from a prolonged period of ministry.
The second important thought we see is:
II - JESUS COMPASSION FOR THE MULTITUDES, THE LOST (v 33-34).
33And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.
34And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
In our Lord's stay on earth, His heart was stretched between His concern for His disciples and His compassion for the multitudes. But that should be the heart of every preacher and every Christian.
When the multitudes saw the direction which the Lord left Capernaum by ship, they began to run around the northern corner of the Sea of Galilee until they came to where He was in Bethsaida.
Jesus saw them running around the lake to meet Him. After watching them run for a while, Jesus said in verse 34, "They were like sheep not having a shepherd." The Lord was not irritated because the multitude came to Him. He embraced them with love. Why? He saw deep down in their hearts that they were lost. How do we know that?
1 - They had no shepherd. They had no spiritual leaders to tell them the truth.
-The rabbis' in this day rejected John's preaching to repent from Judaism and accept the Christ. They rejected Jesus' teaching though they claimed to keep the word of God.
-The scribes also rejected Jesus' teaching, though they were to be the wise men who interpreted the Scriptures, they misinterpreted them.
-And the Pharisees were so wrapped up their religious traditions, they could not see beyond their noses.
Jesus said to these three groups in Matthew 23:15, Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
The reason Jesus was moved with compassion upon these folks was nobody would tell them the truth. Thank God Jesus is Truth.
Not, only did they not have a shepherd but...
2. They had no Scriptures.
To hear the Scriptures, the people had to go to the synagogue. Then they trusted the reading and interpretation of those Scriptures to the Pharisees and Scribes.
Listen: when the disciples ask the Lord to give them signs of when He would return, the first thing Jesus said was, "Take heed that not man deceive you." (Matt 24:4)
I want to make something very clear today folks. Maybe I haven't been clear in the past, but the greatest deception of Satan today is false religious teaching. Any doctrine not backed up by the Scriptures is a lie.
God gave commands to preachers in II Timothy 4:1-3: 1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts (fleshly desires) shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
I have had many people visit this church and when I visited them, they said, I'm looking for a church with a ball team or a singles ministry. I'm looking for a contemporary church with contemporary music, or some other personal reason. That is fleshly. You are here because you were looking for a church that teaches and preaches the Bible.
I talked to a Methodist man this past week. I told him, I believe a ballpark is for baseball and a amusement park is for entertainment, but Church is a place to go and worship God. And he said, "I agree."
Therefore let me say this:
It matters not what a school of theology or Christian college or seminary tells you, if it contradicts God's word, you and I are to preach and proclaim God's word. Amen. There are a few good colleges and a few good seminaries in America, but mind you, only a few.
They give knowledge and they give degrees, but few train preachers to preach the whole council of God. I don't know if this will shock you or not but most professors in most Seminaries across this land don't believe that the Bible is God's inspired word.
Remember, the Bible says, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable..." not part of it, but the whole.
Jesus called religious organization that were fake, fake. He called the Pharisees, hypocrites and children of hell.
Now, that poses a major problem in the culture of America, today.
Why? Most of our country's educational institutes and media has brained washed most people and even Christians to believe humanism over God's divine teachings.
Let me give you about 5 examples:
1) The book by Dale Carnegie, "How to Win Friends and Influence People" written in 1937, sold 15 million copies worldwide. It was a good book filled with great ideas on how to treat people and how to listen and show compassion. It was a good book on how husbands and wives should treat each other.
An old preacher in his nineties told me that the religious organization he belonged to and worked in all his life, built their entire religious teaching around one quote from Dale Carnegie and that was, "Don't criticize, condemn or complain."
Now, if you have read the book, you know that was just one point and overall it is a good book. If you are dealing with a person in sales, that is a great code to live by. If you want to make people like you, you must do this.
The book goes on to say that you should show interest in people, smile, be a good listener, show respect, be friendly with people you meet and much more.
That is all good, but God didn't call preachers to win friends and influence people to themselves. He called preachers to reprove, rebuke and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Many preachers are taught today, never to condemn anyone or anything. They are told, "Don't say anything that might offend someone."
Listen to Jesus. He said to the Pharisees in Matthew 23:33,Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Does that sound a little condemning?
I believe we need to be compassionate and loving to the lost world, but, to false teachers whither they are religious or not, that are taking people to hell, we need to call them what they are, serpents, vipers and candidates of hell.
Where is the balance? It is really simple. A dad takes his son out into the woods. He says, son, God gave us animals for food. We raise our beef, we kill deer, we shout turkey's, we catch fish. This is good. We till the soil and plant crops. This is good. We eat strawberries, blackberries and the like. But, son, Be cautious of poison ivy and oak. Watch out for the snakes, the bears, the wolves. They'll kill you. Stay away from them and if they are causing trouble, warn people or kill them.
2) Now, seconnldy, let me say this, the apostle Paul called people's name who were leading people astray. He said, "Demos hath forsaken me." He said, "Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil."
This brings us to another area of thought that is killing true Christianity in America and that is the Possibility thinkers.
Born in 1926 was a man named Robert Schuller. When Schuller began in California, he went door to door and ask the people what kind of church they would like. They said we want a church that makes us feel good about ourselves. So, Schuler changed his message, and vowed never to preach negative again, only positive.
He would never tell a person that they were sinners in need of a Savior. His church grew to over 9,000. His TV program was broadcast in 180 different countries. He had an audience of 20 million people and he left out over 50% of God' Word.
Friend, my Jesus preached hell hot and heaven sweet. He told people to repent or perish.
He exposed to the woman at the well that she was living in adultery.
He told Nicodemus, "He that believeth on me is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed on the name of the Son of God."
I think I will preach like Jesus. It could make the difference in heaven and hell for one lost soul.
I want to tell you about another Robert Shuler. He was nicknamed "Fighting Bob" Shuler.
He was born in 1880 and died in 1965. He was an American Methodist evangelist and political figure. He was born in Tennessee but pastored in Los Angeles, California during the 1920s and 1930s. He attracted large audiences of over 5,000 and was heard on the radio by over 600,000.
In his sermons and broadcast, he weekly, "thundered negatively against civic and moral evils, including gamblers, bootleggers, the dishonesty of the government, corrupt politicians and corrupt police officials.
Shuler would have kept his radio broadcast open many more years, but the Federal Radio Commission revoked Shuler's license. They shut him down in 1937. So, much for "freedom of speech." Folks, we are fighting against the same corruption in our government today.

3) There are the positive thinkers like Norman Vincent Peal who said, "Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities."
My Bible says, don't trust the flesh. Don't trust your heart. Don't trust man. Psalms 118:8, "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man."
4) Then there is the teaching of the Happy thinking people. They say things like: "Happiness is within you. When you stop the chatter of the mind and expel your worries and fears you find out that happiness surfaces from within you.
Do you know what I feel when I stop all chatter of my mind. I see a world going to hell. I see the soon return of the Lord and the need to tell people about Jesus.
Happiness is not a goal you seek, it is an outflow from the heart of a person abiding in Christ.
5) Then we have today, the political correctness crowd. This world's education system, government and media, is crying that you must speak politically correct.
They are doing everything they can to brainwash the people of this nation to accept a socialized, Marxist government that will eventually accept a One World Government. That contradicts the words of my Savior.
The politically correct crowd says don't say negative things. Don't say anything that my make another feel bad. So, you must call drunkenness a disease. And adultery is called an extramarital affair and homosexuality is called an alternate life style.
Friend, Jesus said the drunkard is a sinners and he won't enter the kingdom of heaven. The adulterer will face God's judgment and the homosexual crowd is an abomination. He said they are worthy of death and bound for hell. Does that sound politically correct?
Have you heard of ADHD, (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)? My kids had that. All three of them. I had it also when I was growing up. So did my brothers and sister. So did my mom and dad.
Don't laugh. All of you had it. Not only that, my kids had ADD, Attention Deficit Disorder. When I talked to them, they didn't listen or obey me, at first.
Well, before I read Dr Spock or a modern day Psychologist or psychiatrist or talked to a governmental social worker I read the Bible.
And God gave me a cure for ADD and ADHD.
I want to show you the cure in the Bible: Look in Proverbs 23: 12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. First, children should be taught the word of God. When? You should read the Bible to them before they are ever born. Then raised them on the Scriptures. Know, this, though you give them the pill of truth, they are still going to lapse into ADHD and ADD.
So God, gives us some great wisdom in verse 13: Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Did you see that? The remedy isn't in a bottle, it is in a rod.
The old remedy to get a child's attention or to stop a child's over activity was called in modern terms, a spanking. If you are from the mountains it is called a good old fashion whooping.
Well, says, mom or dad, "Can I whoop them to much? God says, "NO." 14: Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
I'm not making fun of anyone, I'm telling you, our nation has to find another way to help you raise your kids because they threw the Bible out. So they say, drug them.
So you have a choice today: Put your child on governmental regulated drugs which will affect them mentally and physically as they get older. That is proven. Or, do it God's way.
Folks, the whole world is not crazy and God's word is always true: In 1992 Philip Atkinson in Australia wrote this article, " Uncontrolled Children Become Uncontrollable Citizens. The Australian community's failure to discipline its children has resulted in uncontrollable citizens—monsters.
He says, we have ignored the wisdom of the ages. The public schools phased out corporal punishment and today we are left with uncontrollable violent pupils.
Jesus did not call behavior a disease? He called it sin.
Jesus said, "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.
The third though we see is:
III - JESUS' CONSUMMATION OF A MIRACLE (v 35-44).
I am not going to read verses 35-44, for most of you know the story. Jesus had preached all day and the multitudes of 5,000 men plus women and children were hungry. The sun would soon set and the question arises, "What should we do with this crowd."
1. First, We see the disciple's logic: The disciples looked at the conditions and the clock. And concluded with this logic:
"This is a desert place, and the time is far passed." 36, "Send them away and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. We don't have the time or the treasures or the to feed a crowd like this.
This spoke of the time of day. You see there were two evenings to the Jewish people. The first was from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and the second was a period of thirty to forty minutes after sunset. Here Jesus was speaking of the first evening.
The disciples were concerned that they could not feed the multitudes. Why? Their eyes were on the clock, but Jesus' eyes were on the crowd.
They had looked in their purse and didn't have enough money.
They had looked out among the crowd and there was no food.
They had considered the lateness of the hour and thought they had no time, but no one was looking to Jesus, who had all power.
2. Now we see Jesus' love (38-44)
A. First we see the Blessed Supply:
So Jesus says, "Give them to eat." The disciples say, we don't have enough money in the treasury to buy enough bread for them. Jesus says, in verse 38, How many loaves do we have. They come back and say, "This small boy has two fishes and five loaves of bread, but what is that for this great multitude?"
He tells them to sit down by fifties and by hundreds. He is organized. Learn this truth: Your little is enough, if you give it to Jesus and let Him organize it.
B. Then we see Jesus' Bountiful Supply
Jesus first stopped and blessed the two fish and five loaves.
41And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
How many times have I give this principle: "Learn to truly be thankful for what you have. That gives God the opportunity to give you more."
God knows the gratefulness of our hearts. Praise the Lord for what He has done for you. Quit asking for more and just praise Him!
What is the application for us today?
Be concern for your own family first, then your brothers and sisters in Christ, the. Reach out to them to one another and give a restful, peaceful time.
Be compassionate to a lost world. They are running to and fro because they don't know the peace you have. They don't know Jesus.
So, take the bread of life that God gave you and share Him with your family and friends.

MOTHER'S DAY 2010

2010-06-01T12:27:00.001-04:00

THE SAGA OF TWO FAMILIES
Would you want someone to write a book on your family? Even the best of families would probably say, I prefer that you don't. However, God writes more than history and prophecy about families. He writes truth. In the two families we will look at this morning, we see a family with a son and a family with a daughter and how each family was affected by their mother.
Luke 1:5 reads, "There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth."
Elisabeth means, "The sense of God." Elisabeth and Zacharias had lived many years and they had no child.
Matthew 14:6 reads, "But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod."
Herodias means heroic. The name of his wife, Herodias, is derived from Herod. Herodias' desire was not to be a wife or a mother, but her desire was to be a Herod.
She wanted to control her life, her husband, her daughters and everyone else's. (Josephus tells us that Herodias' daughter's name was Salome. Her name means peace.)
In this story we will compare the lives of two women, their families, but mainly their hearts.
One woman has a righteous heart before God and one woman has a rotten heart before God.
Most of this message is taken from Mark 6:13-29. That text reveals the heart of Herodias, whereas the heart of Elisabeth is revealed in Luke 1.
This message reveals three thoughts:
I - THE PREACHER: (Mark 6:14)
Mark 6:14 And king Herod heard of him (Jesus); (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him.
Soon, after Jesus sent the disciples out to witness and do miracles for Him. His fame spread everywhere. One man of great power and position heard of Jesus' fame and the news frightened him greatly, though he had never met Jesus Christ. This man's name was Herod, the husband of Herodias.
Why would Herod fear Jesus so, though he had never met Him?
That is where our message begins, but not with Jesus, but John.
And even before John. It begins with his mother, Elizabeth.
Elizabeth's was from the bloodline of Aaron. It is said, and is very much true, "behind every good man there is a good woman." That woman may be his mother. It may be his wife or it may be his grandmother. But, there is a lot of truth in that saying.
John's Father was Zacharias, a priest of God. Luke tells us that John and Elizabeth faithfully served the Lord all their lives.
The Bible says in Luke 1:6, "And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless."
In that verse we see what made Elisabeth a godly woman. She walk her talk. She knew her role as a wife and a believer and she lived it.
The phrase, she was “righteous before God,” (v 6) tells us she knew the Salvation of the Lord. There are two types of righteousness in the Bible. There is imputed righteousness and imparted righteousness.
When a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior, he or she is given "imputed righteousness." That means one stand righteous before God because of our blood-bought relationship with Jesus Christ.
But, imparted righteousness is the life we live before others, because we realize our position with God and our place in society.
We impart to others the righteousness we have in our hearts.
Thus, Elisabeth's walk was as beautiful as her talk. Thus, she was blameless before God and man.
Elisabeth was very old. She had passed the flower of her youth. She was of the age when women no longer conceived.
Zacharias never quit praying, though he doubted that God would answer his prayer. One day while he was ministering to the Lord, burning incense in the Temple he prayed many prayers.
One of those prayers was "Lord, would you give me a son." Suddenly, the angel, Gabriel appeared to Zacharias and told him that the Lord heard his prayer and would do just that... give him a son.
He told Zacharias that his son would be like Elijah. He would be righteous. He would preach truth. He would turn many to God.
Isn't that great? There was only one problem, Zacharias didn't believe Gabriel. So, Gabriel says, Zacharias, you will not be able to speak a word until your son is born and yes, you will name him, John. (God is gracious)
Now, why do you think Zacharias prayed this prayer? Well, Zacharias and especially his wife had suffered much rebuke because they were childless. In ancient days, the belief was if God opens your womb, He has blessed you and if not, then there must be sin in your life.
Elisabeth was mocked and looked down upon by her friends. I can hear friends and foes alike, "Why has God not opened your womb, Elisabeth?" "Is there some unconfessed sin in your life?"
So, when Elizabeth did conceive, she hid herself for five months.
A month later, a young girl, named Mary, came to Elisabeth and told her that she was carrying, the Messiah.
Mary was but a teenager. Elisabeth well up in her age. Elisabeth was the wife of a priest, Mary a simple peasant girl.
Yet Elisabeth praised Mary and gave glory to God. Elizabeth was so thankful for Mary's blessings that her emotions caused John, who was six months along in her womb, to jump for joy.
John was a great man for God, because his mother had a heart right with God. She walked and talked with God. She kept her role as a mother and believer. And she was blameless. I see that she was content with where she was in life.
Soon she gave life to a godly son, John the Baptist. Jesus said that there has never been one born of woman as great as John the Baptist.
II - THE PROBLEM
That brings us to the problem. The problem's name was Herodias. When Herod heard about all the miracles that Jesus Christ was doing, as well as his disciples, though John did no miracles, Herod feared that John had risen from the dead. Why? Well, here is where this family story begins.
Herod's name was Antipas. He ruled Galilee on the east, what we would call the East Bank. And his brother Herod Philip ruled northeast of Galilee in the land of Trachonitus or what we would call the Golan Heights today.
On a trip while Antipas was visiting his brother Philip, Antipas’ eyes fell upon Philip's beautiful wife, Herodias, and with lust in his soul, he stole her from his brother.
Why would Herodias give herself to Antipas, her brother-in-law? Herod Antipas was called a king, while Philip was only a governor. And Herodias was all about herself. She only wanted to promote herself and be the center of attention. She wanted to be a queen.
She was a spoiled, selfish and self-centered woman. All her life she was pampered and given everything she wanted and if she didn’t get her way, she pouted, she got mad and she got even.
She never knew what the word content meant. Her life made, her first husband's, Philip, life miserable and her life made Herod's life miserable. And if she didn't like someone, she made their life miserable.
Though Herodias was as beautiful as a butterfly outwardly, she was as ugly as a buzzard inwardly.
When she took flight with Antipas, she came with luggage. A heart was full of hate and her daughter was full of hell.
Lust last for but a short time, love last forever. Thus, it was not long before whatever relationship there was between Antipas and Herodias, it was gone.
HERE we have two women that will greatly impact the life of John. One would give John life and one would take John's life.
In those days, inside of Antipas' kingdom, yea, inside his own house was debauchery, dishonesty and deception.
Evil gets old after awhile and a man begins to look for someone or something that is real.
That is when John came on the scene. No doubt a convert of John's must have witnessed to Antipas and said, "Have you heard of the Baptist?" Great crowds from all over Galilee are going to hear this man speak. He is telling of a coming Messiah. He is calling the people to repent and prepare for the Messiah.
Curiosity got to Herod so, he decided to go and listen to John. John moved Antipas emotionally. Antipas enjoyed hearing someone tell the truth for once. He was somewhat tired of the deception, lies and evil within Rome... and within his own family.
Though Antipas did not live right, he knew John was holy and spoke truth.
The Bible says, that Antipas enjoyed hearing John preach.
--Maybe Antipas longed for the peace John preached about, for he had none in his home.
--Or maybe, he enjoyed John because John was telling the Jews that they needed to change their life style, for Antipas was an Edomite.
I can see Antipas as he returns home from hearing John preach. He comes to his wife, Herodias and says, "Herodias, you must go with me to hear the Baptist. He is the most amazing speaker I have ever heard. You just must come with me tomorrow to hear him."
As tomorrow arrives, Antipas and Herodias arrive in their chariot, along with many soldiers and guards.
They make their way to the desert place where John is speaking. John declares to the crowds with his booming voice, "Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. Soon the Messiah will come, prepare ye the way of the Lord." John was the greatest orator of the day.
Suddenly, the unexpected happened. John, under the inspiration of the Spirit looks towards Antipas' chariot where Antipas and Herodias are sitting within.
John speaks with his booming baritone voice, "Antipas, it is not right for you to have your brother's wife."
Antipas is stricken with guilt and shame.
-He knows he did wrong when he stole Herodias from his brother.
-He probably wished he could return her but it was too late for that.
-Herod cannot speak. He is humbled.
But, Herodias is burning mad. Venom is dripping from her lips. I can hear her say, "How dare, that man speak truth about me. How dare he reveal my dirty laundry for all the world to see."
Isn't it amazing how God's Spirit works. Antipas was humbled, Herodias was hardened. The same sun that melts the snow, hardens the clay. Antipas is ashamed but Herodias is angered.
Antipas still held great respect for John. Herodias only desires to see him dead. Herod and Herodias argued over John life.
Herodias demands that Herod kill John. Herod reminded her, that he was the king and he would do no such a thing. So that Herod will not have to live in torment on earth, he compromises and throws John in prison.
But, Herodias is not content. You see, she didn't get her selfish way. She had never been forgiven by God and therefore she knew not how to forgive. Burning within her heart is a devious plan to get even.

III - THE PLOT
Herodias was pampered and spoiled as a child. She got everything she wanted and pouted if she did not get what she wanted.
This spoiled child that manipulated her parents with her wining, will now use even her own child for her profit.
Herodias was as pretty as a sunrise on the outside but inside she was full of sewage.
She thought, soon, it will be my husband's birthday. I will set a trap for him. Herodias knew Herod was a lustful man, so she goes to her daughter, Salome, and says, "Salome I want you to dance at the king's birthday party.
I want you to dance as seductively as you can, but don't tell anyone what you are going to do. It is your step-father's birthday present and I want it to be a suprise.
I will see to it that Herod is filled with drink. You just fill his heart with lust. I have something very special for Antipas on this birthday.
Herodias' daughter play the harlot that night. She dressed like a harlot, danced like a harlot and defrauded her step-father, to the command of her mother.
When the king could no longer contain his lustful thoughts, he says, "Ask of me and I will give you whatever you ask up to half my kingdom."
The daughter, though seductive, was ignorant of her mother's game. She goes to her mother and says, "Mother what do I ask for?"
Herodias with evil in her eyes and a sadistic grin on her lips says, go and tell the king you want the head of John the Baptist on a platter."
A stake was driven in Herod's heart. He knew that was wrong. How he regretted his pledge. But, so many people heard his drunken oath.
In shame Herod sent for the executioner. John's head was removed from his body, placed on a charger and given to Herodias' daughter.
Salome carries it to Herod. The Bible does not say this, but maybe Herodias' daughter said, "Mom says, "Happy birthday."
Now, Herodias was content. She got her way again.
I want to stop and look at two mothers:
1 - Elizabeth (Luke 1:6) "And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless."
a. Elisabeth was righteous. That means she was honest and honorable. Think of the words honest and honorable. Honest means truthful, sincere, trustworthy, upright, law-abiding. Honorable means admirable, moral, praiseworthy and good. The Christian life is all about character, God's character. Thank God for godly mothers that are honest and honorable!
b. Elisabeth kept God's commandments. I enjoy studying the Bible for it reminds me of the things that I forget. I loved to read over my role of a husband and father, for I see where I have let things slip and I try to make things right. I enjoy studying love for every time I do I see where I can improve my love towards God, my wife and family.
Elisabeth reminds us, a wise man, a wise woman will live in God's word.
c. Elisabeth lived a blameless life. That means she was impeccable. She was innocent. Her heart was clean. She loved her God, her husband and she loved her son. She was trustworthy and dependable.
I thank the world of someone that is dependable and trustworthy. It is what makes a church, a family, and even a business successful.
d. Elizabeth was a selfless woman. She lived for others. She did not have a selfish bone in her body. She did not have to be served, she lived to serve. She lived for God. She lived for others.
You may ask, "How do you know that? When Mary came to Elisabeth and told her she was going to have the Christ. Elizabeth praised Mary. She didn't get jealous. She didn't say, "Why not me, Lord." Elizabeth was a selfless woman. How beautiful is the aroma of a selfless, submissive, spiritual woman.
2 -Look at Herodias
a. Herodias was miserable and she wanted everyone around her miserable. She only wanted her way and Herodias did not care who she hurt or who she stepped on to get what she wanted.
b. Herodias was a self-centered woman. Life was all about her. It was never about being a good wife or a good mother. It was about getting what she wanted. She had to have the best. She had to have her way. Why was she like that? Herodias was a spoiled little girl that grew up to be a spoiled old wife.
Many of you remember Scott Peterson, the man convicted of murdering his wife, whose was carrying his child. She was 27. The Baby was due within a few weeks to be born.
Why and how could a man kill his wife and baby, yet to be born. One piece of evidence was this presented in court was this: Scott's feet never touched the ground till he was one year old." That means, he was spoiled rotten.
Moms and dads, love your children, but rule your children. Don't let them pout. Don't let them have their way. Please, train them up in the ways of the Lord.
c. Herodias was a proud woman. She thought her beauty was all she needed to attract the world. But, she was blinded by her pride. Her pride made her bitter and ugly. She wanted position and fame, even if it meant breaking God's law by leaving her husband for his brother.
She manipulated her daughter into degrading herself and she manipulated her husband into an act of murder.
When John spoke truth and told the world that Herodias was an adulterous, rather than saying, "God forgive me," she said, "I will get vengeance."
d. Herodias did not know how to forgive because she was never forgiven by God.
Why were these two woman so different.
1 - One knew God and one did not.
2 - One spent time with God daily and one did not.
3 - One knew her Biblical role and one did not.
Every mother should want to be like Elisabeth. A woman in love with God, her husband and her family, a woman content and innocent.
On the other hand, no woman should want to be like Herodias. She was all about herself. She wanted her way or she pouted. She was envious, jealous and unforgiving.
The Jewish rabbis had a saying, A good woman might marry a bad man, because she hoped to make him as good as herself; but a good man can never marry a bad woman, for she will eventually drag him down to her own level.
Herod was not a good man to start with, but his wife made him worse.
There is a lesson here for wives and mothers. Women, you are going to influence your husband and you are going to influence your children. The question is whether you are going to influence them for good or for evil.
The love and submissiveness of my wife makes me a better man.
The more she loves God, the more loving she is to me. She is submissive. She is easy to talk to. She doesn't have to get her way. She serves me and others.
She is compassionate and kind to me because or her relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. I love her more for she desires to honor God.

In the end of this saga, John lost his head. But, one moment John was on earth the next moment he was in Paradise with his godly mother, Elizabeth, and his godly father, Zacharias.
Herodias in the end, urged Herod to travel to Rome and seek the kingship of all of Palestine. Her greedy request was Herod's undoing. Emperor Caligula accused Herod of conspiring against Rome and banished him and Herodias to Gaul where he died a penniless pauper.
May I make this challenge: If a truthful story was written of your life what would your story tell your children?
I hope it would say that you were righteous, that you kept God's word and that you were blameless and innocent.
If you say, but preacher I've made some bad mistakes.
Tell it to Jesus. He will save all who will surrender to Him. And he will forgive all who will ask forgiveness.
If you will give your time to God's word and God's house, He will make you like Elisabeth. There's room at the cross for you.

The True Missionary

2010-06-01T12:25:00.000-04:00

THE MISSION
Mark 6:7-13
Mark 6:7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:
9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.
10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.
11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.
Born September 3, 1934 was a man who would soon hear God's calling to salvation. God would send him on a mission. This man would preach the gospel for 61 years. He would pastor churches that ran less than 100, but would be used greatly to influence preachers across America. His name was Walter Burrell.
On April 24, 2010, Dr. Burrell's mission was on earth was complete and God called him home. His life in eternity was just beginning. As he walked before the Lord and bowed at His feet, I believed Jesus said, "Walter, well done, welcome home, my good and faithful servant." His last words to me on April 9, 2010 were, "I just want to preach one more time."
Did you know that God has a mission for all His children?
If we are to obey our Lord's mission, there are four things He wants us to know.

I – IT TAKES POWER v7
Mark 6:7, And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
When God calls you to salvation, He also provides the powers to live for Him.
1. Called - The word "called" means appointed.
Paul said in Romans 1:1, He was called to be an apostle.
Romans 1:7 says that Christians are called to be saints.
Romans 8:28 says we are "the called according to His purpose."
Romans 9:26 says we are called "children of the living God."
Romans 8:29-30 reads, 29 "For whom he did foreknow, (to have knowledge of before hand) he also did predestinate (to determine in advance) to be conformed (fashion like unto) to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."
30 "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: (to make innocent and righteous) and whom he justified, them he also glorified (to give honor). You have been honored by God to be called to salvation."
Let me sum up the calling of a believer. God choose you before the foundation of the world and determined that when you accepted His invitation to Salvation, you would be fashioned like Jesus. He would make you righteous and your life would be honorable for Him.
Do you understand what happened to you when you got saved? You were like a P.O.W. You were destined to rot in Satan's jail and spend eternity in hell. Then Jesus knocked down the prison wall and chose you to be one of His own. Some of those prisoners are still behind bars, but you were chosen to walk with Him.
God said, "I picked you to be my child." It was not because of your looks, money, righteousness or bloodline. God chose you because of His grace and mercy.
Paul is so excited about that teaching that he says in Ephesians 1:3-5, 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
A true believer is called to salvation by the good pleasure of God's will.
A true believer is called and honored by God.
That is your main calling.
Then, there is your ministry calling.
We are called to service.
Our wages are: God shall supply all our needs.
Our Retirement is eternal life.
Our work is to serve with all our heart.
I remember Richard Thornburg's mom, Jane. She loved the nursery. That was her calling. She loved to take care of the children. She told me one time, "Preacher just put me in the nursery every service."
We are called to live for God. We are called to die for God.
God doesn't call everyone to be a pastor or a teacher or to sing in the choir, but he does call us to be saints. He does call us to do His will. He does call us to be like Jesus Christ. (Amen)
2. Send (v 7) - As the disciples are sent on a mission from the Lord, so we that are His children are also sent on a mission. When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He told the disciples in Matthew 28:19-20, "Go ye into all the world and preach or proclaim the Gospel, teaching them to observe all things..."
Two is the number of unity. Let me give you three great witnesses for the Lord: 1) A husband and wife: When a husband and wife are in unity with God and each other, they are a picture of Jesus Christ and the Church. They are a great light to family and friends.
2) When a congregation of people is in love with Jesus Christ and walking in unity, they are a great witness in their community and those who attend the church.
3) When people go out and visit two by two and invite people to church and share Jesus with them they are a witness of two obeying God's mission to the world. You folks ought to pair up two by two and pray and go and visit your neighbors and friends because you have been called and you have been sent. Selah! Just invite them to church and tell them what Jesus did for you.
Some folks have asked where is my world? Your world is your family, your neighborhood, those people you meet every week. That's your mission.
May I encourage you to be a witness for Christ? His only way of winning the lost world to Him, is for you and me to go and tell others.
Last week, John's wife, Sherry came down to visit for a week. She will be moving down in two or three months. She came to church every service at the witness of her husband.
After John got saved, John gave his testimony to Sherry, and she saw the change in John's life. On this past Monday morning after reading my Bible and praying, I couldn't get Sherry off my mind. I thought Karen and I need to go and see her. So about 2:30 we went by to talk with her. She told us that all night she was waking up thinking about the Church services. As a youth she grew up in a Baptist church but never heard any one talk about being saved.
She had ask John question after question about the Bible. After answering questions and sharing God's plan of Salvation with Sherry, she bowed her head and gave her heart to Jesus.
That is what Mark 6:7 is talking about. Our mission is; we are called and sent and given power from God to tell the world about Jesus Christ.
3. Power - Jesus said, He would give you power. The word for power is the Greek word, exousia. It means delegated authority. This word is important to know because; the authority of God is greater than the authority of man. You and I face “unclean spirits.” Paul called them devils, principalities, powers, rulers of darkness. God says, I’ve given you power of them. These spirits control governments, religions and people.
In China today, the government says, you cannot worship, unless you get a license from the state and then you must worship as we tell you to. Millions of Christians formed hundreds of thousands of underground churches to worship the Lord. They are going against their government because there is a power greater than man-made government and that is God's authority.
When a government says, you can no longer pray and worship according to the Bible, but you must now pray and worship the way we tell you to; that is when true Christians says, "My authority comes from God. I shall pray and I shall worship in spirit and truth."
When the government passes laws and says, you can't say what the Bible says, that is when God's children say, I fear my God more than I fear big government.
When the government says, "If you don't stop we will take away your job, that is when you say, I won't stop. I had a friend in Winder, Georgia, 28 years ago, who had taught at a public school for twenty years. He had always read the Bible and prayed before every class. The authorities said, you can't do that anymore or we will remove you from your job." He said, "I've always done this, why must I stop now." He would not stop and they fired him.
When the government says if you don't stop, we will put you in jail. That is when God's children says, "You can put by body in chains but you can't put my soul in chains. I have freedom in Jesus."
When big government says, "We will kill your body." that is when we quote Jesus who said, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt 10:28).
In ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN, the US-based Christian charity World Vision said on March 10, it has suspended operations in Pakistan after militants stormed its offices, killing six staff members and injuring several others.
On the internet site, "Worldwide Persecution of Christians, they state, "In the past 100 years (during the 20th Century) 26,000,000 Christians were killed for their faith (martyred). It does not count the untold numbers who were persecuted in other ways, imprisoned, tortured, and enslaved."
Jesus says, I will have given you POWER over those spirits.
II - IT TAKES PREPARATION v 8-9
Mark 6:8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: 9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.
The disciples were on a mission. A mission is an undertaking, an operation, a duty, a purpose.
In a military mission, a group of well trained men will lay down their lives to fulfill the orders giving them from their commanding officer.
Jesus told the disciples go and be a witness for me and don't worry about how YOU are going to live. Don't worry about your script. That was a leather pouch where they kept their food. Jesus said, I'll feed you.
Don't worry about where your bread or where your money is coming from. If you are in my will, I'll take care of you.
Jesus said, "Just secure your sandals, we have work to do.
These men had spent many months with the Lord. They had heard his teaching. She said "Follow Me." Now He says, "Go."
I believe these men rose early in the morning and prayed and went out all day long, eight and ten hours a day serving the Lord and witnessing.
The whole idea is this: Satan will tell you, you are not ready to witness. You are not knowledgeable to witness. Wait till you are more established. Wait till you are secure in this world and then witness for Jesus Christ.
Let me give you two thoughts:
1) If God's Spirit is precious to you and you want to truly become a soldier on a mission for Jesus Christ before he returns you can be a witness almost immediately. John was to his wife.
But as the disciples sat at Jesus feet, God's child needs discipleship. When the disciples were called of Jesus Christ, He taught them daily, hour after hour. When they were ready. He sent them out.
I learned more in a 32 hour discipleship course after I graduated from college, than what I learned in college. You just have to find someone who knows how to disciple. I've had the privilege of disciplining three preachers.
But, let me say this, if you will claim 2 Timothy 2:15, God's Spirit can be your teacher. The reason Jesus discipled his men is because 99% of believers need to be discipled.
2) Secondly, "If God has called you into full time service, it may take you eight to ten years to prepare." Why? It is one thing to witness to a lost person, that you work with or a neighbor. It is totally different in dealing with those demons that fight against the Church of Jesus Christ.
Because of a lack of personal Bible study in homes and individual's lives today, most people called of God in full time service need the discipline of hard work and a college education.
Stephen Anderson will graduate from college Monday night. His life of learning is just beginning. It hasn't ended.
I've heard many stories of Christians called of God that tried to save their money for college but couldn't ever save enough. Then, they went by faith and God took care of them. I had an aunt that was called of God to be a missionary. She tried to work and save money and could never make enough. She then went off to college by faith, got her a job at college and worked and put herself through.
Faith is believing God. But, it is believing God's word that says, man shall live by the sweat of his brow.
As I planned to go to college, the first thing I did was to get two jobs. I discipline my life when I was a teenager by my life style at home. I lived on $25.00 a week and saved $100.00 a week to take care of my first semester's bill.
The day I got to college, I registered in the morning, paid for my first semester and went out and found me a job that afternoon.
I worked 40 to 48 hours a week till I graduated. Then I worked sixty to eighty hours a week for the next five years. That is called, living by faith. You see, God was getting me ready to pastor.
These disciples walk with Jesus, served Jesus and sat at His feet 12, 16, hours a day for 3 1/2 years. When Jesus rose to heaven, their ministry was just beginning.
Do you know what God was doing for me when I was young, by working in chicken houses and taking care of cattle and pigs and fence lines, hauling hay and taking care of pasture land ten to sixteen hours a day? He was preparing me for the ministry.
Then, when I went off to college and worked for Dupont eight hours at night, after being at college five hours. God was teaching me to live by faith and preparing me for the ministry.
Now, most of you say, "But, God hasn't called me into full time service." No but you are called to be a saint and a disciple. God wants us to spend time getting disciplined so we can be a witness for Him.
Church, I love you. Do you remember when dad ask you to do a chore and you didn't? When he came home and call your hand on it, you were ashamed and embarrassed.
You don't want to stand before God empty handed, having never brought one soul to Jesus, do you? God says, I will give you power but your part must be, preparation.

III - IT TAKES PEOPLE v 10-11
10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.
11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Folks, listen, life is about people. Life is not about you or me. It is about others. It is about training our children and witnessing to the lost.
Jesus said, I came not to do my will but the will of my Father."
Jesus did not come to be served. He came to serve.
He did not come to live. He came to die.
In Luke 4:18-19, when Jesus told his friends his mission, they wanted to kill him. Don't expect everybody you share Jesus with to say, "Thank you." Some will, but most will not. Know that people shall react to you as the world reacted to Jesus.
Jesus said in John 15:18-19, "18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
When I was young in the ministry, it seemed most houses that I would visit, the people were friendly and would have respect for the pastor.
Today, we are living in a time where people don't really want to talk about Jesus Christ or heaven. Most people will say, I have my own beliefs or I'm not interested. Why? Let me give you two reasons:
1) A person's education has turned many folks away for the Lord. Many folks are taught that religion has called all the wars in this world. The truth of the matter is they are right. Religious leaders have been fighting against God and truth since the beginning of time. If you stand for truth, religious people will be your biggest enemy.
2) A lot of people are living in open sin and they don't want the preacher to come into their abode. They feel guilty or ashamed to have the preacher visit.
So, Jesus says, if you go to offer the greatest story in the world, the story of Salvation and eternal life and people reject you; kindly, and sadly, shake the dust off your shoes and walk away.
Then notice what he says in verse 11. When Judgment day comes, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for those who lived in Jesus' day. But, how much more today?
Sodom and Gomorrah were cities were the morality of men dropped to an all time low. The lowest state a nation can come to his the acceptance of homosexuality as legal. That happened in Sodom and Gomorrah.
Men desired men more than they desired women and the same with women. God told Abraham that He was going to destroy the city because his nephew, Lot was living there.
Abraham prayed and ask God if he would spare the city of there were fifty righteous people there. Then Abraham got to thinking and thought maybe there isn't fifty righteous people there. So he ask got to save it for 45, 40, 35... all the way down to 10 people. God agreed with Abraham. If there were 10 righteous people, He would spare the city.
Two angels went into the city to warn Lot and his family. Lot tried to witness to his family that was married and not in his house. But, they rejected Lot's witness. Why? Because Lot had not lived a godly life.
Finally, the angels led Lot and his wife and two daughters away from the city and God sent down fire from heaven and burned the city and its inhabitants to the ground.
There was a two-fold problem in Sodom. 1) Homosexuality was legal.
2) The believers had no power in their witness.
So, why will it be more tolerable to have lived in Sodom than America. Let me give you four reasons:
1. Sodom had no preacher. There are over 500,000 in America
2. Sodom had no churches. There are over 300,000 in America
3. Sodom had no Bible. There are over 300 million in America.
4. Sodom had not witness, except backslid or Lot. America has 40 million people who say they are born again.
Why is our country where it is and where is our witness?
I had a number of families on my heart this past week. I went by to see some. One man I went by to see I've always notice a light in his eye, but I never asked him personally if he had been saved.
When I did, he gave me his testimony and said, "Thank you for caring enough to ask." What a difference in a believer who is asked if he is saved and a non believer, who professes but is not.
Some time back I had another man on my mind who didn't have God's light in his eye. (Larry Kallum) I went by and asked him if he was saved. He got a little defensive and said kind of huffy, "Well, yes, I'm saved." I said, "Would you tell me how you got saved?" He growled and in anger said, "The same way you got saved."
Our mission involves having God's power, preparing to serve and witnessing to people.
But, there is one more and vital part to our mission.
IV - THE PROCLAMATION v 12-13
12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.
I bought a chainsaw a few months back. I looked at the parts and pretty much knew what to do, but I thought I would still read the instructions.
It said, first, read all this information before using the chainsaw.
Then it said examine and make sure you have all these parts.
Then it said, assemble the chain saw. Then it said put the oil in the chainsaw. Then it said put the gas in the chainsaw. Then it told me how to choke it, turn it on and finally it said, pull the cord to crank the chainsaw.
So, why do you tell us that, preacher? Because, salvation has some steps to it.
1 - A person must hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Romans 10:17)
2 - A person must realized they have sinned and are therefore destined to hell. No religion or good life will save anyone. (Romans 3:10, 23)
3 - A person must hear God's spirit within their heart calling them to salvation. (John 3:8)
4 - A person must surrender to that call. A person must surrender their life to Jesus Christ. (Repent and believe)
5 - Then, that person must take Romans 10:13 and make it the most important prayer they have ever prayed. "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved."
I heard Billy Graham preaching last night. It was an old rerun. He quoted this verse and said, "When you call upon the Lord you must mean it with all your heart." Amen!

I remember, Dr. Lee Robertson, use to stand everybody up in front of the church when they made a profession of faith and he would ask them:
1. Do you believe that Jesus Christ died for you was buried and rose again.
2. Have you asked him to be your Savior and are you trusting Jesus with all your heart?
3. Do you want to be baptized and join this church. That means, when you accept Jesus, you accept His bride, His church.
If you know beyond a shadow of a doubt you are saved, give me a hearty, Amen. Great!
Now let me ask you, have you prepared your life for God's mission for you and do you care about people?

A Homecoming Welcome

2010-06-01T12:22:00.001-04:00

HOME SWEET HOME
I - THE HOME SCENE (Mark 6:1-2)
1 And he (Jesus) went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
"There's no place like home" use to be a popular saying and more important, it use to be a true saying. Years ago in America, dad worked ad brought home the bacon, mom took care of the house made breakfast, lunch and supper and took care of the kids. When dad came home the family would all sit around the supper table and eat and talk and fellowship about what happened that day.
Many families would read the Bible and have prayer. God was the center of the home, dad was the head of the home, mom was the heart of the home and the children was the joy of the home.
Let me paint you a picture of a Christian Home. Dad and mom love the Lord and spend time with Him. Joy fills their hearts. They are in love with God and each other. The family have devotionals and they enjoy time together. Dad goes off on a business trip now and then, but every time he returns home, mom and the children plan a special welcome for dad. They prepare banners and streamers and a nice supper and a comfortable evening when dad comes home.
Dad is the authority of this home. On this evening that dad comes home and the family sits around the supper table, dad says, "I have something special to tell you today." Everyone is excited and the children smile and say, "Tell us dad, what is it, what is it?"
Dad, says, Well, you remember years ago when we had to leave grandma and grandpa and your uncles and aunts and all your family and friends to come to America?" Well, when I went overseas on this trip, I bought a beautiful house for us to live in. Everything is paid for and we will be moving home soon. I just have a little more business to take care of here.
The family is overjoyed. They jump and down and dance around the table, because they are going home.
Alvin York was born December 13, 1887 in a two-room log cabin near Pall Mall, Tennessee. He was the third of eleven children. The family was dirt poor. He joined the United States Army and fought in World War I. During the course of an engagement with the Germans when most of the men in York's company were killed, York took over. It is said that he single handed, overtook a German machine gun nest. He preceded to take out 32 machine guns. He killed 28 Germans and capture 132 others. This hometown boy from Pall Mall, Tennessee came home to the cheers of the crowds, an American Hero. There's no place like home.
a - The Surroundings v 1
Well, Jesus left Capernaum, Simon Peter's hometown, and headed for Nazareth, His boyhood home. His disciples of course followed Him.
Jesus is going home, to the place he was raised. He had great and glorious news to tell everyone when he got there. He was going to reveal to them that He was the Messiah and their eternal hope was in Him.
Nazareth would have never been heard of by you or me had it not been for one name Jesus. The reason I say that is:
1) Nazareth is not mentioned in the Old Testament.
2) Nazareth was not mentioned by Josephus, the great Jewish historian who lived in Israel during the first century. He named over 244 towns and cities, yet never mentioned Nazareth.
3) Nazareth is not mentioned in the Jewish Talmud.
Thus, Nazareth is only known because of the man named Jesus. Nazareth was like the little town of Winder, Georgia, where I grew up. What put Winder on the map was the President Pro tempore of the Senate, Richard B. Russell. He died under President Lyndon Johnsons administration in 1971 and President Johnson came to Winder to attend his funeral. Winder had the attention of the nation.
Can I make an application here? When we stand before God one day, only if we know Jesus Christ as our Savior will we be known in Heaven. He is the way, the truth and the life.
But, the truth about knowing Christ, isn't that we know Him. Billions of people know about Jesus. They know he died was buried and rose again. The question is does Jesus know you?
In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus says, not everyone that says Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of Heaven but he that doeth the will of my father.
In verse 23, those who know Jesus but had not surrender their lives to him will hear Jesus say, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
In John 10:27 Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
Thus, the most important question is "Does Jesus know you?" Was there a day He visited your heart and change your life? Was there a day you surrendered your life to Him and asked forgiveness for your sin?
Illustration: I know a Jeff Meiser and Brother Jeff knows me. I've never been out to eat with Jeff and Lenore before. But, the other night we went out to a restaurant. There were six of us. The manager of this fancy restaurant comes by. He knows Jeff. He says, "I'm going to bring you something special tonight." Well, we all ordered one plate of food. This manager had to have brought 12 different plates of food. We had chicken, shrimp, pork, beef, lamb and all in different vanities. (We ate so much, we had to find a Catholic Church and go and confess our sins. Ha) I got to enjoy all that food not because I knew Jeff, but because he knew me.
Well, Jesus had been away from home and now, He has returned and He had great news for everyone. He would announce His Messiah ship.

When Jesus got to Nazareth, he did what he always did on the Sabbath. He went to the Synagogue. Today, we go to church.
b. The Synagogue v 2
2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? (or where did he learn all of this) and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
Jesus taught with great authority and power in Capernaum and all over Galilee. His majestic name and his mighty works had preceded Him.
Now the celebrity has come home.
The short time Jesus was in Nazareth, he taught great truths. I believed He spoke of Heaven and its beauty. I believe He spoke of Hell and its horror.
He expounded on the history of the Jewish people and their future.
He talked about the Kingdom of God and Salvation.
Jesus had healed a few folks in Nazareth and many were astonished at his teaching.
Luke tells us about this occasion when Jesus entered the synagogue. Jesus stood up and took the scroll of Isaiah and read chapter 61:1. You will find those words in Luke 4:18-19. here is what is says:
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Now, any leader of the Synagogue knew this Scripture spoke of the coming Messiah. They knew this spoke of the one who would be the King of the Jews.
When Jesus finished reading this, he handed the scroll back to the minister of the synagogue and sat down.
Whenever someone read the Scriptures, they were suppose to expound upon them. All eyes were locked on Jesus. They wondered what He would say. They wondered how He would interpret this verse.
Then Jesus said, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears (21).
Wow, here was the Messiah. Here was He who would fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament. Here was the very one who created the universe. Here was the Son of God.
You would think these folks would clap and shout and dance. It should have been a day of great celebration, but...The "Home Scene" turns into a "Hostile Setting."
II - THE HOSTILE SETTING 3--4
1 - Why was the reason for their hostility:
a. There was a Small town reasoning v 3
The spiritual leaders in the synagogue who did not know the Scriptures said, 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
Let me say the reason most people reject surrendering their lives to Jesus Christ is because they simply do not know Him.
These religious leaders said, "Who does Jesus think He is? He is just the son of a carpenter. He is just another son of Mary, like Joses or Juda or Simon. Question: Why were they offended or so upset with Jesus?
Among ancient Jews, every father was bound to do four things for his son.
1) He was bound to circumcise Him.
2) He was responsible to teach him the word of God, the law.
3) He was responsible to teach him a trade.
4) His dad was to redeem him. Every day was to teach his son how to be saved (as we would say in our terminology).

So, these religious leaders and all those in the synagogue rejected Jesus because, they were saying to Him, you were suppose to honor your father. You were suppose to follow his steps. You were suppose to be a carpenter, and you didn't do that.
Ah, but, Jesus did honor His Father. You see, Jesus' father was God. God sent Jesus to fulfill all Scripture. Jesus came to make a way for man to go to Heaven. Jesus was on a mission from God.
Look at Luke 4:18. He was anointed to preach the gospel to the poor; Hey! Are you poor..spiritually? Jesus will make you rich one day.
"... to heal the brokenhearted, Is your heart broke? Jesus will give you all the love you need.
"...to preach salvation to sinners, Are you a sinner? We are all. Jesus will give you salvation if you will come to Him and ask Him with all your heart.
"...to give sight to the blind, to set free all who were bound by sin. Are you blind to truth? Are you confused? Are you bound by sin? Jesus came to take care of all of that. But, you must come to Him.
Because He claimed to be the Christ by word and deed, these religious frauds were upset, troubled and indignant that Jesus was so popular with the crowd.
They rejected His words and they rejected His worth. Their hope for heaven stood before them and they could not see beyond their noses.
Why was there hostility? Not only was there a small town reason but...
b. There was a Small town Resentment v 3
Sadly, the Greek word for offended is the word skandalizo. The "unspiritual elders" of the town were offended by Jesus greatness.
Rather than following His love, they "stumble" over His life.
Sadly, these folks would in up in hell because they would not believe that Jesus was the Christ.
Jesus just told them, that He was the Christ, the Messiah. What was their response.
In Luke 4:28-29, we find these religious people were filled with wrath. Nazareth sat on a high hill. On one side there was a steep cliff. They grabbed Jesus and forced him to the cliff. Their intentions were to throw him head first down the hill to his death, but Jesus simply walk away.
Why were they so angry? I'll give you two reasons:
1) They did not know the Scriptures. Had they known the Scriptures they would have known by Jesus' power, He was the Christ.
2) They did not know the Savior. They had their beliefs and they lived by their traditions and their lifestyle and did not want to change.

2. What was the result to their Hostility v Mark 6:4-6
4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
Many have proved this statement in verse 4 to be true. Many folks have joyfully given their lives to the Lord, only to go home and be rejected.
Illustration 2: I remember going to my hometown for four years. Though God blessed and we saw folks saved, I witnessed to many of my friends and none of them came to Christ.
But, I can't understand why Jesus, who was God of God, would be rejected, other than, some people are too proud to humble their hearts.
Verse 6 says that Jesus marveled at their unbelief. Why? These folks saw God in the flesh. They saw His miracles. They heard the voice of He who created the world, and these people in His home town rejected Him.
Do you not sometimes marvel at folks, when you share eternal life and the joys of heaven and how to be forgiven of sin with them, and they simply reject you time and time again? Or they say, "I have my beliefs."
Why do people respond this way?
1) Some people who put off giving their lives to Jesus Christ do so because they think they are Ok like they are. But, the Bible says, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Nobody gets to go to heaven because they are good.
2) Some folks truly expect to commit their lives to Christ someday. It is just sadly, many wait until it is too late.
Illustration 1: Such is the story of Jane, a sixteen year old young lady. Her parents were respectable folks in their community and they all attended church. Jane had heard of Christ and said she expected to become a Christian before she died. She knew it took a person trusting or committing their life to Christ.
She told the preacher, one day, that on a certain morning she woke up and had a great impression to commit her life to Christ that day and that her soul was in great danger if she delayed.
But, she reasoned the conviction away and in prayer told God, soon she would surrender to Him and receive His Son as her Savior. But as the day wore on, the conviction left and so she fell asleep that night as she always did, thoughtless of God.
The next day she felt the spiritual impression even deeper. She told her preacher later that she knew she needed to repent and commit her life to Christ, but this day also passed as before.
Many times she felt this deep impression to surrender to Christ and each time she reasoned that she had plenty of time.
Then she went to live with a family friend in a nearby town and the preacher did not see her for about three months. Then, a friend of hers came to the preacher and said, "Pastor, will you visit Mary, she is dying."
This story took place before doctors sedated patients. She tossed and turned with mental anguish. She kept saying, "lost, lost, lost." The preacher tried to console her and impress upon her to cry out to the Savior, but she cried but said, "God had not heard my prayer."
In her fleeing moments she ask all in the room to pray for her that she might find forgiveness for her sins for rejecting the Savior. The whole family and friends knelt and prayed for her.
The preacher again tried to direct her thoughts to the Scriptures and to Christ. Mary stopped the preacher and said to the amazement of all, "Stop, pastor, I cannot be forgiven; it is too late for me, too late!"
She then told the pastor to warn the young people, not to play games with God, not to neglect salvation, when conviction comes.
She prayed again and again and yet, she could get no peace from God. The agony of death was upon her brow and fear was in her eyes, when she breathed her last breath.
The Bible says, "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while he is near." Mary died that night without God, without hope for all eternity.
Friend, if Jesus is knocking at your heart, if you sense He is drawing you to Him, if you sense a conviction, run to Jesus, fall at his feet and ask Him to save your soul.
Illustration 3: Henry C. Morrison was a great missionary who served the Lord in Africa for over 40 years. On the way back to United States, he began to wonder “will anyone remember me and my wife? Will anyone recall who we are? Will anyone meet us at the harbor?”
When the ship pulled into New York harbor he looked to see if anyone had come to welcome them back home. Thousands of people were there cheering. Bands were playing. There were signs, banners, and billboards everywhere saying, “Welcome Home”.
Henry and his wife were so excited about the crowds of people that were there to welcome them home and they went down to get their luggage, came back to the deck of the ship to get off and they realized that the parade of people were already gone.
Unknown to Henry Morrison and his wife, Teddy Roosevelt, President of U.S., was also on board that ship. He had gone to Africa for a hunting trip.
The crowd had come to welcome Teddy Roosevelt home. There was no one there to welcome Henry Morrison and his wife, home.
Henry Morrison went to his hotel room with a heavy heart that evening. As he sat there on the bed, he asked his wife, “Honey, I just don’t get it…for 40 years we poured our lives into ministry and service. And yet we come back to America and not a single soul comes to welcome us home!”
His wife came and sat down next to her husband, she put her hand on his shoulder, and comforted him with words that he would never forget, “Henry, you have forgotten something, we're not home yet!”
And may that be of comfort to you who are saved. Don't expect the applause of men down here. “You’re not home yet.”

"FORGOTTEN LOVE"

2010-01-16T15:58:00.003-05:00

THE PERSUASION OF GOD

Jeremiah 2:1-2 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

I enjoy hearing a testimony of two people who have enjoyed a long and wonderful marriage.
I have met a number of couples that have been married for 65 years and more that have told me how happy in love they still are.
I've met widows that had such a wonderful love relationship that they do not desire to ever marry again.
I have met people married twenty, thirty and forty years that are very much in love.
On the other hand, I've met those that you don't have to be around very long before you could see the love was gone. They didn't enjoy being together.
He went one way and she went another way and they had just accepted this as married life. This is what had happened to Judah. So God tells Jeremiah, I want you to go and reason again with my people.
Isaiah tried to reason with them 100 years ago and they would not listen. God seemed to say, "Jeremiah, go and try one more time."

I - GOD REMINDS JUDAH OF THEIR COURTING DAYS: 2-3
2 Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
3 Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.
a. God says in verse 2, "Do you remember our wedding day?"
b. God says in verse 3, "Do you remember our worshipping days?"
a. Wedding Day -
God begins by saying, "I remember you." Those words had to strike a deep cord in Judah's heart. For when God called them, they were nothing. They were poor and naked and undone.
But, God loved them. He chose them and privileged them to be his wife. He gave to them what the world did not have. He gave them priest, prophets, promises and prophecies that no other nation had.
Through this nation came the Messiah, the Savior of the world, who would one day be King of kings and Lord of lords.
God then said, "I remembered the kindness of thy youth." When Israel was young, they made a lot of mistakes. They ended up in Egypt, the world, far from God. God revealed to them his might, arm of salvation and delivered Israel from Egypt and led them to Mount Sinai.
At Mount Sinai God revealed to Israel his majesty. They said to Moses, "Whatever the Lord says, we will do." We will submit our lives completely to the Lord. God says, I remember your youth, when you loved me and revered me.
God says, I remember ...the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
God not only revealed His might and majesty but His miracles to Israel. God says, when I loved you and led you throughout the wilderness, you trusted me, you leaned on me. You followed my way. You obeyed me. "Hey, Judah, do you remember those days. When you came to the promise land, it was not sown. That means it was in war and turmoil, but you were willing to sacrifice your all for me. I loved you and you loved me.
I thank God for a fun marriage. I am having more fun today being married than I did 36 years ago. Marriage can be fun and a couple can be in loved in their elderly years more than in their younger years, if they know what love is all about. If they can learn to live for the other and serve the other and die to self.
Jeremiah is attempting to get Judah to remember how good God was to them in their courting days. It made them worship Him.
b. Worshipping Day -
3 Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.
There was a time when Judah worshipped God with all their heart. There was a time when God was first place in their lives. Their worship of God was like a couple strolling hand in hand in love. It mattered not if they were in a park or walking in their neighborhood, but they were in love.
In those days, Jeremiah hints to Judah, Don't you remember how God fought for you. God protected you from anyone who spoke evil against you. God devour them or destroyed them. He was your husband, He was your Lord.
Sometimes God's people forget that it is God who provides for them and it is God who protects them. And that is because God fights for us because He favors us.

II - GOD'S REBUKE OF JUDAH FOR THEIR CONCEITED WAYS: 4-7
4 Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:
5 Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
God says, a. Consider my shortcomings (4-5)
Jeremiah, probably with a tear in his eye says God wants to know, "What iniquities have your fathers found in me?" How have I mistreated you? How did I fail you?
God knew if Judah would take the time to think on God, they would have to conclude, "God you have never treated us wrong. You have given us everything we have. You gave us freedom. You gave us salvation. You gave us our family. You gave us the wealth we have. They knew God was holy. They knew God was just. They knew God never made a mistake. They knew God was sovereign.
They would have to say, "You and you alone are the supplier of all good things."
God tells them the reason that judgment had fallen on Israel and would soon fall on Judah was because ( 5) ... they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
In a marriage relationship, often both people are at fault. But, when one has a beautiful relationship with the Lord and one day that person wakes up and realizes something is missing, it isn't God who had moved. His love is as wonderful today as it was the first day He saved you.
God says, I haven't changed. I haven't moved. I still love you as I have always loved you. But, you walked away from the marriage.
When God saves a person. He calls us to repent. He calls us to come out of the world. He calls us to himself for He is a jealous God. He doesn't want to share us with anybody.
You want to know something. I feel the same way about my wife. I don't want to share her with another. I want her to give her love only to me. And that is what God wants from us as well.
What took Judah away from God? They began a life of vanity.
I love synonyms. Most of you know that synonym means that which is similar or the same.
Words that are synonymous with vanity are narcissism, self-importance, conceit, pride, emptiness, worthless and many more.
Judah had begun to live for self. When we begin to live to please self rather than living to please our Lord, soon we forget Him and soon we lose our first love.
Therefore let me conclude. God has no shortcomings. There is no logical reason for us not to love Him with all our hearts and give to Him our best. The only reason we don't is because we have become narcissistic.
In God's rebuke of Judah, he says, Consider my shortcomings? Next he says, Consider my Salvation.
b. Consider my salvation (6-7)
6 Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?
1. God's salvation is a place of special providence:
Egypt was a place of bondage. They felt like they were in prison. The leaders of Israel begged the leaders of Egypt to let them go but to no avail. When Moses arrived, he put on display nine mighty miracles from God, but still Pharaoh refused to let them God.
It took the Passover Lamb, which pictures the Salvation of our Lord, to set Israel free.
Even in Salvation, life is a wilderness. Life is filled with lustful pits, financial pits and marriage pits. Life is filled with desert places. At times a person feels empty, lonely and thirsty for something and they know not what? Well that something is God's touch, God's love.
In the wilderness of this world, there is no joy, no love and no peace. Only in God's glorious salvation can we find a purpose in living.
Before God's salvation to Israel in Egypt, the desert was a place which no man could dwell and live without special providence.
Salvation in Christ gives to us a great freedom. But, that freedom should be appreciated and God should be honored for what He has done for us.

2. God's salvation is a place of special privileges.
7 And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.
God lead Israel to a land that flowed with milk and honey. The cities had already been built. The vineyards has already been planted. They had to use their physical abilities to war and take the land that God promised they could have.
When they first took the land, all was great. David finally conquered Jerusalem and all the surrounding nations, and Israel became the greatest nation on earth.
But, David, the man after God's heart died and slowly other religions and gods were brought into the Holy Land and God's land was defiled.
Israel who were a people that was to represent the love and light of God became an abomination.
Judah became not a light for God, nor did they show God's love. They had become a disgrace. They had become repulsive to the world.
The world looked at them and said, you worship the same gods we worship. You live the same way we live. You are no different than us. Why would we want your God?
From a Christian standpoint, God has given us a promise land. It is called the kingdom of heaven. The day we got saved, the Holy Spirit moved inside of us to give to us a land flowing with milk and honey from within.
That land from within a believer is water from God's word and fed with God's manna. If we have a spiritual draught, we can become abominable.
But, it would take a war and it takes work to obtain the lifestyle. It would take sacrifice. It would take a battle with Satan and the world. It can be ours if we will give time to tilling our heart's soil and planting seed from God's word and watering it with preaching and teaching and His love.
God reminds Judah of their courting days
God rebukes Judah for their conceited ways.

III - GOD REASONS WITH JUDAH for their contemptible GAZE 8-11
8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
Let me stop here for just a minute. God is disappointed in His people for He had not been worshipped for a long time and their spiritual leaders did not even know it, much less the people of Judah.
Their gaze was on the things of the world and not on God.
The last days of Judah pictures the last days of the Church age in Revelation 2-3. There will be some good churches, but there will also be many churches, just like it was in the days of Judah.
Their gaze is the world. They have fixed their eyes on temporal and self seeking things, rather than god.
Jeremiah describes in v 8, lost pastors, sin loving pastors, pastors that speak from spirits, not of God but from demons, as Baal worship. He speaks of pastors that preach to profit themselves and not to profit God. ignore
9 Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead.
10 For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.
God says go to Chittim (Cyprus). During this time the Phoenicians controlled Cyprus, They worshipped Poseidon, the god of the Sea and Baal, the storm god.
Then God said, Go to Kedar, there is where Ishamel's people live who forsook me many years ago. They worship the sky goddess know as Allat. Later Allat, was referred to in the masculine form. She became Allah. He says, these people have worshipped these false gods and have remained true to them all these years.
Then God says to His people, Judah, in Jeremiah 2:11, Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.
The astonishing thought is this, "How could a man who lived in a mansion, succumb to enjoy living in a mud hut? How could a man whose was married to the most beautiful woman, succumb to living with a harlot?
I will take the last few minutes of this message and end by drawing an analogy. It was a story told by Tennessee Williams years ago, but relates to Judah and I am afraid relates to many others today.
Jacob Brodzky was a shy Russian Jew whose father owned a bookstore. Mr. Brodzky wanted his son to go to college. The boy, on the other hand, desired nothing but to marry Lila, his childhood sweetheart.
She was a French girl as loving, vital, and ambitious as he was contemplative and reserve. A couple of months after young Brodzky went to college, his father fell ill and died. The son returned home, buried his father, and married the love of his life.
Then the couple moved into the apartment above the bookstore, and Brodzky took over its management.
Brodzky's love for his wife and his life for books fit him perfectly. Life was wonderful for both for a while, but she wanted more adventure and she found it, she thought, when she met an agent who praised her beautiful singing voice and enticed her to tour Europe with a cabaret company.
Brodzky was devastated. At their parting, he reached into his pocket and handed her the key to the front door of the bookstore.
"You had better keep this," he told her, "because you will want it someday. Your love is not so much less than mine that you can get away from it. You will come back sometime, and I will be waiting."
She kissed him and left. To escape the pain he felt, Jacob withdrew deep into his bookstore and took to reading as someone else might have taken to drink.
He spoke little, did little, and could most times be found at the large desk near the rear of the shop, immersed in his books while he waited for his love to return.
Nearly 15 years after they parted, at Christmastime, she did return. When Jacob rose from the reading desk that had been his place of escape for all that time, he did not take the love of his life for more than an ordinary customer. "Do you want a book?" he asked.
The fact that he didn't recognize her startled Lila. But she gained possession of herself and replied, "I want a book, but I've forgotten the name of it." Then she told him it was a story of childhood sweethearts who were married. They moved into an apartment above a bookstore. With passion she said, It was a story of a young, ambitious wife who left to seek a career, who enjoyed great success but could never relinquish the key her husband gave her when they parted." She told him the story she thought would bring him to himself.
But his face showed no recognition, as he shook his head as if he did not grasp what she was saying.
Gradually she realized that he had lost the love for her that he once had. He had forgotten what he was waiting for. He no longer knew the purpose of his waiting and grieving, that now all he remembered was the waiting and grieving itself.
Lila spoke up one more time, "You remember it; you must remember it she cried, It was the story of Lila and Jacob?"
After a long, bewildered pause, he said, "There is something familiar about the story, I think I have read it somewhere. It comes to me that it is something by Tolstoi." Dropping the key, she held in her hand, she fled the shop. And Brodzky returned to his desk, to his reading, unaware that the love he waited for had come and gone.
Jesus knocked at the heart door of the Church of Laodicea and sadly, they could not hear his knock.
He sent His spirit to convict their hearts and awaken them, but their hearts were far too hard.

Pass me not, O gentle Savior, Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.
Refrain: Savior, Savior, Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

Let me at Thy throne of mercy Find a sweet relief,
Kneeling there in deep contrition; Help my unbelief. Refrain
Trusting only in Thy merit, Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit, Save me by Thy grace.
Refrain
Thou the Spring of all my comfort, More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee? Whom in Heav’n but Thee?
Refrain

"Live Up To Your Calling"

2010-01-16T15:50:00.003-05:00

JEREMIAH, THE MESSAGE

Jeremiah 1:4-5
4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
God is about to reveal to Jeremiah what his calling involves. In doing so, God wants Jeremiah to know that He chose him long before he was ever conceived.
We will look at five points of enlightenment and encouragement and education that God gives to Jeremiah, for the task before him will not be an easy one.
Jeremiah is not going to preach to a people and tell them how to divert the judgment to come.
He is going to preach to a people so they might know what to except and how to live under their authorities, that, will soon control their land.

I – GOD’S CALLING
In verse five we see God's special calling to Jeremiah.
God calls men to salvation and service. Don't get them mixed up and don’t get confused over man-made doctrine.
1 – SERVICE: Let's talk about God's calling to service first.
Understand, God cannot be put in a box. He doesn’t call everyone the same way.
He can call people from their mother's womb and even before they are conceived as he did with Jeremiah and John the Baptist.
Or He may call a man when he is eight years old as he did with Moses by appearing to him in a burning bush.
God called Paul to salvation and service when he appeared to Paul with a brightness that darkened the sun.
Has God called us to salvation and service? Yes! When?
Paul wrote in Ephesians believers and said, According as He (God) hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love (Ephesians 1:4).
God called you to Him before the foundation of the world. He called you to be part of His family. He called you to salvation.
But, He also called you to be, among other things, holy, separate from the world and completely and fully in love with Him.
That was God's calling for Jeremiah and that is God's calling for you and me.
God calls people different ways but for the same purpose. He wants us holy, separate and crazy in love with Him.
Just for your records, God called two great entities to be a light of His love. He called Israel. Through this nation God gave the prophets whom would write and preach God’s holy inspired word.
He gave to them the promises of salvation, truth and eternal life.
He gave the prophecies of what would happen in the future. Israel was to God's witness and God's light. They failed.
For the past 2,000 years God as called and ordained His Church, yea His bride to so love him and to so live for him that the world might stand amazed at the great love we have for God. I'm afraid most churches are failing.
Right before Jesus died, He said to His disciples, I have a new commandment for you. That commandment is that you love one another. The way the world will know you are of me is the love you show for your brother. Selah!
Yea God's call to service is one of love and righteousness.
2 – SALVATION:
Let's talk about Salvation. If you were Muslim, you would be taught that Allah is the true god and Mohammed is his prophet. You would learn that if you died by killing an infidel you would gain heaven with 72 virgins. You would have to pray 5 times a day facing Mecca and of course live by the Koran.
Now, if you were Catholic you would be taught that you would have to merit your way to heaven through many good works. You would have to belong to the Catholic Church. You would have to confess your sins to the priest. When you died you would, if you were a good Catholic, you would have to go to purgatory. Your wife and children would have to pray for Masses and engage in other means of works to help atone for your sins.
But, you aren’t Catholic; you are what the world calls a Protestant. In Protestant theology, wars were fought over to main views on the doctrine of Salvation: Calvinism and Arminianism.

CALVINISM: John Calvin was a Roman Catholic, humanist lawyer that came to the Lord. His background greatly influenced his teaching.
Simply put, Calvinism says that man is so dead in his sins and so blind that he has absolutely no choice in the matter of his salvation.
In other words, man has no free will to choose to be saved or lost.
It teaches that God elected whom He would elect and will save whom he would save and his grace is absolutely irresistible to the elect.
Sadly, however God would chose whom He would chose and if you were not on God’s list to go to heaven, you simply will not get to go.
And then it teaches, if you were on God’s list, then you will persevere to the end and if you don't persevere to the end, then you were never on God’s list in the first place.

ARMINIANISM: The other doctrinal view is Armianianism. The Armenian doctrine teaches that though God is sovereign and knows all things, man has a free will.
Man’s election is based on his faith in Jesus Christ. Though Jesus Christ died for the whole world, man has the free will to resist God’s salvation. Man is free to chose or reject Christ when he decides to. Then, lastly it says, man can fall from grace and lose his salvation.
BIBLICIST:

Now, I am a Biblicist. I don’t agree completely with Calvinism and I don’t agree completely with Arminianism.
I would be a 11/2 pt. Calvinist and a 3 1/2 point Arminianist.
I must based my belief of Salvation strongly on John 3:16 and Second Peter 3:9, along with the rest of the Bible.
Jesus said “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have ever lasting life.” I believe that Jesus Christ died for the whole world.
Peter said, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
I believe any person that hears the gospel has an opportunity to be saved. That separates me from Dr. Author Pink and John MacAuthor completely.
For the record, here is my brief belief of Salvation.
1 - God has made a way through His Son that every person born may be saved. The gospel is this: Jesus died was buried and rose again on the third day. This is what everyone must believe but is not enough to be saved.
2 – Man is a sinner. He is separate from God. As Biblical seeds are sown in the heart of man, he sees and senses the wonder of Salvation. He realizes that he must make a choice.
3 – However, according to John 1:11-13 man cannot get saved when he wills to get saved. (11He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.)
"But of God" means man must be convicted by God’s Holy Spirit (John 3:8; John 16:8). ( 8The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.)
And great old Baptist Preacher, Dr. R.G. Lee, 85 years old stood for the fundamentals of the faith. He preached at Highland Park Baptist Church in 1973. He said something I will never forget. He said, "I fear the day will come in America when we will preach a salvation apart from the conviction of the Holy Spirit. That day has been here for a long time.
4 – At this time, when God’s Spirit convicts, man must then surrender his life to the Lord. He must humbly ask the Lord to forgive him of his sins. Then as he prays with all earnestness and calls upon the Lord, he may be saved. (Romans 10:8-10).
Salvation is supernatural. Many of you have heard of the Prince of preachers, Dr. Charles Spurgeon. He packed out the Metropolitan Tabernacle every service. One week he preached that man was the elect of God and the next week he would preach you must exercise your free will and receive Christ as your Savior. Dr. Spurgeon knew that the key was the Holy Spirit. He must convict. He must convert.
5 – The true Christian will have a beautiful love for the Lord and the things of God. But, he is in a war. Satan will do everything he can to steal that love.
Some Christians will lose their love. Some will go AWOL, some will back slide, but most will remain faithful and all who have truly been saved will go to heaven.
You can’t lose that which God gives you. That is Salvation.
You are called to salvation and to service. But, you must chose Christ to be your Savior just as you must chose how much service you will give to Him.
It is a greater decision then getting married or having a child. Your decision if it is real will change your life for time and eternity.

II – GOD’S CONSULTATION
In verse 6-9, Isaiah has a talk with God about his calling.
6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
How old was Jeremiah? Well, it is evident that he was chosen before he was conceived.
It may be that he and God had some discussions when he was a youth, for that is what the word “child” means. Jeremiah may have been only a teenager or twenty when God called him to begin preaching.
He thus felt very uncomfortable preaching God’s word. I asked, "So, why did God call such a young man? It may be that he learned from his father the priest, Hilkiah, what truth was. And God wanted someone to preach truth. And it may be that God knew that Jeremiah would make a better prophet than he would make a priest.
What good is a priest to make sacrifices for a people when their hearts are not prepared to receive those sacrifices.
Jeremiah 1:7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
I have noticed that those who are truly called of God feel unworthy.
To preach God’s Holy Book is a divine calling and it is at times a lonely calling.
We would all like to preach like Peter and see 3,000 saved, but in the last days of Israel and Judah few walked with God. And in the last days we are living in today, we may see people like Jeremiah saw.
Their faces were like flint and their backbones were like rock.
A preacher or any of Gods’ children who wants to witness for Christ must do so because they know God has called them to do so, not because of the response they may receive.
Let me say, I thank God for the good people we have at our Church. If I preached to many churches what I preach to you I would be met with so very hard looks and probably would never receive an invitation to return.
God tells Jeremiah in verse 8, “Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.”
Someone said to me, "Did you see such a person's countenance this morning?" I said, "No." They said, "It was evident they didn't enjoy the message. Her face was truly hard."
Listen, you laughed a lot at some humor in the message this morning. I did not put one funny thing in the message. God added every humorous saying because He knew it need a little humor.
I don't look at people's faces when I preach. If I look at you it is just coincidental.
Some folks say, ‘How can I be a better witness?” Ask God to do for you what He did for Jeremiah in verse 9. “Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.”
God touches us differently today. He touches us with His spirit and with His Scriptures. That is the way He puts His words in our mouths.

III – GOD’S COMMAND
10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
When God called a prophet, He gave that prophet great power. God’s prophets had the power to turn water to blood and call down fire from heaven. They had the power to send plagues upon a people and the power to wither people physical well-beings. They had the power to bless and they had the power to curse.
God gave this power to Jeremiah. But because his mind and heart was filled with God’s holy Word, God knew Jeremiah would use his power righteously.
We have an important application here: God gives us authority to be parents, husbands and pastors. Are we using our authority righteously?

IV GOD’S CORRELATION
God gives two parallel illustrations to Jeremiah.
In verse 11-12 God ask Jeremiah what he sees. And Jeremiah says, I see a rod of an almond tree.
11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.
12 Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.
What is the significance of the rod of an Almond tree? The rod is the shoot which has just been transplanted. It would take only about three years before the fruit would produce.
The almond tree is the first to blossom in mid-winter and the last to bear fruit. God is saying, when the judgment begins, it will not end until everything I have said has come to pass.
The key word is “almond.” It is the Hebrew word “shaked” and means to watch diligently or wait.
Jeremiah would wait and watch for forty years and everything God tells him to preach will happen.
Secondly, Jeremiah sees a seething pot.
13 And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north.
The seething pot referred to a boiling pot of judgment. It spoke of a war that would soon come upon Jerusalem and Judah.
Why must this war come? Why won’t God stop it? We know that the king, Josiah, will do everything righteously possible, yet the judgment from the north would come anyway.
Most Bible expositor preachers believe that the days will get worse and worse. The terrible conditions to come may bring revivals to many churches where truth has been sown for years. I pray that will take place.
Will that stop the judgment to come? Will that stop the tribulation? Sadly, it will not for America or this world. But, neither did the revival in Josiah's last days stay God's hand.
But, one thing it will do. Many will come to know the Lord.
So, you see why Jeremiah was not loved very much by the Hebrew people in Judah. He was a prophet of truth but his truth was doom.
God had offered forgiveness and mercy for years, but the people ignored God. Now it was too late.
He tells them who would invade their land and why?.
Who would invade Judah? 14 Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.
15 For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set everyone his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah.
A map of the Middle East in the days of Josiah will reveal that Babylon was to their North and east. They controlled all of the Middle East. But, when they came to conquer Judah and Jerusalem, they would come down from the mountains north of Jerusalem. We know literary that the walls and gates of Jerusalem were destroyed, but always remember this, before a physical transactions takes place in a nation, the spiritual transactions has already transpired.
The gates of the city refer to the government. Thus who made the laws had allowed to much evil to reign in the land for too long.
The walls referred to the truths of God’s word which people were to build their lives upon, but sadly, God’s word was unimportant in most people’s lives.
Why would they invade Judah?
16 And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.
That is pretty clear. Judah had lived wickedly. They had forsaken God's ways. O, they would declare that they loved God and was living for Him but, they had give of themselves to other gods.
This past week I talked to a wife that told me her husband didn't sin anymore.
A god was an entity to which a people gave themselves whole heartedly. They gave their thoughts, their emotions and their time to their god. They talked about their god and it was their god that gave them joy.
In America we don’t want to admit it but many folks have many different gods. Jesus Christ is to be our God. He should be the One who gives us joy and love. He is the one who should stir us emotionally.
If it is true our god or God is the entity that gives us joy and stirs our emotions and if it is he, whom we think upon most of the time, just who would your god be? I have downloaded the new Testament to my IPOD. It is wonderful. I listen to it when I go to the gym, do physical work, or ride down the road. It is wonderful to be able to listen to God's word all day long.
The burning of incense to other gods was literal in Jerusalem, but it refers to a person’s prayers life. Question: Are your prayers for the will of God to be done in your life. Or is your prayer for God to do your will? Sad but true, many folks worship to much of self! This was Israel's great sin.

V – GOD’S CONSOLATION.
God now gives consolation to Jeremiah, for He knows when Jeremiah tells the people of Judah, the visions God has given him, they will not be happy.
17 Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.
A man of God must speak truth.
He preaches truth because of time he has spent alone with God.
If someone were to ask me, “Preacher, what seest thou? What do you see for America?” Would you want to know what is in your pastor’s heart?
I try to preach God’s word to you as it is written. I try to be kind and gentle. I sense that most people in our church want to hear the whole council of God and that is good.
I know some have made changes in their personal life and family life and that is good.
Please don't ever stop changing for the Lord. Don't ever stop drawing closer to Him.
I know according to God's word, if we will draw closer to God, He will draw closer to us. We can have his love and joy and peace.
Our righteous living will touch God's heart that can prevent judgment and bring peace in our hearts and in our families, though it may not divert the judgment our nation must face one day.
We can see souls saved and lives changed.
Our homes can be places of envy to the unsaved world and our churches can places of great joy and wonder.
But, Judgment is coming to America.
Let me rephrase that, judgment has already begun on America.
Twenty years ago, in the 1980's when everything was doing so well, I preached a message from the words of President Ronald Reagan. He said, "America is back." I asked that question and I told you this. Financially and economically things were going well but morally things were worse than ever. There was more drunkenness, adultery, co-habitation, drugs then ever in America. Sin was running rampant. Men were lovers of self, children were disobedient to their parents, the laws of sodomy and abortion was being paraded down main street.
God had been kicked out of our schools and every public arena and it is worse today than then. I told you two ways we could recognize God's judgment. First, we would sense disunity in our family and second judgment would fall upon our finances.
We could keep our family problems behind closed doors and with charge cards we could keep our financial problems behind closed doors. But, now it has affect our nation.
We want to fix the environment. We want to fix the economy. We want to fix the education problem. We want to fix out health care problems.
But, nobody is trying to fix the hearts of men.
Friend, our problem in America is our hearts are evil.
We can blame others, but we must see as Isaiah did when he came before God's throne. He said, "Woe is me for I am undone, I am a man with unclean lips."
So we come to this final thought. Can we fix America? Let me say, don't worry about fixing America, just fix yourself.
Worship Christ in your heart and in your home. That is your hope!
God told Jeremiah in verse 17 to tell them the truth. He ends this chapter by saying these words:
18 For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.
19 And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for

I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.
Jeremiah, nobody is going to like what you say. With truth come tribulation. But, wait! I will protect you, for I am with thee, saith the Lord."
Christian, thirty-five years ago I heard that in Russia, if you were a Christian, your education and positions in the public sector was altered and limited. It is happening all over America today, especially in public education and politics. Are you willing to take a stand for God in these last days? It may cost you a lot, I pray you will stand.

The Time, Temperature, Trouble

2010-01-16T15:45:00.003-05:00

JEREMIAH, GOD’S PROPHET

Jeremiah 1:1-3
1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
2 To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
Jeremiah was the weeping prophet.
He was chosen by God before he was ever born (1:5). That was unique, but not impressive enough to cause Judah to give him their ear.
He was called to be a prophet to Israel when he was only a child (1:6).
He was forbidden to marry because of the evil days in which he lived (16:1-4).
He never made a convert.
He was rejected by his people, Judah (11:18-21; 12:6; 18:18).
He was hated, beaten and put in stocks (20:1-3).
He was imprisoned and charged with being a traitor (37:11-16).
He wanted to quit but God wouldn’t let him (37:11-16).
He lived to see Babylon’s three invasions and the fall of Judah.
In this message we will look at three simple thoughts taken from Jeremiah 1:1-3.

1) THE TIME 2) THE TEMPERATURE 3) THE TROUBLE

THE TIME
In the Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickenson wrote, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the era of belief, it was the era of skepticism, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.
In the time when Dickenson wrote his book, in France, it was the best of times for those who were in control of the nation, the political aristocrats, and it was the worst of times for those who had no voice, the people.
Today, those that will dare crawl out from under their narcissistic tents and take a truthful look at America must declare the same as Charles Dickenson.
-We have everything before us or we have nothing before us.
-We hold in our spiritual hands, our freedom or slavery.
-It was a rebellion that turned France around. And it was a revolution that gave America its freedom in 1776.
--Spiritually we must have a rebellion and then we may have a revolution. We must rebel against sin and Satan, and return to Christ. We must rebel against carnality and fleshly worship and walk in the spirit and true worship.
--We must take our mighty weapons of spiritual warfare and put them into practice.
--If we will, we shall see a revolution of right. If we do not, we will continue the course that we are on.
If God’s people would take a hold of God, they could turn the world around. But, our life must be Festive And Fruitul.
--They could experience the best of times, the era of belief, the season of light, the spring of home, heaven on earth.
However, if in America we continue to live as we have the past many years, then we can expect the worst of times, the age of foolishness, the winter of despair.
I believe the road this generation of Christians decides to take may very well dictate the future of our freedom and liberty as we know it today.
Jeremiah 1:1-3 reveal to us that Jeremiah reigned as a prophet and wrote during the time period between 627 B.C. until the complete collapse and fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.

THE TEMPERATURE
Jeremiah 1:2 To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
By reading Second Kings we sense the spiritual temperature during the time that Jeremiah wrote.
You must realize that politics and religion go hand and hand in setting the spiritual temperature of a nation. It did for Israel, Judah and it does for America.
Jeremiah would be criticized and hated by his own people because of his political preaching as much as his spiritual preaching.
Those who say, “State and Church shouldn’t mix, are ignorant of the Bible.” Neither our constitution, nor the Bible teaches such.
A BRIEF HISTORY LESSON:
At this time in history, Israel had fallen to the mighty Assyrians. This mighty invincible power now threatened Judah.
From 715 to 686 a king ruled Judah by the name of Hezekiah. The Bible declares he was a good king who did right in God’s eyes.
Sennacherib, the king of Assyria besieged the city of Jerusalem. 185,000 troops camped around the city with chariots and swords and shields.
Hezekiah heard of the hideous and fearful words of Sennacherib, king of Assyria. Sennacherib declared he would ravish the women and kill every male child.
Hezekiah dressed in sackcloth and ashes and fell upon his face in prayer, begging God for deliverance.
God saw the tender heart of Hezekiah and spared Judah from the destruction of the powerful Assyrians.
A matter of fact, due to Hezekiah’s prayer as well as others who repented and sought the Lord, God sent one angel to fight against the Assyrians. During that night the angel of the Lord slew all 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. A Great Victory was won!
Hezekiah had a son named Manasseh. He reigned for 55 years and did evil in the sight of God. Everything his father did to turn the people to God, Manasseh did to turn the people away from God.
For 55 years, he threw out everything that was Godly in Judah and brought in everything that was evil.
Evidently at this time, it seems, he burned or destroyed every scroll and Scripture he could get his hands on.
After Manasseh died, his son Ammon, reigned but two years and died. Then his son, Josiah began to reign.
Second Kings 22:2 reveals that “Josiah did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord.” He walked with the Lord.

UN-NAMED PROPHET
But, back up with me three hundred years. Turn from 2 kings 2 back to 1 kings 13. In First Kings 13, at an altar in Bethel, a prophet of God with no name stood before king Jeroboam, who was about to make a false offering to God upon a false altar.
The prophet rebuked king Jeroboam and declared that one day a king would be born who would burn the bones of the priest upon this altar and bring revival to Judah.
That unnamed prophet gave the king’s name. His name would be Josiah (1 Kings 13:2). Josiah began to reign as king of Judah at the age of eight.
When he began his reign, he desired to do what was right but the temperature in Israel was evil, cold and indifferent.
The Scriptures were never read, they had been burned or lost.
HILKIAH
In verse one of Jeremiah one we read, “The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:”
Names always tell a story. If I were to say George Washington, you would think of the great general that led the Continental armies to victory over England. And who later became the first president of the United States.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
If I said, Ronald Reagan, you would think of a Josiah who helped raise the spiritual temperature in America by standing against evil and striving to do right.
Well, Jeremiah was the son of Hilkiah. Hilkiah was the priest that served under Josiah. Hilkiah was the priest that found the Word of God in the temple when Josiah was 21 years old.
It is very clear that Hilkiah spend days reading over the Scriptures, after finding them, for he saw in the Scriptures some frightening news. I personally believe he was reading the book of Isaiah.
Hilkiah then gave the book to the scribe, Shaphan, to read to the king.
When Shaphan read the Scriptures to the king, the king rent his clothes and wept before God (II Kings 22:11, 19). That means his heart was broken. His spirit was in mourning. His will was yielded to Almighty God.
Josiah did not see the promises of Isaiah for the millennial kingdom, but he saw the judgment of God that would soon fall on Judah. When you read the Scriptures, what do you see?
He told Shaphan to enquire to what the Scriptures meant. Shaphan, the scribe, Hilkiah the priest and others went to Huldah, the prophetess, for she was a woman of great discernment and knowledge of the Scripture.
Together, they sought God and studied the Scripture, then Huldah revealed to Hilkiah and Shaphan that the Scriptures declared evil upon the nation of Judah, because they had forsaken God. 76 times the word forsaken is used in the bible. 32 times it is used in the book of Isaiah and Jeremiah.
She said that God’s wrath would fall, but… (II Kings 22:19), because King Josiah’s heart was tender to God’s Word, his life would be spared the wrath to come.
Josiah heart was tender. That means it was sensitive and obedient to the Scriptures. As long as Josiah was alive, Nebuchadnezzar would not invade or destroy Jerusalem.

The application here is multifold, but here are two thoughts:
1) George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, Ronald Reagan, George Bush and many more spoke of God, His son, the Bible, our dependence on God and the need of prayer.
In President Obama’s first year in office he ignored America’s National Day of Prayer, but he sent out a five minute video across the world to Muslims on Ramadan offering to them his prayers and blessings.
Asma Gull Hasan, a Muslim journalist wrote in Forbes.com on February 25, 2009 these words. “My Muslim President Obama”
“Why members of the Islamic faith see him as one of the flock.”
I know President Obama is not Muslim, but I am tempted nevertheless to think that he is, as are most Muslims I know. In a very unscientific oral poll, ranging from family members to Muslim acquaintances, many of us feel, just as African-Americans did for the non-black but culturally leaning African-American President Bill Clinton, that we have our first American Muslim president in Barack Hussein Obama.
…Since Election Day, I have been part of more and more conversations with Muslims in which it was either offhandedly agreed that Obama is Muslim or enthusiastically blurted out. In commenting on our new president, "I have to support my fellow Muslim brother," would slip out of my mouth before I had a chance to think twice.
Of the few Muslims I polled who said that Obama is not Muslim, even they conceded that he had ties to Islam. These realists said that, although not an avowed and practicing Muslim, Obama's exposure to Islam at a young age (both through his father and his stint in Indonesia) has given him a Muslim sensibility. In my book, that makes you a Muslim--maybe not a card-carrying one, but part of the flock for sure.”
America has forsaken God in our public schools, in our government, in most of our homes and in many of our churches. I say to America, “repent of judgment is coming.”

2 - How many Josiah’s do we have in America whose hearts are tender?
Who read the Scriptures today and weeps and cries over personal and public sin? Very few people do because so many have forsaken God.”
The Spiritual temperature in America is dangerously low.
Jeremiah will preach to Judah with no true converts during his lifetime.
Though God would spare Josiah, judgment would fall because Judah had already crossed the line of no return.
The phrase, “The line of no return” is never mentioned in the Bible, but it is seen.
-In the Garden, Adam and Eve went too far and were cast out.
-In the first 1800 years of time, God plead with men to repent and they would not. They crossed the line of no return and God gave his last warning through a preacher name Noah. Noah preached for 120 years and then God sent the flood.
-During the days of Nimrod and Babel, the people crossed the line of no return and God confused the languages and scattered the people across the face of the globe.
-Israel went to far and crossed the line of no return and God raised up the Assyrians to conquer them.
Now, Judah faced the wrath of God. They too, had already gone too far. There was no turning back.
Judgment was as sure as the sunrise. But, God tells Judah, through the prophet Jeremiah what they must do and how they must live if they are to survive the holocaust that was coming.

Now, I will present to you this thought. Is their hope for America? If we as Christians would repent, would God spare America or have we crossed the line of no return?
Stop! Think! That question must also become personal.
If there is there hope for your family what changes will you make? Will you be a Josiah? Will your heart be tender to God’s Word?
Or will January 1st of 2011 find you in the same spiritual status as you were in January 1st of 2010?
Every Christian needs to take their spiritual temperature?

THE TROUBLE
Jeremiah 1:3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
Ultimately, Judgment would fall on Judah. God makes that clear in the third verse of Jeremiah’s writing.
Prophets and Preachers of truth have declared again and again, that if God does not judge America, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.
Judgment is coming, What are you going to do about that?
Let me give you a few things to do. May I?
1 – Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you.
2 – Take daily time for personal Bible reading and meditation. Why? The Bible reveals to man the mind and heart of God.
3 – Clean the skeletons out of your closet.
In Second Kings God records the many evils that Manasseh brought to Judah in his 55 year reign. I want you to see theses evils and compare them to America.
As we read Second Kings 22 we see that Josiah is cleaning the skeletons out of the closet.
Second Kings 22:3 And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.
1 - All false gods were removed out of the land. Today that would include all religions that did not acknowledge Jesus Christ as the only true God and as Lord and Savior (v 4).
4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel. I shall say this, though you may hate me as Jeremiah did, but if you do not take time with the Lord daily but watch hours of TV or other activities you engage in, you have other gods you are worshipping.
2 – All priests that did not stand on God’s Word and God’s word alone were removed as priest. Those who believed that the teaching and traditions of others were inspired would be removed as preachers of truth (5).
5 And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven. Any religion that claims anything outside of God’s word is inspired is an idolatrous religion.
3 – All relics and images were destroyed (6).
6 And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people.
The grove was a mystic tree placed in the temple by Manasseh. It was like using holy water, or placing a statue of a saint or of Mary on your dash to protect you, or a prayer cloth offered to people for money.
The grove was crushed to powder and spread of the graves of the people, it sent to hell.
4 – The houses of the sodomites were destroyed (7).
7 And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.
5 – The High places were beautiful building built in the mountains and other places. The idea of going here was it would bring a person closer to God (8-9).
8 And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba, and brake down the high places of the gates that were in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city.
9 Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread among their brethren.
Many today think that because they belong to a church, they are assured of heaven or are closer to God. That is simply not true (8).
6 – Tophet was the place where the innocent children were offered as sacrifices. It would be compared to abortion clinics today in America (10).
10 And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.
7 – In v 11-12, the idea was an object or place would make a person more spiritual. It was destroyed. People think by going to Rome or to some religious gathering, it will make them more spiritual. God told Josiah to do away with such and get back to living for God.
11 And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entering in of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathanmelech the chamberlain, which was in the suburbs, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire.
12 And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, did the king beat down, and brake them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron.
8 – Verse 13 reveals that Solomon had made high places and altars for his wives to worship their gods in Jerusalem. Josiah said it is time to make things right. Solomon was wrong.
We need to quit doing things certain ways because mama or daddy or some preacher did it that way. We need to make our hearts tender to God.
13 And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.
9 – The prophesy of the unnamed prophet came to pass in verses 14-16.
The false altar in Bethel was destroyed. The priest who worshipped there had their sepulchers opened, their bones taken out and burned and crushed and spread over these altars, to fulfill God’s word (14-18).
14 And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men.
15 Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he brake down, and burned the high place, and stamped it small to powder, and burned the grove.
16 And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar, and polluted it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.
17 Then he said, What title is that that I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Bethel.
18 And he said, Let him alone; let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria.
10 – The places of entertainment and convenient where people said they worshipped God were destroyed.
19 And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the LORD to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel.
11 – Palm readers, fortune tellers, horoscopes, satanic churches, Wicca churches, were all destroy and their leaders put to death (24).
24 Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.
Here we will stop and ask this question: How many of these sinful activities exist, are legal and allowed in America? Everyone is allowed. (Notice verse 25-17)
Judah experienced a great revival. The Bible declared that no king had turned from evil to the Lord as Josiah did, yet it was too little too late. God’s wrath would still fall. Judgment would still come.
If this is the spiritual climate of America, what do we do?
1) I suggest we develop a tender heart by fasting, scripture reading and prayer.
2) I suggest we live for the eternal and not the temporal.
3) I suggest we do everything possible to get our love ones to the Lord.
25 And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.
26 Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal.
27 And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.

Pharisees in the Church

2010-01-16T15:32:00.002-05:00

THE LORD OF THE SABBATH
Mark 2:23-28 --23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?
26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the showbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?
27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

It is a beautiful sunny Sabbath day in Capernaum. Jesus and His disciples are out walking. They come upon a field of corn. Being hungry, the disciples pick the ears of corn and begin to eat.
Jesus allows them to do so, though He knew the Pharisees were watching them.
As soon as Jesus had come within speaking range, the Pharisees said, “What are you doing? Don’t you know it is the Sabbath day? Don’t you know it is against the law to pick corn on the Sabbath?
Jesus response to them was, “Don’t’ you know the Scriptures? Don’t you remember when David was hungry and he went to the Temple and demanded the twelve loaves of showbread from the priest Abiathar.
That bread was only cooked once a week and it was to be eaten only by the priest and his family only. Yet Abiathar gave it to David and David and his men ate the bread.
Jesus told another story here to these Pharisees which Mark does not record but Matthew does. He says, the priest in the temple profane the Sabbath every Sabbath. In other words, they work and labor every Sabbath by killing the sacrifices and making the offerings.

The Lord ends with a teaching we need to understand: 27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: 28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
The truth Jesus was conveying to the religious Pharisees was that, "He was greater than David, whom the Jews thought was the greatest king of Israel and He was greater than the priest that served in the Temple."
The great truth Jesus was teaching was,: "He is Lord of everything."
Here you must understand that Jesus greatest enemy, outside of Satan was not the sinners but the religious crowd. Friend, learn that your greatest conflicts will come from people that have religion.
Most of them have just enough to bug them, then to bless them.
They know the law, but they lack God's love.
So, here is a good point to look at the Christians' greatest enemy, the religious man or woman.

Three points we will discuss if we get to them.

I - JESUS IS LORD OVER TRADITION 23-24:
23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
THE LAW OF THE PHARISEES
Remember, Jesus was the "friend of sinners." He was compassionate. He was enjoyable to be around. He was love. The religious Pharisees were critical. The Pharisee may agree with 95% of what another person does, but it was just his nature to criticize another for the 5%.
It would be good to spend a little time examining this group of people called Pharisees. They seemed to always fight against Jesus Christ.
There were a few million Jews when Jesus walked on the earth.
In the second century BC, the group known as the Pharisees began.
The very word "Pharisee" means separate.
They prided themselves in strict adherence to the law of Moses.
But, they made one very bad mistake. They also believed in the "Oral Law." They believed laws that had been handed down from generation to generation. Not biblical stores, but man-made laws.
They had many laws and customs that simply were not from God.
When Christ walked among men, there were about 6,000 Pharisees in Israel.
They had many regulations restricting behavior that were not found in the Scriptures. A few of them were...
-They did not allow the lighting of candles on the Sabbath.
-They made it unlawful to throw more grain to their poultry than could be eaten lest some of it might sprout and grow and therefore they would be guilty of sowing on the Sabbath.
-They taught that it was unlawful to swat a fly on the Sabbath.
Jesus received more criticism from these religious leaders about his healing and work on the Sabbath then any other matter.
The Pharisees had infiltrated Judaism and had become their leaders. Sadly, they corrupted the truth.
The Pharisees were mere formalists.
Their focus was exclusively of the outward.
You might recognize a Pharisees by three things:

1 – THEIR CLOTHING: They looked and judged others by comparing their dress to others (Matthew 23:5, (...they made broad their phylacteries).
The clothing of the Pharisees was absorbent. They thought the fancier, the prettier, the more costly one's clothing was, revealed one's spiritual blessings from God. That was the prideful heart of a Pharisee.
Now, folks there is nothing wrong with dressing nice and putting on your Sunday best, but that does make a person spiritual. Some folk's Sunday best is a pair of overalls.
Jesus said to them in Matthew 23:28, "Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."
Their hearts were rotten with pride, but they didn't think they were proud. They could not see their own pride, but the Lord could.
And their worship was the same. It was all outward show. They had no inward joy and love and no spiritual worship. Their joy in life was found in the things they owned rather in the truths of God.
They went to the synagogue and sat and listened to the reading of the Scriptures and endured it but, they never washed their hearts.

2 - THEIR CLEANLINESS:
A second way you could recognize a Pharisee was by their cleanliness. In Matthew 15:2 the Pharisees again were quick to condemn Jesus. They said, “Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.”
A Pharisee would never eat without washing their hands but they never washed their hands. I'll explain that in a minute.
They would never think to go out of their homes without being clean all over.
They thought they were godly because of their outward washings, and fastings, and peculiarities in dress, and ceremonial-worship.
They thought “cleanliness was next to godliness” but their cleanliness was physical and not spiritual.
They would not dare admit that they needed to change.
The very thought to “repent” or "confess their sins" irked them.
The Pharisees were quick to condemn Jesus’ disciples for not washing their hands physically. Thus Jesus used this to teach them a far deeper truth.
Sure, we should wash our hands before we eat, just like we should dress nice before we go to worship God, but it would be far better to wear dirty clothes and eat with dirty hands than to try and worship God with a dirty heart and dirty hands.
How do we have clean hands and a pure heart? In the book of James 4:8, we read, Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
1) The impure heart is explained in Matthew 15:7-9. Jesus said, Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me, But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
The Pharisees were a strange bunch. They were first to say, "I love the Lord. I belong to God. I will give myself to the Lord." But, in their hearts was ugly pride and deceit.
2) The dirty hands are explained in Matthew 5:23-24.
Matthew 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
The Pharisees went to the synagogue every Sabbath and gave their form of worship. They gave their tithe. They even fasted twice a week, yet they were not right with their brothers and sisters. Their pride prevented them from apologizing and making things right with others.

III - THEIR COCKINESS
In Luke 18 Jesus reveals the cocky attitude of a Pharisee:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
This man treated people fairly. He cheated nobody. He was faithful to his mate.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Now, folks there is nothing wrong with tithing. That is a good thing. There is nothing wrong with fasting now and then. That is a good thing.
Now, look at the prayer of the publican.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
The publican came to confess his sins. His heart was humbled. His spirit was broken. He cried out for mercy from God.
Notice what Jesus says about the publican.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
It is not the outward clothing or the outward show that makes a man right with God; it is what is in a man's heart.
Are our hearts clean and pure? Do we stand with pride and condemn others because they don't have the standards we think they should have?
Do we hold bitterness, pride or anger in our hearts toward others? If we don't make it right, we will become like a Pharisee.
This great sin of the Pharisees was pride, which produced a judgmental spirit.

The reason the Pharisees were constantly critical and condemning was because their hearts were not right with God.

WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY
Do you remember when the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery before the Lord in John 8:3-11? They said, "We caught her in the very act." Moses said we should stone her to death, what do you say?"
The records in John 8:6 that ...Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
The Pharisees kept asking him, what do you say, as Jesus wrote. Then Jesus stood up and said in v 7...He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
I have to admire the Pharisees here. At least they realized their hearts had sin. They dropped the stones they were going to cast at the woman and walked away.
The Pharisees were always looking to find fault with others. It made them feel better about themselves. So before you condemn a young girl that may have had a baby out of wedlock or someone who has fallen, look in your heart and ask yourself this question, "Have you ever fallen?"
Now, you can understand why the Pharisees were so upset with Jesus. It was there prideful nature to just condemn.
The first sin, the greatest sin and the one sin God mentions that He hates most in all the world is the sin of Pride.

THE SABBATH
What did the Pharisees condemn Jesus for? They condemned Him and His disciples for picking corn on the Sabbath day.
Let's talk about the Sabbath for a few moments. The word for Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word for seven and the Greek word for Sabbath comes from the word meaning Saturday.
In Genesis 2:2 the Bible reads, “God… rested on the seventh day from all His work…”
For over 2,000 years before the law was given, God set an example for man to take a day of rest. Those who knew God and loved the Lord thought on God every day but one day a week was very special.
It was the day when man did not work at home, in the fields or at a business. This one day man gave his entire self; mind, body, soul and spirit, to think on and serve the Lord.
Some 2500 years later God gave His law to Moses. One of those laws was to keep the Sabbath holy. Man wasn’t to work but give of himself to the Lord.
I lot could be said about the Sabbath, but we are not preaching on the Sabbath but revealing the dangers of traditions of it.
In Exodus 31:16-17 we read these words: 16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
The keeping of the Sabbath was a sign between God and Israel. It was the law. We are not Israel. We are the Church.
But, stop and think. Right before the Lord reveals to us that He is the Lord of the Sabbath, the Holy Spirit led Mark to reveal to us in chapter two that things were changing. A new way was about to replace the old way.
1) Religion was about to be replaced with a relationship.
Religion had become stiff, dead and ritualistic. In Mark 2:19, Jesus revealed that our religion was not a religion like unto the Pharisees, cold and dead, but a relationship, like unto a feast, joyful and exciting. Jesus pictured our relationship to Him as a bride about to be married as she awaits her groom. Salvation is like a marriage. It involves a love relationship and a commitment.
Question: How do we live with this joy? The answer is very simple. The answer is found in John 15. Jesus said, If we abide in Him, yea in His word, we would have both love and joy and we would be fruitful.
So, why would a bride not be excited about her wedding day? Why would she not be joyful? A few reasons given in the Bible are:
1) She would not be joyful if she had lost her first love.
2) She would not be joyful if she had been unfaithful.
If we truly look into the Scriptures, long for the second coming and love our Savior and Lord, joy will fill our lives.
But, if we are looking for the things, trinkets and treasures of this world to make us happy, we will be unjoyful saints.
The song writer was correct when he wrote, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace."
2) The Law was about to be replaced with Love. In Mark 2:21 the religion of law was about to die and the relationship of love was about to take over. The old garment was about to replaced with a new one.
The song says, "Well, the best thing in my life I ever did do was take off the old robe and put on the new." "Well, the old robe was spotted all tattered and torn but the new robe was spotless and never been worn." "Well, the best thing in my life I ever did do was take off the old robe and put on the new."
Our new love relationship is kept fresh not by things we hold in our hand but by things we hold in our heart.
Many people put on their mask on Sunday and go to worship and come home and put it in the closet until they go out again.
True Christianity comes from within. It is revealed not by one's clothing or cleanliness, but by one's love for the Lord Jesus Christ.
3) Rituals were about to be replaced with righteousness.
The long faces and the judgmental looks and the constant condemning words of the Pharisees brought sadness and gloom to the hearts of most people in Israel.
Most of the Jewish people despised Phariseeism and most Gentiles rejected it. Who would want a relationship that was built on condemnation. Christianity is built on love and joy and peace?

Remember in Mark 2:22, Jesus reveals that the Christian life was to be one of great joy. The Church would drink new wine. The wine is the Holy Spirit. The new bottle is the Church.

II - JESUS IS THE LORD OF TRUTH
(Mark 2:25-26) When the Pharisees accused Jesus, He simply quoted the book of Truth. He quoted the Bible. He told them of David, a man after God's own heart who entered the Temple and demanded the showbread from Abiathar the high priest.
The Pharisees had nothing to say. The Word of God is a sharp two-edged sword. We must learn it. We must study it. We must know it, less we become like the Pharisees.
27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
Learn two very important truths here:
1 - The Sabbath was not made to be worshipped. The Sabbath was made on account of man. What does that mean? It means God knew man needed a day of rest from his labors to revitalize his physical well being. God also knew that man needed a day to revive his spirit. Man needed a day to revitalized his relationship with his creator and his God.
2 - Jesus said, I am the Lord of the Sabbath. I created it. I made it. It is a day for you physically, spiritually but also a day to do good in the name of God.
Phariseeism would not allow one to visit the hospital or nursing home or to make a meal for someone sick and bedridden. Thank God Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath.
But, keep this in mind. Don't misuse the one day a week we give to the Lord. Honor the Lord on what the Church worships as the first day of the week.

III - JESUS IS THE LORD OF THE TEMPLE
(Mark 3:1-6) In Mark 3 1-6 Jesus goes into a synagogue. There is a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees set their judgmental eyes on Jesus again. If Jesus heals this man on the Sabbath, they will again find fault with Him. Jesus in his love and compassion does good on the Sabbath day. The Pharisees immediately run and join up with the Herodians and discuss how they might destroy or kill Him.
The application is twofold:
1) It doesn't matter where you are, at Church or out in the fields picking corn, a Pharisee is going to look for a way to condemn you.
2) Jesus is Lord of the Church. If the constitution of a church contradicts the Bible, you throw the constitution out.
If a tradition in the church is not Biblical, don't make a mole hill out of it.
Jesus Christ is to be the Lord of Charity Baptist Church. He should be the one we sing for. He should be the one we preach about. He should be the reason why we come and worship.
Question: Is He your reason for living? Is He your Savior? Do you remember the day, He knocked on your heart and said, "I want to come in and be your Lord and Savior?' Do you remember? Did you surrender to Him? Did you fall in love with Him?
Christian, Is Jesus still sitting on the throne of your heart? Is He ruling your life? Is He Lord of your heart and your home?
Let Jesus be the Lord of all!

2009-09-22T16:42:00.002-04:00

NICODEMUS

Back in February of this year I brought you a message entitled “A Message of Love.” It was a verse by verse exposition on John 3. It dealt with true salvation. The outline was 1) The Connection, 2) The Conversation and 3) The Conversion of Nicodemus.
In August of this year I brought you the doctrine of salvation on Wednesday night.
Today, I will bring you another message on John 3 and look at three major points:

I – NICODEMUS AND THE CHRIST
II – NICODEMUS AND THE CROWD
III – NICODEMUS AND THE CROSS
Some of the thoughts I will share with you are both radical and revolutionary. These radical truths changed Nicodemus’ life forever and revolutionize his thinking.
John is the only book where Nicodemus is mentioned.

I – NICODEMUS AND THE CHRIST (The Conversion of this man)
John 3:1, “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:”
Some scholars believe that Nicodemus was Nicodemus ben Gorion, the brother of the famous Jewish historian, Josephus. Josephus was in the city of Jerusalem when the Romans encamped against it in 67 AD and finally burned it to the ground in 70 AD. Josephus wrote of the war, death, suffering, starvation and cannibalism that took place inside the city walls of Jerusalem during the Roman siege.
Another Nicodemus who lived in the first century was one of the three riches men in Jerusalem. But by the end of his life, he lived in poverty. His daughter was seen picking up seeds of barley for food from under the hooves of horses.
The poverty no doubt resulted from Nicodemus’ stand which he took for Christ after he became a believer. And if all of this is true, Nicodemus riches that lasted him a few years ended, but for the past 2,000 years Nicodemus has been one of the riches men in Heaven.
I share this with you so you might understand that in the early church when people came to Christ; most came willing to give up their fortunes, their fame, and even their families for the cause of Christ.
In verse one we notice Nicodemus’ religion and his rank. He was a Pharisee… a ruler of the Jews.
Nicodemus was a very educated man. He studied the scriptures as most Pharisees did. He knew that the Messiah was prophesied to come. Whereas most Pharisees were hypocrites, Nicodemus was a sincere seeker of truth. He was a religious conservative who believed in the traditional teaching of the Scriptures.
He had heard a rumor that the Messiah had come and Nicodemus wanted to find out if Jesus was that Messiah.
a. So, Nicodemus devises a plan to see Christ: He had heard of Jesus’ power and miracles. He heard how he drove the money changers out of the temple. Nicodemus enjoyed what he heard for he hated the hypocrisy in his religion. He knew there was something special about Jesus Christ.
He also knew that if he went to Jesus in the broad daylight that he might be immediately removed as part of the Sanhedrin.
He knew his Jewish brethren had the power to destroy a man’s life. So, he decided to privately meet with Christ.
When they met, we see Nicodemus’ had knowledge of the works of Christ. He also hungered to know truth:
In verse 2 Nicodemus speaks “…Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.”
Many seeds were already planted in Nicodemus’ heart. Soon a revolution would take place in his soul.
He would soon see that Jesus was not just sent by God, but Jesus was a man inhabited by God.
He would realize that Jesus was not just a Rabbi but He was the sovereign authority of the universe.
He would soon discover that everything he had been depending on for salvation would be swept away in one statement.
b. Next, we see Nicodemus had a plight:
The plight or dilemma Nicodemus face is this: In a moment Jesus gives such a radical statement that it erased all the ideas of salvation that Nicodemus ever had. Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
With that statement Nicodemus’ idea of a religion that would take him to heaven was shot out of the water.
Jesus said. “It isn’t the keeping of the Mosaic law. It isn’t your observance of your religion or your fasting or your giving or your praying or your good works. It isn’t because you belong to the local synagogue.
Verse 3 was a revolutionary and radical statement by Jesus. The Jewish religion of the day had put many demands and works on salvation.
Jesus simplified it yet spiritualized it when He said, “Ye must be born again.” Remember that statement. (John Wesley)
Nicodemus didn’t ask (v 4) why do I have to be born again but, “How can a man be born again? Nicodemus knew he was lost. How? He had no idea what Jesus meant when he said, “Ye must be born again.”
Before I continue, I ask you, could you tell me what it means to be born again? I would bet if I asked five different people in this building what it means to be “born again” I would get five different answers. Please listen for a few minutes to what Jesus says.
First, Jesus presents to Nicodemus another revolutionary statement in verse 5. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
First, Jesus says, “Ye must be born again.”
Second, He says, “Ye must be born of water
Third, He says, “Ye must be born of the Spirit.
I have a second question for you. Do you know what it means to be born of water and the Spirit? Selah

Stop and look at John 3:10-3! I want to misread this text.
1 “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, if you believe that I will die and rise again, if you will admit you are a sinner and pray the sinners prayer, you will go to heaven.
First, I will share with you what the water and Spirit represent. Then I will reveal something quite different then what has been preached for the many years in many churches.
What did the water and spirit represent? John the Baptist answers that question in Matthew 3:11. “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:”
The water represented repentance. The fire represents the work of the Holy Spirit. What does fire do? It purifies and cleanses. It changes the nature of something.
The Sanhedrin, led by the Pharisees had rejected what both John and Jesus taught about repentance.
Would it shock you to know that 75% of churches today in America have quit preaching repentance for salvation? They have also quit preaching regeneration or a new life after salvation.
So, let me give you what would be a revolutionary statement in many churches today. “If you don’t repent, you can’t be saved.” Jesus said in Luke 13:3 and 5, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
The person who prays the sinner’s prayer, but does not repent after the conviction of God’s Spirit is still lost in his sins.
Look at verse 8: The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Remember this: Salvation is a work of God, not of man.
So, Nicodemus had a plan. He wanted to talk to Jesus about Salvation. He had a plight. His religion was wrong.
c. Now, Nicodemus gives a Plea:
“…How can these things be?” (v 9)
Nicodemus had studied the Bible since a boy. He had attended the best Jewish schools. He was a rabbi. One of his colleagues was Gamaliel, one of the greatest Jewish scholars of his day. He had learned from the best. Yet Nicodemus realize that he was lost in his own religion and he says, “How can these things be?” “How could we be so wrong?”
May I make an application? I look at where a lot of religions are today in America and I see the same problem.
Just like Nicodemus did everything he was told to do by the famous Gamaliel and his teachers, many preachers have done the same today. They have followed the teaching of other preachers, when they should have followed the teachings of Jesus Christ.
***Folks, up to fifty years ago, the idea of praying the sinner’s prayer to get to heaven was not taught as part of salvation.
True Salvation for 2,000 years was this: Preachers preached, people prayed, the conviction of the Spirit fell. Sinners repented and cried out to God from a contrite heart and souls were saved and lives were changed.

Up till the 1950’s 80% of folks confessing Christ as Savior remained faithful to church. For the past fifty years 17% that profess Christ have remained faithful to church. I believe there is a problem as serious as heaven and hell.
Let’s turn back to John 1:11-13. Look at three thoughts:
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Notice three things in verse 13:
1) Man’s salvation was not due to human descent or being born of human blood. Being a Christian has nothing to do with your birth, your parents, your nationality or your religion.
The Jews thought because they were born Jews they were entitled to heaven. Many folks believe that because they were born in America or because grandpa and dad were preachers, they are going to heaven. Some believe their denominational tag will get them to heaven. Some believe because they regularly attend church regularly they will go to heaven.
The great Methodist preacher, John Wesley, preached for many years before he was ever born again.
2) Salvation is not because of human desire or the will of the flesh. Take a crowd of 10,000 people and ask them, “Who here would like to go to heaven, raise your hand?” Probably at lease 95% would raise their hand. If told, pray this prayer and you will go to heaven, many would pray that prayer. But wanting to go to heaven doesn’t make a person a Christian. It is not by the will of the flesh.
3) Salvation is not of human design, or of the will of man. People say, “I believe in a creed. I believe in a prayer. I was confirmed. I answered all the questions right and was admitted to the church. I pasted the test to be baptized and join the church.”
That will not satisfy God. Jesus said, You must be of God. That means “Ye must be born of the Spirit.”
True Salvation for 2,000 years was this: Preachers preached, people prayed, the conviction of the Spirit fell. Sinners repented and cried out to God from a contrite heart and souls were saved and lives were changed.
So Jesus says, Salvation is not about your birth, breeding or your behavior. It is not a matter of desiring or doing, it is of God.
Salvation operates on an altogether different principle. Jesus gives us an illustration in John 3:14. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
In Numbers 21, Israel had been complaining and griping about every thing in life. God sent fiery serpents to bite them and punish them. Many died. God told Moses to make a brass serpent and hang it on a pole. Everybody that wanted to be healed was to look and live. Some looked for seconds, some for hours and some for days.
That is the same picture of salvation today, “Look to Calvary and live.”
Jesus hung on the cross. He was judged for your sins. He who knew no sin allowed the venomous sins of mankind to be placed on his body. He died for you. Look and live. Look and live.
How long should one look? As long as it takes for you to truly believe. Some people have heard the stories of Calvary. Some people talk Calvary. But, have you ever sat down and looked at Calvary.
If you do, the one who died on the cross will change your life. If he doesn’t change your life, you haven’t looked long enough. Look and live! So, if salvation is not of human descent, desire or design, how does it transpire?
Look at John 1:12, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”
The formula in this verse for salvation is; believe, receive, become. This formula is like the three parts of an atom. You have the protons, electrons and neutrons. If you take away any part, it ceases to be an atom. It is like water. Water is two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. Take away any part and it ceases to be water.
Here are the three great truths involved in Salvation. Two steps man is responsible for and one step God is responsible for.
1) The first thing a person does when God’s Spirit moves upon him is believe, but not just anything. We are to believe on His name. That means we believe completely in all that Jesus said and stands for. We believe we are sinners. We believe Jesus died for our sins on Calvary. We believe we must repent and be born again by God’s Spirit.
2) Secondly, we must receive Him.
We can believe something in our heads and not with our hearts.
What we believe in our heads won’t change our lives.
What we believe in our hearts will change our lives.
I can believe that Jesus is the Savior of the world and even say “He is my Savior.” But, to make Him my Savior I must receive Him into my life.
Let me give you this illustration: A man offers me a job in New York. He says he will pay me very well. The salary is enormous. The privileges are great. It sounds like the best deal in the world. I am excited about it. I tell my friends about it. I talk about it, but I never take the job. I never leave my friends in North Carolina. Did I receive it? No!
The job is there, but is it mine? No! Not until I turn from my old life in North Carolina and receive the job in New York, is it mine.
Likewise, Salvation is freely offered, but I must receive it. I must exchange my old life for the new life. This is man’s part: believe and receive.
3) Here is God’s part: “To them gave he power to become the sons of God.”
Here is when the miracle of the new birth takes place. The word for power is the Greek word dunamis. It refers to a supernatural work of God. When God’s spirit and power enters your life, you are born again.
1) You are no longer the same person. (God’s spirit’s within)
2) You love different things. (Bible, Church, Brethren)
3) You are no longer ashamed to stand up for Jesus.
4) You have a desire to please Christ and honor Him.
5) God’s spirit fills you with love, joy, peace and much more.
Question: Do you have the power? You say you believe and you say you received. You are not complete until you become.
Do you have the power? Are you an unashamed son of the living God? You won’t be perfect, but you won’t be unashamed of Jesus Christ.
Romans 9:33 and 10:11 reads all who believe will not be ashamed.

II – NICODEMUS AND THE CROWD (The Confession of this man)
In John 7 Jesus had been teaching and performing miracles and the people were praising Him and desiring Him to be their king.
When the Pharisees heard about this they sent officers to arrest Him. The officers knew they couldn’t just walk in and arrest Jesus for the mob would have attacked them. So they waited and listened to the words of Christ. They were so stricken in amazement of what Christ said, that they returned to the chief priest and Pharisees without arresting Him.
The Pharisees said, “Why have ye not brought him?” (45).
The officers said, Never man spake like this man.
The Pharisees became angry and discussed and said, “Are ye also deceived?”
Then one of the leaders of the Pharisees looked around the room and began to eye each leader and ask, “Have any of you believed on Him?” This ruler in the Greek actually cursed in John 7:49.
The language today would be the d-word. God’s word says, “But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.” The Greek means to be damned to hell.
Nicodemus has heard enough. In verse 51 Nicodemus speaks up for Jesus, “Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?” Nicodemus was sharp. He gave to the leader of the Pharisees a quote from his own book. He said, “Don’t we teach that before we judge someone, we should sit down and talk to them and give them a chance to reveal the Scriptures to us?”
That stirred up the hornets next. A number of the Pharisees looked at Nicodemus and said, “Art thou also of Galilee? They were accusing Nicodemus of being a disciple of the Lord’s. Nicodemus didn’t answer. He held his tongue. In their anger, they broke up and went home.
The idea is this; everybody has their own crowd they work with. And you as a Christian may not say much, but when people start mocking your Christ, you have to speak up.
This is what Nicodemus did. He wasn’t overly brave about it for he knew how vicious this crowd could become, but he did stand up for Christ. Soon, something radical would happen to Nicodemus.

III – NICODEMUS AND THE CROSS (The Consecration of this man)
Read John 19:39. “And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.”
Nicodemus had believed, received and become a son of God, but not until Calvary did it dawn on him just how much Jesus loved him.
Calvary changed Nicodemus forever. Nicodemus knew that Jesus was the Christ, the son of God. He was afraid to let others know just where he stood until he looked and lived.
You know what folks, it might be good if we spend about six hours thinking on Calvary. The Bible doesn’t say that Nicodemus was there, but I believe he was.
I believe he watched the mockery at Pilate’s judgment hall and wept.
I believe he may have watched a little of the scourging when the Lord’s back was torn off by a cat-of-nine-tails.
I believe he was standing in Gabatha when he heard Pilate say, “take ye him and crucify him.” He could feel his insides crumble.
It was probably at this point; Nicodemus went to Joseph of Arimathaea and said, Joseph I know you have built your tomb.
You have the tomb, I have the treasures. Let’s give Christ a royal burial and fulfill the scriptures that say, he will be buried “with the rich in his death.”
Then I believe Nicodemus went to Calvary and watched his Savior die and it changed his life forever.
He no longer cared if he was welcomed in the most renowned religious order in Jerusalem. He no longer cared if he was part of the Sanhedrin. He no longer wanted to be associated with the Pharisees.
Calvary changed Nicodemus.
Life no longer mattered to Him. When Nicodemus saw the death that Christ died for him, he no longer cared if he lived or died.
When Christ utters those last words, “It is finished” Joseph goes before Pilate. He begs for the body of Christ. Nicodemus buys 100 pounds of the most costly aromatic spices available to embalm the body of Christ.
Christ was buried, and they waited. Nicodemus may have remembered Christ saying, “destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” So, Nicodemus waited and in three days, up from the grave our Lord arose.
That was icings on the cake. Nicodemus already decided to live for Christ no matter what. But, now that his Savior lived and He lived forever more, the luster of this world lost its glow.
THE CROSS CHANGED NICODEMUS, FOREVER.
Different people spend a different amount of time at the cross. Some people are never changed from death unto life because their gaze at the cross is but a glance.
Some are changed but life is a struggle for they are trying to be part of two different worlds and they feel like they are being pulled into.
And then there are some folks who spend a lot of time at the cross and they see what many never see. These are what was called in the first century, radical Christians. Over the years the word radical seemed to strong of a term so they changed it. They took a synonym for radical. It was the word fundamental.
One of those men who spent a lot of time at the cross was Isaac Watts. He penned downs words like this:

“AT THE CROSS”
1- Alas! and did my Savior bleed,
And did my Sov’reign die?
Would He devote that sacred head,
For such a worm as I?
Refrain:
At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!
2 -Was it for crimes that I had done,
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!
3 -But drops of grief can ne’er repay,
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give myself away,
’Tis all that I can do.

What made Nicodemus a leader?
He traded tradition for truth.
He stood against his peers when he stood for Christ.
He focused on the cross and it changed him forever.

Isaac Watts also wrote:

WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS
1- When I survey the wondrous cross,
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

2- Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
3- See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
4- Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

MARRIAGE

2009-09-22T16:32:00.001-04:00

MARRIAGE

Hebrews 13:4a, “Marriage is honorable in all…”

Of all the principles and foundational pillars we have given in this material, marriage is probably the most important. We now move from building pillars to putting up the walls.
The pillars consisted of many things such as seeking God, humbling our hearts, studying the scriptures, loving God, fasting and engrafting scriptures and more.
Now we are building walls in our lives. Remember that your spiritual house has many walls and Satan will attempt to knock down the weakest wall, so he may destroy your life, so spend time on each and every wall in your life.
The first wall we want to look at is “My marriage is a commitment to God and my mate.” When God created marriage in His mind, He foresaw a man and a woman whose greatest desire outside of Him, would be to each other.
More beautiful then the starry heaven or the mighty dinosaurs roaming across the grassy plains of the newly created earth was the marriage of Adam and Eve. In Genesis one God created on six days. Each time, he said it was “good.” After he created the man and woman, He looked at His creation and said, “It is very good.”
As we look at the Bible and then look at the attitude towards marriage from the different cultures around the world, we have to stand alarmed.
No culture, no culture on the face of the earth teaches what God’s Word teaches about marriage. The only institution that teaches the truth about marriage is the Church and only a few of them teach the whole truth.

Here are some simple truths about marriage are:
1) Marriage is to be between a man and a woman (Gen 2:22-24).
2) Marriage is the most honorable institution in the world (Hebrews 13:4).
3) Marriage is for completeness, companionship and fruitfulness (Gen 1-2).
4) Marriage pictures the Church and Christ (Ephesians 5:21-33).
5) Marriage is the # 1 target Satan wishes to destroy (I Peter 5:8).
Of all the truths I have learned about marriage, this is the greatest reality: “Only a man seeking God will attempt to live his proper role and only a woman seeking God will attempt to live her proper role.” The culture we live in teaches a perversion of what God says is right. We must learn truth from God’s Word.

A lady placed an ad in the classifieds: "Husband wanted." The next day she received a hundred letters. They all said the same thing: "You can have mine."

A little boy asked his father, "Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?" And the father replied, "I Don't know son, I'm still paying."

A young Son said to his dad, "Is it true, Dad, I heard that in some parts of Africa, a man doesn't know his wife until he marries her?"
The dad replies, "That happens in every country, son."

Here are a few things that will help a marriage:
1 – If both partners are saved.
2 – If both partners are surrendered to the Lord.
3 – If both partners are seeking the Lord.
4 – If both partners truly want to serve the Lord.
5 – If both partners are sensitive to do things God’s way.
As you strive to glorify God, your marriage will become beautiful.
If a couple are saved but not surrender, their marriage could be more miserable then an unsaved couple. Why? How? There are two important keys in marriage. 1) Have the same goal and 2) have things in common. If an unsaved couple has things in common, they can get along better than some saved people who are not seeking the Lord.

A WORD TO THE HUSBAND…ABOUT THE WIFE
1 – A WOMAN LOVES TO BE TREATED WITH HONOR
First Peter 3: 7 “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel…”
a. The Bible says the wife is the weaker vessel. We are living in the last days. Women are becoming stronger and stronger and many men are becoming weaker and weaker. This scripture is not necessarily speaking of physical strength or emotional strength but it is dealing with the ability to fight against Satan. It is dealing with spiritual discernment. The Bible says, the reason God does not allow a woman to usurp authority over a man in teaching is because the woman was more easily deceived (1 Timothy 2:14).
My wife read three books by a woman whose husband was quite famous in Christianity. He died and she married again. Her second husband died and she married again. Over a period of 40 years of marriage to three men, her books moved from being quite conservative to quite liberal. It all had to do with the men she was married to and what they believed influence her.
b. Know your wife. “Dwell with your wife according to knowledge.” Every woman is different. Some will want more time, more kindness, more love than others. Thus, husbands know your wife and treat her accordingly to her needs.
c. Giver her first place in your life. “Give her honor.” Because God made the woman to be the most important thing in the husband’s life, every woman desires to be number ONE.
Every little girl loves to have daddy’s attention and time. When that girl grows up she wants a man that will give her attention and time. When she meets a man that will take time for her she is excited.
That couple begins to date. They talk and spend a lot of time together. The woman thinks, marriage is going to be wonderful and she believes this attention she is getting will continue after she gets married and the rest of her life.
Often after marriage the wife is suddenly overwhelmed that the interactions, the playing, the dating, the talking and the fun times have slowly faded into the sunset.
She is hurt and disillusioned because the man that showed her so much attention before marriage now has given that attention to other things and she no longer feels honored. She no longer feels that she is number one.

Men sometimes think that what they say or do may cause friction in the home. This is true, but it can also be what they don’t say and don’t do.
d. A wife likes her husband to recognize her and the things she does.
e. She wants him to sense her needs and meet them.
f. If he is to preoccupied with life and work and bills and hobbies and things, she feels unloved and uncared for.
So, men, be sensitive to your wife. Communicate with her. Involve her in every aspect of your life.
If she cleans the house notice it. Say something nice.
If she makes a good meal, don’t just sit down and eat. Take time to thank God and thank the one who made it.
If she works hard and brings home money for the bills, let her know you appreciate all that she does.
AN INTERESTING STORY
Gary speaks, “The crunch of corn chips distracted my attention from the Saturday afternoon football game. I watched in amazement as my wife and three children entered the den and began to eat their sandwiches, chips, and drink their Cokes while I sat only a couple of feet away without a bite to eat.
I thought, “Why didn’t she make me a sandwich? I’m the sole bread winner, and I’m being ignored as if I didn’t exist.”
“I cleared my throat loudly to catch my wife’s attention. She ignored me. When that didn’t work I became so irritated that I walked into the kitchen, got the bread out and made my own sandwich. When I sat back down I glanced at her with my irritating look. She saw me but she just sat in front of the TV and didn’t say a word nor did I.”
But I kept wondering, “If women are so sensitive, how come she didn’t know I wanted a sandwich? If women are so alert, why didn’t she hear me clear my throat or notice that I wasn’t speaking to her? Why didn’t she notice the expression of irritation on my face?”
A few days later when we were talking calmly, I said, “Donna, I’ve been wondering about something, but I hesitate asking you this question. Would you mind if I ask you a question?” She said, “Sure.”
“You know last Saturday when I was watching the football game and you made sandwiches for everybody but me, could I ask you why?”
Her reply was, “Are you serious? And she looked at me with amazement.
I said, “Sure, I’m serious, I would think since I make the money around here that buys the food, that you would make me something to eat too.”
She said, “I can’t believe you are saying that. I can’t believe you don’t know the answer to your own question.” She stood there with her mouth open. Dumbfounded I finally said, “Donna, I really don’t see it.
I admit I am blind in some areas and this must be one of them.” Donna then gave Gary a big hint, “Gary, sometimes we women are accused of being stupid but we aren’t. We don’t just set ourselves up to be criticized”
She seemed to think that explained it. So I said, “What does that have to do with the sandwiches?”
“You still don’t get it, do you?” she replied. Then she opened my eyes. “Do you realize that every time I make you a sandwich, you say something critical bout it?” You say, “You didn’t put enough lettuce or you put too much mayonnaise or you put to much salt and pepper. And I just didn’t feel like getting criticized, Saturday. I had a long week and I just said it isn’t worth making it because all I get is criticism.”
Gary had egg all over his face. He could recall many times that he had criticized the food his wife served him. Now he knew that “always” and “never” doesn’t mean “always” and “never”, but he had enough sense to know that it meant, “You have been critical so many times, it hurts.”
Nobody likes to be criticized. Remember, the best way to be shown a grateful spirit is to have a grateful spirit. Learn to be grateful and thankful. Just because you bring home the doe-ray-me doesn’t mean your wife is obligated to make you king for the day. If you learned to compliment the little things, you might find her wanting to do more things for you. Colossians 2:7 says we should abound with thanksgiving.

A WORD TO THE WIFE…ABOUT YOUR HUSBAND
A wife must understand her husband. Wives most men want to feel independent and free. They want to sometimes act as if they don’t need anybody, but that is contrary to God’s word. God made the woman to complete the man. Biblically, every man needs a woman. Statistically, a man needs a woman more than a woman needs a man. Far more men remarry after losing a spouse then women.
If you, as a wife, want to make your marriage better consider the following thought.
1 – EVERY HUSBANDS DESIRES ADMIRATION FROM HIS WIFE
One of the laws of nature that we all know about is the law of gravity. It has always held true. There are also laws of relationships. One of those laws is admiration. “Men are attracted to those who admire them and are repelled by those who belittle or look down on them.”
Ephesians 5:33 says to the wife, “Reverence your husband.” That means “to show him respect and honor,” but it means more. It means “to adore him, to admire him” and “to attach a high value on him.”
If a wife wants to influence her husband to change she must show him admiration. If he is a good man, take care of him and admire him. If you don’t someone else will.
Wives, admiration will in time change your husbands, but don’t admire your husband hoping he will change. Admire him because God says too admire him.
As God is changing him remember two very important things:
a. God is using you to complete him.
b. God is using him to change you.
If you want your husband to love you show him more admiration then you show your boss, your pastor and your friends.
HOW DO YOU SHOW ADMIRATION?
1 – Compliment the things he does for you. If he has ceased doing things, then use proper words to remind him of what he use to do. How? Say something like this, “Do you remember before we were married when we use to go on a date? You were so sweet and kind. I wish we could do that again some time.”
Don’t say this. “Look at John and Susie, they are so happy. I wish we were like them.”
2 – Compliment all his efforts. Let your husband know that you appreciate everything he tries to fix in the house. Don’t say this. “My husband can’t do anything around the house? He breaks anything he tries to fix.”
3- Don’t question him time and time again to do something. Ask him now and then (once a week or once a month). If he fails to take care of the finances, the leaking roof, the dead battery in the car, or if he won’t bury the dog that died a week ago, so let it be.
Remember what Solomon said in Proverbs 21:19. It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman. The word contentious means one who is nagging and argumentative.
Let me say this, “A man that is slothful, does not think he is slothful and a woman that is a nagger doesn’t think she is a nagger.”
4 - Ask him what he would like for dinner at night. I know, he may say the same thing, “It doesn’t matter.” But, listen to him and if he mentions that something is good, find out how to make it and make it.
When you go out to eat, watch what he eats and find those recipes to make at home. Keep in your mine his favorite meals and keep them coming. Serve him his favorite dish, not once a year or once a month but often. That shows him admiration.
5 - Ask his opinion about your clothing and wear what he likes. If he wants you to dress a certain way, then do so for him. Now, I am old fashion. I like my wife to wear collar shirts. I know the style today is T-shirts for most people, but I like collar shirts and so to show admiration for me, my wife wears collar shirts.
When you wear what your husband likes, you are showing him, that his requests are first place and that is admiration.
If he wants your hair long, wear it long, if he wants it short, wear it short. As you want to be treated kindly, he wants admiration.
6 - If he asks you to change something then change it. Maybe you can give him 144 reasons why you shouldn’t change that certain thing. But sometimes men are simply looking for admiration.
Admiration is the feeling of pleasure, wonder and approval.
***Men want to be admired. Most ladies want to be treated with honor. Honor to a woman is the same as admiration to a man. Remember that!
A MARRIAGE MUST BE BUILT ON THE MATCH GAME
1 – Remember each others request.
Has your husband ever said any thing out of hope or regret? Then look for an opportunity to fulfill his request.
Illustration: I heard the story that one day a man said to his wife, “I would like to just watch one football game this season without being interrupted.” On a certain Saturday, the wife came into the den just before her husbands favorite team was to play. She said, honey I took the phone off the hook. The kids and I are going shopping.
I put a pizza in the oven and you favorite drink is in the refrigerator. We’ll be back after the game. In appreciation, the man began to work on some home projects that the wife asked of him a long time ago.
Husbands, has your wife ever said, “I wish I could do this or that.” Then do everything you can to one day give that to her. It shows honor.
No one can continually ignore loving and considerate actions.”
Ladies, “What are three things you know your husbands really enjoys?” Do them! Men, “What are three things you know your wives enjoy?” Do them!
Jesus Christ, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over (Luke 6:38).
2 – Praise each other.
Look for ways to draw attention to your mate’s positive qualities when around other people as well as alone. My wife brought a teaching to the ladies a few weeks ago on energy givers. Ask her for the booklet. It will enhance your marriage. Every body loves an energy giver. An energy giver gives praise, compliments and encouragement. They smile and speak gently and kindly. Learn to praise each other.
Wife, if your husband is sensitive, a hard worker, knowledgeable about a certain area of business, praise him for that. Does he help you around the house? Let him know privately and in public how much you appreciate him and often. Praise him every day at lease once!
Men, is your wife kind, sweet, does she keep the house nice, does she take care of your children, does she cook you meals, praise her for what she does.
3 – Learn about your mate’s life.
Your husband works a job whereby he is gone forty to sixty hours a week. Often there are frustrations and he has no one to talk to. Learn about his job.
Don’t try to learn everything in one sitting, but know what he is doing. When he comes home, let him know you appreciate what he does.
Men, stay home from work for a week and let your wife go off. Take care of the kids, wash the clothes, clean the house, cook your meals and then. Learn your wife’s life.
Each marriage partner needs to know the other one cares about the life they live. Each must be praised for what they do.
Jesus said, “To give a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple will not go unrewarded.” Whatever your mate does, encourage him/her and look for ways to show each other how important they are.
4 – Be willing to submit to new ideas.
Wives when your husband comes up with a new idea don’t cut him off. Don’t say, “I don’t like that, I don’t’ like change. We’ve always done things this way.” Be willing to make some changes.
Husbands, your wife may not like change. Often women find security and comfort in the same routine. So wives, be willing to change and husbands, have a good reason to give your wife for the change.
Believe it or not submission is the prettiest garment a wife can put on. It is very, very attractive to a husband. And men, Ephesians 5:21 says, “Submitting yourself one to another, in the fear of God.”
5 – Speak to your mate nonverbally. Know body language.
Studies of communication between husbands and wives prove that words, only make up seven percent of their communication.
Fifty-five percent of what a person says is facial expression.
Thirty-eight percent of what a person says is voice tone.
A husband can say to his wife, “Do you mind if I go hunting Saturday?” And the wife may say yes but only 7% of her is saying “yes.”
You can say, “I love you” and it can mean nothing. Or it can mean, you are the most special thing in the entire world to me.
A -When you talk, listen attentively by looking each other in the eye and listening to the tone of each other’s voice. A yes is not a yes if the facial expression and the voice tone say, “no.”
6 – Bury the hatchet.
Some husbands have really messed up in the past. Some wives have really messed up in the past. Maybe financial, maybe other ways and when push comes to shove, the wife or the husband can bring out the hatchet and remind each other of THAT time.
Bury it, folks, once and for all. In the Bible it is called forgiveness. Wipe the late clean. Let the past be the past. Forgive, try to forget and never bring it up again.

Trust and Obey

2009-07-15T09:08:00.001-04:00

TRUST AND OBEY

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

In Brockton, Mass in 1887 a young man stood up in a meeting conducted by D.L. Moody and gave a testimony. At the end of his testimony he said, “I don’t know much about the Christian life, but I am going to trust and obey.”
Sitting in that meeting was a man by the name of John. H. Sammis. He took those words and penned down the famous Christian hymn, “Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.”
Listen to the rest of the song:
“When we walk with the Lord in the light of his word, what a glory He sheds on our way. When we do His good will He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey.
Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies, but His smile quickly drives it away, Not a doubt nor a fear, not a sigh nor a tear, can abide while we trust and obey. Is our faith that strong? Is our trust that real?
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share, but our toil He doth richly repay: not a grief nor a loss, not a frown nor a cross, but is blest if we trust and obey.
How can this song writer write those words? How can we actually be blessed in a time of grief and loss? Listen to the next verse
But we never can prove the delights of His love until all on the altar we lay, For the favor He shows and the joy he bestows are for them who will trust and obey.
There is the key. We must lay our all on the altar. We must truly by faith give to God our family, our expectations, our income, our children, yea our future and trust what come, what may.
What will happen then? Then we read the last verse of this song. Then, in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet, or we’ll walk by His side in the way: What He says we will do. Where he sends we will go – never fear, only trust and obey.
Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey..
I want to look at four transactions that take place in the life of every believer that truly trusts and obeys.

I – THE PLACE OF PEACE
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; is the place of peace.
Trust is synonymous with Bible qualities such as faith, belief and hope. Spiritually, it speaks of one who relies completely on the Lord.
Do we truly trust God?
Do we trust Him with our lives?
Do we trust Him with our future?
Do we trust Him with our money?
Do we trust Him with our children?
Do we trust Him with our soul?
We say we trust Him to forgive our sins.
We say we trust Him to keep us out of an eternal burning hell.
We say we trust Him to take us to an eternal home in heaven.
We say we trust Him day by day, week by week and year by year.
But, do we trust Him in the valley’s as well as when we are on the mountains?

It is easy to trust in the Lord with the bills are paid…
“…when we have a secure job…
“…when our marriage is great…
“…when we are healthy and strong…
“…when our kids are doing well in life and living for God..
But,
a. Can you trust in the Lord when you preach for 120 years and nobody gets saved? Noah did.
Do you believe God is God and can you lean on Him when you witness to your family and they refuse your witness year after year after year? Can you trust Him then? Sure you can.
b. Can you trust in the Lord when your back is against the Red Sea and the whole Egyptian army is about to annihilate you; and those who you tried to lead to freedom turn against you? Moses did.
Can you trust Him when it seems like your friends have forsaken you and some times you feel like no body understands you?
c. Can you trust in the Lord when nobody else will stand against the giant but you? David did.
Can you trust Him when nobody is willing to lay down their life for the Lord? Sure you can.
d. Can you really trust in the Lord, when your city is in siege and your children are starving to death? Hezekiah did.
e. Can you trust the Lord when your children die and your business goes bankrupt and your health fails? Job did.

d. Can the Lord who gave you life and freedom and all good things, be trusted when he takes every thing He gave you away and won’t tell you why? Job did.
Can you lean on Him then? Can you depend on Him then?
Can you tell the world then, My God is so good, so great and so mighty, there is nothing my God can not do?”
I will answer all of those questions with one word, “Yes!” The God of the mountain is also God in the valley. He who stands by you when a child is born into this world is He who stands by you when a love one leaves this world.
I want you to know, God can be trusted at all times, in every situation, whether you understand it or not. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart.

e. When you have been thrown in prison can you trust the Lord? Paul did! Listen to what Paul wrote in Romans 5:1-4.
Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
f. When you have done the Lord’s bidding and have been sentenced to death by beheading, can you trust Him? Paul said in 2 Timothy 4: “7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Shall I ask a few Christians through the ages if God can be trusted?
Hey, Adoniram Judson, missionary to Burma, when you were arrested and beaten and dragged through the hot desert sands were you trusting God? Mr. Judson, when you were hung upside down I prison with chains, did you trust God? Mr. Judson, when you lay your wife and three children in an early grave the first seven years on the mission field and you have no coverts, did you still trust Him? I hear his answer, yes, yes, yes, He can be trusted!

Hey, Jonathan Edwards, who preached the famous sermon that was placed in every literature book in America at one time, “Sinners in the hands of an angry God.” Mr. Edwards who led the revival fires of the colonist, did you still trust Him when your church voted you out and you had to go to a Indian reservation as a missionary? Yes!
Hey, John Bunyan, who wrote the famous Pilgrims’ Progress, can you trust God after spending 12 years in prison for preaching the gospel Jesus Christ, while your family and children had to fare for themselves. Yes!
Hey, Tim Lee, you got away from God and rebelled against your parents. You joined the Marines and God in his scourging allowed both your legs to be blown off, when you stepped on a landmine. Can you trust Him? Can you preach for Him? Yes! Yes!

Hey, Christian, we trusted in God because America was founded on Biblical principles and we had great freedom to worship God, but slowly that freedom has been taken away. The agenda of our government today is socialism. Why?
The ultimate agenda of our government now is to be part of a one world system. And they know they have to cripple this nation economically and bring it to its knees before we will accept the false concept of a one-world government. Can you trust God now? Is He still on the throne? Is He still worthy? Yes, yes, yes!
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart;
To trust is to turn lose of everything God has given you and allow Him to do what he wants with what belongs to Him anyway.
Can you trust Him with your life, your future, your health, your money?
Then don’t worry, don’t fret, trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.

God never promised us skies always blew.
Song:
1. God hath not promised skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.
2. God hath not promised that we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

II – THE PLACE OF PERCEPTION
When I think of a person having perception I think of someone having wisdom, discernment and spiritual understanding. Solomon wrote “…and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
Perception or understanding or wisdom is having insight to see the final product. It is the ability spiritually to see the end of the road you are walking and make the decision to stay on the road or make a change.
I think of the old story of the flood in Mississippi when a man was trapped in his house. The waters covered the man’s foundation and a police boat came by and cried out, “We are here to save you, get in the boat.” The man said, “No thank you, the Lord will take care of me.” The water got half way up his door and the boat came by again and said, “We are here to save you, get in the boat.” The man said, “That’s ok, the Lord will take care of me.” The waters rose to the man’s gutters and he had to climb on top of the house. A police helicopter came by and threw the man a rope and said grab a hold, we are here to save you.” The man said, “No thank you, the Lord will take care of me.”
Five minutes later he was swept away by the current and drowned. He stood before the Lord and said, “Lord, I trusted you to save me in the flood and you didn’t. Why? The Lord said, I sent two boats and a helicopter and you would not trust me.
We smile or laugh at that but the truth is God tells us again and again in His word to trust Him, to wait on Him, to give our expectations to Him.
We are to realize that there are mountains and valleys in life and we expect a miracle when God is not going to send one. He may say, just trust me, this is for my glory.

The world offers man knowledge to make money, so man can have things. But knowledge does not bring godly perception and things do not bring peace.
With money you can buy a house, but it will never buy a Home.
You can buy a Clock, but not Time,
You can buy Bed, but not Sleep,
You can buy a Book, but not Wisdom,
You can hire a Doctor, but not Good Health,
(ask Michael Jackson)
You can buy a Position, but not Respect,
You can buy Blood, but not eternal Life,
You can buy sex, but not real Love,
You can buy Luxury, but not Happiness,
You can buy everything, but you can’t buy GOD.....
You can’t buy peace. You can’t buy perception. Michael Jackson at one time had popularity and wealth and what seemed everything a person would want, yet he was a man without peace and clearly a man without perception. He died of what? A drug overdose, to many pills? Why was he taking them? No peace.
Recently, a very good football player died. He was hailed as a great football player from the tongues of so many. Yet he did not know the Lord. He had no peace. He had no perception. He had many relationships with many other women. Little did he know the jealousy in the heart of one of those women, who took a guy and then took his life.
It would be very wise, if we learned to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and if we could learn to not lean to our own understanding.
All the wisdom in the world isn’t even a water drop in the ocean compared to the omniscience mind of God. And foolish man tries to explain God away, or at lease ignore God as if He does not exist and man hopes there will be no judgment.
How silly it is for man in his foolishness to question God?
We are told not to lean to our own understanding but to trust in Him.
Thirdly, we come to the place of praise.

III – THE PLACE OF PRAISE
Proverbs 3:6, “In all thy ways acknowledge him…”
It is human nature to trust in our thoughts or our expectations and praise the Lord.
It is normal to trust in our bank account and think that some how that is a measure of God’s blessings on us.
To some, folks, if they are healthy and strong, again they praise the Lord. To others, they trust in their education or their abilities.
But, Proverbs 3:6 reads, “In all thy ways acknowledge him…”
Acknowledge God. That means to recognize who God is. He is a Father to those that know Him. He is the Creator to all of man. He is the Source of salvation to all who will believe and He will be the Judge of the universe.
Ask, “What does God wants for me today?
He wants your trust. He wants your love. He wants your fellowship. He wants your prayers. He wants your heart.
If you are not a believer, He wants you to trust Him with your life. He wants you to obey Him and surrender your life to Him. He wants you to ask Christ to save your soul today.
If you are His child, He wants you to acknowledge Him. When you do you will cease asking all the time for things and you will begin thanking Him, praising Him, seeing His hand work in your life every day.
He likes to hear words like David wrote,
Psalms 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Many scholars have questioned at what time in David’s life he wrote this. I personally believe he wrote it later in life. I believe, he had killed the giant, reigned as king of Israel, had been removed as king by his son.
I picture David sitting in a cave in one of the darkest nights of his life, staring into the unknown, having lost everything and he writes, “I love Jehovah. I love Him. I realize, He has been more than kind, forgiving, compassionate and generous with me. He is my shepherd. I will follow where he leads, in life and in death. There is nothing I want in life but to follow His footsteps.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. I’ve live in the castle at Jerusalem. I’ve slept in the most exquisite beds. But, if he wants me to lie down in the green pastures, there I will lie and look upon the many stars that He has created and listen to His voice.
I will refresh myself by the still waters. I won’t be anxious. I won’t be in a hurry. A war may be brewing. Deadlines may have to be met. But, I will wait on the Lord.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Ah-h-h, there, He restores, He refreshes and He rejuvenates me. I see now where He wants me to walk. He wants me to walk in paths of righteousness, for His glory.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
I see that those paths may lead through the valley of the shadow of death, but that is ok, I won’t fear death for He is with me.
He guides me by his rod and staff. When I get out of line He will take the shepherds rod and prod me to walk straight. Then he will take the curved part of his staff and draw me to him for comfort.

Why are you drawing me close Lord? 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
You are giving me strength, grace and your spiritual power so when I face the enemies of life, I will overflow with your love and likeness.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
What else do I see at your table? Goodness and mercy, I see that you will not only lead me, but you will follow me and protect me and when life is over, my dwelling place will be with you, for ever.

IV – THE PLACE OF THE PATH
Proverbs 3:6b “…and he shall direct thy paths.”
Do you really believe God is working in your life?
Do you really believe that the God that gave you that precious baby might take that baby away from you? Will you trust Him then?
Do you really believe that He who gave you such good health might allow your health to fail? Will you trust Him then?

When I look back on the path of life, I realize something the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. My line has a lot of zigs and zags in it. But, I realize so did many of God’s children.
AIRPLANE
I read a story a few years ago about a man learning to fly. His instructor told him to put the plane into a steep and extended dive. The man tells the story. After a brief time the engine stalled and the plane began to plunge out-of-control. It soon became evident that the instructor was not going to help me at all.
After a few seconds, which seemed like eternity, my mind began to function gain. I quickly corrected the situation.
Immediately I turned to the instructor and began to vent my fearful frustrations on him. He very calmly said to me, "There is no position you can get this airplane into that I cannot get you out of. If you want to learn to fly, go up there and do it again."
At that moment God seemed to be saying to me, "Remember this. As you serve Me, there is no situation you can get yourself into that I cannot get you out of. If you trust me, you will be all right." That lesson has been proven true in my ministry many times over the years.

For you college kids – you wonder sometimes where the next dollar is going to come from. Trust in the Lord.
For married couples, you wonder if it is going to get better or worse. Trust in the Lord.
For you families, when money is thin, you ask what do we do? Trust in the Lord.
God’s path led Moses to the Red Sea. With his back to the sea and the Egyptian army behind him, many cried against Moses. But, it was here Moses trusted in God and the mighty hand of God was revealed.
It was three and a half years of draught. Many were questioning the power of God. But, Elijah showed up and stood against all the false prophets of Baal and prayed. Fire came down from heaven to prove to Israel that God is still God.
The children of Israel were looking for a deliverer. Yet, the path of God’s son led him to Gethsemane, Gabbatha, Golgotha and the grave. Why? The heart of man was looking for physical deliverance, physical blessings, physical freedom, when God was providing spiritually deliverance and spiritual blessings and spiritual freedom for time and eternity.

When I was a boy in the 8th grade, 1964, it was two years after Madelyn Murray O’Hara and the Supreme Court removed prayer, the Bible and pretty much God from our school system.

At this graduation, some of the teachers wanted to put God in the songs though they could not say His name. Here is the song we sang at our graduation, as a lost 12 year old boy, it still made an impact on my life. I remember it today 45 years later.
Ervin Drake – 1952 -
I believe for every drop of rain that falls
A flower grows (God is in charge)
I believe that somewhere in the darkest night
A candle glows (A Christian’s light)
I believe for everyone who goes astray, someone will come
To show the way (A soul saved) --I believe, I believe
I believe above a storm the smallest prayer
Can still be heard (Power of prayer)
I believe that someone in the great somewhere
Hears every word (God)
Every time I hear a new born baby cry, (God gives life)
Or touch a leaf or see the sky (He is creator)
Then I know why, I believe

"WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT"

2009-05-31T16:39:00.003-04:00

“WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT”
ISAIAH 57

In Isaiah 55:1, God gives an invitation to “every one that thirsteth,” to come and drink from the waters of eternal life. He invites every one to be filled with glorious joy and great strength, and it is all free.
In Isaiah 55:7, God gives an invitation to the wicked to repent and “return unto the Lord.” He promises to graciously show mercy.
In Isaiah 56:1, God gives an invitation to His children to study His word, so with the Savior appeared, they would recognize Him.
But, sadly, they did not study and when Jesus Christ came into the world, they did not recognize Him.
The rest of Isaiah 56 tells us, because Jesus was forsaken, God’s House of worship was forfeited and God’s day of worship was forgotten.
In Isaiah 56:9-12, he reveals that the watchman, who represented the politicians, priests and the prophets of Israel, no longer could see right from wrong. Isaiah compared them to dumb dogs. He said they were blind and ignorant. Rather than giving their life to the things of God, they mainly lived for pleasure and prosperity.
Within 100 years, Judah was taken captive by Babylon and over the next few hundred years the nation of Israel was scattered across the earth.
When Jesus came, He prophesied that Israel would once again be a nation, though many doubted that would or could ever happen. Over 1900 years later it did happen. In 1948

Israel became a nation again.
What happened to Israel over 2,000 years ago has happened to Christian America over the past 200 years later.
The Biblical principles of God’s Word which once governed our homes, our hearts and our homeland are no longer used as the measuring stick by which most Americans and Christians live.
God’s Word is no longer used to form policies in our government and sadly, it is no longer used in forming policies in most churches and homes.

Isaiah 56 introduced us to the Place of Prayer.
Isaiah 57 will introduce us to the Place of Peace.
Isaiah 58 will introduce us to the Place of Power.

Having said all of this, we can now look at Isaiah 57 and understand that Isaiah is speaking of what will mainly transpire in the Last Days, though evidence of this is everywhere today.

I – THE WAYWARD MAN
1 – The Righteous (v 1a)
57:1, The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
Because of the waywardness of man’s heart, nations forget God, and reject the righteous man. Why are those who stand for righteousness rejected? Jesus said, “Men loved darkness more then light…” Why? Jesus said because, “…their deeds are evil” (John 3:19).
Jesus was “the light of the world.” He said to those who follow Him, “Ye are the light of the world.”
Without light, rain won’t fall and the water cycle of life will stop. Without light, crops won’t grow and the food chain will die. Without light, men will stumble and sin prevails. In time, everything in darkness dies.
Growing up on a farm, I saw this truth quite often. When I picked up a board or a bucket that had been laying in the field for a short time, the grass underneath it was dead. Oh, it rained, the ground was moist, but the grass was dead, for it received no light.
Sadly, what Isaiah says in verse one this: In the last days, as the men who stand for righteousness slowly die and move off the scene, few will take there place and nobody will really care.

a. A note on the Politicians: There was a day when we had statesmen, like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and others like them in government, who based their lives and beliefs on God’s Holy Word.
Today, we have politicians, who can be bought for a few dollars. We have politicians who totally reject the light of truth and righteousness. They have removed the Christian pillars that this nation once stood on and have placed this nation on sinking sand.

b. A note on the Preachers: There was a day, when preachers in America were righteous. It did not matter if a preacher was a Methodist or Baptist or Presbyterian, the preachers preached the whole Bible as the inspired Word of God.
One of the greatest evangelists in America was Charles Finney. He was Presbyterian, but He had the powerful touch of God on Him. Great revivals were stirred across America by his uncompromising preaching.
There was Bob Jones I. He was Methodist. He had preached to over 15 million people before he was 40 years old.
Then there was the famous, Billy Sunday. Baseball player converted to God. He was a Baptist. He preached to 40 million people and preached the same truth that Finney and Jones preached, and I quote, “Conversion is a complete surrender to Jesus. It's a willingness to do what he wants you to do. Unless you have made a complete surrender and are doing his will it will avail you nothing. If you have reformed a thousand times and have your name on fifty church records it is to no avail.”
Sadly, today, too many preachers are like those Isaiah described in Isaiah 56:9-12. They preached a social gospel; they were concerned with the environment and the poor and the cold, but ceased preaching salvation and repentance.
Today it is the same. Many preachers are afraid to preach the whole Bible. They won’t bark at sin and the world is becoming darker and darker. They can not see that we are living in the last days. Many Christian nations, like Scotland and England have not heeded to the cries of Isaiah’s warning and today, these nations have less than 3% that attend Church. America is on the same road.
Notice the last part of Isaiah 57:1. It hints of the Rapture.

2 – The Rapture (1b) “...none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.”
Because there was so few living righteously in Judah’s day, the threat of destruction was upon them. Soon Nebuchadnezzar would take them away, but nobody was concerned.
In like manner one day soon God’s children will be taken away as well, but it will be the Lord who will call us home.
How can it be that when God’s children are taken out of this world, no one will really care or take notice?

Two reasons:
1) The lost world will be glad that the Christians are gone.
2) With the increase in the Muslim population and the humanistic teachings of America’s education system and media, to have fewer children in a few years our children will awaken to be run by a Muslim world.
The demographics of the world reveal some shocking news:
There was a day when Americans families had many children. It wasn’t uncommon to have 6 and 8 children and more.
Most of us, the past two generations were told lies, like, you can’t afford to raise them, education is to costly, you won’t have any thing in life and so, most of America have quit having children. That will be a terrible tragedy for the world.
Look at these stats:
History has proven for a culture to continue, it requires a fertility rate of 2.11 children per family.
Historically a culture that dropped to 1.9 has never turned around, though it is possible, it would take 80 to 100 years to turn the culture back.
A culture that dropped to 1.3 makes it impossible to ever reverse. It will die off and another culture will take over.

With that in mind look at these stats about the fertility rate of Europe:
France = 1.8 England = 1.6 Greece = 1.3
Germany = 1.3 Italy = 1.2 Spain = 1.1
The 31 countries in Europe have a 1.38 fertility rate.
The Muslim’s fertility rate is 8.1.

30% of the children in Europe younger than 21 are Muslims.
In 39 years France will be a Muslim country.
In England the Muslim rate has grown so fast, that within 20 years it too will be a Muslim country.
By the year 2025, half of Europe’s children will be Muslim.

Gaddafi said, “We don’t need terrorist or homicide bombers. The 50 million Muslims in Europe will turn it into a Muslim country with a few decades.”

Canada has a 1.6% fertility rate from 2001-2006.
The U.S. from 2001-2006 had a 1.6 fertility rate. With the Latino immigration it was 2.11. In 1970 there were 100,000 Muslims in the U.S. Today there are 9,000,000. In 30 years there will be 50 million Muslims in the United States of America.
This is my prediction to why the world won’t care when the Christians are raptured out. With so many Muslims who want to take over and control the world, and with many governments fighting against the Muslim take over, terrorism with grow tremendously across the world.
Just as the plot on September 11, 2009 was to hit numerous cities throughout America, (it failed), a plot far greater will take place in the near future and it will succeed. Possibly 1,000’s of bombs all over the U.S. and world will take out planes, buses, trains, buildings and even cities. It may even included nuclear weapons.
Now think! If when the rapture takes place, cars crash, planes fall from the sky and chaos reigns across the world, it could easily be blamed on terrorism. Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands and maybe more will die, and most people wouldn’t care if all the Christians were gone, for they hated righteousness anyway.
Now, for you who know the book of Revelation and Biblical prophecy, what happens after the Church of Jesus Christ is raptured out? The first thing is the antichrist, the man of peace, will come on the scene.
Now, look at Isaiah 57:2, He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

In Revelation 6:2, the first horseman of the apocalyptic rides the white horse of peace, deceiving the world into believing everything is alright, as each person walks in his own uprightness. Note, this is not God’s righteousness but man’s prideful and arrogant way. It is an uprightness that calls evil good and good evil.
That is what people are doing today. From our President and to Supreme Court to our elected officials; liberal politicians, liberal journalist and liberal preachers are walking in their arrogant and prideful uprightness to the damnation of our country.
They believe as they continue to throw out the light of God’s Word and trample under food Godly principles and truths that they will bring peace to this world. How wrong they are.

Paul wrote in First Thessalonians 5:3-5, 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Now, after the Church is removed from this world and the devil takes over, Isaiah hints to a few frightening and amazing happenings that will transpire in this world in verses 3-12.
Understand, when the Apostle John wrote the book of Revelation, he gave more indebt details. But, it is clear that Isaiah saw, in visions given to him by God, the future events of the tribulation.

3 – The Rebellion (3-12)
Isaiah is going to reveal vital truths we need to know:
A - We need to quit trying to be politically correct:
Isaiah 57:3, But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
We live in a day in America where we are told to make sure our speech is politically correct. We are told don’t say anything negative about religion or another who may not have the same life style as you.
There is a two-fold hypocrisy about this statement.
1) I find it funny, that, this is not the standard God goes by.
2) I also found out the devil crowd doesn’t live by this standard either. They tell you one thing, but do just the opposite. They can have their freedom of speech and say anything negative or racist or evil about God’s crowd, but let God’s preachers declare that abortion, homosexuality, voter fraud and sin to their attention and they cry “politically incorrect.”
Friend, God calls black, black and He calls white, white. He calls sin, sin and He calls righteousness, righteousness. God doesn’t play by Satan’s rules.
Anyone who knows prophecy knows that in the last days the religions of the world will become so corrupt that they will welcome the devil in their pulpit. God, in His righteousness calls this wicked religion, “the whore.”
Turn to Revelation 17:1-2, And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Most of you know that today, 2009, all the nations of the world have become Babylonian. They have removed God from their culture, creed and constitution.
The “One World Religion” will commit fornication with the “One World Government” in the tribulation time. They will be in bed together. Why? The light of the world was raptured out and there is now, nothing to stop the wickedness of man.
The only thing that prevents this world from erupting into greater sin is the light of the righteous.
B - We need to know that the media in America hates Jesus Christ. 4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
Let me say sadly, this was the heart of Israel when Isaiah preached.
Today, in rebellion, the world, through the media and politics and education has lifted up their voices against God, Christianity and righteousness.
Most people have been brained washed by the media. They tell you to be politically correct. They tell you drugs, drunkenness, sex outside the bonds of marriage is OK and at the same time they mock anything righteous and Christian.
I’ll let you in on a small detail of the Nazi annihilation of six million Jews and eight million Gentiles. Most of the preachers in Germany tried to be politically correct to the demise of their country.
I’ll tell you another secret. When God calls for a nation to repent, His preachers, preached to those who were suppose to know God, not the lost.
To preachers who are blind and ignorant, who won’t preach against sin or stand for righteousness I say, “You are doing a great disfavor to the Holy God I serve.” You are destroying the next generation by only preaching half the Bible. Preachers like Joel Osteen and Rick Warren, who speak against sin, they are destroying Christianity. They have accepted the political correct agenda, to the death of Christianity.
It is entertaining for the media, talk show host and comedians to mock and make fun of Christians, whether they have fallen or whether they do right. For example, look at how the media and the liberals used their wide mouth and evil tongues to maliciously attempt to destroy the Christian and moral life of Sarah Palin, in the last election.

C – We must know that most worship in America is a false worship. Isaiah 57:5-7 - 5 Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?
We would think Isaiah was writing today about sins of America and the world as he describes man’s silly worship of idols and the killing of the unborn, yet there are religious denominations that tell their pastors not to preach on controversial issues like abortion.
In verse five, the taking of the children’s lives were done in secret. How hideous it was. But far worse, today, the taking of the unborn has been justified by the Supreme Court of the United States and is not inn public medical centers, doctor’s offices and hospitals.
How evil the minds of men have become, and yet many churches will never cry from their pulpits that abortion is murder.

In verse six, those guilty of such crime, go back to worship God as if they have done nothing wrong…
6 Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Do you see what they are doing? They are giving to God worship.
God in amazement says, “Should I receive comfort in these?” God says, “You mock my word, you mock my principles, you maliciously destroy my people, you kill the innocent and you go to worship me and you think I am going to accept your worship?” How blinded man has become.

God mocks man in verse 7 by revealing his proud and haughty heart.

7 Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
Isaiah 57:7 reveals that in the last days, man in his pride will live in all types of sin, yet will continue to go through the act of worship, thinking he is OK. How can man do this? He doesn’t know the Word of God.

D – As true preaches continue to preach truth, many will leave that church and look for a church where they can live in drunkenness, adultery, and all types of sin and feel comfortable.
8 Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered (revealed) thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.
Isaiah says to those who should have been God’s people, you left me. You crawled in bed with them. You love their bed not my bed.
God’s intimate bed is one of worship and holiness, righteousness and truth. The bed of false worship brings the world into it. Anything goes and everything is OK in this bed. In this bed man can live as he pleases and do whatever his heart desires. But judgment day is coming. (v 9)

E – Isaiah tells us in the Last Days, the thinking of the political and religious system will be one and the same.
9 “And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes…” but sadly the outcome for both will be hell. Look at the rest of verse 9. “…and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell.”
10 Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.
Though the wicked, acts as if he is enjoying the evil of this life, in the Last Days, he will realizes he has gone to far and now there is “no hope.”
But, the wicked are so full of pride and self, they won’t even care.

F – Isaiah reveals the great sin of Israel and the world.
11 And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?
12 I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
God’s people did not fear God. They lived by their own righteousness standard. One day, the books will be opened. There will be no profit, no spiritual gain, only lost. Man will lose his life and soul for eternity.

II – THE WISE MAN
During the last days, there will be many that will still preach truth. Even in the dark days of the Tribulation when people will be tossed about with every wind and doctrine, God will ordain 144,000 to preach truth.
Notice two things about the wise man:

A – His Choice: In the last days the cry of the religious world is change, change, change.
13 When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;
Back in 1963 Bob Dylan wrote the song, “Blowing in the Wind.” It was a song of rebellion against the America culture, against the government, against the war. It was about leaving the old principles of truth and making changes. Over the past forty years there have been many changes in America but sadly, most of them have not been for our good.

God’s principles don’t blow in the wind. They have always been true. For the man who places his trust in the Lord, God will give to him a home in heaven for all eternity.
The wise man will stand for truth and the Bible declares that God does not change.

B – His Concern – The wise man’s concern is to lift up Christ.
He cries as Isaiah did in verse 14, And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people.
This verse is saying to exalt Jesus Christ. It is saying to all of Israel and all the world who looked upon Jesus as a stumbling block to open their eyes and realizes He is not the stumbling block but the solid rock. He is the corner stone to eternal life. He is the corner stone to our church, our homes and our hearts.
III – THE WORSHIPFUL GOD
Look at verse 15: 15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
a. Contrite Heart: To worship God He wants us to come with a contrite heart. That means to have a repentant and humble heart.
The key to getting out of trouble, to having our burdens lifted and to finding victory is to have a contrite heart.
Then God promises to lift us up on high with Him. The wise man will have a contrite heart and will exalt the high and lofty One, which is our Lord Jesus Christ.

b. Comfort - 18-19:
18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.
These verses reveal that those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ and worship the Lord will find comfort or peace in their soul.
God wants to and desires to show mercy and compassion and forgiveness upon His rebellious people and upon a rebellious nation. God wants man to know His comfort and peace.
The man that comes to the Lord in repentance and faith will have peace.
One person said this about peace: “To have peace, find something bigger than yourself to believe in.”
Another fact says, “Self-centered egotistical people score lowest in any test for measuring happiness.”
“Peace is not in something you can hold or touch or see. It is found in a relationship with Jesus Christ that transcends anything in life.”
In 1555, Nicholas Ridley was a Bishop of the Roman Church and spoke with great anger against the Protestants and stood for the infallibility of the Pope.
But, like Saul, Ridley had a supernatural conversion. He then saw the fallacy of religion and lived his life to preach Jesus Christ as the way to heaven.
He was arrested for his witness for Christ and put in prison to away his death by being burned at the stake. On the night before Ridley’s execution, his brother offered to remain with him in the prison chamber to be of assistance and comfort.
Nicholas declined the offer of his brother and told him, “I mean to go to bed and sleep peacefully, because I know the peace of God, I can rest in the strength of the everlasting arms of the Lord!
Isaiah ends on a negative note. He speaks of the wicked man.
IV – THE WICKED MAN
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
The wicked man is both restless and regretful.
Look in verse 2. There we see a false peace. In this verse a man who has his health and wealth walks in his own integrity and not the Lords.
Look in verse 19 we find true peace. God offers rest and comfort to any one who places their trust in Jesus Christ.

Lastly, in verse 21, the prophet cries, “No peace… to the wicked.”

An old book entitled, “Voices from the Edge of Eternity” by John Miles contains death bed accounts of many who saw into eternity moments before they died.
One account was of an unbeliever. A preacher friend (Rev. C.A. Balch) who had invited him to church and tried to share Christ with him, went to sit with this man in his dying days.
On one occasion the man said, “Warn the world not to live as I have lived and escape my woe.”
Another time when visited by the doctor, the man was groaning and writhing in agony. The doctor said to the man, “Why do you groan so, your disease is not painful?” The man replied it is not my body but my soul that troubles me.”
On the evening of the man’s death, the preacher entered the room. He said there was an awful presence in the room as if we were near the region of the damned.
The dying man cried out, “Oh, God! Deliver me from this awful pit!” The man was not penitent. His word were simply the wailing of a lost soul.
About 11:45 PM, the man cried, “I am in the flames, pull me out, pull me out!” He kept repeating this again and again, as his words became more faint.
At about midnight, the preacher sat next to the man and lean over to hear his dying words. They were, “Pull me out! Pull me out!”
The preacher said, “That experience made such an impression on me, that I will never forget, nor do I wish to ever witness such a sight again.”
The preacher said, “Till this day, I remember those last terrible words, “I am in the flames, pull me out, pull me out.”

Abraham

2009-05-05T20:50:00.003-04:00

ABRAHAM

Isaiah 64:8, But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
The word “father” is used 979 times in the King James Bible. The phrase “our father” is used 52 times. Here is what is very interesting. Only two people in the Old Testament recognized God as “our Father.” King David, for he knew the grace of God and Isaiah. Isaiah was writing down the vision of what would be. At this time in history when Isaiah wrote, Israel was a clay full of rocks. They were neither useable nor pliable. Yet one day, Isaiah knew this would be their attitude.
Go back in time from Isaiah’s day, all the way back to the Flood. After the Flood that took the lives of all the people on the face of the earth but eight, God told Noah to set up a government that was just and one based on His Word.
In just a few generations, the descendants of those who vowed not to ever forget God, forgot God. The stories that were told about Adam and Enoch and Noah were replaced with people seeking signs.
Families began to settle in the fertile valleys by the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. A great city was built and a government built known as Babylon.
Nimrod and most of the world sought to build a life without God’s interference.
Then a tower was erected by Nimrod, hoping to reach as high into the heavens as possible, to worship the moon god and other man-made gods. This angered God and He came down and confounded the languages of the people and scattered the people across the face of the earth.
As the people scattered across the earth, many of these moon worshippers traveled south and settled in a Babylonian town named Ur.

THE POTTERY IN SEAGROVE
Keep this story in mind as we move from this event that happened 4,000 years ago to today, to a small town, south of where we, a town called Seagrove, NC. It is known mainly for its pottery. Beautiful works of pottery are on display for all the world to see, and people come from all over to look at and purchase this beautiful pottery.
However, before the pottery can be admired or purchased, the potter must do his work.
1 - The potter first discovers the clay.
He locates a field that will yield the type of clay he can use to produce beautiful earthen vessels. When he finds this field, he purchases it.

2 - The potter then detaches the clay.
The potter removes a piece here and there to make the size of vessel he intends to make. Some vessels are very small and some are very large. The size is up to the potter.

3 - The potter then develops the clay.
The potter squeezes the lump between his fingers and pounds it with his fist in order to soften the clay and make it pliable.
If he detects any impurities, he will remove them or else, the impurities will spoil the finish product.
He then places the clay on the center of his wheel. The wheel is just a flat circular surface with a spindled attached to another wheel. The potter turns the lower wheel with his feet, causing the upper wheel to turn the clay.
As the clay spins the potter moistens his hands and begins to apply pressure to the lump of clay. The clay slowly begins to take shape.
The potter moistens his hands again and again and uses his thumb and fingers to put pressure on the clay so he might make it for his likening.
When the vase is ready, the potter then places it in a oven and turn up the heat. The vase remains in the oven for hours as the potter watches the temperature with an eagle eye.
When the potter sees that the vase is finished, he removes the vessel and shows others his work of grace.

4 – Then, the potter displays the vase. He puts it in public view for all to see. The vase brings glory to the work of the potter.
This process is picture in the life of a man, a moon worshipper, who lived in the fertile crescent valley of the Babylonian Empire, in a town called, Ur. His name was Abraham.

I – GOD DISCOVERED HIS MAN
Genesis 12:1 4 1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
God knows all about us before He ever called us. There is nothing he does not know. He knows our hearts. He knows our hurts. He knows our strengths and our weaknesses, and He wants to give us all the help we need.
God knew Abraham was a moon worshipper. Abraham was an idolatrous pagan. Though his ancestry could be traced back to Adam, Seth, Noah and Shem, Abraham and Abraham’s family somewhere along the line forgot God…, but God didn’t forget them.
God took the initiative to reach Abraham. Out of the depths of God’s great heart of love, God spoke to the depths of Abraham’s empty, religious heart.
Three ways God reveals Himself to man today:
1 – In heaven? Ps 19:1The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Seeing creation will makes any man know there is a God. (Romans 1:20)
2 – In hearts: Romans 2:14-15 reveals the commandments of God are written in man’s heart. But that is not enough for salvation.
3 – In hearing: “Romans 10:17 reads, So then, faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”

ABRAHAM accepted the invitation of God. Hebrews 11: 8-9 reads, “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”
One day Abraham was walking in a Babylonian world, worshipping the god of his ancestors, the next day, Abraham was on a journey looking for the city of God.
Abraham searched all his life but never found that city. He did not find it in Babylon. He did not find it in the Jordan valley, nor along the banks of the Nile River.
He discover that the city, which has foundations built by God, is located somewhere beyond the confines of space and in another time dimension.
It is awaiting the day when the Lord shall return for His own. It will be revealed to everyone who dwells on the earth in the Millennium, and shall be inhabited by all who placed their faith in Jesus Christ.
Though many think Abraham was looking for an earthly city and maybe for a long time in his life, he was, one day it dawned on Abraham, the city of God that God has placed in my heart is not earthly. It is heavenly. It was eternal!
It is city where the streets are paved with gold and walls are made of jasper and the gates are created out of beautiful pearls.
A crystal stream of beautiful flowing water reflecting the colors of the foundation and the golden walls of the city run through the center of that massive city.
Strangely, it will have no moon or sun, for the light of that city will come from the presence of Jesus Christ.
Massive bright shining angels are the cities ministers and the saints of God are the cities citizens.
The glorious King who was once crowned with thorns is now crowned with glory.
He shall rule the galactic empires whose vastness is beyond all human comprehension.
I am glad, God discovered me. I am glad he came to where I was, so I might go to where He is. Praise His name.

II – GOD DETACHES HIS MAN
When God speaks to us, He demands that we exercise our faith. The evidence of faith is obedience. Obedience proves that our belief is genuine.
Saving faith is seen, when a person obeys God’s spirit. God’s spirit says to repent and commit your life to Jesus Christ.
Living faith is different. It says you are now a pilgrim and a stranger in this world. Living faith says, “This world is no longer your home. You are not to live like you once lived. You are not to go where you use to go. You are different now. You are heading in a different direction.”
The call of salvation is always followed by the call of separation.
In Genesis, God divided the light from the darkness.
He separated the line of Seth from the line of Cain.

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 6:14-16, 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Picture this scenario: One bright sunny morning Abraham walks into the First National Bank of Babylon.
Whenever a man as important and wealthy as Abraham walked into a bank, the staff would roll out the red carpet.
The manger quickly invites Mr. Abraham into his private office to talk. “Well, Mr. Abraham, have you come to deposit more gold today.”
Abraham: “No sir, I have come to close out my account. I will take it all in cash, gold bars or gold coins.”
The bank manger faints back in his chair. His heart begins to race, sweat breaks out all over his body as his hands clutches his polished oak desk. “Close your account?” he whispers, “Mr. Abraham, why? What have we done to displease you?”
Abraham speaks: “Nothing, I am selling out and leaving town.”
Banker: “Well, can we just transfer your account to another one of our banks? We have banks all over Babylonia.”
Abraham: “No, thank you, I’m leaving the country. I’m going abroad.”
“Oh, that is no problem. We can transfer your accounts to one of our affiliated world banks.” The bank manger says hopefully.
Abraham: “No, thank you. I’ll just take it in cash. Here are ten goatskin bags. I have ten camels outside. Just load the bags down with the gold and my men will load the camels.”
Banker: “But, where are you going, Mr. Abraham?”
Abraham: “I haven’t the faintest idea!”
Banker: “I beg your pardon?”
Abraham: “I haven’t the faintest idea.”
Banker: “You haven’t any idea? You are leaving town, closing your account and going abroad and you don’t know where you are going?”
Abraham: “That’s right, so, if you don’t mind, I’ll take my money in cash… No, Mr. manager, I am not crazy.
You see, the other day the God who created the universe and hung the stars in space and gave life to this world spoke to me, and told me to leave my country and go to another one.
I think He was talking about heaven, because He spoke of a city of which, He was the builder and maker.”
“Now, I don’t have any idea where it is. All I know is that, it isn’t here. And for me to get to God’s city, I have to obey God and walk by faith.
I shall be a pilgrim and a stranger the rest of my life. So, if you don’t mind, I will take my money in cash.”
Thus Abraham put feet to his faith. He became a pilgrim and a stranger as far as the world was concerned.
As a stranger, Abraham was away from home; as a pilgrim, he was going home.
So, he could say: “This world is not my home, I’m just passing thru, my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.”

III – GOD DEVELOPS HIS MAN
Every day and every minute of our life God in His mercy is developing us.
Abraham enjoyed mountaintop experiences and sometimes he walked through some dark lonesome valleys.
Sometimes he savored victory and others he tasted defeat.
Whether he experienced sunshine or shadow, glorious faith or miserable doubt, Abraham’s story reveals how God mellowed him and matured him.
Look at five aspect of how God develops Abraham:
1 – Blessings:
A. His walk: In Genesis 12:2 God says “I will bless thee.” The idea in the Hebrew is God will make Abraham a very happy man.
But, wait, Abraham left family and friends, and the world he knew for 75 years, to travel the desserts of this world searching for a city he never found. How can that make a man happy?
This world won’t make you happy friend. Abraham learned to live for the eternal, not the temporal.
And if you are to find true happiness, you have to climb the mountain of faith and live for the eternal. Then come what may, you can sing the little Junior Church song, “I found happiness, I found peace of mind, I found the joy of living, perfect love divine.”
B. His Worship:
In Genesis 12:8, Abraham built an altar at Bethel. Bethel means the “house of God.” Here Abraham worshipped God.
Then Abraham discovered two things. There was a famine in the land and there was a foe in the land.
Abraham thought it would be easy. He did not expect to encounter these problems, but God was teaching Abraham this: In the same place where people find their blessings, there are battles.
Two simple examples are these: 1) In your family there are blessings, but there are also battles. Example: Last year my sister had a son get married. He was 21. There was great joy in the family. Today, another son, 24 is dying of pancreatitis.
2) The spiritual life is filled with blessings, but there are also many battles. You robe shoulders with Christians that encourage you and you rub shoulders with some that discourage you. They key is to keep your eye on Christ. Live for the eternal.
2 – Betrayal: Suddenly Egypt looked attractive to this disillusioned pilgrim. When “Worship life” was not all Abraham thought it would be, he headed to Egypt. It wasn’t Babylon after all. No! But it was too much like Babylon. It was still the world. The holy God of creation was still left out.
Lies accompanied Abraham’s reasoning for visiting Egypt (world). There, in Egypt, Abraham lost his testimony. Rather then being a witness and a blessing to Pharaoh, he became a curse.
Abraham paraded his wife as his sister which almost cost Pharaoh his life. When Abraham and Sarah left town, Pharaoh might have said, “If this is an example of a believer, I hope I never meet another.”
3 – Barrenness: God had promised Abraham a seed. Folks, when God promises something, by faith, He will deliver. But, when years passed in Abraham’s life, with no prospect of a son and Sarah was getting older, Abraham resorted to a worldly means of having a child.
He went into Sarah’s Egyptian handmaid, Hagar. She bares a son and as a result, we find that God did not speak to Abraham for 13 years. (13 being the number of rebellion)
Abraham had to learn that the answer to barrenness is not to be found in worldly methods. When barrenness comes to a church, three direction may be taken: 1) Some Churches bring in the world to attract the world. 2) Some do nothing and they die. 3) Some, pray, seek the Lord, draw near to God, clean up their lives and in time God visits them. Those that do not seek the Lord and repent, God in time writes Ichabod over its door.
Barrenness in the church is part of spiritual growth. It is to tell a people to pray more and worship deeper. It is not a time to use the world’s methods to draw a crowd.
4 – Brethren: Abraham had a nephew named Lot. Lot was called righteous Lot. But, he was a worldly believer. I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but it was so. Lot sets his eyes on Sodom. He thought he could go there and be a witness.
But, in order to pull a people out of the world, you have to get out of it first. You cannot lift a barrel if you are standing in it and Lot was standing in Sodom.
Even after Lot was taken into deeper captivity and Abraham delivered Lot, Lot still stayed in Sodom, thinking, I can make a difference. He didn’t. He did not influence the world by being in the world. Just the opposite happened, the world influenced his family and took their lives. Lot lost his family. He lost his wife. He lost his testimony and he lost everything he had.
Christian, we are living in a time where a lot of our brethren are justifying living in the world. It isn’t right. In the long run, they will lose greatly. I admonish you by the example of Abraham, walk after God. You are a pilgrim! Set your sights on glory!
5 – Backsliding: After Abraham’s disastrous experience in Egypt, he must have said, I will never do that again. I’ve learned my lesson. But, he did it again when he met Abimelech, king of the Philistines (Gen 20). Abraham told the same old lie and God came to Abimelech and said, “You are a dead man if you touch Abraham’s wife.”
Christian, learn a truth. Though our spirit is saved by grace, our “heart is “deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.” The reason I beg you to read the Bible, be faithful to church and don’t let the sun go down on your wrath is, within your heart and mine, is a volcano that can erupt at any time.
In life you are going to deal with blessings, betrayal, barrenness, brethren and backsliding. You are going to make friends and you are going to make enemies. That is life!
When you look at Abraham’s life, one thing is said about him that is said of few people. Abraham was the “Friend of God” (James 2:23).
God has few friends but millions of servants. Among the servants are shining seraphims, chanting cherubims, angels and archangels without number, who hang on God’s every word, and rush to do His bidding.
God has many children as well. Every blood-bought child of Adam’s ruined race has been ransomed and is a child of God.
But, it is possible to be a child and still not have a friend.
A child can be rebellious and wayward, riding roughshod over everything his parents hold dear.
But, when that child gets saved, the first thing he wants to do is make things right with mom and dad, then the church. He wants to re-establish spiritual friendships.
God wants friends. He does not have many friends on earth, but Abraham was one of those rare individuals. “But,” you say, “Abraham made mistakes.” Yes, he did. Abraham made some big mistakes, but the key was Abraham sought to do the will of God.
Jesus gave us a key verse in showing our friendship to God. He said in John 15: 14, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
But, how do we know that Abraham was God’s friend. What was it that really proved his friendship? That question takes us to the last thought.

IV – GOD DISPLAYS HIS MAN
God put his man on display. One day God ask Abraham for the best he had. God ask Abraham to give to Him, the love of his life and Abraham gave it to God.
Abraham took his son and laid him on an altar, as a burnt sacrifice for God. Are you God’s friend? Will lay your “all” on His altar?
When we think of Calvary we often think of the sacrifice and love of the Son of God, but we only see half the picture.
In Genesis 22, we see the sacrificial heart the Father, himself in the life of Abraham.
As Isaac was the love of Abraham’s heart, Jesus was the love of the Father’s heart.
As Isaac was the apple of Abraham’s eye, Jesus was the apple of God’s eye.
The Father journeyed with the Son all the way to Calvary. Whose heart do you think was pierced the most on Moriah, when Abraham raised that knife in the air, Isaac’s or Abraham’s? I believe it was Abraham’s.
Oh, the anguish, the pain, he must have felt, to take the innocent life of his son who had done no wrong. But, wait! The angel of the Lord stayed the hand of Abraham. A ram was caught in the thicket. The ram took the place of Isaac and Isaac went free. Praise the Lord!
But, 2,000 years ago when God walked with His Son, Jesus, to Calvary, there was no ram caught in the thicket. This was the real deal. This was the fulfillment of the shadow. This was where the rubber truly met the road.
God watched as wicked men raised their piercing instruments in the air and pierced the body of his precious son, again and again and again. How the heart of God was have bled with tears.
God put Abraham on display when Abraham went atop Mount Moriah to offer his son.
God put His heart on display when He walk upon Golgotha with His Son and watched Him die.
Today, God puts us on display for our children, family, neighbors and friends to watch.
God discovered us, He detached us, and He developed us, so He might display us.
According to Ephesians 2:4-7; God is looking for some pliable clay, that He might detach from this world and mold and make it, into something beautiful.
He wants us to be a vessel for His glory. He wants us to shine for Him and He wants us to be filled with His love and His life.
Will we be pliable in the master’s hand?
Like Abraham, God call upon to surrender all.
Judson Venter, wrote: (Page 394)
“All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live.
All to Jesus I surrender, Humbly at His feet I bow:
Worldly pleasures all forsaken, Take me, Jesus, take me now.
All to Jesus I surrender, Make me Savior wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit – Truly know that Thou are mine.
All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power, Let Thy blessings fall on me.

Chorus: I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.

WEDDING VOWS RENEWED

2009-03-16T20:03:00.000-04:00

RENEWAL OF THE WEDDING VOWS

Matthew 19:5 …For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
We have gathered here tonight to celebrate the Renewal of Marriage Vows between ¬¬¬¬_______and ______________.
Many of you may have wed, when you were not true believers and therefore, you may not have understood fully what marriage was all about.
Some of you may have forgotten the grand significance in marriage. So I ask if you will please take to heart the true meaning of the marriage vows.
*I want to ask the congregation to do something, if you are not already doing this. I would like to ask that husbands and wives to sit together.
I want you widows to know that God says for you to “trust in Him” in Jeremiah 49:11. He will take care of you. He will be a father to the fatherless and a judge to the widow, Psalms 68:5 tells us.
For the youth, what you hear tonight, if you decided to be obedient to God’s Word will make your future marriage a success or a failure.
For all single folks here tonight, this is as much a spiritual covenant as a married covenant. Listen closely.
The ceremony tonight is not just for Andy and Jennifer. It is for every person that wants a greater understanding of the spiritual relationship you can have with the Lord and each other.
As this song is sung, will you sit next to your mate if you have one here tonight? If not think upon the Lord.
YOURS FOREVER
When the sun is shining bright, I’’ be yours forever.
When you face the darkest night, we will face it together.
Through the good times, I’ll be there, clinging warmly to your hand;
When there’s no one else to care, I’ll be there to understand.
Chorus:
Yours forever, only yours; I’ll be yours forever.
Yours forever only yours; God has brought us together.
On the wings of love you came, Then you taught me how to fly.
Through the years it will be the same; I’ll be yours for ever.
[2nd – …and ever; I’ll be yours forever, forever]
When I look into your eyes, I can see us together.
There will be no sad goodbyes as our love blossoms sweeter.
There’s a place inside my heart I know only you can fill.
Until death we’ll never part; You’re the keeper of my heart.
Chorus:
-Many folks have a wonderful, loving and joyful marriage in oneness and harmony with God.
--Some folks live together but the love and joy is gone. They live in the same house but their hearts are not nit together.
---Sadly, some folks just have a difficult relationship.
So, I ask tonight, if you will rethink what God says about the Biblical marriage vows?
*********
THE WEDDING CEREMONY
A wedding ceremony that is not directly related to the Lord Jesus Christ loses its real significance.
It loses its significance to the couple getting married as well as to those who have gathered to form the covenant.
The traditions of the Christians wedding come from the Christian Bible. It is taken from the Jewish wedding ceremonies in the day of Christ.
Any Jewish couple that observed the life of Christ would have seen the covenant of marriage in the very life of Jesus Christ.
Ten Thoughts about a True Christian Wedding and Commitment
1. The Bridegroom initiated the relationship and the engagement or betrothal period. He left his father’s house and went to the house of the prospective bride.
a. Spiritually, Christ left heaven to gain a bride on earth – Eph 5:25-28.
b. Physically, a man is to initiate the relationship.
c. He is ready for marriage when he is able to provide spiritually, financially and physically for a wife.
d. He then leaves his father and mother and cleaves to his wife.

2. The father of the woman then negotiated with the bridegroom the price that must be paid to secure the bride.
a. Spiritually, Jesus sacrificed His life and paid with His blood to secure a wife, the Church as His bride.
b. Physically, a man must be willing to give his life for his wife. He forsakes all others for her.
3. When the bridegroom paid the purchase price, the marriage covenant was thereby established. At that point, the man and woman were regarded as husband and wife, even though no physical union had taken place.
a. Spiritually, the consummation of the marriage between Christ and the Church is yet future. Consummation means to bring something to a satisfying conclusion or completion.
Though we are betrothed to the Lord in Salvation, the joy and bliss in that relationship has not yet begun.
b. Physically, the consummation of marriage between a man and a woman is more than physical.
It is first spiritual. One must learn discipline and have a good relationship with the Lord.
It is second soulish. A couple must have common loves, such as love for Christ, the Church, the Bible, raising children and bring glory to God.
Third, it is physical. Though satisfying, the physical will be the enjoyment drawn from the spiritual and soulish relationship.

4. The couple drank from a cup sealing their love one for another. Though they lived apart for a time period, they were faithful one to another.
a. Spiritually, we are apart from our Lord today, but we are to be faithful to Him.
Every time we partake of communion, we are to reconfirm that intimate relationship and longed for desire to be one with the Him.
b. Physically, couples would be wise to weekly, reestablish a time, to be alone and reconfirm their love one to another. A date night or a walk together, alone is needed, by both for security and the reassurance of love.
5. After the marriage covenant was in effect, the groom went back to his father’s house. He remained there for a period of time, preparing for his wife.
a. Spiritually, Jesus went to the Father to prepare a mansion for His bride (John 14:1-3).
b. Physically, a man may meet a girl at an early age, but maturity is seen when that man, prepares for his future by getting an education or developing a skill to take care of his bride.
6. During the separation period, the bride gathered her wardrobe. She beautified herself and planned and prepared for married life according to the scriptures.
The groom made accommodations in his father’s house for his bride.
a. Spiritually, the Church is to purify and beautify herself for her coming bridegroom. She has been given pastors and teachers and evangelist and gifts to perfect the bride. (John 14:2; Eph 4:11-13). We should all be faithful to Church of Jesus Christ.
b. Physically, the bride is to beautify herself for her husband, daily. She should know what the Scriptures say about how to be a loving wife.
c. Physically, the groom is to discipline his life financially, spiritually and physically and give security to his wife.
7. The separation ended when the groom and his wedding party left the father’s house. He usually left at night and made his way to the house of the bride.
a. Spiritually, Christ promised to return for His own with an angelic host (John 14:3). No one knows the exact hour.
b. Physically, the husband shows his love for his mate, by making a public showing of his bride to his friends. (This is why Christians should have a public wedding ceremony or showing).
8. The bride was ready and expecting her groom to come, but she did not know when. As the groom neared, his coming was preceded by a shout or the sound of a trumpet.
a. Spiritually, when Christ comes, the Bible declares his coming will be preceded by a shout (2 Thessalonians 4:16). Though the Church does not know the day or the hour, we are to live in expectation of His return any moment.
b. Physically, the wife should live in anticipation to see her husband come home each day. She should prepare her life for and around him.
c. Physically the husband desire at the end of each day is to be should be sure his wife is safe and secure in her life and heart.

9. The groom received the bride with her female attendants and returned to his father’s house.
a. Spiritually, Christ will take His church home and she shall be His testimony of His power and grace.
Spiritually, the bride of Christ is going to leave this old world, for that is what she has been looking forward to, since the day she fell in love with Christ. She will witness to the world for the 1,000 year millennium of our Lord Jesus Christ’s grace and goodness.
b. Physically, the bride, when married, leaves her old world. She leaves her parents, her family and her friends.
c. Her life is a witness to the world of her husband’s goodness to her.
10. The marriage is finally consummated by physical union for the first time in the privacy of the bridal chamber.
a. Spiritually, our consummation with our Lord is spiritual. We will experience, behold, taste of, hear and see and touch a world we have never known before. We will sense the height of love.
Paul said, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard what the Lord has for those who love Him.”
b. Physically, as a virtuous married couple enjoys a union beyond all other beauties in this world, the Church will see, enjoy and experience love and joy and ecstasy like she has never known.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
This may be the first time many of you have heard a message like this. So, I ask, “Do you want to make have a Christian marriage? Will you make such a commitment?” If you have previously or you would like to renew you marriage afresh, I ask if the husbands will initiative the act, like Christ. Husbands, will you extend your hand to your wife. Wives, if you desire this commitment, place your hand willingly in your husband’s hand?
WORDS OF MARRIAGE
If you _MAN___ want your marriage to be a Christian marriage…
Will you give yourself to WIFE first and foremost?
You must love her as you love God.
You must talk to her as you talk to God with gentleness and kindness.
You must live to serve her and make her a queen.
You must be willing to die for her.
She must never come second to anyone or anything.
You must give her your heart. You must give her your best. Do you vow to do so, Andy?

If you WIFE want your marriage to be beautiful beyond belief, you must give yourself first and foremost to HUSBAND.
You must love him with all your heart.
You must be willing to forgive the past and live a new life together.
You must talk to him as you talk to God.
You must make him your king and live to make him happy.
He must never come second. You must give your best to him.
Do you vow to do so, WIFE?

CONGREGATION, the vows you heard tonight are Christian vows.
If you want a Christian marriage with Christ or each other, if you want to make those Christian vows real, then, join with Husband and Wife, and, repeat these words in your heart.
I am sorry if I have not been the mate that I should have been.
From this day forward I want to live a life that pleases God.
I re-confirm the love covenant with God and my mate, (if that applies to you).
I promise to love, honor and cherish my mate as the Lord wants me to.
I promise to give myself to my mate only and to no one else.
I am committed to making my marriage work till the day I die or till the day Jesus comes.

If as a widow or a single person, if you want to refresh your vows with the Lord, close your eyes and tell Him, you love Him, and promise to spend time with Him in His word.
Ask Him to be your husband and judge. Ask Him to take care of you.
If as a couple you want to make your vows afresh, tell Christ in your heart that you desire to do so.
If you are a youth and you understand what I have presented tonight and you want to truly marry this way one day, tell Christ in your heart.

Look this way for a moment:
Though, this may have felt romantic to some of you, and though it may have seemed emotional to others, marriage is act of faith.
Marriage is for companionship. It is for pleasure. It is for completeness. It is for fruitfulness. It is for protection. But, mainly marriage is a picture to of Christ’s great love for the Church and the Church’s great love for Christ.
Christ leads and the Church submits. This is the testimony you give to your children and family and to this lost world of the great love Jesus had for the Church.
For love is giving and forgiving. It is serving and sacrificing.
It is at its best when both partners live for the other and they expect nothing in return.
As marriage is a commitment for life for better or worse, so is your commitment to God.
As marriage is for richer or poorer, in life, sometimes you may have much and sometimes, you may have little.
If your love for God and your marriage vows are Christian, riches or poverty cannot stop true love.
A marriage is a commitment in a time of health and a time of sickness.
If in a time of health, you can run and play and travel, rejoice. But, if the times comes when the one you have committed your life to, can no longer physically do the things, they once did, it is time for you to take care of the one you committed your life to.
That is what the Lord promised to do for you when he saved you. He will never go back on His promises. He will never leave you or forsake you.
God is committed to you! Be committed to God. Be committed to your mate! Be committed to Christ! Be committed to your family! Be committed to your Church! Be committed to righteousness!
Lastly, as this song is sung, if you, with all your heart would like to recommit your lives one to the other, as this song is sung stand together during this song and remaining standing until prayer is over

Whither thou goest, I will go. Wherever thou lodgest, I will lodge.
Thy people will be my people my love, Whither thou goest, I will go!

For as in that story, long ago, The same sweet love story, now is so,
Thy people shall be my people my love, Whither thou goest, I will go!

Whither thou goest I will go, Wherever thou lodgest, I will lodge,
Thy people will be my people my love, Whither thou goest I will go. . .

For as in that story long ago, The same sweet love story now is so,
Thy people shall be my people my love, Whither thou goest, I will go

Isaiah 50 - MESSIAH

2009-03-16T20:01:00.000-04:00

THE RIGHTEOUS REDEEMER’S RELATIONSHIP TO MAN

THE GARDEN
Everybody likes to receive a gift, especially an expensive gift. In the beginning, God gave a very expensive gift to the first couple that He would wed. God gave them a perfect world. He placed them in a perfect environment and gave them dominion over this earth.
Their life consisted of caring for the magnificent Garden of Eden and fellowshipping with God. How hard could that be?
Well, it proved to be harder than this spiritual couple knew. Temptation came and that beautiful three-way relationship died.

Since that time it seems to be pretty difficult for many folks to find the key to build and enjoy that three-way relationship that brings the sweet fellowship that Adam and Eve knew.
Some folks find it in life and some folks don’t seem to ever find it. But it is available. It is offered to any couple that will seek God’s face.

In Isaiah 50:1, that once beautiful relationship between God and His chosen nation had ceased to be. The wife, Israel, had forgotten how to make it work and seemingly didn’t care to even try.
HOSEA
Some people have asked, “How bad was their relationship?” God paints the picture of His relationship to Israel and Israel’s relationship to Him, in a book in the Bible, the Book of Hosea.
Hosea was a prophet that married a woman named Gomer. He loved her greatly, and for a while everything seemed great. She was fruitful and gave Hosea three children.
Then one day Gomer became unfaithful to Hosea, but Hosea forgave her, but then, she played the harlot again and again.
She finally left Hosea and lived as an adulterous wife with another man to whom she was not married. The man she was living with grew tired of her and sold her on the auction block. Hosea went to the auction and bought her back and took her home. At first, she seemed grateful and thankful, but she slowly forgot her husband’s mercy and she returned to her old ways.

Hosea, in his love was a picture of God’s love. He went and knocked at the door of the house where Gomer was living in sin. He heard she was in need. He took money or what is called money in those days, “wine and corn” and said to the man, who had his wife, “If she needs anything more, let me know.”
That is how God loved Israel and that is how God loved this world. For a very long time,, God in his mercy and tolerance has been reaching out to forgive and to renew that relationship with man.

But, Israel could not understand God’s love, for this type of love had died within the heart of Israel. Rather, they complained and blamed God for their problems in life.
So God sent His son into the world to demonstrate just how great His love was for us. If you would like to know that love better, read the Gospel of John and visit CALVARY.

In Isaiah 50 God seems to say two things:
1 - Remember what I have done: (Isaiah 50:2-3).
2 - Realize what I will do: (Isaiah 50:4-8).

1 - Remember what God has done: (Isaiah 50:2-3).
In verses 1-4, God is speaking as Jehovah, the eternal God.
In verses 5-9, God is speaking as Jesus, as the Son of man.
Isaiah 50:2-3 2 Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.
3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.
He asks His people four questions. All of them should have made Israel hang their heads in shame, repent and humbly ask God’s forgiveness, so that a sweet and loving relationship could be re-established.
A – PERSON - The first two questions are about God’s PERSON:
Isaiah 50:2, Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer?
First we see the past:
THE CONFRONTATION ON MOUNT CARMEL
The Battle on Mount Carmel pictures this truth. Over 800 years earlier when Elijah was on Mount Carmel? He challenged the children of Israel to serve God. The majority of the prophets of Israel were false prophets. They were called prophets of Baal or Babylon. They did not know the true God of Heaven. He challenged these prophets of Israel to a duel unto the death.
The prophets of Baal built an altar and Elijah built an altar. They were to both pray and ask their God to send fire from heaven.
The God who answered with fire from heaven would be the true God. But, before the prayer battle began, Elijah challenged Israel.
We read in First Kings 18:21, “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”
The outcome of the battle was that Elijah’s God, who is our Lord, sent down fire from heaven and the prophets of Baal were slain.
You would think with such a miracle that the people would fall down and worship God. Sadly, they did not. Rather, Jezebel, the queen of Israel, vouched to kill Elijah.
Lots of folks are like Israel, today. They won’t say anything against God, but they won’t say anything for God either.
Christian, always be ready to stand up for the Lord Jesus Christ, He stood up for you on Calvary.
It is good to stand up for Jesus in church, but where it really counts is when we walk outside the doors of the church.
Illustration: I remember reading a story about a soldier during the Civil War of the States. He could not make up his mind, whose side he wanted to be on. So He put on a Confederate shirt and Union pants. Well, when the battle began, the Confederate army shot him in the pants and the Union army shot him in the shirt.
It is important that we take a stand for the Lord.

THE CONFRONTATION IN JERUSALEM
Now, we see prophecy:
Eight-hundred years later, Jesus came and called Israel to make Him their God. Jesus went into a synagogue and read Isaiah 61:1, which is recorded in Luke 4:18-19. It was His inauguration speech.
It says this: 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. He was voted in by the majority vote of God.
The religious leaders became angry. They thrust Jesus out of town. That means they grabbed Him and push and shove Him out of the city. They were going to throw him off a cliff to kill him, but the Bible says that Jesus escaped out of their sight. (Luke 4).
From that day forward Israel sought for a time to take the life of Jesus Christ as Jezebel sought to take the life of Elijah.
Jesus, inviting people to, “Come and follow Him.”
He said in Matthew 11:28, Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
He said in Matthew 18:11, Jesus said, “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.”
He said in Matthew 19:21, Jesus said, “…come and follow me.”
Sadly, the Jewish nation as a whole rejected Christ’s invitation.
Three and a half years later Jesus was taken before Pilate and falsely accused.
800 years earlier when fire fell from heaven they refused to follow God. And when Jesus came, they refused to follow Him.

B - PROTECTION - Notice the third and fourth question in verse 2: Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? This question is about His PROTECTION.
Keep in mind the fact that Israel had fallen into captivity and they blamed God. When in reality, they were bitter at God.
If they would, but, repent and come back and renew their relationship, they could experience the blessings again. The next move was Israel’s.
1) So, God reminds Israel of His Power over the land of Egypt.
Isaiah 50:2 …behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.
Israel’s days in Egypt grew dark and dismal. They were forced into slavery. They were inhumanely beaten and God, by His mighty hand, redeemed them through the blood of a sacrificial lamb. That was only one illustration of God delivering Israel a thousand times from their enemies.
The mighty nation of Egypt, which was once like the Garden of Eden, was made a wilderness (v 2). God dried up the waters, the fish died and outside of the major cities men will died of thirst. Egypt has 390,000 square miles but the entire population today lives in 15,000 square miles along the Nile and that includes the delta.
I’ve been to Egypt twice. The land is mostly desert and destitute accept for the few cities next to the Nile, like Cairo and Alexandria.
The Nile is very dirty and the land very unkempt. What use to be a haven on earth, is one of the dirtiest countries in the world today.
God was saying, see what I can do. I can make a country prosperous or I can curse it with poverty.
Application: The problem with America’s woes today is not the fault of this administration or the last administration. It is the fault of a people who have turned their back on God and need to come back.
2) He reminds them of His power over the hearts of men. In Moses’ day, God sent darkness over the city and the people dressed in sackcloth and begged for forgiveness.
Isaiah 50:3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering
God was hinting to Israel, that if they would show some humility and come back to Him that He would redeem them.
But, their blindness was greater than the darkness that covered Egypt for three days.
II – REALIZES WHAT HE WILL DO
As Jehovah was speaking in Isaiah 50:1-3, Jesus is speaking in Isaiah 50:4-9.
In the first three verses God the Father is speaking, attempting to rekindle the flame in the hearts of His children, but they would not let Him. They had grown cold, indifferent and bitter. They had crossed the line of no return. The covenant was broken.
Now a new covenant would be pictured. The Redeemer of mankind is being revealed. He who is actually speaking in the next few verses is Jesus Christ.
A – WE SEE HIS CHARACTER:
In these few verses are seeds of prophecy that will blossom in the New Testament Gospels to prove that Jesus was the Messiah.
4 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
5 The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
Christ speaks of two things here: 1) Humanity 2) Humility
Thus, it is clear that Jesus Christ is speaking here and He reveals a truth, that had to be known, if the Messiah was to be accepted. He reveals Jesus’ human character traits. First, He reveals that God will become a man!
1. HUMANITY
a. We first see that Jesus grew in wisdom. Verse 4 reveals that the Christ was born a baby, a human being.
One of the most difficult doctrinal conclusions our forefathers discussed was this: Was Jesus God or man? They concluded He was the God-man. He was 100% God and 100% man.
--As a man He was born of a woman, as God He had no earthly father.
--As man He was tempted in the wilderness, as God He walked on the Sea of Galilee.
--As man He was born in a stable, as God He was transfigured before the disciples.
And in this verse we see that Jesus as a man had to grow in statue and wisdom. He had to learn to speak Hebrew and Greek.
Whereas we normally think that Christ knew everything from a baby up, He did not. He was an obedient son who learned and grew mentally and physically.
Proof is revealed in two passages:
In Hebrews 5:8 we read, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;”
This is difficult for some folks to grasp, but understand that only deity can limit Himself and that is what God did when he became human.
He limited his divine abilities so he might experience every test and trial in life, just like you. That is why Hebrews 4:15 reads, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
Another poof is found in Luke 2. Jesus was in Jerusalem with His parents for a feast. The family and many others packed up to go back to Nazareth. They traveled for a day and realized that Jesus was not with them. When they returned Jesus, at the age of 12, was teaching the scholars in the Temple.
When his family ask Him what was he was doing, He said to His parents in Luke 2:49, “…How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
First of all we see Jesus as a 12 year old boy. He was knowledgeable, wise and mature.
Then Joseph and Mary told him to come home with them and the Bible says in Luke 2:51 “…He…was subject unto them.” Verse 52 reads, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”
In the life of Christ from a child to 30 years of age, when He was not doing the work of a carpenter, He was studying the Word of God for the ministry which he would soon begin.
The Bible never says Jesus grew in knowledge, but He grew in wisdom. The Bible says, “Knowledge puffs up.” What we know in our head will only make us proud and cause us to draw the wrong conclusions.
Wisdom is the ability to see life from God’s perspective.
It is seeing how God wants us to live and then follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

2. Jesus proved His Worthiness: Jesus not only proved His righteousness by the wisdom He learned, but he proved it by the worthy life He lived.
Jesus was never rebellious. He never, one time spoke, or showed rebellion to His parents or to His God or to any authority.
That is what He meant in verse 5: The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
Not only was Jesus not rebellious as a child to his earthly parents, but He was completely obedient to God.
When Jesus studied the Scriptures and saw the shadow of the cross in His life, He did not rebel, but He willingly surrendered to the will of God.
When He read Isaiah 53 and knew that He would be led to His death as a lamb to the slaughter, He never turned back. He never even flinched. Thus, we see His humanity.
Application: I’m glad I couldn’t see the future. I would have run away like Elijah in some dark cave. But, God’s grace is sufficient, one day at a time.
I thought of William Borden, the heir to the wealthy Borden industry. If he knew he would die on the mission field at age 25, would he had gone? I thought of David Braniard, missionary to the Indians in America, would he have gone, had he known he would hae died at age 29. Jesus knew He would die at the hands of who He came to die for and he was completely obedient to God.
2 – HUMILITY
Isaiah 50:6 reads, I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
Jesus knew that they would beat him physically. He knew that men would pluck off the hair on his face. He knew they would spit upon His lovely brow, which was the greatest humility that could be cast on a man in those days.
He knew that He would be rejected by those He loved. He knew they would reject His life and His word and nail Him to the old wooden cross, but He was obedient to the will of God.
Application: Do you know Second Timothy 3:12? “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
Do you know that if you live as Christ wants you to you are going to suffer? You may suffer for your own mistakes, we all do, but you will suffer also just because you are a Christian. Prepare to accept some suffering and rebuke and rejection in this world.
Dean Speicher, a Christian man and the former Superintendent of the Planetarium and Air-Space Museum wrote: “Encouragement to 'Do Right Anyway.'” He wrote…
People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish motives.
Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest anyway.
The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
What you spent years building, may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
People really need help but may turn against you if you help them. Help them anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and you may get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
Matt 5: 43-44, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”
What kept Christ obedient all His life? It was His faith. Isaiah 50:7 For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
Jesus studied and He foresaw His lot in life. He believed God and by faith, He set His face like a flint to go to Calvary. That meant that He would never turn back. By faith, He did right.
Application: Christians, I concluded this world is not my home. I know in the last days, fewer and fewer people will want my Jesus. I may have to stand alone on truth, salvation and righteousness. I know I will live in a very compromising society. But, by faith I have decided to stand as true to the Lord as I possibly can.

B- THE CHALLENGE OF CHRIST
8 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.
The Lord seems to be saying “Who is on the My side, stand up!” Jesus said you are either for me or against me. We are either an ally with Christ or an adversary of Christ.
1 –Allies of Christ, the Church, and the Christian
Christ knew there will be a great physical and spiritual battle in His life and He knew there will be a great spiritual battle in your life.
Be on His team.
Francis Havergal wrote this poem in 1877.
1. Who is on the Lord’s side? Who will serve the King?
Who will be His helpers, other lives to bring?
Who will leave the world’s side? Who will face the foe?
Who is on the Lord’s side? Who for Him will go?
By Thy call of mercy, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Savior, we are Thine!
2. Jesus, Thou hast bought us, not with gold or gem,
But with Thine own lifeblood, for Thy diadem;
With Thy blessing filling each who comes to Thee,
Thou hast made us willing, Thou hast made us free.
By Thy grand redemption, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Savior, we are Thine!
3. Chosen to be soldiers, in an alien land,
Chosen, called, and faithful, for our Captain’s band;
In the service royal, let us not grow cold,
Let us be right loyal, noble, true and bold.
Master, Thou wilt keep us, by Thy grace divine,
Always on the Lord’s side—Savior, always Thine!
In Psalms 22, we see many aspects of that great battle of the cross and it deals with relationships to the righteous redeemer:
A - Jesus’ relationship to the Father: The Father was a ally.
In verse one Jesus knows that the sins of the world will be laid on his body and something will happen that has never happened in eternity pass nor will ever happen again. He prayed, “Father if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not my will but thine be done.
When Christ was in the garden, he prayed with such intensity that he sweat as it were great drops of blood. This was what was in Christ’s heart. He was not asking God to take away the cross. Jesus knew He had to go to the cross and pay for the sins of the world.
What was in the cup? Spittle, yes; scourging, yes; mockery, yes; hate, yes, death, yes, but more. The wrath of God was in that cup. Someone had to take the righteous indignation of God, and Jesus did. But, I believe there was one more thing.
Jesus knew this scripture and He knew that something would happen on the cross that never happened in eternity pass nor would happen in eternity future. He knew that God would have to turn His back on His son on the cross.
Habakkuk 1:13 reads, Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity:
Look at the words of Jesus in Psalms 22:1. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
2 – Adversary of Christ
A - Jesus’ relationship to the demons:
In Psalms 22:12 Jesus speaks of the bulls of Bashan which represent the demons of hell encompassing the cross. “Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.”
These bulls would surround their prey. One would leave the formation of the heard and at full speed thrust his horns into their prey and back up again into formation. Then another bull would thrust out in vicious anger and another and another until the prey was dead.
Though you and I saw the nails and the scourge and the crown of thorns, the blood and the wooden cross, we did not see the demons of hell railing on and mocking Christ with vicious, hideous demonic cries and vengeance when the Father had turned His back.
b - Jesus’ relationship to the Gentiles:
Psalms 22:16 speaks of the Gentiles that rejected Him. “For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.”
The assembly of the wicked pictured the Jews, who in secret manipulated the Roman governor to crucify Christ, even though it was the Romans Gentiles that pierced His hands and His feet.
C - Jesus’ relationship to Satan:
Psalms 22:21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
You better believe that Satan wasn’t drink lemonade in some oasis in Baghdad. He to was at the cross, with all of us evil, using every ounce of devilish power he had to stop Jesus Christ from having victory. Only Satan in his ignorance did not realizes that three days later, Christ would walk out of hell, walk out of the grave and throw off death and rise again.
D - Jesus’ relationship to the Meek:
Psalms 22: 26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
Ps 149;4 says God …will beauty the meek with salvation.
Jesus said the meek shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). Thus, salvation is for the man who will yield his life completely to Christ.
E – Jesus’ relationship in the Millennium:
27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28 For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations.
For 1,000 years the Lord’s relationship to the world will be wonderful. All will bow before Him. All will sing praised to Him. All will worship Him as Lord and God.

The Whole Story of Salvation

2009-02-17T21:04:00.000-05:00

A Message of Love
I John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Many people heard the words on Valentine’s Day, “I love you.” They are beautiful word, but what they truly, truly mean is what is important.
“I love you” means I will die for you. I will lay down my life for you. I will give up every thing I have for you. I will be patience with you. I will be kind and gentle with you. I will be tolerant of you.”
“I love you” means spit in my face and I won’t spit back. Slap me and I will turn the other cheek. Take a dagger and thrust it through my hand and I will stretch out the other hand. Hang me on a cross and you will hear me cry, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.”
Too many people who say, “I love you,” truly, truly don’t understand the meaning. What “I love you,” means too many is: You please me. You meet my needs. You give me what I want. You satisfy me. You keep me from being lonely. You are always there when I need you. You pay the bills. You take care of my wants.
In Ephesians 5:25, God’s word talks about a husbands love this way: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
A husband’s love should be spiritual love and leadership love. A husband should set the tone for love in his home. The wife who is under God’s authority will reciprocate that love.
The love God showed man was agape love. He gave expecting nothing in return. He served and went the extra mile. He loved and loved to please the Father.
His love was so powerful that it turned the world upside down and it shook up a man by the name of Nicodemus.
AN EXPOSITION OF JOHN 3:1-21
[OUTLINE: THE CONNECTION / THE CONVERSATION / THE CONVERSION]
I – THE CONNECTION 1-2A
3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night,
 Nicodemus was a consecrated Pharisee.
• A Pharisee was a very religious and pious man.
• He fasted twice a week.
• He gave his tithes and more to God’s work.
• He memorized Scriptures.
• He had great knowledge of the Word of God.
• He wasn’t just a Pharisee but a ruler of the Jews.
• He was not just religious but political.
Nicodemus today would have been a renowned religious figure. He might have been a mixture of Baptist and Methodist, Presbyterian and Lutheran, Catholic and Protestant. Plus, he had a little bit of a republican and democratic alike in him.
Some say he was one of the wealthiest and maybe highest respected men in Israel.
 Nicodemus was a curious person. What stirred his curiosity?
• He heard of a man that some said was virgin born.
• He heard that the Messiah of Israel had come into the world.
• He heard of many miracles that this man from Galilee performed.
• He heard that Jesus had fed 5,000.
• He had healed the sick and made the blind to see.
• One night when most people were at home with their families, Nicodemus just had to personally, one on one, talk with Jesus, so he sought Him out.

II -THE CONVERSATION – 2B –
 Nicodemus Speaks - 2b …said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
• Nicodemus immediately acknowledges that there was something miraculous about Jesus Christ.
• He knew that God was instrumental in everything that Jesus did.
• He acknowledges that He was a great teacher.
• He admits that he believes in miracles the miracles of Jesus.

 Jesus Speaks - He discerns Nicodemus spiritual need and gets right to the point:
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
 Jesus gives a physical analogy to a great spiritual truth.
• He compares the new birth to a physical birth:
• For a baby to be born there must be a love relationship.
• During that love relationship, seeds are sown.
• Those seeds take root and grow over a period of time.
• Through travail and labor and pain, new life comes forth.
 The spiritual birth comes to pass the same way.
• Seeds of scripture are sown in one’s heart and life.
• A love relationship must form.
• A desire to know God and to please God fills one’s heart.
• For some people it takes weeks, for others maybe years.
• Then through prayer and travail, a person rejects the comfort womb of the world he/she is living in and is birth into the kingdom of God by God’s spirit.

This analogy was too deep for one of the most spiritual men of Israel to understand.
 Nicodemus’ question: 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
That seems like a silly question, but Nicodemus understood Jesus to say a man had to be born twice. But, he did not understand the spiritual birth.
Today, many folks think just like Nicodemus. They hear words like you need to be saved, born again or you need to believe and they say what does all of that mean?
• Some believe if they join the church and have their name put on the church role they will go to heaven. The Bible never teaches this.
• Some believe if they are baptized they will go to heaven. Even though a person should follow the Lord in Baptism, water baptism does not wash away a person’s sins.
• Some believe if they turn over a good life, they will make it to the other side.
I’ve known alcoholics to quit drinking and drug users to give up drugs, but the question is have they been born again?
• The false teaching the past man years has been, pray the sinners prayer and you will go to heaven. I believe a person should pray the sinner’s prayer, but outside the conviction of the Holy Spirit, the travail of repentance and one’s belief or commitment to Christ, a prayer is only words.

 Jesus’ Quote: Now, Jesus continues the conversation:
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
• Water: Is Jesus talking about physical water here? Of course not! The voice of God is compared to mighty waters.
In Revelation 1:15 John tells us that the voice of Jesus is like the sound of many waters.
Jesus was the living Word, the Bible is God’s written word.
The “water” represents the word of God.
Paul wrote in Romans 10:17, “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”
The water is God’s Word. Seeds are sown from God’s Word. Those seeds must reveal truth.
-God’s Word reveals to man the sinfulness of his heart.
-God’s Word reveals to man the lovingness of God.
-God’s Word reveals the only way of Salvation.

• Spirit: The Spirit of God brings conviction, sorrow, travail and repentance.
Jesus says in verse 6 and 7: That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Jesus gives another analogy in dealing with the Spirit.
As the flesh of a mother and father produces their fleshly offspring with fleshly desires, so the Holy Spirit of God produces spiritual off spring with spiritual desires. As you were born physically, so you must be born spiritually.

Key to salvation: Now notice the work of God’s Spirit. He is mysterious. He comes into a person’s life when God’s word is preached. Notice verse 8.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
• Pneuma: The analogy is wind. The Greek word is pneuma. It is interpreted not only wind I the Bible but also spirit.
As wind just blows and you can’t tell if it comes from the sea or the mountains at times, so God’s spirit in God’s time blows into your life. So, a man can’t get saved when he chooses, but when God’s spirit convicts and draws.
• Pentecost: On the day of Pentecost, the spirit of God blew into the upper room. He worked, moved and convicted men of sin.
-After the seeds of God’s word were sown, the spirit of God brought conviction.
-Under the conviction of the Spirit the people on the day of Pentecost cried, “What must we do?”
The same wind blew into the Roman jail cell one night in Philippi, and the Philippian Jailer cried, “What must I do to be saved?”
Thus, when a person comes to Christ it is a willing desire to do so.
It is under the mighty working of God’s Spirit that a person’s eyes are open and it is at this time, they cry out to God for salvation and their life is made new.
Romans 10:13, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

 Next we see an honest question: 9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Nicodemus was honest with Jesus. He said, I don’t understand.
-A lot of people go to hell because they will not be honest with God.
-They can not remember the conviction of the Lord.
-They cannot remember a conversion.
-They still live today, as they lived 20 years ago or 5 years ago.
-They are too proud to stay on their knees until they have truly surrendered their lives to God.

Jesus gives Nicodemus a humble quote in verse 10:
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
-Most people would be offended by this statement.
-Most people would not admit that they were lost.
-They would hold onto their church membership, their religion, their water baptism or their good works.
-But, Nicodemus had something good going for him. He was humble and meek and wanted to know absolutely for sure the way to heaven.
JESUS’S SERMON
Look at Jesus’ sermon to Nicodemus. It was not just for Nicodemus but for every person who would read the Bible.
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
Jesus told Nicodemus, you lack understanding:
Jesus, in using the word “we” was referring to the nation of Israel. The Jews said, “We have the answer, we know the scriptures, we are God chosen people, but then Jesus shocks Nicodemus by saying, “You won’t receive our witness.
Why did Jesus say, “our witness?” He was the Messiah that was prophesied about and promised by Moses and David and Isaiah and all the prophets of the Old Testament.
Nicodemus, like most of the religious Pharisees of that day, were religious and lost.

Jesus continues to tell Nicodemus of his lack of knowledge.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
Jesus says, I used a physical birth analogy, to reveal to you what it means to go to heaven, but you don’t believe it.
Seeds must be sown, love must develop and conviction or travail must take place. You must repent and be converted. Then you will be born into God’s kingdom.
Jesus was saying, If I give you three or four steps to follow, you will try to enter heaven intellectually.
Salvation is not an intellectual decision. It is a spiritual conversion. It is a change heart, mind and life.

III – CONVERSION:
Now Jesus reveals His resurrection:
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
Jesus reveals to Nicodemus that he would die and rise again.
He then reveals the cross.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
The story of the serpent was a shadow of the cross of Jesus Christ.
The nation of Israel was guilty of many sins. On one occasion they were complaining about how bad things were, but that wasn’t new, they did that all the time. God sent deadly serpents into their camp. Many were bitten and many died.
Moses implored God what to do to stop the poison from killing the people. God said make a brass serpent and lift it up on a pole and whoever looks at the serpent by faith will be healed or delivered from the poison of the serpents.

• That story pictures man’s natural ungrateful and selfish heart.
• Man has been bitten with the poison of the serpent, Satan.
• We are all filled with sin.
• The brass serpent pictured judgment. Rather than God, putting us on the cross, God put His Son on that cross.
• The brass represents the judgment God put on His son.
• Jesus died in our place.
• When a person by faith and I mean sincere dedicatory faith looks to Jesus and puts his trust and faith in him, he is close to Salvation.
-Jesus revealed to Nicodemus that his religion wasn’t good enough.
-He revealed to Nicodemus the conviction of the spirit.
-Now, He reveals faith, trust and belief.

Commitment:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Jesus said whosoever believeth in Him. The word “believe” in Jesus’ day is equivalent with commitment today.
Belief in Jesus is not a simple head knowledge that Jesus died was buried and rose again.
If you remember, Agrippa believed all Paul preached about the resurrection Christ and Agrippa said, “Almost thou persuadeth me to be a Christian.” But he would not commit his life to Jesus Christ. He would not repent. He would not unashamedly stand for Christ.

Here is a picture of God’s commitment to man:
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. That is LOVE!
• Salvation is not just a belief.
• The whole story reveals one must humbly seek the Lord.
• One must understand salvation.
• One must be convicted or drawn by God’s Holy Spirit.
• Then finally, one must believe or commit their life to Christ.
2 – Concern:
God not only shows His Commitment, but, His Concern.
Here is God’s great concern for mankind: Here is God’s promise to those who will believe. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

God never wanted anyone to miss heaven. God does not want to condemn anyone to hell. God wants people to be saved from their sin. God wants the whole world to go to heaven. That is God’s concern.

3 - Condemnation
Know the truth about a person being condemned.
Some folks have said, won’t God let anybody into heaven?
Doesn’t God love enough to just forgive us even if we don’t ask?
Won’t he just take everybody to heaven whether they believe or not?
Verse 18 reads, He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Why doesn’t everyone trust Jesus Christ?
Jacob Mesier, 5 years old, came to me last week after a service and said to be with great compassion, “Preacher, I don’t understand it. God holds the world in this hand and he holds the sun in the other hand and he loves everybody… and I don’t understand why everybody doesn’t love Him? Well, Jacob, the answer is found in the next verse.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Sadly, many folks have chosen to live a life for themselves. They love the world. They enjoy being with unsaved people more that believers. They love the lights of the world of the light of God.

They simply don’t realize who God is, what God has done or why they are here. And therefore they are blinded to where they are going.

21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
When a person comes to Christ, he sees his deeds of sin and then comes to the light where God then fashions us to be like Him.
A believer isn’t perfect, but he has a hunger and desire to please the Lord. He knows he should be walking in the light.

Have you been born again!

The Gifts of the Church

2009-02-08T20:41:00.001-05:00

THE GIFT OF THE CHURCH
In Romans 12 Paul reveals 7 gifts. Every believer has one of God’s special seven gifts.
I - PERSONAL GIFTS: Romans 12:4For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
According to verse 4 each person has a Personal gift. God has given you a special gift that can only be fulfilled and give glory to Him, if it is used as part of the body of Christ.
Now, you may sing, but that isn’t your gift. You may teach but that isn’t your gift. You may serve but that may not be your gift.
-There is a difference in the motivational gifts which is one of the seven mentioned in Romans 12, and the ministry gifts.
-The ministry gifts deal with how you use your motivational gift.
-Then there are the manifestations of your gift.
When you practice and perfect your gift, it is manifested to others. Then, you bring encouragement, enlightenment and even healing to others. And ultimately when these gifts are used properly, you bring glory to God.
II – PERFORMANCE GIFTS: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another
According to verse 5 each person is responsible for the Performance of that gift. I am responsible to practice and perfect my gift will be manifested and minister to my family and church.
III – POWER OF THE GIFTS: 6 Having then gifts differing
according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
According to verse six God gives us Power to use our gift. That power is called grace. Grace comes from humility.
Saving grace is different from daily grace. Daily grace is the power and desire God gives us to do His will and to do it well, but we must abide in Him.
Recognize that every gift is different and God has given each person in His body one main gift even though we are admonished to learn all of the gifts.
AUTOMOBILE
What is most important part of a car? Is it the key, the motor, the wheels, the transmission, the oil, the water or the gasoline? Do you think it would matter if we took a few bolts out of the motor or took off a belt or removed a hose on the engine?
Would it hurt the way the car drove if we took one spark plug out and left it at home? If you know anything about an automobile, you would say, “It won’t work long or at all if you start removing things.”
Understand that the Church is a body of believers and each member has a different gift.
If those gifts is understood and used properly, the church will bring glory to God and the body of believers. If it is not pursued, perfected and practiced, the body of Christ will hurt.
Here are the seven gifts God gives to the Church.
Romans 12: 7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.

I) THE PROPHET: (Romans 12:6, 9, I Corinthians 14:1,3)
There are many good character traits of the prophet, but the five best character traits are found in the following verses:
Romans 12: 9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
I Cor 14:1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
1. The prophet is called of God to follow Christ’s example of love (1). He is to know the will of the Father. He is to know the word of God and he is to deliver it to the people in love, even if it cost him, his life.
2. His words are to edify (3). Words that edify enlighten or open people’s eyes to truth. They inform and educate people to the “truth” of God’s word and the “times” in which they live.
3. He is to exhort (3). He urges and encourages others to live for God. It may seem to others as if he is pressuring them to live a better life, but the prophet sees and senses God’s holiness and His judgment.
4. He is to comfort by giving truth. For example, in the third century under the rule of Diocletian, many Christians were being slaughtered like cattle. What comfort could a prophet give?
He could give the words of Christ when He told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Our comfort is the fact that this world is not our home. This is our work station. This is where we serve. Our place of son-ship is yet future. Christians set your sights on that which is eternal.
5. He is to patience and principled. In 2 Timothy 4:2-3, Paul says to proclaim the word by reproving, rebuking and exhorting, but doing so with longsuffering and doctrine.
A prophet must be patience and tolerant in presenting truth even though many within the church and especially in the last days will not listen or obey.
Many will chose the worldly, entertaining churches rather than those churches that still believe in holy worship and the preaching of all the council of God.
**Many who have the gift of a prophet misuse the gift because they are not abiding in Christ. Here is a list of five misuses.
1. A misuse is when a prophet exposes sin without restoring the offender. They tell someone what they are doing wrong, but lack the longsuffering and doctrine to encourage them to do right.
2. They jump to conclusions without getting all the facts.
3. He has a tendency to overkill when one sins. He wants nothing to do with one who has fallen. The prophet has a hard time separating the sin from the sinner. He tends to reject them both, losing the ability to help that person in the future.
4. Another misuse is the prophet expects immediate results when he reveals truth. He expects immediate repentance.
5. If not careful he can be harsh and condemning.
These character traits hinder the work of Christ. If you are a prophet, meditate on the positive traits of love and longsuffering.
If you have hurt someone with your words, humble your heart before God. Ask forgiveness and go and apology.

II. SERVANT: Romans 12:7a, 10, 11,
7a Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering…
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
There are five good traits for a server who abides in Christ:
1. (7a) The servant is patient. He waits on the right opportunity to serve. Many folks get saved and want to teach, work or serve in some capacity. Paul in his wisdom says, “wait.” Why? A servant needs to learn and grow and discipline his life, less he become discouraged and fall.
2. (10a) A servant is kind, gentle, thoughtful and compassionate towards others, but needs to hear a thank you.
3. (10b) He will sacrifice his own needs to serve others.
4. (11a) He is full of energy. He is willing to help others though weary.
5. (11b) He is fervent or passionate to help others for he knows in serving others, he is serving the Lord.
If a servant fails to spend proper time abiding with the Lord he can misuse this gift. Here are five ways he can do so:
1. He can volunteer to often, to the hurt of his own mate and family.
2. He can overwork himself to the point of physical exhaustion and thereby suffer spiritually.
3. He may serve so much that he neglects God-given priorities like devotionals, family, church.
4. He may become upset with others who will not serve.
5. He may interfere with God’s discipline. A server may want to meet the needs of a person, when God is disciplining that person.
The prophet can see God’s discipline when a servant may not. The servant may continue to reach out to help when God was disciplining.
The servant is admonished to serve others. He feels that in serving others, he is serving Christ. The key to a good server is waiting on the Lord and being under God given authority,
My wife is a server. Over the years she has wanted to do help others outside of the home and she always has.
She wanted to do things for the church and the Lord and she did.
She helped me with the youth groups and ran bus routes and helped me every service in junior church in Florida when our children were young but they were always right there with us.
Then when our children got older, (3,6,7) we began teaching our kids at home. She said, “I feel like I’m not doing enough for the Lord?”
I told her, your ministry is first your family and your children. In time you can serve in other ways. She quit teaching piano for 15 years to give her life to teaching her children and completing her husband.
After many years, she went back to teaching piano, which she loved and God allowed her to go back and get her college degree.
In wisdom, she put her service for God first and she was under proper authority. He priority was her husband, her children and her Church.”
Learn what God’s priorities are for you in the Scripture then serve.

III - Teacher: (Romans 12:7b, Ephesians 4:11-16).
“…or he that teacheth, on teaching;”
Listed below are five positive character traits for teachers:
Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; The gravile rule applies to the Greek words, pastors and teachers. That rule means that a pastor must be a teacher.
1. The teacher is the interpreter of truth. When he brings a message, he has thoroughly studied every aspect and knows exactly what is right and wrong. (Ephesians 4:12) 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
2. He normally presents truth systematically to unify the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:13). 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
3. He gathers many facts to prove his point. He compares scripture with scripture so men will not be deceived (Ephesians 4:14). 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
4. He wants statements validated. If he hears something he has never heard before, he wants it to be proved. That is good. He wants spiritual growth (Ephesians 4:15). 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
5. He teaches with love. He senses that, if each person will just learn what he knows, the whole church will function perfectly for God’s glory (Ephesians 4:16). 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
When a teacher buys any item He will see which is the best for the money. If he buys a car, he will check out all the facts of that car. He’ll find out which one will last the longest, which has the best resale value. Then he will examine his family and see if it will be best for them.
Five misuses of this gift come from lack of study and meditation. Those uses are:
1. A teacher can become proud of their knowledge and become puffed up. (1 Cor 8:1)
2. He can miss the spiritual application by looking only at factual evidence and not seeing the spirit’s work.
3. The salvation of a soul and the work of God are spiritual. The teacher can tend to depend on intellectual evidence more than the work of the Holy Spirit.
4. The teacher can get caught up on arguing over minor points, because something hasn’t been sufficiently proved to him.
5. A teacher can begin to separate doctrines and present imbalanced truths.

IV - Exhorter: Romans 12:8a, 12
8a “Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation…”
12 ‘Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
1. Exhorters seem to always have an encouraging word. They are optimistic about life. They are visionaries. They see that anything is possible and God can take care of everything.
2. The exhorter rejoices in the spiritual growth of others. He desires to give admonition so other will grow for God’s glory (Col 1:28).
3. He sees how to turn problems into benefits (II Cor 1:1-7). When things go wrong, he often sees the profit or advantage.
4. An exhorter seeks to reach everyone. He sees hope in believers with different and difficult problems.
5. An exhorter enjoys sharing truth face to face. He senses that his words can give help and positive response.
The misuses of an exhorter are as followed:
1. An exhorter can start new projects without finishing the last one.
2. He enjoys giving steps of action, but can expect the steps alone to bring about the results. If the person doesn’t respond to those steps he can get upset or disillusioned in people.
3. An exhorter can set goals that are very difficult to reach. Being a visionary, he may suggest that someone do this and that until that person becomes discouraged with to much to do.
4. An exhorter has the tendency to give up on people who won’t respond quickly to his steps of actions.
5. An exhorter has a tendency to keep others waiting, including his wife and family.
We all need to be exhorters and give a kind word… a gentle word… a loving word… a joyful word… an encouraging word to the brethren.
Many evangelists are exhorters. Dr. Walter Burrell is an exhorter. He is a studier of the Bible and has Bible knowledge, but he exhorts you when he teaches and preaches.

V - GIVER: Romans 12:8b, 13
…he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; 13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
1. To give, one must have resources. The giver normally knows how to handle money. He saves and seeks to invest wisely.
2. He is frugal in his own life style. He realizes that God gave him everything he owns and he is willing to share that with others.
3. His giving is simple and his living is simple. He could have much more, but he enjoys giving to others.
4. The giver sees the needs of the saints. He will give what is needed. The giver does not want to be recognizes. He likes to stay in the background.
5. He is very friendly and warm person generally. He likes to give to those in need but does not want to be pressured to do so.
A giver can misuse his gifts these ways:
1. A giver can be so consumed in giving to others that he neglects the needs in his family.
2. A giver can give, wanting people to look to him verses God.
3. A giver, not in fellowship with the Lord, may not recognize God’s prompting and wait to long to help in a need.
4. A giver out of fellowship may begin to store up more and more for himself.
5. A giver may cease giving to people and begin giving only to projects.
A pastor was trying to get his church to give and build so they would not have to borrow money. Many in the church said the only way was to borrow. An old farmer in the church was a giver and was waiting to see if the church would by faith raise the money by the giving of the people or if they would put their faith in the bank. The church had a lengthy discussion and decided to borrow the money. The old farmer sent $250,000 to the IBYC, a Christian organization reaching out to many in the world. The church lost out. Was the giver in fellowship or not? Selah!

VI - Ruler or Organize: Romans 12:8c, 14
…he that ruleth, with diligence; 14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
Five good traits of a ruler:
1. A ruler is a ruler or an organizer because of his diligence. He is a go getter. He is industrious. He is a hard worker and diligent. He sees what needs to be done and does it before he is asked.
2. An organizer sees the need in organizing his own personal life first. His house, his shed, his business is arranged properly.
3. He knows that time can be saved and goals reached quicker if everything is organized.
4. (v 14) He blesses with his words as he delegates projects. People feel as if they too are doing a blessed work with the project given them, because of the direction of the organizer.
5. An organizer completes his task quickly. Nehemiah was an organizer. He rebuilt the fallen walls and restored the gates of Jerusalem in fifty-two days.
An organizer is neat and clean. They can greatly serve the Lord. In the Lord’s work, they set days to call people, visit people and help people. He is very neat and organized. A lot of people have organizers in their pockets such as calendars and phones, but that doesn’t make them organized.
The misuses of an organizer are as followed:
1. Viewing people wrongly. He may see them only as a means to accomplish a task, and neglect to bless them by only giving orders.
2. He can show favoritism. If someone else is diligent, he can become more dependent and show favoritism towards that one. Then that person feels overloaded and pressured.
3. When an organizer is not in charge, when asked to do something, they have the tendency to delegate their work to another rather than serve.
4. If things are not done his way, he has the tendency to not get involved at all.
5. An organizer can concentrate so much on a project that he forgets to explain in details or give proper praise when the project is completed.
VII - Mercy: Romans 12:8d, 15
8d …he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
As a mercy spends time in God’s word, he will discover these character traits:
1. A mercy is deeply loyal to a friend and has needs of friendships.
2. A mercy empathizes with hurting people. They are very forgiving, no matter what has happened.
3. A mercy can show great joy when they see another person rejoice or have victory over a problem or issue.
4. A mercy will also show great compassion towards a sinner or one in need.
5. A mercy is very sensitive to loved ones, especially a mate and children.
The mercy sees those with physical needs. They want to reach out to those who are hurting physically, mentally, materially and spiritually.
The misuses of one not in God’s word are as followed:
1. A mercy can hold a grudge if he thinks someone has hurt a friend.
2. A mercy out of fellowship overlooks the sinful lives of those he cares for.
3. A mercy’s misuse is the inability to be firm when discipline is needed.
4. A mercy has a tendency to let her emotions rather than God’s principles control him.
5. A mercy may cut off those they feel are insensitive to people living in sin.

Scenario One: What do Christians do or not do that causes you disappointment? If you say…
1 – …They compromise with the world. You may be a prophet.
2 – …They fail to prove their life to others by how they live. You may be a server.
3 – …They substitute experience for sound doctrine. You may be a teacher.
4 – …They are not growing to spiritual maturity. You may be a exhorter.
5 – …They are not trusting God for their finances. You may be a giver.
6 – …They are not setting any major goals. You may be a organizer.
7 – …They do not show genuine love for each other. You may be a mercy.

Scenario Two: If at a family meal someone dropped a plate of food, what would your response be? What would you say?
1 – “Don’t feel badly. It could have happened to anyone.” (Mercy) His motivation was to relieve your embarrassment.
2 – “Jim, you get the mop. Sue, you pick it up. Mary, you help me fix another desert.” (Organizer) His motivation is to achieve the immediate goal of the group.
3 – “I’ll be happy to buy a new dessert.” (Giver) His motivation is to give to a tangible need.
4 – “Next time, let’s serve the desert with the meal.” (Exhorter) His motivation is to make correction for the future.
5 – “The reason that it fell is that it was too heavy on one side.” (Teacher) His motivation was to examine and discover why it happened.
6 – “Oh, let me help you clean it up.” (Server) His motivation is to fulfill a need.
7 – “That’s what happens when you’re not careful.” (Prophet) His motivation is to correct the problem.

Scenario Three: Each person with one of these gifts visited a sick person in the hospital. This is what they said:
1 – “How can we use what you’re learning here to help others in the future?” (Exhorter)
2 – “Do you have insurance to cover this kind of illness?” (Giver)
3 – “I did some research on your illness and I believe I can explain what’s happening. (Teacher)
4 – “Don’t worry about a thing. I’ve assigned your job to four others in the office. (Organizer)
5 – “I can’t begin to tell you how I felt when I learned you were so sick. How do you feel now?” (Mercy)
6 – “Here is a little gift! Now, I brought your mail in, fed your dog, watered your plants and washed your dishes. (Organizer)
7 – “What is God trying to say to you through this illness? Is there some sin you haven’t confessed yet?” (Prophet)

Learn your gift and your mate’s gift. Learn all the gifts and you will be able to detect your children’s gift. Then when you deal with your children you will understand them and they will understand you.
Live your gift and your relationship with your mate will become sweeter than ever.
Learn all these gifts and you will understand the Church.
Charles Spurgeon was known as the prince of preachers. He preached to thousands in London each Lord’s Day.
Yet he started his ministry by passing out tracts and teaching a Sunday school class as a teenager. When he began to give short addresses to the Sunday school, God blessed his ministry of the Word.
He was invited to preach in obscure places in the country side, and he used every opportunity to honor the Lord. He was faithful in the small things, and God trusted him with the greater things.
He said, “I am perfectly sure, that, if I had not been willing to preach to those small gatherings of people in obscure country places, I should never have had the privilege of preaching to thousands of men and women in large buildings all over the land.
Remember our Lord’s rule, “whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

GOD'S GREAT LOVE

2009-02-01T15:45:00.002-05:00

GOD’S GREAT LOVE FOR HIS CHILDREN

Introduction: As we begin in Isaiah 45 remember that Israel had already been taken into captivity. Inevitably, Judah would fall. Isaiah had been preaching message after message in an attempt to awaken the spirit of the people and to bring them back into fellowship with God.
He preached gloom and doom and in contrast, he preached about the magnificent millennial kingdom.
He told them of God’s love and he told them of their failing heart.
He spoke of true worship and false worship, hoping that some how and someway; there would be some ambers under all the ash of the cold hearth; and these ambers would ignite the seasoned wood of Isaiah’s sermons, and rekindled a fire for God in the hearts of His children.
In chapter 45 Isaiah again reveals many great truths with hopes that God’s people would rebuilt a beautiful relationship with Him.
Know that God will first show a people His great love. He will give them great promises and great blessings.
He will ask for obedience and surrender from those He has so greatly blessed. The obedience is minute compared to the freedom, liberty, might and power and blessings He gives to those who know Him.
God did that to Israel and He did that to America and He does that to every individual that surrender and submit to Him.
Know also that when those people forget the God who created them and saved them, God will call and cry out to them to return.
If they do not, he will have to send chastening. God sent chastening to Israel and He is doing this to America today.
Notice several acts of God’s love and concern He gives to His people and how it relates to us today, but remember this:
Great love can only be appreciated by great faith.

I – God loved Israel and promised them a coming DELIVERER.”
Isaiah 44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

1 - The fact that Isaiah says, Cyrus will rebuilt the city is pretty awesome. Why? Because Cyrus had not born yet. He would not be born for 150 years.
Nebuchadnezzar had not been born yet either. Babylon, the nation that would conquer Judah was not even a mighty power when Isaiah wrote these words.
At the time of Isaiah’s writing, it was the Assyrians that gave Judah trouble. But, God gave Isaiah these prophetic thoughts. Why? He gave them for two reasons:
a) So, in the future, those who would read and listened to God’s word would know that the prophet Isaiah was a man of God who foretold the future. They would know that the Bible was a book of miracles, yea the inspired book of God.
b) So, when Nebuchadnezzar conquered Israel over 100 years after Isaiah’s writing, the people would know to reverenced and obey, God’s holy Word.

2 --Another interesting fact we find in verse 28 is God calls Cyrus, His shepherd.
God used the Assyrians to destroy the Northern kingdom, Israel and Babylon to destroy the Southern kingdom, Judah, because of their idolatry.
God now, in his love and mercy would raise up Cyrus to be His shepherd, so Israel might begin again.
When Cyrus conquered the head of gold, Nebuchadnezzar’s mighty empire, Babylon, he was considered a great conqueror.
But, within the walls of Babylon, Cyrus would meet a man that conquered him. His name was Daniel.
I believe the testimony of Daniel brought Cyrus to trust in God as the true God and his Savior. Cyrus would do all he could, now, to lead Israel back to Jerusalem, the City of God.
Application: As God took away Israel and Judah’s freedom and prosperity, so they would turn to Him and trust in Him and by faith walk with Him; God is in the process of taking away America’s wealth and freedom, so we will turn back to Him.
Did Israel and Judah turn back to God? About 10% of the people went back to serve the Lord in Jerusalem after Cyrus set them free.
Will America turn back to God after its moral, political and financial collapse? Maybe about 10% will turn back, but the majority of American’s including Christians, I am afraid are trusting in our government, or a religion, or a man, to do for them, what only a relationship with God is capable of doing.

I know what some of you may think. “Give us encouragement, preacher, give us hope for America.” I wish I could, but I see according to the Scriptures what Isaiah saw and Ezekiel saw and Daniel saw. Why?
1) America has thrown God out of their government.
2) America has removed God from the walls of their educational institutions.
3) Most churches today have so much of the world in them, you can’t tell the world from the church and the church from the world.
4) God, Jesus Christ and the truths of the Bible are not longer the center of most Christian’s homes.
5) The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life has consumed the lives of most people. And whenever that happens, God must move for evil and not for good. (You’ll understand that quote later.)

3 - Cyrus was more than a believer. Why would I say that? Sennacherib, king of the Assyrians and Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon performed God’s will in taking Israel and Judah into captivity.
But, Cyrus performed God’s pleasure (44:28).
I have a question for you to consider? Do you do God’s will, or do you do God’s pleasure?
What is the difference? To do God’s will is to be an obedient servant. To do God’s pleasure is to be a loving son.
It is one thing to do for others because you know it is right to do right. However it is the act of love to do for others because you love to do right.
Some folks come to church because they know it is right. Some folks read the Bible because they know it is right. Others go to church and read the Bible because they love to do so.
Think: Is it an act of the will or is it an act of love, why I go to church and read the scriptures?
The key to Psalms 37:4 becoming a reality and a promise one can claim, a person’s living for the Lord, must be an act of love. “4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart..”

4 -Isaiah revealed something else in Isaiah 44:28. When Isaiah wrote, these words, the beautiful and magnificent temple of Solomon graced Jerusalem.
Isaiah revealed that the temple would be destroyed completely and it would have to be rebuilt from the foundation up. Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
Judah could not believe that God would allow the beautiful Temple to be destroyed, yet He did. Today, people can’t believe that this mighty economic, political Babylonian system that has taken control of this world will be destroyed one day, but it will. John declared so in the book of Revelation.
You may think, Well preacher it seems like everything is doom and gloom. Yes, it is to a lost world. To a world that has thrown God out and chosen to live for self, it is doom and gloom.
But, for God’s children, we have a promise that we will live with Him for eternity. That is our joy and reason for rejoicing.
When the ways and wealth and wonder of this world is our reason for living, we have become the very thing God does not want us to be.
If I owned a book that could foretell the future, would you like a copy? “Well,” you say, “it just tells about nations.” No my friend, it foretells your future. It tells you and me what to do to be blessed of God and it tells those that are ignorance their future on earth and hereafter.

II – God loves His people and promises them FREEDOM.
45:1 Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;

1 -Cyrus came out of Persia, which is modern day Iran. He was a humble man. Whereas most great rulers, the Caesars, the Pharaohs and the Herods all boasted of their greatness and dominance of the world, Cyrus wrote nothing about his accomplishments, thought he conquered the world.

2– He was called God’s anointed. That title is only given to the Lord. Why did God give it to Cyrus? Because, Cyrus would do partially, what the Lord would do one day completely.
Cyrus would do God’s will. He would deliver Israel from the captivity of Babylon and he would permit Israel to return to the Promise Land.
When Christ returns, He will deliver Israel from the Babylonian world and they will enter a thousand year reign with Christ.

3 – The two leaved gates (45:1) referred to the mighty iron gates of Babylon that imprisoned the people of Judah. Cyrus would open them wide and set God’s people free.
Application: That is what God does for all who surrender to Him. When we surrender to Him in Salvation, He sets us free from sin and death.
When we surrender to Him in life as believers, He sets us free from the sins that hold us on bondage.
He sets us free from the worldly Babylonian system.
He sets our sights for the Promise Land or Heaven.
We begin to build our lives on that which is eternal.

III God in His love, calls us to Himself. (4-5)
4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.
5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
Three amazing thoughts came out of this text.

#1) The omniscience, eternal God of heaven knows your name. He chose you before the foundation of the world. That is an honor and a privilege to think about.

#2) Isaiah foretold the future. God wanted Israel and you and I who are Gentles to think:
If God could foretell the birth of a king and name him Cyrus, and if God could foretell the destruction and rebuilding of His temple and the city of Jerusalem, would the world believe Him, when he foretells of the coming of His Son, and that he would be crucified and rejected?

#3) One day nearly 200 years in the future, Cyrus would read these words. He would stand amazed and he would trust the Lord as his savior.
That is why Ezra records the words of King Cyrus in Ezra 1:2, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
When Cyrus was converted and saw God’s will and He gave the will of God first priority in his life. Are you doing that?

IV – God loves the world and informs the Gentile and Jewish world that He is the light of the world and the ONE true God.
6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
Verse 21 and 22 God says again, “I am the Lord and there is none else.”

1 – First for all liberal ideology, that teaches the idea that all religions lead to heaven, is destroyed here.

2 – Verse 7, says, “I form the light.” Now, you think, “So what is the big deal?” Whoever ruled the world as king had a big impact on the beliefs of that people. When Nebuchadnezzar ruled, the god he served, the majority of the people served. When Alexander the Great ruled, the Greek gods he served, his people served.
The god of the people of Persia was Mazda. The religion was known as Zoroastrianism, named after its prophet, Zoroaster.
It taught that Mazda was the god of light. So, the Persian people believed in a false god and a false prophet.
Isaiah reveals to Cyrus, who would read this book yet in the future, that “God is Jehovah. He created the Sun and He created darkness.”
Now Cyrus had become a believer and the children of Israel were to be a light to the Persian people (Isa 42:6). Would they?
Had Israel and Judah become too much like Babylon to be the true light to these religious and unsaved people? Had they?

3 -The Zoroastrianism also worshipped the god of evil, Ahriman. That is why Isaiah wrote verse 7 “…I make peace and create evil…”
Evil does not refer to sin and wickedness but sorrow, difficulties or tragedies.
Job’s wife was upset with God over God’s dealings with Job, but God reminds her in Job 2:10 , “…shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
Application: I want you to know that in this world today, there is good and evil.
I also want you to know that God sends or allows both. Don’t say, whenever something good happens it is from God and whenever something bad happens, it is from the devil. That is a false statement.
God sends good and God creates evil or sorrow and difficulties. Why? God is God!
The reason I tell you this is because so many folks believe that everything is relative.
That means that one’s culture dictates what is right and wrong.
For example if your culture accepts polygamy then it is OK.
If your culture accepts homosexuality then it is OK.
If your culture accepts sexual permissiveness, then it is OK.
Relativism mixed with humanism concludes that nothing is really right or wrong, only what you make right or wrong for you.
When Isaiah told Cyrus, “God is the light” he was telling Him right is what God says is right and wrong is what God says is wrong.
John wrote in First John one: 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.
V - God says, I love you. Don’t fight against me (v 9).
9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

Sadly in all of God’s blessings and promises to Israel and with all of God’s promises for the future, Israel had a tendency to fight against God.
Isaiah says, “Don’t fight with God.” So why did they? They had lost their love for God and shortly thereafter they lost the desire to do His will.
Notice that Isaiah uses an analogy with clay. Clay is different from most soils. Soils don’t have the plasticity that clay has.
You can take most soils and put water with it and form it, but when the water is gone, it simply falls apart, like a sand castle.
Clay has extra minerals added to it that when molded and heated it dries hard and never goes back to it’s original structure as soil will.
Now listen: When we come to Christ, we are compared to clay for God has mixed his Holy Spirit in our lives.
He takes us and molds us and makes us for His glory. If we go back to the original soil, it is obvious; we did not have the right ingredients.
John said it this way in First John 2: 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
How many of you believe God knows what is best for you?
Sure, yet many of God’s children fight against Him, when He begins to form them and send evil (calamity and trials) into their lives.
Many folks, rather than surrender to God, they stiffen their necks.
Some say, “I don’t want to do that” or they simply ignore His Word.
Others turn a deft ear, hoping God will go away.
Then some folks say, ‘Well, I will just quit going to church all together.”
I want you to know something. If you are God’s child, God will still have His way with you. He will mold you. He will break you. And if he has to, he will take away everything you have in life to form you.

There is a Greek proverb that says, “The dice of the gods are loaded.” That means, “You are going to lose if you fight against God.”
You are going to lose if you think you can strive with God or ignore God.

I told you God is a God of love but we must trust Him by faith.
I heard a preacher tell a story about a friend. His friend and his wife grew apart. The man did everything he could to reconcile the marriage, but the woman simply did not want it to be reconciled. The preacher’s friend said to him, “When I go to sleep at night, I pray to God that I won’t wake up the next morning.”
You say, “Pastor, you said, God is love.” He is and I don’t understand why things happen to folks, but I know enough about the Bible and my God, to tell you that He loves you and what happens is for His glory.
He cares for you in the light and He cares for you in the night seasons.

Isaiah 44:3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.
Years later, after this pastor’s friend went through the darkness of a broken marriage, his life was renewed. Today he is happy and faithfully serving the Lord.
Was God molding Him? Was God making Him?” I can only say, “God knows!” He is God whether He ever answers another one of my prayers.

A young man was going to a Bible study. He was a good kid. He was a moral kid. He was fifteen years old. On his way to the Bible study, he was killed. Why? Was God molding and making his family for something we can’t see? Was God doing a work in the life of his friends?
All I can say is “God knows!” He is God in life and death.

Sickness entered a family. A young mother of three was struck with cancer. The church prayed, the family prayed. She died. Why? Was God trying to mold and make the children and others? Was God getting the attention of a lost one? All I can say is “God knows!” He is God in sickness and in health.
Will you allow God to have His way with you?

VI – God loves you. That is why he created you.
12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
Notice God said, “I have made the earth.”
I would like to have seen the earth in Genesis 1:1. This earth covered with beautiful green foliage with beautiful birds of all colors taking flight in the sky must have been a magnificent sight.
The blue waters filled with the mighty giants of the sea swimming and playing had to make Adam and Eve stand in awe.
The earth itself was covered in diamonds and rubies and emeralds of splendor and beauty, as grass covers the fields today.
Gold and silver cover the path ways as pavement covers the highways today. God made this earth for man, in His love.
Isaiah reminds man that God created the heavens and he said His hands “stretched out the heavens.”
I have said before that the Bible is as up to date as tomorrow morning’s newspaper and it is.
Here, Isaiah wrote 2700 years ago and he tells us what science would not prove until the twentieth century.
The great Albert Einstein did not even believe the universe expanded. He believed the world to be static.
It was Edward Hubble who proved that the universe was expanding, but how, even he did not know. Hubble changed Einstein’s belief.
If this universe is expanding that means there is no boundary, there is no edge, there is no shore line. There is no sunset. There is no end to the universe.
It is like its creator. As God is eternal so is His universe It will grow for eternity for it is infinite.
Not until the invention of the Hubble Telescope in the twentieth century did man discover that Nebula’s were like incubation centers for new stars. All of the gases within those nebulas produce new stars, and the universe grows and grows and grows by millions of miles a day.
And Isaiah wrote about this 2700 years ago.

Isaiah is saying this, “Can you not trust God?”
Will you not give God your life?
Will you not walk with Him and talk with Him?
Will you not surrender you very will, body, mind and soul to Him.
If you do, He will make you beautiful.
He will fill you with peace and purpose in life.
He will touch you with his love. He will give you abundant life.
Jesus said, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heaven laden and I will give you rest.”

The master of the universe made you.
He who placed the colors in the rainbow, made you.
He who in creation covered the earth with rubies and diamonds and gems, created you.
He who hung the stars in space and He who created each mighty angelic being also made you.
In man’s original form He was righteous, innocent and glorious.
He was created in the very image of God.
But sin came and your heart and mind was darken by sin. God has made a way of forgiveness and salvation for the sinner. And God has made a way of purpose and peace for the Saint. Will you trust Him with your life? Not part of your life, but all your life. Trust Him!

The Host: God has created billions of angels. In time past, they praised the Lord. They served the Lord. They did the bidding of the Lord.
There was a war in heaven and 1/3 of those angels followed Lucifer in a rebellion against God.
Those fallen beings I believe are demons today. They, like their leader are at war with God. They hate God and they hate God’s creation.
They want you to be like them. You see Satan said, “I will.” That is what Satan’s wants you to say, “I will” not “thy will.”

If he can get us to pursue our will, seek our will, live for our self, then we become part of the collapse of a nation, the failure of a home, and the demise of a life.
God wants us to do His will. If we will let God be the potter and if we will be yielded clay in his hand, then God will be glorified.

The nation of Israel and Judah went down. America is going down. Maybe there is nothing we can do to turn that around, I don’t know!
But, your life can count for God. Your home can count for God. Your have to realizes he loves you and He wants all of you.
The choice is yours!
VII – God loves you and wants to save you.
22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else
Salvation, eternal life and real life is not found in the discovery of a religion or a country club or a social organization, it is found in looking to God. As you do, you will behold His Son who gave His life on Calvary. You will behold why you are here and what God’s will for your life is. You will find salvation and satisfaction as you come to know the great “I AM.”

THE CHURCH

2009-01-22T18:53:00.000-05:00

“UPON THIS ROCK”
Matthew 16:13-18:
13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

In this world in which we live there are great powers. Some of those powers are seen and some of those powers are unseen, but the mightiest of them are unseen.
In this world there are great military powers, great financial powers and great political powers. There are men with great persuasion powers, and great physical powers, but the greatest power on the earth is an unseen spiritual power know as “The Church of Jesus Christ.” When its people function as a New Testament Church, it is the greatest power on earth.

1 – THE PHRASE: In the Christian world “The Church” refers to a group of believers that gather together each Sunday to worship the Lord Jesus Christ.
These believers have been converted from living in the world for self to living in this world for the Lord.
All true believers have been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ and have personally and individually received Him into their hearts and lives.
There are many other activities during the week that many of the believers are involved in such as prayer meeting, Bible studies, visitation, youth meetings, music and many other gatherings.
However, to the world, the phrase, “The Church” may have a variety of meanings. For example in Australia, “The Church” is a rock group founded in 1980.
In London, “The Church” is a bar where friends gather to drink and party. They advertise over the web with this phrase, “The Church is a great place for a few drinks, a laugh, a dance and the chance to sing your heart out.”
Today, the word “Church” refers to many organization that claims to be a non-profit group.
-There are cult churches, where the true doctrines of God’s Word are twisted and scorned.
-There are satanic churches, where Satan is glorified and Jesus Christ mocked.
There are churches of all persuasions, fake churches, false churches, as well as faithful churches that are true to God’s Word.
Today, with the recent episodes of sexual abuse, infidelity and money scandals in many denominations, “The Church” does not necessarily have a good taste in the mouth of many people.
Therefore, it is vital that God’s children so live as to let the world know we are different. We must live the love of Jesus Christ.
Your friends do not picture our Church the way you do. You may think and say, we have a wonderful church. We have a wonderful choir. We have wonderful Sunday school teachers. We have a wonderful youth director and choir director. We have wonderful friends.
Your friends picture your church by the way you walk and talk, act and live.
The Church is not a building or a name. The Church is you. So let us talk about the people of the Church.

2 – THE PEOPLE: The word “Church,” in the Greek, means “called out” or “assembly.” The true Church is made up of blood washed believers who have been called out of the world, to assemble together in honor of God.
The church which brings glory to the Lord is comprised of those who love Jesus Christ and honor Him with their lives each week and each day. Within the “Church” are many that are spiritual and sadly, many that are carnal.

Within the Church one can find the greatest wisdom. Paul wrote in Colossians 1: 26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
God wants you and me to bathe in His Scriptures, so we might know wisdom.
Paul also revealed that within the church can be great weakness: Read in First Corinthians 3:1 1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
The wisdom of the Church lies in the lives of those who seeks the Lord with all their hearts, studies with their minds and spends time in prayer and walk in God’s Word.
The weakness is found in those who are carnal: Those whose hearts are full of envy and strife, those who sow doubt and division and those who spend little time with the Lord.
Sadly, the unsaved world loves to look at the most carnal person that claims to be a Christian and then judge all believers in that church by that person.
That is why each true believer is admonished again and again in the Scriptures to honor God with their lives.
Remember, the Church is not a building, it is the people called out of this world, saved by grace, for God’s glory. It is the bride of Christ. It is God’s witness on this earth today.
The Church is to be a light in a dark world. The Church is to be comprised of those who are saved, surrendered, separated, sanctified and serving the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 – THE PERCEPTION: The first time the word “Church” is used in the Bible is found in Matthew 16:13.
In this text we see three important thoughts of perception.
I – The Wonder of the Church,
II – The Worship of the Church,
III – The War of the Church,
I – THE WONDER OF THE CHURCH
13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
Why that seems like a simple question, yet in the days that Christ walked the earth, people had a difficult time believing that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, yea, God incarnate.
The disciples answered in verse 14, And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
True believers are taken back to think that the Jewish world, that should have known the prophecies and promises of God, simply did not know Him.
They were willing to say, that Jesus was the reincarnation from one of the great prophets like Elijah, for Jesus had the power to raise the dead.
They even compared Him to Jeremiah, because of His compassion and tears.
But, the religious world and the social world was not willing to yet believe that Jesus was God.
For a Church to bring honor to God, a church must recognize and understand who Jesus is.
Who He is to you will determine your faithfulness and service to Him. How much you love Him will determine the time you spend with Him and the service you give to Him.
In 1989 a man bought a picture in a yard sale for $4.00 in Adamstown, Pennsylvania. When he got it home, he was taken it apart and discovered one of the 500 original copies of the Declaration of Independence. He had it appraised and sold it for 2.4 million dollars in 1991.
The person that sold it in the yard sale had no idea that right under his nose was a fortune and he allowed another man to become rich at his lost.
The application is this: The beauty of Jesus Christ has become obscured by wrong pictures spoken by human voices and wrong books written by human hands.
But, to anyone who will take the Word of God seriously and look into it, they will find the original Jesus, who changes and empowers lives.
Jesus is God. He is the creator of the universe.
Before the first Cherub ever fluttered a wing, Jesus was.
He hung the stars in space and named them one by one.
He created the billions of angels and every particle of life.
Jesus is the Messiah of whom 456 prophecies were fulfilled in His first coming.
Jesus is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end.
Jesus is the beloved of God and our blessed redeemer.
Jesus is the Christ, the Cornerstone of the Church.
Jesus is our deliverer.
He is the eternal Father, our everlasting life.
Jesus is God. Jesus is good, Jesus is great, Jesus is gracious.
Jesus is holy and honorable. He is heavens light.
Jesus is God incarnate. He is invincible and absolutely incredible.
Jesus is the Joy of man’s desire.
Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords.
Jesus is the maker of heaven and earth, the master of the universe.
Jesus is notorious and has a name above all names.
Jesus is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscience.
Yes, He was born of a virgin. Yes, He was sinless. Yes, He touched the eyes of the blind and gave them sight.
Yes, He healed the lepers and gave strength to the cripple to walk again.
Yes, He walked upon the waters and calmed the storms.
Yes, He wept and He raised the dead.
Yes, He allowed man to crucified and bury Him in a tomb.
Yes, He descended into hell.
And yes, He conquered hell and the grave and rose again.
I can tell you all day who Jesus is to me and you may marvel at that, but not until he becomes your “all in all” will the world marvel at you.
Not until He becomes your best friend, will your friends know that He is your best friend.
Not until He becomes your Savior will be know He is your Savior.
Not until He becomes your Lord, will people know He is your Lord.
If you want a relationship that will make the world wonder, get to know my Jesus.
He will make the sun shine on a cloudy day.
He will give you joy in the midst of sorrow.
He will make you laugh when the rest of the world is crying.
He will give you a love that the world can’t take away.
The Wonder of the Church belongs to those who truly wonder after Jesus Christ.

II – THE WORSHIP OF THE CHURCH
15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
If you go to play a ballgame or go to the gym, you go to exercise your physical abilities. When you go to church you go to exercise your spirit.
When Peter answered the Lord, you can sense his excitement. You can hear as he raises his voice with great joy and proclaims, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
His answer did not come because he heard someone else say it. He did not read it in a book. It came from God. It came from his mind, his heart, his soul, his spirit, for he had been examining the life of Christ.
Do you worship Christ? Does the fact that He is the Messiah, the Savor of your soul excite you? It should!
Worship comes from the heart of the beholder. Some folks worship life. Some folks worship self.
But, to those who worship Christ, the greatest blessings come and it is truly evident to all who live near that person.
The church must be built around the beauty of Jesus Christ.
-Songs must lift Him up.
-When a song is sung, Christ should be praised, not a person, not a people.
When a sermon is preached, Christ should be lifted up.
-Christ should be seen, not a person, not a preacher.
-May the Father, through his Spirit reveal to our hearts the beauty of Jesus Christ!
Worshipping Christ is spiritual. Jesus told the woman at the well that the day is coming when they that truly worship God will worship Him in spirit and truth.
God’s Spirit is holy. Thus, true worship transpires in the heart of those whose hearts are pure and clean.
It takes place in the hearts of those who are humble in spirit and hate sin.
True worship comes to those hunger and thirst after righteousness.
True worship takes place in the hearts of those whose motives in coming to church is to see God and not to be seen by man.
True worship takes place when the cares of this world are set aside and our eyes are filled with He who is mighty, magnificent and marvelous.
True worship takes our minds to Calvary and true worship sets our sights on the soon coming of our Lord.
True Worship honors God. True Worship changes us.
True Worship heals our hearts and our homes.

III THE WAR
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Before the Church was ever birthed, Jesus warned that there would be a war.
Who will be fighting against you that are saved? Satan and his cohorts from hell!
The weapons of are warfare must be put on individually.
I can’t wear your armour and you can’t wear mind. Every individual believer must dress in God’s armour if he is to win.
Look at Ephesians 6:11, Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. God says to stand you must dress in His military uniform. That uniform is spiritual
The war we fight is not human, but spiritual.
It is not with what we can see but with what we can’t see. Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
The armour is a must if we are to have victory. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Victory will then come:
1-- Victory comes to those who wrap their lives in truth and live righteously. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
2-- Victory comes to those who have a good foundation. 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
3-- Victory comes to those who live by faith, walk by faith, yea those who trust in the Lord and His Word with all their hearts for the doubt wiles of Satan will not penetrate their shield of faith. 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
4-- Victory comes to those who have the assurance of the Salvation, Who have memorized God’s Word is knows how to use it against the attacks of Satan. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
5-- Victory comes to those who understand that each piece must be put on with prayer. 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

The churches that will be in the greatest war are the churches that build upon the principles and precepts of God’s Word.
Those that worship truly and witness openly, Satan will attack.

Remember that the true Church is spiritual.
Everything about the true Church is spiritual.
The love that last is spiritual.
The life that brings glory to God is spiritual.
Therefore, Satan wants to destroy the Church’s spiritual relationship with the Lord.
He plots and plans to take away your devotional life, your prayer life, and your personal and private time with God.
He messes with your mind and poisons your heart.

Jesus wants the believers to understand that we are soldiers for Christ and Satan has declared war on Christ’s church.
Listen: The reason we gather together often is multifold:
1 – We gather to honor Jesus Christ.
2 – We gather to worship the Lord.
3 – We gather to sing praises to Him.
4 – We gather for sweet fellowship.
5 – We gather to learn our gifts and sharpen our lives and gain knowledge.
6 – We gather to equip the saints for the daily wars we face.
7 – We gather to pray and intercede for our children and friends who are lost and on their way to hell.
8 – We gather to exalt Christ and no man.
9 – We gather to grow spiritually, to unite our families and to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ.
10 – Jesus is why we gather together.
Satan will sow doubt, depression and discouragement in your life.
He will attack your mind then he will stomp on your heart.
I promise you, if you stay close to God you won’t fall. And I promise you if you don’t, you will fall. And when you fall, your family will fall with you.
How do you win? James gives us the answer.
James 4: 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
When we are humble towards God, God has first place in our life. We surrender and submit to live a life pleasing to Him.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
This is a verse on victory. Josh Hamilton was a young man who was the greatest baseball player in America. His family went to church and Josh was a good kid. He never smoked, drank, cussed or ran with the wrong crowd. One day he went to his uncle and aunts house for he was under conviction. He said, there were a lot of people in church, but my uncle and aunt were different. They were Christian. There, he ask about salvation and there he invited Christ into his life. When he graduated from High School, he was given a 3.96 million dollar singing bonus in baseball.
Then, came Satan. He was injured. He couldn’t play for a while. His idle mind would soon become Satan’s workshop. Bars, alcohol and cocaine became his life style. In three years, he spent 3.96 million dollars on a big party. His lies and deception left him friendless and homeless. He went to his grandmother’s house. She took him in and begin to feed him and gave him a bible to read. Josh memorizes James 4:7, Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
He quoted this verse over and over and over. That was a beginning of a long trip back to God and to life. Today, he is living for the Lord and giving Him honor.
I tell you this story so you will know, you are no match for Satan.
Whether you are a Christian or not you will fall if you don’t submit and surrender your life to the Lord Jesus Christ.
You may never take crack cocaine or alcohol in your body, but the any unconfessed sin will start you down a trail of no return.
Sin will take you father than you want to go. It will keep you longer than you want to stay. And it will cost you far more than you want to pay.
Continue with James 4:8.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Taking time for God begins with humility. We realize our time is God’s time. We realize we should draw near to Him daily. And when we do, we will clean our hands. That means we will make things right with our family, friends, neighbors and enemies.
“Purify your hearts,” means we will make things right with God. You see, to have wrong feelings towards someone or to have sin in our heart and claim to be right with God is to be double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
James is saying, the key to winning the war with Satan is to hate his fruits. His fruits are sinful. Pride is ugly, greed is wicked, sin is a cancer. Mourn and weep over your sins. Then God will give you joy.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
You don’t have the ability to lift yourself up. The philosophies of the world want you to blame your parents, your friends, your peers, society, government and even your genes when you fail. You see, man’s humanistic psychology says, that you were born basically good and society make you fail. God says, nobody is responsible for your failure but you, and until you admit that, you begin at no beginning and your end is horrible. So, don’t blame another…
11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

First Timothy 1: 18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

THE HOLY SPIRIT

2009-01-22T18:49:00.000-05:00

THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT (1-9)
Isaiah 44:1 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:
2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.

We will examine three thoughts in the passage:
1 – THE MANIFESTATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Isaiah 44:3 reads, “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:”
Many in Israel waited for the day when the Messiah would come and set up His Kingdom on earth. Others knew when He came He would take away the sins of the world.
John the Baptist said, “Behold the lamb of God who shall take away the sins of the world.”
Simeon was an old man, but a godly man who gave his life to wait for the coming of the Lord Jesus. When he saw him, he turned his head towards heaven and said to God, “My eyes have seen thy salvation” (Luke 2:30).
Anna, a widow of 84 years of age saw the Lord and gave praise to the Lord and prophesied that He would be the redeemer of Israel.
The Angel that appeared to Joseph and said, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
Mary said, “…my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.”
When Christ came, many people recognized Him, but most did not. Jesus Christ was not crowned King of the Jews but was crucified and became the Savior of the world and the bridegroom of the Church.
**He will yet in the future come again. When He does, he will then set up His kingdom.
He will come in two events separated by seven years.
He will come in the rapture of the church and in the revelation.
At the first of the Tribulation the betroth Church will be taken to heaven. There we will be purified and dressed in His righteousness.
John speaks of the celebration in Revelation 19:7. “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.”
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Seven years after the rapture, the Church will return to this earth with the Lord. At that time He will reveal Himself to the world as the Christ, the Judge, the Savior of the world, King of kings and Lord of lords.
At that time Isaiah 44:3 will take place in its fullness.
As the Lord came to betroth (promise of marriage) His Church 2,000 years ago. And the consummation of that betrothing period will not take place until He returns. So, the promise of the fullness of the Spirit began at Pentecost but will not fully be consummated until the future, partially in the Tribulation and completely in the Millennium.
To understand this completely two Scriptures need to be examined: Joel 2:28-32 and Acts 2:16-21.
Joel 2: 28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
30 And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. Acts 2: 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Notice four very important thoughts that place the fullness of these Scriptures in the future:
1) God said He would pour out His Spirit on all flesh. At Pentecost His Spirit was poured out on 120 and then on 3,000. After that whosoever received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, was given God’s Spirit.
A believer is given the earnest of God’s spirit, today. (II Corinthians 1:22) 22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. Earnest money seals the deal, but it is full payment. When we receive Christ, we are sealed until the day of redemption, but the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy is in the future.
2) There is a future day when all of God’s children will be given the spirit in such a way that our sons and daughters will be given prophetic messages. The young men will be given visions and the old men will dream dreams.
Now listen to and understand this prophetic scripture that will take place in the Millennium. Isaiah 11:9 “…the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”
In Old Testament days, the Word of God was spread by the patriarchs, the prophets and the priest through the preaching and proclaiming of God’s Word.
In New Testament days, which are the days we are living in, the Word has been spread through the spoken word and the written word.
But, it seems that during the Millennium, the Word of God will be placed in His children lives by the Holy Spirit through visions and dreams, for the knowledge of His Word will cover this world as the water cover the sea.
Many folks I know have given themselves to memorizing the Scriptures and that is great and should be done. I remember someone asking me, “How do you memorize Scripture?” I said, just put your Bible under your pillow and when you wake up the next morning, you will have memorized Scripture.” Well, you know that is not true. Today, you must read it over and over and over and quote it again and again and again. And after you memorize it, a few months later, you forget it and you have to rememorize it.
Well, during the Millennium, it seems as if God’s Word will come to people supernaturally. The Old men will but go to sleep and God will put in their minds great and wonderful truths that they never studied.
The young children will have such innocent hearts that they will speak prophecy. They will be able to tell what will happen in the near future and young men will be see visions of tomorrow and they will share that with their families and others.
3) A third truth that places the fullness of the Spirit, yet in the future is Joel 2:31. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. That has not happened yet. The moon turning blood red and the sun going black will take place during the Tribulation in Revelation 16.
4) Lastly, a prophecy in both Joel’s account and Peter’s account in Acts is prevalent today and will be during the tribulation and future. Joel 2:32 or Acts 2:21 reads, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved (delivered).”
Because of the working of God’s Spirit today as well as future here is what a person must do to be saved:
1 - A person must see themselves a sinner and the need of salvation
2 – A person must believe the story of salvation.
3 – A person must repent. They must change their minds about life.
4 – A person must be pricked in the heart or convicted by God’s Spirit.
5 – That person must humbly and earnestly cry out to God from their hearts asking to be forgiven for their sins, and delivered from hell and saved for God’s glory.
It isn’t the exact words one prays, but the humble, broken condition of a man’s heart when he cries to the Lord that will save that person.

II – THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The ministry of the Holy Spirit today is numerous.
1 – He convicts of sin people’s needs of salvation and fellowship.
John 16: 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Remember that “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). With that verse in mind know also that the Bible, in written text was not readily available for people till the fifteenth century and then only a hand full.
Whereas we need to hear the reading, teaching and preaching of God’s word, we need to read it personally for ourselves to increase our faith.
2 – He indwells the believer and gives the fruit of the Spirit. Here is the difference in how God’s Spirit deals with a lost person and a saved person (Romans 8:9).
The Spirit convicts the lost to come to Christ and be saved.
He reproves the believer to give himself to God’s Word.
The believer is admonished to “Abide in Christ.” Meditate on God’s Word. As we abide in Christ and think on His word, we become like Christ. His likeness in us comes from our abiding in His Word. (John 15).
3 – He comforts the saints. He gives us peace and consolation no matter how bad things seem to get (Acts 9:31).
4 – He seals us for heaven and fills us with power (Eph 4:30).
5 – He anoints God’s children in service (1 John 2:27).

III – THE MOVING OF GOD’S SPIRIT
TURN TO JOHN 16:13-15 and notice four final thoughts on the work of God’s Spirit:

I - THE PURPOSE OF GOD’S SPIRIT:
John 16: 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.
15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.
His purpose is to bring glory to Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit is like floodlights on a building. If you drive by a beautiful house or building that has flood lights on it at night, you see the building, but you don’t see the lights. That is the work of God’s Spirit today. He shows forth the glory of Jesus Christ. He is not seen.
That is a picture of a spirit filled person. They don’t need to be seen. They don’t want to be seen. If they can use their gift for God’s glory, they simply want the Lord Jesus Christ to receive that glory. If our purpose in singing, teaching, preaching, serving, giving is to be seen, we lack the fullness of God’s spirit in our lives.

II - THE POWER OF GOD’S SPIRIT:
The power of God’s Spirit is like the function of a dam. The doors of the dam must be open so water can run through the dam; turning the turbines that generates electricity. If the water can’t go through the dam there will be no power and no lights for anybody.
Sin locks the doors and prevents them from opening. Once we confess our sins and fill our hearts and minds with God’s word, the water of His Word begins to slowly turn the turbines. The more water we let in, the more power is given to our family and friends and this world.
It takes the power of God’s spirit to change us and remake us.

III- THE POURING OUT OF GOD’S SPIRIT:
Romans 15: 13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
One preacher used greatly of God in America in the late 1800’s was a man by the name of D.L. Moody. He only had a sixth grade education. But, he read and studied and was determined to be successful in life. He became a shoe salesman and a good on. Then he got saved. He began studying the Bible. He went to the preacher of his church and ask if he could teach Sunday school. The preacher said, “We have plenty of teachers, what we need is students. So, Moody went out and brought in people to teach.
One day he overheard someone say, “What would God do with a man totally surrendered to Him.” Mr. Moody said, “I’ll be that man” and God greatly used him.
When he went to England to preach, an elderly pastor denounced his coming. “Why do we need this ‘Mr. Moody’?” said the pastor. “He’s uneducated and inexperienced. Who does he think he is anyway? Does he think he has a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?”
A younger, wiser pastor rose and responded, “No, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on Mr. Moody.
The power of God on a person’s life comes from how much time they surrender to Him and how much they meditate on the Scripture. Walking in the will of God, yielding our actions and attitudes to being like Christ, is all part of receiving the pouring out of God’s Spirit.

D. L. Moody said, “I believe firmly that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and our own ambition and everything that is contrary to God’s Word, then the Holy Spirit will fill every corner of our hearts. But if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God.
We must be emptied before we can be filled.”
Today, for the Spirit of God to overwhelm a person that person must hunger and thirst after God, His Word and righteousness.

IV- THE PROVING OF GOD’S SPIRIT:
It is seen in one who gives himself to the scripture, the church and prayer. It doesn’t come by the asking but by abiding.
In a dormitory room were four young men. They all had the same test the next day. Three of them studied diligently for the test. The other young man was a Christian, he decided to spend hours in prayer, asking God to endow him so he might do well on the test. After the test, the three young men that studied made a B and two C’s. The young man who prayed for hours and ask for a miracle from God made an F.
God Spirit does not empower us because we ask but because we abide, meditate, memorize and hunger and thirst after Him then ask.
Look at Isaiah 44:3 again. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:”
I have often heard parents say, “I want to give my children what I never had.” Well, there it is! Give your children the blessings of God. Give your children a mom and dad filled with the Spirit of the living God.
Twenty-five years ago I heard an evangelist gives this illustration. He said a man in India came to a Guru seeking to know God.
The Guru ask the man how much he wanted to know God. The man said, I want to know Him more than anything in the world. The Guru told the man to follow him. He went down by a body and water and walked waste deep. The younger man followed. He said again, “How much do you want to know God?” The younger man replied. “With all my heart.”
The Guru grab the man, lifted him off his feet and put his head under water for about a minute. The man came up grasping for breath. The Guru asked, “Do you want to know God?” “Yes,” cried the younger man. Again, the Guru put the man’s head under water for over a minute. When the young man came up he was grasping for air.
The guru said, “Do you want to know God?” “Yes! Yes!” cried the young man.
The guru said, “When you want to know God as much as you want to breath, only then will you get to know Him.
When I heard that story, I thought, “Wow, that is an amazing story.” Over twenty-five years I have discovered that to be true.
A lot of folks want to live close enough to God as to just get along in life without getting in trouble.
But, for those who really want to know God; that person must hunger and thirst after righteousness.
Psalms 42; 1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

Everything in life will be different if you ever come to that place where you hunger and thirst after the Lord.
Have you ever been physically hungry and you began looking in the house for something to eat. Maybe you saw something you didn’t think you liked, but you ate it, and you liked it and developed a taste for it. And you ate more and more and more.
That will happen to you if you begin eating of God’s Word and drinking from God’s fountain.
Song:
Like the woman at the well I was seeking for things that could not satisfy:
And then I heard my Savior speaking: "Draw from my well that never shall run dry".
Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord! Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!
There are millions in this world who are craving. The pleasures earthly things afford; But none can match the wondrous treasure, That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.
So, my brother, if the things this world gave you Leave hungers that won't pass away,
My blessed Lord will come and save you, If you kneel to Him and humbly pray:

5 One shall say, I am the Lord's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
Galatians 3: 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them show unto them.
8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

FASTING, THE SECRET POWER TO GOD

2008-12-04T07:28:00.001-05:00

THE SECRET POWER OF A FAST
There are a number of questions people ask when thinking about fasting. We will ask and answer many of them. What is fasting? Fasting is when a person denies his self of a variety of things including food, sleep and pleasure.
Why do people fast? The reason people go on a fast will vary from person to person and from situation to situation.
Is fasting a Biblical teaching, and if so, why should a person fast?

I - THE PRINCIPLE OF FASTING
As we first look at the principle of fasting, Jesus gave these words in Matthew 6.
16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

1 – Fasting was a regular practice in New Testament days:
Notice that the Lord said, “Moreover when ye fast.” (16) The principle of pasting was practiced throughout the Scriptures. The Greek words of Christ here, when you fast, implies the idea that fasting was a common practice. He did not say, “if you decided to fast.” Jesus speaks of fasting as if it should practiced often, or weekly or yearly.
Look at an example relating to the Church. Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
Fasting is mentioned again in II Corinthians 6:4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
In Matthew 17 the disciples could not cast out a demon out of a child. They brought the child to Jesus. After Jesus casted the demon out He said, 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
Some folks are so oppressed by demons, that prayer and scriptures along won’t deliver them. Those concerned must give themselves to fasting.
Fasting is never a command from God, but it is a sign of great power. It is like the adrenaline gland releasing power in your body whereby you are able to show super human strength, but it is spiritual.
Developing and disciplining the body to fast often, is like being part of the “Special Forces.” In the Army, that special force is referred to as being “a Green Beret.” One Soldier in the Army “Special Forces said, "A Green Beret is a hat. I'm not a hat. I'm a highly trained, professional Army Special Forces Soldier."
In the church, there are saved people and there are highly trained, professional Special Forces soldiers for Christ.
A person is not a special soldier for Christ, because of his clothing, or because he is part of the church, but because of his mental and spiritual discipline and knowledge for God.
A Special Force soldier uses reconnaissance, unconventional warfare and counter terrorism to win victories.
Reconnaissance is when one gains knowledge to determine a foe's intentions, by collecting and gathering information. Do you know Satan’s intention is to use any method possible to take a soul to hell? Do you know to do that, he uses any method possible to keep you from praying and living holy and seeking God. Less than 1% of Christians fast today. Satan has stolen that weapon.
Unconventional warfare is using methods that causes the enemy to submit or surrender without warfare. In Christendom, that would involve people who die to self and are filled with God’s Spirit. Walking in the Fruit of the Spirit is a must if we are to win the spiritual war today. The reason the Church is losing the moral battle in America is we have lost our own righteousness.
Counter-terrorism refers to the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies adopted in response to the attacks of the enemy. In the spiritual realm that would involve prayer and fasting.

2 – Those who “Fast” must have the right motive.
Notice that in this Scripture the Lord gives direction to have the right motive when you fast. Jesus says, “Be not as the hypocrites.”
The Pharisees and hypocrites would fast, but walk around with a sad face because they wanted people to notice them and admire them for their, so called, spirituality. Jesus said, “There reward will be the admiration of men and not the recognition of God.”

Mohandas Gandhi was the founder of Satyagraha. Satyagraha was to be a non-violent means of protesting the government. He learned from the humanist Henry David Thoreau how to have a public fast to gain political influence.
Gandhi would fast, publically for days, so his followers would demonstrate against the governments of South Africa and India.
Though it was said to be a non-violent protest, there would often be rioting and bloodshed. Even though Gandhi claimed it to be for peace, his methods brought rebellion and war in people’s heart.
Was his fast proper? The answer is, “no.” It was not proper because Gandhi’s motive was impure. In 1948 a Hindu fanatic assassinated Gandhi because of his political views. Gandhi’s reason for fasting was political and self gratifying.

In eighteen century England there was a man by the name of George Whitfield who’s fasting brought about the light of God and salvation to many, including himself.
The testimony of Whitfield is like many I have heard today. He grew up in church. He would go to church three and four times a week. As a youth he learned the Scriptures. He developed a hunger to know God. He went to a Christian college where he met John and Charles Wesley. They fellowshipped together. All were religious and all were unsaved.
George would sometimes go to church and pray three times a day. He came to the place where he would kneel in the rain and pray for hours. He would fast twice every week as he studied the scriptures.
Then one day the light of God shown through and George Whitfield, at the age of 21, under the conviction of God’s Spirit surrendered his life to Jesus Christ.
George Whitfield saw his need of salvation while fasting. After his conversion, he preached to crowds of more than twenty thousand people. His motive for fasting was to get to know God and God, he got to know.

3 – Fasting should be done secretly.
If you will study the text, you will discover that God never says, go alone on some mountain, or lock yourself away in some room and don’t come out for three days. No! When fasting, you may go about your day, but God sees into your heart that your motive for fasting is pure. You are fasting because you realize only God can lift your burden or do a miracle in your life.

II_- THE PRACTICE OF FASTING
When should a person or people fast? What are the examples in the Bible? Why is it that very few people fast today?
1 – We should fast when preparing for the ministry.
In my younger years, I fasted often, three days, five days, one day at a time, seeking to draw nearer to the Lord.
Moses fasted for forty days on two separate occasions (Exodus 24:18). He got alone with God to receive spiritual character, godly attributes and divine power to lead Israel for forty years through the wilderness.
When he fasted, he was alone with God on a mountain. Periods of a person getting alone with God to fast may be very important at times. If you decided to do so, and you are married, be wise to let your mate know where you are.
When Nehemiah learned about the tragic conditions in Jerusalem, he fasted before the Lord (Nehemiah 1:4). God gave Nehemiah direction and the king (Nehemiah’s earthly authority) gave Nehemiah approval.
If you are concerned about the immorality in America, or the condition of your family, or the spiritual apathy in your church, a fast is needed.
When Barnabus and Saul went to the mission field, it was the act of the church fasting and praying. Read Acts 13:2-3. 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
2 – We should fast when we sense destruction is near.
The prophet Nathan informed David that he would have to pay for the sins he committed and covered up. This story is found in II Samuel 12:12-23. David’s newborn son took sick and David fasted, lying prostrate on the ground for seven days. David was fasting and praying for his sick baby. The baby died. David then arose and said, God could have chosen to save my baby for He is gracious. Then David ate and went and comforted his wife.
In the Assyrian Empire many years ago, the second most powerful man in the kingdom, Haman, had forced the hand of the king to sentences the Jewish people to death. When Queen Esther, who was Jewish, learned of the destruction that she and her people faced, she fasted and asked that her people fast for three days before she went before the king and ask for help.
Esther 4: 16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
To go before the king without being summons could cost Esther her life. Through fasting, God intervened in a miraculous way and the lives of her people were spared and her enemy was deposed of.
If the life of Daniel; his colleagues turned against him and concocted a plan to kill Daniel. The scheme was planned in such a way that it would make them look innocent.
They deceived the king into passing a law against Daniel for praying to his God. When Daniel was arrested for praying, and cast into the Den of lions, King Darius, who loved Daniel, stayed up all night fasting for Daniel’s life. (Daniel 6:18-27).
The next morning King Darius came to the den of loins, weeping and spoke, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?”
He listened for a response from the mouth of the den of lions, “O king, live for ever,” said Daniel. God did a miracle and deliver Daniel from the mouths of the lions.
King Darius, who was the greatest king of the world at this time, sent a decree throughout his kingdom and it eventually went to the ends of the earth that men should tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.
People would ask, “Who is Daniel’s God?” And the answer would come, “It is Jehovah God, the creator of the world.” “He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.” Those same miracles could happen today, if God’s people would practice fasting and prayer.
The prophet, Joel, saw into the future 2700 years ago. He saw the final judgment, the tribulation, God would send on this world. Listen to what he told the people of his day in Joel 1:13-15.
13 Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.
14 Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD.
15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
Joel told Israel’s priest and ministers to lie all night in sackcloth. He said don’t eat a thing. Don’t drink a thing. Fast, pray and cry out to God. Weep before the Lord because Judgment is coming.
Do you think America is near judgment? Do you think that God will soon judge your child for his or her rebellion? Do you think God will soon judge your mate because he or she is wayward? Then it is time for a fast!

3 – We should fast when we purpose to honor God’s principle of rest.
It was a common activity for many in Israel to fast on the Sabbath. It was also a common activity for the early church to fast on the first day of the week.
However, Israel came to the place where they fasted for the wrong reason. Their motive was impure and for this the prophets rebuked them.
Zechariah rebukes them in Zechariah 7:4-14. Israel fasted, but not for God. It was for their own benefit.
Jeremiah rebukes them in Jeremiah 14:10-12. Again, Israel fasted, but they did not turn from their sins.
And Isaiah rebukes them in Isaiah 58 and tells them to have a right motive in fasting. Look at Isaiah 58:5.
5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
The day of rest for Israel was once a day dedicated to God. The day of worship and rest to the church was once a day dedicated to God.
Israel slowly compromised their Sabbath and over the years the Church has turned Sunday into fun-day. Notice what Isaiah says about the day of rest:
Isaiah 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Isaiah simply says, if we would make the day of rest a day to seek the Lord and to honor God, not doing our thing, or finding our pleasure, but if we gave ourselves to the Lord, God would give to us the honor of controlling the highest places of the earth.
If we fast for God’s glory to draw near to Him and honor Him, if we take the day of rest God has given us and use that liberty to honor God and not for an occasion for the flesh, then God would do great things. What would God do? Look at Isaiah 58:
1 – He will set you free of from your sins and habits. v 6
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
2 – You will discover wisdom and direction for your life. v 8a
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning…
3 – Your health will be renews quickly. v 8b
…and thine health shall spring forth speedily…
4 – Your life will be a testimony for God. v 8c
…and thy righteousness shall go before thee;
5 – The Lord will protect you. v 8d
…the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.
6 – The Lord will answer your prayers. 9a
Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer…
7 – The Lord will come to your side. 9b
thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.
8 – The Lord will give you a good name again. 9c
…If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
9 – The Lord will give you insights to truth, which will bring great joy 10. And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:
10 – The Lord will be your personal guide in life 11a.
And the LORD shall guide thee continually…
11 – The Lord will feed you and refresh you 11b.
…and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
12 – The Lord will rebuild your home, your church, your community, your life. You will the rock for your children to stand upon v 12. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
III – THE POWER OF FASTING
Fasting brings spiritual insights. It brings physical health. It brings power from heaven. Fasting and prayer with the motive of seeking God and pleasing God is the greatest power on earth, but few people practice fasting.
Some don’t practice it because of ignorance, but many don’t practice it because it takes discipline. It truly takes a highly disciplined and dedicated Christian to be part of God’s Special Forces.
If you desire to see God do something amazing and miraculous in your life time, learn to fast.
Ill. When Jehoshaphat saw a number of nations had allied to fight against and destroy Judah he declared a fast.
Second Chronicles 20:3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. God intervened and delivered Judah from the hand of their enemies.
Ill. When Jonah preached to Nineveh and declared the judgment of God, the people of Nineveh declared a fast in Jonah 3:5-10.
5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:
8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
If God would take heed to the repentance and fasting and prayers of this people which for centuries, worshipped idols and hated God’s people with a passion, would He not do the same and more for His own people, which would fast and repent and pray and cry out to Him? The answer is, “Yes!”
THE PLAN OF FASTING
1st – Chose a one day, or one meal fast, at first. During that time, drink sixteen ounces of water and give yourself to Bible reading and prayer.
2nd – After getting use to a one-day fast over a few months, God may direct you to give yourself to a three, five or seven day fast.
Before you fast, there are a number of things you need to consider:
a. Eat healthy a few weeks before your fast.
b. Break away from coffee and sugars. Normally your body is addicted to both of these.
To go cold turkey in a fast cold bring sever headaches, so you must slowly wing yourself.
c. If you are a diabetic or on medication or have health issues, you would need to check with your doctor before going on a fast.
3rd – If you go on a three, five or seven day fast or even longer, do so only once or at the most twice a year. To fast too often on long fast could harm the body.
However, a once a week, daily fast, is very healthy for the body. Never do a two-day fast. After one day, the poisons in your body begin to break down. The second day they begin to flow from your body tissues. You need go for three days for it to benefit you from a physical standpoint.
4th – Be sure that your fast is motivated by God’s word. Be sure you are fasting for God’s glory, for spiritual insight, for souls to be saved, for your church or nation. Be sure your motive is pure.

Remember that prayer and consistent prayer is a great power with God but fasting and prayer is even greater!